St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, No. 07, May 1878 Scribner's Illustrated

In the bright days of May along the Hudson, two children—Bub and Mandy Lewis—grow up on a steep bank where the scent of apple blossoms mixes with the sharp aroma of shad. Their father and older brother Jeff are busy preparing a fishing boat for the night’s haul, while the youngsters watch from a worn log on the wharf. The river’s rhythm and the hum of drying nets shape their world, filling the twins with both curiosity and a yearning to prove themselves.

At home, Mandy tends to a baby brother while Bub scrambles for a bite of ginger‑bread cake, the kitchen echoing with light‑hearted rivalry. Their mother, brief but warm, hands out a shared slice and reminds them to be patient, the baby’s hungry eyes turning the simple meal into a small drama. As the children juggle chores, teasing, and the promise of a forthcoming rowing adventure, the day feels both ordinary and filled with the excitement of river life.