branch of the business; and as the mass of steel comes down like a
sledge-hammer every two or three seconds, I pity them as I see how it
shakes not only their bodies, but also the beams in the ceiling and the
pillars that hold the building together. The hours are long and dreary
to them, and when the day is ended, the continuous shock has unfitted
them to enjoy the evening. They have no share in the pleasure which the
results of their labor will afford. They do not see the toys giving
happiness to children; and what they think most about, I fancy, is the
number of impressions they can make in a day, for every time the die
strikes it is a bit of bread for them.
Their whole attention must be fixed on the machine in its up-and-down
motion. A moment's carelessness would cost them their fingers; and we
see one girl half of whose hand has been lost by being caught under the
die.
The first die simply hollows out the form in the plate, a second die
cuts away all the surrounding metal, and a third die smooths the edges.
But there is only half a horse so far, and the other half is made in the
same way as the first. Both pieces are then pressed together, and we
have a very shapely racer.
There are several hundred different dies for acrobats, cows, goats,
boys, girls, parrots, monkeys, and other objects of natural history.
In another part of the factory we see several men seated by small
furnaces, over which pans of liquid metal are simmering, and the Dexters
are dipped into these, which additionally secures the two halves. The
next process is coloring. Up to this point the horse has plainly been
tin; but when it is dipped in a bath of white or brown or black paint,
and hung out to dry, it becomes very much more life-like, and has the
glossy surface of an enamel. Dipping is found preferable to painting
with a brush, as it leaves a much smoother surface, and of course can be
done much quicker. The superfluous paint flows back into the bath, and
sometimes strings of it hang from the hoofs and ears. When they are
hard, these strings are cut off with a knife, and the toy is then
secured to a small platform, and "finished." The finishing is done by a
score or more of men and young women seated at long benches, upon which
are pots of paints and brushes. The eyes, mane, tail, and hoofs are
given different colors from the body, and the Dexter is now ready for
packing.
The manufacture of tin toys requires no great ability or ingenuity, and
most of the persons employed in it are paid very little. A Dexter
several inches long can be bought for fifteen cents at any shop, and
this sum includes the profits of the producer, the wholesale merchant,
and the retail seller. The producer's price to the trade is not more
than seven or eight cents. But simple as it is, the toy is handled by
sixteen persons before it finally reaches the little girls who wrap it
in tissue-paper and put it into a card-board box. It travels up and down
stairs, and makes the whole circuit of the factory; it passes from the
dies to the solderers, from the solderers to the paint shops, from the
paint shops to young men who put wheels upon the platform, and thence to
the finishers.
Tea sets and dinner sets of Britannia metal are made in the same
factory. The liquid metal is poured into iron moulds, and cups, saucers,
plates, sugar-bowls, milk-pitchers, and coffee-pots are produced, twenty
or thirty to the minute. Coming out of the mould, they have no lustre,
and they are polished on a lathe, which gives them the appearance of
burnished silver. A complete tea set, with cups and saucers for a doll
and five guests, costs twenty-five cents at retail, and not more than
fifteen cents at wholesale, and the man with the mould has to work
briskly in order to earn his bread and butter.
[Begun in HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 80, May 10.]
SUSIE KINGMAN'S DECISION.
BY KATE R. McDOWELL.
CHAPTER II.
The morning passed as usual, with the exception that just before recess
Mr. Gorham stated that he had a few words to say to the school, and
begged the closest attention. It was needless to ask that, for every eye
was already fixed upon the speaker, and every face betokened the
liveliest interest in what he was about to say.
In a few words Mr. Gorham unfolded the May-party project, said the honor
of Queen would be given to the one who stood first in her classes, and
as having looked over the records he found two of the pupils, Miss
Florence Tracy and Miss Susie Kingman, ranked equally high, a vote would
be taken before close of school to decide the matter. He then referred
the girls to Miss Page to find out about their costumes, and finished by
setting the twentieth of June, the last day of school, for the _fête_,
then struck the bell.
The buzzing of voices that followed! Among the many exclamations one
might have heard,
"It's really a _June_ party!"
"All the better, for we never could wear thin dresses out-of-doors in
May!"
"The best kind of a way to end up school!"
"Why, girls, it will be just a month from to-day. Let's find Miss Page
and learn all the particulars."
At this proposal quite a number went into the recitation-room, but
Susie, with her eyes on Florence's sad face, seemed chained to her seat.
