Various

“ Desperation lent her strength to drag the long, heavy ladder from the barn and to raise it to the low kitchen roof. A moment later she pattered over the flat tin roof to the window—only to find further evidence of her mother’s caution. It was closed and latched.
Then, in spite of her courageous soul and her fifteen years, Sidney gave up to a tearful despair for a few minutes. Down upon the tin roof she sat, huddled close up in the corner, and, bowing her head upon her knees, wept silent tears of mortification. ”

“ We admit, moreover, that no highly improbable fiction is healthy as a regular diet. But we do assert that for a child of undeveloped imagination—one who is inclined to take the world too literally—there is, perhaps, nothing better than a well-written fairy-story. It tends to awaken that faculty of the brain which gives life half its pleasure. What, again, can better counteract the thoughtless cruelty of childhood than such a story as Black Beauty? ”

“ The stableboy of the Three Oaks Inn had been in perfect training every day of his active life. Lon was lazy, and had to be fairly driven to work by his father. He would much rather roam the woods with a gun and dog, or go fishing, than do those tasks which fell to the share of the other lads of the neighborhood, and leaping and running, and frolicking with his friends in their off-hours, had not hardened his muscles as Hadley’s toil hardened his. ”

“ And, Adrian, lad!”
“Well, Angelique?”
“This is the truth. Remember—when the heart is sore tried the tongue is often sharp. There is death—that is a sorrow—God sends it. There are sorrows God does not send, but the evil one. Death is but joy to them. ”

“ There came a sound unlike anything Polly had ever heard; it was not exactly a bell; she couldn’t imagine what it was. Miss Hetty held out her hand with a smile, and Polly, still with Snip and Snap on her shoulders, was led out of the library, across the porch hall to a big, sunny dining-room. On the table, at Miss Hetty’s place, stood a strange thing with three bronze cups upside down, a little one highest up, one somewhat larger under it, and one still larger at the bottom; at least that was the way it looked to Polly. ”

“ Jonas said, drawing a long breath, “and you were certainly lucky to make such a powerful friend, Hadley. Why didn’t you join the army? You’d make a good soldier, and perhaps get to be a captain, or something. Men rise quick from the ranks now-a-days.”
“You know very well why I cannot enlist,” Hadley replied, gravely. “If Uncle Ephraim should tell me I could go, I might feel as though I would not be breaking my word by enlisting. ”

“ Hanging around a place like that would spoil anybody’s morals. I’m surprised at you, Hadley—and your mother was a good woman. And for you, who were born a British subject on English soil yourself, to help these crazy colonists along—”
“But I believe they are right, uncle, just as you believe the king and the king’s men are right.”
“Pah! pah!” exclaimed the old man, savagely. “What does a boy like you know of such matters? You have hung about that Jonas Benson, and his inn, which is a hotbed of rebellion, so long that you talk like a lawyer. ”

“ To the amazement of the watcher, there came from the depths of the woods a sound that always thrills the pulses of any hunter—the cry of a moose-calf, accompanied by a soft crashing of branches, growing gradually louder.
“So they tame even the moose—these wonderful people! What next!” and as Adrian leaned forward the better to watch the advance of this uncommon pet, the next concerning which he had speculated also approached. Slowly up the river bank stalked a pair of blue herons, and for them Margot had her warmest welcome. ”

“ Man is almost the only animal who does that. It’s all terrible, seems to me. Everything preys upon something else, weaker than itself. Sometimes when I think of it, my dinner chokes me. It’s so easy to take life, and only God can create it. But uncle says it is also God’s law to take what is provided, and that there is no mistake, even if it seems such to me.”
But there Margot perceived that Adrian was not listening. Instead, he was watching, with the intensest interest, the closer approach of the canoe, in which sat idle Pierre, holding the reins of a harness attached to his aquatic steed. ”

“ It is like that mist over the island, which I can see and feel but cannot touch. Pshaw! I’m getting sentimental, when I ought to be turning detective. Yet I couldn’t do that—pry into the private affairs of a man who’s treated me so generously. What shall I do? How can I go back there? But where else can I go?”
At the thought that he might never return to the roof he had quitted, a curious homesickness seized him.
“Who’ll hunt what game they need? Who’ll catch their fish? Who’ll keep the garden growing? Where can I study the forest and its furry people, at first hand, as in the Hollow? ”

“ Rough-leg was one of the hawk family and was really the most agreeable of them. He had never been known to disturb the birds, but made his entire living by catching mice. No wonder, then, that he was greatly provoked when, after he had watched patiently for two hours in the hot sun with the vain hope of catching Meadow-mouse, he learned that the latter had been warned by Bobolink. Although generally good-natured, Rough-leg had a temper and he was very angry at Bobolink for poking his bill into other folks’ affairs. ”

