Various

“ We then instantly "sterned off," although not until the broad flukes had gone over our heads, fearfully close to us; and the whale at once commenced spouting thick blood—a sign that all was over with him.
The Luminary ran down to us, and the huge prize was towed alongside of her. We found in his back a number of harpoons, one of which, sure enough, was Captain Burdick's; and from this circumstance, together with the fact of his unusual size, there remained no doubt that the animal was the same which had so excited the curiosity of the fleet. ”

“ Before Albert could reply, some friends joined them, and the subject was dropped.
Now the project about which there was this touch of mystery was no less a one than that of emigrating to America, in order to escape serving in the army. The lads had selected the United States as their destination, because they imagined that there everybody speedily became possessed of fabulous wealth, as all the tourists from that country who put up for a night or two at the Golden Grape-vine Hotel seemed to be blessed with an unlimited supply of money. ”

“ First, it must be understood that all England is divided into parishes—a division recognized by the civil as well as the ecclesiastical law of the land. A parish is that circuit of ground, whether in the city or country, which is committed to the spiritual care of one clergyman. Now the boundaries of these parishes are very rarely defined by any law, except that of custom; and hence in most places it was and is customary once a year to make a solemn procession around the bounds of the parish. ”

“ It has been a long time since mother and Sue said they would never trust me to take care of the baby again, but the other day they wanted awfully to go to a funeral. It was a funeral of one of their best friends, and there was to be lots of flowers, and they expected to see lots of people, and they said they would try me once more. They were going to be gone about two hours, and I was to take care of the baby till they came home again. Of course I said I would do my best, and so I did; only when a boy does try to do his best, he is sure to get himself into trouble. ”

“ Brewer's account even more than our own, that our boat would this day get a whale.
Bob Rivers, a brawny, powerful fellow, was our boat-steerer. But the boat-steerer has nothing to do with steering until he has struck the whale, when he exchanges places with his superior, and goes from the bow to the stern.
In spite of our hopes, however, it seemed as if we must at last return to the ship without a single laurel from this stirring field. We had only the poor consolation of beholding others as little fortunate as ourselves. ”

“ Suddenly Albert clutched his friend by the arm, and exclaimed, "Look, Rudolph! I'm perfectly sure that fellow's an American"—indicating a youth of about their own age, who was coming from the other end of the platform toward them. "I can tell by the cut of his clothes; and, yes, there's the red guide-book they all carry, under his arm. I wonder if he's on his way back to New York?" ”

“ The editor's heart aches every week over the heaps of letters from the dear little folks who are doomed to disappointment. It is not one bit pleasant to think that the bright little eyes will watch in vain for the carefully written letter which was intended to "surprise mamma," or "please grandpa, who gives me my paper," but there is no help for it. There are so many of you that to let you all speak in print would keep an army of printers busy day and night. ”

“ Stubbs too, but the poor old monkey does not need them now. We do not believe any monkey was ever honored by such a large circle of mourners. His name has been bestowed upon great numbers of pet dogs and cats, and it will be many years before he will be forgotten.
Now when you feel badly because you can not find your letter or even your name in the Post-office Box, just remember that your pretty message to Young People is not thrown away or neglected, but that it is all safe, and in the company of a whole crowd of little companions from all parts of the world. ”

“ Izaak Walton says the great and good Bishop Hooker never by any means omitted this custom, and that during the walk he "would always drop some facetious and loving observations to the boys and young people, still inclining them to mutual kindness and love, because love thinks no evil, but covers a multitude of infirmities." ”

“ She ran to the lounge, and hid her face in the pillow.
"Oh, Cherry," she cried, looking up a moment later, tearful but smiling, "if mamma were only here, I should be perfectly happy!"
Just then Aunty Rogers came in to call them to supper.
"Well, well," she said, pleasantly, "I can't see what folks dew think so much o' them little May-flowers for. I'm sure my daffies is a great deal handsomer. But then they be sweet-scented, May-flowers be, and I'm glad they're here, seeing you like 'em."
That night the little spray was placed in a vase by Belle's camphor bottle on the table. ”

“ Work your way on shipboard? In the first place, you'd probably have to hunt a week or two before you could find a ship that would take you; and then, oh my! the rough treatment you'd get from the mates!"
"But we're ready for all that," Rudolph ventured to interpose. "We don't expect to make our fortunes without working for them."
"Well, I must say I admire your pluck," returned the other; "but wait till you hear more. When you arrive in New York, in the course of a month or so after leaving Hamburg, what are you going to do then?"
"Go to work," promptly responded Albert. ”

“ Fifty years ago people frequently ate with their knives, and it is quite possible that now and then you may see some old-fashioned person doing so; but it is not customary now, nor is it safe or convenient. When you send your plate for a second helping, or when it is about to be removed, you should leave your knife and fork side by side upon it.
It is not polite to help yourself too generously to butter. Salt should be placed on the edge of the plate, never on the table-cloth. Do not drink with a spoon in the cup, and never drain the very last drop. ”

“ Now this list was not a very attractive one, nor were these the sort of accomplishments on which the ambitious youths had reckoned. Where should they board, who would befriend them in a strange land, or what were they to do when their clothes wore out and they had no money with which to buy new?
These were pointed questions, and so sharply did the lads' foreign counsellor apply them, that at ten minutes to six Albert drew forth the satchel from its place of concealment, and Rudolph expressed his determination of becoming an officer in the German army. ”

