when day is done by arnold castle _if there is a bit of the jungle in every man--why not put every man into a bit of the jungle?_ [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from worlds of if science fiction, may 1960. extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] it was three in the afternoon and quitting time at utopian appliances, inc. bertram j. bernard, the firm's stocky, thick-jawed president, waited discreetly at his desk for a few minutes, then closed the file he had been studying, bid his secretary a pleasant evening, and strode calmly out of the office. he did not want to appear eager, and succeeded superbly in that. joining several junior executives, he conversed genially with them as they descended to the rapid-transit floor. three of the bright, confident young men decided to stop for a quick one at the building's plush saloon. well, that was okay--bernard had been a late-runner in his youth. but now, well into middle age, he had learned that life had other demands and pleasures. "have a good run, b. b.," said watkins, the treasurer, at the rap-tran gate. "gloria's coming in on the three-thirty and we're going to dinner and then some musical or other she's been dying to see." so bernard entered the rap-tran alone, though surrounded by scores of pushing, jabbering strangers. finding a seat on the aisle, next to a electronics company vice-president whom he knew slightly, he engaged in trade conversation during the five minutes it took the monorail to reach his stop. he and the electronics executive got off, as did about half of the rap-trans passengers, mostly middle-aged men like himself. early-runners. the escalator from the monorail stop descended directly into the jungle station beneath. in the large lobby the crowd dispersed and bernard was again alone when he reached the dressing rooms. this was not surprising, he reflected; not many members of his jungle station could afford the elaborate private locker unique to this wing of the building. he pressed his thumbprint to the lock and the door slid back. inside, he undressed completely, noting with critical satisfaction the strength and color of his body in the full-length mirror at one end of the locker. he quickly packed his clothes, shoes, and briefcase into a small suitcase, with delivery instructions on the top. then he climbed into his jungle suit--knee-length shorts, sweat shirt, rubber-soled shoes, and hip holster. he checked the frequency setting on the sonic pistol, adjusting it to the panthers who were reported in ascendancy. as a last thought, merely a whim, he glanced down at the station emblem on his sweat shirt, just to enjoy the sense of pride he derived from the large red "u-f" above it. of course there were getting to be more and more ulcer-frees these days, but that did not make it any less a matter for pride. and anyway several factions were pressing determinedly for a neurosis-free insignia. though there were complications there. oh, well, the important thing's the run, he remembered. in the lobby again he deposited his suitcase at the delivery window. then he stopped at the bulletin board to read the ascendancy ratings for the day. these were official, therefore several days outdated, but one could extrapolate. panthers were dropping into third position, behind polar bears, with giraffes at the top by a good margin. outside the building he ran into a tipster and decided he had best buy a dope sheet. he gave the seedy little man a dollar bill and looked over the page. "keep it right where you got it, mac," the man whispered hoarsely, nodding toward the pistol at bernard's side. "i got it straight, dem pant'ers is all over de place. watch out at de water hole, specially." * * * * * glancing swiftly over the page, bernard saw that fifty panthers had entered this sector of the jungle overnight, with a herd of fifteen giraffes headed well toward the south. but he also noted that there had been three deaths from polar bears in the past week in his sector alone. fortunately, the frequency readjustment from panthers to polar bears was an easy one, three clicks clockwise with the thumb. he would have to remember about the water hole, though it was either that or going above the rapids. the sharks below the rapids were pretty thick during the summer. "thanks, bud," he told the tipster. then he strode, still calm, to the wall. expertly he clambered up its handholds, till he reached the top, thirty feet from the ground. on the other side lay the jungle, its lush tropical growth hiding from his alert eyes the danger that lurked within. he popped a verve pill into his mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. far in the distance, some five miles at the narrowest point, rose the outer wall. between the two prowled a variety of ambivalent robot beasts, now ready to dismember him, but on weekends adjusted to take small boys and girls for short rides or simply to stalk about picturesquely. drawing his pistol and placing it between his teeth, bernard leaped to the ground between the wall and a large low palm. at once the pistol was again in his hand. but nothing moved. now he could see clearly the path he must take. bending low, he trotted along through the undergrowth. it soon began to clear, and still no danger in sight. he holstered the pistol and advanced, half-walking, half-running, till he could hear the hiss of the rapids. enough noise to mask the sounds of a dozen panthers, he thought. but it covered his own footsteps, too, and panthers were more phonotropic than polar bears, the latter having a preference for radar spotting. coyotes were the worst, of course, with their damned infrared thermo-sensors. they could spot a runner even when he was in cover. fortunately they were scarce and getting more so. bernard had only encountered a coyote twice, deactivating it both times. but he had been lucky. he recalled the story about that city councilman.... an hour later he arrived at the river, a half-mile above the rapids and well away from the water hole. he had seen only one beast in the first three miles of his trek, a giraffe hobbling along in olfactory pursuit of another runner far to the right. giraffes were mainly a nuisance, though they could kick and trample a man. bernard had heard of such a thing happening, but it was a rarity. they were too easy to elude. he crossed the river on a log raft he found, which had evidently been rigged to dump him in about halfway across. at least he had got that far on it he told himself, as he struck out for the shore. for one horrible moment he thought he detected a shark upstream, but it was merely the shadow of a large palm leaf. he had a strong and sensible fear of sharks. a mile farther found him crawling over the rocky ground as the growls of panthers reached his acute ears from behind a ridge of brush. if they heard him, they ignored him, perhaps more interested in other quarry. his knees and arms were scraped but not bleeding, and at last he was able to get to his feet to make better time. it was then that he heard the girl's scream. * * * * * no regulation in the rule book discriminated against women becoming runners, but only a few of the millions who worked at offices and plants in the city did so. also there was nothing in the code about helping other runners. each was entirely on his own, free to help or be helped, or not helped, if he chose. bernard would never have called for help for himself. but the sound of the woman's cry appealed to another side of his nature. he changed his direction, but moved with great caution now. soon he saw her, and froze. she was clad as he, different sector emblem, but the same proudly borne "u-f" on her sweater. her face and body were young and attractive, but her long dark hair was tangled and wet, and her limbs mud-spattered. she had screamed only once, and now her small lipsticked mouth hung open with terror. backed against a tree, she gaped in horror, waiting, as three panthers approached from as many directions. her sonic lay on the ground outside the circle. it was obvious that she was finished if bernard did not assist her. raising his hand till the pistol sight was where he wanted it, he modified the angle adjustment till all of the animals were within its range. then he depressed the trigger several times. two fell and the third animal leaped at the girl. but she twisted around the tree and bernard picked off the panther as it readied itself for a second spring. at once the girl dived for her pistol. proper response, bernard thought approvingly. then she ran toward him and threw herself against him, breathing deeply in that position for several moments. bernard felt strongly the strength and zest of youth as he held the girl in his arms. then they turned and walked together to the outer wall, which was less than half a mile away. there was no danger from the deactivated panthers, which would remain out of commission for half an hour. so they had no reason to hurry. bernard helped her climb the wall, though she seemed quite adept at it herself. on the other side they emerged upon the street. across the street lay the acres and acres of homes which were the city's eastern suburbia. "oh, it was just horrible!" the girl finally cried. "all at once they sprang. from nowhere. i tripped and my sonic fell out of the holster. i'd be _dead_ if it weren't for you!" "very true," bernard agreed. "you'll be more careful in the future, i hope." "if only i could thank you in some way. i owe you so much. my apartment is just up the next street. only a few blocks. wouldn't you like to stop in for a drink? i'm sure you're as tired as i." but bernard declined. he walked her home, then continued on, unaware of the envious glances of young children as he passed. unaware of other runners, early-runners, middle-aged men like himself, also walking the streets, wearily but not stooping, not frowning. how good a warm shower would be, thought bernard, as he entered the last mile. his wife would probably want a drink, so there would be that too. and dinner. he was _hungry_. ulcer-free and happy, he walked the last mile in contentment. the office was something that had happened long ago, would happen again tomorrow, but could never invade his thoughts that night. and he knew exactly how his wife would greet him at the door. * * * * * "hello, darling. how was the run?" she asked, kissing him as he came into the house. "you only made fair time this evening. something happen?" "no, pretty routine. panthers are on the increase. i came across three of them attacking a girl runner. works as a copy writer in the city. she claims that the jungle cured her ulcers completely. really remarkable." "mmm-hmm," said virginia, taking his holster. "attractive, no doubt. i suppose she tried to seduce you. i've heard stories about those jungle women." "nothing of the sort. just suggested i drop in for a drink. after all, she was grateful." what nonsense, he told himself as he showered, virginia suggesting that the girl had intended to seduce him. oh, well, what difference did it make? man, that hot water felt good! even on his scratched legs and arms. how many years had he been making the run now? twenty-three, almost. in a way he could consider himself a sort of a pioneer. and to think that the only reason he had started jungle running in the first place was to please a supervisor! those days everyone did it. as he dried himself off, hearing the tinkle of cocktails in the living room, he wondered if the panthers would move south, away from the water hole, before tomorrow's run. [transcribers note: this transcription was made from a copy of the work held in the british library as jessel #1249. original spelling and punctuation has been preserved where possible.] the royal game of the ombre. written at the request of divers honourable persons. london printed for thomas palmer, at the crown in westminster-hall, 1665. the royal game of the ombre. l'ombre is a spanish game at cards, as much as to say, the man: so he who undertakes to play the game, sayes jo so l'ombre, or, i am the man. and 'tis a common saying with the spaniards, (alluding to the name) that the spanish l'ombre as far surpasses the french le beste, as a man do's a beast, there are divers sorts of it, of which, this (which we shall only treat of, and which chiefly is in vogue) is called the renegado, for reasons better supprest then known. _how many can play at it, and with what cards they are to play._ there can only three play at it, and they are dealt nine cards a piece: so by discarding the eights, nines, and tens out of the pack, there remains thirteen cards in the stock. _of the trump_ there is no turning up trump, nor no trump but what the player pleases, the first hand having alwayes the choice to play or pass, after him the second, &c. _of the stakes_ for stakes there are two sorts of marks or counters, the greater and the less; for example if you value the great ones at 12. pence, the lesser may be pence the piece (and so according as you please) of which great marks you stake each one one for the game: and the lesser for passing, for the hand, if you be eldest, and for taking in, giving for each card you take in, one mark or counter. _of the names of the cards, and order in ranking them_ _of the black suits_ 1. the spadillio, or ace of spades. 2. the mallilio, or black deuces of either suit. 3. the basto, or ace of clubs. 4. the king. 5. queen. 6. knave. 7. seven. 8. six. 9. five. 10. four. 11. and three. _of the red suits_ 1. the spadillio, or ace of spades. 2. the mallilio, or sevens of either suit. 3. the basto, or ace of clubs. 4. the punto, or ace of hearts or diamonds according as they are trump. 5. the king. 6. the queen. 7. the knave. 8. the deuce. 9. the three. 10. the four. 11. the five. 12. the six. _observations._ by this you see first that the spadillio, or ace of spades is always the first card, and alwayes trump, be the trump what suit soever; and the basto, or ace of clubs alwayes the third. secondly, the of black, there are but eleven trumps, and of red twelve. thirdly, that the red ace enters into the fourth place when it is trump, and then is called the punto, otherwise 'tis only rank'd after the knave, and is only call'd the ace. fourthly, that (excepting the deuces of black, and sevens of red, which are call'd the mallilio's, and are alwayes the second cards when they are trumps) the least small cards of the red are alwayes best, and the greatest of the black. _of the matadors._ the matadors or killing cards, as the spadillio, mallilio, and basto, are the three chief cards, and for these, when they are all in a hand (else not) the others pay three of the greater marks or counters the piece; and though there be no counting the matadors without these three, yet these three for foundation, you may count as many as you have cards in an interrupted series of trumps; for all which the others are to pay you one mark or counter, the piece, even to nine sometimes. _of taking in, and the order and manner of it._ 1. who has the first hand, has choice of playing the game, of naming the trump, and of taking in as many of or as few cards as he pleases, and after him the second, &c. 2. having once demanded whether any one will play _without taking in_, you oblige your self to take in, though your game be never so good: wherefore you are well to consider it before. 3. if you name not the trump before you look on the cards which you have taken in, any other may prevent you, and name what trump they please. 4. if (as it often happens) you know not of two suits which to name trump; e.g. with the two black aces you have three trumps of either sorts: first, the black suit is to be preferr'd before the red, because there are fewer trumps of it. secondly, you are rather to choose that suit of which you have not the king, because besides your three trumps, you have a king, which is as good as a fourth. 5. when you have the choice of going in three matadors, or the two black aces with three of four other trumps, if the stakes be great, you are to chuse this last, (as most likely to win most tricks) if it be but a simple stake, you are to chuse the first; because the six counters you are to receive for the matadors, more then equavales the four or five, you lose for the game. _observations._ 1. he is to ask _if any will play without taking in._ (when they have the choice of those who will not.) secondly, he is never to take in, or play, unless he have three sure tricks in his hand at least: to understand which the better we must know _the end of the game_ the end of the game is (as at beast) to win most tricks; whence he who can win five tricks of the nine, has a sure games; or if he win four, and can so divide the tricks, as one may win two, the other three: if not, 'tis either codillio or repuesto, and the player loses and makes good the stakes. _of the codillio._ the call it codillio when the player is beasted, and another wins more tricks then he; when this takes up the stakes, and tother makes it good: where note, that although the other two alwayes combine against the player to make him lose, yet they all do their best (for the common good) to hinder any one from winning, onely striving to make it repuesto. _of the repuesto._ they call it repuesto when the player wins no more tricks then another: for example, if he win but four, another four, and the third but one, or each of them win three tricks the piece; in which case the player doubles the stake, without any ones winning it, and it remains so doubled for the advantage of the next player, &c. whence you may collect, that the player is as much concern'd in making repuesto, in case of nesessity, as any of the rest, by which means the stakes oftentimes increasing to a considerable summe, the player is to be very wary what games he playes. _what games are to be played_ one is never to play unless he have three sure tricks in his hand at least, as we have said before; as the three matadors, or six or seven good trumps without them; where note, the kings of any suit are alwayes accounted as good as trumps (since nothing but trumps can win them) mean while all other cards but them and trumps, are to be discarded. _observations._ he who playes having taken in, the next is to consider the goodness of his game; and to take in more or less, according to his game is probably like to prove good or bad, alwayed considering, that 'tis as much his advantage that the third have a good game to make it repuesto, as himself. neither is any one, for covetousness of saving a counter or two, to neglect, the taking in, that the other may commodiously make up his game with the cards which he leaves; and that no good cards may lye dormant in the stock, except player playe without taking in when they may refuse to take in, if they imagine he has all the game. _of playing without taking in._ when one has a sure game in his hand, he is to play without taking in; when the others are to give him each of them one of the greater marks or counters, as he is to give them, if he play without taking in, a game that is not sure, he'd(?) loses it. _of the voll._ if you win all the tricks in your hand, or the voll, they likewise are to give you one mark or counter the piece; but then you are to declare before the fifth trick, that you intend to play for the voll, that so they may keep their best cards, which else seeing you win five tricks (or the game) they may carelesly cast away. _of the forfeitures_ if you renounce, you are to double the stake, this(?) also if you have more or fewer cards then nine, (to avoid all wrangling or foul play) to which end you are carefully to count your cards both in dealing and taking in, before you look on them; besides according to the rigour of the game, if you speak any thing that may discover your game, or anothers (excepting onely gagno as we shall declare afterwards) or play so, as wittingly to hinder the making it repueto or codillio (and if ignorantly, you are not fit to play.) _of playing trumps_ in playing trump; you are to note, that if any playes an ordinary trump, and you have onely the three best cards, or matadors, singly or can jointly in your hands, you may refuse to play them, without renouncing, because of the priviledge which those cards have, that none but commanding cards can force them out of your hands; as for example, the spadillio forces the mallilio, and the mallilio the basto; for all the rest you are to follow trump. _of what you are to say_ you are to say nothing but onely, _i pass_, or _play_, or gagno, that is, 'tis mine, simply, when you play your card, to hinder the third from taking it; or gagno de l' re when you play your queen to hinder them from taking it with the king, &c. but this you cannot say till it come unto your turn. _general rules_ 'tis impossible to provide against all accident in the game, onely these general rules may be observ'd in playing: first, the chiefest art consisting in knowing the goodness of ones gane, and how it may be improved to the best, one is never to win more then one trick, if they cannot win more then two because of the advantage they give the player by it in dividing the tricks. secondly, you are alwayes to win the trick from the player if you can, unless you let it pass for more advantage, wherein note the second is to let pass to the third; if he have the likelier game to beast the player, or if he be likely to win it. _of the tenaces_ there may be divers advantages in refusing to take the players trick, but the cheifest is if you have tenaces in your hands, that is, two cards, which if you have the leading, you are sure to lose one of them. if the player lead to you, you are sure to win them both; for examples, if you have spadillio and basto in your hand, & he have the mallilio & another trump, if you lead you lose one of the; for either you lead your spadillio, and he player his lesser trump upon it and wins your basto the next trick with his mallilio, and so the contrary; whereas if he leads, he loses both; for if he lead his mallilio, you take it with your spadillio, and with your basto win the other trump; or if he lead with that, you take it with your basto; and then your spadillio wins his mallilio, and 'tis called tenaces, because it so catches you betwixt them, there is no avoiding it, &c. _of the players playing his game for his best advantage_ of this (becuase every one playes according to his own fancy) i will only say, that if you are not sure of winning five tricks, but have only the three matadors, (as for example) and kings be your auxilary cards, if you have the leading you are to begin with a matador or two before you play your kings, to fetch out those trump perhaps which might have trumped them; and if you have three matadors with two other trumps your best way is first to play you matadors, to see how the trump lie, and if both follow, you are sure that if three trump be red, there remains onely one trump in their hands; if black, none at all; it importing so much that the player counts the trumps, as the miscounting only one, do's often lose the game. in fine, if they have but a weak game, they are to intimate cunning beast players, in dividing tricks, and consult them in playing of their cards. and these few instructions may suffice, leaving the rest to each one's particular observation. certain other more questions there are; as whether any may look on the tricks to see what cards are played beside the ombre, or he who playes the game, which ordinarily is resolved on the affirmative; or when any cards are left in the stock, whether any may look on them or no, which the table lef once, usually is done. only observer to lay your tricks angle-wisse. [transcribers note: several diagrams here have been omitted, to the end that one may easily perceive whether they be two, three, or four.] f i n i s. alien equivalent by richard r. smith _martians were weak, sensitive, a dying race, frail and impotent before the superiority of master earthmen. only in the sly and mentally skillful game of duchal might sons of the red planet emerge gloriously from their shells._ [transcriber's note: this etext was produced from planet stories summer 1955. extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the u.s. copyright on this publication was renewed.] chester farrell emerged from the narrow alley and paused before the barbed wire fence. behind him, the martian city was a maze of strange sounds, angular buildings, acrid odors and dark shadows. before him, beyond the fence, three spaceships pointed their bows toward a star-studded sky. the slender ships gleamed dully in the starlight as they rested on the red desert. he touched the money in his pocket to reassure himself that at last, he had the fare for the trip to earth. his eyes scanned the heavens, searched for the bright light that was earth. earth! in itself, the planet meant little to him. the seas, mountains, valleys and forests did not cause the burning desire inside him. he closed his eyes and remembered a brick house in cleveland and the brown-haired woman and chubby boy who lived there. he recalled slender, soft fingers that touched him gently and a small form that waddled uncertainly across their living room floor. three years ago, he had left louise and sammy on earth. he had come to mars to make a small fortune. the dream had not materialized: the mars mining corporation didn't want to pay their employees good salaries although the ores transported to earth sold for tremendous profits. they paid their employees as little as possible. it was simple: governments wanted colonists on mars to exploit the planet. mars mining wanted colonists to remain and operate their mines. the two groups, political and business, collaborated and ... while the trip to mars cost only a hundred dollars, the return trip to earth cost one thousand dollars. because of the high price of living on mars and the low salaries, the fee was an encouragement to remain on the planet. it had taken him three years to save enough money to rejoin his family. bitterness filled him as he studied the motionless ships. convertible spaceships. the bulkheads inside the hull were collapsible and the space in a ship was constantly adjusted into different size storage holds and passenger compartments. during the voyage to earth, he would be the only passenger and would occupy a coffin-like compartment. every other available foot of space would be filled with valuable ores. when the ship returned to mars, the passenger compartments would be spacious, luxurious and comfortable. they would be filled with hundreds of propaganda-fed, eager colonists who were unaware of the economic trap before them. as he turned and followed the fence toward the spaceport's office buildings he heard the faint sounds behind him. a whisper of movement across the red sand. an animal? he glanced uneasily at the tiny lights from the office buildings. in the thin atmosphere, light carried a long distance and was deceptive. the lights seemed near but he knew he still had a fifteen minute walk ahead of him. once more he heard the indefinable sound behind him. his imagination? a martian? an earthman, a sound of harsh breathing informed him. * * * * * he leaped to one side as the sounds neared his back. too late. something crashed into the side of his head and bright lights danced gaily inside his skull. he fell and rolled frantically across the soft sand. as he scrambled to his feet he saw his attacker, a husky, powerfully built man. a blackjack dangled loosely from a hand. before he could rise a knee struck him on the jaw. he sank to the ground. the man was on him, pinning him to the sand. farrell's nostrils were filled with the man's acrid body odor. a knife glittered in the starlight as it was pressed gently against his throat. "tell me where the money is," the man ordered. "it'll save time." too stunned to speak, farrell nodded at his coat pocket. the man removed the money and counted rapidly, somehow managing to keep the knife in his hand while he flipped the bills. satisfied, he stuffed the bills in a pocket and raised the knife for a fatal lunge. his arms pinned at his sides by the man's knees, farrell knew only one thing could save him: words. "i can get you five times that much," he said quickly, the words crowding each other in their haste. it worked: the knife wavered, hesitated. if he had screamed, "don't kill me!" he would have been killed instantly but the simple statement had aroused his assailant's curiosity. "five times that much?" the man repeated gruffly. phobos, the largest and closest of the two moons, moved visibly across the dark sky. suddenly, they were no longer in the shadow of a building. moonlight flowed across the man's face and for the first time, he saw his features. he looked up at a rough, almost brutal face with thick lips, fierce eyes, blunt, broken nose and bushy eyebrows. "five thousand dollars," farrell confirmed. "where?" "dankor city. you've heard of a martian game called rhakal?" he frowned. "yeah, i heard of it. i also heard earthmen don't win very often." "i won," farrell told him. "five thousand. i spent most of it but i saved the thousand to go back to earth. if you don't kill me, i'll win five thousand for you." his adversary grinned wryly and lowered the knife toward farrell's throat. "this sounds like a trick." "trick? how can i trick you? dankor is off limits to earthmen. you and i will be the only--" the man cocked his head and asked, "you have any martian friends in dankor?" farrell laughed at the thought, "martian _friends_?" some of the wariness left the other's face. everyone knew no earthman had a martian friend. the martians were a fading but proud race. they resented earthmen and submitted bitterly to their presence. martians did not associate with earthmen. to do so would mean loss of social standing and almost always loss of their lives by the hand of some fanatical anti-earth group. martians submitted to the invasion of their planet by colonists because they had no choice: they were few in number, a weak, dying race. inwardly, they hated earthmen and, given the chance, would rid mars of all colonists. while his antagonist considered the offer, farrell's mind whirled rapidly. how could he escape? his body was trapped beneath the man's weight, unable to move. call for help? he quickly discarded the idea: on one side was a martian city and on the other was the spaceport. the group of crude stone buildings were inhabited by aliens. martians might come and watch him die if he called for help but they'd never try to save him. the spaceport was deserted except for the empty, waiting spaceships and the office buildings were too far away for anyone to hear a cry. he could do nothing. "i'll give you a chance," his enemy said as he rose to his feet. "you win five thousand for me and i'll let you keep the thousand and your life." he placed the knife in a sheath and drew a stubby revolver from a pocket. "if you make a wrong move, i'll blast you in half. i don't like to use this thing because it's noisy, but--" he waved the gun and the action seemed to complete the sentence in itself. * * * * * "let's take a taxi," farrell suggested as he rose shakily and brushed red sand from his clothes. "no." "it'll take an hour to walk there," farrell protested mildly. "we'll walk," the man stated. "we'll walk and we'll take the most deserted streets." farrell led the way through the small martian city that bordered the spaceport and across a narrow stretch of desert to dankor canal. at the canal, he turned and followed it northward, walking on the huge, weather-smoothed stones that formed one wall of the large waterway. thousands of feet below them, muddy water gurgled roaringly as it moved southward to the martian farmlands. in the clear atmosphere, the opposite wall of the canal ten miles away was a thin, dark line. "what's your name?" farrell asked suddenly. "tharp." "where do you work?" "none of your business." they walked in silence, the two moons casting double shadows from each of their bodies. with a sinking sensation in his stomach, farrell realized the odds were against his seeing his family again. "how did you learn i had the money?" farrell asked. tharp grinned broadly. "when anyone makes a reservation on the flight to earth, the news gets around. it got around to me." his laughter sounded brittle in the thin atmosphere. after what seemed like years, they arrived at the outskirts of dankor. although it was off-limits, the police patrolled infrequently and even those patrols were publicly known schedules. dankor was a small cluster of low crumbling buildings. the streets were littered with filth and pale martians dressed in rags shuffled aimlessly with blank eyes as if their world had already died. jars of brilliant fireflies on roof tops illuminated the village. imprisoned in the transparent containers, the fluttering insects cast an eerie, pulsating glow on the dismal buildings. farrell paused before a thick wooden door and kicked it with his right foot. "the first time i came here," he explained, "i almost broke my knuckles before they heard me." a few minutes later, the door opened. "come in," a bony, wizened martian invited. tharp remained a few paces behind farrell as they entered the room. the stench of the place made their stomachs churn sickly. a group of listless martians sat in the center of the floor and watched a large cube-shaped object. two martians on opposite sides of the cube sat before small control panels. the earthmen watched as one martian touched a button on his control panel. a green ball inside the cube rose a few inches. the other martian pushed a button and a brown ball at the top of the hollow cube dropped a few inches. a thin martian with grey hair and watery eyes asked, "you vish gamble?" farrell nodded his head affirmatively. the martian smiled weakly and inquired in broken english, "vhot is vager? monee or duchal?" "what in hell is duchal?" tharp asked. "it's hard to explain," farrell confessed. "but, we'll have to wait until those marties are through and you'll see what duchal is when they finish." farrell squatted on the cold floor. tharp sat two yards to one side. silently they watched the martian gamblers. several minutes later the emaciated aliens rose from their positions behind the small control boards. "is the game over?" tharp asked. "yes. see the martian with the green tunic? he's the one who lost the game. the winner will receive a certain measure of duchal from him." * * * * * they watched intently as a strange machine was brought into the room. the two gamblers sat close to each other. a third martian attached electrodes to their heads, then flipped a lever on the ancient, rusty machine. the martian who lost the game grimaced with pain. a needle on the machine's single dial moved all the way to the right, then quickly returned to its original position. an expression of joy spread the victor's thin lips into a wide smile. a few seconds later, the electrodes were removed from their heads. tharp grunted his bafflement. "duchal," farrell explained quickly, "means an expression of sorrow or pain. by means of that machine, the winner was able to receive in his brain the sensation of the loser's physical and mental agony at losing the game." "that's what they were betting?" tharp asked unbelievingly. "yes. it's the same principle as humans who play games merely for the disappointed expression on the loser's face. the martians do it a little differently: they have a machine that transmits the loser's pain into the victor's brain. the martians are constructed in such a way that the agony of another person, implanted in their minds, is very pleasant to them." "they must be crazy!" farrell shrugged his shoulders. "maybe. anyway, you have a choice. you can bet the thousand dollars or a certain amount of duchal." "if we bet duchal and lost, we'd only have to pay the martians a little ... sensation of agony at losing the game?" "right." tharp laughed. "hell, let's bet duchal. that'd be better than losing a thousand bucks if we should lose the game." he slipped his hand into a pocket and the cloth bulged in farrell's direction. "and we'd better win!" _what's the difference?_ farrell thought. _if we win or lose, you'll kill me. you can't leave me alive to report you to the police!_ "you can play the game," farrell suggested. "i'll tell you what buttons to push." "okay. tell the martians we want to bet an amount of duchal worth five thousand. how much would that be on the dial on that gimmick?" farrell pointed at the graduation to the extreme right of the dial. "see that line? that would be worth five thousand in duchal. the same amount the martian bet." tharp smiled as he remembered how easily the martian gambler had paid that amount of duchal. if they lost the game, he'd have no trouble paying the gambling debt. "five thousand," farrell told the waiting martian. "we'll bet duchal." the martian smiled happily, disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a large bag. without ceremony he spilled the contents on the stone floor. tharp gasped when he saw the golden earrings, cups, anklets, rings and bracelets studded with diamonds. they were easily worth more than eight thousand dollars. "why the hell are they living in dumps like this when they have that kind of stuff? they could buy--" he hesitated as if the incompleted sentence indicated an infinite list of articles. "it means nothing to them," farrell explained. "they have a different monetary system. most martians are so poor, even the rich ones can't buy anything more valuable than food, clothes and shelter. and the martians are too stubborn to trade with earthmen." he reflected idly that on all of mars the only place where the two races associated was in gambling rooms like this. even there, the martians' attitude was stiff and business-like. the group of aliens shuffled about uneasily, impatient for the game to begin. "you ready to start?" farrell asked. "sure." * * * * * "the object of the game is to get those balls at the top of the cube to the bottom level. the martian will try to get the ones at the bottom to the top. the balls are governed by the control panels. it's like three dimension chinese checkers." "sasush rhakol," a martian said loudly. "the game has started. push the top green button." tharp thrust with a grimy finger. the game lasted several minutes. each time it was their turn to move, farrell told tharp what button to push. even while the game progressed, the husky man watched farrell out of the corners of his eyes. farrell realized that even with the distraction of the game, he'd have no chance to launch a surprise attack on his enemy. finally the martian gambler rose. his colorless lips spread in a wide grin of anticipation. "we lost!" tharp exclaimed. farrell agreed, "we lost. anyway, all we lost was a little duchal." the martians gathered around the two earthmen; attached electrodes from the alien machine to tharp's head. three minutes later, tharp still sat with the electrodes attached to his skull. the martians were impatient. "what's the matter?" tharp inquired angrily. "the game between the martians, it only took the loser a few seconds to pay the duchal!" "that's right," farrell agreed. "but look at the dial." tharp stared at the motionless instrument. "duchal is an expression of mental or physical agony," farrell reminded him. "concentrate and feel sorry you lost." he assumed a thoughtful expression. the indicator wavered slightly. "not so good. see, there are ten graduations on the dial. the needle has to touch the tenth before you pay the amount of duchal you owe. so far, the needle hasn't passed the first graduation. in other words, you haven't paid a tenth of the duchal!" tharp drew his revolver. the martians did not like the sight of a gun in an earthman's hand. they had no way of knowing that it was meant for farrell and not themselves. a dozen aliens threw themselves on tharp and quickly disarmed him. ten martians held an outraged tharp motionless while an eleventh removed alien handcuffs from his tunic and placed pairs around his wrists and ankles. farrell recovered his money. "martians aren't thieves," he informed the angry man who struggled in vain at the metal bindings. "and therefore, they like to see everyone pay their debts. they'll keep you here until you pay the wager. you see, by being behind the control board and pushing the buttons, you're the one who has to pay the duchal although i told you what buttons to push." "a trick!" tharp screamed. tharp's face reddened. "you won't get far," he threatened. "i'll pay this duchal in a few minutes; they'll let me free and i'll--" "you don't realize," farrell interrupted, "martians are sickly, sensitive people and they're adept at projecting sensations of agony from their brains. on the other hand, earthmen are strong physically and know nothing about projecting physical or mental pain--" he paused to watch three martians who removed gleaming, sharp knives from their tunics. they pressed the blades against tharp's arms. the knives cut through his coat, shirt and flesh. the cloth reddened quickly. "they want their duchal payment," farrell informed him. "they'll get it if they have to slice you to ribbons." tharp's wild eyes stared at the dial before him. the needle touched the second graduation, then settled to the "0" position. "you see," farrell continued, "it's a matter of equivalent. earthmen are so strong, they have to really _suffer_ physically before they can match a duchal payment that a martian can create as easy as snapping his fingers!" once more, the glittering knives bit into tharp's flesh. he screamed with pain. "_get help! get help before they kill me!