cones to keep off a whole flock
of crows. They are afraid of making themselves ridiculous, I suppose.

ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.

Now then, my dears, here's a capital chance to show your knowledge of
history. Who can answer this question?

Boston, Mass.

DEAR JACK: Will you please ask some of your chicks to tell me when
the ancients left off, and the moderns began?--and you will greatly
oblige. F.

LUMBER AND TIMBER, AGAIN.

The Little Schoolma'am says that "timber" generally means "felled
trees," but is used sometimes to describe trees that are yet standing
and growing; "lumber" means timber that has been made ready for use, by
sawing, splitting, and so forth.

E.M. Ferguson, J. Harry Townsend, Lillie Stone, J. Dutton Steele, Jr.,
and N.Y.Z. all sent correct answers; but Virginia Waldo, G.V.D.F., and
"Max" were only almost right in their replies.

THE LETTER-BOX.

The answers to Mr. Cranch's poetical charades, published on page 406 of
the April number, are as follows: I., Carpet, car-pet. II., Bargain,
bar-gain. III., Pic-nic, pick-Nick. IV., Nightmare, night-mare.

* * * * *

A large number of correspondents kindly point out that the poem
entitled "The Nightingale's Mistake," printed in the March
"Letter-Box," is also called "The Singing-Lesson," and was written by
Jean Ingelow.

* * * * *

Clayton, Iowa.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I thought I would write to you to tell you about
our little town of Clayton. It is a beautiful little place, of
about three hundred and eighty inhabitants, situated on the
Mississippi River. There are two large flouring-mills, two
saw-mills, and a large hoop factory here, where all kinds of straps
and hoops are manufactured by machinery. First, the poles are sawed
into certain lengths; then they are taken to the splitters, to be
split. They are then taken to the planers. After going through this
process, they are bunched into bunches of fifty each. Then they are
ready for shipment. They are made of hickory, white oak, and birch.

It is very pleasant to take a boat-ride on a summer eve, with the
banks on either side of you covered with long green grass, and
flowers of nearly all descriptions bending down into the water,
while in the woods all kinds of birds are cluttering and
chattering, and the ducks are quacking around y