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LITTLE FOLKS:
_A Magazine for the Young._
_NEW AND ENLARGED SERIES._
CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED.
_LONDON, PARIS & NEW YORK._
[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]
[Blank Page]
[Illustration]
INDEX.
AMUSEMENTS, RECREATIONS, &c.--
Pretty Work for Little Fingers--
Embroidered Glass-cloth, 13.
The Children's Own Garden, 43, 100, 179, 239, 290, 360.
Hints on Canvasine Painting, 75.
Some more Little Presents, and the way to make them, 139.
A New Game for Children, 142.
How to make pretty Picture-Frames, 203.
A Game for Long Evenings, 275.
Little Papers for Little Art Workers--
Ivory Miniature Painting, 330.
CHILDREN'S OWN GARDEN, THE--
July, 43.
August, 100.
September, 179.
October, 239.
November, 290.
December, 360.
FANCIFUL RHYMES, PICTURES, STORIES, &c.--
Little Miss Propriety, 11.
Fighting with a Shadow, 12.
A Practical Joke, 28.
How Paulina won back Peter (_A Fairy Story_), 47.
A Race on the Sands, 77.
The Kingfisher and the Fishes, 81.
The Maids and the Magpie, 91.
A Game of Cricket in Elfland (_A Fairy Story_), 105.
The Little Flowers' Wish, 116.
Their Wonderful Ride, 153.
What came of a Foxglove (_A Fairy Story_), 172.
A Foraging Expedition in South America, 207.
What the Magic Words Meant (_A Fairy Story_), 235.
The Discontented Boat, 242.
The Brownies to the Rescue, 256.
The Rival Kings (A Fable in Four Situations), 276.
The Fox and the Frog, 288.
The Magic Music and its Message (_A Fairy Story_), 293.
The Rival Mothers, 337.
A Race for a Cat (_A Fairy Story_), 361.
HUMANE SOCIETY, THE "LITTLE FOLKS"--
Special Notices, 55, 373.
Lists of Officers and Members, 55, 121, 185, 249, 313, 372.
True Stories about Pets, Anecdotes, &c., 57, 187, 251, 374.
LITTLE MARGARET'S KITCHEN, AND WHAT SHE DID IN IT, 45, 110, 161, 233,
279, 335.
LITTLE TOILERS OF THE NIGHT--
The Printer's Reading-Boy, 30.
The Fisher-Boy, 151.
Young Gipsies, 273.
MUSIC--
Three Little Squirrels, 59.
A Harvest Song, 112.
"Let's Away to the Woods," 181.
Dignity and Impudence, 245.
The Happy Little River, 316.
A Day in the Snow, 376.
PEEPS AT HOME AND ABROAD--
Stories Told in Westminster Abbey--
How the Abbey was Built, 14.
The Coronations in the Abbey, 113.
Royal Funerals in the Abbey, 176.
Curious Customs and Remarkable Incidents, 222.
The Sanctuary, Cloisters, and Chapter-House, 291.
The Monuments, 366.
The Home of the Beads, 26.
Little Toilers of the Night--
The Printer's Reading-Boy, 30.
The Fisher-Boy, 151.
Young Gipsies, 273.
Some Famous Railway Trains, and their Story--
The "Flying Dutchman," 39.
The "Wild Irishman," 86.
The "Flying Scotchman," 204.
The Continental and "Tidal" Mails, 346.
Children's Games in Days of Old, 91.
A Day on Board H.M.S. Britannia, 142.
The Water-Carriers of the World, 157.
The Prince and his Whipping-Boy, 220.
A Few Words about the Dykes of Holland, 267.
A Few Words about Tattooing, 359.
