[Illustration: HARPER'S

YOUNG PEOPLE

AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY. ]

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VOL. I. --NO. 12. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOURCENTS. 

Tuesday, January 20, 1880. Copyright, 1880, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1. 50per Year, in Advance. 

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[Illustration]

 Poor pussy comes at break of day, And wakes me up to make me play; But I am such a sleepy head, That I'd much rather stay in bed!

OUR OWN STAR. 

"As we have already, " began the Professor, "had a talk about the starsin general, let us this morning give a little attention to our ownparticular star. "

"Is there a star that we can call our own?" asked May, with unusualanimation. "How nice! I wonder if it can be the one I saw from our frontwindow last evening, that looked so bright and beautiful?"

"I am sure it was not, " said the Professor, "if you saw it in theevening. "

"Is it hard to see our star, then?" she said. 

"By no means, " replied the Professor; "rather it is hard not to see it. But you must be careful about looking directly at it, or your eyes willbe badly dazzled, it is so very bright. Our star is no other than thesun. And we are right in calling it a star, because all the stars aresuns, and very likely give light and heat to worlds as large as ourearth, though they are all so far off that we can not see them. Our starseems so much brighter and hotter than the others, only because it is somuch nearer to us than they are, though still it is some ninety-twomillions of miles away. "

"How big is the sun?" asked Joe. 

"You can get the clearest idea of its size by a comparison. The earth is7920 miles in diameter, that is, as measured right through the centre. Now suppose it to be only one inch, or about as large as a plum or ahalf-grown peach; then we would have to regard the sun as three yards indiameter, so that if it were in this room it would reach from the floorto the ceiling. "

"How do they find out the distance of the sun?" asked Joe. 

"Until lately, " replied the Professor, "the same method was pursued asin surveying, that is, by measuring lines and angles. An angle, youknow, is the corner made by two lines coming together, as in the letterV. But that method did not answer very well, as it did not make thedistance certain within several millions of miles. Quite recentlyProfessor Newcomb has found out a way of measuring the sun's distance bythe velocity of its light. He has invented a means of learning exactlyhow fast light moves; and then, by comparing this with the time lighttakes to come from the sun to us, he is able to tell how far off the sunis. Thus, if a man knows how many miles he walks in an hour, and howmany hours it takes him to walk to a certain place, he can very easilyfigure up the number of miles it is away. "

"Why, " said Gus, "that sounds just like what Bob Stebbins said the otherday in school. He has a big silver watch that he is mighty fond ofhauling out of his pocket before everybody. A caterpillar came crawlingthrough the door, and went right toward the teacher's desk at the otherend of the room. 'Now, ' said Bob, 'if that fellow will only keepstraight ahead, I can tell how long the room is. ' So out came the watch, and Bob wrote down the time and how many inches the caterpillartravelled in a minute. But just then Sally Smith came across his trackwith her long dress, and swept him to Jericho. We boys all laughed out;Sally blushed and got angry; and the teacher kept us in after school. "

"Astronomers have the same kind of troubles, " said the Professor. "Theyincur great labor and expense to take some particular observation thatis possible only once in a number of years, and then for only a fewminutes. And after their instruments are all carefully set up, and theircalculations made, the clouds spread over the sky, and hide everythingthey wish to see. People, too, are very apt to laugh at theirdisappointment. 

"There would, however, be no science of astronomy if those who pursuedit were discouraged by common difficulties. To explain the heavenlybodies they sometimes try to make little systems or images of the sunand the planets; but they are never able to show the sizes and distancescorrectly. If they were to begin by making the sun one inch in diameter, then the earth would have to be three yards off, and as small as a grainof dust; some of the planets would have to be across the street, andothers away beyond the opposite houses. So when you look at these littlesolar systems, as they are called, you must remember that the sizes anddistances are all wrong. 

"Still, you can get from them some idea how the sun stands in themiddle, and the earth and other planets go round, and how the earth, while going round the sun, keeps also turning itself around. You haveseen how a top, while spinning, sometimes runs round in a circle. Thatis just the way our earth does. And if you imagine a candle in thecentre of the circle that the top makes, you will see why it issometimes day and sometimes night. When the side of the earth we are onis turned toward the sun, we have day; and when we have spun past thesun, night comes. 

"The sun seems to go past us, and people used to think it really did. But we know now that it is as if we were in a rail-car, and the treesand houses seemed to be rushing along, when we ourselves are the onesthat are moving. The sun and all the stars seem to move through the skyfrom east to west; but it is only our earth that is turning itself theother way, and carrying us with it. "

"What makes summer and winter?" asked Joe. 

"I think that the top will help you to understand that too. You havenoticed that when it spins it does not always stand straight up, butoften leans over to one side. So sometimes the upper part of it would beover toward the candle, and sometimes over away from it. The earth leansover too in this same manner; and that is the reason why we have summerand winter. When by this leaning our part of the earth is toward thesun, we get more heat, and have a warm season; when we are leaning awayfrom the sun, and are more in the shadow, the cold weather comes, andcontinues until we get into a good position to be warmed up again. 

"A kind Providence brings this all around very regularly, and there isno danger of our being kept so long in the cold that we would freeze todeath. Everything works like a clock that is never allowed to run downor get out of order. In spinning, the earth carries us round twelve orfifteen times as fast as the fastest railway train has ever yet beenmade to run; and in making its circle round the sun, it moves as fast asa shot from a gun. "

"Oh! oh!" exclaimed the children; and Joe asked, "Why are we not alldashed to pieces?"

"Because, " said the Professor, "we do not run against anything largeenough to do any harm; and we do not realize how fast we are moving, orthat we are moving at all, because we do not pass near anything that isstanding still. You know that in riding we look at the trees and fencesby the road-side to see how rapidly we are going. The hills in thedistance do not show our speed, but seem to be following us. Unless welook outside we can not know anything about it, excepting, perhaps, wemay guess from the noise and jostling of the vehicle. But as the earthmoves smoothly and without the least noise, we would think it stoodentirely still did not astronomers assure us of its wonderfully rapidmotion. It took them a great while to find it out. When they began tosuspect it there was a great dispute over it. Some said it moved; otherssaid it did not. The two parties were for a time very bitter againsteach other; but now all agree in the belief of its rapid motion. "

"A queer thing to quarrel about, I must say, " remarked Gus. "I wouldn'thave cared a straw whether it moved or not, if I could only have beenallowed to move about on it as I pleased. "

"I hope you are not getting uneasy, Gus, " said Joe. 

"There is evident reason, " observed Jack, "to suspect that hisappreciation of the marvels of science is insufficient to preserve--"

"Oh, bother! Jack, don't give us your college stuff now, after theProfessor has told us so much. We like to hear him, of course. I do, forone, a great deal better than I thought I should. But then a fellowcan't help getting tired. "

BABY'S EYES. 

 When the baby's eyes are blue, Think we of a summer day, Violets, and dancing rills. When the baby's eyes are gray, Doves and dawn are brought to mind. Brown--of gentle fawns we dream, And ripe nuts in shady woods. Black--of midnight skies that gleam With bright stars. But blue or gray, Black or brown, like flower or star, Sweeter eyes can never be To mamma than baby's are. 

[Begun in No. 11 of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, January 13. ]

LADY PRIMROSE. 

BY FLETCHER READE. 

CHAPTER II. 

 "Infinite riches in a little room. "

The words of the wise old woman of Hollowbush were true, then. Here wasa place where gems were more abundant than flowers; and as the childstood on the threshold gazing into the diminutive but wondrouslybeautiful apartment that had opened so suddenly before her, she saw thatshe was indeed in the presence-chamber of a king. 

The walls were of pure white marble, studded with diamonds, and from theceiling, which she could almost touch with her hand, hung slenderchandeliers of the same material. In each of these, instead of lamps, were innumerable sapphires, throwing a soft blue light over all theplace. In every stone a star seemed to be burning steady and clear andwonderfully brilliant. It was the asteria, or star sapphire, which wasalone considered worthy to light even the outer courts of the king overa country so rich in gems as this. 

The child clapped her hands, and would no doubt have shouted withdelight if she had not found herself encircled by tiny men, all lookingexactly alike, and all winking and blinking at her just as thegate-keeper had done. 

Before she could speak, or even clap her hands a second time, they hadentirely surrounded her, joining hands, and wheeling round and round, singing as they went:

 "Workers are we--one, two, three-- And merry men all, as you see, as you see; Deep under the ground, Where jewels are found, We work, and we sing While we dance in a ring. But a mortal has come to the caves below, So, merry men all, bow low, bow low, For our sister she'll be--one, two, three. "

Three times did these strange and merry little people sing their song, and three times did they whirl around the new-comer, thus introducingthemselves and welcoming her to their dominions. 

[Illustration: "I AM THE KING OF THE MINERAL WORKERS. "]

Then one of them, but whether the gate-keeper or another she could nottell, stepped forward, and making a low bow, said. "I am the king of themineral-workers and the workers in stone. These are my people; butbecause you are a mortal, we one and all bow before you. "

At these words all the little people bowed and waved their hands. Thenthe king continued:

"Henceforth you are to be known as the Princess Bébè;" and he mounted amarble footstool that stood close by, standing on tiptoe, and placing onthe head of the new-made princess a tiny coronet of pearls. Dumb withastonishment, the Princess Bébè listened quietly to all that was said toher, and allowed herself to be led away by one of the little men, whohad been appointed her chamberlain. 

It was now getting late, and she was glad enough to be shown to her ownroom, that she might think over the many wonderful things which she hadseen. 

But here were new wonder and new riches. 

Instead of being covered with a carpet, the floor was laid in squares ofjasper, the windows were of pure white crystal instead of glass, and thecurtains were made of a fine net-work of gold, caught back with a doublerow of amethysts. 

The furniture was of gold and silver, exquisitely carved, and the quilt, which lay in stiff folds over the bed, was a marvel of beautiful colorsthat seemed to be now one thing and now another. 

