THE PANSY.

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The price of The Pansy is One Dollar a year. New subscriptions may begin with the volume (November issue), or with any number desired.

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D. LOTHROP & CO., Publishers, Boston.

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Willie from New York. My boy, I sent you the last badge a short time ago. I hope they are now all right. Let me hear from your society as often as you have anything interesting to tell us.

Esca from Illinois. So you think you need more “sticktoativeness”! Good! Ever so many people do. I counted no less than ten different pieces of work which a boy of my acquaintance had commenced, and never finished. They were all worth finishing too. What a pity! Imagine a dress all done but the sleeves! Mammas do not work in that way; do they?

Maude from Nebraska. Your letter was not too long, my dear; I was interested in it all. I have known a number of wise small people who, like yourself, made a great deal of trouble for themselves and their best friends, by trying to have their own way. It is generally a foolish thing to do. You must remember that it is not only “poor people” who are in need of kind acts and words. Some of the most unhappy persons I ever met, had plenty of money. What they needed was sympathy, and a few gentle, helpful words.

Carrie from Indian Territory. My dear Blossom, struggling with your little garden away off from us, how glad we were to hear from you! It is the same old story, though, which we hear from all over the country; cross little tongues, speaking words that hurt, and for which they are sorry afterwards, and all because Dame Passion gets hold of them, and for the time makes them her slaves! Little Pixie too has her troubles. It is very hard not to be selfish; especially if we are surrounded by grown people who have been at work for a long time, teaching us to be selfish, by giving up everything for our pleasure. And there is little brother Tippie, wanting his own way, dreadfully! What busy gardeners you will have to be working at all these weeds! If you were to sit down and let them grow, I am afraid your buds would soon be choked. I am glad you are not going to do this.

Amelia from Indian Territory. What a beautiful pledge you have taken! If you “do your duty in all things as long as you live,” you will be sure to be one of whom I can be always proud. I should like to hear from you often; and will always be glad to receive from you the history of some of your “kind words” spoken for Jesus’ sake.

Walter from New York. It was a grand idea to join us on your birthday. I think the “lessons” must have felt the influence of that pledge. To be as good a boy as one can, is promising a great deal, but not too much if one is in tremendous earnest, as I think you are. We enroll your name with pleasure.

Mary from Vermont. I like your pledge; so many people ask useless questions, wasting their time, and the patience of their friends, it is well to break the habit while you are young. A gentleman called on me the other day who had the same habit; he asked half a dozen questions, any one of which he might have answered for himself if he had used his eyes, and after sitting for half an hour, he turned to me and asked three of them over again!

Mary from New Hampshire. Your promise covers a great deal of ground. If you keep it, you will be a true woman as long as you live. I like your verses, and will print them in The Pansy as soon as we have room. I hope you find your badge helpful.

Grace from New York. I could not have received the letter you mention. I am glad you wrote again. What a large pledge you have taken! To “do better in everything,” is surely worth one’s while. Your society needs no name but P. S. We are all branches of the great Pansy Society which reaches all over the country.

Sarah from New York. We are glad to welcome you; may you be successful in your efforts, as you surely will be if you live by the Whisper Motto.

Clara from Nebraska. I found your letter so full of helpful hints, my dear, that I have copied from it for the magazine. I am glad you find the badge a help.

Josephine, Josephine, Mary, Robbie, from New York. A bouquet of Blossoms pledged to do battle against the weeds in their heart-gardens. May you all succeed, and be fragrant flowers that shall give pleasure wherever you go, and bloom forever in the garden above. This is Pansy’s prayer for all her Blossoms.

Florence from Ohio. The author of “My Brainless Acquaintance” sends you thanks for your kind opinion of him. He will try to interest you again. I am glad you find The Pansy helpful in school. Look out for some lovely recitations in it.

Lillia from Connecticut. I hope the badges have been made right long ago. I do not remember about it now, but I suppose the delay came from getting out of badges. So many P. S. Blossoms sprang up at once all over the country, that the first we knew, they had gotten ahead of us. I am much interested in your society, and would like to hear from it again. I will quote from your letter for the magazine, that some other Pansies may get a hint from it how to employ their time.

Mabel from Dakota. You have a great deal of company, my dear Mabel, in the matter of wanting your own way. So that you are sure it is the right way, I don’t believe anybody will object. Shall I tell you how to be sure of getting it? Have your way always exactly what will most honor Jesus.

Claude from New York. Yes, I was once in Castile, and at Miss Green’s; I loved her dearly, and owe her a great debt of gratitude. I shall certainly come and see you if I visit your town. I think I would like about a bushel of those “black caps.” So your hasty temper troubles you? Temper is a very good thing if we put it under the right Master. Take yours to Him, and ask Him to guard it for you.

Pearl from Indiana. My dear, I think you must have a lovely walk through the woods to school. I am glad you have decided to have nothing to do with cards; I once heard a good man say: “They belong to the enemy’s country; they gather under the flag which is a sign of rebellion to King Jesus, so I will have nothing to do with them.” I think that would be a very good rule for the Pansies to follow. Whatever Satan makes marked use of, to injure others, I will not touch.

Lita from Illinois. I hope you will succeed in overcoming the fault. There is a sense in which it makes no difference whether or not I know its name. You know, and Jesus knows; but if the Pansies choose to tell us, it sometimes helps others.

