It may seem strange to the reader, but it is nevertheless a fact, that,
after entering the coop, a bird will try to fly out of the top, and will
remain there until starved to death, if not released, without attempting
to escape by the way it entered.
=A Rabbit Snare.=--This can be used to the best advantage after the
first snowfall, for the footprints of a rabbit are then easy to follow.
Bunny can be counted upon keeping in the same path to and from his
burrow, and a snare set in the centre of his path is pretty certain to
catch him before very long. The snare should be made of a piece of soft
wire about two feet long. Make a noose in one end about four inches in
diameter, and fasten the other end to a branch projecting over the path
(see Fig. 223).
This noose is commonly attached to what is known as
=A Twitch-up=, or a sapling bent down and held as shown in Fig. 224. One
of a number of schemes employed for holding the sapling in position is
here shown. Select a spot a few feet from a sapling, and there make an
enclosure about twelve inches in diameter. This should be made of
twelve-inch sticks driven into the ground in a circle, leaving an
opening of about six inches on one side. Drive a stake into the ground
on both sides of the entrance, and cut a notch in the outer face of each
about six inches above the ground (see Fig. 225). Find a twig somewhat
similar to the one in Fig. 226, and, after slipping it into the notches
and baiting the prong, fasten the noose and sapling to it. With the trap
thus set, a slight pull on the bait dislodges the crosspiece, and the
sapling springs up, jerking the animal into the air, and causing its
death almost instantly.
[Illustration: CAUGHT AT LAST.]
Ranchers of the Western plains and mountains are continually
experiencing severe losses from the attacks of wolves and coyotes upon
their live-stock, and to rid themselves from the nightly raids of these
animals requires unceasing warfare against them with traps. But the
wolf and coyote are very crafty fellows, and extremely keen-scented, so
that even professional trappers have trouble in capturing them, often
resorting to every scheme they can devise without success. Steel traps
are generally employed by the professional, as they are less cumbersome
and quicker to set than the home-made affairs. The traps are handled
with gloves, as the touch of the bare hands would be instantly detected
by the wary animals, and, after being placed in a circle around the
bait, are covered over with leaves and brush. In order not to leave
human footprints behind him, the trapper often sets them while mounted
upon horseback.
Not long ago, a trapper was hired by a rancher in New Mexico to capture
some Loboe wolves which had been making serious raids upon the cattle,
and one of his experiences while working there was somewhat laughable,
though probably not seen in that way by all the parties concerned. Using
a dead calf for bait, the trapper dragged it to a selected spot, and
there surrounded it by eight or ten traps, which he chained fast to
stakes, and carefully hid from view. Setting out to visit the traps as
usual, on the following morning, he mounted a knoll from which he could
see the location of the bait, and there plainly made out that a number
of his traps had been sprung and were occupied. But upon reaching the
spot, his surprise and disgust can be imagined when he found a dog in
one trap and a bad-tempered Indian held fast by the clutches of three
others. After releasing the captives, the trapper gathered from the
Indian's half-broken English that he had been riding by on the previous
night, and his dog had wandered from the trail and sprung a trap. He had
then dismounted to release the animal, but had not taken more than half
a dozen steps before his foot became clutched in a trap, the force of
which threw him forward, and, in trying to break his fall with his
outstretched hands, each became securely clutched in traps. Fortunately
no wolves made their appearance, and the couple were unharmed; but the
Indian no doubt spent a sleepless and uncomfortable night in the
position he was forced to occupy.
CHAPTER XVII
TOY GUNS, TARGETS, AND BOWS AND ARROWS
[Illustration: Boys at Target Practise]
[Illustration: FIGS. 227-230.--Examples of Ancient Guns.]
Some of the old war engines used in Europe before the introduction of
gunpowder were most ingeniously contrived, and were wonderfully
effective, considering that their projective force was obtained by means
of springs and levers. It is hard to find many good examples, as
authorities have badly confused them, but the writer has been fortunate
in securing drawings of what he believes to be pure types of the most
commonly used guns. These are reproduced on page 230, believing that the
average boy will be interested to see the kind of weapons that were
employed in warfare centuries ago. With a little study, the working of
these guns will be clearly understood without further explanation than
what is given upon the drawings. The catapult (Fig. 227) and the
trebuchet (Fig. 228) were used for storming fortifications, and each
hurled large stones. The trebuchet was a much later invented machine
than the catapult, and, being built on a much larger scale, was more
powerful. It is claimed that trebuchets were often built large enough to
hurl carcasses of horses into an enemy's fortifications. The ballista
(Fig. 229) was in reality a large cross-bow, built to shoot long, heavy
bolts or arrows. The illustration shows a form mounted upon wheels for
field service. The cross-bow (Fig. 230) was a weapon used by the
foot-soldiers of a number of European countries. It was in use in
England for some time, but, on account of the terrible wounds inflicted
by its short barbed arrows, was finally forbidden and superseded by the
long-bow.
[Illustration: FIGS. 231-233.--A Cross-bow.]
Some ideas for the making of toy shot-guns and pistols, worked by
springs and levers much the same as the ancient guns, will be
appreciated by the boy who is denied the use of firearms. The schemes
illustrated and described on the following pages will be found easy to
carry out, and such as will furnish enjoyment for many a day in the
woods or back-yard.
Figure 231 shows a new idea for
=A Cross-bow.=--The stock for this should be cut out of a
tongued-and-grooved board, with the groove running along the top, and a
mortise should be made at _A_ in which to set the trigger. This mortise
should be about two inches long and as wide as the thickness of the
board will permit, and is made by boring a couple of holes through the
stock at this point, and cutting out the wood between with a chisel.
Select a strong barrel-hoop for the bow, and fasten it at its centre in
a hole cut for it at _B_, driving a nail into it at _C_. The trigger
should be made similar to _D_ in Fig. 232. Cut block _E_ out of a piece
of tongued board, leaving the tongue to fit the groove in the gunstock.
Notch the bottom to fit over _D_ (see Fig. 233). Place a tack in each
side of the block, and run cords from them to the end of the bow. These
cords must be of such a length that the bow will bend almost to its
limit when block _E_ is placed over the trigger. A heavy rubber band
should be attached to the lower end of the trigger, and to a tack at
_F_. This must be strong enough to cock the trigger.
The cross-bow will shoot either pebbles or arrows, but the latter are
the most satisfactory.
[Illustration: FIG. 234.--Shingle Arrows for Cross-bow.]
=Shingle Arrows= are very good, as they shoot straight, and are so
quickly made as to be easily replaced by a fresh lot when lost or
broken. Mark them out as shown in Fig. 234, with the head at the thick
edge of the shingle and the tail at the thin edge, and cut them out with
your jack-knife. The head and tail are made flat on one side, so as to
lie flat in the groove of the gun.
=A Toy Pistol= can also be made out of a tongued-and-grooved board. Some
such shape as shown in Fig. 235 should first be drawn upon the board,
with the groove extending along the top. Cut this out with your
jack-knife, and make a mortise for the trigger. Cut the trigger similar
to Fig. 236, fastening it in place with a brad driven through it at _A_.
It will be noticed that the trigger is notched at both ends. These
notches are for a rubber band, which should be stretched from the upper
notch of the trigger, over the muzzle, and around to the lower notch, as
shown in the drawing. The rubber band lies in the groove in the top of
the pistol.
[Illustration: FIGS. 235-237.--A Toy Pistol.]
=The Bullets= for this pistol consist of pieces of cardboard cut into
small squares. To load the pistol, slip one of the squares through the
rubber band as shown in Fig. 237, so that it rests on top of the groove,
as shown in Fig. 235. Upon pulling the trigger the bullet will shoot out
of its position, and though naturally one might think the loop of the
rubber band would catch the card, it is not the case. The card frees
itself and travels in a straight line in the direction in which the
pistol is aimed. It is advisable to keep this pistol out of range of
your companions' faces.
=A Shot-gun= can be made on the same scheme as the pistol, by cutting a
stock the size of that used for the cross-bow (Fig. 231), and fastening
several rubber bands together to extend around the added length.
[Illustration: FIG. 238.]
=An Elastic Sling= made with a wire framework, as shown in Fig. 238, is
an improvement over the one made out of a tree crotch, as it is not
easily broken. About No. 12 wire, which is the thickness of eight-penny
nails, should be bought for this. With a pair of pincers, bend it into
the shape shown in the drawing, with loops at _A_ and _B_. Wrap the
handle with cord, and attach strong rubber bands to _A_ and _B_, with a
piece of shoe leather or kid glove set in between, at _C_.
[Illustration: FIG. 239.--A Barrel-hoop Target.]
A most satisfactory scheme for
=A Boy's Target= is shown in Fig. 239. It consists of a barrel-hoop,
fastened by means of staples to a wooden platform, as shown in the
illustration. Pack the inside of the hoop with earth which has been
moistened sufficiently to make it hold together, and place a piece of
paper over it, pasting it to the edges of the hoop. The paper will be
stretched as tight as a drumhead when dry. Five rings should then be
painted upon it, as shown in the illustration. Fasten screw-eyes in the
top of the platform, and hang the target by these wherever you wish to
use it.
By preparing several sheets of paper, a fresh piece may be pasted over
the hoop after one has been filled with holes. The earth will prevent
the paper from splitting, and will be soft enough for the end of an
arrow to stick into. Should the earth become too dry, it may be
moistened each time a new paper is put in place.
[Illustration: FIG. 240.--A Simpler Target.]
=A Simpler Target=, and a scheme which will answer a boy's purpose, if
he does not care to go to the trouble of making the hoop target, is
shown in Fig. 240. A circular piece of cardboard, with five rings
painted upon it, is tacked to the end of a broom-handle, and this is
stuck into the ground.
=Points are Scored= in target shooting as follows: Bull's-eye 9 points;
second ring, 7 points; third ring, 5 points; fourth ring, 3 points;
fifth, or outside ring, 1 point.
=The Bow and Arrow= is always popular with boys who are forbidden the
use of guns. Authorities claim that the best materials from which to
make bows are mulberry, sassafras, Southern cedar, black locust, black
walnut, apple, and slippery elm, in the order named; but if a boy
selects what appears to be a good sound piece of wood, with straight
grain, he has something which will suit the purpose.
[Illustration: FIG. 241.--A Boy's Bow.]
=The Length of the Bow= should be about the height of the person using
it. Figure 241 shows a five-foot bow, with the other proportions such as
are on makes to be found in the stores. Cut your piece of wood five feet
long, and, after placing it in the bench-vise, shape it down with a
draw-knife or plane until it is one inch wide by one-half inch thick at
the handle and three-quarters of an inch wide by one-quarter inch thick
at the ends. The bow can be made round on the inside or face toward the
archer, and flat on the outside or face away from the archer, or the two
faces may be made round. Cut a notch in the bow two inches from each
end, as shown in the illustration, from which to attach
=The Bow-string.=--A cord with as little elasticity as possible should
be used for this. If you care to spend the money for it, a good cotton
string can be purchased from a dealer in archery goods for twenty-five
cents. With a home-made bow-string, a loop should be made in one end and
bound with thread, as shown in Fig. 242. Slip the loop over the upper
notch, bend the bow until the centre of the string is about five inches
away from the handle, and attach the loose end to the lower notch by
means of a slip-knot similar to that shown in Fig. 243. The bow should
be sand-papered until smooth, and thoroughly oiled with linseed-oil. A
piece of velvet about three inches wide should be glued about the centre
for a handle.
[Illustration: FIG. 242.
Bow-string Ends.
FIG. 243.]
For a five-foot bow, cut
=The Arrow-shafts= twenty-four inches long and one-quarter inch thick.
Whittle them out of straight-grained strips of wood, round them nicely,
and cut a notch in the ends large enough to fit over the bow-strings.
It is not supposed that boys would care
=To Prepare Arrow-heads= of stone or bone as the Indians did, for there
are other schemes that are simpler to carry out. If the wood is
reasonably hard, the heads can be cut on the ends of the shaft, as shown
in Fig. 244. For target practice, a wire nail driven into the end of the
shaft, as shown in Fig. 245, with the head of the nail filed off and
pointed, has proven very good, and a thick piece of zinc or lead, cut
the shape of _A_ (Fig. 246) and set into a slot cut in the end of the
shaft, with cord bound around the shaft to hold the metal in place,
makes another excellent head. The metal points should be used only for
target practice, and then with proper care, to prevent injury to
yourself or companions.
[Illustration: FIGS. 244-246.--Schemes for Arrow-heads.]
=Feathering= is the next operation. Turkey or goose feathers are
generally used, but the former is considered the better of the two.
Strip off the broader side of the vane of three feathers, and glue them
to the shaft one and one-quarter inches from the notch, spacing them
equidistant from one another. One feather should be placed at right
angles to the notch. This is known as the cock-feather, and should
always point away from the bow when the arrow is shot.
=A Quiver= of some sort should be provided, large enough to carry a
dozen or more arrows, and this should be three inches shorter than the
arrows, so that their ends will project above the top. It may be made
out of any thick cloth, as shown in Fig. 247. A circular piece of
cardboard is placed in the bottom to which the cloth is sewed, and a
piece of heavy wire, bent into a circle, fits in the top to keep the bag
open. The quiver should hang on your right side, being suspended by
means of a cloth strap long enough to pass over the left shoulder.
[Illustration: FIG. 247.--A Quiver.]
=To Shoot= with the bow, take the position shown in Fig. 248, with both
feet flat upon the ground, and the heels in line with the target. Hold
the handle of the bow in the left hand and place an arrow on the left
side of the bow, slipping the bow-string into the notch and letting the
head of the arrow rest upon your left hand. Catch the bow-string with
the first three fingers of your right hand, so that the end of the arrow
comes between the first and second fingers, and draw the string until
the head of the arrow rests upon the left hand; then aim quickly and let
go of the arrow. By always taking the same hold upon your bow and arrow,
you will soon be able to know just where the arrow is going to strike.
