Various

“ Robbins had said she would "look in" during the morning at the store, and already Milly felt sure she had betrayed her secret to "Mr. Tom."
"Milly," Debby said, in a mournful tone, "I've been thinking we must part with something. Your mother's sinking for what we've no money to pay for. I've seen you all in better days, lovey, and I'm as fond of everything in the house as you are, but I see no way out of it. In fact, I saw a man to-day—he's only waiting for your word—and he'll look over the things in the parlor to-morrow." ”

“ When Milly returned the next evening from the store, the once cozy parlor looked desolate enough. The heavy furniture was nearly all gone, and the children clustered about her with an eager account of the man who had carried the sofa and chairs and best table away in his cart.
"Never mind," said Mildred, trying to be cheerful. "We must sit in the dining-room. Besides, dears, think how ill mamma is."
"Only forty dollars," whispered Deborah, "and I've paid out thirty of it." ”

“ During the dinner both bears kept walking round the table, looking so kind and gentle that they seemed to put every one in good-humor. When Carry upset a tumbler of water over Sarah's frock, Brown Bear immediately picked it up, while Carry begged pardon, and Sarah laughed. When George was going to tell some little tale out of school about Philip, Black Bear put his big paw in front of his mouth, and George stopped at once. ”

“ The work inside the tent was far different and much harder than it was outside. He was obliged to carry around among the audience trays of candy, nuts, and lemonade, for sale, and he was also expected to cry aloud the description of that which he offered. The partner of Mr. Lord, who had charge of the stand inside the tent, neither showed himself to be better nor worse than Mr. Lord himself. When Toby first presented himself for work, he handed him a tray filled with glasses of lemonade, and told him to go among the audience, crying, "Here's your nice cold lemonade, only five cents a glass!" ”

“ If the boys of whom we are speaking are very bright, they are apt to be spoiled, as in such case the Members and Senators take pleasure in indulging them to some degree. But there are not many, it may be imagined, who are thus injured. Some of them, indeed, are as careless as the blowing wind; these have no awe or reverence in their compositions: the great men with whom they are brought into contact are not great men to them, but simply folks who send them on errands, and the directions given them go in one ear and out the other—as we all know never happens with boys anywhere else. ”

“ I have just commenced taking Young People, and we all like it very much. The story of "Paul Grayson" was splendid, but I think "Toby Tyler" is the best of all. My brother Charlie and I each have an Indian pony. Charlie's pony has been trained by the Indians to stand wherever you leave her, without being tied. And if any one is riding her and falls off, no matter how fast she is going, she will stop, and not move one step farther until her rider mounts again. My pony throws me over her head sometimes, but she will not stop until she gets to the barn.
Allie C. ”

“ As soon as the development is complete, wash the plate well with pure water, using for the purpose a wash bottle, which is simply a large glass flask having a cork perforated by two tubes, one of which reaches into the body of the liquid, while the other only passes through the cork. The short tube is bent over at an angle so that the mouth may be conveniently placed against it, while the long tube is bent, and drawn out to a fine jet. On blowing through the short tube, the air in the bottle becomes compressed, and in expanding drives the liquid through the jet in a fine steady stream. ”

“ Robbins made her appearance at the store on a day when Mildred's peace of mind was so exhausted by home cares it was all she could do to serve the most civil of customers. Milly contrived to see her in the cloak-room, but the peddler refused to subdue her voice.
"I can have fifty cents stopped out of your pay, and I will," she said, resolutely. "I don't want anything but my rights."
Mildred had not five cents to offer her. All her most earnest pleading only induced Mrs. Robbins to defer what she called "proceedings" for three days. In the mean time she resolved to call upon Miss Jenner. ”

“ Lee; the strongest beef tea; the most nourishing jellies; iron and quinine regularly. Poor Milly used to feel as if she was walking over fire on her way to and from the store, so harassed had she become, and she and Deborah bemoaned the state of affairs whenever they were alone.
"Something must be done, honey!" Deborah said, one wet Tuesday evening, when Milly stopped in the kitchen to dry her clothes and warm her feet before going up stairs. "I've next to nothing in the house, and your mother must have some more port." ”

“ By this time the French class room was reached, and conversation was for the time suspended; but two o'clock found the boys leaving the school-grounds, engaged in a grand confab about their new plan.
"Now those old fellows that invented all this," said Fred, "had to work hard, because they had nothing to begin with; but as all that we want to know is down in the books, I don't see why we can't take as good a picture as the next one, as soon as we can get a camera and some chemicals. Why, Jim, you can buy the whole rig for five dollars—yes, you can—camera and all, with a stand to set it on." ”

“ Of her bird pets she tells the young listeners as follows:
"When I was alone at home with my parents, I used to amuse myself during my play-time, which I always spent out-of-doors, by trying to tame the wild birds. I nailed a little wooden tray against an oak that had twigs growing out of its trunk for the birds to perch on. It stood just inside a wood on one side of the drive, but not too much exposed to the view of the passers-by. Every morning regularly I filled the tray with bread-crumbs and bird-seed, with a little piece of raw meat now and then for a great treat. ”

“ Why can't we make the box and mix the baths ourselves? Anybody could buy the machine and take a picture, but it isn't every fellow can make his own apparatus. Now in my Philosophy there are some pictures that show how to put the box together, and we can save money to buy the lenses, and it will be twice as much fun to do everything ourselves."
Jim was very handy with tools, and in a few days he constructed as neat a camera as could be desired for a beginner. ”

