=SNOW-SHOES AND SLEDGES.= A Sequel to "The Fur-Seal's Tooth."--=THE
FUR-SEAL'S TOOTH.--RAFTMATES.--CANOE-MATES.--CAMPMATES.--DORYMATES.= Post
8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25 each. The Four "Mates" Volumes in a Box,
$5.00.
=WAKULLA.--FLAMINGO FEATHER.--DERRICK STERLING.--CHRYSTAL, JACK & CO.=,
and =DELTA BIXBY=. Illustrated. Square 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.00
each.
* * * * *
JAMES BARNES
=NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE WAR OF 1812.= With 21 Full-page Illustrations by
CARLTON T. CHAPMAN, printed in color, and 12 Reproductions of Medals.
8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, Deckel Edges and Gilt Top, $4.50.
Unquestionably both the most lifelike and the most artistic
renderings of these encounters ever attempted.--_Boston Journal._
Brimful of adventure, hardihood, and patriotism.--_Philadelphia
Ledger._
=FOR KING OR COUNTRY.= A Story of the American Revolution. Illustrated.
Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.
A capital story for boys, both young and old; full of adventure and
movement, thoroughly patriotic in tone, throwing luminous
sidelights upon the main events of the Revolution.--_Brooklyn
Standard-Union._
* * * * *
HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York
Clever Puzzle-Solvers.
Answers and Awards in that "Land of Shades" Contest.
A very great number of people took interest in that quaint story from
the "Land of Shades" about an election held in that country. The answers
sent in competition for the $40 offered in prizes showed an unusually
high average in penmanship, neatness, and intelligence. In deciding
which answers were the correct ones some standard had to be taken. That
standard was "Harper's Book of Facts." It should, however, be explained
that the effort was made, when the story was written, to put in no
questions on the correct answers to which there is a conflict of
authorities. But these contests often bring to light conflicts
heretofore unknown. It happened so in this one. The question was about
the "Father of Tractarianism." The answer had in advance was Dr. E. B.
Pusey. Keble and Newman were prominent, but the title, so far as could
be found, had been applied only to Pusey. But several solvers in this
contest found authorities for others besides Pusey. So the question was
dropped, and played no part in deciding the awards. In passing judgment
upon other answers exact spelling of names was not required, nor was it
held essential that first names, dates, etc., be given. If the solver
showed that he or she had found the correct answers, such showing was
excepted. A very great number gave Wöhler as the discoverer of
aluminium. Wöhler's employment of the metal was in 1827. Marggraff
discovered it and used it, as a toy it is true, in 1754. A slight
misunderstanding existed about the large ship recently built. Both
answers given were accepted as correct--the Pennsylvania at Belfast, and
the Kaiser Wilhelm I., at Glasgow. The hardest question was No. 29.
About a dozen guessed it, but they missed other questions in so great
number that none of them are among the prize-winners. All prize-winners
failed on it. "Clouds," "snow," "sole-soul" were oftenest given, but any
one can see that they poorly answer the riddle. Many gave "flamingo" as
the answer to the last question but one. Others gave "blackbird."
Neither was accepted, because not so good as "flicker."
Following are answers allowed: 1. John Kinzie. 2. Pompey. 3. Abraham
Lincoln. 4. Constantine the Great. 5. Robert Cavalier La Salle. 6. G.
Wilhelm von Leibnitz. 7. Sir Christopher Wren. 8. St. Vincent de Paul.
9. Rouget de Lisle. 10. Eric the Red. 11. Edward III. of England. 12.
John C. Fremont. 13. Schouten. 14. Robert Barker. 15. Praxiteles. 16.
Socrates. 17. Tarquin the Elder. 18. Joseph Hopkinson. 19. Andrew
Jackson. 20. Queen Elizabeth of England. 21. Dr. E. B. Pusey. 22.