_" farrell went for help. but, once beyond the thick door that suddenly suffocated tharp's shrill screams of pain, he didn't run for help. he walked slowly. floor games by (h)erbert (g)eorge wells contents i. the toys to have ii. the game of the wonderful islands iii. of the building of cities iv. funiculars, marble towers, castles and war games, but very little of war games section i the toys to have the jolliest indoor games for boys and girls demand a floor, and the home that has no floor upon which games may be played falls so far short of happiness. it must be a floor covered with linoleum or cork carpet, so that toy soldiers and such-like will stand up upon it, and of a color and surface that will take and show chalk marks; the common green-colored cork carpet without a pattern is the best of all. it must be no highway to other rooms, and well lit and airy. occasionally, alas! it must be scrubbed--and then a truce to floor games. upon such a floor may be made an infinitude of imaginative games, not only keeping boys and girls happy for days together, but building up a framework of spacious and inspiring ideas in them for after life. the men of tomorrow will gain new strength from nursery floors. i am going to tell of some of these games and what is most needed to play them; i have tried them all and a score of others like them with my sons, and all of the games here illustrated have been set out by us. i am going to tell of them here because i think what we have done will interest other fathers and mothers, and perhaps be of use to them (and to uncles and such-like tributary sub-species of humanity) in buying presents for their own and other people's children. now, the toys we play with time after time, and in a thousand permutations and combinations, belong to four main groups. we have (1) soldiers, and with these i class sailors, railway porters, civilians, and the lower animals generally, such as i will presently describe in greater detail; (2) bricks; (3) boards and planks; and (4) a lot of clockwork railway rolling-stock and rails. also there are certain minor objects--tin ships, easter eggs, and the like--of which i shall make incidental mention, that like the kiwi and the duck-billed platypus refuse to be classified. these we arrange and rearrange in various ways upon our floor, making a world of them. in doing so we have found out all sorts of pleasant facts, and also many undesirable possibilities; and very probably our experience will help a reader here and there to the former and save him from the latter. for instance, our planks and boards, and what one can do with them, have been a great discovery. lots of boys and girls seem to be quite without planks and boards at all, and there is no regular trade in them. the toyshops, we found, did not keep anything of the kind we wanted, and our boards, which we had to get made by a carpenter, are the basis of half the games we play. the planks and boards we have are of various sizes. we began with three of two yards by one; they were made with cross pieces like small doors; but these we found unnecessarily large, and we would not get them now after our present experience. the best thickness, we think, is an inch for the larger sizes and three-quarters and a half inch for the smaller; and the best sizes are a yard square, thirty inches square, two feet, and eighteen inches square--one or two of each, and a greater number of smaller ones, 18 x 9, 9 x 9, and 9 x 4-1/2. with the larger ones we make islands and archipelagos on our floor while the floor is a sea, or we make a large island or a couple on the venice pattern, or we pile the smaller on the larger to make hills when the floor is a level plain, or they roof in railway stations or serve as bridges, in such manner as i will presently illustrate. and these boards of ours pass into our next most important possession, which is our box of bricks. (but i was nearly forgetting to tell this, that all the thicker and larger of these boards have holes bored through them. at about every four inches is a hole, a little larger than an ordinary gimlet hole. these holes have their uses, as i will tell later, but now let me get on to the box of bricks.) this, again, wasn't a toy-shop acquisition. it came to us by gift from two generous friends, unhappily growing up and very tall at that; and they had it from parents who were one of several families who shared in the benefit of a good uncle. i know nothing certainly of this man except that he was a radford of plymouth. i have never learned nor cared to learn of his commoner occupations, but certainly he was one of those shining and distinguished uncles that tower up at times above the common levels of humanity. at times, when we consider our derived and undeserved share of his inheritance and count the joys it gives us, we have projected half in jest and half in earnest the putting together of a little exemplary book upon the subject of such exceptional men: celebrated uncles, it should be called; and it should stir up all who read it to some striving at least towards the glories of the avuncular crown. what this great benefactor did was to engage a deserving unemployed carpenter through an entire winter making big boxes of wooden bricks for the almost innumerable nephews and nieces with which an appreciative circle of brothers and sisters had blessed him. there are whole bricks 4-1/2 inches x 2-1/4 x 1-1/8; and there are quarters--called by those previous owners (who have now ascended to, we hope but scarcely believe, a happier life near the ceiling) "piggys." you note how these sizes fit into the sizes of the boards, and of each size--we have never counted them, but we must have hundreds. we can pave a dozen square yards of floor with them. how utterly we despise the silly little bricks of the toyshops! they are too small to make a decent home for even the poorest lead soldiers, even if there were hundreds of them, and there are never enough, never nearly enough; even if you take one at a time and lay it down and say, "this is a house," even then there are not enough. we see rich people, rich people out of motor cars, rich people beyond the dreams of avarice, going into toyshops and buying these skimpy, sickly, ridiculous pseudo-boxes of bricklets, because they do not know what to ask for, and the toyshops are just the merciless mercenary enemies of youth and happiness--so far, that is, as bricks are concerned. their unfortunate under-parented offspring mess about with these gifts, and don't make very much of them, and put them away; and you see their consequences in after life in the weakly-conceived villas and silly suburbs that people have built all round big cities. such poor under-nourished nurseries must needs fall back upon the encyclopedia britannica, and even that is becoming flexible on india paper! but our box of bricks almost satisfies. with our box of bricks we can scheme and build, all three of us, for the best part of the hour, and still have more bricks in the box. so much now for the bricks. i will tell later how we use cartridge paper and cardboard and other things to help in our and of the decorative make of plasticine. of course, it goes without saying that we despise those foolish, expensive, made-up wooden and pasteboard castles that are sold in shops--playing with them is like playing with somebody else's dead game in a state of rigor mortis. let me now say a little about toy soldiers and the world to which they belong. toy soldiers used to be flat, small creatures in my own boyhood, in comparison with the magnificent beings one can buy to-day. there has been an enormous improvement in our national physique in this respect. now they stand nearly two inches high and look you broadly in the face, and they have the movable arms and alert intelligence of scientifically exercised men. you get five of them mounted or nine afoot in a box for a small price. we three like those of british manufacture best; other makes are of incompatible sizes, and we have a rule that saves much trouble, that all red coats belong to g. p. w., and all other colored coats to f. r. w., all gifts, bequests, and accidents notwithstanding. also we have sailors; but, since there are no red-coated sailors, blue counts as red. then we have "beefeaters," (footnote; the warders in the tower of london are called "beefeaters"; the origin of the term is obscure.) indians, zulus, for whom there are special rules. we find we can buy lead dogs, cats, lions, tigers, horses, camels, cattle, and elephants of a reasonably corresponding size, and we have also several boxes of railway porters, and some soldiers we bought in hesse-darmstadt that we pass off on an unsuspecting home world as policemen. but we want civilians very badly. we found a box of german from an exaggerated curse of militarism, and even the grocer wears epaulettes. this might please lord roberts and mr. leo maxse, but it certainly does not please us. i wish, indeed, that we could buy boxes of tradesmen: a blue butcher, a white baker with a loaf of standard bread, a merchant or so; boxes of servants, boxes of street traffic, smart sets, and so forth. we could do with a judge and lawyers, or a box of vestrymen. it is true that we can buy salvation army lasses and football players, but we are cold to both of these. we have, of course, boy scouts. with such boxes of civilians we could have much more fun than with the running, marching, swashbuckling soldiery that pervades us. they drive us to reviews; and it is only emperors, kings, and very silly small boys who can take an undying interest in uniforms and reviews. and lastly, of our railways, let me merely remark here that we have always insisted upon one uniform gauge and everything we buy fits into and develops our existing railway system. nothing is more indicative of the wambling sort of parent and a coterie of witless, worthless uncles than a heap of railway toys of different gauges and natures in the children's playroom. and so, having told you of the material we have, let me now tell you of one or two games (out of the innumerable many) that we have played. of course, in this i have to be a little artificial. actual games of the kind i am illustrating here have been played by us, many and many a time, with joy and happy invention and no thought of publication. they have gone now, those games, into that vaguely luminous and iridescent into which happiness have tried out again points in world of memories all love-engendering must go. but we our best to set them and recall the good them here. section ii the game of the wonderful islands in this game the floor is the sea. half--rather the larger half because of some instinctive right of primogeniture--is assigned to the elder of my two sons (he is, as it were, its olympian), and the other half goes to his brother. we distribute our boards about the sea in an archipelagic manner. we then dress our islands, objecting strongly to too close a scrutiny of our proceedings until we have done. here, in the illustration, is such an archipelago ready for its explorers, or rather on the verge of exploration. there are altogether four islands, two to the reader's right and two to the left, and the nearer ones are the more northerly; it is as many as we could get into the camera. the northern island to the right is most advanced in civilization, and is chiefly temple. that temple has a flat roof, diversified by domes made of half easter eggs and cardboard cones. these are surmounted by decorative work of a flamboyant character in plasticine, designed by g. p. w. an oriental population crowds the courtyard and pours out upon the roadway. note the grotesque plasticine monsters who guard the portals, also by g. p. w., who had a free hand with the architecture of this remarkable specimen of eastern religiosity. they are nothing, you may be sure, to the gigantic idols inside, out of the reach of the sacrilegious camera. to the right is a tropical thatched hut. the thatched roof is really that nice ribbed paper that comes round bottles--a priceless boon to these games. all that comes into the house is saved for us. the owner of the hut lounges outside the door. he is a dismounted cavalry-corps man, and he owns one cow. his fence, i may note, belonged to a little wooden farm we bought in switzerland. its human inhabitants are scattered; its beasts follow a precarious living as wild guinea-pigs on the islands to the south. your attention is particularly directed to the trees about and behind the temple, which thicken to a forest on the further island to the right. these trees we make of twigs taken from trees and bushes in the garden, and stuck into holes in our boards. formerly we lived in a house with a little wood close by, and our forests were wonderful. now we are restricted to our garden, and we could get nothing for this set out but jasmine and pear. both have wilted a little, and are not nearly such spirited trees as you can make out of fir trees, for instance. it is for these woods chiefly that we have our planks perforated with little holes. no tin trees can ever be so plausible and various and jolly as these. with a good garden to draw upon one can make terrific sombre woods, and then lie down and look through them at lonely horsemen or wandering beasts. that further island on the right is a less settled country than the island of the temple. camels, you note, run wild there; there is a sort of dwarf elephant, similar to the now extinct kind of which one finds skeletons in malta, pigs, a red parrot, and other such creatures, of lead and wood. the pear-trees are fine. it is those which have attracted white settlers (i suppose they are), whose thatched huts are to be seen both upon the beach and in-land. by the huts on the beach lie a number of pear-tree logs; but a raid of negroid savages from the to the left is in the only settler is the man in a adjacent island progress, and clearly visible rifleman's uniform running inland for help. beyond, peeping out among the trees, are the supports he seeks. these same negroid savages are as bold as they are ferocious. they cross arms of the sea upon their rude canoes, made simply of a strip of cardboard. their own island, the one to the south-left, is a rocky wilderness containing caves. their chief food is the wild-goat, but in pursuit of these creatures you will also sometimes find the brown bear, who sits--he is small but perceptible to the careful student--in the mouth of his cave. here, too, you will distinguish small guinea pig-like creatures of wood, in happier days the inhabitants of that swiss farm. sunken rocks off this island are indicated by a white foam which takes the form of letters, and you will also note a whirlpool between the two islands to the right. finally comes the island nearest to the reader on the left. this also is wild and rocky, inhabited not by negroid blacks, but by indians, whose tents, made by f. r. w. out of ordinary brown paper and adorned with chalk totems of a rude and characteristic kind, pour forth their fierce and well-armed inhabitants at the intimation of an invader. the rocks on this island, let me remark, have great mineral wealth. among them are to be found not only sheets and veins of silver paper, but great nuggets of metal, obtained by the melting down of hopelessly broken soldiers in an iron spoon. note, too, the peculiar and romantic shell beach of this country. it is an island of exceptional interest to the geologist and scientific explorer. the indians, you observe, have domesticated one leaden and one wooden cow. this is how the game would be set out. then we build ships and explore these islands, but in these pictures the ships are represented as already arriving. the ships are built out of our wooden bricks on flat keels made of two wooden pieces of 9 x 4-1/2; inches, which are very convenient to push about over the floor. captain g. p. w. is steaming into the bay between the eastern and western islands. he carries heavy guns, his ship bristles with an extremely aggressive soldiery, who appear to be blazing away for the mere love of the thing. (i suspect him of imperialist intentions.) captain f. r. w. is apparently at anchor between his northern and southern islands. his ship is of a slightly more pacific type. i note on his deck a lady and a gentleman (of german origin) with a bag, two of our all too rare civilians. no doubt the bag contains samples and a small conversation dictionary in the negroid dialects. (i think f. r. w. may turn out to be a liberal.) perhaps he will sail on and rescue the raided huts, perhaps he will land and build a jetty, and begin mining among the rocks to fill his hold with silver. perhaps the natives will kill and eat the gentleman with the bag. all that is for captain f. r. w. to decide. you see how the game goes on. we land and alter things, and build and rearrange, and hoist paper flags on pins, and subjugate populations, and confer all the blessings of civilization upon these lands. we keep them going for days. and at last, as we begin to tire of them, comes the scrubbing brush, and we must burn our trees and dismantle our islands, and put our soldiers in the little nests of drawers, and stand the island boards up against the wall, and put everything away. then perhaps, after a few days, we begin upon some other such game, just as we feel disposed. but it is never quite the same game, never. another time it may be wildernesses for example, and the boards are hills, and never a drop of water is to be found except for the lakes and rivers we may mark out in chalk. but after one example others are easy, and next i will tell you of our way of making towns. section iii of the building of cities we always build twin cities, like london and westminster, or buda-pesth, because two of us always want, both of them, to be mayors and municipal councils, and it makes for local freedom and happiness to arrange it so; but when steam railways or street railways are involved we have our rails in common, and we have an excellent law that rails must be laid down and switches kept open in such a manner that anyone feeling so disposed may send a through train from their own station back to their own station again without needless negotiation or the personal invasion of anybody else's administrative area. it is an undesirable thing to have other people bulging over one's houses, standing in one's open spaces, and, in extreme cases, knocking down and even treading on one's citizens. it leads at times to explanations that are afterwards regretted. we always have twin cities, or at the utmost stage of coalescence a city with two wards, red end and blue end; we mark the boundaries very carefully, and our citizens have so much local patriotism (mr. chesterton will learn with pleasure) that they stray but rarely over that thin little streak of white that bounds their municipal allegiance. sometimes we have an election for mayor; it is like a census but very abusive, and red always wins. only citizens with two legs and at least one arm and capable of standing up may vote, and voters may poll on horseback; boy scouts and women and children do not vote, though there is a vigorous agitation to remove these disabilities. zulus and foreign-looking persons, such as east indian cavalry and american indians, are also disfranchised. so are riderless horses and camels; but the elephant has never attempted to vote on any occasion, and does not seem to desire the privilege. it influences public opinion quite sufficiently as it is by nodding its head. we have set out and i have photographed one of our cities to illustrate more clearly the amusement of the game. red end is to the reader's right, and includes most of the hill on which the town stands, a shady zoological garden, the town hall, a railway tunnel through the hill, a museum (away in the extreme right-hand corner), a church, a rifle range, and a shop. blue end has the railway station, four or five shops, several homes, a hotel, and a farm-house, close to the railway station. the boundary drawn by me as overlord (who also made the hills and tunnels and appointed the trees to grow) runs irregularly between the two shops nearest the cathedral, over the shoulder in front of the town hall, and between the farm and the rifle range. the nature of the hills i have already explained, and this time we have had no lakes or ornamental water. these are very easily made out of a piece of glass--the glass lid of a box for example--laid upon silver paper. such water becomes very readily populated by those celluloid seals and swans and ducks that are now so common. paper fish appear below the surface and may be peered at by the curious. but on this occasion we have nothing of the kind, nor have we made use of a green-colored tablecloth we sometimes use to drape our hills. of course, a large part of the fun of this game lies in the witty incorporation of all sorts of extraneous objects. but the incorporation must be witty, or you may soon convert the whole thing into an incoherent muddle of half-good ideas. i have taken two photographs, one to the right and one to the left of this agreeable place. i may perhaps adopt a kind of guide-book style in reviewing its principal features: i begin at the railway station. i have made a rather nearer and larger photograph of the railway station, which presents a diversified and entertaining scene to the incoming visitor. porters (out of a box of porters) career here and there with the trucks and light baggage. quite a number of our all-too-rare civilians parade the platform: two gentlemen, a lady, and a small but evil-looking child are particularly noticeable; and there is a wooden sailor with jointed legs, in a state of intoxication as reprehensible as it is nowadays happily rare. two virtuous dogs regard his abandon with quiet scorn. the seat on which he sprawls is a broken piece of some toy whose nature i have long forgotten, the station clock is a similar fragment, and so is the metallic pillar which bears the name of the station. so many toys, we find, only become serviceable with a little smashing. there is an allegory in this--as hawthorne used to write in his diary. ("what is he doing, the great god pan, down in the reeds by the river?") the fences at the ends of the platforms are pieces of wood belonging to the game of matador--that splendid and very educational construction game, hailing, i believe, from hungary. there is also, i regret to say, a blatant advertisement of jab's "hair color," showing the hair. (in the photograph the hair does not come out very plainly.) this is by g. p. w., who seems marked out by destiny to be the advertisement-writer of the next generation. he spends much of his scanty leisure inventing and drawing advertisements of imaginary commodities. oblivious to many happy, beautiful, and noble things in life, he goes about studying and imitating the literature of the billboards. he and his brother write newspapers almost entirely devoted to these annoying appeals. you will note, too, the placard at the mouth of the railway tunnel urging the existence of jinks' soap upon the passing traveller. the oblong object on the placard represents, no doubt, a cake of this offensive and aggressive commodity. the zoological garden flaunts a placard, "zoo, two cents pay," and the grocer's picture of a cabbage with "get them" is not to be ignored. f. r. w. is more like the london county council in this respect, and prefers bare walls. "returning from the station," as the guide-books say, and "giving one more glance" at the passengers who are waiting for the privilege of going round the circle in open cars and returning in a prostrated condition to the station again, and "observing" what admirable platforms are made by our 9 x 4-1/2 pieces, we pass out to the left into the village street. a motor omnibus (a one-horse hospital cart in less progressive days) stands waiting for passengers; and, on our way to the cherry tree inn, we remark two nurses, one in charge of a child with a plasticine head. the landlord of the inn is a small grotesque figure of plaster; his sign is fastened on by a pin. no doubt the refreshment supplied here has an enviable reputation, to judge by the alacrity with which a number of riflemen move to-wards the door. the inn, by the by, like the station and some private houses, is roofed with stiff paper. these stiff-paper roofs are one of our great inventions. we get thick, stiff paper at twopence a sheet and cut it to the sizes we need. after the game is over, we put these roofs inside one another and stick them into the bookshelves. the roof one folds and puts away will live to roof another day. proceeding on our way past the cherry tree, and resisting cosy invitation of its portals, we come to the shopping quarter of the town. the stock in windows is made by hand out of plasticine. we note the meat and hams of "mr. woddy," the cabbages and carrots of "tod & brothers," the general activities of the "jokil co." shopmen. it is de rigueur with our shop assistants that they should wear white helmets. in the street, boy scouts go to and fro, a wagon clatters by; most of the adult population is about its business, and a red-coated band plays along the roadway. contrast this animated scene with the mysteries of sea and forest, rock and whirlpool, in our previous game. further on is the big church or cathedral. it is built in an extremely debased gothic style; it reminds us most of a church we once surveyed during a brief visit to rotterdam on our way up the rhine. a solitary boy scout, mindful of the views of lord haldane, enters its high portal. passing the cathedral, we continue to the museum. this museum is no empty boast; it contains mineral specimens, shells--such great shells as were found on the beaches of our previous game--the titanic skulls of extinct rabbits and cats, and other such wonders. the slender curious may lie down on the floor and peep in at the windows. "we now," says the guide-book, "retrace our steps to the shops, and then, turning to the left, ascend under the trees up the terraced hill on which stands the town hall. this magnificent building is surmounted by a colossal statue of a chamois, the work of a wengen artist; it is in two stories, with a battlemented roof, and a crypt (entrance to right of steps) used for the incarceration of offenders. it is occupied by the town guard, who wear 'beefeater' costumes of ancient origin." note the red parrot perched on the battlements; it lives tame in the zoological gardens, and is of the same species as one we formerly observed in our archipelago. note, too, the brisk cat-and-dog encounter below. steps descend in wide flights down the hillside into blue end. the two couchant lions on either side of the steps are in plasticine, and were executed by that versatile artist, who is also mayor of red end, g. p. w. he is present. our photographer has hit upon a happy moment in the history of this town, and a conversation of the two mayors is going on upon the terrace before the palace. f. r. w., mayor of blue end, stands on the steps in the costume of an admiral; g. p. w. is on horseback (his habits are equestrian) on the terrace. the town guard parades in their honor, and up the hill a number of musicians (a little hidden by trees) ride on gray horses towards them. passing in front of the town hall, and turning to the right, we approach the zoological gardens. here we pass two of our civilians: a gentleman in black, a lady, and a large boy scout, presumably their son. we enter the gardens, which are protected by a bearded janitor, and remark at once a band of three performing dogs, who are, as the guide-book would say, "discoursing sweet music." in neither ward of the city does there seem to be the slightest restraint upon the use of musical instruments. it is no place for neurotic people. the gardens contain the inevitable elephants, camels (which we breed, and which are therefore in considerable numbers), a sitting bear, brought from last game's caves, goats from the same region, tamed and now running loose in the gardens, dwarf elephants, wooden nondescripts, and other rare creatures. the keepers wear a uniform not unlike that of railway guards and porters. we wander through the gardens, return, descend the hill by the school of musketry, where soldiers are to be seen shooting at the butts, pass through the paddock of the old farm, and so return to the railway station, extremely gratified by all we have seen, and almost equally divided in our minds between the merits and attractiveness of either ward. a clockwork train comes clattering into the station, we take our places, somebody hoots or whistles for the engine (which can't), the signal is knocked over in the excitement of the moment, the train starts, and we "wave a long, regretful farewell to the salubrious cheerfulness of chamois city." you see now how we set out and the spirit in which we set out our towns. it demands but the slightest exercise of the imagination to devise a hundred additions and variations of the scheme. you can make picture-galleries--great fun for small boys who can draw; you can make factories; you can plan out flower-gardens--which appeals very strongly to intelligent little girls; your town hall may become a fortified castle; or you may put the whole town on boards and make a venice of it, with ships and boats upon its canals, and bridges across them. we used to have some very serviceable ships of cardboard, with flat bottoms; and then we used to have a harbor, and the ships used to sail away to distant rooms, and even into the garden, and return with the most remarkable cargoes, loads of nasturtium-stem logs, for example. we had sacks then, made of glove-fingers, and several toy cranes. i suppose we could find most of these again if we hunted for them. once, with this game fresh in our we went to see the docks, which struck us as just our old harbor game magnified. "i say, daddy," said one of us in a quiet corner, wistfully, as one who speaks knowingly against the probabilities of the case, and yet with a faint, thin hope, "couldn't we play just for a little with these sacks ... until some-body comes?" of course the setting-out of the city is half the game. then you devise incidents. as i wanted to photograph the particular set-out for the purpose of illustrating this account, i took a larger share in the arrangement than i usually do. it was necessary to get everything into the picture, to ensure a light background that would throw up some of the trees, prevent too much overlapping, and things like that. when the photographing was over, matters became more normal. i left the schoolroom, and when i returned i found that the group of riflemen which had been converging on the publichouse had been sharply recalled to duty, and were trotting in a disciplined, cheerless way towards the railway station. the elephant had escaped from the zoo into the blue ward, and was being marched along by a military patrol. the originally scattered boy scouts were being paraded. g. p. w. had demolished the shop of the jokil company, and was building a red end station near the bend. the stock of the jokil company had passed into the hands of the adjacent storekeepers. then the town hall ceremonies came to an end and the guard marched off. then g. p. w. demolished the rifle-range, and ran a small branch of the urban railway uphill to the town hall door, and on into the zoological gardens. this was only the beginning of a period of enterprise in transit, a small railway boom. a number of halts of simple construction sprang up. there was much making of railway tickets, of a size that enabled passengers to stick their heads through the middle and wear them as a mexican does his blanket. then a battery of artillery turned up in the high street and there was talk of fortifications. suppose wild indians were to turn up across the plains to the left and attack the town! fate still has toy drawers untouched... so things will go on till putting-away night on friday. then we shall pick up the roofs and shove them away among the books, return the clockwork engines very carefully to their boxes, for engines are fragile things, stow the soldiers and civilians and animals in their nests of drawers, burn the trees again--this time they are sweet-bay; and all the joys and sorrows and rivalries and successes of blue end and red end will pass, and follow carthage and nineveh, the empire of aztec and roman, the arts of etruria and the palaces of crete, and the plannings and contrivings of innumerable myriads of children, into the limbo of games exhausted ... it may be, leaving some profit, in thoughts widened, in strengthened apprehensions; it may be, leaving nothing but a memory that dies. section iv funiculars, marble towers, castles and war games, but very little of war games i have now given two general types of floor game; but these are only just two samples of delightful and imagination-stirring variations that can be contrived out of the toys i have described. i will now glance rather more shortly at some other very good uses of the floor, the boards, the bricks, the soldiers, and the railway system--that pentagram for exorcising the evil spirit of dulness from the lives of little boys and girls. and first, there is a kind of lark we call funiculars. there are times when islands cease somehow to dazzle, and towns and cities are too orderly and uneventful and cramped for us, and we want something--something to whizz. then we say: "let us make a funicular. let us make a funicular more than we have ever done. let us make one to reach up to the table." we dispute whether it isn't a mountain railway we are after. the bare name is refreshing; it takes us back to that unforgettable time when we all went to wengen, winding in and out and up and up the mountain side--from slush, to such snow and sunlight as we had never seen before. and we make a mountain railway. so far, we have never got it up to the table, but some day we will, then we will have a station there on the flat, and another station on the floor, with shunts and sidings to each. the peculiar joy of the mountain railway is that, if it is properly made, a loaded car--not a toy engine; it is too rough a game for delicate, respectable engines--will career from top to bottom of the system, and go this way and that as your cunningly-arranged switches determine; and afterwards--and this is a wonderful and distinctive discovery--you can send it back by 'lectric. what is a 'lectric? you may well ask. 'lectrics were invented almost by accident, by one of us, to whom also the name is due. it came out of an accident to a toy engine; a toy engine that seemed done for and that was yet full of life. you know, perhaps, what a toy engine is like. it has the general appearance of a railway engine; funnels, buffers, cab, and so forth. all these are very elegant things, no doubt; but they do not make for lightness, they do not facilitate hill-climbing. now, sometimes an engine gets its clockwork out of order, and then it is over and done for; but sometimes it is merely the outer semblance that is injured--the funnel bent, the body twisted. you remove the things and, behold! you have bare clockwork on wheels, an apparatus of almost malignant energy, soul without body, a kind of metallic rage. this it was that our junior member instantly knew for a 'lectric, and loved from the moment of its stripping. (i have, by the by, known a very serviceable little road 'lectric made out of a clockwork mouse.) well, when we have got chairs and boxes and bricks, and graded our line skilfully and well, easing the descent, and being very careful of the joining at the bends for fear that the descending trucks and cars will jump the rails, we send down first an empty truck, then trucks loaded with bricks and lead soldiers, and then the 'lectric; and then afterwards the sturdy 'lectric shoves up the trucks again to the top, with a kind of savagery of purpose and a whizz that is extremely gratifying to us. we make switches in these lines; we make them have level-crossings, at which collisions are always being just averted; the lines go over and under each other, and in and out of tunnels. the marble tower, again, is a great building, on which we devise devious slanting ways down which marbles run. i do not know why it is amusing to make a marble run down a long intricate path, and dollop down steps, and come almost but not quite to a stop, and rush out of dark places and across little bridges of card: it is, and we often do it. castles are done with bricks and cardboard turrets and a portcullis of card, and drawbridge and moats; they are a mere special sort of city-building, done because we have a box of men in armor. we could reconstruct all sorts of historical periods if the toy soldier makers would provide us with people. but at present, as i have already complained, they make scarcely anything but contemporary fighting men. and of the war game i must either write volumes or nothing. for the present let it be nothing. some day, perhaps, i will write a great book about the war game and tell of battles and campaigns and strategy and tactics. but this time i set out merely to tell of the ordinary joys of playing with the floor, and to gird improvingly and usefully at toymakers. so much, i think, i have done. if one parent or one uncle buys the wiselier for me, i shall not altogether have lived in vain. games for hallow-e'en by mary f. blain new york 1912 games for hallow-e'en hallow-e'en or hallow-even is the last night of october, being the eve or vigil of all-hallow's or all saint's day, and no holiday in all the year is so informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as well as children as this one. on this night there should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. it is the night when fairies dance, ghosts, witches, devils and mischief-making elves wander around. it is the night when all sorts of charms and spells are invoked for prying into the future by all young folks and sometimes by folks who are not young. in getting up a hallow-e'en party everything should be made as secret as possible, and each guest bound to secrecy concerning the invitations. any of the following forms of invitations might be used. -------------------------------------witches and choice spirits of darkness will hold high carnival at my house, ..............wednesday, october 31st, at eight o'clock. come prepared to test your fate. costume, witches, ghosts, etc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------miss ethel jones will expect to see you at her hallow-e'en party wednesday, oct. 31st, at 8 o'clock. she begs that you will come prepared to participate in the mysteries and rites of all hallow's eve, and to wear a costume appropriate to the occasion. --------------------------------------------------------------------------on wednesday, oct. 31st, at 8 o'clock, i shall celebrate hallow-e'en and hope that you will come and participate in the mysteries and rites of all hallow's eve, so come prepared to learn your fate. --------------------------------------the room or rooms in which most of the games are to be played should be decorated as grotesquely as possible with jack-o'-lanterns made from apples, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, etc., with incisions made for eyes, nose and mouth and a lighted candle placed within. jack-o'-lanterns for the gas jets may be made of paste board boxes about the size of a shoe box. cut holes for eyes, nose and mouth in all four sides of the box and cover the holes with red or green tissue paper. a black box with the openings covered with red tissue paper or vice versa or white and green make good combinations. cut a hole in the bottom of the box just large enough to fit over the gas jet, turning the gas low enough to not burn the box. in addition to this jack-o'-lanterns made from pumpkins, etc., should be placed around on tables, mantles, corners, etc. a skull and cross bones placed over the door entering the house would be very appropriate. the hall should be in total darkness except for the light coming from the jack-o'-lanterns of all shapes and sizes in various places. autumn leaves, green branches, apples, tomatoes and corn should also play an important part in the decorations. black and yellow cheese cloth or crepe paper makes very effective and inexpensive decorations. the dining-room should be decorated with autumn leaves, golden rod, yellow chrysanthemums, strings of cranberries, etc. for a table center piece a large pumpkin could be used with the top cut off and partly filled with water in which a large bunch of yellow chrysanthemums or golden-rod could be placed. bay leaves can be scattered over the table. another idea for a center piece is a large pumpkin jack-o'-lantern, the top cut in large points with small chocolate mice in the notches and scampering down the sides of the pumpkin (held in place by long pins or a little glue) and over the table. place cards representing pumpkins, black cats, witches' hats, witches, brownies, etc., are appropriate. if one is not an artist in water color painting, some of the cards could be cut from colored bristol board or heavy paper. the witches' hats of black or brown paper with a red ribbon band; the cats of black paper showing a back view may have a red or yellow ribbon necktie; the pumpkins of yellow paper with the sections traced in ink or notched a trifle and black thread drawn between the notches. any of these designs could be used for an invitation for a children's party, by writing on the reverse side: "will you please come to my party on wednesday, october 31st" with the name and address of the little host or hostess, using white ink on black paper. the dining-room should also be in total darkness, except for the light given by the jack-o'-lanterns, until the guests are seated, when they should unmask. the supper could be served in this dim light or the lights turned up and the room made brilliant. after the supper is over and while the guests are still seated a splendid idea would be to extinguish all the lights and to have one or more of the party tell ghost stories. have a large pumpkin on a stand or table from which hang as many ribbons as there are guests. have one end of the ribbon attached to a small card in the pumpkin on which may be a little water color sketch of pumpkin, apples, witch, ghost or other appropriate design together with a number. have red ribbon for the girls and yellow ribbon for the boys, with corresponding numbers. let each guest draw a ribbon from the pumpkin and find their partner by number. another suggestion is to have the hall totally dark with the door ajar and no one in sight to welcome the guests. as they step in they are surprised to be greeted by some one dressed as a ghost who extends his hand which is covered with wet salt. the following games and tests of fate and fortune will furnish entertainment for children small and children of a larger growth. of course, prying into the future with these tests at any other time, they may not prove infallible, but on the eve of all saint's day, when all the elves, the fairies, goblins and hobgoblins are at large playing pranks and teasing and pleasing, why should they not "come true." walnut boats open english walnuts, remove meat, and in each half shell fasten short pieces of differently colored christmas candles, each of which is to be named for a member of party and, after lighting, set afloat in large pan or tub of water. the behavior of these tiny boats reveals future of those for whom they are named. if two glide on together, their owners have a similar destiny; if they glide apart, so will their owners. sometimes candles will huddle together as if talking to one another, while perchance one will be left alone, out in the cold, as it were. again, two will start off and all the rest will closely follow. the one whose candle first goes out is destined to be old bachelor or maid. these nut-shell boats may also be made by pouring melted wax into halves of walnut-shells in which are short strings for wicks. dumb cake each one places handful of wheat flour on sheet of white paper and sprinkles it over with a pinch of salt. some one makes it into dough, being careful not to use spring water. each rolls up a piece of dough, spreads it out thin and flat, and marks initials on it with a new pin. the cakes are placed before fire, and all take seats as far from it as possible. this is done before eleven p.m., and between that time and midnight each one must turn cake once. when clock strikes twelve future wife or husband of one who is to be married first will enter and lay hand on cake marked with name. throughout whole proceeding not a word is spoken. hence the name "dumb cake." (if supper is served before 11:30, "dumb cake" should be reserved for one of the aftersupper tests.) hallow-e'en souvenir game suspend apples by means of strings in doorway or from ceiling at proper height to be caught between the teeth. first successful player receives prize. these prizes should be hallow-e'en souvenirs, such as emery cushions of silk representing tomatoes, radishes, apples, pears, pickles; or pen-wipers representing brooms, bats, cats, witches, etc. flour test a bowl is filled tightly with flour. during the process of filling, a wedding ring is inserted vertically in some part of it. the bowl, when full, is inverted upon a dish and withdrawn, leaving the mound of flour on the dish. each guest cuts off with a knife a thin slice which crumbles into dust. the guest who cuts off the slice containing the ring will be married first. lover's test a maid and youth each places a chestnut to roast on fire, side by side. if one hisses and steams, it indicates a fretful temper in owner of chestnut; if both chestnuts equally misbehave it augurs strife. if one or both pop away, it means separation; but if both burn to ashes tranquilly side by side, a long life of undisturbed happiness will be lot of owners. these portentous omens are fitly defined in the following lines: "these glowing nuts are emblems true of what in human life we view; the ill-matched couple fret and fume, and thus in strife themselves consume; or from each other wildly start, and with a noise forever part. but see the happy, happy pair, of genuine love and truth sincere; with mutual fondness while they burn, still to each other kindly turn; and as the vital sparks decay, together gently sink away; till life's fierce trials being past, their mingled ashes rest at last." perplexing hunt in this game the seeker for a prize is guided from place to place by doggerels as the following, and is started on his hunt with this rhyme: "perhaps you'll find it in the air; if not, look underneath your chair." beneath his chair he finds the following: "no, you will not find it here; search the clock and have no fear." under the clock he finds: "you will have to try once more; look behind the parlor door." tied to the door-knob he discovers: "if it's not out in the stable seek beneath the kitchen table." under the kitchen table he finds another note, which reads: "if your quest remains uncertain, you will find it 'neath a curtain." and here his quest is rewarded by finding the prize. apple seeds apple seeds act as charms on hallowe'en. stick one on each eyelid and name one "home" and the other "travel." if seed named travel stays on longer, you will go on a journey before year expires. if "home" clings better, you will remain home. again, take all the apple seeds, place them on back of outspread left hand and with loosely clenched right hand strike palm of left. this will cause some, if not all, of seeds to fall. those left on hand show number of letters you will receive the coming fortnight. should all seeds drop, you must wait patiently for your mail. put twelve apple seeds carefully one side while you cut twelve slips of blank paper exactly alike, and on one side of each write name of friend. turn them all over with blanks uppermost and mix them so that you will not know which is which; then, holding seeds in your left hand; repeat: "one i love, two i love, three i love i say; four i love with all my heart five i cast away. six he loves, seven she loves, eight they both love; nine he comes, ten he tarries, eleven he courts and twelve he marries." stop at each line to place a seed on a paper, and turn slip over to discover name of one you love or cast away. continue matching apple seeds with papers as you count, until all twelve seeds and twelve papers are used. hiding ring, thimble and penny hide ring, thimble and penny in room. to one who finds ring, speedy marriage is assured; thimble denotes life of single blessedness; penny promises wealth. pulling kale all are blindfolded and go out singly or hand-in-hand to garden. groping about they pull up first stalk of kale or head of cabbage. if stalk comes up easily the sweetheart will be easy to win; if the reverse, hard to win. the shape of the stump will hint at figure of prospective wife or husband. its length will suggest age. if much soil clings to it, life-partner will be rich; if not, poor. finally, the stump is carried home and hung over door, first person outside of family who passes under it will bear a name whose initial is same as that of sweetheart. nuts to crack pass pencils and paper to each guest with the following written upon it:-1 (a dairy product.) 2 (a vegetable.) 3 (a country.) 4 (a girl's name.) 5 (a structure.) 6 (a name often applied to one of our presidents.) 7 (every ocean has one.) 8 (that which often holds a treasure.) 