Produced by Annie McGuire
[Illustration: HARPER'S
YOUNG PEOPLE
AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.]
* * * * *
VOL. I.--NO. 42. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR
CENTS.
Tuesday, August 17, 1880. Copyright, 1880, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50
per Year, in Advance.
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE ESCAPE OF HANNAH DUSTIN.--DRAWN BY HOWARD PYLE.]
OLD TIMES IN THE COLONIES.
BY CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN.
NO. IV.
JOHN KERZAR, HANNAH DUSTIN, AND THE INDIANS.
It was in August, 1692. John Kerzar, who lived on the banks of the
Merrimac, a few miles from the sea, went out into his meadow with his
scythe to cut grass. He took his gun along with him to shoot a bear if
he saw one in his corn, or an Indian if one made his appearance. He
leaned his gun against a tree, and went on with his mowing, not knowing
that an Indian was crawling through the tall grass toward him. The
Indian reached the tree, seized the gun, and cocked it.
"Me kill you now," said the Indian.
John Kerzar was brave. He was quick to think. He could yell louder than
any Indian. No use for him to run; that would be certain death. With a
yell like the blast of a trumpet, and uplifted scythe, he rushed upon
the Indian, who, instead of firing, dropped the gun and took to his
heels. Kerzar was upon him in an instant, swinging his scythe, and
making such a fearful gash that the Indian fell dead at his feet.
Kerzar lived in Haverhill. It was a frontier settlement, and the Indians
either had a spite against it, or else it was more convenient for them
to attack than other settlements, for they made many attempts to destroy
the place.
Thomas Dustin was at work in his field one day, when he saw a large
number of Indians coming toward him from the woods. He had eight
children, the youngest a week old. The mother was in bed with the
infant, tended by her nurse Mary Neff. "Run for the garrison," he
shouted.
The children started, the oldest boys and girls carrying the youngest.
Mr. Dustin rushed to the stable and bridled his horse, intending to take
Mrs. Dustin; but the Indians were so close upon him that he could not.
He leaped upon the horse with his gun, and galloped away, the bullets
flying around him, leaving his wife, baby, and Mary Neff.
The Indians entered the house, dragged Mrs. Dustin from the bed, and
seized the nurse. One caught up the infant by the legs, and dashed its
head against a rock.
Mr. Dustin overtook his children. It would be impossible, he thought, to
save them all; which should he leave? All were equally dear. How could
he make a selection? He would not; he would die in defending them, and
do what he could to save all.
"Run!" he shouted, urging them on; then leaped from his horse, and
fired, sprung upon the animal, again loaded his gun while upon the
gallop, overtook his children, dismounted, fired again, and so, keeping
the Indians at bay, brought all his children in safety to the garrison.
Not so fortunate his neighbors. In a few minutes the Indians massacred
twenty-seven men, women, and children, set several houses on fire, and
with a number of captives started for Canada.
It was the middle of March. The rivers and streams were swollen. There
was snow on the ground. Mrs. Dustin had but one shoe; the other foot was
bare; it was torn by the stones, chilled by the cold. Every step was
marked with blood. Her fellow-captives fainted and fell one by one, and
the tomahawk and scalping-knife finished them. All except Mrs. Dustin
and Mary Neff were killed. For four days they travelled through the dark
forest toward the northwest. The Indians gave them little to eat. The
third day brought them to the rendez-vous of the Indians, on a little
island where the Contoocook falls into the Merrimac.
"There the old smoked in silence their pipes, and the young
To the pike and the white perch their baited lines flung;
There the boy shaped his arrows, and there the shy maid
Wove her many-hued baskets and bright wampum braid."
There were fertile intervales along the Merrimac where the deer found
pasture. The Indians could spear salmon in abundance.
They had captured a little boy named Samuel Leonardson near Worcester,
Massachusetts, and he had learned to talk with them.
Having been successful in their raids, all except twelve of the Indians
started out to make another attack somewhere upon the English, expecting
to return with captives, which they would sell to the French. Upon their
return the whole party would go to Canada.
The woman who had seen her infant dashed upon the rock, and who had
endured such hardships, had a brave spirit, and preferred death to
captivity.
They who would be free, must themselves strike the blow. There was none
but God to lean upon. She determined to make the attempt to be free.
"Ask the Indians where they strike with the tomahawk when they want to
kill a person quick?" she said to Samuel.
"Strike 'em here," said the Indian, putting his finger on Samuel's
temple.
Mrs. Dustin saw where he placed his finger.
"This is the way to take off a scalp," said the Indian, showing the boy
how to run a knife around the head, and separate the scalp from the
skull.
The strong-hearted woman turns over her plans. They are on an island.
There are twelve Indians in all; some are women, some children. Their
canoes are drawn up beneath the alders. They are so far from any danger
of surprise that no one keeps watch at night. The thought never comes to
them that their captives--two feeble women and a boy--can escape.
Night comes. The fires burn low. All are asleep, lulled by the music of
the falling waters. No--all are not asleep. The woman of brave spirit
never before was so wide-awake. Hannah Dustin awakes Mary Neff and
Samuel Leonardson, informs them of her purpose, gives each a tomahawk.
Each selects a victim.
"Strike hard!"
A signal, and the hatchets crush through the skulls of the sleeping
Indians, blow after blow in quick succession. It is the work of a
minute, but in that brief time ten of the twelve Indians are killed; two
only escape in the darkness.
The prisoners--prisoners no longer--gather the provisions, take the guns
of the Indians, and place them in a canoe. The thoughtful women, to
prevent pursuit, quickly cut holes in all the other canoes and set them
adrift. They take their seats in the remaining canoe, and push out into
the stream.
A thought comes. If they are spared to reach their home, will their
friends believe their story? They will have evidence that can not be
disputed. They paddle back to the island. Mrs. Dustin runs a knife
around the scalp-locks of the dead Indians, and takes them from the
skulls. They start once more in the darkness. They know that the river
will bring them to their homes.
The current bears them on. Soon they are amid the rapids at Pennacook,
but the thought of home, of liberty, cools their brains and steadies
their nerves. The intrepid women handle the paddles dexterously,
steering clear of sunken rocks and dangerous whirlpools.
They come to a space of clear water, and then to falls, around which
they must carry the canoe. They are in danger of death by drowning, in
danger of prowling savages, whose wigwams are still standing along the
bank of the winding stream, but no Indian discovers them. With tireless
energy they ply their paddles. Days pass. At last they sweep round a
bend, and behold familiar scenes: they are once more at home, coming
upon their sorrowing friends like apparitions from the dead. It is a
marvellous story they have to tell of endurance, heroism, and victory.
No one can doubt their words, for there are the scalps, evidence
undoubtable.