Alice and Emma from Wisconsin. Since you are dear friends, and wrote me together, you will let me reply in the same way. I am glad to welcome you both to our P. S. Glad also to hear that you both love and serve the Lord Jesus. I hope your lives will be full of fragrance, and suggest His name to all who know you.

Jennie from Connecticut. I don’t know when I have enjoyed a story more than the pleasant one you wrote me about that industrious society. It told me a great many things; among others, that you have dear helpful mothers, and friends. What should we do in this world without the mothers who stand ready to help every effort of ours toward usefulness, or right living? I hope you heard from the dolls. Write and tell us how they were enjoyed.

Milly from Pennsylvania. What a very fine beginning of a library you have! I wish you had told us how you managed the books and what class of books you had. How do you raise your money? When you hear from some of those colored schools, will you tell us what they said to the help you sent them?

Hermon from Massachusetts. Prompt obedience is a very important habit to form. It is a pleasure to me to notice how many young people are resolved upon cultivating it. I think “Moses” has a responsible life to live if he is to do honor to his name. I am not sure but “Aaron” was wise in running away. At least, one can overlook running away from duty when it is only a dog; but what shall be said of a boy or girl who does the same?

Finice from Kentucky. Is that the right name? I am not sure. “Hard lessons” make a great deal of trouble in this world; but I know a secret about them: they become easy as soon as they are learned; so for one’s own sake it is worth while to overcome them. Sometimes, schoolmates are very provoking, and it is hard to keep one’s temper with them; but the boy or girl who does it soon acquires an influence over his mates that others cannot have. I hope you know where to look for help in keeping these pledges?

Fannie from Kentucky. Do you think “all” little girls would really like to overcome their faults? I have seen some young people whose gravest fault seemed to me to be that they cared very little about improving their habits, or getting control of their tongues or tempers. I welcome you as one who is not of that company.

Chester from Oregon. A “treasurer” is a very important officer in the P. S., my boy, provided they have any money to care for; and most of the societies have. They contrive ways of earning money, to spend in benevolent work of some sort. It depends entirely on yourselves how you will raise money, to what you will devote it, and how you will manage your society. As a rule, the one who secures subscribers and starts a club, becomes president; but if he, or she, thinks some other person would make a better officer, one can be elected from the membership. I like your pledge. The truth is, a boy who has a good mother, and who always minds her promptly, is sure to be a boy to honor.

Lois from Kentucky. “Cross” words make a great deal of trouble in this world. Did you ever notice that they not only hurt the ones to whom they are spoken, and the ones who hear them, but also those who speak them! What a pity to cling to a habit which hurts in every direction! I am glad you are going to be free.

Lillie, Edna, Harry, Walter, Rose, Thad, from Kansas. A full bouquet which bloomed together! We welcome you, every one. Let me see what weeds are to be rooted out; “Getting angry and answering back,” “Forgetting work,” “Carelessness,” “Speaking cross words,” “Being too noisy.” Just imagine what earnest work will have to be done in getting rid of all these choking weeds! Besides these, one Blossom is going to keep careful watch over a set of pearls which have been given her for her own use. She knows that if she takes proper care of them they will be beautiful and helpful all her life; and that if she neglects them, they will become her enemies. I wish you all great success, and will hope to hear from you.

Freddie from New York. So you have a watch to prove to you what a little persevering work will accomplish? Good! The people who get discouraged seldom accomplish much. I hope your temper will, after this, keep as good time as your watch; and that you will be as prompt to follow orders as it is to tick. My boy, you have a special work to do for your mother, in trying to fill your dear father’s place as much as you can. I hope you will be one of her greatest blessings.

Mattie and Philemon from Georgia. A “careless” Blossom and an “impatient” one starting together! Good! I fancy that the careless ways may sometimes provoke the impatient words; and so you two can surely help each other. We shall hope to hear of your great success.

Frank from Massachusetts. “Kind words” are needed everywhere, my boy; but I do not know that they will do more good anywhere than at school among the scholars. I have often wondered at the rough words I heard floating out on the air as I passed playgrounds. If one boy sets an example of kindness and courtesy to all the young people around him, who can tell how the habit may spread, and cause many Blossoms to spring up?

Davenport from Massachusetts. Glad to welcome you; I hope your badge is helping you in all the ways in which you need help. Thank your kind sister for writing in your name. I think she is a very excellent writer for one so young. Let me hear what you are doing, in which your badge has been a help.

Arthur from New Jersey. Ever so many people “don’t want to do the thing which they ought next to do.” Did you know that? the great difference between them is, that some people seize hold of the thing they didn’t want to do, and do it; while some growl around, or whine around, and leave it undone as long as they can. I am glad to know you are, from this time, to belong to the first class.

Robbie from New York. I am very glad to welcome you to the P. S. I am much interested in the club of which you are a member, and would be glad to hear from it from time to time. You did not give me the special habit which you are trying to conquer, but I suppose you know, very well, which it is, and are doing brave work over it.

Florence from New York. When you “get the better” of your temper, and are its mistress instead of being controlled by it, what a happy Blossom you will be! Some people do not think this can be done, but I am sure it can by any one who truly wishes to do so, and seeks and finds the right sort of help.

Kimball from Illinois. Welcome to our garden. “Talking back” is a weed which chokes many flowers; quite hides their sweetness oftentimes. Root it out. Thank you for the kind invitation. I should like to accept it, but fear I will not have time. Will you give my love to grandma, and all the dear ones, and thank them for their kind words to me?