“ I am six years old, and mamma is going to write just every word I say to Young People. We have "tooken" it ever since it began. Georgie likes "Biddy O'Dolan" and "Toby Tyler" the best. I do like "Phil's Fairies," because he is a poor little sick boy.
I have a little sister Prill. She is 'most three years old. She tries to say, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star," and runs to the window, and tries to see the stars. We love her a thousand million dollars. ”

“ I am nine years old, and I enjoy reading Young People, as we all do, even papa and mamma. When the paper comes, all make a rush for it, to see how poor Toby Tyler is getting along. He attracts as much attention among the big folks as with us children. Mamma says his story teaches us all a good lesson.
All of us are obliged to stay from school now on account of scarlet fever. I feel very sorry, for I love to go to school, and I was trying very hard for a prize. I can not get it now. This is my first attempt at writing a letter.
Laura A. I.
Indianapolis, Indiana. ”

“ Now I had once read in an old magazine that if you put molasses on a baby's fingers, and give it a feather to play with, it will try to pick that feather off, and amuse itself, and keep quiet for ever so long. I resolved to try it; so I went straight down stairs and brought up the big molasses jug out of the cellar. Then I made a little hole in one of mother's pillows, and pulled out a good handful of feathers. The baby stopped crying as soon as it saw what I was at, and so led me on, just on purpose to get me into trouble. ”

“ He makes us row ourselves over the river in a little boat we have.
We have a governess who wants to make us very elegant, but we do not like to brush our teeth and nails so often, and go to the table in such prime order. But she reads Young People to us, and we would do almost anything to hear the paper read better than we can read it for ourselves.
If any little boy would like to know more about this country, we will write again to Young People, and tell all we know.
Richard and Kennon T.
Owensborough, Kentucky. ”

“ Rogers lived, and where they were very near the house in which Mrs. Mullen had lived twenty years before. Alas! the dear grandfather and grandmother and the uncles and aunts were all dead or scattered now!
Belle had borne the journey wonderfully well. It is amazing how much happiness will help us to bear!
The secret of all this was that Cherry, as you must have already suspected, had determined in her own quick, brave little mind, to take Belle and come up into the country to pick May-flowers! ”

“ At first I did not know why, and was feeling very uncomfortable, when mamma explained to me that I should have said complimented, and told me the difference in the meaning of the words. Then I laughed as much as any of them. I am eight years old.
Jack M.
I wish to inform my correspondents that I have received so many applications for my minerals and other curiosities that they are all gone. I will try to get some more, but I will now exchange stamps with those correspondents who are not willing to wait. I would like some South American postage stamps (no duplicates) . ”

“ These processions were justified by the civil law in maintaining the ancient parish bounds, even if they were opposed by the owners of the property over which they beat or walked; and this necessity to keep the old track often caused curious incidents. If a canal had been cut through the bounds, or a river formed part of the line, some one must pass over it; and the lads of the parish were all so ambitious of the honor that it was usually settled by lot. If a house had been erected on the bounds, they claimed and took the right of passing through it. ”

“ Whatever is suitable and interesting is printed if space can be made for it. To make that space is a constant and never-ending problem, the solution of which is that hundreds and hundreds of pretty letters never appear at all. ”

“ Perhaps one reason why boys and girls do not feel so comfortable and so at ease as they might on special occasions at the table is because they do not take pains to be perfectly polite when there is no one present but the ordinary home folks. In the first place, we owe it to ourselves always to look very neat and nice at our own tables. ”

“ She is striped just like a tiger.
Mamma told us such a funny story about a kittie she had when she was a little girl. One day she went up an apple-tree near the house after some dear little birds. Mamma ran after her, but was too late to save even one little bird. She was so provoked with her kittie that she ran up stairs, and tore a big piece out of a dress, and made a bag. Then she put poor kittie in it, with a big stone for a pillow, and ran as fast as she could to a big pond over past the corn field, and threw poor kittie in. ”

“ It is a very nice purse," he replied; but as soon as he could find Miss Schuyler, he unburdened his heart. "After all the pains I took with that little picture, Aunt Rachel, to think of Lisa's selling it! ”

“ They lie week after week on the editor's table, and their turn never comes, for the simple reason that five hundred lines can not be crowded into a column that only holds half—a great deal less than half—of that number. ”

“ They agreed that the whole enterprise was to be conditional, and that no risks were to be run; that is, if the boys could find no opening at Hamburg for them to work their passage on some vessel to New York, they would return to Hausewitz again, and confess to only going as far as the sea-port, saying nothing about the grander scheme they had had in view.
"You see," explained Rudolph, "we'll divide our plan into air-tight compartments, so to speak, such as they have on the steamers: the first one from here to Hamburg, and the second from there to New York ”

“ Do not think about yourself, and fancy that you are the object of attraction to your neighbors. Poor Frank's unhappy state of mind was caused by his thinking too much about himself, as well as by a little uncertainty as to what were precisely the right things to be done. ”

“ The feathers were gradually getting rinsed away, and the molasses was coming off beautifully, when something happened.
The water made a good deal of noise, and I was standing with my back to the bath-room door, so that I did not hear anybody come in. The first thing I knew Sue snatched the baby away, and gave me such a box over the ear. Then she screamed out, "Ma! come here this wicked boy is drowning the baby O you little wretch won't you catch it for this." Mother came running up stairs, and they carried the baby into mother's room to dry it. ”