One of the delights of reading these old magazines are the letters that come from the original readers: letters from the city and the country, from territories that are now states and from foreign countries. The children chat about pets, parents, travels, and other events in their lives in a style that seems quaint to us now, but which was considered polite then. Note that one little girl lives in "Indian Territory" as did Laura Ingalls Wilder, and talks about "lofer wolves" as Laura did.
Evanston, Ill.
Dear St. Nicholas: Your March number came today, and I have just been reading the story of "Denise and Ned Toodles" [a serial story about a little girl and her pony] to my little brother. I read the beginning of that story in a number of 1896, and I wished that I could hear some more about dear little Ned Toodles, and I thought if my sister, brother and myself ever got a pony we would call him "Ned Toodles." Last fall we got a pony, but he was already named. His name was "Nid"; it is n't a pretty name, so when your last number came with the story of Ned Toodles in it we changed his name. His full name is Ned Toodles Marshall, now. I think that Ned Toodles in the story must have been very much like our Ned. He knows when you let the oats out of the chute and neighs in a deep voice. Papa says he has a bass voice. Wishing you prosperity, I am your devoted little reader,
Mary S. Marshall.
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St. Louis, Mo.
Dear St. Nicholas: Hal and I have taken you for three years. There are three children in our family, Hal, myself, and my little sister Dorothy. I am thirteen, and as it is little Dorothy's birthday she wanted "sister" to write to St. Nick. She looks at all the pictures in you and enjoys you as much as I do. Hal is too young to read, but he gets me to read all the stories to him; he is a dear little brother and Dorothy is a sweet little sister. As I am the oldest, mother depends on me to amuse the children, and dear old St. Nick, if it were not for you I would have a much harder time amusing them. Hal is not easily content with rough games, for he is a delicate child and cannot romp much, as it tires him; but he is getting stronger every day and we soon expect him to be able to romp a great deal. Your loving reader,
Lilian Isabel Dunlee.
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West Chester, Pa.
Dear St. Nicholas: West Chester is not far from Valley Forge, where Washington and his army spent the winter of 1777-78, and is also near the place where the Battle of Brandywine was fought, and the Americans were defeated. There is an old meeting-house near it, which was used as a hospital during the battle. A few years ago a monument was erected in memory of Lafayette.
Wishing you a long life. Your interested reader,
Rachel M. Dunn.
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Pittsburg Landing, Tenn.
Dear St. Nicholas: Perhaps some of your readers will be interested in a letter from the famous Shiloh battle-field, which is now being converted into a National Military Park. The object of the Government is to restore it as far as possible to its original appearance.
It is a very usual occurrence to find relics of the war — as bullets, grape-shot, pieces of canteens, and others too numerous to mention. One day a farmer in plowing a field plowed up a gold ring, which was lost during the war, and which is now in my uncle's possession. It consists of three hoops which open and close. When closed it forms two hands clasped; when open it shows two hearts beneath the unclasped hands. It is very odd and pretty. Another interesting relic was found in the bed of a small stream. It was a musket, in a fine state of preservation. The location of the camps can be readily seen, although it has been so long ago.
Ever since I can remember, I have spent a part of every summer on Lookout Mountain with my grandmother, who has a cottage about two hundred yards from the old Cravent house, near which the Battle above the Clouds was fought. This place has recently been purchased by the government.
Your interested reader,
Laura McMillin.
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Marietta, Indian Territory.
Dear St. Nicholas: I am a littls girl seven years old. I live out here in the Indian Territory. We used to live in Tennessee, but came here to live with our aunt.
This is a wild country. They have storms here often in the spring, and "Lofer" wolves live in the woods, not very far off, and come into town sometimes when they are hungry.
Trees hardly ever grow in this country. We never see the real Indians where we are, here in Marietta. This is not a very big town, and there are not many stores in it.
There are lots of poor people out here, and the few rich ones own all the land. One man owns forty miles of land. We go out to "Sheegan," a little creek, to fish, but rarely ever catch anything; but we enjoy the bathing. There are just lots of pecans out here; we went out one afternoon, and gathered two bushels.
Your little reader,
Maggie Taylor.