The Princess Bébè held her breath. "It will be like going to sleep on arainbow, " she said to herself, for the opal bed was full of changingcolors, now red, now green, and then purple and soft rose-pink, andthen, perhaps, green again. "There was never anything so beautiful asthis!" exclaimed the princess, throwing herself down; but the nextmoment she was ready to cry with vexation, for there was neither warmthnor softness in the opal bed, and she lay awake all night, alternatelyshivering and crying. 

"I won't stay in this place another moment, " she said, the next morning, when the chamberlain knocked at her door. 

The chamberlain bowed, and held before her a silver cup filled withjewels. "These are a present from the king to the Princess Bébè, " hesaid, holding it up for her inspection. 

There was first of all a diamond necklace, just what she had beenwishing for; then there were ear-rings and bracelets of lapis lazuli ofa beautiful azure color; string after string of pearls; emeralds set inbuckles for her shoes; amethysts; sapphires as blue as the sea; and lastof all a large topaz, which shone with a brilliant yellow light, as ifit had been sunshine which some one had caught and imprisoned for her. 

The Princess Bébè forgot for a moment her hard bed and sleepless night, and ran to the king to thank him for his presents. 

"I am glad to find that you are pleased with your new home, " said theking, graciously. "Did the princess sleep well during the night?"

"Oh, not at all well, " she answered, forgetting her errand. "And I wasvery cold, besides. "

"Cold? cold?" said the king, sharply. "We must see to that. "

Turning to one of his attendants, who held a crystal cup on which wereengraved the arms of the royal family, he took from it a stone of a darkorange color, and said, "This is a jacinth, my dear princess. Whenever you are cold, you haveonly to rub your hands against it, and you will feel a delicious senseof warmth stealing through your limbs. "

The princess rubbed her hands against the smooth stone as the kingsuggested; but she almost immediately threw it away again, crying outwith pain. 

"Oh, I don't like it at all, " she exclaimed. "It pricks and hurts. "

"It is nothing but the electricity, " answered the king. "You will soonget accustomed to it, and I have no doubt will be quite fond of yourelectrical stove. "

"I don't want to get accustomed to it, " answered the princess. "I wantto go home. "

Then the king's face grew dark, and his pale blue eyes winked andblinked until they shone like two blazing lights. 

"No one comes into our country to go away again, " he said at length. "You are the Princess Bébè, adopted daughter of the king of themineral-workers and the workers in stone, and with him you must stay forthe rest of your life. "

In spite of her diamond necklace, the princess was actually crying, although it is almost past belief that any one with a diamond necklacecould cry; but the merry little mineral-workers, seeing the tears in hereyes, crowded around her, and tried their best to comfort her. 

"Come into the garden, " said one; and "Come to the gold chests, " saidanother, "and see the diamonds. "

"Diamonds!" exclaimed the princess, angrily and ungratefully: "I hatethe very sight of them. But I would like to see the garden, " she added, more gently. 

Aleck, the gate-keeper, offered to act as escort, and the princess driedher eyes. He at least was her friend, she thought; and on the way to thegarden, being very hungry, she ventured to ask him when they were tohave breakfast. 

"Breakfast!" he said. "Why, we don't have breakfasts here. "

"Well, then, dinner, " suggested the princess, meekly. 

"Nor dinners either, " replied the little man. "Why should we havedinners?"

"But at least you have suppers, " said the princess, desperately, andfeeling ready to cry again. 

"What are you thinking of?" asked the gate-keeper, with an air ofsurprise. 

Then the princess grew angry. 

"What am I thinking of?" she cried, at the top of her voice. "I amthinking of something to eat--that's what I'm thinking of, and I'malmost starved. "

The little gate-keeper looked up, with a curious smile on his face, andanswered:

"Well, then, my dear princess, if that is what makes you unhappy, praydon't think of it any more. No one ever eats anything here. Indeed, Ican not imagine anything more absurd. "

Then, being at heart a very kind and obliging little person, he cameclose to the princess, and said:

"I am sorry for you--indeed I am, but don't give way to tears. Theywon't turn stones into bread. I beseech you, my dear Princess Bébè, tolook at our fruit trees and flowers. They are considered very beautiful. I have no doubt but the sight of them will help you to bear this strangefeeling which you call hunger. " Then, kissing the princess's hand, headded: "I must leave you now and go to the gate. Amuse yourself in thegarden, my dear princess, till I return. "

It was a wondrously beautiful garden, as any one could see, but somehowthe Princess Bébè did not get much comfort from it. 

"Oh, if those were only real apples!" she sighed, for there were whatseemed to be apple-trees in great abundance. But the apples were ofmalachite--a hard opaque stone of two shades of green--and when shetried to taste the grapes, she found they were only purple amethystsarranged in graceful clusters. The cherries were all of stone, insteadof having a stone in the middle; and the plums were just as bad and justas beautiful--the cherries were deep red rubies, and the plums were madeof chrysoprase. Nothing but hard glittering gems wherever she turned hereyes. 

The poor princess seemed likely to die of starvation in spite of herriches, but she thought she would be almost willing to endure hunger ifshe could only have a rose that would smell like the sweet-brier roseswhich grew in Hollowbush in her own little garden. For what she had atfirst taken to be roses were, after all, nothing but pink coralcunningly carved, the daffodils were of amber, and the forget-me-notswere one and all made of the pale blue turquoise. 

"It is very certain that I must die, " said the princess, sadly, and shecovered her face with her hands, crying bitterly, and praying that ifdeath must come to her, it might come quickly. 

[TO BE CONTINUED. ]

JOE AND BLINKY. 

Blinky was a poor dirty little puppy whom somebody had lost, andsomebody else had stolen, and whose miserable little life was a burdento himself until Joe found him. It happened one warm day in July thatJoe, whose bright eyes were always pretty wide open, saw a group ofyoungsters eagerly clustering about an object which appeared to interestthem very much. This object squirmed, gasped, and occasionally kicked, to the great amusement of the little crowd, who liked excitement of anysort. Joe put his head over the shoulders of the children, and saw awretched little dog in the agonies of a convulsion. Now, instead ofgiving him pleasure, this sight pained him grievously, as did anysuffering, and Joe pushed his way through the crowd, asking whose dog itwas. No one claimed it; and Joe was watched with great interest, andwarned most zealously, as he took the poor little creature by the napeof its neck to the nearest pump. 

"You'd better look out. He's mad. See if he isn't. "

"What yer goin' to do?--kill him? My father's got a pistol; I'll run andget it. "

"No, you needn't, " said Joe. 

There was no pound in the town, and so the dog was worthless, and aftera while the crowd of children found something else to interest them. 

Joe bathed the little dog, and rubbed it, and soothed its violentstruggles, and carried it away to a quiet corner on the steps of a housewhere a great elm-tree made a refreshing shade. Here he sat a long time, watching his little patient, and glad to find it getting quieter andquieter, until it fell fast asleep in his arms. Joe did not move, sopleased was he to relieve the poor little creature, whose thin flanksrevealed a long course of suffering. There were few passers in thestreet, and Joe had no school duties, thanks to its being vacation, sohe was free to do as he chose. After more than an hour the poor littledog opened its eyes, which were so dazzled by the light that Joe at oncenamed him Blinky, and presently a hot red little tongue was lickingJoe's big brown hand. That was enough for Joe; it was as plain a "thankyou" as he wanted, and he carried his stray charge home to share hisdinner. 

From that day Joe was seldom seen without Blinky; and after many gooddinners, and plenty of sleep without terrible dreams of tins tied to histail, Blinky began to grow handsome, and Joe to be very proud of him. Blinky slept under Joe's bed, woke him every morning with a sharp littlebark, as much as saying, "Wake up, lazy fellow, and have a frolic withme, " and then bounced up beside him for a game. And how he frisked whenJoe took him out! The only thing he did not enjoy was his weeklyscrubbing, and the combing with an old coarse toilet comb whichfollowed. But he bore it patiently for Joe's sake. Vacation came to anend, and school began. This was as sore a trial to Blinky as to Joe, forof course he could not be allowed in school, though he left Joe at thedoor with most regretful and downcast looks, which said plainly, "Thisis injustice; you and I should never be parted, " and he was alwayswaiting when school was out. 

Joe hated school; he would much rather have been chestnutting in thewoods, gay with their crimson and yellow leaves, or chasing thesquirrels with Blinky; but he knew he had to study, if ever he was to beof any use in the world, and so he tried to forget the delights ofroaming, or the charms of Blinky's company. But when the first snowcame, how hard it was to stick at the old books! How delicious was thefrosty air, and how pure and fresh the new-fallen snow, waiting to bemade use of as Joe so well knew how!

"Duty first, " said Joe to himself, as with shovel and broom he clearedthe path in the court-yard, and shovelled the kitchen steps clean. Hedid it so well that his father tossed him some pennies--for he wassaving up to buy Blinky a collar--and he turned off with a light heartfor school, with Blinky at his heels. 

The school-mistress had a hard time that day; all the boys were wildwith fun, one only of them not sharing the glee. This one was a littlechap whose parents had sent him up North from Georgia to his relatives, the parents being too poor after the war to maintain their family. Hewas a skinny little fellow, always shivering and snuffling, and his namewas Bob. 

Now Bob wasn't a favorite. The boys liked to tease him, called him"Little Reb, " and he in turn disliked them, and was ever ready to reporttheir mischievous pranks to the teacher. If there was anything pleasantabout the boy, no one knew it, because no one took the trouble to findout. Bob did not relish the snow; he was pinched and blue, and wheneverhe had the chance was huddling up against the stove; besides, he likedto read, and would rather have staid in all day with a book of fairytales than shared the gayest romp they could have suggested. Thisafternoon Joe had made so many mistakes in his arithmetic examples thathe was obliged to stay late, and do them over; but he was sorelyannoyed and tempted at hearing the shouts and cries of joy with whichthe boys saluted each other as they escaped from the school-room, and hespoke very crossly when a little voice at his elbow said, "Please may I go home with you?"