By every fireside the story of Hannah Dustin, Mary Neff, and Samuel
Leonardson is narrated. Presents come to them--fifty pounds from the
General Court of Massachusetts, and a rich present from the Governor of
New York.
A monument has been reared upon the spot where they obtained their
freedom, commemorative of their endurance, resolution, and heroic
action.
THE ROVERINGS AT CONEY ISLAND.
BY MATTHEW WHITE, JUN.
The two Eds wanted to go very much.
"I can learn to build forts in the sand, and then grow up to be a
soldier," urged Edward.
"And I might watch the men steer the boats, and by-and-by be ready to
sail off somewheres on a ship, and bring back an India shawl," suggested
Edgar, cunningly, and Mrs. Rovering decided at once that they should go.
"By the boat?" cried Edgar.
"No, by the cars," exclaimed Edward; and thereupon arose a discussion on
the point, which lasted until Mr. Rovering came home to dinner, and said
they could go by both.
So on the next morning, which happened to be Saturday, the family set
out, armed with an immense lunch basket, and shaded by huge straw hats.
"Now, Robert," said Mrs. Rovering, as they hurried down a dirty side
street to the river, "are you sure you know where you're going?"
"Why, to Manhattan Beach, to be sure. We decided to begin there, you
remember." But they had no sooner reached the end of the long pier than
they were set upon by what appeared to be a lot of crazy men, who yelled
in such a frightful fashion about bursting boilers and rotten timbers
that the Roverings were very glad to find that they were on the wrong
dock, and that the Manhattan Beach boats started from a quiet wharf near
by, where there were no opposition steamers.
And now a most wonderful thing happened. The crowd on this first pier
was a most dreadful one, and yet neither of the Eds got lost in it, nor
did Mr. Rovering have his pocket picked; and this fact struck Mrs.
Rovering as so extraordinary that she stood still for a full minute in
the Battery Park before she could realize it, while an elevated railroad
engine overhead dripped grease all over the cherry-colored ribbon on her
hat.
After blundering into Castle Garden, and knocking at the door of a free
swimming bath, they succeeded in finding the boat they wanted, which,
after several very narrow escapes from being run into by ferry-boats,
running over tugs, swamping row-boats, and grazing barges, took them
safely to the pier where the cars were waiting.
With these latter the two Eds were much delighted, as they were open
ones, and consequently offered to them unlimited opportunities for
falling out and breaking their necks.
"Here we are!" suddenly announced Edgar, as the train slowed up and then
stopped; but after the heavy basket had been carefully lifted out, and
Mrs. Rovering had laboriously stepped down, they discovered that there
was no station there at all, and they had just time to squeeze back into
their places before the engine started again.
The family went through this performance three times, until finally Mr.
Rovering found out that these mysterious haltings were only made as a
matter of precaution before crossing other railroads.
But at last the cars stopped for good, and after waiting until everybody
else had left the train, the Roverings concluded that they had actually
arrived at the famous Manhattan Beach.
The two Eds were for at once dashing off to the shore, but Mrs. Rovering
declared that they hadn't time for play yet, as they must first walk up
as far as the new hotel, so as to be sure they had seen everything. Mr.
Rovering, however, had caught sight of the bathing pavilion, and decided
that, for fear they should forget it, they had better take a dip in the
ocean immediately.
So they all went into the Atlantic--and a good deal of it into them; and
on coming out, Mrs. Rovering was lost in more wonder than ever when she
found that neither of the Eds was drowned.
"And now we must eat our lunch," said Mr. Rovering, when they were once
more wandering along the broad plank-walk in the broiling sun.
"And there's a superb place where we may partake of it," added his wife,
indicating the invitingly cool-looking piazza of a large hotel, which
was plentifully provided with tables and chairs, seemingly on purpose
for just such hungry lunch-laden mortals as themselves.
So they all went up the steps, and choosing a table in the shadiest
corner, they sat down, and began to unpack the basket.
Mrs. Rovering had just taken a creamcake and a box of sardines from the
centre of a lemon pie when a waiter walked up to them with a card-board
sign, which read, "Positively no picnic parties allowed in the parlors
or on the piazzas of this hotel."
Now this sudden turn of affairs was very humiliating to the Roverings,
the more so as they had all grown very hungry after their bath, and the
contents of the basket had a most inviting odor.
But there was no help for it; so the sardines and sandwiches and lemon
pie and creamcakes and all the silver-plated ware, were thrust hurriedly
back in a dreadful heap of confusion, and the four set out for the
beach, feeling sure that they would not be molested there.
However, when they sat down on the dry sand, they found it so hot, and
it flew about and into everything so easily, that they determined to
move down nearer to the water.
They had just established themselves on a cool spot, and Mrs. Rovering
was distributing supplies for the third time, while the two Eds were
busily engaged in fort-building, when Mr. Rovering suddenly cried out,
"Take care!" but before he could say of what, a big wave had dashed up
and salted the whole party, and luckily salted them only, yet enough to
convince them that the beach was not a convenient lunch table; so the
provisions being tumbled into the basket again, Mr. Rovering declared in
favor of Brighton, where the four were set down a few minutes later by
the Marine Railway.
Here they tried another hotel piazza, but the same dreadful notice
stared them in the face, and they began to fear that they would be
compelled to go home to eat their lunch, when Mr. Rovering happened to
remember having heard something about West Brighton being a resort of
"the people"; so they all bundled into a stage, at five cents a head, to
ride to the next grand division of the island.
And now the two Eds saw with delight that they were coming to the region
of circuses, side shows, and merry-go-rounds, and soon Mrs. Rovering
said, "Robert, I observe that we are approaching the Observatory. Let us
ascend by the elevator; it may give us an appetite for--"
"But I want to ride round on the lion," broke in Edward.
"And I want to see the Midgets," added Edgar. But Mr. Rovering having
noticed that the admission to the Observatory was fifteen cents,
children ten cents, thought it would be too bad if he did not take
advantage of the reduction to save a dime; so the four got in one of the
elevators, and rode to the top, which was several hundred feet above the
level of the sea.
The view from this lofty point was certainly very fine, and for a moment
or two the careful mother forgot all about her sons, while she tried to
make out through the telescope, under her husband's guidance, the exact
spot of ground on Staten Island where they had once held a
Fourth-of-July picnic.
At length she gave up the attempt, and turned around to look after the
boys. But neither of the Eds was to be seen.
There were but two persons besides themselves in the cage-like
compartment, so the children could not be lost in the crowd. With a cry
of horror, Mrs. Rovering rushed to the side, and peering down, down, far
below her, saw her two darling boys, stretched on the ground apparently
in the positions they had fallen, each leaning on an elbow.
