Table Of ContentThe Project Gutenberg eBook, Chatterbox, 1905.,
by Various
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Title: Chatterbox, 1905.
Author: Various
Release Date: December 15, 2006 [eBook #20117]
Language: English
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***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHATTERBOX, 1905.***
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Copyright, 1878, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1879, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1880, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1881, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1882, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1883, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1884, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1885, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1886, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1887, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1888, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1889, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1890, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1891, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1892, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1893, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1894, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1895, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1896, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1897, by Estes & Lauriat.
Copyright, 1898, by Dana Estes & Co.
Copyright, 1899, by Dana Estes & Co. Copyright, 1900, by Dana Estes & Co. Copyright, 1901, by Dana Estes & Co.
Copyright, 1902, by Dana Estes & Co. Copyright, 1903, by Dana Estes & Co. Copyright, 1904, by Dana Estes & Co.
Copyright, 1905, by Dana Estes & Co.
PRESSWORK BY
COLONIAL PRESS: C. H. SIMONDS & CO.
BOSTON, U.S.A.
Contents
1905.
Page
A Boy's Heroism
179
A Coat of Paint
319
Advice that Saved a King's Life
279
A Fair-sized Field
358
Affectionate Eagles
71
Afloat on the Dogger Bank
188, 198, 202, 214, 218, 226, 238, 242, 253, 258, 266, 277, 285, 291, 300,
308, 317, 324, 334, 342, 346, 354, 366, 374, 378, 386, 398, 402, 410
A Hundred Years Ago
15, 34, 142, 163, 210, 322, 382
A Kindly Visit
3
A Lesson in Steering
127
All Prime Ministers
243
A Monkey's Memory
11
A Mother Rabbit's Courage
122
A Motor-car of the Past
331
Anecdotes
98, 130, 167, 195, 230, 262, 290, 339, 371, 394
Animal Makeshifts
220, 251, 275, 340, 371, 397
An Impression of Zanzibar
391
An Indian Custom
22
An Ocean Policeman
19
An Old-fashioned Grace
109
A Novel Rain Protector
58
A Queer Address on a Post-
card
390
A Peep at Northern Italy
247
A Sparrow's Coolness
183
A Story of Stanley
87
A Stroll amongst Ferns
358
A Strong Motive
299
A Timely Rescue
259
Chased by Seagulls
63
Clever Billy
323
Cruisers in the Clouds
2, 62, 98, 154, 190, 223, 250, 266, 298, 346, 370, 395
Cuban Lizards
119
Curious Names in London City
110
Diamonds
299
Doctor Abernethy's Advice
263
Earning an Honest Penny
110
Eastern Jugglers
197
Encounters with Lions
311
Encouragement
133
Ethel's Orange-plant
339
Faith and Sight
211
Freed in Vain
3
Frost-bitten in the Red Sea
187
Generosity
251
Gemmal Rings
315
George II. at Dettingen
38
'Ginger for Pluck'
114
Heroes and Heroines of Famous
Books
38, 42, 166, 171, 274, 351, 354
He set the Example
246
His First Wolf Hunt
390, 406
How Hetais Wore his Medal
359
Indian Wireless Telegraphy
395
Insect Ways and Means
29, 43, 77, 109, 149, 179, 211, 237, 261, 283, 307, 357, 364, 387
In the Snow
373
Japanese Plums
146
Jim's Shower-bath
227
Life in Bohemia
282
Magic Rods
122
May Day
143
McLeod of Clere
66, 78, 82, 90
Mice on a Submarine
279
Nature's Noblemen
158
Never Caught It
270
Never draw a Sword except in a
Cause that is Just and Right
170
Nicolo in Vienna
411
No Hurry
155
Nothing is Perfect
18
Not the same Thing
146
Old Conduits
323
One Good Turn deserves
Another
306
One More Chance
295
One was Missing
287
Outwitting Himself
255
Philip Wood and Sir Christopher
Wren
314
Pussy's Playmate
287
Puzzlers for Wise Heads
30, 58, 98, 130, 167, 195, 230, 263, 290, 339, 371, 395
Rat-skins
270
Ready!
283
Regiments in the City
350
Rice-paper
203
Rudel and Lisbeth
150
Saved by the Enemy
51
Saved by Twenty Guineas
47
Served her Right
207
Smithfield Tournaments
170
Spy or Guide?
