Harper's Young People, February 17, 1880 Part 6

Then the "King's Baby," saved in a little wooden cradle from the perils of the night, crowed and smiled.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ME AND MY LITTLE WIFE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

He was black as the ace of spades, you see, And scarcely as high as a tall man's knee; He wore a hat that was minus a brim, But that, of course, mattered nothing to him; His jacket--or what there was left of it-- _Scorned_ his little black shoulders to fit; And as for stockings and shoes, dear me!

Nothing about such things knew he.

He sat on the curb-stone one pleasant day, Placidly pa.s.sing the hours away; His hands in the _holes_ which for pockets were meant, His thoughts on the clouds overhead were intent; When down the street suddenly, marching along, Came soldiers and horses, and such a great throng Of boys and of men, as they crowded the street, With a "Hip, hip, hurrah!" the lad sprang to his feet,

And joined the procession, his face in a grin, For here was a good time that "_dis chile_ is in!"

How he stretched out his legs to the beat of the drum, Thinking surely at last 'twas the _jubilee_ come!

Then suddenly wondering what 'twas about-- The soldiers, the music, and all--with a shout He hailed a small comrade, "Hi, Caesar, _you_ know What all dis purcession's a marchin' fur so?"

"Go 'long, you George Was.h.i.+ngton," Caesar replied, "In dis yere great kentry _you_ ain't got no pride!

Dis is Was.h.i.+ngton's Birfday; you oughter know dat, Wid yer head growed so big, burst de brim off yer hat."

For a moment George Was.h.i.+ngton stood in surprise, While plainer to view grew the whites of his eyes; Then swift to the front of the ranks scampered he, This mite of a chap hardly high as your knee.

The soldiers looked stern, and an officer said, As he rapped with his sword on the black woolly head, "Come, boy, clear the road; what a figure you are!"

Came the ready reply, "_I'se George Was.h.i.+ngton_, sah!

But I didn't know nuffin about my birfday 'Till a feller jist tole me. Oh, golly! it's gay!"

Just then a policeman--of course it was mean-- Removed young George Was.h.i.+ngton far from the scene.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX]

SOUTH GROVELAND, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.

I have been gathering a cabinet of curiosities since I was nine years old (I am now fourteen), and I have stones and sh.e.l.ls and pieces of wood from a great many of the States, from the arctic regions, from South America, Oceanica, and Europe--more than two hundred in all. Among the rest is a Proteus (_Men.o.branchus maculatus_) taken from the Winooski River by Thompson, once State Geologist of Vermont. I would like to know if any other of your correspondents has got a Proteus, and also if any has a cabinet.

EDWIN A. H.

MELROSE, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS, _January 25_.

I found some willow "p.u.s.s.ies" yesterday. I hope I have found them first.

A. L. H.

Yes, you have found them first. It is very remarkable to find them at all in January in the locality where you live, but as the buds set in the autumn, the singularly mild weather of January has made them swell and burst thus early in the season. Thank you for so promptly reporting these first signs that spring is near. Now let us see when the "p.u.s.s.ies"

will appear in other sections of the country.

DOVER, NEW JERSEY.

I was five years old the 21st of January, and I had such a happy birthday. In the morning when I got up I found at the foot of my crib six books of natural history full of pictures for little folks, a piano, a box of colors, and two dancing bears, one black and one brown. And when I went down to the dining-room, on my tray was a beautiful cup and saucer, and on the cup, in gold letters, "A Gift." And in my chair was a box with twenty-five things in it from my auntie Lou; and in the afternoon I had a tea party. I wish all little boys and girls had such happy birthdays. To-day I am sick, and I tell mamma just what to say, and she is writing it for me.

LOUIS C. VOGT.

STERLING, KANSAS.

I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE since Christmas, and I find it very nice indeed. I have a nice young uncle in Was.h.i.+ngton who sends it to me, and told me to write to you. I have a pony named Ben, who is only four feet and a half high, and is very wild sometimes, but I can ride him without either bridle or saddle.

NELLIE S.

CLINTON, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.

I have a bird. It is a bullfinch. It is real pretty, and whistles like a boy. It likes potatoes and corn very much, and eats them out of my mouth and hand. When it whistles it says "Pretty Poll" just as plain as a parrot, and when it bathes it spatters me all over.

LENA E. SCHMIDT.

DES MOINES, IOWA.

I want to tell you about a cat-bird or mocking-bird that built its nest in the tree near our house last summer. I have three brothers, and when we all go off to play, mamma could not always make us hear when she called. She bought a whistle, and when she blew it once, it was for me, and two, three, and four times for my brothers. The mocking-bird learned to imitate the whistle so well that we could not always tell whether it was mamma calling or the bird. It would also imitate the squeaks of the saw when the men were sawing wood.

We hope it will come back again next spring.

M. I. WATROUS.

TROY, NEW YORK.

I am a little girl nine years old, and take YOUNG PEOPLE, and I watch for it every week. I have three pets--two cats and one squirrel. The cats are twins; one is named Girofle, and the other Girofla. They were born on Palm-Sunday, and are nearly three years old. They are so much alike that you can not tell them apart. My squirrel's name is Prince.

GRACE MACLEOD.