"No, " said Joe. 

"Ah, please!"

Joe turned, and saw that it was Bob. This provoked him still more. "Isaid _no_, 'tell-tale. ' What do I want to be bothered with you?"

Bob turned away, disappointed. Joe kept on at his lesson; it was veryperplexing, and he was out of humor. Besides, the fun outside wasincreasing; he could hear the roars of laughter, the whiz of the flyingsnow-balls, and the gleeful crows of the conquering heroes. He was theonly one in the school-room. Presently there was a hush, a sort ofpremonitory symptom of more mischief brewing outside, which provoked hiscuriosity to the utmost. 

"Five times ten, divided by three, and-- Oh, I can't stand this, " saidJoe, as he gave a push to his slate, and ran to the window. 

The boys had gone off to the farthest corner of the vacant lot on whichthe school-house stood, and by the appearance of things were preparingto have an animated game of foot-ball; but by the gestures and generaldrift of motions Joe saw, to his horror, that poor little Bob wasevidently to be the victim. Already they were rolling him in the snow, and cuffing him about as if he were made of India rubber, and deservedno better treatment. 

Joe's conscience woke up in a minute, for he knew that if he had allowedBob to wait for him as he had wanted to do, the boys would not havedared to touch him, and he felt ashamed of his unkindness and ill humoras he saw the results. 

The child was getting fearfully maltreated, as Joe saw, not merely onaccount of their dislike for him, but because in their gambols the boyswere lost to all sense of the cruelty they were practicing, and theytossed him about regardless of the fact that his bones could be brokenor his sinews snapped. 

Cramming his books in his bag, and snatching up his cap, Joe dashed outof the door. Blinky was ready for him, and did not know what all thishaste meant, but dashed after his master, as in duty bound. 

"I say, fellers, stop that!" he shouted, repeating the "stop that!" asloud as his lungs could make the exertion. The din was so great that itwas some moments before they heard him, but Blinky barked at theirheels, and helped to arrest their attention. 

"Stop! what shall we stop for?" asked one of the bigger and rougherones. 

"You are doing a mean, hateful thing--that's why. "

"Oho! that's because you haven't a share in it, " was the sneering reply. 

"If you'll stop, I'll run the gauntlet for you, " said Joe. There was apause. Perhaps that would be better than foot-ball; besides, Joe nevergot mad, and little Bob was crying hard. "Let Bob go home, fair andsquare, and I'll run, " repeated Joe. 

"All right, " they shouted. "Come on, then. "

[Illustration: "FIRE AWAY!"]

Joe helped to uncover Bob, shook the snow off his clothes, wiped hiseyes with the cuff of his coat, and sent him on his way. Then the boysformed two lines, each with as many snow-balls as he could hurriedlymake, and Joe prepared for the run. Blinky was furious, and as Joeshouted, "Fire away!" and started down the line, he barked himselfhoarse. Hot and heavy came the balls, or rather cold and fast they fellon Joe's back and head and school bag. But he was a good runner, andtore like mad from his pursuers, screaming, as he ran, "Fire away! fireaway!" until he reached a cellar door, where he knew he could takerefuge. Here he halted; but Blinky was in a rage at having his masterthus used. Joe did not mind it in the least, and was as full of fun ashe could be. When he got home he found his mother making apple pies; shehad baked one in a saucer for him. It looked delicious, but as he wasabout to bite it, he said, "Mother, may I just run over to Mrs. Allen'sfor a minute?"

"Oh yes, " was the reply. 

Wrapping up the pie in a napkin, he carried it with him. By the side ofthe stove, with his head aching and bound up in a handkerchief, he foundpoor little Bob. Without a word, he stuffed the nice little pie in Bob'shands, and then rushed out again. 

It is hardly necessary to say that in the future Blinky had a rival, andthat rival was Bob. 

A SAIL ON THE NILE. 

BY SARA KEABLES HUNT. 

Did you ever go sailing on the Nile? Come, then, and imagine yourselves, on a clear warm January day, afloat on the river of which you have sooften heard. What a sensation we should create if we could go sailing upthe Hudson some sunny morning, our broad lateen-sail swelling in thebreeze, and the Egyptian flag flying behind!

Let us take a walk over the boat which for two months will be to us afloating home, and to which we shall become really attached before weleave its deck, and the shores of the Nile. It is a queerly shapedvessel, entirely different from any other which has ever carried youover the waters. The length is about seventy-two feet, and the widthbetween fourteen and fifteen feet at the broadest part; it has a sharpprow, and stands deep in the water forward; it is flat-bottomed, likeall Nile boats, on account of the shallow water in the spring. 

Here, a little way from the bow, is the kitchen--a small square place, where the cook holds undisputed sway, and gratifies your palate withnovel and delicious dishes. This little spot is a very important part ofthe boat, I assure you, for sailing on the Nile gives you a keen relishfor good dinners. 

Somewhat back of here is the mast, rising thirty feet or more, and thelong yard, suspended by ropes, large at the lower part, but taperingtoward the extreme point, where floats the pennant which you havesecured for the occasion. 

This long yard bears the large triangular lateen-sail, its hugedimensions necessary to catch the wind when the river is low and thebanks high. The sides of the boat are protected by a low railing notmore than six inches in height, over which the sailors can easily step, as they will have occasion to do many times during the voyage. Themain-deck is usually occupied by the crew, and from here are stairsleading to the quarter-deck, over the cabin and saloon, where we willtake seats under the awning by-and-by, and watch the scenery on thebanks of the river. 

Let us go down these few steps leading to the saloon. We find ourselvesin a room occupying the breadth of the boat; there are windows on eachside, with long divans, below them, a round table in the centre, chairs, cupboards, and book-cases completing the furniture. Now let us openthese glass doors, walk along this narrow passage, and take a look atthe sleeping-cabins. They measure six feet by four, half of which isfilled by the bed, which gives you girls little room in which to arrangeyour toilet; but you will not care to devote many hours to that whilehere. 

Such is our floating home, and though limited in space, you can be mostcomfortable if you have a contented disposition, and a heart and mind toappreciate the wonders around and above you. 

And now let us ascend to the quarter-deck. It looks very cheerful, withits centre table loaded with books and papers, its bright-colored divanand easy-chairs; so we will be seated while I introduce you to the crew. 

There is the reis, or captain--Hassaneen by name--a grave, quiet littleold man, standing there at the bow of the boat, with a long pole inhand, sounding the water now and then, and reporting the depth. You willalways find him there, reserved, thoughtful, his whole attentionapparently fixed on his employment. 

Do you see that old gray-bearded man with his hand on the rudder? Thatis Abdullah, always there, even when we are at anchor. Then a heap ofblue and a gray burnoose in the same place tell us Abdullah is asleep. We need never fear while that old man is at the helm, for he will guideus safely by sand-banks and bowlders to the destined port. 

Of the remainder of the crew I can not give so good a report. They are acurious assemblage of one-eyed, forefingerless, toothless men, bare-legged, in robes of dark blue, and gay turbans, it being a commoncustom to render themselves thus maimed in order to escape militaryconscription. There is Mohammed, a good-natured fellow, ready to do justas his companions do, whether it be good or bad. There is Said, acunning, deceitful-looking man, but a good sailor. Just to the right isHassan, black as coal, with glittering eyes, a tall form, and tremendousmuscle; he is a faithful fellow, willing to obey to the letter, butwithout any judgment. There are Sulieman and Ali, the laziest ones onboard, strong as any, but the first to cry out, "Halt, " and thesleepiest couple on the Nile. There is Yusuf, always at his prayers, andmore willing to pray than work. There is Achmet, watching his chance torun away. Then comes Mustapha, whose duty it is to clean the decks, scour the knives, and wait on the travellers generally. And last but notleast is little Benessie, called "el wallad" (the boy), who does morework and takes more steps than all the rest of the crew together. Ah, these boys!--they're worth a dozen men sometimes. He makes the fires, waits on the crew, and is at everybody's beck and call, from the howadjito the sailor. He is a dark-eyed, shy little fellow, not particularlyneat in his appearance, and always sucking sugar-cane, which probably isone of the attractions to the flies that gather continually on his faceand eyes. 

So there they are--a lazy set of fellows, take them all together; lazyin general when there is no present labor on hand. I think they workwell, though, when a necessity arises. It is not an Arab's nature tolook ahead; he sees only the present. 

And now our sail is shaken out--we are off, the American flag floatingaloft at the point of our tapering yard, and we seated in oureasy-chairs or reclining on the divan of our decks, watching the sceneryas we glide along. There before us are endless groups of masts andsails. The western shore is like a rich painting, with its palms andPyramids, while opposite, half hidden in shining dark acacias, arepalaces of the pashas, with their silent-looking harems and latticedwindows. Cangias (small row-boats) are fastened to the banks, and themoan and creak of the sakias (water-wheels) tell us we are indeed uponthe enchanted Nile. 

Behind us rise the shining minarets of the city, and the Pyramids followus as we go, photographing their outlines on our memory forever; thesoft green plain slopes gently to the river; and as if stirred to lifeby the witchery of the surroundings, our bird-like boat flings her greatwings to the breeze, and skims the waters, bounding along, as if withconscious joy, between the green plains of the Nile Valley. 

The river is alive with boats, all bound southward, fine diahbeehssweeping along, and looking proudly down on the lesser craft, and hugelumbering country boats laden with grain. 

The landscape is not monotonous, though there is a sameness in itscharacter, for the lines in that crystal air are always changing, andday after day the panorama unrolls, with its fields of waving tobaccoand blossoming cotton, where workers are lazily busy. 

We are passing the ruins of ancient cities as we sail onward, or aredragged along by the crew harnessed together by ropes, which task theycall tracking. They never perform this labor reluctantly, or with anyill temper, but always accompanying their work with a monotonoussing-song in a slightly nasal twang, till the air is filled with theseperpetual sounds of "Allah, haylee sah. Eiya Mohammed. "

We see in this a relic of by-gone days, for the ancient Egyptians arepainted on the tombs accompanying their work with song and clapping ofhands. 

