Washington, D. C.
I, like Virginie C. B., am practicing a few of the gymnastics mentioned in No. 118. We have a bar across one of our doorways a foot from the top, which I catch hold of and swing by. I can not draw my chin up to it yet, but can come very near it. After the Postmistress has assured us she has seen Jimmy Brown, his stories are much more interesting to me, for they must be the experiences of a real boy. We always laugh at them, they are so funny.
My sister has been all over the establishment of Harper & Brothers, and saw them printing Young People. I should like to see that, and hope to some time. I think it was Augusta C. who did not like cats. She would not change her mind if she saw our cat, for that lazy animal is awake all night and asleep all day. We have had no less than six cats during the past year. "The Talking Leaves" excited us very much, and I think it was splendid. Toby Tyler is a very nice little boy, I think, and when I first glanced at the picture of the circus coming in, I thought they were taking him away again.
We have some flowers in our back yard, and we like them very much. The seeds are just coming up, and I take great interest in watching them. We have some very pretty pansies, roses, and bridal-wreaths. They are blooming now. I brought some wild flowers from the woods, and my sister brought some violets; they are growing very nicely. We have but one geranium, and its blooms are shrivelled. I do not know what to do to it.
I like to write stories very much, and I love dearly to draw pictures. Last Tuesday was very warm, and you would have thought it was summer if you had suddenly been transported to Washington.
Emily N.
Perhaps your geranium needs rest. Try the plan of pinching off every bud for the next few weeks. The soil may need enriching, or you may have watered it too freely.
Brooklyn, New York.
I have written to Harper's Young People three times, and none of my letters have been printed; but I believe in perseverance, so I am going to try again. I have never read any paper I liked half as well as Harper's Young People. Papa gets it for me, and I read it to my little brother. One night I was reading "Tim and Tip" to him, and I happened to look up, and he was crying. He didn't want me to think he was crying, so he said, "It's only the water that comes out of my eyes." I like Jimmy Brown's stories very much. I think all of the stories in the paper are very interesting. Jimmy Brown and Georgie Hackett seem to possess about the same qualities. My favorite study in school is history.
Emma.
I do not know Georgie Hackett, but poor Jimmy is certainly an interesting boy, though I would not care to have him living at my house, unless he could behave better than he now does. Perseverance is an excellent quality. You could not have a better motto than