The boy who has had the hobby of collecting Indian arrow-heads has no
doubt often wondered how they were made, and also how the bows and
arrows were prepared. The ways in which all uncivilized people do things
is interesting, and especially when it is remembered that they had but
raw materials with which to work and only such tools as they could make
out of stone.
[Illustration: FIG. 248.--Correct Position for Shooting.]
=The Indian's Bow= was made of different woods, and, though it varied in
shape and size, was generally about forty inches in length, so as to be
conveniently carried and handled on horseback. The bow-string consisted
generally of a deer sinew or a strand of deer-skin rolled or twisted,
and this was strung very tightly from a notch cut on one end of the bow
to a notch on the opposite end. Now, while an Indian generally made the
greater part of his weapons, there was always a warrior in the tribe who
was skilled in the art of arrow-making, and, as the preparation required
far more care than the bow, he was intrusted with this work. The
arrow-shaft was made of various woods, reeds being often used, as they
were straight and required but little cutting. Their lengths depended
largely upon that of the bows.
For the feathering of the shafts, wild turkey feathers were considered
best and used when they could be had, and these were attached to the
shaft with deer sinews.
[Illustration: FIG. 249.--Some Specimens of Indian Arrow-heads.]
A great variety of materials were used for arrow-heads, among which
flint, obsidian, horn of deer, claws of eagles, and the spurs of wild
turkey-cocks may be mentioned. Many of these are being picked up
annually in the mountains and on the plains, which were once the
battle-fields and hunting-grounds of the redmen, and in excavating for
building purposes they are frequently found. A few specimens of stone
heads showing a variety of the shapes and sizes used will be found in
Fig. 249. The preparation of these heads was usually left to the old men
who were unfit for any other work.
In making the flint head, the Indian made a loop in a piece of buckskin
which had been thoroughly wet in cold water, and then taking a piece of
flint, heated it, and with the strip of buckskin chipped off what was
not wanted until the head was of the correct shape and size. As
hornstone is more brittle than quartz, the heads made from that material
were broken and shaped by striking them against the latter. The stone
heads were attached to the shaft by means of sinews, generally from
deer. For hunting small birds, the Indians often made wooden
arrow-heads, hardening the wood by fire after shaping it.
CHAPTER XVIII
AN OUTDOOR GYMNASIUM
[Illustration: Boys Pole Vaulting and Shot Putting.]
With a little work, and a small outlay of money chiefly for
two-by-fours, and such boards as are specified in this chapter, a boy,
or club of boys, can construct and set up all the necessary apparatus
for an outdoor gymnasium. It is true a great many city back-yards are
much too small to accommodate all of the apparatus; but there is
generally a vacant lot in the neighborhood which you can obtain
permission to use. Those of you boys who are fortunate enough to spend
the summer months in the country have splendid opportunities for making
a complete gym and should not miss the chance to fit one up.
=A Horizontal Bar.=--A well-made horizontal bar requires a firm standard
which will not sway when swung upon. This is best attained by fastening
at least one upright to the side of the barn, the fence, or some other
stationary object. It is also very important to secure a strong bar free
from knots and cracks. Curtain-poles are frequently used by boys, but at
great risk, as there may be a dangerous knot lurking beneath the highly
polished surface that will break at a critical moment and cause them
serious injuries.
A four-foot hickory or ash bar can be bought from a dealer in sporting
goods for about a dollar and a half, but it will cost much less to have
a bar turned to the right shape and size at a planing mill. The diameter
of the pole should be an inch and one-half, and the ends should be two
inches square (see Fig. 250).
For the uprights procure two two-by-sixes nine feet long. Mark off a
square equal in size to the end of the bar, six inches from one end of
each, and cut out the wood with an auger. With a chisel trim the holes
square and large enough for the bar to slip through.
[Illustration: FIGS. 250-251.--The Horizontal Bar.]
Sink the lower ends of the uprights twelve inches into the ground, _A_
against the stationary object, whatever it may be, and _B_ directly in
front, at a distance equal to the length of the bar. Spike _A_ to the
abutting surface, and brace the base of _B_ with two two-by-fours to
make it solid (see Fig. 251). The tops of the braces should be mitred
against _B_, and the bottoms spiked to stakes driven into the ground, as
shown at _C_. To make it possible to adjust the bar to different
heights, holes may be cut in the uprights every foot or so, in which
case be careful to locate the holes exactly opposite one another.
It is well to have an old mattress beneath the horizontal bar as a guard
against injury in case of a fall. This also makes a splendid
=Tumbling Mat= for practising rolls, hand-springs, and wrestling. If a
mattress cannot be obtained, a few potato sacks stuffed with shavings or
excelsior will answer the purpose.
The most satisfactory scheme for making a pair of
=Parallel Bars= is shown in Fig. 252. To acquire the necessary firmness
without putting in bracing that would interfere with the performer, the
base of the apparatus should be set underground, as indicated by the
dotted lines in the illustration.
In height the parallel bars should be about four feet six inches, in
length seven feet six inches, and in width twenty inches between the
bars. This makes the uprights _A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_ six feet long,
allowing eighteen inches to project into the ground. Prepare one end of
each as shown in Fig. 253, notching it for the bar to fit in and cutting
off the corner.
[Illustration: FIG. 252.--The Parallel Bars.]
When this has been done, cut four two-by-fours twenty-eight inches long.
Then lay the uprights _A_ and _B_ on the ground twenty inches apart, and
spike two of the two-by-fours to them at _G_ and _H_ (see Fig. 254).
Uprights _C_ and _D_ should be similarly fastened together with the
other two-by-fours at _I_ and _J_ (see Fig. 252). When these frames
have been made, set them upon their bases six feet apart, and spike the
two-by-fours _K_ and _L_ to the uprights in the places shown in Fig.
252, with braces set between them and the pieces _H_ and _J_, at _M_,
_N_, _O_, _P_ (see Figs. 252 and 255).
[Illustration: FIG. 256.--Section of Bar.
FIG. 253.--Dress Ends of Uprights like this.
FIG. 254.
FIG. 255.--Corner Bracing.
FIGS. 253-256.--Details of Parallel Bars.]
The bars should be seven feet six inches in length, and cut out of
Georgia pine two-by-fours. Figures 252 and 256 show how these should be
dressed, the tops rounded to fit the hands and the ends curved. First
roughly shape them with the draw-knife, then smooth up with the plane,
and finally scrape and rub them down with sand-paper until perfectly
smooth. When the bars have been prepared, slip them into the notches cut
in the uprights, and spike them in place.
With the constructive work done, it is only necessary to bury the base
to complete the apparatus. Excavate a trench eighteen inches deep, and
level off the bottom. Then lower the framework and, after determining
that the bars are level, fill in the earth, packing it well against the
uprights and braces. Boards _E_ and _F_ should be laid across the top of
_G_ and _I_, and spiked in place.
=The Punching-bag Platform=, illustrated by Fig. 257, should be made
thirty inches square and suspended from the shed or a wall.
Nail a thirty-inch piece of two-by-four to the wall, two feet above the
height at which the platform is to be placed, as at _A_ in the drawing,
and nail another on a level with the top of the platform, as shown at
_B_.
Fasten the platform boards together with battens, using nails long
enough to clinch on top of the upper face, and nail the two boards _C_
and _D_ to the edges, mitring the edges as in the figure. Then lift the
platform to the desired height, and fasten the ends of _C_ and _D_ to
the ends of _A_. Also nail the bottom of the platform to the under side
of _B_.
A swivel such as shown in Fig. 258 can be bought for forty or fifty
cents, and one of these should be screwed to the bottom of the platform,
from which to suspend the punching-bag.
[Illustration: FIG. 257.--A Punching-bag Platform.]
=A Pair of Jump Standards= are made out of two two-by-fours about eight
feet long. After planing them smooth on all sides, measure off two feet
from one end of each, and mark off the remaining six feet in inches, as
shown in Fig. 259.
After squaring these divisions across the poles with your try-square,
bore holes three-eighths of an inch in diameter through the poles at
each division. Then, with a small brush and black paint, mark off each
foot with a band extending around the pole, each half foot with a
narrower band, and each inch with a short line, as shown in the
drawings. Letter the foot divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
[Illustration: FIG. 262.
FIG. 260.
FIG. 261.
FIG. 259.--The Jump Standards completed.
FIGS. 259-262.--Details of Jump Standards.]
When both standards have been finished, bury them in the ground to a
depth of thirteen inches, eight feet apart. Cut two wooden pegs similar
to Fig. 261 to fit the holes, and procure a nine-foot pine or hickory
pole one inch thick for a cross-bar (see Fig. 260). When the bar is
placed upon the pegs, the distance from its top to the ground should
correspond with the figure on the upright. If not the same, raise or
lower the uprights until the error is corrected.
With a pair of these standards there is no danger of injury by tripping
over the bar, as the latter will fall off with the slightest knock.
There is one disadvantage in using a stick, however, it being easily
broken if jumped upon. Because of this, a rope with a weight attached to
each end, as shown in Fig. 262 is often substituted. The ends of the
rope are hung over the pegs in such a way that it will slip off the pegs
when struck. The weights should be just heavy enough to prevent the rope
from sagging in the centre.
=A Vaulting Pole= should be made of a strong wood, free from knots and
other defects. The regulation pole is made of selected spruce, its
length varying from eight to fourteen feet. If you make your own pole,
be careful to plane off all splinters and irregularities, making it
round and smooth, and point one end so it will stick into the ground and
prevent slipping.
Although seldom used in an outdoor gymnasium,
=A Spring-board= is excellent for practising the high and broad jumps,
and is a piece of apparatus with which a great deal of fun may be had.
Figure 263 shows a scheme for a spring-board that is easy to make. First
cut three pieces of two-by-four two feet long, lay them on the ground
parallel to each other eighteen inches apart, and construct a platform
four feet long by two feet wide on top of them.
[Illustration: FIG. 263.--A Spring-board.]
[Illustration: FIG. 264.]
Cut another two-by-four two feet long, taper it as shown in Fig. 264,
making it two inches thick on one edge and an inch and a quarter on the
other, and nail it to one end of the platform. Secure a log two feet
long (a cedar fence post will do very nicely), and fasten it across the
centre of the platform parallel to the two-by-fours. The upper portion
of the spring-board should be made of elastic boards, preferably ash.
Construct a second platform six inches longer than the first, leaving
about one-half inch between the boards, and battening the pieces
together at _A_ and _B_ (see Fig. 263). Nail the battens securely in
place, using nails of sufficient length to allow clinching on the under
face of the battens. The clinching will prevent the boards from
springing apart.
This platform should be fastened to the first, with the end which has
not been battened secured to the two-by-four at _C_. The best method of
fastening the ends of these boards is with bolts long enough to extend
through the two platforms and project an inch or more below the bottom
two-by-four (see illustration). Large washers should be placed under the
heads of the bolts to prevent the latter from cutting through the
boards.
The upper platform should not be nailed to the log, but merely held to
it by straps passed diagonally around the outside boards and log, as
shown in the illustration.
Set the spring-board upon the spot you wish to use it, and bank up the
earth behind it until a gradual slope is made from the ground to the
top.
If any difficulty is experienced in keeping the spring-board in place,
it may be overcome by driving stakes into the ground around the sides of
the lower platform.
After setting up your gymnasium apparatus, oil the bars of the
horizontal bar and parallel bars with boiled linseed-oil, and paint all
the rest of the wood to keep it in good condition.
=Hurdles= should be lightly constructed, so as to be easily knocked over
should a hurdler trip upon them. They are made similar to carpenter
horses, directions for the making of which are given in Chapter I. Their
height will depend upon the skill of the hurdler.
If the field is large enough,
=A Running Track= can be made around it, by levelling off the ground,
removing all stones and irregularities in its path, and banking up the
corners to enable the runner to turn the curves readily.
[Illustration: FIG. 265.]
=For Short Sprints= the most common method of starting is upon all
fours, as illustrated in Fig. 265. Make a depression in the ground for
the toe of the rear foot to press against in starting off.
=For Broad Jumping=, a block of wood two feet long should be sunk into
the ground, as a mark from which to leap.
It is a good plan to organize
=An Athletic Club= among the boys of the neighborhood with which to
raise money necessary to buy the material for apparatus, and
=Athletic Meets= may be held among the members and with other clubs.
CHAPTER XIX
A BACK-YARD CIRCUS
[Illustration: The Boy's Circus.]
Shortly after the founding of Rome, a large building was built within
which to hold commemorations of Roman victories and anniversaries, with
chariot races, bull-fights, gladiatorial contests, and athletic games;
and from this building, which was called the "circus," this class of
entertainment derived its name.
To keep up with the times, the circus has had to profit by every
scientific discovery, adding continuously to its line of attractions,
until now it is necessary for a show to produce a new, sensational, and
hair-raising feat each season in order to keep in the favor of the
public and compete with others in the field. The tight-rope walkers,
bare-back riders, and trapeze performers were not long ago the main
attractions of a circus, but these do not seem nearly as remarkable now
when compared with such daring feats as looping-the-loop or
looping-the-gap on a bicycle, riding down an incline on a single wheel,
or diving from the peak of the tent into a small tank not more than six
feet square, to be seen at the present day.
When a circus came to town, it seemed but natural for the boys of our
neighborhood to club together and arrange a performance on a small
scale, but as nearly like that of the professionals as possible. A
back-yard was transformed into training quarters, and here we worked
hard for several days before the show, imitating as best we could the
stunts of the circus performers. Because one fellow could walk on his
hands, and turn hand-springs, besides being the owner of a pair of
tights, he naturally became the chief attraction; another had a pair of
riding boots, so he was chosen ring master; a third made a bargain with
his sister to cut him out a cheese-cloth costume, and was chosen to take
the part of a clown,--and in this way each boy helped along the
performance by contributing his best efforts.
