BY SAMUEL McSPEDON.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.]
[Illustration: FIG. 2.]
This is a very simple and funny little toy which any boy or girl can
make without a great deal of time or trouble. You must trace Fig. 1 on a
piece of white or black paper, but black is better. After cutting it
out, paste it on a piece of white card-board. Now cut out the round
holes, which are meant for eyes, and the four square holes A, B, C, and
D. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 must be traced on a piece of stiff card-board, and
cut out. The lower piece (_a_), which represents the trunk, is put
through hole A of Fig. 1. Now put Figs. 3 and 4 through the holes C and
D; then run a thread through the little round holes of Figs. 2, 3, and
4, overlapping Figs. 3 and 4 behind Fig. 2, and knotting the threads so
as to form a pivot. Now put _b_ through hole B, and pass it through the
little hole near the upper edge of the card, as shown in Fig. 5.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.]
[Illustration: FIG. 4.]
Pull the trunk down as far as you can, and mark with your pen through
the eye-holes two little round dots for eyeballs, as shown in Fig. 2.
Then mark out the lines of the head, back, etc., with a little white
paint.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.]
Now by pulling _b_ up and pushing it down, we have an elephant like Fig.
5, which will move his tail, trunk, ears, and eyes as naturally as any
elephant which has been born and brought up in the circus.
* * * * *
=Leaf Photographs=.--A very pretty amusement, especially for those who
have just completed the study of botany, is the taking of leaf
photographs. One very simple process is this: At any druggist's get an
ounce of bichromate of potassium. Put this into a pint bottle of water.
When the solution becomes saturated--that is, the water has dissolved as
much as it will--pour off some of the clear liquid into a shallow dish;
on this float a piece of ordinary writing-paper until it is thoroughly
wet. Let it become dry in the dark. It should be of a bright yellow. On
this put the leaf; under it a piece of black soft cloth and several
sheets of newspapers. Put these between two pieces of glass, and with
spring clothes-pins fasten them together. Expose to a bright sun,
placing the leaf so that the rays will fall upon it as nearly
perpendicular as possible. In a few moments it will begin to turn brown;
but it requires from half an hour to several hours to produce a perfect
print. When it has become dark enough, take it from the frame and put it
in clear water, which must be changed every few minutes until the yellow
part becomes white.
[Illustration: QUITE IN THE STYLE OF HER MISTRESS.]