are the orders, and each Ranger takes position behind a tree. They know
that the enemy outnumber them three to one, that they have had the
advantage of the first fire; but each Ranger prepares to fight to the
bitter end.
Round through the woods steal a part of the French and Indians, making a
wide circuit. Major Rogers reasoned correctly, and he posted the two
sergeants in the right place. The eight Rangers pick off the French one
by one, giving them such a warm reception that instead of rushing on,
they remain at a distance.
The other French, with a horde of Indians howling the war-whoop, begin
the attack in front, the Indians springing from tree to tree, getting
nearer and nearer. But the Rangers are on the watch, and many of the
savages leap into the air and fall dead, or crawl away, leaving bloody
trails upon the snow.
"If you will surrender, we will give you good quarter," shouts the
French commander.
Major Rogers was faint from the loss of blood, and at the moment was
faint-hearted. He feared that the Rangers would all be picked off before
the fight would cease. It would be three hours to sunset. Could they
hold out till then? He had no thought of surrendering, but would it not
be best to retreat?
John Stark's blood is up.
"Retreat! No; that will be certain destruction. We can beat them here.
I'll shoot the first man that attempts to retreat."
It was bold language for him to use to his commander, but he knew that
Rogers had been stunned by the bullet that had glanced from his skull,
and was not quite himself.
The fight goes on, the Rangers taking sure aim, the French firing more
wildly, but still one by one the Rangers drop. Captain Spikeman and Mr.
Baker are killed. A bullet strikes the lock of Stark's gun, and renders
it useless. He sees a Frenchman fall at the instant, springs forward,
seizes his gun, returns to his tree, and renews the fight.
A bullet tears through Rogers's wrist, and the blood spurts out in a
stream. It must be stopped, or he will bleed to death. Rogers wears his
back hair braided in a queue.
[Illustration: CUTTING OFF A QUEUE TO BIND A WOUND.]
"Take your knife and cut off my queue," he says to one of the Rangers,
who whips out his hunting-knife, cuts off the queue, and Rogers sticks
it into the wound to stop the flowing of the blood.
All through the dreary afternoon the fight goes on. The snow is
crimsoned with blood. The killed and mortally wounded lie where they
fall. For the Rangers there is no escape; they must conquer or die.
The shades of night steal on; the fire of the French and Indians has
been growing less; the war-whoop dies away; the last gun is fired. The
enemy, picking up their wounded, retire to Ticonderoga, leaving the
Rangers victors. What a dear-bought victory!--one-half of them killed or
wounded. Of the enemy one hundred and sixteen have fallen!
The Rangers were only four miles from Ticonderoga, and might expect to
be attacked again in the morning. They were forty miles from Fort
William Henry. They were weary and worn, but they must move on. They
made litters for the wounded, and started, marching all night, but
making only a few miles.
The snow had ceased, the air was chill. They must have help. John Stark,
leaving them, started for Fort William Henry, reaching it at sunset.
Soldiers with horses and sleds started at once, and John Stark with
them, stopping not a moment to rest his weary limbs. At sunrise he was
back to the Rangers with the re-enforcements and supplies. The French
had not followed them, and they made their way safely back to Fort
William Henry, having fought one of the most obstinate, unequal, yet
victorious battles recorded in history.
THE ANGEL IN THE LILLY FAMILY.
BY SHERWOOD BONNER.
There was something rather queer about the Lilly family. In the first
place there were so many of them--fourteen precious children. This alone
is queer, when it is the fashion of the day to have small families, and
"well-springs of pleasure" are as scarce as diamonds in any properly
regulated household. But Mrs. Lilly's heart was made on the omnibus
plan; and there was no miserable little "Complet" ever scrawled over its
door.
Then it was queer how they avoided nicknames in the Lilly family. Each
child was called by its full name, which sometimes happened to be a
pretty long one.
It was through a sad accident that one of the Lilly children turned into
a regular little angel.
The day after Christmas Mrs. Lilly's aunt--grandaunt of the
children--carelessly allowed poor Katharine Kirk Lilly to fall on a
marble floor. A serious injury to her spine was the result.
Dear! dear! how Mrs. Lilly screamed! She threw herself on the bed, and
poured forth tears enough to put out a Christmas bonfire. She was not
soothed until the doctor came, and after a careful examination--which
the sufferer bore without a word or moan--pronounced that poor Katharine
Kirk would live. But, alas! he added that she must always be an invalid.
