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diff --git a/old/27576.txt b/old/27576.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05ddc8f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/27576.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7264 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Folks (Septemeber 1884), by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Little Folks (Septemeber 1884) + A Magazine for the Young + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 20, 2008 [EBook #27576] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FOLKS (SEPTEMEBER 1884) *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + Phrases printed in italics in the original version are + indicated in this electronic version by _ (underscore). + A list of amendments are given at the end of the book. + + + + +LITTLE FOLKS: + +_A Magazine for the Young._ + +_NEW AND ENLARGED SERIES._ + +CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED: + +_LONDON, PARIS & NEW YORK._ + +[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] + +[Illustration] + + + + +A LITTLE TOO CLEVER. + +_By the Author of "Pen's Perplexities," "Margaret's Enemy," "Maid +Marjory," &c._ + +CHAPTER VIII.--ESCAPE. + + +When Elsie awoke in the morning, after at last falling into a dull, +heavy sleep, she had not an opportunity of seeing what sort of weather +it was. There was no light in their rude sleeping-place, except the dim +one that came through the aperture from the other room. She listened, +and hearing sounds of life below, she hastily rose, and creeping down +the ladder, went in search of her frock. + +Mrs. Ferguson was already up, and busy. Elsie asked for her frock, but +Mrs. Ferguson told her it was not dry, and she had better make what +shift she could with the old gown she had given her on the previous +night. As she could nowhere see her dress, she was obliged reluctantly +to follow the woman's advice. + +To her delight, she perceived that the morning was bright and warm after +the rain, and she fully resolved, as soon as their things were decently +dry, to be on their road once more. + +In the meantime, however, Duncan's jacket had also disappeared. She +could get nothing out of Mrs. Ferguson about it, except that it was +drying, and Duncan had to put up with a cotton jacket, which Mrs. +Ferguson stripped from her own boy's back to give him. + +This mystery as to the whereabouts of their clothes very greatly annoyed +Elsie, who tried in vain to make Mrs. Ferguson say where they were. She +pretended not to understand what Elsie meant, though Elsie felt quite +sure all that was feigned. + +Their breakfast consisted of some thin watery porridge, without bread, +sugar, or milk. + +When their scanty meal was ended, Mrs. Ferguson ordered them to go out +and help Sandy Ferguson, her husband, who was waiting outside for them. +At first Elsie felt disposed to refuse, but on second thoughts, she +obeyed. Sandy Ferguson was on the spot, his wife in the kitchen, with +the cottage door open, their two boys about here, there, and everywhere. + +To get away unperceived was out of the question, besides the serious +matter of losing their garments, which Elsie had not yet been able to +discover. + +So they had to work away in company with the two ragged urchins. Elsie +was boiling with rage, but she hid it as well as she could; and as for +poor Duncan, he worked away without uttering a word, but with only an +occasional inquiring glance at Elsie, which was infinitely touching. + +Elsie soon perceived that there would be no chance of their pursuing +their journey that day. Mrs. Ferguson protested that she was getting +their things dried as fast as she could, and would say nothing more; but +Elsie had a keen misgiving that for some reason or other she did not +mean to let them go. + +Was it possible that she knew anything of their mother, and was thinking +to send them back? or did she only mean to keep them there, and make +them work for her family? + +At times Elsie felt a terrible fear creeping over her that these +dreadful people meant to steal or hurt her and Duncan. "Perhaps she +wants our clothes," Elsie thought, "for she knows we have no more +pennies!" + +So she took the first opportunity she could find to tell Mrs. Ferguson +that they didn't think they could wait any longer for their things to +get dry; they could easily get some more at Killochrie. She said this +with an air of indifference. She would put her jacket on over her stuff +petticoat, and that would do very well. Duncan could wear the cotton +jacket, and leave his tweed one behind. + +But all this made no impression on Mrs. Ferguson. She only laughed +grimly to herself; and as their things were not forthcoming, Elsie might +as well have spared her generosity. If she could only have found her +jacket she would have been contented, but this, too, had disappeared, +and even if she had found the opportunity, Elsie would hardly have had +the courage to go on her way with Mrs. Ferguson's dirty tattered gown +tucked up and pinned together about her. + +By-and-by Elsie began to think she saw what Mrs. Ferguson was thinking +of. She noticed that she frequently looked along the road, and carefully +watched for any vehicle whose wheels sounded in the distance. "She +thinks mother'll come and fetch us," Elsie said to herself, "or at least +the woman that I told her I lived with; but she'll never come here after +us, that's certain." + +But although Elsie had very little fear that they would be found, yet +she was determined to get away somehow from this hovel. + +Two whole days had elapsed. They had spent three wretched shivering +nights on the floor of the loft. On the third day Elsie felt she could +bear it no longer. She was in a state of suppressed excitement, and she +felt that she could almost jump out of her skin. + +It is very strange to notice through what small loopholes people often +make their escape. The fairy-tale idea of passing through keyholes and +up chimneys is scarcely more wonderful. Now, Mrs. Ferguson had been +keeping a strict watch on these children, and not only herself, but her +husband and two children had all been employed to watch. On the third +day there stopped at the cottage door a lumbering vehicle, containing a +man and woman and several baskets. The two alighted, and came into the +cottage, where a great talking ensued, and many purchases were displayed +and loudly discussed. The two Ferguson lads should have been with Elsie +and Duncan, but they had climbed on to the top of the peat-stack by the +side of the house, and were lying full length, peering unobserved +through the dingy window. Suddenly Elsie perceived that they were alone, +and without waiting to consider the possibilities of the case, she took +Duncan by the hand, pushed him over the stone wall, quickly climbed it +herself, and flew away over the grass as fast as her feet could carry +her in the direction of the hills. + +Here, again, fortune favoured her, as it sometimes does favour the most +rash ventures. After running a goodish way, Elsie saw what she had never +dreamed of finding--a roadway sweeping round the foot of the hill, and +quite hidden from sight by a sudden rise in the ground. When they gained +the road, they too would be hidden by the rising ground between them and +the crofter's cottage, whereas now they could be seen distinctly by any +one who should happen to look, for there was not even a tree or bush to +shield them. Elsie pushed on quickly, not venturing to take even a peep +behind until they had safely scrambled down the steep bank into the +road, when, to her joy, she found that the stone walls enclosing the +croft, even the little hovel itself, had completely disappeared. + +"Elsie," said Duncan, catching his breath, and looking up to her with a +glance of terror, "will they catch us?" + +"No, I don't think so, Duncan," Elsie answered, quite gently. "We are +quite out of sight. We must be quick, and find out where this road +leads." + +"I am so frightened, Elsie!" Duncan exclaimed, with a pitiful, appealing +glance to her not to be angry. He had kept his terror to himself so long +that he could hide it no longer. "Did you think they were going to kill +us, Elsie?" + +"No, Duncan, of course not," Elsie replied, not without a little shiver. + +It was very noticeable how different Elsie's tone was from her usual +one. There was no snapping up or ridiculing her little brother. She +spoke more as if she were trying to persuade herself of the truth of +what she said. + +"But, Elsie, there was never any one came near," Duncan persisted. +"Sandy Ferguson could dig a big hole, and put us in right easy. No one +would know. Don't let him catch us, Elsie." + +"He shan't catch us, dear," Elsie said, reassuringly, though she was not +feeling very easy about it herself. It was only now that she began +really to feel what a terrible time they had lived through in those last +two days, and what unknown horrors they had escaped from. Duncan's words +filled her with fear. To be overtaken and carried back to that dreadful +woman seemed the worst thing that could befall them. + +"I wonder where this road leads?" Elsie said, trying to make Duncan +think of something else. "There's no one to ask." + +"P'raps they might be like the man if you asked," Duncan said fearfully; +"and you look so ragged in that dirty old gown, Elsie. They will think +we are beggars." + +Elsie had been thinking the same thing herself, though she was not going +to tell poor Duncan--already frightened out of his senses--how +uncomfortable she really felt. Alone in a country road, which led they +did not know where, without a penny to buy food or, so far as they could +see, a house from which they could ask some, what was to become of them? + +"Elsie?" Duncan said presently, looking at her very wistfully. + +"Yes, Duncan?" + +"You won't be angry, will you?" + +"No, I won't be angry," Elsie said impatiently. "What is it?" + +"I feel so tired. Couldn't we go home?" + +"Do you think you could find the way back?" Elsie asked. + +"Oh! but we could ask for Dunster," Duncan said, eagerly. "People would +tell us. I'd try to run very fast, Elsie." + +"We should have to get back to that other road, where the cottages are, +first," Elsie said, contemplatively. "Would you like to do that, +Duncan?" + +"Oh, no!" the child cried, in _terror_. "They'd catch us, Elsie, they'd +catch us: I'm sure they would." + +"We won't go there," Elsie said, trying to comfort him, for it was +pitiful to see his fright. "Wait till I see a nice tidy person, and I'll +ask all about it." + +"There might be another way," Duncan suggested. + +Just then they heard the sound of distant wheels. Duncan caught hold of +Elsie's shoulder in an agony of fright. "It's the man!" he cried, +trembling from head to foot, and turning as white as death. "He's +coming, Elsie! he's coming to fetch us back!" + + +CHAPTER IX.--A FAIRY VISITOR. + +With what indescribable torments of dread the two children stood waiting +it is difficult to express. Elsie's feeling of fright for herself was +merged in care for Duncan. She had never seen him look like this before, +and it startled her. His white face was drawn into an expression that +changed it altogether. His eyes were wide and staring, looking along the +road in a sort of fascination of terror. + +Elsie held him close to her, drawing him round so that he should not see +the approaching vehicle, still far distant, for on that still, lonely +road the sound of hoofs could be heard at a great distance. Elsie +listened, with her heart standing still. + +"Duncan, Duncan, it is two horses!" she cried, presently. "And they are +coming quickly. It is a carriage, not a cart." + +But Duncan was so terrified that he had no reasoning power left in him. +Even when the carriage came in sight he would not have been a bit +surprised to have seen the crofter and his shrewish wife jump out of it. + +Instead of that, however, the carriage contained a very +fashionably-dressed, rich-looking lady and gentleman. Elsie could see +directly that they were gentlefolk, who would never think of hurting two +little children. She resolved to speak to them. + +They were certainly in fortune's way. The carriage drew up close by +them, and a dainty voice asked-- + +"Children, can you tell us if we are on the right road to Killochrie?" + +"I don't think you are, ma'am," Elsie replied, in her best manner. + +"Oh dear!" the lady exclaimed; "how annoying when we are in such haste! +Can you direct us?" + +"There's a road right over there leads to it," Elsie replied, pointing +with her hand. + +"But how do we get on to the road? Does this one meet it anywhere? +Driver, don't you know?" + +The driver muttered something in a rather surly fashion, whereupon the +gentleman, who had not yet spoken, leaned forward, and said angrily, +"You told us you knew this neighbourhood. You are an idiot!" + +"Perhaps this little lass could show him," the lady remarked. + +"Indeed, ma'am, it's right glad I'd be to do it," Elsie began (how very +polite any one can be when they choose), "but we're quite strange, and +have lost our own way, our mother being dead and our father in London, +which we're trying to find; and perhaps, ma'am, you would be so kind as +to tell us the way." All this was said very rapidly. + +"If they can't help us, why not drive on?" the gentleman remarked +impatiently. + +"Stay a moment," the lady said. "These children may possibly be of great +use to us. Look at the girl, William. She hasn't at all a bad face, if +she were well dressed," she added, in a low tone, which, however, did +not escape Elsie. + +"You say your mother is dead and your father in London," the lady added. +"Who are you living with?" + +"There was a woman who took care of us," Elsie replied quickly, "but she +let our father think we were dead, so we ran away to find him; and a man +who gave us a ride in his cart robbed us of our pennies and our clothes, +and was very cruel. We ran away in the clothes they gave us." + +"What a deal of running away," the lady said, not unkindly; "and your +little brother looks tired. Do you know how far it is to London?" + +"No, not exactly, ma'am," Elsie replied. + +"Well, it is hundreds and hundreds of miles; and let me tell you at once +you will never get there if you walk for ever. But," she added quickly, +leaving Elsie no time to reply, "I may be able to help you. I am a sort +of good fairy. Walk on towards Killochrie. Ask any one you see the way +there, and before night I will come back again. That is all. Coachman, +drive on. You must look out for some one else to direct us." + +Then the man whipped up his horses and drove off, leaving Elsie standing +by the roadside in a sad state of bewilderment. Could she have heard +aright? Before three minutes had passed she began to think she had been +mistaken, but that could not be, for Duncan presently said to her-- + +"She won't ever come back, Elsie, will she? But she was a bonnie lady, +wasn't she?" + +"She was bonnie, and real kind," Elsie said. "I wonder whether she will +come back after all." + +"She might have put us inside the carriage if she'd liked," Duncan said, +doubtfully. + +"Perhaps the gentleman wouldn't have let her," Elsie replied. "I think +she meant she would come alone." + +"Will she be very long?" Duncan said, pitifully; "and will she take us +to London, to him--our father, Elsie?--or will you ask her to take us +back to Dunster?" + +"We must wait till she comes," Elsie said, evasively. In her heart of +hearts she would not have been sorry to find herself back in Mrs. +MacDougall's cottage, but the humiliation of returning and acknowledging +why she had run away, and how she had failed, was too much for her +proud, stubborn will. + +"Do you like running away?" Duncan asked, looking up anxiously in her +face. + +"I don't mind it," Elsie answered. She was getting into a contrary mood, +partly because Duncan's remarks touched her so keenly, partly out of +anger and impatience at the misfortunes that had befallen them. + +They had been walking along slowly in the direction the carriage had +taken. Duncan did not seem inclined to go faster. Presently he stopped, +and stood watching a number of black-faced Highland sheep scampering +down the side of a hill. There were sounds of barking, and at last there +appeared a shepherd and collie. + +"He will know the way," Elsie cried, with delight. "Come on, Duncan; +let's run and ask him." + +"You run, Elsie. I'll wait till you come back," Duncan said, wearily. It +was very unusual for him to hang behind, but Elsie was too eager to +notice it. She left him sitting by the roadside, and flew after the +shepherd. + +"The way to Killochrie? Weel, you just keep to the road right away till +it runs into another one, an' that'll take you straight through; but +it's a long, long way to walk." + +The man was engaged in eating a large piece of bread and cheese. Elsie, +who was very hungry, eyed it longingly. + +"Ye look a wee bit starved," the man said. + +"We'll be getting some food at Killochrie," Elsie said, evasively. + +"I did hear last night that there was two children lost off Dunster +Moor--stolen, they do say. I suppose you bain't one of them?" the man +continued, eyeing her curiously "Was dressed in plaid frock and cloth +jacket. That ain't you, any way." + +"We live at Killochrie," Elsie said quickly and wickedly, not hesitating +to conceal the truth, and to tell a falsehood to do so. "We've come +farther than we should, and I wasn't quite sure of the way." + +"Aweel! aweel!" the man said, in his slow northern fashion. "It's a good +thing ye're not lost away from your natural home, which I'd be sorry to +think of happening to any bairn. It's a goodish bit out of my road, but +I'd like to carry the poor bairnies back to their mother, wherever she +be." + +Elsie waited to hear no more. She bade the man a hasty "Good-day," and +ran off. How strange it was that this out-of-the-way shepherd should +have heard the tale, and yet not so strange when one thinks how quickly +such a tale spreads far and near, and how few other concerns the +shepherd had to drive it from his mind. Already the news of the lost +children was being discussed in every whiskey-shop and cottage. It had +reached the little village three miles out of Killochrie, where the +shepherd's wife lived. And if the children had been elsewhere than in +the crofter's lonely cottage they must have been discovered, as there +was every chance that they would be before long. + +Now, if Elsie had known it, the first piece of good fortune that had +really come to them was when she met the shepherd. He was an honest, +kind-hearted man, the father of children. At one word of explanation he +would have taken the children in charge, and delivered them safely over +to their proper guardian. Providence, watching over the misguided +children, had put this means of deliverance in their way. But Elsie was +still obstinate, and the very thought of being taken back roused every +feeling of opposition and anger. + +If only poor little Duncan had known the opportunity, which was every +moment retreating farther away! + +Elsie breathed freely when she perceived the shepherd disappear in the +valley. "We are all right," she said to Duncan, keeping to herself the +shock she had received. "This will lead us to Killochrie." + +Duncan said nothing. He seemed neither glad nor sorry. He was not much +of a companion, Elsie thought. + +The day crept on. They did not make much progress, for Duncan was cross, +and lagged dreadfully. + +Elsie had in her mind a firm conviction that the kind lady would return, +and she was not wrong, for at last they saw a female figure coming +towards them; she carried a good-sized leather bag in her hand, which +Elsie believed contained food for them. How glad she was now that she +had fled from the shepherd. The good fairy had come. + +[Illustration: "THE CARRIAGE DREW UP CLOSE BY THEM" (_p. 131_).] + +There was one thing Elsie had never thought of. Wicked spirits often +assume the appearance of good fairies. Every one knows that, so that it +was to be seen whether this was a good fairy or not. + +[Illustration] + + +CHAPTER X.--THE NEW MOTHER. + +Such a disappointment! As the figure drew near, Elsie saw that she had +made a mistake. Instead of the beautifully-dressed lady of the carriage, +it turned out to be a person dressed in black garments, with a long +black veil covering her face. + +She walked along quickly, and as she came up to the children, she +stopped. Then she turned up her veil, and Elsie saw with astonishment +that it was really the lady who had spoken to them that morning, but so +changed, that it was no wonder Elsie had not known her. The face that +had looked so gay and smiling was now sad and pensive; the fair curling +hair, falling in pretty confusion over the white forehead, was drawn +smoothly back under the neat crape bonnet, with its widow's cap. + +[Illustration] + +The many bracelets and other jewellery were all gone. So complete was +the transformation that Elsie stood staring, not knowing what to +believe. + +"I told you I was a fairy," the lady said, in a kind, but sad, voice. +"You must not be surprised to see me so changed. To-morrow I may change +again. A fairy is all sorts of things, you know." + +"Ye--es, ma'am," Elsie said, doubtfully. + +"I dare say you think that a fairy can change other people as well as +herself, do you not?" + +"Yes, ma'am; fairies do that in books," Elsie replied. + +"Well, and I tell you I am a fairy," the lady said, a little sharply; +"and I am going to change you." + +"What is she going to change us into, Elsie?" asked the matter-of-fact +Duncan. + +"Ah! what?" the lady asked, with a laugh. "Shall I change you into two +little Highland sheep scampering over the hills, and feeding upon +grass?" + +"Oh no!" Elsie said quickly; but Duncan, whose mind never readily +accepted a new idea, only replied stolidly, "You couldn't, you know." + +"Don't be so sure of that," the lady replied. "But I am not going to. I +am going to make you into my own little children." + +This seemed very nice and kind, but it so completely did away with their +own father that Elsie did not know what to say. The lady seemed +displeased, and stamping her foot, said very sharply--"Do you hear what +I say? I am going to turn you into my little boy and girl." + +"Thank you, ma'am," Elsie said slowly. "It is very kind, only we've got +our own father." + +"I didn't say anything about a father, did I?" the lady said. "I shall +be your mother. While you are my children, your father is dead." + +"But he isn't indeed, ma'am," Elsie began; but he lady's face suddenly +changed. It grew very red, and her eyes blazed with passion. + +In place of the sad, pensive face, she saw an angry, furious, +dreadful-looking face, that struck terror into her heart. "While you are +my children," she exclaimed, in a loud terrible voice, "your father is +dead. If you forget that for one moment, I will instantly change you +back into the wretched little creatures you now are, and set you down on +top of that high mountain, where you will perish of cold and hunger." +Then suddenly she dropped her voice, her face grew calm and +sweet-looking again, and she said, very gently, "Will you be my +children?" + +The children were so bewildered and astonished that they could hardly +believe their senses. Elsie replied at once--"Oh yes, if we may;" but it +was really more because she did not dare to say anything else, for fear +of offending this strange being, and the dread of being left alone all +night among the dark, gloomy hills. + +"Follow me," the lady said, drawing down her veil, and turning away +from the road on to the grass. + +The children followed. She led them some distance over the lowest part +of a small hill. She walked quickly, the children doing their best to +keep pace with her light, rapid footsteps, although Duncan was very +tired, and both were desperately hungry. Presently they found themselves +in a tiny dell, through which ran a little babbling stream, and where +large yellow daisies, and bonnie blue-bells, and other flowers bloomed +abundantly. Here the strange lady stopped, and opening her bag, she drew +forth some black garments. The first one was a frock of fine black stuff +with crape. She bade Elsie take off the old gown she was wearing, and +put on this. + +Elsie was charmed. The dress fastened down the back, and had a narrow +skirt, cut in one with the body, forming a complete contrast to her own +short full skirt and round body of bright plaid. Then there came forth +from the fairy bag a black hat and a pair of beautiful silk gloves. "You +will do for to-night," the lady said, when Elsie had put them on. +"To-morrow morning we must think of shoes and stockings less clumsy than +those you have on." + +For Duncan she brought out a black overcoat, which reached nearly to his +ankles, and a black cloth cap. Elsie waited impatiently, hoping to see +some nice food come out of the bag, but the fairy mother seemed not to +have thought of that, for she shut it up when she had taken the cap out, +and gave it to Duncan to carry. Then she rolled up the tattered gown and +jacket, and threw them into the stream. + +"You are to call me mamma," she said sweetly, "or mother, if you are +more used to that." + +"Then please, ma'am--ma--we are very hungry," Elsie said. + +The lady did not seem pleased. "What dreadful things children are! They +want to eat!" she exclaimed. "Well, there is no time now; we must get +home quickly. Give me a hand each of you." + +They did as they were told, and very soon were again upon the road, +walking as quickly as they could to keep up with her. Every now and then +she gave Duncan a sharp tug to make him walk quicker. + +The poor child was so tired and hungry that he hardly knew how to get +along, but the lady took no notice. Elsie really was beginning to think +that there was something about her quite different from ordinary people, +but she was not sure that she liked her any better for that. She +wondered whether she knew what it was to feel very hungry. + +They walked what seemed to the weary children a very, very long way, but +at last they saw houses, and they perceived that they had arrived at a +little village. Here the lady bought them some buns and rolls, which +they eagerly devoured, but to their infinite disappointment they found +they were not to stay here. On they walked another long way, till they +reached a place with many houses and streets and shops, such as Elsie +had never seen in her life before. + +It was now quite dark, but the lady hurried them through the streets, +not allowing them to stop for a moment. By-and-by they arrived at a +strange building of wood. They were presently lifted into a carriage. +The lady followed; the door was shut. There was a shrill scream, and +then the lights outside began to glide past them. They were, for the +first time in their lives, in a train. + +Duncan had not been in the carriage two minutes before his head fell +back against the woodwork, and he was asleep. Elsie's brain was too busy +for her to do the same thing. The sensation of gliding along in the dark +was so new and strange that she was at first very frightened, but as +every one else looked quite comfortable, her fears began to abate, and +she could turn her mind to the strange adventures that had befallen +them. + +After some little time they stopped, and their companion lifted them +out, rousing Duncan out of his heavy sleep with much difficulty. + +A tall, dark gentleman was waiting, on the platform for them. "Here are +the dear children," the lady said, in a sweet, sad voice. "Children, say +'How do you do?' to your Uncle William." + +The gentleman shook hands with each of them, and taking Elsie by the +hand, led her forward, the lady following with Duncan. They passed +through some gates, and found some carriages waiting outside. Into one +of these the gentleman and lady took the children, and they were driven +away. + +These two strange individuals conversed a great deal, but the noise of +the wheels prevented Elsie from hearing much of what they said. She made +out that the lady was telling the gentleman about her journey, and she +thought they both seemed rather pleased. + +Suddenly the gentleman leaned over, and laid a hand upon Elsie's arm. +"Mind what you are about," he said in her ear. "If you say anything to +displease this lady, your good mother, it will be the worse for you. The +less you say to anybody, the better; and look after the boy. What is +your name?" + +"Elsie." + +"No it isn't. It is Effie Donaldson. Don't forget it again. Your +brother's name is Donald Donaldson. Don't let him forget it, either." + +Elsie saw in a moment that there was no trifling meant, and that she +would have to obey. It was the same gentleman who had called the driver +an idiot in the morning. She had stolen a glance at him then, and had +not liked his face. She liked it still less now. Still, they must be +kind people, or they would not have brought her and Duncan all this way, +and given them such nice clothes. Elsie very much wished, however, that +gentlefolk had not such strange manners. + +She was very glad and thankful when at last they alighted at a house, +into which they entered. A neat, tidy-looking woman came forward to meet +them. "Everything's quite ready, ma'am, as the gentleman ordered," she +said, with a curtsey. "I've made up an extra bed in your room, ma'am, +for the little boy, which the gentleman said would suit you, and the +supper's waiting to be served in a moment. I dare say the children are +tired, ma'am." + +"Yes," said the lady, in a sweet, gentle voice. "They have had a long +journey, and they are tired to-night. They will be glad to get to bed as +soon as we have had supper, won't you, dears?" + +"Yes, mamma," Elsie answered quickly. Duncan made no reply. + +"You go in there, and sit down till I come," the lady said, pointing to +an open door, through which came the gleam of a fire. She took Elsie's +hat and Duncan's cap, and went upstairs, leaving the children, as they +thought, alone. + +But that was a mistake, for the gentleman came in the next moment. +However, he told them, not unkindly, to sit down and warm themselves, +which they were glad enough to do. The table was already spread for a +meal. Presently the woman brought in a dish of ham and eggs, which made +the famished creatures ready to cry with delight. + +Their new mamma watched them very narrowly as they ate. Fortunately, +Mrs. MacDougall had been very strict about their behaviour, but there +were still several things that displeased their new friend, for which +she corrected them pretty sharply; and to show how easily children can +remember when they really know they must, Elsie not only bore in mind +the faults that were found with herself, but also those points in which +Duncan had offended. + +The woman of the house came in by-and-by, to ask whether she should see +the children in bed. She looked so kind and nice, that Elsie hoped their +new mamma would say "Yes." She, however, declined, saying that she could +not bear any one to do anything for the children but herself. Then she +took them upstairs, and locking the door, bade them undress. She then +went to a box, and got out some night garments, which were much too +large; but the children did not mind that. She tucked Elsie kindly into +the snuggest, sweetest bed that could be, and then went to do the same +kind office for Duncan. Then telling them that they were on no account +to get up till she came to them the next morning, she left them to such +a night's rest as they had not had since they left the cottage on +Dunster Moor. + +[Illustration: "'YOU ARE TO CALL ME MAMMA,' SHE SAID" (_p. 134_).] + + +CHAPTER XI.