little red house, with one great round window like a big eye set in the
front. And they were a very happy family as long as they had an old
woman to cook their dinner and mend their clothes. But one sad day the
old woman was taken ill and died, and then the cat, the parrot, and the
monkey were left to take care of themselves and the red house, and very
little they knew about it.
"Who will cook the porridge now?" asked the cat.
"And who will make the beds?" asked the parrot.
"And who will sweep the floor?" asked the monkey.
But none could answer, and they thought and thought a long time, but
could come to no decision, until at last the parrot nodded his head
wisely, and said, "We must learn to do them ourselves."
"But who will teach us?" asked Miss Pussy.
"I know," said the monkey. "We will go to town, and watch how the men
and women cook their meals and take care of their homes, and then we
will be able to do the same."
"So we will," said the other two, and all three immediately put on their
scarlet cloaks and blue sun-bonnets, and set off for the town, but they
were in such haste that they forgot to lock the door.
They had not been gone long when a ragged little girl, with bare feet
and sunburned face, came up the dusty road, and she was very tired and
very hungry. Her real name nobody knew, not even herself, but she was
always called Filbert, because her hair, eyes, and skin were all as
brown as a nut.
"Oh dear! oh dear!" sighed Filbert, as she dragged her weary feet along,
"I wish I had a fairy godmother, like the girl in the fairy book, for
then I could wear silk dresses every day, and ride in a golden coach."
Just then she spied the funny little house, and thought, "Well, as I am
not so lucky as to have a rich godmother, I will go in here and ask for
a drink of milk, and rest awhile on the door-step."
So she went up to the door and knocked, but nobody came. Again
rap-tap-tap; still nobody; and at last she lifted the latch and walked
in.
"Oh, what a cunning little place!" cried Filbert, "and nobody home: so I
will help myself."
In the closet she found meal and milk, which she boiled over the fire,
and ate with a great relish. Then she went all over the house, exploring
the nooks and corners of every room, and wondering what had become of
the people who lived there.
She also thought it very queer that in so pretty a house, where almost
everything was neat and well kept, the floors should be dirty and the
beds not yet made up.
At last the little girl, who had walked far along the dusty road in the
hot sun that morning, found herself growing very tired and sleepy, and
as the tumbled beds did not look very inviting, she went down stairs and
took a nap in a large rocking-chair that had belonged to the old woman.
When she was quite rested, she helped herself to a needle and thread out
of the work-basket, and went to work to mend her dress, which was badly
torn. Just as she had sewed up the last rent she heard steps outside,
and glancing out of the round window, saw the pussy cat, the parrot, and
the monkey coming in at the gate.
Frightened nearly out of her wits at sight of the queer trio, Filbert
jumped up, and ran and hid behind the curtain.
In came the three, as gay as could be, chattering and laughing.
"For I have learned to cook porridge," said the cat.
"And I have learned to make beds," said the parrot.
"And I have learned to sweep the floor," said the monkey.
"Then do let us hurry," cried all three, "for we are hungry and sleepy,
and the house is very, very dusty."
[Illustration]
The cat set to work first, mixed the meal and milk, and set it over the
fire to boil; and it smelled so good they all felt hungrier than ever;
but when they came to taste the porridge they found it was burned, and
pussy had forgotten the salt.
"Bah! bah!" cried the parrot and monkey, throwing down their spoons in
disgust; "you can't cook, and we shall have to go to bed hungry."
"We can't go to our beds either unless you hurry and make them," said
the cat, who was vexed at having failed.
[Illustration]
So the parrot set to, and tried to spread the clothes on the bed with
her beak; but as fast as she pulled them up one side, they slipped off
the other, and at last she gave up in despair.
"Oh dear, we shall have to sleep on the floor," cried the other two.
"Then you had better sweep it first," retorted the parrot.
[Illustration]
So the monkey took the broom and began to sweep, but only succeeded in
raising such a dust that they were nearly blinded, and had to run out of
the house and sit on the door-step until it settled.
[Illustration]
And they were so discouraged that they cried, and cried, until their
tiny handkerchiefs were wet through, and the tears ran down and formed
quite a pool in front of the door.
"It's of no use to try and keep house by ourselves," said the monkey;
"we shall have to go to some museum and board."
"What! leave our own pretty little house, where we have lived so long,"
said the cat.
