Harper's Round Table, May 28, 1895

In Short

This volume of a classic Gilded Age period journal gathers a rich collection of narrative features, practical guides, historical sketches, and domestic advice tailored for young readers. Its contents span from vivid retellings of pivotal American battles to serial adventure on the Yukon River, alongside domestic clubs, pet care tips, and athletic news. The issue captures the bustling energy, moral seriousness, and playful ingenuity of late-nineteenth-century youth. It endures as an engaging historical time capsule, showcasing how the era educated, entertained, and shaped the character of its rising generation.

The Story

The publication opens with a sober, reflective look back at the American Civil War, detailing the strategic turns and intense human cost of the Battle of Gettysburg. This spirit of remembrance carries directly into a poem honoring fallen soldiers on Memorial Day, reminding children of the sacrifices made by previous generations. From historical reflection, the text transitions into the contemporary sights of New York City, spotlighting the inaugural cat show at Madison Square Garden with a lighthearted look at aristocratic felines, their diverse breeds, and the enthusiastic young visitors feeding them treats.

Narrative excitement picks up as journalists set out onto cold coastal waters in tugboats, hunting for overdue ocean liners like La Gascogne to bring back exclusive stories for eager newspaper readers. Shoreward along the beaches of Monmouth, local boys engage in a fierce beach-combing competition to unearth a hidden prize. Though bitter rivalries and superstitions about bad luck initially divide the group, the eventual discovery leads to an act of generosity: the prize money helps send a struggling, lame boy named Jem Ferguson to a New York hospital, where he undergoes a complete recovery and returns home to a joyous community.

Further north, the serial tale of wilderness survival follows three companions—Serge, Phil, and Jalap Coombs—as they navigate the frozen expanse of the upper Yukon River. After Serge unexpectedly breaks through a thick curtain of riverbank moss, the party discovers a sheltered cavern filled with massive, ancient bones of prehistoric mammoths, offering them temporary warmth and safety before they press onward past treacherous rapids toward the coast.

Shifting to domestic life, a group of young girls known as the Ninepin Club receives an unexpected visit from an enigmatic old woman named Granny Playfair, who gently lectures them on parliamentary rules and the true purpose of their club, guiding them toward acts of kindness. Practical instruction continues with clear advice for amateur photographers on setting up and lighting a darkroom safely using candles, followed by a whimsical fantasy tale featuring Jimmieboy and a wizard named Thumbhi in a garden where hot buckwheat cakes grow on bushes and garden tools speak.

The issue wraps up with high school sports coverage detailing interscholastic track meets and bicycle races, practical cycling route maps through New Jersey, and news for stamp collectors on rising market values. The final pages highlight young readers' charitable efforts to raise funds for a new schoolhouse, offer sensible advice on teenage girls' wardrobes, and end with a series of light humor anecdotes.

How It Unfolds

Honoring the past The issue begins with a serious account of the Battle of Gettysburg, illustrating the immense casualties suffered and the turning tide of the Civil War, followed by a poem calling children to decorate soldiers' graves for Memorial Day.

City sights and maritime hunts Readers are taken to Madison Square Garden for the city's first high-society cat show, followed immediately by an energetic journalist's account of braving freezing winds on a newspaper tugboat to hunt down an overdue Atlantic steamship.

Trouble and triumph on the beach Along the Monmouth coast, a group of barefoot boys searches the sand for a buried monetary prize, navigating personal rivalries and superstitions until the contest's end enables medical care for a poor, lame companion.

Uncovering ancient secrets Deep in the icy Yukon territory, three travelers stumble into a hidden cave behind a curtain of moss, discovering giant mammoth bones that provide shelter and spark awe before they continue their frozen journey.

Guidance, instruction, and amusement A mysterious visitor redirects a girls' secret club toward charity work, technical guides teach darkroom photography setup, a child visits a magical garden with talking tools, and sports reports detail regional high school track records.

Community efforts and final chuckles Young readers raise money to build a schoolhouse, an editor offers practical dressmaking advice for growing girls, and the volume concludes with humorous historical anecdotes about famous figures and quirky beggars.

The People

• Lee and Meade – Opposing generals at Gettysburg whose tactical decisions and disciplined armies shaped the outcome of a pivotal Civil War battle.
• Kit Bundy and Bert Woolley – Rival beach-combers on the Monmouth shore; Kit harbors superstitions about bad luck, while Bert advocates for including their injured friend Jem in the hunt.
• Jem Ferguson – A fragile, lame boy whose worsening condition and poverty touch his community, leading to his eventual stay in a New York hospital where his leg is cured.
• Serge, Phil, and Jalap Coombs – Yukon explorers who brave extreme cold, river hazards, and dog-sledding mishaps, eventually discovering a unique moss cavern packed with mammoth remains.
• Granny Playfair – An eccentric, self-appointed "club regulator" who arrives at the Ninepin Club to teach its young members the value of empathy over rigid rules.
• Thumbhi and Jimmieboy – A friendly wizard and a curious boy who explore a whimsical garden filled with syrup-watered pancake bushes and talking garden equipment.

In Its Own Voice

"The victorious Union army lost a greater percentage in killed and wounded than the allied armies of England, Germany, and the Netherlands lost at Waterloo."

A sobering look at the sheer scale of loss during the Battle of Gettysburg.

"Within the circuit of New York, Boston, Buffalo, and Washington--the territory wherein New York newspapers are chiefly taken--there are at least ten millions of readers, all anxious for every scrap of news of the missing ship."

A reporter describes the high-stakes pressure of hunting down delayed ocean liners for news-hungry readers.

"What appeared to be the river-bank was merely a curtain of tough, closely compacted Alaskan moss, closely resembling peat in its structure, one foot thick, and reaching from the crest of an overhanging bank to the edge of the river."

A detailed description of the hidden entrance to the wilderness cavern discovered along the Yukon River.

What It's Really About

The volume centers on the formation of character, community responsibility, and the acquisition of useful knowledge. Across historical retellings, fictional stories, and practical columns, the issue continuously prompts young readers to balance personal ambition with empathy for others. Whether describing soldiers sacrificing for their country, beach-combing boys rallying around a sick comrade, or youth chapters raising funds to build a school for underprivileged peers, the text emphasizes active moral citizenship. At the same time, it cultivates a spirit of disciplined curiosity, encouraging youth to master real-world skills—from photography darkroom chemistry and dressmaking to athletic training and stamp collecting—preparing them to navigate an rapidly modernizing world with confidence and integrity.

Why Read It Today

This issue offers a captivating window into the cultural and social atmosphere of late-nineteenth-century America. Readers interested in historical journalism, period children's literature, or everyday Victorian life will find much to admire in its varied entries. The writing strikes a pleasant balance between moral earnestness and lighthearted entertainment, moving seamlessly from solemn historical reflections to playful fantasy and practical advice.

The text does present some period-specific challenges. Modern readers will encounter dated vernacular, regional dialects in the fiction, and traditional Gilded Age social attitudes regarding gender roles and class. The wide array of short, unrelated topics may also feel fragmenting compared to a unified narrative. However, these elements add to its authenticity as an unvarnished artifact of its era. The issue remains a refreshing, informative read that reveals how young people of the 1890s were encouraged to view their past, build their skills, and engage with the world around them.