The most successful shows were those in which a week or more was spent
in rehearsing the performance and getting things in shape. Tickets and
programmes were neatly printed by one of the members who owned a press,
and the former were distributed among the boys and their friends to
sell.
The first thing to do in preparing a yard for a circus, is to
=Mark out a Ring= in the centre, with a diameter as large as the yard
will permit. This circle may be drawn on the same principle as that
shown in Fig. 201, Chapter XV, using a rope at either end of which a
stake has been attached. After describing the circle, secure several
six-inch boards sufficiently limber to enable you to bend them around
the circle, and fasten them in place by means of stakes driven into the
ground outside of the boards. The enclosed space should then be filled
in with several inches of shavings, which you can procure from a
carpenter if you have not enough in your own workshop.
=Good Circus Seats= can be made out of boxes eighteen or twenty inches
high, with planks laid across their tops.
To give the back-yard a real circus appearance, we always thought it
necessary not only to have a ring but also a tent over it and the
grandstand, so we gathered together all the old awnings, tents, and
carriage covers we could scrape up, and fastening these together with
pins or heavy thread made
=A Large Tent.=--A ten-foot pole was sunk into the ground in the centre
of the ring, and ropes were run from the top of this to the fence, after
which the tent was fastened to the ropes and propped with poles wherever
any sagging occurred.
Bright colored cheese-cloth was used
=In decorating the Tent=, and for evening performances Japanese lanterns
were hung about the yard.
[Illustration: FIG. 267.--Halving.
FIG. 266.--Ticket Office and Turnstile.]
=A Ticket Office= should be built at the entrance to the yard. This can
be made out of two boxes, one set on top of the other, as shown in Fig.
266. Cut an opening fifteen inches square in the front for a window,
round the top, and make a guard of wooden strips to fit it. Cut a slot
in the counter, fastening a box beneath it in which to drop tickets, and
for a cash drawer fasten strips to the under side of the counter, as
shown in Fig. 266, so that a cigar-box will slide upon them. To the top
of the ticket office fasten a board cut the shape shown in the
illustration, and print the word "Tickets" upon it. These letters may
be illuminated for an evening performance by boring holes through them
and placing candles behind (see Fig. 266).
=A Turnstile= should be made in front of the ticket office, so that all
are obliged to pay their admission fee and pass through the turnstile
before entering the tent (see Fig. 266; also illustration opposite page
268). The stile is made with two sticks about forty inches long fastened
together at their centres, as shown in Fig. 267. This joint, known as
=Halving=, consists in cutting away one-half the thickness and the width
of each piece so that the remaining portions fit together flush. After
nailing the pieces together, bore a quarter-inch hole through the
centre, and screw the crosspiece at this point to the top of a piece of
two-by-four driven into the ground in front of the ticket office. The
crosspiece should now revolve with the screw as an axis.
The turnstile should, of course, have a lock, and an arrangement similar
to that shown in Fig. 266 answers the purpose. Cut a slot in the front
of the lower box on a level with the top of the stile for the arms to
run through (see illustration), and then prepare four blocks, such as
_A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_ in Fig. 268. Screw one end of _B_ and _C_ to the
ends of _A_ and fasten block _D_ between the other ends of _B_ and _C_,
after which nail block _A_ to the under side of the counter in the
position shown in Fig. 266. Prepare a lever such as is shown in Fig.
269, cut a mortise in the top of the counter for it to fit in (see Fig.
266), and pivot it to the side of the upper box. Place a screw-eye in
the end of the lever and another in _D_, and connect the two with a
piece of cord. Figure 266 shows an arm of the turnstile held by the
lock, which is released by pushing back the lever. A railing should be
built in front of the turnstile to block the passage on that side.
[Illustration: FIG. 268.--Lock.]
[Illustration: FIG. 269.--Lever.]
=The Side Show= should be placed in one corner of the yard. The cages
can be made out of boxes with either slats or wire-mesh fastened over
the front, and the top or side hinged in place for a door. The animal
performers of the circus should occupy these cages before the show
commences, and to make the menagerie as large as possible, a few cages
may be filled with pets borrowed for the occasion. Several closed boxes
should be placed alongside of the cages, and lettered "Lion," "Tiger,"
or the names of some such ferocious animals as these, and the public
should be informed that for their safety the management thought it best
not to place these specimens on exhibition.
=Animated Animals= generally have a place in every circus, and help out
the clowns in their end of the performance. The animals are not
difficult for handy boys to make, so several should be manufactured for
your show. If you can get your mother or sister to do the necessary
sewing, it would be well to secure her help.
=The Elephant= is one of the oldest forms of animated animals, and is at
the same time one of the most popular. Four or five yards of gray
cambric should be purchased for its covering.
[Illustration: FIGS. 270-271.--The Elephant.]
The cloth should be cut out like the pattern shown in Fig. 270, the
correct measurements being secured from two boys who have taken the
position shown in Fig. 271. Fold the cloth along the centre and then sew
the dotted lines _AA_ and _BB_ together. Paper cornucopiæ form the
tusks, and the ears are made of gray cambric cut the shape shown in Fig.
271, and lined with heavy wrapping-paper to make them stiff.
Two boys are required for the elephant. These must bend forward, as
shown in Fig. 271. The rear boy places one hand upon the front boy's
back and wags the tail with the other, while the front boy runs one hand
through the elephant's trunk and keeps it in motion. Fasten potato sacks
on to your legs to make them as large as possible.
=The Giraffe= is one of the rarest of animals, and very few are to be
found in captivity. In fact, a large circus claims there is only one
specimen in this country, outside of a herd in their possession. So if
you make a giraffe, which is not difficult to do, you will have a
feature in your show that none but the very largest combines can afford.
The animal's head should be drawn the shape of Fig. 272 on a board, and
then cut out with the aid of a saw and draw-knife. The jaw, ears, and
horns should be cut out separately, the shape of Figs. 273, 274, and
275. Bore two holes in the head at _A_, slanting them toward one
another, and fit in them the pegs cut for the horns. The jaw should be
pivoted with a small nail at _B_ on one side of the head, and an ear
should be likewise fastened at _C_ on each side of the head. When these
portions of the giraffe's anatomy have been put in place, stretch a
rubber band from a tack driven in the top of the jaw to another tack
driven into the neck (see Fig. 272), and attach another rubber band
similarly to each of the ears. These rubber bands will act as springs,
causing the ears to wag and the jaw to open and close when the giraffe
moves his head.
[Illustration: FIGS. 272-276.--Details of Giraffe.]
Paint the head, making the features as nearly like those of a giraffe as
possible, and, when the paint is dry, mount the head on the end of a
six-foot pole.
[Illustration: FIG. 277.--The Giraffe's Tail.]
The covering for the body is made out of a large piece of tan cloth with
brown spots marked upon it, as shown in Fig. 276. It is not necessary to
give a pattern for this, as the illustration clearly shows how it should
fit over the two boys who form the body, and hang from the headpiece.
The neck should be stuffed out with excelsior. A short and a long stick
should be nailed together, as shown in Fig. 277, and cloth should be
sewed to the end of the short stick for the animal's tail. Stuff the
tail with excelsior and fasten unravelled rope to the end, as shown in
the drawings. The long stick should be held by the boy who forms the
rear of the animal, so that by means of it he can manipulate the tail
(see Fig. 276). As shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 276, the boy in the
front portion of the animal holds the end of the pole supporting the
animal's head.
[Illustration: FIG. 278.--The Wild Man and the Wild Horse.]
[Illustration: FIG. 279.--Framework of Wild Horse.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 280-282.]
An animated animal very often brought into a circus ring is the
two-legged
=Wild Horse=, owned by the Wild Man of Borneo. This breed of horse is
shown in Fig. 278. A framework is necessary for the body, and this is
best made as shown in Fig. 279. Cut two four-foot strips for the
side-pieces, fasten them two feet apart, with a barrel-hoop at either
end and arch barrel-hoops over the back, as shown in the drawing. The
head (Fig. 280) is made in the same manner as that of the giraffe, the
jaws and the ears (Figs. 281 and 282) being cut out separately and
pivoted in place similarly to those of the giraffe. Paint the face,
marking the eyes and nostrils, and make a mane and tail of unravelled
rope. Having finished the head, mount it upon a short stick and fasten
this to a crosspiece set in the framework, as shown in Fig. 279, bracing
it with an upright fastened to another crosspiece. In fastening the
various pieces of the framework together, it is well not only to use
long enough nails to clinch, but also to bind each joint with wire or
cord to make it stiff.
Purchase brown or black cambric for covering the framework. Tack it to
the wooden strips, leaving an opening in the top for the rider to stand
in, and allow it to hang to the ground as shown in the illustration, so
as to conceal the feet of the rider.
[Illustration: FIG. 283.--"Jocko."]
=The Wild Man= should wear an old slouch hat and a hunting jacket, and
should have a pair of false legs fastened to him, so that while his own
are inside the framework, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 278, they
appear to be astride. To make the false legs, cut off the legs of an old
pair of long trousers, stuff them with excelsior, and fasten a pair of
shoes to the ends. These legs should be fastened to the hips of the
rider. The framework should be held to the rider by means of ropes tied
to the side strips, as shown in Fig. 279. These should be long enough to
cross the boy's shoulders in the same way as a pair of suspenders.
[Illustration: FIG. 284.--Jocko's Hat.]
=A Monkey's Make-up= is shown in Fig. 283. The boy who is most apt at
making a monkey of himself should be selected to take the part of this
animal. In the first place he requires a red suit, which may be made
quickly by sewing red cloth over an old coat and a pair of trousers.
Cover the legs with a pair of tan stockings, and slip the feet into a
pair of large gloves. The face and hands should be colored, and for this
purpose buy some brown grease paint. In rubbing the paint over the face,
leave a circle of white around the eyes and mouth, and make a brown mark
each side of the mouth to give it a broadened effect. A tight-fitting
cap should be made of cloth as nearly the shade of the brown paint as
possible, to hide the hair. Figure 284 shows the monkey's hat,
consisting of a tomato-can covered with red cloth, which is fastened
around the monkey's chin by means of an elastic cord. A piece of rope
can be fastened beneath the coat for a tail.
=The Ring Master= should wear a high silk hat, a stand-up collar, and a
pair of boots, besides being supplied with a long whip.
=The Clown's Suit= is best made out of red and yellow cheese-cloth, this
material being about as cheap as can be bought for the purpose. The suit
consists of a pair of baggy trousers or bloomers, with elastic around
the waist and ankles, a loose coat with large buttons, a collar, a
skullcap, and a hat. Make the buttons out of red cheese-cloth and stuff
them with cotton. The coat may be made of red and the trousers of yellow
cheese-cloth, or both may be made of yellow with red polka dots sewed on
to them, as shown in the illustration of his costume (Fig. 285). The
collar is made of white cloth, lined with paper to make it stiff, and
should be pleated around the neck to form a ruffle. A skull cap should
be made out of white cloth to hide the hair. Make a peaked hat of stiff
paper, and cover it with red cheese-cloth.
[Illustration: FIG. 285.--The Clown's Make-up.]
[Illustration: THE BACK-YARD CIRCUS.]
When making up for a performance, the clown should powder his face,
neck, and hands with magnesia, and draw expression marks upon his face
with burnt cork, as shown in Fig. 285.
=The Attendants= for the elephant and giraffe should wear old bath robes
or gowns, and have turbans made by twisting a piece of red cheese-cloth
about the head.
By visiting any circus and closely watching how things are managed, it
ought to be a simple matter to get enough
=Ideas for a Performance= that can be carried out with the animals and
performers described in this chapter. The clown should, of course, have
his usual supply of jokes, which he can get out of the comic papers, and
should do his best to annoy the other performers. He should make himself
=A Slapper=, consisting of two sticks with a block slipped between at
one end. This will produce a great deal of laughter among the audience,
for when the slapper is struck against a performer the ends of the
sticks strike together, making a loud, cracking noise, and one would
hardly believe that a stinging blow had not been dealt. The clown
attempts the tricks of the other performers, but always fails or gets
them very badly mixed.
A startling feat to be announced upon the programme will be
=Looping the Hoop on a Giraffe.=--This stunt is performed by the
elephant, who is given a number of barrel-hoops, which he tosses by
means of his trunk over the giraffe's outstretched neck. The elephant
and giraffe should always be entered in a race, which will prove
exciting, inasmuch as your specimens will be evenly matched.
The monkey may do almost anything and be amusing. Swinging upon a
turning-pole, teasing the animals, boxing with the clown, and climbing a
rope, are all his specialties. Then he should have
=A Chariot= within which to ride around the ring. This can be made out
of a soap-box, as shown in Fig. 286. Cut down the sides, as in the
illustration, attach two shafts to the bottom, and mount it upon a
couple of small wagon wheels. When this has been done paint the wood a
bright red, and cut stars of different sizes out of gilt paper and glue
them all over the outside.
[Illustration: FIG. 286.--Jocko's Chariot.]
The ring master acts as manager of the performance, and should use his
whip unsparingly upon the animals, to force them into obedience.
If a boy can turn upon a turning-pole, an apparatus such as is described
in Chapter XVIII may be set up outside of the ring.
Before performances, the entire circus--animals, acrobats, and
showmen--should parade about the neighborhood in circus attire. We
always made the
=Parades= a feature of our circuses, and found them not only great
sport, but the best kind of advertising. The animal cages should be
placed upon wagons decorated with flags. Head the procession with a
couple of drummers, and have two boys march in the rear carrying signs
advertising the show.