And smiling with the patient sweetness that distinguished her, the dear
child sank back on the pillows from which she was never to lift her
golden head. All the rest of the Lilly children stood round, showing by
a sort of paralyzed expression on their faces how deeply they were
moved; but none of them cried.
"Perhaps, dears," said the poor little mother, sobbing, "this affliction
will be blessed to you."
"It will," cried the penitent great-aunt, clasping Mrs. Lilly in her
arms; "it will teach them lessons of patience, of self-denial, of love,
that will be as good as--"
"As the Prince's pricking-conscience ring in the family," suggested Mrs.
Lilly's mother, who had a way of turning things into fun, and never gave
way to her feelings.
It was surprising what a change from that time dated in the Lilly
family. They had been like other children, a little faulty, perhaps,
rather apt to stand on their rights--a fierce footing--but merely to
look at the darling invalid, her shining hair outspread, her blue eyes
ever bright, was to receive a lesson in sweetness and good temper.
Take the case of Phillips Arthur Cliff Lilly. This young gentleman was
the youngest of the family, and his mother's favorite. Why, no one knew,
except that he was so ugly. He had so many scars on his face, from falls
and fights, that somehow he produced the impression of a target. His
hair stood out like a halo of straw, and one defiant wisp reared itself
above his forehead with the grace of a cat's whisker. Mrs. Lilly could
never sleep until he was safe in her arms, and his life knew no cross
until after the accident to Katharine Kirk, who became, in her turn, the
pivot round which the family revolved. Horrible to relate, his mother
one evening, in her hurry to get back to the invalid, forgot her
youngest, and left him in the Common. There he lay all night, like a
tramp, with the stars twinkling at him, and stray dogs sniffing as they
passed him by. Yet when he was found he _did not utter one word_. He
opened his blue eyes as he was picked up, and only gave a single
plaintive cry as he was pressed to his frantic mother's bosom.
Then there was Myra Miles. She was one of the young ladies of the
family, and, as might be forgiven in a beauty, a trifle vain. She was to
receive calls on New-Year's Day, and had expected to come out in a fine
new dress. Pink tarlatan it was to be, trimmed in the French taste with
blue, with a train to thrill you to your finger-tips, which seemed to
bear the same relation to Myra Miles as the rest of a snake does to its
head. Mrs. Lilly's mamma was making it; but her time was suddenly
demanded to do something for the invalid, and the dress was thrown
aside. The consequence was that poor Myra Miles appeared in the gorgeous
pink dress with a black lace scarf instead of the waist. Still, not one
word of complaint did she utter, although her sisters Dorothy Dimple and
Martha Bonn--the favorites of Mrs. Lilly's aunt--appeared in exquisite
raiment of green and blue. There was something very beautiful about her
resignation.
[Illustration]
When the lovely Susan Mears Lilly was married, Katharine Kirk was taken
in her pretty bed to view the ceremony, and was quite a feature of the
occasion. Indeed, she did not begin to look so weak and ill as the
bridegroom, who, poor youth, was so tottering that Mrs. Lilly's aunt
cruelly suggested that his back should be propped with a hair-pin. You
may imagine how the girls laughed at this, especially Teresa Fehmer
Lilly, a wicked little bridemaid in red satin.
[Illustration]
And such attentions as the sufferer had from friends of the Lilly
family! The beautiful belle Miss Lilian Love spent many hours over a
dainty quilt of silk and lace to adorn the sick-bed. A glorious poet
sent in a box of agreeable medicine, with a note running like this:
"MY DEAR MRS. LILLY,--I send you a little book for your sick
child, and some medicine for her poor broken back. The peculiarity
of this medicine is that in order to produce any good effect it
must be taken by the nurse. This is rather hard upon the nurse;
but if she is a good nurse she will not mind it much."
Jane Jumper was the nurse really; but while the medicine lasted Mrs.
Lilly herself took entire charge, and administered the sweet doses to
herself, without one word from Katharine Kirk.
[Illustration]
It may have occurred by this time to some shrewd little reader that
under no circumstance was any member of this household apt to give
utterance to silver speech. Shall I confess? Or, my dear children, have
you guessed that Katharine Kirk and all the cherished fourteen belonged
to the beloved, the beautiful, the _dumb_, family of--Dolls?
[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]
VIAREGGIO, ITALY.
I am nearly six years old. I would like to have a tea party on my
birthday. After my birthday has come I will write again, and tell
you all about it.
In Rome I have a big play horse and two kitties. My little cat is
gray and white, and is called Bimbo. He walks on his toes, and
makes a long face. Papa's cat's name is Cavaliere. He is a big
Maltese cat.
