but the Schoolmaster of our Republic (8) and the Mad Yankee (6) read the
sign and refused to go. But such a lot of things as were found by the
three who went!
First they explored a mysterious excavation (7) contained in a
street-sweeper, and a place of trade (8) kept in an insect. They met a
wise man (9) in conception, and bought a warm covering (10) contained in
a wrinkle; some small cord (11) done up in strengthening medicine; a
bedded carriage (12) in sparkling; a covering for the head (13) in an
impropriety; a quantity of paper (14) in demand; some food;(15) in a
scoffer; a chart (16) in a telegraph; a clamp(17) in useful; a white
linen garment (18) in military weapon; a large farm (19) in the gills of
fishes, and some certificates of stock (20) in a title.
These filled the boat, though some were eaten, some lounged upon, and
others studied. Queer place to shop? Well, never mind if it was so. Let
my story go on.
As the three men were trying on what they found in the impropriety which
they had purchased, one of them discovered a few things that had
probably been left in the boat by a former sailing-party. The first (21)
had once been in the fields and brooks, aye, a part of it even in the
sky. Then it had been warmed, put through a process that city folk are
laughed at by country folk because they cannot manipulate, and finally
subjected to great pressure. The second (22) was once a part of a great
mountain. Then it helped raise potatoes. Next it was buried in a grave.
Again it was heated and then cooled, and became the source of so much
comfort that the wonder was its owner left it behind. The third thing
(23) is supposed to bring good luck. It is something that, in its
natural position, moved rapidly--often with two motions at the same
time. There was that about it which masons use. It was a sad loss to its
owner, no doubt. The fourth and last thing was a liquor (24) contained
in a secretion of the ear. It was not the first time that a
drinking-vessel (25) which we find in refreshment brought death in its
train. From that moment the men were doomed. They grew reckless, and
here are some of the things they thought they saw:
An agricultural implement (26) in a railway employé; a small bed (27) in
a writer; a temporary shelter (28) in a native of South Africa; an open
land (29) in the bottom of a ship; a small house (30) in a window
covering; a stream of water (31) in a dance; a church seat (32) in a
cordage manufactory; a man (33) in a lizard; and a small horse (34) in a
place of worship.
Finding all these in a place so strange, and making so poor use of them,
it is no wonder that that which the sign-board warned them against
carried them over the falls, and brought an end to the story. The local
paper next morning said the bodies of the three were recovered and taken
to "The Bad Lands of the Say It" (35) for burial.
* * * * *
In the foregoing story there are not a few questions in philology. There
are also some popular nicknames, an anagram, and some riddles. In
sending answers, do not write out the story. Number names as numbered
here, write one below another in the proper order, and put your name and
address at the top of your first sheet of answers. Mail answers not
later than February 6, 1897, to HARPER'S ROUND TABLE, New York--no
street number required--and put in the lower left-hand corner of your
envelope "Puzzle Answer." Correct answers, with names of winners, will
be published in HARPER'S ROUND TABLE as early after the close of the
contest as possible, probably within two weeks.
The prizes, which will be awarded by the Messrs. Harper & Brothers,
Publishers, New York, are: $40, divided among the ten best solvers
according to merit. If one solver stands conspicuously ahead of the rest
he or she will be given from $10 to $25, as the comparative excellence
of the answer warrants. Persons of any age may help find the answers,
but only those who have not passed their 18th birthday, and who are
members of households in which this paper is regularly read, may send
them in. Merit signifies correctness and neatness, and has no reference
to the solution reaching the office of HARPER'S ROUND TABLE first in
point of time. Elaborate decoration of answers is not encouraged. Use
common stationery, note size, and do not roll. Write on one side of the
paper only. Everything comes to those who--try!
* * * * *
Questions and Answers.
H. M. Kimball says he made a battery after the suggestions given in the
TABLE, and that it worked well when he put one cell in the circuit. But
when he connected two, the battery seemed to give out. He asks for an
explanation. The matter is, probably, that he connected the negative to
the negative and the positive to the positive poles, in which case one
cell nullified the strength of the other. The positive should be
connected to the negative pole, and the negative to the positive. That
is to say, the zinc to the copper, not the zinc to the zinc. Yes, the
Calland cell is dirty and easily upset. In these days of improvements in
batteries it is cheaper and cleaner to buy one's cells outright. The
only thing lost then is the experience gained in putting them
together--and the fun of doing the thing one's self.--Edgar W. Hall asks
for a charter for a Chapter, and fails to give the name of the latter.
