know. To carry out these
methods one wants sticks, blocks, slates, slats, colored balls, and
other things easy to make and cheap to buy, the use of which is
pleasant to teach as well as to learn and practice.

I bought lately a full set of Kindergarten apparatus such as I have
named, and sent it to a little niece of mine in California, and the
dear little one writes to me that she has had much happiness and
enjoyment out of it. I hope some of your young friends will try the
experiment and let me know what success they have.--I am, dear
Jack, yours affectionately, A LITTLE SCHOOLMA'AM.

KAFFIR IRONING.

You all know how ironing is done here--with flat-irons, I think
somebody said. Well, the birds tell me that the Kaffirs of South Africa
don't use flat-irons, but have quite another way. They make the clothes
into a neat flat package, which they lay on a big stone. Then they just
dance on the package until they think the clothes are smooth enough! It
must be good fun to them! Luckily, Kaffirs don't wear cuffs and frills.

SLIPPERS FOR HORSES.

Where do horses wear slippers?

Now, my chicks, this is not a conundrum. So you need not be chirping
out, "On their feet, of course;" or some foolish answer of that kind.
The real answer is, "Japan,"--at least, so I'm told, and there are such
numbers of other queer things there, that I don't wonder it is so.

Well, Japanese horses wear straw slippers,--clumsy-looking things, I
should say. But, besides that, they stand in their stables with their
heads where American horses' tails would be! Perhaps Japanese horses
like to see for themselves what is going on?

"Where is the food put?"

Why, in a bucket hung from the roof, of course. Where else, would you
suppose?

[Illustration: ON THE ICE.]

THE LETTER-BOX.

Fair Haven, Vt. 1877.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Two of my sisters and myself have taken your
magazine ever since it was published, and like it very much. I am
glad Miss Louisa M. Alcott is writing a story for your magazine, as
I am very fond of her stories.

I have read, "Eight Cousins," "Rose in Bloom," "Little Men,"
"Hospital Sketches," "Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag," and "Little Women,"
myself, have been called "Meg, Amy, Beth and Jo." My oldest sister
Ada, who is sixteen years old, is the "Amy" of our family; My
little sister Stella, who is eleven years old, is well skilled in
mus