--"THAT CHILD IS ILL!" + +The children had been in the habit of rising at an early hour all their +lives. Elsie woke the next morning about six o'clock, to find the sun +shining in brightly at the curtained window. She had always thought what +a fine thing it must be to be able to lie in bed as long as one liked, +so she was not at all averse to doing as the lady had bidden her, +especially as the little bed was so soft and warm. She lay quietly, +looking round the room at the pictures which hung on the walls, and at +the various articles of furniture it contained; but after a while she +began to grow tired of this, and to wonder when the lady would come to +her. After an hour or so she crept to the door, and turned the handle, +thinking to see if any one was about yet; but she found that she was +locked in, so there was nothing else to be done but to get back into +bed. + +[Illustration] + +The time passed very slowly; still no one came. Elsie grew very +restless, and did not at all like the feeling of being locked up away +from Duncan. Still these people were gentlefolk, and rich. It was quite +impossible they could mean any harm. She could hear distant sounds of +people moving in the house. Could it be possible that they had forgotten +all about her? She had heard a clock strike seven, then eight, now it +was striking nine. At home, she would have been across the moor and +back, have had her breakfast, and been at school by this time. + +Much as she stood in awe of her mysterious benefactress, she grew at +last so restless that she could be still no longer, but jumped up, and +began to wash and dress herself. + +She was standing before the glass, greatly admiring her appearance in +the new frock and hat, and wondering how the lady had really got them, +when the key turned, and the fairy mother herself entered. She was +dressed in long trailing black garments, with a white cap on her head, +and looked, Elsie thought, wonderfully sweet and pretty. But as her eye +fell upon Elsie the sweetness vanished, and the angry expression that +had once before so terrified her came back. + +"I told you not to get up till I came," she said, in a threatening +voice. + +"I thought you had forgotten; it was so late," Elsie faltered. + +"You are not to think," the lady said. "You have disobeyed me once. The +second time you will find yourself, before nightfall, back on the top of +the mountain, as I warned you before. And far worse things than that +will befall you, and your brother too. Take care! I shall not warn you +again. Now, put on these stockings I have brought you, and let me see if +these shoes fit." + +They were a pair of fine woven black stockings, for which Elsie +willingly changed her thick grey knitted ones. The shoes were a little +long, but were soft and easy to her feet, and seemed to Elsie very +beautiful ones. They were, in fact, a pair of the lady's own, and yet +were scarcely any too large for Elsie. Then the lady combed out her +hair, and tied it up with a piece of black ribbon. Elsie felt herself +very grand indeed. + +"Now kiss me, and say, 'Good morning, mamma,'" the lady said, holding +her cheek down. + +Elsie did as she was bidden. "That will do," the lady said. "When you go +downstairs say 'Good morning' to your Uncle William in the same way. You +can go now." + +Elsie went downstairs. At the door of the room where they had supped the +night before she met the woman of the house, taking in a plate of eggs, +coffee, and other good things. + +The woman looked at her curiously, but made no remark. Elsie went in, +and found the gentleman already there. She went forward and bade him +good morning, as she had been directed. + +He lifted up a pair of large black eyes from the paper he was reading, +and gave her a look which somehow scared her, as he said "Good morning, +Effie." She stood still, not daring to move at all, and feeling +extremely frightened and awkward. + +"Go and tell your mamma that breakfast is ready," he said, with another +look. + +"Yes, dear, I'm coming," the lady called, in response to Elsie's +message. "Don't walk so heavily, child!" she exclaimed, as Elsie ran +downstairs. "I do not know what sort of manners they have taught you at +that wretched school. Bring your hat down, dear; then we shall be all +ready to start. You will see that the luggage is in readiness, Mrs. +Alexander," she added to the woman, who was at that moment coming out of +the room. + +"Yes, ma'am, certainly. And the fly will be round at a quarter to ten +punctually." + +The lady thanked her very sweetly; she was leading Duncan by the hand. +He had on his overcoat, and held his cap in his hand. Elsie concluded at +once that this was because he had no jacket, and wondered why the lady +had not provided one for him as well as clothes for her. The child was +looking pale and heavy, and, Elsie thought, unhappy. + +All the time they were at breakfast the lady and gentleman talked about +the weather, and the long journey they were going to take, and such +things, just, Elsie thought, as if Mrs. Alexander were outside +listening. Elsie was considerably bewildered by the way they spoke of +her and Duncan. + +"Effie is not so much grown as I would have thought," the lady remarked +to the gentleman, who seemed to be her brother. + +"She is very much tanned, and her hands are as brown as berries," he +replied. + +"Ah! that is the natural result of such a country life," the lady +returned. "She has perfect health." + +"Donald does not look so well." + +Elsie could make nothing of this strange conversation, but she supposed +that the lady wished her and Duncan to be taken for some other children +who were not there. Still this was puzzling, for where could the other +children be? + +Duncan ate very little, and seemed to take that more because he was +frightened to leave what had been given him than for any hunger. + +After breakfast a carriage came to the door, and they drove back again +to the station from which they had come last night. After a little +waiting, the train started. + +There were no other passengers in the carriage they occupied, and the +lady and gentleman talked a great deal together. Elsie could not +understand half that they said, but she heard them mention Edinburgh and +London, and talk of hotels, and lodgings, and a great many other things, +which gave her no information; but her heart beat wildly when they spoke +of London, and she hoped above everything that they would take her +there, for she had lost all count of the way by now, and would have had +no more idea in which direction to go, had she been left to herself, +than she would have had to find her way back to Dunster. + +For a while the lady and gentleman were so engaged in talking together, +that they took no notice of the children. Duncan had seated himself in a +corner, and was leaning his head against the cushion with a strange +expression on his face. Elsie, sitting opposite, glanced at him several +times, as if to inquire what was the matter, but he took no notice. To +go over and ask him was more than she dared. She was far more frightened +to move a finger before this strange lady than she had been to disobey +Mrs. MacDougall in the most flagrant way. + +But suddenly the gentleman's eye fell upon Duncan, and he said sharply, +"That child is ill, Lucy!" + +"Nonsense!" said the lady, quickly. "He is putting it on. A good shaking +will rouse him." + +Elsie glanced uneasily at Duncan. He took no notice; his heavy eyelids +were almost closed. It flashed upon Elsie that what the gentleman said +was true, although she had not thought of it before. + +"I think he is ill," Elsie said, plucking up her courage, for she +thought it was cruel to talk of shaking him. + +"Nonsense! He shall not be ill. Let him dare to!" the lady cried +angrily. + +"It strikes me that he won't be able to help it," the gentleman said, +with an ugly smile, which seemed to make the lady very angry. "Well now, +what's to be done? This is a look-out you had not bargained for." + +The lady looked puzzled and very much annoyed. She bit her lip, and +tapped her foot on the floor. + +"If he lasts out till we get to London, I don't know that the child +being ill will interfere with our plans. It might be turned to +advantage. If not, he must be left behind in Edinburgh," the lady said. + +Elsie pricked up her ears. "You do not mean that you would leave him +without me," she said quickly, thinking her ears must have deceived her. + +"He could be brought to London when he was better," the lady said, with +a glance at the gentleman. "He would be taken care of; but we must go +on." + +"If he stays in Edinburgh, I shall too," Elsie said, with sudden +decision. + +"You will do what I tell you!" the lady said, with one of her terrible +looks, which so frightened Elsie that she could say nothing, although +her mind was firmly made up that she would never leave Duncan. + +Then they went on talking again, and Elsie heard a great deal of +discussion about whether they should stay in an hotel or not, and she +gathered that the presence of herself and Duncan was the point of +difficulty, for she heard the lady say that she had not been able to get +him any clothes, and his own were much too coarse and common, and that +people in Edinburgh would notice much more than simple country-folk like +Mrs. Alexander. + +Elsie had long been doubtful whether these people were kind or not, but +now she felt sure they were not. She had no idea why they had done all +they had, but she felt sure it was not from real kindness, and she began +to feel suspicious that they would be very unkind to Duncan. + +It was a very strange thing, and not at all what she had ever read in +any book, that they should twice have fallen in with unkind people. + +By-and-by some other people came into the carriage, and then Mrs. +Donaldson went and sat by Duncan, putting her arm round him, and drawing +his head down on to her shoulder. + +After being many hours in the train, they arrived at a great place, +which turned out to be the Waverley Station at Edinburgh. It was such a +busy, wonderful place, with so many lights and people, that Elsie would +have been wild with delight if it had not been for her anxiety about +Duncan. + +The gentleman gave some directions to a porter about taking their +luggage. Then he and the lady took poor Duncan between them and led him +out into the streets, which were full of people and carriages. + +It was, she supposed, because so many people looked at Duncan's pale +heavy face and tottering steps that the gentleman, after a a few +minutes, took him up and carried him. They went some little distance, +till they came to a small shop, the window of which was full of all +kinds of papers and pictures. The gentleman had some conversation with a +man behind the counter, who took them into a small room, where the lady +and gentleman bade them "Good-bye," and left them, saying they would +come back the next morning. + +After a little time, a girl, dirty, ragged, and untidy, came into the +room, and taking Duncan up in her arms, carried him upstairs, Elsie +following with a candle. + +The house seemed to be a tall one, for there were more stairs than Elsie +had ever seen in her life, and they were dark, steep, and narrow, so +that she frequently stumbled. The girl, however, went on quickly enough. +They paused at several landings with doors, from which came the noise of +voices, sometimes raised pretty high, as if in anger and dispute. + +At last they reached a tiny room, quite up at the top of the house. It +had a low, sloping roof, much discoloured with damp and dirt, as were +also the walls. The floor was bare and black with dirt and age, the +whole apartment squalid and uncomfortable. + +The girl laid Duncan down on the bed, and began removing his things with +a certain amount of gentleness; he seemed quite unable to do anything +for himself. When she had undressed him, she put back the bed-clothes. +Then she went away, and once more the children were alone together, and +very much alone, for Elsie noticed that the girl locked the door before +she went away. + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +SOME MORE LITTLE PRESENTS, AND THE WAY TO MAKE THEM.[1] + + +[Footnote 1: See Little Folks, Vol. XVIII., page 291.] + +[Illustration] + +Are you ready to hear about more things which can be made with a +penknife? Then I am ready to tell you. + +Amongst my acquaintances and friends are certain little toy-boat +builders, who bestow upon me from time to time boats fashioned by their +knives; vessels which would not, it is true, encounter stormy seas, and +therefore are not fitted for use, but which look taut and trim as they +lie in the quiet harbour of bracket or slab amongst other choice +ornaments. A rowing-boat, a yacht, a schooner, a man-of-war--all these +varieties are somewhat commonplace. The construction of them requires +skill and dexterity, I know, but you do not want a description from me +of these, and I wish to tell you of something more uncommon than the +boats we see on our own waters. + +Perhaps some of my readers have not attempted anything on so large a +scale as this I am about to describe. If they are afraid of the size of +the venture, they can follow the general directions, and make their +dimensions smaller. + +Two boats we want, and four paddles. + +The boats are to be in shape and form like the Indian birch-bark canoe: +this, as you know, has a very distinctive appearance of its own, and is +quite different from any boat we see on English waters: for this reason, +although you might be able to find a picture of one in some book, a +drawing is given for you to study, as your model for shape and form. As +I have said, we require two of these canoes, and they are to be of +different sizes. The length of the big one is 12 inches; the depth of +this boat in the middle is 2 inches; at its stern and prow, which you +will see are alike also in form, the measurement is 2-1/2 inches. + +The length of the little canoe is 9-1/2 inches: in the middle it is 1-1/2 +inches, and prow and stern measure 2 inches. + +The particularly bulging sides of boats of this character are the cause +of the chief difficulty of their construction; fortunately for our +purpose only one side of the canoes have this protuberance, for this +reason--these canoes and paddles are placed together and hung up against +a wall, and therefore one side of each canoe has to be flat in order to +rest steadily and comfortably against the wall. The interiors of the +canoes are scooped out, and serve as receptacles for odds and ends. + +The paddles of some canoes are short and have wide spoon-like blades at +each end; these, you see, have not. The length of the pair of big +paddles is 13 inches; of these inches the blade takes 2-1/2 inches. The +extreme length of the little paddles is 12 inches; their blades are as +large as those of their companions. + +These four paddles are crossed over each other, and over one another, +all at the same time standing in an upright position. + +The two long paddles cross each other just below the blades, which rear +themselves aloft; the two short paddles also cross each other near their +blades, but they are head downwards. When these four brothers are placed +together in proper juxtaposition, the ends of the little paddles are +just below, but an inch or so away from the blades of the big paddles. +The ends of the big paddles descend as far as the bottom of the blades +of the little paddles. I hope that you are not confused or bewildered: +the drawing will help to enlighten you. + +Against this background of paddles the two canoes are placed: the little +one uppermost, the larger one a few inches below. Very pretty the whole +device looks. I should keep the secret until the whole is quite +complete. The surface of the wood should be made as smooth as satin by +dint of rubs and scrubs with sand-paper, and then it looks well if left +without any covering of paint or varnish: the stems of the paddles have +a little adornment in long specks of red and blue paint. + +Now L am going to turn away--for a time at any rate--from whittling of +wood, and to speak of cutting of cork--that is ordinary corks. So many +things can be constructed with them by the help of a penknife and liquid +glue. + +The celebrated Cleopatra's Needle is a good object; a wheelbarrow, an +old-fashioned square arm-chair, a book-case, an old oak chest, a Dutch +cradle, and many other articles of furniture can be imitated. In +selecting copies for imitation it is best to choose those of old date, +made of oak, for the cork resembles old worm-eaten oak when its first +freshness has gone and its complexion becomes darker. A very pretty and +uncommon object to copy is that of an old-fashioned clock, a veritable +"my grandfather's clock," an upright tall eight-day clock that has a +long chain and a heavy pendulum concealed within its tall case, and that +shows a big square face with large figures printed on it. I will give +you a few details about my cork clock, and I think you will make one and +set it upon a bracket to be admired by all beholders. This miniature +clock stands 7-1/2 inches high. Its two cases and head are hollow; it is +built of little blocks of cork of different sizes, fitted neatly +together, so that at the first glance one imagines each portion to be +one large piece. The lower part of the clock is 2 inches high and 1-1/2 +inches across. This hollow four-sided case stands on a basement formed +of cork blocks, which project a wee bit beyond the case; this structure +is supported by 4 feet of a club-like form. So far so good. Now we will +raise the structure higher. A case in which the pendulum with its chain +is supposed to be hanging and swinging and tick-tacking is formed +likewise of bricks of cork: its length is 2-1/2 inches, its breadth is 1 +inch. Now as the upper case is smaller, you see, than the lower one, +there would be a cavity, and indeed nothing for the higher one to rest +upon, so we put little bevelled pieces on the lower case, which fill up +part of the aperture and give the upper case a resting-place. The door +of the clock is represented by a narrow thin piece of cork, at least 2 +inches long, placed down the middle of the upper case. Now we have come +to its head: this is a hollow square, 1-1/2 inches high and wide. A little +platform is put on the upper case, which projects beyond it all round. +On this the head stands, and at each corner a little round pillar, the +height of the head, rears itself up. On the top of the head there is an +ornamental battlement, composed of dog-tooth pieces of cork. As the +clock has a head, it ought to have a face; indeed, the face is one of +the chief parts of a clock. Take a piece of stiff white paper or thin +cardboard, cut it square the exact size of the head, and on it mark, in +your neatest style, the proper number of figures and the two black +hands: fasten the paper on a square of cork the same size, and put it in +at the back of the head. Keep it in its place by fastening projecting +blocks of cork to the back of the square; this will keep it steady, and +prevent the face from falling away from the front of the head. The face +looks rather too staring if the whole square is seen, therefore fix tiny +half squares of cork in each of the four corners of the head in front. + +E. C. + + + + +SUMMER VISITORS. + + + I fed the birds in the winter, + And so in the summer, you see, + They flew through my open window, + And stayed for a cup of tea. + They little thought I was looking, the dear little + feathered things, + As they hovered o'er cups and saucers, and fluttered + their pretty wings. + + For I was standing on tip-toe, + In hiding behind the screen, + And a livelier chirpier party, + I think I have never seen. + The air was sweet with the summer, the window + stood open wide, + My room was a garden of flowers, and lime-trees + blossomed outside. + + So the old birds paid me a visit, + And the young birds came in their train, + For they took my room, with its nosegays, + For part of their own domain; + While they sipped the cream in my teacups, and + daintily pecked my cake, + And called to their friends and neighbours, that + each and all might partake. + + But just as I stood there watching, + Enjoying their chorus gay, + My cat stole in from the kitchen, + And all of them flew away-- + With wings that fluttered and quivered, they chirped + to another tune, + As they flew away through the garden that beautiful + day in June. + +A.M. + +[Illustration: SUMMER VISITORS. (See _p. 140._)] + + + + +A NEW GAME FOR CHILDREN. + + +We mention this game--which we believe has never appeared in +print--because not only many may take part, but like really good games, +amusement and perhaps some instruction are derived in playing it; and +any number may play at _the same time_. Let us suppose that ten children +decide to play this game of "Names." Each player is provided with a long +strip of paper and a pencil, and if one of the players has a watch so +much the better; if not a clock must be used. One commences by calling +out: "Girls' names commencing with A, two minutes allowed." Each player +then writes down all the girls' names that he (or she) can recollect +that commence with A, and at the expiration of the two minutes, "time" +is called. Then the oldest player reads from his (or her) slip all the +names he or she has written down. Say, Amy, Amabel, Alice, Ann, Annie, +Amanda, Aileen, &c. All the other players, as the names are read out, +cancel any name read out. If, for instance, all have written Amy, all +cancel Amy, and count one mark. Say six players have Amabel, and four +have not, each of the six count one mark; those who have not thought and +written down Amabel get nothing for Amabel, and so on through the list. +The object of the game is to teach the children all girls' and boys' +names. When the marks have been allotted for all the names, the total of +marks are read out and noted on each slip. The players then proceed in a +similar manner for all boys' names commencing with A, such as Alfred, +Abel, Adam, Andrew, Arthur, &c. The game can be continued till all the +letters in the alphabet are exhausted, but practically young players +rarely care to "do" more than thirty sets or fifteen letters +consecutively. Various names crop up, and the memory is well exercised, +and children generally vote it great fun. Any one introducing pet or +fancy names, such as Pussy, Kit, Teddy, &c., forfeits two marks, unless +it be arranged that they will be allowed. + + + + +A DAY ON BOARD H.M.S. _BRITANNIA_. + +_By the Rev._ J. CLEMENT P. ALDOUS, _Chief Instructor and Chaplain to +Cadets_. + + +The _Britannia_ is the training-school for naval officers. All boys who +are to be fighting officers in the British Navy go to the _Britannia_. +They enter when they are about thirteen, and stay there two years, and +from this ship they go as midshipmen to our ships in all parts of the +world. We are going to pay a visit to the _Britannia_, and see how these +young naval cadets spend their day. + +[Illustration: CADET IN FULL UNIFORM.] + +If we want to see the whole day through, we must start early. So we will +take a boat and go off from the shore at five o'clock in the morning of +a fine summer day. It is only a row of some 200 yards to reach the +_Britannia_ from the shore. She is anchored in the middle of the River +Dart or Dartmouth Harbour. + +Have you ever seen one of England's old wooden walls--a three decker? +How high she stands out of the water! If you will look at the picture +you will see that there are quite six storeys to this great floating +house. As you come up to the ship's side in a boat, she towers above you +like a great cliff--a wooden wall--you can see what these words mean +now. + +Let us step up the ladder; they will be surprised to see us so early. +The sentry on the middle deck wishes to know our business. "We have come +to see _everything_," we say, and show our authority for coming. + +So we go up a ladder--not a staircase, mind!--to the sleeping deck. +There we see two long rows of chests, which represent the wardrobe, +chest of drawers, washing place, private locker, every piece of +furniture, in fact, which a naval cadet possesses. + +Over these hang the hammocks, each the sleeping-place of a cadet. A +hammock is such a funny thing to sleep in. I dare say you have a string +hammock on your lawn, in which you sometimes lie on a very hot summer's +afternoon. But it is a queer bed to sleep in, for your head and your +heels are both of them stuck up in the air, while your body hangs +underneath in a graceful curve. + +[Illustration: HAMMOCKS ON BOARD THE _BRITANNIA_.] + +Half past five is struck, or rather _three bells_, for man-of-war time +goes by half-hours till eight bells are reached at noon and midnight, +four and eight o'clock, when it starts again. Three bells! a corporal +walks along and picks out here and there some unfortunate boy who has +been misconducting himself the day before--perhaps he was late or +idle--and he has to "turn out" an hour before the others and stand up +till they join him. A wretched beginning of a day, especially on a +winter's morning--to stand shivering on an open deck, while all his +comrades are peacefully tucked up in their warm hammocks. I think if you +knew you would get this punishment, my little friend, you would take +good pains to be in time. + +[Illustration] + +As we walk round the hammocks we now see the servants busy placing the +cadets' clothes on their chests, ready for them to dress. There is a +servant to about ten boys. + +By-and-by five bells is struck, half past six, and a bugle rings out a +merry peal, on the middle deck. It is the _turn-out_ bugle, and you can +play it on the piano:-- + +[Illustration: two lines of musical notation] + +In a few moments we hear the same bugle-call, far away. The bugler is +gone off to the _Hindostan_, and he is giving the sound for the other +boys to turn out. + +We only saw half the cadets in their hammocks in the _Britannia_. If you +will look at the picture on page 145 you will see another smaller ship, +the _Hindostan_, moored ahead of the _Britannia_. The younger boys sleep +in "the other ship," as it is called. + +What a merry noise there is, as the cadets bound out of their hammocks, +and rush off to the big salt-water bath, which is fitted in either ship! +I am glad we are only describing a visit, for were we looking on we +should get drenched from head to foot. + +The corporals walk about among the hammocks to see that all the young +gentlemen are turned out. + +[Illustration] + +"Show a leg there, sir! Come along, come along now, now, now, bugle's +gone long ago, sir," as he finds some sleepy youth, not at all willing +to show a leg. "Make a start, sir." + +Basins are fitted up along the deck for them. They need not use the +basins in their chests. These must be used at sea when the weather is +not rough enough to dash the water out over the clothes. + +At five minutes past seven a warning bugle is heard, to warn them that +in ten minutes they must be dressed and ready. Some are kneeling at +their chests, beginning the morning with prayer for help to live as in +God's sight all the day. Some are hurrying on their clothes. Some are +reading the Bible, a few verses, as they have promised their people at +home never to omit to do. + +At a quarter past seven rings out another bugle-call. + +[Illustration: line of musical notation] + +This means _assembly_, and the cadets all troop down to the middle deck, +where they form in line, two deep, all along the deck; the port watch in +the fore part of the ship, and the starboard watch farther aft. This +division into two parts, starboard watch and port watch, is to accustom +them to the idea of the whole ship's company being always divided into +two watches. + +The cadet captains stand in front of the two lines, the chief captains +one at the end of each watch. These are cadets chosen as "monitors" to +have charge of the others. + +The _silence_ bugle sounds, though no one is supposed to make a noise +after the _assembly_ has sounded. The officer of the day comes along, a +lieutenant, whose duty it is to look after the cadets that day. "_Open +order! March_," is his order; "_Rear rank, dress_," says the chief +captain, and he walks round the two lines, and sees that the cadets are +properly dressed. That white lanyard you see round their neck is for +holding their keys. A sailor always has a knife at the end of such a +lanyard. + +"_Close order! March_," and the officer of the day marches them off to +their various studies for the morning. Let us go and see where they have +gone. Half of them, one watch, have gone down into the large mess-room. +They sit round the room at the tables by the ship's side, and prepare +work for their naval instructors. In a little while the servants will +lay the middle tables for breakfast, but they do not mind the noise. + +Up in the lecture-room, the chaplain has some classes at a Bible lesson. +Just outside the lecture-room a sailor is teaching some of the boys at a +model of a ship. On the main-deck of the "other ship," a sergeant is +drilling some of the boys, and on the place where all stood for the +first muster cadets are seated on forms, and are being taught by a +sailor the meaning of some sea expressions, and what they are to do to +avoid collisions at sea. + +So they are busy at work till at ten minutes past eight a bugle goes for +all to go down into the mess-room, where they range themselves at their +places for breakfast. + +At a quarter past eight the chaplain comes down to read prayers, the +captain of the ship and the officer of the day coming down too. Then +breakfast and letters, which are handed round to the fortunate ones. + +There is plenty of talk at breakfast; but tea, coffee, and cocoa, +bread-and-butter, meat of some sort, eggs, bacon, or fish and porridge, +are very welcome after the hour's work, with which the day has begun. + +At a quarter to nine there is a bugle-call which sends a pang to some +hearts. _Defaulters'_ bugle. Those who have been reported during the +previous day are told to "fall in on the aft deck," and there they stand +in a line. The commander comes and hears the report--investigates the +case--asks what the cadet has to say, and then awards some punishment. +We have seen one form of it. Then there is extra drill and march out +with a corporal, or standing up after the others have "turned in," or as +we should say, gone to bed. Poor fellows! it is a court of justice; and +they would do well to keep off the aft deck. If the offence is serious, +it is reported to the captain of the ship, who is head of all. Perhaps +the offender is reduced to "second class for conduct," and has to wear a +piece of white tape on his arm, be kept apart from all the others, and +undergo all sorts of drills and privations. + +At nine, the bugle sounds _assembly_--the principal assembly of the day, +"Cadets' Divisions" it is called. All the officers are present. The +cadets are again inspected, and they are marched off to their various +studies for the morning. Mathematics and navigation are learned with the +naval instructors. Then there are French and drawing, English, +seamanship, instruments and charts, natural philosophy and many +difficult things which it is considered necessary for these little +fellows to master before they are fit to go to sea. If we visit them in +their class-rooms, we shall see very light cheery rooms built on the +upper deck, so that they have light from above. There are eight pupils +only in each room, each having a separate table with a drawer for books. +The naval instructor is teaching them, with the help of a blackboard, to +do some questions about ships sailing, or to solve some problem made of +lines and circles. + +The cadets are all taught how to find by the sun and the compass where +their ship is on the sea, and how they ought to steer her to get from +place to place. + +In another class-room, we find a staff commander teaching a class how to +use the sextant, which is the sailor's most useful instrument for +finding his place at sea, from sun and stars; or he may be teaching them +how to use a chart or to draw a chart themselves. + +In the lecture-room a lecture is being given on the steam-engine and the +ways in which heat is used. Behind the lecturer, in glass cases, are +many beautiful models for teaching the cadets all about machines, light, +heat, sound, magnetism, and electricity, such as would make many boys +long to pull them about for a while, and see how they work. + +We might go and learn how the sails are set and furled from one of these +fine models of ships, or how anchors and cables are managed from +another. + +In this little room, called the "Sick Bay," we find some poor fellows +who have to lie in bed. One has caught a cold, and one has cut his foot +in bathing. Fortunately, the Sick Bay is most frequently empty, for the +_Britannia_ life is a very healthy one. + +[Illustration] + +There are eight studies like the one where we saw the naval instructor +teaching navigation, four in each ship. In the _Hindostan_ we find two +Frenchmen teaching their classes how to read and write French, and two +drawing studies, in one of which they are taught to draw models with the +aid of ruler and compasses. In the other they are learning the use of +paints and paint-brushes. It is so useful for a young boy to be able to +make sketches in water colours of all the pretty places he goes to; some +of them are really quite clever at it before they leave. + +We hear a noise of marching about; the bell is struck four times; ten +o'clock. The French classes are only an hour long, and boys are changing +class-rooms. + +[Illustration: 1. THE CADETS' BOAT-HOUSE AND BOATS; 2. THE _BRITANNIA_ +AND _HINDOSTAN_. (_See pp. 143, 146._)] + +At five minutes to eleven there is a bugle-call, followed by a +hurry-scurry; the whole ship is alive at once. There is an interval of a +quarter of an hour. Leap-frog in the open air on the upper deck; running +after one another till they get out of breath; fun of all sorts +immediately becomes the order of the day, and certainly this quarter of +an hour is right well spent in throwing off the evil effects of working +too hard. + +It is too soon interrupted by the warning bugle. And the whole ship +sinks into silence as the cadets go back to their studies; those who +have been at seamanship or drawing going to the harder work of +mathematics. + +At one o'clock study is over for the morning, and a good hard morning's +work it has been for the boys, since a quarter past seven, with a break +for breakfast, and an interval for play. + +On half-holidays, work is over at twelve, and we shall soon see how they +spend their half-holidays. Bugle--"wash hands," and then the merry bugle +which means dinner. + +Before and after dinner, a blessing is asked by the chief captain of +cadets. When the cloth has been removed and grace has been said, away +they rush for a short time of fun before study at two, and they do a +somewhat light class of work till half-past three. + +This is the happy time of all the day, and so you would think if you saw +them. + +Before you would have thought they could be all fairly out of their +studies, you will see many of them rushing down to the large boats, +which are waiting alongside. They are dressed in white flannel trousers, +which they are all obliged to put on before going ashore. It is a fine +sight to see these boats, one on each side of the ship, filled full of +boys, all eager to get to their games. + +We must follow them ashore. But first, I must tell you that in winter +they go directly after dinner, and stay ashore till four o'clock. They +then have their afternoon study from half past four till six. + +It is much better for the boys to have daylight for their run ashore, +instead of waiting till daylight has all gone, and landing at half past +three to find it soon become dark. + +On Wednesday and Saturday, when there is a half-holiday, they have +dinner at twelve and land directly after. And then they are free in +summer till a quarter to seven. What a royal time most schoolboys would +think this! No roll-call. They are quite free to go as far as they like, +for there are no bounds, except the town. + +They are on their honour not to go into houses. This, and their promise +not to bathe at any but the appointed time and place, are the only +restrictions put upon them. + +But we must hurry after them, or they will get the start of us, and we +shall lose them. + +We have not far to go before we catch them. A bugle sounds, and a +hundred and twenty forms plunge from the bathing-stage and quay into the +water. The bright harbour is dotted with the heads of swimmers. Some +backward boys are being taught to swim in a "swimming-tray," a thing +like a flat-bottomed barge, sunk with its bottom about four feet below +the surface. A capital place it is for teaching youngsters to swim. But +all soon learn, and are free to join the others in sporting about and +cutting capers in the water. A warning bugle of one note says "it will +soon be time to get out," and by the time the bugle sounds fifteen +minutes from the first, they must all get out of the water. + +The gymnasium--the building in the top left-hand corner of the picture +on p. 145--is close by. Here they must go through a series of exercises, +and they are obliged to attend till they can do them. "Compulsory Gyms," +is not a favourite, so they like to get through and be free. + +Here are the "blue boats,"--boats which they may have by themselves, +gigs for four to pull, skiffs for two or one. They may row about +wherever they like, and when the new boys first come, they are very fond +of going out in boats as often as they can. They have to take turns with +one another in using them. There are six little sailing-cutters too, +which the elder cadets may take and sail by themselves. Then, besides, +there is a fine yacht, a schooner, which they may sail on a holiday, +when ten or twelve wish to go. + +These young fellows have every sort of game. We turn away from the +water, and follow some who are mounting a steep path. Here is the +racquet-court--four are playing racquets and four playing fives. + +And climbing still higher up the hill, we get to the cricket-field, a +glorious sweep of grass with nets for cricket and lawn tennis, as much +as heart could wish. + +In the summer, there is a match at cricket between the _Britannia_ +eleven and some neighbours every half-holiday, and the _Britannias_ +usually win, though they play the best elevens round. Their officers +play with them. + +There is a flow of boys with paper bags from a suspicious-looking little +house in the corner of the field. Ah! I thought as much. No schoolboy +can do without his sweetstuff, and here it is. "Stodge" they call it, a +horrible name, but very true. I am sure much more sensible are those who +walk off to the neighbouring village of Stoke Fleming, where they can +get a nice tea from Mrs. Fox from sixpence to a shilling. + +We well remember how shocked Mrs. Fox was to come in and find the elder +son of the Prince of Wales chopping sticks in her kitchen; for these two +young princes six years ago spent a cadet's life of two years, and lived +with the others, and worked and played exactly like the rest. + +The _Britannia_ life, you will see, is a very free and happy life. "Work +while you work and play while you play" is the motto, and there is +plenty of work and plenty of play for all who will have it. + +In the afternoon of a half-holiday, when there is a grand cricket-match, +and the band plays, and many ladies come to grace the field, there is +not