"I _must_ decide now," she was thinking. "No; _I can not give it up_. I
gave up to Dick this morning, and that's enough for one day. Then, too,
it's Friday, visitors' day, and I should just like to show them how well
I stand. And when papa hears of my success he'll be delighted; he always
is when he thinks I'm getting on well in my lessons. Oh no; I _can not,
can not_ give it up! Of course I shall vote for Florence, and that's all
I can be expected to do. I haven't asked the girls to vote for me, and
I'm not supposed to know anything about it."
"But you _do_ know about it," said the still, small voice. "You know,
moreover, that you can make Florence very happy, and that it will not
affect your standing in the least."
"Oh dear!" sighed Susie. "I suppose I'll have to give it up, but I can
wait until after the votes are counted, and then say I prefer Florence
to have the place."
"Ah!" interposed Conscience, "your idea is 'to be seen of men.' There is
no charity in that, and, besides, how would Florence feel to be so
patronized? If you give it up at all, do it entirely and cheerfully."
"Oh, I can not, I really can not. It will be lovely to have all the
girls for my subjects, to be waited on by them, and pass under their
garlands. Why does every word I read this morning in the commentary keep
coming into my mind, about one's being willing to have another honored
if one can be more honored one's self? How exactly that applies to my
giving up to Florence _after_ being elected myself; and then that 'In
honor preferring one another' has been running in my head all the
morning. I'll just stop thinking about it, and go in Miss Page's room
with the rest, and talk over the dresses. That reminds me. That lovely
one I had made in the fall for Cousin Clara's wedding--I believe it will
be the very thing." And she hastily went down the passage between two
rows of desks.
[Illustration: FLORENCE AND SUSIE IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM.]
Florence caught her hand as she went by, and said, "I know the question
is as good as decided, Susie, and I shall hail you as our Queen as
gladly as any other of your friends."
Susie tried to thank her, but the words would not come; and instead of
going into Miss Page's room, she took an opposite direction to a vacant
one, used for certain meetings, and there she sat down, saying: "Only
ten minutes left me."
"Yes," suggested Conscience, "ten minutes to decide you will show
yourself unselfish, will make a fellow-creature very happy, and that you
try to live up to the teachings of the Bible."
There were tears in Susie's eyes; in fact, one or two had rolled down
her cheeks, when she slowly said, "I've decided," and on looking toward
the door saw Sadie.
"You're the one I want," said Susie, trying to speak in her usual tones.
"I was just going for you."
Sadie noticed her tear-streaked cheeks and effort to speak cheerfully,
so hastened to say, comfortingly,
"Don't worry an instant; it's just as I said; every girl in the school
will vote for you."
"That's just what they mustn't do," said Susie, earnestly. "Oh, Sadie!
_do_ promise you'll make me very happy by _not_ voting for me."
"Not voting for you!" cried the astonished girl. "What do you mean?"
"Hush, Sadie! somebody will hear you. I mean _this_: that you must get
all the votes you can for Florence. It will make me a thousand times
happier than to be Queen myself; and just think of Florence! You said
yourself she never looks happy, and now we'll all unite to make her so."
"Oh, Susie," said Sadie, after a moment's pause, "how good you are to
propose such a thing, and how Florence will love you for it!"
"No, no," protested Susie. "Sadie, of all things, Florence must never
know, never even _suspect_; that would spoil it all."
"I'm so bewildered!" said Sadie. "What _can_ we do in the few minutes
left? As you say, how delighted Florence will be! but _I_ never could
have given it up, Susie--_never_!"
"Oh, yes you could, if you knew how great the joy was that followed,"
said Susie, simply. "I wonder now that I hesitated a moment."
They both went among the different groups of girls, and there was more
whispering than ever, and numberless expressions of wonder, always
silenced by, "Hush! Florence will hear, and she must never know." The
ringing of the bell put an end to all stifled exclamations, and the
scholars were soon in their seats.
Sadie asked permission to speak. Mr. Gorham smiled, knowing she had been
talking every moment for the past half-hour, nevertheless he granted it.
She leaned over and whispered to Susie, "Ten or twelve girls went out to
walk at recess, and haven't heard the new plan."
"Never mind," returned Susie. "It will seem all the more natural to have
a divided vote."
The usual Friday visitors now began to come in to listen to the readings
and recitations that always took place on the last school afternoon of
the week, and among them was one who had never before presented
himself--Squire Tracy.
"All the better," whispered Sadie, forgetting in her excitement that her
permission to speak had long since expired. And Susie signaled a "yes"
in reply.
After the weekly exercises were over, Mr. Gorham explained to the
new-comers about the May-party, gave the names of the two scholars for
whom votes were to be cast, and then handed each of the forty girls a
slip of paper on which to write the name of her choice for Queen.
