those made by boys themselves, is this little coop of chickens. Make a
box like Fig. 1, leaving off the top and back boards until the works are
placed within it. The little bars which separate the chickens are thin
strips of wood. In Fig. 2, _a_ represents one of the chickens, which is
also made of thin wood and painted yellow; a hole is made at _b_, to
allow the passage of a strong stiff wire, upon which the chickens turn,
and by which they are also kept in place. At the end, _c_, of each, a
strong piece of linen thread is tied through a small hole bored for the
purpose, and each line is caught to a separate nail, driven in the
bottom of the box, just below the chicken, in such a manner that when it
is drawn tightly in place it will just touch the roller _d_. Fig. 1
shows just where each chicken is placed, and how far their heads
protrude through the bars. The ends of the wire, _b_, which holds them
in place, can be fastened on one side by simply pushing one end into a
hole bored partly through the wood to receive it; the other should be
slipped into a groove made for it, and fastened in place by a wedge
nailed just above it when in position. Fig. 3 shows the roller in full,
and the little blocks or cams which are placed along its surface. These
little cams are made of wood, not more than three-eighths of an inch
thick, and are placed at such distances from each other along the roller
that the middle point of each shall come opposite one of the threads.
[Illustration: Fig. 2]
[Illustration: Fig. 3]
Between these blocks, but so situated that they will not come in contact
with any one of the threads, are little quills, driven into tiny gashes
made in the roller. These quills are an inch long, and should all be of
the same length. One end of the roller is fitted with a crank, while the
other is fastened in place by a wooden pin or long nail. Below this, at
either end of the box, is a curved bridge, _e_, into which grooves are
cut and slender brass wires drawn very tightly, as seen in a violin. The
curve made by the wires, however, is unlike that in the above-named
instrument, being concave instead of convex. Now it will be seen that by
placing the roller in such a position that the quills will strike the
wires with some force as the wheel revolves, a constant tinkling sound
like that of a toy piano is the result; and at the same time, as the
little blocks come in contact with the strings, they push the thread
backward, and in so doing lower the point _c_, and consequently raise
the head of the chicken. The top of the extension in front of the bars
is made of thin board and painted green, while a slight sprinkling of
yellow over its surface represents the meal the chickens are supposed to
be eating. The remainder of the box may be painted to suit the fancy of
the maker.
―――――◀▶―――――
CAPTAIN S.’S PEG PUZZLE.
One bright summer morning, which seems but a short while ago, unless I
stop and count the years that have passed since then, we children were
invited to take a sail across the bay with one of the kind-hearted old
captains who owned a trim little cat-boat, which her owner was wont to
boast would beat any other craft of her length in the harbor. But there
was not much chance of beating anything on the morning of which I write,
for, although a light northerly breeze was stirring when we intended to
start, the girls of our party took so much time in which to get ready,
that by the time we were fairly under way we were scarcely able to fill
our sail. However, we managed to make some little headway, and in the
course of two hours reached the beautiful rocky point covered with its
grove of fine old trees, which, but for the delay in starting, would
have been reached much earlier in the day. This point was quite a
favorite spot for excursionists, and was hailed with delight by most of
our party. We boys, however, cared more for the little _Sea Dog_, and
the companionship of old Captain S., than for the walks on shore. So,
claiming our full share of the good things packed in the baskets stowed
away in the cabin, we decided to remain on board and share our picnic
with the captain on the bay.
After all were on shore, and the hampers had been taken to the grove, we
hoisted the sail and made for deeper water; but there was no wind, and
we had to content ourselves with looking at the glassy surface around
us, and feeling that we were in a boat away from shore, even if not in
rapid motion. We ate our lunch as we listened to a delightful story told
by the captain, of how his ship was once chased by a pirate, and only
escaped through the timely interposition of a snow-storm. We next tried
our hands at the oars and rowed some distance further from the land.
Finally, as we were about to return for the others of our party on
shore, a small piece of wood Fred found on the cabin floor changed the
current of our thoughts, and we saw for the first time the little device
I am about to describe. This bit of wood which he had picked up was a
thin strip of a cigar-box cover. In one end was a circular hole about an
inch in diameter, in the middle was a square hole of the same diameter,
and at the extreme end was still another opening, in the form of an
isosceles triangle, the perpendicular being of the same length as the
side of the square.