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San Francisco, Cal.
Dear St. Nicholas: I have just finished reading the February number of your matchless magazine, and though my family has taken it for fourteen years, the idea of writing to you entered my head for the first time this evening. Though at present I am staying with my aunt in this city, my home is at Kavului on the island of Mami. It is a rather barren country in the vicinity of the town in whose outskirts we live, but the other side is covered with palms, bananas, and agaves. It also teems with most beautiful birds and butterflies. But there are many dangerous insects, such as centipedes, though there are few people harmed by them. The town is built on the barren side because there is a bay there. It is a very poor one, though, being protected only by a sunken reef. From the summit of the island you can see on the horizon the peak of Mount Loa, from which a thin column of blue smoke is constantly ascending. On the other side can lie seen the green hills of Molokai, the lepers' island. It is truly a grand sight — the calm blue Pacific and the islands in the distance. I think the Kanakas are awfully nice people, they are always laughing and singing, and their language is soft and pretty. They spend half their time in the water, and can swim almost as soon as they can walk. Sometimes you can see the shore strewn with brown babies rolling in the water. I spend a good deal of my time in the surf, too. We swim out to where the waves begin, and then we let ourselves be washed in on boards to the beach. I have a parrot named "Kamehameha"; he speaks Hawaiian and English; he seems to admire his name, for he shouts it all day long. Last year my uncle, who is a lieutenant on the "Oregon," brought me a horse from Honolulu. I called him "Lio," which is the native name for horse. I am very fond of him, and I give him a bath every day in the ocean. I am collecting stamps, especially from Hawaii and the United States.
I receive the St. Nicholas, which my aunt sends us every month, with delight, and read every word from cover to cover, advertisements and sewing-page included.
1 am going to return to my island in March. Hoping this letter will be printed, I am,
Your reader and admirer,
Geoffrey Eastman.
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Flat River, Mo.
Dear St. Nicholas: I am a little boy six years old, and I want to tell you about my locomotive. I have a nice long track made of wooden tires and iron rails. My locomotive, with the exception of the wheels, which are iron, is made of wood and painted black. It is ten feet long, including the tender. It has a cow-catcher, fire-box, bell, water-tank, etc. It does not run by steam, but runs on an incline. Sometimes we make a fire in the fire-box just to have the smoke curl out of the smokestack like a big locomotive. The cab has glass windows in it, and seals on each side, and is large enough for two boys to ride very comfortably in it. I live in a small mining town and have no playmates, so I take my little dog "Gyp," and put her on the seat on one side of the cab, and play she is the engineer, while I shovel coal into the fire-box, ring the bell, open the throttle, and play I 'm the fireman. Sometimes my mama fixes me a nice little dinner in a bucket, and I eat it in my engine-cab, and of course I always divide with my engineer. I also have a neat little box-car, which I can couple on to my engine when I like. The name of my train is "The Tady Flyer." We named it this because my nickname is Tady. We like your St. Nicholas so very much. My papa thinks "Miss Nina Barrow" was a fine story for little folks. My mama liked "Master Skylark," while I like "Denise and Ned Toodles" best of all. I do hope you will like my letter.
Your little friend,
Taylor Dryden.
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Ama, La.
Dear St. Nicholas: I have been one of your readers for quite a while, but I never have written to you.
I am thirteen years old, and I live on the Mississippi River, about twenty miles from New Orleans, among several fine sugar and rice plantations. I don't suppose that many of the readers of St. Nicholas ever went to a sugar-mill, or tasted of the sweet, juicy sugar-cane.
We live on a very pretty place with great trees all around the house. I go to the little country school, about a quarter of a mile from where we live.
One of my friends wrote to you once, and you published his letter, which was about rice-growing.
I do not see many letters from Louisiana, so I hope mine will be printed. I will close now. Good-by to you and your readers. Your best friend,
Stuart Landry.
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Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Dear St. Nicholas: My sister and I have taken you for ten years. Just think! We do not think that you are too young for us. I believe we go over you about three times before we stop reading one number. We have lately had three or four years of your magazine bound; and in looking over the back numbers I found some very pretty letters from little French children.
