became acquainted with Douglas Grahame, an honest farmer who lived at
Shanter, and who afterward figured as Tam o' Shanter in the wonderful
poem of that name. A merry story told of Grahame by his friends served
as the material which Burns long afterward turned to such good account.
The original story was as follows: Grahame had a friend named John
Davidson, the Souter Johnnie of the poem, with whom he often made merry
when in town on market-day, frequently lingering so late at night as to
cause severe displeasure to the good dame waiting at home. It happened
once, when returning later than usual, on a very dark, stormy night,
Grahame had the misfortune to lose his "bonnet," or cap, in which was
all the money he had made that day at the market. Fearing the scolding
which he knew awaited him, he took advantage of his wife's superstition
and credulity, and invented a terrible story of a band of witches which
had appeared to him at Alloway Kirk, and from which he had barely
escaped with his life. The dame was satisfied with his explanation, and
gave thanks for the miraculous preservation of her husband. Honest
Douglas Grahame, however, quietly returned by daylight to Carrick Hill,
where he was fortunate enough to find his "bonnet" and money safe in the
bushes near the Bridge of Doon. Grahame and Davidson, the originals of
Tam o' Shanter and Souter Johnnie, are buried in the church-yard at
Kirkoswald.
* * * * *
MANSFIELD.--In earliest times skins, cattle, corn, and other articles
were used as money. According to Homer, certain numbers of oxen were
paid for the armor of warriors; and even our modern word _pecuniary_,
the etymology of which is traced directly to the Latin word _pecus_;
signifying cattle, is a convincing proof that those beasts were used as
money by the ancient Romans.
Precious metals were also given and taken in payment at a very early
age. Abraham is represented in Genesis as coming up out of Egypt "very
rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold," and payments made in so many
pieces or shekels of silver are frequently mentioned in the Old
Testament. It is supposed that at this period the precious metal was in
the form of lumps of different weights, but bore no stamp. Wrought
jewels are also mentioned as serving for money.
The first coined money is supposed to have been used by the Lydians
about 700 or 800 B.C. Greek coins appeared at a little later period, the
earliest being those of Ægina. The first coins were very rough in
appearance, a rude device being stamped from a die on a lump of metal of
a certain weight by a blow of a hammer. The early Lydian coins bore a
lion's head, and the Æginetan a tortoise on the obverse, the other side
being marked only by an indentation caused by the blow.
The oldest extant Jewish coins, specimens of which may be seen in the
British Museum, are the shekel and half-shekel of Simon Maccabæus, "the
priest and prince of the Jews," to whom Antiochus VII., the son of
Demetrius I., granted the right of coining money about 139 B.C. The
silver shekel and half-shekel had for their devices on one side the
almond rod with buds (Numbers, xvii. 8, 10), with the legend, "Jerusalem
the Holy"; and on the other the pot of manna (Exodus, xvi. 33), and the
legend, "Shekel of Israel," or "Half-Shekel." This early coinage never
bore a head, as that would have violated the law forbidding idolatry.
The value of the Maccabæus silver shekel may be estimated at 2_s._ 6_d._
sterling, or 60 cents.
* * * * *
LYMAN C.--You can buy the cover for YOUNG PEOPLE of Harper & Brothers
for thirty-five cents, or forty-eight cents if sent by mail, but they
can not bind your copies for you.
* * * * *
NEWMAN G.--In YOUNG PEOPLE No. 36, in the story entitled "The Mohawk
Bowmen," you will find directions for making bows and arrows, and in the
Post-office Box of No. 51 the process of feathering arrows is described.
In the Post-office Box of No. 19 are instructions for making a kite.
* * * * *
PUZZLES FROM YOUNG CONTRIBUTORS.
No. 1.
BOTANICAL CONUNDRUMS.
1. Plant a youthful Virginian before it can walk, and what comes up?
2. Plant a piece of bunting, and what comes up?
3. Plant a wise man, and what comes up?
4. Plant a large, inclosed basin, and what comes up?
5. Plant a ruminant's lips, and what comes up?
6. Plant an egg, and what comes up?
7. Plant a color, and what comes up?
8. Plant a sea-shore, and what comes up?
9. Plant yourself, and what comes up?
10. Plant a muff, and what comes up?
A. and T. J.
* * * * *
No. 2.