[Illustration: Fig. 1]
When Captain S. saw the piece of wood he challenged us each to make one
peg which should exactly fit all three holes. “But it can’t be done,
Captain,” we both exclaimed at once; “the holes that have corners
couldn’t be fitted with a round peg, and the peg large enough for the
square would be too large for the triangle,” continued Fred, as he
examined the openings more carefully. “But it can be done,” answered
Captain S., with a peculiar kind of chuckle he always gave when very
much pleased. “It can be done, for I have done it hundreds of times.”
He had done it hundreds of times; had made one peg which should fit a
round, a square, and a triangular hole, and fit them nicely! How was it
to be done? We thought it over, and tried to study it out; we even took
out our jackknives and whittled away at an old broken thole-pin which
lay in the bottom of the boat. But we couldn’t make it work; there were
always the corners to be filled, and little spaces would be left if we
tried to compromise, and make the pin less round as it increased in
length; then the triangle! that wouldn’t accommodate itself to any shape
we could devise. We whittled away for over an hour, now and again
receiving a little encouragement from the captain, who greatly enjoyed
our successive failures. During the meantime a brisk south-west wind had
sprung up, and we were bounding over the water at a delightful speed;
but we paid little attention to the sail; in fact, we hardly knew we
were moving at all, so intent had we become to solve the mystery. After
the others of the party came on board, we soon fired them with our
enthusiasm, and every bit of available wood and every jackknife was
brought into use. But not one of the party was bright enough to hit upon
the right shape. I shall never forget the fun made of us by the
girls—not one of whom, by the way, could sharpen a lead-pencil
decently—when the captain finally showed us how the thing was done.
Asking one of the older boys to take the helm, he picked up a bit of
wood we had thrown aside as too small, whipped out his jackknife, and in
less time than it takes me to write it, had the peg made and fitted to
the holes. How he made it fit so well in so short a time has never
ceased to be a source of wonder to me; but probably the practice of
years, while off on lonely whaling cruises, had something to do with his
dexterity.
[Illustration: Figs. 2, 3, 4]
He first whittled out a cylinder, which exactly fitted the circular
hole; then he cut it off, so that its length should be the same as the
diameter of the square (see Fig. 2). Now, by putting this sideways into
the square opening, it fitted it perfectly. Lastly, leaving the base of
the cylinder undisturbed, he cut away from either side until he had a
shape like Fig. 3, which, when looked at from another point, presents
the appearance of Fig. 4, and would, of course, perfectly fit the last
and triangular opening.
―――――◀▶―――――
SLATE GAMES FOR CHILDREN.
A slate is one of the most useful presents which can be given to a
child. Long before the little hands can fashion letters, or the infant
mind comprehend them, the baby fingers can make marks and scratches upon
the smooth surface and derive considerable amusement from the exercise.
As the little one grows older, these meaningless scrawls gradually
change to more intelligible forms, and then it is that the “Tit-Tat-To,”
so very old, and yet so delightfully new, to every little girl or boy in
their turn, comes into play.
[Illustration]
TIT-TAT-TO.
This game is played on a figure similar to the above, made on an
ordinary slate. The players alternately mark in the figure, the one a
cross, and the other a nought; he who first obtains a row, either
horizontally, perpendicularly, or diagonally, wins the game, and calls
out the following rhyme:
“Tit-Tat-To, my last go;
Three jolly butchers all in a row.”
The object of each of the players is equally to obtain such a row and to
prevent his opponent from obtaining one.
AIR, EARTH, OR THE SEA?
This game—which is sometimes called _Birds, Beasts, and Fishes_—is
instructive as well as interesting to children who have some slight
knowledge of natural history. It is played as follows: Two boys take
their slates, and each writes down the first and last letters of the
name of some bird, beast, or fish, first stating whether it belongs to
the air, earth, or water, or from which category the name is selected,
and puts a cross for each of the intermediate letters. For example:
James writes upon his slate T × × × r, and remarks, as he passes it to
his companion, “the earth.” Charles selects a bird and marks upon his
slate as follows: E × × × e, saying, at the same time, “the air.” They
exchange slates, and each tries to guess the name of the beast or bird
indicated, and fills up the blanks accordingly. It is evident that those
indicated above are respectively tiger and eagle.
TURKS AND RUSSIANS.
[Illustration]
The slate should be divided into three divisions, the top and bottom
divisions each having a small compartment marked off therein, as shown
in the annexed diagram.
One of the two end divisions should be allotted to the Turks, and the
other to the Russians, and marks put therein, to represent the soldiers
of the respective nations.
Each player having provided himself with a well-sharpened pencil, the
game is played as follows: The players decide the order of play, and the
first selected being supposed to be a Turk, places the point of his
pencil at the spot marked in the smaller compartment of the Turkish
division of the slate and draws it quickly across the slate in the
direction of the opposing army.
