Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1895 — FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS. [ARTICLE]

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

jack’s resolve. “It I were the king of a country as wide As the sky on a bright summer day,” Baid Jack with a nod, as he hunted about In a wearied-to-death sort of way, “And ray wealth and my power were limitless quite. To do just the thing I might choose. Do you know what I’d get with the gold that I had? How that wonderful power I’d use? I would give the last cent that I had in the world, And I’d add my crown to the cost, For a pencil,” said he—then he paused with a smile—- “ For a pencil that couldn't get lost.” A HEART PARTY. A new form of evening entertainment is called a “heart party.” A large heart, made of red flannel cloth, is pinned upon a sheet hung from a door. In the center of the heart is sewed a small circle of white. Arrows of white cloth, with pins placed therein, are given to the guests, each arrow bearing a number, the number corresponding to a list whereon the names and numbers of the guests are placed. point of the game, of course, is to see which person, when blindfolded, will pin the arrow nearest to the central spot of white. Four prizes may be offered, one each for the persons coming nearest to the center, and one each to those coming the farthest from the bull's eye. The prizes may be a heart-shaped pincushion, a heart-shaped photograph frame, silver heart-shaped pin and a heart-shaped box of bonbons. The booby prizes may be a Brownie holding a tiny heart and a pincushion made of red satin and shaped like a beet.

A FIXE OLD GAME FOR BOVS. The old game of hare and hounds is gaining new popularity and being played by many boys nowadays. Any number of persons may play the game. One or two of the players are chosen as hares, and each is provided with a bag filled with torn pieces of paper, which are called “scent.” The hares start off together, the rest of the players, who are called hounds, not being allowed to see the direction they take. When five, ten or fifteen minutes—as may have been agreed upon—have elapsed the hounds set off in pursuit of the hares. In their hunt they are guided by the scent, handfuls of which are thrown out by the hares as they cover the course. Usually it is agreed beforehand that the run shall be a certain number of miles or for a certain length of time. If a hound catches one of the hares within the specified distance he wins; otherwise the hares win. If a hound catches sight of the hares he and his companions may not cut across and run toward them directly, but he must follow the . scent, although sometimes rules are made allowing this to be done, under which circumstances it is, of course, perfectly allowable. Very often chalk is used in place of paper, the hares making marks upon trees, walls and pavements. This is not, however, as satisfactory as paper for scent. The scent should be white in summer and black in winter. The reason it should be black in winter is that in this way the hounds will be enabled to more easily follow it. This game is often played by rival clubs, two rival packs of hounds constituting the whole pack. The game is then decided by adding together the numbers representing the order in which the two clubs finished . WHIPPED A PRINCE. “Tom” Benton occupied for many years—in fact, until his death —a responsible position in the household of Queen Victoria. Benton, who was of humble birth, was but a lad at Brighton when his parents died within a few months of each other. It was shortly after these events when the Queen’s attention was called to the young boy under rather peculiar circumstances. One day while Benton was gathering shells on the beach at Brighton to make pincushions, which he sold to the summer visitors, a young boy, nicely dressed and about his own age, appeared upon the scene and scattered with a vigorous kick the accumulated shells. Benton gathered up his treasures, and, placing them again in a pile, warned the intruder that if he repeated the trick he would give him a “good licking.” The kick was repeated with even more vigor than before and the shells were sent flying in every direction. True to his word, the “poor boy” soundly thrashed the stranger. It was a close contest at first, as the lads were quite evenly matched, but the more fully developed strength of Benton finally brought him off victorious.

Just as the melee was over a gentleman and lady approached, and the former said: —“You did quite right, young man; we have seen the whole transaction. This boy is our son, but he was the aggressor and received the thrashing he well merited.” A number of questions were asked the lad as to himself and his family. The replies told the boy’s life, how the death of his parents had brought poverty to himself and his brothers and sifters. “This is the Queen,” said the gentleman, who was none other than Prince Albert, “and the young man to whom you administered such a merited whipping is the Prince of Wales.” Turning to the Prince, he continued:—“You must send this young man to school and pay for his tuition out of your own pocket money. That pannotadd to your punishment, but can benefit this poor lad with whom you picked such an uncalled for quarrel.” Thus it was that “Tom” Benton met the Queen of England. He was sent to a school midway between Portland and Dover. After completing his studies there he was taken into Her Majesty’s service and remained there his entire life.

Between Benton and the Prince of Wales there was a strong bond of friendship, such as could exist between a true manly man and the future King of England.