I'll give your large fortune to the nearest of kin, PARENT makes motions as if throwing away money; takes large pin from his coat. And you sha'n't reap the benefit of one single DENIAH wrings her hands and weeps. CHORUS. Sung and danced as before. [Curtain falls. V. VILLIKENS enters, discovers DENIAH lying in VILLIKENS dances forward and backward, look- VILLIKENS kneels down behind DENIAH, bends [Curtain falls. PARENT enters, discovers the lovers standing at back of stage dressed in sheets like ghosts. He jumps, looks first over his left shoulder at them then over his right shoulder, and continues this motion through rest of verse and chorus. Ghosts dance forward and back as before, following PARENT; all bow. PARENT goes off left for his carpet-bag But he had not gone far, when he was seized with Suddenly turns his head, sees ghosts, and shivers a shiver Which ended his days, and so finished him forever. CHORUS. faster and faster until he drops in centre of stage. Ghosts dance around PARENT; DENIAH first, both bow. [Curtain falls. NOTE. Swallow-tail coats are easily made by sewing tails on to the boys' jackets, the ruffles are made of paper. The girl can wear a long dress tucked up over her own. The sheets are placed over the heads, leaving only the face exposed. They hold the sheet under their chins with left hands and point with the right. Where a trap-door is available they fall into and rise up from it. Arranged by G. B. Bartlett. I am composed of 14 letters. My 1, 2, 3 is a definite article. My 4, 9, 10 is the name of one of the Siamese twins. My 5, 6, 7, 8 is one third of Cæsar's celebrated letter. My 14, 12, 11, 13 is a tree. My whole is a casket of jewels most rare, And is prized both by young and by old, But were I to tell you 't would hardly be fair, Just glance o'er this page and my secret is told. GEOMETRICAL PUZZLE. J. A. L. No. 50. To divide this figure, composed of six equal right-angled triangles, by two straight cuts, into three pieces, which can be put together so as to form a square. DOUBLE ACROSTIC CHARADE. (The initials and finals name two cities in Massachusetts.) What all boys have played. A boy's name. Most women do. A kind of story. Used for building purposes. Ed Ward. WORD SQUARES. My first a heroine of romance. No. 54. A river of South Carolina. A liquid exuding from a tree. Josephine and Julia R. Carl. CHICAGO, ILL., April 12, 1871. TO THE Editors of "OUR YOUNG FOLKS": WILL you please answer these questions in regard to sending in articles for the "Young Contributors' Department"? First, what kind of paper to use, foolscap or common note-paper? Next, what do we send it in, an envelope or a newspaper wrapping? And lastly, will you please write the direction that is to be put on the outside in full? By answering these questions you will greatly oblige many, but especially G. E. WESTON. 1. Any good writing-paper will do, but a small size is preferable. Divide folded sheets, whether of foolscap or note-paper, and write only on one side of the slip. Then each slip makes a page, and can be handled conveniently by both editors and printers. The pages should be numbered, of course. 2. A small package should be enclosed in an envelope, like a letter. An envelope large enough to contain the slips (if of note-paper) without obliging you to fold them, is desirable. If a large package (which a "Young Contributor's" should not be, however, as a general thing), you can enclose it either in an envelope or a wrapper, leaving one end open, and send it through the mails, by paying only newspaper postage on it. The author's address should accompany it, and Author's MS. should be distinctly marked on the outside. 3. Letters to the editors, or communications paying letter postage, may be addressed simply, Editors of "Our Young Folks," Boston. manuscripts paying newspaper postage should be directed as follows, the law permitting such packages to pass only between authors and publishers: James R. Osgood & Co., But Boston, Mass. And this is the address which all business letters relating to the magazine should have. ROCHESTER, April 22, 1871. DEAR "YOUNG FOLKS, of course, for a Spaniard, but is it not rather an affectation in an American? This is a subject which has been often discussed in our household; i. e. the propriety of giving, as a rule, the native > Worcester says pronunciation to foreign names. in reference to "words which have been partially Anglicized,' -"Paris, for example, an Englishman, or an Anglo-American, in speaking his own language, would pronounce, in conformity to it, Par'is; though, if he were speaking French, he would pronounce it Pä-rē, in conformity with the French language." In accordance with this, I find that the pronunciation given for "Don Quixote," in "Pujol's French Class Book " (p. 20), is not "in conformity" with