"Let me to my sons!" shrieked the poor mother, tragically; and dragging
Mr. Rovering after her, she flew down the stairs only to find that both
the elevators were at the bottom of the tower. Then, with the music of
the merry-go-round organs ringing in her ears, and the beating of the
side-show drums trying to drown it, Mrs. Rovering fainted away.
When she came to herself she was reclining on two chairs on a hotel
piazza, staring at the notice, painted on the wall, "No baskets
allowed."
This fully restored her to her senses, and turning around, she saw the
two Eds calmly drinking milk from the great wooden cow near by.
It seemed that the boys had speedily grown tired of the tower, and
quietly slipping down stairs, had taken the elevator back to earth
again. Here they had thrown themselves on the ground, and were engaged
in counting up their pennies, in order to see, if they both took a ride
on the wooden lion, how much would remain for the Midgets, when their
mother missed them.
By this time it had grown to be the middle of the afternoon, and Mr.
Rovering, becoming desperate, went up to a benevolent-looking gentleman
and asked him if he knew of a spot where free American citizens might
eat a lunch they had brought with them from home.
"Why, certainly," was the reply; "there is a building especially adapted
to that purpose at the other end of the island."
"But we have just come from there," said Mr. Rovering.
"Ah, then, it isn't my fault you didn't see it;" and the gentleman sat
down at the very next table, and proceeded to order a mutton-chop and
some fried potatoes.
"Dolly, let's go home!" exclaimed Mr. Rovering, in despair; and picking
up the basket, which now seemed heavier than ever, he led the way to the
Iron Pier.
And now they looked forward to enjoying their lunch on the boat; but the
sea was so rough, and they all in consequence became so sick, that they
were glad to hide the basket out of sight.
Thus it came to pass that the Roverings ate their lunch and supper all
in one, and decided that their day at Coney Island had not been a
success.
A SALT-WATER AQUARIUM.
BY A. W. ROBERTS.
Hundreds of young people are now spending their vacation on or near the
sea-shore, and have a good opportunity to study the wonderful habits of
animal and vegetable marine life. Therefore I have undertaken to throw
out a few plain hints as to the management of a salt-water aquarium, in
which these interesting forms of nature can be observed to greater
advantage.
We will start off with one of the small tin frame tanks sold in New York
so cheap, or a candy jar, or a small-sized wash-tub--any vessel that
will hold water, and is not of iron, tin, or copper, either of which
will poison the water.
[Illustration: ULVA.]
After washing out the tank carefully, and filling it with clear
sea-water, we will place in it twelve silver-shrimps (bait shrimps). At
the end of two days they are dead, and you ask why did they die when
they had so much water to live in. They died of suffocation, after they
had breathed all the air contained in the water. We will take out the
dead shrimps, and in the same water place a good handful of ulva
(sea-lettuce, sea-salad), one of the most common of all marine plants,
and place the aquarium in a strong and direct sunlight, by this means
exciting the ulva to work, or, as it is termed, aerify the water. In
less than an hour's time a froth will be seen forming on the surface of
the water, and adhering to the sides of the aquarium. Now observe the
ulva closely, and from its edges and surface very fine threads of
silvery bubbles are pouring out and ascending to the surface. In an
hour's time the water will be thoroughly charged with air. We will again
place twelve more shrimps in the aquarium. This time they will live, and
we will have established a _true_ aquarium--an aquarium based on the
self-sustaining principles of nature, wherein _it will not be necessary
to change the water_.
[Illustration: SHRIMP.]
Fish as well as human beings breathe air. Air is contained in all water.
After the shrimps had breathed or used the air contained in the water
several times over, it became unfit to sustain animal life any longer,
and so they smothered: just the same as if a number of people were
placed in a room, and all the doors and windows and ventilators were
sealed up tight, so that no new air could enter. They, too, would
suffocate in a short time and die. All plants living in water are
constantly manufacturing new and pure air for their friends and
companions the fishes, particularly when under the action of sunlight.
The great secret in establishing a self-supporting aquarium is to
establish a natural balance of water, fish, plants, and light, so that
none of these agents are wanting in quantity. For instance, a strong
light is required to cause a healthy development of the plant life, but
not direct sunlight, or the plants will be forced too rapidly, and death
will soon follow. Again, direct sunlight will increase the temperature
of the water to such an extent that many of the fish will die. If the
animal life is in excess of the plant life and the water contained in
the aquarium, the animals will perish for want of sufficient air. Again,
if the aquarium is overstocked with plants, so that they are crowded so
closely that the light fails to reach some of them, decomposition will
take place, and everything will become a decaying mass. In fact, it is
only by beginning on a very modest scale, with a very few and small fish
at first, and by gradually increasing the number, that a beginner can
expect to succeed. Over-stocking with animal life and overfeeding are
the two greatest temptations that beset the path to success for the
aquariumist; but patience, perseverance, and critical observation will
eventually lead to success.
The greatest care must be taken, and all shells, rock-work, sand, and
plants must be washed over several times, so that no injurious
substances may be introduced.
Ulva, or sea-lettuce, is to be found in abundance in all our small bays
and inlets at low tide. For the aquarium, those specimens which are
thick in texture, and of a dark green color, only are fit for
manufacturing air. Never be tempted to make use of the light green and
thin specimens, as they are not sufficiently matured, and will soon
decay if placed in the tank.
[Illustration: SCALLOPS.]
Scallops when young have a curious way of changing their location by
means of opening their shells and then closing them with great force,
which sends them off at an angle, and so they go dancing along the
bottom till they reach a spot that suits them. This shell-fish forms a
beautiful addition to an aquarium.
[Illustration: HERMIT-CRAB WITH SHELL.]
The silver-shrimp, with figured back (all other varieties must be
avoided), I have always considered as constituting a Board of Health in
an aquarium; for no sooner does the water become unhealthy than these
transparent and grasshopper-like creatures will make desperate attempts
to jump out of the tank. These shrimps, and the little hermit-crab, and
the buccinum (a small black sea-snail) are Nature's house-cleaners. They
are always on the look-out for decaying animal or vegetable matter,
which, if not in too large quantities, they speedily devour.
I have seen these black snails gather on a dead fish from a distance of
half a mile; in less than a day's time nothing was left of the fish but
his bones and scales, and these were picked so clean that they had a
polished look. These snails are provided with ribbon-like tongues, from
which project a great number of minute and beautifully constructed
teeth. By passing these tongues backward and forward rapidly they cut
their food down much as a mowing-machine cuts grass. These snails are
the scavengers of all dead fish and vegetable substances found in our
bays and rivers, and to them we owe a great deal of the purity of our
waters.