Marggraff. 23. H. H. Richardson. 24. F. P. Blair. 25. Kaiser Wilhelm der
Grosse and Pennsylvania. 26. Helvetii. 27. Knickerbockers of New York.
28. Egyptians. 29. The green cheese of which the moon is said to be
made. 30. Ink. 31. North Pole. 32. Butcher-bird or Razor-bird. 33. Jay.
34. Flicker. 35. Chattering Fly-Catcher.
One contestant answered correctly every question save two--29 and 34.
His name is Archer O. Yeames, and he lives in Jamaica Plain, Mass. He is
given $15 of the $40 prize-money and the highest honor of the contest.
Three others tied for second honor, and $4 is given to each. Their
names, mentioned in an order that gives a little the highest credit to
the first, the next to the second, and so on in the order in which all
ties are named, are: Raymond Tilley, Pittsburg, Pa.; Edwin F. Killin,
Stevens Point, Wis.; and Mary H. Eastman, Wilmington, Del. The next in
order of merit was the answer of Esther Neilson, Philadelphia, and $3 is
awarded her. Two tied for fourth place, and are given $2.50 each. Both
live in Pittsburg--Thomas S. Jacobs and Pearl Coyle. For fifth place the
prizes decrease rapidly--more rapidly than they would had it not proved
necessary to admit five instead of three contestants, since five stood
exactly alike. That is, they missed the same number of questions, but
not always the same questions. They are given $1 each. They are: J.
Lawrence Hyde, Washington; Joseph T. England, Baltimore; Paul F. Case,
Fairport, N. Y.; Elizabeth C. Drake, Chicago; and Walter Collins,
Glenfield, Pa. The Messrs. Harper & Brothers, New York, will forward
checks for the sums named as soon as these awards shall have had time to
be read by all contestants. The desire is that winners first learn of
their success in the printed announcement. To notify them by mail, by
sending them money, is to favor them, in time, over other contestants.
It was a hot contest. Congratulations are extended to the victors, and
the losers are urged to try again. For the information of the latter it
may be stated that in this contest scarcely any two were alike; all who
failed missed at least five of the thirty-five questions.
* * * * *
More Signs and Omens.
I live in the "Sunny South," where there is a sign for everything
that happens. Among the commonest of these, many are of negro
origin.
1. Clear in the night, rain again in three days.
2. "Katydids'" arrival, sign of frost in six weeks.
3. Sign of a wedding if a cat washes her face and then looks at
you.
4. If the husks on the corn are thick, sign of a cold winter.
5. If the rooster crows before the door, look out for company.
6. If you drop your apron, you have lost your lover.
7. If your hair-pin is about to come out of your hair, your lover
is thinking of you.
8. Bad luck for any article of your clothing to burn, either on you
or off.
9. Bad luck to have a rainy wedding-day.
10. Sign of a death if a bird comes in the house.
11. Bad luck if a hooting owl comes near the house.
12. Sign of a death if a "screech-owl" comes near the house. (This
is considered a terrible thing, and causes great fear among the
negroes.)
13. Whippoorwills are considered birds of ill omen.
14. Sign of a death if the dog howls at night.
I think it would be interesting to continue this, and have the
members send in different local superstitions.
MAY INMAN MAGUIRE.
HENDERSONVILLE, N. C.
* * * * *
Going Out on a Risky Errand.
A government Indian agent who has seen years of service tells some
stories about Indians. Here is one:
"A ranch near the town of Beaver, in Utah, was attacked by Indians, and
one man who was visiting the ranchman's family was killed. The house was
surrounded by the Indians, and the people within defended themselves as
best they could; but the ranchman, watching his opportunity, lowered his
little boy and his daughter, aged eight and twelve, from the back
window, and told them to try to make their way to the cañon and follow
it down to Beaver, where they could obtain help. The two children
succeeded in reaching the cañon unobserved, and with rare presence of
mind the boy told his sister to follow down one side of the cañon, and
he would follow the other, so that in case the Indians should find one
of them the other might not be observed.
