The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 26, 1896, Page 25

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1896. 25 e U I \":Ul‘(“‘\z‘ s, i & The Queen of the May, Who shall be Queen of the May? Not the prettiest one, not the wittlest oned Norshe with the gown mos ! But she that s pleasante With the pleasantest thi Oh, she shall be Queen of v { all theday through, to say and to do— e May! Now for the stories. Loox sharp for them next Sunday. You have had two weeks in which to write them, and we must have a few days in which to read compare and select the very best ones, Don’t feel badly if yours does not appear. It was fun to write, anyway, and next time yours may be the very best. Again I must ask you to write on only one side of your paper, and do not expeét me to return any manuscript. Make two copies in the first place if you wish to re- tain one for yourself. Before another ““Childhood’s Realm” is presented to you tearful April will have gone and bright, joyous May will be shed. ding her light and love over all, and in the days to come hundreds of children will roam green hillsices filling their arms with dainty wild flowers and their hearts with sunshine and gladness. What Flora Saw When She Went in Search of the Fairies. : “Mamma, I'm going on a tour of inspec- tion this morning. I have been reading how the fairies visit so many little girls, | grant their wishes and all that sort of thing, and as they have never been to see me I am going in quest of them.” 1t was a beautiful morning, so Mrs. Lawrence readily gave her consent. With “*Carlo” for a companion the little girl started forth. *“Now, old doggy,” she said, ““I don't ex- actly know what to do, but 1 have an idea that fairies live near streams of water and think we had better go up the canyon.” Through this canyon a beautiful stream flowed; beautiful enough to be the haunt of the Naiads as it sparkled over its bright pebbly bed, here and there leaping over projections, making waterfalls, or again parting into a ‘trinle stream as it passed some intrusive bowlder. Flora felt hal ined to give up her pur- suit and play with the soapsuds she saw floating on tHe water, but sne stored that up in her mind as a pleasure for some future day and continued her search for fairy land. | *‘1 suppose, ‘Carlo,” she said, ‘‘we shall have to make inquiry concerning the abode of these tiny creatures, for I can see Do sign of their whereabouts. “Look, there is a red-breasted ‘sap- sucker,’ listen to its tap, tap, tap on the top of that old stump! Maybe he, too, is hunting to find just what we are.” She cautiously approached, but before she could put her question, the sap-sucker flew off. She next saw a swallow flitting hither and thither, his breast of violet green glowing most gorgeously as it caught the bright sunlight, but his appearance was superior to his manners, for he paid not the slightest heed to Flora’s questions, only continued his ceaseless darting to and fro. She was not yet discouraged, however, end when she heard the sweet notes of a thrush, she exclaimed: “Surely that must be the musieian who farnishes sweet notes for the nimble-toed folk whom I seek,” so she slipped noiselessly into the thicket, but the warbler, baving finished his sonz, took flight, and the litile girl was left with nothing to do but wonder about his mis- sion. Carlo glanced at his mistress with looks which said, *'I, too, share your disappoint- ment.” “Never mind, old boy, we shall try once more,”’ murmured the child, gently strok- ing his shaggy coat. “There is a mourning dove; it has known disappointment also, and will surely sympathize with me, if nothing else.” Apvroaching the dove with a great deal of reverence she was about to state her business when the bird flew away, still crooning her mourniful lay. “I don’t be- lieve she knew anything of fairies, any- way; sheis so very mournful she would give even them the blues. ““Yonder is a saucy blueiay, but I shall not question him, for I well know our little fays would never, never confide their secrets to such a chatter-box, nor to that group of chirping blackbirds, either. i by Ort Wiy day long and it must make the most o that day. Mamma will think the fairies have carried us off, so we