WORD SQUARE.
First, a dead body. Second, a bay-window. Third, stiff. Fourth, a net.
Fifth, a shrub.
BOLUS.
* * * * *
No. 3.
ENIGMA.
My first is in corn, not in grain.
My second in hail, not in rain.
My third is in lamp, not in light.
My fourth in darkness, not in night.
My fifth is in well, not in sick.
My sixth is in cane, not in stick.
My seventh in maple, not in pine.
My eighth is in back, not in spine.
My ninth is in green, not in red.
My tenth is in needle, not in thread.
My eleventh in archer, not in bow.
My whole was an emperor long ago.
MAY E. T.
* * * * *
ANSWERS TO PUZZLES IN NO. 53.
No. 1.
S M
A T E D I M
S T O R M I N E R
E R R I M E W
M I S E R
Y A M E N O W
M A N O R O B I N
M O B W I T
R N
No. 2.
Marseille.
No. 3.
1. Winnipiseogee. 2. Niagara Falls.
NEW BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS.
The early history of America is always a subject of great interest to
boys and girls; and although they may get ahead very slowly in the
school history, which is invariably dull, as its statements are of
necessity as condensed as possible, put a volume in their hand in which
the story of their country is told in picturesque and easy style, and
made more interesting than many works of fiction, and the rapidity with
which it is absorbed by young readers is wonderful. A new and very
interesting book of this description is _Old Times in the Colonies_,[1]
by Charles C. Coffin, whose earlier works, _The Boys of '76_ and _The
Story of Liberty_, are favorite volumes with boys and girls. From this
new book children will learn about the hardships and sufferings of the
pioneer settlers of the United States--how they fought with frost and
snow, and desolate, rocky lands, living in constant fear of attacks by
Indians, to whose tomahawks many a brave man and many women and little
children fell victims; and how, in spite of all obstacles, they
struggled ahead with the courage of true men, never faltering and never
stopping until the liberty and prosperity of this great country were
firmly established.
[1] _Old Times in the Colonies_. By CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN.
Illustrated. 8vo, pp. 460. New York: Harper & Brothers.
The few passages from this volume which have appeared in the columns of
HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE have found universal favor with young readers
throughout the country, and we are sure all those children who find this
handsome book in their bundle from Santa Claus will count it among their
best gifts. The volume is printed in type so large and clear that no
little eyes will ever ache over it, the illustrations are very numerous
and exceedingly attractive, and the binding is handsome and substantial.
* * * * *
One of the most delightful stories ever written for boys is _The Moral
Pirates_,[2] which is now published in a small, neat volume, with
fifteen full-page illustrations. This has been one of the most popular
serials published in HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and many of the little
friends of Harry Wilson, Tom Schuyler, and Joe and Jim Sharpe, will be
happy to renew their acquaintance with them in this pretty little book,
while those who have not read the story have some delightful hours in
store. The cruise of Harry and his three friends in the _Whitewing_--a
neat little boat, well stocked with provisions and camping-out comforts
by Harry's uncle John--is accompanied by many innocent and amusing
adventures. It takes the boys some time to learn how to manage
themselves and their boat, as new difficulties are constantly arising;
and when at last they reach Brandt Lake, and have become experienced
"moral pirates," their adventures come to a sudden end in a very
unexpected manner. This charming story has a new incident and new
interest on every page, and will induce many boys to attempt next summer
a cruise in the style of these young mariners of the _Whitewing_.
[2] _The Moral Pirates_. By W. L. ALDEN. Illustrated. 8vo, pp. 148. New
York: Harper & Brothers.
* * * * *
All children are by nature fond of small living pets. There is scarcely
a child who, if it has a home, does not spend hours in petting its old
Maltese cat or aged dog, and the smallest tricks performed by these
common domestic animals are matters of intense interest to the youthful
master or mistress. Books containing stories of animals are always
welcome, and one of the best writers of books of this description is
Olive Thorne Miller, whose last publication, entitled _Queer Pets at
Marcy's_,[3] is destined to be very popular with young readers. There
are stories of all kinds of animal pets from lions to mice: parrots
climb about, making all sorts of funny speeches, mischievous crows make
havoc in peaceful households, and dogs and cats do most wonderful and
intelligent things. There are stories of funny baby-owls, prairie-dogs,
opossums, bears, deer, and many kinds of birds and reptiles. Indeed,
Marcy and her neighbors appear to have transformed a whole menagerie
into household pets. Delightful and wonderful as these stories are, they
are given as facts, and in reading them children will gain not only
amusement, but learn many things about the habits of birds and beasts
when domesticated. The book is beautifully bound, and contains many fine
illustrations.