the Spanish sounds of the letters, but with the French pronunciation thereof. Why, then, should not we, Anglo-Americans, give to the name a pronunciation according with that which we give its derivatives "Quixotic," "Quixotism,' ""Quixotry"? Thank you for answers to former questions. I am glad to know in what "little corner" to locate Mrs. Whitney, and since "one good turn deserves another," could you not some time favor us with pictures of her and other contributors of "Our Young Folks"? We have been trying the "cooperative system of housekeeping; and, upon the whole, I think, find nearly as much enjoyment • in it as "We Girls " did. The pronunciation of foreign names, like that of other words, is regulated by common usage. The French pronounce all names according to the rules of their own language, and we are amused to hear them speak of Lor' Beerong and Vashingtong, when the noble British poet and the Father of his Country are meant. The English language affords no such uniform rules for its pronunciation as the French does; and a foreign name-take Kossuth, for example - may be spoken by us in half a dozen different ways, before anything like the correct utterance is established. A million Frenchmen, seeing that word in print for the first time, would unhesitatingly give it exactly the same pronunciation; but when the great Magyar first came to this country he was Kos'suth, Kos'sooth, Kossuth', Kossooth', and Kossoot', as old folks well remember. How much better it would have been to adopt the Hungarian pronunciation of the name at once- Koshoot' if we had only known it! It is to avoid such confusion that we who speak the English tongue find it most convenient, in importing foreign names, to import the foreign pronunciation along with them. And since the Spanish pronunciation of the word now almost universally prevails among cultivated American people, it cannot be considered an affectation to speak of Don Ke-ho'ta (last a long, but unaccented), except in circles where only the English pronuncia-Don Quix-ot - would be understood. tion We will consider the hint about the portraits of our contributors, and - but we dare not make any promise with regard to that very busy man, Mr. Hale. DEAR "YOUNG FOLKS," I was astonished in reading about Mr. Chatford's laughable mistake to find it almost identical with one that I made not long since. One evening last fall I rode down to the village two miles to get the mail, and attend the Lodge. I tied my horse at the store, and after making some purchases walked down to the Lodge. On coming out, with thoughts intent on other things, I went to my accustomed hitchingpost near by, and lo! no horse. "Stolen, or got loose,” thought I in dismay. Home I went, at a pace more fast than dignified. No horse there! Then on to my dun's mate, little accustomed to nocturnal exercise, I threw an old army saddle, and was off. Up the pike; no trace. Down the pike to the village, now all a-slumber. A colored woman being aroused by much pounding at the "do"," after first insisting that "nobody lives. yere, in fear of Ku-Klux, informed me she "yeared a horse kitin' up de Court House road 'bout an hour ago." On reading them I came across a piece in "Our Young Contributors' " corner called "Hally's Flower." I am sure those who read it cannot have forgotten it, and if they have they can freshen their memories by turning to last October's number. Now I have a darling little brother, and he says "pitty" and "fower" and many other baby words, and sometimes I get impatient and angry with him. This sweet little piece made me think how many precious baby brothers and sisters "fade away," and how we should love and prize them while we have them, toddling through our homes. So even at this late hour I thought it would not be entirely useless to say what an imI pression "Hally's Flower" made upon me. hope it will help me not to forget to be always patient with little Eddie. Now, dear "Young Folks," I must say good by, thanking you for the many pleasant hours your magazine has helped to fill. I am your young friend, CARLIE BRickett. Aggie and Molly ask these two questions, who can answer them? 1. Why are frogs and fishes cold-blooded animals? 