CHAPTER IX.

A few days later Ida was once more back at the old farm; and how

different now did everything look to her. The days of grumbling and

complaint were past forever. She was no longer annoyed by her old aunt's

unwitting offences against etiquette; and she found a new and strange

pleasure in simple things which she had once regarded with indifference

or aversion. She fed the fowls, learned to harness the old horse, and

insisted on helping with the work of the dairy. And how proud she was of

her first pat of delicious butter!

"It really seems a pity to eat it," she said, as she exhibited it in

triumph to Aunt Patty.

One day she took the horse and light wagon and drove to Bell's Falls.

She said she had some shopping to do there, and several errands to which

she must attend.

"One of them is a commission from Doctor Stone," she said, trying not to

smile, but failing signally.

Lately she had received several letters from the old doctor, but she

never read them to her aunt and sister.

"Some day you may read them," she said to Aunt Patty, "but not now.

Doctor Stone and I have a secret which you and Cynthia are not to know

just yet."

"It seems to make you very happy, whatever it is," said Cynthia.

"Well, I am more anxious than happy just now," returned Ida. "But I

can't explain why."

About a week after her trip to Bell's Falls, Ida entered the farm-house

kitchen late one afternoon with two letters in her hand. Her face was

glowing from her brisk walk to and from the village post-office, and her

bright eyes were dancing in anticipation of some rare enjoyment.

"One of those letters for me?" asked Cynthia, who was busy at a table

making rolls for supper.

"No; both for me," answered her sister, "and great news in both. One is

from Aunt Stina, who says she will be home by the 1st of November, and

wants me to be ready to live with her again."

"Oh, Ida!"

It was a simultaneous exclamation from Aunt Patty and Cynthia. They both

looked blank, and Cynthia dropped her rolling-pin and sat down in the

nearest chair, as if she felt suddenly weak.

Ida laughed. She looked wonderfully radiant and happy. "Calm

yourselves," she said. "I have other plans in my head. Listen to this."

She tossed Aunt Stina's letter into the wood-box back of the stove, and

opened the other--a business document--which announced that Miss Ida

Worley had been appointed a teacher in the grammar school at Bell's

Falls at a salary of seven hundred and fifty dollars per annum, her

duties to begin the following Monday. "And as Bell's Falls is only

fifteen miles off, I can come home every Friday night," said Ida.

"How'd you ever get the place?" asked Cynthia, when she and Aunt Patty

had exhausted their vocabulary of exclamations of delight and

astonishment.

"Through Doctor Stone's influence. He knows all three of the trustees.

Dear old man! He was so ready to help me!"

"Aunt Stina will be dreadfully disappointed that she isn't to have you

again, Ida."

"Perhaps so, just at first. But she will hire a companion--some one who

will suit her much better than I. She won't approve of my teaching, and

will wonder that I prefer it to a life of idleness in her house. But I

am longing to feel that I am of some use in the world--not a drone in

the hive."

"You dear child!" said Aunt Patty. "Your kind and unselfish act in

helping that poor fever-stricken woman has brought a great reward. Had

you passed her by you would never have known Doctor Stone, and wouldn't

now have a chance to show what a busy bee you can become."

"My first month's salary shall be spent in fitting out my dear Aunt

Patty with everything she needs in the way of comfortable dress," said

Ida, with her arms around her aunt's waist, "and the month after that

every cent shall go to Cynthia. Oh, I can hardly wait to begin! How

thankful I am that I came here last June. It was the beginning of a new

life. And to think how I mourned and made myself utterly miserable

because I couldn't go abroad with Aunt Stina!"

Cynthia's plain little face fairly beamed with joy. "And now Aunt Stina

is never to have you again," she said.

"Never again! I belong now to you and Aunt Patty."

THE END.

THE CAPTURE OF THE SLAVER.

BY AN OLD SHIPMASTER.

I had run away to sea, and was serving as cabin-boy on the _Flying

Scud_. But by the time we got to Cienfuegos, Cuba, I had suffered so

much from ill-treatment, that I resolved to desert before the ship

sailed. I had an afternoon ashore, and while amusing myself with the

sights I went into a restaurant for dinner.

At a table opposite mine was a fine-looking sailorly man, dressed in a

white duck suit and a broad-brimmed Panama hat. While he sipped his

coffee, and lazily smoked his long, black Cuban cigar, he appeared to

take considerable notice of me. When I was ready to depart he called me

to him, and asked the name of the ship I belonged to, the treatment and

wages I received, and so on. He seemed so friendly and interested that I

made free to tell him of my troubles, and stated that I longed for the

termination of the voyage. At this he said:

"It seems, my boy, that Providence has sent me to deliver you. I am

Captain of a fine ship, and am in need of a cabin-boy on account of mine

having met with an accident that will keep him on shore for some time.

What do you say to shipping with me? I will promise you good treatment

and much better wages than the _Flying Scud_ pays you."

Here was a golden avenue of escape for me. I was young and trustful, and

Captain Ward of the _Dragon_--for such he told me were the names of

himself and vessel--seemed so sympathetic and kindly that I gladly

signified my willingness to desert to him.

"Very well," he answered, seemingly well pleased; "I am going on board

now, for we are to sail immediately, and you can come right along with

me."

As we made our way to the landing-stage through the fast growing

darkness, Captain Ward kept up an easy, friendly flow of talk, and by

the time that we were seated in the handsome long boat belonging to the

_Dragon_ I had, in the impulsiveness of youth, become strongly attached

to him. When we reached the latter vessel it was too dark to observe

anything more about her than the fact that she was fore-and-aft rigged,

with a long yard on her foremast for bending a big square sail to when

running before the wind, and had a broad, clean sweep of deck, with high

bulwarks, through whose port-holes several cannon looked out. The

Captain was received at the gangway by his chief mate, to whom I was

pointed out with the half-laughing remark, "this is our new cabin-boy,

who had the good taste to prefer the _Dragon_ to the big ship over

yonder." I went below with him, and he pointed out a tidy little

state-room, which he told me I was to occupy, and said that whatever

clothes I might need would be supplied to me out of the stock kept in

the slop-chest. Immediately after this Captain Ward went on deck, and we

lifted the anchor and put to sea.

Well, to make a shorter story of it, I will explain right here that I

soon learned I had shipped on board of the most notorious slaver in the

trade, and that she was commanded by a man who was acknowledged to have

no rival in the way of daring and success. I heard some time later that

he had been a buccaneer in the Gulf of Mexico before going into the

slave trade, and that the _Dragon_ had once flown from her masthead the

fearful black flag. All this may have been, and probably was true; but

this I claim freely, that during the month that I served on board I

received the kindest treatment from him. It fretted me, however, to

think of serving on such a vessel, and I determined to leave as soon as

we returned to Cuba. But I was not to wait even that length of time, as

you will soon learn.

Several days later, in a river on the African coast, we loaded the

_Dragon_ with four hundred poor wretches, who had been captured to serve

as slaves to the civilized Christian white men across the wide

Atlantic. Our lading had been much hurried, owing to a report that the

American man-of-war _Dale_ had been seen cruising off the mouth of the

river the day before we arrived. Her cutters had a habit very

distasteful to the slave-traders of pulling up the river at unexpected

times in search of contraband cargoes. The penalty that the officers and

crews of slave-ships were obliged to pay in the way of death or lengthy

imprisonment, and the confiscation of their vessel and effects, often

drove the slavers to open warfare with the naval forces when in tight

corners. If they were captured, after warlike resistance or with slaves

on board, they were considered as pirates, and suffered accordingly.

The slaves had been fed and chained securely between decks, and

everything made ready for slipping out to sea by sunset, as the lookout

reported the coast clear; but Captain Ward waited until the off-shore

wind began to blow, about eight o'clock, before getting up his anchor.

At that time, under the jib and mainsail, the _Dragon_ commenced to work

slowly down the river, the negro pilot standing on the forecastle and

conning the vessel through the channel. We had almost reached the mouth

of the stream. I heard the Captain say to his mate that by daylight the

land would be leagues astern, and all danger from station cruisers would

be at an end.

Just as we approached the last turn, where the river narrowed to about

one hundred feet, the _Dragon_ stopped suddenly, brought up against a

stout hawser stretched from tree to tree on either bank, then swung

around until she lay directly across the stream, and at the same instant

two boats dashed alongside filled with naval sailors, who were prepared

to sweep down all resistance with their cutlasses, drove the crew into

the forecastle, and secured the door. I had been standing on the

quarter-deck when the schooner was captured, and as the men-of-war's men

forced the Captain and mate below the former picked me up in passing and

carried me into the cabin with him. No sooner had we entered this than

the companion-way slide was pulled over and we were prisoners, while

overhead sounded the tramp of many feet as the sails were lowered and

the vessel brought to an anchor.

"Quick, open one of the stern-ports!" said the Captain to the mate; then

he ran into his room, from which he reappeared almost immediately and

thrust a sheet of paper into my hand, exclaiming, "Show this to the

naval officer when he comes below."

In another instant he and the mate had pulled off their shoes and

clothes and slipped noiselessly into the dark flowing river through the

open port. I entered the master's berth, in which a candle-lamp was

burning, and looked at the paper that the Captain had given me. It read:

"My cabin-boy was innocent of the character of the _Dragon_ when he

signed articles.

"ROLAND WARD, Master."

Slaver, pirate, or any other hard name you may call him, there was

something noble in the man who could think of others at such a time, and

sacrifice even a few precious, fleeting moments to insure the safety of

a poor little cabin-boy.

A few minutes later a naval officer, followed by several blue-jackets

well armed, descended the companion-way and asked for the Captain. In

order to gain time for the two men, whom I knew to be at that instant

swimming for their lives, I handed him the note. He glanced over it,

thrust it in his pocket, and exclaimed:

"This will keep for the present. Where is the Captain?"

I answered that he was not in the cabin.

[Illustration: "WHERE IS THE CAPTAIN?" HE REPEATED, IMPATIENTLY.]

"Where is the Captain?" he repeated, impatiently.

I knew that the swimmers must have reached shore, and were safe from

pursuit in the darkness of the night, so I pointed to the open port. The

officer stamped his foot in rage, to think that he should have been

outwitted so cleverly, and ran up to the deck, where I heard him

shouting to burn a blue light, and for some of his men to tumble into

the boats and pull about in search of the escaping slavers.

The seamen had their trouble for nothing, as the Captain and mate

succeeded in making their way back into the country, where they remained

in hiding until they found an opportunity of getting back to Cuba.

During the next day the _Dale_ made her appearance, and received the

transfer of the prisoners. Although I was sent with them, the Captain's

note was accepted as proof of my innocence, and I was restored to

liberty and made a messenger-boy on board the man-of-war, in which

capacity I served until the _Dale_ was relieved by the sloop-of-war

_Vincennes_, and returned to the United States a few months later.

The lieutenant who had been left in ambush and who had captured the

slaver was placed on board of her in command, and she was afterwards

employed successfully as a decoy for bringing a number of other

slave-ships within the clutches of Uncle Sam's officers.

My advent in the village was all that I could have wished for. The local

paper published my picture in man-of-war uniform, together with a

history of my voyage; and I was heroized by the girls, and looked upon

with sufficient admiration and burning jealousy on the part of my former

school-fellows to make even my cup of satisfaction and happiness full to

the brim.

STORIES OF PRESENCE OF MIND.

IN REPORTING THE "VICTORIA" DISASTER.

BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS.

The newsman at Piccadilly and St. James's Street had his bill of news

wares pasted on the pavement. Even he who ran by means of a swift

hansom-cab might read the huge black letters. There was but one article

on the bill. Black type, three inches long, shouted:

HORRIBLE DISASTER!

H.M.S. "VICTORIA" RAMMED AND SUNK!

FOUR HUNDRED LIVES LOST!