=The Advertising Signs= may be painted with bluing upon large pieces of
manila wrapping-paper, and should be tacked on wooden stretchers mounted
on poles.
[Illustration: Circus Parade.]
CHAPTER XX
SUGGESTIONS FOR FOURTH OF JULY
[Illustration: Boy Startled by Fire-cracker and Lanterns on Kite-string.]
As most boys probably know, the first Fourth of July celebration took
place in 1775, following the signing of the Declaration of Independence
in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. When the old bell rang forth the
result of the meeting of the Continental Congress, citizens gathered in
the streets and displayed their great joy by shouting, beating drums,
and firing muskets. The news spread very rapidly, and great rejoicing
reigned everywhere. It soon became a custom to celebrate annually this
famous event, and it should be every boy's privilege to have a
rollicking good time upon this day, making as much noise as he pleases.
When the average boy has bought a few sky-rockets, Roman-candles, and
cannon-crackers, for the Fourth, he generally finds, to his sorrow, that
he has run out of pocket money. It is then that he is very apt to want
to try his hand at making pyrotechnics. There are many publications
which describe how amateurs may manufacture Roman-candles, sky-rockets,
nigger-chasers, and such pieces, but it is hoped that no boy will
venture to carry out any such experiments, for, with the greatest of
care, unforeseen accidents will occur which may result disastrously to
him. At the same time, there is no economy in it, for the apparatus and
materials will generally cost him more than to buy the fireworks ready
made. This is also true of colored lights, for which there are many
simple formulæ, but none of which can be made up as cheaply as the
powders can be bought already prepared.
There are, however, many things a boy can make for the Fourth that are
perfectly harmless, such as fire-cracker cannons and home-made
set-pieces, besides different schemes for firing crackers and fireworks
that he can carry out. The suggestions offered on the following pages
will be found interesting, and they will probably suggest other ideas to
the inventive boy.
The store toy cannon and cap-pistol are exceedingly dangerous for boys
to use, and were all cities to pass laws forbidding their sale, as in
the case of a great many of the larger cities, thousands of young lives
would be saved from the terrible accidents resulting annually from
celebrating with these toys.
In Fig. 287 is shown
=A Fire-cracker Cannon= with which a boy can have a great deal of fun
and at the same time with no danger of injury. Cut the two gun-stocks
similar in shape to Fig. 288, and the two wheels four inches in diameter
(Fig. 289), after which bore holes in the gun-stocks at _A_, and in the
centres of the wheels, through which to run the axle. Procure a
baking-powder can and make a couple of holes in the sides for the axle
to run through (Fig. 290), and one in the bottom of the can the size of
a fire-cracker fuse. Cut a conical piece of wood about two inches long
and nail it to the outside of the can cover as shown in Fig. 291.
[Illustration: FIGS. 287-291.--A Fire-cracker Cannon.]
When the various pieces have been thus prepared, place them together as
shown in Fig. 287, and slip a piece of heavy wire through the holes made
in them, and bend over the ends of the wire to hold the wheels in place.
=To fire the Cannon=, place a cracker in the can with the fuse
projecting through the hole in the bottom, and fit the cover over the
can. Then light the fuse. The exploding cracker will force off the
cover, which is the projectile, and hurl it a considerable distance in
the direction the cannon has been pointed.
=A Toy Mortar= may be made similarly, with the exception of the carriage
or mortar-bed. Figures 292 and 293 show the details for this, which is
different from a regular mortar, one end being enclosed for an
ammunition box. Make a cover for the ammunition box to prevent sparks
from igniting the packages of crackers, using pieces of leather for
hinges. As shown in the section drawing (Fig. 293), the mortar-bed is
mounted upon a small board, being held in place by means of a short
screw, which makes it possible to swing the mortar around in any
position desired.
[Illustration: FIGS. 292-293.--A Fire-cracker Mortar.]
These cannons and mortars will furnish sport not only for the Fourth,
but for any other day of the year, as they can be used by a crowd of
boys in
=Mimic Battles=, with paper soldiers. The boys should divide into
armies, and construct their fortifications about twenty feet apart,
planting the guns upon the works and placing the paper soldiers behind.
All paper soldiers knocked over are out of the game, and the side first
completely killing the enemy's garrison is, of course, the winner of the
day. These battles are always very exciting, especially toward the end,
when there are but a few warriors remaining. In order that the
projectiles may fit all the cans, it is necessary to have them all of
the same size.
[Illustration: FIG. 294.--Another Toy Cannon.]
=Another Toy Cannon= that is simple to make is shown in Fig. 294. For
this, buy a short piece of glass tubing at a drug-store and have the
druggist seal one end of it. Then secure a good-sized cork and cut a
hole through the side large enough for the tube to run through (see _A_
in Fig. 294). Cut out a pair of wooden wheels about three inches in
diameter, and fasten them to the ends of the cork with a pin or small
nail. Make the cannon shafts four inches long, point one end of each and
stick them into the cork at _B_ and _C_. The open end of the tube should
be at _D_ and the sealed end at _E_.
=To fire the Cannon=, slip a match into the open end of the tube with
the head toward _E_, and hold a lighted match at the closed end. As soon
as the heat ignites the phosphorus, the match will shoot out of the open
end of the tube.
=Firing Fireworks from Kites= presents a novel feature for a Fourth of
July celebration, the aërial display making a very pretty spectacle, and
the boy who sets off his fireworks in this manner will have something
different from the rest of the neighborhood.
[Illustration: FIG. 295.]
Figure 295 shows the manner in which a Roman-candle can be attached to a
kite-string. A piece of punk about an inch and one-half long should be
bound to the fuse of the candle, and as the fuse is rather short it is
necessary to cut through the paper bound around it, and set the punk
into the end of the candle, as shown in the drawing. Attach a piece of
twine two feet long to the other end of the candle, and then, after
getting your kite up, attach the end of this string to the kite-string
and light the punk, being very careful in doing so not to ignite the
fuse of the Roman-candle. After attaching the candle and lighting the
punk, let out the kite-string as rapidly as possible, so that by the
time the punk has burned down to the fuse end, the Roman-candle will be
well up in the air. As soon as the candle begins to explode, shake the
kite-string so as to make the balls shoot into the sky in different
directions.
=A Pack of Fire-crackers= with a piece of punk attached to the fuses may
also be suspended from a kite-string and fired in mid-air.
[Illustration: FIG. 296.
FIG. 297.
Schemes for Attaching Lanterns to Kite-strings.]
Other fireworks may be set off similarly, and colored lights produce a
fine effect.
=Nigger-chasers= shot into the air by means of a cross-bow, such as is
described in Chapter XVII, present another novelty.
=Japanese Lanterns= hung from kite-strings are also a pretty sight, and,
while they give somewhat the same appearance as fire-balloons, they are
lasting and can be saved for another year.
After procuring a number of lanterns of different shapes and sizes,
fasten candles securely in them so that there is no possibility of them
igniting the paper. Figures 296 and 297 show two ways in which the
lanterns may be attached one below the other. The first method (Fig.
296) consists of pins stuck through the bottoms of the lanterns and bent
over into hooks, while in the second (Fig. 297) a small hole is made in
the bottom of one lantern and the wire handle of another is slipped
through this hole and looped over a burnt match.
Before sending up the kite with these lanterns, make a number of small
loops in the kite-string where you wish to hang the lanterns, and
provide the handle of each series of lanterns with a pin-hook, as shown
in Fig. 297. Then, when everything is in readiness, have one of your
friends hook the lanterns to the loops while you attend to letting out
the kite-string. Of course the smaller the lanterns are the greater
number you can hitch in place, and if you use a team of kites you will
find that they will carry a number of strings of lanterns.
[Illustration: FIG. 298.--A Shooting-torch.]
=A Shooting-torch=, such as is shown in Fig. 298, is a scheme that is
simple to carry out. It consists of a stick about eighteen inches long,
with fire-crackers bound around it with wire, and the fuses twisted
together, as shown in the illustration. It is fired in the same way as a
Roman-candle.
After firing all of your fireworks, you should have
=A Final Set-piece= with which to close the exhibition. A good scheme
for such a piece is shown in Fig. 299. Mark out the letters upon a
board, and, with a quarter-inch bit, bore holes about one half-inch
apart along the outlines of each letter. Then cut enough sticks of punk
two inches long to fit all of the holes, and put them to soak in
kerosene. The oil makes the punk burn much brighter than it would in its
dry state. When the punk is thoroughly soaked, stick the pieces in the
holes. A candle will be found most convenient for lighting the punk.
Nail the board to a tree or post, and place several cannon-crackers in
holes bored near the bottom of the board. After allowing the punk to
burn for a short time, light the cannon-crackers and blow up the
set-piece as a grand finish.
[Illustration: FIG. 299.--A Final Set-piece.]
CHAPTER XXI
HALLOWEEN
[Illustration: Witch Riding Broomstick and Halloween Prankster]
Halloween, or the eve of All Saints' Day, has been observed since the
beginning of the Christian era. In very early times, ghosts, demons, and
spirits were believed to rule the universe on this evening, and any one
who ventured upon the streets after dark was doing so at the risk of his
life. For companionship, as well as protection, it was customary for
large numbers of friends to spend the evening together; and these
gathered around the fire-place, and passed away the time drinking cider,
cracking nuts, eating apples, and telling ghost stories.
While the superstitious fears of Halloween have almost entirely
disappeared, the evening is generally celebrated in the same manner as
in the past. This is the only evening on which a boy can feel free to
play pranks outdoors without danger of being "pinched," and it is his
delight to scare passing pedestrians, ring door-bells, and carry off the
neighbors' gates (after seeing that his own is unhinged and safely
placed in the barn). Even if he is suspected, and the next day made to
remove the rubbish barricading the doors, lug back the stone carriage
step, and climb a tree for the front gate, the punishment is nothing
compared with the sport the pranks have furnished him. There is, of
course, such a thing as boys going too far with their Halloween fun and
getting into malicious mischief, but the cautious boy is not likely to
cause any serious trouble by his actions.
[Illustration: FIG. 301.
FIG 300.--A Section through the Bean-blower.
A Magazine Bean-blower.]
Every boy who has used a bean-blower knows that the beans swell when
held in the mouth, often to such an extent that they will not go through
the opening, and clog the tube. Figure 300 shows a scheme for a
=Magazine Bean-blower=, which does away with this difficulty, inasmuch
as with it the beans are not put in the mouth. The drawing shows a
section taken through the centre of one the writer has before him, which
works admirably. This bean-blower will cost you just two cents, the
price of two of the regular nineteen-inch tin tubes sold in the stores.
To these add a large ribbon-spool, which can be had for the asking at
almost any dry goods store, some glue, and a sheet of writing paper.
Place the spool in your bench-vise, and bore a quarter-inch hole in the
centre of the side of it (see _A_, Fig. 300). This hole should be on a
slant, and extend only into the hollow part of the spool, as shown in
the drawing. When this has been done, take one of the tin tubes and cut
off two sections of it, one four inches long and the other three and
one-half inches long. This is easily done by filing through the tin on
one side with a small file, and then bending the tube back and forth
until it breaks. Place the end of the four-inch tube in the hole bored
in the spool at _A_, gluing a strip of paper around it to make it fit
tightly (see _B_ in Fig. 300). A piece of paper smeared with glue should
be wrapped around the other end of this tube in the form of a funnel, as
shown in Fig. 301. Press the paper around the end of the tube, as shown
in the section drawing, Fig. 300, and use plenty of glue upon it to make
it stiff. Glue a strip of paper around the short tube, and stick it in
one end of the spool, as shown at _C_, Fig. 300. The little wooden
mouthpiece that is furnished with bean-blowers nowadays should be
slipped over the other end of the tube, as shown in the drawing. Now
take the second bean-blower, and glue it in the other end of the spool,
as shown at _D_. The bean-blower is now complete. To operate it, hold
the spool in one hand, and, after dropping a number of beans or peas
into the magazine, place the palm of the other hand over the top of the
paper funnel, and blow until the tube is emptied. It is necessary to
close the opening in the top of the magazine, or the beans will blow out
of it instead of from the end of tube _D_. Dried peas always work better
than beans in a bean-blower, as they are round and never clog the tube.
[Illustration: FIG. 302.--A New Style of Tick-tack.]
[Illustration: FIG. 304.
FIG. 303.
Details of Crank for Tick-tack.]
The loud drumming noise of a tick-tack rattled upon a window is enough
to give any one the cold shivers, and if the guests of a Halloween party
are gathered about the fire-place, telling weird ghost stories, this
unearthly noise is sufficient to give even the bravest heart a
conviction that the house is haunted by supernatural beings. The writer
and his friends used to make
=A New Style of Tick-tack=, such as illustrated in Fig. 302, which
claims several advantages over the ordinary kind. In the first place it
has a crank arrangement which does away with the long string that is
everlastingly becoming entangled, and only one boy is necessary to
operate it where two are required with the old-style affair. Again, by
having the tick-tack upon the end of a long pole, second-story windows
can easily be reached with it. For the making of this tick-tack, procure
two large spools, some heavy cord, and a long pole (perhaps you can
borrow your mother's clothes-pole for the occasion). With a knife cut
notches in the flanges of one spool, and fasten it to one end of the
pole, driving a large nail through the hole in the centre of the spool
into the pole (see Fig. 302). Place the other spool in your bench-vise
and saw it in two pieces, as shown in Figs. 303 and 304, so that _A_ is
one-half the size of _B_, or one-third of the length of the spool. Cut a
strip of wood about six inches long, bore a hole near one end a little
larger than a sixteen-penny nail, and nail the strip to the end of spool
_A_ so that the hole comes exactly over the one in the spool (see Fig.
