Read Ebook: Harper's Young People December 7 1880 An Illustrated Monthly by Various

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Ebook has 247 lines and 15059 words, and 5 pages

"Oh!" Mildred exclaimed. She drew a quick breath, while the color flashed into her cheeks. "Did you know papa?"

"Yes." Miss Jenner spoke rather shortly.

"Well," said Mildred, "you see, after his death--we had almost nothing. Mamma is giving music lessons, and I came here, just because it was all I could get to do. Bertie is at school," the girl added, a little proudly.

Miss Jenner answered nothing for a few moments. She tapped the counter with her fingers, pushed the point of her parasol into the ground, and coughed significantly one or twice before she spoke.

"Well, Mildred," she said, finally, "I suppose you know the way to my house? I should like you to come to tea with me next Tuesday. I am expecting some young friends."

Mildred Lee could scarcely answer for a few moments. How often she had passed and repassed the fine old house in Lane Street, wondering what grandeur and comfort must repose between its walls, but never had she dreamed of receiving an invitation from its owner.

"Well," exclaimed Miss Jenner, drawing out her well-filled purse, "don't you mean to come?"

Mildred smiled, and drew a quick breath.

"Oh yes, thank you, Miss Jenner, very much," she contrived to say; and almost before she could revolve the question further in her mind Miss Jenner was gone, and she found herself face to face with Mr. Tom. Now this young man was Mildred's special aversion. Not that he was as overbearing with her as with the other girls, but that he seemed to have singled her out for attentions that Mildred found odious.

"It's rather late, Miss Lee," he said, with his insolent smile; "so I may as well walk home with you."

"Thank you, Mr. Hardman," answered Milly--she never called him "Mr. Tom," as did the other girls--"I can manage very nicely by myself. I always walk fast, and I have always a great deal to think about."

"Then walk fast, and let me think with you," he said, with a laugh.

Mildred dared not offend him, and so she forced herself to accept his escort, although it was evident even to the self-confident young man she disliked it. They threaded the busy streets of Milltown, "Mr. Tom" raising his hat jauntily to passing acquaintances, Mildred keeping her eyes fastened on the ground, only anxious to reach the little white cottage where her mother and brothers and sisters were waiting tea for her return.

"There, Mr. Hardman," she said, trying to look good-humored, as he held open the gate; "I won't ask you to come in, because--"

"Oh, I know," exclaimed Tom, with an easy laugh. "Because you think the guv'nor would not like me to be visiting any of the girls. Never you mind; he won't know."

And with a very stately bow Mildred moved past him, entering the little house, while "Mr. Tom," indulging in a prolonged low whistle, turned on his heel, with something not very agreeable in his expression.

WINGY WING FOO.

BY C. A. D. W.

In vain do I argue, in vain do I cry, "Be kinder, my darling, I beg of you, try." But Polly shakes harder her wise little head, And kisses her golden-haired dolly instead. "Remember he's far from his kindred and home; 'Mid strange little children he's destined to roam, And how sad is his fate, as no kind little mother Will take him right in, and make him a brother

"To the fair baby dollies that sit on her knee! Just think, my own Polly, how hard it must be. So give him a hug and a motherly kiss, 'Tis one your own babies, I'm sure, never'll miss." She stooped quickly down, and raised from the floor The poor little stranger, discarded before, And said, with a tear in her bright little eye, "I'm sure I shall love him, mamma, by-and-by."

I received a subscription to YOUNG PEOPLE for a present, and I like the paper better than any I ever had before. I like the Post-office Box and the puzzles especially, and the story of Paul Grayson I like very much.

I am collecting games and amusements, and I would be thankful to any readers of YOUNG PEOPLE who send me any nice charades or games. In return I will send some of my own collection, with full directions for playing each one.

JAMES O'CONNOR, 287 Ontario Street, Chicago, Illinois.