The pencil will, of course, leave a line marking its track, and all the
men of the opposite side through which the track passes count as dead.
Each player plays alternately, and he wins who first kills all the men
on the opposite side.
The track of the pencil must be rapidly made and must be either straight
or curved; any track in which there is an angle does not count.
Sometimes the players turn their heads or close their eyes when making
the track.
THIRTY-ONE.
[Illustration]
Although this game is usually played upon a board similar to the one in
the cut, and with small wooden blocks made for the purpose, a slate
properly marked off would answer very well for the board, and bits of
pasteboard, marked with the necessary figures, do equally well for the
blocks.
The game consists of playing these bricks or squares of pasteboard, so
that the column added up makes just thirty-one.
As only two persons play together, suppose William and Mary are
contestants. Mary commences the game by playing a six; that is, she
slides one of the blocks numbered six over to the right-hand side of the
board. Then William plays block No. 4. This makes ten. Mary then plays
two, and William follows with a five, making seventeen total. Now, some
calculation is necessary if either will win. Mary, after some study,
ventures a five, and William plays a six. It is now only necessary for
Mary to slide No. 3 over to the right side, to make the total thirty-one
and beat.
That move of Mary’s—which was made after considerable deliberation—was
not a safe one, as William could have moved over a one and made the
total only twenty-three. This would require eight more to complete the
required thirty-one, and as six is the largest number on the blocks,
William would have had the last play and gained the contest.
_Rules for Thirty-one._
The object of each player is to gain thirty-one, or _nearer_ thirty-one
than his opponent, _without going over_ that number.
Put the blocks or bits of pasteboard on the left side of the board; and
each in turn moves any piece they like to the other side.
Each player moves alternately one piece at a time.
Add together the numbers on _all the blocks moved_, until one or the
other gains thirty-one, without going over that number.
The player gaining this number by his individual block wins.
The final honor is given to him who wins three out of five single games.
―――――◀▶―――――
SOLITAIRE.
[Illustration]
During the long winter evenings, we cannot have too many games to amuse
the younger members of the household, and a variety is always
acceptable.
Where the family is large and the means small, and especially in the
country where boys are forced to rely upon their own devices in the way
of amusement, few of the ready-made games find their way into the
household.
Now boys, and girls, too, let me whisper to you so softly that your city
cousins may not hear—you are no losers because of that fact. A great
part of the enjoyment of a thing consists in the making of it. And many
of the games which are best enjoyed by children all over the land you
can, with a little ingenuity and some trouble, perhaps, make for
yourself.
Among the many things which a boy can make, there are very few more
interesting or fascinating than the simple game of Solitaire, or, as it
is more frequently called, _The Peg Puzzle_.
Take a piece of smooth board, from nine inches to a foot square, cut out
the corners as indicated in the illustration, and bore holes in the
positions indicated by the dots.
Out of soft pine or other suitable wood whittle thirty-two pegs, which
are to fit into these holes; the middle or thirty-third hole is to be
left empty.
The game consists in removing all the pegs excepting one from the board,
and that one is to be left in the middle hole.
This is effected, as in “checkers,” by a series of captures; that is,
when taken off the board, the peg removed must first have been jumped
over by another peg.
In beginning the game, peg No. 1 jumps over peg No. 2, and is placed in
the central hole. No. 2 is then removed from the board. As the hole
occupied by No. 2 is now empty, peg No. 3 jumps over No. 4, and is
placed in the empty hole No. 2. No. 4 is removed, and the moves continue
in like manner as those described.
The following is a key to the solution of the puzzle, but should not be
consulted until you find it impossible to accomplish the feat without
its aid.
KEY.
1 to centre
3 to 2
5 to 4
2 to 3
7 to 4
8 to 6
9 to 7
11 to 3
7 to 4
6 to 8
13 to 2
x to 1
15 to 2
16 to 14
2 to 13
18 to 11
20 to 19
8 to 21
22 to 20
20 to 19
11 to 18
24 to 14
26 to 25
25 to 17
28 to 14
17 to 25
29 to x
x to 27
30 to 24
32 to 25
27 to centre.
―――――◀▶―――――
BATTLEDORE AND SHUTTLECOCK.
[Illustration]
If any of my young boy friends wishes to make a useful, and at the same
time acceptable, present to a sister or girl friend, he cannot do better
than make a set of this pretty and amusing game.
The battledore is readily made with a hickory stick and a piece of hoop,
and the shuttlecock with a cork and a few short feathers. The forms of
the two are shown in the illustrations.
