Produced by Annie McGuire
[Illustration: HARPER'S
YOUNG PEOPLE
AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.]
* * * * *
VOL. I.--NO. 18. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR
CENTS.
Tuesday, March 2, 1880. Copyright, 1880, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50 per
Year, in Advance.
* * * * *
[Illustration: PASSING THE BATTERIES.]
A HUNTING ADVENTURE.
I had been travelling in the interior of Africa, in company with a
Portuguese ivory trader, for several weeks, greatly enjoying the wild
and exciting life we were compelled to lead. The exercise had steadied
and braced my nerves, which before setting out were in a shattered
condition from the effects of a severe and long attack of fever.
Constant practice had also made me an expert shot and a successful
hunter. Indeed, if one only knew how to handle a gun, and went to work
with proper precaution, the amazing abundance of animal life everywhere
to be met with could not fail in making him more or less of a sportsman.
In hunting the large game, such as the lion, the elephant, and the
rhinoceros, there was always a spice of danger, and I had in two or
three several instances found myself in positions of extreme peril, from
which nothing but presence of mind or good fortune brought me safely
out. But the danger incurred only lent additional charms to the pursuit;
while a proud feeling of exultation would steal over the heart when,
thinking that an insignificant and feeble man should be more than a
match for such huge creatures in spite of their gigantic strength.
One day, in our several canoes, we were paddling up a broad river; on
either bank stretched an apparently impenetrable forest, many of the
trees of which approached to the very water's edge, while the ends of
creepers fell into, and huge plants actually raised their heads out of,
the river itself. From the branches of the trees curious-looking monkeys
gazed inquisitively at us, chattering to each other as if inquiring what
business we had in invading their domains; numbers of brilliantly
colored birds hovered on the wing, making the air resound with their
varied and peculiar notes; the gentle gazelle would timidly approach to
slake his thirst at the water; the noble lion would stalk out in all his
majesty for the same purpose, while ever and anon, now close to the
canoes, now yards away, a loud snort would startle us, and the huge ugly
head of a hippopotamus would be thrust above the surface.
Journeying thus by water is a pleasant and restful change from the
everlasting tramp, tramp, through the forest, which, although enjoyable,
sometimes becomes a little wearisome. This particular day of which I
speak made the third we had thus progressed without any startling
adventure occurring to interrupt our voyage; it was not, however, to
have so peaceful a close as the other two.
When within some few miles of the spot where we intended camping for the
night, as our larder was low, I told the trader I would land and procure
some fresh meat for supper, and that I would meet him before long at the
trysting-place. My canoe was accordingly directed to the shore. Taking
with me four of the natives, to carry my spare gun and what game I might
shoot, I plunged into the forest.
I did not go very far from the banks of the river, for, as the day was
drawing to a close, I was in hopes of meeting with plenty of game on
their way to the water; so I followed the course of the stream toward
our camping-place.
The sudden plunge from the dazzling brilliancy of the sun to the solemn
gloom of the forest made it almost impossible to see anything clearly
until my eyes got accustomed to the peculiar light; so I was perforce
obliged for a short time to grope my way cautiously along.
My four attendants followed: one, a lad, bearing my spare gun; two armed
with long lances; and the fourth--whom I always called Nacko, and who
was one of the best native hunters I have ever known, active, brave, and
cool in the presence of danger--carrying a gun of his own, which he
could use with something like skill.
Nacko always kept close to my heels, for I think he looked upon himself
as my shield and guardian, and thought his protection necessary to
insure my safety; otherwise I should run into danger, and come to
inevitable grief. His coolness and courage had on more than one critical
occasion aided me very materially.
After a quarter of an hour's trampling through grass and bush and
prickly thorn, a fine deer offered himself as a target to my rifle; he
was on his way to the river, when, hearing our approach, he stopped to
listen, and in so doing turned his shoulder toward me. Lifting my rifle,
I took quick aim, and fired. The noble beast sprang into the air, and
then, falling forward on his knees, gave a few convulsive struggles, and
lay perfectly still.
Leaving two of the natives to convey the carcass to the boat, I pushed
on with the others, hoping to get another shot. I had not proceeded far,
when Nacko expressed his opinion that there were lions in the
neighborhood.
"What leads you to think so, Nacko?" I inquired.
Before he could reply there was a rustling in the foliage, and a
graceful gazelle bounded into view, evidently fleeing from some pursuer.
Quick as thought my gun was at my shoulder, and in an instant he was
rolling over.
Then, and only then, I became aware that his pursuer was close at hand,
as the roar of a lion fell upon my ear. I began quickly to reload my
rifle, but before I had rammed down the bullet a large lion sprang on
the body, while a lioness with her half-grown cub followed at his heels.
With his two fore-paws placed on the body of the gazelle, the lion stood
erect, and turned his face in our direction. No sooner did he see us
than he gave utterance to a savage roar, but seemed uncertain what to
do--whether to keep possession of the slaughtered prey or attack the
new. Meanwhile the lioness crouched, growling, down by the side of the
dead body, while the cub licked the blood trickling from the wound.
I never stirred, but kept my eyes fixed upon the lion, telling the lad
with the spare gun to be ready to hand it to me when I should require
it. Nacko stood prepared for what might follow.
For a minute we stood thus. I was unwilling to lose the gazelle, but
hesitated to fire at the lion, for, even should I be fortunate enough to
kill him, there would be the lioness to contend with. I determined to
run the risk.