9 (the names of two boys.) 10 (a letter of the alphabet and an article made of tin.) explain that the above describes ten different nuts, which they are to guess. the nuts described are (1) butternut; (2) peanut; (3) brazil nut; (4) hazel nut; (5) walnut; (6) hickory nut; (7) beechnut; (8) chestnut; (9) filbert; (10) pecan. a prize may be awarded to the one first having correct answers. raisin race a raisin is strung in middle of thread a yard long, and two persons take each an end of string in mouth; whoever, by chewing string, reaches raisin first has raisin and will be first wedded. "what's my thought like?" the players sit in a circle and one of them asks the others: "what's my thought like?" one player may say: "a monkey"; the second: "a candle"; the third: "a pin"; and so on. when all the company have compared the thought to some object, the first player tells them the thought--perhaps it is "the cat"--and then asks each, in turn, why it is like the object he compared it to. "why is my cat like a monkey?" is asked. the other player might answer: "because it is full of tricks." "why is my cat like a candle?" "because its eyes glow like a candle in the dark." "why is my cat like a pin?" "because its claws scratch like a pin." any one who is unable to explain why the thought resembles the object he mentioned must pay a forfeit. true-lover test two hazel-nuts are thrown into hot coals by maiden, who secretly gives a lover's name to each. if one nut bursts, then that lover is unfaithful; but if it burns with steady glow until it becomes ashes, she knows that her lover is true. sometimes it happens, but not often, that both nuts burn steadily, and then the maiden's heart is sore perplexed. kismet take half as many apples as guests, tie two long strings, one red and one yellow, to each apple. place them in one large or several small baskets or receptacles on a table. the girls choose the red and the boys the yellow strings and at a signal they carefully pull the strings and follow them up until each finds his or her mate holding the string of the opposite color, attached to the same apple. the apples are then to be divided between each couple and the seeds in each half, counted as follows: one--i love thee. two--he (she) loves me. three--wedded we will be. four--he (she) loves me dearly. five--he (she) loves me nearly. six--a friend forever. seven--we must sever. eight--we met too late. nine--why hesitate. ten--he (she) is my chosen mate. threading a needle sit on round bottle laid lengthwise on floor, and try to thread a needle. first to succeed will be first married. snapdragon 1. the dragon consists of half a pint of ignited brandy or alcohol in a dish. as soon as brandy is aflame, all lights are extinguished, and salt is freely sprinkled in dish, imparting a corpse-like pallor to every face. candied fruits, figs, raisins, sugared almonds, etc., are thrown in, and guests snap for them with their fingers; person securing most prizes from flames will meet his true love within the year. 2. or, slips of paper on which verses are written are wrapped tightly in tin-foil and placed in dish. brandy is poured on and ignited. the verse each person gets is supposed to tell his fortune. place burning dish in middle of bare table, for drops of burning spirits are often splashed about. pumpkin alphabet carve all the letters of the alphabet on a medium sized pumpkin. put it on a dish and set on a stand or table. each guest in turn is blindfolded and given a hat-pin, then led to pumpkin, where he (she) is expected to stick pin into one of the letters on the pumpkin, thus indicating the initial of future life-partner. dough test take water and meal and make dough. write on slips of paper names of several of opposite sex friends; roll papers into balls of dough and drop them into water. first name to appear will be future husband or wife. water experiment a laughable experiment consists in filling mouth with water and walking around house or block without swallowing or spilling a drop. first person of opposite sex you meet is your fate. a clever hostess will send two unsuspecting lovers by different doors; they are sure to meet, and not unfrequently settle matters then and there. the dreamer if a maid wishes to know whom she is to marry, if a man of wealth, tradesman, or traveler, let her, on all-hallow-e'en, take a walnut, hazelnut, and nutmeg; grate and mix them with butter and sugar into pills, and take when she goes to bed; and then, if her fortune be to marry a rich man, her sleep will be filled with gold dreams; if a tradesman, she will dream of odd noises and tumults; if a traveler, there will be thunder and lightning to disturb her. cellar stairs cellar-stairs' test is where girl boldly goes downstairs backward, holding a mirror, and trying to catch in it the features of him who is to be her mate. around the walnut tree of all hallow-e'en spells and charms associated with nuts, the following is one of the oldest: if a young man or woman goes at midnight on hallow-e'en to a walnut tree and walks around three times, crying out each time, "let him (her) that is to be my true love bring me some walnuts," future wife or husband will be seen in tree gathering nuts. ducking for apples into one tub half filled with water are placed apples to the stems of which are tied bits of paper containing the names of the boys present at the party, while across the room is a similar tub in which the names of the girls are placed. with hands tied behind them the young folks endeavor to extricate the apples with their teeth, and it is alleged that the name appearing upon the slip fastened to the apple is the patronymic of the future helpmeet of the one securing the fruit from the receptacle. game of fate guests take part, seated in a circle. three fates are chosen, one of whom whispers to each person in turn name of his (her) future sweetheart. second fate follows, whispering to each where he (she) will next meet his (her) sweetheart; as, "you will meet on a load of hay," or, "at a picnic," or, "at church," or, "on the river," etc. the third fate reveals the future; as, "you will marry him (her) next christmas," or, "you will be separated many years by a quarrel, but will finally marry," or, "neither of you will ever marry," etc. each guest must remember what is said by the fates; then each in turn repeats aloud what has been told him (her). for example, "my future sweetheart's name is obednego; i shall meet him next wednesday on the moonlight excursion, and we shall be married in a week." candle and apple at one end of stick 18 inches long fasten an apple; at the other end, a short piece of lighted candle. suspend stick from ceiling by stout cord fastened in its middle so that stick will balance horizontally; while stick revolves players try to catch apple with their teeth. a prize may be in center of apple. where dwells my lover? steal out unobserved at midnight; plucking a small lock of hair from your head, cast it to breeze. whatever direction it is blown is believed to be location of future matrimonial partner. "i pluck this lock of hair off my head to tell whence comes the one i shall wed. fly, silken hair, fly all the world around until you reach the spot where my true love is found." combing hair before mirror stand alone before mirror, and by light of candle comb your hair; face of your future partner will appear in glass, peeping over your shoulder. the four saucers place four saucers on table in line. into first put dirt; into second, water; into third, a ring; into fourth, a rag. guests are blindfolded and led around table twice; then told to go alone and put fingers into saucer. if they put into dirt, it means divorce; into water, a trip across ocean; where ring is, to marry; where rag is, never to marry. feather tests to foretell complexion of future mate, select three soft, fluffy feathers. (if none is handy, ask for a pillow and rip open and take out feathers.) on bottom end of each feather fasten a small piece of paper; a drop of paste or mucilage will hold all three in place. write "blonde" on one paper; "brunette," on another, and "medium" on the third. label papers before gluing them on feathers. hold up feather by its top and send it flying with a puff of breath. do same with the other two; the feather landing nearest you denotes complexion of your true love. to make test sure, try three times, not using too much force in blowing feathers, which should land on table, not on floor. bowls one bowl is filled with clear water, another with wine, a third with vinegar, a fourth is empty. all are placed in line on table. each person in turn is blindfolded, turned about three times, and led to table. a hand is put out and prophecy made by bowl touched. water shows happy, peaceful life; wine promises rich, eventful, noble career; vinegar, misery and poverty; an empty bowl is a symbol of bachelor or spinster life. rose test take two roses with long stems. name one for yourself and one for your lover. go to your room without speaking to any one; kneel beside bed; twine stems of roses together, and repeat following lines, gazing intently on lover's rose: "twine, twine, and intertwine, let my love be wholly thine. if his heart be kind and true, deeper grow his rose's hue." if your swain is faithful, color of rose will grow darker. necklace make barrel-hoop into necklace of bread, candies, red peppers and candle-ends, and hang horizontally from ceiling. set hoop whirling and try to grasp its freight with your teeth. accordingly as you like your first bite will you enjoy married life. winnowing corn steal out into barn or garden alone and go three times through motions of throwing corn against the wind. the third time an apparition of future spouse will pass you; in some mysterious manner, also, you may obtain an idea of his (her) employment and station in life. consequences one of the most popular games at a party is certainly "consequences"; it is a very old favorite, but has lost none of its charms with age. the players sit in a circle; each person is provided with a half sheet of notepaper and a pencil, and is asked to write on the top--(i) one or more adjectives, then to fold the paper over, so that what has been written cannot be seen. every player has to pass his or her paper on to the right-hand neighbor, and all have then to write on the top of the paper which has been passed by the left-hand neighbor (2) "the name of the gentleman"; after having done this the paper must again be folded and passed on as before; this time must be written (3) one or more adjectives; then (4) a lady's name; next (5), where they met; next (6), what he gave her; next (7), what he said to her; next (8), what she said to him; next (9), the consequence; and lastly (10), what the world said about it. be careful that every time anything has been written the paper is folded down and passed on to the player on your right. when every one has written what the world says, the papers are collected and one of the company proceeds to read out the various papers, and the result may be somewhat like this:-(1) the horrifying and delightful (2) mr. brown (3) met the charming (4) miss phillips (5) in westminster abbey; (6) he gave her a flower (7) and said to her: "how's your mother?" (8) she said to him: "not for joseph;" (9) the consequence was they danced the hornpipe, and the world said: (10) "just what we expected." dry bread dreams mean much on hallow-e'en, but certain ceremonies must be carefully followed in order to insure the spell. before going to sleep for the night have some one bring a small piece of dry bread. no word can be spoken after this; silence must prevail. eat bread slowly, at same time making a wish and thinking the pleasantest thing imaginable. then drop off to sleep, and your dreams will be sweet and peaceful, and your wish will come true, if the charm works. magic stairs walk downstairs backward, holding lighted candle over your head. upon reaching bottom, turn suddenly and before you will stand your wishedfor one. acting rhymes for this game, half the players go outside the door, whilst those who stay in the room choose a word of one syllable, which should not be too difficult. for instance, suppose the word chosen be "flat," those who are out of the room are informed that a word has been thought of that rhymes with "cat," and they then have to act, without speaking, all the words they can think of that rhyme with "cat." supposing their first idea be "bat," they come into the room and play an imaginary game of cricket. this not being correct, they would be hissed for their pains, and they must then hurry outside again. they might next try "rat," most of them going into the room on their hands and feet, whilst the others might pretend to be frightened. again they would be hissed. at last the boys go in and fall flat on their faces, while the girls pretend to use flat-irons upon their backs. the loud clapping that follows tells them that they are right at last. they then change places with the audience, who, in turn, become the actors. alphabet game cut alphabet from newspaper and sprinkle on surface of water; letters floating may spell or suggest name of future husband or wife. shadow buff a splendid game, and one specially suitable for a large party. a sheet or white tablecloth is first of all stretched right across the room, and on a table behind it is placed a bright lamp. all the other lights in the room are then extinguished, and one of the players takes a seat upon a low stool midway between the lamp and the sheet. the other players endeavor to disguise themselves as much as possible, by distorting their features, rumpling their hair, wearing wigs, false noses, etc., and pass one by one behind the player seated on the stool. their shadows are thus thrown upon the sheet. the aim of the seated player is to guess the identity of the shadows as they pass before him; and the aim of the others is to endeavor by every means in their power to keep him from recognizing them. as may be imagined, the task of the single player is not an easy one, the distorted shadows being vastly different from the originals as seen before the lights were extinguished. apple seeds name two wet apple seeds and stick them on forehead. first seed to fall indicates that the person for whom seed is named is not a true lover. partners the players divide themselves into ladies and gentlemen, if the ladies predominate some must personate gentlemen, and vice versa. the gentlemen then proceed to choose lady partners. one of the players next undertakes to question the couples. the fun consists of the questions being put to the lady and the gentleman answering for her. "do you like your partner?" the lady is asked, and the gentleman may reply, "yes, i adore him." whatever the reply the lady is forbidden to deny it; if she does, or if she answers for herself, she must pay a forfeit. but retaliation comes, for when all the ladies have been questioned the gentlemen's turn arrives, and the ladies answer for their partners. "what is your favorite occupation?" the question may be, and the lady may answer "dressing dolls," or "making mud pies," or anything ridiculous that occurs to her. apple paring each guest, receiving apple and knife, is requested to peel apple without breaking; then swing paring around head, and let it drop to floor. the letter formed is initial of future mate's name. or, you may hang your paring over door--the first of opposite sex to pass under will be your mate. the farmyard this game, if carried out properly, will cause great amusement. one of the party announces that he will whisper to each person the name of some animal, which, at a given signal, must be imitated as loudly as possible. instead, however, of giving the name of an animal to each, he whispers to all the company, with the exception of one, to keep perfectly silent. to this one he whispers that the animal he is to imitate is the donkey. after a short time, so that all may be in readiness, the signal is given. instead of all the party making the sounds of various animals, nothing is heard but a loud bray from the one unfortunate member of the company. melting lead each person melts some lead and pours it through a wedding-ring or key into a dish of water. the lead will cool in various shapes, supposed to be prophetic. any ingenious person will interpret the shapes, and furnish much amusement for the listeners; thus, a bell-shaped drop indicates a wedding within a year; a drop resembling a torch or lamp signifies fame; a pen or ink-bottle, that the future companion is to be an author; a horn of plenty, wealth; a bag or trunk, travel; etc. fortune telling the fortune teller must provide the person who is to have his or her fortune told with a piece of paper and a pencil and then proceed to say: 1. write "yes" or "no." 2. "state a gentleman's or a lady's name." (if a lady's fortune is to be told she must write a gentleman's name and vice versa.) 3. "give a number." 4. "length of time." 5. "yes or no." 6. "yes or no." 7. "yes or no." 8. "a color." 9. "a color." 10. "yes or no."11. "yes or no." 12. "a shape." 13. "a measure." 14. "a sum of money." 15. "a sum of money." 16. "a virtue." 17. "a profession." 18. "the name of a place." 19. "a lady's or gentleman's name." 20. "the name of a place." 21. "a number." 22. "yes or no." when these have all been written down, the fortune teller proceeds to read out the list of questions he has, with the answers corresponding in number. below is appended the list of questions, which, of course, must not be shown to the person whose fortune is being told until he or she has written the answers. 1. have you a lover? 2. what is his or her name? 3. how old is he or she? 4. how long have you known him or her? 5. does he or she know you love him or her? 6. is your affection returned? 7. have you or has he proposed? 8. what color is his or her hair? 9. what color are his or her eyes? 10. is he or she handsome? 11. is he or she conceited? 12. what shape is his or her nose? 13. what size is his or her mouth? 14. what is his or her fortune? 15. how much will he or she allow you? 16. what is his or her chief virtue? 17. what is his or her profession? 18. where did you first meet? 19. what is your rival's name? 20. where do you intend to live? 21. how many other proposals have you had, or made? 22. will the marriage be a happy one? love's dispensary a cozy corner or a convenient part of the room may be converted into an impromptu dispensary with the addition of the love potions and receptacles containing them, presided over by dr. dopem and his assistants. there are a number of pill boxes containing different colored pills, which are nothing but little round candies. the powders, composed of powdered sugar or brown sugar are folded in the regulation way, only in paper of various colors. plasters, court plaster cut in small pieces of different design. the directions for taking the powders, etc., may be read or told to each patient, as they are prescribed for, or a copied prescription could be given with each remedy. tell the guests that you understand they are all more or less inoculated with the love germ in some form and this condition, if neglected, may prove serious--so for their benefit, dr. dopem will prescribe for each, according to his need, a remedy which is guaranteed to have the desired effect. remedies and their use. red pills--six, take one every two and a half minutes. will cause your ideal to reciprocate your love. pink pills--four at once. will renew your fading love. white pills--three, taken with eyes closed. will cure jealousy. black pills--three--take one between each breath. will vanquish your rival. yellow pills--sneeze, take three pills and sneeze again--repeat if necessary. will make you love the one who loves you. lavender pills--stand on left foot, place right hand on heart, take two pills, reverse position, stand on right foot, left hand on heart, take two pills. will bring about a proposal--or consent to your proposal. white powder--take with fingers crossed and eyes shut. will make you fall in love with the first one of the opposite sex you see. pink powder--take with feet crossed. will gain consent for a kiss from the right party. blue powder--take with right hand holding left ear. will bring about an introduction to miss or mr. right. red powder--take with right hand on stomach and standing on right foot. will bring your heart's desire, providing you tell what it is. yellow powder-take while kneeling. will make your rival jealous. purple powder--take with right hand and arm extended forward, left foot and limb extended backward. will bring a speedy marriage. black powder--take while on left knee, with left hand on top of head. will cause unwelcome attentions to cease. the plasters worn conspicuously--have the following meaning:-worn on the right cheek--i love you. on the left cheek--i dislike you. on the forehead--i will be your friend. on the nose--i am looking for a partner. on the chin--i wish to speak to you. at the corner of the mouth--i am willing to be kissed. prescriptions may be paid for with some trinket which may be redeemed as a forfeit. a forfeit may be demanded if directions are not faithfully carried out. forfeits may be demanded or omitted as desired by the hostess. suggestions for redeeming forfeits will be found under heading "forfeits" in this book. apples and flour suspend horizontally from ceiling a stick three feet long. on one end stick an apple, upon other tie small bag of flour. set stick whirling. each guest takes turn in trying to bite apple-end of stick. it is amusing to see guests receive dabs of flour on face. guest who first succeeds in biting apple gets prize. web of fate long bright colored strings, of equal length are twined and intertwined to form a web. use half as many strings as there are guests. remove furniture from center of a large room--stretch a rope around the room, from corner to corner, about four feet from the floor. tie one end of each string to the rope, half at one end and half at one side of the room; weave the strings across to the opposite end and side of the room and attach to rope. or leave furniture in room and twine the strings around it. each guest is stationed at the end of a string and at a signal they begin to wind up the string until they meet their fate at the other end of it. the lady and gentleman winding the same string will marry each other, conditions being favorable; otherwise they will marry someone else. those who meet one of their own sex at the other end of the string will be old maids or bachelors. the couple finishing first will be wedded first. a prize may be given the lucky couple, also to the pair of old maids and the pair of bachelors finishing first. partners partners for different games or for the midnight spread may be decided by the fates. write a number on one side of a small slip of paper, on the reverse side write a bit of "fortune." place the folded papers in empty peanut or english walnut shells; the shells may be slightly glued together or tied with colored ribbons or string, or a narrow band of paper pasted at the ends will hold the two halves together. if the paper band is used, the numbers may be written on them and partners drawn before the nuts are cracked and fortunes read. there should be two portions of nuts and two sets of numbers, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. the lady and gentleman drawing corresponding numbers are partners. a few suggestions for fortunes. you will meet your future husband (or wife) to-night. prosperity and love await you. a lap full of money and a lap full of children. change your mind before it is too late. you have made the right choice. your love is not returned. she is tired of taffy, try chocolates. thee does not love him as much the(e)auto. you have too many beaux to your string. your face is your fortune, but poverty is no crime. fate has deceived you; you will be left in the lurch, waiting at the church. your mate is true blue; what color are you? press your suit again; it needs it. a kiss in time may save nine others taking a chance. dame fortune says, "a good wife, happy days, a long life." you are well bred, but doomed to travel in single harness. your better half will be a silver one. your heart is like a street car--carries many passengers and always room for one more. the fates decree you shall married be in the year of 1923. ask her--two can live as cheap as one, in fact cheaper, on the same salary. blind nut seekers let several guests be blindfolded. then hide nuts or apples in various parts of room or house. one finding most nuts or apples wins prize. to try one's luck in a dish of mashed potatoes place a ring, a dime, and a thimble. each guest is provided with a spoon with which to eat the potatoes; whoever gets the ring is to be married within a year; the thimble signifies single blessedness, while the dime prophesies riches or a legacy. some canny lassies have been known to get the ring into one of their very first spoonfuls, and have kept it for fun in their mouths, tucked snugly beneath the tongue, until the dish was emptied. such a lass was believed to possess the rare accomplishment of being able to hold her tongue, but nevertheless tricky. the loaf cake a loaf cake is often made, and in it are placed a ring and a key. the former signifies marriage, and the latter a journey, and the person who cuts the slice containing either must accept the inevitable. cyniver each girl and boy seeks an even-leaved sprig of ash; first of either sex that finds one calls out cyniver, and is answered by first of opposite sex that succeeds; and these two, if omen fails not, will be joined in wedlock. naming chestnuts roast three chestnuts before the fire, one of which is named for some lady (or gentleman); the other two, for gentlemen (or ladies). if they separate, so will those for whom they are named; those jumping toward the fire are going to a warmer climate; those jumping from the fire, to a colder climate; if two gentlemen jump toward one another, it means rivalry. the mirror walk backward several feet out of doors in moonlight with mirror in your hand, or within doors with candle in one hand and mirror in the other, repeating following rhyme, and face of your future companion will appear in glass: "round and round, o stars so fair! ye travel and search out everywhere; i pray you, sweet stars, now show to me this night who my future husband (wife) shall be." barrel-hoop suspend horizontally from ceiling a barrel-hoop on which are fastened alternately at regular intervals apples, cakes, candies, candle-ends. players gather in circle and, as it revolves, each in turn tries to bite one of the edibles; the one who seizes candle pays forfeit. jumping lighted candle place a lighted candle in middle of floor, not too securely placed; each one jumps over it. whoever succeeds in clearing candle is guaranteed a happy year, free of trouble or anxiety. he who knocks candle over will have a twelve-month of woe. ring and goblet tie wedding-ring or key to silken thread or horsehair, and hold it suspended within a glass; then say the alphabet slowly; whenever ring strikes glass, begin over again and in this way spell name of future mate. mirror and apple stand in front of mirror in dimly lighted room and eat an apple. if your lover reciprocates your love he will appear behind you and look over your right shoulder and ask for a piece of apple. apple-seed test cut an apple open and pick out seeds from core. if only two seeds are found, they portend early marriage; three, legacy; four, great wealth; five, a sea voyage; six, great fame as orator or singer; seven, possession of any gift most desired. needle game each person floats greased needle in basin of water. impelled by attraction of gravitation, needles will act very curiously; some cling together, others rush to margin and remain. the manner in which one person's needle behaves towards another's causes amusement, and is supposed to be suggestive and prophetic. winding yarn throw a ball of yarn out of window but hold fast to one end and begin to wind. as you wind say, "i wind, who holds?" over and over again; before end of yarn is reached, face of future partner will appear in window, or name of sweetheart will be whispered in ear. riddles few children think they will ever tire of playing games; but all the same, towards the end of a long evening, spent merrily in dancing and playing, the little ones begin to get too weary to play any longer, and it is very difficult to keep them amused. then comes the time for riddles! the children may sit quietly around the room, resting after their romps and laughter, and yet be kept thoroughly interested, trying to guess riddles. it is, however, very difficult to remember a number of good and laughable ones, so we will give a list of some, which will be quite sufficient to puzzle a roomful of little folks for several hours. why are weary people like carriage-wheels?--answer: because they are tired. an old woman in a red cloak was passing a field in which a goat was feeding. what strange transformation suddenly took place?--answer: the goat turned to butter (butt her), and the woman into a scarlet runner. why does a duck go into the water?--answer: for divers reasons. spell "blind pig" in two letters? p g; a pig without an i. which bird can lift the heaviest weights?--the crane. why is a wise man like a pin?--he has a head and comes to a point. why is a jew in a fever like a diamond?--because he is a jew-ill. why may carpenters reasonably believe there is no such thing as stone?--because they never saw it. what is that which is put on the table and cut, but never eaten?--a pack of cards. why does a sculptor die horribly?--because he makes faces and busts. when does a farmer double up a sheep without hurting it?--when he folds it. what lives upon its own substance and dies when it has devoured itself?--a candle. why is a dog biting his tail a good manager?--because he makes both ends meet. what thing is it that is lower with a head than without one?--a pillow. which is the left side of a plum-pudding?--that which is not eaten. what letter of the alphabet is necessary to make a shoe?--the last. why is it certain that "uncle tom's cabin" was not written by the hand of its reputed author?--because it was written by mrs. beecher's toe (stowe). if all the seas were dried up, what would everybody say?--we haven't a notion (an ocean). why is a fishmonger never generous?--because his business makes him sell fish (selfish). what is that which works when it plays and plays when it works?--a fountain. what is that from which you may take away the whole and yet there will be some remaining?--the word wholesome. why are fowls the most economical things a farmer can keep?--because for every grain they give a peck. what coin doubles its value by taking away a half of it?--halfpenny. why is it dangerous to walk in the meadows in springtime?--because the trees are shooting and the bulrush is out (bull rushes out). why is a vine like a soldier?--because it is listed and has ten drills (ten-drils) and shoots. why is an opera-singer like a confectioner?--because she deals in icecreams (high screams). if a man who is carrying a dozen glass lamps drops one, what does he become?--a lamp lighter. what belongs to yourself, but is used more by your friends than by yourself?--your name. why is a spider a good correspondent?--because he drops a line at every post. when is the clock on the stairs dangerous?--when it runs down. why is the letter "k" like a pig's tail?--because it comes at the end of pork. what is the keynote to good manners?--b natural. why is a five-pound bank-note much more profitable than five sovereigns?--because when you put it in your pocket you double it, and when you take it out you will find it increases. why is a watch like a river?--because it doesn't run long without winding. what is that which flies high, flies low, has no feet, and yet wears shoes?--dust. when has a man four hands?--when he doubles his fists. what trees has fire no effect upon?--ashtrees; because when they are burned, they are ashes still. what is the difference between a schoolmaster and an engine-driver?-one minds the train and the other trains the mind. a man had twenty sick (six) sheep, and one died; how many were left?-19. what is that which everybody has seen but will never see again?-yesterday. which is the best day for making a pancake?--friday. which is the smallest bridge in the world?--the bridge of your nose. what four letters would frighten a thief?--o i c u. what is that which goes from london to york without moving?--the road. which is easier to spell--fiddle-de-dee or fiddle-de-dum?--fiddle-dedee, because it is spelt with more "e's." when may a chair be said to dislike you?--when it can't bear you. what animal took most luggage into the ark, and which two took the least?--the elephant, who took his trunk, while the fox and the cock had only a brush and a comb between them. which of the english kings has most reason to complain of his washerwoman?--king john, when he lost his baggage in the wash. if a bear were to go into a linen-draper's shop, what would he want?-he would want muzzlin'. why is b like a hot fire?--because it makes oil boil. if an egg were found on a music-stool, what poem would it remind you of?--"the lay of the last minstrel." why is a schoolmaster like a shoe-black?--because he polishes the understanding of the people. why was the first day of adam's life the longest?--because it had no eve. why is a washerwoman like a navigator?--because she spreads her sheets, crosses the line, and goes from pole to pole. why is an author the queerest animal in the world?--because his tale comes out of his head. why is it that a tailor won't attend to business?--because he is always cutting out. when can a horse be sea-green in color?--when it's a bay. why were gloves never meant to sell?--because they were made to be kept on hand. when are we all artists?--when we draw a long face. why are watch-dogs bigger by night than by day?--because they are let out at night and taken in in the morning. when is a tradesman always above his business?--when he lives over his shop. which is the liveliest city in the world?--berlin; because it's always on the spree. why is a water-lily like a whale?--because they both come to the surface to blow. why is a shoemaker the most industrious of men?--because he works to the last. what is book-keeping?--forgetting to return borrowed volumes. why is scooping out a turnip a noisy process?--because it makes it hollow. why are teeth like verbs?--because they are regular, irregular, and defective. what ships hardly ever sail out of sight?--hardships. when is an artist a dangerous person?--when his designs are bad. why are tortoiseshell-combs like citadels?--they are for-tresses. why is the isthmus of suez like the first "u" in cucumber?--because it is between two "c's" (seas). what motive led to the invention of railroads?--the locomotive. why are deaf people like dutch cheeses?--because you can't make them here. when is the best time to get a fresh egg at sea?--when the ship lays to. who was the first whistler?--the wind. what tune did he whistle?--over the hills and far away. why need a traveler never starve in the desert?--because of the sand which is (sandwiches) there. why is sympathy like blindman's buff?--because it is a fellow feeling for a fellow creature. if a frenchman were to fall into a tub of tallow, in what word would he express his situation?--in-de-fat-i-gabble. (indefatigable.) why is a diner on board a steam-boat like easter day?--because it is a movable feast. why is a little man like a good book?--because he is often looked over. why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire?--because the sooner it is put out the better. what is the difference between a soldier and a bombshell?--one goes to war, the other goes to pieces. why is it dangerous to sleep in a train?--because every train runs over all the sleepers on the line. spell "enemy" in three letters?--f o e. which is the only way that a leopard can change his spots?--by going from one spot to another. why did eve never fear the measles?--because she'd adam. when is a tall man a little short?--when he hasn't got quite enough cash. what houses are the easiest to break into?--the houses of bald people; because their locks are few. why is a watch the most difficult thing to steal?--because it must be taken off its guard. why is there never anybody at home in a convent?--because it is an (n)uninhabited place. why does a person who is not good-looking make a better carpenter than one who is?--because he is a deal plainer. what plant stands for no. 4?--iv. what is the best tree for preserving order?--the birch. why is shoemaking the easiest of trades?--because the boots are always soled before they are made. how can a gardener become thrifty?--by making the most of his thyme, and by always putting some celery in the bank. why is it probable that beer was made in the ark?--because the kangaroo went in with hops, and the bear was always bruin. "what was the biggest thing you saw at the world's fair?" asked a wife of her husband.--"my hotel bill!" said he. why is c like a schoolmistress?--because it forms lasses into classes. what is that which never asks any questions and yet requires many answers?--the street-door. if a man bumped his head against the top of a room, what article of stationery would he be supplied with?--ceiling whacks. (sealing-wax.) which is the longest word in the english language?--smiles; because there is a mile between the first and last letters. which is the oldest tree in england?--the elder tree. what is that which happens twice in a moment and not once in a thousand years?--the letter m. forfeits in going through this book of--games the reader will find that the players for various reasons are penalized or required to pay a forfeit. when a player is so fined he must immediately surrender some pocketpiece or personal belonging as a pawn or security which may later be redeemed when "blind justice" passes the real sentence. the players usually select some ready witted person to assume the part of justice, another acts as crier or collector. justice is blindfolded and the crier holds the article over his head saying: "heavy, heavy hangs over thy head." justice asks: "fine or superfine?" if it be an article belonging to a gentleman the crier answers "fine"; if it belongs to a lady he answers, "superfine," and asks, "what shall the owner do to redeem his (or her) property?" and blind justice renders the sentence. if the proper person has been chosen for justice a great deal of fun may be caused by the impromptu imposition of ridiculous penalties. or the persons making up the party may in turn take the part of justice, each imposing a penalty. some of the most familiar penalties are: put one hand where the other cannot touch it.--grasp the elbow. take the journey to rome.--the culprit is required to go to each person and say that he or she is going on a journey to rome and ask whether they have anything to send to the pope. the players load him up with various articles, the more cumbersome the better, which he must carry until every person has been visited. then he must walk out of the room and back, distributing the articles to their proper places. spell constantinople.--when the offender begins to spell and reaches c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the players cry "no" (the next letters in the word being n-o). each time the culprit gets to c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-i-, the players cry "no," and unless he knows the trick he will begin the spelling again and again. kiss your own shadow.--if the culprit is not familiar with this forfeit he will kiss his own shadow on the wall, but realizes how foolish he was when he sees some other victim place himself between the light and a lady and kiss his shadow which then falls on the lady. sit upon the fire.--this forfeit will puzzle the culprit, but may be easily accomplished by writing the word "fire" on a slip of paper and sitting upon it. ask a question which cannot be answered in the negative.-"what do the letters y-e-s spell?" kiss a book inside and outside without opening the book.--this apparently impossible feat may be accomplished by kissing the book inside the room and then carrying it outside of the room and kissing it there. take a person upstairs and bring him down on a feather.--this is another apparently impossible feat but of course there is "down on a feather." act living statue.--the victim must stand upon a chair and is posed by the players in succession according to their various ideas of grecian statuary, giving the victim various articles to hold in his hand such as pokers, shovels, etc. leave the room with two legs and come back with six.--this sentence can be fulfilled by going out of the room and carrying a chair into the room when you come back. perform the egotist.--the culprit is required to drink his own health and make some flowery speech concerning himself. if his speech is not egotistic enough the players may again and again demand a more flattering one. place three chairs in a row, take off your shoes and jump over them.-it is very funny to hear the culprit plead that he could not possibly jump over the three chairs when the sentence means to jump over his shoes--"take off your shoes and jump over them." the three salutes.--the victim is required to "kneel to the prettiest; bow to the wittiest and kiss the one he loves best." the easiest way to pay this forfeit is to kneel to the plainest, bow to the dullest and kiss the one for whom he cares the least. kiss the lady you love the best without letting any one know.--this is performed by the condemned kissing several ladies, or perhaps every lady in the room. imitate a donkey.--the culprit must bray like one. play the shoemaker.--the culprit must take off his shoe and pretend to drive pegs into it. shake a coin off the head.--this may be made productive of much amusement. the leader, having wetted a coin, presses it firmly for several seconds against the forehead of the victim. when he withdraws his thumb he secretly brings away the coin, but the victim invariably believes that he can still feel it sticking to his forehead, and his head-shakings and facial contortions to get rid of his imaginary burden are ludicrous. it is understood at the time the sentence is pronounced that he must shake the coin off and must not touch it with his hands. the three questions.--the victim is required to leave the room. three questions are agreed upon in his absence, and he is requested to say "yes" or "no" to each as they are asked him, not knowing, of course, what the questions are, the result is usually embarrassing, he finds he has made some ignominious admission, has declined something he would be very glad to have or accepted something he would much rather do without. go to market.--the culprit is ordered to go to market with some one of the opposite sex. they stand about eight feet apart, facing each other, and the culprit asks his companion if she likes apples (or any article he may choose) if the answer is "yes," she takes a step forward, if "no," a step backward. if something is liked very much or disliked very much a long step is taken. then she asks him a question which is answered by stepping forward or backward and so on until they meet when a kiss is usually claimed and taken. place a straw or small article on the ground in such a manner that no one present can jump over it.--this is done by placing the article against the wall. bite an inch off the poker.--a poker is held about an inch from the face, making a bite---of course, the person does not bite the poker but "an inch off the poker." blow a candle out blindfold.--the person paying the forfeit is shown the exact position of the candle and then blindfolded, and having been turned about once or twice is requested to blow it out. the cautious manner in which the person will go and endeavor to blow out the clock on the mantle piece or an old gentleman's bald head, while the candle is serenely burning a few feet away must be seen to be appreciated. the german band.--this is a joint forfeit for three or four persons, each of whom is assigned some imaginary instrument and required to personate a performer in a german band, imitating not only the action of the players but the sound of the instrument as well. games without music [illustration] [transcriber's notes: bold text is show by surrounding =equal signs=. italic text by surrounding _underscores_. on page 77, two facing brackets [] are used to show a drawn square in the text.] games without music for children by lois bates author of 'kindergarten guide' 'recitations for infants' 'guessing games' 'saltaire action songs' 'saltaire kindergarten games' etc. longmans, green, and co. 39 paternoster row, london new york and bombay 1897 all rights reserved preface the object of these games is to introduce variety when it is needed in the ordinary school routine, and to form a means of recreation to the children when unfavourable weather makes the usual playtime impossible. those of the games referring to special subjects, such as 'sewing,' etc., may be used in the lesson time devoted to such subjects, and the 'guessing rhymes,' nos. 51 to 97, may sometimes be given between lessons. for notes on these, see p. 87. 'games for the playground' and a few of those immediately preceding are old games with new rhymes. it is hoped that some of the plays (nos. 12 to 20, _e.g._) will help to teach the children important truths that are difficult for them to learn in the abstract, but which represented and practised in childish play may make an impression on their plastic little minds. many of the games are suitable for home use, and will probably be played there by the children after being learnt in school. if the games help to make school brighter and pleasanter for teacher and children their object will be gained. lois bates. saltaire. contents i. games for the schoolroom no. of game page 1. laying the breakfast-table 1 2. the breakfast party 3 3. clearing the table 4 4. weighing 6 5. measuring game 8 6. shopping 10 7. tying a bow 12 8. thimble game 16 9. sewing game 17 10. knitting game 19 11. the sign-post 23 12. asking way in street 24 13. politeness in streets 27 14. dressing children 28 15. father bringing presents 29 16. going errands 32 17. taking father's tea 34 18. invitation to play 36 19. invitation to drive 38 20. getting ready for bed 40 21. washing one's self 42 22. asking for drink of water 43 23. the fox and the tiger 44 24. the coach game 48 25. the stable 50 26. visiting grandmamma 51 27. paying calls 53 28. afternoon tea 54 29. spring flowers 56 30. summer flowers 57 31. the three bears 59 32. imitating cries of animals 62 33. charades 63 34. passing the stick 65 35. finding the thimble 66 36. throwing the handkerchief 68 37. picking up potatoes 69 ii. games for the playground 38. throwing the ball 71 39. lame lassie 72 40. polly flinders 73 41. drop, drop, drop 74 42. puss in the corner 75 43. wolf and sheep 76 44. dancing game 77 45. ducking under 78 46. who'll go a-hunting? 79 47. sheep gathering 80 48. hopping game 82 49. making a chain 83 50. mother, may we go out to play? 84 iii. guessing rhymes _miscellaneous objects_, pp. 88-91 51. pudding 52. watch 53. brush 54. arm-chair 55. pocket-handkerchief 56. window blind 57. boat 58. steamer 59. sail boat 60. bellows 61. pipe _animals_, pp. 91-93 62. dog 63. stag 64. caterpillar 65. lambs 66. elephant's trunk 67. squirrel _flowers_, pp. 93, 94 68. snow-drop 69. daisy 70. wild hyacinth 71. harebell 72. wild rose 73. may blossom _natural phenomena_, pp. 95-98 74. spring 75. summer 76. autumn 77. winter 78. the four seasons 79. clouds 80. hoar-frost 81. dew 82. wind _nursery rhymes_, pp. 98-100 83. little boy blue 84. jack and jill 85. mary, mary, quite contrary 86. little jack horner 87. little tom tucker 88. little bopeep 89. mother hubbard 90. humpty dumpty 91. little miss muffet _fairy tales_, pp. 100-102 92. red riding hood 93. wolf 94. cinderella 95. sleeping beauty 96. jack the giant killer 97. dick whittington illustrations the 'house' _frontispiece_ fig. 1.--how to tie a bow _page_ 14 " 2.--the sign-post 22 " 3.--fox's den 46 games without music for children i. games for the schoolroom 1. _laying the breakfast-table_ 1. spread the cloth--this is the way, cups and saucers, where are they? 2. put them at one end in rows, see, a spoon with each one goes. 3. one plate for each person bring, and a napkin in a ring. 4. here's a jug of milk so hot, sugar next, and coffee-pot. 5. bread and butter place we here, then we get the chairs, my dear. 6. ring the bell, and all sit round, each should in his place be found. _directions._--the table may be laid by two children only, or several may be employed, but different children should take part each time the game is played, so that all may learn how to carry the cups, &c., and how to place them. _verse 1._ two little girls step forward and lay the cloth. _verse 2._ the cups and saucers are brought on a tray, and placed in rows at one end of the table. _verse 3._ one child brings plates on a tray and places them one by one round the table, while another follows with serviettes on a small tray, and places one to the right of each plate. _verse 4._ the sugar, milk, &c., are placed in position. _verse 5._ one or two plates of bread and butter are put on the table, and then the chairs are placed ready. _verse 6._ the bell is rung, and the children who are to sit at table take their places. 2. _the breakfast party_ this game may be played immediately after the one preceding, or it may be used alone. the children seat themselves at the table, the 'mother' sitting at one end and the 'father' at the other. when all the cups are filled and passed, the following lines are repeated: 1. [1]little hands are folded while the grace is said, 'father, god, we thank thee for our daily bread.' 2. [2]let us stir our coffee, softly, gently, so, [3]then the spoon in saucer quietly must go. 3. when you eat and drink, dears, do not make a noise, [4]pass things to each other, little girls and boys. [if there is a piano in school, a little music might be played while breakfast is in progress.] 4. when we finish breakfast, [5]hands in lap lay we, elbows on the table, that should never be! [1] fold hands and bow head. [2] stir coffee. [3] place spoon in saucer. [4] pass bread and butter to each other. [5] fold hands in lap. (for dinner and tea table songs, see appendix i.) 3. _clearing the table_ (for directions as to laying the table, see game no. 1.) 1. breakfast over, off we go, to remove the cloth, you know. 2. put the napkins on the tray, and the plates, too, take away. 3. cups and saucers next we take, carefully, lest them we break. 4. bring the milk and sugar here, soon the table will be clear. 5. shake the cloth and fold it straight, then we'll wash each cup and plate.[a] _instructions._--_verse 1._ children rise from table, and each carries chair to the place where it should go. _verse 2._ a child brings a little tray, and, walking round the table, takes up all the napkins, putting them on the tray one by one. a second child follows with another tray, and takes up the plates in the same manner. _verse 3._ two children remove the cups and saucers, each having a tray. _verse 4._ the coffee-pot, milk-jug, and sugar-basin are taken away on a tray. _verse 5._ the cloth should be taken off carefully, so that the crumbs are not spilt, or if a toy crumb brush and tray can be obtained, the crumbs may be removed before the cloth is taken up. [a] for song 'washing dishes,' see appendix i. 4. _weighing_ scales and weights are required for this game. before commencing let the children see the different weights, and hold them one after the other in their hands. the following rhymes may assist the scholars to remember the various weights: 1. first comes the [1]ounce weight, small and round, sixteen of these do make a [2]pound. 2. four ounces [3]quarter-pound will be; [4]half-pound has eight ounces, you see. the four weights given above will be sufficient at first for little children, but more may be added as they become familiar with these. when the scholars have learnt to distinguish the pound, ounce, &c., they may come out in turn and weigh various objects. it would be well to explain that solid objects occupy less room than lighter substances--that a pound of feathers, _e.g._, would take up a large space, while a pound of lead would go into a very small compass. [1] show ounce weight. [2] show pound weight. [3] show the quarter-pound. [4] show half-pound. guessing game.--when the object to be weighed has been chosen, a number of children are allowed to come out and hold it in turn, and say what they think is its weight. as the object is handed to the first child, the teacher says: can you tell the weight of this? mind you do not guess amiss. each child takes the object in its hand and guesses. the article is then weighed, and the child who has guessed most nearly its correct weight is allowed to choose the next object for weighing, and to call out the children who are to guess. he hands it to the first child, repeating the words of the rhyme. 5. _measuring game_ before playing this game, the children should be well accustomed to the use of the foot-rule, marked with inches (cost, &c.