What does he call his society? Tell us what name to fill in, and we will
send charter promptly.
James D. Waite says his school battalion went to Washington last year,
and is going again this year, and he offers to write a morsel describing
the trip. By all means let us have the morsel. You are a member of the
Order if you have a Patent in the Camera Club. One Patent admits to all
divisions of the Order. Henry T. Smith asks what the new process is by
which so much more gold than formerly is now gotten out of quartz and
gold ore. Here it is. It is somewhat technical. It was invented in
Australia. The machine consists of vertical distributors and mercury
baths, placed as follows:--The crashed materials or slum enter a
cast-iron trough or distributor, which is from 3 feet to 6 feet long and
5 inches wide; its sectional shape is half round. At the bottom of this
distributor, and in a straight line from end to end, is a row of
1-4-inch holes, 5-6 inch from centre to centre. Below this is placed a
mercury bath 2-1/8 inches wide by 5/16 inch deep, running the whole
length of the distributor, and placed at a distance sufficient to cause
the materials passing through the holes to form an indentation in the
silver about the size of half a pea. These jets strike the mercury in
the centre of the ripple at right angles. By these means the whole of
the stuff is brought into forcible contact with the silver without
separating it, and flows over its surface into another distributor
below; and from there it again passes through another row of holes, and
brought into contact with a second bath of silver. This operation is
repeated until every particle of tailings has passed over eight mercury
baths.
[Illustration: STAMPS]
This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin
collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question
on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address
Editor Stamp Department.
The old-style St. Helena stamps have been displaced by the current issue
of the De la Rue type. The immediate advance in prices of the obsolete
set prompts the _Weekly Era_ to warn the dealers and speculators that
the extreme rise in ordinary stamps, simply because they have become
obsolete, will tend to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. In many
cases such advances are not only unjustifiable, but foolish also, in
view of the fact that large stocks are in existence. Every one except
speculators will heartily agree with the _Era_ in trying to abolish an
evil which threatens the popularity of stamp-collecting.
Philately is only one of the many forms of "collecting" which are a part
of our human nature, but it seems exceptionally conducive to
sociability, good-fellowship, and general jollity. The Collectors' Club
House in New York was taken in hand by a Christmas entertainment
committee, who decorated the house with greens, put up a big Christmas
tree, and made the whole house seem homelike. The entertainment was
given on the night of the 28th of December, and those members who were
unavoidably absent missed a great treat. The Christmas tree was
stripped, and almost every one received a present of something he did
not want--upon the condition, however, that the parcel should be opened
by the recipient in full view of all the audience. The burlesque
presents showed both good-humor and wit.
NEW ISSUES.--British Central America.--
1d. black.
2d. black and green.
4d. black and orange.
6d. black and blue.
The above watermarked Crown C A.
2s. 6d. black and violet.
3s. black and yellow.
5s. black and violet.
£1 black and orange.
£10 black and vermilion.
1s. on £1 blue and red.
2s. on 6d. lilac and red.
With black surcharge.
The above watermarked Crown C C.
Congo.--
15c. black and ochre, banana-tree.
40c. black and green, canoe.
Nankin.--
1/2c. gray, two figures.
1c. rose, pagoda.
2c. green, two elephants.
3c. yellow, landscape.
4c. claret, pagoda.
5c. violet, bell.
Salvador.--
The 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30, 50 centavos and 1 peso of the
current series have been issued with "Official" surcharge.
South African Republic.--
4d. olive and green.
6d. mauve and green.
Sweden.--
25 ore, orange.
15 ore, light brown.
J. FETTERIDGE.--The "Officially Sealed" stamps are losing favor
rapidly, and probably will be omitted in future catalogues. They
are interesting as labels connected with the postal service, but
they cannot be called postage-stamps.