Taking a steady aim, I fired. The explosion was followed by a terrific
roar. The bullet had not touched a vital part; I had only succeeded in
dangerously wounding him. I had now an angry and formidable foe to
encounter.
Throwing down my empty rifle, I put my hand behind me to receive the
other from the boy. He was a few steps from me, and before he could
place it within my reach, I saw the lion making ready for the fatal
spring.
"Fire, Nacko," I cried, as the animal bounded into the air.
Swift as thought the flame leaped from his barrel. I heard the thud of
the bullet on the body of the lion, but it could not check the impetus
of his spring, and in another moment I was hurled violently to the
ground, and for a moment lay stunned by the shock.
A dead heavy weight upon my body and legs soon brought me back to
consciousness. Opening my eyes, I found my face within an inch or two of
the lion's.
Nacko, seeing me knocked over, had thrown his own gun to the ground and
picked up the spare one, and was now approaching to give the lion his
_coup de grâce_. The animal watched the hunter's motions, but was
unwilling, or too badly wounded, to leave me and attack him.
The bold black approached within six paces of the foe, and aiming behind
his ear, fired. A shuddering quiver ran through the mighty frame; I felt
a sudden relief from the oppressive weight which confined me to the
ground as the lion rolled over, dead.
Nacko assisted me to my feet, running his hands over my body to
ascertain if any bones were broken; but with the exception of several
severe bruises, and a feeling of general soreness all over my body, I
was unhurt. We looked round for the lioness and her cub; they were
nowhere to be seen, and must have decamped during my encounter with the
lion, for which I felt not a little thankful, as I had no wish for
another such encounter.
BIDDY O'DOLAN.
BY MRS. ZADEL B. GUSTAFSON.
CHAPTER II.
Mrs. Brown was not quite so bad as her word, for she did not take away
Biddy's doll every night when Biddy could not give her extra pay. Of
course there were many nights when Biddy could not do this, even with
Charley's help. She had, in the first place, to pay for her straw, her
soup, and her bread. Whenever she had earned more than enough for this,
Mrs. Brown had always tried to get it away from her on some pretense or
other. Biddy had a brave heart; she had never been afraid of the rough
old woman, and often had her own way.
If you should use your soft little hands to do coarse and heavy work, it
would not be long before they would get out of shape, and become covered
with a thick skin. They might still be very good and dear little hands
inside, but they would not so quickly feel the softness of mamma's
cheek. All the pleasure of the sense of touch, which you would then find
had been great and of many kinds, would be lost to you. So it was with
Biddy's heart. She had never had any of the little pleasures, the good
times, little hopes and plans, to which all children have a perfect
right. Her hard, friendless, cheerless life had made the outside of
Biddy's brave little heart tough, just as hard, unfit work would toughen
your little hands. But the doll had made a difference to Biddy in every
way. She had done all she could for her doll. She loved it. She had made
it a dress from a piece of her own. She had been beaten again and again
for its sake. Almost more than you would be willing to do for your doll,
is it not? But it had done and was doing a thousand times more for
Biddy, because Biddy had what the doll had _not_--life.
Mrs. Brown sometimes forgot to torment Biddy about the doll, and at
other times she seemed to feel too stupid and dull to care about it. But
she remembered quite often enough, and got away all Biddy's money, and
gave Biddy many a scare and heart-ache about it. At last the
hard-hearted old woman went too far, as cruel people are pretty sure to
do in the end.
About four months had passed since Biddy first found her doll. The warm
winds, the green buds, and singing-birds of spring had come, when one
night Mrs. Brown took the doll away from Biddy, and told her that unless
she could bring her at least two dollars by the close of the week, she
should never see it again.
That night Biddy lay awake a long while thinking over what she could do.
It was late in the night when she whispered to Charley that she had made
up her mind, and wanted to see him somewhere in the morning, and tell
him her plan. Charley answered that he would watch for her in the Bowery
near a jewelry shop where they had often stopped to look at the pretty
things in the window. He said he would be there about half past eight
o'clock. After this was settled, Biddy fell asleep.
In the morning the children met as they had agreed, and walked slowly
down the Bowery for a block or two, while Biddy told her plan to
Charley.
"I can't tell ye all I've been thinkin'," said Biddy; "I feels all
stirred up with thinkin', like the soup when Grumpy puts the stick in
it. I never slept at all till I thinked it out as how I'd do jist one
thing."
"Yis, yis," said Charley, eagerly.
"I'll find a home for Dolly an' me," said Biddy; "I'll begin an' never
stop till I gits it."
"Ye'll find a home?" asked Charley. He was a good deal puzzled.
"Yis," said Biddy; "I telled ye my mind's made up. I'll look at every
man as I meets, an' I'll ax the first one as I likes the looks of to
take me an' try me. Some of 'em'll be wantin' a girl, _sure_."
Charley continued to look so astonished that Biddy explained: "'Most
every one wants a girl to do chores, an' sweep, an' dust, an' make
fires, an'--an' sich. I've seen lots o' girls no better nor me sweepin'
in the big houses, with cloths on their heads."
"Ye know all them things?" said Charley.
"An' if I don't, can't I be teached?" said Biddy, almost angrily. This
question seemed to make everything quite sure.
"Now I'm goin' to begin," said Biddy.
[Illustration: "BLESS ME! IF IT ISN'T PHIL KENNEDY."]
