preparations for the long-anticipated expedition to Forest Island; and
when the day arrived, no more beautiful one could have dawned. By ten
o'clock the Burds' tiny wharf was crowded with the young summer
residents of Seamere, who were transferred, amid much laughter, chatter,
and playful shrieks, to Ralph Wicksley's handsome Whitehall row-boat.
"It's too bad the Maxtons can't go, isn't it?" remarked Hatty, as the
boys pushed off, and good-byes were waved to fathers and mothers on the
lawn. "Their cousin Jack arrived from South America last night, and as
he can only stay with them one day, of course they didn't like to leave
him."
"Yes, I had the other boat all ready to bring along," added Ralph; "but
as the party was thus reduced by four, I thought it would be pleasanter
for us all to keep together."
"Why, I do declare," exclaimed Albertina Brown, a few moments later,
"there are just thirteen of us! It's lucky we're to eat on the grass and
not at a table."
"And to-day's Friday!" cried Fanny Ray.
"And the 13th of the month!" added her sister Helen.
"And my thirteenth birthday!" finished Hatty, whereupon a chorus of
dismal "Oh! oh! ohs!" arose from all the girls, while Ralph cast a
despairing glance toward Graham, and George Hendon smiled the least bit
triumphantly at them both.
"Let's go back," proposed a faint girlish voice, after the first
excitement had subsided; but such a "cowardly course" was at once vetoed
by a deep-toned "Forward!" from the boys, who bent to their oars with
curved backs in their determination to prove how splendidly everything
could be made to go off in spite of the series of ill omens.
The girls, however, could think of nothing else but the wonderful
inauspicious coincidences, and although not one of them, when questioned
individually, would acknowledge to being really superstitious, still the
numberless stories told in which unlucky days and figures were shown at
their worst were almost sufficient, one would think, to sink the boat of
themselves.
Among others was the tale of the matter-of-fact ship-owner, who put no
faith in any of the sailors' silly beliefs, and who, to prove their
absurdity, laid the keel of a vessel on Friday, named it _Friday_,
launched it on a Friday, at length succeeded in finding a crew for it
commanded by a Captain Friday, set sail on that day, and--was never
heard of afterward.
To offset the depressing effects of this tragic albeit somewhat doubtful
narrative, Ralph told about the Thirteen Club which had been recently
organized in the city, the membership of which was restricted to
thirteen, and which met _for dinner_ on the 13th of each month at a
hotel the name of which was spelled with thirteen letters. "And nothing
'perfectly awful' has befallen any one of the members so far as heard
from," concluded Ralph, exultingly.
There were certainly several grains of comfort to be extracted from this
fact, and cheerfulness began to diffuse itself once more over the party,
when Fanny Ray, who was steering, suddenly declared that the sight of
salt-water on every side of her always made her thirsty for a drink of
fresh, and a search was at once instituted for the water jug.
"I saw Graham put it somewhere in the stern here," continued Fanny; "but
don't any of you boys try to get at it, for you'll be sure to put your
foot into the basket of cake or the jar of jelly. Here, Hatty, I think I
feel it right down here; but Ralph says I mustn't let go of the ropes;
so will you please stoop down and lift it out for me?"
Now, as may be imagined, with a party of thirteen aboard, there was not
much spare room in the boat, so when anything was wanted from the bottom
of it, it had to be felt, not looked for.
"I've got hold of the cork, at any rate," she presently announced, "but
the jug seems to be wedged in some way. There, now! I've pulled the cork
out. Oh dear! why didn't I find the handle?"
"Let me try," proposed George, giving his oar to Phil Hallibey, and
making his way aft.
"Here's the glass!" exclaimed Albertina; "and I'm thirsty too."
"Oh, George Hendon, right on my foot!" cried Helen.
"Careful now," commanded Fanny. "I'm awfully sorry to make all this
trouble, and--"
"O--h--h! we're sinking! we're sinking! Help! help!"
And the next moment it became known to them all that Hatty had mistaken
the boat plug for the cork of the water bottle, had pulled it out, and
that now the river was pouring in with appalling swiftness.
"Pull for the flats, fellows!" shouted Ralph, tearing off his jacket as
he spoke. "Here, George, see if you can stuff this coat into the hole;
and, girls, keep perfectly quiet, or you'll overturn the boat. Don't
mind if you do get wet, but sit still."
