The logs must be chopped and hauled; the coal must be mined and carried on the cars, but this new fuel just _comes_, and comes faster than the fastest train you ever heard of! All that is necessary is to bore into the earth in certain places from one hundred to fifteen hundred feet and place an iron tube into the hole, long enough to reach your—fireplace, and touch a match to the open end of the tube; then look out for one of the hottest fires you ever warmed your fingers at. But be careful lest a lot of this new wood gets out into your room and away goes the top of your house and—yourself with it. However, I guess your pa will see that a first-rate plumber puts in the fixtures. After that, no danger need be feared from an explosion. Right in the hearth will come the little flames, by turning some screws and touching a match. There are broken pieces of stone lying in the fireplace. These will become hot, from red to white. Then you’d better not handle them. Now bring your cold fingers and feet, or go to the kitchen stove and see how beautifully your dinner is being cooked by this wonderful wood. There it is, too, heating all the stores, banks, schools, churches, and everything that will give it a chance to come through the iron tube. Now what say you? I guess this is _gas_. Yes; I knew you’d ask that: Who found it first, and what does it cost, and how does it look and smell, and when will it be all used up, and how far will it travel? However, if I should tell you all I know about it, that would save you the trouble of finding out yourself, one of the very best things for you, trouble besides the joy of finding out some things without bothering any one to tell. Now see if you can answer those questions yourself. This, I will say: that Pittsburgh, Penn., knows a great deal about this gas. Ask it. UNCLE C. INTRODUCTIONS. CHARLIE HOLLAND, at your service. A well-dressed, well-mannered, pleasant-faced boy. You feel sure you would like him? Everybody who sees him feels just so. “His mother must be proud of him,” is a sentence often on people’s lips. Look at him now, as he lifts his hat politely, in answer to a call from an open window. “Charlie,” says the voice, “I wonder if I could get you to mail this letter for me? Are you going near the post-office?” “Near enough to be able to serve you, Mrs. Hampstead,” says the polite voice. “I will do it with pleasure.” “I shall be very much obliged, Charlie, but I wouldn’t want to make you late at school on that account.” “Oh! no danger at all, Mrs. Hampstead. It will not take two minutes to dash around the corner to the office.” And, as he receives the letter, his hat is again lifted politely. “What a perfect little gentleman Charlie Holland is,” says Mrs. Hampstead to her sister, as the window closes. “Always so obliging; he acts as though it was a pleasure to him to do a kindness.”