The little hermit-crab lives alone in an empty shell, which he carries
about with him wherever he goes. His reason for living in a shell is
because the hind part of his body is soft, and not protected with a hard
shell, like the fore part of his body. The end of the soft body of the
hermit-crab is provided with hooks, or claspers, with which he holds on
to the inner chamber of his shell so tightly that it is almost
impossible to get him out except by breaking the shell. Very often these
crabs are to be found with a colony of living polyps growing on their
shells. These polyps are very interesting from the fact of their being
the parents of one of our most beautiful jelly-fishes.
[Illustration: HERMIT-CRAB OUT OF SHELL.]
When a hermit-crab grows too large, or so fat that his shell pinches
him, he hunts up a new one. First he pushes his long claws far into it,
just to see that no one is inside, and that it is nice and clean; then
he rolls it over and over, often lifting it so as to judge of its
weight. If it suits, he drags it close to the entrance of his old home,
and in an instant he has whisked into his new house. Hermit-crabs are
great house-hunters, often moving just for the fun of it. They are
always skylarking with one another like monkeys, and, in truth, they are
the monkeys of an aquarium. When the water in an aquarium becomes bad,
they are sure to indicate it by leaving their shells, and trying to
crawl out of the tank. In all respects they are the most valuable and
interesting inhabitants of the aquarium.
[Illustration: PIPE-FISH.]
Pipe-fish are apt to be delicate; still, if your aquarium is in perfect
health, and the water is teeming with minute animal life, they will get
along nicely. Their favorite food consists of the eggs of all small
crustaceans, such as shrimps, sand-hoppers, and lady-crabs. Mrs.
Pipe-fish does not take care of the children, but Mr. Pipe-fish places
them in a long folding pocket that runs along the under side of his body
(which I have tried to show in the engraving). When he lets them out of
this pocket into the vast ocean world to shift for themselves, they are
only a quarter of an inch long, no thicker than a bristle, and almost
transparent.
[Illustration: DANDY-CRAB.]
Think of a crab decorating himself with bright-colored sea-weed, so that
he is called the dandy-crab! Still, he is not so vain, after all, as he
covers himself with sea-weed that he may escape the sharp eyes and sharp
teeth of hungry fishes. I once had a dandy-crab whose back I had
scrubbed clean, after which I placed him in an aquarium containing a
plain sand bottom. In this tank I also placed a hungry black-fish, who
soon took a nip at him, securing only one of his legs. This so
frightened the dandy-crab that he began searching over the aquarium for
material to cover himself with. In the tank I placed several sea-flowers
(anemones), cut into small pieces. These he immediately seized, and soon
had them fastened over his back, using both claws, he being both right
and left handed, and sticking them on with a kind of glue that he took
from his mouth. In a few days the pieces of sea-flowers began to develop
into perfect flowers, causing the crab to look very gorgeous.
When a crab loses a claw, he does not mind it; in fact, he rather likes
it, as it provides him with an extra meal. All he does is to sit right
down and bite it off to the next perfect joint, eating the fragments of
flesh with much relish. In a week's time a new claw begins to grow. When
a spider-crab grows too large for his clothes, he rips them at the back,
and out he slides, a helpless soft mass. He is now a "soft crab," and
for thirty-six hours he has to hide away, as all fish are hunting for
soft-crab dinners. At the end of thirty-six hours he is hard again, and
has increased one-third in size.
[Illustration: SWELL-FISH.]
Of all laughable fish a baby swell-fish is the funniest. Beautiful in
color, odd in shape, with the power of blowing himself up into a round
ball covered on the under side with spines, does he not look wise and
important? And he has only two teeth, but can't he bite? Why he swells
himself up so is not exactly known; but I imagine that when he finds
himself inside of a fish, he makes it so uncomfortable for that fish's
general health that the fish is glad to get rid of him.
[Illustration: SEA-ROBIN.]
Next to a young swell-fish comes a young sea-robin, a very interesting
fish. He can make a musical grunting noise when he feels good, and will
spread his beautiful wings, and sail through the water as proud as a
peacock. When he is tired, he likes to bury himself up to his eyes in
sand, for which he uses his two curious hooked fingers. He also uses
these to dig out the sand-shrimps. Some years ago great numbers of very
large sea-robins visited our coast, and were sold in the New York
markets under the name of Dolly Vardens, on account of their possessing
such bright and showy colors.
[Illustration: OYSTER DRILL.]
The shell-fish known as the oyster drill is one of the greatest of all
enemies to young oysters, which he destroys by boring minute holes
through their shells, and when the oyster opens, after death, eating him
up. It is not known how he drills this very minute hole so quickly.
The clinker (_serpula_) is really a vast marine tenement-house for a
social community of beautiful sea-worms, who build up houses of shelly
tubes twisted and fastened together. Each worm has a stopper, or cork,
to his shell, with which he can close up the entrance to his house.
When this sea-worm is feeding he throws out from the entrance of his
tube a beautiful double plume. These worms are the favorite food of the
sea-horse, who sucks them out with a sharp snapping noise.
[Illustration: SEA-HORSE.]
The sea-horse is considered to be one of the greatest prizes that can be
obtained for an aquarium. For dignity of carriage, grace of motion, and
beauty of form, he excels all other fish. The papa sea-horse takes care
of his children the same as the pipe-fish, to which he is closely
related; only his pocket is in front of him, and is much larger, and
different in shape. This pocket is lined inside with a fatty substance,
on which the young sea-horses feed till they are strong enough to be
crowded into the world. The sea-horse, when he thinks it time to turn
out his children, presses his big pocket (for he has no hands nor claws)
against a shell or piece of stone, and out swim the young horses. At
first they are apt to form into bundles by locking their tails together,
but as they become accustomed to their new surroundings, and are
stronger, they separate. The male sea-horse displays much pride over his
young, and remains with them several days. Sea-horses can look two ways
at once, as each eye moves independently of the other.
[Illustration: TUBE-FLOWER AND SERPULA.]
The tube-flower is very common along our coast. It lives in a long,
thin, light-colored tube, composed of a material resembling horn. It has
the power of stinging slightly, but, for all that, is so beautiful that
no aquarium should be without it. This animal casts off its flower, or
head, every few days, after which a new one makes its appearance.
[Illustration: SEA-ANEMONE.]
Sea-flowers (anemones) are always to be found in the same locations with
tube-flowers. Just to think of taking an animal that moves and eats and
breathes, and cutting him up, and that each piece will become a perfect
animal again! Yet such is the case with sea-flowers. When they wish to
produce young, they tear off pieces from their bodies (the base parts),
which soon develop into young sea-flowers. In the illustration I have
shown three kinds of sea-flowers, all of which are common on our coast.