"The children succeeded in reaching Beaver, where a relief party was
organized, which hastened to the rescue of the besieged party. At the
beginning of the siege the Indians had heard the children in the house,
and missing their voices, the alert savages discovered that they had
gone, and endeavored to overtake them, but being unsuccessful, and
knowing that help would soon arrive, withdrew before the rescuers could
reach the ranch."
* * * * *
Blind Boys and Baseball.
Blind boys can play baseball. It is not the baseball of the League, but
it answers--blind boys. Only one man in the game must have good
eyes--the umpire. The diamond is like the regular ones, save that bases
are forty instead of ninety feet apart. Players are stationed the same
as in a League game, but there is a second short stop, or ten men on
each side.
The catcher sits on the ground. Think of it--sits on the ground! He
stays well back from the home-plate, and wears a mask and breastplate.
The pitcher aims, first, to enable the batter to hit the ball, and,
second, to have the ball, if not batted, to strike the ground just in
front of the catcher and be taken on the bound. The batsman uses a bat
much like a cricket bat. Taking his position, the umpire says, "One,
two, three," and on the instant the "three" is spoken the pitcher
delivers the ball. The batter has to guess at the time the ball will
reach him, and he guesses rightly in more cases than one would think
possible. If the ball is missed it lands in the catcher's lap. Beginners
at the bat strike ludicrously wide of the ball, but as all the players
are blind, they miss the place to laugh. If the ball is batted, the
umpire calls out the name of the player toward whom the ball is going.
This player hears it, and if he fails to catch it, chases it into the
grass. It is his if he gets it, no matter on what bound it may be.
When the batter runs, the first-base man calls out, "First," and keeps
calling, so the runner may know in what direction to go. The second-base
man does the same, calling, "Second." Six outs put a side out. These
blind boys get a wonderful amount of fun out of the play, and become
expert at it.
* * * * *
Life in Our Soldiers' Orphans' Home.
No one but a member of a home like this can know enough of the
every-day life to fully understand the spirit in which the children
take their confinement; for confinement it is in the end. Owing to
a peculiar training received here, the average child knows more
about the history of our country than any other class of children
in the United States. We have good times among ourselves, and
originate many plays and jokes. We have a band of sixteen pieces, a
debating club, and several minor clubs. On going to school each boy
salutes "Old Glory" as he passes it. To show that the boys are
poetical (?), for instance, when cold slaw is being passed at the
table, the first boy says, "Slaw"; if the next boy doesn't want
any, he says, "Naw."
At present all thoughts are centred on Christmas. Ask a boy the day
before Christmas or Thanksgiving what he intends to do next day; he
will say, "Eat turkey, of course." We are always glad to get a
letter, and to be certain of having one in the mail we get our
relatives to mark the envelope, so we can tell it before the mail
is distributed.
One of the Board of Trustees, who lives in Canton, O., recently
visited William McKinley, and told him he was coming to the home
next day. Then the President-elect of the United States, with tears
coming to his eyes, said, "Give my love to every child there. God
bless them!" When the board member told the children this in our
chapel, every patriotic son of America raised his handkerchief and
shook it, after the manner of the Chautauqua salute, and in his
heart said, "Long live our next President!" The boys and girls over
fourteen years of age learn a trade, devoting one-half of each day
to it. But in every case a half-day pupil has better lessons than a
whole-day one. Many children leave here in June next, and have no
place to go. If any persons could put these in the way of
employment they will find them faithful and true in every sense of
the word.
JOSEPH L. GILL, Cottage 18.
XENIA, O.
* * * * *
A Great Man Facing Defeat.