The Squire grew interested. He wiped his glasses, and looked about for
Florence. She could not raise her eyes for thinking, "Oh, uncle has no
idea what a popular girl Susie Kingman is! What _will_ he think when I
don't get any votes?"
The Squire caught her eye at last, and nodded encouragingly. "He never
looked so kindly at me before," moaned the unhappy girl. "He really
thinks I've as good a chance as Susie," and her eyes filled with tears
as she traced Susie's name on her paper.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
[Illustration]
A CHINESE ADVENTURE.
BY PALMER COX.
Three heathen men set out one day
To cross the China sea--
Ah Hong Wun Ho, Gui Tong Pi Lo,
And daring Hup Si Lee.
But there was not, of all the lot,
A single one who knew
The proper way in which to sail
Upon the ocean blue.
The first was captain of the ship,
He kept an eye ahead;
The second played the part of mate,
He steered and heaved the lead;
[Illustration]
The third was boatswain, cook, and crew,
Which kept him on the go;
He had to spread the sail aloft,
And make the tea below.
The winds began, the billows ran,
The ship went up and down;
At times she pointed out to sea,
As often back to town.
The seasick captain left the bow,
Between the decks to lie;
The boatswain, busy making tea,
Let all the canvas fly.
[Illustration]
And, oh! the mate, the silly mate,
The worst of all was he;
To find how deep the water lay,
He leaped into the sea.
Then mate and crew, and captain too,
Began to yell and roar;
So people threw them out a line,
And hauled the ship ashore.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]
We have received the following letter from the little colored girl whose
appeal for school-books was printed in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 76. It is
gratifying to see that our young friends have responded so heartily to
her petition for help. And they will all be happy when they read her
grateful words of thanks.
LINCOLNTON, NORTH CAROLINA.
MY KIND FRIENDS,--Your books, papers, and cards are very nice. I
did not expect to get so many. You are all so kind, I do not know
how to thank you for them.
My writing is so bad, but I hope it will get to the YOUNG PEOPLE.
I get letters and books every day from the Post-office, and some
books by express. One little girl sent me a dollar. I will divide
with my brothers and sisters, and I will give some of the books to
the colored children who come to the Sunday-school. The ladies
told me to do this, and I think I ought to, because they have
none. Yours, with many thanks,
HANNAH MCDANIEL.
Accompanying Hannah's letter was also one from one of the ladies who
have taught her to read and write. It will be of interest to those who
have bestowed kindness on this poor little girl.
Through the kindness of YOUNG PEOPLE in publishing little Hannah's
letter, she has received many favors, for which her mother's family
feel deeply grateful. It is charity well bestowed. May God bless
the donors!
Hannah's father died last October. Her mother is a good, worthy
woman, brought up in my mother's household with the care of one of
her own children. Both were our trusty faithful servants and
friends for more than thirty years.
We try to do what we can in the way of teaching the colored
children around us, thus following the example of our father, who
died before the war, while a missionary to the colored people in
South Carolina, but our greatest obstacle has been a lack of
books, which we were not able to provide.
I write this letter at the request of Hannah's mother.
MISS M. R. MCDANIEL.
* * * * *
PHOENIX, ARIZONA.
I get YOUNG PEOPLE every week, but it has to come a long way to
find me. Arizona is so far off from the great cities that one might
think we would be deprived of good schools, Sunday-schools, and
other things we left at home, but we have them all, of the very
best, too. Our school has over two hundred scholars, and our
Sunday-school over one hundred, and we have a fine library and an
organ.
We have lived in Arizona nearly ten years, and are delighted with
it. We came four thousand miles to reach here, and on the way
crossed the Rocky Mountains, and ever so many great rivers and hot
deserts.
We live in the beautiful valley of Salt River, which is a branch
of the Gila. The population here is made up largely of Indians and
Mexicans, with a great many Chinese and some negroes. We find this
a good place to study Spanish, as there are so many people here
who speak that language.
I wish I could tell my little fellow-readers of the many strange
reptiles and other things here, and I wish they could see the
valley scenery. It is so beautiful, covered with the green grain,
which is now nearly ready for harvest. I know they would like to
see the little donkeys the Mexicans use to pack wood on. They call
the donkeys _burros_. And there are so many funny little Indian
babies here that they call pappooses. My letter is long enough.
_Adios._
LINDLEY B. O.
* * * * *
NORWAY, MAINE.