a brighter sight in all the country side, for the field stands in +the prettiest place possible, with lovely country, sea and hills, to be +seen around. + +But it is time for all to go back--the longest afternoons must end, and +the letter B, a square flag with a red middle, which is hoisted to +recall them, is already displayed on the _Britannia's_ mast. + +A bell in the cricket-field says "play is over," and down they go in +twos and threes to find the same big boats ready to take them back. + +It has been a fine afternoon, and the field and sports have looked at +their best. But if it had rained hard, and when the cadets came out from +dinner, or from study, they had found the words "No Landing!" hanging by +the ship's clock, there would have been no such fun. It is a long +afternoon when it rains, and they are tied to the ship. + +Tea at seven, or a quarter past--a merry meal with all the stories of +the day to tell. Sometimes an accident--a boy has fallen down the cliff, +or been hit in the field--will throw a damp over all. Sometimes they +will be all alive with the discussion of a piece of news--there is to +be a war. In six months some of them will be fighting. Sometimes an +adventure, an irate farmer has caught two in his wheat, and has chased +them and possessed himself of a cap. They will see that cap next +morning, and its owner will be standing on the aft deck at 8.45 for +judgment. + +In the winter there is a pack of beagles, which lead the cadets a fine +chase over the country. + +"Oh! they are spoiled, these boys!" you will say. But wait till you see +them, in a year's time, broiling under a tropical sun, cruising for +weeks in a boat after slavers, and living on a short allowance of dry +food and water. These young fellows are welcome to a happy life while +they can get it. + +For tea they have cold meat, or something else substantial. After tea, +work for those who have it to do, in two studies, which are kept quiet, +or in the mess-room. + +The band plays, and some cadets dance with one another on the open +middle deck. + +And at a quarter past nine, prayers are read in the mess-room, and the +bugle sounds "Turn in." + +And the ship is silent till the day begins again. + + + + +ANDY'S BRAVE DEED. + +[Illustration] + + +"ARTHUR! Arthur!" Kitty called, as she ran down the garden path. + +Her brother was lying under the beech-trees at the foot of the garden. A +copy-book lay on the grass before him, in which he was writing with a +pencil. Arthur wrote poems, and histories, and tragedies, which he and +his companions acted for the edification of their relations and friends. +At this moment he was composing a story which he intended should be very +thrilling. He had only got as far as the two first sentences. + +"Charles was determined to have some adventures. So he went into a wood +and met a tiger." + +At this point he heard his sister calling to him. + +"What is it, Kitty? I wish you wouldn't interrupt me just now. I'm very, +very busy." + +"Oh, Arthur, I wish you would come and see a little boy who's at the +gate. He looks so hungry." + +Arthur rose somewhat slowly, and went to the boy. Like all authors, he +didn't much like being called away in the full swing of literary +production. He proceeded to a little side gate which opened on to the +highway and the open fields beyond. Here Arthur found a boy about a year +younger than himself, bareheaded and barefooted, without a coat, and +with a very worn and ragged shirt and trousers. The little fellow looked +both tired and hungry, and his wearied look would have touched harder +hearts than those of Arthur and Kitty. + +"Are you hungry?" Arthur asked. + +"Yes, vera. I've no had onything sin' yesterday." + +"I'm sure he's telling the truth. You have only to look at him," said +Kitty, who now joined him. + +"Well, we might get him something to eat, anyhow. You stay there, boy, +till we come back." + +Arthur and Kitty went into the house together, and presently returned +with a very large slice of bread, a piece of cheese to correspond, and a +bit of cold pudding, that would have alone satisfied the appetites of +two ordinary boys, even though extraordinarily hungry. It was as much as +the lad could do to hold them all, and he thanked his young benefactors +more by looks than words. + +On the following morning, shortly after breakfast, Arthur's mother +said-- + +[Illustration: "THE LITTLE FELLOW LOOKED BOTH TIRED AND HUNGRY" (_p. +147_).] + +"I should like you to take something for me to Mrs. Stewart's to-day, +Arthur. There are several things I should like to send her. I have a +small cheese and a pot of currant jelly that can go. Then I want her to +have one of those young Dorking hens your father got the other day. I'll +give you a small basket for that." + +Mrs. Stewart was a very old friend of the family, having been the nurse +of Arthur and Kitty, and of their mother before them. + +Arthur set out with his leather bag strapped across his back, and the +basket containing a little Dorking hen in his hand. Presently he became +aware how hot it was getting, and when he reached a small clump of trees +near a hay-field he thought he would sit down and rest a while. He had +been walking about an hour by this time. He thought he never recollected +such a warm day. Arthur began to feel very sleepy. He rubbed his eyes to +keep himself awake, but his head nodded more and more, and before he was +well aware of it he was fast asleep, lying huddled together on the bank +on which he had sat down. + +Arthur must have been asleep nearly an hour, when he awoke with a sudden +start. The sun was high up in the heavens, and he judged it to be nearly +midday. He got upon his feet hurriedly and caught up his basket. It felt +lighter, he thought, and hastily lifting the wicker lid he found that +it was empty. The little Dorking hen was gone! + +[Illustration] + +Astonishment was the first feeling in Arthur's mind, then perplexity and +mortification. What would his mother think of his carelessness and +unbusinesslike qualities. It seemed he could not be trusted to execute +this simplest message. What was he to do? He searched all the ground in +the immediate neighbourhood in the hope of discovering the little hen +hidden behind some bush or clump of ferns. But she was nowhere to be +seen, and he was in sore perplexity and chagrin. + +Then he picked up his empty basket, and continued on his way. There was +nothing for it but to take the cheese and the pot of jelly to Mrs. +Stewart, explain matters to her, and return another day with another +hen, if his mother so decided, as it was probable she would. He walked +on with a pretty downcast heart. + +He was now ascending a hill, and when he reached the top an unexpected +sight met his eyes. A crowd of people were gathered in the plain below. +They made a large circle, and it was evident that the attention of +everybody forming the circle was concentrated on what was going on +within it. Flags were flying, and the strains of a military band floated +up to Arthur, where he stood on the top of the hill. On the outskirts of +the crowd a number of carriages and other vehicles were standing, filled +with ladies and gentlemen. + +Then Arthur recollected that this was the day of the Highland gathering +of the county. A dance was going on as he approached, and four tall and +stalwart Highlanders in complete national costumes, bonneted and kilted, +were leaping and wheeling, cracking their fingers and uttering shrill +cries as they danced with astonishing vigour and adroitness on a raised +wooden platform. + +But Arthur's attention had hardly been turned upon the dancers when it +was diverted in another direction. What should he catch sight of, a good +deal to his astonishment, but his little Dorking hen stepping quietly +about among the people, unconcerned and unmoved by the stir and the +bustle, paying heed to nobody, and no one giving heed to it. + +At the moment Arthur caught sight of his truant hen, it was passing +under a carriage, quietly pecking among the grass and ferns in its +march. So he approached, and cautiously bent down on his hands and knees +to get at the hen. It was almost within his grasp when a sharp report +rang through the air--a rifle-discharge, the signal for a foot-race to +begin. The next moment he felt a heavy blow on his shoulder, which +knocked him flat upon his back. A mist rose up before his eyes, in which +the whole world around him seemed to float for a moment; then he felt +himself being dragged suddenly and forcibly backward, and then he knew +no more. + +Arthur had gone off in a faint; but it only lasted a few moments. When +he came to himself, he beheld a little crowd of people gathered round +him, and a man was bending down and bathing his forehead with a wet +handkerchief. Then he saw another figure stretched on the ground at his +side, quite motionless and silent. It was the form of a boy; the face +was turned upwards, and to his great astonishment Arthur found that it +was the poor lad to whom he and his sister had given the food on the +previous day. + +"I saw the whole thing. It was all over in a twinkling," a gentleman was +saying. "The boy was bending under the carriage reaching forwards to +secure the bird. At that moment the gun went off, the horses started +forward, and the wheel came against the boy, and knocked him backward. +Just then this poor little fellow rushed forward right among the wheels +of the carriage, caught the boy, and dragged him out, but not in time to +save himself. The wheel passed over his leg, and I am afraid it is badly +hurt." + +By this time Arthur was on his feet. + +"Oh! he is not dead, Dr. Bruce, is he?" he asked of the gentleman, who +was busy examining the boy, and whom he knew quite well as the doctor of +the district. + +"No, not so bad as that, I hope; but a rather bad break, I am afraid. +It was a close shave for _you_, laddie. But for this brave boy the +carriage-wheel would have passed right over you." + +"What are you going to do with the poor boy, doctor? Do you know who he +is, or anything about him?" a lady asked, whom Arthur recognised as Lady +Elmslie. + +"No, I never saw him before. But we must get him to Redloaning as +quickly as possible, and have him taken to some cottage." + +"See that he has everything that is necessary, doctor; and send up to +Inverweir, if you can't get all you require in the village," Lady +Elmslie said. It was her horses that had started forward at the +discharge of the gun, and had been the cause of the accident. + +A man now stepped forward, and said, "Ye'll just let me carry the laddie +to the village, doctor. I'll start the noo, and I'll carry him easier +like than any kind o' trap, ye ken." + +"A good idea, Stoddart. Lift him gently." + +"I'll do that. He's a bit hero, puir laddie; an' we mauna let him dee +for his brave deed." + +Stoddart lifted the still unconscious boy in his strong arms like an +infant, and starting off carried him in the direction of Redloaning. + +"Take him to Mrs. Aikman's cottage, and I'll be there as soon as you," +the doctor said. In a few minutes he mounted his horse and followed in +the same direction. + +[Illustration: "ARTHUR BEGAN TO FEEL VERY SLEEPY" (_p. 148_).] +[Illustration: "STODDART ... CARRIED HIM" (_p. 149_).] + +Meanwhile Arthur stood by hearing all that was said with anxious +interest. Though not much hurt, he was a good deal shaken, and was still +trembling from head to foot. + +"Are you sure you are not hurt too, Arthur Dalrymple?" Lady Elmslie +asked, looking into the boy's white and startled face. + +"Oh, no, I'm not hurt; but that poor boy, Lady Elmslie, will he be all +right again soon?" + +"I hope so. We will do all we can for him. Don't you know anything about +him, either? But stop! Get up here beside me and I'll drive you home; +and you can tell me all you know about it." + +Arthur got into the carriage. He rapidly decided that he would return +home at once, and give up all thoughts of going to Mrs. Stewart's +to-day. On the way home he told Lady Elmslie as briefly as possible all +he knew about the little boy who had been the means of saving probably +his life. + +Lady Elmslie set Arthur down at the garden gate, but did not go with him +into the house. Then Arthur had to recount to his father, his mother, +and Kitty all the morning's adventures in detail, which he did in a +somewhat excited manner. + +"I shall walk over to Redloaning and see how the poor boy is doing this +evening," Mr. Dalrymple said. + +Mr. Dalrymple, much to his relief, found that the boy, his son's +preserver, was progressing as favourably as the case permitted. The poor +boy was manifestly suffering much pain, but he made no complaint or +murmur. He was able to tell his simple story. + +On the previous day when he had first seen Arthur and his sister, he +had been on his way to Redloaning from the neighbouring village of +Westburn, to see if he could get any kind of light employment in the +former place. His mother was dead, and his father had lately enlisted in +the army, leaving his boy to his own fate and fortunes. He had succeeded +in obtaining a situation in Redloaning as a message-boy, but the place +would not be vacant for a few days. So after passing a night in the +village he was returning next day to Westburn, to remain there until he +could enter upon his new duties. He was attracted by the show and stir +and bravery of the games, and, like Arthur, lingered a while to watch +the gay on-goings. + +[Illustration] + +There he saw his young benefactor of the previous day before the latter +saw him. The kindness and generosity of Arthur and his sister were yet +fresh in his heart; the moment came when he saw an opportunity of +repaying those kind offices, and I have tried to show you how he seized +and used it. + +Andy received the tenderest nursing, and more kindness and gentleness, +probably, were compressed into the weeks he lay in bed than had fallen +to his lot during the whole of his previous life. + +"Arthur," Kitty said, on the first day that her brother and she saw +Andy, "hasn't it all been strange about Andy and you?" Then a funny +little smile came into her eyes, and she added, "You see, Arthur, +_Charles was determined to have some adventures_, as you wrote; but it +was you who got them. By-the-bye, you never told us what became of the +little hen." + +"I can't tell you. I never saw it again. I don't think it was hurt by +the carriage, and it may be wandering about the hill-side still, and +perhaps it may wander back home again." + +Andy's progress towards complete recovery from his hurt was slow and at +times painful. But at last he did get well and strong again. When he was +quite able for work, instead of taking the situation at Redloaning, +which had been long since filled up, he went into Mrs. Dalrymple's +service as assistant to the gardeners at Fircroft, a post he was still +filling with much success and credit when I last heard of him. + +/* +ROBERT RICHARDSON. +*/ + + + + +LITTLE TOILERS OF THE NIGHT. + +II THE FISHER-BOY. + + +"Benny, so here we are then," said the sturdy-looking sailor, as Ben, +the "Reading-Boy," went running up to the railway station at Liverpool +Street, London, just as the last shower of night rain was blowing away +over the houses, and the sun was just peeping out and giving the grey +sky a tint of salmon colour. "I'm glad as you've got from this mornin' +to Wednesday, Benny, becos you see it's a pretty long v'yge from here to +Yarmouth, and I'm glad you're in good time, Ben; an' I'm glad as your +precious mother has made you put a coat over your jacket. 5.15 the train +goes, Ben." + +"What fun it is, eh, uncle! Only fancy my going down to the sea! Why, I +shouldn't want to come back if it wasn't for mother." + +"Now don't you be a rollin' stone, Benny. It's all very fine for fair +weather sailors, to go and sit about on the beach, and p'raps be rowed +out a little way, or take a trip when everything's smooth below and +aloft, but just you find yerself aboard one of our smacks, in the North +Sea, one night when there's a stiff sea on, and the wind cuttin' your +hair off your head, and your hands stiff and blue with haulin' on to the +trawl-nets, and you'd tell a different story. No, no, I don't _think_ as +you're cut out for a fisher-boy, or leastways a smack-boy, for that's +what they call 'em." + +"A smack-boy! that's a queer name," said Ben, laughing. + +"Ah, ain't it? and there's a double meanin' in it too, for I can tell +you the smack-men ain't very slow for to give the youngsters a knock +over the head, or a smack of the face, or a rope's-endin'. But as it's +Yarmouth we're bound for, you will soon see what our fisheries are +really like; and there, too, you'll find our men hard at it in +tarpaulins or canvas frocks, and wet through and through perhaps, and +not much time to get a drop of hot coffee nor a bit to eat. Think of +that, Benny." + +Ben looked serious when he heard this, and it was not till they had +taken their seats in the railway-carriage, and were rattling along far +beyond the houses and amidst the trees and fields of the country that he +began to talk again. + +"Don't the boys that go fishing like their business?" he asked. + +"Well, you see," said his uncle, "they've _got_ to like it, because when +they're once in it they can't well turn to anything else. It's a rough, +hard life, especially for the young 'uns, Benny. Not so hard as it used +to be, though. I can remember when I was a younker we used to go fishing +for cod off the Dogger Bank, which is a great ridge of hills at the +bottom of the sea, not far from the coast of Holland. We'd be out for a +good while, and not have much to eat except cod b'iled or cod fried in a +pan; and if there was much sea on, and the wind blowin' a gale, it was a +hard matter to cook it at all. Now the cutters bring us some of our meat +and vegetables and soft bread; but still the boys have a hard time. + +"If it's the herring-boys, they have to watch the floats--the big, round +things that you'll see at the edge of the nets, Ben--to keep them near +the top of the water; and whether it's drift-nets or trawling-nets, they +must take their share of hauling in and of playing out, night or day. +More than that, too: any sort of work is boy's work, whether it's to +swab the decks or to take a turn at frying fish in the cooking-galley, +or paying a boat with tar, or helping to take a boat-load of fish off to +the cutter in bad weather, when the waves tosses so that the fish, being +loose, may slide, so that one side of the boat may heel over, and before +you know where you are you're capsized and struggling in the dark, cold +sea, with a singing in your ears, and the faint cries of your mates just +as bad off as you are." + +"But, of course, it isn't always so bad," said Ben. + +"Well, no; and there's times when we've no call to grumble. Such weather +as this, when there's green sea and blue sky, and bright sun overhead +and clear moonlight nights, with fresh and light breezes to take the +sail. Nothing could seem more pleasant than the life of a fisherman if +it was always like that; but then, this isn't exactly fishing weather, +Ben, and however fine it may be the boys haven't any idle time of it. + +"There's always ropes to splice, or sails or nets to mend, or something +to clean or to scrape, or to pay down with tar; and if there's any good +in going out at all the nets must be looked to and lowered and hauled +in. Even on Sundays there's things to be attended to by the lads, and +though I don't say as 'ow boys is made to do useless work, yet, when +they're there on that day, they toil pretty hard for little 'uns. + +"And now, Ben, if you don't object, I'm going to smoke a bit o' bacca, +and then you can rest your tongue a bit, if you like." + +But Ben had a hundred more questions to ask about the fishing-boats, or +"smacks," as they are called, and how many of them there were, and how +many fish they caught at a time; and his uncle, who settled comfortably +down and lighted his pipe, told him a great deal about them. + +And Ben was surprised to hear that there are many thousands of men and +boys who go out to catch the millions and millions of all sorts of fish +that are sent to the markets in the large towns of England by railway +nearly every day. He had been to Billingsgate Market in Thames Street, +and to the new fish-market in Smithfield, and had seen the great piles +of cod-fish, and skates, and soles, and plaice, and the boxes and +baskets of white fresh herrings, and the beautiful shining mackerel, but +he did not know how great was the number of herrings, and pilchards, and +cod-fish that were also salted and put in barrels to be sent from +England to foreign countries. He knew what bloaters were, of course, and +had heard that they were herrings just a little salted and smoked over +burning wood, but how was he to know that at Yarmouth there was a great +fleet of herring-boats, and that in the cold November weather they went +far out to sea in the mist and rain, and were night after night hauling +in the great nets full of glistening silver fish? + +His uncle was the owner of two smacks, but he did not go +herring-fishing. He was what is called a trawler, and he and his men and +boys used a different sort of net. The herring-nets are called +drift-nets, and catch the fish that swim in shoals, which means a large +number together, near the surface of the sea; but the trawl-nets are +shaped like a long purse or bag open at the mouth. These nets go to the +bottom of the sea, and in them are caught cod, whiting, soles, and other +fish that lie at the bottom, and swim deep down in the water. + +When Ben's uncle was a smack-boy the trawlers, after they had caught as +many fish as they could carry in a deep well in their boat, used to +sail away as fast as they could to Billingsgate Market, or to some place +where people would buy their fish and send it by railway to London; but +now the old fisherman said they had much bigger vessels, and would stay +out sometimes for four or five weeks tossing about in the North Sea, or, +as it is sometimes called, the German Ocean, and dragging the great +trawl-nets night and day. + +"Not much time to play, Ben, my boy," said the bluff old fellow. +"Sometimes not too much to eat either, except fish and biscuit, and not +much room to sleep in when you turn in to your hard wooden bunk and pull +a rough blanket over you to keep out the cold." + +"But you don't keep the fish long on board, do you, uncle?" asked Ben. + +"No, no, my lad. A fast-sailing boat that we call a cutter comes and +goes from shore to the fleet of trawlers, and takes the fish off; +backwards and forwards it goes, and away goes the fish directly it's +sold--up to London, or elsewhere, where there's millions of mouths +waiting for it. Ah! I well remember when the smack-boys, or the +fisher-boys, would have to help to take the fish off in a boat to the +cutter on a dark night, and many a time the poor fellows would get +capsized, and afterwards go down in that cold North Sea. Hard work, my +lad, hard fare; and in danger half the time. Things are better now, +perhaps; but we're out longer a good deal, and there's a big fleet that +belongs to a company that keeps the men and the boys out for weeks at a +time, and fetches all that they catch, so that by the time they get +ashore the poor fellows are pretty near worn out. Of course the cutter +takes out food for 'em, but it can't take 'em out warmth and dry +clothes, and snug beds, and every year there is some of the vessels +lost, and perhaps all on board lost too." + +"Well," says Ben, looking very solemn; "there's some that get lost on +land too. They fall ill or get a bad cough, or have some sort of +accident with machinery or something, you know, uncle; but we're obliged +to work all the same." + +"Well said, my boy Ben," said the fisherman. "The thing is to do our +duty, whatever it may be, and to pray that we may be made able to do it. +Some of our smack-boys go to school when they're at home, and there's a +mission-room where they go to hear and to read the Bible, and have teas +and singing, and various treats, and some fun too sometimes. Yes, things +are better than they used to be in my young days." + +It was a long journey to Yarmouth, but Ben greatly enjoyed it, and when +he and his uncle got there they went at once to have a look at the sea. + +Such a great broad expanse of soft yellowish sandy beach, where the +great waves came rolling in! such a long pier where people were fishing +with hooks and lines, and sometimes catching a codling or a whiting! +"I'll go and have a try at that by-and by," said Ben; "but what are +those great wooden towers that look like a sort of big puzzle stuck up +on end?" + +"They're the look-out towers, Ben. Now, do you see that cutter over +yonder, coming into shore with its big sail like a sea-bird's wing? Keep +your eye on it for a minute, and then look at the top of that tower, and +you'll see that there are men there that have got their eyes and their +telescopes on it too. Now do you see these carts coming along, and do +you see those black barges floating ready to pull out when the cutter +comes near in shore? The cutter will unload a rare lot of fish. The men +on the look-out tower saw her coming, and signalled to the barges and +the carts to be ready. That shipload of fish will be off by a special +train to-night, Ben; and if you were in London you might, if you could +afford it, have some of it." + +"But where's the herrings--the Yarmouth bloaters, you know?" asked Ben. + +"Ah, well! this isn't the time to see so much of them. It's in the +winter you see the herring-smacks come in at the herring-wharf over +yonder, and hundreds of baskets full of the shining fellows brought +ashore and sold, and sent off fresh in no time; while others are kept +here to turn into bloaters, or red herrings, or kippers. Those sheds in +the yard over there are where hundreds of women and girls set to work to +salt or pack the herrings in barrels; the bloaters are what we call +cured in the herring-office." + +"That's a funny name," said Ben. + +"Yes; and it's funny what goes on there. The herrings are brought +ashore, are shot out of the baskets on to the stone floor, shovelled +into big tubs to be washed, and then threaded through the gills on to +long laths of wood. Then these laths with the rows of herrings strung on +'em are hung in frames from wall to wall of a top room, like a barn with +a stone floor, and a hole in the roof. When that room's full of herrings +all hanging in rows--thousands and thousands o' fish--a fire of oak +chips and logs is lighted on the floor, and the smoke going all among +the herrings, and only by degrees getting out of the hole in the roof, +the fish are smoked; and them that's salted first is red herrings, and +them that's only just touched dry with the smoke like are bloaters. + +"So now we'll get down to our lodging, and have some supper, Ben; and so +to bed, that we may be up early in the morning; but don't you dream +about being a smack-boy, or you won't sleep at all sound, I can tell +you." + +/* +THOMAS ARCHER +*/ + + + + +THEIR WONDERFUL RIDE. + +[Illustration: "TWO LITTLE FOLK WERE RIDING."] + + + As I passed down the pathway + I heard a merry pair + Shout from behind the garden wall, + "Let's ride the old brown mare." + + With whip and voice I heard them + Urge on the maddened steed, + Whilst to my frantic warnings + They paid no single heed. + + Then quickly down the garden, + Trembling with fear and fright, + And bursting open wide the door + I saw this curious sight:-- + + Upon a wooden railing + That ran down from the wall, + Two little folk were riding, + Quite safe from fear or fall. + + "Why, auntie, what's the matter?" + Shouted the merry pair; + "You cannot think what fun it is + To ride the old brown mare!" + + + + +OUR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. + +NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM OF THE HUGE TREE. + + +A Mighty king lay stretched upon a magnificent bed of gold. His head +rested upon pillows of crimson satin, beautifully embroidered with gold, +and studded with golden spangles and precious stones. Over him was a +coverlet of crimson satin, also adorned with gold: and everything in his +chamber was in keeping with the richness of his couch. + +Costliest delicacies and oldest wines had weighed down his supper-table, +round which had sat some of earth's grandest and most powerful lords. He +had been lulled to sleep with soft strains of sweetest music. +Ever-watchful attendants stood by him, as he slept, and cooled his brow +with gentle breezes stirred up to life by fairy fans. His last thoughts +had been of his vast wealth, his uninterrupted prosperity, and his great +power. He was king of kings, and the whole world trembled at his feet. +He had attained to the highest pinnacle of glory. Earth had yielded to +him its most costly treasures, and had nothing more that she could give. +Men had profusely showered upon him their highest flatteries, and +addressed him in humblest language. + +Yet his sleep was troubled. His brow grew dark, and the colour deepened +upon his cheeks. He breathed heavily and moved nervously on his +luxurious bed, which, grand as it was, could not give him rest. Hundreds +of years afterwards it was said of the bruised and bleeding martyr +Stephen, that he sank peacefully to rest amid a shower of stones, and +the yells and hoots of bitterest enemies; for in all circumstances He +can give "His beloved sleep." But this flattered son of pomp and +splendour, this mighty king, upon whose very breath seemed to hang the +fate of nations, tossed restlessly upon his bed of gold and purple. No, +he knew nothing of that joy and peace that pass all understanding, which +the world can neither give nor take away, and which has converted many a +fiery furnace into a shadow from the heat. + +Over those who love Him God watches in the night, and holds sweetest +communion with them, as through the long dark hours they lie upon their +beds; but to the wicked He sends no thought of comfort or consolation. +He does not soothe them to rest with the remembrance of His loving care. +And often He troubles them with dark thoughts and unwelcome dreams, that +banish true repose. + +So this wicked king, Nebuchadnezzar, who lived for himself, and not for +God, who enriched himself at the expense of others, who closed his ears +to the cry of the fatherless and the widows, and who passed by judgment +and justice and mercy, was perplexed with a mysterious dream. + +He saw, growing in the middle of the earth, a mighty tree, which reared +its lofty head to the skies, and, on every side, sent out boughs to the +ends of the world. Large bright green leaves thickly covered its +branches, from which hung, in unheard-of abundance, great clusters of +fruit. The beasts of the field found under it a grateful shadow from the +heat of the burning sun. The fowls of the air came and built their nests +in its leafy branches, and there laid their eggs, and reared their +young, and joyously sang out their gladness. All was bright and +beautiful; and the sleeping king, as he gazed wonderingly at the giant +tree, admired its grandeur and its greatness. + +To what length of days, he thought, might this majestic tree not attain! +and how would the earth be able to hold it if it should go on increasing +in size? + +But suddenly there was a fluttering in the air; and down from the bright +heavens came "a watcher and an holy one," who was terrible in his +strength, and whose face shone like the sun. Judgment, and not mercy, +was written upon his forehead. And oh, his voice! How dreadful it +sounded to the startled king, who would gladly have closed his ears to +it. + +"Hew down the tree," the Angel cried, with a voice of thunder, his eyes, +which were like balls of fire, flashing with righteous indignation. "Hew +down the tree, and cut off his branches; shake off his leaves, and +scatter his fruit. Warn the beasts to get from under it, lest they be +crushed with its weight. And bid the little birds leave its branches. +But do not destroy the tree. Leave the stump of his roots in the earth. +Let it be wet with the dew of heaven; and let his portion be with the +beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from man's, +and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over +him." + +What a strange dream for a king to have! And how troubled his +countenance was when he rose from his bed! His eyes moved restlessly +from one object to another, telling of a mind ill at ease. His limbs +shook; and he seemed many years older than on the previous day. His +grandly-arrayed lords came round him as before, with pleasant smiles and +flattering speeches. But he could heed none of them. Whatever he did, he +could not give his mind to affairs of state. Try to control them as he +would, his thoughts would wander back to the towering majestic tree, to +its great thick trunk, its leafy branches, its rich profusion of +delicious fruit affording sustenance to all the world, and to that +bright but awful being who had come from heaven and pronounced over the +tree that dread sentence. + +What if the tree should mean himself? Who in all the wide world but +himself could be compared to it for strength and majesty? Who but +himself had attained to such power and magnificence? And oh! what if all +should be taken away from him? What if the widely-spreading tree should +indeed be cut down, its glory and its beauty and its strength alike +gone? + +How he wished he knew the meaning of his dream! And how anxiously he +consulted the wise men who were summoned to his presence! Magicians, +astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers, all the wise men of Babylon +came to his palace to hear his dream, and to try to tell the meaning of +it. + +But the effort was in vain. The dream was from heaven, and not all the +vaunted wisdom of this world could interpret it. The meaning of it could +only be told by one inspired by the Spirit of God who had sent it. + +Then Daniel, the Jewish captive, to whom Nebuchadnezzar had given the +name of Belteshazzar, or _a layer up of things in secret_, was brought. +Not long before he had not only told the king the meaning of a most +mysterious dream that he had had, but he had also recalled the dream +itself, which Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten. And as an interpreter of +dreams and the wisest of mortals, his fame had spread far and wide; and +Nebuchadnezzar could see that the Jewish prophet had a wisdom far +surpassing that of his wisest and most skilled magicians. + +So the strange dream of the mighty tree cut down was told to the Jewish +captive, and the usually calm face of the prophet grew dark and troubled +as that of the king. + +"Do not be distressed by the dream or its interpretation, Belteshazzar," +Nebuchadnezzar said in his gentlest tones; for he saw that the dream +meant something bad, and that Daniel did not like to tell him. "Show me +the interpretation." + +"My lord," the Jewish prophet replied sadly, "it is a dream that will +please only your enemies; and all those who hate you will rejoice at +it." And then he went on to explain to the king that the great tree that +he had seen towering towards heaven, and spreading itself over the whole +earth, with its fresh green leaves and abundance of fruit, with its +thousands of beasts taking refuge under its spreading branches, and its +myriads of feathered songsters nestling amongst them, was himself. "It +is thou, O king," he said; "for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth +unto the heavens, and thy dominion to the end of the earth." + +By the coming down of the holy watcher, and his commanding