18G9.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
65 
"OUR YOUNG FOLKS." 
J^TX ILLUSTE ATEI> JUVENILE MAOAZINE. 
This Magazine lias won golden opinions from its many thousands of readers, who hare awaited with eager interest each successive number since the first made its appearance, fonr rears 
ago. Its Stories, Sketches of Travel and Adventure, Poems, and Articles on Historical, Biographical, or Scientific Subjects, have been furnished by the ablest and most popular writers in 
America and England; and its Illustrations have come from the most skillful artists in the country. The efforts made by the Conductors of *'OUH YOUNG FOLKS " to produce for 
youthful readers a Magazine at once instructive aud entertaining, by a wide variety of excellent reading from writers whose names are a passport to the affections of all boys and girls, and 
to the confidence of older and more cautious readers, have been successful in a remarkable degree. The Press has praised the Magazine in the highest terms as " the Best Juvenile Maga- 
zine ever produced in any Land or Language." The wisest Educators of the country have commended it as a most valuable auxiliary to the teacher and parent in the Instruction of youth. 
The most distinguished Clergymen, of all denominations, have spoken of it as an excellent Magazine for the family, and some have commended it as eminently suited to add to the interest 
aud practical benefit of Sunday-schools. 
But the strongest and the best testimony to its attractiveness comes FP.OM THE READERS OF "OUR YOUXG FOLKS." „ 
Madtson", December 2d, 1SGS. 
I have taken "Our Young Folks" ever since the first num- 
ber made its appearance, and I would sooner go without my 
dinner every day than lose a single number: it is meat, 
drink, and lodging for me. . 
Fond du Lac, Wis., May 13th, 1SCS. 
To the Editor of* Our Young Folks" : 
I ant a member of a class in school which uses your Maga- 
zine lor a reading book, and we have taken so much pleasure 
in our reading exercise that we determined to write and tell 
yon how much we enjoy it. Yen cannot think how tired we 
used to be of the political speeches and all sorts of dry reading 
in our old readers. We dragged along in them for the first 
two or three terms of our school, until our teacher asked us 
how we would like to have "Our Young Folks" to read in. 
We all thought we should like it very much, and decided to 
have it; and now, after a term's trial, we are prepared to 
say that we are much pleased and really thank you. We 
look forward with real pleasure to the time of our reading 
class now, and we can hardly wait for the new numbers to 
reach us. Yours, gratefully, "for the whole class, . 
COLDWATER. MlCH., Oct. 12. 1808. 
I wanted somanv new books and tools this year, I thought 
I would try and get along without " Our Young Folks" ; but 
I can't do it. I am lame, and cannot fro oft" and play with 
the other boys ; so I must have my old friend again. . 
Faeebattlt, Minn., Sept. 21. 1SGS. 
My little boy took vour incomparable Magazine for two 
years. But this year I was not able to get it for him at the 
beginning of the year ; at this late day I can get it. 1 think 
your Magazine life best that I have seen, and hope to send 
lor it earlier another year. . 
Hermann, Mo., Nov. 20, 1SGS. 
* * * My brother has given me the first and second volumes 
of " Our'Young Folks." I like these so well that I want to 
own them all, and have tried to earn money enough to pay 
for them. I have found it a hard job, as money is not as 
plenty as work; but I havesuccceded now* and I mean to 
keep on taking "Onr Young Folks" as long as it is publish- 
ed, which I hope will be for a long time. . 
Painted Post, N. Y., Nov. 24, 1863. 
"We find your excellent Magazine indispensable in our 
family. 
Toledo. Ohio, Nov. 18.1SG8. 
Dear Sir. :— I wish to renew my subscription for "Our 
Young Folks" for lSiiO. My little brother is perfcctlv de- 
lighted with it, and his delight is shared by the whole fami- 
ly. * ' * Yours, most respectfully, 
Utica, N. Y., Dec. 7, 1SGS. 