My sister and I were born in Texas, although we live North now. My sister is at boarding-school in New York. When she came home for her Christmas vacation, she collected all the autumn numbers of St. Nicholas and read and read, so that she could keep up with the continued stories.
Your loving reader,
Pam Noble.
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Mason City, Iowa.
Dear St. Nicholas: I have taken you for about three years, and have enjoyed yon immensely. I will tell you about my home. I live in a large, square house on the bank of Willow Creek. I have a large toy boat, which sails very fast. We have real good skating here. I take lots of pleasure in it. I have a wheel and am riding about all the time in summer. I am ten years old, and go to Sunday-school and Junior League. I go to the public schools here. In two weeks it is promotion time, and I pass into the sixth grade. I started in school when I was about seven years old. I am progressing very rapidly. I have a pair of bob-sleds, and have great fun coasting. I am interested in all your continued stories. I read a great deal. I remain your ever-ready reader,
Oscar B. Mathews.
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Compass Terrace, Taunton, Somersetshire.
Dear St. Nicholas: My brother Gussie and I dearly love your jolly little magazine. We have read it for three years, and we think "Master Skylark" the beautifulest tale ever printed.
Our papa is a newspaper man and so is away from home nearly all day. One day in summer our mother took us to the "Shire Hall" for the afternoon. We were sitting under a tree when a rook flew overhead and dropped a piece of cheese out of its bill right before us. My little sister Margery, who is very fond of cheese, and not allowed to have it at home, at once toddled up to it, picked it up and ate it, although it was not very clean! She always thinks he brought it purposely for her. She is not yet three years old.
Gussie and I would rather do without sugar in our tea and milk on our porridge than miss your bright stories.
Good-by, dear St. Nicholas.
Your loving readers,
Gus and Mamie McAuliffe.
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San Francisco.
My Dear St. Nicholas: I have taken you ever since I was a very little girl and am now in my teens. I am spending this winter at boarding school, and you are such a comfort when I feel homesick. My home is very beautiful and quite near the coast. From the tops of the surrounding mountains you can see the ocean and the towns for quite a distance, and on very clear days the Sierra Nevadas. I have four pets — a pretty black horse, a donkey, two cats, and a dog. The donkey is a very meek looking little fellow named Bismarck, but though he looks so gentle he has many of his namesake's traits. The dog is named "Sonny." He is a little fox-terrier and very bright. I remain
Your faithful reader, R. H. M.
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Chlumetz, Bohemia, Austria.
Dear St. Nicholas: We are nine children: the eldest is a boy; he is called Feri and he is staying at the university at Cambridge; then we are half a dozen sisters: Glona, Margit, Sita, Alice, Nora, Hanna, and again two little brothers, Norbert and Zdenko-Radslaw. Papa is one of the best gentlemen-riders in the land and he has won a great many steeplechases; he has a large racing-stable and it often happens that he also drives race-horses, which is very amusing. I drove them myself and people find me very reckless. Our carriage turned over several times, which was very exciting. We are all of us riding and our horses took sometimes the bit in their mouth and threw my sisters in a detich. We have also lots of dogs, and there is a black poodle called "Solo" which belongs to me. We have been living in Bohemia for three years, and before that time we lived in Hungary. I got your magazine as a Christmas present; I like it very much indeed and I think it so interesting. Hoping to get you many years longer,
I remain your loving read,
Countess Sita Rinsky.
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Rio, Brazil.
Dear St. Nicholas: since my first letter was received, I will write again about Rio. The harbor of Rio is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. At the mouth are two forts, one on each side. It is full of islands, and is about 16 1/2 miles from north to south and 11 wide. On entering, we see a tall rock or mountain that is called Surag-Loaf, and another mountain called Corcovado, or Hunch-back. The summit is reached by a cog-wheel engine with a car attached. Papa and mama once walked to the summit of this mountain, when the railroad was not yet built. The cars in Rio, except a few electric ones, are pulled by mules. Copa-Cabnna is a long beach where there are many beautiful shells. The sun shines on it nearly all day. There are four large public gardens, including the Zoological and Botanical.
I remain, sincerely, your friend and reader,
Taylor Bagby.
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