The game is played by two players, each having a battledore, and each
bats the shuttlecock from one to the other, the one failing to return it
when it is batted to him within possible reach losing a point in the
game. A game consists of twenty points, and the best two out of three
games gains the match.
―――――◀▶―――――
RING TOSS.
[Illustration]
This light pastime for the summer lawn, or for the parlor on a winter’s
evening, is one of the most graceful and pretty games ever invented.
Although particularly intended for the fairer sex, boys are generally
the most skillful, if not the most graceful, competitors in the game.
This game is played with a target-post, more or less ornamental, as the
skill and taste of the maker may decree, and a number of light rings or
small hoops, ranging from five to ten inches in diameter.
The rings are nicely made of old hoop-skirt wires, bent in the desired
shape, and strongly fastened with cords, the whole covered with bright
silk or ribbon; the greater variety of colors used the brighter the
effect of the game. The ribbons need not necessarily be perfectly fresh,
as in winding the rings any soiled spots can readily be hidden.
It is also better to have the rings divided into three sets or sizes,
and all those of each set as nearly as possible of the same size. For
instance, if eighteen rings are to be used, let six be about five inches
in diameter, six more be seven or eight inches, and the remaining six to
be ten inches across.
The game is simply to toss the rings so as to fall on the target-post.
The smaller the rings the higher the count.
For the large rings one point is scored, for the next in size two
points, and for the smallest or five-inch rings, three points—fifty
points being a full game.
The distance on a lawn which the player stands from the target-post is
twenty-five feet. In the parlor it is fifteen feet.
―――――◀▶―――――
CHECKERS.
[Illustration]
As I write the above title, I wonder if there is a boy or a girl in this
great American land who does not own a checker-board, or does not know
how to play this delightful game. The game was brought to us from
England, we cannot say how many years ago, probably by the first
settlers in these then lonely wilds.
This game of checkers is a scientific one and is governed entirely by
calculation. So, in order to become a good player, one has to give
considerable time and thought to the subject, which is perhaps as good
mental discipline as many of our less interesting school studies.
The game is played upon a board or table, divided off into thirty-two
white and thirty-two black squares, with twelve white and twelve black
men or checkers.
The board can be made out of thin wood, or upon a strong piece of
pasteboard, the white squares left the original color of the material
used, and the black colored with ink or paint, whichever is most
conveniently at hand.
For the checkers, small pieces of wood may be used, or black and white
buttons be substituted in their place.
The table or board should be so placed that each player shall have a
black square at his right hand, if playing on the white squares, or a
white square, if playing on the black.
The men move obliquely _forward_ until they arrive at the last, or the
adversary’s head row, when they are made kings and can then move
_backward_ as well as _forward_.
To distinguish a king from a common man he is crowned, by placing
another checker of the same color on top of him, as soon as he reaches
the _king’s row_.
The adversary’s men are taken by leaping over them, and _must be taken_
whenever offered or exposed. No move can be recalled after the man has
been quitted; that is, after the finger has been removed from him.
The players have the first move in each game alternately.
Checkers may best be learned by playing, for awhile at least, upon a
board on which the white squares are numbered, some authorities advising
the placing of permanent numbers in a corner of each white square, so as
to be seen when the men are placed.
The numbers are arranged as follows: 1 being on your right hand and 4 on
your left; number 5 the right hand of the second row, and 8 the left,
and so on. See illustration.
The black men are placed upon 1 to 12; the white on 21 to 32.
In order to understand the game more readily, it may be of some
assistance to beginners to show how a simple game might be played.
Suppose B., who has the black men, makes the first move from 11 to 15.
W. follows him with 22 to 18. B. now moves from 15 to 22, jumping over
18, and capturing it by the move. 22 is now exposed, so W. is obliged to
take it, and to do so moves from 25 to 18. B. now commences a new line
of moving, and passes 8 to 11. W. moves 29 to 25 thus breaking his
king’s row. B. 4 to 8; W. 25 to 22; B. 12 to 16; W. 24 to 20; B. 10 to
15. Now W. moves 27 to 24, and loses the game by so doing. B. follows
with 16 to 19, thus exposing 19. As it is a law in the game that the
opposite side must take up the exposed men, W. is obliged to jump 19,
and moves from 23 to 16 in so doing. B. moves from 15 to 19; W. 24 to 15
to jump 19; B. 9 to 14; W. 18 to 9, and captures 14. B. now sees 15 and
22 exposed, and moves from 11 to 25, thus capturing both men by the act.