the tree to +be despoiled of its glory, and hewn down, Daniel showed the king was +meant his own humiliation. He should be driven from the abodes of men, +his dwelling should be with the beasts of the field; he should eat grass +like an ox, and his body should be wet with the dew of heaven. + +But he was not to be for ever removed from his place. The malady was to +continue only for seven years; for as the stump of the tree was left in +the earth, so that it might some day put forth its branches again, and +once more abound in foliage and fruit, so his terrible affliction should +only last until he should acknowledge that it was not by the strength of +his own arm, but by the power of God that he had been raised to so great +a height of glory; that the kingdoms of the earth belong to God, and +that He raises up whom He will to govern them. + +"Oh, learn this lesson in time, mighty king," Daniel pleaded; "that +supreme power belongs alone to the living God. Humble thyself before +Him. Put away every iniquity; and begin to show mercy to the poor and +the defenceless, who have hitherto cried to thee in vain. For it is in +mercy that God has sent thee the dream, to show thee how thine heart has +been lifted up, and to give thee an opportunity of averting the +punishment by timely and sincere repentance." + +Oh, if Nebuchadnezzar had but heeded the warning dream! If he had but +taken his kingdom and his glory, his riches and his honour, and laid +them all at the footstool of the great King in Heaven, acknowledging +that they were all from Him, and must be held and used for Him; what +great trouble he might have saved himself, and all those who looked up +to him! How soon, by humbling himself, and how effectually he might have +turned aside the threatened judgment! How the great and compassionate +God above would have rejoiced to show mercy! And how the holy angels +would have sung for joy over the repentant king, and the blotting out +of his great sin, and the withholding of judgment, and the showing of +mercy! + +But the dream was unheeded. The warning was lost. + +The great and mighty king having conquered all his enemies round about, +and extended his power to the utmost limits, devoted his attention to +the improving and embellishing of his capital. And as he saw Babylon +increasing in glory and beauty, his heart became still more lifted up. +He had done it all himself, he thought. He was so great, and so wise, +and so glorious a king, that he had no need of divine aid. Such a thing +as being in any way dependent upon a higher power never entered his +mind, and by very severe means he had to be taught the needful lesson +that might have been learned from the dream that had in mercy been sent +to warn him. + +While surveying the glorious city from the roof of his palace, and +congratulating himself upon the dignity to which he had attained, a +voice, like that which he had heard in his dream, fell from heaven, +telling him that his kingdom was taken from him, and that he should meet +the fate of which he had been forewarned by the cutting down of the huge +tree. + +And so it was. + +That same hour, the terrible malady predicted by Daniel came upon him. +He lost his reason, and became as a wild beast. His costly crown of +gold and pearls and diamonds was taken from him, and he was driven from +his throne. For seven years he lived with the beasts of the field, +stooping down to the earth and eating grass like an ox, and drinking +with his mouth of the flowing streams. The rude winds blew upon him, +ruffling the hair that had been so carefully kept, and the scorching sun +tanned his face, once so expressive of majesty. The hairs of his +neglected beard became like eagles' feathers; and his uncut nails grew +like birds' claws. He noted no difference between the changing seasons; +and when the sun sank in the west, he lay down to sleep upon the hard +ground, like the beasts, his companions, and his body was wet with the +falling dew. + +At the end of seven years another opportunity of repentance was offered +to him, and after so severe a lesson he gladly accepted it. His reason +returned, and instead of taking glory to himself, he ascribed it to God, +acknowledging that He rules above all. + +So the dreadful affliction was removed, his kingdom was restored to him; +and his glory and honour and majesty were greater even than before. + +As he once more lifted up his head amongst his nobles, he said humbly, +"The great God of heaven is King; and those who walk in pride He is able +to abase." + +H. D. + + + + +BIBLE EXERCISES FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. + + +25. How many times is the Lord's Prayer recorded? + +26. Where are we told that departure from evil is understanding? + +27. From what words is it supposed that St. Paul, like Elijah, visited +Mount Sinai, there to hold communion with God, before entering upon his +apostolic work? + +28. Where are we told that he who rules his own spirit is better than he +who takes a city? + +29. Where is the Eastern custom of gathering the tears of mourners in +tear-bottles alluded to in the Psalms? + +30. Where is it said of the departed that they have "fallen asleep"? + +31. How is the passing away of the Old Testament saints spoken of? + +32. Which of the Evangelists tell us of Christ's offering three +successive prayers in Gethsemane, on the night of His agony, and of His +three times finding the disciples sleeping? + +33. Where, in the New Testament, is David called "David the King"? + +34. How many days elapsed after Noah's entering into the ark before the +flood came? And who shut the door? + +35. How many armour-bearers had Joab? + +36. What was done with the sword of Goliath? + +ANSWERS TO BIBLE EXERCISES (13-24. See p. 84). + +13. St. Matt. xii. 49, 50; St. Mark iii. 33-35; St. Luke viii. 21. + +14. In Prov. xvii. 17. + +15. In Neh. ix. 17; Ps. ciii. 8, cxlv. 8; Joel ii. 13; Jonah iv. 2; Nah. +i. 3. + +16. From St. Luke xi. 1. + +17. In Prov. xv. 18, xxvi. 21, xxix. 22. + +18. In Prov. xvi. 32. + +19. In St. Luke iii. 38. + +20. From St. Matt. i. 5, 6. + +21. In Gen. ix. 13. + +22. In Rev. iv. 3, x. 1. + +23. The names of the women are Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James +and Joses, the mother of Zebedee's children, Joanna, the wife of Chuza +(Herod's steward), and Susanna. (St. Matt. xxvii. 55, 56; St. Luke viii. +2, 3.) + +24. In Ps. cxxi. 4. + + + + +The Water-Carriers of the World + + +In the hotter countries of the world, in which water is the very +mainstay of life, a number of persons drive a considerable trade in the +sale of that liquid. Most of us know what a trouble it is to get water +during a severe winter when the pipes are all frozen. Suppose such a +state of things to be usual the whole year round, and you will perhaps +understand the difficulties of families in some tropical lands with +regard to what is to them--in a sense almost more than it is to us--a +necessary of existence. Thus it is that the water-carrier is so +important a personage in these warm climes. His figure is as common in +the streets as our milkman, though he is generally a very much more +picturesque-looking individual. + +In the illustration on this page we have grouped together portraits of +the water-carriers of different countries, and it will be seen that, in +respect of their quaint attire and the curious vessels in which the +water is carried, there is no reason for surprise that they have engaged +the brush of many painters. + +[Illustration] + +No. 1 represents a water-carrier of one of the provincial towns of +France. With his cocked hat and queer staff, and his water-skin strapped +like a knapsack on his back, he reminds one not a little of an old +soldier. His next door neighbour's nationality is a good deal more +obvious. Whose can that jaunty, lazy air be but that of the gay, +ease-loving water-carrier of Madrid? With earthenware pail hanging from +each arm, turban on head, bright-coloured waistband, and cigarette in +mouth, you can tell at a glance that he belongs to a sunny country where +leisure and pleasure go hand in hand. In No. 3 we find the +representation of the Peruvian water-carrier. He does such good business +that he can afford to keep a donkey to carry the water, which is +contained in a big leather sack that lies like a bolster across the +animal's back. I am afraid he is not so mindful of Neddy as he ought to +be, and that some of our own costermongers could teach him a lesson or +two in the humane treatment of his patient beast of burden. Leaving Peru +and South America, and travelling to the northern continent, we are +introduced in No. 4 to a water-carrier of Mexico. Notice how he carries +the water in two odd-shaped vessels suspended from his head by means of +a broad band. In No. 5 will be observed an Egyptian fellah woman +carrying a jar of water on her head. Compared with her, the Norwegian +peasant in No. 6 looks prosaic and businesslike. The last two are not +sellers of water, but are merely taking home a supply for their own +households. How fortunate those towns are where the water is conveyed by +pipes from house to house! + + + + +BURIED ALIVE; + +OR, LOVE NEVER LOST ON A DOG. + + +"Heigho!" sighed Thusnelda, as she lay on the straw not far from the +spot where her three beautiful puppies were curled up in a heap. +"Heigho!" she sighed, "I do hope dear master will not deprive me of any +more of my darlings. Let me see now, there were ten of them originally. +Yes, ten, for I counted them over and over again fifty times a day, and +now there are only three. Heigho!" Here she glanced round towards these +sleeping beauties in the straw, and her lovely eyes were brimming over +with motherly affection and intelligence. + +"To be sure," she added, "master has kept the three prettiest, that is +some consolation, and the others have all gone to good homes, where I +doubt not their virtue will be duly appreciated, though I shall never, +never see them more." + +Thusnelda was a dog of German birth and extraction. In truth, she was a +Dachshund, and a high-bred one too, and both in this country and in +Berlin she had taken many honours at dog shows. + +Some might not have thought Thusnelda's body shapely. She was long and +low, with a red jacket as smooth and soft as satin; so low in stature +was she, that her chest almost touched the ground, and her fore legs +were turned in at the ankle, and out at the feet--the latter indeed were +almost out of all proportion, so big and flat were they; but no one +could help admiring Thusnelda's splendid head, her broad intelligent +skull, and her long silky ears and gazelle-like eyes. If ever eyes in +this world were made to speak love and affection and all things +unutterable, those eyes were Thusnelda's. + +She got up at last and went and stood over her darlings. She gazed at +them long and fondly, wondering and thinking what future they had before +them. She held her head so low as she did so, that her splendid ears +trailed and touched them. They moved in their sleep, they kicked and +gave vent to a series of little ventriloquistic barks as puppies have a +habit of doing; then the mother licked them fondly with her soft tongue, +and therefore one awoke. It was Vogel. The names of the other two were +Zimmerman and Zadkiel. As soon as Vogel awoke she gave a joyful wee bark +of recognition, which aroused both her tiny brothers, and the whole +three rushed at once to their good mother. + +"Ah, my dears," she said; "you are very fond of me at present, I dare +say, but you will get to be different as you grow older, I expect. +However, I must make the most of you while you are young. Why, let's +see, you will be six weeks old tomorrow, and you can lap every bit as +well as I can. Yes, and it's quite a treat to see you lapping, and +master thinks so too." + +"Master" did. + +"Master" was very fond of dogs, and he doted on good ones. He used to +come and admire these three puppies by the hour. The milk he gave them +was of the freshest and creamiest, and he even thickened it with a +little boiled flour. Whenever Vogel and Zimmerman and Zadkiel saw him +coming with the milk-pan they expressed their joy by saucy little barks +and yelps, and made a headlong but awkward rush towards him, and when he +put down the pan they weren't content to simply put their heads over the +side and lap. No, they must have their fore feet in as well, although +their mother often told them it was only little piggies that fed in that +fashion. But Vogel was worse even than Zimmerman or Zadkiel, because she +used to insist upon getting in the dish bodily. Only Vogel was master's +favourite, and he used to take her kindly out of the dish again and +place her by the side of it, and try to show her how to lap like a lady. + +Vogel was the prettiest, Zimmerman the biggest and sauciest, and Zadkiel +by far the wisest of the trio. + +In the picture with which our artist has presented us, Vogel is standing +in the centre, Zimmerman is lying on the left, while the far-seeing, +deep-thinking Zadkiel is sitting on the right. + +An impudent sparrow has just alighted on the puppies' pan, and is coolly +helping himself to what has been left from breakfast. + +"Delicious!" the sparrow is saying. "I'm the king of all the birds in +the creation. Everybody admires me, I build in the choicest apple-trees, +and feed on the daintiest food. Farmers cut down their hay that I may +make my nest, farmers' wives kill the fowls that I may find feathers to +line it, and even the cows cast their coats to aid in the same good +work. Why, you little puppies, don't _you_ admire me also, you +ridiculous-looking fluffy things?" + +"I admire your profound impudence," Zimmerman is saying. + +"I am astonished at your daring audacity," Vogel is remarking. + +But Zadkiel is thinking. "I dare say," he says at last, "that even such +a wretched mite of a bird as you must have been meant for some good +purpose. To pick up the grubs and the green flies perhaps." + +"Absurd," cries the sparrow, and off he flies in disgust. + +Then the pups forget all about it, and begin to lick each other's noses +and toes--I was nearly saying _toeses_--in the funniest way imaginable. +After that they go in for one of the most terrible sham fights that has +ever been fought. + +"You'll be a badger, Zadkiel," cries Vogel, "and Zimmerman and I will +worry you to death." + +So at it they go pell-mell. Zadkiel is hemmed up in a corner of the +cart-shed, and his brother and sister make pretence, to tear him limb +from limb. Zadkiel defends himself gallantly, but has to succumb at +last, for he is fairly rolled on his back, and in a few minutes is, +figuratively speaking, turned inside out. Then they espy the +good-natured admiring face of their mother, peering at them over the +corner of the straw, and at her they all rush. They make believe that +she is a fox, and her life is accordingly not worth an hours' purchase. + +"Ha! ha! ha!" laughs some one not two yards away, and looking up they +espy "master," who all unknown to them has been enjoying the fun for the +last half-hour. + +"You dear, delightful little pets," he says, "why, you are as lively as +kittens, and as healthy and happy-looking as the summer's day is long. +You will do your mother credit yet. Your legs are straight, but work +will bend them into the right shape, then you'll be able to creep into +any rabbit's hole in the country, + + "To beard a badger in his drain, + A wild wolf in his lair." + +So in order to make these little rascals' legs bend to the proper shape, +master, as soon as they got a little older, used to bury bones for them +deep down in the garden earth, and get the whole trio to scrape and find +them. + +This was grand fun, and by the time the puppies were six months old they +were just as shapely as the mother was, or as unshapely, if you like it +better, for after all perhaps the beauty of their bodies consisted in +their ugliness. + +It isn't every one who knows how to rear puppies properly, but this +master did. He fed them on bread and milk, and broth and scraps of meat +four times a day, he never forgot to give them plenty of the freshest +of water, and as for straw, why they could at any time bury themselves +in it. But this was not all, for he made the little things his constant +companions, when he himself went out for exercise. And didn't they +scamper and didn't they dance, and frolic, and run! Many a rat, and +stoat, and polecat had reason to wish them far away, I can tell you. + +Few people know how wonderful, intelligent, and sagacious a dachshund +can become under proper treatment. But there must be system in the +treatment. The whip must be hidden away out of sight entirely, the +animal must be treated like a reasoning being, as indeed it is; it thus +soon comes to know not only every word spoken to it, but your will and +your wishes from your very movements and looks. + +A dog never forgets kind treatment, and whenever he has the chance he +acts a faithful part towards a loving master. I could tell you a hundred +true stories illustrative of that fact, but one must here suffice. Had +you seen the dachshund puppies then as they are represented in our +engraving, brimful of sauciness, daftness, and fun, and seen them again +two years after as they appeared when accompanying their beloved master +in his rambles, you certainly could not have believed they were the same +animals. They were still the same in one respect, however, for Vogel was +still the beauty and Zadkiel the philosopher. + +One day their master went out to hunt in the forest. It was far away in +the wilds of the Scottish Highlands. He had gone to shoot deer, but as +he was returning in the evening after an unsuccessful stalk, he caught a +glimpse of a fox disappearing round the corner of an old ruin. + +"Ho! ho!" he cried. "You are the rascal that steals my ducks. We'll have +you if we can." + +But the fox had taken at once to his burrow in the ruin. It was a very +ancient feudal castle, only just enough of it remaining to give an idea +of the shape it once had been, for regardless of the respect that is due +to antiquity the keepers had carted away loads of the solid masonry to +build their houses, leaving the place but a beautiful moss-grown chaos. + +"Watch," was all the master said to his dogs as he crept in through an +old window into the donjon keep. It was a foolhardy thing to do, for the +stones were loose around it, but he had many times got in there before, +and why, he thought, should he not do so now. Besides, this was +Reynard's favourite den, and he hoped to shoot him in it. But the fox +had improved on his dwelling since the hunter had last paid him a visit; +he had excavated another room. Stone after stone the hunter began to +pull down, when suddenly there was a startling noise behind him, and he +found himself in the dark. + +[Illustration: THE PUPPIES AND THE SPARROW. (_See p._ 158.)] + +Buried alive! Buried in a dungeon in which there was hardly room to +turn. The situation is too dreadful for pen to describe. He sank on the +soft damp mould of the floor and gave himself up to despair. And thus +hours went past. + +Hitherto there had not been a sound, but now the impatient yelping of +the faithful hounds told him they had begun to appreciate the terrible +danger of the master. + +The rest of the story may be told in a very few words. Vogel did nothing +but run about wild with grief, and made the rocks around her echo the +sounds of her grief. Zimmerman set himself to work to dig the master +out. But alas! solid stone and lime were too much for even his strong +little limbs. But where was the wise and thoughtful Zadkiel? Gone. He +turned up some hours after at his master's house, and his strange +behaviour soon caused the servants to follow him into the deep forest +and straight to the old ruin. + +Morning had dawned ere the hunter, more dead than alive, was extricated +from his living grave. His first act as soon as he recovered was to +return thanks to Him who had delivered him, his next to embrace his +faithful dogs. + +ARION. + + + + +LITTLE MARGARET'S KITCHEN, AND WHAT SHE DID IN IT.--IX. + +_By_ PHILLIS BROWNE, _Author of "A Year's Cookery," "What Girls can Do," +&c._ + +"I wonder what we shall do to-day, Mary?" said Margaret, as the two +children stood by the kitchen table waiting for the next lesson. + +"I don't know," said Mary; "but I fancy we are to learn something about +fat, for I heard mistress giving orders to put the fat ready for us. And +there it is. Don't you see all those pieces of fat on the dish?" + +"Well, children," said Mrs. Herbert, who at that moment entered the +kitchen, "how would you like to learn to fry to-day?" + +"We should like it very much, mother," said Margaret. + +"But what shall we make?" + +"I wish we might make some apple fritters, like those we had the day +before yesterday." + +"You shall learn to cook the fritters at our next lesson," said Mrs. +Herbert. "To-day we shall be quite sufficiently busy preparing the fat +for frying. Can you, Mary, tell me what it is to fry food? If you had to +fry the fritters, for instance, how would you set about it?" + +"Please, ma'am, let me think," said Mary. "When we fried the pancakes, +we put a little fat in the frying-pan, and let it melt, and then put in +the batter. So I suppose we should do the same with fritters." + +"That is exactly what we must not do," said Mrs. Herbert. "There are a +few things which we must fry in a shallow pan, with very little fat. +Pancakes and omelettes are amongst them. But as a rule, this is a very +extravagant, wasteful mode of cooking. It is much better to _fry_ +properly, that is, to cook in an abundance of fat, using as much fat as +will cover the food entirely, so that we may be said to boil the food, +but in fat instead of water." + +"I should have thought it was very wasteful to use a quantity of fat," +said Margaret. + +"Do you remember how much fat we used when we fried the pancakes?" said +Mrs. Herbert. + +"I remember," said Mary: "for every pancake we used a piece of fat about +the size of a walnut." + +"And how much of this was left when all were finished?" + +"Why, none, mother," said Margaret. "The fat was used each time, and it +seemed to dry up or go into the pancake, or something. At any rate, it +was lost altogether." + +"Then if we were trying to find out how much the pancakes cost, we ought +to include the cost of the fat in which they were fried?" + +"I suppose so." + +"Do you not think, then, that if in frying we could so arrange matters +that the fat should be used again and again and again, that would be +less wasteful?" + +"Of course it would," said Mary. + +"Then this is what we will do. We will provide a quantity of fat, as +much as will half fill a good-sized iron saucepan. When we use this for +frying, we shall find that if we are careful of it--that is, if we lift +it from the fire as soon as it is done with, do not let it burn, and +strain it--we can use it again and again and again. In fact, it may be +used any number of times, and we keep adding fresh fat as we get it." + +"But we could not fry pancakes in that way," said Margaret. + +"No; I told you just now that pancakes and omelettes must be fried in a +little fat. This process is generally called by cooks _dry frying_. +When plenty of fat is used, and the food is boiled in the fat, the +process is called _wet frying_." + +"And how are we to tell which way is suitable for what we have to cook?" +said Margaret. + +"Ah, Margaret! you want to get on too quickly. To know which is the best +way of treating different kinds of food is a large subject, and can only +be learnt with time. I may tell you, however, that nearly all small +things which can be quickly cooked, and can be covered with fat, may be +wet fried. Things which need longer cooking, such as uncooked meat, +bacon, sausages, &c., should be dry fried. Chops and steaks, too, are +often dry fried, but they are best when broiled; and of broiling I must +speak to you another day." + +"We shall easily remember that wet frying is using plenty of fat, and +dry frying is using very little fat," said Mary. + +"Of course you will. And now for the kind of fat you are to use. There +are four kinds of fat used in frying--dripping, oil, butter, and lard. +Of these, dripping is the best and lard is the worst." + +"But please, ma'am, lard is generally used, is it not?" said Mary, +looking astonished. + +"Indeed it is," replied Mrs. Herbert, "and this is the mistake which is +made. Those who do not know have a great scorn for dripping. They sell +it for a small sum to get it out of the way, and when they have done so +they buy lard. Yet lard is more apt to make food taste greasy than any +fat which can be used." + +"What is the dripping made from, then?" said Margaret. + +"From little odds and ends of fat, either cooked or uncooked, left from +joints, and 'rendered,' that is, melted down; also from the fat which is +skimmed from the top of the water in which meat is boiled. I should like +you little folk to remember that one of the surest signs of cleverness +in cookery is that nothing is wasted, and one of the most certain ways +of preventing waste is to look after the fat. A good cook will not allow +as much as half an inch of fat to be wasted. She will collect the scraps +together and melt them down gently, and so she will never need to buy." + +"Just as cook has put those pieces of fat together there, ready for us +to melt down?" + +"Yes; and now we will go on to render them down, shall we? First we cut +them up in very small pieces. We then put them into an old, but +perfectly clean, saucepan, with a quarter of a pint of water to each +pound of fat. We then put the lid on the saucepan, and boil gently for +about an hour, or till the water has boiled away, when we take the lid +off, and stew the fat again until the pieces acquire a slight colour, +when the fat is ready to be strained through a jar. We must not forget +to stir the fat occasionally, to keep it from burning, and also to let +it cool slightly before straining, for fear of accident; for boiling fat +is very hot, more than twice as hot as boiling water." + +"Supposing we have no pieces of fat, mother, what shall we do then?" + +"We must buy some. Those who like beef fat will find ox flare excellent +for the purpose. The most experienced cooks, however, now prefer mutton +fat to any other, because it is so hard and dry. Fat which is bought +must be rendered down as scraps are rendered. I fancy, however, that +where meat is eaten every day it is seldom necessary to buy fat, if only +proper care is taken of the trimmings." + +"If dripping may be used for frying, could we not take the dripping left +from joints, mother?" said Margaret. + +"Certainly we could, dear. Only we must be careful to have it thoroughly +clean and dry, with no water or gravy in it. To make it thus we should +probably have to wash it in three or four times its quantity of boiling +water, then let it go cold and scrape away the impurities which would +have settled at the bottom. After which we should melt it gently down +again to get rid thoroughly of any moisture there might be in it." + +"Wash dripping! I never heard of such a thing," said Margaret. + +"It is a very necessary business at times, for all that. The most +certain way of taking care of anything we value is to keep it clean: and +certainly we value our kitchen fat. But then, as I told you, besides +keeping it clean we must keep it dry; and one reason why good cooks +prefer mutton fat to any other is that it can be more easily kept dry +than other fats. Fat should be thoroughly strained also each time it is +used, as well as after being rendered the first time, and this will help +to keep it pure." + +"I think the water has all boiled away from our fat now, ma'am," said +Mary, who had been looking very earnestly into the pan, and stirring the +pieces very vigorously. + +"Then," said Mrs. Herbert, "we will take the lid off the pan, and when +the pieces begin to colour we will let the fat cool and strain it away. +It will so be quite ready for our purpose, and at our next lesson I will +show you how to fry some apple fritters." + +"I think we shall enjoy frying fritters as well as making pancakes," +said the two children together. + +_(To be continued.)_ + + + + +THEIR ROAD TO FORTUNE. + +THE STORY OF TWO BROTHERS. + +_By the Author of "The Heir of Elmdale," &c. &c._ + +CHAPTER VII.--AN INVESTMENT. + + +The holidays were over at last; the ten days flew by only too quickly to +Bertie, for, compared with Gore House, Fitzroy Square seemed the most +delightful place in the world. He was not very artistic in his taste, +and thought but little of carving and gilding, soft carpets, and +luxurious chairs; therefore the shabby parlour with Aunt Amy seemed far +more beautiful than the very grandest apartment in Aunt Gregory's grand +house. + +"If I could only stay here always, Aunt Amy, how happy I should be!" he +had said a dozen times during his stay; and each time, though her heart +echoed his wish, she cheered him with loving smiles, encouraged him with +hopeful words, begging of him to try and make the best of his Uncle +Gregory's home, and be as happy and contented as he could. Eddie often +wished that he had such a magnificent residence, for he made no secret +of his contempt for the shabby and somewhat dingy comfort of Uncle +Clair's house and its dreary surroundings. He thought artists should +have everything beautiful and graceful about them, and looked very much +astonished when his uncle said, in his sweet low voice, that beauty and +grace were certainly essential, but they should be in the artist +himself, and then he would see them reflected everywhere. Both Bertie +and Agnes endorsed that statement, for they loved the old house, and +were quite happy there. Eddie, still longing for something out of his +reach, instead of making the most of what was at his hand, grumbled and +shook his head; but Uncle Clair only smiled, and said, "You'll be wiser +when you are older, my boy. Knowledge comes with years." + +Mrs. Gregory's presents caused Mrs. Clair to think that she was sorry +for her neglect of Bertie, and meant to be kinder to him in future; +besides, Uncle Gregory had said there might be other arrangements when +he returned, so that it was with a very hopeful heart that Bertie +entered the office punctually at nine o'clock on the 2nd of January, and +was taking his old corner to await the arrival of his uncle, when the +head clerk conducted him into the inner room, and pointed out a seat at +a desk near a window looking into a narrow court. + +"Go through all those letters," the clerk said, pointing to a huge heap; +"select the circulars, open them, and place them on that stand; arrange +all the English and foreign letters on Mr. Gregory's table, and then +address those envelopes from that book on your desk." + +"Yes, sir," Bertie replied cheerfully. It certainly was much pleasanter +in that warm room, with its clear blazing fire, soft carpet, +leather-covered chairs, and draughtless windows, than in the large, and +often chilly, outer office, but when Mr. Gregory entered with his +compressed lips and keen piercing glance all round, Bertie began to +think it would not be pleasant to have to sit always within the reach of +his critical eyes. + +"Good morning. You have not forgotten, I see: that's well," Mr. Gregory +said, as he hung up his coat and pulled off his gloves. Then, with a +quick glance at his table, he added, "You may go on with your work." + +Bertie copied industriously for an hour, never raising his head from his +desk; then his master's voice startled him. "Come here, Bertie. I want +some conversation with you. How old are you?" + +"Nearly thirteen, sir." + +"You look more. Do you like business?" + +"I think I do, sir. I shall like it more when I understand it better." + +"Quite so. Now, Bertie, because you are my nephew, and have been a good, +steady lad, I am going to place you in a position of great trust. You +are quick, and write a good hand, and I shall train you to be my private +secretary. You shall answer all my business letters, from my dictation. +Of course I don't mean all my letters," catching Bertie's nervous glance +at the table, "only those I have been in the habit of attending to +myself. It means several changes: one is, you need not get here till I +do in the morning; another is, that I shall require your services for an +hour or two every evening in the library at Gore House. You can leave +here at four instead of half-past five, and I wish you to take lessons +in French and German three times a week. I have engaged a master for +you, and you can leave here every other day at half-past three. I will +pay you twelve shillings a week, out of which you must pay for your +luncheon, and you will dine with us, except when there is a large +party. Now sit down, and write exactly as I tell you, and as quickly, as +neatly, and accurately as you can." + +"Yes, uncle; thank you," Bertie replied, his heart throbbing violently. +That was indeed a change from the dull routine of the past five months: +he had won his uncle's confidence; he was to have no more solitary +evenings; and, best of all, he was to have a salary, and only luncheon +to buy out of it. + +"Why, I shall only want a Bath bun and a glass of milk every day. I can +save nearly all," Bertie whispered to himself at luncheon-time. "Uncle +Gregory is good to me, and no mistake!" + +Mr. Gregory was good to his nephew, but not before he had thoroughly +satisfied himself that the boy fully deserved his confidence, and, what +was more, would fully and amply repay it. That twelve shillings a week +was a master-stroke of policy, for it made Bertie eternally grateful; +and if the young gentleman fancied his Uncle Gregory did not know that +nine shillings of it went into the post-office savings' bank regularly +every week, he was greatly mistaken. The dining down-stairs was not +quite such a success; he was usually completely ignored, and always felt +glad when the formal prolonged meal was over, and he was at liberty to +follow Mr. Gregory to the library. There, indeed, Bertie had often two, +or even three, hours' trying work, copying out prospectuses and share +lists, reading aloud a strange jargon he did not half understand about +stocks, consols, and dividends, adding up prodigious sums of money, +subtracting other sums from them, and, when the result did not quite +satisfy Mr. Gregory, having to consign them all to the waste-paper +basket, and begin over again. Still, it was better than the long dreary +evenings in the deserted school-room, though so much confinement was +beginning to tell a little on Bertie's rosy cheeks and healthy young +frame. The atmosphere of the Underground Railway, too, was injuring +lungs that had never breathed anything but the purest country air, and +at last Mr. Gregory noticed his altered appearance, and invited him to +drive into the City in the dog-cart with himself every morning. That was +indeed a red-letter day,--almost as good as driving to Dr. Mayson's at +Riversdale: better, in fact, Bertie began to think later on, for the +bustle and confusion, the eager, hurrying, restless life of the City +began to have a strange charm for him, and that brisk drive to and from +Mincing Lane was a real pleasure. Then he was progressing famously with +his French and German. The old professor who gave him his lessons was a +sociable, voluble, eloquent gentleman, who waved his hands, rolled his +eyes, chattered nonsense that made Bertie laugh, but at the same time +interested him so much that he took great pains to listen and remember; +and having learned his grammar fairly well at school he was soon able to +make his way with tolerable ease through either a newspaper or letter. + +But you must not suppose it was all sunshine and smooth sailing for +Bertie Rivers. He had a great many trials and troubles, and perhaps the +heaviest was his inability to go to Fitzroy Square, except on Sundays, +and not always then. Then he missed his runs in the Park and his walks +into the country in the early morning, his wood-carving and +cork-carving, and all the other amusements with which he was in the +habit of filling up his spare time. Then Uncle Gregory was becoming +daily more exacting and particular, and Bertie gathered from the letters +he wrote that some of the many speculations of the great City merchant +were not going on entirely to his satisfaction. Every evening he +remained later in the library, and Bertie had more letters to write and +circulars to address, and sometimes his head ached sadly, and his eyes +were dull and heavy in the morning. But there was one unfailing source +of satisfaction--his weekly visit to the post-office savings' bank. +Bertie would not have missed that for the world: nine shillings a week, +and sometimes even ten--for nothing could tempt him to spend a penny, +except on his luncheons and in writing to them at Fitzroy Square--soon +mounted up to five pounds, and then Mr. Gregory remarked one day that if +Bertie had saved any money he would invest it for him in a company that +would pay five times as much interest as the post-office. So the money +was handed over to Uncle Gregory, and Bertie received a very large and +formal paper, which he never read, but still was proud of, and in his +next visit handed it triumphantly to Mr. Clair. He read it carefully, +and then shook his head. "This company promises too much, Bertie," he +said; "better have left your money where it was." + +"As if Uncle Gregory doesn't know best!" Bertie laughed. "Why, he has +hundreds of shares himself." + + +CHAPTER VIII.