[3] _Queer Pets at Marcy's_. By OLIVE THORNE MILLER. Illustrated by
J. C. BEARD. 8vo, pp. 326. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co.
HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE.
SINGLE COPIES, 4 cents; ONE SUBSCRIPTION, one year, $1.50; FIVE
SUBSCRIPTIONS, one year, $7.00--_payable in advance, postage free_.
The Volumes of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE commence with the first Number in
November of each year.
Subscriptions may begin with any Number. When no time is specified, it
will be understood that the subscriber desires to commence with the
Number issued after the receipt of the order.
Remittances should be made by POST-OFFICE MONEY-ORDER OR DRAFT, to avoid
risk of loss.
Volume I., containing the first 52 Numbers, handsomely bound in
illuminated cloth, $3.00, postage prepaid: Cover, title-page, and index
for Volume I., 35 cents; postage, 13 cents additional.
HARPER & BROTHERS,
Franklin Square, N. Y.
[Illustration]
GAMES FOR WINTER EVENINGS.
MACHINE SONNETS.
Although this species of poetry has been considered hard to write, and
oftener harder to read when written, a simple recipe is here given by
which sonnets by any one, with very little effort, can be produced. One
person selects a sonnet from the works of any author--the less known the
better--and covers the printed lines with a sheet of paper, leaving the
last word of each line only visible. He then reads aloud the word which
concludes the first line, and waits until every player has composed a
line ending in this word in any metre, and on any subject. When all are
ready he reads the next word, and so on until every person present has
composed a poem, all of which differ in every way excepting that the
last words are alike. This game will be found interesting alike to
children and their parents, and is well worthy the attention of the most
experienced players.
STILL THERE.
Place a small card upon the tip of one of the fingers of the left hand,
and on the card, immediately above the finger, put a coin. Now give a
smart blow to the card with the second finger of the right hand, and it
will be whirled from under the coin so swiftly that the latter will be
left on the tip of the finger. A similar feat can be performed with two
wine-glasses. Place a sheet of card-board over both, and then, with a
smart fillip, send it spinning from under the coins you have placed upon
it, and they will drop into the glasses.
LIGHT FROM OYSTER SHELLS.
It has long been known that certain compounds of lime and sulphur had
the property of absorbing light, and giving it out again when placed in
the dark. A simple way to do this is to expose clean oyster shells to a
red heat for half an hour. When cold, the best pieces are picked out and
packed with alternate layers of sulphur in a crucible, and exposed to a
red heat for an hour. When cold, the mass is broken up, and the whitest
pieces are placed in a clean glass bottle. On exposing the bottle to
bright sunshine during the day, it is found that at night its contents
will give out a pale light in the dark. Such a bottle, filled more than
a hundred years ago, still gives out light when exposed to the sun,
proving the persistency of the property of reproducing light. The
chemicals, ground to a flour, may now be mixed with oils or water for
paints, may be powdered on hot glass, and glass covered with a film of
clear glass, or mixed with celluloid, papier-maché, or other plastic
materials. As a paint it may be applied to a diver's dress, to cards,
clock dials, sign-boards, and other surfaces exposed to sunlight during
the day; the paint gives out a pale violet light at night sufficient to
enable the objects to be readily seen in the dark. If the object covered
with the prepared paint is not exposed to the sun, or if the light fades
in the dark, a short piece of magnesium wire burned before it serves to
restore the light-giving property. The preparation, under various
fanciful names, is being manufactured on a large scale.
[Illustration: LITTLE TOMMY'S THANKSGIVING NIGHTMARE AFTER A BUSY DAY
PULLING "WISH-BONES."
RETRIBUTIVE CHORUS. "Now, then, all together!"]