394
Steeple-climbers
74
Strange Children
290
The Admiral and the Fisherman
50
The Best Beginning
98
The Best Lesson
11
The Black Leopard
234
The Black Swan
364
The Boy Tramp
6, 12, 22, 26, 34, 44, 54, 58, 69, 74, 85, 94, 102, 106, 117, 125, 134, 138, 146,
158, 162, 173, 181, 187, 194
The Captain and the Invalid
66
The Captain's Cigar
90
The Captain's Turn First
47
The Cashmere Stag
231
The Castle Light
10
The Chinese Laundryman
382
The Cow-tree
307
The Cypher Telegram
123, 130
The Duke and the Traveller
167
The Duke of Wellington's Head
Gardener
219
The Eagle's Nest
349
The Elephant and the Crocodile
78
The Feast of Cherries
175
The Flower-girl
207
The Frog and the Geese
22
The Gate-keeper of Rambouillet
231
The Generous Bakers
71
The Girl who Did Not Run
Away
130
The Great Northern Diver
133
The Hidden Room
327, 330, 338
The Indian Chief and the Bishop
11
The Intruding Squirrel
186
The Jumping Mouse
299
The Legend of Helfenstein
63
The Lime or Linden
98
The Little Bush-boy
155
The Man with the Glasses
213
The Mysterious Chest
30
The Old Clock
271
The Parks of London
205, 245, 270
The Pitcher-plant
221
The Poet Crabbe's First School
234
The Potato
263
The Puff-adder
90
The Reason Why
107
The Sago-tree
210
The Story of Slate
186
The Teal
53
The Teeth of Hyenas
231
The Wreck of the Hope
391
Torn to Rags
178
Toys from the Streets
379, 389, 403
Twenty Pounds Reward
362
Two Medals
219
Two Ways of Reading a
Sentence
150
Ulrich's Opportunity
234
Whalebone
50
What Katie Heard
303
White Negroes
178
Without a Hen to Buy Stamps
143
Wonderful Caverns
18, 51, 83, 115, 139, 195, 229, 294, 315, 332, 363
POETRY.
Page
A Busy World
382
Against Odds
406
Bouquets
66
Discontent brings Dulness
157
Don't Begin
244
Fairy Song
350
Good-bye to the Last Fire
163
Good-night, Good-day!
50
Growing Up
115
How Tom Dresses
282
Invitations
148
Jack's Wish
259
My Friend
38
My Garden Concert
63
My Picture-book
234
One and One make Two
222
Our Puss
122
Sad Company in the Nursery 299
Take Care of the Days
47
The Bat and the Ball
142
The Contented Pansy
358
The Father of All
279
The Fox's Serenade
306
The Friendly Light
29
The Great Picture-book
186
The Jealous Kittens
101
The Lover-doll
390
The Naughty Kittens
11
The Pioneers
170
The Promise of the Storm
394
The Rabbit and the Hare
331
The Slate's Story
371
The Song of the Broom
294
The Startled Hares
92
The Trumpet and the Drum
227
The Two Dolls
315
The Way to Win
3
The Weather Sprites
195
Too Clever
178
Too Tempting to be Lost
204
Travellers' Tales
134
Waiting
22
Welcome to the First Fire
323
What am I?
214
What Insects Love
342
Why the Sea Sobs
363
Willie's Sum
251
ILLUSTRATIONS.
COLOURED PLATES.
"Why Should We Wait Till To-morrow?" Frontispiece
Home for the Holidays,
facing p. 64
On a Voyage of Discovery,
facing p. 128
All Hands to the Pump,
facing p. 192
Crossing the Brook,
facing p. 256
Good News of the Boy,
facing p. 320
Page
A Cliff-dwelling of North America
229
A Corner of Hyde Park
205
A Countryman's Well-deserved
Rebuke
17
Afloat on the Dogger Bank
(Illustrations to),
189, 200, 201, 216, 217, 225, 240, 241, 253, 257, 268, 277, 285, 292, 301,
309, 317, 325, 336, 344, 348, 356, 368, 376, 377, 385, 400, 401, 409
'After all, I will wait'
93
'A great number of seagulls were
chasing the fugitive'
64
'A horseman galloped to the spot in
the hope of finding them still alive'
153
A Monkey's Memory
12
Andrée's Departure for the North
Pole
297
An Eastern Snake Charmer
197
Animal Makeshifts (Illustrations to),
220, 221, 252, 276, 341, 372, 397
An Ocean Policeman
20
An Old-fashioned Motor-car
332
A Peep at Northern Italy
248
A Picture Puzzle
28
A Scene in Clissold Park
245
A Scene in Regent's Park
269
'As we cleared the water we could
hear the wolves close behind'
403
'Billy allowed the letter to be taken'
324
'"Boh! Boh!" the clear voice
shouted'
81
Chinese Laundrymen
381
Cliff-dwelling, New Mexico, and
Cave-pottery
333
Cuban Lizards
120
'Daisy soon grew clever at keeping
the head to the wind'
128
East Front of the Rock Temple of
Elephanta
140
Entrance to the Grotto of La Balme
316
'Fight against my country! Not for
the ransom of a king!'