Mr. Gladstone, one of the greatest of Englishmen, and a man who has seen
comparatively few of his plans of state succeed, is said to be
personally disliked by Queen Victoria. For years he had worked hard upon
a plan having for its object the benefit of Ireland and Irish farmers
and tenants. Seven years ago all of his plans were frustrated. While his
great policy was being wrecked, he sat in the library of the House of
Commons and read the words of a famous opera. Some friends finding him
there, expressed amazement. But this act of the great minister did not
indicate indifference. It showed, rather, a tension that sought relief
in order to avoid worse effects. For when spoken to he said, with a
voice full of pathos, "For the past five years I have rolled this stone
patiently up hill, and it has now rolled to the bottom again; and I am
eighty-one years old."
* * * * *
At Least one Faithful Hearer.
A famous Church of England bishop had a dog named Watch. Once, as Watch
lay by the open door, the prelate read the Bible passage, "What I say
unto you I say unto you all--Watch!" The dog sprang up, and coming
forward, lay down by the reading-desk.
"One hearer attends my words, at least," mused the bishop.
[Illustration: THE CAMERA CLUB]
Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly
answered by the Editor of this column, and we should be glad to
hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions.
HINTS ON RETOUCHING.
III.--TREATING THE NEGATIVES FROM THE GLASS SIDE.
While this picture does not come exactly under the head of retouching,
it describes how to treat a negative from the glass side so that a good
print may be made from a negative in which the contrasts between the
high lights and shadows are too strong.
Take a piece of best quality white tissue-paper, moisten it slightly,
and paste it at the edges to the glass side of the negative. Moistening
the paper before attaching it to the negative causes it to adhere
closely to the glass without wrinkles.
Put the negative in the retouching-frame with the glass side uppermost,
and with a pencil go over the negative, softening the high lights,
working up detail in the shadows--in fact, making a drawing of the
negative on the piece of tissue-paper with which it is covered. When the
drawing or pencilling is finished, take a crayon stump and blend the
lines and lighten the edges of the shadows. It is a good plan to have a
print of the picture pinned to the board as a guide to working on the
negative. When finished and ready for printing, place a piece of
tissue-paper or a sheet of ground glass over the frame, and print in the
shade. If the first work is not successful, the paper can be removed and
a fresh one substituted.
Instead of using tissue-paper the back of the negative may be coated
with ground-glass substitute, tinted with red or purple aniline dye.
Ground-glass varnish may be made by the following formula, or may be
bought ready prepared:
Gum-sandarach 45 grains.
Gum-mastic 10 grains.
Ether 1 fluid ounce.
Benzole 3/4 fluid ounce.
Flow this over the back of the negative, and when dry it may be worked
on with a pencil in the same manner as described for the tissue-paper.
Where the solution covers the high lights it can be removed either by
scraping it away and leaving the glass clear, or it may be removed with
spirits of turpentine. The edges may be softened so as to remove the
harsh contrast between the clear glass and the tinted solution by
rubbing them with a powder made of one part finely powdered resin and
two parts dextrine. A leather stump dipped in the powder is the best
means of applying it.
In landscapes, where in order to obtain prints of the clouds in the sky
the other parts of the picture must be very much over-printed, apply the
ground-glass solution to the back of the negative, and soften the lines
where the horizon meets the sky by the dextrine powder. A few drops of
the aniline dye will be sufficient to give the varnish a tint.
Benzole is highly inflammable, and must not be brought near a light. The
varnish should be kept in a glass-stoppered bottle, as the ether is
volatile, and soon evaporates if not tightly corked.
For blocking out backgrounds use Gihon's opaque, a non-actinic
water-color paint. It costs fifty cents a cake, and one cake will last
for a year or more.
WILLIAM WALKER PATEN, 937 St. Paul St., Baltimore, Md.; G. EARL
RAIGNET, 603 North Seventeenth St., Phil., Pa.; ELBERT H. DYER, 62
Bradford St., Philadelphia, Pa.; LOUISE LEWIS, 1820 Pine St.,
Philadelphia, Pa.; FRANCIS T. STAINER, Challinack, B. C.; RAYMOND
E. REYNOLDS, 34 Ripley Place, Buffalo, N. Y.; ARTHUR INKERSLEY, 709
Hyde St., San Francisco, Cal.; CONANT TAYLOR, 159 South Oxford St.,
Brooklyn, N. Y., GEORGE D. PORTER, 212 Tulip St., Brooklyn, N. Y.;
GEORGE FULLER, Pittsfield, Ill.; GILBERT JACKSON, Boonville, Oneida
Co., N. Y., wish to be enrolled as members of the Camera Club.