As Fabian Wendell, London correspondent of the New York _Intelligence_,

and his friend Carter, just from New York, were whirled out of St.

James's Street into Piccadilly, Wendell's eye caught the announcement.

He lifted the trap in the top of the cab and told cabby to pull into the

pavement and hail the newsman.

[Illustration: "ALL THE PAPERS," SAID WENDELL.]

"All the papers," said Wendell, and straightway had the afternoon

rainbow--the pink _Star_, the yellow _Globe_, the white _Pall Mall_, the

pale gray _Standard_, and the green _Westminster_.

"What is the matter?" asked Carter.

"Great news," replied Wendell, opening the _Pall Mall_, and pointing to

a "scare head" half a column long. Under the head-lines was this short

despatch:

TRIPOLI, _June_ 23d.--H.M.S. _Camperdown_ rammed H.M.S. _Victoria_

yesterday five miles out at sea. The _Victoria_ sank at once.

Rear-Admiral Tryon, most of his officers, and over three hundred

men were lost.

"The Mediterranean fleet," went on Wendell, talking to arrange his

thoughts rather than to inform his friend, "has been cruising in the

Levant. _Victoria_ was the biggest and most formidable battle-ship in

the world. _Camperdown_ is almost as big. Tripoli is on the north coast

of Africa--"

"No," interrupted Carter, who was looking at the _Standard_. "This paper

says it is Tripoli, on the coast of Asia Minor."

"That's bad--small place--poor telegraph," Wendell was muttering, his

forehead wrinkled so that it suggested sixty rather than twenty-three.

Up went the trap in the top of the cab. "Drive to the Eastern Telegraph

Company, Old Broad Street. And you get an extra fare if you do it

quickly."

"What are you going to do there?" Carter inquired, as the cab began a

mad dash down St. James's Street on its way to the City and Old Broad

Street.

"Why, a very simple thing. I'm going to try to get a full account of

this disaster, and print it in New York before an account is printed in

England. Tripoli is miles away from nowhere at all. These English papers

are very slow. I propose to show them what American enterprise is."

"But they are sure to be first with such a story as this, about their

own navy. You have no correspondent there."

"Neither have they. I have a scheme, and the beauty of it is that even

if these English fellows think of it they will dismiss it without a

trial as too absurd."

"Then you admit there is practically no chance?"

"Chance? I don't admit that there is such a thing as chance. I know that

it is my duty to do something. This is the only thing I can think of.

The others will be hopeless and will do nothing."

At the Eastern Telegraph Building Wendell stopped in the office on the

first floor long enough to write this despatch:

To the telegraph agent, Tripoli, Syria.--The New York

_Intelligence_ will pay the telegraph tolls and £200 ($1000) for

two thousand words full describing the _Victoria_ disaster. Send at

once to Wendell, London.

Then he went up stairs, straight to the general manager. That important

person read the despatch with increasing derision, which he did not take

the trouble to conceal.

"The rate from Tripoli to London is a shilling a word," he said. "Two

thousand words will cost you a hundred pounds, five hundred dollars. The

operator or agent at Tripoli is an ignorant Turk, who, without doubt,

knows not a word of English. Tripoli is on the Turkish government lines,

and we cannot send the money to him to pay for the despatch. He never

heard of the New York _Intelligence_. You practically ask him to spend a

hundred pounds with no prospect of ever seeing it again."

"Very true," said Wendell, and he took the despatch and added to it.

"Will start money as soon as despatch is received." Then he gave it back

to the manager, saying: "No harm to try. If I fail, I shall be out only

the eleven dollars this telegram will cost me. If I win--"

He laughed, and the manager relented. "I'll mark it so that it shall be

rushed through, and I'll add my own guarantee," he said, with abrupt

courtesy. "As soon as an answer comes, if an answer does come, I'll see

that you get it."

Wendell thanked him, and went away with Carter. He spent the rest of the

day getting and sending all he could find bearing in any way upon the

disaster. All England was waiting for the fuller news. The Admiralty and

the Foreign Office were besieged by crowds of those who had relatives or

friends in the fleet. But no further news came. The Saturday morning

papers had nothing but rumors. Even the long reach of the Times could

not get at that obscure Syrian village.

Wendell watched impatiently for the early editions of the Saturday

afternoon papers. There was still no story. The whole civilized world

was waiting. Carter was despondent over the failure of Wendell's scheme,

and Wendell had almost ceased to hope. The Sunday morning papers had

nothing. Sunday afternoon came a telegram in an Eastern Telegraph

envelope. Wendell's hands trembled as he read:

Tripoli, Syria.--Send soon as can raise money. Old subscriber

_Intelligence_.

HARRIS.

Wendell laughed hysterically as he gave it to Carter, who was really

faint with excitement. "The manager said they don't know the

_Intelligence_ in Syria," he laughed, as Carter was reading and

rereading. "I wonder what he will think of that?" And he hurried away a

cheering telegram to the unknown Harris, who was helping him to beat the

world on the news story.

"If Monday morning's papers pass it," he went on, "we're safe. But

that's a slim chance."

He waited up until six o'clock Monday morning to see. The only further

news was a partial list of the saved, and a formal announcement from the

Commander of _Camperdown_ that the disaster had happened. To Wendell

this fortune seemed incredible.

* * * * *

Two thousand miles away, Harris, a medical missionary at Tripoli, was in

a more agitated state than was Wendell. He was the only English-speaking

person in that squalid little Asiatic port. He came from Kentucky, and

got his news of America through the weekly edition of the

_Intelligence_, for which he was a subscriber. The day after Wendell

sent his despatch he was passing the telegraph office. Abdallah Gazi,

the Turkish operator, called him in, and asked him to translate it. As

Harris read it, he saw the whole situation.

Abdallah had been the despair of the survivors of the disaster. As he

hated the English, he had pretended to be more stupid than he really

was. Harris was fired with ambition to help the paper he took, published

by his countrymen, in his native land. But to get together the five

hundred dollars necessary was no easy thing in that miserably poor

village. He gave no heed to the furious Syrian sun; he toiled and

wrestled with friends and acquaintances. By Monday afternoon he had the

money, and began dictating two thousand English words, letter by letter,

to the operator, who spoke only Arabic. It was a long and dreary task,

and not until midnight was it done.

* * * * *

The first sheet of the great special, telling the pitiful story of

Tryon's mistake, and its horrible result, was in Wendell's hands at five

o'clock that Monday afternoon. Thanks to the difference of time, the

last sheet reached him at ten o'clock, two hours earlier than the time

at which Harris sent it. Wendell had the wires to New York open, and had

warned the _Intelligence_ of what was coming. As New York is five hours

earlier than London, the editor of the _Intelligence_ was reading the

great beat on all the newspapers in the world at half past six o'clock.

At seven an extra afternoon edition of the _Evening Intelligence_ was on

the streets of New York.

Next morning Wendell slept late. When his man awakened him, he was

straightway at the bundle of morning papers. Every great London daily

had its first story of the _Victoria_ disaster, in large type, with huge

head-lines. The eager British people had the news at last. But the date

line of the story was not Tripoli. Every despatch began: "New York, June

26th.--The _Intelligence_ has the following special from Tripoli."

"I wish I had been in the editorial rooms of the great London _Times_

when that special from New York came," said Fabian Wendell.

THE LAST LITTLE LEAF.

The last little leaf has fluttered down,

The trees are standing all bare and brown;

But the winter long, if you could see,

There are wee little elves in each brown tree

Spinning the dress, so green and fair,

That will one day wave in the soft spring air.

Good-by, little leaf; you did your best;

So curl away, it is time to rest.

M. E. S.

HOW TO ENTER THE ARMY.

BY GENERAL O. O. HOWARD, U.S.A.

(_In Two Papers._)

I.--ENLISTMENT.

THE PREPARATION NEEDED.

Our boys are familiar with the United States flag, with its historic

stars and stripes, as it floats over public buildings and is carried in

street parades. How many know it is used for a sign or a sign-board?

Passing through any one of our large cities, we often see the flag

drooping from a protruding staff over a common office doorway.

Considering what it means, we go up to the door, and see on one side a

flaming poster printed in colors, surmounted by a picture of many

soldiers standing well grouped, in their bright attractive uniforms. On

reading we find this to be an advertisement or an invitation on the part

of the United States government to all able-bodied men so desiring to

join the ranks of the army as private soldiers. It states that the man

so volunteering to serve his government in this capacity will be well

clothed, fed, and, besides, receive $13 per month in cash, less certain

small sums retained from time to time by the government to be

surrendered to the soldier upon his discharge from service. He must

agree to serve faithfully, take an oath of fidelity to the United

States, and to obey all superior officers for a period of three years.

It was formerly five years. While reading the poster we have noticed,

either leaning in the doorway or pacing up and down with erect carriage,

in a neat tight-fitting blue uniform, a man who, upon being accosted,

replies that he is a private, or, if we noticed a V-shaped braid upon

his arm, a sergeant, belonging to some regiment of the army stationed at

a distance. He is here to get men to enlist, and go back with him to his

regiment and become soldiers. He enlarges upon the pleasures of the

service--if cavalry, the riding, the scouting, the excitements of

chasing Indians; if infantry, the enjoyments of camp life, the practice

marches, the Indian campaigns, where deeds of gallantry and brave acts

will be rewarded by medals and certificates of honor; if artillery, the

use of heavy ordnance in defending our sea-coasts, with their pleasant

stations.

In glowing terms he thus pictures to a young man the life of a soldier,

such as we are familiar with in history. But to have him know more fully

he invites him to go into a room within, called a Recruiting Office. On

coming in, his soldier friend touches his cap to a gentleman sitting at

a desk writing. He reports that his companion is desirous of entering

the army. This gentleman then, in a brisk businesslike way, which proves

him to be an officer accustomed to command, draws from the young man an

account of his past life, finds out his habits, his age, and then

determines from his answers whether or not he would make a good soldier.

He also shows him that soldiering is not all play, pomp, and ceremony,

but work like that in any other profession, that implicit obedience is

necessary, and willingness to do well the work in hand. Only in such a

way could he expect to rise in the estimation of his superiors in rank

and obtain promotion and reward. The officer satisfies himself that his

candidate is a good one, filling the requirements of law as to a good

moral character, able to read and write, and within the ages of sixteen

and thirty-five; or, if under twenty-one, that he has his parents' or

guardians' consent; then he will administer to him the oath of

allegiance to the United States. Now, after signing a contract to serve

the United States government as a soldier for the required period, our

young civilian has become a recruit. Before, however, he is finally

admitted, he must undergo a careful physical examination, made by a

surgeon. The accepted recruit has his choice of entering the artillery,

the cavalry, or the infantry.

The foregoing is all the preparation needed, but if our recruit is

anxious to advance beyond the position of a private soldier, and to fill

places of responsibility, it is needless to say he must prepare himself.

HIS CHANCES FOR ADVANCEMENT.

His first duty is to learn thoroughly his work as a private. Having done

that well, he is without doubt prepared to teach others the same work.

The officers are always watching for bright and intelligent men, and so

will recommend for the next grade, and his captain will secure for him

the appointment as corporal. Many men have not had the advantages of

others before they enter the ranks, and for them to have the same

chances of promotion post-schools are provided, each with a competent

instructor, and under the charge of a commissioned officer.

On becoming a corporal some increase of responsibility is given our

young soldier. He must wear as an indication of his rank two V-shaped

stripes upon his arms and a narrow one down each trousers leg, of the

color of the service insignia--red for artillery, yellow for cavalry,

white for infantry. Instead of being conducted about in ranks, he now

stands in line at the right end of his squad of eight men; when his

squad is separate he is in command. He no longer walks post as sentry,

but has charge of a relief, _i. e._, one of the divisions of a guard.