303). Attach spool _B_ to the other end of _C_ by means of a nail driven
through the hole into the strip. The crank is now completed, and should
be fastened to the lower end of the pole by means of a nail driven
through the hole in _A_. It will be seen that this tick-tack is a
simple piece of apparatus. The crank at the lower end of the pole is
turned and revolves the notched spool at the upper end. To keep the cord
from slipping on the pole, a little resin should be rubbed upon it, and
it might be well also to rub a little upon the spools.
[Illustration: FIG. 305. The Clockwork Tick-tack.]
=A Clockwork Tick-tack=, such as is illustrated in Fig. 305, is another
good idea, and one that can be carried out with a few minutes' work.
Remove the works from an old alarm clock, and fasten them with wire or
cord to the end of a pole, as shown. Attach a cord to the striker, and
make it long enough to reach to the other end of the pole. Make a loop
in the end of the cord, and drive a nail into the pole over which to
loop the cord to keep the striker in check. This tick-tack is worked by
placing the end of the pole close to the window-glass, with the striker
toward the glass, and slipping the cord off its nail. The striker is
controlled entirely by the cord.
=The Goblin-man= (Fig. 306) is easily made out of such material as you
can most generally find about the house. The framework for the body of
this ghostly creature is shown in Fig. 307, and consists of a pole about
four feet long with the centre of an eighteen-inch crosspiece nailed
across it. In order to fasten these pieces firmly together, they should
be halved as shown in Fig. 267, Chapter XIX. The arms consist of two
sticks (_A_ and _B_ in Fig. 307) fastened together at right angles with
small iron braces, and screwed in place near the ends of the crosspiece,
as shown in the illustration. Holes should be bored through the arm
pieces in order that they may work freely on the screws. Place a small
screw-eye in each arm at _B_, and attach a short string to it. A short
stick should be nailed to the four-foot pole about eighteen inches from
the lower end, so that the boy who carries the framework can rest it
upon his shoulder.
[Illustration: FIG. 306.--The Goblin-man.]
[Illustration: FIG. 307.--Framework of the Goblin-man.]
The head of the goblin is a jack-o'-lantern made out of a piece of
cardboard, bent as shown in Fig. 308, and held in this shape by means of
broom-wire laced back and forth across the top. Cut a hole the shape of
an ear in each side, and paste a piece of red tissue-paper over the
opening. For the face, take a piece of white paper a little larger than
the face is going to be, mark out eyes, nose, and mouth upon it, and cut
the openings for them. Paste red tissue-paper over the openings for the
eyes, and mark a large black pupil in the corner of each (Fig. 309). For
the mouth, paste a piece of white tissue-paper over the opening, and
mark out the teeth in black (Fig. 309). A piece of red tissue-paper
should be pasted over the opening for the nose. After finishing the
face, paste it on to the cardboard head. The goblin's countenance is
lighted up from within, by means of a candle fastened in a baking-powder
can. Cut down one side of the can with a pair of tin-shears or a
can-opener, and tack it to the framework about six inches above the
crosspiece, as shown in Fig. 307. This can must not be put in place,
however, until the head is fastened to the framework, which is done by
punching a hole in the cardboard large enough to admit the end of the
pole. Get an old derby for a hat, and, after punching a few holes in the
top for the heat and smoke of the candle to escape, sew it to the
cardboard head. Cover the back of the head with black cloth in such a
way that it may be opened to light the candle. To save the goblin-man
the embarrassment of losing his head, drive a nail through the crown of
the derby-hat into the end of the pole. For a neck, button a cuff around
the pole between the crosspiece and head.
[Illustration: FIG. 308.
FIG. 309.
FIGS. 308-309.--The Goblin's Head.]
A white suit of clothes is, of course, the correct style for the goblin
to wear. This can be found in an old nightshirt, lengthened with white
cloth, if necessary, to make it reach the ground when it is placed upon
him. The shoulders should be padded out to hide the framework.
When the goblin-man is finished, strap the shoulder-stick of the frame
to your shoulder, and fasten the end of the pole to your waist with a
belt. Your hands are then free to manipulate the arms, by means of the
cords attached to their ends. Before starting out upon the street, have
some one light the candle in the head.
As this weird-looking creature passes along the streets, with glaring
eyes and other features equally brilliant, people will have to stop to
reassure themselves that they are not face to face with some unearthly
demon.
A trick that will furnish amusement for at least a portion of the
evening is
=The Disappearing Rope=, which is not an entirely new idea, but one
which is always popular. Procure a number of rubber bands and tie them
together, end to end. Then attach one end of these to a front fence, and
to the other end fasten several yards of string. After doing this, cross
over the sidewalk with the string, pulling it tightly so the rubber
bands will stretch, and hang a sign with the word "DANGER" printed upon
it in large letters over the string where it crosses the sidewalk.
It is only natural that the person who sees this sign will make a grab
for it, thinking you are blocking the sidewalk to make him walk around
it. This is your opportunity to act quickly and let go of the string,
which will snap back to the fence upon the contraction of the rubber
bands, and disappear from view, leaving your much-astonished friend to
pass on, knowing that the joke is upon him.
CHAPTER XXII
A BACK-YARD TOBOGGAN-SLIDE
[Illustration: Children on the Toboggan-slide.]
It is the misfortune of a great many boys to be deprived of one of
winter's greatest sports, by living in a flat country where there are no
hills upon which to coast. These boys have little use for sleds aside
from "hitching," unless they can make an artificial slide. In a number
of large cities, toboggan-slides on a large scale are erected in the
parks each year, and thrown open to the use of the public. Although this
coasting cannot equal that to be had on natural hills, it affords a
great pastime to thousands of boys and girls, and is a luxurious treat
to many who have never seen hills larger than the artificial park
variety.
The construction of a toboggan-slide is not difficult for a boy or
several boys, and though it must be limited in size, a small slide has
an advantage in that there is not a long walk from the end of the run
back to the starting-point.
[Illustration: FIG. 310.--A Back-yard Toboggan-slide.]
It is a good idea to locate the toboggan-slide in a back-yard or an
enclosed lot, so that the outside fellows cannot monopolize it; and it
is well to have some firm object to which the framework can be fastened,
as it saves a great deal of bracing, and materially lessens the amount
of lumber needed. The work should be done in the early part of the
fall, before the cold weather sets in. Figure 310 shows a slide built in
the corner of a yard against the fence.
=The Length= will be determined by the size of the yard. If the yard is
short, the slide should be proportioned accordingly, to allow the sled
its full run before reaching the end of the lot.
=A Platform= should be built in the corner, six feet square, and about
seven feet above the ground. For this, cut four two-by-fours six feet
nine inches long, fasten one in the angle formed by the two fences, and
another five feet four inches to the right of it (_A_ and _B_ in Fig.
312). The third upright (_C_) should be nailed to the fence five feet
eight inches from _A_, and the fourth (_D_) should be fastened at an
equal distance from _B_. Then cut two pieces of two-by-four each six
feet long, and nail them across the tops of _A_ and _C_, and _B_ and
_D_, respectively, as shown at _E_ and _F_ in Fig. 312. The uprights
should now be braced with horizontal and diagonal bracing, as shown in
Fig. 312, to give the platform the necessary stiffness.
[Illustration: FIGS. 311-313.--Framework of Toboggan-slide.]
After deciding upon the length of the slide, lay off the distance upon
the ground from the bottom of upright _B_, and drive a stake into the
ground at the farther end. Then attach a cord to the stake and run it
along the fence to a nail driven into the top of upright _B_. This cord,
shown in Fig. 311, marks the pitch of the slide, and will give you a
guide-line by which to work. When this has been done, cut three pieces
of two-by-four about two feet long, and spike them to the fence just
below the guide-line (see _G_, _H_, and _I_, Fig. 311), spacing them
about six feet apart on centres. When these have been fastened in place,
take a piece of two-by-four and mark off upon it the distance from the
ground to the top of block _I_. Then square a line across the
two-by-four at this point, at an angle corresponding to that at which
block _I_ is nailed to the fence (see Fig. 313). Saw the two-by-four on
this line, and then stand it upright in front of block _I_, thirty or
thirty-two inches from the fence (according to whether eight-or ten-inch
boards are used upon the slide), and spike a piece of two-by-four to the
top of it and to the top of block _I_, as shown in Fig. 312. Cut and set
up a similar upright and crosspiece at _G_ and at _H_, after which brace
all as shown in the illustration (Fig. 312).
If you are going to buy boards with which to cover the platform and
slide, get twelve-foot lengths, eight or ten inches wide. By using these
you will have no waste, and but little cutting to do. If, however, you
have material of other dimensions on hand which you can use, the
supports of the slide should be so spaced that the boards will reach
from one to another. The boards should run lengthwise upon the slide,
and be nailed to the framework, leaving as small cracks as possible
between them.
In order to prevent sleds from running off the slide, a guide should be
nailed to the edge farthest from the fence, from the top to the bottom,
and on the opposite side where it extends above the fence top (see Fig.
310).
After nailing the platform boards in place,
=Build a Railing= out of boards around three sides of it, to prevent any
one from slipping off (see Fig. 310).
=A Ladder=, made out of two two-by-fours, with two-inch strips nailed
across them, should be set against the front of the platform and spiked
in place, as shown in the illustration of the completed slide (Fig.
310). This will make it easier to reach the platform than by the way of
the icy slide, and also prevents those coasting from colliding with
those who are returning.
Any ingenious boy will know how to make a swift slide by turning the
hose upon it, and allowing the water to run over the surface until every
portion is well covered.
A toboggan-sled is out of proportion for a slide of this size, and will
not be found as satisfactory as a sled with runners, as the steepness of
the slide will not be sufficient to make it go.
=A Home-made Sled=, such as that shown in Fig. 314, requires but little
material, and if carefully made will prove stronger than the variety
commonly sold in the shops.
[Illustration: FIG. 314.--A Home-made Sled.]
[Illustration: FIG. 315.--Pattern for Runners.]
Figure 315 shows the pattern for the runners, which should be cut out of
four-inch boards, seven-eighths of an inch thick. Round the top edges,
and cut the front and rear ends as shown in the drawing. Make a slot in
the place indicated for a handle, and bore a hole near the front end for
the crosspiece to run through. The seat consists of a board cut
twenty-two inches long and nine inches wide. This will not be nailed to
the runners but to cleats, as shown in Fig. 316. Cut three cleats nine
and one-quarter inches long, two inches wide, and seven-eighths of an
inch thick, and fasten these between the runners, five-eighths of an
inch from their tops, placing one near the end of the seat, one at the
centre, and one at the front. Four two-inch iron braces should be
procured, and two of these screwed to the under side of the front and
rear cleats, and to the sides of the runners, as shown in Fig. 316. The
seat can then be nailed in place, and a broom-handle fastened in the
hole bored near the ends of the runners.
=The Best Kind of Iron Runners= for a home-made sled are those that a
boy can put on without the aid of a blacksmith, and such a pair of
runners is shown in the drawing of this sled. They consist of what are
known as half-oval iron strips, and can be had usually at a hardware
store or blacksmith shop. A pair forty inches long and three-quarters of
an inch wide, with five holes for countersunk screws drilled in each,
can be bought for fifty cents. When they have been procured, screw them
to the bottom of the runners, using one inch or one and one-quarter inch
screws for the purpose.
[Illustration: FIG. 316.--A Section through the Sled.]
Although these runners are plenty heavy enough for light coasting, they
would probably prove weak for coasting upon hills of any great size. To
withstand the strain brought to bear upon the runners when hill
coasting, boys generally find it necessary to make them out of two-inch
stuff. This, however, makes the sled heavy and clumsy, and can be done
away with by following a scheme which a friend of the writer's invented
and found very satisfactory. It consisted of
=Reënforcing the Runners= with steel bars driven into holes bored
vertically in them. The holes were bored while the runners were held in
a vise, and the steel bars were a little larger than the holes, so that
they would fit them tightly. This scheme allows the use of seven-eighths
inch stuff for the runners, and sixty-penny wire nails can be filed off
to the proper length and substituted for steel bars if the latter cannot
be obtained.
When the sled has been completed, it should be given a good coat of
paint.
[Illustration: Boys Discuss the Project.]
PART III
Indoor Pastimes
[Illustration: A MINIATURE THEATRE.]
CHAPTER XXIII
A MINIATURE THEATRE
[Illustration: Children at the Theatre.]
Probably nothing can be found which will make a more interesting
entertainment for a winter evening, than a miniature theatre patterned
as nearly as possible after a large playhouse. The construction of the
stage, and preparation of miniature scenery, properties, and mechanical
effects, furnish good work for disagreeable weather when it becomes
necessary to remain indoors, and there is plenty of it, and of great
enough variety, to occupy the attention of a number of boys.
Very little material is necessary, outside of what generally can be
found in the attic, cellar, and woodshed, so that the expense incurred
by making the theatre amounts to almost nothing. A gilt picture-frame
makes
=An Excellent Proscenium= for the front of the stage, and, as it will
not be marred in the least, you can probably borrow one for the
occasion.
[Illustration: FIG. 317.--The Stage Framework.]
On the opposite page is shown a miniature theatre completed, and in Fig.
317 will be seen the proper construction of
=The Stage Framework=, which is made of narrow boards and built upon two
horses the width of the picture-frame. Make the horses as shown in Fig.
317, one two feet six inches high and the other two feet nine inches
high, using two-by-fours for the tops and narrow boards for the legs and
braces. After constructing the horses, cut four boards seven feet long
and nail two to the ends of each (_A_ and _B_, Fig. 317), after which
cut two pieces to reach across the tops and nail them in place as shown
at _C_. Then set the horses five feet apart, with the lower one in
front, and screw three boards to the tops as shown at _D_, _E_, and _F_,
and three narrow strips to the top of the framework as shown at _G_,
_H_, and _I_. Strips _G_, _H_, and _I_ form what is known as
=The Gridiron=, or supports from which the scenery drops are suspended,
and should have a row of tacks driven into each edge, as shown in Fig.