F. G. ELLIOTT.--During the first half of this century the mint
frequently made use of old dies when making a later issue. For
instance, the 1838 1c. die was used for the 1839 issue. The figure
8 was changed to a figure 9 in a bungling manner, with the result
that the date looks as if it had been struck 1838, and then
restruck 1839.
C. RAWSON.--The 3c. U. S. Revenue "Telegraph" stamp, unperforated,
is worth 75c.; perforated, 15c. The 3c. "Playing Cards,"
unperforated, $15; perforated, $4. The 3c. "Proprietary" and
"Foreign Exchange" are not known unperforated; perforated they are
worth from 5c. to 10c. each. The other stamps mentioned are worth
1c. each.
OLE C. OLSEN, 2912 Quinn Street, Chicago, would like to exchange
stamps, both common and rare, and U. S. adhesive and revenues.
K. H. TRUAX.--The 1882 Nicaragua is worth 2c.; the 1/8 Philippine
Islands, 1886, is worth 5c. The dealers named are responsible men.
H. M. ORMISTON.--The 20 para, Turkey, 1865, is yellow, and worth
6c. The 1869 issue is green; worth 3c. The 40 para, pink and black,
is a local stamp worth 30c.
J. GORDON.--The English compound envelopes are good for postage,
but the fact that they were made for anybody who was willing to pay
the cost, on any kind of paper, of almost any size, and almost any
combination of stamps, leads collectors to disregard them, as a
rule.
A. BULL.--Do not hoard any Columbian stamps. They keep turning up
in quantities, and are offered at a discount of five or ten per
cent. on values 1c. to 50c.; twenty-five per cent. on values $2,
$3, $4, and $5. I know of one lot offered which contained 12,000
6c. Columbians in complete sheets.
C. B. VINER.--I recommend applying to some dealer. There are three
1798 dollars, worth $2, $3, and $6 respectively. See answer to
George Jay.
GEORGE JAY.--There are three 1799 dollars--the five star, worth $4;
the six star, worth $2; the 1799 over 1798, worth $3. The old
German and Spanish coins are worth bullion only.
PHILATUS.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
Arnold
Constable & Co
EMBROIDERIES.
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[Illustration: PISO'S CURE FOR CONSUMPTION]
CURES WHERE ALL ELSE FAILS.
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in time. Sold by druggists.
"A perfect type of the highest order
of excellence in manufacture."
[Illustration: Walter Baker & Co.'s Breakfast Cocoa]
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Be sure that you get the
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DORCHESTER, MASS.,
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Established 1780.
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[Illustration]
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a =Waltham Gold Watch and Chain=; 25 lbs. for a =Silver Watch and
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75 lbs. for a =Bicycle=. Write for a Catalog and Order Blank to Dept. I
W. G. BAKER,
Springfield, Mass.
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.
HOOPING-COUGH
CROUP.
Roche's Herbal Embrocation.
The celebrated and effectual English Cure without internal medicine.
Proprietors, W. EDWARD & SON, Queen Victoria St., London, England. All
Druggists.
E. Fougera & Co., 30 North William St., N. Y.
Postage Stamps, &c.
[Illustration: STAMPS]
=ALBUM AND LIST FREE!= Also 100 all diff. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only
10c. Agts. wanted at 50% Com. =C. A. Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliant Ave.,
St. Louis, Mo.
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 ON APPROVAL.= Send for sheets. Big com. =T. J. Manning & Co.=,
Norwich, N.Y.
=25 VAR.= unused stamps, no Seebecks, cat. value over $1.50, for 50c.
Approval books @ 50%. =D. W. OSGOOD, Pueblo, Colo.=
=1000= Best Stamp Hinges only =5=. Agts. wt'd at 50%. List free!
=L. B. DOVER & CO.=, 5958 Theodosia, St. Louis, Mo.
BOYS and GIRLS
can earn money by working half an hour daily distributing free samples
of Headache Powders. For full particulars address, =CAPITAL DRUG CO., Box
880, Augusta, Me.=
[Illustration: THE LATEST THING IN NECK-TIES.]
* * * * *
There are not many people who would recognize in the name Samuel Wheeler
a person who did valuable service for our country in the war of the
Revolution. It was he who made the famous chain that was stretched
across the Hudson River to stop the British war-ships from ascending the
stream. At the time General Washington was puzzled about defending the
river.