"I'll stay here and starve before I'll go to the old museum," said the
parrot. And overcome with grief at the idea of breaking up their happy
home they embraced, and sobbed aloud on each other's necks.
Now Filbert had watched all that was going on, and felt very sorry for
the little creatures; so as soon as they left the room she slipped out
from behind the curtain, and in a few minutes did all they had tried so
hard to accomplish, and returned to her hiding-place just as the three
came in, saying sadly to one another, "The dust must have settled, so we
will try and sleep on the floor and forget how hungry we are; and
to-morrow we will go to town again, and try very much harder than we did
to-day to learn how to keep house."
But here they stopped short and stared in surprise, for the floor was as
clean and bright as a new penny; the little white beds were tucked
smoothly up, and on the table smoked three bowls of nice hot porridge.
"What good fairy has been here!" they all exclaimed.
"A nut-brown maiden, nut-brown maiden," chirped a cricket on the hearth.
"And where has she gone?" they asked.
"Behind the curtain, behind the curtain," sang the cricket.
And in a twinkling Filbert was dragged, blushing and trembling, from her
hiding-place.
"Who are you, and how came you here?" asked the cat.
"My name is Filbert, and I came in to rest," said the girl, "for I have
no friends and no home."
"And can you cook and sweep and sew?" asked the parrot.
"Yes, indeed, and many other things."
"Oh! will you stay and live with us?" asked the monkey.
"What will you give me?" asked Filbert.
"A good home," said the cat.
"Brand-new clothes," said the parrot.
"And a brass, a silver, and a gold penny every week," said the monkey.
[Illustration]
So Filbert staid, and was as happy as a bird in the one-eyed house. She
sang so cheerfully as she went about her work that things seemed almost
to do themselves for her. The monkey watched in admiration whenever she
swept the floor, and wondered why there was no dust. They all learned to
love her dearly, and were as good as fairy godmothers to her, giving her
everything she wished, and her pile of pennies grew so fast that she
became quite rich; and, at last, if she had chosen, could have married a
prince.
[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]
The present Number closes the first volume of YOUNG PEOPLE, and we wish
to express our great pleasure at the thought that thousands and
thousands of children who one year ago were strangers to us are now our
little friends, and, we might say, seem to us like one large family. We
have done our best to amuse and instruct them, and to make them happy;
and by giving them weekly a rich fund of beautiful pictures, stories,
poems, and instructive reading, to awaken in them noble thoughts and
impulses, a desire for information, and also to teach them to think for
themselves.
Through the letters addressed to our Post-office Box we have become
acquainted with large numbers of our readers, and feel as much interest
in their little enjoyments, their pets, their studies, and their plans
for the future as if they were personally known to us.
Our Post-office Box is the most complete department of its kind in
existence. We print all the letters we possibly can, and would be glad
to print every one if our space allowed, for each contains some pretty
bit of childish life which we are sure would be delightful to other
little folks. Our letters come to us from all parts of the globe--from
every corner of the United States and Canada; from England, Germany,
France, and Italy; from the West Indies and South America; and even from
distant islands far across the sea. It would seem that wherever there
are English-speaking children, even in the most remote localities, YOUNG
PEOPLE has found its way to their hands; and critical and exacting as
little folks are, their expressions of delight in their "little paper"
are unqualified.
Our exchange department has developed a fact that is very gratifying,
and that is that boys and girls throughout the country are interested in
making collections of minerals, pressed flowers and ferns, ocean
curiosities, and other specimens of nature's beautiful and perfect
handiwork. It affords us much pleasure to bring them into communication
with each other for the exchange of these instructive objects, thus
cultivating in them a desire for useful information, which, as they grow
older, may develop, in many instances, in ways which will lead to a
life-long benefit to themselves and others.
It has also afforded us the greatest satisfaction to answer the numerous
and varied questions of our inquisitive little readers; and except in
instances where the answer, were it given correctly, would occupy too
much space in our columns, or be too scientific for the comprehension of
the youthful querist, we have left but two or three questions to be
noticed.
We thank all of our readers most sincerely for the hearty expressions of
approval and delight which we have received; and we promise them that
the new volume of Young People shall continue to bring them weekly an
entertaining and instructive variety of stories and papers by the most
popular writers, good puzzles of all kinds, directions for making
various articles useful to boys and girls, and a very full and
interesting Post-office Box. We are confident that before the end of the
second volume we shall make friends with thousands of little people
whose handwriting is still unknown to us.