As we are borne on through and into the creamy light of this glowingatmosphere, where the sunshine seems to pour into and blend witheverything, we can hardly wonder that sun worship was an instinct of theearliest races, or that the little child believes that the East liesnear the rising sun. 

On, on we go, past the ruins of ancient cities, never pausing in theupward journey: it is only on the return that you visit the places ofrenown. 

There lies Karnac, with its myriads of gigantic columns. Yonder sitsMemnon, "beloved of the morning, " which was said to give forth a note ofmusic when the rising sun shone upon it. There is Luxor, Dendereh, Thebes. Sometimes amid the warm light your thoughts will go awaythousands of miles, where the frosts shiver upon the windows, the snowslie heavy upon the hills, and warm hearts are praying for the traveller;but the days will creep swiftly by on the Nile, and too soon will comethe hour when, the journey ended, we must leave the river, the palms, the Pyramids, and bid a long adieu to our pleasant floating home. 

THE WHITE BEAR OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 

The polar bear, the _nannook_ of the Esquimaux, has its home in thedesolate and icy wastes which border the northern seas. It has manycharacteristics in common with its brothers which live in warmercountries. It is very sagacious and cunning, sometimes playful, but isnot a very savage beast, and will rarely attack a hunter unless inself-defense, or when driven by hunger to fall upon everything whichcomes in its way. Dr. Kane, the great arctic traveller, says he hashimself shot as many as a dozen bears near at hand, and never but oncereceived a charge in return. The hair of the polar bear is very coarseand thick, and white like the snow-banks among which it lives. Itsfavorite food is the seal, which abounds in the northern regions; itwill also eat walrus, but as that animal is very strong, and possesses apair of formidable tusks, bears are sometimes beaten in their attemptsto capture it. Wonderful stories are told of bears mounting to the topof high cliffs and pushing heavy stones down upon the head of someunwary walrus sleeping or sunning himself at the foot, and then rushingdown to dispatch the stunned and bruised animal, but arctic travellersdisagree upon this point. A very hungry bear will sometimes attack awalrus in the water, for the polar bear is a powerful swimmer; but inhis peculiar element--and he is never far from it--the walrus is thebest fighter, and his tough hide serves as an almost impenetrable armor. 

As seal hunter the polar bear displays much cunning. It will watchpatiently for hours in the vicinity of a seal hole in the ice, and theinstant its prey comes out to bask in the sun, the sly bear crouches, with its fore-paws doubled up under its body, while with its hind-legsit slowly and noiselessly pushes and hitches itself along toward thedesired game. Does the seal raise its head to look around, the bearremains motionless, its color making it hardly distinguishable, untilthe unsuspecting seal takes another nap. When the bear is near enough, with a sudden movement it seizes the innocent and defenseless victim, and makes a fat feast. Unless it is very hungry, it eats little besidesthe blubber, leaving the rest for the foxes. It is said that arcticfoxes often follow in the path of bears, and gain their entire livingfrom the refuse of the bear's feast. 

The nest of the she-bear is a wonderful illustration of instinct, and aproof of the fact that a thick wall of snow is an excellent protectionagainst cold. Toward the month of December the bear selects a spot atthe foot of some cliff, where she burrows in the snow, and, remainingquiet, allows the heavy snow-storms to cover her with drifts. The warmthof her body enlarges the hole so that she can move herself, and herbreath always keeps a small passage open in the roof of her den. Beforeretiring to these winter-quarters she eats voraciously, and becomesenormously fat, so that she is able to exist a long time without food. In this snuggery the bear remains until some time in March, when shebreaks down the walls of her palace, and comes out to renew herwandering life, with some little white baby bears for her companions, which have been born during her long seclusion. 

Many funny and exciting stories are told by arctic travellers ofencounters with bears. During Dr. Kane's expedition a scouting party whowere away from the ship, and sleeping in a tent on the ice, wereawakened by a scratching in the snow outside. On looking out they saw ahuge bear reconnoitring the circuit of the tent. Their fire-arms werestacked on the sledge a short distance off, as had they been kept insidethe tent, the frost from the men's breath would have clogged them andrendered them useless. There was nothing to be done but to keep quiet, and hope his bearship would go away. But the bear was bent on discovery, and his big head soon appeared through the fold of the tent. Volleys oflucifer matches and burning newspapers which were thrown at him did notdisturb him in the least, and he quietly proceeded to make his supperupon the carcass of a seal. One of the men then cut a hole in the rearof the tent, and crawling cautiously out, was able to reach the guns, and soon sent a bullet through the body of the huge beast. 

[Illustration: SLAIN IN DEFENSE OF HER YOUNG. ]

The mother bear's affection for her little ones is so strong that shewill lose her life defending them. Two arctic huntsmen once saw a beartaking a promenade on an ice island with two little cubs. Chase wasgiven at once, but the bear did not perceive the hunters until they werewithin five hundred yards of her. She then stood up on her hind-legslike a dancing bear, gave one good look at her pursuers, and started torun at full speed over the smooth ice, her cubs close at her heels. Shehad the advantage of the hunters, as the feet of the polar bear arethickly covered with long hair--nature's wise provision to keep theanimal from slipping; but the ice soon broke up into a vast expanse ofslush, and here the little cubs stuck fast. The faithful mother seizedfirst one and then the other, but proceeded with so much difficulty thatthe hunters were soon near enough to fire at her. The little ones clungto their mother's dead body, and it was with great difficulty that thehunters succeeded in dragging them to the camp, where they stoutlyresisted all friendly advances, and bit and struggled, and roared asloud as they could. 

Bears often annoy arctic travellers by breaking open the caches, orstore-houses, left along the line of march for return supplies. Dr. Kanerelates that he found one of his caches, which had been built with heavyrocks laid together with extreme care, entirely destroyed, the bearsapparently having had a grand frolic, rolling about the bread barrels, playing foot-ball with the heavy iron cases of pemmican, and evengnawing to shreds the American flag which surmounted the cache. 

Roast bear meat is very palatable and welcome food to travellers in thedreary frozen arctic regions, and at the cry of "Nannook! nannook!" ("Abear! a bear!") from the Esquimaux guides, both men and dogs start ineager pursuit. The bear being white like the snow, it often escapesdetection, and Dr. Kane mentions approaching what he thought was a heapof somewhat dingy snow, when he was startled by a "menagerie roar, "which sent him running toward the ship, throwing back his mittens, oneat a time, to divert the bear's attention. 

Polar bears are sometimes found upon floating ice-cakes a hundred milesfrom land, having been caught during some sudden break up of the vastice-fields of arctic seas, and every year a dozen or more come driftingdown to the northern shores of Iceland, where, ravenous after their longvoyage, they fall furiously upon the herds. Their life on shore, however, is very brief, as the inhabitants rise in arms and speedilydispatch them. 

A NORSK STORY. 

On one of the _fjords_, or bays, which so deeply indent the coast ofNorway lived two lads, sons of well-to-do farmers, who, besides theirfields of rye and wheat, their _marks_, or pasture fields, and their_säters_, or hay-making fields, farther away, had also an interest inthe fisheries for which Norway is so famous. The salmon, the herring, and the cod are all caught in great numbers; so also is the shark, andused for its oil, which passes for cod-liver oil. 

The fathers of Lars and Klaus were, however, peasants. They worked ontheir farms, and above their green pastures rose lofty mountains clad infir-trees, dusky pines, mottled beeches, and silver birches. Klaus andLars explored together the recesses of these mountains; together theyhunted for bears; together they sailed over the blue waters of the_fjord_, in and out of the swift currents, and on and up into thestreams fed by the great ice _fjelds_. They were always together. If anyone wanted Klaus, he asked where Lars had gone; and if one had seenLars, he knew Klaus would soon follow. It was their delight to see whichcould excel the other in the management of their fishing _jagts_, thosesquare-sailed slow craft, and for days they would cruise about thehaunts of the eider-duck--not to kill it, for that is forbidden, thebird being too valuable, but to filch from the sides of its nest thelovely down which the birds pluck from their own breasts. 

They went to school, too, in the winter, and both were confirmed by thevillage pastor as soon as they had been well prepared for that solemnrite, which is of so much social as well as religious importance intheir country. 

In the short hot summer they helped the fishermen split the cod andspread them on the rocks to dry, or they made lemming traps and soughtto see how many of the hated vermin they could capture. 

In short, their life was active, hardy, and full of keen enjoyment; theywere good-natured, and did not quarrel. Both were tall, finely grown asto muscle, but they would have been handsomer had they eaten less saltfish and more beef. 

In a quaint little house at the foot of the mountains, near wheretumbled in snowy foam a beautiful _foss_, lived an old woman and hergrandchild Ilda. They were really tenants of Klaus's father; and intheir wanderings the boys often stopped for a glass of milk or a sliceof _fladbröd_ (oat-cake), which the old woman was glad to give them. Ilda, too, in her red bodice and white chemisette, and her pretty, shyways, was almost as attractive as the birds or beasts they were seeking. Neither the old woman nor Ilda often left their cottage, and so the boyswere the more welcome for the news they carried. 

They were able to give them the latest bit of gossip--how many men wereoff on the herring catch; if any strangers had come through the town intheir _carrioles_ on their way to the noted and beautiful Voring Fossand Skjaeggedal Foss (two water-falls of great renown); or who had theAmerican fever, and were going to emigrate. Or they talked about theducks and geese of which Ilda was so proud, and of the pigeons whichKlaus had given her when they were wild, but which had grown tame andlovable under her gentle care. Then the old woman related in turn many alegend and fable, tales of the saintly King Olaf, or the doings of Odinand Thor. 