W. 32 to 27; B. 5 to 14, jumping 9. W. 27 to 23; B. 6 to 10. W. 16 to
12; B. 8 to 11. W. 28 to 24; B. 25 to 29, and is made a king. W. now
moves 30 to 25, but as 29 is a king and can move backward as well as
forward, B. moves from 29 to 22 and jumps 25, but exposes the king,
which is quickly captured by W., who moves from 26 to 17. Now both sides
proceed in a quiet manner for a time, B. moving from 11 to 15, W. 20 to
16, B. 15 to 18, W. 24 to 20. B. captures 28 by moving from 18 to 27,
and W. takes 27 by jumping from 31 to 24. B. 14 to 18; W. 16 to 11,
which is taken by B. who moves 7 to 16. W., in turn, takes 16 with 20,
which he jumps over to 11. B. 18 to 23; W. 11 to 8. B. 23 to 27, and W.
now gains another king by moving 8 to 4. B. moves 27 to 31 and also gets
a king. The king, you remember, can move backward, so W. moves from 4 to
8; B. 31 to 27. W. 24 to 20; B. 27 to 23. W. 8 to 11; B. 23 to 18. W. 11
to 8, and B. 18 to 15, which shows the game is lost to W.
[Illustration: Figs. 1, 2]
The two following problems are given for practice, and are intended to
materially assist the learner in gaining some knowledge of the
intricacies of the game.
SOLUTION TO NO. 1.
Black to move and win.
Black. White.
1st move 6 to 1 5 to 9
2d move 10 to 15 9 to 5
3d move 15 to 18 5 to 9
4th move 1 to 5 9 to 6
5th move 18 to 15 21 to 17
6th move 5 to 1 6 to 9
7th move 15 to 18 9 to 5
8th move 18 to 22 17 to 14
9th move 1 to 6 5 to 1
10th move 6 to 2 14 to 10
11th move 22 to 18 1 to 5
12th move 18 to 14 White loses.
SOLUTION TO NO. 2.
White to move and win.
White. Black.
1st move 18 to 14 5 to 1
2d move 14 to 9 1 to 5
3d move 22 to 17 5 to 14
4th move 17 to 10 21 to 25
5th move 10 to 15 25 to 30
6th move 15 to 19 30 to 25
7th move 27 to 32 25 to 22
8th move 19 to 24 20 to 27
9th move 32 to 23 White wins.
―――――◀▶―――――
THE SPIRIT JEW’S-HARP.
During the Christmas holidays, when families are home for the season,
and entertainments are the principal things desired in the long bright
evenings, perhaps a few more tricks may not come amiss.
Among these the spirit jew’s-harp will be sure to amuse and at the same
time mystify both the older and younger members of the company, who will
probably form the audience on these Christmas or New-year’s evenings;
and will form a pleasant entertainment between the acts of a charade or
the lapses in the music. Briefly described, the trick is as follows:
A jew’s-harp is placed in the mouth, and played upon for awhile with the
finger in the ordinary way. Gradually, however, the performer moves his
hand away, but continues the motion of playing some distance from the
mouth, while the instrument continues to play quite as clearly and
distinctly as before. The hand may wave above the head, or in any
position, to show the audience that no thread or string is connected
with the tongue of the instrument, but must keep up the motion of
playing as long as the sound continues to come.
Procure a jew’s-harp with a very flexible tongue, and cover the end with
a smooth ball of sealing-wax. Now place the instrument in your mouth
with its tongue pointed inward, and if your tongue is placed against the
ball of sealing-wax and suddenly pushed out, and as suddenly released, a
sound will be produced much as if it was pushed out in the ordinary way
with the finger.
After a time you will find it possible to produce different notes upon
it, and with some practice will find it as possible to play tunes as by
the common method.
It will now be seen that during the whole performance the music is
elicited by the tongue, and not by the finger as at first appears; the
placing the forefinger of the right hand to the mouth, and moving it as
if playing in the ordinary way, is simply a little _ruse_ to mislead the
audience.
The performer should so stand that the light does not shine too strongly
upon his face, and thus expose the absence of the tongue of the
jew’s-harp, and a complete mastery of the instrument in the inverted
position should be acquired before one attempts the trick in public.
―――――◀▶―――――
A NEW WAY TO KINDLE THE FIRE.
There are many ways given for producing fire, but the following is the
most unique, and at the same time convenient, of all these various
methods, as it consists in simply blowing the flame from the mouth, and
so igniting the camp-fire or whatever else one wishes to burn.