LADY SOPHIE F. MACQUAIDE, 46 Mechlin Street, Germantown, Pa., asks
if any member of the Camera Club has a No. 2 Bullet Camera for
sale. She wishes to buy one.
W. H. writes that the directions for bromide-paper say that it
should be opened in a dark room, and asks if that means that the
room must be totally dark; if fixing, clearing, and developing
solutions can be bought from dealers in photographic supplies; if
Eastman's developing-powder is good for dry plates; and if
transparencies can be developed with this powder. By a photographic
dark room is meant a room in which there is a yellow or ruby light;
the white light fogs the sensitive plate or paper. Solutions of all
kinds may be either bought ready prepared, or will be made up at
the store where photographic supplies are sold. One can buy the
ingredients and make the solutions at home. It is cheaper to buy
the hypo and make up the fixing-bath. One ounce of hypo to four
ounces of water is the proportion for the fixing-bath. Eastman's
powders may be used with any dry plate, and are also excellent for
making transparencies.
* * * * *
A SHREWD TRICK.
People in general cannot understand the doings of a student of nature.
Especially quite ignorant persons are apt to conclude, when told that
the objects of his search are fossils or minerals, that under this
explanation is concealed the purpose of securing some buried treasure,
for that is the only thing that would induce them to dig. Mr. A. L.
Adams relates an amusing instance of this reasoning.
"While excavating a large cavern on the southern coast of Malta, we had
dug a trench in the soil on its floor some six feet in depth, in quest
of organic remains. The natives in the vicinity, hearing of our
presence, came in numbers daily to witness the proceedings,
interrogating the workmen with reference to the object of our
researches, of which the workmen were about as ignorant as themselves.
"One afternoon three stalwart fellows paid us a visit, and whilst they
sat on the heap of dirt staring down into the dark ditch below, I
dropped a Spanish dollar on a shovelful of earth, and the next moment it
lay with the soil on the heap. Picking it up in a careless manner, I put
it into our luncheon-bag, and a few minutes afterwards our friends
disappeared, muttering to one another as they went.
"Great was our amusement the next morning to find that our trench had
been carried fully four feet below the level we had gained on the
previous evening. Not only that; several other excellent sections of the
floor had been made by the natives in expectation of finding buried
treasure."
Postage Stamps, &c.
[Illustration: STAMP COLLECTORS]
60 dif. U.S. $1, 100 dif. Foreign 8c., 125 dif. Canadian, Natal, etc.
25c., 150 dif. Cape Verde, O. F. States, etc. 50c. Agents wanted. 50
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[Illustration: STAMPS]
=ALBUM AND LIST FREE!= Also 100 all diff. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only
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St. Louis, Mo.
FREE
Set of Cuban stamps, cat. at 40c., free to all sending for my approval
books at 50% Dis.; 100 Var. 10c.; Stamp hinges 10c. =F. P. GIBBS=, 59
Rowley St., Rochester, N.Y.
500 Mixed, Australian, etc., 10c.; =105 var.= Zululand, etc., and album,
10c.; 12 Africa, 10c.; 15 Asia,10c. Bargain list free.
F. P. VINCENT, Chatham, N.Y.
STAMPS
=All unused.= 20 var. 10c.; 5 Obock 8c.; 10 Cuba 10c.; 4 War Dep't 10c.; 3
Montenegro 6c.; 2 Corea 5c. C. A. TOWNSEND, Akron, O.
=25 VAR.= unused stamps, no Seebecks, cat. value over $1.50, for 50c.
