Harper's Young People, May 18, 1880 Part 9

I am a little boy. My sister takes your paper, and we take so much pleasure in reading it that I thought I would like to write to you. We live on the sea-sh.o.r.e, and have seines hauled for fish.

Sometimes we catch sword-fish, sharks, and saw-fish. The other day we caught a sea-spider. It was like a common spider, but larger, and had a hard sh.e.l.l like a crab. Its fore-feet were something like a crab's claws.

R. D. G.

ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

I live on the sh.o.r.e of Presque Isle Bay, where "Mad" Anthony Wayne was buried. There is a monument erected over his grave. They are now rebuilding the old block-house, which was burned a few years ago. The flag-s.h.i.+p _Lawrence_, which Perry commanded when he gained the victory over the British on Lake Erie, used to lie buried in our bay, but in 1876 some enterprising young man raised it out of the water, and took it to the Centennial. I think we have the nicest place in the United States for rowing, fis.h.i.+ng, camping out, and having lots of fun. I am eight years old.

MAMIE H.

I like to read the letters in YOUNG PEOPLE, and I thought I would tell you about a wild-cat. On the evening of April 28, about five o'clock, I had just finished my music lesson, when I saw a large crowd standing near our house. I ran out, and I heard some one saying, "It is a wild-cat." I thought at first it was a prairie-wolf. It was two feet in height, and two feet and a half long. It had a cat's head, but its claws were as big as a dog's.

It was dead, and a boy had a string round its neck. It came into the city from the country in a load of trees; and when the men took the trees out of the car, it sprang out, and jumped over our fence into our yard. It ran through the yard and back again, when a gentleman shot it. The boy dragged it away, and I did not see it any more. We live in the heart of the city of Chicago. I would like to exchange pressed flowers with "Wee Tot," and will send her some pressed jasmine.

ANNIE D. MULLALLY, 285 West Sixteenth Street, Chicago, Illinois.

I would like to exchange pressed flowers or sh.e.l.ls, or any pretty curiosity, with readers of YOUNG PEOPLE in other localities, but especially in the Southern and far Western States and Territories.

I liked the letters from Gertrude Balch and Charles W. S. very much, and wish they would write again. I tried to make a tombola, and succeeded admirably. Do you know who was the inventor of the 15-13-14 puzzle?

LAURA BINGHAM, Lansing, Michigan.

The famous puzzle is said to have been invented by a poor deaf and dumb man living in a small country town in New England, but we can not substantiate the statement.

I have been in the woods to a picnic to-day, and have been reading the letters in YOUNG PEOPLE'S Post-office Box this evening. I have no pets, as most little girls. I had a redbird, but it died. I would like to exchange pressed leaves with little girls in other localities.

MARY WRIGHT, Elk City, Kansas.

If "Genevieve," of California, will send me her address, I will press her some flowers that grow here, and send them to her. I live in a little village not far from Chicago.

ANNIE DE PFUHL, Humboldt Park, Cook County, Illinois.

In HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 22 "Genevieve," of California, asks some little girl to press some specimens of Eastern flowers, and exchange with her. I will be happy to do so.

CARRIE HARD, Pittsford, Monroe County, New York.

ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT.

My little sister takes YOUNG PEOPLE, and I read it, and like it very much. I have tried Nellie H.'s rule for candy, and it is splendid. I go to school, and have a good teacher. I had two pet rabbits last summer. I am nine years old.

KATY L. H.

I am a constant reader of the charming little paper, YOUNG PEOPLE, and think it is a splendid journal for boys and girls. I like "A Boy's First Voyage" very much indeed. In answer to one of the correspondents, I would say that I have a cabinet of curiosities, and have a good many queer specimens, such as idols, gourds from Brazil made by the natives, and other things. I also collect birds' eggs and coins. I would like to exchange with any correspondents who collect eggs, if they have any specimens to spare.

I. QUACKENBOSS, 306 Carleton Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

I am a little girl nine years old. I live in the country, where there are lots of pretty wild flowers, and I would like very much to exchange pressed flowers with "Genevieve," of Galt, California, if she will send me her address.

AGGIE MEYER, Georgetown, D. C.

If "Wee Tot" Brainard will wait until summer, I will be very glad to exchange some of our pressed flowers for hers, and I will send her a nice bouquet.

JULIA R. WALKER, Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland.

I have been making a collection of birds' eggs, iron ores, and stones, and if any one would like to exchange eggs or minerals with me, I will be very glad to do so.

SAMUEL P. HIGGINS, Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

EDDIE A. L.--Africa is not an island, but a continent. It is much larger than Australia, which has always been known as a continent, as it contains a greater area than the largest island. The only real distinction between a continent and an island is the difference of size.

LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

I would like to ask Bertie Brown and M. R. L. if the Indians in their vicinity make dolls. I have two very curious ones made by the Nez Perces in the guard-house at Fort Vancouver, Was.h.i.+ngton Territory. On the heads of the squaws are long braids of real hair. Will you please tell me what a guard-house is, and also why barbers' signs are painted in stripes?

SUSIE C. B.

The guard-house is that portion of a fort where prisoners are confined and kept under guard.--In former times the barber's craft was dignified with the t.i.tle of a profession, being conjoined with the art of surgery.

In France, the barber-surgeons were separated from the hair-dressers, and incorporated as a distinct body in the reign of Louis the Fourteenth. In England, barbers first received incorporation from Edward the Fourth in 1461. In the reign of Henry the Eighth they were united with the Company of Surgeons, it being enacted that the barbers should confine themselves to the minor operations of blood-letting and drawing teeth. In 1745, barbers and surgeons were separated in England into distinct corporations. The barber's sign consisted in ancient times, as now, of a striped pole, from which a basin was formerly suspended. The fillet round the pole indicated the ribbon used for bandaging the arm in bleeding and the basin the vessel to receive the blood.

F. HAYNES.--Many thanks for your kindness and trouble in copying the poem. You have done it very neatly. It is, however, much too long to be printed in YOUNG PEOPLE.