--AN UNEXPECTED PLEASURE. + +"You may go and spend a few days with your brother," Mr. Gregory said to +Bertie one Saturday at the end of July. "I am going away for a week, and +so I can spare you; but mind you are back on the Monday after next, and +in good time." + +"Yes, sir; thank you, uncle," Bertie replied, with a bright smile. + +[Illustration: "HE SAW SOMETHING UNUSUAL WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE."] + +"You may go now, if you wish. I do not require anything further;" and +Bertie fairly ran out of the office, jumped into an omnibus, and hurried +straight to Fitzroy Square, instead of going home to Kensington. The +moment the hall door opened he saw something unusual was about to take +place: there were trunks and packages and muffle straps in the hall, and +there, amidst them, stood Uncle Clair, looking quite calm, while Aunt +Amy, Agnes, and Eddie flew hither and thither in every direction. There +was a four-wheeler at the door too, so that evidently the family were +going away. For a moment Bertie felt inclined to cry. What possible +pleasure could he have in a week's holiday without Eddie and Agnes to +share it? But the moment Aunt Amy caught sight of him, her bright face +and cordial welcome re-assured him. + +[Illustration] + +"Dear Bertie, I am so glad. I was afraid your uncle could not spare you +to come with us. But where are your things?" + +"I haven't brought any. I only just came from the City to tell you Uncle +Gregory gave me a week's holiday," Bertie replied, looking very much +perplexed. "I did not know you were all going away, auntie, or of course +I would not have come." + +"Then you did not get the letter I sent you, dear?" + +"No, aunt." + +"Well, I wrote asking you to apply for permission to come with us to the +sea-side for a week. But I suppose the letter miscarried some way. +However 'All's well that ends well,' Bertie. You are just in time. Come +now, help to carry the parcels. I hope we have not forgotten anything." + +"If we were going to stay a year in a desert island a thousand miles +from a shop, I should think we have enough luggage," Uncle Clair said, +glancing comically at the numerous packages and trunks; "instead of +which, we're only going to Brighton, and can get everything we want +there just as well as in London." + +"But am I really to go to the sea-side with you, Uncle Harry?" Bertie +cried eagerly. + +"Why, of course, child; you don't suppose we're going to leave you +behind." + +"Oh, how good of you! how jolly! Hurrah!" and Bertie executed a sort of +war-dance, tossed his hat in the air, and kissed his aunt and Agnes a +dozen times at least before taking his seat in the cab. "You had better +go with your aunt in a hansom, Bertie," Uncle Clair said; "Eddie, Agnes, +and I will go with the luggage. If you get to the station first, wait +for us at the booking-office. Mind you don't get lost," he added, with a +smile, as they drove away. + +"As if I could get lost in the City, Aunt Amy!" Bertie said proudly. +"Why, I know the place by heart now; and shan't I be glad to get away +from it for a whole week? Was it not kind of Uncle Gregory to give me a +holiday?" + +"Very good, Bertie. You seem to get on capitally. Do you know, dear, I +am sorry we did not try to persuade Eddie to take his place in the +office too: I almost think he would have been happier, and have got on +better; he does not seem very contented with us, and, worst of all, he +does not make much progress in the profession he has chosen. Agnes is +far ahead of him." + +"But Eddie is very clever, Aunt Amy: he can do anything if he likes," +Bertie cried loyally. "And I do not think he would get on with Uncle +Gregory: he would never like the City; besides, Eddie never cared to be +told to do anything. Even poor papa used to say, 'Please, Eddie,' or +'Perhaps you will do so, Eddie.' Now, Uncle Gregory orders me to do +forty different things in different ways every day, and I don't mind a +bit; but Eddie would stand and look at him, and frown so, and just walk +away. My brother would never get on with Uncle Gregory, Aunt Amy," +Bertie repeated gravely. "Eddie would never make a merchant." + +"And your uncle Clair says he will never make an artist, unless he +changes greatly," said Aunt Amy, rather sadly. "Poor Eddie! I am really +very anxious about his future: he is so like his father: his ideas are +quite magnificent, but he has no energy." + +"He's clever, though, auntie; papa often said Eddie was a genius," +Bertie whispered, "and I can work enough for us both. When I am rich, +and can buy back Riversdale, Eddie will be quite happy. You don't know +how different he will be when he gets back to our beautiful home," and +Bertie's eyes sparkled, and his cheeks flushed at the thought, for the +dream of Bertie's life was to get back Riversdale. The anxieties of the +great establishment in Mincing Lane never touched him; he knew nothing +of risks, disappointments, or failures; in fact, Bertie never even +thought of such things, for he was but a child at heart, and had perfect +faith in his uncle's assurance that if he were only a good, obedient, +industrious boy he would be very rich some day, and get back his home. +But no thought of the busy City, the close, dusty office, or the hot +library at Kensington troubled him as he took his seat in the train, and +was whirled at the rate of fifty miles an hour southward. Eddie sat +silently looking out of the window, envying his brother's high spirits; +he could not think what made Bertie so happy when he felt discontented +and miserable, and thoroughly dissatisfied with everything in the world. +Agnes, too, seemed infected with some of Bertie's good humour; her eyes +sparkled, her cheeks flushed, and she laughed merrily at the utter +nonsense her cousin chattered incessantly, while poor Eddie hugged his +discontent, and made the most of his misery. And yet he had no real +cause to be unhappy: every one was kind, gentle, patient with him; he +had not a reasonable wish in the world ungratified; and yet he sat +silent, drumming with his fingers on the window of the carriage, while +the others chatted and laughed, and seemed as if they could not keep +still for very enjoyment. + +"Oh, auntie, how lovely it is!" Agnes cried, "Look how the sun shines on +the trees, and the brook looks like summer lightning. It is good to get +away from London, and see the country once more; and such a sky, Bertie! +you don't have anything like that in Mincing Lane!" + +"No; but though our skies may be somewhat inky, Miss Agnes, they have a +silver or a golden lining," Bertie replied, with the air of a judge. "We +don't want sunshine in the City, because we have no time to look at it; +and besides, we have plenty of gas and electric light." + +Eddie frowned, and was going to say something about his brother's want +of artistic taste, when Uncle Clair interrupted him by a hearty laugh. + +"Really, Master Bertie, you are becoming quite a philosopher as well as +a capitalist and man of business. Now then, youngsters, gather up your +parcels; we shall be in Brighton in about five minutes, and then for a +glimpse of the glorious sea." + +"Why, Uncle Harry, I've never seen it!" Bertie exclaimed, as if he were +very much surprised at not having given the matter a thought before. +"All the way down I never seemed to think we were going to the sea-side: +I was so glad to get away from London. Will you let us have a boat, +Uncle Harry?" + +"That depends, Bertie; if the weather keeps fine we may go for a sail +some day." + +"Bertie fancies we could pull about in a little punt on the ocean as we +did on the river at home," Eddie said, rather scornfully. "He has no +idea what the sea is like." + +"Well, well, he will know better presently, for here we are," Uncle +Harry said gently; and in a few minutes more they were all in a shabby, +shaky, but roomy old carriage, driving along the Parade. + +"Oh!" Agnes whispered, catching Aunt Amy's hand. "Oh, how beautiful! I +feel as if I can't breathe, auntie." + +"It is jolly!" Bertie cried, in his hearty, downright way. "What a place +for a swim, Eddie!" + +"The idea of thinking the sea only a place for swimming!" Eddie replied +contemptuously. "I----" + +"You can't swim a bit: that's the reason you don't care about it," +Bertie cried merrily. "But Eddie can pull better than I can, Uncle +Harry, so you will hear him say presently, 'What a lovely place for a +row!' and I do believe it's not a bit rougher than our little river." + +"It's very calm to-day, but sometimes it wears a very different aspect, +Bertie." + +"I don't believe it ever could be really rough, just like Turner's +pictures," Eddie grumbled. "It's not a bit like what I thought it would +be." + +"It's ten times prettier than anything I ever saw," Bertie cried +enthusiastically. "Just look at all the boats, and such pretty houses, +and the donkeys, Eddie. Oh, Uncle Harry! may we have a donkey-ride? and +such lots of boys!" + +"What a pity poor Eddie did not leave his enemy at home, and he would be +as happy as Bertie," Mr. Clair said in a very low voice to Aunt Amy; and +she only shook her head and smiled sorrowfully; but the words, though +spoken in a very low tone, reached Bertie's quick young ears, and he +glanced at his brother in sore perplexity. But at that moment the +carriage stopped at the house where Mr. Clair had secured apartments, +and in the bustle of getting in the packets, exploring the rooms, +exclaiming at the beautiful view from the balcony, and Bertie's sudden +discovery that it was a glorious place to test the powers of a +pea-shooter or catapult, he forgot all about Uncle Clair's words and +Aunt Amy's sorrowful smile; and even Eddie thawed a little, and agreed +that a beautiful full-rigged ship, with the bright sun shining on her +snow-white sails, was a pretty-enough picture to please even an artist. + +But that night, when Bertie laid his tired head on the pillow--he had +been running and dancing along the beach for hours--his last waking +thought was, "I must find out who's Eddie's enemy; and if he's not a lot +a bigger fellow than I am, I'll thrash him!" + + +CHAPTER IX.--A HAPPY ENCOUNTER. + +Brighton in the first days of August is hot and dusty, noisy, and +crowded with people; excursionists pour in by thousands, German bands +and organs seem to spring up under one's feet at every step. The sun +blazes in the windows of the houses on the Marine Parade all day, and +the fine, dry, chalky dust from the Downs is apt to be irritating to +delicate throats; but for all that, Brighton in August is delightful, at +least to children. Then they may pass an almost amphibious existence +without danger of catching cold. Foremost in every mischief, bravest in +every danger, most fortunate in every escapade, was Bertie. No one could +look at his sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks, hear his merry laughter, +watch him skip, jump, and dance along the beach, without saying, "There, +at least, is one happy boy," and feeling glad that there was so much +capacity for pure enjoyment in the world. He dragged Eddie and Agnes +with him hither and thither, till by sheer force of energy and example +he forced them to share his happiness, and brought the roses to their +cheeks too; he would have dragged Aunt Amy and Uncle Clair about in the +same way, only they drew the line at taking off shoes and paddling in +the water, and begged to be allowed to sit still on the beach and watch +them. However, one day, very much to his astonishment, he met his Aunt +Gregory and his cousins walking on the Parade, and Bertie nothing +doubted but they would be glad to join his many expeditions in search of +fun; but the boys had many other acquaintances in Brighton, and felt +half ashamed to acknowledge a relative who was only a junior clerk, and +refused very distinctly to go down on the beach, and be friendly with +Eddie and Agnes. Indeed, as soon as Mrs. Gregory understood that Mr. and +Mrs. Clair were also by the sea-side, she became very chilling to +Bertie, and asked when he was going back to his office. + +"Next Monday, aunt; but the others will stay for another fortnight," +Bertie answered brightly, without the least shade of discontent on his +face. + +"And why must you return before the others, my lad?" a gentleman said, +advancing a step, and looking at Bertie steadily. "If I don't mistake, I +have met you before somewhere. Where was it?" + +[Illustration: "'I REMEMBER YOU QUITE WELL,' HE SAID."] + +"You have seen him at our house, perhaps, Mr. Murray," Dick Gregory said +carelessly; he had been walking with the gentleman, and discussing a +trip in Mr. Murray's yacht, and did not want to be interrupted; indeed, +he was far from being pleased at meeting Bertie. "You know, he's in +papa's office in the City," he added, seeing the gentleman still looked +puzzled. + +"No, cousin; I think Mr. Murray saw me at Riversdale," Bertie said, a +little shyly, for a pair of keen dark eyes were fixed on his face. "He +used to come and see papa often; but I think he would remember Eddie +better than me: he saw him oftener." + +"Oh dear me! yes, of course; why, I remember you quite well," he said. +"You are Herbert, the dreadful little boy who snow-balled me one day, +and Eddie drew caricatures of me. Dear me! Mrs. Gregory, how strange +you never mentioned the Rivers' being here. This boy's father is one of +my oldest and dearest friends. I shall be delighted to meet him." + +For a moment there was an awkward silence; Mrs. Gregory looked red and +confused, her two sons turned round and studied the sea, then Bertie +looked up suddenly. "Papa is not here, sir: he--he is dead," he said +steadily, but in an earnest voice. "I am in Uncle Gregory's office; +Eddie is learning to be an artist with Uncle Clair. Poor papa lost his +money, and we're going to try and get rich, to buy back Riversdale." + +"Buy back Riversdale!" Mr. Murray cried. "You don't mean----" then +glancing at Mrs. Gregory's confused expression, and the sudden gravity +that had replaced the mirth in Bertie's eyes, he stopped, and puckered +up his forehead in the strangest way. + +"Is this boy, Herbert Rivers, staying with you?" he asked presently, +turning to Mrs. Gregory. + +"No, indeed; I did not even know he was here. I fancied he was at the +office, as usual." + +"Oh! then how did you come to be here, child? Are you alone?" Mr. Murray +asked. + +"I am with Uncle and Aunt Clair. Last Saturday Uncle Gregory said I +might have a week's holiday and spend it with my brother, so I just ran +straight off to Fitzroy Square, and found them all in the hall just +starting for Brighton. Oh, it has been so splendid!" + +"So you must go back to town to your office next Monday?" the gentleman +said, after a moment's frowning. "Well, well, we shall see; this is +Thursday. Where does your Uncle Clair live?" + +Bertie told him the address: it was within a stone's throw; and as Mr. +Murray noted down the number, and glanced at the house so as to remember +it, he saw that the balcony was strikingly decorated with some of the +children's trophies. Long trailing sprays of damp dark-brown seaweed +hung over the railings; there was quite a large heap of sea-stones, and +a few shells piled up in one corner. Bertie's schooner was firmly +anchored to a crimson bucket in another; there was a camp-stool before +an easel standing in the open window, and a low chair with cushions +outside. Altogether, the aspect of the rooms occupied by Uncle Clair +pleased Mr. Murray. + +As they walked along the parade Mr. Murray was unusually silent; the +boys watched him, and saw by the expression of his face that he was +thinking deeply. But it was not till he met their father at the aquarium +that Mr. Murray said a single word about Bertie Rivers. Then both +gentlemen stood in a quiet corner, and talked so long and so earnestly +that both Mrs. Gregory and the boys became impatient, and not a little +curious. What could they possibly have to say about the little junior +clerk? and yet they were sure he was the subject of their conversation. + +Mrs. Gregory looked more anxious than curious. Mr. Murray was a very old +friend of the Rivers' family, and though absence from England for +several years caused him to be quite ignorant of the calamities that had +overtaken the master of Riversdale, the death of his brother Frank, and +the loss of his fortune, he was still deeply interested in the family, +and heard with regret of the almost friendless condition of Mr. Rivers' +sons. + +"I wish you had told me all this sooner," he said at length. "We might +have done something better for that fine lad." + +"He will do very well," Mr. Gregory replied, a little coldly. "You +should be the last person in the world to object to business." + +"I don't object, only the boy is too young--a mere child. Why did not +you send him to school with your boys, for a few years at least?" + +"I do not think that would be any true kindness. It would only make him +dissatisfied with his future position, perhaps. Bertie is doing very +well." + +Mr. Murray said no more, but all the remainder of the afternoon he +thought a great deal of his old friend Mr. Rivers and his boys, and the +more he reflected the less pleased he felt at Mr. Gregory's treatment of +Bertie, and the undisguised contempt Dick and Harry expressed for their +cousin. He resolved to call the very next morning on Mr. Clair, and have +a talk with him about the lads, for Mr. Murray had a very strong reason +for being interested in their future. It was he who had persuaded their +father to invest money in the speculation that ended so disastrously, +but he had no idea that Mr. Rivers became such an extensive shareholder; +he forgot that a simple country gentleman, without either knowledge or +experience, could not be as prudent and far-seeing as a man all his life +acquainted with business. Mr. Murray had been a loser in the mines +himself, but to a comparatively slight extent, and as he was an +exceedingly rich man, he only regarded the matter as one of the casual +losses incurred in business. But his old friend's losses troubled him +deeply, and he resolved to do everything in his power to repair the +effects of his well-meant, but unfortunate, advice. + +Mr. Murray was an old bachelor, very rich, and some people said very +eccentric, though, in truth, his eccentricity was only indiscriminate +generosity. He was very fond of children, boys especially; he often +spoke of adopting some promising lad to inherit a portion of his great +fortune, and continue the grand old firm in the City that had flourished +for over a hundred years as Murray and Co. For many reasons Mr. Gregory +hoped that one of his boys would be chosen, and lately everything had +seemed like it; therefore, the sudden interest Mr. Murray seemed to take +in Bertie caused Mr. and Mrs. Gregory some uneasiness, especially as the +gentleman said at dinner that evening that the yachting excursion would +have to be put off for some days, as he wished to make the acquaintance +of his old friend's sons, and learn a little more of their history, and +meant to call at their address the next morning. + +(_To be continued._) + + + + +AN APPLE SONG. + + + The Autumn sunshine falls so warm, + So warm in the orchard green, + A golden tent is the apple-tree; + And under the leafy screen + Sits Rex, in the curve of a mossy bough, + As high as he can go, + Dropping the apples red and brown + To his Cousin Prue below. + + Sweet Prue, knee-deep in the cool green grass, + Spreads wide her pinafore, + The ripe fruit falls in a golden rain, + By two, by three, by four; + With watchful eye and ready hand + She lets no apple fall-- + As fast as Rex can throw them down + She catches one and all. + + The blackbird on the topmost bough + Is singing loud and clear, + The children shouting at their task + It does him good to hear. + He watches them with his bead-black eyes, + And blither still he sings; + But clearer than dear blackbird's note + The children's laughter rings. + + + + +MORNINGS AT THE ZOO. + +VIII.--IN THE FISH-HOUSE. + + +Of the Fish-house at the London Zoological Gardens it must be said that +its contents are decidedly "mixed," for it is the home not only of a few +specimens of the finny tribe, but also of some wading and diving birds, +of a very curious amphibian, of a few shrimps, and of several of the +beautiful flower-like sea-anemones. The collection, however, loses +nothing in point of interest because of its varied character, and will +repay a good deal more study than it seems to receive from visitors. + +[Illustration: SEA-ANEMONES.] + +Some of the fishes are as common as the schoolboy's familiar friend, the +minnow. Others, like the cat-fish and sea-horse, are rare--in England, +at any rate. Then there are kinds known to every lover of angling, such +as the perch and pike. Seldom has a popular name been so aptly bestowed +as in the case of the pretty little sea-horses. In the upper half of +their wee bodies they have all the equine look and bearing, but in the +lower half there is a great falling-off in the likeness, excepting that +both animals have tails. But the tail of the sea-horse is a most useful +appendage. The tiny creature can twine it round marine weeds and +vegetables, and by this means drifts along with the current into far +distant seas and strange climes. To this cause the occasional discovery +of foreigners upon British coasts has been ascribed. With regard to the +name of the cat-fish, one must not be quite so particular. There is, on +a cursory glance, enough of the appearance of pussy about the head of +this curious animal to explain how the title came to be applied to it. +It strikes one as being rather a morose and surly creature, an +impression that is fully borne out when one learns that it will fight +desperately when captured. + +Though the flounders can scarcely be considered as other than common +fishes, they always are worth watching. Tom Noddy was all head and no +body, but they may be regarded as being nearly all body with very little +head, and the two bright black eyes, which look as if they were "stuck +on," give them a rather comical aspect. You will find them inquisitive, +too. Put your finger in front of their tank, and they will all flock to +see what it is. On the contrary, other fishes, such as the pike and +carp, will remain stolid and indifferent to any movement you may make, +and some, like the timorous trout--for which Isaak Walton loved to angle +above any fish,--will be so dreadfully upset at the appearance of your +digit that they will dart off in every direction. + +Little folk may be expected to feel special interest in the pikes, those +"fresh-water wolves" and "tyrants of the rivers," as they have been +styled in consequence of their ferocity. They thrive well despite their +savage gluttony, and attain to a green old age. One was captured in a +pond in Sweden, in 1449, with a ring round its neck, which bore an +inscription which showed that it had been placed in the pond more than +two hundred years before. However that may be, there is no doubt that +the pike is a long liver. It is so destructive, that it will clear a +pond of all the fishes, not hesitating to attack those even that are +nearly as big as itself. There is a case on record of a pike fastening +on the lips of a mule, which had been taken to drink in the pond. They +have been known to bite at swans and geese, and altogether Jack Pike is +a most voracious creature. It may be assumed also that it is unsociable, +for it generally swims about by itself, and not in shoals or in +companies like other fishes. + +[Illustration: IN THE ORCHARD. "_AN APPLE SONG_" (_p. 170_).] + +Among other inmates of this house which call for mention are carp, +gobies, dace, roach, bullhead, gurnard, mullet, basse, and conger-eels. +They lead a monotonous sort of life, swimming to and fro in their tanks, +in a wearisome way. But their graceful movements and curious colours are +worth notice. The conger-eels are comparatively small specimens. Those +in the deep sea sometimes attain a gigantic size. They are able to use +their tail as a hand, and have been known by means of it to seize the +gunwale of the boat in which they were imprisoned and jump into the sea. + +[Illustration: THE MARINE BULLHEAD.] + +One of the quaintest and most interesting inmates of the house, however, +is not a fish but an amphibian. There are two groups of amphibians, one +called _tailless_--to which frogs and toads belong--and the other +_tailed_, of which the newt and the axolotl are members. The Zoological +Society are fortunate enough to possess specimens of both the black and +white axolotl. This creature, which is a native of Mexico, has a strange +life-history not unlike that of the frog. It has a sort of tadpole stage +of existence, in which it is furnished with a collar of gills and lives +in the water. After a while it loses its gills, and its tail and legs +grow much less fish-like. There is a kind of lizard look about its +permanent form. In the first period of its history it is styled +_axolotl_; in the final period it becomes known as _amblystome_. They +say its flesh is esteemed a delicacy in Mexico. + +Visitors seem to regard the anemones--the "most brilliant of living +flower gardens," as Charles Kingsley called them--as useful in the way +of ornament, and pass their tanks without paying further heed to them. +This is not the case with respect to the diving birds, which are beyond +all question the centre of attraction in the fish-house. The birds +comprise a darter, a cormorant, a guillemot, and a penguin. The +first-named is seldom seen in this country. It is a largish bird with +webbed feet, long thin neck, and spear-like bill. When swimming in the +water with its body entirely submerged, it looks not unlike a snake +forging along. Hence it is also known as the snake-neck. The cormorant +and darter, though here classed for convenience' sake among the divers, +really belong to the pelican family. The guillemot is a diving bird +found in the Northern seas, while the penguin may be looked upon as +representing the divers of the Southern Ocean. The penguin is a most +awkward bird ashore, but in its native element its movements are elegant +and rapid. When the keeper has placed some food in the water-tank, the +darter is fetched from its cage. The bird takes a swim round, then spots +its prey and goes for it with unerring aim. Rising to the surface it +throws the fish in the air, catches it in its beak, and bolts it with +business-like despatch. It then goes fishing again, and after its wants +have been supplied it returns to its house. The other three birds are +allowed to dine together. There is no squabbling amongst them. Enough +fishes are thrown in to keep them occupied for a few minutes. The speed +with which the guillemot cuts the water is truly amazing. Once more one +has an opportunity of noticing the clumsiness of the penguin when it +tries to leave the water. At either end of the tank a platform with +transverse bars is let down for the convenience of the birds, but the +silly penguin, instead of going to the end of the platform and gradually +working its way upward, sometimes endeavours to climb up the side, its +frantic struggles to do so being ludicrous. It does not appear to +possess sufficient sense to find its way out in the easiest manner, for +Mr Keeper has to assist it with a long iron pole with a hook at the end, +by means of which he pushes the bird along to the foot of the platform. +The feeding of the birds is a very instructive performance. Unless some +such occasion were afforded us of seeing these essentially aquatic birds +in the water, one could not have the slightest idea of the power and +grace of their movements. + +And in leaving the fish-house let me say that this educational value, so +to speak, of the Zoological Gardens undoubtedly forms one of their +strongest claims upon public support. + +JAMES A. MANSON. + + + + +WHAT CAME OF A FOXGLOVE. + +A FAIRY STORY. + + +Behind, before, in the branches of the trees, amongst the blades of +grass, creeping under the mushrooms, swinging on the foxgloves, and +clinging to the ragged-robin, were the fairies. + +Blanche and Belinda did not see them, because of the bright golden +sunshine, which hides the fairies from mortal sight; but the fairies saw +the two girls walking arm in arm through the wood. + +Blanche stooped to gather a splendid crimson foxglove, which she shook +gently, saying, + + "The bells shall ring + For the fairy king; + Ding, dong, bell! + Ding, dong, bell!" + +But, alas! as she shook it, no fewer than seven little fairy pages fell +to the ground. They were not much hurt, but they were very indignant at +being knocked about in that manner; also the feathers in their caps were +much ruffled. + +They sprang to their feet feeling very angry, especially as the other +fairies were laughing. + + "We are the Queen's pages, + And very great our rage is!" + +they shouted. + +And then, as they looked more carefully at one another and saw how +tossed and tumbled were their pretty suits of embroidered white velvet, +they burst out crying, saying-- + + "We are not fit to be seen + By her Majesty the Queen; + Our clothes are all blue and green, + Who will wash and make them clean?" + +"I will," said the Fairy Queen; "I saw it all, and I am very angry. + + My pages shall not be + Treated so shamefully!" + +And her face grew as red as a peony. + +But Blanche and Belinda knew nothing of all this; they had not any idea +that the fairies were in the wood. + +Blanche had just thrown down the foxglove, for suddenly there issued out +of every flower clusters of bees, that buzzed and hummed and made a +dense cloud around the two little sisters until they could not see one +another. + + +II. + +And then-- + +Why, suddenly all the bees disappeared as quickly as they had come, and +all was sunshine and brightness again; and Belinda was not stung, though +she looked at her arms and hands, and felt her forehead and cheeks and +neck, expecting to be covered with great smarting lumps. Instead of +which, she had never been freer from pain; and the world around had +never looked so beautiful as it did to-day, with so many butterflies of +divers colours, and great green dragon-flies, that she wondered where +they all came from. The wood-path, too, grew more lovely, and patches of +blue sky appeared through the branches of the trees. + +All at once she cried out-- + +"Blanche! Blanche!" + +For Blanche was nowhere to be seen; and though she hunted in and out +among the trees and bushes, she could not find her. No one answered, +except the echoes repeating, "Blanche! Blanche! where are you?" + +[Illustration: "WALKING ARM IN ARM."] + +And then Belinda sat down, and she began to cry. + +[Illustration: "HE ... STOOD WITH HIS HAT IN HIS HAND."] + + +III. + +Belinda cried for half an hour without stopping, and her eyes were +swollen up, and her cheeks wet with tears. Some one was standing by her, +and a voice was saying-- + + "Why are you crying, little girl, I pray, + On such a pleasant sunny summer day? + I'm a little packman, with my funny pack. + Such a weight! oh, such a weight! to carry on my back. + What will you buy, maiden? what will you buy? + Half a dozen handkerchiefs, to wipe your cheeks quite dry?" + +Belinda looked up, and in her surprise left off crying. Before her stood +a small boy with a bundle of wheat over his shoulder. He looked tired +and melancholy, and not by any means as jovial as might have been +expected from his words. + +"Handkerchiefs!" said Belinda, disdainfully. "Why, you've nothing but a +wisp of straw over your shoulder, and it can't be any weight." + +"Try it," said the boy, throwing it down upon the ground. + +But Belinda took no notice of it. + +"And you're not a packman, only a little boy," she said, angrily; "how +can you tell such stories?" + +The melancholy-looking boy answered-- + + "Perhaps I'm a king in disguise, + Although of a very small size; + If you were a little more wise, + You might find in my pack a great prize. + +However, I'll leave it for you, and the first young gentleman you meet +with will, perhaps, pick it up and carry it home for you; for you will +soon find you are not able to lift it yourself." + +And so saying the boy turned away, and Belinda was again alone. + +"Not lift a few ears of corn," she said, giving a slight kick to the +heap at her feet. + +But as her foot touched it it was no longer a bundle of wheat, but a +sack tied close at the mouth, and it expanded until it was as large as +Belinda herself. Added to which there appeared to be something alive in +it, for it moved from side to side as though some creature were +struggling inside. + +"Oh! perhaps it is Blanche!" exclaimed Belinda, "and the boy has brought +her back. He said 'a great prize,' and a king in disguise. He may have +been a fairy, who can tell?" + +And she tried to open the sack, but to no purpose, for she only tore +her fingers and made them bleed, and the blood dropped down on her frock +and stained it, and she grew very hot. + +There was a glassy pool close by, so she knelt down and bathed her hands +and face; and as she rose up she caught sight of herself in the pool, +and for a moment she scarcely knew herself, for she was dressed so +grandly. She had on a pink satin gown and a white satin apron with +cherry-coloured bows, and a gauze cap, and red shoes with gold buckles. + +"I wonder wherever these clothes could come from?" she said aloud. + +[Illustration] + +The sack gave a roll, and whatever might be within was evidently trying +to get out. And again she called out-- + +"Blanche! Blanche!" + +She tried to lift up the sack, for she thought if she could drag it +along she might in time find some one who could open it. + +But she found that the melancholy boy was right, she could not move