Various

“ I think that a short account of the Artesian well which is being bored here will interest the members of the Young People's Natural History Society. The well is being bored near the Moline Paper-Mill for the purpose of procuring pure water to be used in the manufacture of paper. It is not bored with an auger like an ordinary well, but is drilled with a drill which works up and down in the well in the same way that a man drills a hole in rock to blast it, only of course this drill is larger, and is worked by a steam-engine and a walking-beam like those on steamboats. ”

“ Tucker had promised that he would oblige Captain Pratt to let the boy come ashore at Minchin's Island, where he should have a home for a time at least.
Relying on that promise, Bobby had gathered all the boys of the town together to give Tim a proper welcome, and all had been hidden behind the shed when the steamer came in, so that the surprise should be as great as possible. By what means Mr. Tucker had induced Captain Pratt to part with the cabin-boy he was "breaking in" no one knew, and no one seemed to care, since it had been so successfully accomplished. ”

“ But though there are so many varieties of beautifully colored and formed birds, the ordinary Dove-house pigeon is by far the most satisfactory to raise, and repays its owner far better both in young and domestic habits than do those which are not only rare, but difficult to rear. ”

“ Why can't folks buy things that don't need bagging, or else use the pretty things while they're pretty, and bag them after they've grown shabby? They make me think of that ship which Ike Walton dived into, where the men were all sitting round just as they had been doing when it went down. I hate parlors anyway. I hate things with Ulsters on.
Auntie opened the door just now, and inquired how I was succeeding. I told her I was writing to Young People. She said that letter-writing was a very fine variety of composition. ”

“ For a long time Jack had been anxious to go out for a day, and shoot about as many animals as would be necessary to start a large menagerie; but until this gun was given him he could not satisfy his desires. Now, however, all was changed, and he began the most warlike preparations.
He found an old powder-horn which would serve to hold his stock of peas, and make him look like a hunter, and the obliging tinman cut him out one of the most ferocious-looking tin knives that can well be imagined. ”

“ The Runt is a common bird, and the easiest of all his tribe to keep. The chief varieties are the Roman, Leg-horn, Spanish, Friesland, and Frill-back. The first is the largest, and the last the most singular of the species, since the feathers seem to grow from the tail toward the head.
The Nun is a nice little bird, with a tuft of feathers at the back of the head, and it is from the shape and color of this that the varieties are known as the Red, Black, or Yellow headed Nuns.
The Archangel is dark blue and copper-color, and is a good bird for the dove-cote. ”

“ How he does love to catch mice and rats! He'll stand up on his hind-legs and beg me to open the store-room door when he hears a rat inside. I've taken Young People ever since I was seven. On my last birthday papa gave me a pony and a bridle, and mamma gave me a saddle. I have no brother, and only one sister, who is married, and has a home of her own, and the cutest little baby boy. I lived with them over two months while mamma was at Hot Springs. She is at home now, and quite well.
Kate Knox H. ”

“ If there is any trouble in keeping the birds at home, or if they persist in flying back to their old quarters, do not clip their wings or pull their tail feathers out, for both practices are barbarous. Instead of doing that, clean the dove-cote thoroughly, and sprinkle the floor with lavender, assafœtida, or anything that gives forth a strong odor. A sweet, cleanly house, with good food, will make home bodies of your doves more quickly than anything else, and once they begin to build a nest, there will be no longer any difficulty in persuading them to remain. ”

“ The Tumbler-pigeon may be of any color, and his antics in the air, as he turns all sorts of somersaults, are very funny. There are many varieties of these pigeons, such as the German Feather-footed, the Baldpate, Short-faced, and Almond, while according to their color they are known as Rocks, Blues, Checkers, Silvers, Duns, Kites, Reds, Yellows, Buffs, Drabs, Mealies, Gray-mottled, Blue-black, Strawberries, and so on through every shade and combination of color. ”

“ Sailing vessels carry either square-sails or fore-and-aft sails. A square-sail is one the head of which is "bent" or made fast to the jack-stay—an iron rod on a yard. Fore-and-aft sails, instead of being bent to yards, are mostly supplied with a boom or gaff, or both. The lower corners of square-sails are called clews. The fore-sail and mainsail are often called the courses. Sail is seldom carried on the cross-jack (pronounced krojik) yard, the lowest yard on the mizzenmast. ”

“ Certainly it is a very easy matter to keep pigeons or doves, for they are pets that require but little care; but this care consists in something more than putting them into a box that is nailed to the side of the building, and then allowing them to get along as best they can by themselves.
The dove-cote should either be placed on a pole at such a height that it can readily be reached with a ladder, in order that it may easily be kept clean, or inside a building with the entrance facing the south, in order that the inmates may, in a measure, be sheltered from the winter storms. ”

“ The chimpanzee told the judge that he had been out with Captain Gorilla and his four comrades since six o'clock that morning, looking for some suspicious-acting animals who had been reported as being in that ward; they had discovered the prisoner, who was armed as his honor could see; he was, at the time of his arrest, looking around him in a singularly cautious manner, and was, to the best of his (the officer's) belief, a dangerous person to be at liberty. ”

“ When the noise ceased, Bill bowed gracefully to Tip as an acknowledgment of his appreciation, and having swallowed that which had been in his mouth, was able to speak more plainly.
"Mr. Babbige, we fellers want to 'gratulate you on gettin' off the Pride, an' more 'specially on comin' to this town, where the fellers will treat you an' Tip as you ought to be treated. We hope you'll stay forever with us, an' never want to go away. Now, fellers, I say three cheers for Tip and Tim Babbige." ”

