Harper's Young People, Vol. 01, Issue 39, July 27, 1880

A window into late Victorian childhood, this 1880 issue of Harper's Young People delivers exactly what its young readers craved: adventure, education, and entertainment in equal measure. The ongoing serial "The Moral Pirates" reaches a tense ninth chapter where our young adventurers face false accusations of theft while navigating treacherous waters. "Poor Ben!" offers a stirring tale of friendship and sacrifice, as an uncle recounts how a departed friend once saved his life. The noble "Old Hannibal" hears the drums of war again in a moving piece about a retired warhorse. Rounding out this eclectic issue: a daring DIY guide to fire eating, an illustrated journey through Java's tea plantations, and the latest installment of naval history explaining why Congress finally agreed to fund an American fleet. Here is childhood as the Victorians knew it: curious, adventurous, and perpetually instructive.