Thus the days glided by, and the boys became men, and still they weretogether in their work as they had been in their play. In the rye fieldsand the potato patches they toiled side by side, and in the last nightsof summer--the three August nights which they call iron nights, becauseof the frosts which sometimes come and blight all the wheat crop--theywatched and waited, hoping for the good luck which did not always cometo them; for the soil is a hard one to cultivate, and many are thetrials which farmers have to meet in that bleak land. Soon after theybecame of age they were called upon to share the grief of their friendIlda, whose grandmother died. After this they did not go so often to thecottage. One bright evening, however, as Lars was on his way up themountain, he saw Klaus emerging from the little door beneath the shed ofwhich they had so often sat. As they met, Klaus turned his face away, remarking, however, upon the beauty of the evening. Lars thought hisfriend's manner somewhat strange, and asked him if Ilda was well. Klaussaid she was quite well--was he going to see her?

"Yes, " said Lars. "I have some fresh currants from our garden, the onlyfruit which will grow in it, and I thought perhaps she might care forthem, poor little thing. She is so lonely now!"

Klaus turned off down the road, whistling, while Lars went into thecottage. To his surprise he found Ilda crying, but supposing that thesight of Klaus had revived recollections which were painful, some sadthoughts of her grandmother, he tried to soothe her. She shook her headmournfully at his kind words, and told him that she had just done acruel thing, that Klaus had asked her to be his wife, and she had saidno to him. This came upon Lars very much like a thunder-bolt, for he hadno idea that Klaus had any such wish; and much as he pitied his friend, he was not entirely sorry that Ilda had said no. So he asked her why shehad refused to be Klaus's wife, when, with much embarrassment, she toldhim that she cared more for some one else. 

Lars did not urge her to say any more, but leaving his currants, hefollowed Klaus down the mountain. 

A few days after this, to the surprise of every one, Klaus bade hisfriends good-by, and took passage on the little steamer toChristiansand, from whence he would cross the Skagerrack, and sailingdown the coast of Denmark, past Holland and Belgium, through the EnglishChannel, he would be on the broad Atlantic, which was to bear him to anew home in the far western land. 

Lars was not merely surprised, he was stunned, and thought his friendalmost an enemy to go in that manner without consulting him, withouteven asking his advice or company. They had never before been separated. He could not understand it; and when Klaus bade him good-by he lookedinto his face as if to seek the reason for this strange conduct, butKlaus gave him no chance to ask it. He simply grasped his hand insilence, giving it a close clasp, and then he was off. 

Days, weeks, months, went by, and no one heard from Klaus; at last hismother had a letter from him. He wrote cheerfully; said he likedAmerica, but that he could not make up his mind to go far away to theprairies, where he could never see the blue ocean or the white gulls, orhear the splash of oars. 

Meanwhile Lars was very unhappy. Everything seemed to go wrong withhim--the crops failed, his share in the fisheries was small, and hisfather was hard and close with him. He missed his friend sadly; he caredno longer to do the daring things they had attempted together. He hadnever been to see Ilda since the day she had told him that she did notlove his friend Klaus. As the spring advanced into summer, he met herone day in the pine woods near her cottage, and she looked so pleased tosee him that he was tempted to tell her of all his troubles, especiallyof how disappointed and hurt he was by the departure of Klaus; and thisreminded him of what she had told him about caring for some one else;but when he asked her who it was, to, his great happiness she told himthat he, Lars, was the one, and that was the reason why Klaus had goneaway. Then, for the first time, he saw how generously his friend hadacted; he had gone away that he might not interfere with his friend, forKlaus had found out that Ilda loved Lars. So in due time they weremarried in the simple fashion of the Norwegian people. But the cropswere not more nourishing; and work as hard as he would, Lars could notdo as well for himself as he would have liked. So he took all his moneyand bought a bigger jagt, and carried klip (or split) fish to the south, from whence they would be sent to Spain. 

This separated him from Ilda and the little yellow-haired Hanne, hischild; and his voyages were not very prosperous, so at last theydetermined to do as did the Norsemen and Vikings of old, set sail forthe land of the setting sun. 

It was hard to give up Norway, but Ilda was willing to do that which wasfor the best, and quietly filled the big boxes and chests with the linenshe had spun herself, and made stout flannel clothes for little Hanne, and said "good-by" to every one she knew, and then they got off as fastas the slow jagt would carry them: off, out of the beautiful fjord withits green banks and snowy-topped mountains, away from the rocks andfjelds so dear to them, on to the broad, the mighty ocean. 

They sailed and sailed for many a day, and Ilda knit while the littlelassie, Hanne, played at her feet, and Lars smoked his pipe, and talkedof the glorious land of liberty and fertile fields which they wereapproaching. 

They had pleasant weather for a long while, and it did seem as if thekind words, the _lycksame resa_, or lucky journey, which their friendshad wished them, was really to be experienced. Little Hannchen was amerry, bright little companion, and made all the rough sailors love her. Her evening meal was milk and fladbröd, and she always threw some overthe ship's side for the "poor hungry fishes, " while she prattled inNorsk to the sailors, who were mostly Swedes and Finns. But whether theyunderstood her or not, they liked to watch her blue eyes sparkle, andher yellow hair fly out like freshly spun flax, as she merrily dancedabout the slow old jagt; and they called her "Heldig Hanne, " or "happyHanne. " But they were now approaching land, and fogs set in which weremore to be dreaded than high winds, and the helmsman looked anxious, andLars could not sleep. The atmosphere seemed to get thicker and thicker, and where they could for a while see the faint yellow twinkle of thestars all was now an opaque film. 

One night as Ilda was singing a little song to Hanne a great crash came, a terrible thump, and then a queer grating sound. All had been still ondeck, but now came hoarse shouts and cries, and Lars rushed down to thecabin, saying, "We are on the rocks! we are lost, Ilda!"

Ilda clasped little Hanne still closer as she said, tremulously, "Is ittrue, Lars? is there no way of escape? are we so near land?"

"Yes; come up on deck. The ship is already settling. We must try to getyou and the child off in one of the boats. "

"Not without you, Lars; we will not move an inch without you. "

"See, " he replied, as he helped her up the steps, "the gulls are flyingover our heads: land must be near. "

It was horribly true that the vessel was thumping and bumping on therocks; the surf was roaring, and it seemed impossible for a boat to belaunched. The sailors were making ready to cast themselves into the sea. Some were cursing, others praying, and others tying and lashingthemselves to spars which they had taken from their fastenings. Two ofthem came up to Lars. 

"Sir, for the sake of the child there, we will swim, if we can, to theshore, and get help. "

"It would be useless, " said Lars. 

"Oh no, " said Ilda; "let them try. They are brave. Perhaps they willsucceed. "

They nodded, and went off, Lars looking after them hopelessly as hemuttered: "I might have known this; it is just my luck. Oh, Ilda! Ilda!why did I bring you with me?--and poor little Hanne!"

The child clung to her mother, her blue eyes dilated with fear, and herlittle hands about her mother's neck. 

"Hush, Lars, " said Ilda; "where thou art, there I would be, and so wouldHannchen. God is yet able to save us. "

The moments seemed like days; presently the vessel gave a great lurch toone side, and Lars had just time to tie Ilda to him as the waves brokeover the jagt. 

[Illustration: "SAVED AT LAST!"]

"Farväl!" was all he said to her, as they were plunged into the water;but as he saw the waves closing about them, he heard a cry from thesailors--a cry of joy, of welcome--and he felt a strong hand reached outto him, and a coil of rope flung about them. He had his arm under thefainting Ilda, but surely he had seen the face of the brave fellow whotook Hanne in his arms from Ilda's clasp. He could not think; he onlyknew that they were saved at last--that a dozen strong men, some onland, some in the water, were dragging them to shore. 

 * * * * *

Ah! what rest and peace and thankfulness after a night like that! andwith what strange and solemn emotions did Lars and Ilda look about themwhen they discovered that the house they were in belonged to the one whohad carried their little Hanne in his arms from the ocean, and was noneother than their old friend Klaus. Klaus the fisherman, Klaus thesailor, as he was known on that shore. The same Klaus, merry and brave, with a house of his own and a wife of his own, ready to share all hepossessed with Lars, if Lars would only stay and settle near him. Thejagt had gone down with all Lars's worldly goods; but Ilda was safe andHanne was safe, and with so good a friend as Klaus, surely Lars couldbegin the world anew. And so he staid; and the tide turned, and fairweather prevailed. 

CADDY'S CLOCK PARTY. 

The great hall clock was not asked to the party, but it was there, allthe same. It was Milly Holland's birthday party. Milly was just fourteenyears old, and most of the boys and girls near her own age whom she knewhad been invited, and among them little Caddy Podkins, too little andyoung to care for at all, Milly thought; but kind Mrs. Holland had askedCaddy, because she was the only child of her nearest neighbor, and usedto sit for hours in the bay-window across the way as if she did not haveanything to amuse her. 

The Hollands lived in a large, handsome house, and to-day it waspleasanter than usual, there were so many flowers about the rooms, andpretty moss baskets, and vines twisted around the chandeliers. 

At half past five, the hour set for the party to begin, Milly's guestsbegan to come; and Milly herself, in a soft white merino dress, camedown the wide stairs to the polished oaken landing, and received them asthey came up the lower steps from the big hall doors. There were nearlyfifty boys and girls--more girls than boys--and as the party would beover at ten o'clock, they wisely lost no time, and came almost all atonce. It made a pretty sight as they shook back their wrappings fromtheir gay dresses, and crowded around Milly. It was as if a good-naturedgiant had spilled a huge basket of red and white rose-buds over theoaken landing and stairs, up which the children followed Milly to thedressing-room and the parlors, where the fires glowed in the cheerfulgrates, and the lamps in beautiful tinted globes made a brightness thatseemed to the children more wonderful than day. 

Now it is not so much about Milly's party as about one little girl whowas in it that I am going to tell you; because parties are verycommonplace things, and little girls, at least some little girls, arenot. 

