urrah! for the army blue and gold.

Hurrah! for the lad so brave and true,
In cadet gray or in army blue.
On his heart he wears his country's name,
And his hand will keep her spotless fame;
In gray or blue he is just the same--
Hurrah! for the lad in gray or blue.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: OUR POST-OFFICE BOX]

The following communication is from a member of an old and well-known
publishing firm in this city:

NEW YORK, _April 28, 1880_.

_Messrs. Harper & Brothers_:

GENTLEMEN,--When you announced your intention of making a paper
for the young, I must own I felt a little sorry. I had always
believed, and believe still, that HARPER'S MONTHLY was the best
magazine in the English language, and HARPER'S WEEKLY the best of
all illustrated papers; but it is so hard to make a periodical for
the young--the number of people capable of editing such a
periodical being extremely small--I felt it must be a failure, and
so for a good while I gave it very little attention. I have a boy
of seven, and another of five--bright boys, of course--and I have
read every line (almost) of three late consecutive numbers of
HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE; and I must say, if these are specimens--and
I have no doubt they are--it is as complete a success in its own
way as the MAGAZINE and the WEEKLY. I am not sure whether the boys
or their papa were most interested. The only fault I see in it is
that it increases the difficulty of getting the children off early
to bed.

I congratulate you on having a paper that will do as much good as
any paper or periodical published in the world.

* * * * *

GRAHAMVILLE, FLORIDA.

I live on the Oklawaha River. The Silver Spring is six miles from
this place. We live at the edge of the hummock, and see many kinds
of birds and flowers. A little bird has built its nest in one of
our hen's nests. I have one brother. His name is Philip. I will be
seven years old in May. We cut down a palmetto-tree yesterday. The
cabbage, which is the tender part at the end of the tree, is good
to eat. The bud I brought home, and am curing it to braid for a
hat. It makes a pretty hat that looks like straw. Some people here
use the palmetto leaves for fans or brooms. They are very large,
and have long stems. The small leaves m