I am going to school, and I have to board away from home. I have
taken YOUNG PEOPLE ever since it was published, and I was keeping
my papers as nice as I possibly could, to have them bound, when our
house burned down, and all of our furniture and everything in the
house was lost. I lost all my books and playthings and all my nice
little papers. I had ever so many playthings, and I had one wax
doll and two nice china dolls. I was making a collection of postage
stamps, and I had nearly two hundred. I felt very badly to lose all
my things, yet I was so thankful that my papa and mamma escaped
from the house alive! It was a very dark night, and they did not
wake up until the fire was almost to their room. I was away from
home at school. I send my love to all the little girls that take
YOUNG PEOPLE. I am ten years old.
MAUD A. R.
* * * * *
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
Last Saturday I sent seventeen letters full of stamps. I am
beginning to feel a little better now, as I only get three or four
letters a week.
The pea-nut owl in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 73 made me laugh so that mamma
let me buy a quart of pea-nuts, and showed me how to make one. I
have a nice branch with lots of little branches, and I make owls
of all sizes, and fasten them on. They look so comical, they make
everybody laugh who sees them. Instead of tissue-paper for wings,
I take light wrapping paper just the color of the pea-nut, and ink
it a little, and it looks splendid.
PERCY L. MCD.
* * * * *
AGAWAM, MASSACHUSETTS.
I would like to tell the boy in Ohio that my brother Lewis had some
chickens hatched on the 20th of March, but I guess the little
things thought it was pretty cold weather.
My grandma says that a ten-quart pail full of sap from large old
maple-trees will make a pound of sugar.
JENNIE P.
* * * * *
NAUVOO, ILLINOIS.
I live near the Mississippi River. There are mounds near here. My
uncle dug into one of them, and between two layers of flat stones
he found some Indian bones.
ANNABEL E. S.
* * * * *
PORTLAND, CONNECTICUT.
Mamma reads to me the stories about kitties and dogs that belong to
other little girls who write to YOUNG PEOPLE, and some of them are
as well educated as my Fritzie. When I speak to Fritzie, he
understands all I say to him; I am sure of it. When I feed him, he
waits patiently until I hand him the food. I have the meat cut up
very fine, and then I sit down in my little rocking-chair with the
plate in my lap, and pass the food to Fritzie with a silver fork.
Everybody is pleased to see him eat. He never snaps at the meat,
but takes it very gently from the fork, and eats it like a
gentleman. He will sit up in a chair and have a napkin pinned round
his neck before he eats; that is to keep his vest clean. I saw a
picture in a book of an ill-mannered dog that had eaten up a little
child's dinner. I feel sorry there are such wicked dogs in the
world. Fritzie would scorn such an action. He would protect the
little girl, like the "Faithful Sentinel" in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 71.
Fritzie looks just like that picture. He is as brave as a lion. He
catches rats, and every night he goes with the night-watchman to
the factory to help him. So he works very hard too. He is getting
old, but if he lives until summer, mamma says she will have his
photograph taken.
NEVA E. A.
* * * * *
DES MOINES, IOWA.
Will some correspondent please tell me what a Florida sea-bean is?
L. M. G.
If some of our Southern readers will write a description of the Florida
sea-bean, its size, color, and how and where it grows, we will gladly
print it.
* * * * *
The following letter is from a very little boy who is just learning to
write English:
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.
I receive HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE every week. I am so contented with
it that you can not imagine about it. I love those little engines
to make, and those tricks, and I hope that they will be more.
VIRGIL GIACOBBI.
* * * * *
I will give seventy-five rare stamps for the 30-cent and 90-cent
United States stamps of the issue of 1869. The 30-cent is red and
blue, with the device of an eagle mounted on a shield surrounded by
flags at base, and the 90-cent is carmine and black, and has
Lincoln's head. I will give forty-five stamps for the 90-cent, and
thirty for the 30-cent. These two stamps will complete my whole set
of United States stamps. I have two hundred and thirty--no local or
revenue stamps counted.
E. GUDEMAN,
112 River Street, Hoboken, N. J.
* * * * *
I will exchange a miniature yacht for a printing-press, type, and
general printing outfit. The yacht is twenty inches long, five and
three-quarter inches wide, four inches depth of hold, mast sixteen
and one-quarter inches in height from deck. It is sloop-rigged, and
finished up in a very handsome manner with paint, varnish, etc. It
is a first-class sailer, and as good as new. It was built in a most
substantial manner by an Eastern boat-builder. The boat will be
securely boxed and sent by express.
Please write describing press and outfit before sending any
package.
W. J. DOUGHTY,
684 Communipaw Avenue, Jersey City, N. J.
* * * * *
I have twenty varieties of the cactus family, to which I wish to
add as many more as possible. I will gladly exchange cuttings with
any one.