317, upon which to hang the drops. By fastening the framework together
with screws, it may be taken apart after a performance and packed away
for another time.
=The Stage Floor= rests upon boards _D_, _E_, and _F_, and is made of
laths laid close together, parallel to the front of the stage. The laths
should not be nailed in place, as it is necessary to have the stage
floor movable.
When the work has proceeded thus far, set the picture-frame between the
uprights of the front frame so that the opening comes on a level with
the stage floor, and fasten it to _A_ and _B_ with nails driven through
screw-eyes placed in the back of the picture-frame.
=The Drop-curtain= should be made of white muslin, and measure in width
several inches wider than the opening in the picture-frame. Hem the two
side edges of the cloth, and sew brass rings on to them two inches
apart. Then tack the top and bottom to strips of wood. A scene may be
painted upon this curtain, but you will find the result probably more
successful if you paste a picture of some sort upon the cloth, as
suggested in the illustration of the completed theatre.
[Illustration: FIG. 318.--View of Curtain from Stage.]
In Fig. 318 we have a view from the stage of the arrangement by which
the curtain is raised and lowered. Two heavy wires should be slipped
through the rings on the curtain, and their ends fastened to four
screw-eyes placed in the uprights at _J_, _K_, _L_, and _M_. These form
the curtain guides. Bore two holes in uprights _A_ and _B_ above the
picture-frame, and run a broom-stick through them for a roller, after
which make a crank similar to that shown in Fig. 319 and fasten it to
one end. Place two screw-eyes in the crosspiece at _N_ and _O_ (Fig.
318) and slip two cords through them, tying one end of each to the top
of the curtain and the other end to the roller. By turning the crank the
string will now wind around the roller and raise the curtain. It will be
necessary to screw a button on to upright _A_ at _P_, as shown in Fig.
319, to lock the crank when the curtain is raised. We often had two and
three drop-curtains upon our miniature theatres, which made it necessary
to have additional rollers and guide-wires.
[Illustration: FIG. 319.--Crank for Curtain Pole.]
[Illustration: FIG. 320.--The Footlights.]
The greatest precautions should be taken
=In lighting the Theatre=, to have all wood surrounding lights covered
with tin, and not to use candles or matches around inflammable
substances. Figure 320 shows a satisfactory arrangement of
=The Footlights.=--A piece of tin the length of the picture-frame and
ten inches wide should be procured for these and bent into the shape
shown in the illustration. Drive tacks through the bottom of the tin
about two inches apart, and stick a short candle upon each. Then fasten
the tin below the picture-frame as shown in the drawing of the completed
theatre, and paint it black upon the outside.
[Illustration: FIG. 321.
FIG. 324.
FIG. 322.
FIG. 323.
Details of Floodlights.]
=Floodlights=, which are used to throw light from the wings on to the
stage, may be made as shown in Figs. 321, 322, 323, and 324. The case
for the light is made in the same manner as the dark-room lantern,
described in Chapter XI, and illustrated by Figs. 176 and 177, except
that the door is placed in the side instead of the back and no glass or
paper is fastened over the front opening (see Figs. 322 and 323). Make
the opening four by five inches, and fasten two grooves, formed by
nailing two strips of wood together, as shown in Fig. 324, above and
below it, in which to slide glass plates for the purpose of throwing
=Colored Lights= upon a scene. The slides consist of old four-by-five
camera plates with colored tissue-paper pasted upon them, and are
operated in the same manner as magic-lantern slides. The light should be
mounted upon a standard, such as is shown in Fig. 321, consisting of a
seven-foot pole fastened at the lower end to a board and braced with
triangular blocks, as shown in the illustration. It should be so
attached to the pole that it can be adjusted to any desired height, and
to attain this two pipe-straps should be fastened to the back of the
box, as shown in Fig. 322. First nail two vertical strips in place as at
_A_ and _B_ in the drawing, and to these screw the two iron pipe-straps.
When the straps have been attached, slip the end of the pole through
them, and place a screw-eye in the box, another in the pole near its
upper end, and a nail in the side of the box. Then attach a cord to the
screw-eye in the box, and, after running it through the screw-eye near
the top of the pole, twist it several times around the nail in the side
of the box, which will hold the box in that position. One of these
lights should be made for each side of the stage. In addition to them,
you may have occasion to use
=Spotlights= to throw more light upon one portion of a scene than
another. Bicycle lamps will be found handy for this purpose.
If your house is wired for electricity, several miniature incandescent
lamps can be procured for the footlights, while larger lamps can be used
for all the other necessary lighting.
As the work of making scenery, properties, and mechanical effects is not
in the same line as the construction of the stage and its framework, it
has been treated in the following chapter.
Before setting up the theatre for a performance, it is well to spread a
large cloth over the carpet, to catch anything that may drop from the
stage. Then, with all the framework fastened together, hang draperies on
each side and above and below the proscenium arch, as shown in chapter
heading. This will conceal everything but the proscenium opening.
=Admission Tickets= and programmes should, of course, be printed with a
printing-press if you have one; otherwise with rubber stamps.
CHAPTER XXIV
SCENERY, PROPERTIES, AND MECHANICAL EFFECTS
[Illustration: Working on Drops.]
Scenery for a miniature theatre will be made in much the same manner as
the small drops and wings a scenic artist prepares of each scene of a
play, before he commences work upon the large canvasses. Any handy boy
will find it an easy matter to prepare his scenery, as it does not
require a knowledge of drawing so much as it does the knack of copying
scenes from pictures, and the proper placing of the various wings and
drops. Several simple suggestions for water, field, street, and interior
scenes, with sketches of the drops and wings necessary to complete them,
have been placed on the following pages of this chapter with a view to
helping you with your first attempts at making scenery. By the time you
have made some of these you will have had enough practice in the work to
devise other designs and work up the details more elaborately. With a
little shifting of drops and wings, or substituting one for another, the
appearance of the scene can be sufficiently changed to make it as good
as an entirely new setting. Several examples of this will be found among
the illustrations.
=For materials=, you will require some large pieces of paper, several
sheets of cardboard, a box of colored chalks, a pair of shears, and a
pot of paste--add to this a bunch of laths with which to make the
frames, and some nails, screws, and tacks for fastenings. The back of
wall-paper presents an excellent surface for chalks, and several rolls
will cost you but a few cents, as you can purchase old-style patterns.
Suit and shoe boxes will furnish the necessary cardboard.
[Illustration: FIG. 325.--Drop for Ocean Scene.]
[Illustration: FIG. 326.--Drop (_D_ in Ocean Scene).]
The size and proportion of the scenery will depend entirely upon those
of the proscenium, and as these are governed by the size of the picture
frame you procure, no attempt will be made to give you the dimensions of
wings and drops; but you will get a good idea as to their proper
proportion from the illustrations shown of the scenes set up, as the
line of the proscenium opening is dotted upon them. In the full-page
illustration of the completed theatre preceding Chapter XXIII is shown
=An Ocean Scene= in which the entire depth of the stage is used for the
setting. Here you will notice the drops have been made to extend beyond
the sides and top of the proscenium opening, a thing which is necessary
in order that those of your audience sitting close to the front of the
theatre, or to one side of the centre of the stage, will not be able to
see through the openings between the drops and wings. Figure 325 shows
how the four drops necessary for this scene should be made. First sketch
drop _A_, shading the clouds and waves with colored chalks as shown in
the drawing of the completed theatre. Then cut out the opening in its
centre, carefully following the outlines of the clouds. Lay this sheet
upon another and mark out drop _B_, with a smaller opening in its
centre, and then, after coloring and cutting it out in the same manner
as you did drop _A_, lay it upon a third sheet and mark out drop _C_,
with a still smaller opening in its centre (see Fig. 325). Drop _D_
forms the background of the scene, and should be made as shown in Fig.
326, with a horizontal line separating the sky and water. With the
exception of a few white caps in the foreground, no waves should be
shown upon this drop.
If wall-paper is used for the scenery, several widths will have to be
pasted together for each drop.
[Illustration: FIG. 327.--Waves for Ocean Scene.]
=Additional waves= should be made out of strips of paper and fastened
together as shown in Fig. 327, with the crests of the waves of each
strip extending a little above those of the strip in front. Prepare
three sets of the waves, and, after pasting one to the bottom of each
drop, bend out the crests so as to leave a little space between each
strip.
These drops should now be tacked to frames made out of laths similar to
Fig. 328, with the corners nailed and braced with diagonal strips. Place
a couple of tacks in the top of these frames, and to these attach cords.
The drops should now be hung by means of the cords to the tacks in the
top strips of the stage framework. Space them about as shown in the
illustration of the completed theatre, and so adjust the lengths of the
cords that, from a point equal to where the centre of your audience will
be located, the horizon lines of your drops will appear on a line with
one another. Then having found the proper lengths of the cords, make
loops in them so the drops can be quickly hung in place without further
adjustment.
[Illustration: FIG. 328.--Frames for Drops.]
[Illustration: FIG. 329.--Rocks for a Seashore Scene.]
In the foreground of the ocean scene a stone wall has been shown, which
should be made upon a strip of cardboard, with the joints of the stones
marked off with gray paint. This strip should be set against the bottom
of the front drop. To change this setting into
=A Mid-ocean Scene=, it is only necessary to substitute a strip of waves
similar to Fig. 327 in place of the stone wall; and
=A Seashore Scene= can be had by making a strip of rocks similar to Fig.
329 to set against the front drop, and covering the foreground with sand
to form the beach.
[Illustration: FIG. 331.--Drop (_G_ in Field and Blockhouse Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 332.--Drop (_H_ in Field, Blockhouse, and Street
Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 330. A FIELD SCENE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 338. A BLOCKHOUSE SCENE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 333.--Wing. Fence and Foliage (_I_ in Field Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 334.--Wing (_J_ in Field and Blockhouse Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 335.--Wing (_K_ in Street and Blockhouse Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 336.--Standard for Trees.]
=A Field Scene= should be set up as shown in Fig. 330. Make the
background drop _G_ similar to Fig. 331, tacking it to a frame as you
did the drops of the ocean scene, and prepare the foreground drop _H_
similar to Fig. 332, tacking its upper edge to a single lath from which
it can be hung in position. Draw the leaves upon drop _H_ about as shown
in the illustration, and in cutting out the strip make a few openings
between the leaves as shown in the drawing. Wings _I_ and _J_ are shown
in Figs. 333 and 334. These should be drawn upon cardboard, and then cut
out with a sharp knife, with openings made in places between the leaves
and branches.
Tack the bottom of
=The Trees= to small blocks of wood for standards (see Fig. 336), and
drive brads through the blocks so they will stick into the stage floor
and prevent the trees from toppling over. In setting up this scene, as
in the case of all others, you will have to shift the pieces until all
entrances and exits are hidden by the wings. The places can then be
marked upon the stage floor. This scene will occupy but the front part
of the stage. If a greater depth is desired, it will be necessary to
prepare additional wings, which can be made similar to Figs. 333 and
334, with possibly a few changes in the form of the branches and leaves.
Figure 335 shows a tree that can be used for the centre of a scene. A
little earth scattered over the stage floor will give the appearance of
ground.
[Illustration: FIG. 337.--Blockhouse (_L_ in Blockhouse Scene).]
By using the same background drop, _G_, and the foreground drop, _H_
(Figs. 331 and 332), trees, _J_ and _K_ (Figs. 334 and 335), and making
a blockhouse and stockade similar to _L_ (Fig. 337), you will have the
proper setting for
=A Blockhouse Scene=, such as is shown in Fig 338. The blockhouse should
be fastened to a strip of wood in the same manner as you fastened the
ends of the trees (see Fig. 336).
For outdoor scenery, and especially forest scenes, the writer remembers
using
=Pine Boughs= for trees and shrubbery. These were cut into pieces of the
right length for trees, with their ends pointed so they would stick into
gimlet holes made in the laths of the stage floor; and loose pieces were
thrown in between for shrubbery. Mounds and hills were made with moss.
This saved the work of making so many drops, and, of course, looked a
little more realistic than paper scenery, but was not as handy to set
up, and caused longer delays between the scenes.
[Illustration: FIG. 340.--Drop (_M_ in Street Scene).]
=Rustic Bridges= can easily be constructed with a few twigs, as can also
rustic seats and fences. A very realistic
=Pond or Lake= can be represented by placing a piece of a mirror upon
the stage floor, and banking sand or moss around its edge.
[Illustration: FIG. 339. A STREET SCENE.]
[Illustration: FIG. 341.--Wing (_O_ in Street Scene).]
[Illustration: FIG. 342.--Wing (_N_ in Street Scene).]
Figure 339 shows a simple setting for
=A Street Scene=.--The background will be made similar to Fig. 340, and
the wings _N_ and _O_ as shown in Figs. 341 and 342, while drop _H_ and
wing _K_ are the same as used for the other scenes (see Figs. 332 and
335). Wing _O_, the house upon the right of the stage, will be made
in one piece, with window openings cut in it and covered with
tissue-paper ruled to represent the window-sash (see Fig. 341). Show the
trim around the openings and also the siding upon the building. Then
fasten the back of the wing to a standard such as used for the trees
(see Fig. 336). Wing _N_, or building upon the left of the stage, will
require a number of pieces of cardboard to show its perspective
correctly. Make the front of the building as shown in Fig. 342. Then
fasten a piece of cardboard to edge _A_ for the side, three pieces at
_B_, _C_, and _D_ for the roof, and a strip across the front at _E_ for
the porch roof. The pieces can be fastened together best with strips of
linen glued to their inside surfaces. The porch roof will be supported
upon four posts made out of strips of cardboard as shown in Fig. 339.