* * * * *
DORSET, CANADA.
I am fourteen years old, and I live in the northern part of
Canada. My sister takes YOUNG PEOPLE. I liked the story of "The
Moral Pirates" very much. Our nearest neighbor is about six miles
away. There are lots of lakes here in which are a great many
speckled and salmon trout, and there are troops of red deer in the
woods. I have killed thirteen myself. We have two hounds which run
the deer in the lakes, and we have birch-bark canoes in which we
row. There is a sporting club comes here every year from New York
and Toronto.
ERASTUS W. L.
* * * * *
I am seven years old. I live North, among the rocks and mountains
and lakes of Canada. I never went to school, except once for five
weeks, but I can read in the Fourth Reader. I have a pet cat and a
chicken, and papa says he will catch me a fawn. I love YOUNG
PEOPLE very much.
NETTIE L.
* * * * *
My sister Nettie and I can crochet, and we would be very much
obliged if Gracie Meads would send us the pattern she wrote about
in her letter. We would send her some flower seeds in return.
ADDIE LOCKMAN,
Dorset P. O., Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
* * * * *
MARENGO, IOWA.
I like YOUNG PEOPLE very much, but I like best of all the
Post-office Box, and all the pretty things. I am going to make a
Manes life-boat, and a cucuius.
My sister has two white mice and a brown one, and I have a
canary-bird. One of our white mice was sick, but is getting
better.
Can any one tell me a good way to make a scrap-book?
I am beginning a collection of stamps. I have only eight different
kinds, but will soon have more. I am also collecting birds' eggs
and nests. I would like to know what bird lays a white egg
speckled with brown.
JESSIE LEE R.
There are several varieties of birds that lay white eggs speckled with
brown. The king-bird's egg has brown blotches on one end, and is
speckled all over; the wood-peewit lays a small white egg speckled with
brown, the spots forming a ring around one end; the egg of the
meadow-lark is long and white, with brown spots on the large end;
swallows' eggs are white, covered with brown spots; and other common
varieties of birds lay eggs of a similar appearance.
* * * * *
CLAREMONT, MINNESOTA.
I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE ever since it was published, and I like
it very much. I enjoy reading the letters from all the children in
the Post-office Box. I am thirteen years old.
There is nothing much to do here except go to school and play. My
father keeps a store, and during the summer I worked for him.
School began on the 4th of October. I have ten chickens, and am
building a coop for them; and I have a very large cat named Buff.
I am saving money now to buy a cornet.
Will you tell me whether the stamps the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE
are collecting are used or new? I have quite a number of used
ones.
GEORGE H. H.
The stamps in the albums of young collectors, if they are genuine
issues, have, with but few exceptions, done service on some letter or
package before they find their way to the collector's hands. Unless they
are too much defaced by postal marks they form as valuable specimens as
if they were new, and are perhaps more interesting. To obtain full
collections of new foreign stamps would be difficult and very expensive.
* * * * *
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
I like HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE very much. I have a paint-box, and I
am going to color all the pretty pictures. I have a pony named
Tiny, two cats, and a canary which sings delightfully. I am eight
years old.
EMILY T. H.
* * * * *
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
Little "Wee Tot" wishes to say that she is getting a great many
requests for ocean curiosities. She can not possibly answer all
the letters, but whoever will send her a box of pretty curiosities
in minerals, insects, birds' eggs, skulls and skeletons of
reptiles, rare postage stamps, coins, relics, Revolutionary
mementos, ancient newspapers, or anything else that is of value,
shall receive an equivalent in things from the ocean.
Last week "Wee Tot" received through the Post-office a beautiful
Indian bow and three arrows from the Indian country, and yesterday
she received fifty-six baby water-snakes and some beautiful
butterflies.
With much love to you, dear YOUNG PEOPLE,
"WEE TOT" BRAINARD,
257 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
* * * * *
LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.
I can give some good directions to Daisy F. for pressing
sea-weeds. The implements used are a dish of water, a camel's-hair
brush, sheets of paper, blotting-paper, and linen or cotton rags.
