A GOOD EXCUSE BY WILHELMINA RANKIN (AGE 13) "I WONDER which of us will be chosen for the queen to wear at the wedding," said Rose, as she nodded and swayed in the breeze, to tall White Lily. "Why, Rose, you will, of course. You are her favorite flower," exclaimed Lily. "But I do not wish to be worn and admired by the queen and all her ladies," sighed Rose. "What excuse have you?" exclaimed Lily. "Because-" and Rose hung her head. Suddenly, the high-pitched voice of Jack-inthe-Pulpit arose from somewhere near by. "Here, here! None of this. It is very rude to answer questions like that. We want a good excuse. Now in my day I-" but he was interrupted by a chorus of voices, "Hush! Stop your preaching!" Just then the bluebells tinkled a warning, for up the winding path the queen was leisurely strolling. Coming to Wild Rose, she whispered, "I think the head gardener overheard a little conversation between you and White Lily. What is this about not wishing to be taken from the garden?" "I was very rude to say such things," Rose hesitated. "I'm sure you will forgive me." "But come, what is your excuse?" "Because I want to remain just what I am, a free, gay, happy, little wild rose." For a minute the queen looked tenderly down at her, and then whispered: "Your wish is fulfilled, little one. Yours is indeed a good excuse. You shall not be made proud and vain by your ad mirers. You shall stay here, laughing and dancing in the breeze and be my own sweet little Wild Rose." BY ETHEL DURBIN, AGE 14 "ADMIRATION" A GOOD REASON BY GWYNNE M. DRESSER (AGE 14) IT was the last day of March, and the North Wind came dancing over the hills in great glee, for he meant to sweep the country-side and make the spring flowers shiver in their beds. He was also planning to spread a blanket of snow over the fields and meadows. As he tripped gaily through the woods, he suddenly stopped, and a look of great surprise spread over his face. There before him, in a bank of moss, were two wee violets, peeping at him through the leaves. He was very much disgusted, and he blew a shrill blast at them as he passed. Before he had gone far, however, he spied a cluster of pink arbutus looking up at him with a smile. Tiny green leaves were sprouting on the bushes, and as he passed the swamp he found, to his amazement, that the pussy-willow bushes were covered with soft, downy kittens. When he came to the brook, he saw that the layer of ice which he had made so carefully only a week ago was broken, and the brook was babbling over the pebbles and singing a joyous song at being free again. In the apple orchard, he caught a glimpse of blue, and sure enough, there sat the bluebird. Then he saw a flash of red, and lo, the robin! "What is the reason for all this?" demanded the North Wind. And then he got his answer, for over the hill came Mistress Spring herself, crowned with sparkling dewdrops and flowers. Her dress was of the palest blue and her arms were full of apple blossoms. Then the old North Wind knew that his reign was over. THE WINDS OF MARCH BY ELIZABETH BRAINERD (AGE 8) HARK! is it a bird, A bird of early spring? No, 't is the March winds blowing- They are helping Mother Nature, And blow the remaining leaves away, That new ones in their place may come Some early April day. So come, let us dance with the winds, And the little brown leaves too, Over the fields that begin to be green And over the hills of blue. WHEN MARCH WINDS BLOW I AM the March wind. I blow the trees Through the hillsides bare echoes my song; As I blow the kites, flying so high, 1 "IN THE OPEN." BY MARIE RUBEN, AGE 14 WHEN the winds of March are blowing Oh, your eyes are like the sky, dear, When at dusk the fire-light 's gleaming A GOOD REASON BY HELENE SPOONER (AGE 11) DURING the World War a young soldier at Camp Dixen, whose name was Bob Collingwood, desired a furlough to go home and see his parents. As his troop expected to be called across the sea any day the general would not permit Bob a furlough of even twenty-four hours. One day when the soldiers were having targetpractice, Bob saw one of them standing right in the way of an on-coming bullet. Not a minute was to be wasted or else the soldier might have been seriously hurt. Bob sprang forward and dragged the soldier out of the way and pulled him back just as the bullet whizzed past him. It went through Bob's leg and he fell down. When the other soldiers saw what had happened they ran up and carried Bob to his tent, where he recovered, after several weeks. He was given a gold medal for bravery. But best of all he was allowed a three-day furlough. A better reason could not be found for this great privilege. "IN THE OPEN." BY MARY SCATTERGOOD, AGE 14 THE WINDS OF MARCH BY ANNE MARIE HOMER (AGE 14) As the mighty wind sweeps through the wood No good to the giant pine in the west, Which it bends to the ground with furious zest, A GOOD REASON BY MADELINE BLOSSOM (AGE 10) SNOWDROP was a spoiled and petted cat. She was one of the most important members of the Smith family, and for two