GUSSIE E. PEEBLES, Cobden, Ill.
* * * * *
I would like to tell the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE a nice way to
preserve the color of autumn or forest leaves. First sprinkle the
leaf with a little resin, and rub a warm iron lightly over it. Then
dissolve some red aniline in water, and brush over the surface of
the leaf with a feather. Hold the leaf near the fire a few moments,
and it will assume the most brilliant colors--green, bronze, etc.
I have several old newspapers printed in 1804 and 1805. One is
dated July 13, 1804, and contains the first news that reached
Philadelphia of the duel between General Hamilton and Aaron Burr.
I will exchange one of these for ten stamps from Mexico or Central
or South America.
I will also exchange three stamps--the United States blue
three-cent, issue of 1869; the red three-cent, issue of 1861; and
one from either New Zealand or the East Indies, for one
three-cornered Cape of Good Hope stamp; or one from New Brunswick
or Newfoundland, issue of 1857 or 1860.
MAURICE A. MCMILLAN,
Washington C. H., Fayette Co., Ohio.
* * * * *
R. Carpenter, Chicago, Illinois, desires to notify correspondents that
he received so many applications for his stamps and postmarks that his
small stock was exhausted in less than a week after his offer of
exchange was printed. He will answer every letter as soon as possible,
and either return the stamps he has received, or give an equivalent.
* * * * *
The address of Irvin P. Knipe and brother, whose offer of exchange
appeared in the Post-office Box of YOUNG PEOPLE No. 78, should read
Norristown instead of Morristown.
* * * * *
Harry Robinson, Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, wishes the address of the
correspondent who sent him a specimen of lead ore in a Tiffany & Co.
box.
* * * * *
Arthur Davenport, Chicago, Illinois, notifies correspondents that he has
no more crystallized quartz to exchange.
* * * * *
Annie Wheeler, Danville, Virginia, requests the address of the young
lady who sent her a lot of West India flower seeds.
* * * * *
Eddie Gordon, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, desires to notify correspondents
that his stock of Indian arrow-heads and pottery is exhausted.
* * * * *
The following exchanges are offered by correspondents:
Indian arrow-heads, for foreign coins. A petrifaction of a fish's
head, for old United States coins.
MARTIN J. BRITTING, West Covington, Ky.
* * * * *
Ten postmarks, for two South American stamps.
S. M. BUSSELL,
106 East Thirty-first Street, New York City.
* * * * *
Carnelians, or specimens of oak, birch, poplar, cherry, and sumac,
for specimens of foreign woods.
RAY S. BAKER,
Saint Croix Falls, Polk Co., Wis.
* * * * *
A few Indian relics, an ounce of soil from Indiana, and some other
curiosities, for coins from any foreign country except England.
F. T. COLE, Economy, Wayne Co., Ind.
* * * * *
Pieces of lava, a fossilized fern, lead ore, and other minerals,
for gold or copper ore, or Indian arrow-heads. Please write before
sending specimens.
HARRY C., Bergen Point, Hudson Co., N. J.
* * * * *
One-cent and three-cent Canadian stamps, for Canadian stamps of a
higher denomination. Two three-cent for one six-cent.
ROBERT L. CARROLL,
84 Carver Street, Boston, Mass.
* * * * *
Rocks and earth from Indiana, with five kinds of foreign stamps,
for rocks and earth from any other State; or stamps from Brazil,
Sandwich Islands, British Guinea, Hong-Kong, Japan, Finland, and
other countries, for stamps of equal value.
DAN L. DORSEY,
25 West Georgia Street, Indianapolis, Ind.
* * * * *
Twenty foreign postage stamps for Indian relics.
A. J. DENT, care of J. E. Dent,
P. O. Box 200, Columbia, S. C.
* * * * *
Curiosities of all kinds.
R. P. C. and R. H. D., P. O. Box 144,
Riverside, San Bernardino Co., Cal.
* * * * *
A new, good-toned violin, bow, and instruction-book, for a good
self-inking printing-press and outfit. A collection of stamps from
Barbadoes, Brazil, Cuba, and other countries, for the set of
Nicaragua stamps, a Malta stamp, and two Bermuda, the lilac
sixpence, and the green one shilling.
EDWIN GARCIA, JUN.,
342 West Ninety-sixth Street, New York City.
* * * * *
Crystallized quartz, flint, and iron pyrites, for foreign coins of
every country except Canada, minerals, or anything good for a
collection.
AARON GOLDMAN,
2933 Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
* * * * *
Ten foreign stamps, gold ore, nickel salts, and a Florida sea-bean,
for an Indian stone tomahawk.