Harper's Young People, July 27, 1880 Part 9

WAVE.--Common sunfish can not injure the gold-fish and other inhabitants of your aquarium.

OTTAWA, CANADA.

I am nine years old, and I have two sisters and one brother, Ruth, Alonzo, and baby Vera.

There was a boy who wrote to YOUNG PEOPLE and said he was very fond of history. So am I. I have read _Peter Parley's History of the United States_ five times, and now I am reading Charles d.i.c.kens's _Child's History of England_. I don't know what to read next. I wish you would tell me the names of some child's histories, for I do not understand very well those written for older people.

PERCY R.

All of Abbott's Ill.u.s.trated Histories would interest you. Then there are some good histories for young readers by Miss Yonge; and child's histories of the United States, of Greece, and of Rome, by Bonner; an interesting child's history of the United States, by T. W. Higginson; and many other books referring to special periods, like Mr. Coffin's _Story of Liberty_ and _Boys of '76_, where you will find much valuable information. The works by Abbott, Bonner, and Coffin are published by Harper & Brothers.

ELLA W.--The date of the invention of gun-powder is unknown. Tradition says that it was used in China as early as A.D. 85, for fire-works and blasting, and that the Arabs employed it at the siege of Mecca in 690.

Roger Bacon is supposed to allude to its explosive force, and it is said that Berthold Schwartz, a monk, about 1336, discovered the mode of manufacturing it. It is also said that the knowledge of it was conveyed to Europe by the returning Crusaders.

Tempt your parrot with English walnuts, bits of apple and pear, and canary and hemp seed, and also give it a red pepper to pick to pieces.

Let it out of its cage to climb about an hour or more every morning. A parrot can not be healthy without some exercise.

GEORGE F.--Directions for "Model Yacht Building" were given in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 23.

F. H. L.--Any hardware merchant will send to New York city for a catalogue of toy steam-engines for you, which will give you full information in regard to styles, prices, and how and where the engine you require can be obtained.

FRED H. H.--You can purchase turtles at any store where gold-fish and materials for an aquarium are sold. They will cost you very little--ten or fifteen cents apiece, perhaps, for small ones. If you are going to the country, you can catch plenty of them yourself. By reading former numbers of Our Post-office Box you will find many directions for the care of turtles. A water turtle needs clean water, and also stones to climb up on.

Flavors are acknowledged from Anna Stuart, John Parr, Lulu A. Sacchi, Helen E. H., Ed. Walshe, Edith Haigh, Blanche C., H. Krause, Fannie L. D., Eddie A. Leet.

Correct answers to puzzles are received from Joseph Roome, Philip E.

Ide, William I. Coleman, Harry Louis, May L. Davis, R. H. King, W.

Fowler, J. H. Shaw, Otis L. How, John W., Harry E. Furber, George W.

Raymond, W. Callaghan, Leon Munroe, Beryl Abbott, Willie Miner, Eddie Wheeler, H. M. P., Helen W. Dean, Howard Rathbone, Daisy Violet, Paul Sterling, F. and B. Haigh, M. C. Stryker, Winnie Waldron, George Francis, Carrie and Cora, Wilfred H. Warner, Lucie Ruprecht, H. H.

Gottleben, Lillian Clark, Minnie Lewis, Eddie S. Hequembourg, G.

Volckhausen, Alfred Jaquith, A. H. Ellard, Nannie S. S., Hallie S.

Morgan, Jessie and Gertie Evans.

PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.

No. 1.

NUMERICAL CHARADE.

I am composed of 16 letters.

My 11, 8, 15, 5 is used in winter.

My 7, 12, 9, 2, 8 is found on the sea-sh.o.r.e.

My 1, 3, 14, 6, 10 is a flock of birds.

My 2, 3, 5, 15 is a vein of metal.

My 1, 16, 13, 4, 5 is floating vapor.

My whole was a noted British admiral.

"TOUT OU RIEN."

No. 2.

WORD SQUARE.

First, a division of time. Second, a girl's name. Third, disagreeable.

Fourth, beams of light.

M. E. N.

No. 3.

HIDDEN CITIES AND COUNTRIES.

1. I know the girls have nice new gloves. 2. Yes, I am going to start for Europe to-morrow. 3. The hero met his comrades. 4. At the sale many people were present. 5. The ox for David was brought home yesterday. 6.

When you go to Ceylon, do not neglect to write often to mother. 7. Near the foxes' den marks of feet were seen. 8. When Johnny whispers, I always tell him to speak louder. 9. Being unjustly accused by our teachers, we deny having disobeyed the rules. 10. There were so many people, I thought the procession would never pa.s.s.

S. B.

No. 4.

ENIGMA.

My first is in float, but not in sink.

My second is in write, but not in ink.

My third is in barn, but not in store.

My fourth is in nickel, but not in ore.