She darted away, and ran back to the place where she and Charley had
met. Charley slowly followed. He held his unsold papers under his arm,
and stopped by the jewelry window. Biddy had taken her stand on the
corner just opposite. A gentleman with a closed umbrella in his hand,
which he used as a cane, was coming down the Bowery toward them. He did
not seem to notice either of the children; his head was down as if he
was thinking. At the same instant another man, with his Ulster coat
flying back, came swiftly from a cross street, and taking the first
gentleman by the arm, said, so loud that both the children heard it:
"Bless me! if it isn't Phil Kennedy! How odd this is! The first day for
an age when I'm not thinking of and hunting for you, Phil, I find you."
"But I'm very busy; you really must not keep me," said the one called
Phil Kennedy. He smiled as he spoke. Biddy saw the smile. She did not
wait an instant; she stepped up close in front of him. "Does yer missus
be wantin' a girl?"
Both men looked down at her. The man in the Ulster laughed. "Get along,
you little drab!" said he, in the same loud voice as before.
Biddy did not move, or take her eyes from Phil Kennedy's face. The
fingers of her hands were twisting together as on the day when she had
first begged Mrs. Brown for her doll. Biddy did not know she was doing
anything with her hands.
"Be off, I say!" said the man in the Ulster. He spoke very sharply this
time. It was like a blow from a cane.
"Can you read?" said Phil Kennedy to Biddy. He was feeling in his vest
pocket as he asked this question, and drew out a card.
"I knows 'em as can," said Biddy.
He gave her the card. "Get some one to tell you what is on it," said he,
"and come to the place it says--let me see--can you come to-morrow
morning about this time?"
Biddy took the card. "Will _ye_ be there?" said Biddy.
"Yes, my little girl, I will." He smiled at her as he spoke. Biddy
crossed her hands over the bag she carried, and walked away without a
word.
"I see you are just the same," said the man in the Ulster. He looked
vexed. "Who'd believe you'd give that thankless little beggar your card,
while some of your best friends don't know where to find you!"
"Thankfulness is better than politeness," said Phil Kennedy. "She can be
taught to be polite. If you had looked at her, you would have seen that
she thanked me."
The two men then walked away.
Charley had not looked round at Biddy and the gentlemen once. He had
looked steadily into the window, which had on it, in large letters,
"Jewelry and Diamonds." His heart beat very fast; he hardly noticed the
gems that flashed and sparkled in the trays and boxes. But when the men
had passed on, he turned and looked up and down the street, and after a
moment saw Biddy sitting on the lower steps of a wholesale store. He
hurried up to her. Biddy had been crying a little, but her eyes were
shining with hope. She held the card to Charley.
"I axed 'em in there," said she, "an' they telled me as it's the place
where a very nice gentleman have his home, an' it's his name is on it,
too; an' they axed me how ever did _I_ gits _that_ gentleman's card.
An', oh, Charley, do ye thinks as his missus'll be wantin' me? An', oh,
_do_ ye think ye can hook away my dolly from Grumpy?"
Biddy stopped for breath. Charley looked up at the windows of the store,
as if he were trying with all his might to see just how they were made;
then he looked back toward the Bowery again.
"How queer ye look!" said Biddy.
Then for the first time Biddy thought of what Charley might be thinking.
She rose quickly from the steps.
"Here, ye take the card," said she. "I'll mebbe lose 'em, or _she_'ll be
after gittin' it. An' ye shall go with me in the mornin'; an' if I gits
a home, I'll speak for _ye_. Do ye mind that, Charley? They'll be after
wantin' of a boy as much as a girl; an' I can give ye a fust-rate
riccommend, so I can."
Biddy made him take the card, and punched him once or twice to make sure
of his attention.
"Did ye look at him, Charley?" she asked as they walked along. "Did ye
mind the two kind eyes of him? The minute ever he looked at me I warn't
a bit afeard; an' I felt as I could work my fingers to the bone for
him."
Biddy went the next day to the place written on the card Mr. Phil
Kennedy had given her. She teased and coaxed Charley a long time before
she could get him to go with her, for he was very bashful, and hung back
all the way. While she stood at the foot of the steps, looking up to be
sure about the number, Mr. Phil Kennedy himself came to the door, and
called her in. He looked just as kind and smiling as on the day before,
and Biddy bobbed her curly head up and down, to show him how glad she
was. She was so eager that she did not think to say "Good-morning"; but
she cried out, in a glad, piping voice, "Here's Charley, sir; an' the
best boy ye can ever see! If ye wants a boy to take care of the furniss
an' fetch the coal; an' he can run of errants faster nor me; an' he
mended me doll. Charley--"
While Biddy talked she kept making little springs and jumps at Charley,
who kept edging away, so that Biddy was likely to get half way down the
block, when all at once Charley turned, and showed his speed by running
out of sight very quickly indeed. Biddy looked as if she was going to
run after him; but Mr. Phil Kennedy, who stood laughing in his doorway,
called after her, and Biddy came back. He led her through the hall, into
a very pleasant room. There was an open fire, a bright rug in front of
it, a mocking-bird in a cage in the window, and a beautiful lady sitting
in an arm-chair, with her feet on a cushion. The lady was pale; her
hands were thin and white; there were crutches beside her chair; but she
looked as if she were very happy; and when she smiled at Biddy, Biddy
could not have told why she felt as if her heart was filling her whole
body.