“ The ancients prized amber very highly, and it was an important article of commerce in early times. From the fact that it is found in large quantities in the remains of the lake-villages of Switzerland, we know that it must have been an article of exchange in prehistoric times.
Floy.—If you have any pressed flowers, leaves, or other pretty objects which can be sent easily by mail, we have no doubt some of our readers would be glad to send you postage stamps in exchange for them. You can put your offer in the Post-office Box. ”

“ Just three dollars remained of her weekly earnings, and of this sum fifty cents must be saved for the terrible Widow Robbins. "I know what I'll do," thought Milly, almost aloud; "I'll see if she won't take her silk back. I can't spare a penny of my salary." This hope kept poor Mildred up until the peddler's next visit. It was in the little cottage parlor, and Mildred falteringly told her of her mother's illness, and their great need of money. ”

“ Bayard and the rest are being imitated to the life. It is in some contrast to these gay rogues that one sees a crippled and dwarfed little hunchback outside the Hall of Representatives, opening and shutting a door for the passer in hopes of the coppers or the nickel that may be tossed him, although he does not beg. ”

“ This curly-headed little fellow is the only support of a mother and younger brothers and sisters; there is one who takes care of a paralyzed father, the only relative he has in the world, going home, after his hard work, to make life as pleasant as he can for him who can never do any more work ”

“ Helen G.—How to make the "Wiggles" was fully explained at the end of the Post-office Box in No. 51 of Young People.
R. T. F.—Amber is not, as you suppose, made from "the sap of a tree in South Africa," but is a fossil resin from several species of coniferous or cone-bearing trees of a very remote geological period. More than 800 species of insects have been found preserved in amber, and leaves of 160 species of plants. Fine pieces of amber are very highly prized, and are sometimes worth more than their weight in gold. The largest mass known is in Berlin, Prussia. ”

“ Simple accompaniments are given, such as can be easily understood by a young pianist, and many songs have both English and German or French words. The melodies are exceedingly attractive, and are such as will cultivate good musical taste in youthful musicians. ”

“ By Christmas-time only six dollars had been paid on it, yet a certain security of the future made Milly feel sure no disaster could occur. Mrs. Robbins's calls were now all made at the store, and about the Christmas season "Mr. Tom" inquired, rather sneeringly, whether "Miss Lee's great-aunt" meant to give them her custom. Milly answered nothing, yet it aroused her fears, and on one Tuesday, after the peddler's customary call, she left the store determined to appoint some different place of meeting. There was something unusual, Milly thought, about the look of the cottage as she entered ”

“ Now hold the glass tube over the flame of the lamp until the glass is soft, when by pulling it apart you will have two tubes, with one end of each drawn to a fine point. Break off the point of one, and you will have a tiny jet. Make a hole in the cork just large enough for the large end of the tube to go into. Put into the test-tube as much cyanide of mercury as will lie on the point of a penknife. Fit the cork tightly in the test-tube. ”

“ Before beginning to work, be sure that your plate is clean. Tin plates, with which you would better work until you become skillful in handling the baths, are sold in sheets by any dealer in photographic goods, and when you buy them are often covered with fine dust. Polish them well with a pad of soft chamois-skin before you proceed farther. Next pour the collodion on the centre, and cause it to flow evenly by gently tipping the plate from side to side. ”

“ Fred and Jim were delighted to listen, and when the Professor told them to take a pencil and note-book, and write down the proportions in which the different baths were to be mixed, they were eagerly attentive at once.
"The sensitive bath," said the Professor, "is prepared in this manner: dissolve in two ounces of rain-water one ounce of nitrate of silver in crystals. Then add two to five grains of iodide of potassium. You must now add eight ounces of rain-water, and let the mixture stand two hours to saturate. It must be kept in a dark chamber, where no rays of sunlight can penetrate. ”

“ Henry H. T.—Your proposal to found a Natural History Society, composed of contributors to Harper's Young People, is hardly practical. The exchange of specimens, etc., would be dilatory and difficult, as our contributors are scattered over the whole continent. Local societies of the kind you mean might be formed to advantage, and the officers of different associations could correspond with each other, and exchange views and information. ”

“ Pearl A. Hare, of Lynchburg, Harris County, Texas, accidentally omitted the little word "for" in her letter published in Young People No. 56, which made her appear to offer birds' eggs and postage stamps for exchange, when she wished to obtain them in exchange for Texas snail shells. Our readers will please note the correction.
I am a boy eleven years old. I was born in Cairo, Egypt, and came to America in 1876. I am living on a farm now, and like it very much. ”

“ The boy's lip was quivering, and those around began to be interested in the affair, while several in their immediate vicinity gave vent to their indignation that a man should try to cheat a boy out of ten cents by giving him counterfeit money. ”

“ Our cottage is in a valley, surrounded by high hills, which are covered with wintergreen berries from one year's end to another. During the winter months the berries swell very large, and they are delicious fruit in the spring. ”

“ Jacobs set Toby at work washing the glasses, and clearing up generally, and then the boy started toward the other portion of the store—that watched over by Mr. Lord. Not a person save the watchmen was in the tent, and as Toby went toward the door he saw his friend the monkey sitting in one corner of the cage, and apparently watching his every movement. ”

“ I am a little girl ten years old. I think Young People is a very nice paper. My sister and I go to school. We have a very nice teacher. I like to go very much. We study pieces from Young People to speak in school. My teacher says all little boys and girls ought to take it.
Minnie S. ”

“ They are always worrying me at home; they are always taking my things, and when I ask for them they get mad, and if I take any of their things, they come and take them away, and then if I don't like it, they tell mother ”