2. Where is the phrase, "After life's fitful fever he sleeps well," to be found, and who wrote it? I used my spurs, and was off at a gallop. I stopped at a house and borrowed a pistol, which, as my summer clothes were not prepared for it, I had to carry in Lulu C. asks: "Will you be so kind as to tell hand. On to Fairfax Court House my hand. eight miles over the very same road that our me what books would give me the most thorough boys took in their disastrous retreat from Bull instruction in English history, and be the most Run. No tidings there. Thence to Fairfax Sta-interesting during my perusal of them?" tion, and through the pines on an unknown road to Arundle's Tavern, about ten miles farther. It was two A. M. I rubbed down my horse and went to bed. Up again before the sun, wrote notices of reward, breakfasted, and off for home by another route. I was fagged out, and getting the worse for dust and heat. My pistol drew the eyes of the sober-looking folk going to Camp Meeting, where Knight's "Popular History of England" (8 vols., with many illustrations) is a most excellent and entertaining work. Read Macaulay's History (extending from James II. to the death of William III.). Dickens's "Child's History of England" may be read with profit: and for a simple summary of events Edwards's "Outlines of English History" is valuable. 1 "Rose-Bud." The red prussiate was meant. With chemists, ferrocyanide of potassium stands generally for either the red or the yellow prussiate, though the yellow would be understood if the red were not specified. It is only quite recently that the red has come to be distinguished by the spelling, ferricyanide. We allow anybody to contribute puzzles; and short, bright, pithy ones are always acceptable. Of ordinary ones we have more than enough on hand. Bessie A. T. asks the "Letter Box":"Can any one tell me why molasses-candy becomes white by being pulled?" "Kerl E. Q.," "Mattie," and many others. Back numbers of "Our Young Folks" can be had of the publishers for 20 cents each. Dinwiddie COUNTY, VA., March 29, 1871. DEAR "YOUNG FOLKS,' saw. two years, and like it better than any other I ever The mosquito- though not so large as some in- The bluebird sings sweetly. Then mix the names together and the traits to- I see your bright face every month, and I cer- The mosquito- is a very patient animal. tainly do think it is bright, sure enough. A dear The bluebird A dear The bluebird is the largest of beasts. kind uncle in New York sends it to me, and I do The lark-is an intelligent animal. wish all boys and girls had an uncle or some The horse sings sweetly. relation to do the same for them, for I do not see how Young Folks can afford to be without it. I read it through carefully when it first comes, and then all the back numbers, till the next one comes. I am only ten years old, but I think I am a pretty good judge of stories; any way, I know what I like, and I think Jack Hazard is splendid; the only fault I have to find, you leave him in such a bad fix every time, and a month is so long to be kept waiting for him to get out. C. A. Stephens is my favorite; I should like to know him, and if he will come down here to "Old Virginia we will tell him how we hunt foxes, with fifteen or twenty dogs; sometimes it takes a whole day to catch one. The huntsmen will not allow it to be shot, for they want the pleasure of chasing it. The dogs and horses seem to enjoy it too, for 't is hunted on horseback. The skin of a fox is of very little value here, so the hunter has the fox boiled and the broth thickened with meal, and when done and sufficiently cool fed to his dogs; and this is their reward besides the sport they have. If you did not have so many to ask favors of you, and make suggestions to you, I would be tempted to ask one or two chapters more of Jack Hazard each month. Your admirer, THOS. C. DIGGS, age 10 yrs. 6 mos. Petersburg, Va. (my post-office address, my home, 6 miles in the country). DEAR "YOUNG FOLKS," EUDORA MAY STONE. EMERSON, OTOE COUNTY, Nebraska. THIS letter comes from a "Young Contributor," now in Europe: KIND MR. EDITOR, HANOVER, January 30, 1871. When I sent you my composition I was residing in America; but very soon after I left my home, and came to Germany, where I have been ever since. In America I was always glad when I received the nice yellow-covered "Young Folks," but the happiness it then gave me was nothing to what it is now. Here it is not easy to find anything to read in our tongue, and I am not proficient enough in German to read books in that language. Ten days ago I went to Berlin, on a visit to some friends. Berlin is a large city, and in many things is quite like New York, only New York has no palaces. I went through that of the Emperor, where I saw much wealth and beauty; but, what I liked most of all, was an exquisitely carved balcony, which is occupied by musicians at the court balls. The original of this balcony was made of solid silver; but Frederick the Great caused it to be melted and made into money, then he had the one I saw made exactly like it, except the new one is of wood silver-plated. In "Our Young Folks" for November was an excellent article on Pompeii, which I read with great interest. When I visited the Berlin Museum and saw the broken statues, dishes, and jewelry found in Pompeii and Herculaneum, you I am ten years old, and have taken your paper may be sure I examined them with more care than |