The men of a relief all walk post at the same time. He must put his men

on their posts as sentries, and stay awake and answer their calls so

long as they are there. Many other duties, clerical, police, and

provost, are given corporals, according to their ability.

Vacancies constantly occur in the higher positions, and the custom is to

fill them from the next lower rank. If our corporal has shown his

ability to command firmly but in a manner pleasant to his associates

while in his present grade, his chances are the best to be recommended

for an appointment as a sergeant by the captain of his company. The

corporal receives $15 and a sergeant $18 per month in the artillery,

cavalry, and infantry.

A sergeant's command is double that of a corporal, and on guard he

divides his time in charge of the guard-house with another sergeant

while overseeing the corporals and their reliefs. On drill he is over a

section of two squads; in barracks he has charge of one sleeping-room;

must keep order and enforce discipline. Thus still more ability to

command other men must be shown. Corporals and sergeants are called

"non-commissioned officers," because they receive a warrant from their

colonel countersigned by the adjutant as authority of rank, in place of

a commission from the President of the United States.

The labors of soldiers, privates, corporals, or sergeants are not

usually arduous, except in case of war or other like emergency. Their

daily routine is no more monotonous than men's ordinary pursuits in

civil life, with the one exception that they are always under the

command of others; but this need not trouble them; for good soldiers

there is responsibility enough, according to the position they hold.

Their time is pretty well occupied; for there are generally two drills a

day; care of their room and equipments; in the cavalry, grooming their

horses twice a day; also guard duty for a night and day at least once a

week. In the artillery there is now the study of the mechanism of modern

heavy guns--their loading; their firing by mechanical means and by

electricity. If we think of the emergency calls upon the soldier--for

example, during riots, insurrections, and such like--we find the service

of enough variety and interest for the average man. Besides the

positions of corporal and sergeant which I have mentioned, many other

places of higher pay are open to the soldier, such as trumpeter at $14

per month; wagoner, artificer, blacksmith, and farrier or saddler, at

$15.

The Engineer and Ordnance Corps also offer higher pay, because of the

knowledge required to build forts, bridges, and make ammunition and

prepare projectiles. Privates of engineers receive $17; corporals, $20;

sergeants, $34 per month. The Signal Corps sergeants have, besides their

duties as experts in signalling, to be telegraph operators; they receive

$45. To each company there is a first sergeant, who is the highest

non-commissioned officer. He has direct charge of the men, and keeps all

company records. He receives $25 per month. All pay in the army is

increased from the third year of enlistment; _i. e._, the longer a man

shall be a soldier, the more pay he will have a year.

In the regiment there are chief trumpeters, musicians, and saddlers,

rated at $22 per month; chief musicians at $60--these are band-leaders.

The sergeant-major, who has charge of regimental papers,

quartermaster-sergeant, who has the care of all government property in

the regiment, at $23; the sergeant-major and quartermaster-sergeant of

engineers at $36.

Each post has an ordnance sergeant, commissary sergeant, and

quartermaster sergeant at $34. Then in the Hospital Corps the stewards

rate at $45. The hospital steward is really an apothecary. Acting

hospital stewards are at $25, and attendants at $18.

These positions, except the musicians, are all filled from the ranks,

according to fitness and ability. The highest goal to be reached by a

soldier is a commission from the President as a second lieutenant in the

army.

To obtain such a commission one must first become a corporal or

sergeant, and have served three years. Then he has to prove himself a

gentleman and good soldier to the satisfaction of his captain, whereupon

by a mark on the sleeve he will be known as a candidate for a

commission. He will have time allowed him to study, and he must prepare

himself thoroughly in all common-school branches, including history,

especially that of our own country. The first step is to receive the

recommendation of his captain; next that of his colonel; and then of his

department commander, when the commanding general at Washington will

order him before a preliminary board of officers to convene near his

station. This board will examine him more especially as to his knowledge

of the duties of a soldier and officer. If he shall pass that

satisfactorily he will be sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for final

examination--a more thorough one in all branches, and before a board of

four officers, two of whom must be surgeons. If successful in that and

in a physical examination by the surgeons, his name will be sent to

Washington with recommendation by the Examining Board that he be

appointed a second lieutenant of artillery, cavalry, or infantry,

according to the decision of the board, recommending him for that branch

of the service for which he is best fitted. All appointees of late have

gone either into the cavalry or infantry.

(_Second Paper will appear in No. 843._)

[Illustration]

TABLEAUX VIVANTS.

BY EMMA J. GRAY.

There is nothing much more entertaining than getting up tableaux, the

fun compensating for all the work and study.

In the November number of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, in the year 1894, there

is an article explaining the stage in the parlor, with all the

paraphernalia of curtain, foot-lights, and scenery. Therefore the

present article will omit mechanical directions; excepting to state that

for those who will not undertake tableaux on such an elaborate scale,

very desirable effect may be produced by using a drapery of dark green,

red, or brown canton flannel, or shawls concealing the back and sides of

the room. And a curtain may be made to draw in front by suspending it

over a wire or stout cord, provided the cord or wire is fastened taut

and strong. A small curtain of the same color should be hung to conceal

the lights, and also the persons who draw the stage curtain.

The lights should be put at the left, and they should be arranged to

bring out the desired detail. Therefore the placing of them will have to

be tried beforehand. Put some on the floor and others on the top of a

table, and others still higher. A row of wax candles would be better

foot-lights than none at all. Only be careful of draught, and keep from

catching on fire by stretching a stout wire across the stage, two feet

back of the candles, and from this fasten a wire netting directly over

the candles, so as to completely cover the blaze from possible contact

with the curtain, or other inflammable stuff. Put mirrors behind all of

the stage lamps, and also behind the candles; the mirrors act as

reflectors, and heighten the effect. If you cannot provide mirrors, use

tin reflectors.

Before arranging tableaux vivants, ask some older person than yourselves

to take charge. By so doing you will overcome the greatest of all

difficulties, because you have shifted the responsibility. To this

person you can even turn for advice and decision.

The first question to decide is always the character of the tableaux;

whether they are to be of mixed variety, with no special subject in view

but of pretty or amusing entertainment, or whether they are to teach or

illustrate a special theme. The latter is generally preferable, and

always so at the time of a great festival, such as Christmas. This point

settled, the next would naturally be whether the entertainment should be

entirely, or in part, of a religious character. If in part religious, it

would be delightful to show Christmas Carillons, Twelve Chimes,

Christmas to Twelfth Night.

The First Tableau would be entitled the Annunciation, when

"The angel greets the Virgin mild;

Hail, Mary, full of grace! thy child

The Son of God shall be."

This tableau represents an interior: the room has a deep frieze drapery

over the mantel, before which Mary kneels on a low cushion; to her left,

and considerably before her, is a large jardinière filled with ascension

lilies; and directly before her is a table, on which is a roll of

parchment partly unfastened. By the table stands the angel with hand

outstretched towards her.

_Tableau Second_.--The shepherds see the angels bright.

Scene out of doors, with shepherds in their usual costume, each shepherd

holding a crook, while back of them, huddled close together, stand the

herds of sheep. Before the shepherds, and a trifle to their right, is

the angel, with outstretched hand, indicating the way.

_Tableau Third_.--Ye lads and lassies, go fetch ivy, holly, and

mistletoe.

An out-of-door winter scene, showing overturned trees, dried and

leafless branches, frozen streams, and a light snow, while playfully

rushing down the hillside come the gay young people with armfuls of

green branches.

_Tableau Fourth_.--Bringing in the boar's head.

"Was-haile!

Bring in, upon his silver tray,

With minstrelsie

The boar's head, armed with garlands gay

And rosemarie."

The jolliest and tallest boy should take this character, and hold the

tray above his head.

If the readers will find the HARPER'S MONTHLY for December, 1880, they

can copy the tableaux with greatest ease.

While these tableaux are shown the poem should be recited in entirety,

and, if thought advisable, more tableaux might be readily added.

Other examples of the religious would be to show an out-of-door winter

scene, with snow-covered hills and leafless tree branches, on which a

little snow has fallen. Towards the front of the stage half a dozen

girls and boys, in gay attire with picturesque wraps and hats, should

stand. They should be naturally grouped; some of the boys should have

their hands in their pockets, others, again, have them drawn under their

short cloaks. It is a cold night, and the young people should indicate

it. While they thus stand an invisible chorus should sing a hymn of the

Nativity. Or, with a similar background, show five girls standing in a

straight line, a tall one in the centre; the two shortest should stand

on each end. The girls should be attired differently, but all in warm

apparel, with fur-edged cloaks or fur garments of any sort; each girl

should have her hands in a muff. Show a quantity of warm color, which

can readily be done by silk mufflers, frocks, ribbons, and feathers.

Back of these girls an invisible chorus must sing a Christmas carol.

A catchy tableau series would be Mother Goose and her children

celebrating Christmas.

_Tableau First_.--Mother Goose in her tall cone-shaped hat, riding on

an enormous goose. Copy hers and all the other costumes from Mother

Goose's book.

_Tableau Second_.--Her children faithfully charactered. Little Jack

Horner should be sitting in a corner, eating his Christmas pie. The King

in his parlor should be dressed to represent a king. Simple Simon should

meet pie-man going to the fair, etc.

_Tableau Third_.--A sleeping apartment, Mother Goose and her family in

bed. Great prominence must be shown to Mother Goose, whose bed is in

front, and near hers some of her more notable children. This scene may

be readily arranged by putting small cots on the stage; the children can

lie down dressed, the coverlets hiding their clothing. Near each bed put

that which would indicate their character, as example, the big pie for

the pie-man.

[Illustration]

_Tableau Fourth_.--Santa Claus at home about time to start. Interior of

a room, simply packed with all sorts of hobby-horses, dolls--big and

little, dressed and undressed--musical birds, woolly sheep, sleighs,

drums, tenpins, everything in the toy line that could be imagined or

described, while in a large easy-chair before the lighted grate-fire

sits old Santa himself, as gray-bearded, fat, and jolly as ever.

_Tableau Fifth_.--Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep and dreamt--

Show Santa Claus again, this time out-of-doors, on his sled drawn by

swift reindeers; but the reindeers have stopped, for Bo-Peep stands

before them, her shepherd's crook leaning over her shoulder, her sheep

all around, and they, as also Po-Beep, gazing at the presents--sled,

Santa Claus's pack, hat, beard, miniature tree, full stockings, and all.

Bo-Peep wears the regular shepherdess costume, the sheep are toy sheep

on wheels. The bells should jingle loudly until Bo-Peep appears.

_Tableau Sixth_.--The Christmas tree.

A large tree filled with toys; leaning against it is a ladder, which

Mother Goose climbs, and then unfastens the various gifts. Her children

are all grouped around the bottom, and impatiently await the arrival of

their presents.

_Tableau Seventh_.--The Christmas dance.

Mother Goose and her children dance around the Christmas tree. Waltz

music is played; they dance once around, when the curtain is drawn.

_Tableau Eighth_.--Mother Goose's children eating their Christmas

supper. A long table covered with a white cloth, and decorated with

lighted candelabra, flowers, bonbons, fancy cakes, china, silver, and

cut glass. All the children are seated around, Mother Goose at the head,

and to her right her son Jack, then Jack's wife, then a boy, then a

girl, and so on around. Each child is in the act of eating, drinking,

lifting a cup, a candy, or indicating some natural movement at a supper

table; their heads should be turned as though they were in conversation.

_Tableau Ninth_.--Mother Goose and her family in a well-arranged group

now stand and sing a jolly good-night song. This song may be acted by

those on the stage, but the singing is done by an unseen chorus.

Follow this with two tableaux, opposite in meaning.