[1]). each child should have a foot-rule and measure its book, pencil, desk, &c.; it should also be taught to draw lines of different lengths with the rule on its slate; thus, teacher might say, 'draw a standing-up (vertical) line six inches long,' or, 'draw a lying-down (horizontal) line four inches long,' and so on. the children will thus get accustomed to estimating the length and breadth of objects, and will be able to play the game. suppose the slate to be the object chosen, the teacher holds it up so that all may see it, and then repeats the lines: think it over carefully, and tell me what the length may be of this slate. the children who are ready to answer then put their hands out, and the one who guesses correctly (or most nearly correctly) has the privilege of asking the next question, and stands in front of the class in readiness. before proceeding, however, the first object should be measured, so that all may see that the answer was correct. perhaps the pencil may be the next object chosen, or a window-pane, ball-frame, desk, duster, book, &c., and instead of _length_, we may have _breadth_. the words would then be: think it over carefully, and tell me what the _breadth_ may be of this window-pane. the children should be taught to listen attentively, so that they may know whether length or breadth is to be guessed; the meaning of the two terms should, of course, be explained previously. if circular objects are chosen for measurement, the word 'girth' must be substituted for 'length.' this form of object should only be used for the older children, as it is much more difficult. to measure a circular object, a string should be passed round it, and the string should then be measured with the foot-rule. sometimes the word _height_ may be substituted, as, for instance, in measuring the height of a plant or a child. the children will enjoy the latter very much. _twelve_ inches make a foot, and _nine_ a quarter-yard, the half-yard _eighteen_ inches takes, to learn this is not hard. [1] appendix ii. 6. _shopping_ the shopman should stand behind a table or desk, and have articles made up in parcels ready for sale. 'the shop' described in 'kindergarten guide,' p. 230,[1] would do nicely for this game. the children who go shopping should be dressed in outdoor costume, and each carry a basket. they should also have money; imitation cardboard coins (for cost[2]) would do. (customer walks up to the counter.) shopman good morning, ma'am, how do you do? and pray what can i get for you? customer good morning, shopman, will you please to weigh for me a pound of cheese? [the packet is handed to customer.] customer here is a shilling [_handing it_], eightpence take, shopman and fourpence change [_giving fourpence to customer_] just twelvepence make. the children should also ask for other articles, without using the rhymes, and they should be encouraged to speak clearly and distinctly, and to address the shopman civilly. this will be likely to assist them in going errands for mother. [1] see appendix iii. [2] see appendix iv. 7. _tying a bow_ _instructions._--the children should be sitting at desks or tables, and each child should have a ¾ yard length of tape or ribbon, one inch in width, and a book with stiff cover. the teacher should first show how to tie the bow by passing her ribbon round the neck or wrist of a child, and performing the various movements as they are mentioned in the rhymes and shown in the illustrations. this should be done several times very slowly, the words being repeated either by teacher only or by all. when the children begin to tie the ribbon each round its own book, the teacher should show the various movements as they occur, performing them simultaneously with the scholars. (the numbers refer to fig. 1, which shows the various steps in order.) [1]place your ribbon round the book, [2]cross it--left end at the top; [3]now the right end take and pass over, [4]draw it tight, then stop. [5]with the right end make a loop. [6]draw the left across it, so; [7]now another loop we make with the left, and [8]pull it through. 'tying a knot' (which is more simple than 'tying a bow') is given in the 'kindergarten guide,' p. 105.[a] [illustration] [transcriber's note: the numbers in this game's instructions correspond to the photo listed here.] [a] appendix iii. 8. _thimble game_ each child should have a thimble, and the teacher should have one also. a short conversation about the thimble should precede the game--how it is smooth inside and rough outside. what makes it rough? what are the little holes for? which is the rim? &c. (the teacher, if facing the children, should use the left hand for right.) [1]pretty little thimble, [2]in your cradle go, [3]i will rock you gently, gently to and fro. now i [4]toss and [5]catch you, [6]up and down and [7]up; [8]next i hold my thimble like a little cup. [9]on the right thumb place it, is that right? [10]oh, no! [11]on your longest finger [12]should the thimble go. [1] hold thimble up between thumb and forefinger of right hand. [2] put thimble in left hand, which should be held palm upward and bent to form a cradle. [3] sway left hand from left to right. [4, 5, 6, 7] toss thimble and catch it. [8] hold thimble, rim upwards, between thumb and forefinger of left hand. [9] place thimble on right thumb. [10] take thimble off. [11] hold up middle finger of right hand. [12] place thimble on proper finger. 9. _sewing game_ (n.b. in this game, as in no. 8, the teacher, as she faces the scholars, should use her _left_ hand each time the children use the right.) if the children have been taught the use of the thimble (game no. 8), they should wear it during this game. teacher little children, clean and bright, show your [1]left hand, show your [2]right, [3]left forefinger, that will do, [4]place your sewing round it, so. [5]needle in your right hand hold, all should do just what is told; when the number _one_ i call, [6]take a stitch, dear children all. [7]_two_, we show the stitch so neat, [8]just to see it is a treat. [9]_three_, we push the needle's eye with our thimble carefully. [10]_four_, we draw the needle out, minding well what we're about. thread from needle need not slip, if a good look-out we keep. after practising this game several times, the children will be ready for the sewing drill given on p. 270, 'kindergarten guide.' [1] hold left hand up. [2] hold right hand up. [3] hold up forefinger of left hand vertically. [4] hem of pinafore or pocket handkerchief to be placed round left forefinger. [5] hold up right hand with thumb and forefinger in position as if holding needle. [6] pretend to take a stitch. [7] hold up sewing with both hands. [8] hem in position (see no. 4). [9] pretend to push needle (which is supposed to be in the hem) with thimble. [10] pretend to draw needle out. 10. _knitting game_ each child should have a pair of knitting-pins ([a]wooden ones are the best for learning), and the teacher should have a pair also. as the teacher stands facing the children, her _left_ hand is opposite to their _right_, and she should, consequently, use her _left_ needle to take the stitch, &c., otherwise the children will be confused. teacher i will teach you how to knit, if you listen, dears, to me; and i'm sure you will admit it is easy as can be. put the pins all ready,[1] so, hold one firmly with each hand; then the knitting drill i give you must try to understand. [2]take a stitch at number _one_, and when i say, 'number _two_,' [3]hold the wool in your right hand, and then throw it over, so. [4]now the pin that's underneath to the top must come at _three_, [5]slip the loop at number _four_ from the left pin carefully. when the above game has been repeated several times, the children will be ready for the knitting drill given on p. 274 of 'kindergarten guide.' [a] appendix v. [1] teacher puts her pins in position. [2] put end of _right_ pin under end of left. [3] pretend to put wool round end of right-hand pin as in actual knitting. [4] bring right-hand pin to the top. [5] slide the right pin off the left. [illustration: fig. 2.--the sign-post] 11. _the sign-post_ [illustration: | | | | | | | | | | ------------+ +----------- × ------------+ +----------- | | | | | | | | | |] _directions._--the children make roads by standing in lines (see diagram). four children should stand at the place marked × (see fig. 2), one child facing each road, and holding in its two hands a good-sized strip of cardboard, with the name of a town or village to which the road is supposed to lead printed thereon. it would be well to use the names of places in the district with which the children are familiar. some of the children must be little travellers, and come walking up the different roads until they reach the sign-post, then all repeat the lines: the little travellers do not know which way to go, which way to go, but here's a sign-post that will tell; ah! now they know the way quite well. the travellers should be told the names on the sign-post before starting, and each should choose the place to which he will journey. after the lines are repeated, each traveller takes the road that leads to his destination. 12. _asking way in street_ _preliminary._--one of her majesty's inspectors remarked on one occasion that he could judge of the intelligence and manners of a school by the way in which its scholars playing in the street would reply if asked a question as to the whereabouts of any particular place in the locality. it is doubtless desirable that children should know something of the streets and roads of the district in which they live, and if they have clear ideas as to the meaning of 'right' and 'left,' the following game should help them in describing the position of places. the streets may be made by the children themselves standing in rows, as in the preceding game; or if the space available be small, the children may stand round the room, while the plan of the streets is chalked on the floor. there should be one central street, with others branching out of it right and left, and each should be named. it may be possible to arrange and name the streets of some district with which the children are familiar. the name of each should be written on a card and placed at the end of the street. the accompanying diagram will illustrate the playing of the game. we will suppose that a little girl comes walking up victoria road, and at the point × meets a gentleman (a little boy), who asks, 'can you please direct me to queen street?' 'yes,' she replies, 'it is the second turning on the left.' the place of meeting may be varied, and the children will then see that the terms 'right' and 'left' are interchangeable, according to the direction in which we are walking. in the following instance, _e.g._ queen street is on the _right_ instead of left. more difficult questions may be asked as the children get to understand better, such as, 'which is the way to alexandra road?' (starting from *). 'take the second turning to the right, then turn to left, and it is the first street on the right.' [illustration: +---------+ +------------- | | v | | | i | +---------+ c | king st. t +------------- +---------+ o alexander rd. | | r +------------- | | i | +---------+ a | queen st. | +---------+ r | | | o +------------- | | a james st. | | d +------------- +---------+ | john st. | +---------+ | | | | *+---------+ × +--------------] 13. _politeness in streets_ the streets (p. 26) of game no. 12 may be utilised for this game. the children should have on their hats and caps, and walk along the streets. the game is intended to teach them how to behave when walking; they should keep to the right, not speak loudly, and the boys should raise their caps when they meet anyone who acknowledges them. when the game is fairly started, the two verses which follow may be repeated by all the children: keep always to the right when in the street you walk, and please remember this- do not too loudly talk. we must not stare at folks, or turn to look behind; be kind, but never rude- a good rule you will find. a little girl who is walking drops her handkerchief; then, after going a few yards further, stops and says: where is my handkerchief? oh dear! i must have dropped it somewhere near. a boy who has picked it up advances and offers it to the lady, at the same time raising his cap, and the lady says 'thank you.' the game may be continued at the teacher's discretion, and the verses again repeated. 14. _dressing children_ about a dozen of the older children stand in the centre of the room, and a number of the little ones come in with coat and hat in hand. the older children repeat the verse: ready for the babies stand, see they come with hat in hand. bigger children always should to little ones be kind and good. the younger children then advance, and the others proceed with the dressing. first the coat is put on and carefully buttoned, then the hats or hoods are tied on, and the little child says 'thank you.' this game should be played just before the children are dismissed, or before playtime. n.b.--how to tie a bow may be learnt from game no. 7, p. 12. 15. _father bringing presents_ _object of game._--anyone who has observed children cannot fail to have noticed how very often they have to be _prompted_ to express their thanks for kindnesses received. it is hoped that this little game may be of use in impressing the lesson, so often reiterated by parents and others. a 'house' is formed by a ring of children (see frontispiece, and description of same on p. 31). there should be three children in the ring to represent 'john,' 'maud,' and the 'baby,' also an older girl for the 'mother.' the 'father' is supposed to be away on a journey, and preparations are being made for his return. the 'mother' and 'maud' lay the table for tea (see game no. 1, which is similar), and the other two children may be looking at a picture-book or watching for father's return at the door or window. when he arrives, each member of the family greets him; one takes his hat, another his bag, and a chair is placed for him at the table. then the children take their places, and the mother pours the tea. after the meal is finished, the father opens his portmanteau, and looking into it, says: a ball for baby should be here, [takes out the ball and gives it.] baby oh, thank you, thank you, father dear. father a skipping-rope for maud is this, [presents it to maud.] maud i thank you, father, with a kiss. [kisses father.] father this cricket-ball for john will do. [hands john the ball.] john thank you, papa, 'tis kind of you. _frontispiece._--twenty or thirty children might very well combine to make the 'house,' instead of ten as shown here. the two girls who cross hands form the 'door.' the boy on the left of the door grasps the girdle of the girl with his right hand, while the boy on the right places his left hand on the girl's shoulder to make the 'latch.' to open the 'door' we lift the 'latch,' and then push the girl on the right gently inside the ring, the girl on the left moving with her. to _knock_ at the 'door' we rap on the floor. 16. _going errands_ the children join hands and stand round to form a 'house' and 'garden' (see diagram). a space is left for the gateway of the 'garden.' for 'door' of house see frontispiece. [illustration: +----------------------+ | | | | | house | | | | | +--------+----+--------+ | _door_ | | | | garden | | | | | +--------+ +--------+] in the 'house' stands one of the bigger girls to represent the 'mother,' and there should also be a little chair, and a doll's cradle with a doll in it. in the 'garden' eight or ten children are engaged in playing a game. ('drop, drop, drop,' no. 41, p. 74, would do nicely.) one of the girls must represent 'nellie,' and one of the boys 'johnnie.' as the game proceeds, the 'mother' comes to the door and calls: 'nellie, nellie!' [nellie at once answers:] 'yes, mother.' [leaves game immediately and runs to mother.] mother baby cries, just soothe her, nell. rock the cradle; that is well. [nellie sits down and rocks the cradle.] the game proceeds for a little while, and then the 'mother' calls again: 'johnnie!' [_children say_], 'mother calls you, see.' [johnnie runs quickly to the 'mother.'] mother go round to the shop for me. [gives him money and a basket.] johnnie may go outside the room and come back again, or the game 'shopping' (no. 6, p. 10) may be played, having been previously prepared in another part of the room, and johnnie may go to the shop for what his mother requires. when he has returned, all the children say: little children, always run when your mother's voice is heard, leave your play whene'er she calls quickly mind her every word. 17. _taking father's tea_ a classroom may be used for the 'house' and another for the 'workshop,' or they may both be made by rings of children (see frontispiece, and description of same on p. 31). between the 'house' and the 'workshop' there should be a 'street' (see game no. 12, p. 24). in the workshop there should be 'joiners' planing, hammering, sawing, &c. (a set of toy tools might be used for this), and in the 'house' a little girl should represent the 'mother.' two children come walking quickly down the 'street' towards the 'house,' saying: straight away from school we go, to take our father's tea, you know. they enter the 'house,' and the 'mother' gives a jug to one and a basket to the other, and says: with care the jug of tea you'll hold, and make good haste lest it get cold. children reply: oh yes, dear mother, all you say we'll mind right well--and now, away. they walk up the 'street' to the 'workshop,' and the 'father'--a joiner with sleeves rolled up--comes to the door. father ah! my children, here you come, children yes, we've brought your tea from home. father takes the jug and basket, saying: thank you, now run home and play; i am working late to-day. children say 'good-bye,' and run off. _invitations_ _preliminary._--children should be taught to express thanks not only for tangible presents, as in game no. 15, but also for kindness or favours received. the two games which follow are intended to teach this. 18. _invitation to play_ a house with garden is needed; to make this the children join hands and stand as shown in diagram, p. 32. in the 'house' there should be a 'mother,' and in the 'garden' a number of children playing with ball or skipping-rope. a smaller 'house' is required at some distance from the first. in this, also, there should be a 'mother'--(mrs. day), and a little girl--(nell). a classroom may be used for this 'house' if more convenient. as the play proceeds the 'mother' comes to the 'door' to watch the children's game. presently one of them--a boy--runs up to her and says: mamma, please, may we ask nell day to come and have a game of play? [the other children come and cluster round.] mother oh, yes! i will a message send- an invitation for your friend. just go and ask if mrs. day can spare nellie to come all day. all the children thank you, mother. the boy runs off to mrs. day's house and knocks. mrs. day answers the door. child please, mrs. day, may nellie come to play all day with us at home? if mrs. day says 'yes,' nell should reply, 'thank you, mother,' and mrs. day should also send a message of thanks to the boy's mother. when nell is ready, they run off hand in hand. 19. _invitation to drive_ the house and garden described in game no. 16, p. 32, will do quite well for this also, but the children are to be at work instead of play. one child may be fetching water, another minding the baby, and another watering the garden or going errands. a gentleman (boy) comes to the garden-gate (a space is left for the gateway), with 'carriage' and 'horses'; the 'carriage' is made in the same way as the 'coach' (game no. 24, p. 48), and has two horses instead of four. gentleman walks through the 'garden,' knocks at the door, and says: good morning, madam; if i may, i'll drive your children out to-day. mother i thank you, sir [_beckons children to her_]; come children! [_children run to her_]. gentleman such busy, happy children, they shall drive with me far, far away. children oh, thank you, sir, 'twill pleasant be to ride with you nice things to see. children enter carriage, waving hands to 'mother,' and saying: good-bye, dear mother, off we go, the horses gallop fast, we know. 20. _getting ready for bed_ this game may be used for a class of children, or for a few only. in the former case, the majority of the scholars would, of course, be lookers-on. half a dozen boys and girls should be playing in different parts of the room; one might be drawing, another building, and a third looking at a picture-book; or they might all be joining to play a game together. a big girl or the teacher represents the elder sister, who repeats (or sings to the tune of 'the campbells are coming') the four lines following: come, children, get ready for bed, bed, bed, and sister must wash you, as mother said, the hands and the faces will all be clean, such nice, happy children, shall ne'er be seen. the children instantly put toys and books away in their proper places, and reply: some folks they do cry, when they're washed, oh dear! dear! pray where do they live? we do not want them here. merry, happy little children, come and get well scrubbed, but do not cry when you are washed and rubbed. the 'sister' pretends to wash all the children; then they say: some folks they do cry when they're told, 'time for bed,' some folks pout and say, 'oh! let me play instead.' merry, happy little children, laughing go away, good-night, good-night, we'll play another day. the children go out of the room kissing hands to those who are left, or to the elder 'sister.' 21. _washing one's self_ the teacher may repeat the lines, accompanying them with the actions, which the children imitate, or the children may learn and repeat the words themselves. [1]wash your hands, dear children all, [2]palms we rub and [3]backs as well, [4]round the wrist we leave no mark, else a sad tale that would tell; [5]rub the knuckles, [6]brush nails, too, clean, bright[7] hands nice work can do. now 'tis time to [8]wash your face, [9]soap your hands, and [10]rub away, [11]gently round the ears we go, [12]don't forget your eyes, i say; [13]nose, and [14]mouth, and [15]forehead high, [16]all to make quite clean we try. _actions._-[1] pretend to wash hands. [2] rub palms together. [3] rub back of left hand with palm of right. [4] wash left wrist, then right. [5] rub knuckles of both hands. [6] brush nails of left hand with right fist. [7] show hands. [8] touch face with both hands. [9] pretend to rub soap on hands. [10] rub hands together. [11] wash the ears. [12] wash eyes. [13] rub the nose. [14] wash round mouth. [15] rub forehead. [16] rub all the face. 22. _asking for drink of water_ _preliminary._--this little game may be used to teach children to be courteous to strangers, and it should also teach them how to carry liquid without spilling. _directions._--the school or classroom should be the 'house,' and a boy (representing the man who asks for water) should go outside. one child is required to answer the door, and another may carry the glass of water, or the same child may do both. the 'man' comes and knocks at the door, which is opened by a little girl; he then says: a drink of water, please, i pray, you'll give me, madam, this hot day. a child walks across the room with the glass of water, which should be carried on a plate or small tray, without spilling, and hands it to the man, who takes it, saying, 'thank you.' when he has finished drinking, he returns the glass, and the child says 'good-day,' and closes the door. 23. _the fox and the tiger_ _directions._--the 'tiger' (a boy) hides in a 'forest,' which the children make by standing at irregular intervals and representing trees. each child should name the tree it chooses, the following rhyme gives the names of a few common trees: beech and chestnut, birch and oak are the names of english trees, elm and willow, poplar, ash, soon you will remember these. [illustration: fig. 3.--fox's den] the children should see leaves from each tree, and country children should be shown the trees themselves with the leaves growing on them. the 'den' of the 'fox' is at the edge of the 'forest,' and is made by ten children standing as shown in fig. 3. the four children who form the entrance join hands as shown, and the other six meet hands in centre. a better way of making the den would be for each child to hold a branch of a tree, then the _branches_ would meet instead of the hands. the children who stand for 'trees' in the 'forest' wave branches, if the latter are obtainable; if not, the arms are waved for branches. one of the bigger girls should be the 'fox,' and two or three of the smallest children should be cubs, and go into the den with the fox. then the fox comes walking out of the den, and says: i go to find a duck for dinner this fine day, and you, my pretty cubs, will stay at home and play. while she is absent, the tiger comes softly into the den and takes one of the cubs (leading the child away by the hand). presently the fox returns, goes into the den, misses the cub, and chases the tiger. 24. _the coach game_ [illustration: × × × × 13 14 15 16 × × 11 12 × × 9 10 × × × × 5 6 7 8 × × × × 1 2 3 4] the 'coach' is formed by children standing in position as shown on diagram. all the children face the same way. 1, 2, 3, 4 are 'horses' and join hands behind, as in 'bell-horses'; 5, 6, 7, 8 join hands to make the front part of the 'coach'; '5' holds the coat of 'horse' no. 1 with right hand, while '8' holds coat of '4' with left; 9, 10, 11, 12 each hold the dress of the child standing in front; 13, 14, 15, 16 join hands; '13' catches hold of no. 11 with right hand, and '16' holds the dress of no. 12 with left. when the 'coach' is ready, the 'driver' (a boy) repeats the lines: here is my coach, who'll come and ride? the door, you see, is open wide. four 'passengers' advance, and the 'driver' makes way for them to enter the 'coach' between '10' and '12,' saying: jump in quick! quick! not long we stay, then ready! steady! right away! the 'door' is closed by '12' again grasping the dress of '10,' and the 'coach' moves off. the 'horses' should not go very quickly, else the 'coach' will probably lose its shape. the 'passengers' walk along with the 'coach' until their destination is reached, when the 'driver' opens the door and allows them to alight. the above game may be played in conjunction with nos. 25, 26 and 27. 25. _the stable_ this game may be played immediately after 'the coach,' or it may be played alone. _directions._--the 'stable' is formed by a number of children who stand in rows (see diagram) and join hands. [illustration: × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×] the 'hostler' (a boy) should stand near the 'stable.' when the 'coach' (game no. 24, p. 48) drives up, he goes to the driver and asks: hostler shall i take your horses for a rest and feed? they are tired, i think, sir, and a drink they need. driver yes, good hostler, take and give them nice fresh corn, with a pail of water; they have worked since morn. the 'hostler' leads one horse into each stall, and pretends to give them hay or corn. then he carries water to them in a pail (a toy pail, price 1_d._, would do), and each drinks. after this he rubs them down, using a brush or his hand. 26. _visiting grandmamma_ _directions._--four little girls are selected to visit grandmamma, and to carry messages and presents to her. grandma's 'house' is made by a ring of children (see frontispiece, and description of same on p. 31), and the girl who is to be 'grandma' sits in the ring knitting. an old-fashioned kerchief and cap help to make the 'grandma' more real, and a pair of spectacles adds further to the effect. if the 'coach' game be used in conjunction with this, the little girls may be the 'passengers' and go in the 'coach' to grandma's house. the 'door' (see description of frontispiece on p. 31) should be opened by a little maid, then the four children enter and repeat the lines: children altogether good morning, grandma, we have come with messages from all at home. first child mamma sends love, and i'm to say she hopes you are quite well to-day. [grandma replies suitably.] second child these flowers, dear grandma, are for you, [gives her flowers.] in my small garden bed they grew. grandma thank you, my dear. third child [_handing a basket_] and here are cakes that nellie made to send to grandmamma, she said. fourth child [_giving basket to grandma_] ripe fruit i bring for grandmamma, these pears and plums are from papa. when 'grandma' has thanked each of the children, they take leave of her and return home. the guessing rhyme, no. 92, might be given after playing the above game. 27. _paying calls_ _directions._--a ring of children form the 'house' (see frontispiece, and description of same on p. 31) or a classroom may be used for it. a few chairs and a table should be placed in the 'house,' and there should be a 'mother' and 'children.' a 'lady' (represented by a little girl) comes and knocks at the 'door,' and the 'mother' opens it. visitor how do you do, dear mrs. brown? i've called upon you going to town. mother i'm quite well, thank you, mrs. may, and glad to see you this fine day. the visitor then walks in and speaks to the children one by one; they should answer without hesitation. children are generally very shy and awkward when addressed by strangers, but they should be encouraged to reply with confidence and ease. perhaps these little games may help to give them confidence. the game 'paying calls' might appropriately be followed by 'afternoon tea'; both these are played with great glee by the little girls. 28. _afternoon tea_ the tea-tray is brought in by one of the children and placed on a table near the 'mother,' who pours out the tea. one of the children carries a cup to the visitor, and hands it to her, asking:- will you take a cup of tea? visitor yes, refreshing it will be. [takes the cup and says 'thank you.'] a plate or d'oyley may be placed in the lap of the visitor for the bread or biscuit, which the child hands, saying:- bread and butter, biscuits, cake. visitor please a biscuit i will take. the 'mother' may serve the children with tea, or there may be other visitors calling, then the time of the children will be occupied in attending to them. when mrs. may has finished, the child says:- shall i take your cup away, and your plate, too, mrs. may? [takes them away.] by-and-by the visitor takes leave of the 'mother' and children, bidding each 'good-day,' and the 'door' is opened for her by one of the children. 29. _spring flowers_ all the children join to form a large ring, and one of the taller girls stands in the centre to represent 'spring.' the twelve flowers mentioned in the verses should be represented by twelve children standing at intervals in the ring. before commencing the game, the child who represents 'spring' might appropriately repeat the lines of guessing rhyme no. 74, p. 95. the 'flowers' step forward from the larger ring as the name of each is mentioned in the verses, and form a smaller circle round 'spring.' the children should join hands to close up the gap which is left by each 'flower' as it steps forward to join the small circle. a daffodil am i, and i a daisy small; a bluebell i come here, i'm buttercup so tall. the cowslip should come next, and then the violet sweet, the snowdrop fair and white, the crocus trim and neat. the starry celandine, anemone, so fair, the yellow primrose, sweet, lily, with fragrance rare. the 'flowers' then join hands and repeat the verse following:- whene'er spring shows her face the flowers all come again, we cluster round the 'spring,' [all the flowers bow.] we follow in her train. [flowers turn to right.] 'spring' marches round inside the larger ring, and the 'flowers' follow in order. 30. _summer flowers_ this game is played like the game of 'spring flowers' (see instructions on p. 56). the girl chosen to represent 'summer' may repeat the verse given in guessing rhyme no. 75, p. 95, and then the 'flowers' step forward as their names are mentioned in the rhymes which follow. first comes the pink wild rose, [rose steps forward.] the white rose, too, is here next honeysuckle sweet, and foxglove standing near. the scented mignonette, dog-daisy gold and white, the pretty cornflower blue, and marigold so bright. a campion white grows here, and next a campion pink, here's clover from the field, harebell comes next, i think. the 'flowers' then join hands and repeat the following rhyme:- a ring we make round summer sweet, oh summer, summer, thee we greet: [all bow.] for bright and happy is our play all through the livelong summer day. the 'flowers' then dance round 'summer.' 31. _the three bears_ this game may be played either in the home, schoolroom or classroom. the words should be learnt previously as a recitation. _materials required._--three mugs or basins of various sizes, with a spoon in each; three stools or chairs of various sizes, and three beds. the latter may be made by laying shawls or coats on the forms or floor. the 'beds' should vary in size, the first being the largest, the next smaller, the third smaller still. three boys or girls should be chosen to represent the three bears, and these also should vary in size. the 'bears' go outside the room. the child who represents the little girl should know the rhymes well. when all is ready she comes in and, standing near the open door, says:- what a funny house i see! surely i may step inside, all is quiet as can be, and the door is open wide. [walks slowly towards the mugs.] pots of food are near the fire. i must taste them, one [tastes the first], two [tastes the second], three [tastes the third]; oh, how good, i'll eat it all, for my breakfast it shall be. [puts the mug down and turns to stools.] three stools! first [sits on first] and next [sits on it] too high, tiny one is just for me. [sits on third.] oh, 'tis broken [tumbles off], off i go, what else is there yet to see? [walks towards beds.] beds, a large one [lies down], that is hard, [rises.] this one [pointing to middle bed] is too long, i fear, oh, how soft [lies down in little bed], i'll take a rest, in the little bed just here. [pretends to sleep.] the three bears come tramping in. the big one takes up his mug and says, 'who has been at my porridge?' the second bear says the same; and then the little bear takes up his mug and says, 'who has been at my porridge and eaten it all up?' they proceed in the same way with the stools, the little bear finishing with 'who has been sitting on my stool, and broken it?' then they go to the beds in order, asking one after the other, 'who has been at my bed?' until it comes to the little bear's turn, when he says, 'who has been at my bed? and here she is still!' the little girl now opens her eyes, and, seeing the bears, jumps up quickly and runs off. 32. _imitating cries of animals_ (a simple game for the very smallest children.) one child comes out to stand in front of the class and says:- listen to the cry i make, then, if you the trouble take, you may guess my name. he then imitates the cry of some animal, the 'bark' of a dog, the 'mew' of a cat, or the 'crowing' of the cock, and the children who wish to answer hold out the hand. the child who is allowed to give the name of the animal represented by the cry comes out (if the answer is correct) and makes the cry of another animal, first repeating the lines as before. the following are some of the cries that the children may be able to imitate, 'cluck, cluck' (hen), 'quacking' (duck), 'hissing' (goose), 'neighing' (horse), 'braying' (donkey), 'grunting' (pig), 'chirping' (bird) or talking like the parrot. 33. _charades_ _preliminary._--everyone knows how fond children are of representing ideas by action. it is for this reason that charades are recommended here. it will, of course, be necessary for the teacher to assist and suggest, but the children soon acquire confidence, and their acting, being perfectly natural, is often remarkably good. a very simple little charade is given as an example. the children who are to take part go out of the room for a few minutes with the teacher. we will suppose the word chosen is tea-cake act i.--the teacher is to be the 'mother' and the rest are children. the 'mother' enters and sits down; presently the children come trooping in from school and gather round her. she asks what they have been doing at school, each one tells her something about its work or play, and then one child asks, 'may we have tea, mother, please?' 'yes,' says the mother, 'go and take off your hats and we will get it ready.' (end of act i.) act ii.--the tea-table is prepared (see game no. 1, which is similar) and the children sit down to tea. (the 'guessing' children should be told to listen carefully to what is said during tea.) one child asks for the _cake_ to be passed, another for bread and butter, and so on. (end of act ii.) act iii.--in the last act the whole word is to be given. the children pretend to have a baker's shop (see 'shopping game,' no. 6), one child keeps the shop, and the rest come to buy. one asks for a loaf, another for rolls, a third buys a _tea-cake_, and so on. bricks and tablets may be used for the loaves and cakes, or they may be made in the clay-modelling lesson and kept for this game. _finding the word._--the children who have been listening are now asked to guess, and may be encouraged by remarks, such as, 'think of the first act, and what the children said to their mother.' 'remember the tea-table and what was said there.' some of the words thus obtained may be written on the blackboard, words for each act being put in separate columns. 'now what did the baker sell?' in this way the answer is soon obtained. it is well worth while to help the children to learn how to play charades, because it makes such a pleasant home-play for them in wintry and wet weather. 34. _passing the stick_ the children sit round the room, or stand in a semi-circle. the teacher should start the game, standing at the left extremity of the semi-circle, with the stick in her right hand, and repeat the lines:- on the floor you see i [1]tap my [1]stick, [1]stick, [1]stick, then i [2]pass it to my [3]neighbour quick, quick, quick, if you know it, then please do the trick, trick, trick. the children who do not know the game will probably _omit_ to pass the stick into the left hand; as each one tries to do the trick, the teacher says 'right' or 'wrong' as the case may be, and those who are wrong are told to notice particularly how the teacher does it. [1] tap floor. [2] pass stick from right hand to left. [3] give it to neighbour. 35. _finding the thimble_ this is a favourite game and can be played with very little noise. at home, _all_ the children would go out of the room except the one who remains behind to hide the thimble, but when played in the school or classroom, it will be sufficient if six children are sent out. the thimble is to be placed where it can be seen, the children are then called in, and the one who has hid it says:- try to find the thimble out, use your eyes and look about, look before and look behind, and when you the thimble find, just sit down. as soon as any child sees the thimble, he takes a seat and remains quite still until all the seekers have seen it, and each in turn has sat down. then the child who _first_ saw the thimble takes it from its hiding-place, and has the privilege of remaining behind to hide it next time. different children should go out each time, so that all may have a turn. 36. _throwing the handkerchief_ the children stand in a ring, or sit round the room, one child standing in the middle. the handkerchief is thrown from one to another, and the one who is 'out' tries to find a child with the handkerchief in its hand. as soon as he can do this, the child who was caught with the handkerchief has to stand in the centre, and the other one sits down, or stands in the ring, as the case may be. as the game begins, the children say:- the handkerchief is thrown, find quickly where 'tis gone: from you to me, from me to you, to keep it long will never do. 37. _picking up potatoes_ take twelve potatoes and place them in two rows of six each, thus:-[illustration: * * * * * * * * * * * *] two medium-sized spoons are required with which to take up the potatoes, and a basket is placed two or three yards away to receive them. two children are chosen to pick up the potatoes, one standing at the end of each row. the rest of the children may be grouped on the gallery, or may stand round in a ring. the following verse is repeated either by teacher alone, or by all the children, as the spoon is handed to each child. take this spoon, and with it see that you lift so carefully these potatoes. one! two! three! the last three words are said slowly, and the game is to begin immediately 'three' is said. the child who gets his row of potatoes _first_ picked up and deposited in the basket wins the game. the potatoes are not to be touched, except by the spoon, and they are to be carried one by one in the spoon to the basket. ii. games for the playground 38. _throwing the ball_ one child holds the ball in her hand and stands at a little distance from the wall against which it is to be thrown. the other children are gathered near in a group or semi-circle. when all are ready, the children say:- throw the ball against the wall, then we'll listen for your call. the child who is holding the ball replies:-'one, two, three, pollie burton' (supposing that to be the name of the child called), and throws the ball, all the children running off except the one whose name was mentioned. if the latter is successful in catching the ball, it is returned to the girl who had it first and the game is repeated, another name being substituted. if the ball is not caught, the child who was called picks it up and runs after the other children until she manages to hit some one with it. the child who is hit picks up the ball and all return to the starting place. the lines are again repeated and the game proceeds as before. 39. _lame lassie_ at the commencement of the game the children stand in a large ring, and the girl who is to be 'lame lassie' stands in the centre. the children then say:- now lame lassie give us chase, get one quick to fill your place. they all run off, and 'lame lassie' follows until she manages to touch some other child. wherever the latter is touched, she must place her hand on that particular spot and run after the others until she is successful in reaching some one else. sometimes a child will be holding its shoulder or elbow, or it may have to hold up one leg and hop on the other. this is a game which causes much fun and merriment. 40. _polly flinders_ the children form a ring, joining hands, and one child sits in the middle. those who form the ring walk round singing to the tune of 'the keel bow.' here's polly flinders, she sits on the cinders, waits for a fairy to come and bring her news. stand upon your feet, dear, take a look around here, kiss the one you love best, the one you like to choose. at the word 'stand' the child in the centre rises to her feet, and when the rhyme is ended she chooses a child to take her place in the centre and returns to the ring. all the children stand still while the choice is being made. 41. _drop, drop, drop_ the children stand eighteen inches apart in a ring, _not_ joining hands. one child walks round the ring, holding a handkerchief in her hand, and repeating the words:- one, two, three, come follow me, drop, drop, drop, where shall i stop? at the word 'stop,' she drops the handkerchief near one of the children, and runs; the child picks it up and follows her as she threads her way in and out of the ring, until she is caught. then the 'chaser' goes round the ring with the handkerchief, repeating the rhyme, and the child who was caught stands in the other one's place. 42. _puss in the corner_ this game may be played by four children, each standing at a corner, with one in the centre for 'pussy,' or it maybe played by a ring of children. the child who is 'pussy' stands in the centre of the ring, and the others say:- pussy cat, pussy cat looking so spry, might very soon catch us, if she would but try. two children then beckon to each other and exchange places. (if a ring is formed, the two children should come from opposite sides of it.) as they are crossing, 'pussy' tries to catch one of them; if she succeeds, the child who is caught stands in the centre, and the old 'pussy' takes her place in the ring or corner. 43. _wolf and sheep_ one child is the 'wolf' and stands on one side of the playground, while the rest of the children are 'sheep,' and stand in a row on the opposite side. _wolf_: where's your shepherd, pretty sheep? _sheep_: in his cottage, fast asleep. _wolf_: i will catch you as you run, _sheep_: if we let you, there's the fun! the 'wolf' and 'sheep' then change sides, and in crossing the 'wolf' touches as many of the 'sheep' as she can; these all go to her side and help to catch more 'sheep' next time. the game proceeds until all the 'sheep' are caught except one, and that one is 'wolf' next time. 44. _dancing game_ the children stand in two rows facing each other, thus:-[illustration: g <------- c e a x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x o [] x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x d f b <------- h] the following is sung to the tune of 'pop goes the weasel.' have you seen my monkey, jack? gay old jack, so funny! he can climb, or nuts can crack, or take your money. as the children begin to sing, '=a=' and '=b=' join hands and dance down to '=o=,' then change hands and dance back again to []; then '=a=' goes behind '=e=' as shown by line '=g=,' and stands at '=c=,' while '=b=' goes behind '=f=,' following the line '=h=' and stands at '=d='; '=e=' and '=f=' proceed in the same way, and each couple follows in turn. 45. _ducking under_ the children stand in rows facing each other, each child holding the handkerchief of its opposite partner, and so helping to make a long tunnel. as they stand thus the verse is repeated:- ducking under is the game, are you ready, children, all? hold your handkerchiefs quite fast, then run under when i call, one, two, three. [illustration: a x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x c b x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x d] at 'three,' '=a=' and '=b=' run under, and stand at '=c=' and '=d=' respectively, extending handkerchiefs as quickly as possible, so that the next couple may be able to pass under. the couple who stood next '=a=' and '=b=' at the beginning follow, then the next couple, and so on until the 'tunnel' has moved round the playground. 46. _who'll go a-hunting_ [illustration: __a__ / x \ / | \ / | \ / | \ \c | d/ \ | / \ | / \->x<-/ b] the children stand behind each other in couples at one end of the playground, ready to dance off when the song begins. they start from point '=b=,' and each holds his partner's hand until the other end of the playground is reached, point '=a=,' then the hands are dropped; one goes to the left (following direction of arrow '=c='), the other to the right (arrow '=d='), and they meet again at the starting point '=b=,' where they join hands and repeat the movement. the following is sung to the tune of 'weel may the keel row.' who'll go a-hunting, a-hunting, a-hunting, oh! who'll go a-hunting this merry, merry day? we'll catch the sly old fox--o, safe in a box--o, then who'll go a-hunting this merry, merry day? 47. _sheep gathering_ two rows of children are formed facing each other, with a long chalk line between. the children join hands. [the first row advances to the chalk line, singing:-key f. | d:--:d | d:--:m | s:--:m | d:--:d | | here we come to| ask of you a | | r:--:r | r:--:d | t_{1}:--:l_{1}|s_{1}:--:| [first line recedes as second advances. [second line advances singing:- | d:--:d | d:--:m | s:--:m | d:--:d | |pray which good sheep | would you like? the | | r:--:r | s_{1}:l_{1}:t_{1} | d: || |name you please must | say. || [second line retires, and first again advances singing:- mary burton [or any other name] is the name, so send her right away, away, [second line advances as first retires and sings:- johnny smith [or any other name] will come to fetch her, then begins the play. the two children named then come out, and joining hands with the line between them, try to pull each other over the line. if the child from first line succeeds, then both children join that line, or _vice versâ_, and the game begins again. 48. _hopping game_ squares are chalked on the ground, thus:-[illustration: +----+----+ | 5 | 6 | +----+----+ | 4 | 7 | +----+----+ | 3 | 8 | +----+----+ | 2 | 9 | +----+----+ | 1 | 10 | +----+----+ x] and a stone or pebble is put at the place marked =×=. the object of the game is to pass the pebble into each square with one foot only, following the numbers in order. the child who is to begin the game stands near the pebble, while the children say:- here is a game for you, hippity, hop, into the next place you make the stone pop. the child then sends the stone into no. 1 square (hopping on one foot), from that into nos. 2, 3, 4 and so on. if the stone be sent outside the square into which it should go, the player is out, and another begins. the child who first gets the pebble into no. 10 square, having passed it into each of the others successively, keeping on one foot all the time, wins the game. 49. _making a chain_ the game is started by one child who catches another and says:- i have caught you, come away, let us make a chain to-day. the two then join hands and catch another, repeating the same words; then the three start off and catch another, and so on until all are caught. the last child caught starts the game again, or the completed 'chain' may form a ring and play one of the ring games, nos. 40, 41, 42. 