The inside part of a sea-flower is divided by many partitions, forming a
circle of store-rooms; into these rooms he passes his food, where it
remains till all the juices are extracted, after which he passes it out
again the same way it entered. The colors and forms of all our
sea-flowers are wonderfully beautiful. Their thousands of hands (the
fringe-like part), which are constantly moving in all directions in
search of food, remind one of an animated aster.
[Illustration: BARNACLES.]
Small groups of acorn-barnacles, when attached to stones or wood, are
very desirable objects for the aquarium. For a few hours after being
placed in their new home they will remain closed, but as soon as they
become accustomed to their surroundings, one after another will
cautiously throw out his feathery casting-net in search of food. Then
the reaching and grasping become so rapid and general that the eye can
hardly follow their motions.
I feed my fish three times a week with soft or hard shell clams cut
fine, taking great care that no food remains uneaten to taint the water.
For bottoms for aquariums I use coarse bird-gravel, or pebbles
thoroughly washed, with small masses of rock-work.
UNCLE EBENEZER'S UMBRELLA.
BY JAMES B. MARSHALL.
"Oh, mamma, we're going to the orchard to play," said Archy. "May we
take an umbrella to keep the sun off?"
Mamma Stewardson, being up stairs, called in a low voice over the
baluster, "Yes, dears, and take a large one."
So Archy and Gertie took the very largest umbrella in the stand--an
enormous one. Its ribs were whalebone, its cover green gingham, and the
handle ended in a knob nearly as large as a door-knob. But that umbrella
was very highly valued by Uncle Ebenezer Stewardson, its owner, who
carried it with him wherever he went, rain or shine. Uncle Ebenezer's
grown nieces and nephews thought it very odd in him to carry such a
queer-looking umbrella. They often hoped that something would happen to
it, so that when they went about with him--he was one of the kindest and
happiest of uncles--every one wouldn't be attracted by that great green
bundle. How Cousin Adolphus did despise that umbrella!
But Gertie and Archy took the umbrella, only thinking it was a splendid
big one; and as Uncle Ebenezer was taking a nap, of course he couldn't
know who was carrying off his precious property. As they passed out,
Cousin Adolphus was arranging his sketching materials to go down to the
pond back of the woods to make a drawing of the mill for a young lady.
Among the daisies in the orchard Gertie started up a rabbit, which ran
slowly toward the woods. Gertie and Archy went skimming over the field
after it, laughing and flourishing the great green umbrella at such a
rate that the rabbit ran into the woods, where it could not be found.
However, they found a cleared space just within the edge of the woods
that was covered with soft green moss, and in its midst stood the most
inviting smooth-top tree trunk for them to rest on. And while they sat
talking about the rabbit, a young man all dressed in green approached
them. His face and hands were also green, and he carried a long green
bag.
"Children, welcome into my woods," said he, in a queer but pleasant
voice.
Archy was about to exclaim, "It's not your woods, but Uncle Eb's," when
the man in green went on to say: "I'm the Green Wizard of the Forest,
and take great pleasure in exhibiting my tricks to little folks. Would
you like to see me perform some of them?"
"Yes, please," said Archy, drawing a long breath, and looking intently
at the Wizard.
"My little girl, will you lend me your pocket-handkerchief?" asked the
Wizard, in that same queer, pleasant voice. "Now, then," continued he,
as he took off his green hat, and placed within it Gertie's
handkerchief, "I'll make you some fine candies."
Striking a match, the Wizard seemed to set the handkerchief on fire, as
he held the hat in the air. After a few moments he blew out the flame,
and then took from the hat four large handfuls of fine bonbons.
"And your handkerchief is just as pretty as ever," said the Wizard,
returning it to Gertie. Archy clapped his hands loudly and earnestly, as
though he was at a regular show, and Gertie joined in.
"My next trick will be to turn an umbrella into a music-box," said the
Wizard, shaking his green bag out to its full length. Even to think of
such a trick caused the audience of two to laugh so heartily that it
came near rolling off the stump. The Wizard picked up Uncle Ebenezer's
umbrella, and holding it in one hand, and the green bag in the other,
said "Presto!" three times, and then poked the umbrella inside the bag.
"Now, my little man, what do you see inside?"
Archy peeped, expecting to see the umbrella, but he saw nothing but a
neat little music-box.
"Oh, he's done it, Gertie, sure as anything," said Archy, gleefully.
"Let's have some music; it will play three tunes," said the Wizard,
lifting the music-box from the bag. It first played "Coming Through the
Eye," then "Violets Blue," and next struck up a lively German waltz.
The instant the waltz began, the Green Wizard of the Forest went dancing
all over the green moss with the long green bag for a partner, and
merrily called for Archy and Gertie to join in. When the music stopped,
they did also, but looking around for the Wizard, he was nowhere to be
seen. After vainly waiting his return some time, they started home, and
as Archy understood how to wind and start the music-box, they had music
all the way.
Mamma Stewardson was seated on the veranda as the children came toward
the house, and Uncle Ebenezer, in slippers and long linen summer coat,
could be seen nervously pacing up and down the wide hall that led to the
door.
"My dears," said mamma, as they came near, "you should not have taken
Uncle Ebenezer's umbrella; but I hope you have taken good care of it."
Gertie looked at Archy and then at the music-box, and Archy looked at
the music-box and then at Gertie.
"Please never take my umbrella again," said Uncle Ebenezer, coming out
on the veranda. "I'll buy you as many umbrellas as you want, bless your
hearts."
"But what have you done with it, Archy?" asked mamma, turning around as
she rose to have a full view of the children, and not seeing the
umbrella.
"Why, the Green Wizard turned it into this music-box; but we'll go right
off and get him to turn it back. He was a real nice Wizard, and will do
anything we ask."
"And he danced, and we danced," said Gertie, her eyes fairly dancing in
her head.
Mamma Stewardson was much puzzled to know what all this meant, so she
called Gertie and Archy to her, that they might slowly explain.
Uncle Ebenezer stood quiet almost a minute, running his fingers through
his hair, until it stood on end like porcupine quills. "Ha! I have it,"
said he. "Some rascally tramp has taken my umbrella from these innocent
children, and given them this trumpery music-box to amuse them while he
escaped."
"Why, Uncle Ebenezer, the music plays splendidly," said Gertie.
"Yes, my dear; yet, though I can buy a thousand more boxes precisely
like that one, there isn't one more such an umbrella. But where is
Adolphus? He must go after that tramp."
"I think he is down at the pond sketching," answered mamma.