it. + +"And I am not likely to meet with any one in this part of the wood." + + +IV. + +Some one was whistling in the distance. + +Belinda listened. + +Then she cried out, "Help! help!" + +The footsteps came nearer, and a boy in a fine suit came along. As soon +as he saw Belinda he made a low bow, and stood with his hat in his hand. + +"This must be a gentleman," thought Belinda, "or he would not be so +polite." + +But she did not speak. + +"Did you not cry out for help?" asked the youth. + +"Yes," replied Belinda; "I have lost Blanche, and I want some one to +find her, and to help me to carry this bag; for I can't lift it, and I +believe there is a prize in it." + +"Prize!" repeated the boy; "I should think there was! Why this bag is +full of wonderful magic toys, and if you let them out they will search +the world over until they find anything that you have lost. Where did +you get them from?" + +"A boy with a bundle of corn brought the sack. At least it wasn't a +sack, but it turned into one--and----" + +"It must have been Oberon himself, the King of the Fairies, you know, +who brought the sack to you." + +[Illustration: "OUT RUSHED THE TOYS."] + +"Ah!" returned Belinda, "he did say something about a king in disguise, +but I did not believe him." + +"Perhaps if you had been more polite," answered the boy, "you would have +found Blanche back by this time, for he knows all about her. The Queen +has carried her away because she knocked her little pages about." + +"Knocked her little pages about! you are as foolish as the other boy. +But if you know so much, pray where has the Queen hidden her?" + +"How should I know?" replied the boy. + +"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Belinda, and she began to cry again. + +"Do be wise," said the boy; "crying does no good." + +"Wise, prize, size, disguise," murmured Belinda. + +"What are you saying?" he asked. + +"Oh, nothing!" said Belinda. + +"That is not true," he answered; "you said some words; say them again." + +And as Belinda repeated the words the boy lifted up the sack quite +easily, and cut the string that fastened it, with his knife. And his +clothes changed even as Belinda's had done. He wore now a sort of helmet +with a plume of feathers in it, and a slashed dress; and he knelt down +and opened the mouth of the sack. Ah! was not Belinda astonished, for +out rushed the toys--such toys--all of them able to move about. One of +them, a man on horseback, galloped away over a bridge, in the distance; +another ran up the mountain with a donkey following after him. A woman +and a little child next rushed down into the valley, so did a boy with a +dog that did not look like a dog running behind him. + +[Illustration] + +To all of these the youth said-- + + "Now be kind, + Find, find, find!" + +Belinda gazed in astonishment, for never had she seen such toys before. + +"Now," said the boy, as a white horse with a cart behind it emerged from +a heap of carriages and toy soldiers, "jump in, and you and I will drive +about the world till we find Blanche." + +"But we can't possibly get in," returned Belinda; "it is too small for +one, certainly for two." + +"Do not be stupid," said the boy; "almost all mischief comes from +stupidity; get in whilst I hold the horse." + +How Belinda got into the little cart she did not know; but in it she was +with the boy beside her, and he was driving as fast as he could go. And +there was plenty of room for both. + +The toy soldiers had mounted their horses and were riding behind them +and at the side of them, for the boy had said-- + +"Mount quickly, guards." + +And as they went along, Belinda presently heard the man on horseback and +the woman and all the magic toys come clattering after them as hard as +they could come. + +"Ah!" observed the boy; "we are on the right path; the King has sent +them after us." + +"The King!" + +"Yes; did you not see a toll-man on the bridge?" + +"No," answered Belinda; but she whispered to herself, "a king in +disguise; wise, prize, size." + +"You are getting more sensible," said the boy, as he drove faster and +faster till the white cart-horse seemed to turn into a race-horse, he +went so swiftly. + +"There will be an accident," said Belinda. + +And so there was, for the cart-wheel flew off, and down went the cart, +and Belinda and the boy were tumbled into a ditch, whence they +scrambled out and rolled down a grassy slope, on and on and on, such a +distance that Belinda felt quite giddy. + +"This is the end of the drive," said the boy; "we need not trouble about +the horse and cart. Follow me." + +And Belinda followed him. + +He pushed aside the red chestnut flowers and the sycamore branches, and +as he did so all the birds seemed to wake up, and to sing a wonderfully +beautiful song. There were nightingales singing, though it was day, and +the larks were carolling as blithely as at early morn. As for the +thrushes, their voices were so clear that Belinda was sure she could +hear the words they were saying. + +Of course it was poetry, only Belinda had never heard such beautiful +poetry before. + +And the waterfall was singing, so was the brook, but they sang a +different song. + + "Lullaby, oh, lullaby! + Slumbering let the maiden lie, + Sweetest dreams shall float around her, + Magic blossoms shall surround her. + Fairy chains shall keep her still, + Fairy wand ward off all ill, + Gnat or fly shall not come nigh, + Lullaby, oh, lullaby! + Sleep, sweet maiden, fear no harm, + Potent is the fairy charm." + +"Oh, boy! are they talking about Blanche?" + +"Hush!" said he; "come quietly." + +Belinda came softly, and looked where he pointed, and would have cried +out-- + +"Blanche!" + +[Illustration] + +But the boy put his hand over her mouth. + +Nevertheless they had found Blanche. + +Yes! there she was fast asleep on a crimson cushion with tall white +lilies and bright poppies and splendid foxgloves nodding all round her +and drowsily ringing their sweet bells; whilst a flood of fairy light +fell over her. She looked very happy, as though she were having pleasant +dreams. + +"Kiss her," said the boy. + +And Belinda stooped and kissed her. + +And then Blanche opened wide her eyes, saying. + +"Where have you been?" she asked; "I have had such a nice sleep. It all +came from the foxglove." + +Belinda looked round to thank the boy, but he had vanished. + +So had the cushion and the lilies, and the poppies. + +"Why it's the old woodpath again," murmured Belinda. "I know the place +quite well. Size, wise, prize, disguise; disguise, prize, size, wise," +she repeated; "yes, the young gentleman must have been a king in +disguise." + +Blanche looked surprised. + +"Yes, that is just what I was dreaming of. I thought I had really quite +lost you, and he brought you to me." + +Perhaps the youth was Oberon; but if so, of course he never told them. + +"But he must have been a great many Oberons," Belinda went on, musing; +"the melancholy packboy, the toll-man, the young gentleman! Ah! it is of +no use thinking about it, one only gets confused." + +[Illustration: "SHE WAS FAST ASLEEP."] + +But if she had had ears to listen to fairy music, she would have heard +this song:-- + + "Each little page + Hath lost his rage, + The punishment is o'er; + The sisters twain + Have met again, + To separate no more. + So 'tis decreed by Queen and King, + Who now the two together bring." + +JULIA GODDARD. + + + + +DAISY AND DOLLY. + + + Beneath the poplars' leafy screen + The shade is cool and sweet, + Where Daisy sits like any queen-- + The sunbeams kiss her feet, + Steal round the border of her dress, + And one white dimpled arm caress. + + She holds her dainty parasol + Above her playmate's head, + Lest the hot sun should touch her doll, + And fade the lovely red + In dolly's rosy cheek that lies, + Or dim her beautiful blue eyes. + + She weaves a pretty dream, I know, + All in the garden shady, + How dolly was, long, long ago, + A little fairy lady, + And held her court on a green, green knoll, + Ere she became a mortal doll. + + She thinks her blue-eyed pet knows all + The solemn words she speaks, + And feels the kisses soft that fall + Upon her mouth and cheeks: + And often when I see the two + I wish I were the doll--don't you? R. + + + + +STORIES TOLD IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY. + +_By_ EDWIN HODDER ("OLD MERRY"). + +III.--ROYAL FUNERALS IN THE ABBEY. + +On the occasion of our last visit to the Abbey, I told you a little +about the coronations that have taken place within its walls, and apart +from the venerable fane itself, the principal object connected with that +long chain of events was the antique royal chair, standing in the Chapel +of Edward the Confessor. Returning to the same spot, we will now look +around us, and we soon see that we are in the midst of a burying-place +of English kings. Sebert and his Queen Ethelgoda have their monument +beside the gate at the entrance to the chapels; but there is no +authentic account of a funeral here before that of Edward the Confessor, +whose ashes, after three removals, repose in the shrine close beside us. + +It was on January 5th, 1066, just after the consecration of his +beautiful new Abbey, that the soul of St. Edward passed away. Englishmen +were filled with gloomy forebodings at the event. Crowds flocked to see +the body as it lay in the palace, with an unearthly smile on its rosy +cheeks, and with the long thin fingers interlaced across the bosom. + +Then, attired in royal robes, and bedecked with crown, crucifix, and +golden chain, they laid the remains before the High Altar of the Abbey. +His wife Edith was afterwards laid beside him. After the Conquest, royal +personages for a time were buried in Normandy, till "the good Queen +Maud," the wife of Henry I. and niece of Edgar Atheling, was laid +beside the Confessor. In rebuilding the Abbey, Henry III. provided a new +shrine, to which the remains of the now canonised Edward were removed, +and in which (except for a short time) they have since remained. + +Behind the shrine the king placed some holy relics, including a tooth of +St. Athanasius, and a stone said to show a footprint of our Lord. For +fifty years Henry watched his new Abbey growing to completion, and +determined it should be the burying-place of himself and the Plantagenet +line. He was laid temporarily in the place from which the Confessor's +bones had been taken. His son Edward I., returning from the Holy Land, +brought home porphyry, slates, and precious marbles to build the tomb to +which Henry's body was transferred about twenty years after his death. +The Abbess of Fontevrault was then in London, and the late king's heart +was delivered into her hands to be deposited in the foreign home of the +Plantagenets. + +[Illustration: DAISY AND DOLLY. (_See p._ 176.)] + +Henceforward many royal personages were brought to be buried near the +Confessor's shrine; but I shall only mention the more prominent. When +Queen Eleanor died in 1291, the course of the funeral _cortege_ from +Lincoln to London was marked by twelve memorial crosses, and the Abbots +of Westminster were bound to have a hundred wax lights burning round her +grave for ever on the anniversary of her death. In 1307, after having +placed in the Confessor's Chapel the golden crown of the last Welsh +Prince, Llewellyn, and the Stone of Fate from Scotland, Edward I. was +himself brought here to lie beneath the rough monument, from which it +was hoped that, in accordance with his dying wish, his bones might at +some time be taken and carried through Scotland at the head of a +conquering army. + +In 1394, Richard II. buried here his beloved Queen Anne, the friend of +the followers of Wickliffe. The palace of Sheen in which she died was +destroyed by her sorrowing husband, and immense sums were spent on her +funeral. For asking to go away before the ceremony was completed, the +Earl of Arundel was struck on the head with a cane by the king, and +brought to the ground with his blood flowing on to the Abbey pavement. +The affair caused so much delay, that darkness came on before all was +over. The tomb that covers her remains was intended by her husband for +both, but whether Richard II. sleeps in the tomb that bears his name or +not must remain a matter of doubt. Henry IV. brought a corpse from +Pontefract to Langley, and Henry V. transferred it to this tomb; but few +believed it to be really the body of the murdered king. + +England had never seen a grander royal funeral than that of Henry V. He +died at Vincennes, and with great pomp his body was brought by Paris to +London. At every stage between Dover and London, and again at St. +Paul's, and at the Abbey, funeral services were performed. The closing +scenes were very impressive, as the funeral car, amidst a blaze of +torches borne by hundreds of surpliced priests, and followed by his +three favourite chargers, came up the nave to the altar steps. Room for +the tomb was made by clearing away the holy relics behind the +Confessor's shrine. Here was placed the magnificent piece of +workmanship, which we now behold, a tomb below, and above a chantry, in +which for a year thirty poor persons were to read the Psalter of the +Virgin and special prayers for the repose of Henry's soul. At the back +of the chantry hung the king's indented helmet (in all probability the +one worn at Agincourt), his shield, and his saddle. In the arch beneath +lies the headless effigy of Henry, the silver head having been carried +off when Henry VIII. was robbing the churches. + +Henry VI. was very fond of the Abbey. He chose a place for his tomb, and +even paid the first instalment for its erection, in readiness for his +own demise. But the civil wars hindered its completion; and I have +already told you how Henry VII. meant to raise a special chapel for him +and altered his mind. + +We will pass on now into the Chapel of Henry VII., the grand mausoleum +of a race of kings, who looked back (as Stanley points out) not to +Saxon Edward, but to British Arthur, as their great ancestor. A gloomy +porch conducts us into a blaze of splendour. Walls, ceilings, and arches +are richly decorated; the "stone seems by the cunning labours of the +chisel (says Washington Irving) to have been robbed of its weight and +density, suspended aloft as if by magic." Nobody seems to be quite sure +who was the architect of this beautiful piece of workmanship. The king +lavished vast sums of money on the costly edifice, and left plenty with +the abbot for its completion after his death. And in the stalls monks +were to sing masses for the repose of his soul, "while the world lasts." + +In April, 1509, Henry died, and was placed beside his Queen, Elizabeth +of York, in the great vault beneath the chapel floor. His mother, +Margaret, Countess of Richmond, was brought here three months +afterwards, of whom it was said, "Everyone that knew her loved her, and +everything that she said or did became her." She endowed charities, +founded colleges, ended the civil wars by marrying her son to Elizabeth +of York, and protected Caxton in his early labours. + +At the Reformation there was a carrying off of relics, a rifling of +tombs, and a temporary disturbance of the Confessor's bones. But the +royal tombs saved the Abbey from destruction, although Protector +Somerset was on the point of pulling it down to build his new palace in +the Strand. Edward VI. was buried here, and Anne of Cleves, and then, in +1558, came Queen Mary, the last English monarch interred with Roman +Catholic solemnities. In the same tomb reposes her sister Elizabeth, at +whose funeral the national mourning was intense. An old chronicler tells +us that, as her coffin was borne through the streets crowded with +spectators, "there was such a general sighing, groaning, and weeping, as +the like hath not been seen or known in the memory of man; neither doth +any history mention any people, time, or state, to make like lamentation +for the death of their sovereign." The tomb was raised above the two +sisters by James I. He also raised the monument to his mother, Mary +Queen of Scots, in the south aisle, and had her body removed to it from +Peterborough. Devout Scots visited this tomb, as the shrine of a saint, +and many miracles were said to have taken place here. + +In the north aisle of this chapel, beside two infant children of James +I., are the remains of the murdered princes brought from the Tower. In +the south aisle lies Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, of whom such high +hopes were entertained. Two thousand mourners swelled his funeral +procession, but no monument marks his resting-place. Three years later +the corpse of Arabella Stuart, the king's cousin, whom some would have +put in his place, was brought up the Thames from the Tower at midnight, +and placed without ceremony in the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. James +I. came here in 1625 and was laid in the tomb of Henry VII. + +Under the Commonwealth the royal monuments suffered no harm; their +dilapidations date (as we have said) from Henry VIII's time. The mother, +sister, and favourite daughter of Cromwell were buried here; the great +Protector himself was interred in the august Chapel of Henry VII. +amongst the royal dead. For two months the body lay in state at Somerset +House in a room hung with black, and lit with innumerable black candles. +Then there was a grand procession, a magnificent hearse, and the usual +ceremonies of a royal funeral. On the 30th of January, 1661, Cromwell, +Ireton, and Bradshaw were dragged from their tombs to Tyburn, and there +hanged and beheaded. Their bodies were buried beneath the gallows, and +their heads set up over Westminster Hall. + +Charles I. was to have been brought from Windsor to a grand tomb in the +Abbey, but Charles II. applied the 70,000 pounds voted for this purpose to +other uses, and the matter dropped. This king's funeral was a hurried +affair--it took place at night without pomp of any kind. To the same +narrow vault was brought William III. Mary, after her death on December +28th, 1694, had been interred here--"one of the saddest days," says +Macaulay, "that Westminster had ever seen." She was the first English +sovereign who was followed to her grave by both Houses of Parliament, as +in other cases Parliament had expired with the sovereign. + +Eleven children of James II. and eighteen children of Queen Anne lie +around the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. Queen Anne herself was brought +in a coffin more enormous than that which inclosed the gigantic frame of +her husband, Prince George, to the vault of her sister Mary. George II. +and Queen Caroline repose in a black marble sarcophagus in the centre of +the Chapel of Henry VII. And now Westminster Abbey ceased to be a +burial-place of English kings and queens. George III. constructed a +vault at Windsor for himself and his numerous family, and there his +descendants have been interred. + + + + +THE CHILDREN'S OWN GARDEN IN SEPTEMBER. + + +The month of September is one of even more fickle and changeable a +nature than most others; it is, however, one of very great importance to +those who are desirous of securing plenty of geranium and other +cuttings, for the next summer's work; because, should the month by +chance happen to be a dry one, it will be almost impossible to obtain +very many in consequence of so little growth being made. If, on the +other hand, plenty of rain fall during the latter part of August and +throughout September growth will be made both rapidly and vigorously, +whereby cuttings can be taken almost _ad infinitum_. When the weather is +of a congenial nature, perhaps few months in the year are more enjoyable +in one's garden than that of September. + + * * * * * + +The present month is the best one in which to consider the various +effects--good or bad--which have been secured by growing certain plants +in juxta-position with others. All incongruities or extremes arising +from misplaced judgment or uncertain taste should be at once noted in a +pocket-book reserved exclusively for gardening notes, comments, &c. It +is ever so much easier to determine the proper positions of various +colours, and situations of certain plants, when they are at the +perfection of their beauty, than it is to allot them to certain +imaginary quarters on plans, however skilfully drawn up, in winter. +Indeed, it may be stated without reservation, that the only satisfactory +means of insuring an harmonious blending and contrast of colours is by +comparing the relative position which one plant of a certain colour and +habit should occupy to another and different plant, when growth is +perfected. + + * * * * * + +Most bedding plants can be induced to continue flowering for a +considerable period longer, if deprived of their seed-vessels so soon as +these are formed, than they would otherwise do; geraniums, more +especially. Not only does it hasten their decay to allow seeds to ripen, +but materially enfeebles the entire plant. It is wise to secure as much +beauty as is possible just now from your gardens, as a single and +unexpected frosty night will destroy almost everything; nothing is more +ephemeral than floral beauty. + + * * * * * + +As last month, the chief attractions in the garden will be dahlias and +hollyhocks; fine displays of roses often delight us throughout the +autumnal months, and the last rose of summer charms us quite as much as +the first one of spring. Rose-cuttings may still be taken, and those +inserted last month should by this time be well-rooted plants, if +properly treated, and must at once undergo a process of being gradually +hardened off to the open air. Growing rose-shoots, having plenty of +buds, must be carefully tied in. As regards very strong-growing plants +which will need keeping within bounds, the operation of cutting them +back requires the very greatest care, and our readers should get a +practical gardener, if possible, to point out those which need trimming, +and those to be left alone. Most young people possessing a knife +generally commence sundry manoeuvres on the first plant or tree within +reach, and generally with very disastrous results. Trimming and pruning +of all sorts should, therefore, be only done by practical hands, and +then the life of the plant will be in pretty safe keeping. + + * * * * * + +Dahlias will require plenty of attention until frost commences its +havocs; shoots will need thinning, and the branches must be secured to +stout stakes firmly placed in the earth; autumnal winds wreak great +destruction among such branches as are insecurely made fast, and a +number of handsome blooms are thus destroyed without coming to +perfection. Insects are very fond of infesting dahlias, and their +depredations must be guarded against. Hollyhocks, if entirely free from +disease, will still be handsome objects, but their beauty will be +somewhat on the wane; seeds may be saved from the best flowers, and +should be sown at once in a pan of light sandy soil, and placed in a +cold frame. Rooted layers of carnations of all sorts and of every +section should now be planted out into a rich light soil, or, what is +more preferable, two can be placed in a 5-inch or 6-inch pot, and +wintered thus under glass. Asters of various kinds, such as Chinese and +German, will now be in full beauty, and where large single flower-heads +are a desideratum, only two or three must be allowed beyond the bud +stage. Asters are among the prettiest of autumn flowers, and for +children's gardens we would recommend what are known as "Dwarf Bouquet." + + * * * * * + +The present month is the one during which all tender or half-hardy +plants used in summer gardening are "housed," or removed to their winter +quarters under glass. It is courting failure to allow such plants as +chrysanthemums, auriculas, geraniums, and many others, to be exposed to +the influence of cold, frosty nights, as when the "fell destroyer" +commences to exert its power all plants touched by it rapidly decay. +Gladioli will now be clothed in the full glory of their gaudy, but +handsome dress; they are comparatively easy to manage in well-drained +spots, and being such continuous bloomers, at least three or four or +even half a dozen should be in every small garden. In winter they must +be covered by about six inches of litter; but in cold and ill-drained +soils it will be safer to take the roots up during October, keeping +these in a dry situation until the following spring. + + + + +LEGENDS OF THE FLOWERS. + +THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. + + + When skies are bright and winter's o'er, + And leaves and flowers return once more, + A little blossom 'mongst the grass + Peeps at wayfarers as they pass. + + 'Mongst gayer buds of larger size + It modest opes its purple eyes; + And those who love the flowers know well + The little Scarlet Pimpernel. + + It hath a story of its own, + That unto country-folk is known; + For Nature's hand hath given it strange + Perception of the weather's change. + + If clear will be the day, and fair, + It opens wide its petals rare; + But if the clouds should threaten rain, + It shuts them up quite close again. + + The shepherds love the little flower + That tells them of the changeful hour, + And many a one asks, "Tell me, pray, + What weather there will be to-day." + + And so in time another name, + In honour of its rare gift, came; + And the wee blossom 'mongst the grass + Was called the "Shepherd's Weather-glass." + + + + +Our Music Page. + + +"Let's away to the Woods." + +_In moderate time._ + +_Words and Music by_ CHARLES BASSETT. + +VOICE. + +1. The tints of the trees are mellowing down From their summer green to +a russet brown, And many a harvest is over and past, For Autumn has +chas'd away Summer at last. + +2. The summer's warm glow has not died from the land, But is seen and +felt upon ev'ry hand; From the orchard where apples hang ripe on the +trees, To the thicket where nuts nod and dance in the breeze. + +3. The birds sweetly sing as they soar in the sky, And the squirrels +frisk in the branches high; And it makes me as happy and merry as they +To roam in the woods on a bright autumn day. + +Then away, let's away to the woods, Where the nuts and +blackberries grow, Where the flow'rs at our feet send forth fragrance +sweet--To the woods, to the woods let us go!... To the woods let us +go!.... + + + + +[Illustration: THE EDITOR'S POCKET-BOOK. + +JOTTINGS AND PENCILLINGS, HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE] + + +Who were the Janizaries? + +About 1330 the Sultan Orkhan formed a military force out of Christian +prisoners who had been compelled to become Mohammedans, and to these was +given the name of Janizaries, from two Turkish words meaning new troops. +A few years later they were more regularly organised, and granted +special privileges, their number being increased to 10,000. Though for a +time their ranks continued to be recruited from Christian prisoners, the +service began, at length, to attract young Turks. Their chief officer, +called the _aga_, wielded almost unlimited power. They fought on foot +and were noted for the impetuosity of their charge. In course of time +they manifested a rebellious spirit, often being the cause of +conspiracies, riots, atrocities, and assassinations of rulers, +statesmen, and high officials, and ultimately they grew to be more +formidable to the Sultan than even foreign foes. Attempts to disband +them were unsuccessful till Sultan Mahmoud II. finding himself opposed +by them in 1826, managed to excite against them the fanatical zeal of +other portions of his troops. Deserted by their _aga_ and other +officers, they were utterly crushed, their barracks were burned, and +their force was declared, on June 17, 1826, to be for ever dissolved. It +is estimated that 15,000 of them were executed and more than 20,000 +banished. In this way this once famous body of men was extinguished. + + +A Canine Guide. + +A Lincolnshire farmer has a dog that for practical wisdom will compare +favourably with most men. Should its master leave anything--such as a +stick or gloves--on the farm, he has but to make known by a sign the +fact of his loss when off the dog will trudge, and not come home till it +has found the missing article. It will permit a well-dressed man to +enter the farm-yard by day, but should a beggar put in an appearance +this respecter of persons will gently seize him by his clothes and see +him safely off the premises. By night, however, all strangers approach +at their peril. The farmer's sister lives on the adjoining farm, +communication between the two farms being obtained by means of a single +plank across the deep ditch that separates them. Sometimes the farmer's +children want to visit their aunt, and they are always entrusted to the +care of the dog. It marshals them in a small troop, conducts them to the +bridge, where a halt is called. The bairns are then taken over one by +one, doggie seizing hold from behind of the child's dress. It then waits +for the return journey and escorts them home in the same way. + + +The Taming of Bucephalus. + +Bucephalus, the famous steed of Alexander the Great, is said to have +been broken in in the following manner. The horse was so fierce and +unmanageable that no one would ride it. It had broken one man's neck, +another man's leg, and seriously injured several others. An animal with +such a reputation no doubt excited a good deal of attention, and +Alexander was one day watching it in the Hippodrome or Circus, when it +struck him that the horse was rendered ungovernable by fear of its own +shadow. Accordingly he mounted it, and running it against the sun--so +that its shadow fell behind--in due time succeeded in thoroughly +subduing it. Tradition stated that through being the first to break in +Bucephalus--which became his favourite charger--Alexander had fulfilled +the condition which had been declared by an oracle to be necessary to +his gaining the crown of Macedon. + + +The Price of a Picture by Landseer. + +Sir Edwin Landseer's magnificent stag-picture called, "The Monarch of +the Glen," and well known all over the world from engravings, was +recently exposed to auction, when it fetched the enormous price of +6,510 pounds. It is said that the painter sold it off his easel for 800 +guineas. The bidding at the sale began at 2,000 pounds, and by bids of one +hundred guineas reached 4,000 pounds, at which price it was hoped that it +might have been secured for the National Gallery. The competition, +however, continued beyond that sum, until the picture was sold for 6,200 +guineas. Only one other picture by Landseer has brought a higher +price--namely, the famous Polar Bear subject, "Man proposes, but God +disposes," which realised 6,615 pounds. + + +"Ignoramus." + +As commonly used nowadays this term is equivalent to "dunce," but it was +originally employed as a law term. It is a Latin word, and literally +translated means, "we do not know." In former days when a grand jury +considered that a bill or indictment was not supported by sufficient +evidence to prove the need for a trial, they wrote the word "ignoramus" +on the back of it, signifying that they rejected it. The words used in +present practice are simply "not a true bill," or "not found." But in +course of time the old Latin term was made serviceable, as we have seen, +in a new way. + + +Saved by South Sea Islanders. + +Considering the reputation that most of the South Sea Islands used to +enjoy for cannibalistic practices, it is pleasing to read that the +natives of one of the isles in the Marshall group in the South Pacific +Ocean rescued the crew of a vessel wrecked near Ujaal Island. A number +of natives went in their boats to the wreck and took off the crew and a +lady passenger, conveying them to an island some fifteen miles from the +spot where the ship was lost, and treating them with great kindness. +Tents were erected out of the sails of the wrecked vessel, which were +removed for the purpose. + + +A Strange Vow. + +Not long since there died in a workhouse in Southwark a pedlar who used +to sell odds-and-ends on a tray on London Bridge, and who pretended to +be deaf and dumb. It is said that, though clothed in rags, he was a +Swiss gentleman of means who, stung by remorse, had vowed not to open +his lips for ten years, to go bareheaded and barefooted, and to abandon +for twenty years all the advantages of his fortune. His vow was rigidly +kept, and at the period of his death he was in the fourteenth year of +his singular penance. + + +Honour among Cats. + +Seeing that pussy is by no means friendly to birds, it is rather +gratifying to hear of a cat that was entrusted with the care of a +shopful of birds and was true to her trust. She was shut in the shop for +the purpose of doing battle with such rats and mice as might put in an +appearance; and discharged this duty with signal success. Yet though it +may have been--at first at any rate--a sore trial to her to keep her +paws off the birds, she was able to resist every temptation to gratify +her natural tastes, and might even have been seen quietly snoozing on +the top of one of the cages. + + +Memory in Parrots. + +These birds have retentive memories. A parrot that belonged to a lady +recognised a black servant after three years' absence. Another bird was +so fierce that no one in the house liked to touch it, but it would allow +a lady visitor to handle it with impunity. It was at last given away, as +its ill temper seemed incurable. About three years later this lady +called upon a friend, when a parrot in the corner of the room became +greatly excited. As it was generally very quiet in its demeanour, its +mistress remarked the unusual behaviour, but her visitor on going up to +the cage recognised her old friend of the savage disposition, which had +not forgotten her. When she spoke to it the bird was much pleased, and +came on to her hand and fondled her. + + +The Clock-tower in Darmstadt Palace. + +The residential palace in Darmstadt, where Queen Victoria made a brief +stay in the spring of this year, has a clock-tower the chimes in which +discourse sweet music four times every hour. At the first quarter they +strike up a verse of the stirring "Watch on the Rhine;" at the half-hour +the familiar notes of "God save the Queen" fall upon the listener's ear; +at the third quarter an air from the well-known opera of the "Marriage +of Figaro," enlivens the palace; while the hour is hailed with the +bridal chorus from Wagner's "Lohengrin." + + +Oiling the Waves. + +During the last two or three years a good deal has been heard of +experiments for calming an angry sea by pouring oil upon the troubled +waters. This has been proved to have a marked effect, but it is +interesting to note that the idea is by no means new. In 1844 +experiments were made in the North Sea, with a view to test this special +property, and though several gallons were used on the occasion, no +diminution of their rage was noticed in the waves. Captain Wilkes, +however, the commander of the United States Exploring Expedition in +the Antarctic Ocean, 1838-42, observed that the oil leaking from a +whaler had a stilling influence upon the sea. And this quite agrees with +the result of nearly, if not all, recent trials. + +[Illustration: ACTIVE VOLCANO IN REUNION.] + + +Spider Knicknacks. + +A large trade is done at Santa Barbara, in South California, in the +preparation of stuffed specimens of a big, ugly, vicious, poisonous +spider. Cards decorated with these insect monsters are readily bought by +tourists, by museums, and by science schools. This spider excites great +curiosity on account of the nest with trap-door which it constructs with +much skill, but though its native valleys abound with countless numbers +of the homes and