50. _mother, may we go out to play?_ one corner of the playground may be the 'house' in which the 'mother' sits. if the game is played by the children elsewhere, they will probably mark out the shape of the 'house' on the ground with stones or pebbles, a practice of which they are very fond. the children come to the 'house' where the 'mother' sits, and standing in front of her, ask:- _children_: mother, may we go out and play? _mother_: yes, good children, that you may. the children then run away, and after a little while return to the mother; she asks:- _mother:_ where have you been? _children:_ away up the hill. _mother:_ what have you seen? _children:_ a house by a mill. _mother:_ who was there in it? _children:_ a little, old man. _mother:_ what said he to you? _children:_ catch me if you can. the children then run off, and the 'mother' chases until she has caught one or more; these are kept prisoners in the 'house,' and the game proceeds until all are caught except one, and she is the 'mother' when the game begins again. iii. guessing rhymes _notes._--the guessing rhymes are intended to be read by the teacher to the children, who then try to find out the word. the verse should be repeated slowly two or three times before the children are asked to guess. at first only the familiar and well-known objects should be given, and even then it will sometimes be necessary to assist the imagination of the children by a question or two. before reading the rhyme, the teacher should say whether it is a flower, object or animal, &c., that is to be guessed. the rhymes about animals, flowers, and natural phenomena will not be difficult to the children if these subjects have been included in their object lessons, or have formed the subject of 'morning talks' (see p. 14, 'kindergarten guide'). the nursery rhymes will have been learnt by the children when they were in the babies' class, and the rest of the rhymes belong to fairy tales that are commonly told to all children. _miscellaneous objects_ 51. i'm tied up in a basin and boiled well in a pan, and then turned out and eaten, so guess me if you can. pudding. 52. two hands i have, my face is round, in father's pocket i am found, my hands do move, i make a noise, now guess me quickly, girls and boys. watch. 53. are there cobwebs, is there dust, are there crumbs upon the floor? then you surely bring me out from behind the pantry door, and on sweeping days i'm seen, making all things nice and clean. brush. 54. sometimes i'm made of willows, but oftener of wood, four legs they always give me, or else i am no good; a back i should have also, and two strong arms as well, now if you think it over, my name you soon should tell. arm-chair. 55. you have me in your pocket, i'm square and white, 'tis true, and many things i'm used for by children, such as you. pocket-handkerchief. 56. i may be white, i may be brown, you draw me up or pull me down, at night i'm mostly down, you know, but in the morning up i go. window blind. 57. i glide along or fast or slow, and only on the water go; i'm long and narrow, and you see my pointed end [bow] that first should be; the broad end always goes behind [stern], and both have names as you will find. boat. 58. by steam alone i move and go, men have an engine down below; long journeys oftentimes i make, when o'er the sea my way i take. steamer. 59. i skim so lightly o'er the sea, with wings outspread like bird so free, what are my wings? [sails] and do you see how o'er the waves they carry me? sail boat. 60. the fire burns very slowly, you come to look for me, i blow it till it blazes, all bright and cheerfully; i'm partly made of leather, the rest is iron and wood, i always have a round hole, or else i am no good.--bellows. 61. i'm made of wood, or made of clay, and used at any time of day; when father comes from work at night, perhaps he takes me, strikes a light, and puffs--ah, then what do you smell? now surely you my name can tell. pipe. _animals_ 62. i watch your house all night, when you're asleep, my dear, if any thief should come, my voice you soon would hear. dog. 63. a gentle, timid creature, i shall soon run off if you come nigh; my horns, like branches of a tree, above my head you always see. stag. 64. a little, creeping thing i saw, upon a plant it stayed all day, and very many legs it had, and how it ate the leaves away! caterpillar. 65. they are frisking in the field, by the side of mother dear, playful, happy creatures, they never think of danger near, and their coats so soft and light keep them warm by day and night. lambs. 66. i take my trunk with me, wherever i go, 'tis not made of tin or of wood, oh, dear no, i use it to lift to my mouth things i eat, just give me a biscuit, that would be a treat! elephant's trunk. 67. my coat is made of soft, warm fur, my tail is thick and round, my eyes are very sharp and bright, among the trees i'm found; i like to crack the nuts, you see, and jump about from tree to tree. squirrel. _flowers_ 68. before the winter changed to spring, i saw a graceful, white, wee thing; its pretty bell was hanging down, as if it thought, 'too soon i've grown,' although more snow we yet may see, we give glad welcome, flower, to thee. snow-drop. 69. a yellow eye and frill of white, which closes up when comes the night, sometimes my frill is edged with pink, now, surely of my name you'll think. daisy. 70. i come in the spring, and my bells are all blue, a pretty blue carpet i'm spreading for you. wild hyacinth. (commonly called 'bluebell.') 71. another blue flower, that in summer we see, has bells that are larger, in which dips the bee, and if you should give these blue bells a slight shake, a pretty, soft tinkle for you they would make. harebell. 72. five petals i have which are white, as i think, unless i should blush, then they turn rosy pink, i smell, oh, so sweetly, now guess me quick, quick! and mind, when you pluck me, the thorns do not prick. wild rose. 73. all the hedge is snowy white, covered with my blossoms bright, sweetly i do smell, they say, and i come in month of may. may blossom. _natural phenomena_ 74. all the trees have buds of green, pretty, yellow flowers are seen, lambs are frisking, happy, free, pray what season can this be? spring. 75. sunny days so bright and long, sweet, new hay, and mower's song, honeysuckle, roses sweet, holidays, that are a treat. summer. 76. the reapers' scythes are heard among the yellow corn, there's harvest moon at night, and frosty air at morn, the hunter sounds his horn, ripe nuts and fruits are here, the leaves go whirling by, and colder days draw near. autumn. 77. now we have the north wind bold, bringing frost and snow and cold, sliding, skating, oh what fun, when this season is begun! winter. 78. four sisters come past, one by one, every year, the _first_, in a dress of green buds will appear, the _second_ brings roses and flowers, oh, so sweet, the _third_ scatters gold and brown leaves at our feet, the _fourth_ often wears a white robe--now please tell the names of these sisters, you know them quite well. the four seasons. 79. we are sometimes dark and heavy, then you think there will be rain, we are sometimes light and fleecy, and the blue sky shows again, if you would see us, look above, across the sky we always move. clouds. 80. on a frosty morning, you may sometimes see all the fields and houses white as white can be, if the sun arise, the whiteness soon will go, pray what can its name be? for it is not snow. hoar-frost. 81. in the early morning drops are shining clear, on the leaves and grasses, in the flower-cups here; through the night 'tis falling, but by noon of day, sunshine warm and pleasant sends it quite away. dew. 82. you want me very much when you go to fly your kite, i send it soaring upwards, to such a great, great height, sometimes i lift your hat off, and you to catch it fly, you wonder where i come from, so now to guess me try. wind. _nursery rhymes_ 83. a little boy once had a horn, i think he lived among the corn, and wore a pretty dress of blue, i've nearly told his name to you. little boy blue. 84. a boy and girl walked up a hill, but tumble, tumble, down they came, and where's the water? where the pail? of each poor child you know the name. jack and jill. 85. somebody has a garden, we ask her how it grows, such funny things she says are there, a-growing all in rows. mary, mary, quite contrary. 86. who sat down in a corner, one christmas, long ago, and thought himself a good, good boy, while eating pie, you know? little jack horner. 87. 'twas something about a supper, and something about a knife, and something about a boy that cried, and something about a wife. little tom tucker. 88. 'where is your flock, my little maid?' 'they're lost, all lost, kind sir,' she said, 'i slept and dreamed, but found not one, ah! here they are with tails all gone!' little bopeep. 89. she had a dog, and he could smoke, and dance, and laugh or cry, this woman and her dog you know, to find her name please try. mother hubbard. 90. he tumbled from a wall so high, and if to pick him up they try, they find it is in vain, in vain, he cannot be picked up again. humpty dumpty. 91. she sat upon a little stool, to eat her food one day, a spider came and frightened her, and quick she ran away. little miss muffet. _fairy tales_ 92. who was it went her grandmamma to see, in cloak and hood as pretty as could be? red riding hood. 93. and pray whom did she meet, that said 'good-day, i'll race you, little maiden, all the way?' wolf. and when, at last, she reached her grandma's house, who lay there in the bed, still as a mouse? wolf. 94. she sat by the fire, and she looked oh, so sad, until a kind fairy made everything glad, away drove the maiden in carriage so bright, with slippers that sparkled like jewels that night. cinderella. what time did the fairy tell someone to come to her carriage, and quick, oh, so quickly drive home? 12 o'clock. and what did she lose? [her slipper.] i think you know well, and what was the end of it all, can you tell? 95. they say she slept a hundred years, her hair down to her feet had grown, and then the brave prince woke her up, and claimed the maiden for his own. sleeping beauty. 96. he climbed a stalk so wondrous high, it seemed almost to reach the sky, and then he slew, so we are told, a giant who was bad and bold. jack the giant killer. 97. who was it had a pussy cat, and sent it o'er the sea, and then became lord mayor, they say, and rich as rich could be? dick whittington. _works by the same author_ 1. 'the dinner table song'} by lois bates, 'the tea table song' } 1_s._ 4_d._ each song, 'washing dishes' }(e. j. arnold.) 2. foot-rules, 9_d._ per dozen. 3. 'kindergarten guide,' by lois bates, 6_s._ (messrs. longmans.) 4. cardboard coins. box of 220, 1_s._ 8_d._ 5. wooden knitting-pins. 10_d._ per dozen pairs. _spottiswoode & co. printers, new-street square, london._ * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. page 12, "hubbare" changed to "hubbard" (89. mother hubbard) this file was produced from images generously made available by the canadian institute for historical microreproductions. indian games an historical research by andrew mcfarland davis "there are," says father brebeuf in his account of what was worthy of note among the hurons in 1636, [footnote: relations des jesuites, quebec, 1858, p. 113.] "three kinds of games particularly in vogue with this people; cross, platter, and straw. the first two are, they say, supreme for the health. does not that excite our pity? lo, a poor sick person, whose body is hot with fever, whose soul foresees the end of his days, and a miserable sorcerer orders for him as the only cooling remedy, a game of cross. sometimes it is the invalid himself who may perhaps have dreamed that he will die unless the country engages in a game of cross for his health. then, if he has ever so little credit, you will see those who can best play at cross arrayed, village against village, in a beautiful field, and to increase the excitement, they will wager with each other their beaver skins and their necklaces of porcelain beads." "sometimes also one of their medicine men will say that the whole country is ill and that a game of cross is needed for its cure. it is not necessary to say more. the news incontinently spreads everywhere. the chiefs in each village give orders that all the youths shall do their duty in this respect, otherwise some great calamity will overtake the country." lacrosse. in 1667, nicolas perrot, then acting as agent of the french government, was received near saut sainte marie with stately courtesy and formal ceremony by the miamis, to whom he was deputed. a few days after his arrival, the chief of that nation gave him, as an entertainment, a game of lacrosse. [footnote: histoire de l'amerique septentrionale par m. de bacqueville de la potherie, paris, 1722, vol. ii, 124, _et seq._] "more than two thousand persons assembled in a great plain each with his cross. a wooden ball about the size of a tennis ball was tossed in the air. from that moment there was a constant movement of all these crosses which made a noise like that of arms which one hears during a battle. half the savages tried to send the ball to the northwest the length of the field, the others wished to make it go to the southeast. the contest which lasted for a half hour was doubtful." in 1763, an army of confederate nations, inspired by the subtle influence of pontiac's master mind, formed the purpose of seizing the scattered forts held by the english along the northwestern frontier. on the fourth day of june of that year, the garrison at fort michilimackinac, unconscious of their impending fate, thoughtlessly lolled at the foot of the palisade and whiled away the day in watching the swaying fortunes of a game of ball which was being played by some indians in front of the stockade. alexander henry, who was on the spot at the time, says that the game played by these indians was "baggatiway, called by the canadians _le jeu de la crosse._" [footnote: travels and adventures in canada, etc, by alexander henry, new york, 1809, p. 78, travels through the interior parts of north america, by jonathan carver, london, 1778, p. 19. the book of the indians, by samuel g. drake, boston, 1811, book v, ch. iii, p. 52.] parkman [footnote: the conspiracy of pontiac, by francis parkman, boston, 1870, vol. 1, p. 339.] concludes a vivid description of the surprise and massacre of the garrison at michilimackinac, based upon authentic facts, as follows: "bushing and striking, tripping their adversaries, or hurling them to the ground, they pursued the animating contest amid the laughter and applause of the spectators. suddenly, from the midst of the multitude, the ball soared into the air and, descending in a wide curve, fell near the pickets of the fort. this was no chance stroke. it was part of a preconcerted scheme to insure the surprise and destruction of the garrison. as if in pursuit of the ball, the players turned and came rushing, a maddened and tumultuous throng, towards the gate. in a moment they had reached it. the amazed english had no time to think or act. the shrill cries of the ball-players were changed to the ferocious war-whoop. the warriors snatched from the squaws the hatchets which the latter, with this design, had concealed beneath their blankets. some of the indians assailed the spectators without, while others rushed into the fort, and all was carnage and confusion." thus we see that the favorite game of ball of the north american indians, known to-day, as it was in 1636, by the name of "lacrosse," was potent among them as a remedial exercise or superstitious rite to cure diseases and avert disaster; that it formed part of stately ceremonials which were intended to entertain and amuse distinguished guests; and that it was made use of as a stratagem of war, by means of which to lull the suspicions of the enemy and to gain access to their forts. the descriptions of lacrosse which have been transmitted to us, would often prove unintelligible to one who had never seen the game played. the writers of the accounts which have come down to us from the early part of the seventeenth century were men whose lives were spent among the scenes which they described and they had but little time, and few opportunities for careful writing. the individual records though somewhat confused enable us easily to identify the game, and a comparison of the different accounts shows how thoroughly the main features of the game have been preserved. lacrosse is played to-day as follows: the number of players on the opposing sides should be equal. regular stations are assigned in the rules for playing the game, for twelve on each side. goals, each consisting of two upright posts or staffs, generally about six feet apart and of equal height, are planted at each end of the field. the length of the field and its bounds are determined by the character of the ground and the skill of the players. the effort of each side is to prevent the ball from passing through the goal assigned to its protection, and equally to try to drive it through the opposite goal. under no circumstances can the ball be touched during the game, while within the bounds, by the hands of the players. each player has a racket, the length of which, though optional, is ordinarily from four to five feet. one end of this racket or bat is curved like a shepherd's crook, and from the curved end a thong is carried across to a point on the handle about midway its length. in the space thus enclosed between the thong and the handle, which at its broadest part should not exceed a foot in width, a flat network is interposed. this forms the bat. it is with this that the player picks up and throws the ball used in the game, which should be about eight or nine inches in circumference. the ball is placed in the centre of the field by the umpire, and when the game is called, the opposing players strive to get possession of it with their rackets. the play consists in running with it and throwing it, with the design of driving it between the adversary's goal posts; and in defensive action, the purpose of which is to prevent the opponents from accomplishing similar designs on their part. as the wind or the sunlight may favor one side or the other on any field, provision is generally made for a change of goals during the match. the stations of the players and the minor rules of the game are unimportant in this connection. the oldest attempt at a detailed description of the game is given by nicolas perrot who from 1662 to 1699 spent the greater part of his time as _coureur de bois_, trader, or government agent, among the indians of the far west. it is of him that abbe ferland says, "courageous man, honest writer and good observer, perrot lived for a long time among the indians of the west who were very much attached to him." his accounts of the manners and customs of the north american indians have been liberally used by subsequent writers and as the part treating of games is not only very full but also covers a very early period of history, it is doubly interesting for purposes of comparison with games of a later day. he [footnote: memoire sur les moeurs, coustumes et relligion des sauvages de l'amerique septentrionale, par nicolas perrot, leipzig et paris, 1864, p. 43, _et seq._] says, "the savages have many kinds of games in which they delight. their natural fondness for them is so great that they will neglect food and drink, not only to join in a game but even to look at one. there is among them a certain game of cross which is very similar to our tennis. their custom in playing it is to match tribe against tribe, and if the numbers are not equal they render them so by withdrawing some of the men from the stronger side. you see them all armed with a cross, that is to say a stick which has a large portion at the bottom, laced like a racket. the ball with which they play is of wood and of nearly the shape of a turkey's egg. the goals of the game are fixed in an open field. these goals face to the east and to the west, to the north and to the south." then follows a somewhat confused description of the method and the rules of the contest from which we can infer that after a side had won two goals they changed sides of the field with their opponents, and that two out of three, or three out of five goals decided the game. reading perrot's description in connection with that given by de la potherie of the game played before perrot by the miamis, helps us to remove the confusion of the account. abbe ferlande [footnote: cours d'histoire du canada, par j.b. ferland, quebec, 1861, vol. i, p. 134.] describes the game. he was a diligent student of all sources of authority upon these subjects and was probably familiar with the modern game. his account of the indian game follows that of perrot so closely as to show that it was his model. it is, however, clear and distinct in its details, free from the confusion which attends perrot's account and might almost serve for a description of the game as played by the indians to-day. perrot was a frontier-man and failed when he undertook to describe anything that required careful and exact use of language. we can only interpret him intelligently by combining his descriptions with those of other writers and applying our own knowledge of the game as we see it to-day. he is, however, more intelligible when he gets on more general ground, and after having disposed of the technicalities of the game, he proceeds: "men, women, boys and girls are received on the sides which they make up, and they wager between themselves more or less according to their means." "these games ordinarily begin after the melting of the ice and they last even to seed time. in the afternoon one sees all the players bedecked [transcriber's note: lengthy footnote (1) relocated to chapter end.] and painted. each party has its leader who addresses them, announcing to his players the hour fixed for opening the game. the players assemble in a crowd in the middle of the field and one of the leaders of the two sides, having the ball in his hands casts it into the air. each one then tries to throw it towards the side where he ought to send it. if it falls to the earth, the player tries to draw it to him with his cross. if it is sent outside the crowd, then the most active players, by closely pursuing it, distinguish themselves. you hear the noise which they make striking against each other and warding off blows, in their strife to send the ball in the desired direction. when one of them holds the ball between his feet, it is for him, in his unwillingness to let it go, to avoid the blows which his adversaries incessantly shower down upon his feet. should he happen to be wounded at this juncture, he alone is responsible for it. it has happened that some have had their legs broken, others their arms and some have been killed. it is not uncommon to see among them those who are crippled for life and who could only be at such a game by an act of sheer obstinacy. when accidents of this kind happen, the unfortunate withdraws quietly from the game if he can do so. if his injury will not permit him, his relations carry him to the cabin and the game continues until it is finished as if nothing bad happened." "when the sides are equal the players will occupy an entire afternoon without either side gaining any advantage; at other times one of the two will gain the two games that they need to win. in this game you would say to see them run that they looked like two parties who wanted to fight. this exercise contributes much to render the savages alert and prepared to avoid blows from the tomahawk of an enemy, when they find themselves in a combat. without being told in advance that it was a game, one might truly believe that they fought in open country. whatever accident the game may cause, they attribute it to the chance of the game and have no ill will towards each other. the suffering is for the wounded, who bear it contentedly as if nothing had happened, thus making it appear that they have a great deal of courage and are men." "the side that wins takes whatever has been put up on the game and whatever there is of profit, and that without any dispute on the part of the others when it is a question of paying, no matter what the kind of game. nevertheless, if some person who is not in the game, or who has not bet anything, should throw the ball to the advantage of one side or the other, one of those whom the throw would not help would attack him, demanding if this is his affair and why he has mixed himself with it. they often come to quarrel about this and if some of the chiefs did not reconcile them, there would be blood shed and perhaps some killed." originally, the game was open to any number of competitors. according to the relation of 1636, "village was pitted against village." "tribe was matched against tribe," says perrot. the number engaged in the game described by la potherie [footnote: vol. ii, p. 126.] was estimated by him at two thousand. lahontan [footnote: memoires de l'amerique septentrionale, ou la suite des voyages de mr. le baron de lahontan, amsterdam, 1705, vol. ii, p. 113.] says that "the savages commonly played it in large companies of three or four hundred at a time," while charlevoix [footnote: histoire de la nouvelle france. journal d'un voyage. etc, par le p. de charlevoix, paris, 1744, vol. iii, p. 319.] says the number of players was variable and adds "for instance if they are eighty," thus showing about the number he would expect to find in a game. when morgan [footnote: league of the iroquois, by lewis h. morgan, rochester, 1851, p. 294.] speaks of six or eight on a side, he must allude to a later period, probably after the game was modified by the whites who had adopted it among their amusements. [transcriber's note: lengthy footnote (2) relocated to chapter end.] our earliest accounts of the game as played by the indians in the south are about one hundred years later than the corresponding records in the north. adair [footnote: the history of the american indians, particularly those nations adjoining to the mississippi, etc, by james adam, london, 1775, p. 399.] says the gamesters are equal in number and speaks of "the crowd of players" preventing the one who "catches the ball from throwing it off with a long direction." bossu [footnote: travels through that part of north america formerly called louisiana, by mr. bossu, captain in the french marines. translated from the french by john hemhold forster, london, 1771, vol. i, p. 304.] says, "they are forty on each side," while bartram [footnote: travels through north and south carolina, etc., by william bartram, philadelphia, 1701, p. 508.] says, "the inhabitants of one town play against another in consequence of a challenge." from this it would seem that among those indians, as at the north, the number of players was governed only by the circumstances under which the game was played. the ball, originally of wood, [footnote: la potherie, vol. ii, p. 126; perrot, p. 44.] was replaced by one made of deer skin. adair gives the following description of its manufacture: "the ball is made of a piece of scraped deerskin, moistened, and stuffed hard with deer's hair, and strongly sewed with deer's sinews." [footnote: p. 400.] according to morgan the racket has undergone a similar change, from a curved wooden head to the curved stick with open network, but we have seen in the earliest description at our command, that in the days of perrot the cross was "laced like a racket." [footnote: league of the iroquois. p. 298; perrot p. 44.] the game was played not only by the indians of our coast, but powers [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, p. 151. tribes of california by stephen powers; the same game is described among the meewocs in the native races of the pacific states by h. h. bancroft, vol. i, p. 393.] found it also among the californian indians. he describes a game of tennis played by the pomo indians in russian river valley, of which he had heard nothing among the northern tribes. "a ball is rounded out of an oak knot as large as those used by school boys, and it is propelled by a racket which is constructed of a long slender stick, bent double and bound together, leaving a circular hoop at the extremity, across which is woven a coarse meshwork of strings. such an implement is not strong enough for batting the ball, neither do they bat it, but simply shove or thrust it along the ground." paul kane [footnote: wanderings of an artist among the indians of north america by paul kane, p. 190; h. h. bancroft's native races, vol. i, p. 244.] describes a game played among the chinooks. he says "they also take great delight in a game with a ball which is played by them in the same manner as the cree, chippewa and sioux indians. two poles are erected about a mile apart, and the company is divided into two bands armed with sticks, having a small ring or hoop at the end with which the ball is picked up and thrown to a great distance, each party striving to get the ball past their own goal. they are sometimes a hundred on a side, and their play is kept up with great noise and excitement. at this play they bet heavily as it is generally played between tribes or villages." domenech [footnote: seven years' residence in the great deserts of north america by the abbe em. domenech, vol. ii, pp. 192, 193.] writing about the indians of the interior, calls the game "cricket," and says the players were costumed as follows: "short drawers, or rather a belt, the body being first daubed over with a layer of bright colors; from the belt (which is short enough to leave the thighs free) hangs a long tail, tied up at the extremity with long horse hair; round their necks is a necklace, to which is attached a floating mane, dyed red, as is the tail, and falling in the way of a dress fringe over the chest and shoulders. in the northwest, in the costume indispensable to the players, feathers are sometimes substituted for horse hair." he adds "that some tribes play with two sticks" and that it is played in "winter on the ice." "the ball is made of wood or brick covered with kid-skin leather, sometimes of leather curiously interwoven." schoolcraft describes the game as played in the winter on the ice. [footnote: schoolcraft's north american indians, vol. ii, p. 78. see also ball-play among the dicotis, in philander prescott's paper, ibid, vol. iv, p. 64.] it will be observed that the widest difference prevails in the estimate of the distance apart at which the goals are set. henry, in his account of the game at michilimackinac says "they are at a considerable distance from each other, as a mile or more." charlevoix places the goals in a game with eighty players at "half a league apart" meaning probably half a mile. lahontan estimates the distance between the goals at "five or six hundred paces." adair, [footnote: henry, p. 78 chulevoix vol. iii, p. 319, kane's wanderings, p. 189, lahontan, vol. ii, p. 113; adair, p. 400.] who is an intelligent writer, and who was thoroughly conversant with the habits and customs of the cherokees, choctaws, and chicasaws estimates the length of the field at "five hundred yards," while romans [footnote: a concise natural history of east and west florida, by capt bernard romans new york, 1770, p. 79.] in describing the goals uses this phrase "they fix two poles across each other at about a hundred and fifty feet apart." bossu [footnote: vol. i, p. 104 similarly, pickett (history of alabama, vol. i, p. 92) describes a game among the creeks in which there was but one goal consisting of two poles erected in the centre of the field between which the ball must pass to count one. he cites "butram," and the "narrative of a mission to the creek nation by col. mammus willet," is his authorities neither of them sustains him on this point.] speaks as if in the game which he saw played there was but a single goal. he says "they agree upon a mark or aim about sixty yards off, and distinguished by two great poles, between which the ball is to pass." the goals among the northern indians were single posts at the ends of the field. it is among the southern indians that we first hear of two posts being raised to form a sort of gate through or over which the bull must pass. adair says, "they fix two bending poles into the ground, three yards apart below, but slanting a considerable way outwards." the party that happens to throw the ball "over these counts one; but if it be thrown underneath, it is cast back and played for as usual." the ball is to be thrown "through the lower part" of the two poles which are fixed across each other at about one hundred and fifty feet apart, according to romans. in bossu's account it is "between" the two great poles which distinguish the mark or aim, that "the ball is to pass." on the other hand, bartram, describing what he saw in north carolina, speaks of the ball "being hurled into the air, midway between the two high pillars which are the goals, and the party who bears off the ball to their pillar wins the game." in some parts of the south each player had two rackets between which the ball was caught. for this purpose they were necessarily shorter than the cross of the northern indians. adair says, "the ball sticks are about two feet long, the lower end somewhat resembling the palm of a hand, and which are worked with deer-skin thongs. between these they catch the ball, and throw it a great distance." [footnote: adair, p. 400; a narrative of the military adventures of colonel marinus willett, p. 109.] that this was not universal throughout the south would appear from bossu's account who says, "every one has a battle-door in his hand about two feet and a half long, made very nearly in the form of ours, of walnut, or chestnut wood, and covered with roe-skins." bartram also says that each person has "a racquet or hurl, which is an implement of a very curious construction somewhat resembling a ladle or little hoop net, with a handle near three feet in length, the hoop and handle of wood and the netting of thongs of raw-hide or tendons of an animal." catlin [footnote: letters and notes on the manners, customs and condition of the north american indians, by george catlin, vol. ii, p. 123 _et seq._] saw the game played by the choctaws, on their western reservation. they used two rackets. in this game the old men acted as judges. the game was ordinarily started by tossing the ball into the air in the centre of the field. this act is represented by perrot as having been performed by one of the leaders in the game, but it is more in accord with the spirit in which the game was played, that it should have been done by some outsider. bossu says, "an old man stands in the middle of the place appropriated to the play, and throws up into the air a ball of roe-skins rolled about each other," while powers [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, p. 151.] says that among the californian indians this act was performed by a squaw. the judges started the ball among the choctaws. [footnote: cuthu, vol. ii, p. 12.] notwithstanding the differences in the forms of the goals, their distance apart and the methods of play disclosed in all these descriptions, the game can only be regarded as the same. the historians who have preserved for us the accounts of the ancient southern games from which quotations have been made, are all englishmen except bossu, and he entered the country not by the way of quebec but by way of new orleans. it is not strange, therefore, that we do not find in use amongst them the name which the early french fathers and traders invariably applied to the game. the description, however, given by these writers, of the racket used in the south, corresponds so closely with the crook from which the game took the name by which it is known, that we must accept the game as a modified form of lacrosse. from maine to florida, from the atlantic to the pacific, we trace a knowledge of it. we have found it in use among the confederate nations of the north and of the south and among scattered tribes throughout the country. in the majority of instances the natural instincts of those who participated in the strife were stimulated by local pride. the reputation of their tribe or their village rested upon the result. ardent as the spirit of the contest must necessarily have been under such circumstances, among a people where courage and physique counted for so much, their intense passion for gambling intervened to fan into fiercer flames the spirits of the contesting players and to inspire them to more earnest efforts. stakes, often of the utmost consequence to the players and their backers, were wagered upon the games. a reputation for courage, for skill and for endurance, was the most valuable possession of the indian. the maintenance of this was to a certain extent involved in each game that he played. oftentimes in addition to this, all of his own possessions and the property of his friends and neighbors in the form of skins and beads were staked upon the result of the contest. in games where so much was involved, we need not be surprised to learn from perrot that limbs were occasionally broken and that sometimes players were even killed. in the notes to perrot's memoir it is stated that some anonymous annotator has written across the margin of perrot's manuscript at this point: [footnote: perrot. note 1, ch. x. p. 187.] "false, neither arms nor legs are broken, nor are players ever killed." we scarcely need the corroboratory statements of la potherie [footnote: vol. ii, pp. 126-137.] that "these games are ordinarily followed by broken heads, arms and legs, and often people are killed at them;" and also of lahontan, [footnote: vol. ii, p. 113.] that "they tear their skins and break their legs" at them, to satisfy us that perrot rather than his critic is to be believed. if no such statements had been made, we should infer that so violent a game, on which stakes of such vital importance were placed, could not be played by a people like the indians, except with such results. notwithstanding the violence of the game and the deep interest which the players and spectators took in it, the testimony of historians is uniform to the effect that accidental injuries received during its progress produced no ill will. we have seen that perrot states that if anyone attempted to hold the ball with _his feet_, he took his chance of injury, and that those who were injured retired quietly from the field. adair says, "it is a very unusual thing to see them act spitefully, not even in this severe and tempting exercise." bossu bears testimony to the same effect, in the following words: "the players are never displeased; some old men, who assist at the play, become mediators, and determine that the play is only intended as a recreation, and not as an opportunity of quarrelling." where the game was played by appointment in response to a challenge, the men and women assembled in their best ornaments, and danced and sang during the day and night previous to that of the appointed day. the players supplicated the great spirit for success. female relations chanted to him all the previous night and the men fasted from the previous night till the game was over. [footnote: adair, p. 401, bossu, vol. i, p. 306, and willet's narrative, p. 109.] the players wore but little in the way of covering. romans speaks of them as being "almost naked, painted and ornamented with feathers;" and bossu says they were "naked, painted with various colours, having a tyger tail fastened behind, and feathers on their heads and arms." it is not astonishing that a game which called for such vigorous exorcise [footnote: ferdinand vol. i, p. 134, and major c. swan in a report concerning the creeks in 1791. schoolcraft, vol. v, p. 277, that the whites exceed the indians at this game.] and which taxed the strength, agility and endurance of the players to such a degree, should be described by writers in terms which showed that they looked upon it rather in the light of a manly contest than as an amusement. nevertheless the young people and the women often took part in it. perrot tells us so, and both romans and bossu say that after the men were through, the women usually played a game, the bets on which were generally high. powers [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. in, p. 151.] represents the squaws among the californian indians as joining the game. dexterity in the game lay in the skilful use of the racket; in rapid running; in waylaying an adversary when he was in possession of the ball; in avoiding members of the opposing side when the player himself was running with the ball for the goal, and in adroitly passing the ball to one of the same side when surrounded by opponents. to give full scope to skill in the use of the racket, great stress was laid upon the rule that the ball was not to be touched by the hand. perrot says, "if it falls to the earth he tries to draw it to him with his cross." charlevoix says, "their business is to strike the ball to the post of the adverse party without letting it fall to the ground and without touching it with the hand." adair says, "they are not allowed to catch it with their hands." the early writers were struck with the fact that the character of the exercise in this game was fitted to develop the young warriors for the war path, and they commented on the practice that they thus acquired in rapid running and in avoiding blows from an instrument in the hands of an adversary. "when we review the various features of the game which its chroniclers have thought worthy of record, we can but conclude that it was rather a contest of grave importance to the players than a mere pastime, nor can we fail to accept the concurrent testimony as to the widespread territory in which it was domesticated, as additional evidence of the extent of the intercourse which prevailed among the native tribes of this country." [relocated footnote (1): i translate _apiffez_, "bedecked," assuming from the context that the author meant to write "_attifez_." we have, elsewhere, accounts which show that ballplayers, even though compelled to play with scant clothing, still covered themselves with their ornaments. j. m. stanley in his portraits of north american indians, smithsonian miscellaneous collections, washington, 1862, vol. ii, p. 13, says that the "creek" ball-players first appear on the ground in costume. "during the play they divest themselves of all their ornaments which are usually displayed on these occasions for the purpose of betting on the result of the play."] [relocated footnote (2): the game is also mentioned in an account of the remarkable occurrences in the life and travels of col. james smith during his captivity with the indians in the years 1755-1759. cincinnati, 1870, p. 78. it is described by col. william l. stone in his life of brant, albany, 1865, vol. ii, p. 448. in one game of which he speaks, the ball was started by a young and beautiful squaw who was elaborately dressed for the occasion. notwithstanding the extent and value of col. stone's contributions to the literature on the subject of the north american indians, he makes the erroneous statement that "the six nations had adopted from the whites the popular game of ball or cricket" see p. 445, same volume, _cf_. the memoir upon the late war in north america, 1755-1760, by m. pouchot, translated and edited by franklin b. hough, vol. ii, p. 195. a game of ball is also described in historical collections of georgia, by the rev. george white, 3d edition, new york, 1835, p. 670, which took place in walker county, georgia, between chatooga and chicamauga. the ball was thrown up at the centre. the bats were described as curiously carved spoons. if the ball touched the ground the play stopped and it was thrown up again. rev. j. owen dorsey in a paper entitled "omaha sociology," printed in the third annual report of the bureau of ethnology, etc, 1881-1882, washington, 1884 p. 230, p. 336, describes the game amongst the omahas.] platter or dice. the second in the list of games given by father brebeuf is that which he calls "platter." writers who describe the habits of the indians at the north have much to say concerning this game. according to lescarbot, jacques cartier saw it played, and recorded his observations. [footnote: histoire de la nouvelle france par marc lescarbot, nouvelle edition, paris 1856, vol. iii, p. 734.] sagard theodat [footnote: histoire du canada, etc., par gabriel sagard theodat; nouvelle edition, paris, 1856, vol. i, pp. 243-244.] devotes considerable space to it. both father brebeuf, in his relation in 1636, and father lalemant, in his relation in 1639, give long accounts of the game, the causes for its being played, the excesses in gambling to which it leads, and the methods which prevail in its practice. in perrot's [footnote: p. 50.] work there is a good description of the game, although not so full as his account of lacrosse, from which we have already quoted. la potherie and lahontan barely mention it. latitau [footnote: mours des sauvages ameriquains, erc, par le p. latitau, paris, 1724, vol. ii, p. 339.] in his searching analysis of the manuscripts deposited at quebec, while seeking for traces of his theory that a resemblance existed between the habits of the indians and those of the ancient dwellers in eastern europe, found an unusual quantity of material bearing on this particular topic, which he has reproduced in his book. charlevoix [footnote: vol. iii, pp. 260-1.], in a letter dated june 8, 1721, says, "as i was returning through a quarter of the huron village, i perceived a number of these indians, who seemed much heated at play. i approached them and found that the game they were playing at was what they called the game of platter. this is the game to which the indians are addicted above all others. they sometimes lose their rest and in some degree their very senses at it. they stake all they are worth, and several of them have been known to continue at it till they have stript themselves stark naked and lost all their movables in their cabin. some have been known to stake their liberty for a certain time. this circumstance proves beyond all doubt how passionately fond they are of it, there being no people in the world more jealous of their liberty than our indians." in the description which charlevoix then gives, he is relied partly upon personal observations and also to some extent, upon accounts which were at that time in manuscript in quebec mid which were easily accessible to him. he was himself an intelligent observer and a cultivated man. his history and his letters, although not free from the looseness of expression which pervades contemporaneous accounts show on the whole the discipline of an educated mind. we learn from him and from the authorities heretofore enumerated that two players only from each side could participate in this game at any given time during its progress. the necessary implements were a bowl and a number of dice fashioned somewhat like apricot seeds, and colored differently upon the upper and lower sides. generally, one side was white and the other black. the number of these dice was generally six. there was no fixed rule as to the materials of which they were made; sometimes they were of bone; sometimes the stones of fruits were used. the important point was that the centre of gravity of each die should be so placed, that when it was thrown into the air, or when the bowl in which it was placed, was violently twirled, there would be an even chance as to which of its two sides the die would settle upon when it lodged; and in the game as it was played in early times that the whole number of dice used should be uniform in the coloring of the sides, each die having the different sides of different colors. the dice were placed in the bowl which was generally of wood, between the two players who were to cast them in behalf of their respective sides. these casters or throwers were selected by each side and the prevailing motives in their choice were generally based upon some superstitious belief in their luck. perhaps this one had dreamed that he would win. perhaps that one was believed to possess some