weeks not a sign of Snowdrop could the anxious Smiths see. At last, Mary said to Uncle Harry, "I think Snowdrop is a very ungrateful cat to run away." Uncle Harry smiled. "Do you really think Snowdrop could have had the heart to run away?" he asked. "I believe she has," was Mary's tearful reply. They were standing in the hall and Uncle Harry pushed open the door of a closet, remarking, "I think there is a good reason for it." And And there, curled up beside Snowdrop, were four good little reasons, all fast asleep. Snowdrop licked Mary's hand as if to say, "I am not an ungrateful cat, little mistress." SPECIAL MENTION A list of those whose work would have been used had space permitted: PROSE Minnie Pfeferberg Genevieve Derschug Constance M. O'Hara Helen Louise Gunn Charles E. Wilkins Charlie Wakefield Marian L. Richardson Emily L. Brandt Florence F. Johnson Caroline Stafford VERSE Jean T. Fotheringham Laura L. Canfield Phyllis Hodges Vander Veer Florence Jackson Mildred M. Harris DRAWINGS Betty Muir Stonebarger Frances J. Gassman Clara Beardslee Ruth Josephine Edith E. Hatfield PHOTOGRAPHS James B. R. White Lucille Breeding Martha Duncan Mary Chase Philip D. Eastman Alfred S. Lazarus Kennard Dorothy L. Rowell St. Pierre ROLL OF HONOR A list of those whose contributions were deserving of high praise: Isabel C. Bosworth Ada G. Osann Martindale DRAWINGS Elinor Kendall Dorothy Sponsler Shirley Strause Eleanore M. Chamberlain Francis S. Wright Robert Dies Marian Welker Marcella Comes Ruth Fowler Ivy-Jane Edmondson Laura C. Barrett Lalia Simison Anne Wyman Boyd D. Lewis Marian E. Lumb George Wunderlich, Jr. Jane H. Campbell Sarah K. Stafford Janet Sonnenstrahl PHOTOGRAPHS Mathilda Laemme Jane Cooper Bill Hayden Alberta Iliff Elizabeth Marsh Mary O'Flynn Ena L. Hourwich Olga F. Joffe Mary O. Thurston Robert Huse Mary Armstrong Carol R. Smith Lucy Shaw Hester Brooks Ruth L. Stern Catherine Weitzel Margaret McKinney Sarah E. Donley Ah Quan Young Helen M. D. Furst Margaret Colwell Donald M. Jordan Ernoest O. Knoch Robert Warner Helen Steele Helen Ireland Muriel Ward Colin Macafee Henry S. Joseph Frances B. Kennedy Ruth McCutchen Ruth Dimick Dorothy Jenkins WHAT THE LEAGUE IS THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE is an organization of the readers of the ST. NICHOLAS MAGAZINE. THE LEAGUE motto is "Live to learn and learn to live." THE LEAGUE emblem is the "Stars and Stripes." THE LEAGUE membership button bears the LEAGUE name and emblem. THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE organized in November, 1899, became immediately popular with earnest and enlightened young folks, and now is widely recognized as one of the great artistic educational factors in the life of American boys and girls. THE ST. NICHOLAS LEAGUE awards gold and silver badges each month for the best original poems, stories, drawings, photographs, puzzles, and puzzle answers. PRIZE COMPETITION, No. 268 Competition No. 268 will close April 1. All contributions intended for it must be mailed on or before that date. Prize announcements will be made and the selected contributions published in ST. NICHOLAS for July. Badges sent one month later. Verse. To contain not more than twenty-four lines. Subject, "From Sea to Sea." Prose. Essay or story of not more than three hundred words. Subject, "My Favorite Recreation." Photograph. Any size, mounted or unmounted; no blue prints or negatives. Young photographers need not print and develop their pictures themselves. Subject, "Taken in a Second." Drawing. India ink, very black writing-ink, or wash. Subject, "Vacation 's Here!" or "A Vacation Friend," or "A Heading for July." Puzzle. Must be accompanied by answer in full. Puzzle Answers. Best and neatest complete set of answers to puzzles in this issue of ST. NICHOLAS. Must be addressed to THE RIDDLE-BOX. No unused contribution can be returned unless it is accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelop of proper size to hold the manuscript or picture. RULES ANY reader of ST. NICHOLAS, whether a subscriber or not, is entitled to League membership, and upon application a League badge and leaflet will be sent free. No League member who has reached the age of eighteen years may compete. Every contribution, of whatever kind, must bear the name, age, and address of the sender and be indorsed as "original" by parent, teacher, or guardian, who must be convinced beyond doubt-and must state in writing-that the contribution is not copied, but wholly the work and idea of the sender. If prose, the number of words should also be added. These notes must not be on a separate sheet, but on the contribution itself-if manuscript, on the upper margin; if a picture, on the margin or back. Write in ink on one side of the paper only. A contributor may send but one contribution a month-not one of each kind, but one only; this, however, does not include " competitions" in the advertising pages or "Answers to Puzzles." Address: The St. Nicholas League, The Century Co. 353 Fourth Avenue, New York. |