tunnels, yet hardly a living spider can be seen. It is +for this reason, doubtless, that the demand for stuffed specimens is so +considerable as to engage wholesale merchants as well as retail +shopkeepers in meeting its supply. + + +An Affectionate Dog. + +Early this year, a lady died in New York. She had had a Skye terrier as +a pet for twelve years, and during the two months of her illness it +remained by her bed. After the funeral it took up its old position by +the bed, refusing to eat. A few days afterwards it found a pair of its +mistress's shoes which had been thrown out of doors. The faithful animal +brought them in its mouth to the bedroom, placed them on the floor, laid +its fore paws and head across them, and continued in this position for +several hours. Early one morning its mournful cries aroused the +household, and exactly a week, to the very hour, after its mistress's +death, the poor terrier expired beside the bed, its head and paws still +resting on the cast-off shoes. This story shows how keenly some animals +feel the loss of those who have treated them kindly. + + +A Sagacious Cavalry Horse. + +Some weeks since a gentleman was knocked down by a cab in a busy street +in London, and owed his escape from what might have proved a fatal +accident to the sagacity of the horse by which the cab was driven. The +hansom cab was going along at an ordinary pace, and the gentleman (who +carried a bundle of papers) tried to pass it. In doing so he was knocked +down, his papers were scattered, and he was himself in imminent danger +of being run over, as the driver did not notice the accident in time to +pull up. The horse, however, happened to be an old cavalry horse, and it +neatly stepped over the prostrate body of the gentleman and stopped just +as the wheels of the vehicle had reached his body. The gentleman was +then dragged from his perilous position, much shaken and frightened, but +in other respects uninjured. + +[Illustration] + + +What is a Nabob? + +You have now and again met with the phrase, "rich as a nabob," and have +perhaps wondered what a nabob had to do with riches. I will tell you. +Under the Mogul Empire the provinces of India were administered by +deputies called _nawab_, who commonly amassed great wealth and lived in +much splendour. The title was used under British rule, but became +gradually corrupted into _nabob_. In course of time it was applied +generally to all natives who had grown rich, and latterly it was +bestowed--more often in a derisive sense--upon Europeans who, having +made large fortunes in India, returned to their native land and spent +their money in a luxurious and ostentatious way. + + +A Curious Volcano. + +Most active volcanoes have nothing very remarkable about them so far as +the discharge of lava is concerned. In the Isle of Bourbon or Reunion, +which lies in the Indian Ocean, there is, however, a volcano which is in +a state of eruption twice every year. It occupies about one-sixth of the +whole island, it often changes its crater, and the streams of lava +sometimes reach to the sea. The surrounding district is called the +Burned Land, from the desert aspect which it always wears. From the +accompanying picture it will be seen that this volcano occasionally has +several sources of lava. + + + + +The "Little Folks" Humane Society. + +_THIRTY-FIRST LIST OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS._ + + +_Officers' Names are printed in Small Capital Letters, and the Names of +their Members are printed beneath. Where a short line, thus "----," is +printed, the end of an Officer's List is indicated._ + + AGE + 44278 A. M. M. Weeks 13 + 44279 Frank George 11 + 44280 E. M. Hilling 11 + 44281 Annie Ball 14 + 44282 Herbert Kitchener, Islington, L 15 + 44283 James Baker 10 + 44284 Fredk. Morley 11 + 44285 Charles Russell 12 + 44286 George Freeman 13 + 44287 Ernest West 9 + 44288 Edward Frayer 13 + 44289 Albert Logsdon 11 + 44290 William West 10 + 44291 W. J. Thomas 11 + 44292 Joseph Thomas 10 + 44293 W. Nicholls 15 + 44294 Walter F. Turner 10 + 44295 Stanley Kingston 11 + 44296 John Mitchell 10 + 44297 Alfred Wright 12 + 44298 S. Kitchener 18 + 44299 Joseph Taylor 12 + 44300 Alfred Alley 11 + 44301 Mark Rapson 11 + 44302 William Fansett 14 + 44303 R. Archer 12 + 44304 Edwin Pearce 11 + 44305 J. Cooper 11 + 44306 Harry Snow 12 + 44307 Harry Dawkins 11 + 44308 George Wheeler 11 + 44309 James Green 14 + 44310 Robt. Couchman 10 + 44311 W. Cowling 9 + 44312 C. Hardingham 11 + 44313 James Cons 14 + 44314 George Beaven 11 + 44315 R. Kingston 10 + 44316 Fred Marle 12 + 44317 Alfred Archer 10 + 44318 George Moss 12 + 44319 Fredk. Follett 10 + 44320 Fredk. Baker 11 + 44321 Charles Barnicott 11 + 44322 H. Matthews 11 + 44323 William Ellis 11 + 44324 Herbert Tubbs 10 + 44325 John Keuleman 13 + 44326 William Croxford 10 + 44327 Thos. Kingston 11 + 44328 James Sturman 11 + 44329 Henry Nicholls 9 + 44330 H. Tissington 9 + 44331 Charles Taylor 12 + 44332 GEO. E. OGLE, Brighton 14 + 44333 Nellie Child 14 + 44334 Florence A. Moss 15 + 44335 K. Padwick 10 + 44336 Adelaide M. Ogle 20 + 44337 Mary C. Clark 11 + 44338 Walter Payne 8 + 44339 W. Padwick 13 + 44340 Hy. Clark 12 + 44341 N. E. Newman 11 + 44342 George R. Mills 7 + 44343 Emily Mills 9 + 44344 Amy Mills 10 + 44345 Kate M. Ogle 18 + 44346 Emily Cousins 13 + 44347 Grace Pyne 11 + 44348 A. Hollingdale 10 + 44349 George Pollard 13 + 44350 Laura B. Godfree 11 + 44351 Ellen Ogle 10 + 44352 Ada Pyne 13 + 44353 William A. Ogle 13 + 44354 Annie Webber 9 + 44355 Helen Perrin 16 + 44356 Harry Perrin 10 + 44357 Alice Webber 10 + 44358 Albert L. Carter 16 + 44359 Fredk. W. Mills 12 + 44360 Alfred Pelling 10 + 44361 G. Hollingdale 13 + 44362 Elizabeth Scott 11 + 44363 Alma Collis 13 + 44364 Emma Heryet 15 + 44365 Emma Tull 12 + 44366 Agnes Scott 13 + 44367 Albert Gearing 10 + 44368 Arthur F. Parker 11 + 44369 James Simmons 8 + 44370 Violet M. Moss 16 + 44371 George Webber 8 + 44372 Geo. P. Newman 15 + 44373 G. T. Swaffield 14 + 44374 James French 11 + 44375 Agnes Prudden 12 + 44376 E. Mattheson 11 + 44377 Charles Sier 7 + 44378 Augusta Prudden 19 + 44379 V. Cummings 16 + 44380 CHARLOTTE A. CROSSMAN, Limehouse 12 + 44381 Fanny E. Jones 14 + 44382 Alice Fetter 14 + 44383 Edna G. Pattison 14 + 44384 E. E. Fullick 13 + 44385 Margaret Clark 13 + 44386 Florence E. Davis 12 + 44387 Julia Page 12 + 44388 Laura A. Young 15 + 44389 Sarah Crawley 14 + 44390 L. M. Crossman 10 + 44391 Margt. Scruton 10 + 44392 Jane Crossman 7 + 44393 Florence Peck 13 + 44394 F. A. Bowers 10 + 44395 Ada E. Craddock 13 + 44396 Elizab. A. Gibbs 15 + 44397 E. M. Buckman 10 + 44398 Ada Smith 12 + 44399 Phoebe Povey 11 + 44400 Maud Curno 14 + 44401 Ethel Pattison 10 + 44402 Ann A. Halcrow 14 + 44403 Rose A. Jordan 14 + 44404 Charlotte Smith 11 + 44405 H. J. D. Webb 16 + 44406 E. J. Harper 13 + 44407 E. M. Perkins 13 + 44408 Alice Hubbard 11 + 44409 Alice Webb 15 + 44410 William Jordan 9 + 44411 E. Hutchison 12 + 44412 Emma Speaight 13 + 44413 Kate Moate 13 + 44414 A. E. Drayson 13 + 44415 Rosa G. Webb 13 + 44416 A. F. Bennett 7 + 44417 Blanche Childs 11 + 44418 C. C. Pettersson 12 + 44419 Amy L. Hicks 10 + 44420 Emily Cameron 10 + 44421 Sarah P. Findley 16 + 44422 Marion Cameron 13 + 44423 Nellie Wardle 13 + 44424 Alice Bowller 13 + 44425 Emily Bennett 13 + 44426 A. Whittenbury 11 + 44427 E. Whittenbury 14 + 44428 Annie Pitter 13 + 44429 A. C. Ohlsen 19 + 44430 Florence Crispe 12 + 44431 Edith Larter 10 + 44432 AMY WELLER, Poplar 14 + 44433 Florence Bull 10 + 44434 M. C. Stupple 12 + 44435 Sophia Osborn 20 + 44436 M. M. Mackrow 14 + 44437 H. A. Christmas 15 + 44438 Rachel Bull 8 + 44439 Ann Priest 16 + 44440 Elizabth. Holmes 14 + 44441 Eliza E. West 15 + 44442 H. Wiseman 13 + 44443 Annie Sherlock 14 + 44444 Florence Barrett 12 + 44445 Louisa Price 11 + 44446 Wm. Southgate 14 + 44447 Thomas Osborn 9 + 44448 Sarah Seward 19 + 44449 Alice M. Devine 16 + 44450 Louisa Huggins 12 + 44451 F. H. Terrey 15 + 44452 Ada Gordon 16 + 44453 E. Southgate 11 + 44454 A. E. Hubbard 8 + 44455 Matilda Wattson 10 + 44456 Ernest Pattison 8 + 44457 Beatrice Burrow 7 + 44458 Mary Wesson 13 + 44459 Alice Looker 13 + 44460 Elsie Woodley 13 + 44461 Walter Osborn 11 + 44462 F. E. J. Hubbard 14 + 44463 Rosina Ricketts 16 + 44464 Amy Loaring 10 + 44465 Mary Straiton 13 + 44466 Elizbth. Ballard 13 + 44467 B. L. McLean 11 + 44468 Gertrd. M. Ford 11 + 44469 Elizbth. Harrold 13 + 44470 Wm. R. Ricketts 13 + 44471 Wm. A. Perkins 8 + 44472 Thomas Webb 12 + 44473 Ellen M. Webb 15 + 44474 W. H. Christmas 14 + 44475 E. M. Wilkerson 14 + 44476 Lea L. Christmas 11 + 44477 Elizabeth Osborn 14 + 44478 Esther J. Gill 11 + 44479 Sarah A. Wesson 11 + 44480 A. C. Houlding 13 + 44481 Josaphin Popham 14 + 44482 Clara Bull 12 + 44483 F. H. Ricketts 12 + 44484 Agnes Stedman 13 + 44485 B. Hattersley 11 + 44486 Elizabth. Burrow 12 + 44487 Emily Taylor 13 + 44488 Janet Bright 12 + 44489 E. C. S. Seward 13 + 44490 Hannah Skelton 13 + 44491 Bertha Kellman 12 + 44492 Charlotte Barrett 8 + 44493 FLORCE. GALES, Bow 14 + 44494 Edith Fowler 12 + 44495 Hugh Hay 10 + 44496 Catherine Watson 14 + 44497 Fanny Jones 17 + 44498 Annie Hunter 12 + 44499 Eliza Mitchell 12 + 44500 Mary A. Williams 13 + 44501 Maud M. Fowler 11 + 44502 F. A. Weller 12 + 44503 Louisa Fowler 19 + 44504 Jemima Wesson 9 + 44505 Ada H. Hubbard 16 + 44506 Annie Godfrey 10 + 44507 Charlotte Pitt 14 + 44508 Bertha E. Fowler 9 + 44509 Ellen Manhire 9 + 44510 Chas. Ayscough 11 + 44511 Clara Payne 13 + 44512 Thos. Goodfellow 14 + 44513 E. S. Lowery 13 + 44514 C. Hancock 13 + 44515 Kate Whiteway 9 + 44516 William J. Lowis 17 + 44517 Ada Pennell 20 + 44518 Dorothy A. Noble 10 + 44519 Clara Richardson 13 + 44520 Isabella Hay 13 + 44521 Minnie Keable 10 + 44522 Maggie Hay 7 + 44523 Mary A. Osborn 7 + 44524 Margaret Cole 13 + 44525 M. McDonald 12 + 44526 Eliza Whiteway 11 + 44527 Alice Rushbrook 12 + 44528 Clara Gales 17 + 44529 Henry A. Lewis 12 + 44530 Caroline Stride 12 + 44531 Albert Weller 10 + 44532 Ada Gales 9 + 44533 Sarah Eagle 9 + 44534 Alice Stafford 9 + 44535 Florence Fenney 11 + 44536 Elizabh. Wiseman 17 + 44537 Edith I. Gales 7 + 44538 Albert J. Cutting 16 + 44539 Elizabeth Grieve 18 + 44540 Keziah Weaver 17 + 44541 Elizabeth Farr 11 + 44542 Jane Read 10 + 44543 Alex. McDonald 9 + 44544 Edith Hoole, Camberwell 13 + 44545 Bertie Mitchell 9 + 44546 Bertie Longman 8 + 44547 Louie Longman 10 + 44548 F. Longman 13 + 44549 Horace Brown 6 + 44550 Leonard Brown 8 + 44551 A. Brown 13 + 44552 Lily Hoole 3 + 44553 Edith K. Wood 9 + 44554 Alfred T. Wood 3 + 44555 Maude Wood 5 + 44556 Emma Wood 11 + 44557 Lizzie Edwards 9 + 44558 Isabel Edwards 11 + 44559 Edith Edwards 19 + 44560 Maggie Edwards 14 + 44561 Lizzie Smith 14 + 44562 Louise Melton 7 + 44563 Flory Melton 11 + 44564 George Swain 9 + 44565 Elizabeth Field 8 + 44566 H. Field 10 + 44567 Louisa Field 12 + 44568 Annie Bedford 11 + 44569 Charlie Jarratt 8 + 44570 Selina Jarratt 15 + 44571 Arthur Jarratt 13 + 44572 A. E. Martin 14 + 44573 A Day 14 + 44574 Helen Day 17 + 44575 Mary E. Crawley 19 + 44576 Marian B. Wright 13 + 44577 Alice M. Wright 9 + 44578 Edith Broom 17 + 44579 Laura J. Lockie 12 + 44580 Monty Hammett 3 + 44581 Bertie Hammett 9 + 44582 William Cook 12 + 44583 Emma Short 16 + 44584 Charles Short 7 + 44585 Amelia Short 11 + 44586 Eleanor Short 8 + 44587 Bertha Reed 14 + 44588 Maude Pummell 10 + 44589 A. Hinton 12 + 44590 Jessie Mackie 8 + 44591 Edith Green 7 + 44592 Sydney Green 9 + 44593 Arthur Green 11 + 44594 A. E. Warell 12 + 44595 NELLIE PERCIVAL, Liscard 12 + 44596 Ada Mitchell 12 + 44597 Harry Lyons 6 + 44598 Alice Love 17 + 44599 Wm. R. Lyons 5 + 44600 Bessie Robertson 16 + 44601 Ada Holt 16 + 44602 Ada Rowe 16 + 44603 Alice Helsby 17 + 44604 Maggie Sinclair 16 + 44605 Robt. P. Stafford 9 + 44606 Barbara Fletcher 13 + 44607 Bessie Dickson 13 + 44608 Beatrice Hale 17 + 44609 Emily Casement 17 + 44610 Ruth Ryland 15 + 44611 Hettie Ward 14 + 44612 Charles Sinclair 12 + 44613 Maud Bayley 14 + 44614 Emma Crossley 12 + 44615 Jas. H. Stafford 8 + 44616 Louie Bryer 15 + 44617 Annie Percival 13 + 44618 F. Leighton 14 + 44619 Mabel Woodall 16 + 44620 Charlotte Bourne 15 + 44621 Maggie Percival 15 + 44622 M. Casement 16 + 44623 Douglas Sinclair 10 + 44624 Dicky Smith 7 + 44625 Maude Shepherd 13 + 44626 Laura Hirst 13 + 44627 A. M. Johnston 17 + 44628 Marian Morris 16 + 44629 J. Wainwright 17 + 44630 Minnie Evans 14 + 44631 Charlie Gleadell 6 + 44632 Kate Charles 14 + 44633 Mary Lilley 18 + 44634 Maggie Goodlass 12 + 44635 Maggie Lenard 18 + 44636 F. Moulding 16 + 44637 Beatrice Jones 14 + 44638 Minnie Noble 14 + 44639 Barbara Clark 14 + 44640 Alethea Clark 10 + 44641 Margt. E. Noble 16 + 44642 Percy Smith 5 + 44643 Elizbth. Jackson 17 + 44644 Alice M. Taylor 17 + 44645 Alice Willis 16 + 44646 Minnie Sanders 9 + 44647 H. W. Sanders 15 + 44648 Alfred Payne 11 + 44649 FLORENCE BOON, Llantrissant 11 + 44650 Charles Smith 14 + 44651 Alfred Boon 21 + 44652 Thomas Williams 12 + 44653 E. A. Davies 9 + 44654 Chas. I. Leyshon 7 + 44655 Thos. Leyshon 6 + 44656 Evan Davies 11 + 44657 E. E. Hasking 5 + 44658 David Roberts 10 + 44659 E. T. Leyshon 9 + 44660 Annie Baker 9 + 44661 William Jenkins 17 + 44662 Eugnie Davies 6 + 44663 Lydia Williams 7 + 44664 Edwin Pritchard 10 + 44665 George Pritchard 14 + 44666 Rosina Pritchard 12 + 44667 Jas. H. Pritchard 5 + 44668 Anne Dells 10 + 44669 Ellen Roberts 12 + 44670 Mary A. Evans 13 + 44671 Martha East 12 + 44672 Edith M. Smith 10 + 44673 Jessie Davies 8 + 44674 Jane East 14 + 44675 Ellen M. Parker 12 + 44676 Charles East 10 + 44677 Thomas Angell 7 + 44678 E. Devonshire 10 + 44679 Amelia Phillips 9 + 44680 Edwin Smith 11 + 44681 Ann Williams 12 + 44682 William Williams 7 + 44683 Annie Hosking 18 + 44684 S. Bartlett 15 + 44685 Samuel Escott 10 + 44686 Ada Thomas 7 + 44687 Wm. Hosking 13 + 44688 Mary E. Thomas 12 + 44689 Evan Angell 11 + 44690 Annie Cox 6 + 44691 S. Devonshire 8 + 44692 Alfred Hosking 10 + 44693 Mary Cox 8 + 44694 Mary J. Baker 5 + 44695 Alice T. Cooke 7 + 44696 Maude M. Cooke 8 + 44697 Bertha E. Cooke 8 + 44698 Wm. J. Warman 7 + 44699 Arthur Cooke 10 + 44700 Lucy Williams 11 + 44701 James Richards 10 + 44702 Frederick Lyes 17 + ------ + 44703 Henry Rex 18 + 44704 E. A. Priestley 20 + 44705 Lillie Hugill 17 + 44706 Annie Hugill 14 + 44707 FANNY L. CHEW, Stroud 13 + 44708 Nettie Sonthern 13 + 44709 Geo. A. Hulbert 8 + 44710 F. J. Holland 14 + 44711 Bessie Hulbert 13 + 44712 Willie R. Ford 11 + 44713 Alice R. Hulbert 11 + 44714 Fred Griffiths 14 + 44715 Edith E. Holland 16 + 44716 W. E. M. Hulbert 10 + 44717 Robert Johnston 13 + 44718 Lizzie Davis 21 + 44719 Gertrude Holland 14 + 44720 Georgina Chew 8 + 44721 Alfred R. Ford 14 + 44722 W. A. Watkins 10 + 44723 Maud Harrison 9 + 44724 Florence Hooper 10 + 44725 Arthur Ellis 13 + 44726 Lilly McKellar 8 + 44727 Harry Chandler 13 + 44728 Ernest J. Tayler 10 + 44729 Walter Wheeler 14 + 44730 Harry Roberts 10 + 44731 Arthur Chew 12 + 44732 Lionel Chew 8 + 44733 William J. Fass 11 + 44734 Corbett Holland 11 + 44735 E. B. Pitt 15 + 44736 Harry Holland 9 + 44737 Henry Gazard 13 + 44738 C. Baumbrough 16 + 44739 Louisa Parfitt 18 + 44740 Flora E. Watkins 17 + 44741 Gertrd. Watkins 14 + 44742 Fredk. Nind 13 + 44743 Nellie I. Aspinall 11 + 44744 Edith Compton 10 + 44745 Ralph Wheeler 12 + 44746 Harry Halford 12 + 44747 Constance Pitt 12 + 44748 George Docker 13 + 44749 Mary Chew 8 + 44750 James Treseder 12 + 44751 Violet McKellar 10 + 44752 Frederick Pitt 20 + 44753 Seymor Bonford 14 + 44754 Ernest Ricketts 12 + 44755 Kate Eliot 13 + 44756 Charlie Bailey 13 + 44757 John Wheller 14 + ------ + 44758 Mary Jenney 11 + 44759 Annie E. Throp 12 + 44760 Susannah Jenney 9 + 44761 R. Welsh 10 + 44762 Ernest Wall 10 + 44763 G. Mallalieu 10 + 44764 Ethel Harris 8 + 44765 Arthur F. Pacey 7 + 44766 Ethel Homes 12 + 44767 Edith S. Dealy 13 + 44768 Clara Hoelzer 12 + 44769 Gilbert Haldane 14 + 44770 Harry G. Assiter 15 + 44771 Agnes M Mullins 11 + 44772 J. C. Waterhouse 9 + 44773 M. Waterhouse 8 + 44774 A. Waterhouse 11 + 44775 LUCY A. GRIEVE, Greenock 13 + 44776 Margt. M. Neish 11 + 44777 E. W. Johnston 11 + 44778 Agnes McKinnon 11 + 44779 Margaret Lower 11 + 44780 C. McKinlay 11 + 44781 Eliza A. Boyd 11 + 44782 I. M. McDonald 11 + 44783 Mary McAulay 10 + 44784 Robert McAulay 12 + 44785 Gracie McAulay 18 + 44786 Annie McAulay 16 + 44787 John Cooke 8 + 44788 Jeanie Cooke 12 + 44789 Harry Cooke 10 + 44790 Edwd. L. Grieve 4 + 44791 Florce. A. Grieve 7 + 44792 Robertha Grieve 10 + 44793 James H. Grieve 8 + 44794 Hilda C. Grieve 5 + 44795 Bella Longwill 10 + 44796 Maggie Longwill 15 + 44797 John F. Hodge 8 + 44798 Agnes L. Hodge 12 + 44799 Archie Grieve 15 + 44800 Mary J Grieve 10 + 44801 John Grieve 13 + 44802 Laura M. Trew 12 + 44803 M. Symington 10 + 44804 M. J. Symington 12 + 44805 Robert Smith 12 + 44806 Agnes Smith 10 + 44807 M. E. Brittlebank 16 + 44808 M. Brittlebank 11 + 44809 C. D. McKay 17 + 44810 F. J. Thorburn 11 + 44811 Isabella Mara 9 + 44812 Mary Mara 5 + 44813 Jas. B. Fulton 12 + 44814 Agnes B. Fulton 9 + 44815 Wm. B. Fulton 10 + 44816 John Whiteford 17 + 44817 Jane Whiteford 19 + 44818 M. Whiteford 8 + 44819 E. A. Paterson 9 + 44820 J. G. Paterson 10 + 44821 A. F. Whiteford 11 + 44822 Jessie Whiteford 15 + 44823 John Ramsay 8 + 44824 C. Ramsay 12 + 44825 E. J. Whiteford 12 + 44826 M. C. Whiteford 17 + 44827 Mary Trew 10 + 44828 S. R. Paterson 7 + 44829 V. M. Paterson 6 + 44830 Janet McMurtrie 13 + 44831 M. McMurtrie 16 + 44832 Robt. McMurtrie 10 + 44833 Jane McMurtrie 18 + 44834 Jane Thorburn 9 + 44835 Jessie Sime 16 + 44836 John M. Sime 9 + 44837 Sarah Sime 18 + 44838 HILDA VORLEY, Camden Road, London14 + 44839 Jessie Rintoul 13 + 44840 Kate Darvell 15 + 44841 H. Hardy 9 + 44842 Mary A. Darvell 20 + 44843 Fanny Blake 19 + 44844 H. F. Fredricks 18 + 44845 Fredk. W. Darvell 18 + 44846 May Vorley 17 + 44847 Herbt. D. Lister 15 + 44848 Thomas Allen 16 + 44849 E. F. Gillott 15 + 44850 Emily F. Colls 13 + 44851 E. Wilkinson 11 + 44852 William Vorley 12 + 44853 Cecilia Loebl 10 + 44854 Arthur Gartley 10 + 44855 Bessie Shaw 12 + 44856 Emmeline Vorley 16 + 44857 John Brooke 8 + 44858 E. M. Jennings 14 + 44859 Harry Brooke 6 + 44860 Ada Parker 11 + 44861 Lucy Merzbach 8 + 44862 Edwd. Merzbach 11 + 44863 L. M. Hearn 16 + 44864 A. H. Colebrook 10 + 44865 Ethel Pyke 10 + 44866 Florence Baker 12 + 44867 Fanny Gartley 14 + 44868 Hilda Corner 12 + 44869 John A. Brown 11 + 44870 Louisa Rintoul 15 + 44871 Lilian Brock 12 + 44372 F. Matthews 12 + 44873 K. A. Wilkinson 14 + 44874 Mary Dowsett 14 + 44875 F. W. Dunaway 18 + 44876 E. A. Townsend 17 + 44877 Lily Barker 8 + 44878 Ethel Barker 13 + 44879 Kathleen C. Gow 17 + 44880 Lillie Stoner 12 + 44881 Gertrd. Rayment 8 + 44882 Samuel Brooke 9 + 44883 Ernestine Baker 15 + 44884 Lydia Gardner 14 + 44885 Emma E. Allen 8 + 44886 Caroline S. Allen 11 + 44887 Wm. H. Allen 14 + 44888 Emily M. Allen 18 + 44889 Mary A. Jones 12 + 44890 Ellen G. Jones 10 + ------ + 44891 Percy M. Jones 9 + 44892 Mary M. Jose 13 + 44893 Sophie H. Isle 7 + 44894 James C. Isle 9 + 44895 Shirza Ferguson 14 + 44896 Francis L. Smith 12 + 44897 Margaret Gill 16 + 44898 Dora Gill 14 + 44899 Louis H. Daish 15 + 44900 Percy P. Cotton 11 + 44901 Lucy W. Barker 12 + 44902 F. M. Barker 10 + 44903 Frank D. Barker 7 + 44904 K. W. Barker 5 + 44905 Edith Wallace 15 + 44906 Amy Wallace 9 + 44907 John B. Stewart 8 + 44908 Gertrd. A. Escott 10 + 44909 Charles Brereton 11 + 44910 Mary E. Wallis 20 + 44911 A. A. Langley 19 + 44912 E. J. Newman 9 + 44913 Evelyn P. Sewell 10 + 44914 Winifred Lamb 12 + 44915 Anna Lamb 13 + 44916 Helen Lamb 16 + 44917 Emily Lamb 7 + 44918 GERTRUDE A. AMOS, Hampstead 16 + 44919 Kathleen Jenkins 8 + 44920 F. E. Jenkins 15 + 44921 May Jenkins 11 + 44922 Annie Lee 19 + 44923 Ewart C. Amos 17 + 44924 Thomas Cowney 7 + 44925 Arthur Cowney 9 + 44926 Ethel Cowney 11 + 44927 Minnie M. Shaw 8 + 44928 Charles J. Shaw 12 + 44929 Rose K. Nowlan 13 + 44930 P. L. Nowlan 15 + 44931 Edith M. Dwight 19 + 44932 Edith A. Rogers 15 + 44933 Jessie E. Rogers 8 + 44934 J. A. Rogers 18 + 44935 Miriam Rogers 16 + 44936 Wallace Barron 8 + 44937 Ethel M. Yates 15 + 44938 C. M. Hewetson 10 + 44939 Alice A. Miley 15 + 44940 Emily Fowke 15 + 44941 E. M. Thompson 16 + 44942 E. M. Clements 11 + 44943 Rose M. Smithers 15 + 44944 Katerine Wickes 11 + 44945 A. M. Wickes 14 + 44946 Henry White 16 + 44947 Charles White 12 + 44948 Katie Spalding 9 + 44949 Alice M. Spalding 12 + 44950 Catherine White 15 + 44951 K. A. Bergin 9 + 44952 Mary Bergin 14 + 44953 Margaret Bergin 8 + 44954 Thos. G. Bergin 11 + 44955 Gertrude M. Sims 10 + 44956 Edith Sims 13 + 44957 Emmeline Sims 10 + 44958 Mildred P. Orwin 11 + 44959 Ethel M. Orwin 14 + 44960 Henry Wines 10 + 44961 Charlotte Wines 14 + 44962 John Wines 11 + 44963 Bessie Biggs 9 + 44964 Clara D. Mills 16 + 44965 E. M. Spalding 11 + 44966 Violet Spalding 15 + 44967 Marian Goodall 13 + 44968 Mary White 9 + ------ + 44969 Susanne E. Price 12 + 44970 Rosa L. Candy 13 + 44971 Jas. H. Nicholson 11 + 44972 Frances L. Hyde 12 + 44973 Ellen R. Carr 12 + 44974 Ella M. McCaul 15 + 44975 Albert C. Farmer 12 + 44976 NELLIE CHAPPELL, Camden Road, London 13 + 44977 Katie Avern 13 + 44978 Emily Avern 8 + 44979 Annie Gregory 10 + 44980 G. A. Jaques 8 + 44981 Louisa Price 8 + 44982 Kate Spain 12 + 44983 Lily Petch 11 + 44984 M. Bourdelaine 14 + 44985 Gertrude Hedges 16 + 44986 Edith Smith 9 + 44987 E. B. Palmar 10 + 44988 Thos. A. Avern 11 + 44989 L. Bourdelaine 12 + 44990 Eva R. Child 13 + 44991 Edith Pybus 13 + 44992 F. Hughes 12 + 44993 Edith Palmar 8 + 44994 Lizzie J. Shenton 11 + 44995 Julia Denny 9 + 44996 Flornce. J. Reeve 14 + 44997 Edith T. a'Bois 14 + 44998 Lucy Ashton 16 + 44999 Percy H. Brown 12 + 45000 Alice E. Lloyd 14 + 45001 M. E. Goodman 9 + 45002 Edith F. Ball 10 + 45003 R. G. Durnford 11 + 45004 H. L. Darnton 11 + 45005 Maggie L. Polak 9 + 45006 William P. Ball 6 + 45007 M. W. Smith 4 + 45008 Jenny Ball 9 + 45009 Lydia Taylor 12 + 45010 May Lloyd 8 + 45011 Ada Rayner 11 + 45012 Ellen M. Hunt 17 + 45013 Eleanor C. Muir 14 + 45014 Loetitia Lambert 12 + 45015 Edith A. Cox 12 + 45016 Jessy F. Charles 14 + 45017 Nellie Pybus 14 + 45018 Clara E. Brice 16 + 45019 Jessie E. Davis 13 + 45020 Ada Chappell 15 + 45021 L. H. Shelton 8 + 45022 Emily L. Smith 11 + 45023 Florence M. Pitch 9 + 45024 Bessie Cox 11 + 45025 Florence Mashell 10 + 45026 Annie J. Charles 16 + 45027 JANET M. GREGORY, Paignton 12 + 45028 Florce. E. Waith 12 + 45029 M. F. E. Waith 10 + 45030 Mary Bradford 13 + 45031 Lily Telfer 18 + 45032 Edith Cawley 12 + 45033 Beatrice E. Harris 12 + 45034 Ethel M. Rundle 11 + 45035 Ida M. Madden 9 + 45036 Kate Cawley 9 + 45037 Blanch Telfer 9 + 45038 L. K. Madden 14 + 45039 E. Mulcaster 9 + 45040 Richd. Mulcaster 7 + 45041 B. E. Shorland 12 + 45042 E. I. Shorland 11 + 45043 Violet Gregory 4 + 45044 Edith M. Lory 18 + 45045 E. A. Richards 17 + 45046 Janie Rowe 16 + 45047 E. M. Madden 17 + 45048 Emily M. Corew 14 + 45049 Ada E. Rowe 13 + 45050 Frances C. Telfer 8 + 45051 C. L. Telfer 5 + 45052 James D. Telfer 6 + 45053 Edith Telfer 13 + 45054 C. M. Rogers 12 + 45055 Ethel H. Clark 12 + 45056 E. M. Hughes 7 + 45057 Mary B. Winch 12 + 45058 Winifred Mason 10 + 45059 Clara M. Mason 9 + 45060 Arthur Mason 7 + 45061 Willie P. Martin 8 + 45062 Effie Robertson 15 + 45063 Gussie Cay 13 + 45064 Agnes Clarke 14 + 45065 Daisy Comber 13 + 45066 Laura R. Trioni 15 + 45067 Sophie Ridley 16 + 45068 Alice F. Morrell 14 + 45069 Annie Fowler 12 + 45070 Blanche Fulton 13 + 45071 Lizzie Franklin 15 + 45072 Effie Lecky 14 + 45073 Ethel Norbury 13 + 45074 E. L. H. Wilder 12 + 45075 Katie Haswell 13 + 45076 Chas. F. Bluett 5 + 45077 Alfred Kingston 5 + 45078 E. M. Kingston 7 + ------ + 45079 E. E. Faithfull 11 + 45080 Cathrne. J. Jones 13 + 45081 M. W. Jones 9 + 45082 Robert Jones 11 + 45083 L. L. Baxter 15 + 45084 L. J. Stephens 13 + 45085 Florence B. Shaw 11 + 45086 Edith A. Shaw 15 + 45087 Dora K. Purvis 9 + 45088 Hannah S. Purvis 7 + 45089 Mabel F. Shaw 8 + 45090 Jessie C. Shaw 10 + 45091 Annie V. Shaw 9 + 45092 Alice M. Heins 9 + 45093 F. M. Heins 11 + 45094 Mary A. Howard 9 + 45095 F. S. Howard 7 + 45096 John A. Harrison 11 + 45097 J. M. Mackenzie 8 + 45098 JULIA M. CROWHURST, Gt. + Ormond St., Lond. 14 + 45099 Stanley J. Beeson 7 + 45100 Edgar T. Beeson 9 + 45101 Alice Wills 16 + 45102 Julia C. Horley 11 + 45103 Ellen N. Horley 7 + 45104 L. H. Wingfield 17 + 45105 Edith Wingfield 10 + 45106 Frank Wingfield 12 + 45107 G. M. Wingfield 6 + 45108 Florence Carlton 7 + 45109 Ada I. Sanders 15 + 45110 Etta Gash 17 + 45111 Chas. F. Sanders 11 + 45112 E. E. Gunton 17 + 45113 Sarah Oldham 20 + 45114 Arthur Goode 9 + 45115 W. W. Crowhurst 12 + 45116 Annie Goode 18 + 45117 Maria Goode 19 + 45118 Arabella Brooks 13 + 45119 Elliott E. Brooks 12 + 45120 John B. Goode 15 + 45121 Ethel S. Brooks 10 + 45122 Wm. C. Brooks 15 + 45123 E. S. Sherwood 15 + 45124 Jas. T. Sherwood 13 + 45125 Thos. N. Carlton 9 + 45126 Ada Edwards 12 + 45127 Henry Edwards 15 + 45128 Annie Edwards 13 + 45129 Frank Neck 10 + 45130 Walter Powell 11 + 45131 C. Hotchkiss 18 + 45132 Rosa Folley 17 + 45133 Mary E. Lucas 18 + 45134 Edwd. H. Adams 9 + 45135 M. E. Symonds 19 + 45136 Frank Allen 15 + 45137 B. Allatt 13 + 45138 I. Crowhurst 20 + 45139 H. A. Crowhurst 15 + 45140 E. M. Crowhurst 16 + 45141 Herbert Wills 13 + 45142 Ormond A. Taylor 19 + 45143 Albert J. Turner 15 + 45144 Louisa Turner 17 + 45145 F. E. Taylor 15 + 45146 Fredk. R. Horley 13 + 45147 George Horley 12 + 45148 Edith Wills 9 + 45149 MIA BOWCOTT, Bath 16 + 45150 M. I. C. Whitley 12 + 45151 H. F. Whitley 10 + 45152 H. P. Whitley 13 + 45153 Owen Owen 9 + 45154 Edwd. J. Hughes 10 + 45155 E. Clack 9 + 45156 R. H. Mattingly 13 + 45157 J. F. Healey 14 + 45158 H. R. Hancock 11 + 45159 S. J. Bowcott 12 + 45160 C. S. Chatterton 15 + 45161 F. M. Chatterton 12 + 45162 Kate Chatterton 11 + 45163 Emily A. Estens 19 + 45164 Florce. Hayward 14 + 45165 Flossie Rolfe 13 + 45166 T. E. Archard 10 + 45167 E. E. Archard 12 + 45168 H. Newham 10 + 45169 B. W. Whittaker 19 + 45170 Charles D. Fox 17 + 45171 Maud D. Fox 19 + 45172 Rosa A. Cole 16 + 45173 Frank H. Greves 11 + 45174 F. E. McManus 12 + 45175 Annie Parfitt 12 + 45176 Emma Hillary 17 + 45177 Lucy J. Cobb 19 + 45178 Kate Francis 19 + 45179 K. F. Alabaster 15 + 45180 I. M. Alabaster 13 + 45181 Emily A. Fuller 19 + 45182 Edith Weeks 9 + 45183 Mary Salmon 13 + 45184 Ada E. Fisher 18 + 45185 Bertha E. Fisher 20 + 45186 A. F. Merrick 20 + 45187 Charles Fowler 9 + 45188 C. H. Fowler 13 + 45189 H. Fowler 11 + 45190 John Tucker 13 + 45191 William Dale 11 + 45192 H. J. Sheppy 10 + 45193 G. D. Lewis 17 + 45194 James W. Lewis 9 + 45195 Mary Hillier 15 + 45196 Emily Jennings 10 + 45197 Kate Merrett 14 + 45198 Jane Tadd 14 + 45199 Nellie Hancock 11 + 45200 Ethel Hancock 9 + 45201 Clarissa A. Ball 18 + 45202 Stephen Owen 6 + 45203 Millicent Owen 8 + 45204 Florence Owen 18 + 45205 Lily H. Weeks 11 + 45206 Arthur Broderick 11 + 45207 Herbt. A. Brewer 13 + 45208 Emily Ford 13 + 45209 Frances Gayner 10 + 45210 Emily Marshall 16 + 45211 Edith Marshall 10 + 45212 Elizabeth Bolton 12 + 45213 Alice Druce 18 + 45214 Ada Fisher 10 + 45215 Mary A. Sotcher 9 + 45216 C. N. Pasfield 12 + ------ + 45217 E. Crump 18 + 45218 Maggie Neale 14 + 45219 O. Nicole 17 + 45220 Archie Palmer 13 + 45221 Evan Powell 12 + 45222 Henrietta Leah 15 + 45223 E. E. Hampson 12 + 45224 Nellie Brucker 13 + 45225 LOUISA J. STEVENS. Poplar 13 + 45226 Eliza Bucknell 10 + 45227 Thersa Turner 9 + 45228 William Baker 13 + 45229 Jessie Double 9 + 45230 Jane E. Palmer 10 + 45231 Amy Joyce 7 + 45232 Edith M. Fisher 10 + 45233 Rosina Young 8 + 45234 Minnie Walker 9 + 45235 F. L. Mortlock 8 + 45236 Ferdind. Geiger 10 + 45237 Leah Payne 8 + 45238 Bertha Baker 8 + 45239 W. Underwood 10 + 45240 Arthur T. Gray 8 + 45241 Eleanor Porter 10 + 45242 Mildred Braine 9 + 45243 E. Thompson 16 + 45244 Mary A. Neil 13 + 45245 George Neil 9 + 45246 Emily Dickson 18 + 45247 Emma Neil 15 + 45248 Thos. Jenkyn 11 + 45249 C. J. Cockshott 12 + 45250 Sarah A. Baynes 13 + 45251 Mercy Knopp 12 + 45252 Nellie Brooks 11 + 45253 Lily Winch 11 + 45254 Edith Springford 19 + 45255 Elizabeth Green 15 + 45256 Hugh M. Green 12 + 45257 Geo. Shepherd 13 + 45258 M. J. Cockshott 9 + 45259 Florence Horne 9 + 45260 Alice L. Barrett 16 + 45261 Rosina Barrett 18 + 45262 Edwd. J. Barrett 12 + 45263 William Day 7 + 45264 Henry Day 16 + 45265 Ellen Wright 11 + 45266 Minnie Colton 14 + 45267 Edith Lakin 15 + 45268 T. G. Greghirn 20 + 45269 John Murton 14 + 45270 Melindia Murton 16 + 45271 Annie Stevens 19 + 45272 W. Thomson 9 + 45273 Selim Wright 8 + 45274 Mary A. Wright 6 + 45275 Annie Barrett 19 + ------ + 45276 C. F. Winckworth 7 + 45277 W. Winckworth 10 + 45278 Alfred C. Warren 8 + 45279 G. I. Warren 4 + 45280 A. J. Blagbrough 12 + 45281 Florence Pearson 14 + 45282 Lydia M. Japp 16 + 45283 Samuel H. Hague 14 + 45284 Minnie Rodgers 14 + 45285 F. E. P. Haigh 10 + 45286 Ethel M. Haigh 11 + 45287 F. E. A. Haigh 12 + 45288 C. Ainsworth 8 + 45289 J. E. Ainsworth 7 + 45290 W. A. Ainsworth 6 + 45291 IDA G. NEWTON, Weston-super-Mare 11 + 45292 C. M. Newton 9 + 45293 H. L. Rossiter 14 + 45294 Agnes L. Evans 11 + 45295 Martha M. Mills 17 + 45296 William Tucker 8 + 45297 Tilda Tucker 8 + 45298 William Mitchell 2 + 45299 Rosa Mitchell 5 + 45300 Amelia Day 19 + 45301 Alice Day 14 + 45302 Albert Hawker 11 + 45303 Jessie L. Taylor 20 + 45304 Ethel Kidd 12 + 45305 Lilian E. Kidd 10 + 45306 Caroline E. Long 14 + 45307 Mary A. Gawler 16 + 45308 K. E. Stockman 16 + 45309 Rosa Richardson 16 + 45310 S. A. Hancock 14 + 45311 Annie S. Misson 16 + 45312 Minnie Rowley 11 + 45313 Ada Tollis 13 + 45314 B. C. Foutt 14 + 45315 M. Perrem 12 + 45316 A. Young 13 + 45317 A. Lee 13 + 45318 Amy T. Pillis 11 + 45319 Susan Milsted 14 + 45320 Lizzie Rich 13 + 45321 Lillie Webber 15 + 45322 Margaret Neads 15 + 45323 Emma Goodall 15 + 45324 Ada Watts 15 + 45325 Annie Smaile 13 + 45326 Lillie Jay 13 + 45327 Emily Morgan 12 + 45328 Ada Knight 10 + 45329 Florence Hoobs 12 + 45330 Amelia Mintern 15 + 45331 H. Cridland 15 + 45332 Ada Maggs 15 + 45333 Maggie May 16 + 45334 E. S. Thompson 16 + 45335 Mabel Herbert 10 + 45336 Minnie May 12 + 45337 Julia Furkins 13 + 45338 Ada Trowbridge 13 + 45339 Florence Brewer 16 + 45340 Charlotte Flynn 15 + 45341 Minnie Rudman 15 + 45342 Elizbth. Catterell 16 + 45343 Mary McGown. 12 + 45344 Lottie Burton 14 + 45345 Bertha Pratt 14 + 45346 Selina Broom 14 + 45347 Alice Clapp 18 + 45348 A. J. Maybank 17 + 45349 Muriel L. Moore 10 + 45350 Lionel L. Moore 9 + 45351 Percy L. Moore 11 + 45352 C. Scofield 18 + 45353 A. Woodwell 10 + 45354 Frederick Berry 15 + 45355 FLORCE. PEARSON, Poplar 14 + 45356 Emily Nichols 10 + 45357 Ada Nichols 11 + 45358 Clara Anthony 13 + 45359 Arthur Pearson 10 + 45360 H. R. Pearson 20 + 45361 Amelia Pearson 19 + 45362 M. Ellingford 16 + 45363 Fanny E. Jones 14 + 45364 A. E. C. Kallberg 19 + 45365 Rose A. Kallberg 15 + 45366 Edith Slade 19 + 45367 C. G. Carter 14 + 45368 L. M. Carter 18 + 45369 James E. Carter 16 + 45370 Maud Taylor 7 + 45371 Betsey Carter 20 + 45372 Sarah A. Carter 11 + 45373 Fanny C. Taylor 17 + 45374 Louisa Taylor 14 + 45375 Ada P. Taylor 10 + 45376 Beatrice Taylor 8 + 45377 Jessie Taylor 12 + 45378 Edgar Taylor 20 + 45379 Emma William 15 + 45380 Rosa J. Seward 7 + 45381 Hugh Seward 16 + 45382 Ernest E. Seward 9 + 45383 Kate Buckland 15 + 45384 Arthr. E. Seward 11 + 45385 James Pearson 10 + 45386 Ernest Daglish 10 + 45387 Florence Weller 12 + 45388 Eliza Bayes 20 + 45389 Annie Hind 13 + 45390 Ellen Spence 16 + 45391 Edith Greene 17 + 45392 Chrissie Abdo 16 + 45393 Isabella Cowie 18 + 45394 Rosina Johnson 10 + 45395 Amelia Johnson 14 + 45396 Annie Miller 13 + 45397 Arthur Semmons 8 + 45398 Alice M. Semmons 13 + 45399 Elzbth. A. Pryke 15 + 45400 F. E. Semmons 9 + 45401 A. M. Semmons 12 + 45402 C. E. Ayscough 14 + 45403 Edith Webb 13 + 45404 Clara Petts 19 + 45405 Maria Maggs 17 + 45406 Wm. H. Bagnall 16 + 45407 H. M. Bagnall 13 + 45408 Elsie Gibbons 13 + 45409 F. W. Marsh 13 + 45410 Alice G. Murray 14 + 45411 F. M. Franklyn 13 + 45412 E. F. Clymer 13 + 45413 Annie M. Clymer 14 + 45414 A. E. Franklyn 15 + 45415 E. N. Franklyn 3 + 45416 I. M. Franklyn 8 + 45417 R. L. Thompson 9 + 45418 M. B. Rogers 19 + 45419 S. S. Stonehouse 12 + 45420 Edwd. Domaille 9 + 45421 C. T. T. Domaille 12 + 45422 M. C. C. Domaille 10 + 45423 Herbert Shelton 11 + 45424 Fred Gray 11 + 45425 Charles Windsor 12 + 45426 John Windsor 6 + 45427 Fanny Windsor 9 + 45428 Sissie Stanley 14 + 45429 Janet Windsor 8 + 45430 H. G. Atchley 11 + 45431 Jessie Archibald 9 + 45432 Richd. Archibald 13 + 45433 Wm. Archibald 16 + 45434 William Angove 17 + 45435 Viva Halstead, Rawtenstall 14 + 45436 W. G. Overstall 18 + 45437 E. A. Overstall 16 + 45438 S. A. Overstall 14 + 45439 Fred. C. Overstall 13 + 45440 M. A. Overstall 11 + 45441 E. J. Overstall 9 + 45442 F. P. Overstall 7 + 45443 Ernest Cunliffe 9 + 45444 E. A. Cunliffe 14 + 45445 Geo. H. Cunliffe 16 + 45446 Mary J. Cunliffe 18 + 45447 A. Killingbeck 16 + 45448 A. M. Killingbeck 12 + 45449 H. Killingbeck 10 + 45450 F. E. Killingbeck 7 + 45451 Linda Cunliffe 12 + 45452 Bessie Cunliffe 14 + 45453 Lizzie Cunliffe 16 + 45454 Mary L. Hoyle 7 + 45455 Edith A. Hoyle 11 + 45456 James E. Hoyle 16 + 45457 Elzbth. A. Gould 10 + 45458 Mary Gould 11 + 45459 Joseph H. Gould 13 + 45460 Lizzie Cordingley 7 + 45461 M. A. Cordingley 9 + 45462 J. J. Cordingley 12 + 45463 Sarah E. Collins 14 + 45464 Beatrice Dunkin 14 + 45465 Pollie Birtwistle 14 + 45466 Jane A. Spencer 16 + 45467 Julia Taylor 15 + 45468 S. E. Ashworth 15 + 45469 Justina Roberts 18 + 45470 Lucy Snead 19 + 45471 A. Grundy 16 + 45472 Thos. W. Grundy 18 + 45473 Harriet Grundy 19 + 45474 Frank Brown 9 + 45475 Bertram Brown 12 + 45476 Florence Brown 14 + 45477 M. L. Ashworth 12 + 45478 T. A. Ashworth 16 + 45479 Richd. Ashworth 14 + 45480 Francis J. Barker 10 + 45481 Walter Barker 14 + 45482 Annie Barker 15 + 45483 M. Pennington 17 + 45484 Annie Pennington 19 + 45485 Alice Lord 11 + 45486 Bessie Lord 13 + 45487 Thomas E. Lord 9 + 45488 Alice Lord 16 + 45489 Jennie Cunliffe 17 + 45490 B. Cunliffe 19 + 45491 Polly Melligan 8 + 45492 Clara Melligan 10 + 45493 Polly Broughton 15 + 45494 Geo. Broughton 19 + 45495 Edith Clarke 10 + 45496 Eliza Clark 16 + 45497 Annie Shaw 8 + 45498 Harry Bridge 10 + 45499 Sarah J. Coupe 11 + 45500 I. M. Clements 12 + 45501 Harriett Ingham 12 + 45502 Nellie Benson 13 + 45503 Sarah E. Parker 13 + 45504 Bradley Starkie 13 + 45505 I. H. HUME, Jedburgh 18 + 45506 Isabella Smith 6 + 45507 Edith Cumming 15 + 45508 Maggie Easton 7 + 45509 Ronald Easton 5 + 45510 Eliza Easton 5 + 45511 Frances C. Hume 8 + 45512 Agnes Smith 9 + 45513 Lizzie Wight 8 + 45514 Mary Hush 10 + 45515 Bella Turnbull 9 + 45516 Netta Turnbull 7 + 45517 M. A. Young 13 + 45518 Bella Easton 8 + 45519 James Rorkland 7 + 45520 Janie J. Simpson 14 + 45521 Ella McDougall 12 + 45522 Ina Euston 10 + 45523 Janie Hume 12 + 45524 Afra Caudee e 7 + 45525 Maggie Burn 16 + 45526 Nellie Whillans 13 + 45527 G. Davidson 13 + 45528 Mary Polson 15 + 45529 Jane Cairns 18 + 45530 A. J. E. Hume 12 + 45531 Geo. A. Taylor 13 + 45532 Frederick Potter 11 + 45533 J. A. B. Porter 17 + 45534 Isabella Scott 14 + 45535 Jane Hannah 10 + 45536 Elizabeth Atkin 11 + 45537 Nettie Oliver 9 + 45538 H. S. Dickman 8 + 45539 J. S. Dickman 6 + 45540 Jane Atkins 10 + 45541 James Robertson 17 + 45542 Agnes Miller 8 + 45543 Isabella H. Miller 15 + 45544 Janet C. Miller 13 + 45545 Mary Davidson 15 + 45546 I. H. Davidson 11 + 45547 Johanna M. Clay 14 + 45548 A. B. Jamieson 10 + 45549 Jane Murray 12 + 45550 Janet Halliburton 12 + 45551 C. W. Dickman 11 + 45552 May Bruce 18 + 45553 Bessie Oliver 7 + 45554 Arthur Wright 6 + ------ + 45355 Agnes Porter 7 + 45556 Caroline Lucas 12 + 45557 Alpha Hansen 11 + 45558 Clarissa Cooper 17 + 45559 Marian Howard 11 + 45560 Ethel Oliver 10 + 45561 Hilda Howard 10 + 45562 Jessie Kidd 8 + 45563 Edith Howard 13 + 45564 Marie Arthur 16 + 