49
Fingal's Cave, Staffa
52
Hans Christian Andersen
164
'He could hardly find words to
welcome them'
5
'He deliberately lighted a cigar with
a scrap of the burning rope'
89
'He hit out with all his force'
349
'He loaded the children with cherry
branches'
176
'He looked wistfully at the pair of
crutches'
124
'He ran towards the bull and
opened his umbrella quickly'
260
'He saw an old man, who seemed
to be very weary'
353
'He started, and let the lancet fall'
280
'He steered his balloon round the
Eiffel Tower'
369
'He told his son he would disinherit
him and turn him out of doors'
40
'His grandfather lay gagged and
bound on the floor'
9
'How dare you strike me when you
know God can see you?'
165
'How it tasted—well, I've never
heard'
204
'How would you like to earn twenty
pounds reward?'
361
'I am afraid I have no berth here for
you, my lad'
305
'I am worth something when I can
call that brave boy my son'
152
'I cannot bear to sit out here'
21
'I don't know what to do'
157
'If you hang him, you shall hang me
too'
169
'I got these easily from the cellar'
329
Insect Ways and Means
(Illustrations to),
29, 44, 77, 109, 149, 180, 212, 237, 261, 284, 308, 357, 364, 388
'I saw it first—'tis mine—let go!'
244
'It hopped into the space between
the rails'
184
'It is a terrible thing, is a wreck on
this coast'
392
'It is good! very good'
313
'It rose at once to the ceiling'
1
'It was fortunate that we put them
off the scent'
132
'"I will add this too, lady," said the
pedlar'
337
'I will take care of Boh'
80
'Jack worked with a will'
320
'Jim got a terrible drenching'
228
'Just as Lord Massereene was
leaving the prison, he was arrested'
209
'Katie stood on the doorstep'
304
'Live on sixpence a day—and earn
it'
264
'Look out, father, they are going to
shoot you'
118
'Maung and his young companion
came to what they sought at last'
68
'May turned away, feeling ashamed
and miserable'
340
'M. Charles stepped into the blue
and golden car'
100
'My master wishes to speak with
you'
352
Nicolo and the Krampus
412
'No, little lass, I do not want any
flowers'
112
October 21st, 1805
321
'One bolder than the rest stabbed it
with a pitchfork'
61
'One pig went squealing down the
road'
177
'Paralysed with fear, he clung to the
bough'
4
'Please do not shoot me'
393
'See what my speckled hen has
hatched'
328
'Seven miles high!'
265
'Shame on you all, to hit a helpless
man'
16
'She could hardly stand still while
Alice tied the ribbon on'
114
'She managed to drag her on shore'
129
'She was just high enough, and
could light the lamps'
41
The Best Beginning
97
The Black Leopard
233
The Black Swan of Australia
365
'The bottle stood in the air as
though hanging there'
396
The Boy Tramp (Illustrations to),
8, 13, 24, 25, 36, 45, 56, 60, 69, 76, 85, 96, 104, 105, 117, 125, 136, 137,
148, 160, 161, 173, 181, 193
'The cat washed the jackdaw in its
turn'
289
'The commanding officer advanced
towards the bier'
360
The Death of a Deserter
33
The Deerslayer in the hands of the
Indians
172
'The driver heard them, and
reversed his engine'
224
'The dog hailed his master as he
passed'
345
'The eagle seized its wounded mate
with its beak and claws'
72
'The empty branch bore a label'
145
The First Post-office in the Sky
192
The Giant's Hall, Luray
293
'The grateful mother handed the
doctor a handsome pocket-book'
256
The Grottoes of Han in the
Ardennes
116
The Great-Northern Diver
133
'The horse nearly carried the King
into the French lines'
37
The Jealous Kittens
101
The Jumping Mouse
300
'The little bush-boy appeared'
156
The Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
84
The Man with the Glasses
218
'The men set to work to load their
muskets'
272
'The other passengers thought him
mad'
57
'The peacock took all her play in
good part'
288
'The rabbit bit the stoat in the most
infuriated manner'
121
The Rock Temple of Kailus at
Ellora
196
'The sailor-pupil climbed into the
car'
249
'The second lion seized him'
312
The Simplon Pass
141
'The soldiers forgot the prisoner,
and scrambled for the money'
48
'The stag stayed by his mate's body'
232
The Teal
53
'The two were soon locked in fight'
384
'The women of Bohemia act as
bricklayers labourers'
281
'The woodpecker fled in fear'
185
'They burnt the Shakespeare,
breaking the spell'
88
'They came hopping in, Paul an
easy first'
92
'They stumbled along, supporting
the stranger as best they could'
373
''Tis the very man!'
