"I have taken the _Nursery Days_ for one year, and think it is a very nice paper. For pets I have two cats, named Lady Tompkins and Jimpsey. I have tried to solve the 'Caramel Puzzle,' but think one answer is wrong. I go to school, and there are forty-four scholars in my room. My little kitty Jimpsey sleeps all day long, and at night she is playful. She wakes me up in the morning, and then waits till I get up. Who is Mr. Smithers who wrote that beautiful story about 'Tommy and the Huckleberry-tree'? Everybody of all ages, from baby to my grandmother, likes it and hopes you will print more by that author. "SARAH WINKLETOP." II. "YONKERS, N. Y. "Our Uncle Willie in New York sends us _Nursery Days_ every week. We like it immensely, and every one tries to get the first reading of it. "Tommy and the Huckleberry-tree" is a splendid story. Papa bought six copies of _Nursery Days_ with that in it to send to my little cousins in England. "JIMMIE CONWAY RHODES." Others were more laudatory of Partington's story, some less so, but each demanded more of his work. These written, Partington made arrangements to have them posted from the various towns wherein they were ostensibly written, and then, when they had been posted, he chuckled slightly and sat down to await developments. It took a trifle over one week for developments to develop, and then they developed rapidly. Just eight days after his conception of this magnificent scheme the postman whistled at Partington's door and left this note: "OFFICE OF NURSERY DAYS, "NEW YORK, _March_ 16, 1889. "_Richard Partington Smithers, Esq_.: "DEAR SIR,--Can you call upon me some afternoon this week? Yours truly, "THOMAS JACKSON TORPYHUE, "Editor _Nursery Days_." "The bait is good, and I'll land the fish at once," said Partington, his face wreathing with smiles. "I'll call upon Mr. Thomas Jackson Torpyhue." And call he did. Two hours later he entered the sanctum of the editor of _Nursery Days_. "Good-afternoon," he said, as he sat down at the editor's side. "Good-afternoon, Mr. Smithers," said Mr. Torpyhue. "I'm very glad to see you." "I thought you'd be," began Partington, forgetting himself for a moment in his triumph. "If that wasn't evidence enough that I--ah--oh--er--ah! Ahem! Why, certainly," he continued, suddenly recalling the fact that as yet he could properly have no knowledge of the evidence in question. The editor threw his head back and laughed, and Partington forced himself to join him, nervously withal. "You have heard of the evidence have you?" asked Mr. Torpyhue. Partington gasped faintly, and said he thought not. "Well, it's very strange, Mr. Smithers," said Mr. Torpyhue, "but do you know that you have developed into one of our most popular authors?" "Indeed?" queried Partington, pulling himself together and trying to appear gratified.