In Rome we have a nice house and a nice garden, and in the garden
there is a straw hut.
We are finishing the summer at Viareggio, and we have nice
sea-baths.
IMOGEN R.
* * * * *
SMITH'S HILL, FEATHER RIVER, CALIFORNIA.
I enjoy the letters in YOUNG PEOPLE, especially those that tell of
birds and flowers I have not seen. There are mocking-birds here in
summer, and a beautiful bird called goldfinch. There are also
robins, bluebirds, and many varieties of sparrows. The bluebirds
and robins stay here all winter. It is too bad to take eggs from
the birds to give away in exchange. The pitcher-plant grows in a
valley not far from here.
My sister Bell went to Lassens Peak last week. It is 10,600 feet
high. There is no snow on the mountain now except a small patch on
top. Hundreds of small butterflies were flitting about on the
mountain-side and alighting on the rocks. As there is no
vegetation, except a few hardy plants scattered among the ledges,
I wonder what they find to live on. A lake which could be seen
from the top of the peak had the appearance of being frozen. In
the valley below there are hot boiling springs.
LOU R. K.
Yes, it is too bad to take so many birds' eggs. But if our
correspondents are careful to take only one or two from each nest, and
to always leave more than half, as we have already begged them to do,
the mother-bird will not suffer. If we could believe for a moment that
our little friends would be so cruel as to disturb the brooding mother,
and rob her nest of all its eggs, we would never publish another letter
requesting an exchange of these pretty natural curiosities. The nesting
season is now over in all the Northern States, but when it returns, we
trust the young egg collectors will never allow their eagerness to
secure the coveted treasure to overcome their sense of honor and their
kindness of heart.
* * * * *
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I am ten years old. I take HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and I like it
very much. I am always glad when Wednesday comes, for that is the
day I get it. I think it is a very nice paper for boys and girls.
I have a pet dog whose name is Lion.
SAMUEL P.
* * * * *
BELLEVILLE, TEXAS.
I am ten years old. I have no pets except a Maltese cat and a dog.
I was very much interested in the dog and cat of Madelaine, the
little French girl. I like "The Moral Pirates" and "Who was Paul
Grayson?" best of all the stories. My father gave me a piano for
my birthday present; and when I was seven years old he gave me a
pony, and I named him Button. I dearly love to gallop over the
hills.
I went to New Hampshire in 1875 to see my grandfather, and we
visited the White Mountains.
I think YOUNG PEOPLE is the nicest paper I ever saw, and I intend
to take it until I grow up.
JOSIE C.
* * * * *
NEW YORK CITY.
B. I., of Radnor, Ohio, asks how to feather arrows. Choose goose
or turkey feathers of a suitable size. Cut them carefully from the
quill; put on hot glue, and fasten them to the sides of the arrow,
about an inch from the notch, at equal distances apart. There
should always be three feathers.
A. H.
It is a good plan to fasten the feathers to the arrow with pins until
the glue is perfectly dry, when they can be carefully removed.
* * * * *
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.
I have a pet now, a lovely little dog, with long curly hair and
large bright eyes. He is snowy white all over, and his name is
Mischief. I am going to have his picture taken some time. He looks
just like a bundle of cotton, with three black spots shining
through. Those are his eyes and nose.
The tree represented in the illustration of the beetles in YOUNG
PEOPLE No. 38 is just like the California buckeye-tree. The
blossoms are exactly the same.
I am very much interested in the directions for making salt and
fresh water aquariums. When I was in Monterey I might have
collected lots of sea-anemones, snails, and pink and white
star-fish, but I did not think of it. One of the gentlemen at the
hotel went fishing with a net, and caught a little baby
cuttle-fish, or devil-fish, as it is commonly called. It had seven
or eight long legs, all lined with little suckers, like buttons.
It was a dreadful ugly-looking thing. It must have been very
young, for it was only ten or eleven inches long. The gentleman
was going to keep it for a curiosity, and until he could get
something better he put it in a pan of salt-water; but he forgot
to cover the pan, and in the night the fish crawled out on to the
floor, and died.
I have exchanged Farallon Island eggs and leaves and specimens of
trees with a good many children since my letter was printed.
Is there any difference between postage stamps and postmarks? I
don't believe I know what postmarks are.
IDA BELLE DISERENS.
A postmark is the stamp put on the outside of a letter at the office
where it is posted. It certainly is not of much value in itself, but if
a collection is neatly pasted in a book, States and countries being
arranged together, counties being written under towns in the United
States, and a note made of any manufactories or natural productions for
which the town is celebrated, such a collection may become an
interesting gazetteer, and valuable as a book of reference.
