Grace from Pennsylvania. You have asked a hard question, my dear. How can we interest people in things in which they have no interest? Let us see. In the first place, we must be very much interested ourselves, and must know just why we are interested, and just what we hope to do, by securing others to join us. Many of the P. S. have weekly meetings where they do some benevolent work, and have many an interesting book read to them while they work. Others have a literary society. What have you tried to do? Tell us the whole story, and we will try to help you.
Susie from Pennsylvania. The "Whisper Motto" is: "For Jesus' Sake." All the Pansies who choose it for their motto are expected to try to live by it. To do nothing which they think Jesus would not like, and to take him for their pattern. I am glad you like The Pansy.
Nettie from Ohio. Dear little Blossom, I was very much interested in your letter. I read it to a friend who said she would send you The Pansy for one year, for a Christmas present. So you may expect it to visit you as usual. I am glad you and your little sisters like it so well. For a little girl who has never been to school, I think you write an excellent letter.
Harriet from Deddington. So a little American Blossom has gone to bloom in England! That is good. May the fragrance of your life be enough to give joy to all around you. Did you ever notice how easy it is to find things to fret about, if one only tries?
Edith from New York. Now, my dear, I hope you will this time understand that you are the "Edith" meant. I would like to make it "sound like you" if I could. Since you live in Chautauqua County, perhaps you have been to the beautiful Chautauqua, where so many young people go every summer.
Richard from Virginia. We welcome you, my boy. If you succeed in raising a P. S. company, an officer's badge will be sent you in place of the one you now have. The habit of using "by-words" seems to be growing among our young people, both girls and boys. I am glad for every one who joins the ranks to fight against it.
Myra from New York. My wee Blossom, I was glad to receive your letter. So you want to write "nice stories"? Well, who can tell but you may write beautiful stories, one of these days? I'll tell you what you might begin to do now. Live a story, a beautiful one, so that people who know you will say one to another, "How gentle, and unselfish, and truthful, and loving Myra is!" How would that do? Yes, I know it is much harder to live stories than it is to write them; but then, they are worth more.
Bessie and Gracie from Wisconsin. Two dear sisters who are going to "help each other." I know all about that habit of impatience, Bessie; ever so many people are troubled with it. As for "contradicting," I have spent part of the day with a boy who contradicted his mother five times in the course of half an hour. Think of it!
Miriam from New Jersey. You have chosen a fault which is very common, and very trying to one's friends. "Slow obedience is only half obedience," a dear old friend of mine used to say. I have often thought of it; and I believe it is quite true. Do not you? I think you must have had a pleasant time at your celebration.
Stella from Omaha. Your pledge reminds me of a day when I was looking through a gentleman's autograph album, and came to a name which I could not pronounce. This was it: Inaminute. "What is this name?" I asked, in wonder. The young man laughed. "Oh, that was one of our boys who was always keeping us waiting; he was sure to shout out: "In a minute!" no matter how much haste we were in. So we took to calling him that; and the name stuck, somehow, and fits to this day. Some one told me only yesterday, that he never succeeded in anything he undertook, because he was always behindhand."