must hasten homeward. “We have spent a very pleasant day and have seen many pretty things, even if we did not find the magic spot where the queen of the fairies holds sway.” ALICE SILL. (To be continued nezt Sunday.) Jakey, the Mine Mule. Jack was a ‘‘mule-whacker’” in a coal mine near Braidwood, in Illinois, and FLORA LOOKING FOR THE TINY CREATURES. “List, Carlo, list; surely this is a mes- senger from fairy land!’”exclaimed Flora, with her eyes riveted on a brilliant hum- ming-bird, mouth open, sipping dainty | swoets from blossom here and there, but alas, ere she could utter another word the exquisite creature darted off, leaving her spellbound by its dazzling beauty. “I confess now, dear old doggle, that I am worn out for to-day. I really believe that little winged creature could have given me the knowledge I so long to pos- sess, but it seems to think that life is but a “WAS IT [Reproduced from *Our Liltle Ones.”’] ot ALIVE?” IJakey was a fawn-colored mule. Jakey | was such a small, long-eared, thin-legged | mule that he looked more like a donkey, | but he could pull a loaded minecar full of | biz lumps of soft coal out to the shaft as | well as any mule in the stabla, { When Jack’s fourteenth birthday came | his father told him that he must go to | work to help support the family, This pleased Jack immensely. He had never been to school and he could scarcely tell one letter from another, but he knew every road and working in the mine, He could explain how the coal was dug out, loaded in small cars and hauied to the | “bottom,” where it was run on to the “cage,” as the elevator was called, hauled to the top, dumped over the tipple and into the big coalcar, which stood on the switch track. 8o he felt as happy as though some one had given him a suit of clothes when he walked to the office with his father to talk to the “‘pit boss.” *‘All right, John,” said the great man ‘“‘take Jack below and we will make a | m{l‘lel;wbx}ckekr of h}i]m.” Vhen Jack, with a new lamp which | looked like a tiny coffee-pot withpn wick | sticking out of the spout, reached the bot- toi there stood Jakey trembling and staring with frichtened eyes into the darkness. He had just come down and the mule ‘‘boss” prinned when he told Jack to take Jakey to the stable. S The stable was as queer a stable as could be found. It had walls of coal and shale, a roof of shale and a floor of clay, and it was lighted with a miner’s blinking lamp. Nearly twenty mules stood quietly in the stalls when Jakey was brought in, but as soon as they saw him they began iickinz and squealing and making’ a great noise. This seemed to give Jakey courage, for he ut his long ears back, kicked up his little Eind hoofs and squealed back at them. The.mule boss grinned again when he he heard Jakey's squeal and said: ‘‘He’s all right, Jack. He'll stand it.” And Jack stepped up to Jakey, put ona bridle and led him down the road to the place where his father and brothers were working. The first doy was a hard one for Jakey and Jack, for Jakey was obstinate and frightened and sometimes Jack lost his filled with broken timbers. He heard a whinny, then a squeal and the noise of hoofs kicking against wood. ‘Jakey,” Ee cried, “Jakey,” and again he heard the whinny. After searching for a time he found his hat with the lamp still hooked in the front. He lighted the wick. Then he wrapped his bloody fore- head with a Eiece of coat lining and started down the main road toward the stable. He crept under and through the broken timbers and clambered over the heaps of coal and shale and “gradually worked his way to the stable. The roof had fallen down and killed every mule in the place excelk)t ll:gtle Jakey.isnd he was squealing and kicking energetically against some bognrds that had fallen in ii-gsnll‘ Jack put his arms around Jakey’s neck and cried, anda_Jakey rubbed his head against Jack and nibbled his coat. Sud- denly another crash cameand Jack and Jakey were shut in by great masses of earth and coal, for the roof of the main road bad fallenin. For two days and nights Jack and Jakey were prisoners. The air became so foul that Jack could scarcely breathe it, and after a time he felt sleepy and then he knew nothing more until he opened his eyesin his own room