After cleaning all the sand and dirt from the weeds, put one in a
dish of water, and slip a sheet of paper under it. Then lift it
carefully nearly out of the water, and arrange all the little
branches naturally with the brush. Now lay the paper which
contains the weed on a piece of blotting-paper: over it put a rag,
so that the weed is entirely covered by it, and over that another
piece of blotting-paper, and on this in turn lay another sheet of
paper upon which a weed has been floated. Proceed in this manner
until you have a pile ready. Place it between two boards, and
leave it under heavy pressure for three or four days, until it is
dry. Then remove the blotting-papers and rags very gently, taking
care not to pull the sea-weeds from the paper on which they are
pressed.
WILLIAM A. L.
When floating certain kinds of sea-weeds on to the paper it will be
found necessary to cut away, with a sharp, fine-pointed scissors, many
superfluous stems and branches, as otherwise the sea-weed when pressed
will present a matted appearance, and much of the delicacy be lost.
* * * * *
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE from the first number, and have learned
a great deal from it.
I have a collection of three thousand five hundred and thirty-one
stamps, no two alike, six hundred and six of which are American
varieties. I would like to know if any reader has one as large.
The young chemists' club have elected me President, and I am
desired to thank the readers of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE for the
experiments they have sent, and to request them to favor the club
with more.
CHARLES H. W.
* * * * *
DUBUQUE, IOWA.
I like YOUNG PEOPLE so much! and I always read all the letters in
the Post-office Box.
Ann A. N. is just my age, and I would like to tell her some more
things that a birdie likes. There is a little seed called millet,
which I get at the market in the heads as it grows, and the
birdies love to pick out the little round seeds. A bit of cabbage
leaf is a treat to them, and any one living in the country can
give birds the long seed heads of the plantain, or the little
satchel-like seeds of the pouch-weed. I sometimes give my birds a
little hard-boiled egg, but one must be careful not to give enough
of these things to make the bird too fat.
Tell Anna Wierum it would be better to put her cuttings in warm
moist sand for a few days, until they throw out little white
roots; then wrap each in a bit of florist's moss or cotton-wool,
and put a bit of oiled paper around the roots. Very thin brown
paper, oiled with butter or lard, will do, so it will not absorb
moisture. Pack all carefully in a small pasteboard box, and tie it
up instead of sealing it. A package tied, with no writing in it,
goes cheaply through the mails as third-class matter.
Will any correspondent tell me how to keep goldfish healthy in a
globe?
GEORGIA G. S.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange rare foreign stamps. I have fifteen
hundred in my collection. I would especially like to obtain new
issues.
W. PAGE GARDNER,
16 Hanson Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange postmarks for birds' eggs with any reader
of YOUNG PEOPLE. To any one who will send me ten varieties of
birds' eggs, I will send twenty-five postmarks, or for five
varieties, I will send twelve postmarks.
JAMES THOMPSON,
Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio.
* * * * *
Can any correspondent tell me where I can get a catalogue of
birds' eggs? I am starting a collection of eggs, and would like to
exchange an egg of a brown thrush for one of a meadow-lark.
MILTON D. CLOSE,
Berlin Heights, Erie County, Ohio.
* * * * *
If any reader of YOUNG PEOPLE will send me twenty different
foreign postage stamps, I will send by return mail a Chinese coin.
WILLIE B. GORDON,
P. O. Box 116, Upper Sandusky, Ohio.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange birds' eggs with any of the readers of
YOUNG PEOPLE. To any one who will send me a list, and the number
of each kind he has for exchange, I will send my list in return.
FRED C. TODD,
Milltown, New Brunswick.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange a little of the soil of Virginia for that
of any of the Western States. I am twelve years old.
H. JACOB, Darlington Heights,
Prince Edward County, Virginia.
* * * * *
I have received a letter from a correspondent desiring exchange,
but there is no name or address. I think the postmark is Harrison,
but am not sure. Please publish this, as I do not wish the writer
to think it is my fault that no attention is paid to his letter.
WILLIAM WINSLOW,
74 De Soto Street, St. Paul, Minnesota.
* * * * *
I have a collection of postage stamps and a number of duplicates.
To any correspondent sending me twenty good stamps, I will send
the same number in return.
Can any one tell me the price of silk-worm cocoons?
