Harper's Young People, April 20, 1880 Part 7

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPs.h.i.+RE.

I like YOUNG PEOPLE a great deal. Papa gets it, and puts a pin in and cuts it, and we look at it till dinner is ready. When I go to bed, mamma reads it to me, and lays it on the little table, so I can look at the pictures before I get up in the morning. On George Was.h.i.+ngton's Birthday night I went to the barn to get Sallie, my cat. I found her in an old barrel, and was going to tip it over, when I heard something squealing a little squeal. There were two little kittens there. Mamma named them George and Martha Was.h.i.+ngton. I shall be six in May. I told all this to mamma, and my name is

JOHN.

HARTFORD, OHIO.

Yesterday was Easter, and I and my little brother had twelve dozen eggs hid. For dinner we decorated some with decalcomanie pictures, and they were very pretty. I have thirteen little chickens, and a pet hen which I call Nellie Gray. My canary is named Hettie. Some of the young correspondents write of spring flowers, but I have not found any yet.

MAUDE K.

BISMARCK, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

We have plenty of Indians here, although there are not so many as there were five years ago. They come now mostly in scouting parties. The party is often as large as Custer's cavalry that was here in 1877. Are there many of the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE who are fond of house-plants? I would like to hear what kinds they have, and how they take care of them.

M. R. L.

We think, judging from their letters, that a large number of the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE are fond of those beautiful household ornaments. Mary L. S. wrote a short time since from Arkansas: "My house-plants are my 'pets,' and I a.s.sure you I derive as much pleasure from them as if they were animated." No doubt many others have the same feeling.

Clara Jaquith, in answer to Madison Cooper's question in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 21, says: "Somar Griffin, of Ohio, is a very old man. I do not know his exact age, but he is about one hundred and fifteen years old. He lost an arm about forty years ago by the falling of a tree."

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

The other day a gentleman took dinner with my father, and told us the following story: "A few years ago I spent several weeks with a friend who owned a sheep ranch near San Antonio, Texas. I had a very pleasant time hunting and fis.h.i.+ng. One day my friend saw a large wild-cat trying to get into a sheep corral. He seized his rifle, and fired at the beast, and it ran off, pursued by the dogs. That night, when we were all asleep in the tent, I was awakened by a warm breath on my face. On opening my eyes I saw in the dim fire-light the form of a large animal. I was very much frightened, but I had sufficient presence of mind to close my eyes and keep still. Suddenly the animal left me; and turning my head slightly, I saw that it had gone to the other side of the tent, and was eating some of our stores. Very carefully I arose, and crept outside the tent, where was a pile of wood. Seizing a heavy stick, I returned softly, and creeping up behind the beast, dealt it a tremendous blow on the head with my club, which stunned it, and I soon beat it to death. My companions were awakened by the noise; and when we replenished the fire and examined the beast, we found it to be an immense wild-cat. It had a bullet-wound in its shoulder, and was no doubt the same one my friend had shot at in the morning."

J. BURNET R.

MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

I am so interested in the pets which other children write about that I thought I would tell about Peggy, my gray kitten. She plays marbles with me; and when I spin my top, she makes believe it is a mouse, and you ought to see her go for it. When the kitchen door is shut, and she wants to come in, she springs up to the latch, holds on with three paws, and presses the latch down with the other paw, and so walks in. I could tell ever so many funny things she does, but I am afraid my letter would be too long.

HARRY A. (10 years).

FORT a.s.sINIBOINE, MONTANA TERRITORY.

The Indians I wrote you about have lived in their tepees all winter during the very, very cold weather--too cold for me to go coasting. It was often 49 below zero. These Indians have a large number of ugly dogs, and sometimes they hitch them to their travois. The names of the Indians here are Pegans, Gros Ventre, Crow, a.s.siniboines, Bloods, and Crees. The Sioux and Nez Perces do not come very near to us, as they are afraid our soldiers will fight them. They sent a knife and a pipe to make peace with the soldiers. All the Indians here are very poor, and are killing their dogs and horses to eat, as the buffalo have all gone away.

BERTIE BROWN.

WEST BERN, NEW YORK.

I am eleven years old. I liked the music which was published in YOUNG PEOPLE very much. My papa, who is teaching me music, taught me to sing the sailor boy's song in No. 19. We had snow fall day before yesterday to a depth of eight inches, and now (March 29) the sleighs are pa.s.sing on the road, although the spring birds are hopping about on the trees in the orchard.

EUDORA S.

PINEY POINT, MARYLAND.

I live in the country, and have two sisters and one brother. We are all very much interested in the story, "Across the Ocean; or, a Boy's First Voyage." The United States training-s.h.i.+p _Saratoga_ was lying in the Potomac River opposite our house last week. About two hundred and fifty young men were on board, and they were firing cannons almost all day. My cousin was on this s.h.i.+p a few years ago, and he said the rules were very strict. The _Saratoga_ is a very large boat, and the sailors on board are both large and small boys.

J. E. M.

FRIOTOWN, TEXAS.

I am eight years old, and I live in Southwest Texas, which some people think a very wild country. I came from Georgia. I have never seen any Indians here, but I can look out the window and see wild rabbits running, and I can hear mocking-birds sing. There is a very odd bird here called chaparral. I went fis.h.i.+ng last week on the Frio River, and I saw some turtles sunning themselves, and ever so many buffalo-fish swimming in the clear water. Mamma reads YOUNG PEOPLE to me every evening.

ALFRED H. C.

PINE RIVER, WISCONSIN.

We are so glad when Sat.u.r.day comes, for then papa brings YOUNG PEOPLE. We each have a doll and a little wheelbarrow. We fill our wheelbarrows with sand, and wheel them round. We bring in wood sometimes. We want Santa Claus to come. We have some new hats, and are not going to wear hoods any more. We want to wear pants and not dresses, but mamma won't let us. Papa writes this, because we can't write yet, but we have read our primer through.

CHARLIE (6 years) and FRANKIE (4 years).

EAST WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

I like the story "Across the Ocean" very much. I have two cats, and a dog named Tip, and a canary named Ned. I am trying to study architecture, and I have made a plan of a house and a church. I like architecture very much, and mean to know all about it when I am a man. I was ten years old the 2d of April. I came pretty near being an April-Fool, didn't I? I have written this letter all by myself, for grandma does not know I am writing.

FRANK T. W.

INGLEWOOD, CHISWICK, LONDON.

It was my birthday yesterday, and my brother gave me YOUNG PEOPLE for a present. My father and mother are in Italy, rejoicing in suns.h.i.+ne and flowers. I have no pets to tell you about. We live in a little village of red brick houses, and it is very pretty here.

I thank you for making the paper larger than it was at first. It is lovely now.