at home, with his mother bending over bim. “Oh, it is dreadinl,’’ said his mother. ““There are ten men killed, but none of us, none of us; and Jack, you, too, would have been dead by the gas if Jakey had not brought the men to you. He squealed ana kicked so that they heard him, and they thought perhaps some one might be alive neariim. So they worked hard and dug temper and whacked him with his leather whifi until his arm was tired. Butina weel Jaw was the quietest mule in the mine. hen he had been below six months his rough bair had grown soft and silky as the hair of mules does when they are kept in a mine for a long time, and he and Jack were the best of friends. One morning Jack had just reached the bottom ready for work when a terrific blast of air knocked him down. Instantly the boom of an explosion followed and the mine was full of dust, smoke and gas. Then the rock came roaring and tum- bling down around Jack’s head. A huge piece of shale struck him and he lost con- sciousness. He lay there fora long time, and when he opened his eyes all was black darkness. His head and arm felt heavy and wet and he knew that he was hurt. But he was delighted to find that he could stand and walk astep ortwo, | although he knew that the shaft. was out the stable road, and there was Jakey, “Jack Put His Arms Around Jakey’s Neck.” squealing and kicking, and you right under him. But he was careful not to step on on or hurt you.” ”: Jakey, theyherm was brought to the sur- face and never went below again, He was hitched to a cart and hauled props to the shaft, with Jack for his driver.—Chicago Record. Too Little and Too Big. To-day I asked my mamma if T could whittle, Yes [ did. “Oh, no: my girlie,” sald she, “you're too little,” S0 she did. But Tom stepped so hard right on my toe I cried, T did. She sald: “Oh. yoi're too big & girl to cry out so.” That's what she did. Why can't [ cry if I am little? Or, it I'm big, why can’t I whittle?—Exchangey The Polite Cavtain. One of the large New England coasters has a captain who is noted for his extreme politeness. He is aiso impressed with a great idea of his own importance, ana loses no opportunity of impressing it on his crew. One day a new hand was shipped, and, being evidently en old salt, was given the wheel. The captain came up ana put the usual question, “*How’s her head?”’ *“Nor’ by east,”” was the gruff reply. “My man,” said the captain, *'on this craft, when one of the crew speaks to me. he gives me a title of respect. Let me relieve you at the wheel, and then you take my place and ask me the question. I will then show you how it should be an- swered.” They accordingly changed places. “How’s her head ?” ronrcg the tar. “Nor’ by east, sir,”’ replied the captain, with emphasis on the “sir.” “Then keep her so, my man, while I take a smoke,”” was the startling rejoinder from the old repro- bate. For the first time on record that captain lost his temper.—Golden Days. A Natural Boy. “Don’t want to be a statesman, Don't want to study hard; Sooner spin my bright new top, And play around the yard. “Don’t want to be 8 Webster, Don't want to be a Blaine} Sooner play at ‘[ndian,’ And tomahawk the slain. “Sooner be ‘just Willle, With kites and games and toys; Sooner be allowed to run, make an awfal nolse.” COBNIE L. BABTLETT. The Care of a Watch, Tew people seem to realize what a deli- cate instrument a watch is. This is shown by the fact that nine men ont of ten per- sist in winding their timepieces at nignt, when they retire, instead of when they get up in the morning. According to a well-known watchmaker, the winding *“We Will Make a Mule-Whacker of Him” should be done in the morning, so that the spring shall be at its strongest tension during the day, when the watch is more liable to jolts and shocks of various kinds. At nignt the comparatively weak sprin, will have nothing to d)sturg it. A watcl should be oiled every eighteen months, It might run years without lubrication, but the wear and tear on the works will in the end work devastation. The watchmakers are also rejaiclnF in the fad for women’s watches, especially those who do a great deal of re‘rairing, The average woman may be depended upon to meglect her watch, particularly in the small detail of winding