ld keep their hands off the Cretan
trouble, as they have had a time of it under the Turkish rule. I
hope the Cubans will gain their freedom, don't you? Your respectful
reader,

JOHN H.
SALEM, OREG., April 10th, 1897.

DEAR JOHN:

The Cretan matter seems nearer solution now, and it is to be hoped that
all the trouble may result in better conditions for the people of the
island.

I certainly do hope the Cubans will gain their freedom, for I think
their cause is a just one.

EDITOR.

DEAR EDITOR:

Mrs. B---- takes your paper and she reads it to me every time it
comes. I hope you will have more about Cuba this week coming than
you did last week. I hope that Spain won't get her $40,000,000. I
also hope that next time when the Greeks retreat from some place
they will do it better than at Larissa. I wish that there were some
more about the big Python. It is nice that Mr. Havemeyer has got a
Little Venice on Long Island. At the Tennessee Centennial it must
be fine fun to go up in those cars! I hope that Mr. Mayer will get
out of Germany before he will go into the army. Do you think that
America can get him out? I hope so. I wish that your paper would
come two or three times a week instead of only once. I hope to get
one or two subscribers next winter, for I am going to school, and I
will ask the boys there. Please put this letter in your newspaper.
I hope Mr. McKinley will send some American men to Cuba, and I do
hope that Spain will have lots of Carlist troubles and South
Africans too. I hope that you will get _lots_ of subscribers.

Wishing you very good luck to your paper, I am ever

Your interested reader,
H.T.

DEAR H.T.:

Our country promises to take care of all her citizens, and so we have
not the slightest doubt young Mayer will be properly looked after.

As soon as our Ambassador in Germany has given the German Government
satisfactory proof that young Mayer was born in this country, there is
very little doubt that he will be excused from serving in the German
army.

You are a very good little boy to be so full of sympathy for Cuba, but
you must not wish any harm to Spain--for that is _not_ good of you. You
must remember that