Various

“ A blue forward sees an opportunity to distinguish himself, and charges the Captain; but it is of no use. See! a blue is coming across the field a little ahead of the red Captain. The latter swerves to one side; but the blue is prepared for him, and with a spring like that of a lion, he throws both arms round the Captain's neck. The other players are upon them, and the Captain, as his men gather behind him, throws the ball backward—for he must not throw it forward—and the reds and blues pounce down upon it, and a loose "scrimmage" takes place over it. ”

“ This is a great advantage for the reds, for now they have a fair kick at their opponents' goal. Digging his heel into the spot where the ball crossed the line, the red Captain carries the ball at right angles to the goal line, and makes ready for his kick off. It is not a straight kick, and so not an easy one; and if he misses, a blue is pretty certain to make a "touch down for safety"; that is, touch the ball down on their own goal line, and so earn a kick off. And this is just what happens. The umpires have gone up to the goal posts to judge whether it is a goal or not. ”

“ It was sad to think they had a squaw who was not accustomed to the business, and with a sigh Charley released the captive, that all might go in search of food.
It was a long, weary tramp which they had, and it seemed that it must be nearly supper-time, when they suddenly heard a fearful noise among the bushes, as if some enormous animal was coming directly toward them. Then both the Indians turned pale with terror; for what could they do in the way of fighting a bear, with only one carving-knife between them? ”

“ Down near the goal is a big fellow whose special duty it is to protect the goal; he is called a "back"; a little in advance of him are two more fellows, called "half-backs"; and in advance of them again is another, called "three-quarter back." It was a blue half-back that caught the ball the red Captain kicked off, and almost before it reached his hands the red rushers were upon him like an avalanche. He has no time for hesitation. Dropping the ball, he receives it on the instep of his foot, and sends it high up in the air. The reds turn suddenly ”

“ Did any one else see the dear, sturdy little flower so late? When its golden disks star the meadows in spring, we always give it a welcome. It seems even brighter when it blooms on the edge of frost and cold in the fall. ”

“ Judaism, he said, was a homeless religion, its followers being wanderers on the face of the earth, under a curse. The Catholic religion would not do at all, because it recognized in the Pope a superior to himself, and Vladimir had no mind to acknowledge a superior. The Greek religion was free from these objections, and, moreover, by adopting it he would bring himself into friendship with the great Greek or Byzantine Empire, whose capital was at Constantinople, and that was something which he greatly desired to accomplish. ”

“ To think that a free-born American should be seized in this shameful manner, and treated like any common criminal, was outrageous, and in spite of the terror I was in I felt like shaking my fist at the whole party, and letting them know that New York had a Seventh Regiment that could whip their entire army—at least I should think it could from the way I've heard Cousin Walter talk, who's a member of it. ”

“ It is not the amount a gift costs in money which makes it beautiful and valuable. It is the loving thought of which it speaks which constitutes its claim to our regard. A person with a pocketful of money might rush into a store, buy half its contents, and scatter them right and left among his friends, without giving them much pleasure. ”

“ The island, though it abounds in the grandest scenery, is one of the coldest places on earth during the winter. Great mountains extend along the coast, divided by huge glaciers. Nobody has ever yet tried to travel into the interior, but it is known that there is a plateau or plain there some two thousand feet in height.
In summer you can get to the islands, because the Gulf Stream pours its warm water along a part of the coast, but in winter no ship can approach Spitzbergen; it is all iron-bound. ”

“ At some times they look very small, and at other times they stick their feathers out and look like a ball of feathers. Their eyes are very large; they have two eyelids. The under one is so thin that they can see through it. The upper one is covered with little feathers. Besides raw meat, they eat mice. We catch them alive, and when we put one in the cage, one of the owls will jump on it, and catch it in his claws, and bite it in the back of its neck, and kill it. ”