Ralph spoke in loud, commanding tones that were at once obeyed; but the
danger was by no means over. The boat was settling rapidly, the water
being already half-way up to the thwarts, but ruined skirts and soaked
shoes were never thought of as all sat watching breathlessly, now
George's efforts to stop the leak, now the light streak on the river
that marked the edge of the flats, and which was still several yards
distant.
"Pull! pull!" cried Ralph, working himself with all his strength. "Can't
you stop it, George? We're nearly there, girls."
Higher and higher rose the water in the boat; again and again was George
baffled in his attempts to stem the incoming floods, as in the crowded
condition of the stern he could not see what he was doing, and to ask
any one to move would be to endanger capsizing the whole party. And all
the while the sun shone brightly down on the sparkling river; the
village, too, was still in sight, and not far off was the shady island
where the picnic was to be held. It seemed terrible to think of going
down, down amid such--
"Saved!" suddenly shouted Ralph, as the boat shot out from the channel
and in among the eel-grass. "Somebody's sure to see and take us off very
soon, and meanwhile you needn't mind sitting in the water, as long as it
isn't up to your eyes. It's salt, so you won't catch cold."
Nevertheless the situation of the party was anything but a pleasant one,
for the boat settled until it touched bottom, and then careened over,
throwing both Graham Burd and Phil Hallibey into the river.
"Here comes a boat!" suddenly exclaimed Albertina.
"And it's the Maxtons out rowing with their cousin Jack," added Hatty.
The young cousin from South America proved to be an old sailor, and
under his superintendence the girls were soon carried ashore in
detachments to the nearest point, after which he returned to help "raise
the wreck."
The thirteen having been dried and lunched at their several homes, they
all met to spend the afternoon at the Maxtons', where the same useful
cousin proved himself likewise a master-hand at entertaining, so what
with games, stories, music, and ice-cream, the lost excursion was
lavishly atoned for; and when a terrible thunder-storm about three
o'clock caused them all to feel glad that they were not on Forest
Island, even George Hendon acknowledged that in spite of coincidences
and the boat plug, their Friday picnic was a lucky one after all.
BITS OF ADVICE.
BY AUNT MARJORIE PRECEPT.
ON THE ROAD.
Travelling in our country is both comfortable and agreeable, if the
traveller will pay attention to a few directions. I suppose, dear little
friends, that you have seen fussy and fidgety people on the road, who
made themselves and other people unhappy by their behavior. The cars
were too warm or too cold, the locomotive was going too fast or too
slow, they feared the baby in the next seat had the whooping-cough, or
they were sure there would be a collision. If on the water, they were in
terror lest the engineer was racing, and the uneasiness they felt made
them wretched.
Now, my dears, listen to me. When you go on a journey you are a
passenger; your ticket is paid for; and as you are neither captain,
pilot, conductor, nor engineer, give yourself no trouble about the way
car or boat is being managed. Never take responsibility that does not
belong to you.
The old Romans used to call baggage _impedimenta_. They tried to have as
little of it as they could when on a march. Unless you are going to stay
a long time, take no more luggage than is necessary. A little hand-bag
or a shawl-strap, with perhaps an umbrella, is all that a young
traveller should have to care for on a journey.
When you purchase your ticket, if no older friend is with you to attend
to the checking of your trunk, you must see to it yourself. This is very
simple. Go with your ticket to the place to which the expressman has
taken your trunk, show your ticket to the baggage-master, and he will
attach a check to your goods, and give you one precisely like it. You
must put this away in a place where you can get at it conveniently, as
you must return it to the steamer or railway company when you claim your
property.
Never tuck your ticket out of sight or into some out-of-the-way pocket.
Have it ready to show the conductor whenever it is called for.
A little girl is sometimes uncertain what to do about her money if she
is travelling with a gentleman. For instance, Eda is going to visit
Angeline, and at the station in New York she is met by Angeline's
brother Dick. She does not wish him to purchase her ticket, but she
feels awkward about offering him the money to pay for it.
The proper thing for Eda is to hand her pocket-book to Mr. Dick, and
request him to take from it the amount of her fare. The pleasantest way,
if the journey be a long one, would be for Eda's papa to give her escort
a sufficient sum to pay all her expenses.