POCKET-BOOK, THE EDITOR'S: JOTTINGS AND PENCILLINGS HERE, THERE, AND
EVERYWHERE--
The Natural Bridge, Virginia, 51;
The Colossus of Rhodes, 51;
Chinese Palanquins, 51;
The Flamingo, 51;
"God's Providence House," 51;
An Ancient Monster, 51;
Arabs of the Soudan, 52;
A Lesson in Charity, 52;
The Busy Bee, 52;
The Dwarf Trees of China, 52;
What is the "Lake School?" 52;
The Cuckoo's Fag, 52;
The Greatest Whirlpool in the World, 54;
The Dog and the Telephone, 54;
The Wounded Cat and the Doctor, 117;
A Remarkable Bell, 117;
About the Mina Bird, 117;
An Historical Cocoa-Plant, 117;
The International Health Exhibition, 118;
Famous Old London Buildings, 118;
Model Dairies, 118;
Trades in Operation, 118;
The Costume Show, 118;
Street of Furnished Rooms, 119;
Other Exhibits, 119;
Young Heroes, 119;
An Intelligent Mare, 119;
Who were the Janizaries? 182;
A Canine Guide, 182;
The Taming of Bucephalus, 182;
The Price of a Picture by Landseer, 183;
"Ignoramus," 183;
Saved by South Sea Islanders, 183;
A Strange Vow, 183;
Honour among Cats, 183;
Memory in Parrots, 183;
The Clock-tower in Darmstadt Palace, 183;
Oiling the Waves, 183;
Spider Knicknacks, 184;
An Affectionate Dog, 184;
A Sagacious Cavalry Horse, 184;
What is a Nabob? 184;
A Curious Volcano, 184;
How a Dog saved its Blind Master, 246;
Abraham Men, 246;
Famous Abdicators, 246;
Memory in Cats, 247;
Fugitives from Siberia, 247;
Tame Humming Birds, 247;
Intelligent Dogs, 247;
Skating Race in Lapland, 247;
The Riddle of the Sphinx, 247;
The Wolf and the Bees, 248;
About Pages, 248;
The Union Jack, 248;
Glendower's Oak, 248;
A Product of the Soudan, 309;
The Vallary Crown, 309;
Supposed Relic of Trafalgar, 309;
The Founder of Ragged Schools, 309;
Tallow Trees, 309;
A Saucy Sparrow, 309;
"Sansculottes," 310;
Fresh-water Springs in the Sea, 309;
Feathered Thieves, 310;
Carlyle's Birthplace, 310;
Memory in Dogs, 310;
Anecdotes of Apelles, 310;
Drawing the Badger, 311;
A Gallant Rescue, 311;
War Elephants, 311;
About the Mistletoe, 370;
Badges of the Apostles, 370;
The Yule Log, 370;
The Senses of Bees, 370;
Abolition of Christmas Day, 371;
The Dancing Bird, 371;
Americanisms, 371;
Peacock Pie, 371;
The "Ironsides," 371;
Migration of Storks, 371.
POETRY--
Little Miss Propriety, 11.
Madge's Dove, 16.
Nessie's Adventure, 21.
A Practical Joke, 28.
A Summer Hour, 44.
A Queen of the Beach, 54.
A Race on the Sands, 77.
The Children's Light Brigade, 85.
The Maids and the Magpie, 91.
Harvest Days, 108.
Waiting for Father, 113.
Summer Visitors, 140,
Their Wonderful Ride, 153.
An Apple Song, 170.
Daisy and Dolly, 176.
Legends of the Flowers--
The Scarlet Pimpernel, 180.
The Sunflower, 280.
His First Sketch, 204.
Contentment, 217.
The Brownies to the Rescue, 256.
The Song of a Little Bird, 267.
Poor Pussy, 313.
A Morning Visit, 333.
The Rival Mothers, 337.
A Helping Hand, 345.
"Father's Coming," 348.
The Legend of the Reeds, 358.
The Birds' Petition, 368.
Little Doctor May, 375.
PRIZE COMPETITIONS--
Picture Pages Wanting Words, &c, and Answers, 58, 64, 124, 128, 188,
192, 252, 320, 379.
Lists of Honour. 58, 124, 188.
The LITTLE FOLKS Special Prize Competitions for 1884, 62.
The LITTLE FOLKS Annual for 1885, 252.
A New LITTLE FOLKS Painting Book Competition, 319.
PRIZE PUZZLE COMPETITIONS--61, 126, 190, 254, 318, 378.
PUZZLES, OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN, AND ANSWERS--58, 60, 125, 128, 188, 189,
253, 317, 320, 374, 377.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS--63, 127, 191, 255, 319, 379.
RAILWAY TRAINS AND THEIR STORY, SOME FAMOUS
The "Flying Dutchman," 39.
The "Wild Irishman," 86.
The "Flying Scotchman," 204.
The Continental and "Tidal" Mails, 346.
SERIAL STORIES--
A LITTLE TOO CLEVER. By the Author of "Pen's Perplexities,"
"Margaret's Enemy," &c. &c, 1, 65, 129, 193, 257, 321.
THEIR ROAD TO FORTUNE: THE STORY OF TWO BROTHERS. By the Author of
"The Heir of Elmdale," &c, 32, 93, 163, 224, 281, 348.
SHORT STORIES--
Too Young for School, 21.
How Paulina Won Back Peter (_A Fairy Story_), 47.
The King and Queen's Quarrel, 78.
Master Tom's "Rainy Weather," 88.
Jemmy's and My Adventure, 101.
A Game of Cricket in Elfland (_A Fairy Story_), 105.
The Little Flowers' Wish, 116.
Andy's Brave Deed, 147.
What Came of a Foxglove (_A Fairy Story_), 172.
A Foraging Expedition in South America, 207.
Little Fe, 218.
What the Magic Words Meant (_A Fairy Story_), 235.
[Illustration]
A Young Roman's Sacrifice (A True Story), 239.
The Discontented Boat, 242.
