e. Only
think, they might choose double-almonds, or something of that kind!

But don't allow yourselves to be cast down about it, my dears. Try to
keep up your spirits, and remember that, if the worst comes to the
worst, good children will never be so plenty that people will cease to
appreciate a good child. That's a bit of solid comfort for you, any
way.

LUMBER AND TIMBER.

Which of you can state the exact distinction, if there is any, between
lumber and timber, without consulting the dictionary?

QUEER NAMES FOR TOWNS.

Now, what am I to do with this? If the Little Schoolma'am sees it, she
may want to give the boys and girls of the Red School-house a new sort
of geography lesson, or perhaps a spelling task to her dictation. That
would be a little hard on them: so perhaps I'd better turn over the
letter to you just as it is, my chicks.

Washington, D.C.

DEAR JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT: Here are the names of some towns in the
United States. They are so funny that I send them to you, and I
hope you will like it. Do you think the Little Schoolma'am would
know where all these places are?

Toby Guzzle, Ouray, Kickapoo, T.B., Ono, O.Z., Doe Gully Run, Omio,
Nippenose, Eau Gallie, Need More, Kandiyohi, Nobob, Cob Moo Sa, We
Wo Ka, Ty Ty, Osakis, Why Not, Happy Jack, U Bet, Choptack,
Fussville, Good Thunder's Ford, Apopka, Burnt Ordinary, Crum Elbow,
Busti, Cheektowaga, Yuba Dam, Dycusburgh, Chuckatuck, Ni Wot, Buck
Snort, What Cheer, Forks of Little Sandy, Towash, Sopchoppy, Thiry
Daems, Vicar's Switch, Omph Ghent, Peculiar.

I have found a great many more, but these are the queerest I could
pick out.--Yours truly,

WILLIAM B.

ANSWERS TO RIDDLES.

Here are two answers, out of the three, to the riddles I gave you last
month: TOBACCO, and CARES (Caress). The archbishop's puzzle has been
too much for you, I'm afraid, my dears. I'll give you until next month.
Then we'll see.

THE LETTER-BOX.

Washington, D.C.

DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Not long ago I read in your delightful magazine
a poem, entitled "Red Riding Hood," by John G. Whittier. It
recalled to me some visits which I made to the great and good poet,
my friend of many years.

My acquaintance with him began when I was a school-girl in Salem.
Then he lived in Amesbury, on the "shining Merrimack," as he calls
it, with his sister, a most beautiful and lovable p