My brother and myself have a little pony that is real cunning. I was riding the other day, and a boy threw a snow-ball at her, and she ran after him just as fast as she could go, and he had to jump over a fence. The pony throws me off every time she gets a chance. I put my arm out of joint a few months ago, and it is not strong yet. I have a trapeze and some parallel rings. I can perform a great many tricks. The water is nearly as high now as it was in the spring. I was in Milwaukee a few weeks ago, and I saw the place where Matthew Carpenter was buried, but did not go near it. I tried to ride the bicycle that my brother rides, and I don't want to try again. I have a collection of 950 stamps, and I will exchange rare stamps, such as New Zealand, Servia, etc., for rare stamps and coins.
I am a boy just twelve years old. My brother takes YOUNG PEOPLE for Blanche and me, on condition that we shall not read novels. We are having a new iron bridge, which will be free, built across the river at this place. They have four piers built, and still have one more, besides the two abutments, to finish. We used to pay toll across the old bridge, which was carried away when the ice came down the river last spring.
We have good coasting here in winter, as this is only a little country town of about fifteen hundred inhabitants. Our school re-opened in September, and will be in session six months.
I have three sisters and four brothers. Paul, the youngest, is a chubby little fellow of two.
In YOUNG PEOPLE No. 103 I saw a letter from Augusta C., South Glastenbury, Connecticut. This young lady says she hates cats. I should judge that she never had any. I disagree with her entirely. Almost any cat, if fed well and petted, will make as affectionate a little pet as one can desire. I have had a great many cats. When I was a little girl, about five or six years old, I had a very nice pussy, which I named Rose. She was exceedingly good and gentle, and would allow me to dress her in my doll's clothes, and rock her in my toy cradle. I have a very pretty kitten now. She is black, with dainty white paws, and great sleepy yellow eyes. She is very gentle and loving, and purrs loudly whenever I fondle her. I have named her Niketa. I hope Miss Augusta will see that she is mistaken in saying that _all_ cats are treacherous, and "care for nothing but their own comfort." I know of many cases where cats have displayed their love for human beings.