Messt-.s. Fields, Osgood & Co. : 
My little son has been a subscriber to your excellent Maga- 
zine ever since the first number was issued; and he would 
as soon think of going to bed without his supper as of being 
deprived of the pleasure the Magazine affords him. * * * 
BLOOMTNGTON, ILL., Dec. 1, ISC?. 
*** We enjoy " Our Young Folks" so much we feel as 
though we could not get along nicely without it. Many a 
lonely and sick hour lias been passed pleasantly by its help, 
and I think it improves all the time. . 
Albany, Dee. 23. 1863. 
Messes. Fields & Osgood.— I send S3, the pay for rive 
copies of "Our Young Folks" for 1800. I like your Magazine 
first rate and I have got four of my chums to take it with 
me this year. I think I shall like The Story of a Bad Boy, 
because I think it is going to be the story of a real boy, and 
that is what I want. I suppose I am a sort of had boy: 
somehow I can't help getting into mischief sometimes, but I 
don't mean to be a veryh&dooy. I hope we shall have more 
of William Henry's letters. I know a boy just like him. Com- 
mence with the January number. Yours truly, . 
The following extract from a letter of the Chicago Tribune 
includes additional testimony to the popularity of the maga- 
zine among its readers : 
" It is very interesting to step in, of a morning, to the pub- 
lishing house of Fields, Osgood <fc Co., to see what the mail 
has brought them from the patrons of a single one of their 
periodicals — ' Our Young Folks.' This juvenile magazine 
lias achieved a most substantial success. Its present circula- 
tion is fifty thousand copies, and the rate of increase was 
never more rapid than now. The prospectus for the new 
year, with its promise of papers of juvenile science by Mrs. 
Asassiz, practical instruction by Edward E. Hale, adventur- 
ous biography by Mr. Barton, and so forth, and the specimen 
number issued for January, with the beginning ol Mr. T. B. 
Aldrich's wonderfully taking 'Story of a Bad Boy,' have 
given the present impetus to subscriptions. But 1 began to 
speak of the examination of the morning mail. Tliisbriugs, 
at this lime of year, an average of 500 letters daily to this 
department of the store— a pile very formidable on the desk, 
and requiring several hours of steady labor to attend to. 
The children themselves write most of the Utters: and it is 
exceedingly curious to Bee the uuaint epistolary methods, 
and the odd phraseology, which these young folks pick up 
in their early essays at business correspondence. A re- 
markably large portion of them come l'roin the Northwest; 
almost every town in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, 
Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan is represented in one morning's 
mail. One enthusiastic youngster in Madison, who has had 
every number from the beginning, says he would rather go 
without his dinner any day than miss a number, and that he 
values it as 'meat, drink, and lodging'; a little girl in Peo- 
ria, more circumspect in her language, says 'many a lonely 
and sick hour has been passed pleasantly bv its help,' and ' I 
think it improves all the time' ; while the next letter is trom 
a bov in Dubuque, who does not mince his words, even with 
pen and ink, but says, 'I think it is a bully magazine.' Real- 
ly, the little monthly deserves all the kind things said ot it 
by itsfriends. old and young; and its growing popularity, 
while it steadily adheres to its plan of developing a taste for 
the very best literature, is one of the most gratifying signs 
of the lime, so far as the rising generation is concerned.' 
The leading 
1SG9 is 
Serial Story for "OU11 YOUNG FOLKS" for 
" THE STORY OF A BAD BOY." 
BY T. B. ALDIHCH. 
To indicate its general character, anil its great superiority 
to ordinary stories for youthful readers, the Introductory 
Chapter is given: 
This is the story of a bad boy. Well, not such a very bad, 
but a pretty bad boy; aud I ought to know, for I am, or 
rather I was, that boy myself. 
