Chapter I: Front Matter

Copyright, 1897, by HARPER & BROTHERS. All Rights Reserved.

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PUBLISHED WEEKLY. NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1897. FIVE CENTS A COPY.

VOL. XVIII.--NO. 903. TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.

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THE RINGGOLD ARCHERS.

A REMINISCENCE.

BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.

When I was a boy I belonged to a small company of young fellows, all under fourteen, who had banded themselves together for the purpose of practising archery. Our company owed its name to our great admiration for Major Ringgold, about whose valiant exploits in the Mexican war we had often read and talked. He was a romantic man, and romance always has a charm for the young, even when they do not understand it. The Major was a brave cavalryman, and we had seen pictures of him charging at the head of his horsemen, with his long hair floating in the wind. In this long hair lay his romance; for we had heard the story that, having been crossed in love, he vowed he would never again cut his hair. The point of this resolution we did not then understand, nor can I say that I fully comprehend it now, but I am quite sure that each one of us would have been perfectly willing to be crossed in love if the result should be that we would charge at the head of some brave cavalrymen, with our sword drawn and our long hair floating in the breeze.

When we had decided upon the name of our company, and had elected officers, we considered that the next most important thing was to provide ourselves with a uniform dress. This subject did not occasion very much discussion. The color for an archer could be nothing else than green; and as to the cut and general make-up of the dress, it would have to be very simple, for none of us were able to afford an elaborate uniform, so it was decided that a blouse long enough to cover our ordinary coats and fasten around the waist with a belt would be quite sufficient. As to our head-gear--we all wore straw hats, and if we chose to put feathers in them we could do so, but this was left for future consideration.

The material of our uniform was determined by the state of our finances. When each one of us had put into the treasury all the money he could afford, it was plain to see that our blouses must be made of some cheap stuff.

One of our members had some family connection with the dry-goods business, and he informed us that the best thing to do would be to buy a whole piece of goods, for in that way we could get it cheaper, and he was sure that our money would be sufficient to buy a piece of cotton cloth good enough for our purposes.

It was early in the afternoon of a summer day that the meeting was held at which the matter of the uniform was decided upon, and as it was still light, we thought it well to go immediately and buy our material. If we delayed, something might happen to our money.

Therefore in a body we repaired to a dry-goods store, and it was not long before we found a piece of goods which we thought would suit us. It was a little glittering upon one side, and it was rather stiffer than we thought an archer's dress should be, but if we made our blouses with the wrong side of the material out, they would look well enough, and we had no doubt that the stiffness would come out after we had worn them for a time, especially if we were obliged to encounter storms, which true archers should never fear.

Triumphantly we carried our piece of goods to the house of one of the members, and having found out how much of the material would be necessary to make a blouse, we cut it up into suitable portions, one of which was given to each member, and he was expected to take it home and have some one of his family cut it out and make it for him.

There was a very early meeting the next morning at the house of our Captain, and every boy brought with him his allotted portion of goods. We were all horrified--the stuff was blue, and not green! The gas had been lighted in the store when we bought it, and instead of Robin Hood green we had picked out a piece of bright blue material! This mistake would have been a matter of no importance had we not been in such haste to divide the stuff among the members. If the piece had been left entire, we could have easily exchanged it, but now this was impossible.

We had a long meeting and much discussion; but as we had bought our material, and as we had no money to buy more, we at last regretfully concluded that the best thing we could do would be to make up our blouses of the blue, and try to forget that they ought to be green.

Vacation was passing, and there was no time to be lost if we expected to make a successful summer campaign, and our uniforms were immediately put into the hands of our mothers, sisters, and aunts. In most cases there was but little trouble in inducing these good relatives to make the blouses, although I think we were all of us told that it would have been a great deal better if we had asked some lady to buy our goods for us. But as this would have deprived us of a great and independent pleasure, it should hardly have been expected.

There was an exception, however, to the ready consent of our families to do our tailoring-work. The mother of one of our members objected to her son's wearing a uniform of any sort, and although she did not actually forbid his doing so, she would have nothing to do with the fabrication of it. Therefore it was that the poor boy, in the seclusion of his chamber, set to work to make it himself. Some of us found him at this work just as he was about to cut it out; we took it from him, and one of us carried it home, where it was properly made.