“ There are all those leaks in Manser farm—they’ll get mended if I’m adopted. And this is a beautiful place, and I’m not going to be lonesome, a great girl like me, if ’tis pretty still here. I wonder what Miss Arctura Green is doing: and those kitties, I wonder where they are.”
An hour or so later Miss Hetty held a consultation with Arctura in the kitchen.
“I came down the back way so I should not wake that child,” said Miss Pomeroy. “She hasn’t stirred since she lay down, I verily believe. Do you think it’s natural for a little girl of her age to sleep nearly two hours at this time of day?” ”

“ I dare say you’ll find plenty to amuse you in the house, and you are free to go anywhere. I’m sure I can trust such a careful, quiet little girl as you are.”
When the door that led into Miss Pomeroy’s room across the hall was fairly shut, Polly executed a silent dance on the soft gray and pink carpet.
“I guess Mrs. Manser’d think I was doing pretty well,” said Polly, thrilling with pride. “I never was called ‘quiet’ or ‘careful’ before. She’d hardly believe it. I must be growing like Eleanor pretty fast. As soon as I’ve put away my things I shall lie right down on that bed. ”

“ Naturally observant, she is encouraged in her out-of-door studies by her uncle, at one time a college professor. Through her woodland instincts, she and her uncle are enabled to save the life of Adrian Wadislaw, a youth who, lost and almost overcome with hunger, has been wandering in the neighboring forest. To Margot the new friend is a welcome addition to her small circle of acquaintances, and after his rapid recovery she takes great delight in showing him the many wonders of the forest about her home. ”

“ Hadley Morris, our hero, is in the employ of Jonas Benson, the host of the Three Oaks, a well-known inn on the road between Philadelphia and New York. Like most of his neighbors, Hadley is an ardent sympathizer with the patriot cause. When, therefore, a dispatch bearer is captured on the way to Philadelphia, he gives Hadley the all-important packet to be forwarded to General Washington. ”

“ Alwood, however, little interested in the death of the faithful creature, was searching about the pasture, and suddenly finding a smooth cobble, hurled it with all his might at the kneeling boy. Fortunately, Hadley turned in time to see the action and dodge the stone. He leaped up, and Lon turned tail and ran to escape merited punishment for this cowardly act.
“That fellow hasn’t a spark of honor,” thought the victor of this rather sanguinary encounter. “He can’t fight fair. I’m sorry I killed his dog; but I don’t believe Lon thought of the poor brute at all. ”

“ Polly Prentiss is an orphan who, for the greater part of her life, has lived with a distant relative, Mrs. Manser, the mistress of Manser Farm. Miss Hetty Pomeroy, a maiden lady of middle age, has, ever since the death of her favorite niece, been on the lookout for a little girl whom she might adopt. She is attracted by Polly’s appearance and quaint manners, and finally decides to take her home and keep her for a month’s trial. ”

“ I love him, and I have a notion that love will do anything with anybody or anything. I do believe it will, but that I haven’t found just the right way of showing it. Uncle laughs at me, a little, but helps me all he can. Indeed, it is he who has tamed most of our pets. He says it is the very best way to study natural history. ”

“ Common as the cinquefoil is, it belongs to a noble, even royal, family among flowers—the rose. It is a poor cousin of the garden’s queen.
WITH THE EDITOR
FOR our name we have chosen Youth. This word is the fullest expression of our ambition. It stands for that period of human life toward which the very young folk look forward with pleasant anticipations, and the old look back with something like regret. It contains the suggestion of hope, vigor, and buoyancy—the ideal requisites of America’s young folks. ”

“ We haven’t got time now,” she said, glancing at the clock, “for those cakes have got to come out in a minute, and then I’ll have to fly around; dinner time always gains on me, someway.”
“Do you know anything special I could do to please Miss Pomeroy?” asked Polly, wistfully. “She’s being so good to me.”
“Let’s see,” said Arctura, meditatively. “Why, of course, she wants you to enjoy yourself. I expect she’d be pleased to see you take notice of things like the old shells and so on, and there’s the books; Bobby admired to read, and she always said Eleanor was quite a hand for stories, too. ”

“ To a bird a year is a very long time. Rough-leg knew that Bobolink would have to stop at the Great Meadow on his way south in the autumn, for there he must get his food supply. Rough-leg would wait for him. ”

“ For the month of May we will award a year’s subscription to Youth for each of the best three original puzzles submitted to us before June 1st. The names of the successful competitors, together with the prize-winning puzzles, will be published in an early number of the magazine. Of the remaining puzzles, all of those which show merit will also appear in the succeeding issues. This offer is open to every one. ”

