ot to one of the commissioners in London. Jack
Horner, a poor lad, was chosen as the messenger. Tired, he rested in as
comfortable a corner as he could on his way. Hungry, he determined to
taste the pasty he was carrying. Inserting his thumb into the pie, he
found nothing but parchment deeds. One of these he pulled out and
pocketed, as likely to be valuable. The Abbot Whiting of Mells was
executed for having withheld the missing parchment. In the Horner family
was discovered years afterward the plum that Jack had picked out, one of
the chief title-deeds of Mells abbey and lands.

[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX.]

Our heartiest thanks are due to our youthful readers who have sent us
pretty and gracefully written New-Year's wishes from all parts of the
United States. We would like to print every one of these welcome
letters, but they are so numerous it would be impossible. Our young
friends, however, may be sure that whether we print them or simply
acknowledge them, they are alike pleasing and gratifying to us.

* * * * *

Robie Lozier (eleven years) writes that he punches a hole in his _Young
People_, and ties the numbers together with a ribbon, adding the new
numbers as fast as they come. This is an excellent suggestion, as it
preserves the numbers from getting scattered and lost.

* * * * *

SOUTH EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

I have a little canary-bird. He is quite young, but is a beautiful
singer, and almost always when he sings he says, "Pretty, pretty,"
so plain you could not mistake it. He is also very tame, and when I
let him out of his cage he comes and stands on my shoulder, and
hops around me. If I put my finger in his cage, he gets very cross,
and waves his wings and pecks at me, and makes a queer noise as if
he were scolding.

EFFIE T. (twelve years).

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I am a little girl nine years old, and I live in Southbridge,
Massachusetts. I see that one little girl has written about her pet
pigeon. I have a pet squirrel. He is so tame he will run all over
me. Last summer we let him run out in the front yard, and papa put
him in a tree, but he would not climb it. Papa has subscribed for
_Young People_ for me. I like it very much, and look forward with
pleasure to the time for it to come. Thank you for making it
larger; it is