While work was going on upon our uniforms we thought it well to attend to the armament of our company, and those who did not possess bows and arrows were ordered to get them as soon as possible, no matter what family assessments might be necessary. Our archery weapons were not of a fancy sort. We had no bows of yew, nor arrows pointed with steel and tipped with fine feathers; but we had good bows, made by a cooper of our acquaintance, and our blunt-headed arrows often sped well to the mark, although they did not stick there. We had discussed the propriety of inserting pieces of sharpened iron into the heads of these arrows, but this improvement having been made known to some of our parents had been strictly forbidden.

As soon as our garments were finished we held a full meeting, in which we all appeared in our new uniforms, and to say that the result was satisfactory would be to make a misstatement. In the city in which we lived there was a great deal of charcoal used, and this fuel was carried about the streets in wagons with high sides, each accompanied by two men, one of whom marched in front, ringing a bell and crying, "Charcoal!" while the other attended to the horse, and shovelled out the charcoal whenever a purchaser hailed him from a house. These men invariably dressed in long blue gowns, and when we were gathered together, attired in our uniforms, there was not one of us who was not immediately reminded of the charcoal-men.

Some were disgusted, and some laughed, but there was no remedy. There were but two things we could do: we must wear our blue blouses, or we must go out on our archery expeditious in our ordinary clothes. In the latter case we would be a mere party of boys, whereas if we marched forth in our uniforms--no matter what color they might be--we were the Ringgold Archers. We chose to stand by our name, our purpose, and our organization.

On the outskirts of our city there were open country, woods, and streams, and it was here that we were to begin our life of "Merrie men under the green-wood tree," and our first expedition was made without delay. Early one afternoon we marched forth into the streets--seven of us--each wearing his blue blouse, his arrows stuck in his belt, and his unstrung bow in his hand. We attracted a good deal of attention. There were people who looked at us and laughed, there were others who wondered, and during our march through town we frequently met with youngsters who cried "Charcoal!" and then ran away. Seven boys--no matter how they might be dressed--were not to be trifled with.

When we reached the country we had a fine time. The birds did not laugh at us, the wild flowers and bushes took no notice of us, except when some sociable blackberry bush endeavored to detain us by seizing the skirts of our flowing robes, and the trees which we used as targets did not always refuse to be hit, whether they represented men or deer, or even an on-coming bear--for there were bold fellows in our company, with good imaginations.

But I cannot tell all the bloodless pleasures of our chase, for I must hasten to relate how this first expedition of the Ringgold Archers was its last. Toward the close of the day, well satisfied with our afternoon's sport, we were returning along a quiet and almost deserted country road, when we met two rough-looking young men.

These fellows, when they beheld the strange procession of blue-clad boys appearing around a turn in the road, were greatly impressed, and they burst into the most vociferous laughter. Of course we did not like this, and we would have been content to pass on, treating the disrespectful fellows with silent contempt; but this the young men did not permit. They stopped us and wanted to know why we were dressed in these blue shirts, and what we intended to do with our bows and arrows. When our organization and our purposes had been explained, they were not satisfied. They examined our arms, and ridiculed them, as they were sure they would not kill anything. They laughed again at our uniform, making those allusions to charcoal which had become familiar to us, and in other ways treated our band with the discourtesy which, although good-humored, was extremely disagreeable to us. When they had jeered at us to their satisfaction, they went their way.

There were two members of our company whose proud souls could not brook this treatment, and they determined that they would give these impudent fellows a taste of their quality. They followed the young men a little way, and then ran up a low bank on the side of the road. There they fitted arrows to their bows, and prepared to shoot at the fellows who had insulted them.

As soon as the rest of us saw what our companions proposed to do, we hurried to them, and urged them to come down and let the young men alone; it would not do to rouse the anger of such fellows, who looked as if they might be very rough customers if they chose to be. But our bold companions were not to be restrained; their souls chafed under their injuries, and before we could stop them, each had drawn an arrow to its head and let it fly at the young men, who were now barely within range. One of the arrows struck its mark, and the other fell near by.

Instantly the enemy stopped and turned, and beholding the two boys standing on the bank with their bows in their hands, had no reason to ask who had shot at them. But instead of hurrying away to avoid another discharge of arrows from these bold archers, the young men made use of some very violent language, and without the slightest hesitation ran towards the two boys, who turned and fled across a field.