Lest the title should mislead the reader, I hasten to assure 
him here that I have no dark confessions to make. I call 
my story the story of a bad boy, partly to distinguish my- 
self from those faultless young gentlemen who generally fig- 
ure innarratives of this kind, and partly because I really 
was not a cherub. I may truthfully say I was -an amiable, 
impulsive lad, blessed with fine digestive powers, and no 
hypocrite. I didn't want to be an angel and with the angels 
stand; I did n't think the missionary tracts presented to me 
by the Rev. Wibird Hawkins were half so nice as Robinson 
Crusoe; and I did n't send my little pocket money to the 
natives of the Fejee Islands, but spent it royally in pepper- 
mint-drops and taffy candy. In short, I was a real human 
boy, such as you may meet anywhere in New England, and 
no more like the impossible boy in a story-book than a sound 
orange is like one that has been sucked dry. But let us be- 
gin at the beginning. 
Whenever a new scholar came to our school I used to con- 
front him at recess with the following words : " My name 's 
Tom Bailey; what's your name- 1 " If the name struck me 
favorably, I shook hands with the new pupil cordially ; but 
if it didn't I would turn on my heel, for I was particu- 
lar on this point. Such names as Higgins, Wiggins, and 
Spriggins, were deadly affronts to my ear; while Langdon, 
Wallace, Blake, and the like, were passwords to my confi- 
dence and esteem. 
Ah me ! some of thos? dear fellows are rather elderly boys 
by this time, —lawyers, merchants, sea-captains, soldiers, 
authors, whatnot ? Phil Adams (a special good name that 
Adams) is consul at Shanghai, where I picture him to myself 
witli his head closely shaved,— he never had too much hair, 
—and along pigtail hanging behind. He is married, I hear, 
and I hope lie and she that was Miss Wang Wang are very 
happy together, sitting cross-legged oyer their diminutive 
cups of tea iu asky-blue tower hung wit'.i bells. It is so I 
think of him ; to me he is henceforth a jeweled mandarin, 
talking uothingbut broken China. Whitcomb is a judge, 
sedate and wise, with spectacles balanced on the bridge of 
that remarkable nose which, in former days, was so plenti- 
fully sprinkled with freckles that the boys christened him 
Pepper Whitcomb. Just to think of little Pepper Whitcomb 
being a judge ! What would he do to menow, I wonder, if I 
were to sing out " Pepper !" some day in court? Fred Lang- 
don i3 in California, in the native-wine business.— he used to 
make the best licorice-water 1 ever tasted ! Binnv Wallace 
sleeps in the Old South Burying-grouud; and Jack Harris, 
too, is dead,— Harris, who commanded usboys, of old, in the 
famous snow-ball battles of Slatter's Hill. Was it yesterday 
I saw him at the head of his regiment on its way to join the 
shattered Army of the Potomac? Not yesterday, but five 
years ago. It was at the battle of the Seven Pines. Gallant 
Jack Harris, that never drew rein until he had dashed into 
the Rebel battery! So they found him— lying across the 
enemy's guns. 
How we have parted, and wandered, and married, and died ! 
I wonder what has become of all the boys who went to the 
Temple Grammar School at Rivermouth when I was a 
youngster ? 
" All, all are gone, the old familiar faces !" 
It is with no ungentle hand I summon them back, for a 
moment, from that Past which has closed upon them and 
upon me. How pleasantly they live again in my memory; 
Happy, magical Past, in wliose fairy atmosphere even Con- 
way, mine ancient foe, stands forth transfigured, with a sort 
of dreamy glory encircling his bright red hair! 
With the old school formula I commence these sketches 
of mybovhood. My name is Tom Bailey; what is yours, 
gentle reader ? I take for granted it is neither Wiggins nor 
Spriggins, and that we shall get on famously together in the 
pages of this magazine, and be capital friends lorever. 
Lynn. Mass., Jan. 6,lSf>9. 
Messrs. Fields & Osgood.— Dear Sir : I write to say, is 
" The Story of a Bad Boy" a real true story, or only made 
up? It begins bully, anyhow. I want to Know where is 
Rivermouth? I can't find Hon the. map anywheres. My 
brother says Mr. Trowbridge's "Glass Making" is good. 
He says Mr. Trowbridge is a regular blower, lie's only jok- 
iug. Yours, . 
Worcester, Jan. 4, 1SG9. 