"Let her sit here near me, Phil," said the lady. Then, when Biddy was
seated between them, they asked her a great many questions, and Biddy
answered them all as well as she knew how. Both spoke so kindly,
sometimes the lady and sometimes the gentleman, and seemed to care so
much to know all about her, that Biddy took a new interest in her own
story, and told it very well. Like the stories of thousands of other
friendless children, Biddy's story was very simple. She didn't know
where she was born. She had never seen her parents. She didn't know if
she had any brothers or sisters; she did know she had never seen any.
She had never been at school. She had never slept on a real bed only
when she was in the hospital. She had had a "reel good time" in the
hospital. A little girl had given her some flowers. She had a friend;
his name was Charley; and if they wanted a boy to do things, he was the
best boy. He had mended her doll. She wanted a home for her doll. Grumpy
wouldn't let her have her doll; that was why she wanted a home. And if
they would let her bring her doll, she would do all she could, and try
hard to please them.
When Biddy came to the end of her story, Mr. Phil Kennedy said:
"This lady is my sister. She is the only near friend I have in the
world, Biddy. If you come to live with us, we will take good care of
you, and you must take good care of her. She is lame, and can only walk
a very little. You must watch, and learn to save her trouble. She will
teach you the things she wants to have you do, but you must not make her
tell you the same things over and over again."
Biddy sat very still, and when Mr. Kennedy paused, she waited for him to
speak more. He seemed to think for a few minutes very deeply, then he
said:
"After you have learned what you are to do, Biddy, I shall want you to
help me find some other little girl who has no friends, and needs a home
just as you do, and I can perhaps find a home for her too. I have heard
all you have said about Charley. There are reasons why I can not help
him just at this time. But I promise you that I will remember about him,
and will see what I can do for him as soon as I can. Now, Biddy"--and
Mr. Kennedy smiled, with a very merry look--"what wages do you think we
ought to pay you?"
Biddy did not seem to even hear this question, she was so much
interested in the other things Mr. Kennedy had said; and the moment he
stopped speaking she asked if she might really have her doll, and when
they had satisfied her on this point, she told them Charley would bring
it. Then she seemed to suddenly feel how great a change had come in her
life. She jumped down from her chair, looked round the room, her breath
coming quick, then at her new friends.
"Oh, it's _home_ it'll be! An' if ye'll let me begin," she cried, "I'll
try to be so good, so I will!"
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
[Illustration]
HELPING HIMSELF TO CAKE.
BY M. E.
Fast asleep fell Madeline,
Fairy-book held in one hand,
In the other slice of cake--
Slept, and drifted to the land
Where the spirits of the dreams
Many wondrous visions keep--
Visions that are only seen
When the eyes are closed in sleep.
Dreamed the little Madeline
That she was a princess fair,
Beautiful as that proud maid
Famous for her golden hair.
And at splendid feast she sat,
And a prince sat by her side,
Handsome as the prince who won
"Sleeping Beauty" for his bride;
Dreamed a cake--a wedding cake--
She dispensed to courtly throng,
Cutting it with knife of gold,
While the "Blue Bird" sang a song.
Largest piece received the prince,
And he whispered, "This is bliss,"
As he kissed her hand and gave
Ring of diamond with the kiss.
But ere long the dream grew dim,
Feast and courtiers vanished quite,
Diamond ring and lover too
Softly faded from her sight;
And the only prince she saw
(She was once more wide-awake)
Was a little prince of mice
Nibbling at her slice of cake.
VIÂ BRINDISI.
BY HARLAN H. BALLARD.
We left India in a bag of leather. Dark and narrow it was, but greater
messengers than Postal Cards have to wait a while in darkness before the
time comes for them to tell their message. Flowers have to--so do
butterflies.
Do not think from this that I was lonely. Oh no. I rode next to a grand
Letter in white, and not far from a portly Circular in buff. However, as
he was not of my clasp, I shunned him. The Letter, on the contrary,
charmed me; he seemed so self-contained, so wrapped up in his own
thoughts. Besides, he bore a crest and a monogram and a superscription
to be proud of. He was quite reserved; but before we passed Aden his
angularity had so far worn off that I learned that he was commissioned
to bear a message to a dainty young lady in the southwest of England.
What the message was I could only guess. Letters are not nearly so frank
about such matters as _I_ have been taught to consider proper. Still, it
must have been something very delightful, for one could tell from his
crest and monogram that the Letter had been sent by a person of gentle
blood, and in fact he told me that his master was a handsome young man
in a military coat. Moreover, he said that this young man had given him
a very warm pressure of the hand at parting (which had left a deep
impression on him), and had even touched him lightly to his lips.
Possibly you have never reflected upon the fact that Postal Cards and
Letters have any feelings. But wait. Perhaps one of our race is waiting
at this very moment to undeceive you. After the right one comes along
and tells you his message, you will know thenceforward that we are quite
alive, and have great power over the affections.
Post-office clerks have no sentiment. All along the way they handled us
as rudely as if we had been mere blank pieces of pasteboard. One or two
of them coolly stared at me till I was very red in the face, and then
turned me over and stared again, until I felt as if I were getting read
in my back. I am told that such rudeness is not uncommon. As if this
were not enough, the fellow then laid me upon my back, and picking up a
heavy instrument, struck me a violent blow in the face. It was as if I
had been stamped upon, and I carry the marks of it to this day. Why he
did it, I do not know, unless it was because I was a foreigner.