273
Toys from the Streets (Illustrations
to),
380, 389, 404
'We charged at the midst of the foe'
405
'We will see where this rat came
from'
32
'What is it?—a fire? Speak, boy!'
236
'Who'll buy?'
208
'Wootton stood quite upright on the
pinnacle of the steeple'
73
'Would you take a message of
importance for me?'
168
'Your Majesty is certainly wrong'
108
'"You shall go," said the captain, "if
I lose every passenger"'
65
'You young rascal'
296
"Why Should We Wait Till To-morrow?"
"Why Should We Wait Till To-morrow?"
Chatterbox.
[Pg 1]
I
"It rose at once to the ceiling."
"It rose at once to the ceiling."
CRUISERS IN THE CLOUDS.
I.—THE TWO BROTHERS OF ANNONAY AND THEIR PAPER BALLOON.
n the chimney corner of a cottage in Avignon, a man sat one day watching the smoke as it
rose in changing clouds from the smouldering embers to the sooty cavern above, and if
those who did not know him had supposed from his attitude that he was a most idle person,
they would have been very far from the truth.
It was in the days when the combined fleets of Europe were thundering with cannon on the
rocky walls of Gibraltar, in the hope of driving the English out, and, the long effort having
proved in vain, Joseph Montgolfier, of whom we have spoken, fell to wondering, as he sat
by the fire, how the great task could be accomplished.
'If the soldiers and sailors could only fly,' he thought, 'there would be no difficulty.' He
looked at a picture of the Rock lying on the table beside him, and saw many places on its
summit very suitable for such flying foes to settle on. 'But, ah! who could give them wings?'
He turned to the fireplace, and his eyes fell once more on the column of smoke, silently, silently rising; and yet not so
silently as the world might think, for though he had not yet quite understood its meaning, Joseph Montgolfier had been
striving for some time past to learn the lesson which he felt sure it was to teach him at last. And to-day the secret came
out. Thoughts so active as his did not take long to get from Gibraltar back to the smoke, and they had not been there
many minutes when Montgolfier jumped from his seat, and, throwing open the door of the room, called to his landlady.
A great idea had occurred to him, and, to carry it out, he required some light, silky material, called taffeta. This the good
landlady quickly supplied, and when she entered the room some time later, she found her lodger holding the taffeta,
which he had formed into a bag, over the fire. As the smoke filled it, it certainly showed an inclination to rise, but once
out of reach of the warmest glow it toppled over and collapsed on the floor.
[Pg 2]
'I
The landlady watched the experiments for some time in silence. Then, with a little laugh, she said, 'Ah, M. Montgolfier,
why do you not tie the fire to the bag?'
The great inventor had not thought of that; but he did not require to be told twice, and obtaining a little bunch of some
inflammable material, he tied it under his bag and set it on fire. The smoke and heat inflated the tiny balloon, and it rose
at once to the ceiling. A few minutes later the inventor called for pen and ink, and wrote the following letter:
'Prepare without delay a supply of taffeta and cordage, and you shall see one of the most astonishing things in the
world.'
This hasty note was addressed to M. Stephen Montgolfier at Annonay, near Lyons, and never was a request made that
was more likely to be carefully and promptly granted. Stephen Montgolfier, like his brother, had busy thoughts
concerning means for rising in the air, and when Joseph returned from Avignon, they set to work with stronger hope of
realising their dreams. As they were the largest and best paper-makers in Annonay, they did not lack material for
carrying on experiments, and when these experiments had repeatedly resulted in success, they decided that the rest of
the world should be admitted into their secret. A large balloon, made of paper and taffeta, should be inflated in the
public square, and be allowed to rise before the eyes of any who might gather there to see it. And they carried out this
determination on June 5th, 1783. On that day there assembled at Annonay a number of local celebrities, and no better
opportunity could have been chosen.