Harry's Prize Rabbit, 242.
The Rival Kings (A Fable in Four Situations), 276.
"Whistling for It," 271.
The Magic Music and its Message (_A Fairy Story_), 293.
Mab, the Wolf, and the Waterfall, 299.
"Where there's a Will there's a Way," 302.
"Home, Sweet Home;" or, Lost in London, 302.
Faithful to Her Trust (A True Story), 332.
Little Bab and the Story-Book, 341.
Hedwig's Christmas Presents, 355.
A Race for a Cat (_A Fairy Story_), 361.
Ethel's Pink Plant, and what Happened to it, 364.
STORIES, POEMS, AND PICTURES OF BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES--
Fighting with a Shadow, 12.
Madge's Dove, 16.
A Practical Joke, 28.
Mornings at the Zoo--
The Stork Family, 41.
About the Bats, 104.
In the Fish-house, 170.
The Kangaroos, 297.
A Race on the Sands, 77.
The Kingfisher and the Fishes, 81.
The Maids and the Magpie, 91.
About the Frankolin, 121.
Summer Visitors, 140.
Buried Alive; or, Love Never Lost on a Dog, 158.
A Foraging Expedition in South America, 207.
All about Snails, 232.
Harry's Prize Rabbit, 242.
The Rival Kings (A Fable in Four Situations), 276.
The Fox and the Frog, 288.
Poor Pussy, 313.
Going to Sea in a Cage, 334.
The Rival Mothers, 337.
A Helping Hand, 345.
The Birds' Petition, 368.
SUNDAY AFTERNOONS, OUR--
Solomon's Dream at Gibeon, 18.
The Dream of the Barley Cake, 82.
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream of the Huge Tree, 154.
The Dream of Pilate's Wife, 214.
A Dream for all Ages, 306.
Saved by a Dream, 338.
Bible Exercises, 20, 84, 156, 216, 308, 340.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, STORIES TOLD IN--
How the Abbey was Built, 14.
The Coronations in the Abbey, 113,
Royal Funerals in the Abbey, 176.
Curious Customs and Remarkable Incidents, 222.
The Sanctuary, Cloisters, and Chapter-House, 291.
The Monuments, 366.
A LITTLE TOO CLEVER.
_By the Author of "Pen's Perplexities," "Margaret's Enemy," "Maid
Marjory," &c._
CHAPTER XX.--MRS. MACDOUGALL FINDS DUNCAN.
[Illustration]
A whole week elapsed, in which Mrs. MacDougall received no tidings of
the children. Every day she trudged to the market-town and back, not
able to bear the suspense without doing something. Every day she
received the same answer, and turned away with a weary sigh. The men who
answered her questions noticed her change from day to day, and shrank
from giving her the same hopeless replies time after time. They were
puzzled and astonished, but still confident that the children would
ultimately be found. In their own minds they believed the children had
fallen in with some wandering gipsies or other vagrants, and were being
closely guarded. They knew well enough that there were plenty of ways of
stealing children, and keeping them out of sight in barges, colliers, or
gipsies' vans, and that the time that had elapsed made the probability
of finding the children much less; but this they kept to themselves.
Mrs. MacDougall, however, was not so easily blinded. She knew the
dangers that were waiting to engulf them. She called to mind having
read, some years ago in the newspapers, of a little fair, delicate boy,
who was stolen away and never found. She remembered distinctly enough
the agonised appeal of his parents that every man and woman would join
in the search for the child by keeping their eyes open wherever they
went.
She had been deeply interested, and wondered how such a thing could
happen. She remembered that, in spite of all, little Charlie (that was
the child's name), had never been discovered, and that his fate had
remained shrouded in mystery, the supposition being that the child had
been stolen by cruel, wicked people, and perhaps died of fright.
Could such a fate have overtaken her children? A hundred times a day
she cried to God that He would save them from a life of sin and
degradation, even if by death, and there is no doubt that the mother's
prayers had the reward of keeping them out of the dangers she feared for
them.
The Sabbath came round. Mrs. MacDougall put on her best clothes, dressed
her mother and Robbie, and went off to the kirk as usual.
"The Lord will not ill-requite me for keeping His day holy," she said
solemnly, when her mother suggested that news might come in her absence.
"The Lord knows I am in His kirk, and He will no seek me in the
cottage."
Her simple faith was destined to receive its verification. Early the
next morning a messenger arrived, bringing news. He spread out an
official document on the table, and began with much unnecessary and
tiresome questioning.
"If ye're wanting to send me crazy, you may just take your own time, but
if not, will ye tell me right out are they found?" she asked sharply.
"Well, yes, they are," the man replied.
"Then tell me how, and where."
"The boy is in Edinburgh, ill of the fever, but well cared for in a
children's hospital. The girl is in London, in a place she won't be
running away from in a hurry."