Approval books @ 50%.
D. W. OSGOOD, Pueblo, Colo.
STAMPS
Send for approval sheets. 50% com. G. D. Holt & Co., 155 Pulaski St.,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
U. S.
25 diff U.S. stamps 10c., 100 diff. foreign 10c. Agts w'td @ 50%. List
free! L. B. Dover & Co. 5958 Theodosia, St Louis, Mo.
LAUGHING CAMERA, 10c.
[Illustration: MY! OH MY!!]
The latest invention in Cameras. You look through the lens and your
stout friends will look like living skeletons, your thin friends like
Dime Museum fat men, horses like giraffes and in fact everything appears
as though you were living in another world. Each camera contains two
strong lenses in neatly finished leatherette case. The latest
mirth-maker on the market; creates bushels of sport. Catalogue of 1,000
novelties and sample camera 10c., 3 for 25c., 12 for 90c. mailed
postpaid. Agents wanted.
ROBT. H. INGERSOLL & BRO.,
Dept. No. 62, 65 Cortlandt St., N. Y.
JOSEPH GILLOTT'S
STEEL PENS
Nos. 303, 404, 170, 604 E.F., 601 E.F.
And other styles to suit all hands.
THE MOST PERFECT OF PENS.
HOOPING
COUGH
CROUP
Can be cured
by using
ROCHE'S HERBAL
EMBROCATION
The celebrated and effectual English cure, without internal medicine. W.
EDWARD & SON, Props., London, Eng. =All Druggists.=
E. FOUGERA & CO., NEW YORK.
HOME STUDY.
A thorough and practical Business Education in Book-keeping, Shorthand,
etc., given by =MAIL= at student's home. Low rates. Cat. free. Trial
lesson 10c. Write to
BRYANT & STRATTON, 85 College Bldg., Buffalo, N.Y.
CARDS
FOR 1897. 50 Sample Styles AND LIST OF 400 PREMIUM ARTICLES FREE.
HAVERFIELD PUB CO., CADIZ, OHIO
HARPER & BROTHERS'
Descriptive list of their publications, with _portraits of authors_,
will be sent by mail to any address on receipt of ten cents.
HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York.
[Illustration: PISO'S CURES FOR CONSUMPTION]
WHERE ALL ELSE FAILS.
Best Cough Syrup. Tastes Good. Use
in time. Sold by druggists.
[Illustration: HOW TOMMY MADE ONE SKATE DO.]
* * * * *
A SURPRISE FOR EMPEROR WILLIAM.
Before the many independent states of Germany were united into an empire
by Bismarck and Emperor William I., the Bavarians and the Prussians were
on terms of a none too solid friendship. The old feeling of rivalry has
not been entirely eradicated from the lower classes, as may be gathered
from the following anecdote which is authentic, the incident occurring
only a few weeks ago. The Emperor had just been reviewing a body of
naval recruits brought together from all parts of the Empire, and he had
addressed them briefly upon the glory of a naval career, and had warned
them against the enemies of the nation both at home and abroad. At the
close of his speech the young Prussian Emperor was attracted by the
stalwart appearance of a big bluejacket in the front rank. He called the
man to him and asked him what part of the Empire he came from.
"From Wiesbach, in Bavaria, your Majesty," replied the recruit,
saluting.
"And did you understand all I have said," continued the Emperor. "Do you
know whom I mean when I speak of our foreign enemies?"
"Yes, your Majesty. The Russians."
"And do you know whom I refer to by our enemies at home?" continued the
Emperor, referring, of course, to the socialists and other disturbing
elements of the Empire.
"Yes, your Majesty," replied the Bavarian, promptly. "You mean the
Prussians!"
* * * * *
A SMALL BOY'S AMBITION.
I want to be a newspaper-boy,
And just as soon, sir, as I can,
For when I'm grown up 'tis my wish
To be a big newspaper-man.
* * * * *
EXTREME POLITENESS.