The gentleman for whom I was travelling was a student, and I was
carrying a glad message to an old chum of his in Massachusetts. I lived
with this student some weeks before he sent me on my errand. As I lay in
a pigeon-hole of his desk, I often saw him get out his books and study.
He sometimes read them aloud. He liked Horace best of all. He would
light a cigar, put his feet on the desk, and read Satires as if he were
very happy indeed. I soon became fond of Horace too. I liked to listen
to his queer stories of life in Rome, of his love of country life, and
of his dear friends Virgil and Mæcenas.
My favorite story was the "Trip on a Canal-Boat." I used to picture to
myself the jolly poet sitting by the prow of the quaint boat, watching
the twinkling lights alongshore; and listening to the loud songs and
rude jests of the barge-men. So when I learned that I was to be sent on
a long journey, you may believe it was no small comfort to me to learn
that I was to go "_viâ_ Brindisi." I was to visit the very town to which
the poet had travelled so long ago. Perhaps between here and Rome I
might even catch a glimpse of the old canal. Fortunately there was a
little crack in the side of the bag where I lay, and I managed to get a
peep of the town. I could not see anything which satisfied me much.
Brindisi is not what Brundusium was. When Virgil died there, when Cæsar
marched against it with golden eagles, when Antony threatened there the
man who afterward became Augustus, it was a great city. It had an
excellent harbor, strong fortifications, and sixty thousand inhabitants.
Now it is nothing.
I can not tell you of all the interesting places I passed on my way. In
fact, I hardly know myself where I did go, for I slept most of the time,
and when awake, my bruised head ached so badly that I did not care to be
curious.
In fact, until I reached Brindisi I had only once attempted to peep out.
I did wish to view the Suez Canal. But for that I should have been
obliged to go around the Cape of Storms. To be sure, in that case I
might have caught a glimpse of Table Mountain and its vaporous
"table-cloth," and have seen the rocky isle where Napoleon was caged.
But that would have been small compensation for the tedious voyage. So I
regarded the Suez Canal as in some sort a friend, and I tried to see it.
But the vulgar yellow Circular I told you of edged himself directly in
front of me, and hid the view completely. I had no more remarkable
adventures until we reached the Post-office in London. I did not suffer
at all on the Channel, though my courtly friend the Letter and his pages
were all quite distressed. He was unkind enough to say that my escape
was probably due to the fact that I had nothing inside. I excused the
discourtesy, under the circumstances, and was heartily sorry to part
from him at London. Here I was taken out and given a breath of fresh
air. But here, also, I suffered. Another clerk seized me, and struck me
a violent blow on the breast. He certainly left a red mark upon me. I
think that I shall not recover from my ill-treatment.
I have lived long enough to reach the one to whom I was sent, and to
give him glad congratulations on his-- But, there! I almost told my
secret. It is my greatest fault.
[Illustration]
My life is nearly over. I meant to tell you of Bombay, its race-course,
its fine harbor which gives it its name, its wealthy Parsees, and good
Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, but I am too much worn out. I have had my face
photographed for you. You can see my scars. You must not turn me over
and read my glad message. That would not be fair. I too have a
superscription. I have been of use. I have been told that after my death
I may live again; that I may, perhaps, live in white, and become a grand
Letter. I may even get a monogram and a crest. It is not impossible.
Other messengers of glad tidings die and live again. Flowers do--and
butterflies.
POP'S IDEA OF FUN.
BY MRS. FRANK McCARTHY.
Only this morning Pop punched me in the ribs, and winked, and whispered
behind his hand, "Any more sprees on hand, Bob?" I was disgusted, and
didn't say anything. If he'd been a boy of my size just then, things
would have been different; but Pop is a kind of man it isn't pleasant to
offend. I smiled in a sickly way, but I was never more disgusted in my
life. Any more sprees! I should think not. I'll leave it to any one if
his kind of sprees pay. "Count me in for the next racket, Bob," he said
at the breakfast table, and then he winked again. I declare I was that
sick I let my buckwheat cake get cold.
Here's the way it was. We live in a nobby kind of place, you see. Almost
everybody owns his own house and grounds, and spends all his spare time
in fixing up. Most of the gentlemen go over to New York to business
every day, but before they go, and after they come back, they're always
fussing around, making little alterations, and what they call
improvements. It makes 'em awful mad if the place is out of order the
seventieth part of an inch. The ladies raise flowers, fix baskets and
roses, and all that kind of gimcracks, and the men go pottering about,
making more fuss over their plots of ground than a big farmer out West
does over his thousands of acres. Well, we boys get together sometimes
and arrange everything to suit ourselves. In a single night it'll be
like a transformation scene at a pantomime--maybe not so pretty, but
every bit as funny. Fun! We've laughed ready to split our sides to see
the poor old barber come limping up for his pole in front of the
doctor's, and the doctor go blustering down there for his hitching post;
a lot of paving-stones against the door of the real-estate office, and
the cows and chickens running loose about town.
But this particular lark was what we called a specialty. Only gates were
to be touched, and these were to undergo a regular tribulation. The
weather was about right--muggy--and the mud in some places knee-deep. We
arranged all the preliminaries at recess, and Tom Jones was to go around
about nine o'clock and let us know if the coast was clear; but he wasn't
to give our regular call--all the place knows that. It goes something in
this way, "Ki-yuah-yuah, yoo-o," with a prolonged howl at the end. We
always drop it when anything secret's on hand. It was agreed upon that
Tom Jones should go to each house, if all was right, and have a coughing
and sneezing spell that wouldn't arouse suspicion; then we were to creep
out, when the folks were gone to bed, and go to work. And it happened to
be work that time, you'd better believe!