it. In proportion to the number sold, there are twice as many women’s watches brought back for repairs as men’s, The April Rain, Soft comes the April rain to bud and flow And tender grass—the shrinking violet - Unharmed receives the gently faliing shower, And scarce her petals by 1ts gift are wet: | The bluebell, peeping from the trellised bower, Holds u her tiny goblet to the sky, o Till on its rim a dainty pear! is s such as the Indies cannot give, nor buy. Hid in the fragrant blossom sits the bee, Secure: the orfole forgets his melody, And trails his scarlet wings, his ebon bill Uplifting gratefully: and, as I look, the hilt Is bathed in sunlight; ceased th gentle rain, ‘And bird and bee take up their song again. % RoBERT £. KODEX In Youth'’s Companton, Why Dogs Turn Around. Every one has noticed the peculiar habit of all dogs in turning round several times before lying down. This funny habit is believed to be due to the ways of the wild animal, which found it necessary to turn around its bed of weeds or grass several times in order to break the vegetation down to make a comfortable resting-place. An Early Riser. A mother, commending her daughter for a situation, was asked if she was an early riser, ‘An early riser!”” she exclaimed. ‘“Well. I sbould think so! Why, she’s up in the morning and has breakfast ready and makes all the beds before any oneelse is up in the house ?”’—Youth’s Companion. St Very few girls are numbered among Ps. stamp collectors. It seems very odd that the girls have no desire to share the pleasure of gathering stamps with their brothers. It is certainly a pleasing and easy occupation. ‘The rarest stamp in this country at the resent time is said to be the 20-cent St. iouis of 1845; value quoted at $3000. PUZZLES I From the following quotation the vowels and the letter s have been dropped : (@) ndrth prdng chtnt tr Th vlig mthy tnd Th mth mghty mn h Wih Irg nd nwy hnd, nd th mel £ h brwny rm rurng rn bud. (b) WHo is the author ? 1L Iam composed of letters three, And on the way I am to thee; My dress and jewels are bright green, With life and joy I tairly peam: My first is found in milés away, My second you see in pleasant day s My third in Yankee Doodle gay, ‘And aiso in this simple lay. JIL (a) What city in the United States should be called “Red City?” (b) When is a small boy like a terrible disease? (¢) Why should we never look for rain on the Sabhath? (d) When may silver be used for dress trimmings?— [From exchange.] IV. Transpose the letters of a short measure- ment and get & portion of the face. V. What holidays come next month? Correct answers to puzzles of April 1 I. Bat, cat, vat, mat, sat, rat, hat, Pat, fay, tat. IT. (a) Still, stall; (b) broad, bread. III. Boil, eoil, foil, toil, soil. 1V. Pirate, irate, rate, ate. Y. VI. Abraham Lincoln. Correct answers for April 5 received from Dora Crawford, Hallie Parmenter, Pearl Moore, Lizzie Malone and Hazel Brock. For April 12 from Roy E. Warner, Charles A. Loring, Myra " Houx, Julian Wright, Oscar AnFilley. Hilda Lippi, Alice Bell, Leonora Malone, Blanche Williams, Mamie Connolly, Gerald Malone, Hazel Bell, Augusta Williams and Elinor Merril. For April 19, from_Alice Bell, Liliie A. Maskow, Laura Sablatschan and Hazel Bell. CENTERVILLE, Alameda County, Cal., April 20, 1896. Dear Editor: Iam endeavoring to write you my first letter. I like the children’s page very much. Papa takes THE DAILY CALL, but I never Jooked at it till to-day, and I thought I would like to write to you. Igo to school every day. Iam going to be 10 years April 27, and hope to have & birthday party. MAYME SANTOS. Nicasio, April 20, 1896. Dear Sir: My papa takes THE CALL. I am one of the first ones at the postoffice on Sun- days to get our paper. Ienjoy reading Chil- dren’s Realm. Tonly wish there wasa page for little folks every day. I havea little sister named Gertie. She is 5 years old. I hopeI will see my letter in Sunday's CALL. Your lit- tle friend,” CHARLIE MCNEILL (9 years old). SAN Francisco, April 14, 1896. Dear Editor: As this is my first letter to THE CaLL, although we have taken THE CALL for quite a long time, I would be much obliged to you if you would publish it. You will find a story about the picture in Sunday’s paper here. Your loving friena, WILLIAM NIENBURG. 