WALTER'S PUNISHMENT. AMMA, dear, when | Harry went off to school. Mrs. Leigh "A penknife, Walter! What good would it be to you?. Penknives are only made for gentlemen like papa, and for big boys like Harry." "I do wish I were big now. But I will try to be happy, mamma, and wait patiently. I am sure you know best." So Walter kissed his mamma, and went to bed. The next morning, as Walter came down to breakfast, he happened to happened to look into his brother's room. Harry had gone down a short time before, and had left his knife on the dressingtable. The sight was too great a temptation for poor little Walter. little Walter. He ran into the room and put the knife into his pocket, saying to himself, "As soon as Harry has gone, I will cut the stick I found yesterday." He was not quite happy, though, for two reasons. In the first place, he was very uneasy lest his brother should miss his knife before he left the house. Another source of anxiety to the little boy was that he knew he was not being quite truthful to his kind mother. She had said the night before he was too little to have a knife. So that, though he could not quite explain why, he had the feeling that he was doing something wrong. At last Seating himself on a footstool, he brought out the knife and began cutting most vigorously at the stick. He was seated with his back to the door, and so intent upon his work that he had not perceived the entrance of his mother, who was quietly watching his proceedings. Walter, forgetful of everything else, went on cutting, when, sad to say, the knife slipped, and, instead of going into the stick, went quite deep into Walter's hand. "I must not let mother hear me," he said. The sight of the blood, however, alarmed him so much that he covered the wound with the other hand and sat quietly sobbing. At last he discovered his mother's presence. She came up and looked at the cut, gently bound it up, and then inquired how Walter had come into possession of the knife. Walter told her the whole story, and ended by saying, "You were right, mother dear, when you told me I was not old enough to have a knife of my own." Mrs. Leigh kissed him, and told him how sorry she was that he had brought such trouble upon himself, but that she would forgive him because she knew he would never be so foolish again. Walter made up his mind never again to deceive his mother, or to use anything that did not belong to him. OUR LITTLE FOLKS' OWN PAGES. ANSWERS TO PICTURE PAGE WANTING WORDS (p. 192.). FIRST PRIZE STORY. T was a beautiful spring morning, about the middle of May. How different London looked, now that it was no longer enveloped in fogs! and how lighthearted its people felt as they went about their business, knowing that the great sun smiled down upon them! So thought two boys, as they trudged down one of the fine squares at the west end of the metropolis. "Come along, Chico, old fellow, we must try and get some more money to-day, must we not?" This was said by the elder of the two, as he tied the string on to his monkey, while the smaller of them, a handsome little Italian of about eight or nine years old, took a trumpet out of his pocket, and began to call attention by blowing on it. Soon a crowd collected round them, and the performance of the monkey began. 64 Giovanni, look; don't you see there a nurse with a baby?" whispered Pedro, in rapid Italian, pointing to a foreign-looking nurse, with a little girl standing behind her, for fear of the monkey, and a crowing baby in her arms. "Yes; what of that?" answered the other. "Why," said Pedro, in faltering tones, "it is-it must be-I am sure of it-Lucia !" At this moment the monkey had begun to show signs of getting tired of performing, so the younger boy, Giovanni, took round a little plate to collect money. At last he came to the nurse, stared hard up into her face; she also gazed into his, and whispered, "Giovanni." "Oh, Lucia! it is you, then," he joyfully exclaimed; "our long-lost sister!" And then also Pedro came up, and you may imagine what happiness followed. Lucia, Pedro, and Giovanni were the three children of some Italian peasants. The father was a wicked, harsh man, who never cared or thought much about his children. One night, when Pedro was eleven, and Giovanni about six, he came in, looking very sullen, to where they were eating their supper. The meal proceeded in silence, when Giovanni, who was a roguish little fellow, suddenly said something, which was not meant for impertinence, but the father, taking it for such, got very angry, rose from the table, and going up to the boy, took him by the collar, tore open the door, and pushed him out into the darkness. "Come here!" he shouted out to Pedro, who was looking very frightened; "you may go too, and keep him company, and mind you never let me see your faces again!" After many hardships, and begging their way, they reached the sea-coast, and there secured a passage to England. Once in that country, they set about doing something for their maintenance. Accordingly they bought a monkey, which they named Chico. It proved a great success, and by that they got their living. But what of Lucia? Soon after this her mother, who was always a great invalid, became worse, and the loss of her boys proved too much for her, for she died a few weeks after. So then the home was broken up, and Lucia thought she would go out to service in England. She was recommended to a very nice Italian lady who wanted to settle in that country, and so took her as nurse to her children. She lived there happily for two years, till she met her brothers, and so delighted was she at seeing them, that she desired once more to return to Italy, and make a home for them there. So, when they had earned enough money for the voyage, they all went, and, as all stories end, lived happily ever after. N one of the small towns of Italy there lived a family of the name of Campanelli, consisting of father, mother, and two boys, aged fourteen and ten respectively. They were poor, but industrious people. Being kindhearted and affectionate, it grieved the two boys to see their parents working so hard to maintain them. "Orlando," said Carlo, the eldest, one morning, "if we could only get to London I believe we could earn money in a little while to send home." "I am willing to go," said Orlando; "but how can we get there?" Carlo thought for a few moments, and then replied, "I can take my old flute" (which he played with considerable skill) "if you will sing; in