AMEEIOA:^ AaEIOULTUEIST. 
[I^BBKUABT, 
Old Aunt Sukey was much startled to see a bevy 
of rough schoolboys swarming over the fence into 
her little yard—for they scorned entering through 
the gate—but the sight of Effie reassured her, and 
when told their errand her wrinkled old face was 
one bunch of puckers as the tears and smiles 
chased each other across it, and she exclaimed, 
“ Bress de dear young gemmans, dey eberyone de¬ 
serve to be Gineral Washingtons and de President 
ob de United States.” Meanwhile the boys fell 
vigorously to work chopping and sawing and split¬ 
ting ; and as ‘‘ many hands make light work,” the 
great pile rapidlj' decreased. It was half piled in 
the shed, and most of the boys were resting in the 
tired of this quarrel as 1 am. Let us shake hands 
and be friends.” — Ned hesitated, but Effle took his 
hand and slipped it into George’s, saying, “I am 
sure you will, Ned, since George has shown himself 
‘first in war, and first in peace,’ ” — “And first in the 
hearts of his school-fellows,” shouted all the boys. 
“ I will order a copy of Shakespeare to-morrow,” 
said George. — “ And I will send to the city for the 
prettiest white mice to be found,” said Ned.— 
Then every Cat embraced a Mouse, and so on 
Washington’s Birthday the war of the Cats and the 
Mice came to an end forever. Dr. Bird met them 
at the house door, and fairly beamed upon the two 
captains through his gold bowed spectacles as he 
called a quiet one. The drawing of lots, the choos- ^ 
ing of sides, and all the preparation for playing, as 
well as the game itself, are accompanied by much 
loud talk. One boy is chosen to be the “pillar,” 
and the others are divided into two parties, the 
“bucks” and the “riders.” Lots are drawn, to 
decide which side shall first be the bueks. These 
station themselves in a row, “ making a back,” as 
in leap-frog. The pillar does not seem to have 
much to do besides giving the first buck something 
to hold on by, and to see fair play. The riders get 
to their places, leap-frog fashion, and the first 
rider, holding up several fingers, says: “Buck, 
buck, how many horns do I hold up ?’ ’ If the first 
OLD GAME FOR YOUNG BOYS. 
A N 
kitchen enjoying a jdate of Aunt Sukey’s dough¬ 
nuts when a cry of pain made George Wilson, who 
was wrestling with an uncommonly hard pine knot, 
turn suddenly to see Ned Brewster lying on the 
ground, buried beneath several huge logs which 
had fallen upon him. — “Oh 1 help,” he groaned ; 
“ call the boys !” — Forgetting that this was his 
enemy, George sprang to his assistance, removed 
alone the crushing wood, and helped Ned to rise ; 
but he could not stand. “I turned my foot, when 
1 slipped,” he said.—“Lean on me,” said George, 
and all were astonished to see the captain of the 
Mice helping the chief Cat to the house, taking off 
his boot and bringing water for Ellie to bathe the 
injured part. Fortunately it did not prove very 
serious, and Ned was able to limp back to the 
school with the otliers. As they reached the gate, 
he blushed and stammered, “I am much obliged 
to you, George.” — “ Fou are welcome, I am sure,” 
said George, holding out his hands, “ but as you 
won’t be abie to fight again to-day, don’t you think 
it is time to declare a peace ? I believe you are as 
Drawti and Engraved Jor the American Agriculturist. 
made them a little patriotic speech in honor of the 
day, and then invited all to a feast of good things 
in the dining-room. And at the end of the colla¬ 
tion Lady Bird approached the two captains, who 
sat side by side, and begged to form a new 
regiment, to be called the “ Happy Family Com¬ 
pany,” to which she presented a beautiful blue silk 
! banner that she and her mother had made in antici- 
1 pation of this glad event. On it was embroidered 
i a peaceful looking cat with a wee mouse confiding¬ 
ly nestled between her paws.—The treaty of peace, 
formed at that time, I think was never broken. 
“Buck, Buck, How Many Horns?” 
Old Indian-fighters often say that when an 
Indian is out-yelled he considers himself whipped, 
and gives up the fight. Boys, especially if there is 
a slight dispute about the game, seem to act as if 
the side of the loudest shouters could gain the vic¬ 
tory, The game of “ Buck, Buck,” can hardly be 
buck guesses the right number, the rider takes 
his place at the rear of the line of bucks, while the 
lucky buck goes to the rear of the riders. The 
second buck now becomes the first one, and takes 
his turn at guessing. If the first buck does not 
guess the number, the first rider goes to the rear 
of the riders, and the buck guesses again at the 
number held up by rider number two, who moves 
up and becomes the first. So it goes on, the bucks 
and riders continually changing, making a livel}'' 
and noisy game, and one that may become rather 
fatiguing to the bucks, should they not have good 
luck in guessing. The artist gives the game as he 
saw it played, and the picture will help in follow¬ 
ing the changes above described. In some parts of 
the country a variety of this game is called “Jump, 
little nag-tail.” In this, the bucks are called 
“ nags,” and at a signal they rise up, and if the 
riders fall or touch the ground, they take their 
places with the nags. AVe do not knovv the rules 
of this game of “Nag Tail,” which is evidently 
even more rude and noisy than the “Buck, Buck.” 
