Harper's Young People, March 2, 1880 Part 6

BERTHA A. F.

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

I could not tell you how happy YOUNG PEOPLE makes my brother and me. We can not wait for the week to go by. We haven't any pets except our little brother Maxwell, who is three years old. He is so funny and full of mischief that we would rather have him than all the other pets in the world. He talks as funny as the baby that wanted Daisy to come back, but my brother Jimmie and I can always understand every word he says, even when mamma can not. He is almost three years old.

PAUL S.

JAMAICA PLAIN, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.

I am nine years old. I have a cat. She is three years old. There is a strange cat comes in our cellar. I gave her some milk, and she would not drink it. She runs away from me. I have a tool-box, and have been making some easels to-day.

ARTHUR N. B.

SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

There are a great many coal mines near where I live. Six little girls, including myself, went down in one of them once with the superintendent, who explained to us how they mined coal. We girls each took a miner's pick and knocked off a piece of coal, so that we could say we had mined some ourselves. I take YOUNG PEOPLE, and I like it ever so much.

M. H. A.

PROVINCETOWN, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.

I have a cunning little kitten, and its name is Pinafore. It will eat ice-cream as fast as I can give it to it. We have had lots of snow here, and I go out sliding 'most all the time when I am not in school.

ABBIE C. PUTNAM.

LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

When I read Harry P. H.'s letter about his kitten that eats peanuts, I thought I would tell you about a dog I know. His name is Sport, and he lives at my grandfather's farm, not far from here. As soon as he sees me he runs toward me, and wags his tail, and jumps up and down. He follows me everywhere. I give him corn and apples to eat, and he jumps to take them from my fingers. When he is very hungry he will always eat corn and apples. Do all dogs like such things?

W. A. LEWIS.

FORT PREBLE, PORTLAND, MAINE.

I live in a fort by the sea-sh.o.r.e. Our post takes HARPER'S WEEKLY, and I read the YOUNG PEOPLE, which comes with it. We have splendid boating and fis.h.i.+ng. We catch cod-fish, mackerel, cunners, and lobsters. We catch the lobsters in nets. I have two pet pigeons, and two kittens exactly alike. Their names are s.p.u.n.k and Pluck.

s.p.u.n.k will run up my knee when I hold out a piece of meat.

CAMPBELL P. HAMILTON.

WEST TROY, NEW YORK.

I would like to know what to do with my parrot. He talks, sings, and whistles very nice, but he picks his feathers all out, and looks almost naked. I had a canary, but it died two years ago. It was almost twenty years old. Can any little boy or girl tell me what to do for my parrot?

NELLIE R.

H. L. MURRAY.--A big, strong Newfoundland dog will be the best to harness in your little carriage. Newfoundland dogs are very wise and gentle, and, if treated kindly, are easily trained.

CHARLEY D. M.--The trouble with your fish probably comes from the want of air in the water. If you will make a reed or elder-bush squirt-gun, closing the lower end, and making a number of small holes near the bottom, you can use it for forcing air into the tank. This will make the water "alive," and your fish will flourish. It will be well also to put two or three fresh-water crabs and snails and a little vegetation into the tank.

T. H. KNOX.--An owl, or an owl's head, would make a good badge for your literary society. You can buy very pretty owls' heads under gla.s.s, arranged to wear as a scarf-pin. They are not expensive. Or if you wish something original, a small gold eagle's quill would be appropriate.

FRED C. S.--The United States government has never offered to purchase cancelled stamps.

I. U.--Sheep have front teeth, or nippers, only on the lower jaw, the upper having instead a firm fibrous pad. There are eight of these nippers in a full-grown sheep. There are six grinders, or back teeth, on each side of both the upper and lower jaws.

EDITH J. P.--You will find information about gold-fish in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 6.

ZELLA T.--The origin of April-fools' Day is unknown. It is observed as a season of practical jokes in nearly every country. Even the Hindoos have a festival terminating on the 31st of March, during which they aim to send their friends on all manner of absurd errands, and enjoy a laugh at their disappointment. In Italy and France the victims of practical jokes of the 1st of April are called "April-fish."

B. H. T.--If you wish to keep the skin of your greyhound very soft and delicate, feed it on bread and milk, sugar, cake, crackers, and dainty food of any kind. It will eat meat fast enough, if you allow it to do so, and a little beef, cut very fine, will make it stronger and do it good. Always give it plenty of fresh water.

SADIE E. P.--The saw-fish (_Pristis antiquorum_) is most plentiful in tropical seas, although a few species are found in the arctic regions.

Its weapon is a flat prolongation of the head, and has on either edge hard tooth-like projections. One species is found all along our coast, from New England to Florida. It has no other common name.

GORDON C.--Your theory that the peeking and the scolding noise made by a canary are simply to show its affection for its friends, and really a sign of pleasure, is very pretty, but we are not sure it is right. It is true that a canary will not often act in that way when approached by a stranger, for a new voice frightens it, and makes it shrink into a corner of its cage, but it will show a great deal of fight, and peck vigorously, when disturbed by a familiar finger. But either way, if it is loving or enraged, a canary is always the same dear downy little pet, and deserves the tenderest care and affectionate treatment.