_Tableau One_.--The empty stocking. A poverty-stricken-looking

room--bare floor, a hard wood chair and table (on the table stand a few

pieces of cheap china), a window with a broken pane, in which a bunch of

paper or canton matting is stuffed to keep out the snow; a small

kerosene lamp, the light from which comes dimly. A poorly clad and as

poorly fed appearing little girl; one of her thin hands rests on the

table, while the other holds an empty stocking, on which the child sadly

gazes.

_Tableau Two_.--Bless you honey-bugs! Yo' feels gay.

This also is a plainly furnished room, but it is trimmed with Christmas

greens, a large star and tree being particularly conspicuous. There are

several colored children running around, some dancing, with toys in one

hand and a full stocking in the other, others taking things off a little

tree, others again eating sugar plums, or striding across the bare door

in eager pursuit of a dropped cornucopia or cinnamon cake. Their

dusky-faced mammies, meanwhile, laugh at them through the half-open

doorway.

And thus tableau might be described after tableau, but a few hints may

be helpful.

Carefully study scenic effect. "How beautiful!" is so often the

exclamation regarding a well-dressed stage, even before any person

appears or one word is spoken. Remember to use harmonizing colors, and

to throw on different-colored lights. The latter may cost a little

money, but it will repay a hundredfold. A white light, changing to pink,

again to yellow, rose, or green, as the scenery may require. In every

way catch the eye.

Remember, the tableau is but for a minute; let that minute be

perfection.

Sometimes, for example, let a fountain play in the large grounds or

garden. This can be easily arranged by the proper management of a hose.

You can surely place a piece of oil-cloth under the moss over which the

water flows, and have sponges conveniently near.

Be careful to select pretty and noticeable toilettes. If you are taking

the character of a queen at a drawing-room, dress as the queen, not as

her maid; but should you be a maid, wear jaunty, gay attire, and not

costume yourself in a severely cut brown-cloth tailor suit.

Use all the accessories possible--music, song, recitation, as either may

be given off the stage, as an accompaniment to a tableau. Be sure there

is no catch in the stage curtain, and that the prompter understands all

his duties. Every one should be punctual at rehearsals; and the night of

the entertainment all the cast should be ready thirty minutes ahead of

time, as that will prevent worry and nervousness. And if everybody is

calm, and understands his part, there is no question as to success.

The Birds' Christmas Carol would make a very pretty tableau-vivant

evening, and so would any one of the Christmas plays that have appeared

in the ROUND TABLE.

All that is needed on such occasions is care in arranging details, a

little painstaking in making up costumes, so that the colors shall

harmonize one with another, and patience and persistence on the part of

the young actors.

AN UP-TO-DATE SANTA CLAUS.

BY H. G. PAINE.

When Santa Claus came to town last year,

His deer,

'Tis said,

Struck a live wire and fell down dead.

Poor Santa felt sad to lose them so,

I know;

But he

Was not of the kind to give up, you see.

So he rigged up his sleigh like a trolley-car,

And far

That night,

_Viâ_ telegraph wires, he took his flight;

To each little child in bed

He sped,

Nor missed

A single one of all the list.

But this year he's going to take in hand

A brand-

New way,

And deliver his goods in a horseless sleigh.

CHRISTMAS IN A GIRLS' SCHOOL A CENTURY AGO.

BY E. IRENÆUS STEVENSON.

A good many of the grandmothers and the mothers of readers of HARPER'S

ROUND TABLE were school-girls at a certain very old school in

Pennsylvania still flourishing to-day--the Bethlehem Female Seminary. It

was begun far back, in 1785, under the charge of the wise and kind

Moravian Church people, who came to our country nearly two hundred years

ago. The girls who were taught in this quiet seminary did not, let us

say eighty years back from to-day, learn many things that nowadays are

part of a girl's course of study. But they were also instructed in some

matters always well to know, such as good manners and gentle behavior,

love of their country and high principles of womanhood, and their life

seems to have been a happy, helpful, and busy one.

A great deal was made in this school of birthdays and holidays.

Particularly was Christmas a notable event, celebrated by teachers and

pupils; for there was not much home going when December came. For weeks

they prepared the feast. The woods were ransacked by special committees

of girls, big and little, aided by some white-capped "Sister" Hübener or

"Sister" Benade. Every room and hall was gradually turned into a bower

of green for the fortnight. The spinning that was left over from the

year's "stint" was hurried to its end, the pupils being allowed regular

"spinning-days," when, in place of books, they sat in rows, with their

wheels whirring away all the morning and afternoon, often a school feast

of "chocolate and pancakes" winding up the evening. Next, the "Sisters"

of the community and the older girls began to arrange an elaborate scene

of the birth of Christ as described in the Gospels, much as in many

Roman Catholic churches it is done to-day. The Virgin and the Child

Jesus, Joseph and the three Wise Men, the Shepherds, the rude

stable--all were imitated by dressed and good-sized figures, with care,

and as tastefully as possible. But no girl was allowed a peep at this

(unless she were helping in preparing it) until Christmas eve. It can be

imagined that curiosity ran in a strong current, among the smaller

scholars especially.

Besides this, a little Christmas play, or rather a dialogue, was often

written expressly for performance more or less in public (to invited

guests, as well as the scholars and teachers), rehearsed and polished to

the utmost, in honor of Christmas. Some of these, many of them written

by a certain clever "Sister" Langard, or by poetical "Sister" Kleist,

are quaint and amusing reading nowadays--not at all like the sort of

"private theatricals" that young ladies' boarding-schools relish in our

time, but they had a beauty of their own not yet vanished. In the great

school--for it frequently had several scores of pupils--the idea of home

life was kept strongly in view, and part of the process was the dividing

of the pupils into groups called "home companies," which entertained

each other, assisted each other, and at Christmas-time stole away to

concoct gifts for each other, to be delivered on Christmas day in the

school-room or hall.

The afternoon before Christmas brought the expected surprises and

pleasures. The patrons of the school, clergy-men, lawyers, and doctors,

and all the honored folk of Bethlehem town, in their best wigs and

finest petticoats, came from far and wide. During the Revolutionary war,

in 1777, it is recorded that "physicians and surgeons and convalescent

officers" were among the company. The Christmas play was played; and

very charming must some of the young speakers in it have been, as they

gravely spoke its sober lines, some of them pretty long ones. The

concert was not less formal nor less enjoyed, and "the newest music by

Herr Mozart or Mr. Cherubini" was played and sung. In the evening came a

meeting in the chapel, at the close of which each girl "under twelve

years of age" was given a burning taper to hold while a Christmas Hymn

was sung. By this time, too, the great mystery of the decorated room was

opened, and all the scholars were invited to admire its wonders. The

morning of Christmas brought the signal for present-making and a general

holiday, on which occasion the ancient school buildings were full of

quiet happiness.

Many famous men in the war and peace of that time were glad to be

honored by invitations to "the Moravian Christmas at Bethlehem." General

Washington, General Lafayette, General Greene (whose daughters were

educated in the school), General Schuyler, Colonel Ethan Allen, Benjamin

Franklin, and scores of other Revolutionary names were always on its

invitation list and more or less regularly expected to be present. And

it is pleasant to think that to-day Christmas comes to the same stanch

old school--not to be celebrated in the same way, but not less honored

within its walls.

[Illustration: THE PUDDING STICK]

This Department is conducted in the interest of Girls and Young

Women, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the

subject so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor.

All this question of spending and saving money which Edith and Charlotte

ask me to talk about is one that cannot be settled in a few paragraphs.

It is too large. The fact is, we ought to regard money as a talent,

something to be used in a responsible way, and neither wasted nor

hoarded, but handled so as to bring us the best returns in profit and

pleasure.

It is pleasant for a girl to earn money and feel that it is her very

own. Ethel's mother is paying Ethel for teaching her little brother

Eddie to play the piano, and I have no doubt that Ethel earns the money,

for Eddie is a perfect flutter-budget, and does not yet realize the

necessity for careful practice, and so he must be called and seated and

supervised generally, every afternoon, by his young music teacher, who,

being only "sister," and not a rigid disciplinarian with a severe face

and stern manner, has sometimes a rather difficult time of it. When a

young girl can assist her mother in some way, as, for instance, by

becoming her private secretary, and looking after her mother's social

duties, answering notes, taking care of an address list, and in many

ways lightening her mother's burden, she ought to have a little regular

salary, in acknowledgment of her services, if her mother can afford to

give it to her. All daughters, I am sure, are happy to assist their

mothers without payment, but when it can be given, it is a pleasant

arrangement for both sides.

In earning money by the exercise of any art, as, for instance, painting

on china, embroidering on linen, or designing book-covers, a girl's

ambition should be to do the very best and finest work she can. She must

compete with skilled workers, and she must not be satisfied with

slipshod work of her own. Then, whether she be a rich or a poor girl,

she must ask the price given by the best houses, not underselling other

people. For instance, simply because a young girl has a nice home and no

expenses to speak of, and is in want of pin-money, she should not

dispose of a doily worth ten dollars for five, even if the purchaser be

her aunt Mary. She has no right in any case to undersell another girl,

though she may give her work away freely if she chooses.

It may be extravagant for Marjorie to take a street car, when she is

quite able to walk, while it would be quite proper for Elsie to go

delicately to and fro in a carriage. All this depends on circumstances,

and on the margin you can honestly afford for expenses.

When you happen to meet a friend in a public conveyance, you do not pay

her fare, nor does she pay yours. Each person defrays her own expenses.

Never permit chance acquaintances to pay for your railway tickets, nor

to be in any way out of pocket on your account.

[Illustration: Signature]

THE IMP OF THE TELEPHONE.

BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS.

VI.--THE CIRCUS (_Concluded_).

"Hullo," said Jimmieboy. "Back again?"

"Do I look it?" asked the Imp.

"Yes, I think you do," returned Jimmieboy. "Unless you are your twin

brother; are you your twin brother?"

"No," laughed the Imp, "I am not. I am myself, and I am back again just

as I appear to be, and I've had a real dull time of it since I went away

from you."

"Doing what?" asked Jimmieboy.

"Well, first I had to tell your mother that the butcher couldn't send a

ten-pound turkey, but had two six-pounders for her if she wanted them;

and then I had to tell him for her that he could send mutton instead.

After that I had to blow up the grocer for your father, whose cigars

hadn't come, and then tell your father what wasn't so--that the cigars

hadn't been ordered--for the grocer. After that, just as I was leaving,

the cook came to the 'phone and asked me to tell your Aunt Susan's cook

that her cousin in New York was very ill with a broken wheel on his

truck, and that if she would meet her in town at eleven o'clock they

could go to the matinée together, which she said she would do, and

altogether it has been a very dull twenty minutes for me. Have you

enjoyed yourself?"

"Hugely," said Jimmieboy, "and I hope now that you've come back I

haven't got to stop enjoying myself in the same way. I'm right in the

middle of the Fish Circus."

"Oh, are you," said the Imp, with a smile. "I rather enjoy that myself.

How far have you got?"

"The Shark and the Lobster had just gone off when you came back."

"Good," returned the Imp. "The best part of the performance is yet to

come. Move over there in the chair, and make room for me. There--that's

it. Now let's see what's on next. Oh yes. Here comes the Juggling Clam;

he is delightful. I like him better that way than if he was stewed."

The Book interrupted the Imp at this point, and observed:

"Now glue your eyes upon the ring,

And see the Juggling Clam

Transform a piece of purple string

Into a pillow-sham.

"Nor think that when he has done so

His tricks are seen and done,

For next he'll turn a jet-black crow

Into a penny bun.

"Next from his handsome beaver hat

He'll take a piece of pie,

A donkey, and a Maltese cat,

A green bluebottle fly;

"A talking doll, a pair of skates,

A fine apartment-house,

A pound of sweet imported dates,

A brace of roasted grouse;

"And should you not be satisfied

When he has done all that,

He'll take whatever you decide

Out of that beaver hat.