The chase was short, for the young men were powerful runners. The valiant archers were caught by the collars of their blue uniforms, their bows were wrenched from their hands, and the next moment each one of them was receiving a sound drubbing with his own weapons. The arrows which they had in their belts were taken and broken, and they were told in very strong language that if they did not get out of sight as fast as they could they would have another whipping. This advice was taken, and the disarmed archers fled.

All this happened so quickly that the other members of the Ringgold Archers had no chance to do anything in defence of their comrades, even if they had felt able. But now we perceived that we must do something to defend ourselves, for the young men--still speaking angrily--advanced towards us. We stood our ground, for we had seen that there was no use in running; and, besides, why should we run? We had done no wrong to any one.

The young men jumped down from the bank, and without delay or explanation ordered all of us to surrender our arms. To this we vehemently objected. We had committed no offence towards them; we had even advised our comrades to refrain from their attack, and there was no reason why we should give up our bows and arrows. But the young men were in no mood to consider reasons. They seized our bows, forced them from our hands, and jerked our arrows from our belts. I can remember now how stoutly I held on to my bow, and how soon I became convinced of the superiority of a man's strength over that of a boy.

Our disarmament was complete; not a bow or arrow was left to us. We continued to expostulate against the injustice that had been done to us, but the two fellows paid not the slightest attention to our words. Pleased with their easy victory, they began to amuse themselves. Standing at a little distance from us, they discharged our arrows at various marks. They were miserable shots, and could not hit anything, and so, on concluding that this was no fun, they shot our arrows far and wide into the thickets, where it would be almost impossible to find them again.

This exercise seemed to dissipate their anger, and when the arrows were all gone they came to us and threw all our bows on the ground.

"There!" said one of them. "You can take them and go home with them, and the best thing you can do is to give up coming out here with your bows and arrows and stick to your charcoal!"

Sadly the Ringgold Archers resumed their homeward march, and it was not long before they were joined by their two comrades, who had been hiding in the bushes. Some of us were inclined to give the young scamps another whipping for getting us into such a scrape, and we were the more angry because they did not seem in the least sorry for what they had done; but finally the matter was smoothed over, and we marched peaceably on together.

Before they reached the outskirts of the city the Ringgold Archers halted and took off their uniforms. Most of these were sadly bedraggled and torn in the struggles with the young men, and, furthermore, they seemed more like the gowns of the charcoal-men than they had done before. Each of us rolled his uniform around his bow and carried them home under his arm, and such of us as had feathers in our hats took them out and threw them away.

That was the last expedition of the Ringgold Archers. Although we gave up the idea of emulating the deeds of Robin Hood, Little John, and Friar Tuck, some of us became very good amateur archers.

As to Major Ringgold, his blighted affections and his flowing hair, they faded out of our minds with the memory of our torn and discarded uniforms of blue.

A CONSTABULARY SLIP.

BY H. G. PAINE.

When the snow falls in the city,
Oh, it seems a dreadful pity!
And it costs a lot to cart it all away;
But the boys who on the side-
Walk make the dangerous slide
Would like to have the snow come every day.

Oh, it's fun to hear them shout,
As they slip and slide about,
Like some eerie, cheery spirits of the storm;
But just call out, "Cheese the cop!"
And how suddenly they stop!
For the "copper" has a duty to perform.

"Now yous fellies git a gait,"
He exclaims, and, if they wait,
"Come, now, yous, jus' chase yourselves right off de block!"
But I should not be surprised
If he often sympathized
With his victims, and his heart were _not_ a rock.

For 'twas but the other night,
When no roundsman was in sight,
That I saw a "copper" running down the street.
Was he chasing of a thief?
Don't you err in that belief--
He was sliding on each slide along his beat.

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ONE-LEGGED DUCKS.

Once a gentleman reproved his negro servant for serving a duck for dinner to which there was only one leg. He suspected Sam of having eaten the missing limb.

"Oh, no, sir," replied Sam; "these ducks have only one leg!"

"Indeed!" said the master. "I must see them."

So the next morning he told Sam to show him the one-legged ducks. Sam conducted his master to the poultry-yard, and pointed to half a dozen ducks, each standing on one leg near the pond.

"There, sah!" he exclaimed.

The master waved his arms, and cried out, "Shoo! shoo!" and the ducks scampered away.

"How about that?" he said, turning to Sam.

