I am a little boy eight and a half years old, and I have a little
brother nearly six. Our father and mother are in India, and we live
with our grandpapa in the country. We have two Belgian rabbits, and
I call mine Bunny, and John's Brownie. We have a pony named Sambo.
There is a large retriever dog whose name is Don. We receive
HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE every week from our uncle and aunt who live
in America, and we like it very much. I like "The Talking Leaves."
We have a canary, and he sings all day long. We have each a garden,
and there are pretty flowers, and we like working in them after
lessons are over. We do not go to school; auntie gives us our
lessons. I write this letter myself, and John writes his name after
mine.
ROBERT B. P. and JOHN D. P.
Papa and mamma in India must be very much pleased with the letters they
receive from their little sons if they are written as plainly and as
well expressed as this one.
* * * * *
I am thirteen years old, and love HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. We have
great fun with a bear that lives near us; he is a young cub. We had
a little rabbit and a pet canary, but a wicked old cat killed them
both. I have a small but elegant stamp book, with 135 stamps in it;
I would like offers for it. I am soon going to learn telegraphy.
Could you tell me how all the people got their names?
HARRY B. WILSON,
77 Pearl St., Chelsea, Mass.
Some names were given, in the first place, because of the occupation of
the person with whom the family began. In all ages smiths have been very
useful, and society would not have known what to do without them; so it
comes to pass that a great many people bear the name of Smith. Wilson
was originally Will's son, Johnson John's son, and so on. Sometimes a
number of soldiers and retainers took the name of their chief, in the
old warlike days, when a castle was defended by a great many warriors,
and the lord of the castle in his turn protected whole villages of women
and children. Some names are in memory of places, of rivers, or
mountains where battles took place. Some are called after favorite
colors. The history of surnames is very curious, and you will be
interested if you look into it carefully.