"I wish I could get a chain made; but that is impossible," he said; and
General Mifflin, overhearing the remark, exclaimed:
"Not so. We have a man in the army, a townsman of mine, one Wheeler, who
can make you such a chain."
General Washington had Wheeler brought to him, and said:
"I want a chain to put across the North River to stop the British ships.
Can you make it?"
"I can," replied Wheeler, "but I cannot do it here."
"Then," said Washington, "I will cheerfully give you dismission from the
army to do so, for badly as we want such men as you, I cannot afford to
keep you."
Mr. Wheeler made the chain, and its links were hauled across New Jersey,
to be finally strung across the river, where it did good service. By
building a fire under one of the links and then using a sledge-hammer
and a chisel, it was ultimately cut apart.
* * * * *
The Colonel was a bluff old fellow, and all the officers liked him
except for one thing, and that was his jealousy of the commanding
officer of a neighboring post. He would grow irritable whenever this
officer's name was mentioned, although he invariably brought the name up
himself. One evening some of the mess determined to have some fun with
the Colonel, and possibly put a stop to his pettishness.
"Colonel," said one of the officers, "it's queer, but you'd think Major
D ---- [the neighboring commander] had studied spelling. I got a letter
from him to-day, and how do you think he spells 'here'?"
"He doesn't know much," growled the Colonel. "I suppose he spells it,
h-e-a-r."
"No."
"Well, h-e-e-r."
"No, that's not it."
"H-i-e-r," ventured the Colonel once more.
"Guess again."
"Well, I'd have to be as stupid as he is to guess any other way of
spelling it. Wait a moment. Does he spell it h-u-e-r?"
"No, Colonel."
"Well, then, how does the man spell it, anyhow?"
"Why, h-e-r-e, as it should be."
The Colonel rose with wrath in his eyes, and snapped out:
"Gentlemen, I'm too old for such joking," and then left the room and
slammed the door after him.
* * * * *
Doubtless few know that the New York _Journal of Commerce_ originated
what is popularly known as a newspaper extra. When this occurred times
were troublesome in Europe, and the great revolution of 1830 was
approaching. Naturally America was anxious for early news, and all the
newspapers of New York equipped small boats that cruised about the
harbor, waylaying the large packet vessels arriving from abroad to get
the tidings.
The _Journal of Commerce_ conceived the plan of sending out a small
schooner to intercept the packets two or three days ahead of their
arrival. The originators of the plan were laughed at, and told that it
would in the end ruin them. Results proved otherwise, however, and when
the semaphoric telegraph announced their schooner in the offing, and
later, coming up the bay, the crowd would gather around the office of
the paper. They had to wait until the extra evening edition was ready,
and then one of the partners would sometimes read the news aloud to
hundreds of citizens, while thousands of copies were sold. This schooner
was the first American news-boat of any size.
* * * * *
There is a small town in one of the Eastern States, not far from Boston,
whose inhabitants take great pride in excelling every other town in
their vicinity. They try every new invention, and if it has any sort of
merit it is sure to be assigned to duty in some part of the place. Two
portly gentlemen, one a sea-captain and the other a lawyer, both retired
from active life, were the prime movers in the experiments and
adoptions, and, naturally, in the course of time they failed to agree.
Extreme jealousy then prevailed, and a bitter animosity sprang up
between them.
Unfortunately these two gentlemen lived next door to each other--in
fact, so close were their houses that the side walls almost adjoined.
One very windy night the lawyer was reading a book in his study when a
terrific crash upstairs startled him. Upon investigating he found that
an unruly chimney had ruthlessly hurled itself through his roof, doing
considerable damage. That in itself was a matter of great annoyance, but
when he discovered it was the sea-captain's chimney that was
responsible, his wrath knew no bounds. Hastening down to his library, he
pulled out his law-books and hunted up similar cases, devising and
scheming how he could secure satisfaction from the detestable captain.
While thus engaged a note arrived from his enemy that read as follows,
"SIR,--If you don't return those bricks _at once_, I will put the
matter in the hands of the law."
End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, January 19, 1897, by Various