People on a journey should not be selfish. Nobody should take two seats
when only entitled to one. Two or three merry boys and girls travelling
together should be careful not to laugh and talk so loudly that they
annoy others. Ladies and gentlemen never do this. You can have a great
deal of fun without being conspicuous.
Never neglect a chance to do a kindness to an aged or feeble person.
Nothing is more beautiful on the road than courtesy from the young to
those who are old or in trouble.
AIDS FOR YOUNG ANGLERS.
BY A. W. ROBERTS.
How often has it happened that on reaching a camping ground, hotel, or
boarding-house near river or lake, where pickerel, bass, and large perch
abounded, I have found no provision for the angler's sport but a boat;
no lines, sinkers, or floats; no nets for catching live bait, and no
bait but worms! For sunfish, cat-fish, and small perch, worms are very
fair bait; but for pickerel, bass, and large perch, live bait is best.
Under such trying circumstances, I have learned to get up at short
notice and at small expense many make-shifts and aids that may be of
great assistance and consolation to other young anglers when placed in a
similar position.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.]
Fig. 1 is an end section of a mosquito-net seine for taking live bait.
The length of the seine is thirty-eight feet; depth, five feet. The
"cork line" (A A) consists of a small-sized clothes-line. Corks not
always being obtainable, I have used pieces of thoroughly seasoned white
pine three inches in length and one inch in diameter (C C C). Through
these rounded pieces of wood holes are bored, through which the
clothes-line passes. These floats are placed eight inches apart, and are
kept in position by the clothes-line fitting tightly in the holes. At
the bottom of the seine another clothes-line is sewed to the netting;
(B B). This is called the "lead line," and is for the purpose of keeping
the lower part of the seine close to the bottom of the water. On the
"lead line" pieces of sheet-lead one inch in length are fastened
(H H H) twenty-eight inches apart. The "staff" (D) is a well-seasoned
piece of hickory six feet long, to the lower end of which sheet-lead is
also fastened (at E) to keep it down. To the staff is attached the staff
line (F F F), thirty feet long, which is for the purpose of drawing in
the seine after it has been cast.
A seine of this size is generally worked by two persons and two boats.
Each person takes one of the staff lines in his boat, and rowing toward
the shore with the extended seine, describes a semicircle between the
boats. As the shore is approached, each boat closes in, thereby causing
the two staffs to meet, and imprison, all the fish that have come within
the bounds of the seine. When one person works the seine, one of the
staff lines is tied to a rock or stake on the shore, and the other line
is taken into a boat, or the operator wades out, and causes his end of
the seine to describe a circle until the two staffs meet. Great care
must be taken to keep the lead line close to the bottom, otherwise the
fish will escape. In the selection of the seining ground always avoid
stony bottoms, snags, and brush, which will cause the seine to "roll up"
and tear.
The cost of the above-described seine ranges from three to four dollars,
and is capable of lasting two seasons if carefully handled and spread
out on the grass to dry after using it. A much superior article to
mosquito net is bobinet, which will last several seasons.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.]
Fig. 2 is a bait boat, for keeping the bait alive. It is towed behind or
kept by the side when fishing. The top and bottom pieces consist of
half-inch pine "stuff"; in the centre of each piece square openings are
cut; that on the top is protected by a door made of wire-cloth of
quarter-inch mesh, fastened to two small staples, which answer the
purpose of hinges; over the opening in the bottom piece wire-cloth is
nailed, to admit of a free circulation of water. Under the back end of
the top piece a cleet is nailed, also two cleets on the bottom piece, as
shown in the figure. At the bow of the boat an upright piece of wood is
fastened to the top and bottom of the bait boat by means of screws. The
sides of the boat consist of one piece of wire-cloth, the ends of which
meet at the upright piece of wood at the bow, and are nailed with
broad-headed galvanized nails. The top and bottom edges of the
wire-cloth are also fastened with nails to the edges of the top and
bottom of the boat, as shown in the figure. A tow-line is fastened to
the bow, and the boat is complete.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.]
When handling the bait a small hand-net (Fig. 3) is used, consisting of
a stout piece of wire bent as shown in the figure; the straight parts of
the wire are bound together with fishing-line, and constitute the
handle; to this frame netting is sewed to form the net bag.