818 Waller street. BERKELEY, Cal., April 14, 1896. Dear Mr. Editor: 1 wrote you before, and was very glad (o see my letter published. We had our pictures taken at school, and they all came out very nicely, Iam 13 yearsold. My birthday is on Decem- ber 2,50 Iam a little Winter Bird, but stiil I am called Spring Chicken, which of course T am not. My brother’s name is Edouard, but his nickname {s Doctor. Last summer I went to the Sandwich Islands. It is very hot there. I learnt how to swim while I was there. The fruit and flowersare all very nice. T have got a bicycle, and I can ride it too, It 1s lots of fun ridiug. The fruit in Berkeley is quite small and green and the fruit trees all look fine. I have tripped the trolley and shot the | 1 | Madam, (4) Practice makes periect, (5) Litile As f dazed by In This Doris, with the “ Rose o pretty, Tell me somethin What the an This 1s what the y To the child wi his s wh.at the an We love of Che [jose }ue eyes vetled with mist vision bri garden bed, on bended knee - 15 what our els said to | When they dressed you allin rea. @ light yht : Doris said, golden head: talk to me, sweet and true, ow 5@?'[ and low, as silver bell With cadence sweet that rose and ower h hamr o]g 92'5 When They decked us all nred ou, we love And now sweet el ell tolc ! old ard ou f, with eyes so blue And hair of gold The tale again to you s told We o'u; welove you el it chutes. I like the trolley better than the chutes. It is great fun to go whizzing through | the air. The first time I went on them I was | a little bit scared. 1 hope to see my letter published in the Sun- day paper. T will now close. Iam yovr little friend, JEANNETTE B. WooDs. Lo, Cal., April 13, 1896. Dear Editor: We are cousins and our folks | take THE SUNDAY CALL. We always read the | children’s page, and as we have never seen any letters from our town we thought we would | write. Our ages are 9 and 10 years, and we g0 10 school. Hoping to see our letter in nextSunday’s | CALL, we remain your little friends, PEARL WALLACE and | NELLIE NORTON. | NEVADA CITY, April 18, 1896. Dear Editor: 1live near the mountain town of Nevade City. Almost every one thinks it is a pretty place, being nestled in among the high hills and lofty pines. Our principal in- dustry is mining, and I expect a good many of the boys and girls who read THE CALL would | think it a great treat to visit our mines and go | down into the “depths of nature” and see how | the gold is extracted. I send the answers to | the puzzles: (1) Boat, (2) Sscramento, (3) | beginnings make big endings. Iam 12 years old and walk a mile and a half to school. | Yours truly, LesTER KIRKHAM. CHIco, April 14, 1896. Dear Editor: Thisis my first letter to you. | ITam 7 yearsold. I was born here and have lived here ever since. This is considered a very pretty town. It is sometimes called the “City of Roses,”” because they grow here to | anted as hedges and in perfection. They are sometimes gl between shade trees. I take great pleasure in reading Childhood’s Realm. My papa does not 1ake THE CALL, but 1 hope he will soon. Your little friend, LuciLLE CLARK. FARMINGTON, Cal., April 13, 1896. Dear Editor: 1 never have seen any letters written from this place so I thought I would write. My papa takes THE WEEKLY CALL and I read the children’s page and I like it very much, | I have seen very many letters written and so I thought I would write for my first time. This is all for this time. We have a garden and I will describe it next time. I hope to see it printed in the next CALL. Your reader, ICHTER, age 12 years. Som LLE, April 17, 1896. Dear Editor: My stepiather takes THE CALL. I read the children’s page in the Sunday’s pa- per. I send a little story I have written about the picture in last Sunday’s paper. It is my first atory. I hope you will not throw it in the waste-basket. 