"Then I must go," exclaimed Uncle Ebenezer, reaching the hat-rack in
exactly five steps. He clapped on the first hat he came to--it was
mamma's sun-hat, all trimmed with wild grasses. Then running through the
kitchen, as the nearest way, he spied old John's stable boots, into
which he jumped, kicking off his slippers; and in a jiffy was on a full
run toward the woods, with his long coat flying out behind, mamma's hat
bouncing up and down on his head.
In the course of an hour Uncle Ebenezer came back, but without finding
the umbrella or catching the Wizard. He told mamma privately that he
thought the children must have fallen asleep in the woods and dreamed
about the Wizard, and that the umbrella was lost there somewhere.
However, you see, that wouldn't account for the music-box; and then
Uncle Ebenezer was puzzled. But Cousin Adolphus was the most puzzled of
all, and he shook his head and questioned the children as though he had
never heard of anything quite so amazing.
The next time Adolphus came from the city he brought Uncle Ebenezer a
present of a beautiful silk umbrella with an ivory handle, and it was so
much lighter than the old green gingham one that Uncle Ebenezer was
pleased with it at once.
* * * * *
One day, late that summer, while a merry party were out on the mill-pond
fishing, Uncle Ebenezer caught something tremendous on his line. It
proved to be that old great-handled green gingham umbrella; but then all
torn, rusty, and muddied. Mamma said that Cousin Adolphus looked
startled when he saw that poor umbrella drawn to the surface, and point
its slimy ribs at him like long fingers, and that he seemed glad when
the rusty frame was thrown back into the water.
About a month after that Uncle Ebenezer went to a masquerade party, and
the following day he saw Gertie and Archy.
"Children, I caught the Green Wizard of the Forest last night," said he,
exultantly. "He was dressed all in green, as you said, and his other
name is Adolphus Stewardson--the rogue! He wanted to get rid of that
umbrella, and now I don't blame him a particle because he did."
[Begun in No. 31 of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, June 1.]
THE MORAL PIRATES.
BY W. L. ALDEN.
CHAPTER XII.
Though no tramps appeared during the night, the sentinels proved to be
useful; for as soon as the day began to dawn, Harry, who was on sentry
duty, called his comrades, and thus they were enabled to get breakfast
early, and to start before six o'clock. They had to wait half an hour
for the first lock to be opened, but after that they had no difficulty
in passing through the other locks. They rowed steadily, taking turns at
the oars, and occasionally fastening the boat to the stern of a
canal-boat, which would tow them while they took a short rest. Early in
the afternoon they reached Fort Edward, where they disembarked; and
Harry and Tom went in search of a team, which they hired to carry them
to Warrensburg, on the Schroon branch of the Hudson.
When the teamster drove down to the bank of the canal, Tom and the
Sharpe boys began to unload the boat. Harry stopped them. "There isn't
any use in taking the things out of the boat," said he. "We can draw her
out of the canal and put her on the wagon just as she is."
"Her stern will dip under when we haul her bow out," said Tom.
"No, it won't," replied Harry.
"Let's take the things out of the stern-sheets, anyhow," urged Tom. "All
our shoes are there, and we can't afford to lose them."
"Nothing will happen to them," answered Harry, confidently. "It's my
boat, and I'm going to haul her out with the things in her."
Tom said no more, but took hold of the bow of the boat with the others,
and they began to pull her out of the water. As Tom had prophesied, when
she was about half way out her stern dipped under, the water poured in,
and nearly everything in the after-part of the boat floated out. The
harm was done now; so the boys hastily dragged the boat up the bank, and
then began to lament their losses.
There was not a shoe left, except the shoes that Harry and Tom had put
on when they went in search of the team. The mast and sail and two oars
were floating on the water, and a quantity of small articles, including
the tin frying-pans and a tin pail, had shared the fate of the shoes,
and were lying at the bottom of the canal.
"It was my fault," said Harry, "and I beg everybody's pardon. I'll strip
and dive for the things till I find them." So saying, he threw off his
clothes and sprang into the canal. Joe, who was, next to Harry, the
best swimmer of the party, followed his example; and a number of the
villagers and "canalers" collected on the tow-path to watch the divers.
The canal was not more than eight feet deep, but the bottom was very
muddy, and the boys had to feel about in the mud with their feet for the
lost articles. They were very fortunate, and before long succeeded in
recovering all the shoes, except one of Joe's, and several other things.
Meanwhile three women and half a dozen girls, all of whom lived on board
the fleet of canal-boats that were lying near by, joined the spectators,
and seemed to think that the whole business was a capital joke. Harry
and Joe were now anxious to come out of the water; but they could not
come ashore while these spectators were there, so they swam some
distance up the canal, and crept out behind a barn.
Meanwhile Tom and Jim were busily baling out the boat, and arranging the
wet things so that the sun could dry them. They were so busy that they
forgot all about Harry and Joe. Presently Tom said, "Hark! I think I
hear somebody calling."
They listened, and presently they heard a voice in the distance calling,
"Tom! Jim! boys! somebody! bring us our clothes!"
"It's Harry and Joe," exclaimed Tom. "Where on earth are they?"
[Illustration: A PREDICAMENT.--DRAWN BY A. B. FROST.]
They looked up the canal, and finally discovered a naked arm waving
frantically from behind a barn that stood near the water. "They must be
behind that barn," said Tom. "Why, the mosquitoes will eat 'em alive.
I'll take their clothes to them right away." So saying, Tom gathered up
the shirts, trousers, and hats of the two unhappy divers, and ran with
them to their owners. He found Harry and Joe crouched behind the barn,
chattering with cold, and surrounded by clouds of eager mosquitoes.
"We've been here half an hour," cried Joe, "and the mosquitoes would
have finished us in another half hour. I think my right leg is nearly
gone already."
"And I know I must have lost a gallon of blood," said Harry.
The boys hurriedly dressed themselves, and returning to the boat, helped
to put it on the wagon; and with the wet shoes hanging from the
cart-rungs they started on their ride to Warrensburg. It was a hot and
tedious ride, and as the wagon had no springs, the boys were bumped so
terribly that they ached all over. They tried to sing, but the words
were bumped out of them in the most startling way; and after singing one
verse of the "Star-spangled Banner" in this fashion,
"The St-t-tar-spangl-led-led ba-a-an-na-na--"
they gave it up.
About four o'clock they reached Warrensburg, and after getting some dry
sugar to replace that which had been mixed with canal water, they
launched the boat and rowed up the river. They found it a narrow stream,
with a rapid current and a good depth of water. After their tiresome
ride the smooth motion of the boat seemed delightful, and they were
really sorry when they found it was so late that they must camp for the
night.
They chose a pleasant sandy spot between the river and the edge of a
thick wood. The opposite bank was also thickly wooded, and they felt as
if they were in the depths of a wilderness, though in reality there were
houses quite near at hand. They pitched their tent, made a good
supper--of which they were in need, for they had eaten very little at
noon--and then "turned in."