magic power, or some secret ointment which when applied to the dice would cause them to turn up favorably for his side. [footnote: relations des jesuites, relation en l'annue, 1636, p. 113.] the spectators were generally arranged in seats along the sides of the cabin [footnote: ibid, relation en l'annue, 1639, p. 95.], placed in tiers so that each person could have a view of the players. they were in more senses than one deeply interested in the game. when the cast was to be made the player would strike the bowl upon the ground so as to make the dice jump into the air [footnote: sigud theodat vol. 1, p. 213.] and would then twirl the bowl rapidly around. during this process and until it stopped its revolutions and the dice finally settled, the players addressed the dice and beat themselves on their breasts. [footnote: shea's hennepin, p. 300.] the spectators during the same period filled the air with shouts and invoked aid from their own protecting powers, while in the same breath they poured forth imprecations on those of their adversaries. the number of points affected the length of the game and as entirely optional. if six dice were used and all came up of the same color, the throw counted five. [footnote: among the delawares it required eight counts of five to win. history of the mission of the united brethren among the indians etc. g h loskiel. translated by i latrobe, part i, ch. viii, p. 106.] if five of them were of the same color it counted one. any lower number failed to count. if the caster was unsuccessful he gave place to another, but so long as he continued to win his side would retain him in that position. [footnote: charlevoix vol. iii, p. 264.] the game was often ushered in with singing. like lacrosse it was prescribed as a remedy for sickness or in consequence of dreams, and the sufferer in whose behalf the game was played was borne to the cabin in which it was to take place. preliminary fasting and continence were observed, and every effort made that superstition could suggest to discover who would be the lucky thrower and who could aid the caster by his presence at the contest. old men, unable to walk thither, were brought up on the shoulders of the young men that their presence might be propitious to the chances of the game. [footnote: ibid p. 202.] the excitement which attended one of these games of chance was intense, especially when the game reached a critical point and some particular throw was likely to terminate it. charlevoix says the games often lasted for five or six days [footnote: loskiel (p. 106) saw a game between two iroquois towns which lasted eight days. sacrifices for luck were offered by the sides each night.] and oftentimes the spectators concerned in the game, "are in such an agitation as to be transported out of themselves to such a degree that they quarrel and fight, which never happens to the hurons, except on these occasions or when they are drunk." perhaps rum was responsible also for these quarrels; for in the early accounts we are told that losses were philosophically accepted. father biebeuf tells of a party who had lost their leggings at one of these games and who returned to their village in three feet of snow as cheerful in appearance as if they had won. there seems to have been no limit to which they would not go in their stakes while under the excitement of the game. clothing, wife, family and sometimes the personal liberty of the player himself rested in the hazard of the die. [footnote: cheulevoix vol. iii, p. 261. le grand voyage du pays des hurons, pan gabriel sigud theodat puis 1632, nouvelle edition, paris, 1835, p. 85, relations de jesuites, relation de la nouvelle france en l'annee 1639, pp. 95-96, lafitau, vol. ii, p. 341.] the women often played the game by themselves, though apparently with less formality than characterized the great matches. the latter frequently assumed the same local characteristics that we have seen in the game of lacrosse, and we hear of village being pitted against village as a frequent feature of the game. [footnote: penot p. 43, histoire du canada par f. x. garneau, vol. i, p. 115.] morgan [footnote: league of the iroquois, p. 602.] describes a game played by the iroquois with buttons or dice made of elk-horn, rounded and polished and blackened on one side. the players spread a blanket on the ground; and the dice were tossed with the hand in the air and permitted to fall on the blanket. the counts were determined as in the game of platter by the color of the sides of the dice which were exposed when they settled. the number of the dice was eight. in perrot's [footnote: periot, p. 50.] description of the game of platter he, alludes to a game, played with eight dice, on a blanket in precisely this way, but he adds that it was practised by women and girls. la potherie [footnote: la potherie, vol. iii, p. 23.] says that the women sometimes play at platter, but ordinarily they cast the fruit stones with the hand as one throws dice. under the name of "hubbub" this game has also been described by observers among the abenakis. ogilby [footnote: america, being an accurate description of the new world, etc. collected and translated by john ogilby. london, 1670, book ii, ch. ii, p. 155.] says: "hubbub is five small bones in a small tray; the bones be like a die, but something flatter, black on the one side and white on the other, which they place on the ground, against which violently thumping the platter, the bones mount, changing colour with the windy whisking of their hands to and fro; which action in that sport they much use, smiting themselves on the breasts and thighs, crying out hub hub hub; they may be heard playing at this game a quarter of a mile off. the bones being all black or white make a double game; if three of one colour, and two of another, then they afford but a single game; four of a colour and one differing is nothing. so long as the man wins he keeps the tray, but if he lose the next man takes it." there is but little said about this game in the south by writers. it evidently had no such hold there as among the hurons and the tribes along the lakes. lawson [footnote: history of north carolina by john lawson, london, 1718, p. 176.] saw it played in north carolina with persimmon stones as dice. while this fixes the fact that the game had a home among the southern indians, the way in which it has been slighted by the majority of writers who treat of that section shows that it was not a favorite game there. to what shall we ascribe this? its hold upon the northern indians shows that it was peculiarly adapted to the temperament of the natives, and we should naturally expect to find it as much in use among the tribes of the south as with those of the north. an explanation for this may possibly be found in the difference of the climate. the game was especially adapted for the winter, and while its practice was evidently not exclusively confined to that season, it is possible that its greater hold upon the affections of the indians of the north arose from their being obliged to resort to in-door amusements during the protracted winters in that region. from this necessity the southern indians being in a measure exempt, they continued their out-door games as usual and never became so thoroughly infatuated with this game. informal contests were often held between players, in which the use of the bowl or platter was dispensed with. the dice were held in the hand and then tossed in the air. they were allowed to fall upon some prepared surface, generally a deerskin spread for the purpose. the same rules as to the color of the surfaces of the dice when they settled in their places governed the count. this form of the game is sometimes described as a separate game. boucher [footnote: true and genuine description of new france, etc, by pierre boucher, paris, 1644 translated under title "canada to the seventeenth century," montreal, 1883, p. 57.] calls it _paquessen_. [footnote: played by women and girls. sagard theodat, histoire du canada, vol. i, p. 244.] the women of oregon played it with marked beaver teeth. [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. i, p. 206, george gibbs; h. h. bancroft's native races, vol. i, p. 244, the northwest coast by james g. swan, p. 158.] among the twanas it was played with beaver or muskrat teeth. [footnote: bulletin u s geological survey, vol. iii, no. 1, april 5, 1877. rev. m. eels.] powers [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, p. 332.] says that among the nishmams, a tribe living on--the slopes of the sierra nevada between the yuba and cosumnes rivers, a game of dice is played by men or women, two, three or four together. the dice, four in number, consist of two acorns split lengthwise into halves, with the outsides scraped and painted red or black. they are shaken in the hand and thrown into a wide flat basket, woven in ornamental patterns. one paint and three whites, or _vice versa_, score nothing; two of each score one; four alike score four. the thrower keeps on throwing until he makes a blank throw, when another takes the dice. when all the players have stood their turn, the one who has scored the most takes the stakes." the women of the yokuts, [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, p. 377.] a californian tribe which lived in the san joaquin valley near tulare lake, had a similar game. each die was half a large acorn or walnut shell filled with pitch and powdered charcoal and inlaid with bits of bright colored abaloni shell. four squaws played and a fifth kept tally with fifteen sticks. there were eight dice and they scooped them up with their hands and dashed them into the basket, counting one when two or five flat surfaces turned up. schoolcraft [footnote: schoolcraft's indian tribes, vol. ii, pp. 71, 72.] says "one of the principal amusements of a sedentary character is that of various games, success in which depends on luck in numbers. these games, to which both the prairie and forest tribes are addicted, assume the fascination and intensity of gambling; and the most valued articles are often staked upon the luck of a throw. for this purpose the prairie tribes commonly use the stones of the wild plum or some analogous fruit, upon which various devices indicating their arithmetical value are burned in, or engraved and colored, so as at a glance to reveal the character of the pieces." among the dacota tribes this is known by a term which is translated the "game of plum stones." he gives illustrations of the devices on five sets of stones, numbering eight each. "to play this game a little orifice is made in the ground and a skin put in it; often it is also played on a robe." [footnote: domenech. vol. ii, p. 191, first annual report of bureau of ethnology. smithsonian, 1881, p. 195.] the women and the young men play this game. the bowl is lifted with one hand and rudely pushed down to its place. the plum stones fly over several times. the stake is first put up by all who wish to play. a dozen can play at once if desirable. schoolcraft [footnote: vol. n, p. 72.] describes still another form of, the game which he found among the chippewas, in which thirteen pieces or dice were used. nine of them were of bone and were fashioned in figures typifying fish, serpents, etc. one side of each was painted red and had dots burned in with a hot iron. the brass pieces were circular having one side convex and the other concave. the convex side was bright, the concave dark or dull. the red pieces were the winning pieces and each had an arithmetical value. any number of players might play. a wooden bowl, curiously carved and ornamented, was used. this form of the game may have been modified by contact with the whites. it seems to be the most complex [footnote: see also a simpler form of the game described by philander prescott among the dacotas--schoolcraft, vol. iv, p. 64. the tendency of the modern indians to elaborate the game may be traced in the description of "plumstone shooting" given in "omaha sociology" by rev. j. owen dorsey. third annual report of the bureau of ethnology to the secretary of the smithsonian institution. washington, 1884, p. 335.] form in which the game appears. the fact still remains however, that in some form or other we find the game in use across the entire breadth of the continent. [footnote: col. james smith describes the game among the wyandots. an account of the remarkable occurrences in the life and travels of col. james smith, during his captivity with the indians in the years 1755-1759. cincinnati, 1870, p. 46. tanner also describes it. he calls it _beg-ga sah_ or dice. tanner's narrative, new york, 1830, p. 114.] straw or indian cards. the third game mentioned by father brebeuf was that which was called straw. we have seen that the first of these games called for strength, agility and endurance. it was as free from elements of chance as any human contest can be. the victory belonged to the side which counted amongst its numbers those players who were the fleetest runners, the most skilful throwers and the most adroit dodgers. the second was purely a game of chance. if honestly played no other element entered into its composition. the third which we are now about to consider was much more complicated in its rules than either of the others. it closely resembled in some respects several of our modern gambling games. the french found it very difficult to comprehend and hence the accounts of it which they have given are often confused and perplexing. boucher [footnote: p. 57.] says, "our french people have not yet been able to learn to play it well; it is full of spirit and these straws are to the indians what cards are to us." lafitau [footnote: vol. ii, p. 351.] after quoting from boucher says, "baron de lahontan also made out of it a game purely of the mind and of calculation, in which he who best knows how to add and subtract, to multiply and divide with these straws will surely win. to do this, use and practice are necessary, for these savages are nothing less than good calculators." "sieur perrot, who was a celebrated traveller, and that european whom the savages of new france have most honored, left a description of this game in his manuscript memorial. i would gladly have inserted it here but it is so obscure that it is nearly unintelligible." charlevoix admits that he could understand nothing of the game, except as played by two persons in its simplest form and adds that he was told that "there was as much of art as of chance in the game and that the indians are great cheats at it." [footnote: charlevoix, vol. iii, p. 319, father tailban who edited perrot says he has not been any more successful than his predecessors and the game of straws remains to him an unsolved enigma. perrot, notes to ch. x, p. 188.] where lafitau and charlevoix, aided by opportunities to investigate the game itself, have failed, it would seem to be useless for us to attempt. perrot has indeed succeeded in making his account hopelessly involved. there is however much information to be derived from it and the obscure points are after all unimportant unless one should actually wish to reproduce the game in practice. in that event there are many points connected with the counts which would prove troublesome. to play the game, a number of straws or reeds uniform in size and of equal length were required. they were generally from six to ten inches long. the number used in the game was arbitrary. lawson puts it at fifty-one. charlevoix at two hundred and one. the only essential points were that the numbers should be odd and that there should be enough of them so that when the pile was divided into two parts, a glance would not reveal which of the two divisions contained the odd number of straws. in its simplest form, the game consisted, in separating the heap of straws into two parts, one of which each player took, and he whose pile contained the odd number of straws was the winner. before the division was made the straws were subjected to a manipulation, somewhat after the manner of shuffling cards. they were then placed upon the deer-skin or upon whatever other article was selected as a surface on which to play. the player who was to make the division into two heaps, with many contortions of the body and throwing about of the arms, and with constant utterances to propitiate his good luck, would make a division of the straws with a pointed bone or some similar instrument, himself taking one of the divisions while his adversary took the other. they would then rapidly separate the straws into parcels numbering ten each and determine from the fractional remainders, who had the odd number. the speed with which this process of counting was carried on was always a source of wonder to the lookers-on, and the fact that the counting was done by tens is almost invariably mentioned. between two people betting simply on the odd number no further rules were necessary. to determine which had the heap containing the odd number, there was no need to foot up the total number of tens. it was to be settled by what was left over after the last pile of complete tens was set aside. the number itself might be either one, three, five, seven or nine. in the more complicated form of the game, this led to giving different values to these numbers, the nine being always supreme and the one on which the highest bets were wagered. it was generally understood that the holder of this number swept the board taking all bets on other numbers as well as those on the nine. it was easy to bet beads against beads and skins against skins, in a simple game of odd or even, but when the element of different values for different combinations was introduced, some medium of exchange was needed to relieve the complications. stones of fruit were employed just as chips or counters are used in modern gambling games, and a regular bank was practically instituted. each player took a certain number of these counters, as the equivalent of the value of the merchandise which he proposed to hazard on the game, whether it was a gun, a blanket, or some other article. here we have all the machinery of a regular gambling game at cards, but the resemblance does not stop here. the players put up their bets precisely as they now do in a game of faro, selecting their favorite number and fixing the amount, measured in the standard of the game, which they wished to hazard. "by the side of the straws which are on the ground are found the (_grains_) counters," says perrot, "which the players have bet on the game." in another place, the method of indicating the bets is stated as follows: "he (meaning apparently the one who has bet) is also obliged to make two other heaps. in one he will place five, in the other seven straws, with as many (_grains_) counters as he pleases." these phrases may fairly be interpreted to mean that a record of the bets, somewhat of the same style as that kept with counters upon a faro table, was constantly before the players. complicated rules determined when the players won or lost; when the bets were to be doubled and when they were to abide the chance of another count. the loser at the game, even after all that he had with him was gone, was sometimes permitted to continue the game on his promise to pay. if ill luck still pursued him the winner could refuse him credit and decline to play for stakes that he could not see. the game often lasted for several days, one after another of the sides relieving his comrades at the play until one of the two sides had lost everything, it being, says perrot, [footnote: p. 19.] "a maxim of the savages not to quit play until one side or the other had lost everything." those who had bet at the game had the right to substitute any person whom they pleased to play for them. "should any dispute arise on this point," says perrot, "between the winners and the losers, the disputants backed by their respective sides would probably come to blows, blood would be shed and the whole thing would be very difficult to settle." cheating often took place at this game. its exposure was considered praiseworthy and its practice denounced. if doubts were expressed as to the accuracy of a count, the matter was peacefully adjusted by a re-count by two of the spectators. "this game of straw," says perrot, from whose account we have made the foregoing digest, "is ordinarily held in the cabins of the chiefs, which are large, and are, so to speak, the academy of the savages." he concludes his account with the statement that the women never play it. [footnote: see also shea's hennepin, p. 300.] the authority on this game whom ogilby quotes slides over the difficulties of the description with the statement that "many other whimsies be in this game which would be too long to commit to paper." abbe ferland [footnote: vol. i, p. 134.] epitomizes the results of his investigation of this game as follows: "memory, calculation and quickness of eyesight were necessary for success." like the game of dice or platter it was essentially a house game, and like platter it is rarely mentioned by writers who describe the habits of indians in the south. lawson describes it, but in slightly modified form, as follows: "indian cards. their chiefest game is a sort of arithmetick, which is managed by a parcel of small split reeds, the thickness of a small bent; these are made very nicely, so that they part, and are tractable in their hands. they are fifty-one in number, their length about seven inches; when they play, they throw part of them to their antagonist; the art is, to discover, upon sight, how many you have, and what you throw to him that plays with you. some are so expert at their numbers, that they will tell ten times together, what they throw out of their hands. although the whole play is carried on with the quickest motion it is possible to use, yet some are so expert at this game, as to win great indian estates by this play. a good set of these reeds, fit to play withal are valued and sold for a dressed doe-skin." a. w. chase [footnote: overland monthly, vol. ii, p. 433. dorsey found a survival of the game in use among the omahas. he called it "stick counting." third annual report, bureau of ethnology, p. 338.] speaks of "native games of cards among the coquelles and makneatanas, the pasteboards being bundles of sticks." he furnishes no description of the games, but uses the same phrase which was applied by lawson in north carolina and by boucher in canada. frank h. cushing [footnote: the century, vol. xxvi, p. 38. my adventures in zuni.] speaks of a game of "cane-cards" among the zuni which he says "would grace the most civilized society with a refined source of amusement." he was not able fully to comprehend it. in the list of games, there is none of which we have any detailed account, which compares with straws as played by the northern tribes, in elaborateness of construction. the unfortunate confusion which prevails throughout perrot's description of the method of counting, and the way in which the point was shirked by all other writers on the subject, prevents any attempt at analysis. so far as we can see, the rules were arbitrary and not based upon any calculations of the laws of chance. if some other detailed account of the game should be discovered it would be interesting to follow up this question and ascertain how far the different combinations which affected the counts were based upon a theory of probabilities and how far they were arbitrary. it will of course be noticed that the game described by lawson was relieved from much of this complication. the dexterity required to make a throw of such a nature that the player could tell exactly the number of reeds with which he had parted, was of course remarkable and naturally called forth expressions of surprise. but there were apparently no other combinations resting upon the throw than the simple guess at the number thrown. travellers in california have described the game in still simpler form in which we see hints of the more complex game. here the "sticks" were thrown in the air and an immediate guess was made whether the number thrown was odd or even. an umpire kept the account with other sticks and on this count the bets were adjusted. [footnote: kotzebue, a voyage of discovery, etc. london, 1821, vol. i, p. 282 and vol. iii, p. 44. note. w. h. emory, u s. and mexican boundary survey, vol. i, p. 111, says: "the yumas played a game with sticks like jackstraws." stanley, smithsonian miscellaneous collections. vol. ii, p. 55, gives among his "portraits of north american indians," a picture of a game which he describes as "played exclusively by women. they hold in their hands twelve sticks about six inches in length which they drop upon a rock. the sticks that fall across each other are counted for game."] wherever we find it and whatever the form in use, whether simple or complicated, like games of lacrosse and platter the occasion of its play was but an excuse for indulgence in the inveterate spirit of gambling which everywhere prevailed. chunkee or hoop and pole. among the indians at the south, observers noted and described a game of great antiquity, of which we have no record during historical times among those of the north, unless we should classify the game of javelin described by morgan [footnote: league of the iroquois, p. 300.] as a modified form of the same game. the general name by which this game was known was chunkee. when iberville arrived at the mouth of the mississippi he despatched a party to explore the river. the officer who kept the "journal de la fregate, le marin" was one of that party and he recorded the fact that the bayagoulas and mougoulachas passed the greater part of their time in playing in this place with great sticks which they throw after a little stone, which is nearly round and like a bullet. [footnote: maigry, deconvertes, etc., vol. 4, p. 261.] father gravier descended the river in 1700 and at the village of houmas he saw a "fine level square where from morning to night there are young men who exercise themselves in running after a flat stone which they throw in the air from one end of the square to the other, and which they try to have fall on two cylinders that they roll where they think the stone will fall." [footnote: shea's early voyages. albany, 1861, p. 143.] adair gives the following description of the same game: "the warriors have another favorite game, called _'chungke'_, which, with propriety of language may be called 'running hard labour.' they have near their state house [footnote: consult e g squire--aboriginal monuments of n.y. smithsonian contributions to knowledge, vol. ii, pp. 1356 and note p. 136.] a square piece of ground well cleaned, and fine sand is carefully strewed over it, when requisite, to promote a swifter motion to what they throw along the surface. only one or two on a side play at this ancient game. they have a stone about two fingers broad at the edge and two spans round; each party has a pole of about eight feet long, smooth, and tapering at each end, the points flat. they set off abreast of each other at six yards from the end of the playground; then one of them hurls the stone on its edge, in as direct a line as he can, a considerable distance toward the middle of the other end of the square. when they have run a few yards, each darts his pole anointed with bears' oil, with a proper force, as near as he can guess in proportion to the motion of the stone, that the end may lie close to the stone. when this is the case, the person counts two of the game, and, in proportion to the nearness of the poles to the mark, one is counted, unless by measuring, both are found to be at an equal distance from the stone. in this manner, the players will keep running most part of the day, at half speed, under the violent heat of the sun, staking their silver ornaments, their nose-, finger-and ear-rings; their breast-, arm-and wrist-plates, and even all their wearing apparel, except that which barely covers their middle. all the american indians are much addicted to this game, which to us appears to be a task of stupid drudgery; it seems, however, to be of early origin, when their forefathers used diversions as simple as their manners. the hurling stones they use at present were from time immemorial rubbed smooth on the rocks and with prodigious labor; and they are kept with the strictest religious care, from one generation to another, and are exempted from being buried with the dead. they belong to the town where they are used, and are carefully preserved." [footnote: see also historical collection, louisiana and florida. b. f. french (vol. ii.), second series, p. 74, new york, 1875.] lieut. timberlake [footnote: memoirs of lieut. henry timberlake, etc., london, 1765, p. 77.] describes the game as he saw it played among the cherokees where it was known by the name of "netteeawaw." "each player has a pole about ten feet long, with several marks or divisions. one of them bowls a round stone with one flat side, and the other convex, on which the players all dart their poles after it, and the nearest counts according to the vicinity of the bowl to the marks on his pole." romans saw it among the choctaws. he says, "the manner of playing the game is thus: they make an alley of about two hundred feet in length, where a very smooth clayey ground is laid, which when dry is very hard: they play two together having each a straight pole about fifteen feet long; one holds a stone which is in the shape of a truck, which he throws before him over this alley, and the instant of its departure, they set off and run; in running they cast their poles after the stone; he that did not throw it endeavors to hit it; the other strives to strike the pole of his antagonist in its flight so as to prevent the pole of his opponent hitting the stone. if the first should strike the stone he counts one for it, and if the other by the dexterity of his cast should prevent the pole of his opponent hitting the stone, he counts one, but should both miss their aim the throw is renewed." le page du pratz [footnote: histoire de la louisiane, paris, 1738, vol. iii, p. 2.] describes the game as practised among the natchez. he calls it "_le jeu de la perche_ which would be better named _de la crosse_." dumont who was stationed at natchez and also on the yazoo, describes the game and speaks of it as "la crosse." [footnote: memoires historiques sur la louisiane, paris, 1753, vol. i, p. 202.] adair is correct when he speaks of the antiquity of this game. when he dwells upon the fact that these stones are handed down from generation to generation, as the property of the village, he brings these tribes close to the mound dwellers. sanier, [footnote: ancient monuments of the mississippi valley, p. 223.] speaking of discoidal stones, found in the mounds, says, "it is known that among the indian tribes of the ohio and along the gulf, such stones were in common use in certain favorite games." lucien carr [footnote: 10th annual report peabody museum, p. 93. see also schoolcraft's indian tribes, vol. i, p. 83.] describes and pictures a chunkee stone from ely mound, va. lewis and clarke [footnote: lewis and clarke's expedition, phila, 1814, vol. i, p. 143.] describe the game as played among the mandans. this tribe had a wooden platform prepared on the ground between two of their lodges. along this platform the stone ring was rolled and the sticks were slid along the floor in pursuit of it. catlin [footnote: vol. i, p. 132 _et seq._ dorsey describes two forms of the game in use among the omahas: "shooting at the rolling wheel" and "stick and ring" third annual report. bureau of ethnology, pp. 335-336. cf. travels in the interior of america, in the years 1809, 1810 and 1811, by john bradbury, p. 126.] describes the game as played by the same tribe. they had a carefully prepared pavement of clay on which they played. the "tchunkee" sticks were marked with bits of leather and the counts of the game were affected by the position of the leather on or near which the ring lodged. the mojaves are accustomed to play a similar game which has been described under the name "hoop and pole". [footnote: lieut. a. w. whipple in pac. r. r. rep.. vol. iii, p. 114; harper's mag., vol. xvii, p. 463; domenech. vol. ii, p. 197; h. h. bancroft's native races, vol. i, p. 393, p. 517 and note 133. the martial experiences of the california volunteers by edward carlsen, overland, vol. vii, no. 41. 2nd series, p. 494.] a similar game was played by the navajoes. [footnote: major e. a. backus in schoolcraft. vol. iv, p. 214.] the yumas played a game with two poles fifteen feet long and a ring a few inches in diameter. [footnote: w. h. emory, u. s. and mexican boundary survey, vol. i, p. 111.] kane [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 310; h. h. bancroft's native races, vol. i, p. 280.] says that the chualpays at fort colville on the columbia "have a game which they call '_alkollock_,' which requires considerable skill. a smooth, level piece of ground is chosen, and a slight barrier of a couple of sticks placed lengthwise is laid at each end of the chosen spot, being from forty to fifty feet apart and only a few inches high. the two players, stripped naked, are armed with a very slight spear, about three feet long, and finely pointed with bone; one of them takes a ring made of bone or some heavy wood and wound with cord. the ring is about three inches in diameter, on the inner circumference of which are fastened six beads of different colors, at equal distances, to each of which a separate value is attached. the ring is then rolled along the ground to one of the barriers and is followed at the distance of two or three yards by the players, and as the ring strikes the barrier and is falling on its side, the spears are thrown, so that the ring may fall on them. if any one of the spears should be covered by the ring, the owner counts according to the colored bead on it. but it generally happens from the dexterity of the players that the ring covers both spears and each counts according to the color of the beads above his spear. they then play towards the other barrier, and so on until one party has obtained the number agreed upon for the game." in his "life among the apaches," [footnote: life among the apaches by john c. cremony, p. 302.] colonel cremony describes the hoop and pole game as played by the apaches. with them the pole is marked with divisions throughout its whole length and these divisions are stained different colors. the object of the game is to make the hoop fall upon the pole as near the butt as possible, graduated values being applied to the different divisions of the pole. the women are not permitted to approach within a hundred yards while the game is going on. [transcriber's note: lengthy footnote relocated to chapter end.] those who have described this game in the various forms in which it has been presented dwell upon the fact that it taxed the strength, activity and skill of the players. in this respect it rivalled lacrosse. in geographical range the territory in which it was domesticated was nearly the same. there are many, doubtless, who would decline to recognize the discoidal stones of the mounds as chunkee stones, but it can not be denied that the "_netlecawaw_" of the cherokees [footnote: timberlake p. 77.], the "hoop and pole" of the mojaves and apaches [footnote: whipple, pac. r. r. rep., vol. iii, p. 114. cremony, p. 302, harper's mag. vol. xvii, p. 463.], the second form of "spear and ring" described by domenech, [footnote: domenech, vol. ii, p. 197.] the "_alkollock_" of the chualpays [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 310.] and the chunkee of romans and adair are the same game. the change from the discoidal stone to the ring; the different materials of which the ring is made, whether of stone, [footnote: lewis and clarke, vol. i, p. 143; catlin, vol. i, p. 132.] of bone, [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 310.], of wood, [footnote: cremony, p. 302.] or of cord; [footnote: whipple, pac. r. r. rep., vol. iii, p. 114.] whether wound with cord [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 310.] or plain; the different lengths of the spears varying from three feet [footnote: ibid.] to ten feet [footnote: timberlake, p. 77; cremony, p. 302.] and even reaching fifteen feet in length among the mojaves; [footnote: whipple, pac. r. r. rep., vol. iii, p. 114.] the different markings of the spear [footnote: cremony, p. 302; domenech, vol. ii, p. 197; timberlake, p. 77.] and the ring; [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 310.] the different ways of preparing the ground, whether tamping with clay, [footnote: catlin, vol., i, p. 132.] or flooring with timber, [footnote: lewis and clarke, vol. i, p. 148.] or simply removing the vegetation, [footnote: domenech, vol. ii, p. 197.]--all these minor differences are of little consequence. the striking fact remains that this great number of tribes, so widely separated, all played a game in which the principal requirements were, that a small circular disk should be rolled rapidly along a prepared surface and that prepared wooden implements, similar to spears, should be launched at the disk while in motion or just at the time when it stopped. like lacrosse, it was made use of as an opportunity for gambling, but owing to the restriction of the ground on which it could be played, the number of players were limited, and to that extent the interest in the contests and the excitement attendant upon them were proportionally reduced. [relocated footnote: the hawaiians were accustomed to hurl a piece of hard lava along narrow trenches prepared for the purpose. the stone which was called maika closely resembled a chunkee stone. it is described as being in the shape of a small wheel or roller, three inches in diameter and an inch and a half thick, very smooth and highly polished. this game appears to have been limited to a contest of skill in rolling or hurling the stone itself. the additional interest which was given by hurling the spears at it while in motion was wanting. narrative of the u. s. exploring expedition by charles wilkes, london, 1815, vol. iv, p. 35.] other athletic games. in addition to the games of lacrosse, platter or dice, straws and chunkee, there were other games, some of an athletic nature, some purely of chance, which observers have described, some of which are mentioned only in limited areas, while others, like the games above mentioned, were played by indians scattered over a wide territory and apparently having but little in common. some of these games were but modified forms of those which have been already described. such, for instance, is a game of ball which is described by lafitau [footnote: lafitau, vol. ii, p. 353.]and by charlevoix. [footnote: charlevoix, vol. iii, p. 319.] this closely resembled lacrosse in its general methods of play, but as no rackets were used, it was less dangerous and less exciting. goals were erected at each end of the field, separated by five hundred paces according to lafitau. the players were divided into sides. the ball was tossed into the air in the centre of the field. when it came down the players of each side strove to catch it. he who was successful ran in the direction of the goal which he wished to reach. the players of the opposite side pursued him and did what they could to prevent him from accomplishing his object. when it was evident that the runner could gain no more ground, he would pass the ball, if possible, to some player upon the same side and his success in accomplishing this was dependent largely upon his skill. the game is probably not so old as lacrosse, for the ball is described as being larger and softer than the one used in lacrosse, thus indicating that it belonged to the period when the stuffed deer-skin ball was used in that game. both dumont and le page du pratz describe this game with this difference, [footnote: dumont, vol. i, p. 201, lepage, vol. i, p. 378.] that the ball, according to their descriptions, was incessantly tossed in the air. romans says that this game was played among the women; and lafitau, who describes it separately, adds that in this form it was only played by girls. he also says that the abenakis indulged in a similar game, using an inflated bladder for a ball; and that the florida indians fixed a willow cage upon a pole in such a way that it could revolve and tried to hit it with a ball so as to make it turn several times. [footnote: lafitau. vol. ii, p. 158.] joutel in his historical journal describes a curious game as follows: "taking a short stick, very smooth and greased that it may be the harder to hold it fast, one of the elders throws it as far as he can. the young men run after it, snatch it from each other, and at last, he who remains possessed of it has the first lot." [footnote: french's historical collections of louisiana, vol. i, p. 188; sanford's history of the united states before the revolution, p. clxxxii.] football is found at the north. ogilby [footnote: ogilby, book ii, chap. ii, p. 156. see also smith's narrative, p. 77.] says: "their goals are a mile long placed on the sands, which are as even as a board; their ball is no bigger than a hand ball, which sometimes they mount in the air with their naked feet, sometimes it is swayed by the multitude, sometimes also it is two days before they get a goal, then they mark the ground they win, and begin there the next day. before they come to this sport they paint themselves, even as when they go to war." at the south it was "likewise a favorite manly diversion with them." [footnote: bartram, p. 509.] certain forms of ball-play which were neither lacrosse nor chunkee, but which resembled these games were found in different localities. such for instance is the game which catlin [footnote: vol. ii, p. 146.] saw played by the sioux women. two balls were connected with a string a foot and a half long. each woman was armed with a stick. they were divided into equal sides. goals were erected and the play was in some respects like lacrosse. stakes were wagered on the game. this game is also-described by domenech, [footnote: vol. ii, p. 196.] who says the women wore a special costume which left the limbs free and that the game was "unbecoming and indecent." powers [footnote: contribution to north american ethnology, vol. iii, p. 383.] found a game among the nishinams, on the western slope of the sierra nevada, not far from sacramento, which in some respects also resembled lacrosse. he says "the '_ti'-kel_' is the only really robust and athletic game they use, and is played by a large company of men and boys. the piece [footnote: the equivalent in the game, of the ball in lacrosse.] is made of raw-hide or nowadays of strong cloth, and is shaped like a small dumb-bell. it is laid in the centre of a wide, level space of ground, in a furrow, hollowed out a few inches in depth. two parallel lines are drawn equidistant from it, a few paces apart, and along these lines the opposing parties, equal in strength, range themselves. each player is equipped with a slight, strong staff, from four to six feet long. the two champions of the party take their stations on opposite sides of the piece, which is thrown into the air, caught on the staff of one of the others, and hurled by him in the direction of his antagonist's goal. with this send-off there ensues a wild chase and a hustle, pell-mell, higgledy-piggledy, each party striving to bowl the piece over the other's goal. these goals are several hundred yards apart. in an article in the overland monthly, [footnote: vol. ii, p. 433. see also smith's narrative, p. 77.] a. w. chase describes a game in vogue among the oregon indians which he says was identical with hockey, as follows: "sides being chosen, each endeavors to drive a hard ball of pine wood around a stake and in different directions; stripped to the buff, they display great activity and strength, whacking away at each other's shins, if they are in the way, with a refreshing disregard of bruises. the squaws assist in the performance by beating drums and keeping up a monotonous chant." in the first of the two games of "spear and ring," described by domenech, [footnote: vol. ii, pp. 197-8.] the players are divided into sides. the stone ring, about three inches in diameter, is fixed upright on the chosen ground, and players two at a time, one from each side, endeavor to throw their spears through the ring. the spears are marked along their length with little shields or bits of leather, and the count is affected by the number of these that pass through the ring. he also mentions a game [footnote: he does not give his authority for this game. he has evidently copied in his book from other writers, but seldom indicates whether his descriptions are based upon personal observation or quoted.] among the natchez in which the ring was a "huge stone" and the spear a "stick of the shape of a bat." if we classify domenech's first game of "spear and ring" among those which resemble chunkee, rather than as a form of chunkee itself, we shall probably be compelled to pursue the same course with morgan's game of "javelin" to which we have already alluded. [footnote: league of the iroquois, p. 300.] in this game the players divided into sides. each player had an agreed number of javelins. the ring, which was either a hoop or made solid like a wheel by winding with splints, was about eight inches in diameter. the players on one side were arranged in a line and the hoop was rolled before them. they hurled their javelins. the count of the game was kept by a forfeiture of javelins. such as hit the mark were safe, but the javelins which did not hit were passed to the players of the other side who then had an opportunity to throw them at the hoop from the same spot. if these players were successful the javelins were forfeited and laid out of the play. if, however, they in turn failed the javelins were returned to their original owners. the hoop was then rolled by the other side and the process continued until one of the sides had forfeited all their javelins. other games of chance. there was diversity in the forms of the games of simple chance as well as in the athletic games, and besides those which have been already described, the indians on the pacific coast had a great variety of games, or forms of the same game, in which, in addition to the element of chance involved in determining the numbers or positions of certain sticks or counters, there was also an opportunity for the player who was manipulating them to deceive by dexterous sleight of hand. the simplest form in which this is found is guessing in which hand a small stone or bone is held. it would hardly seem that this artless effort could be transformed into an amusing and exciting game; yet it has attracted the attention of all travellers, and scarcely any writer, who treats of the habits of the pacific coast indian, fails to give a full account of this simple game. lewis and clarke, [footnote: lewis and clarke, vol. ii, 140; and also ii, 94.] when writing about the indians near the mouth of the columbia, say: "the games are of two kinds. in the first, one of the company assumes the office of banker and plays against the rest. he takes a small stone, about the size of a bean, which he shifts from one hand to another with great dexterity, repeating at the same time a song adapted to the game and which serves to divert the attention of the company, till having agreed on the stakes, he holds out his hands, and the antagonist wins or loses as he succeeds or fails at guessing in which hand the stone is. after the banker has lost his money or whenever he is tired, the stone is transferred to another, who in turn challenges the rest of the company. [footnote: see also, adventures on the columbia river, by ross cox. p. 158; the oregon territory, by john dunn, p. 93; four years in british columbia, by commander r. c. mayne, p. 273; it was played by the comanches in texas with a bullet, robert s. neighbors in schoolcraft, vol. ii, p. 134; by the twanas with one or two bones, bulletin u. s. geol. survey, vol. iii, no. 1, p. 89, rev. m. eels.] in the account given by george gibbs [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. i, p. 206.] the count of the game among the tribes of western washington and northwestern oregon, was kept by means of sticks. each side took five or ten small sticks, one of which was passed to the winner on each guess, and the game was ended when the pile of one side was exhausted. according to him, "the backers of the party manipulating keep up a