45565 Jenie Cooper 14 + 45566 Mabe Sloggett 12 + 45567 Hilda Taylor 10 + 45568 Julia S. Ramsden 12 + 45569 Mary Schomberg 12 + 45570 Norman Pringle 12 + 45571 Helen Hurley 12 + 45572 EDITH HILLINGWORTH, Alfreton 16 + 45573 Martha Allcock 16 + 45574 Agnes Unwin 21 + 45575 Clara Winchester 12 + 45576 M. Tomkinson 17 + 45577 Bertie Vine 12 + 45578 Lilian Vine 19 + 45579 A. Tomkinson 18 + 45580 Gertrude Dean 12 + 45581 Pattie Knowles 11 + 45582 Fanny Evans 9 + 45583 Ada M. Wright 9 + 45584 F. E. Drabble 16 + 45585 Charlotte Wright 14 + 45586 Sarah J. Wright 11 + 45587 Lilly Holland 9 + 45588 Laura Mason 19 + 45589 Ada Goodwin 11 + 45590 Lizzie Evans 11 + 45591 Florence Slack 9 + 45592 Mary J. Askew 9 + 45593 Ada M. Deeley 15 + 45594 Annie Holland 15 + 45595 Lizzie Holmes 12 + 45596 Elizabeth Barker 18 + 45597 L. J. Robertson 6 + 45598 J. M. Robertson 10 + 45599 Alexander Miller 10 + 45600 Mary Miller 11 + 45601 Helen Miller 9 + 45602 Elzbth. Shardlow 10 + 45603 H. E. Cunliffe 8 + 45604 Mary Johnston 11 + 45605 Hugh Smith 13 + 45606 May Smith 7 + 45607 Maggie Smith 9 + 45608 Agnes Smith 19 + 45609 A. Lancaster 13 + 45610 Annie Brierley 13 + 45611 Annie Woolley 14 + 45612 H. Shardlow 12 + 45613 Clara Clarkson 14 + 45614 Jellie Garlick 14 + 45615 W. A. Shardlow 7 + 45616 J. H. Shardlow 8 + 45617 Edward Shardlow 10 + 45618 A. Hollingsworth 12 + 45619 Wm. H. Hunsley 15 + 45620 Arthur Shardlow 5 + 45621 M. E. Shardlow 8 + 45622 Mary Bacon 16 + 45623 E. Stevenson 20 + 45624 William Allcock 14 + 45625 Annie Allcock 18 + 45626 Willie. E. Smith 6 + 45627 John A. J. Smith 10 + 45628 Harry G. Smith 8 + 45629 Emily A. Smith 12 + 45630 Ralph R. Allen 12 + 45631 Charles Smith 11 + 45632 Marian E. Phipps 10 + 45633 F. M. D. Lindsey 14 + 45634 A. R. Roberts 11 + 45635 Howard Evans 13 + 45636 R. F. Woodward 13 + 45637 A. M. Aldington 13 + 45638 Edith Neale 10 + 45639 R. C. Trousdale 7 + 45640 C. W. Trousdale 8 + 45641 E. M. Trousdale 10 + 45642 Angela Mallmann 12 + 45643 Eleanor F. Fox 9 + 45644 Elizabeth M. Fox 10 + 45645 H. M. Grieve 15 + 45646 E. J. Simpson 15 + 45647 C. B. Shaw 11 + 45648 John F. Badeley 9 + 45649 Leslie Neale 9 + 45650 Lilly Pritchard 9 + 45651 Lizzie M. Rudge 20 + 45652 Mary Waite 11 + 45653 Emily Stokes 7 + 45654 Sarah Smith 13 + 45655 Gertie Rudge 9 + 45656 Lilly Washband 9 + 45657 Hetty West 8 + 45658 Emily Waite 12 + 45659 Mary A. Davis 10 + 45660 Alice Stokes 10 + 45661 Martha Jakeman 10 + 45662 Caroline Jakeman 16 + 45663 Eliza Freeman 10 + 45664 Lizzie Pritchard 13 + 45665 Arthur Stokes 12 + 45666 ARCHIBALD S. HOCKING, Junction + Rd., Lond. 14 + 45667 Ada Brooking 18 + 45668 George A. Haines 17 + 45669 Blanch Smith 11 + 45670 Lily Smith 8 + 45671 Fredk. Smith 14 + 45672 Alfred Lamb 14 + 45673 Chas. F. Chappell 16 + 45674 A. J. Chapman 15 + 45675 Frank Evans 9 + 45676 Ellen Nash 18 + 45677 Florence Smith 11 + 45678 Thomas Digby 12 + 45679 Arthur Beadles 14 + 45680 Charles Nichols 14 + 45681 James Teasdale 15 + 45682 Alice Digby 13 + 45683 Edward Withers 16 + 45684 Walter Amor 15 + 45685 A. Woodliffe 11 + 45686 William Druigne 14 + 45687 William Baugham 15 + 45688 J. H. G. Baugham 13 + 45689 Edith Hocking 13 + 45690 Neville Clifton 15 + 45691 Henry Colebrook 11 + 45692 Henry Courtier 10 + 45693 Godfry McCullock 9 + 45694 John Rowley 17 + 45695 S. T. Colebrook 13 + 45696 George Pettit 12 + 45697 T. A. B. Carver 14 + 45698 Emma Langton 13 + 45699 William Lown 14 + 45700 Rose Smith 20 + 45701 Lily Smith 18 + 45702 Flrnce. Newman 15 + 45703 Lucy Ruddle 14 + 45704 T. W. Woodliffe 15 + 45705 Robert Thomas 14 + 45706 Alfred W. Ward 14 + 45707 Ernest Furley 14 + 45708 H. Monnickendam 15 + 45709 C. W. Fowler 14 + 45710 Wm. Colebrooks 9 + 45711 A. W. Dadson 14 + 45712 G. H. Bassett 15 + 45713 Fredk. Nichols 11 + 45714 Lewis B. Brown 14 + 45715 Harold Deakin 16 + 45716 John Fidler 14 + 45717 Cecil R. Littlejohn 14 + 45718 A. E. Speaight 13 + 45719 H. E. Hopkins 13 + 45720 Clara Curling 10 + 45721 Jennie Hewitt 13 + 45722 Annie Crossman, Limehouse, London12 + 45723 Annie Mills 14 + 45724 Florence Harvey 11 + 45725 F. M. Cullum 11 + 45726 Emma Rae 11 + 45727 Eliza Elston 10 + 45728 Christina Hayes 12 + 45729 Martha Markham 9 + 45730 Ada Wickett 9 + 45731 Florence Knight 9 + 45732 Florence Hart 14 + 45733 Florence Cable 9 + 45734 Nell Hepworth 11 + 45735 Alice Baker 11 + 45736 Ellen Felgate 13 + 45737 Kate Cable 13 + 45738 Daisy Hooker 7 + 45739 John Bowller 7 + 45740 Samuel Bowller 11 + 45741 Sarah Terry 12 + 45742 Elizabeth Smith 13 + 45743 Mary Rogers 10 + 45744 Elizbth. E. Gibbs 11 + 45745 Minnie Miller 14 + 45746 Lilian Skelton 11 + 45747 Maud Clegg 7 + 45748 Maud Bristow 9 + 45749 Martha Goodman 18 + 45750 Mary Gapp 7 + 45751 Louisa Pomeroll 8 + 45752 Fredk Fowler 17 + 45753 Emily Gapp 13 + 45754 Janet Dunk 14 + 45755 John Dixon 10 + 45756 Minnie Pomeroll 12 + 45757 Ernest Cutting 12 + 45758 Gertrude Cutting 8 + 45759 Ada Cutting 7 + 45760 Geo. C. Hudson 9 + 45761 Wm. C. Hudson 11 + 45762 Henrietta Davis 9 + 45763 Laura J. Davis 8 + 45764 W. H. Davis 3 + 45765 Ellen L. Davis 6 + 45766 Minnie Witten 10 + 45767 Ellen Fowler 17 + 45768 Leopold Bland 13 + 45769 Caroline Hart 11 + 45770 Wm. T. Bright 17 + 45771 C. E. Ayscough 15 + 45772 Maud Hicks 8 + 45773 Myra Whittle 15 + + +[_Officers and Members are referred to a Special Notice on page 55._] + + + + +TRUE STORIES ABOUT PETS, ANECDOTES, &c. + +AN AFFECTIONATE PARROT. + + +DEAR MR. EDITOR,--The little anecdote I am going to tell you is about a +parrot my aunt once had--named, of course, Polly. She had been taught +many funny and amusing speeches, among which she used to say to a canary +that hung in the same room, "Pretty Poll, shabby canary;" and when the +canary sang she would cry out, "Oh, what a noise! what a noise!" My aunt +having been very ill, had not seen Polly for a long time, not being able +to bear her noisy talking; but one day feeling better, she asked to see +her. She was brought to her room, but seemed very quiet. My aunt, who +could not understand why she was so unusually quiet, called to her, +"Polly, come and kiss me!" The poor bird flew to her mistress, laid her +beak on her lips, and died, it is supposed, of her great joy at again +seeing her mistress, after grieving so long at her absence. + +EMILY F. WOOLF. +(Aged 15.) +_138, Edgware Road, London, W._ + + +TWO FUNNY CATS. + +DEAR MR. EDITOR,--The following little stories are quite true. A friend +of mine told me of a cat of hers which was in the room with its master +(my friend's father), who was asleep sitting on an arm-chair. The cat +wanted to go out of the room, but could not, as the door was shut. So +she went and patted her master on the ear, then walked away to the door +and scratched at it until it was opened for her. She is a very clever +cat, and can learn anything you teach her in a few minutes. I also know +of another cat who never laps her milk, but always puts her paw in the +saucer and then licks the milk off of it again. + +A. E. GREEN. +_Hainault Lodge, near Chigwell._ +(Aged 12.) + + +AN INGENIOUS RAT. + +DEAR MR. EDITOR,--A London carpenter whom I know for a long time +constantly found the oil-bottle attached to his lathe emptied of its +contents. Various plans were devised to find out the thief, but they all +failed. At last the man determined to watch. Through a hole in the door +he peeped for some time. By-and-by he heard a gentle noise; something +was creeping up the framework of the lathe. It was a fine rat. Planting +itself on the edge of the lathe, the ingenious creature popped its tail +inside of the bottle, then drew it out and licked off the oil. This it +continued to do until nearly every drop of oil was taken from the +bottle. + +EDWIN RIPPIN. +_Osbournby, Lincolnshire._ +(Aged 14.) + + +A CANARY PLAYING HIDE-AND-SEEK. + +DEAR MR. EDITOR,--One day a few months ago we had let one of our +canaries out of his cage, and forgetting that he was out we left open +the door of the room where he was. When we remembered the bird we were +much afraid lest he should have flown out of the room. We hunted high +and low, calling his name, "Carmen," to which he often answers with a +chirp. At last I happened to push aside a little low stool, and there, +crouching down so as not to be found (as he dislikes being put into his +cage) was Carmen. He has tried since then to hide; but we know his +tricks, so he is unsuccessful. + +CONSTANCE BARKWORTH. +_3, Ilchester Gardens, Bayswater._ +(Aged 13-1/4.) + + +NOTE.--Each Story, Anecdote, &c., when sent to the Editor, must be +certified by a Parent, Teacher, or other responsible person, as being +both _True and Original_. + + +THE "LITTLE FOLKS" ANNUAL FOR 1885. + +The Editor desires to inform his Readers that the "LITTLE FOLKS" ANNUAL +for 1885 will be published, as usual, on the 25TH OF OCTOBER. Further +particulars will be shortly announced. + + + + +OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN CORNER. + +ANSWER TO "PICTURE STORY WANTING WORDS" (p. 64). + +FIRST PRIZE STORY. + + +"I am afraid one of them must go, Helen." + +"Oh, Maurice, really? Father gave them to us," and Helen Claire raised +her soft, tearful, brown eyes to her brother's face. + +"Yes, dear, 'tis hard to part with either Diamond or Ruby, but then it +is for Dora's sake." + +"I can't give up Ruby, Maurice!" faltered Helen, with quivering lips. + +Maurice made no reply, but glanced across to the chair where two frisky +little spaniels sat watching them with bright eyes. Ruby, hearing his +name, stood up, looking ready for any amount of mischief. + +"Mine shall go, Helen, after all," he added, quickly. "I think Ruby, +perhaps, is more engaging, and fonder of us than Diamond." + +But you will want to know the cause of this giving-up of so beloved a +little playfellow. + +Maurice and Helen Claire lived in a small, shabby house, with their +mother and little sister Dora. Poor children! For nearly a year now they +had been, as far as they knew, fatherless. Captain Claire had never +returned from his last voyage. His ship had been reported as missing; +and the once happy home of the Claires had been left for a small house +in a busy town. Maurice and Helen, healthy, hopeful children, bore up +well enough under their reduced circumstances. But fragile little Dora +had begun slowly to droop. The doctor ordered change of air to some +seaside place. So it was that Maurice had announced that they must sell +one of the dogs--their father's parting gift. + +Maurice having decided between Diamond and Ruby, took up his cap, and +went out, leaving Helen alone. Hardly had he gone, when a little girl, +with long fair curls, and dreamy blue eyes, stole softly in. She sat +down on the sofa with a weary sigh. + +"Dora," began Helen, "you will go to the seaside yet." + +"Oh! shall I?" cried Dora, clasping her thin white hands. + +"Yes, Maurice is going to sell Diamond." + +"Oh!" + +The pretty flush which the pleasant news had brought to her face died +away. + +"Oh, no, Helen! I couldn't let Maurice sell Diamond only for me; that +would be too selfish!" + +"Dora, you _must_ go! and--Maurice doesn't mind so much." + +Dora smiled wistfully. "You don't know how fond he is of Diamond," she +said. + +This conversation was suddenly interrupted by a thundering knock at the +front door; and, a few minutes later, a gentleman was ushered into the +room. + +"Father!" screamed Dora, springing forward. + +And in another moment both children were locked in his arms. + +What a happy evening that was! Captain Claire soon explained how the +ship had been wrecked, and he, after being picked up, was ill for a long +time. Then, since his recovery, he had been seeking his wife and +children, for the old home was deserted. Soon, however, a happy party +returned there again. Dora grew bright and strong, while Diamond and +Ruby were greater pets than ever. + +CATHERINE A. MORIN. +_6, Clarendon Square, Leamington._(Aged 15-3/4.) +Certified by ALICE MORIN (Mother). + + +LIST OF HONOUR. + +_First Prize (One-Guinea Book), with Officer's Medal of the "Little +Folks" Legion of Honour_;--CATHERINE A. MORIN (15-3/4), 6, Clarendon +Square, Leamington. _Second Prize (Seven-Shilling-and-Sixpenny Book), +with Officer's Medal_:--EMILY GITTINS (13-1/2), 14, Philip Road, Peckham +Rye, S.E. _Honourable Mention, with Member's Medal_:--ETHEL M. ANGUS +(14-1/2), North Ashfield, Newcastle-on-Tyne; MILDRED CROMPTON-ROBERTS (13), +16, Belgrave Square, London, S.W.; LOUIE DEBENHAM (15), Presteigne, +Radnorshire; CLIFFORD CRAWFORD (11-3/4), 21, Windsor Street, Edinburgh; +LOUIE W. SMITH (15), 11, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow; JULIA ELDRED (14), +Truro Vean Cottage, Truro; EDITH B. JOWETT (15-3/4), Thackley Road, Idle, +near Bradford; MADELINE DE L'ECUYER (12), Chateau du Rohello par Baden, +Morbihan, France; EMILY W. WALL (15), The Hill House, Warwick; BLANCHE +K. A. COVENTRY (14-3/4), Severn Stoke Rectory, Worcester; C. MAUDE +BATTERSBY (15), Cromlyn, Rathowen, West Meath. + + + + + +ANSWERS TO OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PUZZLES (_page 125_). + + +MESOSTICH.--BRAZIL. + +1. Nu B ia. 2. Ame R ica. 3. Sp A in. 4. Spe Z zia. + +5. Jer I cho. 6. Ire L and. + + +SINGLE ACROSTIC--CLAUDIUS. + +1. C abinet. 2. L abourer. 3. A rc. 4. U nicorn. 5. D eer. + +6. I ron. 7. U rsula. 8. S apphire. + + +TOWNS ENIGMATICALLY EXPRESSED. + +1. New-port. 2. Sunder-land. 3. Scar-borough. 4. +War-wick. 5. Vent-nor. 6. Maiden-head. 7. Ox-ford. +8. Work-sop. 9. Clap-ham. + + +HIDDEN PROVERBS. + +1. "Fine feathers make fine birds." +2. "Many a true word is spoken in jest." +3. "Prevention is better than cure." + + +DOUBLE ACROSTIC AND ARITHMOREM. + +BEECH--MAPLE. + +1. B loo M. 2. E ncyclopaedi A. 3. E ggfli P. 4. C ur L. + +5. H uman E. + + +GEOGRAPHICAL DOUBLE ACROSTIC. + +PERSIA--DARIUS. + +1. P eipu S. 2. E rla U. 3. R acconig I. 4. S uperio R. + +5. I vic A. 6. A biya D. + + +RIDDLE-ME-REE.--"Elephanta." + + +QUOTATION DROP-WORD PUZZLE. + + "The children then began to sigh, + And all their merry chat was o'er, + And yet they felt, they knew not why, + More glad than they had felt before."--Aiken. + + +MISSING-LETTER PUZZLE. + +THE SPANISH ARMADA. + + "Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise, + I tell of the thrice-famous deeds she wrought in ancient days, + When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain + The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain." + + +PICTORIAL NATURAL HISTORY PUZZLE. + +COMMON WOMBAT OF AUSTRALIA. + +1. Monsoon. 2. Combat. 3. Rail. 4. Won. 5. Fault. 6. Aim. + + + + +OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PUZZLES. + +MISSING LETTER PUZZLE. + +When the missing letters have been supplied, the +whole will form a well-known verse from one of +Hood's poems. + + W x t x f x n x c x s x e x r x a x d x o x n x i x h x y x l x d + x h x a x y x n x r x d, + x w x m x n x a x i x u x w x m x n x y x a x s x l x i x g x e x + n x e x l x a x d x h x e x d: + x t x t x h x t x t x h x t x t x h x n x o x e x t x h x n x e x + a x d x i x t; + x n x s x i x l x i x h x v x i x e x f x o x o x o x s x i x c x + s x e x a x g x h x s x n x o x t x e x h x r x. + +LILLIE MAXWELL. +_Glen Albert, Roscrea,_ (Aged 15.) _Co. Tipperary, Ireland._ + + +SINGLE GEOGRAPHICAL ACROSTIC. + +My initials read downwards represent an island in the +East Indies. + +1. A town in Derbyshire. +2. A lake in Ireland. +3. A river in Ireland. +4. An island in the Mediterranean Sea. +5. Scene of a battle-field in Germany. +6. A river of Asia Minor. +7. A town in Shropshire. + +EMILY LEGGE. +(Aged 14.) +_Burleigh House,_ +_Cliftonville, Margate._ + + +[Illustration: GEOGRAPHICAL PICTORIAL ACROSTIC.] + +The initials and finals of the lines formed by the above objects give +the names of two countries. + + +DOUBLE MESOSTICH. + +My central letters read downwards will form the names +of two characters from Shakespeare. + +1. A desire. +2. A musical wind instrument. +3. A flock. +4. A kind of checkered cloth. +5. An old game. +6. Termination. + + +NORA BESLEY. +(Aged 15.) +_Rose Mount, Sydenham Rise._ + + +RIDDLE-ME-REE. + +My first is in light, but not in dark; +My second is in field, but not in park. +My third is in gate, but not in door; +My fourth is in ceiling, but not in floor; +My fifth is in three, but not in two; +My whole is a beast well known to you. + +W. PIGOTT. +(Aged 13-3/4.) +_Eagle House, Barton-on-Humber_ + + +HIDDEN PROVERBS. + +Eechhhiiiiklnoorrsstttw. +2. aaaeeeeeehhhillrrrssttwwwy. +3. abcehhiklmnooooooprssttty. + +RACHEL T. BYNG. +(Aged 14-1/2.) +_St Peter's Parsonage_, +_Cranley Gardens, London, S. W._ + + +BEHEADED WORDS. + + I am part of a cart. + Behead me, I am part of the foot. + Behead me again and I am a fish. + +2. I am something to write upon. + Behead me and I am not in time. + Behead me again and I am part of the verb _to eat_. + +3. I am not fresh. + Behead me and I am a story. + Behead me again and I am a drink. + +MARY H. STEWART. +(Aged 13.) +_Seafield, Blakeney Rd., Beckenham._ + + + + +PRIZE PUZZLE COMPETITION. + +SPECIAL HOME AND FOREIGN COMPETITION. + + +As announced in the two previous numbers, the Editor proposes to give +those of his Readers residing abroad an opportunity of competing for +Prizes on favourable terms with Subscribers in Great Britain. In order +to do this an extension of time for sending in Solutions to the Puzzles +will be necessary; and, as may be seen from the notice below, about Two +Months will be allowed for sending in Solutions to the Puzzles contained +in this Number. Thus Children dwelling on the Continent, in the United +States and Canada, and elsewhere abroad, will be enabled to take part in +these popular Competitions. + +It may be mentioned that Children residing in Great Britain will all be +eligible to compete for Prizes as usual. + + +PRIZES. + +Twenty prizes will be awarded for the best Solutions to the Puzzles +given _in this Number_; Ten to Competitors in the Senior (for girls and +boys between the ages of 14 and 16 _inclusive_), and Ten to Competitors +in the Junior Division (for those _under_ 14 years of age). + +The following will be the value of the Prizes, in books, given in _each_ +Division:-- + +1. A First Prize of One Guinea. +2. A Second Prize of Half a Guinea. +3. A Third Prize of Seven Shillings and Sixpence. +4. Two Prizes of Five Shillings. +5. Five Prizes of Half a Crown. + +There will also be awards of Bronze Medals of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of +Honour to the three next highest of the Competitors following the +Prize-winners in _each_ Division. + +N.B. The Solutions, together with the names and addresses of the Prize +and Medal winners, will be published in the January Number of LITTLE +FOLKS. + + +REGULATIONS. + +Solutions to the Puzzles published in this number must reach the Editor +not later than October 25th (November 1st for Competitors residing +abroad), addressed as under:-- + + _The Editor of "Little Folks," + La Belle Sauvage Yard, + Ludgate Hill, + London, E.C._ + +Answers to Puzzles. +Junior [or Senior] Division. + + Solutions to Puzzles must be accompanied by certificates from a + Parent, Teacher, or other responsible person, stating that they are + _the sole and unaided work_ of the competitor. No assistance must + be given by any other person. + +Competitors can be credited only under their own name. + +The decision of the Editor of LITTLE FOLKS on all matters must be +considered final. + +I.--GEOGRAPHICAL ALPHABETICAL PUZZLES. + +In guessing the following Puzzles the letters given, when arranged in +their correct order, will give the names of the places indicated. Thus, +if the word were Scotland, it would be arranged thus--ACDLNOST--(A +country). + +SENIOR DIVISION. + +_Proem._--ACEFNR (a country). + +_Lights._--1. AEEFLLRW (cape). 2. CEEHORST (town). 3. ACIINOSTT +(island). 4. AEHN (river). 5. AACEHILNOP (island). 6. AADEEMNRRSTU +(province). + +JUNIOR DIVISION. + +_Proem._--AAACDN (a Crown colony) + +_Lights._--1. ABCES (gulf). 2. AABDDEGIMRS (sandbanks). 3. AEEHNNVW +(town). 4. AACEGHLNR (port). 5. ADGILNR (river). 6. AEEEIMNRRST (town). + +SYNONYM MESOSTICH. + +In place of the words given below put others having the same meaning. If +correctly given the centre letters of the lights will give the proem. + +SENIOR DIVISION. + +_Proem._--A division of Cryptogamous plants. + +_Lights._--1. An old kind of weapon. 2. A kind of rich, sweet cake. 3. +Petulantly. 4. Ancient or obsolete. 5. A cloth worker's forked +instrument. 6. Vacuity. + +JUNIOR DIVISION. + +_Proem._--A division, dignity, or distinction. + +_Lights._--1. Strange or whimsical. 2. Inapplicability. 3. Having +differed or dissented. 4. An egg-shaped chemical vessel. 5. A recital of +circumstances. 6. Having flat petals. + +SUMMER COMPETITION (PUZZLE NO. 1). + +SENIOR DIVISION. + +1. Centaury. 2. Polyanthus. 3. Mimulus. 4. Eschscholtzia. 5. +Antirrhinum. 6. Valerian. 7. Achimenes. 8. Clematis. 9. Ageratum. 10. +Berberis. + + CLASS I.--Consisting of those who have gained ten marks:--M. C. + Brodrick, M. Breffit, R. Brooke, A. Bradbury, H. Bagnall, N. + Besley, J. Cooper, L. E. Curme, M. Cooper, F. G. Callcott, C. + Debenham, M. Edwardes, H. G. Fraser, W. Farndale, F. Forrest, A. + Golledge, D. von. Hacht, L. Haydon, M. Heddle, G. Curling-Hope, J. + Jackson, M. Jakeman, A. M. Jackson, A. Lynch, M. Lloyd, L. Leach, + B. Law, C. Morin, E. Maynard, F. MacCarthy, M. More, E. Marsden, M. + Mercer, E. McCaul, E. Morgan, G. Martin, M. C. Nix, K. Nix, C. J. + Nix, N. Pybus, E. Roughton, H. R. Stanton, A. Sifton, L. + Wood-Smith, H. R. Dudley-Smith, M. Browning-Smith, A. Sifton, A. + Slessor, Una Tracy, C. Trudinger, B. Tomlinson, A. C. Wilson, M. + Wilson. + + CLASS II.--Consisting of those who have gained nine marks or + less:--A. Adams, G. Burne, M. Bradbury, M. Buckley, E. A. Browne, + H. Blunt, A. Bartholomew, J. Burnet, J. Bumsted, H. Coombes, W. + Coode, A. Carrington, H. Cholmondeley, B. Coventry, H. Cornford, H. + Collins, G. Dundas, H. Dyson, B. Dunning, R. Eustace, L. Fraser, M. + Fulcher, E. D. Griffith, A. Good, J. Chappell-Hodge, E. Hanlon, G. + Horner, M. Jones-Henry, E. Hinds, M. Hartfield, E. Hobson, B. + Hudson, E. Hayes, E. Chappell-Hodge, F. Ivens, W. Ireland, W. + Johnson, J. Jowett, E. Jowett, V. Jeans, G. Leicester, H. Leah, J. + Little, E. Lithgow, H. Leake, C. Mather, E. May, K. Mills, M. + Meagle, A. Pellier, M. Pretty, E. Parks, K. Pickard, G. Pettman, K. + Robinson, L. Rees, N. Ross, A. Rawes, R. Row, E. Rita, G. Russell, + A. Reading, E. Rudd, M. Spencer, J. Side, M. Addison-Scott, G. + Sayer, M. Stuttle, M. Trollope, M. Welsh, E. Wilkinson, E. + Wedgwood, W. C. Wilson, B. Walton, B. Wright, L. Webb, H. O. + Watson, K. Williams, H. Wilmot, M. Wood, one without name, E. L. + Prenner, A. Treacy, C. M. St. Jean. + + JUNIOR DIVISION. + + 1. Celandine. 2. Jasmine. 3. Agrimony. 4. Dianthus. 5. Campanula. + 6. Dielytra. 7. Begonia. 8. Coreopsis. 9. Anemone. 10. Pimpernel. + 11. Succory. + + CLASS I.--Consisting of those who have gained eleven marks:--L. + Besley, C. Burne, A. Browne, F. Burne, M. Balfour, M. Bagnall, M. + Buckler, L. Bennett, G. Blenkin, G. Barnes, F. Clayton, S. Cuthill, + M. Curme, A. Coombs, Lily Clayton, H. Curme, C. Crawford, M. + Callcott, W. Coventry, G. Debenham, K. Edwards, G. Fulcher, F. + Foulger, A. Farmer, L. Forrest, H. Fox, L. Gill, M. Humphreys, Elma + Hoare, M. A. Howard, E. Jowett, L. Leach, E. Leake, K. Lynch, H. + More, G. O'Morris, A. Marindin, N. Maxwell, M. Morin, E. Metcalf, + D. Maskell, E. Neame, G. Neame, L. Rudd, H. Russell, M. Wood-Smith, + G. Stallybrass, V. N. Sharpe, M. Somerville, M. McCalman Turpie, E. + Thompson, E. Wilmot, L. Weekman, G. Williams, M. Wilson, E. Yeo, M. + E. John, G. T. A. Hodgson. + + CLASS II.--Consisting of those who have gained ten marks or + less:--R. Ainsworth, M. Beattie, E. Brake, E. Barnes, G. Buckle, D. + Blunt, F. Callum, E. Carrington, E. Coombes, V. Coombes, M. Cooper, + P. Davidson, E. Elston, E. Evans, L. Franklin, M. Frisby, A. + Gilbert, F. Gibbons, M. Golledge, L. Hudson, W. Hobson, A. Harding, + K. Hawkins, G. Chappell-Hodge, A. Ireland, G. Jackson, M. Jenkins, + B. Jones, A. King, E. Lucy, W. Lewenz, L. Lockhart, J. Lancum, F. + Lowy, C. Little, A. Leah, M. Lang, H. Mugliston, M. McLaren, F. + Medlycott, E. Nicholson, F. Newman, C Prideaux, J. Pillett, G. + Price, B. Peachey, E. Raven, A. Rudd, E. Spencer, E. Stanton, H. M. + Smith, M. Delisle-Trentham, L. Walpole, M. Wiper, N. Wright, C. + Wise, D. Wright, G. Williams, B. Webb. + + AWARD OF PRIZES (TENTH QUARTER). + + SENIOR DIVISION. + + The _First Prize_ of a Guinea Volume is awarded to FREDERICK G. + CALCOTT (15), Hazeldon, 27, Shepherd's Bush Road, W. + + The _Second, Third_, and _Fourth Prizes_ are divided between J. L. + LEWENZ (16), Pelham Crescent, The Park, Nottingham, and MABEL and + JANET COOPER (twin sisters), (15-3/4), Birdhyrst, Auckland Road, + Upper Norwood, S.E., who are awarded Books to the value of 7s. 6d. + each. + + _Bronze Medals_ of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour are awarded + to:--MABEL BRADBURY (16-1/2), Oak Lodge, Nightingale Lane, S.W.; + MATILDA HEDDLE (15), St. Leonard's, St. Andrews, N.B.; EMMA P. + PRATE (15), The Square, Warwick; M. A. ADDISON-SCOTT (16), Abbey + Park Villas, St. Andrews, N.B.; EMMA MAYNARD (16-1/2), 16, Wood + Lane, Shepherd's Bush, W. + + JUNIOR DIVISION. + + The _First_ and _Second Prizes_ are awarded between FREDK. S. + HOWARD (7-1/2), and MARY A. HOWARD (11), 15, Clarence Square, + Gosport, who are awarded books to the value of 15s. 6d. each. + + The _Third_ and _Fourth Prizes_ are awarded between FREDERICK + COOPER (13) and MABEL COOPER (11), Warwick House, Ticehurst, + Sussex; NELLIE M. MAXWELL (13), Jenner Road, Guildford; MURIEL M. + WOOD-SMITH (12), 11, Woodside Terrace, Glasgow: each of whom + receives a Book value 3s. DOROTHY BLUNT and M. McCALLMAN TURPIE + gained the same number of marks as the above, but having taken a + Prize last Quarter are prevented by the rules from receiving one + this time. + + _Bronze Medals_ of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour are awarded to + FRANCES JEAN CLAYTON, 2, Anchor Gate Terrace, Portsea; AGNES F. + COOMBES (13), Beaminster, Dorsetshire SHARLEY FULLFORD (11-1/2), + High Street, Fareham, Hampshire; LUCIE FORREST (13), Northolme, + Gainsborough; ARTHUR J. KING (13-1/4), 75, Beresford Street, + Cawberwell, S.E. + + + + +QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS + + + [_The Editor requests that all inquiries and replies intended for + insertion in LITTLE FOLKS should have the words "Questions and + Answers" written on the left-hand top corners of the envelopes + containing them. Only those which the Editor considers suitable and + of general interest to his readers will be printed._] + +PRIZE COMPETITIONS, &c. + +HELEN.--[I am always pleased to see any Picture Puzzles sent by my +readers, and am willing to insert them if they are suitable. They +should, however, differ as far as possible from any already published in +LITTLE FOLKS.--ED.] + +A. H., TWO COMPETITORS.--[All the 1884 Special Prize Competitions close +on the 30th of September. Others will be announced in due course. All +the articles of every kind sent in competition will be distributed among +the little inmates of Children's Hospitals.--ED.] + +LITERATURE. + +PUSSY CAT asks where the line + + "Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast" + +is to be found? and who was the author? + +DAPHNE writes in answer to FLURUMPUS FLUMP to say that + + "A boy's will is the wind's will" + +occurs in one of Longfellow's earlier poems, entitled "My Lost Youth." +The first verse is as follows:-- + + "Often I think of the beautiful town + That is seated by the sea; + Often in thought go up and down + The pleasant streets of that dear old town, + And my youth comes back to me. + And a verse of a Lapland song + Is haunting my memory still; + 'A boy's will is the wind's will, + And the thoughts of youth are long long thoughts.'" + +Answers also received from SEA NYMPH, NELL GWYNNE, TATTIE CORAM, +ICEBERG, AN IRISH GIRL, W. R., THE DUKE OF OMNIUM, STELLA, SUNDAY NOSE, +E. M. T., and TAFFY. + +LITTLE BO-PEEP asks if any one can tell her the author of the following +lines, and in what poem they occur:-- + + "There is a reaper, whose name is Death, + And, with his sickle keen. + He reaps the bearded grain at a breath, + And the flowers that grow between." + +WORK. + +GEORGINA DEXTER asks how to make a pair of bedroom slippers. + +FLORENCE WATERS would be glad if any one could tell her how to clean +crewel-work. + +COOKERY. + +VIOLET writes in answer to A MAID OF ATHENS that a very good recipe for +oat-cakes is as follows:--Put two or three handfuls of coarse Scottish +oatmeal into a basin with a pinch of carbonate of soda, mix well +together, add one dessert-spoonful of hot dripping, mixing quickly with +the hand; pour in as much cold water as will allow it to be lifted out +of the basin in a very soft lump. Put this with a handful of meal upon a +pastry-board, scattering meal upon it. Roll it out quickly with a +rolling-pin; when as thick as a half-crown brush off all meal with some +feathers or a pastry brush. Put another board upon the cake, reverse it, +and brush it the other side. Slip it upon a hot girdle, cut it with a +knife across and across so as to form triangular pieces. When they begin +to curl up at the edges turn them on the girdle, keep them there till +dry enough to lift, then remove them to a toaster in front of the fire, +where they should become a light brown. Be careful to keep the girdle +brushed free of loose oatmeal, scraping it occasionally with a knife. +The more rapidly the cakes are made the better. + +GENERAL. + +HERBERT MASTERS would be very glad if any of the readers of LITTLE FOLKS +would tell him the cost of a small carpenter's bench. + +AN AMATEUR MECHANIC inquires which is the best wood for fretwork +purposes; and where fret-saws may be obtained. + +STICKLEBACK wishes to know if it is necessary to have real salt water +for a salt-water aquarium, or whether any sea-salt which is sold would +answer the purpose. + +W. R. writes in reply to M. H. S.'s question, that maidenhair ferns +should never be allowed to want water, which, if the drainage of the pot +is perfect, may be applied every evening during the summer months, and +at mid-day twice a week from late autumn until early spring. Answers +also received from Erin, H. J. M., DOROTHY DRAGGLE-TAIL, "THE WOMAN IN +WHITE," A. E. C., FEDORA, A. H., E. M. C., LITTLE NOSE-IN-AIR, and ALICE +IN WONDERLAND. + +NATURAL HISTORY. + +A GREEN GOOSEBERRY wishes to know what makes canaries desert their eggs, +and how they can be prevented.--[They cannot be "prevented." The most +common cause is insect vermin. If these are found, burn all the old +nests, use Persian powder freely on the birds, and paint the cracks in +the cages with corrosive sublimate, and then varnish over the places.] + +PEARL would be glad to know how to keep dormice, and what their habits +are; she has just had two given to her, and one died the third day and +the other only sleeps.--[They are fed chiefly on dry grain with a few +nuts, and occasionally some blades of grass. They are shy, and sleep +most of the day. During that time they want a quiet place and to be let +alone, but when tame they will come out at night and climb up the +curtains if allowed.] + +A GUINEA-PIG asks what is the best food for guinea-pigs?--[They are fed +like rabbits in the main, but may have a little bread and fresh milk +squeezed rather dry, with a few bits of dry crust, or a few grains of +wheat or barley occasionally. Every day give a little green food, dried +first.] + +Picture Wanting Words. + +SPECIAL HOME AND FOREIGN COMPETITION. + +As already announced, the Editor has arranged, in response to repeated +requests, for a Special "Picture Wanting Words" Competition, in which +Readers of LITTLE FOLKS residing on the Continent and in the United +States, Canada, &c. (or anywhere abroad), may have an opportunity of +competing for Prizes on favourable terms with Subscribers in Great +Britain. In order to do this, a longer time than usual for sending in +answers to the Picture will be necessary; and as will be seen below, +about Two Months will be allowed for this purpose in the present +Competition. (Children living in Great Britain and Ireland will, of +course, all be eligible to compete for Prizes as usual.) + +[Illustration] + +The picture printed on this page forms the subject for the Competition, +and the Prizes to be awarded are as follow:--For the Two best short and +_original_ Descriptions of the Picture Two One-Guinea Books and +Officers' Medals of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour will be given; for +the next best Description a Half-Guinea Book and an Officer's Medal will +be given; and Three Seven-Shilling-and-Sixpenny Books and Officers' +Medals will also be given for the Three best Descriptions _relatively to +the age of the Competitors_--so that no Competitor is too young to try +for the three last-named Prizes. To avoid any possibility of mistake, +and for the guidance of new Competitors, the full Regulations are +given:-- + +1. No Description must exceed 500 words in length, and each must be +written on one side of the paper only. + +2. The Descriptions must be certified as _strictly original_ by a +Minister, Teacher, Parent, or some other responsible person. + +3. All the Competitors must be under the age of Sixteen years. + +4. Descriptions from Competitors residing in Great Britain and Ireland +must reach the Editor on or before the 25th of October next; in the case +of Descriptions sent from any place abroad an extension of time to the +1st of November will be allowed. + +5. In addition to the Six Prizes and Officers' Medals, some of the most +deserving Competitors will be included in a special List of Honour, and +awarded Members' Medals of the LITTLE FOLKS Legion of Honour. The award +of Prizes, in addition to One of the Prize Descriptions, will be printed +in the January Number of LITTLE FOLKS. + +6. Competitors are requested to note that each envelope containing a +Description should have the words "Picture Wanting Words" written on the +left-hand top corner of it. + +N.B.--Competitors are referred to a notice respecting the Silver Medal +printed on page 115 of the last Volume. + + + + + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Page 138: opening quotation mark has been removed--By-and-by | + | some other | + | | + | Page 147: "the aft deck at 8.45 for judgment" has been | + | changed to "the aft deck at 8.45 for judgment." | + | | + | Page 159: "you are the rascal" has been changed to "You are | + | the rascal" | + | | + | Page 164: "as much interest as he post-office." has been | + | changed to "as much interest as the post-office." | + | | + | Page 186: the name Ethel Hancook has been changed to Ethel | + | Hancock | + | | + | Page 187: the name Helen Hurley is unclear in the original | + | version | + | | + | Page 187: the name Samuel Bowller is unclear in the original | + | version | + | | + | Page 187: the name William Bangham has been changed to | + | William Baugham | + | | + | Page 188: closing quotation marks have been added--fonder of | + | us than Diamond." | + | | + | Page 191: closing quotation marks have been removed after: | + | the cakes are made the better. | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Little Folks (Septemeber 1884), by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE FOLKS (SEPTEMEBER 1884) *** + +***** This file should be named 27576.txt or 27576.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/5/7/27576/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Joseph Cooper and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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