“ If the old gentleman deprived himself of everything but the bare necessities of life, he was careful that his stock was well fed.
The men were mostly lads from neighboring farms, who went home at night, working for their monthly wage for Master Morris because there was not enough to do to keep them busy at home. They cordially greeted the miser’s nephew, for though they were nearly all from Tory families, Hadley was popular with them. Ephraim Morris, however, had but a cold welcome for the stableboy. ”

“ Miss Hetty’s without the gift when it comes to cooking. You wouldn’t believe it, but she’d be just as likely to put the eggs right in after the butter, without beating ’em separate, as any other way. Ain’t it singular?”
“I expect she writes beautiful letters, Miss Arctura,” said Polly, loyally evading the discussion of Miss Pomeroy’s weak point.
“My, I guess she does!” said Arctura, heartily. “That’s it; we’ve all got different talents. ”

“ He was currying down Black Molly in the open door of the stable before breakfast when Colonel Knowles chanced to stroll into the inn yard. The Englishman stopped and stared at the stableboy with a lowering brow. Hadley kept at work, whistling cheerfully, but a little amused at the colonel’s evident surprise, and not at all sure what the outcome of the meeting might be.
“Well, young man!” exclaimed the guest; “you certainly are a youth of mettle to dare come back here after what occurred the other day. Do you know who I am?” ”

“ When the handkerchief is removed the half-dollar has disappeared, apparently dissolved in the water. This very effective trick is accomplished by means of a glass disc of the same diameter as a half-dollar. The modus operandi is as follows: Borrow a half-dollar and while holding it in your hand throw a handkerchief over it. Under cover of the handkerchief exchange the coin for the glass disc which you have concealed in your palm. Now get some one to hold the disc by its edges through the handkerchief, directly over the glass of water. He naturally supposes that he is holding the coin. ”

“ That’s King Madoc, Pierre’s trained moose. You’d be finished yourself, I fear, if you harmed that splendid creature. Pierre’s a lazy fellow, mostly, but he spent a long time teaching Madoc; and with his temper—I’m thankful you lost your gun.”
“Do you never shoot things up here? I saw you giving the fox and herons what looked like meat. You had a stew for supper, and fish for breakfast. I don’t mean to be impertinent, but the sight of that big game—whew!”
“Yes; we do kill things, or have them killed, when it is necessary for food. Never in sport. ”

“ The padlock now lay on the floor, and as Hadley continued to peer into the wide kitchen from around the corner of the door-frame, he saw Master Morris draw back from the mouth of the oven, holding a bag in each hand. The bags were not large, but by the way his uncle carried them the boy knew they were heavy, and when the old man stepped down from the chair and laid them on the table, the listener heard a faint chink as though of metal. “It’s gold!” ”

“ Of course, big girls that want to be adopted can learn to go to sleep in the day-time, just as grand grown-up folks do, and I shall learn as soon as ever I can.”
Polly stepped out on the piazza and walked softly up and down, sniffing the air, and thinking how little fear she would have had of the damp ground if she could have run out barefoot as she did so often at Manser farm: and she gave a little sigh as she looked down at the shiny shoes Miss Pomeroy had brought home for her that morning. ”

“ Four-o’clocks, stramonium, Canterbury bells, phlox, and many other flowers have these one-petaled corollas. Such corollas differ greatly in shape, owing to the length and diameter of the tube and margin.
In the polypetalous corollas we have the rich splendors of roses, from single to the fullest double, where cultivation has changed all stamens and pistils into petals. The polypetalous tribe give us also the lovely, perfume-filled chalices of the lilies; the peas, with their many-colored banners; the charming violets, with their spurred petals; the columbine, with its horns of plenty. ”

“ The dandelions—jolly, popular, child-beloved gold of the spring—have bloomed, and in May the grass is covered with their delicate clocks; we still, in early May, find the oxalis almost making a carpet for the pasture lands or sunny hillsides. When the oxalis grows in damp shade its flowers and leaves are larger and of a deeper color, but the blossoms are fewer. ”

“ Black Molly trotted quietly down the inn yard toward the gate. Just as she was going through this and her rider was about to give her the rein, he was startled by a soft “S-s-st!” beside him. He turned his head quickly and drew Molly down to a walk. A shadowy figure stood at the end of the porch. In an instant Hadley recognized Lillian Knowles, with a light shawl flung over her head and shoulders, and her hand outstretched to him.
A FIGURE STOOD AT THE END OF THE PORCH
“Hadley Morris!” she whispered, “if you are carrying anything—anything you don’t want other folks to see—look out! ”