PHILIP TYNG,
403 North Madison Street, Peoria, Illinois.
* * * * *
I take YOUNG PEOPLE. I am very much interested in the Post-office
Box, because I like to read of the boys and girls who make
collections. I am collecting postmarks and minerals, and I will
gladly exchange a specimen of iron ore for any other mineral.
BENNIE C. GRAHAM,
165 West Goodale Street, Columbus, Ohio.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange United States and foreign coins with any
reader of YOUNG PEOPLE.
WILLIAM F. SALTMARSH,
512 North New Jersey St., Indianapolis, Indiana.
* * * * *
I have been gathering autumn leaves, and preparing them for
decorating lace curtains, picture-frames, and other things. They
are mostly maple, as we have very few others here. I would like to
send some to any little girl or boy in exchange for sea-shells or
other ocean treasures. To any one sending me an address I will
send some leaves right away.
NELLIE S. G. VAUGHAN,
Chazy, Clinton County, New York.
* * * * *
I have a cabinet in which I have a number of war relics. I also
have an aquarium. I would like to exchange foreign and United
States postmarks and stamps with any readers of YOUNG PEOPLE.
W. PAUL D. MOROSS,
Care of C. A. Morass & Co.,
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
* * * * *
I have several kinds of Norwegian stamps, and if any stamp
collector will send me some shells, sea-weeds, or any such things,
I will be very glad to send some of my stamps in return.
ELIZABETH KOREN,
Decorah, Winnesheik County, Iowa.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange postmarks or stamps with any one in the
United States or Canada.
CLIFFORD POTTS,
412 Walnut Street, Reading, Pennsylvania.
* * * * *
A little girl who is making an interesting collection of monograms
would be very glad to exchange with any boy or girl. Please
address
E. M., P. O. Box 1132,
Plainfield, New Jersey.
* * * * *
I am just beginning a collection of monograms. As yet I have but
very few, but I would be very glad to exchange with any readers of
YOUNG PEOPLE.
ISABELLE VAN BRUNT,
27 West Thirtieth Street, New York City.
* * * * *
All boys from fourteen to twenty are invited to become members of
a debating club on a legal basis. The debates are carried on by
mail. For further information address the recording secretary,
N. L. COLLAMER,
Room 49, Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.
* * * * *
I would like to exchange stamps or postmarks with any readers of
YOUNG PEOPLE.
I have mislaid the address of May A. J. Cornish, of Washington,
and if she will kindly send it to me I will answer her letter
requesting exchange.
GEORGE G. OMERLY,
616 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
* * * * *
E. M. W.--Many thanks for your trouble in copying the pretty version of
the legend of the forget-me-not. But as it is very long, and is not new,
we can not print it.
* * * * *
A. C.--The military organization of the ancient Romans which was called
a legion numbered from 3000 to 6000 men. It combined cavalry and
infantry and all the constituent elements of an army. Originally only
Roman citizens of property were admitted to the legion, but at a later
period the enrollment of all classes became common.--There are so many
large printing establishments in New York city that it is difficult to
answer your other question. The best thing for you to do is to make a
personal application to any one you may select.
* * * * *
CHARLIE.--You will find the advertisement of the "Royal Middy" costume
in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 27.--The Indian ponies of the far West are very
serviceable and hardy little animals. The Canadian ponies and Texan
mustangs are useful, but sometimes too vicious for a little boy like
you. A shaggy little Shetland is pretty, if you can obtain one.
* * * * *
W. S. W.--Your florist friend will know better than we can tell you in
what way to procure you a plant of the Venus's-flytrap. He can, no
doubt, send you some young roots. As the plant is only a cluster of
leaves, low on the ground, from which springs a single stalk, about six
inches high, crowned with a bunch of white flowers, it can not easily be
propagated by cuttings. It is a matter of dispute if this plant feeds
upon the insects it captures or not. The unfortunate fly imprisoned in
its leaves is macerated in a juice which the leaf again absorbs, but the
plant would probably thrive as well from the nourishment derived from
the sun and air and earth alone.
* * * * *
HARRY I. F.--We can not print your request for exchange, as you gave no
address, not even the town in which you live.--We can not give addresses
of correspondents, but if you have any questions to ask of the one you
name, you can write them to the Post-office Box, and if they are
suitable, we will print your letter.
* * * * *
N. W. J.--We have not made the arrangements about which you inquire. We
thank you sincerely for your pretty letter and your kind intentions.
* * * * *