We were all sitting around the table when the clock struck nine. Pop had
his spectacles on, and was reading an editorial to ma, the girls were
busy with their lessons, and I had finished my last example, when all at
once we heard a terrible coughing and sneezing out in the street. That
was the worst of Tom Jones--he always overdid his part. If he'd had
pneumonia, whooping-cough, asthma, and bronchitis, and been hired to go
round with a cough medicine to cure 'em, he couldn't have turned himself
further inside out. Of course Pop began to notice it, and ma looked up
in alarm. "Why," said ma, "that boy's got a terrible cold!"
"Fearful!" said Pop, with a queer twist of his under lip; and when Tom
Jones, like a big donkey, went across the street to Jim Clancy's house,
and began the whole thing over again, Pop wanted to know why that boy's
cold was like the paper he held in his hand. We all gave it up, and Pop
said because it was _periodical_. Ma and the girls looked mystified, but
I was afraid then he'd tumbled to something, and couldn't help getting
red, to save my life. That's the worst of my plagued skin--it's so thin
the blood shows right through it.
There were no more of the boys' houses in our avenue, and pretty soon we
all went to bed. I slept in the little room on the second floor off the
hall; it was an easy thing to climb out the window, and down by the
Virginia creeper to the front garden. I went around to our place of
meeting, and there they all were. The wind had sprung up pretty brisk,
and there was a thin coating of ice over the mud; but that was all the
better for the gates we wanted to bury. We owed a grudge to old Jake Van
Couter, and we made up our minds he'd have a nice time getting his gate
back. The miserable old caboodle was rusty, and nearly tore our nails
off, but we got it loose at last, and hauled it off to a marshy lot,
where we sunk it in the mud. Then we changed the doctor's gate to the
judge's, and to avert suspicion we took our own gates off with the rest.
We were getting pretty well tired out and ready for home, and had laid
my gate up against a neighboring fence, when who should be standing
right there in the shadow of the wall but Pop! We were all so
thunder-struck that we didn't move, and to my surprise Pop began to
laugh and beckon to the boys to come closer. They were not to be caught
by that bait, and stood off pretty considerably, when Pop whispered over
to us, in quite a jolly tone of voice: "Don't be afraid, boys. I like to
see you enjoy yourselves. I was a boy once myself. Bless your hearts! I
like fun yet as well as anybody."
Then he laughed ready to split, bent himself double, and we all began to
feel easy, and laugh too. Tom Jones said he wished _his_ father was like
mine, and Pop began to encourage us to do more. We were so spurred on by
him that we hardly left a gate in the place where it belonged, Pop going
along with us, acting as a kind of scout, he said, and seeing that
nobody was near to disturb us. Once or twice he gave a signal of alarm,
and we all crouched down as still as mice, Pop stiller than any of us. I
never was so dumfounded in my life, for I'd never seen Pop very jolly
that way before. The boys were delighted with him; they all agreed to
make him president of our club, and Pop said he'd take the position when
he got back from the Legislature.
Well, we'd come to the conclusion the place was completely done, and Jim
Clancy proposed we should go home. Jim had torn his hands rather badly
with Uncle Jake's gate, and didn't feel very good, when suddenly Pop
said:
"Yes, boys, of course we'll go home pretty soon, when we're through, you
know; but we must put _all the gates back in their places again first_!"
We all looked at each other aghast for a minute. "Back again!" cried the
fellows. "Well, I guess not!" "Not much!" "Hardly!" and all sorts of
derisive refusals went round.
Pop stood among us, whirling his cane, smiling all the time, and said:
"Oh, yes you will, boys, when you think of it a minute. You've had your
fun, you know; but it won't do to go too far. I'm a justice of the
peace, you see, and this innocent little racket comes under the head of
'malicious mischief.' You could all be sent to jail; and no matter how
badly I'd feel, I'd have to act under the law. There's where it is, you
see; people are so hard on boys they won't let them enjoy themselves.
It's too bad; but never mind, we've had our fun anyway. Now let's get to
work in earnest. Here, we'll begin with this gate. Lift it up there,
Jim; hold on the other side, Bobby, my boy. Now we have it--all
together." And as true as you live, we actually found ourselves walking
along with the gate between us. From that gate we went to another, and
another. I don't know how it was, but we just plodded along, and did
what Pop said. He was laughing, and joking, and flourishing his cane;
but, oh, how tired we were! How our hands and our feet and our hearts
ached, and how sickening it all was! The most sickening of anything was
to hear Pop laugh and carry on all the time, as if this was the cream of
the joke. I tell you, we were all mad enough; and when we got to old
Jake Van Couter's, we just rebelled. We all hated Jake, anyhow; and Tom
Jones he stood right out in the road, and said Jake was a mean old
curmudgeon; and then Pop got hold of Tom before we knew it, and down
came his cane with a whack.
"Now, boys," says Pop, "fun's fun, and I'm as fond of it as anybody, but
I don't see any use of spoiling a good time in this kind of way. Jake
couldn't put that gate back, to save his life, and it goes to my heart
to hear hard words against the poor old man. He's bent double with
rheumatism, he's old and he's poor, and he's no subject for your fun.