“ I like to read the letters in the Post-office Box, and also "Tim and Tip." I took Young People to school, and we read "The Cruise of the 'Ghost'" there. I have a Newfoundland dog, whose name is Chuck. His color is old gold. We bought him to help us churn, but our milk now goes to the factory. I get up early in the morning and help milk. There is a little creek back of our house, and I skate there in the winter when it is frozen over. I have lots of fun. I fall down sometimes, but it don't hurt me much.
Clinton H. J. ”

“ The courses, when "set," are kept down by means of ropes leading from the clews fore and aft, called tacks and sheets. Above the courses come the topsails; above the topsails, the top-gallant-sails; and next above, the royals. Some very large ships carry still loftier sails, called sky-sails.
Most merchant ships carry double topsails, one above the other, for greater ease in handling; but on men-of-war, having large crews, single topsails are the rule.
The head-sails are those which the bowsprit and the booms it supports carry forward. ”

“ Doves that are cared for properly will produce from ten to twelve pairs of young each year, and at this rapid rate [Pg 744] of increase it may readily be seen that the young fancier need not buy a large stock to begin with.
Of the different varieties of these feathered pets there are so many that it is impossible to name them all in the space given here; but a few of those best known to fanciers generally can be mentioned.
Among the high-priced pigeons is the Crowned Gouri, which comes from the Indian Archipelago. ”

“ This little chowder welcome ain't all we've got for yer. To-morrer we're goin' to take Tip an' you out in the woods, an' we've decided that the first bear he kills shall be skinned, an' the skin nailed up on Bobby Tucker's father's barn, where everybody can see what your Tip has done. ”

“ But in order that the steamer should be put on her course again it was necessary to back her for some distance, and that was a bit of good luck for Tim, since they moved in the direction taken by Tip. Tim could see Bobby at the extreme point of land that jutted out into the sea, urging the dog to increased exertion, and aided by all the boys who were on the wharf at the time Tip was thrown overboard, as well as by a number of others who had learned of the excitement by seeing Bobby as he ran around the shore. ”

“ I have a pet dog named Fido. He stands up in a corner on his hind-legs and shakes hands. My sister [Pg 751] and I also have two pet squirrels, who play many tricks. Their names are Bunnie and Jack. This is the first letter that I ever wrote to Young People. I think Jimmy Brown's stories are very funny. I am nine years old. My brother, sister, and myself take Young People together.
S. Belle C.
The following exchanges are offered by correspondents:
Foreign stamps, for minerals. ”

“ When you have written your sentences, come and show them to me."
Harry, after thinking a long while, and scratching out a great deal he had written, finally finished his work to his satisfaction, and copied it out neatly on a clean sheet of nice white paper, as follows: "Boys at school should never idle away their time when at work at tasks their teacher intrusts to them, and for the proper performance of which they are rightly held to account. ”

“ Wheat, oats, or barley should be fed each morning, with plenty of water, and green food if they are confined any length of time. Care should be taken to have the food fresh and clean, and not allow it to decay in the cotes. ”

“ We call it Nantgru.' And so I came by the vase, and on account of these associations I value it."
"Here comes father," said Walter. "Now I'll ask him to mend your vase," and away he ran to meet his father.
"Dear grandpa, how good you are!" said little Mary, standing very close to his chair. "I am so sorry that I broke your vase!"
[Begun in No. 92 of Harper's Young People, August 2.] TIM AND TIP ”

“ The judge thought that perhaps it made no difference whether the charge was actually in the gun or not, since the prisoner had the ammunition in his possession, and then paused as if to consider what the sentence should be.
Jack, who was more frightened than ever before, had had no chance to speak since his trial began, but now he commenced to cry and plead his cause at the same time.
"Dear, kind, good Mr. Lion, if you'll only let me go home, I'll bend the knife all up, an' I won't ever shoot a single pea, except at the side of our barn, where they can't hurt anybody. ”

“ But however many there may be who know, or think they know, exactly how these feathered pets should be treated, there certainly are some who have had difficulty in keeping their pigeons at home, or found it almost impossible to raise any young ones. ”

“ It still lives in the tumbler. People should be very careful about eating apples in the dark.
I have been spending my vacation here, and have had many delightful adventures. I have a few stones, some pressed flowers, and curiosities, to exchange for ores. ”

“ The Deacon isn't the kind of man to throw away anything. That's why he saved up his old well."
Put Boswell must have had his reasons for disliking Deacon Chittenden, from the way he talked [Pg 746] about him; but the whole party was too full of that end of their vacation, and of talk about all they had done since they got hold of it by its July end, and they began to walk on. They walked as far as Beecher's fence, but they were unwise to trust themselves on the rotten top rail all at one time, for Abe Larrabee was just saying, "If there ain't Beecher's prize ram! look at his horns!" ”

“ Barr.
"'She's with me wife in the hut over on the hill, and she's entirely heart-broken with the loss of her father, sir.'
"'We must do something for her at once,' said my kind-hearted friend. Then turning to the man: 'Jump in; we are going to drive up to the hut.'
"We drove on at a brisk pace, while the man related his sad story.
"'You see, sir,' he began, 'the storm got so fierce, and the water riz so high about the cabin, that I told Betsey to get the children ready and we'd take to the boat. ”

“ One night not long ago, however, their father gave them some words which puzzled them greatly to combine into sentences. Here they are: Abdicate, Bequeathe, Planned, Design, Encroach, Foresee, Glory, Hero, Impassioned, Jeopardy, King, Laurel.
How many of the readers of Young People can make them up in good sentences? Let them try, and we promise to tell which we consider the best, and to show them the sentences Harry's father made from the words.
TENDER CONSIDERATION.
"Oh, don't make faces at him, Effie! ”