In the public square a large circular space was railed off to keep the crowd at a proper distance, and in the centre of
this space rose a wooden platform to accommodate the new cloud-ship and the fire which was to fill it with the power
of flight. Never had the brothers Montgolfier had a busier morning; never had the good people of Annonay seen such
excitement in their quiet village. The crowd had gathered from far and near, and watched the busy workers round the
mysterious platform with widely different thoughts. Some were silent with expectation, some jeered noisily; but,
unconscious of praise or laughter, the two brothers directed their little band of workmen, confident of coming triumph.
At last the specially invited guests had all arrived, and when they were accommodated with seats, one of the brothers
made a little speech of explanation, ending with the remark that he would apply a torch to the heap of chopped straw
and wool beneath the platform. The smoke arising from these different kinds of fuel formed, when combined, he said,
the most suitable gas for raising a substance into the air. These diligent brothers, however, had only partly learned the
truth as yet, or they would have known that it was the heat, and not the smoke, which lifted the paper bag.
The torch was put to the straw, the yellow flames leapt up, and the smoke, passing through a hole in the platform,
entered the open end of the globe-shaped bag, which up to the present had, of course, been lying flat and empty.
Instantly a paper dome seemed to rise from the platform. This continued to grow in size, while the workmen stood
round in a ring, each holding a rope which passed to the top of the dome. The ropes grew longer and longer as the
balloon filled, and it soon became hard work to hold them. But on no account were the men to let go until the word was
given.
When at last the paper walls were extended to their uttermost size, the wondering spectators saw a huge ball of some
one hundred and ten feet in circumference, swaying uneasily to and fro with every breath of air, as though straining at its
fetters. At last came the word. The ropes were released, and the great body rose rapidly into the air, followed by a
thunder of applause. With straining eyes the crowd followed that wondrous flight. Higher and higher, nearer and nearer
to the clouds, till what a few moments before was so very imposing in size seemed no bigger than a child's plaything.
Then, caught in a current of air, it drifted out of sight for ever.
Such was the launching of the first ship in the new navigation of the clouds. On the place from which it started a
handsome monument has been erected, bearing the names of the two builders—Joseph and Stephen Montgolfier—the
brothers who always worked together, sharing equally the fame that their discovery brought, and never selfishly seeking
for self-advancement. Recent searchings seem to show that the principal honour is due to Joseph, the elder, and, if one
of the many stories told in detail (and repeated at the beginning of this article) may be relied upon, surely we ought to
also remember with some praise the unknown woman who let lodgings in Avignon.
John Lea.
THE WAY TO WIN.
wish I could win one!' a lassie was sighing,
When sitting quite still in a meadow one day,
And thinking of prizes not won without trying—
Not won by mere wishing as time slips away.
And as she sat wishing she heard a hen clucking;
She lifted her eyes and that hen she could see,
And soon it was rapidly scratching and chucking—
[Pg 3]
As gay and as busy and glad as could be.
She watched how it struggled to upturn a treasure,
A thing it was wishing for, something to eat,
A worm to be dug for with patience and pleasure!
'Twas found, and it gave Henny-Penny a treat!
That worm the hen wished for she could not have eaten
Unless she had scratched it right up from the ground;
And Mabel had seen that the hen was not beaten—
By carefully working the prize had been found.
So Mabel thought quietly over the matter,
And learnt the good lesson, 'No prize can be won
By thinking and wishing, by waiting and chatter!'
And soon she jumped up and to work she begun.
D. H.
FREED IN VAIN.
Prince, the parrot, was a proud and happy bird; he was proud of his gorgeous red and green feathers, of his ability to
say 'Pretty Poll' and 'How do?' and, above all, of his fine gilded cage, which stood just inside the breakfast-room
window.
But, in an evil hour, Prince, watching the birds which flew to and fro outside the glass, was struck with a desire for
freedom. He thought no more of his splendid feathers, or his handsome cage; but, from morning till night, he wondered
how he should get out. There was not wit enough in his parrot brain to make him understand that the cold English
garden was not in the least like the flowery forest of his native island.
His chance came one snowy morning; the French window had been opened, after breakfast, that some one might go
out and scatter crumbs for the robins. The cage-door happened to be open too. Unobserved, Prince darted swiftly out,
and perched amid the leafless boughs of one of the high trees on the lawn.
He was free! but, oh, how cold it was! How wretched he was already beginning to feel! He crouched shivering on a
bough; and when the snow began to fall again in large, wet flakes, he was more miserable than he had ever been in all
his petted life.
Paralysed with cold and fear, he clung to the tree, too unhappy even to cry out and let people know where he was.