When fish are caught, they ought to be kept in water to keep the scales
soft, otherwise they become dry and set, and are troublesome to clean.
[Illustration: FIG. 4.]
For a make-shift float I have found nothing better than a good-sized
bottle cork, into which a cut has been made with a sharp knife or razor,
extending from the side to the centre of the cork. Into this cut the
line is drawn as shown in Fig. 4, A.
Sheet-lead is always a useful aid in make-shift fishing-tackle, and for
light lines makes excellent sinkers when bent and compressed around the
line, as shown at Fig. 4, B.
For a pole nothing is nicer than a light and straight piece of the
aromatic sweet-birch. I am not a convert to hundred-dollar fishing-poles
with polished mountings, but have reasons to still believe there is much
virtue in birch.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.]
For cleaning out a boat a stiff whisk-broom made of fine birch twigs
bound together with wire or fishing-line, as shown at Fig. 5, will be
found very useful.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.]
Fig. 6, A and B are hand-made sinkers beaten and carved out of old lead
pipe. The carved one, B, is first roughed out with a jackknife and
finished up with fine emery or sand paper. A is beaten into shape with a
railroad spike on an anvil or smooth stone. This beating and carving of
lead is very pleasant work, the lead being of such an easy and
good-natured temper.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.]
For a cheap and easily obtainable bailer I have made use of an empty
tomato or corned beef can, as shown in Fig. 7. A hole sufficiently large
to admit of the handle is punched in the side of the can, the inside end
of the handle is champered off so as to fit close to the inner side of
the can; through the can and into the end of the handle a stout nail is
driven, as at A.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.]
A good bait for large fish is a strip cut from the under side of a small
pickerel, perch, or sunfish, which is placed on the hook as shown in
Fig. 8.
For black bass I have found the black field and house crickets most
excellent bait. Within the last two weeks I have taken good messes of
horned pouts (cat-fish) with set night lines baited with "cat-worms" (so
named by the inhabitants of the lake where I am camping). These
"cat-worms" are those elderly, corpulent, and well-to-do angle-worms,
that pay their respects to one another on dewy, moonlight nights. When
using angle-worms I place them in damp moss for three days, to rid them
of all earthy matter; this toughens them so that they may be run on the
hook with more certainty and less bother; and, besides, they have more
squirm in them, which is a decided gain.
[Illustration]
THE DANCING GOAT.
BY MRS. T. W. DEWING.
See! This Italian boy,
Much to the children's joy.
Has taught his goat
With the furry coat
To caper and prance
To the tune of a dance,
While he will play
All a summer's day
On his mandolin
His bread to win.
At night he'll lie
'Neath the open sky,
With the grass for bed,
And beneath his head
For pillow the goat
With the furry coat,
And sleep till day,
When again he'll play
On his mandolin
His bread to win.
[Illustration]
OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.
What fun it is to pack a trunk! Is it not, little travellers? And how
much more troublesome the packing is when you are coming home than it
was when you were going away! So many pretty things collected during the
summer are to be carried safely, so that the dear ones at home may see
them, and that they may adorn brackets and corners, and make rooms
beautiful the whole winter long. I hope the children who are going back
to school with brown faces and rosy cheeks are all ready to pack away
plenty of learning in the little minds, which are not precisely like
trunks. You may get a trunk so full that it can hold no more; but a
healthy boy and girl can never fill his or her mind so full of useful
knowledge that there will not be room for something else.
So, little folks, trip merrily to school, and show how much you have
enjoyed your play by working like beavers, bees, and birds, building
character, gathering honey, and singing cheerily all the while.
* * * * *
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS.
I am a boy eight years old, and I want to write you a letter about
my little kitten Daisy. I made a little house out of a box, and I
made steps for her to go in the house, and I put it out in the
wood-shed. I put her in front of the steps, and she walked right in
and went to sleep, and now she sleeps there always. Last Sunday
evening she caught her first mouse, and she played with it for a
long time, and when it was dead she tried to make it alive again by
tossing it up in the air. This is all I have to say this time, but
if you like I will write to you again.
RUFUS TYLER L.
You were a clever boy to make a house for your kitty. A friend of mine
took pity one cold winter on a wandering cat that had no home. As the
ladies of the family did not want to take so forlorn and wild a thing
in-doors, this kind man set a box in the yard, put some straw in it for
a bed, and every day placed a saucer of milk or a plate of food beside
it for the poor hungry puss. Like your kitty, this one learned to know
her own house, and grew quite plump and handsome, as well as tame, under
the gentle treatment.