* * * * *
HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.
On September 27 I found a blossom on the peach-tree in our back
yard. I picked it, and have pressed it to send to you. I think it
is very odd to have peach blossoms in September, and I would like
to know if any girl or boy has ever seen them blooming in that
month in this climate.
I think the story "Who was Paul Grayson?" is splendid.
REBA H.
* * * * *
SOUTH ELIOT, MAINE.
I bought three silk-worms' cocoons at the Educational Department
of the Permanent Exhibition at Philadelphia. In about a week's
time the cocoons broke, and the moths came out and began to lay
their eggs on a sheet of brown paper which I laid them on. They
have laid about all their eggs now, and there are a great many.
CHESTER B. F.
* * * * *
HOWARD, TEXAS.
I am seven years old. Mother teaches me at home. I am studying
spelling, geography, arithmetic, and the Third Reader.
I love so much when Wednesday morning comes, for then I get my
YOUNG PEOPLE, and I read until I have finished it.
I received a beautiful pressed bouquet, from Mary Lowry. It was
real nice, and I am going to send her some seeds very soon.
I have three dolls, one wax and two china ones. Every day, when I
am through with my lessons, my sister Myrtle and I have nice times
playing with them.
MABEL P.
* * * * *
WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.
I live on a farm about one mile from town.
We had a ring-dove given to us, and we bought a mate for it, and
now we have four more. One is just hatched. Last summer, a year
ago, we had a present of a pair of guinea-pigs, and we have raised
six others. One of the little ones is pure white, except its head,
which is black. It looks as if it had a mask on. My brother, who
is ten years old, has a pigeon-house and about thirty pigeons. And
he has six rabbits, which are all the time burrowing out of the
pen, and a young shepherd dog. We have black and brown bantams,
and two little red calves we call Spot and Lina, because one has a
red spot on its back, and the other a white line.
Last spring I planted one small ear of pop-corn, and now I have
gathered nearly eighty ears from it. I also planted ground-nuts.
My brother, my sister, and I have each a pair of stilts, and we
have lots of fun inventing new ways to walk on them.
BESSIE R. H.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange postage stamps of France and Germany with
any readers of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. Correspondents will please
put "Via England" on the envelope, as letters thus addressed are
more likely to come safely.
B. D. WOODWARD, 49 im Trutz,
Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange postmarks for foreign postage stamps, or
for other postmarks, with any boy in the South or West.
WILLIAM F. PENNEY,
559 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York.
* * * * *
I have a collection of postage and revenue stamps, and would like
to exchange with readers of YOUNG PEOPLE.
W. H. EASTMAN,
Emporia, Kansas.
* * * * *
My mamma takes YOUNG PEOPLE for my sister Laura and me. We read
all the stories, and are never tired of it.
We have a pair of pet pigeons named Polly and Dolly. When we first
got them we had to put the food in their mouths, but now they can
eat alone. When we come they hunt in our hands for something to
eat.
I am a little Iowa girl, but my father came to live in Old
Virginia almost five years ago. We live near Greenway Court, the
old home of Lord Fairfax, and where General Washington surveyed
the land when he was a very young man.
I am thirteen years old. I have a cabinet and a museum, and am
collecting postmarks and stamps, which I would like to exchange
with any correspondent.
MAY BELL MILLER,
Care of Joseph A. Miller,
Nineveh, Warren County, Virginia.
* * * * *
I am having a splendid time in Mamaroneck. I have a lot of
chickens, and it is very funny to see the young roosters fight. I
shall leave the country soon, and I would like to say to those
wishing to exchange stamps with me that after October 25 my
address will be
PIERRE JAY,
291 Madison Avenue, New York City.
* * * * *
I am making a collection of postmarks, and would like to exchange
with any correspondents of YOUNG PEOPLE.
C. H. MCBRIDE,
Rexford Flats, Saratoga County, New York.
* * * * *
I am making a collection of birds' eggs, and would like to
exchange with any readers of YOUNG PEOPLE.
JOSEPH SKIRM, Santa Cruz,
Santa Cruz County, California.
* * * * *
I am very much interested in the letters in YOUNG PEOPLE. I would
like to exchange birds' eggs with any of the readers.
H. GRAY,
Albion, Orleans County, New York.