Gentlemen:— Our teacher proposes to use "Our Young 
Folks" as a reading book during this year. We think it will 
be quite nice to have something fresh and interesting to read, 
instead of the same old selections which we know by heart. 
How much will it. cost to have twelve copies of "Our Young 
Folks" sent? Will they be any cheaper than if each boy 
should subscribe by himself? Please answer soon. 
I remain yours, . 
Good as "OUR YOUNG FOLKS" has heretofore been, 
its value for the present year will be greatly increased by 
the prominence given to practical and instructive features ; 
to Biography, History,Industrial Subjects, Scientific Articles 
of a popular yet thoroughly reliable character, Gardening, 
Declamations and Dialogues. Special attention is invited to 
the following outline of the leading features of 
" mm YOUNG FOLKS » for 1869. 
THE STORY OF A BAD BOY, 
BY T. U ALDRICH, 
will lie tlio lending Serial Story in "ODK TOIJNG FOLKS" 
for tlie year 1S69, and promises to be one of the brightest and 
most entertaining stories ever written for youthful readers. 
GARDENING FOR GIRLS. 
A highly interesting and important story, written by the 
Author of "Six Hundred Dollars a Year." and intended to 
convey hints to young gills as to a useful disposal of their 
time, and to give valuable assistance in the Study of Botany, 
serving the purpose for them which was answered for boys 
in the admirable serial, " Farming for Boys." 
HOW TO DO IT. 
Edward Everett Hale will contribute various papers, 
written for the practical instruction of grown-up boys and 
girls, and of our young men and women, in the methods of 
life. They will include suggestions as to the way— How to 
Talk ; How to Read ; now to Write ; How to Travel ; How 
to Act in Society; and How to Work. 
THE WORLD WE LIVE ON. 
Mrs. Agassiz will give a scries of papers, explaining in a 
familiar way many of the phenomena observed in the world 
about us. She will give an account of the coal deposits, and 
explain the way in which the coral insects construct islands 
in the ocean. She will also explain how and why earth- 
quakes occur, and describe some of the more noted ones. 
THE GREAT NAVIGATORS, VOYA- 
GERS, AND DISCOVERERS. 
Mb. James Parton will contribute a number of Bio- 
graphical Sketches, taking as his subjects the lives of some 
of the most eminent navigators and discoverers. These will 
include Prince Henry of Portugal, Diaz, Vasco da Gama, 
Magellan, Columbus, John and Sebastian Cabot, Champlain, 
Hudson, and others. 
DIALOGUES. 
Mr. Epes Sargent will furnish a number of new Dia- 
logues, adapted to School Exhibitions and Private Repre- 
sentations. 
AMERICAN HISTORY 
will be presented in articles by Mr. J. H. A. Eonb. 
HUMAN BEES. 
Mr. Trowbridge will describe some of the more Import- 
ant apd interesting branches of human industry, such as 
Glass-Making, Coal-Mining, Ship-Building. 
NATURE AND OUT-DOOR LIFE 
will be the subject of articles by the author of " The Seven 
Little Sisters," to which others will he added by Mr. Charles 
J. FosTER,and by Mr. W. F. G. Shanks, who will furnish 
papers upon the Fire-Damp, Wrecks and Wrecking, etc. 
DECLAMATIONS. 
Declamations of an entirely fresh character will be fur- 
nished by Hey. Elijah Kellog, author of "Spartacus," 
and " Icilius." 
C^~ TERMS :— $2.00, in advance ; 3 copies, $5.00; 5 copies, $S.0O; 10 copies, $15.00, and $1.30 for each additional copy. 
K. B.— A copy of "OUU YOUNG FOLKS'" for 1S60 will be sent gratis to any person who will act ns agent and raise a club for the Magazine. 
Specimen Copy, Premium List, Circulars, etc., sent upon application. $&~ The "Atlantic" and "Our Young Folks" sent to one address for $3.00 per annum. 
FIELDS, OSGOOD & CO., Publishers, (Successors to Ticknor& Fields,) 124 Tremont Street, Boston. 