"That's right, sah," returned Sam, calmly; "but why didn't yo' shoo de oder duck, las' night?"

A VALENTINE PARTY.

BY MARY B. SLEIGHT.

The Chadwick girls, one February morning, were deep in consultation as to the best way in which to entertain their friend Dorothy Adams, who was coming the next week to make them a two days' visit.

"Why not have a valentine party instead of a tea?" suggested Catharine. "Teas are so stiff and poky when one is not acquainted with any of the other guests, and Dorothy is one that likes a thoroughly good time."

"A valentine party would be much more lively, of course," said Helen; "but where in the world could we find enough valentines to go round?"

"Write them, the same as the girls did in Grandmother Livingston's day," answered Catharine. "Even if we haven't any especial gift for verse-making, we can string some passable rhymes together, I hope."

"How would it do," asked stately Elizabeth, beginning to be interested, "to have bows or rosettes of ribbon--two of each color--distributed, and let each person take for a partner the one that wears the corresponding badge? Then, of course, there would have to be two sets of Valentines. For example-- Here, give me your pencil, Catharine, please, and that empty envelope. How would this do?

"Blue No. 1, fastening her badge to the lapel of her partner's coat:

"As ladies fair, in days of old,
To chosen knights their colors gave,
This ribbon blue
I give to you;
And this, dear Valentine, I crave,
That you the little badge will take,
And bravely wear it for my sake.

"And something like this for an answer:

"Blue No. 2 (fastening his own badge on his lady's gown):

"Of all the merry throng to-night,
With colors rich and rare bedight,
Believe me, none will prove more true
Than he who wears this bonny blue."

"Bravo, Beth!" cried the others.

"Verily I believe it's catching," exclaimed Helen. "I too have an idea. Quick, give me a pencil!" And straightway all three fell to scribbling, each taking a different color for her subject.

And when they had made an end of cudgelling their brains, the following rhymes were ready to be copied:

Red, No. 1--

Red as my own is the badge I seek,
And red as a rose is the wearer's cheek.
Why art thou thrilling, heart of mine?
Ah, if I knew they were both for me,
The badge and the blush, on bended knee
I would sue for the love of my Valentine.

No. 2.--

This ruddy bow for thee I bind.
Be true, and thou wilt ever find
Warm is the heart that wears the red;
No scorn nor coldness needst thou dread.

Pink, No. 1--

My lady fair doth wear the tint
That deep within the sea-shell glows,
But, like the shell beneath the pink,
Her heart is white as Alpine snows.

No. 2--

I would this little knot of pink
Might be, dear Valentine, the link,
Where'er the lines for us be cast,
To hold our friendship firm and fast.

Yellow, No. 1--

Dear Valentine, one boon I ask--
Pray make it not a loveless task,
Nor think me somewhat overbold--
When you this yellow knot espy,
Ask not to-night the reason why,
Within your own my hand enfold.

No. 2--

Oh, maiden fair, whose badge is yellow,
Let heart and hand
Together band,
And find in me your happy fellow.

Green, No. 1--

Green as the larch's bursting buds
When spring is everywhere afield,
This pledge of all my heart's desire
To thee, sweet Valentine, I yield.

No. 2--

Leal throbs the heart beneath the sheen
That mates thy knot of tender green.
If thou, dear knight, that heart wouldst woo,
Be this thy motto, "Brave and true."

A badge of two colors, violet and orange, No. 1--

Who wears to-night
The colors bright
That in this radiant badge entwine,
I single from the lovely ranks,
And claim her for my Valentine.

No. 2--

A happy Valentine is she
Whose fortune in this badge is told,
For violet for heart's ease stands,
And orange for the heart of gold.

Brown, No. 1--

Ah me! no golden gift have I
To offer to my lady fair,
And much I fear she will not deign
This tawny gift of mine to wear.

Accepting his and fastening hers to his lapel.

No. 2--

Though sombre-hued this badge may seem,
Disdain it not, for oft, I deem,
Those forced to wear life's thrifty brown
Are worthy of love's brightest crown.

A white satin star, No. 1--

The bravest knight in Arthur's train
Was he who wore with ne'er a stain
The shining badge of purity;
And since I know that thou art true,
And that my trust I ne'er shall rue,
This token white I yield to thee.