that way we can beg our way." "I will do my best," said Orlando; "but I am afraid mother will never consent to part with us." "Leave that to me," said the elder boy. Accordingly that evening Carlo told the old people his project. He met with great opposition, but at last persuaded them to let them go, by promising to soon return with lots of money, which would enable them to spend their old age in peace and rest. So one fine day the mother packed the few things they possessed, not forgetting Carlo's old flute, and bade the little adventurers "good-bye" with many tears. It took them a long time to reach Paris, that beautiful city; and they still had a long way to go. They had often been tired and hungry, but had never lost courage. Or lando's sweet voice had done them good service, causing many people to be kind to them on the journey. At last they arrived at Boulogne, and Carlo found a kindhearted English captain was willing to give the boys a berth in return for their musical services. Just before reaching Folkstone, the steamer they were in came in collision with another boat. During the confusion which ensued Carlo saw a poor little monkey struggling in the water; he immediately jumped overboard to rescue him. One of the sailors threw a rope to assist the brave boy, and soon they were both safe on the deck. Neither of the vessels being much injured, they were able to proceed on their journey; and, as no owner could be found for the monkey, he was given to Carlo, and, like Whittington's cat, he proved to be a great fortune to the friendless boys. He soon became quite attached to his little masters, who called him Jacko, and taught him many wonderful tricks. Upon arriving in London, they tried for some time to get employment, but without success, and began to think it was not so easy to make a fortune as they had imagined; and, as the little money was nearly spent, they were compelled to return to their old occupation of playing and singing in the streets. One fine day in June, while wandering in one of the suburbs of London with little Jacko, who looked quite smart in the hat and feathers which Carlo had bought him, a little girl, being alarmed at the sight of the monkey, went behind her nurse, who was carrying her baby brother, for protection. "Don't be frightened, little missy; he won't hurt you," said Orlando, in his pretty broken English. The nurse, learning from them that they had hardly tasted food all day, took them home to her mistress, who was a very benevolent lady. Upon hearing their story, she asked them if they would like to be her servants. They were delighted at the offer, and at once said, "Yes." The time went by; and our little friends grew into good, useful men. They were still with the same lady, Mrs. Shirley; for they had served her so faithfully that she never wished to part with them. They had never forgotten the promise to the old people in Italy, and often helped them with small sums of money. Upon hearing of the death of their father, Mrs. Shirley gave Carlo permission to bring his mother to England, where she spent the remainder of her life in a neat little cottage near her two faithful sons. First Prize (One Guinea Book), with Officer's Medal of the "Little Folks" Legion of Honour :-MAUDE] BEECHING (14), Duryard, The Avenue, Beckenham, Kent. Second Prize (Seven-and-Sixpenny Book), with Officer's Medal:LAURA CLEMENTS (8), 5. Park Terrace, Lower Park Road, Peckham, London. Honourable Mention, with Member's Medal:-A. BARRY DREW (9), Adelaide Villa, West Cowes, Isle of Wight; MARY E. K. NEELE (15), Dinder Villa, Wells Road, Bristol; HUGH GATEHOUSE (8), North Street, Chichester, Sussex; EDITH M. BENNETT (11), Sparkford, Somerset (for story in verse); ANNIE ISABELLA ROYSTON (144), 3, Warkworth, Park Side, Cambridge; AMY CONSTABLE (134), Court Farm, Court Lane, Dulwich; ADA L. FREIR (11), 57, St. Mary's Road, Peckham, London, S. E.; CHARLOTTE E. WOODS (14), Bank House, Newnham, Gloucester; MARY H. Cox (13), 6, Lansdowne Mansions, Brighton; NELLIE L. PARKER (131), 2. Harewood Street, London, N.W.; FRANCES CLARINGTON (13), c.o. Miss Robins, Mecklenburgh House, Putney Hill, London; GERTRUDE L. WILLIAMS (84), Weston Beggard Vicarage, Hereford. A SAGACIOUS DOG. AM going to tell you about our faithful old dog. His name is Spring, and he is a large black curly one. Once when papa was away, some men came to rob our house in the middle of the night. Mamma hearing Spring bark went out on the landing to see what was the matter. She heard him pulling at something, and to her great surprise he came up-stairs with a big stick in his mouth, which he laid at her feet, to protect herself with; he then ran down to the door again to help her. The men heard Spring, and were frightened, and went away. Spring is very old now, and lies all day by the fire, and I think he deserves it for the service he has done us; do not you? EDITH MARY AUSTIN. (Aged 11.) Holmesdale, 274, Great Clowes Street, AN ALPHABET OF FLOWERS AND FRUITS. G is the gooseberry, for puddings and pies; H the hepatica, blue as the skies; I is the iris, of pale yellow hue; J is the jessamine, the same colour too; O is the orange, whose colour's bright gold. U is the upas, about which fables are told; V is the violet, for scent famed of old : X is xeranthemum, gay to behold; Y is the yarrow, called milfoil by some; SEND you a little anecdote about mice, in case you think it might interest any of the readers of LITTLE FOLKS. A short time ago, at the house of a friend, the drawing-room piano, which was in constant use, became out of order, and by degrees some of the notes became dumb. This unaccountable change in the instrument caused a thorough search to be made, and a hole was found in the cloth which formed the back of the piano, and inside a mouse had most cleverly built her nest, which on being examined was found to contain a family of young mice in a lively state. The nest was removed, and the piano restored to its former good condition. Stamfordham Vicarage, Newcastle-on-Tyne. CAROLINE AMY BIGGE. (Aged 13). M RIDDLE-ME-REE. Y first is in table, but not in chair; My second in couple, but not in pair; My third is in bread and also in butter; My fourth is in speak, but not in mutter ; My fifth is in hound, but not in fox; My sixth is in cabinet, not in box; My seventh in carnation, not in rose ; My eighth is in poetry, but not in prose; My whole is an animal you seldom see; So here I will end my riddle-me-ree. V. H. M. MARTIN. |