Now that the season of long evenings has come again, pretty household games are a necessary recreation for our young friends. There have been directions in the columns of YOUNG PEOPLE for some entertaining winter evening amusements, and more are in preparation. Descriptions of games are generally too long for the Post-office Box, but if we receive any that are short enough, we will print them, unless they are of games already well known, or involve the pitching of knives or other dangerous actions.

There is a great deal of play-time by daylight, too, and it would be interesting if boys in Canada, on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, in the West and in the South, would now and then describe their out-of-door sports during the winter. There will be skating, and coasting, and sleigh-riding for some; orange-picking, rowing, and picnicking for others. There is one amusement our boys and girls will all enjoy together, and that is reading YOUNG PEOPLE; and if in the Post-office Box they learn what are the pastimes of children in all sections of the country, even those little people who live in solitary places where they have no playmates, and see nothing all winter but ice-bound rivers and snow-covered plains, will feel less lonely, and have imaginary companionship during play-time.

CINCINNATI, OHIO.

Seeing a letter from Violet S. in the Post-office Box about a society, I thought I would write about a club we boys have here.

The club, which is called the G. G., is strictly a military organization, consisting of nine members, each having a gun. We drill every Saturday. Any member who speaks during the drill is confined to the "guard-house" for five minutes for each offense.

We have also a library of nearly a hundred books, which is a source of great pleasure to us. Every month we have an election for librarian and secretary.

Whenever an event of importance occurs concerning the club we have a meeting to settle the matter. We are now preparing a play for the Christmas holidays.

BERT C.

BRANTFORD, ONTARIO, CANADA.

Reba H. wished to know if any correspondent had seen peach-trees blooming in September. I never saw peach-trees in blossom at that season, but we once had two pear-trees that blossomed in October.

I take great pleasure in reading YOUNG PEOPLE. I am eleven years old.

JOSIE B. G.

DARLINGTON HEIGHTS, VIRGINIA.

I was very much interested in the account of sumac gathering in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 51, and I thought you would like to know how it is done here in Prince Edward County.

The work of gathering begins in June, and lasts until some time in August. It is gathered here before it turns red, and the berries are not gathered at all. If the berries are mixed with the leaves and twigs, it is worthless, and it is worth very little anyway, as the price is only fifty or seventy-five cents a hundred pounds. There are two kinds of sumac, the male and female; the former is what the merchants want, but the negroes often try to cheat, for it is very hard to tell the difference between the two kinds when the sumac is dry. They do not dry it in a house, but lay it on the ground in the sun for about two days, and then leave it in the shade of the trees for about a week longer.

HARRY J.

BELLE VERNON, PENNSYLVANIA.

I live among the hills of Pennsylvania, where they get out great quantities of coal and sand. We have glass factories in our town, and it is so nice to see them make glass! We have a boat-yard here, too, and when the boats are launched we can get on them. It is a big slide when the boat goes into the river.

I am nine years old, and send greeting to HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE. I tuck it under my pillow every night.

MABEL M.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Have any of the readers of YOUNG PEOPLE ever seen the dove-plant, sometimes called the Espiritu Santo, or Holy Ghost flower? I saw one in a conservatory here. It is bell-shaped and pure white, and the petals form a perfect dove.

PAUL DE M.

You will find a description and a picture of this wonderful flower, which is a native of the Isthmus of Panama, in HARPER'S MONTHLY MAGAZINE for November, 1879, page 863.

SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY.

Here is our recipe for johnny-cake, which may be useful to Mary G., or to some other little girl: One tea-cupful of sweet milk; one tea-cupful of buttermilk; one table-spoonful of melted butter; one tea-spoonful of salt; one tea-spoonful of soda; enough Indian meal to make it stiff enough to roll out into a sheet half an inch thick. Spread it on a buttered tin, and bake forty minutes. As soon as it begins to brown, baste it with melted butter, repeating the operation four or five times, until it is brown and crisp. Do not cut the sheet, but break it, and eat it for luncheon or tea.

FLORENCE S.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

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