Take a fellow like me if you want fun. I don't mind it. Do what you like
to me, but spare poor old _Jake_."
Well, we just looked at one another in mute disgust, but we didn't care
to dispute any further with Pop. We plunked along that nasty old
freezing road, and we yanked Uncle Jake's gate out of the mud, and
carried it half a mile, our nails hanging off, and tears of rage and
mortification rolling down our cheeks, with Pop laughing like a good one
all the while, declaring that he didn't see how anybody _could_ be so
hard on boys; they _would_ have their fun, and for his part he thought
it did them good, and it took him back to his youth again; he hadn't had
such a spree for many a year.
We groaned and looked at each other, and each of us dropped off silently
and gloomily at our separate doors. A whole month has gone by without a
proposition for fun of any kind, and I'll leave it to anybody if it
ain't enough to disgust a fellow to have Pop winking at me behind his
hand, and telling me to count him in for the next racket.
ALMOST TIME!
Almost time for the pretty white daisies
Out of their sleep to awaken at last,
And over the meadows, with grasses and clover,
To bud and to blossom, and grow so fast.
Almost time for the buttercups yellow,
The ferns and the flowers, the roses and all,
To waken from slumber, and merrily hasten
To gladden our hearts at the spring's first call.
Almost time for the skies to grow bluer,
And breezes to soften, and days to grow long;
For eyes to grow brighter, and hearts to grow gladder,
And Earth to rejoice in her jubilant song.
Almost time for the sweetest of seasons:
Nearer it comes with each new-born day,
And soon the smile of the beautiful spring-time
Winter's cold shadows will chase away!
REMARKABLE ANIMALS.
Australia and Tasmania possess many specimens of strange animal life;
even in the latter, or Van Diemen's Land, are found several species
which exist only on that small bit of the earth's surface. Tasmania,
which is separated from the southern extremity of Australia by a strait
about one hundred and forty miles in width, was first discovered in
1633, by Abel Tasman, a famous Dutch navigator, who supposed it to be a
portion of Australia, then known as New Holland. The celebrated Captain
Cook visited it one hundred and fifty years later; but it was not until
about 1800, when Captain Flinders, exploring the southern coast of
Australia, discovered the strait, that Tasmania was known to be an
island. As Mr. Bass, surgeon of a British ship which had cruised in
those waters, had already affirmed that such a strait existed, Captain
Flinders named it Bass Strait in his honor.
At the beginning of this century a few tribes of natives were the sole
human inhabitants of Tasmania, but about 1803 a party of English
military, with a gang of convicts under their charge, came from New
South Wales and formed a settlement, which is now a flourishing English
town called Hobart Town. Sheep-raising is now the principal industry of
this island, and large exports of wool are made yearly.
The scenery of Tasmania is very picturesque. Grand basaltic headlands
tower along the coast, while inland are lofty mountains, broad lakes,
untrodden jungles, and wide-spreading plains covered with rich and
luxuriant vegetation.
Australia and Tasmania are the residence of the curious family of
animals with pouches, called Marsupialia, from _marsupium_, signifying a
purse or bag. One variety of this species, the opossum, is found in the
United States, and a few live in South America and Mexico, but in the
Australian regions are more than seventy different kinds of these
singular creatures. The leader of them all is the great kangaroo, which
stands about five feet high when resting upon its hind-feet and
haunches. When running it springs from the ground in an erect position,
holding its short fore-arms tight to its chest, like a professional
runner, and it will go as far as sixteen feet at one jump. From twenty
to thirty species of kangaroos are found in Australia and the
surrounding islands.
A member of the Marsupialia family which does not exist out of the small
island of Tasmania is the zebra-wolf, the most savage and destructive of
all the marsupials. This ferocious beast is about the size of the
largest kind of sheep-dog. Its short fur is of a yellowish-brown color,
and its back and sides are handsomely marked with black stripes. It is a
fleet runner, propelling itself with its hind-legs, which are jointed
like those of a kangaroo, although it goes on all fours. Its gait is a
succession of quick springs--a peculiarity of nearly all the animals of
Tasmania.
[Illustration: EMU AND ZEBRA WOLVES.]
The zebra-wolf is very troublesome to the sheep-raising farmers, and
constant watch is required to prevent its depredations on the flocks and
herds. It inhabits caverns and rocks in the deep and almost impenetrable
glens in the neighborhood of the high mountain ranges, from whence it
sallies forth at night to scour the great grassy plains in search of
food. It preys on the brush kangaroo, the great emu, and any small birds
or beasts it can capture.
Another strange beast is the porcupine ant-eater, or Tasmanian hedgehog.
It is much larger than the English hedgehog, and can not roll itself
into a ball. Its back is covered with very stout spines protruding from
a coat of thick gray fur, and in place of a mouth it has a round bill
about two inches long. One of these strange creatures was once presented
to an English lady living at Hobart Town. For safety she placed it at
the bottom of a deep wooden churn until better lodgings could be
provided. Shortly after, on going to look at her captive, she found it
clinging by its long claws to the top of the churn, with its funny
little head peeping over. The bill gave an indescribably droll
expression to its queer pursed-up face, while its bright eyes peered
restlessly about from their furry nooks. There was something so pitiful,
pleading, and helpless in the expression of the little creature, that
the lady, fearing she could not make it happy in captivity, at once set
it free in her garden. It immediately began to burrow, casting up a
circular ridge of earth, beneath which in a moment it vanished, and
never was seen again.