“ Blude frightened him with false stories, and persuaded him to remove from place to place, until his mind and body were worn out, when, at Blude's suggestion, he determined to surrender himself, and trust to the mercy of Vladimir. That good-natured brother ordered the betrayed and distressed prince to be put to death.
Then Vladimir rewarded Blude. He entertained him in princely fashion, declaring to his followers that he was deeply indebted to this man for his faithful services, and heaping all manner of honors upon him. ”

“ He had armed himself with a long carving-knife and fully ten yards of clothes-line, so that he was ready for any desperate attempt at escape the squaw might make.
All unsuspecting the horrible fate that awaited her, Nellie approached the fatal spot, when Big Thunder sprang out, winding the rope around her body a dozen times.
"Why don't you cry, an' screech, an' kick?" asked Charley, thoroughly disappointed because their captive had submitted so quietly. ”

“ The blue Captain makes a splendid kick. It is against the wind, but what of that? It only gives the blues more time to follow it up, and this they do bravely. The red back has received the ball, and tries to "punt" it back over the heads of the advancing blues, but his effort is a failure. The ball rebounds from a blue jersey and crosses reds' goal line, where a blue, who has been carried forward by the rush, touches it down. ”

“ In cold weather the children—those who are able to be up, of course—can sit close to the windows inside, and see all that is taking place in the street. On either side of the ward are rows of blue cribs with brass knobs on the corners, and hanging over each crib is a little blue frame holding a card, on which is written the name of the child who sleeps in the cot. ”

“ To become a Christian he must be baptized, and he was puzzled about how to accomplish that. There were many Greek priests in his capital, any one of whom would have been glad to baptize the heathen monarch, but Vladimir would not let a mere priest convert him into a Christian. Nobody less than an archbishop would do for that, and there was no archbishop in Russia. ”

“ Meat is scarce here sometimes, and my uncle has to shoot the quails or the pink curlews, with their beautiful spoon-bills, and the blue herons, with their lovely large human-looking eyes. We must sometimes have them to take the place of fresh meat, but not often, as uncle dislikes killing the beautiful birds, which never do any one any harm. ”

“ These miners only paid no attention to another "law," that a man like Steve Harrison, for instance, is entitled to all the time required to do his work and set up his monuments. One part of the law is just as good as another.
The return to camp was quickly made, and there was news to tell all around, for the hunters not only brought in game, but also the information that they "reckoned an army train could be hauled down that gap to the westward. It's almost as good as a road." ”

“ If you really wish to show your family and acquaintances that you love and would like to please them, you will suit your gifts thoughtfully to each of them, studying their necessities and tastes. You will not give grandma a gay neck ribbon, and Angie a pair of spectacles, nor present the cook with a volume of Tennyson, and brother Theodore with a pair of slippers when he already has three pair not worn out. ”

“ Gifts which little fingers themselves make are always especially prized by mammas and aunties. There is a great deal of fun and pleasure in preparing for Christmas, and half of it comes from the difficulty of making peoples' presents, when the people are always popping in at the wrong moment. ”

“ Mamma teaches me, as there is no school near us short of six miles, and I would have to go in a sail-boat to attend school. I have most of my time taken up, as mamma teaches me to be industrious, and wishes me to try to grow up a smart girl, as it would have pleased papa so much, had God permitted him to live and know his little girl was trying to do right. ”

“ I attend school, and am trying to be a good scholar. I have a nice large Newfoundland dog, and I think the world of him. We play together a great deal. My papa was a soldier in the army for three years, and now belongs to the Grand Army. ”

“ Another boy fell off one Sunday morning, just after his mother had dressed him in all his best clothes to meet some company who were coming from New York to spend the day. We used to ride every day. All of the roads are good, but one, to Seabright, is so level, and has such beautiful residences, hedges, miniature lakes, etc., it was almost like driving through a park. ”

“ We can not stay to see the end of the game, and as I am not certain which side the sympathies of my readers are with, I shall not say. Some of them will, I hope, some day be "reds" or "blues," and then they will enjoy in reality the rush and excitement of the game, and taste the sweets of victory on many a hard-fought field. ”