"You mean a prison, surely?" Mrs. MacDougall gasped. "Say the right
word, man, and don't put your own gloss on things. It doesn't make them
any the better."
"It isn't a prison exactly," the man replied, "except that she can't get
free from it without the permission of them that put her there. She got
in with some people who are now in custody, and as she will be an
important witness, she will be, perhaps, detained there until the case
comes before the magistrates; but she is safe and sound, according to
our information."
"And can I no rescue her from that place?" Mrs. MacDougall asked.
"That depends upon many things," the officer answered cautiously. "I
could not undertake to say."
In a very short time Mrs. MacDougall was ready for her journey. "Ye will
nae gang outside the gate whiles I'm gone," she said to Robbie, "an'
bless your heart for a good child, I know you will not disobey me." Then
to her mother she added, "I will just ask our good neighbour Jarrett to
look in an' see ye all right, an' that your wants are supplied." Then
she bade them adieu, and departed.
They walked as far as Dunster, calling at the farm on their way, then
hired a vehicle to convey them to Killochrie, the nearest place to which
the trains ran--not by the circuitous route that Elsie and Duncan had
found their way there, but by a direct road.
That night Mrs. MacDougall was in Edinburgh, and was mightily amazed and
confused with the grandeur and bustle of the place, which she had never
seen before. How her children could have found their way here, and still
more, how they could ever have been discovered and identified in such a
teeming, bustling, bewildering city, she could not imagine. She had yet
to see London, to which Edinburgh could not compare for teeming
multitudes, labyrinths of streets, and all the gigantic bustle and
confusion of a vast city.
"Ah! but it's a right wicked place," she exclaimed in horror, as she
passed by some of the foul-smelling closes, or courts, as we call them,
where dishevelled hag-like old women sat on door-steps, and filthy,
squalid children played in the gutter, where ill-favoured young people
of both sexes hung idly about the entrances, chaffing or quarrelling
with each other. "Ye police people must be a poor set out, an' ye can no
do away with such dens as these!" Mrs. MacDougall cried in righteous
indignation. "And the country folk are all for sending their girls into
the towns to get high wages and such gear. I would not have one of mine
come to such a Babylon as this!"
But Mrs. MacDougall had not time for more observations, for they were
soon at the hospital where sick children were received. They were at
once admitted. A kind-looking woman came forward, and asked if it was
necessary to see the child.
"Are ye no aware, ma'am, that he is my ain bairn?" Mrs. MacDougall
began; but her companion interrupted her.
"Our business is to identify the little laddie," he said, with a tone of
authority.
"Then I warn you to be careful," the woman replied. "He is just in a
critical condition, and must not be spoken to."
"Ye mean well to say his life is in danger?" Mrs. MacDougall asked
quickly.
"I cannot deny it," the matron replied; "but you must not despair.
Children make wonderful recoveries," she added, kindly.
She led them to the door of the ward, where a nurse came forward to
conduct them to the proper bed.
"It is my ain little bairnie," Mrs. MacDougall whispered; "but sairly
altered, sairly changed."
"He couldn't have been worse than he's been," the nurse said, drawing
them a little way from the bed. "The delirium was just dreadful to see!
But that's past, and we only want him to rally. He's about exhausted
now, and must be kept quiet. I would not like him to open his eyes and
find you by his side. By my will you would not have been admitted."
"Then I'll go directly," Mrs. MacDougall said, quickly. "I will no beg
you to be kind to my bairn, for I can trust your face; but I will pray
for you to be rewarded for every act o' kindness done to a poor lost
little one. When can I come again?"
"To-morrow's the right day. You can come then," the nurse replied.
"I'll be near at hand, an' they'll let me know if a bad change comes,"
Mrs. MacDougall said hurriedly. "I'll get the nearest lodging to be
had."
When the clothes of the child had been duly identified, the officer and
Mrs. MacDougall departed. "I shall no leave this place to-night," Mrs.
MacDougall said, firmly. "The lass is safe and sound, and Duncan may be
dying. I must be near by."
So a decent lodging was found, in which Mrs. MacDougall took up her
quarters, having first taken her address to the matron, who promised her
that she should be sent for if immediate danger developed itself. The
officer was somewhat puzzled by Mrs. MacDougall's determination; but as
his instructions were to proceed with the identification of both
children, he determined to go on to London at once, armed with the most
minute description Mrs. MacDougall could give him of the missing child.
It is needless to say that the description tallied perfectly. As,
however, the examination of John and Lucy Murdoch, known to us by the
name of Donaldson, was expected to take place in a day or two, the
officer remained in London, waiting to obtain Elsie's full discharge,
which could not be hoped for until after this important event.
Mrs. MacDougall was acquainted with her perfect safety, and as Duncan
remained on the brink of the grave, she did not, for the present,
attempt to leave Edinburgh.