When the party had been going on for a long time, and the children werebeing taken in to supper--and a very nice supper, too, with plenty ofmilk, white bread, and sparkling jellies--one of the largest girlsstopped with Milly Holland for a moment where the staircase turned andlooked down upon the oaken landing. There stood the tall, old-fashionedclock, looking very old and rather proud in its rich dark case, andagainst it leaned a very little girl, not more than eight years old, with a good deal of brown hair, and big gray eyes. Her folded hands andher little cheek were pressed against the edge of the clock case. Thehall lamp from the bracket overhead shone on her hair and her crumpleddress, and left her face in the shadow. 

"Who's that?" asked the other girl of Milly. 

"What! don't you know Caddy Podkins?" said Milly. "The idea of motherasking such a baby as _that_ to _my_ party!"

Then the two girls went to supper. The supper-room was farther from thelanding than the parlors, and when the door had closed, the hall becamequite still. All at once Caddy thought the clock ticked louder than shehad ever heard a clock tick in all her life before. And she was quiteright, for the clock was trying to speak to Caddy, and except just tostate, without a single needless-word, the hour, this clock had nevertried to speak before. But the clock liked Caddy very much. It had seenthat Caddy was very bashful, and that the other children took hardly anynotice of her, or any care for her pleasure, and it liked the feeling ofCaddy's little cheek and warm hands upon its side. 

Now Caddy had a little invisible key. It was finer than refined gold, and stronger than adamant (which is the very hardest kind of stonethere is, you know), and there was not a lock--no, not even the lockof the tongue of a clock--which could help opening to Caddy's littlekey. Caddy herself knew nothing about this key, not even its longname--_Im-ag-i-na-tion_. But the key did not need to have Caddyknow; it staid in a little pearl of a room full of the brightestthoughts of Caddy's mind, and whenever these thoughts began to stirabout and say, "I wonder, " away the little key would fly, and open somenew delightful secret to Caddy. There are thousands and thousands ofchildren who have keys of this sort; but, oh! there's such a differencein the keys and in the secrets that they find! Caddy's key was one ofthe very best, and even while she was noticing that the clock ticked soloud, her little key had turned itself in the very centre of the wheels, and the clock whispered, close in her ear, "Caddy, little Caddy, shallI--tick-a-tock--talk to you?"

Caddy was not at all surprised or bashful with the clock, but asked, quickly, "Were you ever at a party?"

"Hundreds of them, " said the clock. "Tiresome things, parties are. "

"Guess you don't get any supper, perhaps, " said Caddy, with a queerlittle smile. 

"Guess _you_ are hungry, perhaps, " laughed the clock, with a dozenlittle sharp ticks all together. "Now, you dear little Caddy, I'm aclock of a very good family. As far back as I can remember--and that's avery long time--there has never been a clock in my family which did notkeep perfect time, and tell the truth exactly to a second every time itspoke, and I know how a little girl who is invited to a party ought tobe treated, so I invite you now, Caddy Podkins, to _my_ party. "

"What! a really, truly clock party?" exclaimed Caddy, and in the samemoment the big clock had swung its long pendulum wire around her waist, and lifted Caddy as if she were a feather, whirled her so fast thatCaddy saw nothing at all, and then set her down very gently in a roomwhose floor was shaped like the flat side of a wheel, and the edges ofthe floor were notched just like the edges of the wheels in a clock. Thewalls of the room were like brass that has been rubbed very bright, andwere covered with net-work of fine curling wire. In the middle of theroom was a long table, set with wheel-shaped plates, which were heapedwith large sweet raisins and nut meats, fresh flaky biscuits, and therewere the most delicious fruits, so ripe you could see through to theseeds and stones in their cores. Over the table hung a chandelier, shaped like a pendulum, which gave a soft yellow light. The big clockstood at the head of the table, tapping her forehead with her longminute-finger. She smiled at Caddy's wonder, and ticked out, merrily, "Well, Caddy, Caddy, Caddy, Tick-a-tock-tick-tock! How's this for a clock? Ha! ha! It's not so bad--eh?"

[Illustration: CADDY LEANED AGAINST HER TALL FRIEND. ]

Caddy leaned against her tall friend, and asked, very comfortably, "Areyour little clocks coming?"

At this question the old clock ticked slowly off on her minute-finger, "Inty-minty-cuty-corn, Ap-ple seeds and ap-ple thorn, Wire bri-er, lim-ber lock, Three wheels in a clock!"

At that last word suddenly the curling wires all over the walls gave outa curious tinkling, and letting themselves swiftly down in long slenderspirals, like the dandelion curls you make in the spring, each set atiny little clock on the floor. Then all the wires snapped back to theirplaces on the wall. There were as many as fifty of these little clocks, beautifully made, and no two of them alike, though they all had littlebrass hands reaching out of the sides of their cases, and they all hadlittle brass feet, on which they hopped about nimbly, and they allticked together in the funniest way. 

 "Tick-a-tock-tarty, It's Caddy's party, "

said the old clock, and the little clocks instantly made a circle aroundCaddy, and each bent one knee and slid back one little brass foot in themost polite courtesy to Caddy. One of the oldest of the little clocksthen hopped off to a tiny wire harp that stood in a corner, and began toplay a sweet lively waltz with her queer brass fingers. The rest of theclocks came one after another and led Caddy out and waltzed with her. Caddy had never danced so much in all her life, and had never liked ithalf so well. 

 "Tick-a-tock, stop feet, Little Caddy must eat, "

said the old clock. And, oh! what a supper that was to hungry, happylittle Caddy! and how happy the little clocks were to have such a goodlittle girl as Caddy with them! They gave her the best of everythingupon the table, and waited to see that she had all she wished beforethey even thought of eating for themselves. They told her all sorts ofdroll stories, and one little clock astonished Caddy very much byopening her little silver tunic and showing Caddy--who had not quitebelieved it before--that the little wheels actually did eat up the juicyfruits. "I wonder if _I_ am full of little wheels, " said Caddy. ThenCaddy's little key sighed, for it was just the least bit tired, andCaddy's "I wonder" meant work for the key. But the old clock suddenlyexclaimed, "Tick-a-tock, 'most ten, Little Caddy, come again. "

"Caddy! Caddy Podkins!" said Mrs. Holland, in great surprise. Thechildren were putting on their things in the dressing-room up stairs, and Mrs. Holland had just noticed that Caddy was not with them, andcoming hastily down stairs, saw Caddy, just as we did, leaning againstthe tall old clock. "My poor little dear, why, how cold you are! Haveyou been asleep? Milly ought to have taken care of you. I'm afraid youhave not had a good time. "

"I've had a clock party, " said Caddy, rubbing her eyes, while Mrs. Holland tied on her hood, "and I'm to come again. "

[Illustration]

FAIR PLAY. 

 Dear little May sat grieving alone, With a pout on her lip and a tear in her eye, Till kind old grandmamma chanced to pass, And soon discovered the reason why. "The children are planning a fair, " sobbed she, "And 'cause I'm so little, they won't--have--me!"

 So grandmamma thought of a beautiful plan, And whispered a secret in little May's ear-- Something which brought out the dimples and smiles, And scattered with sunshine the pitiful tear. Then off to grandmamma's room they went, On something important very intent. 

 Well, the fair came off on a certain day, And what do you think was the first thing sold? A beautiful pair of worsted reins, All knit in scarlet and green and gold. The "big girls" wondered how came they there-- "The prettiest thing in the children's fair!"

 Then out stepped May, with her cheeks so red: "You said there was nothing that _I_ could do, 'Cause I was little; but _I_ made those, And now, I guess, I'm as big as you!" So little May at the fair that day Was the reigning queen, it is fair to say. 

 * * * * *

=The White Pebble Pit. =--It has frequently happened that miners havediscovered curious traces of former workings, hundreds of years ago, andtools have been found which belonged to the ancient miners, and manyother relics. 

A singular discovery was made, a few years since, by some workmenengaged in the Spanish silver mine known as the White Pebble Pit. Whilstdigging their subterranean passages they suddenly found a series ofapartments, in which were a quantity of mining tools, left there from avery remote period, but still in such good preservation that there werehatchets, and sieves for sifting the ore, a smelting furnace, and twoanvils, which proved that the earliest miners had great experience intheir operations. 

In one of the caverns there was a round building, with niches, in whichwere three statues, one sitting down, and half the size of life; theother two were in a standing position, and about three feet in height. This building is supposed to have been the temple of the god who wasbelieved, in pagan times, to preside over mines. Several objects of art, and some remarkable instruments, were also found, which have ledscientific persons to think that the workings might have been made bythe Phoenicians, the people who, as is well known, were, in the timeof Solomon, famous for their manufacturing and commercial genius. 

In 1854 a discovery was also made by some miners excavating on the otherside of the mountain on which the White Pebble Pit is situated; this wasa fine figure of the heathen god Hercules, which was found in an oldworking. 

In digging for copper on the shores of Lake Superior, in this country, the miners have made many similar discoveries, showing that the mineswere worked ages ago. 

[Illustration]

GRASS-FISH (NEMICHLHYS). 

The curious fishes with the tremendous name, the last part of whichmeans snipe-billed, are very long and defenseless, and are invariablyfound among the leaves of a long sea-grass, which very nearly resemblesthem in form and color. Their head is quite long, and they always seemto stand on it, and when a hungry fish comes along, he would have tolook long and well to tell which was the grass and which the fish. Thesegrass-fish well earn their right to be called "mimics. " These strangefeatures in such low animals teach an interesting lesson: they show morestrongly the wise governing of the great Maker, and correct themistake, often thoughtlessly made, that the lower animals have nofeelings, thoughts, or pleasures. If they do not show them as we do, itis none the less true that they possess them, but in different degrees. 