"And after that he'll lightly spring

Into the atmosphere,

And show you how a Clam can sing

If he but persevere.

"When he has shown all this to you,

If you applaud him well

He'll be so glad he'll show you through

His handsome pinky shell."

Jimmieboy didn't believe the Clam could do all this, and he said so to

the Imp, but the Imp told him to "wait and see," and when the boy did

wait he certainly did see, for the Clam did everything that was

promised, and when Jimmieboy, just to test the resources of the

wonderful hat, asked the Clam to bring out three dozen jam tarts, the

Clam brought out the three dozen jam tarts--only they were picture jam

tarts, and Jimmieboy could only decide that it was a wonderful

performance, though he would have liked mightily to taste the tarts, and

see if they were as good as they looked.

"What comes next?" queried Jimmieboy, as the Clam bowed himself out of

the ring.

"Listen, and the Book will tell," returned the Imp.

The Book resumed:

"We now shall have the privilege

Of witnessing the Whale

Come forth, and set our teeth on edge

By standing on his tail.

"When this is done, he'll open wide

That wondrous mouth of his,

And let us see how the inside

Of such great creatures is;

"And those who wish to take a trip--

Like Jonah took one time--

Can through his mammoth larynx slip

For one small silver dime.

"For dollars ten, he'll take you to

The coast of Labrador,

The Arctic Ocean he'll go through

For dollars twenty-four;

"And should you wish to see the Pole,

He'll take you safely there,

If you will pay the usual toll--

Ten thousand is the fare."

"I'd like to go to the North Pole," said Jimmieboy.

"Got ten thousand dollars in your pocket?" queried the Imp, with a

snicker.

"No; but I've got a dollar in my iron bank," said Jimmieboy; "perhaps

he'd take me for that."

[Illustration: "YOUR EARS WOULD BE FROZEN SOLID."]

"Very likely he would," said the Imp. "These circus fellows will do

almost anything for money; but when he got you there he would tell you

you could stay there until you paid the other $9999; and think how awful

that would be. Why, your ears would be frozen solid inside of four

weeks."

"Is it as cold as that at the Pole?" said Jimmieboy.

"Colder!" ejaculated the Imp. "Why, when I was there once I felt chilly

in spite of my twenty-eight seal-skin sacques and sixty-seven mufflers,

so I decided to build a fire. I got the fagots all ready, lit the match,

and what do you suppose happened?"

"What?" queried Jimmieboy, in a whisper, for he was a little awed by the

Imp's manner. "Wouldn't the match light?"

"Worse than that," replied the Imp. "It lit, but before I could touch it

to the fagots the flame froze!"

Jimmieboy eyed the Imp closely. This seemed to him so like a fairy

story, in which the first half is always untrue and the last half

imaginary, that he did not exactly know whether the Imp meant him to

believe all he said or not. It did him no particular good, though, to

scrutinize the Imp's countenance, for that worthy gave not the slightest

sign that there was any room for doubt as to the truth of this story;

indeed, he continued:

"Why, the last time I went to the North Pole I took forty-seven

thermometers to register the coolth of it, and the mercury not only went

down to the very bottom of every one of them, but went down so quickly

that it burst through the glass bulb that marked 4006 below zero, and

fell eight miles more before it even began to slow up. It was so cold

that some milk I carried in a bottle was frozen so hard that it didn't

thaw out for sixteen months after I got back, although I kept it in

boiling water all the time, and one of the Esquimaux who came up there

in midsummer to shoot polar bears had to send for a plumber after his

return home to thaw out his neck, which had frozen stiff."

"Maybe that is why the whale charges so much to take people there,"

suggested Jimmieboy.

"It is, exactly. There is no risk about it for him, but he has to eat

enough hot coal and other things to warm him up, that really it costs

him nearly as much as he gets to make the trip. I don't believe that he

clears more than half a dollar on the whole thing, even when he is

crowded," said the Imp.

"Crowded?" echoed Jimmieboy. "What do you mean by that?"

"Crowded? Why, crowded is an English word meaning jamful and two more,"

said the Imp.

"But crowded with what?" queried Jimmieboy.

"Why, passengers, of course. What did you suppose? Ink bottles?"

"Then he takes more than one passenger at a time," said Jimmieboy.

"Certainly he does. He'll hold twenty-five boys of your size in comfort,

thirty-five in discomfort, forty-five in an emergency, and fifty at a

pinch," said the Imp. "But see here, we are losing a lot of circus.

There goes the Educated Scallop out of the ring now. I'm sorry you

missed him, for he is a tender."

"A what?"

"A tender. That is, he is ten times as marvellous as a wonder. Why that

Scallop is the finest comic actor you ever saw. His imitation of a party

of sharks off manning is simply the most laughable thing I ever saw,"

said the Imp, enthusiastically.

"I wish I could understand half of what you say," said Jimmieboy,

looking wistfully at the Imp. "Because if I did, you know, I might guess

the rest."

"What is it you don't understand now?" asked the Imp.

"What is a party of sharks off manning?" queried Jimmieboy.

"Did you ever see a man fishing?" questioned the Imp.

"Yes."

"Well, if a man can fish, why shouldn't a fish man? Sharks can catch men

just as easily as men can catch sharks, and the Scallop shows how sharks

behave when they catch men--that's all."

"I wish I'd seen it; can't you turn back to that page in the book, and

have it done all over again?" asked the boy.

"No, I can't," said the Imp. "It's against the rules of the Library. It

hurts a book to be turned back, just as much as it hurts your little

finger to be turned back, and in nine cases out of ten turning back

pages makes them dogeared; and dogs, or anything that even suggests

dogs, are not allowed here. Why, if the other Imps who own this Library

with me knew that I had even mentioned dogs they would suspend me for a

week. But, my dear boy, we really must stop talking. This time we've

missed the Crab with the iron claw--why, that Crab can crack hickory

nuts with that claw when he's half asleep; and when he's wide awake he

can hold a cherry stone a hundred miles a minute, and that's holding

mighty fast, I can tell you. Let's hear what the Book has to say now."

"Bang!" said the Book.

"Dear me!" cried the Imp. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes," said Jimmieboy. "What does it mean?"

"It means the circus is all over," said the Imp. "That was the shutting

up of the Book we heard. It's too bad; but there are other things quite

as well worth seeing here. I'll tell you what we'll do--I'll find the

Pixyweevil Poetry Book, and turn that on, and while you are listening,

I'll see who that is ringing, for I am quite sure the bell rang a minute

ago."

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

[Illustration: INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT]

The game between the elevens from the Carlisle Indian School and the

Y.M.C.A., at Manhattan Field, Thanksgiving day, was one that I wish

could have been witnessed by every football player in the country. For

real earnest football play I have never seen the Indians' performance

beaten. They went on the field not to talk, not to slug, not to wrangle

with the officials, but to play football. And they did play football.

They attended strictly to their business from whistle to whistle, and

not a word did one of them say, except to call out the signals. I will

make another exception. One player did make a remark. Some of the

Y.M.C.A. men were talking and objecting in a manner unfortunately too

common with some football players, when one of the red men tapped his

opponent quietly on the shoulder and said, "Ugh, too much talk!"

[Illustration: Lone Wolf, c., Kiowa. Campeau, sub., Chippewa. Wheelock,

r.g., Oneida. Pierce, sub., Seneca. Printup, sub., Tuscarora.

Irwin, r.t., Gros-Ventre. Cayou, l.h.-b., Omaha. Metoxen, f.b., Oneida.

Pierce, l.-g. and Capt., Seneca. McFarland, r.h.-b., Nez-Percé. Seneca,

sub., Seneca.

Leighton, sub., Crow. Schanandore, Oneida. Hudson, q.-b., Pueblo.

Miller, l.e., Stockbridge. Jamison, r.e., Seneca.

CARLISLE INDIAN FOOTBALL ELEVEN.]

When one considers that these Indians had never played football, nor had

even seen a game, before they came East from their reservations--some of

them three years, some only one year ago--their work and behavior are

all the more notable. Their first knowledge of the game came from

watching the Dickinson College men. That was four or five years ago. Now

the Indians can defeat Dickinson in a majority of games played. This

year's eleven is the strongest the school has ever put into the field,

and it has been the most successful. Most of the players are from the

Western tribes, and they are a strong, wiry lot. Their quick movements

and splendid muscular development enable them to make great gains in

bucking the centre, which is the play more favored by the Indians than

running around the ends. Their early life and training have hardened

them, too, so that they are able to stand the strain of football much

better than their white brethren.

The Captain of the eleven, Bemos Pierce, a Seneca, is over six feet

tall, and weighs 203 pounds. He is at left guard; the right guard,

Wheelock, an Oneida, is likewise a six-footer, and weighs 185 pounds.

Lone Wolf stands in the centre, completing a trio unprofitable to buck.

Lone Wolf specially is a hard man for an opponent to handle, being as

hard as iron and as lithe as a serpent. He stood as model for the statue

of the Indian killing a buffalo in front of the Fine Arts Building at

the World's Fair. Metoxen (or more properly Met-the-Oxen) is the

full-back, and has made a reputation for himself as a clever punter. He

is also a swift runner, and invariably makes a gain when he takes the

ball. In a game last year he made a 95-yard run. The half-backs are

noted more for the strength of their running than for swiftness, and the

linemen are models for quick play and sharp following of the ball.

Lawrenceville's victory over the Hill School was somewhat of a fore-gone

conclusion, but in spite of the advantage the Jerseymen had from the

start, the game was a most exciting one. Twelve points were scored by

Lawrenceville in each half, and as the ball was but a few inches from

the Hill's line when time was called, the score came near being 30-0.

The home team was much the lighter, but they played good football. As

soon as the ball had been kicked off by Lawrenceville, the Hill began an

offensive game, which was most effective, carrying the ball down to the

ten-yard line. They used the U. of P. system of interference, and had

six men back of the line in all their offensive plays. Lawrenceville had

not come against this system before, and it was not until well along in

the second half that they were able to meet it well. The line held

excellently, however, and the Hill failed to push the ball over the

line.

The Hill's interference was quickly formed (as it could be, with all the

men necessary for it grouped back of the line), and runs of five to

fifteen yards around the ends were frequent. Most of their gains through

the line were at left tackle. Here Lowndes outplayed Cadwalader. It

seemed as though Cadwalader were asleep, and he consistently failed to

hold his man. He was weak in running, too, for when given the ball he

struck the line only to be tumbled immediately. Richards, the

Lawrenceville left guard, was also outplayed by Mills. At centre the

Jerseymen held their own, and gained through Chadwick frequently.

Kiefer, at half-back, ran well, and captained his team in faultless

style. The tackling of the Hill players was sharp and effective, and

fully equal to that of Lawrenceville.

Few punts were exchanged, but Kafer excelled Monypeny in this respect,

although the latter ran well with the ball. For Lawrenceville, the

dashes of Kafer and Davis through Hill's line were noteworthy. Indeed, I

have seldom seen a full-back gain at the line as Kafer did in that game.

The best all-round playing was done by Emerson. He made wide holes for

his backs, and when given the ball, never failed to gain. Emerson is,

beyond a doubt, the best tackle on any of the school teams. Edwards, at

right guard, outplayed his opponent, Dean, and made repeated gains with

the ball. Dibble made a number of end runs, and tackled better than he

has ever been known to do, even on his own campus. He ran his team

admirably, showing good generalship, which plays so important a part in

strong matches nowadays. Powell and Fincke, at quarter, played an

equally good game.

The result, of course, shows that Lawrenceville played a winning game.