This building will be the village post-office, grocery, and hardware
store combined, and should have a number of signs to this effect painted
upon the front.
[Illustration: FIG. 343.--A Simple Interior Scene.]
[Illustration: FIG. 344.--Pattern for Walls of Interior Scene.]
To the several outdoor scenes already described, you should add a
setting of
=An Interior=, as you will probably have occasion to use one in any play
you produce in your miniature theatre. Figure 343 shows a simple
interior, the size of which will, of course, depend upon that of the
stage. However, it should not be very deep. Figure 344 shows the pattern
by which to cut the five pieces of cardboard, of which the walls are
made. The edges of these pieces should be glued together with strips of
linen. Cut the door openings at _F_, _G_, and _H_, two window openings
at _I_ and _J_, and slots in the tops of _B_ and _D_ at _K_, _L_, _M_,
_N_, _O_, and _P_, as shown in the drawing. Make the doors out of pieces
of cardboard, hinging them to the openings with linen strips, and draw
the window-sash and their divisions upon tissue-paper and paste them
over the openings _I_ and _J_. Oil the paper if it is not very
transparent, so the audience can see the villain when he passes by the
windows. Make a wainscoting around the walls to the height of the
window-sills, ruling the boards with a lead pencil, and draw a line
across wall _C_ a little below the bottom of slots _M_ and _N_ in walls
_B_ and _D_, as shown. If you have used white cardboard for the walls,
and not injured its calendered surface when cutting the openings, it
will have a good plaster appearance. Otherwise, cover the cardboard with
white or tinted paper. Paint the wainscoting and the door and window
trimmings brown. To set up the room, bend the walls into the shape shown
in Fig. 343. Then cut three strips of cardboard several inches longer
than the width of the room and slip them into the slots you have cut in
the tops of the walls _B_ and _D_ (see _Q_, _R_, and _S_, Fig. 343). _T_
is a drop like _S_, but is suspended in front from the gridiron. These
strips form the ceiling of the room, and generally have beams or
mouldings painted across their bottom edges, but it will simplify
matters to leave them plain, as shown in the illustration. The line
which you have drawn across the rear wall corresponds with these strips.
Cut a number of illustrations from a magazine for pictures, and either
hang them upon the walls or paste them to the cardboard. Doll
furnishings can be used to complete the scene.
There are a great variety of subjects upon which a boy can base his
plays, but what probably will make the most interesting programme and
one of the simplest to prepare is
=A War Drama=.--In this you can picture a number of battles after the
descriptions you have read in your history, or dramatize one of your
favorite war stories, bringing its young heroes before the footlights.
This class of plays will give you an opportunity to use
=Paper Soldiers= for actors. Probably you have a supply of these, but if
not, you can get them at any toy store. They come upon printed sheets
ready to be cut out, and as they cost only a penny a sheet it pays to
buy rather than make them.
Cavalry and infantry of about every nationality, Indians in various
positions upon horseback and on foot, and a large assortment of American
soldiers in marching order and fighting array are now to be found in
these sheets. For
=Marching Soldiers= across the stage, tack their feet to a lath as shown
in Fig. 345, and then slide the lath across the stage, at the same time
pushing out one of the laths forming the floor. The moving of the laths
scarcely will be noticeable from the position of your audience.
[Illustration: FIG. 345.--Scheme for Marching Soldiers.]
=Separate Standards= for soldiers you wish to set about the stage should
have small strips of cardboard glued to their backs and bent out in the
same manner as easel-backs are made. At least four or five of the
soldiers should be jointed so they can walk about the stage and appear
perhaps a little more graceful in their actions than their stiff-jointed
comrades who are fastened to laths. Figure 346 shows
=A Jointed Figure= made out of a paper soldier. Suppose you have a
soldier in some such position as shown in Fig. 347. First cut off the
legs along the dotted lines shown in the illustration, each leg in two
pieces (see _A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_, Figs. 347 and 348). Remove also the
hand projecting beyond the body at _E_. A small piece of cardboard of
the same thickness as that upon which the soldiers are printed should be
glued to the back of _C_ and _D_ where those pieces were cut into in
cutting off the legs (see _F_, _G_, and _H_, Fig. 348). When this has
been done, pivot _A_ and _B_ to _C_ and _D_ at _F_ and _G_, and then
pivot the ends of _C_ and _D_ at _H_ and _I_ to the hips of the soldier
(see Fig. 346). Thread should be used for pivoting these pieces
together, with knots tied on either end. New arms will have to be made,
as those printed upon the body cannot be cut out. These are made in two
pieces similar to _J_ and _K_ in Fig. 348. You will find it a simple
thing to make them and paint the hands flesh color and the sleeves to
match the rest of the clothes. Pivot _J_ to _K_ at _L_ and the end of
_K_ to the shoulder at _M_. The arm printed upon the side of the figure
should now be painted so as to blend with the color of the coat. The
white cardboard glued to the joints should also be painted to correspond
with the rest of the body. You will find this method of making a jointed
soldier much easier than to attempt to draw, paint, and cut out one of
your own design. Figures in other positions can, of course, be jointed
in the same manner.
[Illustration: FIGS. 346-348. Scheme for making a Jointed Figure.]
The movements of a jointed figure are controlled with pieces of
silk-thread attached to the hands, feet, and head, as shown in Fig. 346.
These threads should be carried through the top of the stage framework
and loops made in their ends should slip over the fingers of your hands,
in which position they can be operated. It will take a little practice
beforehand to enable you to work the threads successfully, so you will
not be responsible for such laughable performances as making him dance
while delivering a farewell address, or leave the scene through the top
of the stage during an exciting portion of the play.
In an interior scene, such as Fig. 343, the jointed figures will have to
make their entrées and exits through the passages between the front
walls and the proscenium, as the operating cords would interfere with
them going through the other openings. The figures which pass through
the doors will have to be tacked to the floor laths and shoved across
the stage.
All the small movable furnishings of a scene are known as
=Stage Properties=.--These include such pieces as furniture, boats,
carts, and trains.
[Illustration: FIG. 350.
FIG. 349.
A Tent.]
=Tents= will be necessary properties for an encampment scene. These
should be cut out of white paper the pattern of Fig. 349, then folded
along the dotted lines, and edge _B_ pasted over the flap _A_. The front
flaps will be left open. Figure 350 shows the tent set up.
=An Indian Teepee= will also be required for Indian warfare. Follow the
pattern shown in Fig. 351, marking it off as though it were made up of a
number of skins, and place a few figures of decoration upon it. Then cut
three or four short sticks and, after crossing their ends as shown in
Fig. 352, fasten the paper covering over them, bending flap _A_ along
the dotted line, and pasting _B_ over it.
[Illustration: FIG. 351.
FIG. 352.
A Teepee.]
The field scene (Fig. 330) and the blockhouse scene (Fig. 338) will be
used for the settings of your battle-fields. For your miniature
sea-fights, the mid-ocean scene will be used.
=Battleships= should be made out of cardboard as shown in Fig. 353, with
the masts reënforced at the back with strips of wood, and the rigging
made with heavy thread. It will be well to have a number of pictures
from which to work in drawing and painting the various ships of your
fleet. The hull of each ship should be curved as shown in the
illustration, and mounted upon a cardboard rocker. Make a number of
slashes along the curved edge of the hull, and bend out the little
flaps alternately, first to one side and then to the other (see _A_ in
drawing), after which glue them to the rocker. Attach a cord at _B_,
with which to pull the ship across the stage, and another cord at _C_,
with which to guide the stern. The hull will, of course, run between the
strips of waves, so as to be half concealed by them. A person cannot
imagine how realistic these little battleships appear when tossing about
upon the toy waves, without having seen them in operation.
[Illustration: FIG. 353.--A Battleship.]
=Trains and Wagons= can be cut out of cardboard and moved across the
stage by means of laths to which they have been attached in the same
manner as the paper soldiers shown in Fig. 345. Toy wagons, carriages,
and an automobile such as described in Chapter XXVI, may also be used in
some scenes.
Rain, wind, thunder, and such stage sounds, a moon or sun-rise, and
lightning, as produced on the stage, are known as
=Mechanical Effects=.--Most of these can easily be adapted to your
theatre, though the apparatus need not be as elaborate as that used by
professionals.
=Thunder= can be produced by means of a large piece of heavy cardboard
held by one corner, as shown in the chapter heading, and vibrated back
and forth. The beating of
=Rain= upon the outside of a house is imitated with a small quantity of
dried peas or beans dropped upon the head of a drum or into a cardboard
box. Every time the door is opened during such a storm, the audience
should hear the whistling of the
=Wind=, which is imitated by a few low drawn-out whistles. The stage
must, of course, be dark for producing
=Lightning=, in order to get the best effects. The flashes can be made
by igniting a small amount of flash-light powder, placed in a tin can
cover.
=The Roar of Cannon= and firing of smaller guns can be imitated to good
effect upon a drum.
CHAPTER XXV
MAKING A TOY RAILWAY
[Illustration: Bicycle Powered Railway.]
It is often thought that a toy railway is beyond a boy's ingenuity to
construct, whereas, in reality, it is one of the simplest toys he can
make. This applies to the tracks, stations, and cars of every
description, all of which can be made with a few strips of wood, some
spools, nails, cardboard, and a bottle of glue, for materials. If you
have passed the age of caring for such toys as this, you will, no doubt,
enjoy the making of one for your younger brother, or for one of your boy
relatives.
[Illustration: FIG. 354.]
[Illustration: FIG. 355.--The Toy Railway in Operation.]
[Illustration: FIG. 356.--Support for Trolley-line.]
Figure 355 shows a railway set up and in running order. As shown in the
illustration,
=The Trolley-line=, or overhead cable, runs around the wheels of two
supports, one at either end of the track. Prepare four pieces of wood
the shape and size of that shown in Fig. 354 for the uprights of these
supports, and make two wheels three inches in diameter. The wheels may
be marked out with a piece of string and pencil as shown in Fig. 201,
Chapter XV, if you haven't a compass. When the wheels have been cut out,
place them in your bench-vise, one at a time, and with a rasp make a
groove around the edge as shown at _C_, Fig. 356. Bore a three-eighths
inch hole through each upright at _F_, Fig. 354, and another through the
centre of each wheel. Now fasten two of the uprights six inches apart
upon a block of wood, as shown at _A_ and _B_, Fig. 356. Whittle a shaft
to fit loosely in the holes of the uprights, and, after slipping it into
them, fasten one of the wheels upon one end and a small spool upon the
other (see _C_ and _D_ in Fig. 356). A weight of some sort should be
fastened to the base, as shown at _E_. The uprights for the other
support should be similarly mounted upon another block of wood. Fasten
the remaining wheel to an axle run through the holes in the uprights,
and, as it is unnecessary to have a spool upon the other end of the
axle, cut it off short and drive a nail through it to prevent it from
slipping through the holes. Having thus prepared the supports, place
them as far apart as you wish to extend the railway, and run a cord
around the two wheels and tie it. Then set the supports a little farther
apart, if necessary, to tighten the cord. Run another cord from spool
_D_ to
=A Water-motor=, steam engine, or whatever power you can get with which
to operate the railway. A bicycle inverted with the tire removed from
its rear wheel has been used satisfactorily, as has also a
sewing-machine with the belt slipped off and the cord from the spool put
in its place.
[Illustration: FIG. 357.--The Tracks.]
A good substitute for the tin tracks ordinarily sold in shops for toy
railways will be found in those shown in Fig. 357. These
=Tracks= consist of quarter-inch strips mounted upon pieces of
cardboard. Make a small gimlet-hole in one end of each stick, and drive
a short finishing nail in the opposite end (see Fig. 357). Cut the
cardboard strips the length of the sticks, and tack them to the sticks
as shown in the illustration. If inch and one-half spools are used for
the car wheels, the inside gauge of the tracks should be an inch and
three-quarters. By lapping the cardboard strips over the ends of the
sticks, and the sticks over the ends of the cardboard strips, and
placing the nail dowels in the ends of the sticks as in the drawing, a
strong track is formed when the pieces are fitted together. This may be
extended to any desired length by adding more sections to it.
[Illustration: FIG. 358.--A Top View of Car Truck.]
[Illustration: FIG. 359.--Spool Wheels.]
[Illustration: FIG. 361.
FIG. 360.]
=The Cars= for this railway will have their trucks constructed alike,
and it is a simple matter to transform a car from one style into
another. Figure 358 shows a top view of a truck. For the bed of this cut
a three-eighths-inch board twelve inches long by two and one-quarter
inches wide, and, after rounding the ends as shown in the drawing, cut a
mortise at _A_ and _B_ two and three-eighths inches from either end.
Procure two one and one-half inch spools for wheels, and drive a wooden
peg through the hole in each, cutting off the ends so they project a
little beyond the hole, as shown in Fig. 359. Then bore four holes in
the edges of the truck-bed with a gimlet at _C_, _D_, _E_, and _F_ (see
drawing), and, after setting the spools in mortises _A_ and _B_, pivot
them in place with small finishing nails driven into the wooden pegs.
These nails should fit loosely in the gimlet holes. In order to drive
them into the exact centres of the spools, it is best to locate these
points upon the ends of the pegs before placing the spools in the frame.
A quarter-inch hole should be bored in the top of the truck-bed at _G_
and _H_ (Fig. 358) in which to fasten the two uprights _I_ and _J_ (see
Fig. 360). Make the uprights four inches long and whittle a peg upon the
lower ends to fit holes _G_ and _H_ (see Fig. 361). Bore a hole with a
gimlet in the top of each and run a piece of heavy wire from one to the
other, bending it as shown in Fig. 360. Fasten _K_ between _I_ and _J_,
as shown. Place a small brass ring upon the wire before you fasten it in
place. A small hook should be screwed into one end of the truck and a
screw-eye into the other end for couplings, should you wish to hitch two
or more cars together.