No. 2--

Thy gift, as pure as thy radiant brow,
I take, dear heart, with the reverent vow
That whether the way be near or far,
I'll follow the lead of my lady's star.

"There!" said Helen. "Counting in the first two, we have sixteen, and the two sets must be put in separate baskets and drawn for. The next question is, what are the people to do after they find their partners?"

"We must seat each couple at a table and give them some puzzle or problem to work out together," said Catharine, promptly. "How would 'An Astronomical Wedding-Journey' answer? You can get that up, Beth--you are so fond of star-gazing; but don't make it too prosy."

"I'll attempt it only on one condition," answered Elizabeth: "neither of you must see it until it is given to the rest."

"Very well, Beth; we'll leave you to yourself while we copy the valentines."

And this is what Elizabeth set them to pondering over on St. Valentine's eve:

AN ASTRONOMICAL WEDDING-JOURNEY.

Once upon a time it chanced that the ---- in the ---- (satellite of
the earth) fell desperately in love with a certain fair ---- (sixth
sign of the zodiac), and the latter, having first dutifully asked
her ----' (one of the primary planets) permission, readily
consented to marry him. For bridemaids they chose ---- (one of the
Northern constellations who was noted for her shining hair), and
---- (a Northern constellation, a princess who had once been
chained to a rock on the sea-shore); while for groomsmen they had
the twin brothers ---- and ---- (third sign of the zodiac).

At the wedding-breakfast the bride sat in ----'s chair (a Northern
constellation), and as they were fond of sea-food, they had on the
menu deviled ---- (fourth sign of the zodiac) and broiled
---- (twelfth sign of the zodiac), with ---- (eleventh sign of the
zodiac) for their water-carrier.

After breakfast they had a game of ---- and ---- (Northern
constellation) with their guests; and the bride, being a fine
musician, entertained them by playing the ---- (Northern
constellation).

As there were no railroads in the country, they harnessed
---- (Northern constellation) to Charles's ---- (Northern
constellation), and took the route known as 'The ---- ----.'

"It seems very selfish to be seeking only our own pleasure,"
suggested the bride, who, like every truly happy bride, wanted all
the world to share her joy; and the groom, being a sworn knight,
decided that they would go in search of the lost ----. Becoming
thirsty on the journey, they stopped at a farm-house well.

"You can drink from the little ----," said the groom, "and I from
the big ----."

But a great ---- (a Southern constellation) began barking at them,
and before they could get back to the wagon they were butted by a
vicious ---- (first sign of the zodiac), and came near being tossed
by an angry ---- (second sign of the zodiac). A little later, in
passing through a thicket, they met a roaring ---- (fifth sign of
the zodiac). But the groom, being a fine ---- (ninth sign of the
zodiac), slew him with an ---- (Northern constellation), and when
shortly afterward they encountered a great grizzly ---- and a little
one (Northern constellations), he made an end of the old one in the
same way. But the little one was too bright for him, and chasing
the tip of his tail, they presently reached that long-sought ----
around which the ---- are the only dancers on May-day. For the
remainder of the journey there was nothing to mar their pleasure;
but after they reached the groom's palace, the trail of the ----
(Northern constellation) soon made a change, for the groom in his
own house, like many another husband, was as eccentric as a ----,
flying off in a ---- on the slightest provocation, and though he
had always been reputed to be made of gold, he proved so poor that
he could afford no ---- except what he borrowed from his generous
father, the ----, whom he disrespectfully called "Old ----."

The bride in her disappointment declared that he had been weighed
in the ---- (seventh sign of the zodiac) and found wanting, and
also charged him with having become so infatuated with ---- (the
most beautiful of the planets), that she herself was totally ----.
And though he protested that she was still his morning and his
evening ----, and that he would willingly endure for her the labors
of ---- (Northern constellation), she refused to be reconciled.
Whereupon he made way with himself by taking an overdose of ----
(one of the planets), and the bride in a fit of remorse hid a ----
(eighth sign of the zodiac) in her bosom, and suffered the fate of
---- (Egyptian queen).

A copy of this puzzle having been given to each couple, half an hour was allowed for the filling of the blank spaces, after which prizes were awarded to those who had made out the papers correctly.

THE MIDDLETON BOWL[1]

[1] Begun in HARPER'S ROUND TABLE No. 898.

BY ELLEN DOUGLAS DELAND.