1shail be very much pleased to see it in your paper. Your little friend, Dorrre KINGSLEY, 8 years old. ‘VALLEJO, Cal., April 16, 1896. Dear Editor: I would like to write a few lines about Valiejo, my home. It contains from 6000 to 7000 inhabitants, and was named after General Vallejo, who founded it. The county derives its name from Solano, an The OId U, S. S, Hartford as She Now Lies Awaiting Repairs at Mare Island. [Drawn by Douglas Fraser.] Indian chief, who lived here].with his tribe years ago. Solano County is noted for its fruits, which are sent East in large quantities, South Vallejo nas a flourmill which ships flour to nearly every country in the world. Lying about a half mile west of Vallejo, 1n San Pablo Bay, is Mare Island Navy-yard. It was called Mare Island from the fact that in early days once, when General Vallejo was taking a load of horses 1n a barge to Vallejo, s S T e | DATLY CaLL. the barge upset and all the horses were drowned but one mare, which swam to Mare Island, hence the name Mare Island. Mare Island furnishes work for about 600 men at present, but there have been 1000,men at work atone time during the last year. There are a good many Government vessels, some undergoing repairs, in the bay. One of these is the old Hartford, which served in the Civil War as Admiral Farragut’s flagship. Iinclose a sketch of the old Hartford as she lies alongside of the wharf at Mare Island. DovGLAS FRASER, age 12. 8AN FraNcIsco, April 14, 1896, Dear Editor: This is my first letter to you, I am a boy 9 years of age. My papa takes THE I enjoy the Childhood’s Realm very much. I go to the Edison Prima; School. I can read very nice. Sometimes write letters to friends in'the country and the{ say L write pretty good. 1 hope you will thin it is good. I will now close, hoptng to see my letter in print next Sunday. Your friend, BERTRAND FARREL. SAN FrANcIsco, April 13, 1896. Dear Editor : Ilike THE CALL very much. I think it is better than the Examiner. Wetook the Examiner for a long time, and then we changed to THE CALL and I felt very badly, but when Sundey came, and when I looke over the paper I found the children’s page I | was very happy. Iam alittle girl 10 yearsold, | ana I hope my letter will be printed {n the pa- per next Sunday. I wish the children’s page ‘was every day. Yours truly, ADA CHAPMAN. April 11, 1896. Dear Editor: This s my first letter to THE CarL. I have a pet bird. It will sit on my finger, kiss me, walk up the ladder, go to sleep and sit up in my hand. I must close now, Loping to see this in next Sunday’s CALL. Your faithful reader, REBECCA PAYNE, age 11 years. 41 Northeast Sixth street, corner of Couch, Portland, Or. VISALIA, Cal, April 12, 1896. Dear Editor: My papa takes THE CALL and every Sunday I enjoy reading the children's page. My papa got his left leg broken and I have the work to do. I have been trying to get the puzzles, but I could not succeed until te- day. Ithink that i have got the answer to the fourth one, itis thus: Construe this puzzle: “Time and tide wait for no man.” Please pub- lish thisin THE SUNDAY CALL. Your reader, SusiE HoG. ged 12 years, 3 months. “Children,” said the teacher, ‘tell me the name of something belonging to the animal kingdom.” Carl instantly raised his hand. *‘What is it, Carl?”” ‘A little wurrum,” said Carl. The teacher smiled. **Who can give me the name of another animal?’ Carl’s hand fairly ‘“‘wiggled” with excitement.* Well, Carl?'’ **Another little wurrum "’ Lucy, aged six years, fell and hurt her arm very badly and when she went to bed her mother tried to bandage the injured place. Soon the hittle one was heard call- ing: ““Mamma, this bandage isn’t in the right‘place, I fell down higher up than that,” Teacher: “Suppose you were king, Tom- my, what would you do!” Tommy: “I’d never wash my face any Sald Jim: “As down the street { walked A mortar trough I spied. I slipped, fell in, and, do you know, I felt quite mortarfi ed !’ It is very uncertain when glass was first employed for the transmission of light and other oplical purposes, or how long any of the nations of Europe have enjoyed the benefit of glass windows. Parkes says the best buitdings in Herculaneum had win- dows made with a sort of transparent tale. fl York, druggist has this sign hanging outside his store; it marks the new era of drug selling, Is it any wonder that he has to enlarge his quar- ters, that his clerks are busy, and that his store is one of the most popular along the leading thor- oughfare? ou can afford to trade “We are very close friends, but 1 hate him by ni.h!.’: with a druggist that has such a motto as that,