* * * * *
COTTAGE CITY, MARTHA'S VINEYARD.
My mother, father, brother, and myself are spending the summer at
Cottage City. Last Saturday we joined an excursion to Gay Head. Gay
Head is on the other end of the island. We enjoyed the steamboat
ride through Vineyard Sound, although the scenery was not very
pretty. We were obliged to land in row-boats, which were managed by
natives. These natives are a cross between the negro and American
Indian; they are generally very homely, with the exception of the
children, who soon lose their prettiness, judging by the looks of
their elders. We walked some distance along the beach before we
came to the cliffs. These cliffs extend about half a mile along the
shore, and are formed entirely of different-colored clay--green,
yellow, red, blue, white, and brown. The red resembled sunburned
rocks, only much brighter; the yellow looked from a distance as if
a load of sand had been dumped there, and rolled half-way down the
cliffs; the white was very pure and dazzling, and with the dark
green bayberry growing on it, the effect was very fine. We went
into the light-house and saw the light, which belongs to the first
class. The keeper said it flashed in ten seconds, and revolved in
four minutes. He has to wind it up every hour. While in the
light-house the steamer began to whistle, so we had to hurry back,
as we did not wish to get left. We found the sail home rather
tiresome, and were glad enough when the Seaview wharf hove in
sight. I am afraid that the Postmistress will think this too long
to print. If she does not, I will write again, and tell about my
excursion to Nantucket. Good-by.
A. B.
Yes, dear, write again. Letters which describe what you see, and tell
where you go, are very welcome.
* * * * *
OSWEGO, NEW YORK.
I wish some of the boys and girls who write to you could see my
room. The ceiling is papered with nursery papers; then there is a
border of Japanese pictures, and the rest of the wall is entirely
covered with advertisement cards, some of which I bought and some
of which were given me. I have a large cupboard in my room, and
that is covered with the same cards. I have over two thousand cards
on the wall. I have been to New York this summer, and visited on
Governor's Island. I saw Generals Hancock and Sherman, and the
former gave me an orange. I am seven years old, and although I have
never been to school or studied much at home, I have learned to
read. I have been reading _Boys of '76_ and _Old Times in the
Colonies_, and like both very much. I went to Coney Island in June,
and came very near being lost or stolen. I have over two hundred
little soldiers, and have fun having battles with them. I hope you
will publish this very soon, and excuse me for writing such a long
letter.
L. W. M.
Your room must be very beautiful, dear. It is what we call unique, and I
think it must be quite gay and rainbow-like. I am glad you were neither
lost nor stolen at Coney Island.
* * * * *
WACO, TEXAS.
I am a resident of St. Louis, and am spending my school vacation in
Texas, where I am visiting a brother. I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE
since its first number, and have often wanted to write a letter to
the other boys. I left St. Louis July 5, coming through the State
of Missouri, and down through the Indian Nation, the prettiest
country I ever saw. I came the entire distance alone. I like Texas
very much, and will probably stay here until Christmas. The Brazos
River runs through the town, dividing it into East and West Waco.
It is spanned by one suspension-bridge and two railroad bridges.
This is one of the prettiest places in the State.
LEWIS M. H.
I like to hear from a self-reliant and manly little fellow who is able
to take care of himself on a journey.
* * * * *
HUDSON, NEW YORK.
I'm going to send a letter to you, but I don't know exactly what
I'm going to say until I think of it as I go. I live on the banks
of the Hudson River. The mowing-machine is just cutting down the
grass. The view is beautiful from here, but still more beautiful
from Mr. Church's, who lives on the hill. I haven't many pets to
tell you about, except two canary-birds, and a lamb that is hardly
a lamb now, but a full-grown sheep.
NELLY G. E. (not yet six years old.)
I suppose little Nelly sometimes climbs the hill to gaze with her own
bright eyes at the golden sunsets which Mr. Church looks at from his
pleasant home, and then paints so beautifully for the rest of us to
enjoy. Do you know, dear, that the best letters ever written are written
in your way--just by thinking what to say as you go on?
* * * * *
HILLSDALE.