 * * * * *

=Little Jack Horner. =--The origin of the nursery rhyme has been said tobe as follows: When monasteries and their property were seized, orderswere given that the title-deeds of the abbey estates of Mells, whichwere very valuable, should be given up to the commissioners. The modechosen of sending them was in the form of a pasty to be sent as apresent from the abbot to one of the commissioners in London. JackHorner, a poor lad, was chosen as the messenger. Tired, he rested in ascomfortable a corner as he could on his way. Hungry, he determined totaste the pasty he was carrying. Inserting his thumb into the pie, hefound nothing but parchment deeds. One of these he pulled out andpocketed, as likely to be valuable. The Abbot Whiting of Mells wasexecuted for having withheld the missing parchment. In the Horner familywas discovered years afterward the plum that Jack had picked out, one ofthe chief title-deeds of Mells abbey and lands. 

[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX. ]

Our heartiest thanks are due to our youthful readers who have sent uspretty and gracefully written New-Year's wishes from all parts of theUnited States. We would like to print every one of these welcomeletters, but they are so numerous it would be impossible. Our youngfriends, however, may be sure that whether we print them or simplyacknowledge them, they are alike pleasing and gratifying to us. 

 * * * * *

Robie Lozier (eleven years) writes that he punches a hole in his _YoungPeople_, and ties the numbers together with a ribbon, adding the newnumbers as fast as they come. This is an excellent suggestion, as itpreserves the numbers from getting scattered and lost. 

 * * * * *

 SOUTH EVANSTON, ILLINOIS. 

 I have a little canary-bird. He is quite young, but is a beautiful singer, and almost always when he sings he says, "Pretty, pretty, " so plain you could not mistake it. He is also very tame, and when I let him out of his cage he comes and stands on my shoulder, and hops around me. If I put my finger in his cage, he gets very cross, and waves his wings and pecks at me, and makes a queer noise as if he were scolding. 

 EFFIE T. (twelve years). 

 * * * * *

 I am a little girl nine years old, and I live in Southbridge, Massachusetts. I see that one little girl has written about her pet pigeon. I have a pet squirrel. He is so tame he will run all over me. Last summer we let him run out in the front yard, and papa put him in a tree, but he would not climb it. Papa has subscribed for _Young People_ for me. I like it very much, and look forward with pleasure to the time for it to come. Thank you for making it larger; it is just nice. 

 JOSIE S. E. 

 * * * * *

 FORT WAYNE, INDIANA. 

 I received _Young People_ for Christmas, and like the stories very much. I like "Photogen and Nycteris" so much that I can hardly wait till the next number comes. The engravings are very nice. I think that there was never a paper so interesting. I thank you for the "Wiggles" and other games. Happy New-Year. 

 WALTER C. 

 * * * * *

 ROCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA. 

 I am ten years old. I like _Young People_ the best of any paper I ever saw. It is the first paper my papa has ever taken for me. He takes the _Weekly_. I think the _Young People_ is just the right size for binding, and I am going to have it bound at the end of the year. 

 BERTIE SHALLENBERGER. 

 * * * * *

 I am very much interested in your paper. I am going to save up my money to take it. I am nine years old. I have a pony named Coby. I enjoy him very much. He is a Texas pony. I live in Richmond, Kentucky, where the grass is so blue. 

 BIJUR WHITE. 

 * * * * *

Letters are acknowledged from Maude J. W. , Dayton, Washington Territory;Dannie Bullard, Schuylerville, New York; Lurean C. , Mazomanie, Wisconsin; Fred E. B. , Cambridge, Massachusetts; Harry R. , Winona, Minnesota; H. W. Singer, Cincinnati, Ohio; Minnie W. Jacobs, Indiana, Pennsylvania; Percy W. Shedd, Attlebury, New York; Lizzie C. , Utica, NewYork; Willie Hamilton, Alleghany City, Pennsylvania; Zella Thompson, Boston, Massachusetts; O. R. Heinze, Allentown, Pennsylvania; FrederickL. B. , Brooklyn, Long Island; and Lyman C. , M. C. S. , and William F. B. , New York city. 

 * * * * *

"DEL, " Zanesville, Ohio. --Flat cribbage-boards can be bought at a verylow price, and folding ones which hold the cards are not expensive. Youmight make one from a piece of thick pasteboard, but as there must besixty-one peg-holes for each player, it would not be easy to cut themneatly. --It is more customary to leave a card for each person calledupon, especially where the visit is formal. 

 * * * * *

GEORGE H. H. --Harper's new School Geography gives Wheeling as thecapital of West Virginia. 

 * * * * *

FREDIE G. --Even if you are only seven years, you are old enough to reada boys' book about wild animals. Lions will catch and eat nearly allbeasts that come in their way. They will even overpower a giraffe or abuffalo. The elephant and rhinoceros are almost the only quadrupeds alion dare not meddle with. 

 * * * * *

OUR CHRISTMAS PUZZLE. 

 LOVELAND, OHIO. 

 I think I have correctly worked the Christmas Puzzle in _Young People_. I had to study some time over "ray, " never having heard of such a fish. It was only by finding what letters I needed in the columns 11, 9, 9 that I saw they were r a y. On looking in the dictionary I found there was a fish called by that name. "Yard" also puzzled me a great deal. The other words were easily found. 

 M. T. C. 

 * * * * *

 WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. 

 My brother Bertie and I have had a nice time finding the answer to your Christmas Puzzle in No. 8 of _Young People_. We thank you very much for your kind wish, and wish you the same in return. Can your young readers tell what it is we wish you?

 LILLIE J. 

 * * * * *

All these boys and girls have also told our Christmas Puzzle wishcorrectly: Maynard A. M. , M. A. S. , and F. V. B. , Alexina K. D. , F. E. Coombs, Willie J. M. , Virgil C. M. , Amy L. H. , Etta Douglass, Annie G. Long, Willie H. S. , Lilian Forbes, Jamie D. H. , Huntington W. , A. A. B. , Mamie M. , Nellie P. , Essie B. , Fred D. H. , Zadie H. D. , Edna Heinen, Seabury G. P. , E. A. De Lima, Claudie M. Tice, Louie A. , J. M. Wolfe, Carroll O. B. , George F. D. , S. K. S. , Effie K. T. , G. M. B. , Ada andClara, Florence D. , Alice P. , E. C. Repper, and George Henry. 

 * * * * *

The answer to Christmas Puzzle in _Young People_ No. 8 is, "I wish you amerry Christmas and a happy New-Year. "

ADVERTISEMENTS. 

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HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE will be issued every Tuesday, and may be had atthe following rates--_payable in advance, postage free_:

 SINGLE COPIES $0. 04 ONE SUBSCRIPTION, _one year_ 1. 50 FIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS, _one year_ 7. 00

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The extent and character of the circulation of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLEwill render it a first-class medium for advertising. A limited number ofapproved advertisements will be inserted on two inside pages at 75 centsper line. 

 Address HARPER & BROTHERS, Franklin Square, N. Y. 

A LIBERAL OFFER FOR 1880 ONLY. 

HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE _and_ HARPER'S WEEKLY _will be sent to any addressfor one year, commencing with the first Number of_ HARPER'S WEEKLY _forJanuary, 1880, on receipt of $5. 00 for the two Periodicals_. 

FRAGRANT

SOZODONT

Is a composition of the purest and choicest ingredients of the vegetablekingdom. It cleanses, beautifies, and preserves the =TEETH=, hardens andinvigorates the gums, and cools and refreshes the mouth. Everyingredient of this =Balsamic= dentifrice has a beneficial effect on the=Teeth and Gums=. =Impure Breath=, caused by neglected teeth, catarrh, tobacco, or spirits, is not only neutralized, but rendered fragrant, bythe daily use of =SOZODONT=. It is as harmless as water, and has beenindorsed by the most scientific men of the day. Sold by druggists. 

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Latest style now all the Rage. One dozen, Finest Gilt Edged, RoundCornered, with Name and Photograph, only 60 cents; 2 doz. $1. Sample andMAMMOTH 148-Page Book =FREE=. H. B. MATHEWS' SONS, 220 Lake Street, Chicago. 

=PLAYS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE=, with Songs and Choruses, adapted for PrivateTheatricals. With the Music and necessary directions for getting themup. Sent on receipt of 30 cents, by HAPPY HOURS COMPANY, No. 5 BeekmanStreet, New York. Send your address for a Catalogue of Tableaux, Charades, Pantomimes, Plays, Reciters, Masks, Colored Fire, &c. , &c. 

"_Learning made pleasant. _"

 N. Y. EVENING POST. 

 * * * * *

SCIENCE FOR THE YOUNG. 

By JACOB ABBOTT. 

_ILLUSTRATED. _

4 volumes, 12mo, Cloth, $1. 50 each. 

 I. HEAT. II. LIGHT. III. WATER AND LAND. IV. FORCE. 

If a mass-meeting of parents and children were to be held for thepurpose of erecting a monument to the author who has done most toentertain and instruct the young folks, there would certainly be aunanimous vote in favor of Mr. Jacob Abbott. Two or three generations ofAmerican youth owe some of their most pleasant hours of recreation tohis story-books; and his latest productions are as fresh and youthful asthose which the papas and mammas of to-day once looked forward to as themost precious gifts from the Christmas bag of old Santa Claus. Theseries published under the general title of "Science for the Young"might be called "Learning made Pleasant. " An interesting story runsthrough each, and beguiles the reader into the acquisition of a vastamount of useful knowledge under the genial pretence of furnishingamusement. No intelligent child can read these volumes without obtaininga better knowledge of physical science than many students have when theyleave college. --_N. Y. Evening Post. _

Jacob Abbott is almost the only writer in the English language who knowshow to combine real amusement with real instruction in such a mannerthat the eager young readers are quite as much interested in the usefulknowledge he imparts as in the story which he makes so pleasant a mediumof instruction. --_Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. _

Mr. Abbott has avoided the error of slurring over the difficulties ofthe subject through the desire of making it intelligible and attractiveto unlearned readers. The numerous illustrations which accompany everychapter are of unquestionable value in the comprehension of the text, and come next to actual experiment as an aid to the reader. --_N. Y. Tribune. _

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. 

_Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, onreceipt of the price. _

"_A book beyond the pale of criticism. _"

 N. Y. DAILY GRAPHIC. 

 * * * * *

THE

Boy Travellers in the Far East. 

 * * * * *

ADVENTURES OFTWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEYTOJAPAN AND CHINA. 

Illustrated, 8vo, Cloth, $3. 00. 

 * * * * *

A more attractive book for boys and girls can scarcely beimagined. --_N. Y. Times. _

The best thing for a boy who cannot go to China and Japan is to get thisbook and read it. --_Philadelphia Ledger. _

Juvenile literature seems to have come to a climax in this book. Inliterary quality and in material form it is a decided improvement onanything of the kind ever before produced in America. --_N. Y. Journal ofCommerce. _

One of the richest and most entertaining books for young people, both intext, illustrations, and binding, which has ever come to ourtable. --_Providence Press. _

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, N. Y. 

_Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, onreceipt of the price. _

Old Books for Young Readers. 

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Arabian Nights' Entertainments. 

 The Thousand and One Nights; or, The Arabian Nights' Entertainments. Translated and Arranged for Family Reading, with Explanatory Notes, by E. W. LANE. 600 Illustrations by Harvey. 2 vols. , 12mo, Cloth, $3. 50. 

Robinson Crusoe. 

 The Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner. By DANIEL DEFOE. With a Biographical Account of Defoe. Illustrated by Adams. Complete Edition. 12mo, Cloth, $1. 50. 

The Swiss Family Robinson. 

 The Swiss Family Robinson; or, Adventures of a Father and Mother and Four Sons on a Desert Island. Illustrated. 2 vols. , 18mo, Cloth, $1. 50. 

 The Swiss Family Robinson--Continued: being a Sequel to the Foregoing. 2 vols. , 18mo, Cloth, $1. 50. 

Sandford and Merton. 

 The History of Sandford and Merton. By THOMAS DAY. 18mo, Half Bound, 75 cents. 

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. 

HARPER & BROTHERS _will send any of the above works by mail, postageprepaid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price_. 

_The Fairy Books. _

 * * * * *

=THE PRINCESS IDLEWAYS. = By Mrs. W. J. HAYS. Illustrated. 16mo, Cloth, 75 cents. 

 * * * * *

=THE CATSKILL FAIRIES. = By VIRGINIA W. JOHNSON. 8vo, Illuminated Cloth, Gilt Edges, $3. 00. 

 * * * * *

=FAIRY BOOK ILLUSTRATED. = l6mo, Cloth, $1. 50. 

 * * * * *

=PUSS-CAT MEW=, and other New Fairy Stories for my Children. By E. H. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN, M. P. Illustrated. 12mo, Cloth, $1. 25. 

 * * * * *

=FAIRY BOOK. = The Best Popular Fairy Stories selected and rendered anew. By the Author of "John Halifax. " Illustrated. 12mo, Cloth, $1. 25. 

 * * * * *

=FAIRY TALES. = By JEAN MACÉ. Translated by MARY L. BOOTH. Illustrated. 12mo, Bevelled Edges, $1. 75; Gilt Edges, $2. 25. 

 * * * * *

=FAIRY TALES OF ALL NATIONS. = By É. LABOULAYE. Translated by MARY L. BOOTH. Illustrated. 12mo, Cloth, Bevelled Edges, $2. 00; Gilt Edges, $2. 50. 

 * * * * *

=THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE. = By the Author of "John Halifax, Gentleman. "Illustrated. Square 16mo, Cloth, $1. 00. 

 * * * * *

=FOLKS AND FAIRIES. = Stories for Little Children. By LUCY CRANDALLCOMFORT. Illustrated. Square 4to, Cloth, $1. 00. 

 * * * * *

=THE ADVENTURE OF A BROWNIE=, as Told to my Child. By the Author of"John Halifax, Gentleman. " Illustrated. Square 16mo, Cloth, 90 cents. 

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. 

_Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, onreceipt of the price. _

"_A most enchanting story for boys. _"

 PITTSBURGH TELEGRAPH. 

 * * * * *

AN INVOLUNTARY VOYAGE. 

By LUCIEN BIART, Author of "Adventures of a Young Naturalist. "

TRANSLATED BYMrs. CASHEL HOEY and Mr. JOHN LILLIE. 

ILLUSTRATED. 12mo, Cloth, $1. 25. 

 * * * * *

A very charming book, brimming full of adventures, and has not anuninteresting page between its covers. --_Baltimore Gazette. _

A book that is at once novel and entertaining. * * * All the book islively, and the voyagers have some adventures, the telling of which isas entertaining as any book of Jules Verne's, besides having nothing inthem that is improbable or extravagant. --_Philadelphia Bulletin. _

A most enchanting story for boys. * * * It is a story of adventure, andalso contains much interesting and useful information. --_PittsburghTelegraph. _

A narrative crowded with adventure, told in the lively and graphic stylefor which the French writers of books for boys are so noted. --_ClevelandHerald. _

One of the most attractive books of the season. * * * Spirited sketchesof travel and adventure on the ocean wave, among the islands and onsouthern coasts, fill these chapters. But the main point which givesthem their highest flavor is the experience of naval warfare during ourlate civil conflict. --_Observer_, N. Y. 

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, N. Y. 

_Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, onreceipt of the price. _

A BOOK FOR EVERYBODY. 

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Ninth Edition now Ready. 

 * * * * *

=HOW TO GET STRONG, AND HOW TO STAY SO. = By WILLIAM BLAIKIE. WithIllustrations. 16mo, Cloth, $1. 00. 

 * * * * *

Your book is timely. Its large circulation cannot fail to be of greatpublic benefit. --Rev. HENRY WARD BEECHER. 

It is a book of extraordinary merit in matter and style, and does yougreat credit as a thinker and writer. --Hon. CALVIN E. PRATT, _of the NewYork Supreme Bench_. 

A capital little treatise. It is the very book for ministers tostudy. --Rev. THEODORE L. CUYLER, D. D. , _in New York Evangelist_. 

It is unquestionably one of the most practical and useful books on thistopic which have ever been published in this country. --_N. Y. EveningExpress. _

We know of no man in America more capable of writing such a book, or whohas a better right to do so. --_Rutland Daily Herald and Globe. _

It will pay any person--whether a farmer or lawyer, laborer or idler, school-girl or housewife--to buy and read it, and follow itsteachings. --_Springfield Union. _

A veritable treasury of muscular common-sense. --_Charleston News andCourier. _

 * * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. 

_Sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, onreceipt of the price. _

[Illustration]

ART MANUFACTURES. 

A great many things can be made out of other things. A very fair turkeycan be made out of a horse-chestnut, or even a common chestnut. 

Look at Fig. 1 in the above picture: there you have the turkey complete. I will tell you how I made him. I first took a nice round chestnut, andstuck into it a bent pin to represent the neck; then I stuck in twoother pins to represent the legs; then I took a piece of putty (dough, or bread worked up to the consistence of dough, will do), and made astand into which I stuck the legs. He then looked as he is representedin Fig. 2. I then took a small piece of putty, and modelled on to thebent pin the head and neck of the turkey. After this I drew with pen andink on thick paper, and cut with a pair of scissors, a thing like Fig. 3, and two things like Fig. 4; these were the tail and wings. I fastenedthem in their proper places with thick gum (short pins will do). Thenwith some red paint I painted the head and feet of the bird, and I had avery excellent turkey, but I felt thankful that I need not eat it for mydinner. 

Figs. 5 and 6 show how a walnut shell may be changed into a turtleshell. Fig. 5 is the walnut shell, and Fig. 6 is the turtle; and I wouldnot give a fig for the boy who, with a pen and ink and a little putty(dough will do), is not smart enough to make it. 

[Illustration]

 Johnny and Mary drive out in the Park, And doubtless are having no end of a lark; She holds Baby Rose with a motherly air, And he handles his spirited horse with great care. 

 * * * * *

=Spiders that Kill Birds. =--Everybody knows that spiders catch flies andother insects; but that some of them kill little birds may not be sogenerally known. A traveller in Brazil tells us that he caught one ofthem in the very act, while going through a forest in the Amazons. Thespider was a hairy fellow, with a body two inches long, and eight legsmeasuring seven inches each, from end to end. The writer describing theincident says: "I was attracted by a movement of the monster on a treetrunk; it was close beneath a deep crevice in the tree, across which wasstretched a dense white web. The lower part of the web was broken, andtwo small birds, finches, were entangled in the pieces. One of them wasquite dead, and the other nearly so. I drove away the monster, and tookthe birds, but the second one soon died. The fact of species of Mygale, to which genus this spider belongs, sallying forth at night, mountingtrees, and sucking the eggs and young of hummingbirds, has been recordedlong ago by Madame Merian and Palisot de Beauvois; but, in the absenceof any confirmation, it has come to be discredited. From the way thefact has been related it would appear that it had been merely derivedfrom the report of natives, and had not been witnessed by the narrators. The Mygales are quite common insects: some species make their cellsunder stones, others form artistical tunnels in the earth, and somebuild their dens in the thatch of houses. The natives call them Aranhascarangueijeiras, or crab-spiders. The hairs with which they are clothedcome off when touched, and cause a peculiar and almost maddeningirritation. The first specimen that I killed and prepared was handledincautiously, and I suffered terribly for three days afterward. I thinkthis is not owing to any poisonous quality residing in the hairs, but totheir being short and hard, and thus getting into the fine creases ofthe skin. Some Mygales are of immense size. One day I saw the childrenbelonging to an Indian family with one of these monsters secured by acord round its waist, by which they were leading it about the house asthey would a dog. "

[Illustration]

GETTING A HITCH. 

Cut, cut behind! The faster old Dobbin goes, the lighter grows his load. 

[Illustration]

ASSURANCE. 

"Strike out, Nuncky; Sis and I will hold you up. "