For some reason--perhaps because the mosquitoes had so cruelly
maltreated him--Joe was not sleepy, and after having lain awake a long
time while the other boys were sleeping soundly, he began to feel
lonesome. He heard a great many mysterious noises, as any one who lies
awake in a tent always does. The melancholy call of the loon sounded
ghostly, and the sighing of the wind in the trees seemed to him like the
breathing of huge animals. After a while he found himself getting
nervous as well as lonesome, and imagined that he saw shadows of
strange objects passing in front of the tent. By-and-by he distinctly
heard the twigs and branches crackling, as somebody or something moved
through the woods. The noise came nearer, and suddenly it flashed upon
Joe that a bear was approaching. He crept carefully to the opening of
the tent, and putting his head out, saw indistinctly a large animal
moving slowly in the shadow of the bushes only three or four rods from
him.
Joe lost no time in waking up the other boys, cautioning them as he did
so not to make the least noise. "There's a bear close by the tent," he
whispered. "I've been listening to him for a long while, and just now I
saw him."
Harry immediately grasped the gun, both barrels of which he had loaded
before going to sleep. Tom wished that he had the hatchet, but as it had
been left in the boat, he had no weapon but his penknife. Thus armed,
the two crept stealthily out of the tent to fight the bear, leaving Joe
and Jim in a very unhappy state of mind, with nothing to defend
themselves against the bear, in case he should attack the tent, except a
tooth-brush and a lantern.
The outline of the animal could be seen, but Tom and Harry could not
make out which end of it was its head. "You must shoot him just behind
the shoulder," whispered Tom; "that's the only spot where you can kill a
bear." Harry said nothing, but watched carefully to see the animal move.
Presently it threw up either its head or tail--the boys could not tell
which--and started toward them. Harry forgot all about shooting at the
shoulder, but in his excitement fired at the animal generally, without
picking out any particular spot in which to plant his shot.
The effect of the shot was surprising. The bear set up a tremendous
bellow, and by the flash of the gun the boys saw their dreaded enemy
galloping away, with its horns and tail in the air. Tom burst into a
loud laugh. "Come out, Joe," he cried. "Your bear's gone home to be
milked--that is, if Harry hasn't mortally wounded her."
Fortunately Harry had made a miss; and he found his whole charge of shot
the next morning in the trunk of a big white birch-tree. The innocent
cow that Joe had mistaken for a bear was, however, so thoroughly
frightened that she did not come near the camp again.
"I stick to it that it was a bear," said Joe, as the boys were wrapping
themselves in their blankets. "Cows go to roost at sunset. Suppose it
did bellow: how do you know that bears don't bellow when they are shot?"
"How about the horns, Joe?" asked Tom.
"There's horned owls--why shouldn't there be horned bears? Anyway, I
believe it was a bear, and I shall stick to it." And to this day Joe
believes--or thinks he does--that he had a very narrow escape from a
ferocious bear on the banks of the Schroon.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
[Illustration]
THE IDLE HOUR
The robin sings on the topmost bough of the spreading maple-tree,
Where the cool green leaves to the whispering breeze are nodding
merrily;
The sunbeams bright from the azure sky go frolicking here and there,
And the breath of the clover blossom lies sweet on the summer air,
And under the trees so restfully, where the shadows softest lie,
Like a woodland nymph in her netted couch between fair earth and sky,
Behold our dainty darling, safe hidden from friends away,
Content with the merry sunshine, the robin, and breeze to stay.
LITTLE MADGE.
BY MARY D. BRINE.
"Oh dear! such fun! Don't I wish just for once _I_ could be a rich
lady's little girl, and wear a white dress and slippers, and a blue sash
ever so wide, and curls in my hair! I do wish a fairy could fly right
out of the sky this minute, and give me things I want! Oh, dear me!"
Little Madge sat perched on the iron fence surrounding a handsome house,
within which a birthday party was going on merrily. It was dark outside,
and the street lamps were not bright enough to betray this little
watcher to the gaze of the young people who were dancing under the light
of brilliant chandeliers, and sending the sweet music of their happy
voices out through the open windows into the silent street, where a few
moments before little Madge Lee had been trying to sell matches. So she
had ceased her cry of "Matches! matches!" which seemed so feeble in
comparison to the sounds of merry music that filled the street as she
came slowly along, and had clambered like a little monkey to the top of
the iron fence, where at last she sat securely, watching the good time
going on inside the beautiful rooms.
Madge had never in all the eight years of her life owned such things as
a white dress, slippers, or sash. And as for "curls in her hair," her
own round head was like a boy's, so closely was the dark hair cut.
Madge, with several others as unfortunate as herself, lived with an old
woman who cared for them only according to the pennies they could bring
in to her each night. Whether the pennies were begged or stolen or
honestly earned made little difference to her. The children were all
waifs and strays whom nobody owned or seemed to care for, and, with the
exception of little Madge, none of them had ever known a parent's love.
Her father died when she was a baby, and after a few years' struggle
with poverty, her dear mother had followed him, leaving her child to the
tender mercies of Mrs. McLane. For two years Madge had lived with this
woman, roaming the streets by day, and sleeping on a handful of straw at
night. She was scolded when she failed to bring in her usual amount of
pennies, oftener whipped than scolded, and never spoken kindly to except
by some kind-hearted stranger in the street.
On this night her little heart had seemed more than ever despondent and
weary, for people didn't want her matches, and pushed her aside when she
would have offered them. And she was just about ready to cry, when the
sound of music fell upon her ear, and drew her toward the house from
whence it proceeded.
While she sat upon the railing, intent upon the scene before her, a
voice at her side startled her.
"Is it here ye are, Madge Lay? Bad luck to ye, thin, won't ye be afther
catchin' the lickin' from Granny McLane for not sellin' yer matches!
Sure ye needn't be invyin' the stoyle of yer betthers as kin dance, for
lookat!" and seizing what little remained to her of a skirt, Biddy
O'Hara commenced a caper on her toes in such a way as made Madge laugh
outright. In an instant Biddy dropped flat on the ground under the
fence, while Madge, in a vain attempt to follow her example, caught her
dress in the railing, and hung helpless, just as a lady, who had been
near the window, looked out to see where the laugh came from.
Poor, frightened Madge! She was seen by the lady, who called to her,
kindly, "What is the trouble, little girl? can't you get down?"
"Whisht! aisy, Madge; don't spake a wurrid for yer life!" was whispered
by Biddy from her hiding-place.
But Madge's fright vanished at the kindly words and tone, and she
answered: "Please, lady, I'm caught in the rail; but I wasn't a-doin'
any harm, ma'am. I'll go as soon as I can get loose, please, lady."