The whole team worked together in a manner that ought to be gratifying

to its coaches. Cadwalader deserves especial mention for his

goal-kicking, which was of an even excellence. He has done uniformly

good work at goal-kicking in all the games this fall, and it will be

remembered that by his kicking of goals in the Andover game the score

was turned in favor of his team. The Hill School used a very aggressive

sort of back field-work, which against lighter teams this fall scored

readily. Lawrenceville's stout line, however, was able to withstand it

at all points of the game.

The one point of superiority Lawrenceville's team shows this year over

last year's team is her defensive work. Her ends were a trifle superior,

breaking up the Hill School's interference successfully, except once,

when the full-back, protected by the two halves, ran twenty yards, and

would have made a touch-down had not Kafer broken up the interference

and downed the man with the ball. The Hill School ends were tried for

some respectable gains, though no long run was made around them. In

this, as in the Andover game, Dibble was unable to run down the field

for a touch-down as was done against the Berkeley eleven and other

school teams so repeatedly earlier in the year.

After playing two tie games, for the championship of the Connecticut

League, the Bridgeport and Hartford High-Schools met for the third time

on the Yale field, Thanksgiving day, and victory was carried back to

Bridgeport. Hartford opened the game with a kick-off. Bridgeport caught

and advanced very near the centre. In three successive plays they failed

to make five yards. A signal was then given (as Hartford supposed) for a

kick, but instead of the ball being passed to Keane for a punt, Foster

took it, and advanced it thirty-five yards through a hole in the centre,

which must have been six feet wide. This brought the leather within a

few yards of Hartford's goal. After two plays Foster pushed it over the

line between Hartford's left tackle and end, and the goal was kicked by

Foster. The second touch-down was made by a criss-cross play. De Forest

took the ball and passed it to Foster, who circled around Hartford's

left end for another gain of thirty or forty yards, the ball being a few

yards beyond centre in Hartford's territory when this play was made.

After one or two unimportant plays Foster again carried the ball over

the line, but no goal was kicked.

Bridgeport's third and last touch-down was obtained partly by a fumble

of Goodell's, and by a criss-cross play. The ball was a short distance

in Bridgeport's territory, and after three downs, Keane punted. Goodell

made an attempt to catch, but missed, and Ives dropped on the ball. Then

the same criss-cross play was tried again with perfect success, Foster

running around Hartford's left end and over the line for a touch-down.

Foster also kicked the goal, and thereafter Bridgeport scored no more.

Hartford's scoring was done in the second half. The first points were

earned by steady rushes down the field, Lyman was finally sent with the

ball between right tackle and guard for a touch-down, and Ingalls kicked

the goal. The second score was made in about the same way--Luce going

through left guard and centre, and Ingalls again kicking the goal.

As in the first of the three games, left end was Hartford's weakest

spot, and Bridgeport took advantage of this to fire their interference

frequently into Morcom. In the first half the Hartford men were

decidedly sleepy, which may have been due to their lack of practice, and

the ball was kept almost entirely in their territory. In the second half

they took a remarkable brace, and not only scored twice, but kept

Bridgeport from doing anything. In individual play Foster did the best

work for Bridgeport, making all her touch-downs and all the long runs.

He was also very good on the defense. Ives played a good game in both

aggressive and defensive work. Keane made some fine punts, and bucked

the line as well as any man on Bridgeport's team. Bill played a good

aggressive game, but was a little weak on the defense. For Hartford,

Lyman, Goodell, Luce, Chapman, and Ingalls played first-class football.

Lyman tackled well, and made sure gains when sent with the ball.

Goodell, notwithstanding his fumbles in trying to catch kicks in the

first half, did good work in the second. Luce punted strongly, and

Ingalls got in more tackles for his team than any other man.

Hartford's ends were very weak, as I have said, and Bridgeport's were

very strong. The other linemen from Hartford were superior to their

opponents, and the backs of both teams were about equal in skill. The

interference of both elevens was strong, and there was less fumbling

done than in any game I have seen this fall. Hartford showed commendable

pluck, and displayed not the slightest discouragement when they left the

field at the end of the first half with the score 16-0 against them.

They died game, and need not feel ashamed of being the losers.

Bridgeport has cause for pride, and the entire Connecticut League may

well feel that theirs has been a profitable and notable season.

[Illustration: LINE-UP OF THE BERKELEY SCHOOL ELEVEN.

Champions of the N.Y.I.S.F.B.A.]

The Inter-city game was played on the Berkeley Oval, a week ago

Saturday, between the Berkeley and Pratt Institute teams, as the

champions of their respective leagues. Both teams were in first-class

condition, and during the first half the spectators were treated to

hard, fast football. The game was a remarkably clean one, and the

penalties imposed were only for off-side play, using hands, and a

forward pass. Pratt kicked off to Bien, who immediately returned the

ball to Pratt's thirty-five yard line, where Higgins was downed in his

tracks by Hasbrouck. In eight trials Pratt could only advance the ball

fifteen yards, Berkeley securing it on downs. Berkeley then sent her

backs at Pratt's right end for a gain of seven yards, and then three

yards through the centre. The right end was again tried, netting

twenty-five yards. Pratt then took a brace, and recovered the ball seven

yards from her goal-line. Berkeley's line held well, and her men soon

had the ball again in their possession. They found a weak spot between

left guard and tackle, and through this hole, in three trials, E.

Irwin-Martin was pushed over the line for a touch-down, from which a

goal was kicked. The Pratt team rallied after having been scored on, and

dashed at Berkeley's line so persistently, and with such good judgment,

that in eight minutes they tied the score. In the second half, however,

Berkeley's superior condition told, and the final score was rolled up to

16-6.

Berkeley met another team from the Long Island League on Thanksgiving

day. She had played St. Paul's twice before this season, and the two

schools had broken even. The rubber was a hot contest, full of sharp and

snappy work. The score, 16-6, gives no indication of the kind of game

put up by the losing team. They excelled Berkeley in team-work, and

displayed a beautiful defence. By defeating Trinity the following

Saturday, Berkeley closed the championship season, and took the pennant

for 1895.

The English High-School eleven expected an easy time with C.M.T.S. team

in their championship game two weeks ago. The Cambridge boys, however,

gave them the hardest game they have played; 14-8 was the score.

Cambridge scored twice on straight play, and English High once on

straight play and twice on flukes.

THE GRADUATE.

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[Illustration]

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[Illustration: Royal Baking Powder]

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[Illustration]

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also Kites, Balloons, Paper Toys, Masks, Card Racks, Wagons, Toy Houses,

Bow and Arrow, Pop Guns, Slings, Stilts, Fishing Tackle, Rabbit and Bird

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[Illustration]

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CHARLES CARLETON COFFIN'S

Fascinating Historical Works.

Mr. Coffin avoids the formality of historical narrative, and presents

his material in the shape of personal anecdotes, memorable incidents,

and familiar illustrations. He reproduces events in a vivid, picturesque

narrative.--_N. Y. Tribune._

Mr. Coffin writes interestingly; he uses abundance of incident; his

style is pictorial and animated; he takes a sound view of the inner

factors of national development and progress; and his pages are

plentifully sprinkled with illustrations.--_Literary World_, Boston.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE BOYS OF '76.

THE STORY OF LIBERTY.

OLD TIMES IN THE COLONIES.

BUILDING THE NATION.

_A History of the Rebellion in Four Volumes:_

DRUM-BEAT OF THE NATION.

MARCHING TO VICTORY.

REDEEMING THE REPUBLIC.

FREEDOM TRIUMPHANT.

_Nine Volumes. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental,

$3.00 each._

* * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York.

[Illustration: BICYCLING]

The Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject.

Our maps and tours contain much valuable data kindly supplied from

the official maps and road-books of the League of American

Wheelmen. Recognizing the value of the work being done by the

L. A. W. the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with

membership blanks and information so far as possible.

[Illustration: Copyright, 1895, by Harper & Brothers.]

Start at Copley Square through Dartmouth Street to Beacon; turn to left,

and follow Beacon to Massachusetts Avenue; there turn to right and cross

Harvard Bridge, and again turn to the right at Windsor Street, and cross

the electric-car tracks, keeping direct road to Webster Avenue; there

turn to the left, and follow to Prospect Street; then turn to right, and

go up small hill over railroad, turning to the right at Washington:

follow Washington to Medford Street; then turn to left, and take direct

road past Central Square and Winter Hill Station, passing Mystic Park on

the right, and crossing bridge over Mystic River into Medford. Take High

Street to the drinking fountain; then at the fork take Purchase Street,

and at Symmes Corner keep to right, and then bear to the left into

Winchester. After crossing the square, go over railroad tracks, and keep

to right along horse-car tracks to Woburn Common. Roads from Boston to

Medford good; from Medford to Winchester fair, rolling country; and from

Woburn on, roads good. From Woburn Common take Main Street, following

horse-car tracks to railroad crossing, then turn to right to North

Woburn. Follow main road over railroad, then keep to left, following

railroad to Wilmington Depot. Cross Lawrence branch track over the rise,

then keep to the right through the woods, passing Silver Lake, and

following telegraph poles. About two miles beyond Tewksbury turn to

right, cross the tracks at Wamesit, then keep to the left through

Atherton to electric-car tracks, which follow into Lowell. American

House is wheelmen's hotel. Distance 28 miles. As a choice in returning:

Follow car-tracks towards Billerica; turn to left, and cross the river

and turn to right now, keep direct road up long hill, at top of hill

turn to right, and follow telegraph poles. Road fair, but hilly.

Follow Spring Street into Bedford; then turn to left and take direct

road through North Lexington to Lexington Common. From Lexington follow

Massachusetts Avenue. Good roads, considerable down-grade, macadam

surface most of the way. You pass through East Lexington, Arlington

Heights, Arlington, and still keeping on Massachusetts Avenue to Harvard

Square. There keep to the left, following electric-car tracks through

Cambridgeport. Cross Harvard Bridge, turn to left at either Beacon or

Commonwealth Avenue, and to the right at Dartmouth to Copley Square.

There is more or less hard wheeling on this trip, but it abounds in

pretty scenery of woodland, lake, etc.

Such a trip as this need not necessarily be made in all its details. It

is impossible in this Department to cover all the possible trips in the

vicinity of Boston. General directions are therefore taken, and one trip

in each direction given.

[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.

FIGURE STUDIES.

Figure studies are the most difficult as well as the most interesting

pictures made with a camera, and therefore the prizes are always higher

which are offered in this class. To make a good figure study, which

shall be a real picture, requires special skill and tact, for though one

is constantly seeing charming and original subjects, it is quite another

thing to fix them on gelatine plates.

To make a success of figure studies one should begin by selecting a

subject, the simpler the better, and make a photograph of it twenty

times if necessary, till one is obtained which is satisfactory. The

habit of giving up after one or two unsuccessful trials is what makes

the work of the average amateur of so little pictorial value. One figure

study repeated till it is right makes the taking of all others of the

same class easier.

Choose some simple subject--something which you are familiar with in

every detail, and know when the picture is correct. Do not try to

arrange the folds of the dress or of any drapery which you may use. Lift

the drapery and drop it again, and have the subject rise and sit till

the folds of both gown and drapery are graceful. If one tries to arrange

the lines they are almost sure to look stiff, while if the folds are

allowed to fall of themselves they are usually artistic. Only in rare

cases should the subject look toward the camera or show the full face. A

half or three-quarters view of the features is more artistic, and

sometimes if the face is turned almost away from the camera the pose is

more effective. This is the case if a picture is being made of a person

reading, writing, or drawing.

The amateur living in the country has perhaps the advantage over his

co-worker in the city in the choice of subjects for figure studies.

Several excellent subjects, appropriate to the season, are just now

within the reach of the country amateur. One which would be sure to

please is that of a girl coming across the field laden with wood

treasures, such as autumn leaves, ferns, mosses, etc. In making such a

study care should be taken that the branches and ferns are not massed

too heavily.

