The baby did not say a word, so he boxed her on the other ear, and his other paw stuck fast.
Then he said, "Little girl, little girl, give me a piece of your gingerbread, or I"ll bite off your nose." Still the baby would not answer, so the fox bit at her nose; and his teeth stuck tight in the pitch, and he was almost choked with the tar.
The little rabbits then all came out and danced around the wicked old fox, saying, "Now you can"t choke the pretty brook, for your own mouth is choked with tar!"
At last Frisky asked, "Now what shall we do with him?"
"Leave him to starve," said one. "Set fire to his tail," said another.
And they all proposed something, except Snowflake, the youngest and prettiest of the family, who said nothing until Frisky turned to her and asked, "And what would you do?"
"I should let him go," replied Snowflake, "if he would promise not to trouble the water again."
"Snowflake is right," said Frisky; "he has been punished enough. We will let him go."
So they first loosened his mouth, and rubbed his teeth with b.u.t.ter to take off the tar, and when he had said three times, "Hope my tail may drop off if I ever hurt you or the brook again," they set his paws free, and he scampered off, and hid himself in his den in the wood.
And the little rabbits lived happy forever after.
[Ill.u.s.tration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]
BUFFALO, NEW YORK.
I am a teacher in one of the public schools of this city. I take HARPER"S YOUNG PEOPLE to school with me, and my pupils enjoy it very much.
I have the oldest children in the building, and they can understand all of the pieces. I read them the articles as a reward for good behavior and well-learned lessons, and let them copy and work out the puzzles.
It would please you to see how anxiously they wait for each new issue, and how happy they are when it comes. We are reading the touching story of "Biddy O"Dolan" now, and I hope it will lead them to think more about these unfortunate children, and try to do what they can to make the life of some one a little happier.
Permit me to congratulate you on the success your paper has achieved both here and abroad.
A TEACHER.
PINAL CITY, ARIZONA TERRITORY.
I am a little girl ten years old. I live in Arizona, where the great silver mines are, and where the cactus grows forty feet high. There were only three white families in this place when we came, three years ago. The place was called Picket Post then, because soldiers were stationed here. I have several pets.
Nuisance is my pet deer. She is almost two years old, and is as tame as my cat. She wears a red collar, so hunters will not kill her. Bub is my pet donkey. I love my Arizona pets very much, but not so much as my dear pet grandma, whom we left in Chicago. When papa strikes it rich, we are going home to her.
PEARL R. BROWN.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.
I have had a great many different kinds of pets, but two that amused me the most were Charley, a snow-white rabbit, and Jet, a black kitten. The two were good friends, and played together, and ate out of the same dish. One day bunny stole a large red rose, and came running into the house with it in his mouth, and Jet at his heels. The deep red of the rose, the snowy rabbit, and black Jet made a picture pretty enough to paint. After a while bunny became very troublesome, and ate the paper off the dining-room wall as high as he could reach. Then he was sent away, and Jet seemed lonely for days. Soon after he disappeared, and my pets since have been birds and dogs, but none were brighter and prettier than Jet and Charley.
AGGIE R. H.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.
The alligator I told you about [Post-office No. 19] was finally found in a dark corner of the cellar. It only lived two days after we found it.
PUSS.
ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN.
In a late number of YOUNG PEOPLE, Edwin A. H. wrote about his cabinet of curiosities, and inquired if any other readers had one.
I would like to tell him that my brother and I each has a small one.
F. B. MYERS.
NEW YORK CITY.
In answer to L. H. N."s question in YOUNG PEOPLE No. 20, I would say that the whale is dead.
JOHN R. BLAKE.
CAMBRIDGE, Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.
In YOUNG PEOPLE No. 18 there was a letter from Nellie R. asking what to do for her parrot. In Holden"s book on birds I found if you feed your bird with too rich food, it causes a skin disease and an itching sensation which the bird tries to relieve by pulling out its feathers. The only remedy is to feed it on raw or boiled carrots, or well-roasted pea-nuts.
LYDIA R. F.
NEW YORK CITY.
I would like to have you tell E. L. M., of Washington, that the reason the mouse she used to feed is wild now is because mice are very shy, and when they can get their supper without going in danger, they will not take any foolish risk. Before E. L. M. fed the little fellow, I suppose he was almost starved, and did not think anything about getting hurt.
MABEL H. B.
ENTERPRISE, MISSISSIPPI.
I read YOUNG PEOPLE every week, and I like it very much. I am now reading "Biddy O"Dolan." We have not had any snow and ice here this winter, so we can not make snow images and skate, like our little friends in the North. But we find other ways to amuse ourselves. Our flowers are blooming very pretty. I wish I could give you one of our fresh bouquets.