* * * * *
My younger sister takes YOUNG PEOPLE, and I like it as well as she
does. I have no pets, but I have a flower garden and a good many
house plants. I would like to exchange flower seeds with any
correspondent of YOUNG PEOPLE. I have sweet-pea, cypress,
rose-moss, dew-plant, and other seeds.
MOLLIE C. MICHENER,
Kokomo, Howard County, Indiana.
* * * * *
I have read YOUNG PEOPLE ever since it started, and like it very
much. I like "The Moral Pirates" and Jimmy Brown's stories about
Mr. Martin the best.
I have a Chilian, a Greek, and a Portuguese coin which I would
like to exchange with any reader who is collecting foreign coin. I
have a collection of almost two hundred.
JOHN PYNE,
Wiscasset, Maine.
* * * * *
I thought you would like a letter from this town, where a great
battle was fought.
I spend many happy hours with the dear YOUNG PEOPLE. I love, most
of all, the little letters, as it seems like talking to little
people.
I am sick in bed, and have been for almost ten weeks. If my cough
would get better, then I would get strong again. I am nine years
old. I can read and write, and play little tunes on the piano. I
fear the other little girls will get ahead of me now.
I wish "Wee Tot," or any of the little readers, would send me some
ocean curiosities or quartz crystals for pressed leaves and ferns
gathered on Round Top. My pet canary died last week.
NERVA WIBLE,
Care of J. Ed. Wible, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
* * * * *
I have a nice collection of curiosities, and would like to
exchange with any correspondent for sea-shells or other
curiosities. I have iron ore, soft gypsum crystals, stalactites,
stalagmites, pretty pebbles, different kinds of limestone, pressed
ferns, and other things. In sending specimens, correspondents will
please mark each plainly with the name and the locality where it
was found.
A few days ago I got my hand mashed in a cider mill, and can not
use it now. My brother is writing this letter for me.
HARRY R. BARTLETT,
Greensburg, Green County, Kentucky.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange curiosities and stuffed birds with any
correspondent of YOUNG PEOPLE.
C. H. MATHIAS, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.
* * * * *
I have taken every number of YOUNG PEOPLE since it was published,
and I think it is just splendid.
I am gathering specimens and curiosities, and would be glad to
exchange with any one.
CHARLIE LEADBETTER,
174 Plum Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
* * * * *
I have a printing-press and a small breech-loading shot-gun that
father made for me. I had a cat named Bill, but he is dead. He
would jump over my arms, and stand up on his hind-feet and kiss
me, and sit up in the corner.
I like the story of "The Moral Pirates" best of all. I and some
other boys are planning to go off on a cruise next summer.
I have a lot of foreign stamps which I would like to exchange for
Indian arrow-heads or Indian relics. I am eleven years old.
BERTIE HARRISON,
Berlin Heights, Erie County, Ohio.
* * * * *
I am just beginning a collection of curiosities, and would like to
exchange with some of the correspondents.
I have one brother. We live near a pond. Our pet kitten is very
fond of fish; and I go out in a row-boat and catch minnows for it.
I tie mussels on a string, and the minnows bite the bait and hold
fast. I caught two large minnows with a string alone.
JESSIE A. BROWN,
South Norwalk, Connecticut.
* * * * *
I should like to exchange birds' eggs with any correspondent of
YOUNG PEOPLE. I have eggs of the following birds: hedge, song,
house, and chipping sparrow, bluebird, swallow, brown and red
thrush, peewit, woodpecker, meadow-lark, cat-bird, pigeon,
turtle-dove, ring-dove, and cardinal-grosbeak.
R. D. BRITTON, Wyoming, Ohio.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange postage stamps, minerals, shells, and
Indian arrow-heads for stamps, pressed sea-weeds, or birds' eggs.
The shells are labelled with their scientific names.
E. G. W.,
P. O. Box 487, Binghamton, New York.
* * * * *
We would request all correspondents not to send us long lists of stamps,
eggs, and other things, as they occupy too much space in the Post-office
Department. It is much better for them to prepare their lists neatly,
and have them ready to send to those who write to them for exchange,
after their request has been published in YOUNG PEOPLE.
We are compelled to condense the requests for exchange from the
following correspondents:
Postage stamps and birds' eggs for postage stamps.
WILLIAM S. ALDRICH,
Freeport, Cumberland County, Maine.
* * * * *
Postage stamps, postmarks, and Indian relics for postage stamps.
A. S. BARRETT,
Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.
* * * * *
Postage, Treasury, and revenue stamps for others.
HANDY DANIEL,
Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York.
* * * * *
Postage stamps and postmarks for postage stamps.