Another subject becoming more and more rare as steam takes the place of

hand labor, is the interior of an old-fashioned cider-mill, with a

curly-headed boy sucking cider through a straw thrust into the bung-hole

of a cider barrel. Still another country figure study could be made of

two or three boys cracking butternuts or hickory nuts under the tree

that bore them. In taking such a picture be sure that at least one of

the boys has his back to the camera, for unless such is the case the

group looks too stiff. Choosing the Christmas turkey is an excellent

subject just now, and one easily made.

Homely occupations make good subjects for figure studies. Grandmother

darning stockings, Katherine trimming a hat, Ellen mixing bread or

baking pies, George chopping or sawing wood, Benny building a bonfire,

and like subjects, which will suggest themselves, are easy to make, and

are always attractive pictures.

In making figure studies where the objects have to be arranged do not

crowd too many into the picture. Try for the best, and do not send

anything to the contest of which you can say, "This would have been

better if I had--" Make it the very best of its kind.

SIR KNIGHT W. H. TOBEY wishes to know when the results of the

competition will be published. The successful contestants will be

announced in the January number of the ROUND TABLE.

SIR KNIGHT AUSTIN O. OLMSTEAD, of Wisconsin, wishes to know how to

make enlargements on bromide paper, or, if the directions have been

published, to know in what number to find it. Sir Austin will find

directions in No. 801, March 5th, 1895.

SIR KNIGHT RALPH E. COTTER asks how to take pictures of sunsets,

and also if the negative does not affect the tone of the picture,

for, he says, some negatives he can tone a good color and others he

cannot. To take pictures of sunsets use a slow non-halation plate,

a very small diaphragm, and an instantaneous exposure. Make the

exposure when the sun is hidden behind a cloud, but shows light

through the breaks in them. There is nothing much prettier in the

way of out-door photographs than sunset views. Pictures made from

different negatives take different tones, according to the density

of the negative. A thin plate will take a tone a sort of slaty

gray, while with a good negative showing sharp contrasts almost any

color or tone wished may be obtained.

SIR KNIGHT EMILE LOW sends blue prints of two pictures showing a

dark circle in the centre, and asks what is the trouble with his

camera. It evidently leaks light, and to find out if such is the

case a plate should be put in the holder, the slide drawn, and with

the shutter closed expose the camera to strong sunlight. Develop

the plate, and if it is fogged examine the bellows for a pin-hole,

and look to see if the lens board fits tightly.

FEED THEM PROPERLY

and carefully; reduce the painfully large percentage of infant

mortality. Take no chances and make no experiments in this very

important matter. The Gail Borden Eagle Brand Condensed Milk has saved

thousands of little lives.--[_Adv._]

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[Illustration]

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Mixed Foreign Postage Stamps, including Fiji Islands, Samoa, Hawaii,

Hong Kong, for 34c. in stamps; 10 varieties U. S. Columbian stamps,

25c.; entire unused 5c. and 10c. Columbian Envelopes, 25c. the pair.

Only a limited number were issued by U. S. Government. E. F. GAMBS, Box

2631, San Francisco, Cal. Established, 1872.

[Illustration]

STAMPS!

=800= fine mixed Victoria, Cape of G. H., India, Japan, etc., with fine

Stamp Album, only =10c=. New 80-p. Price-list =free=. _Agents wanted_ at

=50%= commission. STANDARD STAMP CO., 4 Nicholson Place, St. Louis, Mo.

Old U. S. and Confederate Stamps bought.

[Illustration]

100 all dif. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only 10c.; 200 all dif. Hayti,

Hawaii, etc., only 50c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List FREE! =C. A.

Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliante Ave., St. Louis, Mo

=50 VARIETIES=, 10c.; 2 Paraguay, 5c.; 5 Saxony '65, 10c.; 3 Corea, 15c.;

10 Finland, 15c.; 15 Japan, 15c. Agents wanted. 50% commission.

FRANK W. ALDEN, Waterville, Maine.

500

Mixed Australian, etc., 10c.; =105 varieties=, and nice album, 10c.; 15

unused, 10c.; 10 Africa, 10c.; 15 Asia, 10c. F.P. Vincent, Chatham, N.Y.

FINE PACKETS in large variety. Stamps at 50% com. Col's bought.

Northwestern Stamp Co., Freeport, Ill.

=STAMPS--MINERALS, RELICS=, etc. List free.

W. P. ARNOLD, Stonington, Conn.

=FINE APPROVAL SHEETS.= Agents wanted at 50% com. P. S. Chapman, Box 151,

Bridgeport, Ct.

FREE!

5 varieties, to all sending for my approval sheets; 100 varieties, 25

cents; 1000 mixed, 25 cents.

L. D. KENT, PALMYRA, N. Y. P. O. BOX, 623.

An Appeal for a School-house.

Come, dear readers of the Table--Ladies, Knights, Patrons, and their

friends--let us make possible the laying of the corner-stone of Good

Will School next spring. The task is not a difficult one. It can be

accomplished in this way:

Get one subscriber to HARPER'S ROUND TABLE. Remit the $2 for it for one

year. Attach the accompanying Coupon. Say in your letter that you wish

the 50 cents turned into the Fund. And the thing is done. The Fund is

complete. The corner-stone will be laid. The boys will have an

industrial school-house. The Order will have performed a grand, a

chivalrous deed.

At this holiday-time every person who reads these lines has it within

his or her power to build this school-house. Because, if _you_ get the

one subscriber, the house will be built. If you do not, it will not--not

now. All depends on you.

Go out and ask your friends about it. Ask them to help you get the

subscriber. Your parents and teachers will help you. Ask them to do so.

Set your heart on getting this one subscriber. Go to a Sunday-school or

church committee, a day school, some well-to-do man or woman who has

young persons in the household. Ask the well-to-do neighbor. Relate the

merits of the paper, and show a sample copy and Prospectus. We furnish

them free. Ask us to do so.

But do more than this. Relate the story of Good Will. Tell the person

whom you are asking to subscribe why you want the subscription, and why

you want it now. Tell him or her that Good Will Farm, while in Maine,

takes boys from any part of the country, and is therefore not a local,

but a national enterprise. Say that it is a house for an industrial

school that the Order is to build. The Farm is in good hands, and the

school itself will be well conducted. Our task is only to put up the

building, not to conduct the school. Say that during the last few

years--two or three--more than 700 poor boys have applied for admission

to Good Will, and had to be refused it for lack of room. These boys were

deserving. Say further that if you get the subscription the school will

be built, and, by turning a house now used for the school into a

dwelling, more boys can be taken--boys of five, six, and seven years of

age, who are now homeless, may be given homes, school advantages, and a

chance to become useful Christian men.

During the next two weeks will _you_ get this subscription? Talk it

up--and get it. The appeal is not made to the Order. It is made to

_you_. If you do not wish to cut out the coupon, make a pen one nearly

like it, ask us for duplicates, or send on the subscription without a

coupon, simply saying that you got it to help the school, and that you

want 50 cents of the $2 given to the Fund. Be sure to give the

subscription address, and your own name for the Honor Roll.

Come on, dear friends, let us build this school-house.

THIS COUPON

Will be received by the publishers of HARPER'S ROUND TABLE as

[Illustration]

when accompanied by an order for a NEW subscription to HARPER'S ROUND

TABLE and One Dollar And Fifty Cents. The intent of this Coupon is to

pay you for inducing another person, _not now a subscriber_, to

subscribe for HARPER'S ROUND TABLE for one year. This Coupon has nothing

whatever to do with your own subscription; that is, with the copy you

expect to read next year, it matters not in whose name it be ordered,

and will not be accepted as payment for any part of it. It is good for

its face in the hands of any person who performs the work indicated,

whether said person is a subscriber or not. HARPER & BROTHERS.

How Tortillas are Made.

I was recently looking through some of my old copies when I came

across a morsel contributed by Lady Rebekah Phillips Dixon. In

describing some Indians of Arizona she spoke of them making

tortillas, but could not describe how they were made, as there was

an obstruction to her view. I have very often watched the Indians

preparing them.

They first get a large bread-pan (and it doesn't particularly

matter whether it is scrupulously clean or not), and dump in a

quantity of flour without measuring it, and which, by-the-way, has

generally been done up in the corner of an old shawl, and hidden in

the brushy part of the wick-i-up, or stowed under the bed. From the

corner of the shawl she has on, or perhaps the hem of her skirt,

the squaw extracts a can from which she takes, also without

measurement, a bit of yeast. From still another portion of the

shawl she gets a little salt and mixes the whole together with

water.

The dough thus made is divided into balls, a trifle smaller than a

biscuit, and laid out in a row until she resurrects from a

neighboring cactus, or from under a saddle, or, still more likely,

out of the bed, a very greasy frying-pan which, often without

washing, is transferred to the fire to heat. The squaw seats

herself in front of it, and taking one of the small lumps of dough

she very swiftly tosses it from one palm to the other until it is

very thin, when it is transferred to the frying-pan, where it

remains until slightly browned, when it is tossed up very

dexterously about two feet and comes down again in the pan--turned.

When it is done it is laid on the coals, where it completes its

baking. The tortillas are about a quarter of an inch thick, and to

my taste about as near to sole-leather as anything not leather can

be.

FLORENCE E. COWAN.

KINGMAN, ARIZONA.

Questions and Answers.

Joseph Cook, 3311 Howell Street, Wissinoming Philadelphia, is engaged in

the commendable task of looking up names of his ancestry, and he wants

all the Cooks in the country to write him. If all do, his mail will be

large. "M. T." is here again for further information. She asks for yells

and colors of the following colleges: Pennsylvania State, Grinnell,

Stevens Institute, St. Albans Military, Georgetown, Lake Forest, and the

State universities of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

Henry B. Foss asks if Chicago is not now the richest of all American

colleges. Hardly, we think, but it is among the very wealthiest. The

last gift of its chief founder, $3,000,000, was, we believe, contingent

upon the people of Chicago, or at least the friends of the university,

raising an equal sum. Should they do so, the plant of the university

would be worth about $13,000,000--a vast sum, which can make Chicago a

great factor in educational matters. "Who writes our puzzles!" asks

Victor Landrum. A score or more different persons. Some authors furnish

material, and one of the editors puts that material together. Some of

our cleverest puzzle work has been done by women--Ellen Douglas Deland,

Mrs. Pollie Pemberton Bermann, Mrs. Clara J. Denton, Mrs. H. E. Banning,

Miss J. M. Cox, Mrs. M. E. Saffold, and Miss L. E. Johnson.

Fred Hayden asks if we think young men should study politics. We answer,

yes. "Is an electric locomotive for heavy traffic doing successful work

anywhere?" inquires Emanuel Parrish. Yes, on the Baltimore and Ohio

Railroad, hauling freight trains through the tunnel under the city of

Baltimore. "Do members of the House of Representatives at Washington get

the same salary as United States Senators?" asks J. B. G. Yes, $5000 a

year, besides some allowances for stationery and travelling expenses.

No, the members of the British Parliament, either Lords or Commons, are

not paid. Yes, the young Duke of Marlborough is a full member of the

British House of Lords.

[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.

I promised to give illustrations of the Confederate stamps, and I begin

with those issued by the authority of the general government. These are

all very common in comparison with the "Local stamps," which were issued

by postmasters for use at their own post-offices exclusively. These

"Local stamps" will be illustrated in a subsequent number of the ROUND

TABLE.

There are seven dies, from which eleven distinct varieties were printed,

and three minor varieties. In addition there is a 1c. yellow stamp which

was printed but never used.

Taking the stamps in the order of their issue, we find,

[Illustration: 1.]

[Illustration: 2.]

[Illustration: 3.]

1. The 5c. green. (Illustration No. 1.)

2. The 10c. blue, die A. (Illustration No. 3.)

3. The 2c. green. (Illustration No. 2.)

4. The 5c. blue. (Illustration No. 1.) This is the same stamp as No. 1,

except in color.

