Harper's Round Table, December 17, 1895

"Harper's Round Table, December 17, 1895" by Various is a magazine that whisks young readers back to the late 1800s. Filled with captivating stories and articles crafted for children, the magazine showcases a variety of tales like adventure stories and holiday-spirited narratives. The initial story, "Christmas on Majuba Station" by Richard Barry, introduces Bobby Seymour, a midshipman serving on the steam-frigate "Sumter" stationed off the African coast. Preparing for Christmas in an unfamiliar, hot climate, Bobby grapples with homesickness, contrasting his longing for snowy Christmases and family with the ship's environment, made somber by the captain's illness, thereby setting the scene for an unfolding mystery when Bobby and his mates investigate something strange in the sea, blending adventure, discovery, and holiday cheer within a military setting.