“ If you will turn back to your last year's volume of Young People, and look at some of the articles on embroidery for girls, by Miss Susan Hayes Ward, you will find directions for embroidering which will help you very much in decorating the top of your cushion. ”

“ Surely there never were two chiefs on the eve of starting in the Indian business so fortunate as these two were, for in a short time after Big Thunder's departure Mrs. Harnden took the baby, and Nellie seated herself on the door-step to play with her doll.
Charley told her of the captive grasshoppers she would see if she went with him; and, clasping her doll firmly in her arms, she started for the meeting-house near by, while Charley followed, ready to spring upon her as soon as he should see his brother chief. ”

“ The blues kick off, and flushed with victory so far, they strive to hold the advantage they have gained. The reds, on the other hand, have an up-hill game to play, for a goal won is equal to four touch downs in goal, and so they have to fight hard to regain the ground they have lost. ”

“ Many readers might hardly credit it, but a great part of the rocks which abound in Spitzbergen show evidences of volcanic origin, and what is now the coldest place in the world in winter was once probably as hot as Africa is to-day.
When the Alliance went to Iceland, the people there, who are very affectionate, honest, and simple-hearted, were very courteous and polite to her officers. One of these gentlemen having seen a nice Icelandic girl, had her photograph taken, which picture is engraved in this number of Young People. ”

“ But Vladimir was a very pious prince in his heathen way, and feeling that the gods had greatly favored him, he made rich feasts of thanksgiving in their honor. He ordered splendid memorials to various deities to be erected throughout the country, and he specially honored Perune, the father of the gods, for whom he provided a new pair of golden whiskers—golden whiskers being the special glory of Perune. ”

“ In a large open space fenced off by stout ropes from the crowds of men and boys—ay, and ladies and young girls too, all eager for the success of brother, son, or friend—are twenty-two finely built, wiry young fellows. ”

“ The other brother, Vladimir, was so grieved at the death of Oleg that he abandoned his capital, Novgorod, and remained for a time in seclusion. Yaropolk seized the opportunity thus offered, and made himself master of Vladimir's dominions. Not long afterward Vladimir appeared at the head of an army, and Yaropolk ran away to his own capital, Kiev. Vladimir at once resumed the throne, and sent word to Yaropolk that he would in due time return the hostile visit. ”

“ Now there was some hope that if even the Jeannette had been lost, a great many of the men might be still alive, who, by working their way slowly along the coast of Siberia and Russia, might have made their way to Spitzbergen. This would not have been so remarkable, for a great Northern explorer, Nordenskjöld, has done this within the last two years, only he worked his way from east to west. But the officers of the United States ship Alliance did not find out anything about the Jeannette at Spitzbergen. ”

“ Though the people are very poor, and have to work hard to keep themselves from starving, the climate being so cold that hardly anything will grow, yet they are very intelligent. Almost all the Icelanders know how to read and write, and during the long sunless days and nights of their dreary winter they love to pass away the time with books in their hands. ”

“ We go in a sail-boat, and I enjoy sailing so much! I wanted to have a little vegetable garden of my own, so uncle let me have a patch, and I set out fifty tomato plants, just to see what a little girl could do; they are growing finely, and putting on blossoms now—not all, but part of them. ”

“ We have very great pleasure in publishing a letter from the kind lady who has charge of the ward in which our Young People's Cot will be placed when sufficient money shall have been contributed to endow it. ”

“ THE TALKING LEAVES. [1] An Indian Story. BY WILLIAM O. STODDARD. Chapter X.
aptain Skinner and his miners were quickly at the head of the ravine again, but the gold ledge stopped them all as if it had been a high fence.
"Cap," said the man called Bill, "of course them two fellers lit onto this mine. They couldn't ha' helped it. But they haven't done a stroke of work on it. Reckon we kin set up marks of our own." ”