5. The 10c. red, die A. (Illustration No. 3.)

6. The 10c. blue, die B. (Illustration No. 3.) In die B the letter A in

the word STATES has no crossbar; it is simply an inverted V.

[Illustration: 4.]

[Illustration: 5.]

[Illustration: 6.]

7. The 5c. blue. (Illustration No. 6.) This was printed in London, and

looks like an engraved stamp.

8. The 5c. blue. (Illustration No. 6.) This is identical with No. 7,

except that it was printed in Richmond. It looks like a lithograph.

[Illustration: 7.]

9. The TEN c. blue. (Illustration No. 7.) Instead of figures 10, the

lower label reads TEN.

10. The 10c. blue, die A. (Illustration No. 7.) In this die the scrolls

at the four corners are full and clearly printed.

11. The 10c. blue, die B. (Illustration No. 7.) The same as No. 10,

except that the scrolls are scanter, and there is a flaw in the beard.

12. The 10c. blue. (Illustration No. 7.) This stamp has a rectangular

plain blue line surrounding the entire stamp.

13. The 2c. red-brown. (Illustration No. 4.)

14. The 20c. green. (Illustration No. 5.)

Taking the stamps in the order of scarcity, we find them to be as

follows:

1. The 2c. green. (Illustration No. 2.)

2. The 10c. with outer line. (Illustration No. 7.)

3. The TEN c. (Illustration No. 7.)

4. The 2c. red-brown. (Illustration No. 4.) Those four stamps are about

equally scarce.

5. The 10c. red. (Illustration No. 3.)

6. The 20c. green. (Illustration No. 5.)

7. The 10c. blue, die A. (Illustration No. 3.)

8. The 10c. blue, die B. (Illustration No. 3.)

9. The 5c. blue. (Illustration No. 1.)

10. The 5c. green. (Illustration No. 1.)

11. The 5c. blue, Richmond print. (Illustration No. 6.)

12. The 5c. blue, London print. (Illustration No. 6.)

13. The 10c. blue, die A. (Illustration No. 7.)

14. The 10c. blue, die B. (Illustration No. 7.)

The last four are extremely common, both used and unused. None of the

fourteen stamps are as scarce as any of the "Postmaster's Stamps."

I get so many inquiries concerning half-cents and cents that I purpose

in an early issue to give a list of all those which are bought by

dealers.

PHILATUS.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

INTERNATIONAL EDITION.

Le Grand's Manual for Stamp Collectors

A Companion to the Stamp Album.

Prepared for the American collector by Henri Pène du Bois, Esq.

How this Book is Divided.

PART I. treats of stamps in general and successively of all the details

concerning their issue.

PART II. treats of the various sorts of stamps, postals, telegraphic,

fiscal, or revenue.

PART III. treats of subjects relating to stamps not discussed in the two

preceding divisions, obliterations, surcharges, proofs, reprints,

counterfeits, etc., together with an article on the _Universal Postal

Union_ and another on the formation of an album.

Bound in cloth, extra, $1.00.

Published by G. D. HURST, 114 Fifth Ave., New York.

_Your nearest bookdealer will get it for you._

A LIFE OF CHRIST FOR

YOUNG PEOPLE.

In Questions and Answers. By MARY HASTINGS FOOTE. With Map. Post

8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

A book that is remarkably well suited to its purpose.... The value of

the book lies in its perfectly simple and clear style and in its

interesting manner.--_N. Y. Sun_.

The Rev. Dr. DAVID H. GREER writes:

I believe it to be one of the most satisfactory manuals of that

character which I have ever seen. It meets a need both in the

family and the Sunday-school, and I am sure that its merits will be

very quickly and widely appreciated. It is not often that I can

give an indorsement so cordially and unreservedly as in this case.

* * * * *

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York.

[Illustration: Ivory Soap]

At all grocery stores east of the Rocky Mountains two sizes of Ivory

Soap are sold; one that costs five cents a cake, and a larger size. The

larger cake is the more convenient and economical for laundry and

general household use. If your Grocer is out of it, insist on his

getting it for you.

THE PROCTER & GAMBLE CO., CIN'TI.

PRINTING OUTFIT 10c.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: G. A. R. 25c.]

[Illustration: Brownies 10c.]

For printing cards, marking linen, books, etc. Contains everything shown

in cut. Type, Tweezers, Holder, Indelible Ink, Ink Pad, etc. Thoroughly

practical for business or household use and a most instructive

amusement. Sent with catalogue illustrating over 1000 Tricks and

Novelties, for 10c. in stamps to pay postage and packing on outfit and

catalogue. Same outfit with figures 15c. Large outfit for printing two

lines 25c.

=Brownie Rubber Stamps=--A set of 6 grotesque little people with ink pad;

price, postpaid, 10c.

G. A. R. series Rubber Stamps, 12 characters. Makes all kinds of

Battles, Encampments and other military pictures, 25c. postpaid. Address

ROBERT H. INGERSOLL & BRO.

Dep't No. 62. 65 Cortlandt St., New York.

[Illustration]

Don't "hang up the baby's stocking"

until you are sure that the beautiful Christmas Number of =Babyland= has

been put in; or, better still, _subscribe now_, and have the

Thanksgiving and Christmas issues mailed promptly for Christmas-day

enjoyment of all the little ones. New volume begins Nov. number.

For the children from seven to eleven, nothing more enjoyable can be

given than a subscription to =Little Men and Women=, that favorite

magazine for all wide-awake young people.

Any one sending _two_ new names for =Babyland= (50 c. for each), will

be entitled to their own subscription free; and for sending _two_

new names ($1 for each) for =Little Men and Women=, will receive

=Little Men and Women= free for one year.

=Babyland= 50 cts. a year, 5 cts. a No.

=Little Men and Women= $1 a year, 10 cts. a No.

Alpha Publishing Co.,

212 Boylston St., Boston.

BREAKFAST--SUPPER.

EPPS'S

GRATEFUL--COMFORTING.

COCOA

[Illustration]

DEAFNESS & HEAD NOISES CURED

by my =INVISIBLE= Tubular Cushions. Have helped more to good =HEAR=ing

than all other devices combined. Whispers =HEAR=d. Help ears as glasses

do eyes. =F. Hiscox=, 858 B'dway, N.Y. Book of proofs =FREE=

CARDS

=FOR 1896=. 50 Sample Styles AND LIST OF 400 PREMIUM ARTICLES FREE.

HAVERFIELD PUB. CO., Cadiz, Ohio.

Harper's Catalogue,

Thoroughly revised, classified, and indexed, will be sent by mail to any

address on receipt of ten cents.

[Illustration: GOOSEY GANDER (_happening upon an umbrella-stand_).

"WELL, WHAT KIND OF GEESE ARE YOU?"]

MICKEY MCGEE.

"An' sure 'tis mesilf is the fortunate b'y

As Christmas is comin' for you an' for me;

It's thruly a big share o' blessin's have I

At this blessed season," said Mickey McGee.

"My shtockin' I hung on the floor when 'twas night,

An' thin was ashlape like a log, in a minute.

An' whin I awoke wid the morn all alight,

What would ye be guessin' was soon found widin it?

"The liveliest feet for a shkip or a run

To carry a heart that's as light as a feather,

Along wid an eye for the beam o' the sun,

A share in the light an' the wind an' the weather.

"A share in the gladness that comes wid the day,

The peace an' good-will that's for you and for me.

So over the land an' far over the say

To all merry Christmas," said Mickey McGee.

SYDNEY DAYRE.

* * * * *

Prince Bismarck, one of the greatest of men, grinding a hand-organ. This

sounds a little absurd, and yet he did grind an organ, and in the royal

palace at Berlin.

It seems one day considerable noise issued from an apartment used by the

young princes. Bismarck, who was passing by, put his head within the

door and found the young princes dancing and shouting to the tunes of a

barrel-organ played by the Crown Prince. The moment they saw him they

invited him to have some fun too. Bismarck declined, but agreed to play

the organ if the Crown Prince would dance with the rest. The Crown

Prince readily gave up the organ and joined the dancers.

Right merrily went the fun, and right lively Bismarck ground away, when

into the midst of the shouting, laughing, dancing group stalked the

Kaiser. A smile crept over his face when he saw that great statesman,

Bismarck, a man of iron, grinding away on a barrel-organ, and after

greeting his sons, he turned to him in mock displeasure, and remarked:

"You are beginning in good time to make the heir apparent dance to your

music. It seems that this is about the fourth generation that has done

so."

* * * * *

THE SEA-SHELL.

I brought a shell back from the sea;

I keep it in my room with me,

And when the waves I wish to hear

I hold the sea-shell to my ear.

* * * * *

While poring over a receipt-book the other day, my attention was

attracted by a receipt which ended something like this: "Then sit on the

front of the stove, and stir constantly."

Imagine sitting on a stove without stirring constantly.

* * * * *

Make a coat in a day: from shearing the wool from a sheep's back to

putting the finished garment on one's own back. Nonsense! it could not

be done. This would probably be the reply to any one claiming such a

thing, or, if not, at least one would receive a reply expressing a

strong doubt of the possibility of doing so, notwithstanding the vast

improvements in machinery within the past fifty years. The feat,

however, was accomplished even as far back as 1811, by Mr. John Coveter,

of Greenham Mills, near Newbury, England.

At five o'clock in the morning Mr. Coveter was presented with two

Southdown Wedder sheep. At first the sheep were shorn, the wool spun,

the yarn spooled, warped, loomed, and wove. After that the cloth was

burred, milled, rowed, dyed, pressed, and late in the afternoon put in

the hands of the tailors. By half past six the coat was finished, and

Mr. Coveter presented it to one of the gentlemen of the town amid the

thundering applause of five thousand spectators.

* * * * *

TOWSER'S TRICK.

Towser was growling at something, much to Jack's amusement.

"You funny old dog, you," said Jack, patting him on the head, "trying to

make us think you're a cat, purring away like that. You can't fool me."

* * * * *

COULDN'T COUNT.

"How many pieces of candy have you had, Wallie?"

"I don't know, mammy. I tan't tount over sebben."

* * * * *

A FLOWER CLOCK.

An English journal contains the following ingenious hint to the little

gardeners. We have not tested the scheme ourselves, but it reads

plausibly as follows:

It is quite possible to so arrange flowers in a garden that all the

purposes of a clock will be answered. In the time of Pliny forty-six

flowers were known to open and shut at certain hours of the day, and

this number has since been largely increased. For instance, a bed of

common dandelions would show when it was 5.30 in the morning and 8.30 at

night respectively, for those flowers open and shut at the times named,

frequently to the minute. The common hawk-weed opens at 8 in the

morning, and may be depended upon to close within a few minutes of 2 in

the afternoon. The yellow goat's-beard shuts at 12 o'clock noon

absolutely to the minute, sidereal time--that is, when the sun attains

its highest altitude. Our clocks do not follow the sun, but are

generally a few minutes fast or slow, according to the longitude of the

place where they are. The goat's-beard, however, is true time all the

world over. The sowthistle opens at 5 A.M. and closes at 11-12 A.M. The

white-lily opens at 7 A.M. and closes at 5 P.M.: the pink opens at 8

A.M. and closes at 6.30 P.M. In the towns few people know about such

details as these; nor are the flower clocks often seen anywhere, though

they have been constructed occasionally. Even in these days, however,

farm servants often take their dinner-hour from the sun, or, failing

that, from the yellow goat's-beard, which is never mistaken, whether it

can see the sun or not. Should any of the readers of the ROUND TABLE

test the accuracy of this singular time-keeping garden it is to be hoped

they will communicate the result of their experiment to the world.

End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, December 10, 1895, by Various