"Arrah, thin, Madge Lay, if ye bethray me here, I'll have it out wid ye
afther--now moind!" came again from the frightened Biddy, who had really
nothing to be afraid of, only that her _pocket_ held three stolen
handkerchiefs, and her _heart_ a guilty feeling that weighed like lead.
Meanwhile the lady had sent a servant out to release Madge from her
predicament, and bade him also bring the child to the door. There she
gave Madge a plate of ice-cream, and told her to sit down on the step
and eat it. "It is late for so young a child to be out alone. How
happens it so with you, little girl?" she asked.
And Madge replied, simply, "Trying to sell matches, ma'am. And I just
stopped to see the fun inside here, that's all; and I happened to laugh,
ma'am, and was scared, and stuck on the fence when I was tryin' to get
down."
At last Madge finished her ice-cream, gave the plate to the servant, and
thanking him (for the lady had returned to the children in the parlor),
went down the steps with a bright face.
What she and Biddy talked about after that needn't be told here; but
what Biddy _did_ is rather important to know, because but for that
particular thing I doubt if this story of "Little Madge" would have been
told. A few moments more Madge watched the party, climbing the fence
again in order to see better, while Biddy, in her rage over Madge's good
luck, revenged herself in her own favorite way--a good slap on the
little bare foot which hung over the railing.
The front door stood open, and the light from the hall chandelier shone
upon something that glittered on the door-mat. The servant was not in
sight; the merriment in the parlors was increasing; the way was open to
any child who might see and covet the gold locket which lay ready to be
picked up either by honest or dishonest hands. And Biddy O'Hara was just
the child to creep up the steps as she did, and with just such naughty
hands as hers pick up the locket, and, after one instant's examination
of it, slip it into the pocket in which were the three stolen
handkerchiefs.
But rapid as had been the girl's examination of the locket, she had been
noticed by Madge as she sat on her high seat. However, she kept quiet
about her discovery as presently she and Biddy went home through the
lonely streets; but never had detective sharper eyes to watch than had
Madge, who used her blue orbs to the best advantage before she tumbled
down upon her share of the straw that night, and prepared to sleep--or
rather _appeared_ to prepare for sleep; for not one step toward
slumber-land would the little girl go until the locket had been removed
from the hole in the wall where Biddy had so slyly put it.
And so it happened that when, by-and-by, Biddy and all the others were
sleeping, Madge crept over to the hole, and returned with the locket in
her own possession. Then _she_ slept too, and the locket remained safely
hidden in the little girl's dress until she arose in the early morning.
"Now, thin, Madge Lay," screamed Mrs. McLane, shaking her finger at the
child, "here's thim matches av yourn, an' moind ye don't come home
forninst the eyes av me widout ye've sold the blissed lot, ivery wan av
'em, or it's sorra a taste av supper ye'll git the noight." So Madge was
pushed out and up the steps into the glad sunshine so grateful to her.
And eagerly she began to search for the house in which the party had
been given the night before. It had been a strange street to Madge, and
she could not quite locate it again, though she walked until her little
feet ached, and she finally sat down on the curbstone of a pleasant
shady avenue to rest awhile.
Madge grew discouraged. She looked up at the blue far-off sky, and dimly
remembered when people had explained to her that her mamma and papa,
poor as they had been in this world, had gone to live there and be happy
for evermore. She remembered how she had cried, and how her mother had
kissed her the very last thing, and then suddenly turned so pale and
cold that the little girl grew frightened, and cried harder than ever in
her life before. She hadn't had a kiss since that time from anybody; and
how the little motherless heart yearned for just one more warm loving
caress from the dear mother who "lived in the sky," as the child
expressed it! So when presently she saw a lady and child at the basement
window of the house opposite, she went over, and, kneeling at the
window, offered a box of matches for sale. The lady noticed the traces
of Madge's tears, and kindly inquired the cause as she bought and paid
for the matches. Little Madge replied:
"I was wanting to be kissed, ma'am, and wishing for my mother in heaven,
and I was so--so tired with looking for a lady who had her locket stole,
ma'am, and I watched where the girl hid it, and was goin' to take it
back, but I can't find the street, nor house, nor anything, ma'am; and I
wish I had a mother to hold me in her lap like you hold your little
girl. It must be nice to have a mother."
"Poor little girl!" said the lady, and then she suddenly added: "Come
inside, please. I'll let you in, and then I want you to go up stairs
with me."
Much astonished, Madge obeyed, and followed the lady up to a pleasant
room where a gentleman was at work amid easels, and half-finished
pictures, and the pretty confusion of an artist's studio.
"Edward, you wanted a model yesterday," said the lady. "Here's a child
who might do for your street picture. See, she carries her matches with
her--just the thing."
And so little Madge earned a whole silver dollar for half a day's
standing in one position before the artist, who was delighted with his
model, and made a charming likeness of her, matches, ragged dress, bare
feet, and all. The child left the locket with her new friend to be taken
care of until she might find the owner, and then went crying matches
through the streets, with a happy heart, little dreaming of what would
result from her morning's work.
Only a few days after that a visitor to the artist's studio was admiring
his latest picture, called "The Model Match Girl."
"What a strange title?" she said.
And he laughed as he replied: "Yes, I gave it that name to please my
wife, who brought me the girl. She was really a model in regard to
honesty." And then he told the story of the locket, and of the gratitude
of the little girl for the ice-cream the kind owner of the locket had
given her; and finally the locket was produced, and recognized by the
visitor as her own.
"It must have fallen from my chain while I talked to the child, and yet
the dishonest girl got hold of it, after all, before my little match
girl had seen it. How I wish I could find her!"
Said the artist in reply: "Well, the girl is coming in a day or two to
look at the picture, and I will send her to you. I had no idea that it
was you from whom the locket had been stolen. It is strange indeed!"
And thus ere very long Madge met her first kind friend, and was led to
tell the whole story of her pitiful life and craving for love. And at
last, through the lady's continued kindness, little Madge was
transferred with many other little children from the crowded, noisy, and
unwholesome street which had so long been her home, to the care of those
whose business it is to take just such poor orphaned little ones to new
and happy homes far off in the country, where warm, kind hearts are
willing and anxious to adopt them, and bring them up to useful
womanhood.
Madge wrote a letter to the lady not long ago, and after telling about
her happy times in her new home, she added, "And, oh! Mrs. ----, this
dear lady here _kisses_ me good-night always, and it feels just as if I
had a mother after all."
[Begun in HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE No. 37, July 13.]
THE STORY OF THE AMERICAN NAVY.
BY BENSON J. LOSSING.