The duck-bill is a near kinsman of the porcupine ant-eater. It is a
mole-like quadruped, with a large bill like a duck's. It spends most of
its time in the water, but lives in a burrow on the shore. Its feet are
very curious, as they can be changed at the pleasure of their owner.
When in the water they are webbed like a duck's, but if the creature
comes on shore, the web shrinks, and leaves long sharp claws ready for
burrowing.
There is also a small, clumsy, inoffensive animal called the wombat,
which is never found outside of these Australian regions. Its head
resembles that of a badger. It has very small eyes, short legs, and its
fat, squab body is covered with coarse gray hair. It lives in rocky
places and mountain gullies, and feeds on the roots of plants. It is
easily tamed, and makes a very affectionate pet. Some English children
living in Tasmania once had a pet wombat. It became so mischievous,
however, that they determined to carry it back to its native forest. But
the wombat having tasted the comforts of civilized life, had no desire
to dig for its living again. Three times it was carried away, the last
time to a wood beyond a deep river; but every time, when night came, a
well-known scratching was heard at the door, and the wombat presented
itself, drenched and weary, but determined not to suffer banishment from
its comfortable home. Its master, touched by so much attachment, at
length allowed it to remain, and it passed the rest of its days in
peace.
The kangaroo-rat and kangaroo-mouse, the opossum-mouse, the flying
opossum, and some other odd little creatures, inhabit Tasmania. They are
all marsupials, having a pouch for their little ones, and jumping on
their hind-feet like a kangaroo.
An enormous bird is found in the Australian countries, called the emu.
In its habits and general appearance it resembles the ostrich, although
it does not possess the exquisite plumage of that bird. The long
drooping feathers of the emu are brownish-black in color, and covered
with hairy fibres. A full-grown bird is five or six feet in height. It
never flies, but, like the ostrich, is a very swift runner, and as it is
very shy, is difficult to capture. Its nest is a hole scraped in the
ground, where it lays six or seven dark green eggs. Emus are much hunted
by the Bushmen, as a fine clear oil is prepared from the skin, which is
highly prized for its medicinal qualities.
Many varieties of remarkable and beautiful birds are found in Australia
and Tasmania: the lyre-bird, with its wonderful tail feathers; the odd
owl-like "morepoke," which screams its own name through the forest
solitudes all night long; glistening bronze-winged pigeons; strange and
gorgeous parrots; and others, to describe which would fill a large
volume. In this locality are nearly a hundred species of birds and
beasts not found in any other portion of the world, and they are all,
with scarcely a single exception, the oddest and strangest of existing
creatures.
[Illustration: A RIDE IN THE PARK.--DRAWN BY P. DE LUGE.]
NED'S SNOW-HOUSE.
A True Story.
Little Ned Bancroft stood by the window, and as he looked at the
fast-falling snow and the sidewalks deeply covered, he thought, "What a
fine time I shall have this afternoon shovelling snow, for it is Friday,
and I shall have no lesson to learn!"
His mamma then called to him, "Come, Ned, it is nearly nine o'clock; you
must start for school."
So off he trudged, delighted with the idea of battling the storm, his
feet well protected with high rubber boots, and his hands covered with
warm mittens made by his loving grandmamma.
Ned was an only child, the pride of his papa and mamma, and the great
pet of aunties and uncles. As for grandmamma, she never tired of kissing
his sweet round little face.
Not long after he had gone to school it stopped snowing, and men with
large shovels were seen in the streets, pulling the door-bells, and
asking, "Want your snow shovelled?"
Mrs. Bancroft engaged one of these men, and ordered him, before cleaning
the sidewalk, to clear up the back yard by shovelling the snow into a
pile in one corner, as Jane wanted to hang out the clothes.
When Ned came home to lunch, he saw with delight the great mound of snow
the man had made, and he resolved to make a house in it when school was
over.
His aunt Lou, who lived in New York, came in on her way to grandmamma's
while Ned and his mamma were eating their lunch, and Ned heard auntie
ask his mother to go with her, and mamma consented, and he heard her
say, "I will not get home before six o'clock." How well he remembered
this remark, some hours afterward, we shall see, but at the moment he
paid little heed to it, as his mind was full of the afternoon's sport.
He kissed them good-by as he left the table, and was soon back at
school, which was only a few blocks off.
Ned was only ten years old, but his mother had taught him to be careful
with his books and toys, and put them in their proper places when he had
done with them.
When school was out he ran home, put his spelling-book on the shelf in
his little room, took out his shovel from the box where he kept his
playthings, and went into the yard.
He began to work immediately, digging out a hole in the bottom of the
pile of snow, which was to be his house. His shovel was small, and it
took a long while to make a place large enough to creep into. But he
enjoyed the sport, tossing each shovelful of snow as high as he could,
and across the yard.
For a short time he had a companion, Eva Roslyn, a little girl who lived
next door, who peeped through a crack in the fence, and could just see
him at work.
"Didn't I throw that shovelful high, Eva?" he called out.
"Oh, I can hardly see you," said Eva. "I wish you would cut this hole
larger, Ned."
"I will some day," replied Ned. "But run and ask your mother to let you
come in here and help me dig out my house."
"Well," said Eva, and went in-doors, and up stairs to her mamma, whom
she found in the parlor talking with a lady who had brought her little
girl to play with Eva.