Harper's Young People, August 3, 1880 Part 6

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

My mamma raised four canaries this spring. The first one mamma had to feed, and it is very tame. We are training it to do tricks.

When our birds are sick and do not sing, mamma gives them "Dr.

Gunning's Universal Bird Tonic," and it always restores their song.

I have two gold-fish. I did have three, but one died, and I buried it in the yard, under the Madeira vines.

BLANCHE T. S.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

I tried Louisa W.'s recipe for Everton taffy, only I added half a tea-cupful of water. I like it very much.

Here is a recipe for white candy: Two cups of white crushed sugar; three-quarters of a cup of water; one table-spoonful of cream of tartar. Boil quickly, trying a little in water occasionally until it crisps. Then add half a tea-spoonful of soda. Pour it in a b.u.t.tered pan until it is cool enough to pull. I am ten years old.

MAY J.

I love YOUNG PEOPLE very much. Soon as papa brings it home I read it to my two little sisters. We are very much interested in "The Moral Pirates." I am ten years old, and I go to school every day.

Can any one tell me if the flamingo is of any use?

Here is a recipe for the cooking club. Marble cake--light part: One and a half cups of white sugar; half a cup of b.u.t.ter; half a cup of sweet milk; the whites of four eggs; two and a half cups of flour; half a tea-spoonful of soda; one tea-spoonful of cream of tartar or one tea-spoonful of baking powder; beat the eggs and sugar together, mix the cream of tartar with the flour, and dissolve the soda in the milk. Dark part: One cup of brown sugar; half a cup of mola.s.ses; half a cup of sour milk; the yolks of four eggs; two and a half cups of flour; half a tea-spoonful of soda; half a tea-spoonful of clove and of cinnamon. Put a layer of the dark batter in the pan, then a layer of light, until the pan is full.

I should like to exchange pressed flowers with any little girl in California.

MYRTA GATES, Clarion, Wright County, Iowa.

Everything has its uses in the great economy of nature, and although we can not always see why it is necessary for certain things to exist, we may be sure that they were all created for some purpose. The flamingo, however, is useful as an article of food. In certain parts of Egypt and the East roast flamingo is considered very delicate eating, and in ancient times a stew of flamingo tongues was a royal dish. It is also a very beautiful bird. Travellers say there is no sight more magnificent than a flock of scarlet flamingos wading in the green waving water gra.s.ses, hunting for their breakfast in the morning sunlight. The flamingo, if it could speak, might answer your question in the words of Mr. Emerson, the poet:

"Tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing, Then beauty is its own excuse for being."

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

I am nine years old, and I wish to send the cooking club a recipe for "one-two-three-four cake": One cup of b.u.t.ter; two cups of sugar; three cups of flour; four eggs; half a cup of milk; the grated rind of one lemon; a pinch of salt; one tea-spoonful of royal baking powder.

CLARA S. A.

NEW YORK CITY.

I have taken YOUNG PEOPLE from the first number, and I think it is a very nice paper. I like to read about the pets of the other children, and I will tell them about a pet cat I had when we lived in Chicago. Her name was Daisy, and as she was black and white, we thought it a pretty name for her. My little brother Jack had a pair of bantam chickens. One day when Daisy was asleep in the yard the rooster flew on her back and picked her left eye out. Grandma, who was in the yard at the time, told the cook to bring Daisy in, while she went for her feather and goose-grease, and put some on the wounded eye. The next day it was healed, but the sight was gone. Once when Daisy had some little kittens she put them in a hen's nest. When the hen came into the nest she would keep the little things quiet by pecking them on the head if they cried. The kittens and chickens grew to be great friends. They would eat out of the same dish, and when night came they would all go to the chicken-coop together. The kittens slept in the nest, and the chickens on the roost. Were they not a happy family?

BESSIE G.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

I am very sorry I forgot the flour in my recipe for apple-cake in Post-office Box, No. 37. There should be enough prepared flour added to make a stiff batter. It is better to bake it in a shallow pan.

L. GRACE P.

KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

I think "Across the Ocean" was a splendid story. I read it all.

But now I like "The Moral Pirates'" the best.

I have forty-six pet rabbits. They all have black eyes and black ears. And I have two kittens which are very pretty. Their names are Tiger and Malt.

WALTER H. P.

My sister and I have just tried Kitty G.'s recipe for b.u.t.ter-scotch, and found it very nice indeed.

We are making a collection of postage stamps, and would like to exchange with any correspondents of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE.

ALFRED HUSSEY, 23 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford, Ma.s.sachusetts.

I would like to exchange birds' eggs with any one living in the South or West.

F. n.o.bLE, Milldale, Connecticut.

Lula Barlow can preserve eggs by piercing a small hole at each end of the egg, and blowing out the inside. Eggs can be sent safely by mail in a box filled with cotton.

I would like to exchange postage stamps of different nations with any of those correspondents asking exchange, or with any other readers of YOUNG PEOPLE.

HARRY DUBBS, 229 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

I would like to exchange specimens of woods indigenous to this climate for those of other climates, specimens to be about three inches long by three-quarters of an inch thick, and to have a knot in them if possible. I have cypress, magnolia, mimosa, Cottonwood, althea, p.r.i.c.kly ash, fig, crepe myrtle, sweet-gum, and black-gum.

Correspondents willing to exchange will please send me a list of what woods they can obtain, and their full address.

BERY C. BROWN, Jun., P. O. Box 870, Little Rock, Arkansas.