TWO WAYS OF PUTTING IT.

The Sultan awoke with a stifled scream: His nerves were shocked by a fearful dream: An omen of terrible import and doubt— His teeth in one moment all fell out. His wisemen assembled at break of day, And stood by the throne in solemn array. And when the terrible dream was told, Each felt a shudder, his blood ran cold, And all stood silent, in fear and dread, And wondering what was best to be said. At length an old soothsayer, wrinkled and gray, Cried, "Pardon, my lord, what I have to say; "'Tis an omen of sorrow sent from on high: Thou shalt see all thy kindred die." Wroth was the Sultan; he gnashed his teeth, And his very words seemed to hiss and seethe, As he ordered the Wiseman bound with chains, And gave him a hundred stripes for his pains. The wisemen shook as the Sultan's eye Swept round to see who next would try; But one of them, stepping before the throne, Exclaimed, in a loud and joyous tone: "Exult, O head of a happy state! Rejoice, O heir of a glorious fate! "For this is the favor thou shalt win, O Sultan—to outlive all thy kin!" Pleased was the Sultan, and called a slave, And a hundred crowns to the wiseman gave. But the courtiers they nod, with grave, sly winks, And each one whispers what each one thinks, "Well can the Sultan reward and blame: Didn't both of the wisemen foretell the same?" Quoth the crafty old Vizier, shaking his head, "So much may depend on the way a thing's said!"

To our Young Friends:

As we can not expect to receive letters from you until you have been notified of the existence of our Post-office Box, we open the correspondence by writing to you, and asking you to think of us in the future. We should like to hear from you upon any subject which may interest you. If you have any questions to ask regarding your studies or your reading, we shall take great pleasure in advising you; or should you desire any information which you can not obtain from books within your reach, we will do our best to aid you. We shall also be glad to hear about your sports, your pets, or about any curious thing in nature which may come under your observation.

You must bear in mind that your communications must be very brief, because there are so many of you that we can not give a great deal of space to any one. We will endeavor to be kind and attentive to each and all alike.

It is very easy in these times to send letters in Uncle Sam's big mail-bag; and when you write on your neat, delicate note-paper, and put the pretty postage-stamp on the right-hand corner of the envelope, perhaps you never think of the way your great-grandparents went to work when they wanted to send a letter. First they took a very large square sheet of coarse blue paper, or, if they were young ladies and fancy-minded, one with a bright tint of pink or yellow. As postage was high, when they had written the pages full, straight across, they would turn the sheet sideways, and write at right angles to the other lines, and then corner-wise, perhaps, with a different-colored ink. There were no envelopes in those days, and the sheets had to be ingeniously folded, so that no curious postmaster could pry into family secrets. There was always a portion of the last page left blank, to form the outside of the letter, which, after being folded and directed, was sealed with a big red wafer. It was then ready to be started off the next time the stage-coach came through the town, for there were no railroads in those days, and often the mail-bag was carried miles and miles on horseback through wild regions where now the steam-engine whirls along with its long train of cars.

It was not necessary in those days to prepay the postage, which was much dearer than it is now. There were no postage-stamps, and big figures were written or stamped on the outside of the letter to denote the cost of transportation. In those times it often took weeks to send a letter to places where now only a day is required.

Do any of you know the name of the man who first thought of the great benefit cheap postage would be to the world, and can you tell something about the great work he accomplished in that direction, and when and where he died?

Our Post-office Box is now open for your contributions, which we trust will be neatly and correctly written, because an editor's eyes have a great deal of important work to do, and ought not to be employed in deciphering illegible writing.

Trusting that our acquaintance may be pleasant and lasting, the editor bids you welcome to the pages of Harper's Young People.

THE ORPHANS.

A Boy who is not fond of fun and frolic may possibly make a tolerable man, but he is an intolerable boy.

An Irish lover remarked that it is a great pleasure to be alone, "especially whin yer swateheart is wid ye."

If a man's horses should lose their tails, why should he sell them wholesale?—Because he can't retail them.

"I'd just like to see you," said a blind man to a policeman who told him he would lock him up if he didn't move on.

A little girl of four years was recently called as a witness in a police court, and in answer to the question what became of little girls who told lies, innocently replied that they were sent to bed.

When a certain King of England visited Scotland, many years ago, the following conversation took place between two countrymen:

Sandy. "Weel, Jock, hae ye seen the king?"

Jock. "Oh ay, I hae seen the king; but I wadna gang the length o' the street to see him again. He's just made like ony ither mon, an' they tell't me his arms were a lion an' a unicorn."

A Quandary.—If a boy should catch hold of your ear, and ask if he had the wrong pig by the ear, would you answer yes or no?

A melancholy Case of Suicide.—A naughty little boy, having been threatened with a whipping, immediately hung his head.

A little girl being asked by her grandfather where cotton grew, replied, with the greatest simplicity, "In old gentlemen's ears."

A man who lisped, having bought some pigs, asked a neighbor for the use of a pen for a few days. Said he: "I have jutht been purchathing thome thwine—two thowth and pigth. I want to put them in your pen till I can fix a plaith for them." "Two thousand pigs!" exclaimed the astonished neighbor; "why, my pen will hardly hold a dozen!" "You don't underthtand me, Mr. Bent. I don't thay two thouthand pigth, but two thowth and pigth!" "I hear you," said Mr. Bent; "two thousand pigs! Why, you must be crazy." "I tell you again," exclaimed the man, angrily, "I mean not two thouthand pigth, but two thowth and two pigth!" "Oh, that is what you mean, eh? Well, the pen is at your service."

LETTER PUZZLE.

First in long, but not in short; Second in hop, but not in malt; Third in Ellen, also in Anne; Fourth in wagon, not in van; Fifth in fun, but not in sport; Sixth in teach, but not in taught; Seventh in ale, but not in stout; Eighth in bawl, but not in shout; Ninth in mould, but not in sand; Tenth in water, but not in land. In these rhymes there may be found A living poet much renowned.

What is it that always has some hitch about it?—A harness.

Which is the most contemptuous bird?—The owl; he hoots at everything.