DID you carefully read what I said about the Horners in their flight through Egypt and Syria? And do you remember it in detail, as to price, appearance, etc? No, of course you don’t. Who ever heard of these giddy girls and boys remembering anything for a month? Oh! Oh! I can hear your indignant voices. Well, that is too bad; and I believe in my heart as many of you as sent for the book and read it, have a very vivid and delightful memory of the family and their experiences. But for the benefit of the new Pansies, and of those who could not or did not send for the other book, let me introduce you to this one by the same authors, and offer it to you on the same excellent terms: one dollar and twenty cents, if you are willing to have it bound in boards, and one dollar and fifty cents if you want it in cloth. Remember, that is a dollar cheaper than any others can get it; a special offer to the members of the P. S.

I had no idea that Spain was so interesting a country until I travelled with the Horners. I think now that it makes a very great difference about one’s enjoyment in travelling, who their companions are. I am very fond of Bessie Horner, and for that matter of Tommy himself, while Mr. Hervey is fully as good a friend of mine as he is of the other travellers. This beautiful book which gives the story of the flight through Spain, is very fully illustrated, giving one an excellent idea of the country, its birds, its fruits, its buildings, etc. For instance, take this description of

THE ALHAMBRA.

Under the Moors, the Alhambra was the scene of many romantic events, the legends connected with which still people its courts with phantoms. The road leading up from the hotel to the entrance is shaded with tall trees, and the water trickles down the side, making the grass fresh and green. The walls are of a beautiful red or orange color, which is shared by the soil; this alone gives a glowing aspect to the scene. The chief place of entrance is called the Gate of Justice. It is more than a gate, being a square tower, the upper part of which contains rooms where people live. Their little flower pots filled with bright blossoms, stand on the ledge of the window. The horseshoe arch of entrance is below; for as the ground is terraced, the level of the palace is above that of the arch, and is approached by an ascent, and a staircase within the tower.

Over this arch there is carved an outstretched hand pointing upward, to avert the evil eye; over the second one a key is sculptured; a symbol of the power of the prophet to open and shut the gates of heaven. The passages within the tower wind about under several arches, until they lead out and up to the walled-in plateau, on which the Alhambra stands. A little farther on is another gateway, and building, called the Puerto del Vino; it formerly contained a Mihrab, or Moorish chapel.

From the high terrace near these two gates is a lovely view across the deep ravine to the Sierra Nevada, always slightly touched with snow, and taking on beautiful lights, according to the time of day: dark blue in the morning, and, as evening approaches, roseate; for in addition to the sunset tints, the natural color of the soil and stone make the tone of the range warm and rich. Here opens a large plaza, called the Place of the Cisterns, on one side of which is the Alcazaba, or fortress, with its dismantled castle, while opposite it appears the palace of Charles the Fifth, which he began to build, but never finished. He destroyed the greater part of the beautiful winter palace of the Moors, to make room for his own, and afterward abandoned his plan, leaving the unfinished ruin, with open arches, staring to the sky. It is said that earthquakes discouraged him from going on with his palace. There are planted garden beds, and walks leading along the side of it, to a plain, unadorned wall, through which a door leads to the real glories of the Alhambra.

Here found themselves one morning, Mr. Horner and Miss Lejeune, Bessie and Tommy; Bessie grumbling, as usual, at Charles the Fifth, and Ferdinand and Isabella, who have left their traces so often in the destruction of Moorish ornament.

“I do believe,” said Bessie, “that Isabella herself rode on a whitewash brush!”

“Perhaps she was the—

Old woman, old woman, said I,
To sweep the cobwebs from the sky!“

said Tommy.

They passed on through the gate. Charles the Fifth and Isabella were forgotten. The transition was magical; they felt at once transported into other times, and were treading the scenes of the Arabian Nights. They were in the Court of Myrtles, a long, open patio, of which the floor is taken up by an immense basin, more than a hundred feet long, bordered by myrtle-trees and roses. It is surrounded by a light arcade of Moorish columns, and at the upper end rises the great Tower of Comares. The pillars here and elsewhere are of extreme lightness, and the ornamentation of the capital varies in each; slender arches spring from the capitals, and bend gracefully till they meet. A dado of azulejos, or colored tiles, runs along the wall, from the floor of brightest colors, with great variety of patterns. The eye is never tired of following these designs, nor those of the arabesque work above, into which are woven Arabic sentences, in the graceful lettering of that language. Across the water is seen the vista made by the entrance to the Hall of Ambassadors, the chief room of the Tower of Comares. The tower and its colonnades are reflected in the clear still water of the pool.

“Oh, how lovely!” exclaimed Miss Lejeune. “This surpasses all my dreams of it.”

“Let us stay here, and not go any further to-day!” said Bessie.

Tommy was well content to study the goldfish in the clear water, rather startled, as he leaned over, to catch the perfect reflection of his own face on the surface of the pool, with behind it an intensely blue sky studded with woolly white clouds. He looked up instinctively, and saw above the graceful fretwork of the court, the real bright sky and clouds, just like the mirrored ones.

“Our guide apparently expects us to move on,” remarked Mr. Horner. “We can let him gallop us through once, and then come at our leisure as often as we like.”

“Not gallop us, papa,” said Bessie, taking hold of his hand; “a quiet little trot will satisfy him.”

They were led into the Court of Lions, where Bessie was at once in love with the somewhat clumsy animals of Arab origin, that form the group of the fountain in the centre.

“I must embrace this one!” she cried, and did so, to Tommy’s disgust and mortification. He looked round to see if there were any observers.

These lions must not be looked upon as efforts of sculpture to represent accurately the king of beasts, but as emblems of strength and courage. They are of white marble, with manes like the scales of a griffin, and water comes from their mouths.

Or, the book will be presented to every person sending TWO subscriptions to Babyland, with $1.00 for the same.

And you should take advantage of them, before they are withdrawn. The Publishers have never before offered inducements to those sending their own subscriptions, and probably never will again. Send your subscription with the $1.00 at once.

The book, “Cookery for Beginners,” has always been cataloged and sold in cloth binding at the low price of $1.00. But we have made a new edition in oiled, waterproof paper covers, containing the same matter and same number of pages as the previous editions. It consists of plain, practical lessons for girls and young housekeepers of small means. Its directions are to be relied upon, and its results are invariably delicate, wholesome and delicious. It possesses the advantage of being perfectly adapted to the needs of beginners. Mothers cannot give their daughters a more sensible and useful present than this volume. It is a most valuable addition to the home library.

D. LOTHROP & CO., Publishers, Franklin and Hawley Sts., Boston.

THERE IS NO DOUBT OF IT!

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