=A Gondola Car=, such as shown in Fig. 362, should have its truck made
similar to Fig. 358, with the exception that it should be two inches
shorter, in order that cigar-box strips can be used for the side-pieces.
Cut the strips an inch and one-half high and fasten them to the bed of
the car with brads. This car may be used as a trailer.
[Illustration: FIG. 362.--A Gondola Car.]
[Illustration: FIG. 363.--Side View.]
[Illustration: FIG. 364.--End View.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 365-373.--Details of Toy Street Car.]
The car shown in Fig. 360 is a rather crude affair, but with a little
more work may be transformed into a better-looking car--
=A Street Car= such as is shown in Figs. 363 and 364 being an example of
what can be made. The sides, ends, and roof of this car are made of
cardboard, the patterns for the cutting of which are shown on page 339.
Figure 365 shows a cross section taken through the centre of the car.
The two side-pieces _A_ should be first prepared as shown in Fig. 366.
With a ruler and lead-pencil draw in the windows about as shown in the
drawing, using double lines to indicate the sash. Then, with a sharp
knife, cut out the centre of each just inside of the inner line. These
windows may be left open or may be covered on the inside with
tissue-paper. If tissue-paper is used oil it to make it more
transparent. When the two sides have been prepared, bend each along the
dotted lines (see Fig. 366) and tack one to each side of your car truck
as shown in Fig. 365. When properly bent, the distance between the upper
part of the sides should be two and three-quarters inches. Cut the two
inner ends of the car the shape of Fig. 367, using a compass with a
radius of two and one-half inches with which to describe the curve at
the top. Draw in the panels and sash lines as you did those upon the
side-pieces, being careful to get them on the same level, and cut out
the door and window openings. Fasten these end-pieces between the sides
with glue, and also tack them to the uprights of the car (_I_ and _J_,
Fig. 360), which will come just inside of them. The roof is made in two
sections (_B_ and _C_, Fig. 365). For _B_ cut a piece of cardboard
twelve and one-quarter by three and three-quarter inches (Fig. 368),
draw the curved end with a compass, using the radius shown on the
drawing, and slit the corners as indicated by the dotted lines. When
this piece has thus been prepared, remove the wire from the top of the
truck (see Fig. 360). Bend the cardboard over the sides and ends of the
car, and lap corners _D_ and _E_ over _F_ and _G_, and _H_ and _I_ over
_J_ and _K_, tacking them with thread to hold them in place. To fasten
this part of the roof to the top of the car, cut a number of small
strips of linen, and glue them to the under side of the roof and to the
inside face of the sides and ends of the car (see Fig. 365). The upper
portion of the roof _C_ should be made out of a piece of cardboard bent
into the shape of Fig. 369 and cut at the ends so the upper portion of
_C_ projects a little beyond its sides. Draw the ventilation lights upon
the sides of _C_ as shown on the drawings, and then fasten the piece
upon the top of _B_ with strips of linen in the same manner as you
fastened _B_ in place. _C_ should now have the same curve to its top as
_B_. Cut and glue a piece of cardboard in each end of _C_ to complete
the roof. The shape of this piece is shown in Fig. 370. The outer ends
of the car should be made as shown in Fig. 371 and tacked around the
ends of the wooden truck platform, and also fastened to the under side
of the roof with strips of linen. The window openings may be cut in the
ends, but it will make a stronger car if they are simply drawn upon it.
Cut four cardboard steps similar to Fig. 372 and tack them to the sides
of the front and rear platforms. When the car has been put together,
replace the wire in the tops of uprights _I_ and _J_ (Fig. 360), running
the ends through the roof (see Fig. 363). Paint the sides and ends of
the car yellow with brown trimmings, and paint the roof a light gray.
Water colors can be used for the purpose. Letter the name of your
car-line upon the sides and the number of the car upon each end and
side. The route should be lettered upon strips of cardboard with pins
run through them as shown in Fig. 373, these strips to stick in the roof
of the car (see Figs. 363 and 364).
Having seen how the car is made, you will find it a simple matter to
make designs for
=Other Cars=, using the same scheme for the trucks, and altering the
patterns for the sides, ends, and roof, to suit the design.
Nothing has, as yet, been said about the
=Operation of the Railway=, and though Fig. 355 probably shows
sufficiently clearly how it is run, a few words may be helpful. The car
or cars are placed between the wooden tracks, and the trolley (or cord
attached to the ring on top of the car) is tied to the trolley-line as
in the illustration. Upon starting your engine, water-motor, or whatever
motive-power you have, the car will run from one end of the track to the
other. When it has reached the support of the trolley-line, it will stop
long enough for the cord trolley to pass around the wooden wheel, and
then run in the opposite direction until the other support is reached.
It will thus be seen that the trolley hangs to the upper part of the
cable, or trolley-line, in running one way, and to the lower part on the
return run. In changing the direction of the run, the ring to which the
trolley is attached slides to the other end of the car.
[Illustration: FIG. 374.--The Railway Depot.]
=A Station= such as is illustrated in Fig. 374 is made out of cardboard
and mounted upon a seven-eighths-inch board large enough to form a
railway platform. After cutting out the side-and end-pieces, with door
and window openings placed as shown in the illustration, fasten them
together with strips of linen glued in the corners. Make the roof low
and extend it over the platform upon each side and over the gable-ends,
as shown in the illustration. Paint the sides of the depot the
regulation depot red, and the roof a shingle or slate color. Paint the
door and window-sash black, letter the name of the station upon the
gable-ends, and with a ruler and lead-pencil rule off the boards upon
the sides, and the slate or shingles upon the roof. As this is a typical
railway station, two may be made of the same pattern, one for either end
of your car line.
CHAPTER XXVI
CLOCKWORK AUTOMOBILES
[Illustration: Children Play with Toy Automobiles.]
It is generally easy for a boy to get hold of a set of old clockworks,
for a discarded clock of some sort is almost certain to be found in the
household storeroom. If the main-spring is intact, it is highly probable
that a little tinkering and cleaning will be sufficient to put the
mechanism in working order, at least so that it can be used for running
small engines, automobiles, and other mechanical toys that most interest
boys.
Before taking a set of works apart, it is well to examine it carefully
and note the positions of the various springs and wheels, so it will be
possible to put them together again properly should you wish to do so.
Without taking notice of this, you are likely to have a handful of
wheels as a result, with which you can do nothing except perhaps convert
them into tops.
[Illustration: FIG. 377.--Top View of Wooden Frame.]
[Illustration: FIG. 375. THE CAR COMPLETED.]
[Illustration: FIG. 376. THE FRAMEWORK.]
The adaption of a set of works to
=An Automobile Touring-car= is shown in Figs. 375 and 376, the former
showing the little machine completed and the latter its frame with the
clockworks fastened in place. The same scheme as that used for the cars
of the toy railway described in the preceding chapter will be followed
in making
=The Frame= of the automobile, as that is about the simplest way, and
makes a light, easy-running vehicle. The bed will be cut of a different
pattern, however, as will be seen in Fig. 377. Lay out the piece to the
dimensions shown upon this drawing, and then cut it out, making a
mortise in each end for the wheels to fit in. The spool wheels should be
mounted in the same manner as those of the railway cars, for which see
Fig. 359, Chapter XXV, and the directions upon page 335. One end of
spool _A_ should be pivoted with a longer finishing nail than those used
for the other pivots, so that when driven in place about half an inch
will project beyond the frame. A small silk spool should be fastened
upon this for a belt-wheel (see _B_, Fig. 377). The hole in one of these
spools is about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, so, in order to
make it fit tightly upon the nail, it is necessary to fill in around the
nail with sealing-wax. To do this, turn the wooden frame upon its edge
and place the spool over the nail, being careful to get the nail in the
exact centre of the hole. Then hold a stick of sealing-wax over the
spool, and with a lighted match melt the end and allow it to drip into
the hole. When the hole has been partially filled, allow the wax to
harden a little, and then press it down around the nail with the end of
a match, being careful not to throw the spool out of centre by doing so.
The hole should then be filled to the top.
We are now ready to prepare the clockworks for mounting upon the wooden
frame. The works shown in Fig. 376 are from an alarm clock, but if you
have a striking clock, or one with works a little different from those
shown in the illustration, it does not make a bit of difference in the
scheme for attaching the works. The three parts shown in the foreground
of Fig. 376 must first be removed from the works. These will be
recognized readily in any clock, as they are pivoted close together, and
regulate the speed of the other wheels. When they have been removed, the
main-spring will unwind rapidly. The frame of the works shown in the
illustration is held together with nuts, so that in removing the wheels
it was necessary to unscrew two of them, spring the frame open enough to
let the wheels drop out, and then replace the nuts again in their former
positions. If the frame of your clockworks is riveted together, the
wheels will have to be broken out. A small silk spool, such as _B_ (Fig.
377), should be fastened upon the small pivot which originally operated
the clock's hands, for a belt-wheel. Lay the works upon a table with
the face-side down, and, after centring the hole of the spool upon the
pivot, fasten it in place with sealing-wax in the same manner as you
attached spool _B_.
The works should now be attached to the wooden frame. Place them with
the striker uppermost, near the edge of the frame, so that the small
belt-wheels are in line with one another. Then bore a number of gimlet
holes in the wooden frame and run copper wire through them, passing it
around the posts of the clock-frame and twisting its ends until the
works are firmly fastened in place.
A rubber band about an eighth of an inch wide and long enough to reach
from one belt-wheel to the other should be procured for
=The Belt.=--This should stretch just enough to cling upon the spools,
as more than that would cause too much friction.
[Illustration: FIGS. 378-385.--Patterns for the Automobile Touring-car.]
Before going any further with the construction of the automobile
=Test the Machine=, to be sure that it is in perfect running order. Wind
up the main-spring, pressing a finger against one of the wheels to hold
it in check until you are ready to start the machine. When properly
made, the clockwork automobile should run a distance of from twenty to
twenty-five feet upon a wooden floor, while about three-quarters of that
distance should be covered upon a floor with a fairly smooth carpet.
=The Cardboard Sides= and other details of the automobile should now be
made. The pattern for these have been so shown in Figs. 378-385 that
they can easily be laid out to the proper shape and size by means of the
process of enlarging by squares described on page 110, Chapter VIII.
White cardboard should be used upon which to draw these pieces, and the
thinner it is the easier you will find it to work with.
[Illustration: FIG. 386.]
[Illustration: FIG. 387.--Cardboard Side of Automobile.]
First prepare the two sides, cutting them out by the pattern of Fig.
378. Then glue the bottom edge of each side to the edge of the wooden
frame, cutting holes in the left side for the belt-wheels and projecting
posts to run through (see Fig. 375 and _A_, _B_, _C_, _D_, and _E_, Fig.
387). The top to the front of the car should now be cut as shown in Fig.
388, the distance between the sides being measured to get the piece of
proper dimensions. Bend the edges as in Fig. 388, and glue them to the
inner surfaces of the side-pieces as shown by the dotted lines in Fig.
387. In the same way cut and glue a piece of cardboard between the
side-pieces at _G_ and _H_ (Fig. 387) for the seat-backs. The bent edges
of these pieces are shown by dotted lines in the illustration. Draw
four
=Wheels= as shown in Fig. 379, using a compass with which to describe
the circles, and cut them out with a sharp knife. You can cut out
between the spokes, if you wish, or leave them solid. Glue the wheels to
the cardboard, placing their centres about as located at _I_ and _J_,
Fig. 387. Four
=Mud-guards= should be cut like Fig. 380, with flaps made along one
edge. Then bend these guards around the tops of the wheels, and, after
applying glue to the flaps, press them against the cardboard side,
holding your fingers upon the flaps until the glue has dried (see Fig.
375). The guards should be placed a little above the tops of the wheels.
Cut four
=Lamps= like Fig. 381, and glue end _K_ of two upon the front of the
automobile at _L_ (Fig. 387) and one of the other two upon each side at
_M_. These lamps are shown in position in the illustration of the
completed automobile (Fig. 375). Draw and cut
=The Steering-wheel= similarly to Fig. 382, and, after pivoting it to
the end of a strip of cardboard with a pin, as shown in Fig. 389, bend
the lower end and glue it to the under side of the cardboard top _F_ at
_N_ (see Fig. 387, also Fig. 375). Make a
=Horn= like Fig. 383, and glue it to the steering-wheel as shown in Fig.
389. A strip of cardboard about the size of that used for the upright of
the steering-wheel should be cut for
=The Brake=, and glued to the inside surface of the right side of the
car at _O_ (Fig. 387).
[Illustration: FIG. 388.]
[Illustration: FIG. 389.--The Steering-wheel.]
=The Chauffeur= should now be made. Cut his head and body the shape and
size of Fig. 384, drawing the face upon each side with goggles over the
eyes. Cut the arms in two pieces the shape of _P_ and _Q_ (Fig. 385),
and then pivot _P_ to _Q_ at _R_ and the end of _Q_ to the shoulder of
the body at _S_, using thread for fastening the pieces together. Paint
the hat, coat, sleeves, and gloves a leather color, and the face flesh
color. The body should then be fastened to the hammer of the clockworks
with sealing-wax, as shown in Fig. 386, while the left hand should be
glued to the edge of the steering-wheel and the right to the end of the
brake (see Fig. 375). By thus attaching the body to the end of the
hammer, and winding up the small spring, the chauffeur will shake
violently when the auto runs across the floor, showing the vibrations of
the machine in a greatly exaggerated and amusing manner.
It is now only necessary to