constant drumming with sticks on their paddles which lie before them, singing an incantation to attract good fortune." powers describes another form into which the game developed among the indians of central california. it is "played with a bit of wood or a pebble which is shaken in the hand, and then the hand closed upon it. the opponent guesses which finger (a thumb is a finger with them) it is under and scores one if he hits, or the other scores if he misses. they keep tally with eight counters." [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, pp. 332-3.] schwatka, in his recent exploration of the yukon found this game among the chilkats. it was called _la-hell_. two bones were used. one was the king and one the queen. his packers gambled in guessing at the bones every afternoon and evening after reaching camp. [footnote: along alaska's great river. by frederic schwatka, p. 71.] the simplicity of the game was modified by the introduction of similar articles in each hand, the question to be decided being in which hand one of them having a specified mark should be found. kane [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 189.] thus describes such a game among the chinooks: "their games are few. the one most generally played amongst them consists in holding in each hand a small stick, the thickness of a goose quill, and about an inch and one-half in length, one plain, the other distinguished by a little thread wound round it, the opposite party being required to guess in which hand the marked stick is to be found. a chinook will play at this simple game for days and nights together, until he has gambled away everything he possesses, even to his wife." [footnote: see also overland, vol. iv, p. 163, powers, h. h. bancroft's native races, vol. i n 244 clay balls are sometimes used, ibid, vol. i, p. 353, the northwest coast james g swan, p. 158, montana as it is granville stuart, p. 71.] among the utahs this form of the game was common: "a row of players consisting of five or six or a dozen men is arranged on either side of the tent facing each other. before each man is placed a bundle of small twigs or sticks each six or eight inches in length and pointed at one end. every tete-a-tete couple is provided with two cylindrical bone dice carefully fashioned and highly polished which measure about two inches in length and half an inch in diameter, one being white and the other black, or sometimes ornamented with a black band." at the rear, musicians were seated who during the game beat upon rude drums. [footnote: edwin r baker in the american naturalist, june, 1877, vol. xi, p. 551.] in this game it will be noticed that the players paired off and apparently each man played for himself. still another element is introduced in another form of the game, which increases the opportunity afforded the one who manipulates the bones for dexterity. this form of the game is repeatedly alluded to by powers. while relating the habits and customs of the gualala, whose homes were near fort ross, he describes what he calls the gambling game of "_wi_ and _tep_" and says that one description with slight variations will answer for nearly all the tribes of central and southern california. after describing the making up of the pool of stakes, he adds: "they gamble with four cylinders of bone about two inches long, two of which are plain, and two marked with rings and strings tied round the middle. the game is conducted by four old and experienced men, frequently grey heads, two for each party, squatting on their knees on opposite sides of the fire. they have before them a quantity of fine dry grass, and with their hands in rapid and juggling motions before and behind them, they roll up each piece of bone in a little ball and the opposite party presently guess in which hand is the marked bone. generally only one guesses at a time, which he does with the word '_lep_' (marked one), and '_wi_' (plain one). if he guesses right for both players, they simply toss the bones over to him and his partner, and nothing is scored on either side. if he guesses right for one and wrong for the other, the one for whom he guessed right is 'out', but his partner rolls up the bones for another trial, and the guesser forfeits to them one of his twelve counters. if he guesses wrong for both, they still keep on and he forfeits two counters. there are only twelve counters and when they have been all won over to one side or the other, the game is ended. [footnote: powers in contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, pp. 90-152; 189-332.] sometimes the same game was played without going through the formality of wrapping the pieces in grass, simply shaking them in the hands as a preliminary for the guessing. [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, vol. iii, 332; alexander ross's adventures, pp. 308, 309.] a slightly different method prevails among the indians of washington and northwestern oregon. ten disks of hard wood, each about the diameter of a mexican dollar and somewhat thicker, are used. "one of these is marked and called the chief. a smooth mat is spread on the ground, at the ends of which the opposing players are seated, their friends on either side, who are provided with the requisites for a noise as in the other case. the party holding the disks has a bundle of the fibres of the cedar bark, in which he envelops them, and after rolling them about, tears the bundle into two parts, his opponent guessing in which bundle the chief lies." [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology, gibbs, vol. i, p. 206.] the same game is described by kane, except that the counters, instead of being wrapped in one bundle which is afterward torn in two, are originally wrapped in two bundles. [footnote: kane's wanderings, p. 189; swan's northwest coast, p. 157, eels in bulletin u.s.g. surv., vol. iii, no. 1.] still another complication of the guessing game was described by mayne. [footnote: mayne's british columbia, p. 275.] blankets were spread upon the ground on which sawdust was spread about an inch thick. in this was placed the counter, a piece of bone or iron about the size of a half a crown, and one of the players shuffled it about, the others in turn guessing where it was. the game of "moccasin" was but a modification of this game. as described by philander prescott three moccasins were used in this game by the dacotas. the bone or stick was slipped from one to another of the moccasins by the manipulators, and the others had to guess in which moccasin it was to be found. simple as this description seems, the men would divide into sides, playing against each other, and accompanying the game with singing. [footnote: schoolcraft, vol. iv, p. 64; domenech, vol. ii, p. 192.] among the zunis, the guessing game was exalted to the nature of a sacred festival. frank h. cushing [footnote: the century, vol. xxvi, p. 37.] gives the following account of its practice. "one morning the two chief priests of the bow climbed to the top of the houses, and just at sunrise called out a 'prayer message' from the mount-environed gods. eight players went into a _kli-wi-lain_ to fast, and four days later issued forth, bearing four large wooden tubes, a ball of stone, and a bundle of thirty-six counting straws. with great ceremony, many prayers and incantations, the tubes were deposited on two mock mountains of sand, either side of the 'grand plaza.' a crowd began to gather. larger and noisier it grew, until it became a surging, clamorous, black mass. gradually two piles of fabrics,--vessels, silver ornaments, necklaces, embroideries, and symbols representing horses, cattle and sheep--grow to large proportions. women gathered on the roofs around, wildly stretching forth articles for betting, until one of the presiding priests called out a brief message. the crowd became silent. a booth was raised, under which two of ho players retired; and when it was removed the four tubes were standing on the mound of sand. a song and dance began. one by one three of the four opposing players were summoned to guess under which tube the ball was hidden. at each guess the cries of the opposing party became deafening, and the mock struggles approached the violence of combat. the last guesser found the ball; and as he victoriously carried the latter and the tubes across to his own mound, his side scored ten. the process was repeated. the second guesser found the ball; his side scored fifteen setting the others back five. the counts, numbered one hundred; but so complicated were the winnings and losings on both sides, with each guess of either, that hour after hour the game went on, and night closed in. fires were built in the plaza, cigarettes were lighted, but still the game continued. noisier and noisier grew the dancers; more and more insulting and defiant their songs and epithets to the opposing crowd, until they fairly gnashed their teeth at one another, but no blows. day dawned upon the still uncertain contest; nor was it until the sun again touched the western horizon, that the hoarse, still defiant voices died away, and the victorious party bore off their mountains of gifts from the gods." the picturesque description of cushing brings before our eyes the guessing game in its highest form of development. among the tribes of the east, if it had a home at all, it was practised in such an inobtrusive way as not to attract the attention of writers who have described their habits and customs. the nearest approach to it which we can find is a guessing game described by hennepin, as follows: "they take kernels of indian corn or something of the kind, then they put some in one hand, and ask how many there are. the one who guesses wins." mackenzie [footnote: alexander mackenzie's voyages in 1789 and 1893 london, 1801, p. 311.] fell in with some indians near the pacific coast who travelled with him a short distance. they carried with them the implements for gambling. their game was different from the guessing games which have been heretofore described. "there were two players and each had a bundle of about fifty small sticks neatly polished, of the size of a quill, and five inches long. a certain number of their sticks had red lines round them and as many of these as one of the players might find convenient were curiously rolled up in dried grass, and according to the judgment of his antagonist respecting their number and marks he lost or won." the same game was seen at queen charlotte islands by francis poole. [footnote: queen charlotte island, a narrative etc., p. 25.] he says there were in this game from "forty to fifty round pins or pieces of wood, five inches long by one-eighth of an inch thick, painted in black and blue rings and beautifully polished." these pins were divided into two heaps under cover of bark fibre and the opposite player guessed odd or even for one of the piles. contests of skill. lewis and clarke [footnote: vol. ii, p. 140.] describe a game among the oregon indians which can neither be called an athletic game nor a game of chance, but which seems to have been a simple contest of skill. "two pins are placed on the floor, about the distance of a foot from each other, and a small hole made behind them. the players then go about ten feet from the hole, into which they try to roll a small piece, resembling the men used at draughts; if they succeed in putting it into the hole, they win the stake; if the piece rolls between the pins, but does not go into the hole, nothing is won or lost; but the wager is wholly lost if the chequer rolls outside the pins." morgan [footnote: league of the iroquois, p. 303.] describes a winter contest of skill among the iroquois, which he calls snow-snake. the so-called snakes were made of hickory. they were from five to seven feet in length, a quarter of an inch in thickness, tapering from an inch in width at the head to about half an inch at the tail. the head was round, turned up slightly and weighted with lead. this implement was shot along the snow crust, by hand, with great speed, and a point in the game was gained by the snake which ran the greatest distance. when there were a number of players divided into sides, if there were two, three or more snakes of the same side which were in advance of the snakes of the other side, all such counted. such contests usually took place between tribes and aroused a great degree of spirit and the usual amount of betting. in simpler form, sagard theodat describes this kind of amusement. other amusements of women and children. under the name of "_fuseaux_," la potherie [footnote: vol. iii, p. 24.] describes a similar winter game of the children. he further says the women only played at platter or dice. the children played at lacrosse, seldom at platter. we have seen that the women in some parts of the country joined in the lacrosse games. sometimes they played it by themselves and sometimes they played other ball games which closely resemble that game. romans describes a woman's game in which they tossed up a ball which was to be caught before it reached the ground; but in the meantime the one who tossed it had to pick up a small stick from the ground. the women of the natchez, [footnote: le page du pratz, vol. iii, p. 2, domenech, vol. ii, p. 192.] according to le page du pratz, played with three pieces of cane, each eight or nine inches long, flat on one side and convex on the other with engravings on the convex side. two were held in the open palm of the left hand and the third was dropped round side down upon the ends of the two, so that all would fall to the ground. if two convex surfaces came up the player won. he also says, and in this romans concurs, that the women were very reluctant to be seen while playing. among the natchez, the young girls played ball with a deer-skin ball stuffed with spanish moss. other than that they seemed to him to have no games. [footnote: le page du pratz, vol. iii, p. 2.] the young choctaws, according to romans, engaged in wrestling, running, heaving and lifting great weights and playing ball. hennepin says, "the children play with bows and with two sticks, one large and one small. they hold the little one in the left, and the larger one in the right hand, then with the larger one they make the smaller one fly up in the air, and another runs after it, and throws it at the one who sprang it. they also make a ball of flags or corn leaves, which they throw in the air and catch on the end of a pointed stick." powers [footnote: contributions to north american ethnology. vol. iii, p. 331.] describes a game among the children of the nishinams which consisted in tossing bunches of clover from one to another, and another in which the boys placed themselves upon three bases and tossed a ball across from one to the other. points were won as in base ball by running bases, if possible, without being put out by the one who at the time had the ball. the choctaw [footnote: romans, p. 70, bossu, vol. i, p. 308.] boys made use of a cane stalk, eight or nine feet in length, from which the obstructions at the joints had been removed, much as boys use what is called a putty blower. the zuni children are said to play checkers with fragments of pottery on flat stones. [footnote: the century, vol. xxvi, p. 28, cushing.] running matches, swimming, wrestling, the simple ball-games which are hinted at rather than described, practice in archery and hurling the spear or javelin, furnished the indian youth with such amusements as could be derived outside the contests in which his elders participated. most of these latter were so simple as to be easily understood by the very young, and we can readily comprehend how deeply the vice of gambling must have been instilled in their minds, when they saw it inaugurated with such solemn ceremonials and participated in with such furor by their elders. our information concerning the habits of the indians comes from a variety of sources. some of it is of very recent date, especially that which deals with the indians of the pacific coast. the early relations of the french fathers were faithful, and, as a rule, intelligent records of events which the priests themselves witnessed. the accounts of the french and indian traders and travelers are neither as accurate nor as reliable as those contained in the relations. some of these authors faithfully recorded what they saw; others wrote to make books. they differ widely in value as authorities and must be judged upon their individual merits. much of our information concerning the manners and customs of the natives of the pacific coast is derived from the publications of our national government. the reports which are collated in these documents are from a great number of observers and are not uniform in character, but many of them have great value. as a whole, the work was well done and in a scientific manner. the narration of the different games tells its own story. lacrosse is found throughout the country; platter or dice is distributed over an area of equal extent; chunkee was a southern and western game; straws a northern game with traces of its existence in the west; the guessing game was apparently a western game. everywhere, gambling prevailed to the most shocking extent. there are writers who seek to reduce the impressions of the extravagance indulged in by the indians at these games. the concurrence of testimony is to the effect that there was no limit to which they would not go. their last blanket or bead, the clothing on their backs, their wives and children, their own liberty were sometimes hazarded; and if the chances of the game went against them the penalty was paid with unflinching firmness. the delivery of the wagered wives, lescarbot tells us, was not always accomplished with ease, but the attempt would be faithfully made and probably was often successful. self-contained as these people ordinarily were, it is not a matter of surprise that the weaker among them should have been led to these lengths of extravagance, under the high pressure of excitement which was deliberately maintained during the progress of their games. [transcriber's note: lengthy footnote relocated to chapter end.] from one end of the land to the other these scenes were ushered in with ceremonies calculated to increase their importance and to awaken the interest of the spectators. the methods used were the same among the confederations of the north and of the south; among the wandering tribes of the interior; among the dwellers in the pueblos; and among the slothful natives of the pacific coast. the scene described by cushing, where, at the summons of the "prayermessage," the zunis gathered upon the house-tops and swarmed in the plaza, to hazard their property, amid prayers and incantations, upon a guess under which tube the ball was concealed, is widely different from that depicted by the jesuit fathers in canada, where the swarthy hurons assembled in the council house at the call of the medicine man and in the presence of the sick man, wagered their beads and skins, upon the cast of the dice. it differs equally from the scene which travellers have brought before our eyes, of the chinooks, beating upon their paddles and moaning forth their monotonous chants, while gathered in a ring about the player, who with dexterous passes and strange contortions manipulated the stone and thus added zest to the guess which was to determine the ownership of the property staked upon the game. the resemblances in these scenes are, however, far more striking than the differences. climate and topography determine the one. race characteristics are to be found in the other. [relocated footnote: the following extracts will illustrate these points: they will bet all they have, even to their wives. it is true, however, that the delivery of the wagered women is not easy. they mock the winners and point their fingers at them (lescarbot, vol. iii, p. 754); all that they possess, so that if unfortunate, as sometimes has happened, they return home as naked as your hand (lalemant, relation, 1639); their goods, their wives, their children (ferland vol. i, p. 134); some have been known to stake their liberty for a time (charlevoix, vol. iii, 319); have been known to stake their liberty upon the issue of these games, offering themselves to their opponents in case they get beaten (catlin, vol. i, p. 132); i have known several of them to gamble their liberty away (lawson, p. 176); a canadian indian lost his wife and family to a frenchman (sagard theodat, histoire du canada, vol. i, p. 243); they wager their wives (a. colquhon grant, journal royal geog. soc., london, vol. xxvii, p. 299); their wives and children (irving's astorla, vol. ii, p. 91); their liberty (parker's journal of an exploring tour, pp. 249-50); domenech has never known men to bet their wives (vol. ii, p. 191); women bet as well as men (romans, p. 79; am. naturalist, vol. xi, no. 6, 551); philander prescott (schoolcraft, vol. iv, p. 64); cushing (century, vol. xxvi, p. 28); the liberty of a woman wagered by herself (lalemant, relation 1639); women are never seen to bet (le page du pratz, vol. iii, p. 2; mayne br. col., p. 276); rash gambling sometimes followed by suicide (romans p. 79; brebeuf, relation 1686).] scanned images of public domain material from the internet archive. breakfasts and teas novel suggestions for social occasions compiled by paul pierce editor and publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine. superintendent of food exhibits at the st. louis worlds's fair. honorary commissioner of foods at the jamestown exposition. * * * * * chicago brewer, barse & co. copyrighted 1907 by paul pierce to women editors. in appreciation of the many favorable press notices and high editorial comment given to my previous efforts in the compilation of books on suggestions for entertaining and in the publication of my magazine, _what to eat_, this book on "breakfasts and teas," is inscribed. full well i realize the difficulties under which most women editors labor in their duty of suggesting new ideas for entertaining, and i hold a sincere appreciation for the good they perform in elevating the women of our country to a higher plain of civilization. when the woman is done with the school room and finds herself in the social whirl it is then she begins to see that she has another and very important course of learning to acquire and forthwith she submits herself to the tutorage of the editor of the woman's page. no school teacher of the world has such a large class to instruct as this woman editor. her pupils are numbered by the thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands. the knowledge she must impart is not of the kind that has been set down by past generations and which once learned suffices as a supply for all future dispensations. it is a knowledge of the day, which is constantly changing and which must be gleaned each day for the lessons of the morrow. this little book embraces the latest information on the title it bears, and all herein contained, that may be of help to the woman editor, she is welcome to use if she will comply with the publisher's rule of giving the proper credit to the volume. publisher's announcement. "breakfast and teas" is a companion book to that most interesting and helpful series of social works compiled by paul pierce, publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, and the world's authority on all problems pertaining to the drawing room and the table. the other books are "dinners and luncheons," "parties and entertainments," "suppers," and "weddings and wedding celebrations." the contents of each volume are selected with especial regard for the extent of their helpfulness for the perplexed hostess. the instructions that are given will afford suggestions for all the different kinds of social functions the host or hostess ever will have occasion to give or to attend, and therefore all the volumes combined will furnish a veritable library for the person who entertains or who attends entertainments, and no person with a regard for correct social forms should fail to be supplied with all five of the books. in the directions special attention is given to the suggestions afforded for other kinds of entertainments, so that in each entertainment described the reader will find ideas for a dozen or more entertainments of a similar nature. contents chapter i. breakfasts at high noon--typical breakfast menu--breakfast decorations--two bride-elect breakfasts--silver wedding day breakfast--a family breakfast--light informal breakfast. chapter ii. two bon voyage breakfasts--who takes the cake?--breakfast and tea for christmas or thanksgiving. chapter iii. a cuban breakfast. chapter iv. spring and autumn breakfasts--april breakfast--a maypole breakfast--may breakfast--an autumn breakfast--a musical romance--a red rose breakfast--chrysanthemum breakfast--pond lily breakfast--a tulip breakfast--a grape breakfast--woman's club breakfast--breakfast al fresco. chapter v. the modern 'five o'clock' tea--an afternoon tea--telling fortunes by teagrounds. chapter vi. scotch teas--a gypsy tea out of doors. chapter vii. japanese teas. chapter viii. two valentine teas. chapter ix. a grandmother's tea party--an april fool tea--a colonial tea--pretty rose tea--omber shades of rose--a bouquet tea--spring planting--a high tea--book-title teas--patriotic tea--debut tea--yellow tea--a candle-light tea--a flower tea--an exchange tea--a watermelon tea. chapter x. unique ideas for teas--a chocolatiere--a kaffee klatch--a "rushing" tea for sorority--sandwiches for teas--novelties in tea serving--summer porch tea parties. chapter i. breakfasts at high noon. a very swell repast for a swagger set. by the operation of one of those laws of occult force, the power of which we feel while we are totally ignorant of its rules, we fix upon the noonday as the time for some of our chief social functions. as a matter of fact we are at our best at this time of the day, both physically and mentally; and we naturally choose it for our special entertainments and enjoyments. one of the chief of these is the noonday breakfast, which meets several social demands. it is the proper service for the return of nearly every obligation in the form of hospitality which may have been received by the giver during the closing season. this noonday breakfast very much resembles the morning breakfast of the french country-house in the variety of foods. this repast always is most attractive to an american because of its informality, and the viands are enticing. this morning breakfast of the parisian is really like a little dinner, and that is what we wish to serve to meet all the varied obligations that are to be wiped out by an artistic and choice return entertainment, whether it be called luncheon or noonday breakfast. when a luncheon or noonday breakfast by formal invitation is given, the service is identical with that of dinner _a la russe_, and the bill of fare similar, although less extended; but the pleasantest repasts are those where perfect service is secured without formality. first, the table: lay it as carefully as for dinner and in much the same way, save that an embroidered or delicately colored cloth may replace the white dinner linen; under this cloth lay the usual thick one of felt or canton flannel. the small dessert and fruit, flowers and relishes, may form a part of the table decoration. now that castors are seldom used, unless of fine old silver and ornamental form, place conveniently about the table salt, pepper, the oil and vinegar stand, and the table sauces in their original bottles set in silver holders. olives, salted almonds, cheese-straws and sandwiches may be put upon the table in pretty china, silver and glass ornamental dishes; in short, all save the hot dishes may form part of the ornamentation. hot plates are required for all the food except the raw shell-fish, salad and dessert, and should be ready for immediate use, together with a reserve of silver, or means for washing it. the coffee service may be laid before the hostess or upon the side table, at convenience; chocolate is similarly served, and is a favorite breakfast beverage, especially when it is made with eggs, after the mexican method. tea is not on the regulation breakfast list, but of course it may be served if it is desired. cider, malt liquors, the lighter wines, and in summer the various "cups" or fruit punches are in order; the breakfast wines are sherry, hock or rhine wine, sauterne and champagne; and when a variety is served the preference of each guest is ascertained by the attendant before filling the glasses. breakfast menu. the following is an excellent bill of fare for a noonday breakfast: _little neck clams_ _cold wine soup_ _angels on horseback_ _chicken patties_ _newberg lobster_ _green peas with new turnips_ _grape fruit sherbet_ _broiled birds with orange salad_ _white custards_ _cannelons with jelly_ _strawberries in cream_ _black coffee_ for a simple repast for a few persons, two relishes may be omitted, only one _entree_ being served; then the sherbet, the birds, and one desert, with coffee; this combination would make a most acceptable small breakfast. blue point oysters, as all small oysters are called, may be used in their season, in place of the clams. both are of much dietetic value, the clams being the most stimulating and nutritious, and the oysters the most tonic and digestible. the cold wine soup is a valuable tonic nutrient; and each dish possesses some special value of its own. cold wine soup. wash quarter of a pound of fine sago in cold water, put it over the fire in two quarts of cold water, and boil it gently until the grains are transparent; then dissolve with it half a pound of fine sugar, add a very little grated nutmeg, a dust of cayenne, and an even teaspoonful of salt; when the sugar is melted add a bottle of claret, and as much cold water as is required to make the soup of an agreeable creamy consistency; cool it before serving. angels on horseback. this is one of the gastronomic inspirations of urbain dubois, the _chef_ of the great emperor of germany. remove all bits of shell from fine oysters and lay them upon a clean towel; cut as many slices of thin bacon, about the size of the oysters; run them alternately upon bright metal skewers, dust them with cayenne, lay the skewers between the bars of a double-wire grid-iron, and broil the "angels" over a quick fire until the bacon begins to crisp; then transfer the skewers to a hot dish garnished with lemon and parsley, or with cresses, and send at once to table. in serving, a skewerful of "angels" is laid upon a hot plate, and the eater removes them with a fork. the success of this dish depends upon the rapidity with which it is cooked and served. chicken patties. the housewife is advised to procure the cooked patty cases at the baker's shops, ready to be heated and filled with the following _ragout_. for a dozen patties remove the bones and skin from a pint bowlful of the white meat of cold boiled or roasted chicken, and cut it into one-half inch pieces. open a can of mushrooms, save the liquor, and cut the mushrooms about the size of the chicken; put over the fire in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, stir them until they are smoothly blended; then gradually stir in the mushroom liquor and enough milk to make a sauce which should be as thick as cream after it has boiled; add the chicken and mushrooms, a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper; place the saucepan in a pan containing boiling salted water and keep hot until it is time to fill the hot patty cases and serve them. green peas with new turnips. peal about a dozen new turnips of medium size, boil them until tender in salted boiling water; meanwhile smoothly mix in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and gradually stir in a pint of milk. open a can of french peas, drain them, run cold water through them, draining again, and heat them in the sauce, seasoning them palatably with salt and white pepper. when the turnips are tender scoop a hollow in the center of each, fill it with peas, and arrange them upon the rest of the peas on a hot shallow dish. typical breakfast menu. here is a typical breakfast menu: grape fruit, plain or prepared by removing the center and putting in it a spoonful of rum and a lump of sugar; some cereal with cream or fruit; a chafing dish preparation, oysters in some way, mushrooms, or eggs, or a mixture on toast; hot bread of some kind, waffles, corn cakes, pancakes, flannel cakes, etc.; coffee and coffee cake. breakfast decorations. the sunburst done in one color is a very popular design for summer hostesses. suppose one is giving a pond lily breakfast. in the center of the table have a cut glass bowl of the lilies. from beneath the bowl radiate long streamers of pale green ribbon ending at the plates of the guests with name cards decorated with the lilies cut out of watercolor paper. half way between the bowl and the plate, the ribbon is knotted about a bouquet of the flowers or a bunch of maidenhair ferns which will become the corsage bouquet of the guest. sometimes several strands of narrower ribbon are used giving more rays; a very pretty effect. do not have artificial light at a summer breakfast. garden flowers are all the rage, either one kind or several kinds mixed. coreopsis, mignonette, featherfew, nasturtiums, lilies, sweet peas, geraniums, all the simple garden flowers are used now in place of the hothouse products. breakfast to bride-elect. to a bride. happy is the bride whom the sun shines on, and happy today are you; may all of the glad dreams you have dreamed in all of your life come true; may every good there is in life step down from the years to you. there's nothing so sweet as a maid is sweet, on the day she becomes a bride; oh, the paths that ope to the dancing feet! oh, the true love by her side! oh, the gray old world looks a glad old world, and it's fields of pleasure, wide. a breakfast for a bride-elect can be made very dainty and pretty by following out a pink color scheme, unless one prefers the more common scheme of white. cover the table with the prettiest, whitest damask, and over this lay lace-trimmed or openwork doilies, with a foundation of pink satin underneath. for flowers have pink begonias (very pretty and effective), carnations, roses, azaleas or cyclamens. arrange the flowers in a center basket with a large pink butterfly bow on the handle. light the table with pink candles and shades in silver or china candlesticks. have the place cards in heart shapes with pen and ink sketches or watercolors of brides, or tiny cupids. mark the bride-elect's chair by a large bow of ribbon or a bouquet of pink flowers matching those on the table. if white flowers are used, lilies of the valley and hyacinths make a pretty bouquet, tied with white gauze ribbon. serve this menu: _grape fruit with rum and cherries_ _turkey cutlets_ _stuffed peppers (serve on heart-shaped pieces of bread)_ _tiny heart-shaped hot rolls_ _peach mangoes_ _sweetbread salad in tomato cups on lettuce leaf_ _cheese straws_ _ice cream in shape of wedding bells filled with candied fruits_ _cocoanut cake and angel food in heart shape_ _coffee_ a tiny bouquet of violets tied with gauze ribbon at each plate makes the table pretty and is a dainty souvenir for the guest. sometimes the individual favors are tiny wicker hampers filled with fine flowers tied with white silk cord. for the bride-elect. a white breakfast is the daintiest and prettiest for the bride-elect. have the table decorations in white. for the center have a large round basket of bride roses, and at each plate tiny french baskets filled with maidenhair fern and white pansies, or apple blossoms, for individual favors. tie the handle of each basket with white gauze ribbon, looping the baskets together with the ribbon forming a garland for the table. serve strawberries in large white tulips or bride roses, and have the ices in form of wedding bells. for name cards have two wedding bells tied with white satin ribbons. silver wedding day breakfast. for the breakfast the table is crossed by a broad band of white carnations, sprinkled with diamond dust. arranged in billows over the table is silver gauze, silver candelabra, and all the handsome silver, which the hostess possesses. the menu is: _bouillon_ _lobster cutlets_ _tartar sauce_ _cucumber sandwiches_ _breast of turkey, larded and broiled_ _green peas_ _current jelly_ _hot rolls_ _pear and celery salad, with german cherries served in hearts of lettuce_ _caramel ice cream, with pecan meringue_ _old madeira is served with the meat course, then sauterne_. a family breakfast. _grape fruit with cherries and pineapple_ _creamed fish_ _new potatoes with sauce of parsley and drawn butter_ _sliced cucumbers_ _hot biscuits_ _fried chicken_ _asparagus on toast_ _sweetbreads_ _waffles and maple syrup_ _strawberry shortcake, with frozen whipped cream_ _coffee_ light informal breakfast. first serve a fluffy egg omelet with saratoga potatoes, and fish and cheese sandwiches cut in hearts and rings. next cucumber boats filled with cucumber and tomato salad mixed with sour cream dressing, resting on lettuce leaves. with this an innovation in the shape of square ginger wafers. place by each plate salted almonds and bread and butter on bread and butter plates. the last course is a popular new england combination, warm apple sauce and huckleberry muffins. tea is the beverage. chapter ii. two bon voyage breakfasts. "i take my leave of you shall not be long but i'll be here again." i. use the national colors for decorations for a bon voyage breakfast. this will remind the guest of honor that "east, west, hame's best." use blue and white hyacinths and red tulips, carnations or roses and tiny silk flags can be used for place cards. carry out the same idea in the ices, candies, etc. one pretty floral decoration for a bon voyage breakfast is a ship and the place cards can have a tiny ocean steamer for decoration. ask each guest to bring some little gift. tie these with tissue paper and baby ribbon, leaving a long end of the ribbon. make a little bag of flowered chintz or silk and place the gifts inside. have cards labeled monday, tuesday, wednesday, etc., one for each day of the voyage. slip the end of the ribbon through a card and leave the labeled ends of the ribbons sticking out of the top of the bag. this will give a little remembrance for each day on shipboard, a very pleasant remembrance too. a packet of ship letters each labeled a certain day, is another gift much prized by travelers. ii. have three tables, with six guests at a table with la france roses for decorations, and silver for all the courses laid at each cover. the guest cards are little circular marine water color sketches, no two alike. the menu is as follows: _grape fruit with strawberries_ _salmon croquettes_ _fried mush_ _jelly_ _steamed chicken_ _hot rolls_ _shoestring potatoes_ _coffee_ _vegetable salad_ _wafers with melted cheese_ _molded cherry jelly with english walnuts, served with whipped cream_ _sponge cakes_ the grape fruit is served in halves with one large strawberry in the center of the fruit. the salmon croquettes are molded in pyramidal form, a bit of cress laid on the top, and the mush which has been made the night before is cut in cubes an inch square, dipped in eggs and cracker dust, then dropped in deep fat, the only way to fry mush a delicate brown and preserve its softness. a spoonful of current jelly completes a color scheme. steamed chicken. grind with a food chopper the meat of two raw chickens and half a pound of pickled pork. add a cup of sifted bread crumbs, half a cup of thick sweet cream, half a cup of butter, half a can of chopped mushrooms, a little minced parsley, salt and pepper. mix thoroughly with the hands and put into well greased timbale cups and steam three hours. sauce. make a sauce for this by mixing the liquor of the mushrooms, half a cup of cream, the rest of the mushrooms, chopped; heat and thicken with half a cup of cracker dust. serve very hot. vegetable salad. with the smallest sized potato scoop, cut out a pint of potato balls about the size of common marbles and boil in salted water until tender. let them cool, and add a pint of the largest peas, three stalks of minced celery, a good sized cucumber cut fine, ten drops of onion juice. salt and pepper any good cooked dressing, to which add two large spoonfuls of thick cream and two of olive oil. serve on a lettuce leaf, pour over the dressing, and last of all put on the top of the salad three little balls of red pickled beet cut with the potato scoop, and half embedded in the dressing. make a gelatine jelly, flavored with juice of two lemons and cherries. serve with whipped cream, into which beat finely sifted crumbs of three macaroons. who takes the cake? "who takes the cake?" is a most merry-making scheme to assist in entertaining at a breakfast. the hostess provides upon slips of paper, what may be termed cake-conundrums. these are neatly written and wound upon coarse steel knitting needles into little rolls and tied with baby-ribbon to match the color scheme of the table. these are brought in just after serving the coffee and passed to the guests. the hostess announces that each is to guess the name of the cake suggested on her slip; adding, the one who gives the most correct answers wins the prize of a delicious cake. this should be exhibited. the hostess has a list of the answers, and when one misses the "hit," she reads it aloud to the merriment of the crowd. for instance, one slip reads: name the president's cake. the answer is (election). the parenthesis must not appear on the slips. a list recently used, and very wittily selected, is given for suggestion: name the geologist's cake. (mountain.) name the advertiser's cake. (puff.) name the farmer's cake. (corn.) name the tailor's cake. (measure.) name the milliner's cake. (ribbon.) name the devout cake. (angel food.) name the jeweler's cake. (gold.) name the lover's cake. (kisses.) name the author's cake. (short cake.) name the pugilist's cake. (pound.) name the office-seeker's cake. (washington.) name the idler's cake. (loaf.) many others can be added by the clever hostess. breakfast and tea for christmas or thanksgiving. breakfast. _oranges and grapes_ _farina with dates and cream and sugar_ _chicken croquettes_ _oysters in potato balls_ _rice muffins with maple syrup_ _coffee_ _chocolate with whipped cream_ tea. _scalloped oysters_ _turkey salad_ _cheese balls_ _bread and butter sandwiches_ _strawberry trifle_ _gipsy jelly with whipped cream_ _lemon cocoanut cake_ _meringues filled with preserved walnuts_ _tea_ _cocoa with whipped cream_ oysters in potato balls. cook the potatoes the day before. while hot mash them, season nicely with salt, paprika and a little celery salt. add a generous lump of butter, and one or two lightly beaten eggs. form into little balls with the hands floured. the next morning scoop out a hollow large enough to hold two or three nicely seasoned oysters, press over the part removed, egg and bread-crumb, and fry in a wire basket in deep hot fat. drain a minute on unglazed paper, and serve at once. rice muffins. sift together half a teaspoonful of salt, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, and two cupfuls of flour. add two well-beaten eggs to one cupful of sweet milk, and stir into the flour, with one teaspoonful of melted butter and one cupful of dry boiled rice. beat thoroughly, and bake in buttered pans for thirty-five minutes. serve with maple syrup. turkey salad. cut the cold turkey meat into dice and mix it with twice the quantity of diced celery and one cupful of broken walnut meats. mix all well together and moisten with a good boiled dressing. serve in a nest of bleached lettuce. cheese balls. roll rich pastry out very thin, cut it into circles with a small tumbler, put two teaspoonfuls of grated cheese in the center of each, add a dash of cayenne and a teaspoonful of finely chopped walnut meats, then draw the edges of the paste together over the cheese, pinching it well to form a little ball. bake in a hot oven to a very pale brown. before serving reheat in the oven. strawberry trifle. cut one large stale sponge cake in horizontal slices the whole length of the loaf. they should be half an inch thick. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff snow, divide it into two portions; into one stir two level tablespoons of powdered sugar and one-half of a grated cocoanut; into the other stir the same amount of powdered sugar and one-half pound of sweet almonds blanched and pounded. spread the slices of cake with these mixtures, half with the cocoanut and half with the almond, and replace them in their original form. the top crust should be cut off before slicing the cake as it is used for a lid. hold the sliced cake firmly together and with a sharp knife cut down deep enough to leave only an inch at the bottom, and take out the center, leaving walls only one inch thick. soak the part removed in a bowl with one cupful of rich custard flavored with lemon. rub it to a smooth batter, then whip into it one cupful of cream which has been whipped to a dry stiff froth. fill the cavity of the cake with alternate layers of this mixture and very rich preserved strawberries. then put on the lid and ice with a frosting made with the whites of three eggs, one heaping cupful of powdered sugar and the juice of one lemon. spread it smoothly over the sides and top of the cake, and keep in a very cold place until time to serve. then place it on a silver or crystal dish, and put alternate spoonfuls of the whipped cream mixture and preserved strawberries around the base. meringues filled with preserved walnuts. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff firm snow, stir into it three-fourths of a pound of powdered sugar, flavor with a little lemon or rose water, and continue to beat until very light. then drop them from a spoon, a little more than an inch apart, on well buttered paper, keeping them as nearly egg-shaped as possible. place the paper on a half-inch board and bake in a slow oven until well dried out. remove from the paper, scrape out the soft part from the underside, and before serving fill with preserved walnuts and stick each two together. the preserved walnuts are a very delicious sweet but one rarely met with. chapter iii. a cuban breakfast. the palm, of course, is the key note for decoration, as it is the characteristic plant of the tropics. but in order to be true to the scheme in mind, that is, to make your surroundings appear truly southern and create a local atmosphere, a marked difference should be made between the arrangement of our usual american interior and the room which aims at the imitation of a cuban home. light and air are most important, the factors _sine qua non_, and the scene of the _almuerzo_ (breakfast) should not recall the hot house, the conservatory, nor the dimly lighted, heavily curtained apartment of our northern dwellings. there should be space, plenty of windows, the fewest possible hangings, and these light in weight and color. for the mantel and table decorations dwarf palms are very effective, while larger ones of many varieties are appropriate for corners and other available places. very pretty souvenirs can be made of small palm leaf fans. a cuban landscape and the name of a guest are painted thereon, and tiny cuban and american flags tied on the handle make a neat finish. as most of the dishes served will be new to the guests, it is advisable to have at each place a menu card where they may see how the dishes are called, that they may not only relish them knowingly but remember their excellence. the hour for breakfast is noon, although it may be taken as late as one o'clock. here is a typical breakfast which can be easily reproduced with the material at our command. _almuerzo_ _olives_ _aeles sausage_ _eggs in revoltillo_ _boiled rice_ _fried plantains_ _fish in escabeche_ _new potatoes_ _tenderloin steak_ _lettuce salad_ _guava paste and fresh cheese_ _cocoanut desert_ _fruit_ _coffee_ the olives should be served with cracked ice; the aeles sausage (imported) in very thin slices. eggs in revoltillo. fry in a little butter a good sized onion chopped fine; when brown, add three fresh tomatoes and one sweet green pepper cut into small bits. salt to taste and let simmer until the tomatoes are quite cooked, then add six eggs which have been beaten. stir while cooking and serve soft as you would scrambled eggs. boiled rice. rice in cuba is an indispensable article of food, and no meal is complete without it. there is no little art required in its preparation, and it is imperative that it should be dry and tender at once. like most simple things, it has a certain knack to it. having thoroughly washed the rice, place it in a saucepan with three or four times the same quantity of water; salt generously and allow to boil until the grain is soft but not broken; drain off carefully all the water, cover the saucepan tightly and place at the back of the stove, where it will finish cooking slowly and become dry through the action of the steam. a small piece of lard added a few moments before serving glazes the rice and brings out its flavor. each grain should stand apart from its neighbors. some cubans add a single kernel of garlic after removing the water. the quantity is so small that there is but a suspicion of a taste, and it gives this frugal dish a certain _cachet_. fried plantains are essential to every breakfast in the tropics, but they are not always obtainable here. a very good substitute is the ordinary banana. it should not be over ripe. fry until a rich brown in hot fat. these three dishes should be served at one course. fish in escabeche. take three pounds of bonito or halibut in slices, fry and lay for several hours in a sauce made of half a pint of vinegar, in which the following ingredients have boiled for a few minutes: three or four cloves, a bay leaf, a pinch of thyme, a kernel of garlic, a sliced onion, half a teaspoonful of coloring pepper, three tablespoonfuls of good salad oil and a few capers, olives and pickles. hard boiled eggs may also be used for garnishing. it is eaten cold, and will keep, well covered in a stone jar, for weeks. (this dish is invaluable in summer.) serve with new potatoes, boiled, over which a lump of butter and a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley have been placed. tenderloin steak. the best restaurants in habana prepare the steak as follows: take a tender filet of beef, cut in cross sections an inch and a half thick, wrap each piece in greased paper, and broil over a brisk fire. remove the papers, add butter, salt, pepper and plenty of lemon juice--say the juice of two lemons for a whole filet. in cuba they use the juice of the sour orange, but that is not to be had here. this is the _creole_ style, and is simply a modification of the french way. if you want the steak _a la espanola_, it should be fried instead of broiled, and when well done each piece surmounted by a _mojo_. the _mojo_ is a little mound consisting of onions and green peppers chopped very fine, and lemon juice added to the gravy. guava paste is easily obtained from any importer, and it is the proper thing to eat it with fresh cream cheese or sliced edam cheese. cocoanut dessert. this is purely a tropical dish, but americans are very fond of it. peel and grate a cocoanut; make a syrup out of four cups of sugar and two of water; when the syrup begins to thicken (when it has boiled about five minutes) throw in the grated cocoanut and cook on a moderate fire half an hour more; stir in the beaten yolks of three eggs and a wine glass full of sherry. remove from the fire. the final point of your breakfast is the coffee, and in cuban eyes the affair will be a success or a failure according to the quality of this supreme nectar. the berry should be the best obtainable; freshly roasted, or at least the flavor refreshened by heating the grain in the oven a few minutes before using. grind and percolate at the last moment. serve black and _very strong_, in very small cups. chapter iv. spring and autumn breakfasts. the centerpiece is of moss and ferns with arbutus blossoms peeping out, with a border of green and white fairy lamps mushroom form. miniature flower beds, marked off with tiny white shells are in each of the four corners of the table. in one lilies of the valley stand upright, narcissii are in another, white tulips in a third and white lilacs wired on a tiny bush make the fourth. the name cards have tiny photographs of a farm with the name of the guests in gilt script. at each place is a tiny may basket of moss filled with arbutus, spring beauties, and wild violets, for a souvenir. the ice cream in flower forms is brought in in a spun sugar nest resting on twigs of pussy willows. the menu is a very simple one and includes grape fruit, the center cut out and filled with a lump of sugar soaked in rum, cream of clams, shredded whitefish in shells with horseradish and cucumbers, filet of beef with mushrooms, new potatoes, new asparagus, mint ice, squab on toast with shoestring potatoes, current jelly; salad of cucumbers, pecan nuts and lettuce with french dressing; ice cream, white cake, and black cake, coffee and cream de menthe. april breakfast. april's lady wears the pussywillow for her flower, and this makes a delightful springlike motif for decoration. for the breakfast have round tables or one long table with twig baskets of pussywillows tied with bows of soft grasses, raffia dyed a silvery grey. the table is set with the old-fashioned willow pattern china, quaint sheffield silver and is unmarked by any of the small dishes of sweets that fill breakfast tables. the name cards are decorated with sprays of pussywillows in the upper left corner and miniatures of famous women writers of this and the past decade taken from magazines: george eliot, miss austen, miss mulock, jean ingelow, elizabeth barrett browning, felicia hemans, louisa m. alcott, mrs. humphrey ward, mrs. burton harrison, mary e. wilkins freeman, elizabeth stuart phelps, margaret deland. the menu is strawberries in little twig baskets with brown paper caps filled with sugar, planked fish with sliced cucumbers, deviled sweetbreads and mushrooms on toast squares, saratoga potatoes, hot rolls, brandy peaches, waffles and hot syrup, coffee. a maypole breakfast. this breakfast is given the last week in may and can be copied by the summer hostess substituting different flowers in season. the guests are seated at small tables, each table being decorated with a different kind of flower--the iris, marguerites, sweet peas, roses, mignonette, etc. before each plate stands a tiny maypole about the size of a lead pencil, wound with baby ribbon of different colors. these are souvenirs for each guest. for the first course have fresh strawberries served with their leaves and blossoms. then a cream of celery soup served in cups. croutons are served with this. the soft shell crabs are served on a bed of water cress and radishes cut in fancy shapes. with them is served a thick mayonnaise on half a lemon; and cucumbers with french dressing. the brown and white bread sandwiches are cut in the shape of palm leaves. delicious orange sherbet is served in champagne glasses. then comes broiled chicken with new potatoes, french peas and hot rolls. the fruit salad is served in head lettuce with square wafers accompanying. the ice cream is molded in the form of red and white apples, with a cluster of real apple blossoms laid on each plate. with this is served a white cake with whipped cream and french coffee. may breakfast. carry out the may basket idea for a breakfast. by searching the ten-cent stores one can find little imitation cut glass baskets with handles. use a large cut glass basket or bowl with wire handle over the top for the center of the table and one of the smaller baskets filled with pansies, valley lilies or may flowers at each place. or make a pretty crystal wreath a short distance from the center by using crystal candlesticks with white candles and shades of glass beads, alternated by the little glass baskets filled with dainty flowers or maidenhair fern. or use these baskets for green, white or pink bonbons. another pretty may basket idea is to suspend little baskets of flowers from the back of each chair and use an immense basket of flowers for the center of the table. suitable toasts for the name cards, which should be little flower baskets cut out of water color paper and decorated, would be sentences describing mayday in various countries. or, use sentiments of flowers. here are some: the red rose: "i love you." the daisy: "there is no hope." lily of the valley: "my heart withers in secret." the lilac: "you are my first love." violets: "i am faithful." you will enjoy hunting for flower sentiments. for the menu serve: tomato bisque, wafers; sweetbread croquettes, peas, new potatoes, creamed asparagus, lemon sherbet; spring salad (radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, with french dressing on lettuce leaf), strawberries, served with hulls on and around a paper cup or mound of fine sugar; white cake with chocolate icing. an autumn breakfast. if one loves the reigning color, brown, give a brown breakfast in which all shades from seal to orange are used in pretty combination. a flat wreath of brown foliage extends inside the plate line. in the center of the table is a pyramid made of the tiny artificial oranges, buds and blossoms that are shown in the milliners' windows. from this pyramid radiate streamers of light brown tulle in wavy lines across the table to the wreath at the edge. yellow candles with autumn leaf shades in yellows and browns are placed inside the space between the center and the wreath. the name cards are placed inside little boxes decorated with pyrographic work and suitable for jewel boxes. the creamed lobster is served in cups covered with brown tissue paper, the browned chops, browned fried potatoes, and browned rice croquettes are served on plates decorated with a design of brown oak leaves and acorns. the ice cream is chocolate frozen in shape of large english walnuts and the little squares of white cake bear the design of a leaf in tiny chocolate candies. a musical romance. have it for entertainment at breakfast with prizes for the one who answers best. each question is answered by the name of a song. questions. 1. who was the lover? 2. who was his sweetheart? 3. in what country were they born? 4. on what river was his home? 5. what was his favorite state? 6. where did he first meet her? 7. what part of the day was it? 8. how was her hair arranged? 9. what flower did he offer her? 10. when did he propose to her? 11. what did he say to her? 12. what was her reply? 13. when were they married? 14. her maid of honor was from scotland; what was her name? 15. the best man was a soldier; who was he? 16. when in the civil war did the groom and best man become acquainted? 17. a little sister of the bride was flower girl; what was her name? 18. in what church was the ceremony solemnized? 19. in the thoroughfares of what foreign city did they spend their honeymoon? 20. what motto greeted them as they entered their new dwelling? 21. who did the bridegroom finally turn out to be? answers. 1. ben bolt. 2. sweet marie. 3. america. 4. suanne river. 5. maryland, my maryland. 6. comin' through the rye. 7. in the gloaming. 8. her golden hair was hanging down her back. 9. sweet violets. 10. after the ball. 11. won't you be my sweetheart? 12. if you ain't got no money you needn't come around. 13. in springtime, gentle anne. 14. annie laurie. 15. warrior bold. 16. while we were marching through georgia. 17. marguerite. 18. church across the way. 19. streets of cairo. 20. home, sweet home. 21. the man that broke the bank at monte carlo. the answers to the above should not be arbitrary. there are many songs that afford quite as good answers as those given above, and the score should credit anyone that makes a reply which fits the question. a red rose breakfast. "i find earth not gray, but rosy, heaven not grim, but fair of hue." here is a pretty breakfast for the month of june. have for the centerpiece a huge bowl of jacque-minot roses. use long sprays of the leaves and arrange the flowers very loosely in the bowl. have for the boutonnieres at each cover a bunch of red rose buds tied with scarlet ribbon. the place cards are also red roses cut to the required shape from rough drawing paper and appropriately colored. of course the red touch will be introduced as frequently as possible into the menu. serve tomato soup, salmon salad and claret water ice. cakes must be glazed in red, and the ice cream, served in artistic little baskets of spun sugar, to take the form of red roses. have side dishes filled with pink coated almonds and candied rose petals. then, during the dessert course, introduce what is called a rose shower. this will be on the order of the literary salads that were so popular some time ago, but it is newer. the idea is this: cut from red tissue paper a couple of dozen little leaf shaped pieces to be crimped and creased and coaxed into representing rose petals. on each petal write a familiar quotation relating to the rose. these leaves are to be passed around the table, each guest taking one, and when done with it, passing it on. prizes will be offered to the guests who are able to name the authors of the largest number of quotations. here are some of the verses: that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. --_shakespeare_. but earthlier happy is the rose distilled than that which, withering on the virgin thorn grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. --_shakespeare_. the rose is fairest when 'tis budding new; and hope is brightest when it dawns from fears. the rose is sweetest washed with morning dew, and love is loveliest when embalmed in tears. --_scott_. 'tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone. --_moore_. you may break, you may shatter the vase if you will, but the scent of the roses will hang round it still. --_moore_. he wears the rose of youth upon him. --_shakespeare_. as though a rose should shut and be a bud again. --_keats_. she wore a wreath of roses, that night when first we met. --_t. h. bayley_. the rose that all are praising is not the rose for me. --_t. h. bayley_. loveliest of lovely things are they on earth that soonest pass away. the rose that lives his little hour is prized beyond the sculptured flower. --_bryant_. flowers of all hue and without thorn the rose. --_milton_. a rosebud set with little wilful thorns, and sweet as english air could make her, she. --_tennyson_. let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they be withered. --_bible_. gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying; and this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow wille be dying. --_herrick_. their lips were four red roses on a stalk. --_shakespeare_. and i will make thee beds of roses and a thousand fragrant posies. --_marlowe_. these, of course, will be only about half enough, but the hostess can add others to them. the prize for the best list of answers should suggest roses in some way. chrysanthemum breakfast. the time ten o'clock. invitations, to be on a large sized visiting card, this wise: mrs. --- at home, wednesday morning, november seventh, nineteen ---- ten o'clock, 340 ---street, please reply. breakfast. enclose card in envelope to match. have three schemes of color for decorations--white chrysanthemums for parlor, pink for library, and yellow for dining-room. serve at small tables, with rich floral center pieces, and handsomely draped with battenburg, or linen center piece and plate tumbler doylies. place cards, two and one-half inches by six in size, should be decorated with a spray of chrysanthemums on a shaded background in water colors, leaving sufficient blank for a name and outlining the top card with cut edges of leaves. first course. a small cluster of grapes served on dessert plates. second course. baked apple--(remove the core and fill with cooked oat meal; bake and serve with whipped cream over the whole.) third course. chicken croquettes, scalloped potatoes, buttered rolls, celery, coffee. fourth course. fruit and nut salad, served in small cups on a bread and butter plate, with a wafer. fifth course. ice cream, in chocolate, pink and white layers; angel food, and pink and white layer cake. have a dish of salted almonds on each table. pond lily breakfast. white and green are the colors for a september breakfast. have the dining room decorated with luxuriant ferns and dainty, fragrant water lilies, the fireplace banked with ferns, the lilies scattered carelessly over the mantel. in the center of the table have a miniature rowboat heaped high with the lilies. for the souvenirs have very small oars which could afterwards be used for paper knives; besides clusters of lilies. harp music is the most in harmony with our ideas of lilies and the lily naiads, so the soft strains will form a delightful accompaniment to the breakfast. this is the menu: _cream of lettuce soup_ _steamed white fish_ _hollandaise sauce_ _potato balls_ _maitre de hotel sauce_ _jellied chicken_ _cauliflower, creamed_ _asparagus_ _cheese salad_ _metropolitan ice cream_ _small cakes_ _niagara grapes_ _coffee_ cream of lettuce soup. break the outer green leaves from two heads of lettuce. place neatly together and with a sharp knife cut into shreds. put them into one quart of white stock and simmer gently for half an hour. press through a colander, return to the fire. rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add two tablespoonfuls of hot stock and rub smooth, add this to the soup, stirring constantly until it thickens. add a level tablespoonful of grated onion, one cupful of cream and a seasoning of salt and white pepper. when ready to serve, beat the yolk of one egg lightly, pour into a tureen, turn the hot soup over it and add a heaping tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. the fish is garnished with cress. cheese salad. mash very fine the cold yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, and rub with them a coffee cupful of finely grated cheese, a teaspoonful of mustard, a saltspoonful of salt and one-half as much white pepper. when all are well mixed, add two tablespoonfuls each of oil and vinegar, alternately. heap this upon fresh lettuce and garnish with the whites of eggs cut into rings, and a few tips of celery. serve with hot buttered crackers. the ice cream is served on lily leaves. the cakes are white, with green icing. this is the music selected: solo--"to a water lily" _mcdowell_ old song--"lily dale" vocal solo--"row gently here, my gondolier" _schumann_ a tulip breakfast. a pretty idea is a tulip breakfast. the centerpiece is a large basket filled with tulips of different colors. a pretty course is strawberries served in real tulips lying on fancy plates with the stems tied with narrow ribbon the same shade as the tulip. the ice cream is served in shape of a tulip, and the salad is in a cup of green tissue paper imitating four tulip leaves. this is the plan for finding places. the name cards are decorated with tiny landscapes. on the back of the card is written the title of a song and the guest finds her own name in the title. for example a guest named mamie will find her place by the words "mamie, come kiss your honey boy," one named alice will find hers "oh, don't you remember sweet alice, ben bolt;" mollie in "do you love me, mollie darling," etc. the menu is: _fruit cup (strawberries, oranges, white grapes with whipped cream)_ _bouillon, wafers, radishes_ _escalloped fish, wafers, pickles_ _veal loaf, whipped potatoes, green peas_ _hot rolls, pickles, sherbet_ _fruit salad, wafers_ _ice cream in shape of tulips, strawberries served in real tulips_ _white cake, bonbons_ _coffee_ a grape breakfast. may the juice of the grape enliven each soul, and good humor preside at the head of each bowl. nothing could be prettier nor more appropriate for september than a grape breakfast. if possible, have the design of the lunch cloth in grapes, and use a pyramid of purple and white grapes for the center of the table. lay perfect bunches of grapes tied with lavender ribbon on the cloth for decoration. serve grapes in some fashion with each course, single, in tiny bunches, or the leaves decorating the plates. mold gelatine in a grape mold and color with grape juice. use white grapes for the salad and grape juice to drink. serve grape jelly with the meat course. woman's club breakfast. have the table of honor a round table with a large round basket of white flowers and everything corresponding in white. use roses, carnations or any white flower you choose. have oblong tables radiating from the center table with place for four on each side and two at the outer ends. this leaves no guest seated with her back to the honor table. have the oblong tables decorated in pink. have name cards with carnations thrust through the corner, at each plate. make the breakfast a daylight affair, unless the day is a dark one. serve chopped fresh sweet cherries sweetened and with a little rum or white wine poured over them; let stand for several hours in the refrigerator and serve in stem glasses. chicken croquettes molded in form of small chickens, or broiled chicken with water cress; creamed potatoes, sliced cucumbers, hot rolls, spiced peaches served in champagne glasses; whole tomatoes stuffed with cooked cauliflower and nuts set on branch of cherry or strawberry leaves; cheese sandwiches made very thin; ice cream molded in form of strawberries, small cakes frosted, (place half of a large strawberry on top of each piece of cake before serving). breakfast al fresco. a breakfast al fresco is just the thing to entertain a party of young girls. have the tables on the porch. at each plate have a cluster of flowers answering a conundrum. give each girl a card containing the conundrum and ask her to find her place at the table by the flower answering the questions. these questions will not be hard for a hostess to arrange and will of course depend on the flowers she can secure. here are a few sample ones given at a recent breakfast: who will attend our next entertainment? phlox. what happened when gladys lost her hat in the lake? a yellow rose (a yell arose). what paper gives the most help in decoration? justicia (just tissue). what will the far north do for you? freesia. for what hour were you invited? four o'clock. what is the handsomest woman in the world? american beauty. use pink and green for the color scheme and add a little touch of these two colors to everything served. tie the skewers of the chops with pink and green ribbons and have the ice cream one layer of pistachio and one of strawberry. chapter v. the modern "five o'clock." "a cup she designates as mine with motion of her dainty finger; the kettle boils--oh! drink divine, in memory shall thy fragrance linger!" although indebted to england for the afternoon tea, it is a very informal affair across the water. it doubtless originated in suburban homes, where during the hunting and holiday seasons, large and merry house-parties are entertained for weeks together. returning late from driving or field sports the tired guests require some light refreshment before making their toilets for the evening dinner. the english hostess very sensibly meets this claim upon her hospitality by serving tea and biscuit in library or drawing-room. from this small beginning comes the american "five o'clock," one of the prettiest of all social functions, and still smiled upon by dame fashion as a favorite method of entertaining. decorative in character, it gives opportunity to display the treasures of porcelain, glass, silver, embroidered napery and all the lovely table-appointments that everywhere delight the heart of woman. more exquisite than ever before are the little tea-tables--a succession of crescent shaped shelves, rising one above the other, two, three or four in number, as the taste inclines. upon these, resting on cobwebs of linen or lace, are placed the priceless cups, tiny spoons, graceful caddy and all other articles necessary to the service. the silver caddy is now a thing of sentiment as well as use--one recently bestowed as a bridal gift bearing engraved upon it this little verse: "we sit and sip--the time flies fast, my cup needs filling,--project clever! she comes and i grown bold at last say 'darling, make my tea forever!'" in the future of married life, how sweet this reminder of the past, when all the days were golden in the light of love, youth and hope! another couplet pretty and suggestive is found in "a cup and a welcome for everyone, and a corner for you and me." amid flowers and softly shaded lights sits the gracious woman who pours the liquid gold into the fragile cups, dispensing meanwhile, smiles and the bright charming small talk that is so necessary to the success of these occasions. a wise hostess selects for this important position the most brilliant, tactful woman within her circle of friends. the menu, although by no means regulated on the english house-party plan, should consist of trifles--sandwiches, wafers, fancy cakes, ices, and possibly a salad. foreigners understand the value of the simple feast which makes frequent entertaining possible and a delight rather than a burden. in america the menu, decorations, etc., grow more and more elaborate from the ambition of each successive hostess to out-do her neighbor, until the economy and beauty of simplicity is irretrievably lost in the greater expense, fatigue and crush of a more pretentious function. at the afternoon tea guests may come and go in street toilet, with or without a carriage in accordance with preference and pocketbook. however elegant the appointments and surroundings of this special function, the progressive hostess must remember that her culture will be judged by the quality of the beverage she serves. it is an age of luxury and refined taste in palate, as in other things, and _tea_ is no longer tea, unless of a high grade and properly brewed. the woman who trusts her domestic affairs to a housekeeper, or in the event of attending to them herself, depends wholly for the excellence of an article upon the price she pays, is a very mistaken one. without informing herself she may very naturally conclude that russian or caravan tea is cultivated, buds and blossoms in the land of the czar, until later on, when her ignorance meets a downfall in some very embarrassing way. the high-class, fancy teas of china are prepared by special manipulation and for the use of wealthy families in the celestial empire and are therefore never exported to other countries. russian tea-merchants, recognizing this, send shrewd buyers across the desert into china just at the season to secure the choicest pickings for future consumption by the nobility of their own country. of late years the "five o'clocks" and consequent craze for fine teas in america has tempted them to obtain a small quantity above the requirements of their titled patrons in russia and this they export to the united states. if genuine, the name russia or caravan tea signifies the choicest and most expensive grade procurable the world over. it will be remembered that among the many gifts bestowed when in this country by its recent guest, li hung chang, were beautifully ornamented boxes and packages of this delicately flavored and fragrant tea. the high class grades from india and ceylon, although not as costly as the russian, may be used by the hostess of the modern "five o'clock" without risk to her reputation as a woman of culture. she will consent, however, "that tea boiled, is tea spoiled," and avail herself of the pretty and convenient silver-ball, or the closely covered pot or cups in which these rare teas should never brew over three minutes. for the famous tea service of china and japan, tiny covered cups are always presented. the american hostess will regret when too late, the many advantages of the afternoon tea, alas! foolishly sacrificed upon the altar of her vanity to excel in the extravagance of hospitality. even now experience teaches that "a tea" means anything from its original intention of informal, pleasant social intercourse with light refreshments, to the function which includes hundreds of guests, who are entertained at a banquet presenting the most expensive achievements of florist and caterer. in repudiation of this is the strict code of etiquette requiring that "an invitation be worded to indicate truthfully the exact character of the hospitality it extends. courtesy to guests compels this, that they may be able to conform in toilet to the occasion and thus avoid the mortification of being under or over-dressed, the _latter_ to be counted as much the greater misfortune." this from a very ancient book, it is true, but its lesson in good manners is none the less pertinent now than when written in the dead past. it remains with the hostess, whether one shall enjoy the pleasures and privileges of the pretty five o'clock. whether in the line of elegance or simplicity, the tea russian or ceylon, it can be dainty, well served, and lovely with flowers of sweet graciousness and cordial welcome. these united may be depended upon to make it the social success coveted by every woman who poses as a hostess, whether in cottage or palace! nowhere are the artistic instincts of a modern hostess more charmingly brought to bear than in the appointments of her tea-table. to show individuality in this cosy afternoon ceremony, is an aim not difficult to reach. the russian table should have a cloth with insertion bands of the strong muscovite peasant lace that is brightened by red and blue threads in the pattern; a tea caddy of niello work; and a brass samovar, of course. facilities for fitting out a japanese tea-table can be found almost everywhere. the "correct" outfit consists of a low lacquered table, lotus-blossom cups--with covers and without handles--and a plump little teapot heated over an _hibachi_ of glowing charcoal. it is not a japanese custom to have the tea-table covered, but the famous embroiderers of yokohama, having learned to cater to foreign tastes, now send out tea-cloths of the sheerest linen lawn, with the national bamboo richly worked in white linen floss above the broad hem-stitched hem. these are exquisitely dainty in appearance, but can be easily and successfully laundered--a very important consideration. but the quaintest of all is the dutch table, where the sugar basin is supported over the heads of chased silver female figures; the cream jug is in the form of a silver cow, and the beguiling jamaica shows richly dark through a black forest spirit bottle. cakes and wafers have lost favor at tea-tables. they have been replaced by little savories, which harmonize with the popular antique silver and china, by passing under their old-fashioned name of "whets;" for the afternoon tea, originally intended to be a light refreshment, had become a detriment to the dinner. savories, on the contrary, are a whet to the appetite and clear the palate for the due appreciation of the dinner. two or three different kinds are usually served. anybody possessed of a little cooking knowledge can arrange a variety of them at a minimum of trouble and expense, and in their variety lies half their charm. there are many kinds of fish, both preserved in oil and smoked, that may be used. these should be sprinkled with chopped _fines herbes_, placed upon thin slices of fresh bread--from which the crust has been carefully cut--rolled and served "_en pyramide_." toasted crumpets, heavily buttered, spread with _caviar_ upon which a little lemon juice has been squeezed and served hot, are considered a great delicacy at english tea-tables. another way of serving _caviar_ is to spread it on thin bread and butter, which is then rolled up like tiny cigars. russians declare, however, that the less done to _caviar_ the better it will be, and to send it to the tea-table in its original jar, with an accompaniment of fresh dry toast and quartered lemon, is the fashion preferred by connoisseurs. it takes a grand dame, so to speak, to give a tea. the vulgarian almost always overdoes it. she gets things to eat, while the woman who knows gets people, and doesn't care what they have to eat. there is nothing about a whole shop of provisions, while people who dress well, look well, talk well and behave well, make up that charming circle called society. the tea table may be green and white. palms, ferns, mignonette, mosses and clusters of leaves lend themselves to the nicest effects against the whites of the table-cloth and china. if color is preferred, there are tulips and daffodils of gorgeous beauty, and good for a week's wear. nothing but white damask is used by gentlewomen. the woman who gives a tea never pours it. there are other things she can do to please her callers. tea is usually served with candlelight, and to be a success need cost next to nothing, for nothing need be served that is substantial enough to dislocate the appetite for dinner. some women serve an old fashioned beat biscuit, about the size of an english walnut, with the cup of tea. these biscuits are awfully good, but only the old mammies who have survived the war know how to make them, and there is where the old families have the advantage of the new people. others serve brown sandwiches made of boston brown bread and butter. more slices of lemon than cream jugs are used. cream is something of a nuisance, and if people don't take lemon they can take tea as li hung chang does. for a guest to have a preference and emphasize it, is downright rude. to be asked to a lady's house is glory enough for any one. the grumbler can go to a restaurant and take a cup and drink it up for a dime. an afternoon tea. send out the invitation for an afternoon tea a week or ten days or even two weeks beforehand. use visiting cards and below the name or in the lower left corner, the hours: 2 to 6, or any hours one chooses. on the top of the card or below the name write the name of the guest for whom the tea is given, if it is an affair in honor of some guest. decorate the rooms simply or elaborately as one chooses. for a small tea simply fill the vases with flowers, and make a special feature of the tea table in the dining room. have a center basket of flowers and ferns tied with satin ribbons on the handle, or have cut glass vases at the corners. use lighted candles, white, or the color of your flowers, if carrying out a certain color scheme in the dining-room. pink, red or yellow are liked for this room as they are warm, bright colors. if the tea is given in spring or summer, green and white are liked. have candles and shades match the color scheme and place silk or satin of the color used under the mats and doilies. on the table have cut glass or fine china dishes filled with candies, chocolates, salted nuts and candied fruits. tea may be served from one end of the table and an ice from the other. have a friend pour tea. place before her the small cups, saucers, spoons. she fills the cups and hands them to the guests or to those assisting in the dining-room. the cream, sugar or slices of lemon are passed by assistants. piles of plates are on the table by the one serving ice. the ice is served into a cut glass cup and placed on the plate with a spoon. cakes are passed; so are the bonbons. serve tea and chocolate or coffee. if one wish a more elaborate collation, pass assorted sandwiches, which are on plates on the table, or have a plate containing chicken salad on a lettuce leaf, olives and wafers. waiters are best when the refreshments include two or three courses. the ices may be brought in or served from the table and the coffee and tea served from the table. ask from five to ten friends to assist in the parlors, to see that guests go to the dining-room and that strangers are introduced. stand at the entrance or before a bank of palms in a window or corner and greet the guests. the guest or guests of honor stand with the hostess and she introduces them. a great many ladies do not wear gloves when receiving, but it is proper to wear them. it would seem that the hands would keep in better condition to shake hands with guests, if gloves were worn. bank the mantels with ferns and flowers and cover the lights with pretty shades of tissue paper. use pink or green and white in the parlors and red, yellow or pink in the dining-room. serve a fruit punch from a table covered with a white cloth and trimmed with smilax, ferns and flowers. use a large punch bowl and glass cups. have a square block of ice in the bowl. if a cut-glass punch bowl is used, care should be used lest the ice crack it. temper the bowl by putting in cold water and adding a few bits of ice at a time until it is chilled. do not put ice into a warm bowl or one that has not been thus tempered. if there is music have a string orchestra concealed behind palms in a corner of the hall or dining-room. telling fortunes by teagrounds. first, the one whose fortune is to be told should drink a little of the tea while it is hot, and then turn out the rest, being careful not to turn out the grounds in doing so, and also not to look at them, as it is bad luck. then she must turn the cup over, so that no water remains, for drops of water in the teagrounds signify tears. next, she must turn the cup around slowly toward her three times, wishing the wish of her heart as she turns it. after this she must rest it a minute against the edge of a saucer--to court luck. then the fortune-teller takes it and reads the fortune. three small dots in a row stand for the wish. if near the top it will soon be realized. if at the bottom some time will elapse. if the grounds are bunched together it signifies that all will be well with the fortune-seeker, but if they are scattered it means much the reverse. a small speck near the top is a letter. a large speck, a photograph, or present of some kind, either one depending on the shape of the speck. the sticks are people--light or dark, short or tall, according to their color and length. a small one means a child. a thick one, a woman. if they lie crosswise they are enemies. if straight up, intimate friends, or pleasant acquaintances to be made. if a large speck is near them, it means they are coming for a visit, bringing a valise or trunk. if there is a bottle shape near a stick it means a physician. if a book shape, a minister or lawyer. if many fine specks, a married man. the sticks with a bunch of grounds on their backs are bearers of bad news, or they will "say things" about you. a long line of grounds with no openings between foretells a journey by water. if openings, by rail. a large ring, closed, means an offer of marriage to an unmarried woman. to a married one, it means a fortunate undertaking. to a man, success in business. a small ring is an invitation. dust-like grounds bunched together at the bottom or side are a sum of money. a triangle signifies good luck, so does an anchor or a horseshoe. a half moon or star to married people means a paying investment. to unmarried, a new lover or sweetheart. a pyramid is extremely lucky. a square or oblong, new lands. flowers, a present. leaves, sickness and death. fruit of any kind, health. a hand, warning, if the fingers are spread. if closed, an offer of friendship or marriage. a cross signifies trouble. any musical instrument, a wedding. bird, suit at law. cat, deception. dog, faithful friend. horse, important news. snake, an enemy. turtle, long life. rabbit, luck. house, offer of marriage, or a removal. flag, some surprise or a journey to another country. a heart is the most propitious sign of all, as it means happiness, fidelity, long life, health and wealth. chapter vi. scotch tea. 1. to give an odd function that is not a complete fizzle is a fine art. easy enough it is for the hostess to plan an out-of-the-ordinary affair, but to have the party turn out a success is, as the kiplingites are eternally quoted as saying, "quite another story." for music have the highlander's bag-pipe, the door opened by a man in the striking garb of scotland. for decoration use white heather and primroses. in the dining-room have the words "we'll take a cup o' kindness yet" in large letters and conspicuously framed in pine. presiding at the table have young girls in scottish costume who dispense the "cup o' kindness" from a silver teapot nestling-in a "cosey"; (a padded cloth cover) to keep hot the favorite feminine beverage. the delectable dishes dear to the highlander's heart are passed for the approval of feminine palates. these viands include scones, a sort of muffin made with flour, soda, sugar and water. these are split and filled with orange marmalade straight from dundee and, as everybody knows, the best in the whole culinary world. scones are baked on griddles, and are especially popular in the country houses of scotland. then there is a rich pastry called shortbread, made of butter, sugar and flour--no water--and beaten up; rolled out about an inch thick and baked in sheets. shortbread is a great delicacy in scotland. there are oat cakes also, a biscuit made of oatmeal, shortening and water. two kinds of cake--black fruit cake and sultana cake, which is a pound cake containing sultana raisins--complete the course of highland dainties. on the walls drape the striking plaids of scotland, worked with the names of the different clans. in the reception-room have the words, "a wee drappie," framed in pine. the inscription should be over a table on which is served mulled wine from a silver pitcher kept in hot water. even a white-ribboner would call mulled claret delicious or get a black mark from the recording angel for prevarication. "better lo'ed ye canna be, will ye no come back again." makes a last pleasing inscription over the entrance for the departing guest. scotch tea. 2. followed by supper. a scotch day, modeled after a genuine party in "bonnie scotland," is a pleasing idea for the entertainment of a lenten house party. from twelve to twenty-four guests are entertained, the ladies being asked to come at three o'clock and the gentlemen at half past six. as every woman, no matter what her condition in life, works industriously knitting or crocheting lace or embroidering, each guest brings her bit of handwork and the afternoon is spent in chatting while fair fingers ply the needles. at five o'clock the guests are invited to the dining-room where they are seated at a large table. at a typical scotch tea the centerpiece is an oblong piece of satin in any preferred color edged with a ruffle of white lace. in the center of this is a tall vase holding a miscellaneous bouquet, and at the corners of the centerpiece are small vases of similar design holding similar bouquets. all edibles are on the table at once, there is no removing of courses. the teacups, silver teapot with satin cosey, silver or china hot water pitcher and sugar and cream are placed in front of the hostess. the hostess asks the taste of the guest as to sugar and cream and fixes the tea herself. the maid passes the tea and then retires, and the service becomes informal, the guests assisting. at each place is a small tea plate, knife and spoon, but no napkins and none of the numberless dishes generally seen on american tables. no water glasses are placed on the table. instead there is a pitcher, carafe or siphon on the side-board or serving table, which is passed to the guest should he ask for water. the table is nicely balanced by dishes in pairs, there are two plates of butter, one fresh and one salted at either end of the table, two plates of bread, two plates of fancy cakes, two dishes of of bread, two plates of fancy cakes, two dishes of jelly, etc. the menu for the tea is white and graham bread and fresh and salted butter, tea, scones, strawberry jam, orange marmalade, fancy cakes, including macaroons, jelly cake made in two layers and called jelly sandwiches and sometimes tiny cold pancakes. the last course is fresh strawberries served on the stem with powdered sugar. the men arrive at half past six o'clock and are served tea in the library, smoking room or den. preceding the supper which is served at half past nine o'clock, the guests talk, play cards or have music. the supper table is arranged much as the tea-table save between the small vases are small candleholders with lighted candles. the host and hostess are at either end of the table and each serves a meat, the plates being passed by a maid and by the guests. there is a vegetable dish at each end of the table. the meats and vegetables are served on one plate, the only extra plate being the small bread and butter plate with the bread and butter knife laid across it. the maid removes the first course dishes and places a large bowl of strawberries and dessert saucers before the hostess who serves strawberries, the maid and the guests passing the saucers. the guests hand the nuts, cheese, fresh fruits and other edibles about, doing away with the services of the maid. the supper menu includes a hot beef-steak and onion or other meat pie, cut by the hostess, hot fish, finnan haddie being a great favorite, cold tongue, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, celery, cheese, bottled pop, lemonade, white bread, graham bread, scones, fresh and salted butter, jellies and jams, marmalade. the second course is fresh strawberries, oranges, bananas, english walnuts. after supper cards, music and chatting fill in the hours until midnight and sometimes longer for the bonnie scots are typical night owls. a gypsy tea out of doors. a gypsy tea is the occasion of entertainment of young men by young women, wherein the young men have nothing to do but come and be treated just as hospitably and courteously as is possible. the girls must do all the hard work, all the planning, all the inviting and bear all the responsibilities of every kind. twelve or more girls meet and appoint committees to attend to the necessary arrangements--one committee to select a picnic ground, another to invite the young gentlemen whom they desire to attend, another to arrange for the music, and another to get the refreshments. all the other committees work under the directions of the committee on arrangements. a gypsy tea always begins at twilight. the girls who are to select the picnic ground must exercise much judgment in deciding on a convenient and picturesque location, and as dancing is always an attractive feature of such an outing, they should see that there is a suitable pavilion nearby. then there must be a spot well adapted for a campfire, for a gypsy tea would never be a success without a campfire burning in the twilight. other essentials are a kettle and tripod. three rough poles are made to form a tripod and the kettle is suspended from the vertex of the angles or the crossing point of the poles. music, in which string instruments figure most conspicuously, should be selected, as this lends itself best to the weird effect which should be sought. three or four pieces will generally be sufficient and they may consist of a violin, guitar, banjo and snare drum or the drum may be omitted if not convenient. the committee appointed to gather the refreshments must have the assistance of all the other women of the club, for its work is very arduous and necessitates great care and precaution and good judgment. each girl must subscribe something to eat, and care should be taken that all the girls do not contribute cakes, pies and pickles. get plenty of cold meats, sandwiches and you might have some nuts of some kind or sweet potatoes or raw eggs or something to roast in the campfire. in a gypsy tea the young women must all go to the grounds by themselves, unattended by the men and the men are to arrive in a body later; they have previously been informed of the exact location and hour when they will be expected. the young women should all wear gypsy costumes and one must be a fortune teller or good at pretending that she can tell fortunes. if suitable arrangements can be made for their reaching the grounds without appearing too conspicuous they may wear the gypsy costumes as outer garments en route. otherwise each girl can slip on something easily divested, over the gypsy dress and remove it at the picnic grounds before the young men arrive, donning it again before time to start home. arrangements should be made for a vehicle to make the round of all the girl's homes on the day of the gypsy tea to gather up the refreshments and take them to the picnic ground previously selected. on the day of the outing all the girls gather at an appointed place and go together to the grounds by such means of transportation as they deem best suited to the conditions. the vehicle containing the refreshments and other needful appendages may follow. on reaching the grounds the girls all get busy making the preparations and getting everything in excellent condition for the arrival of the boys. the tripods are arranged, the kettle is hung, the campfire is built, and the grounds are made to look artistic. when the men arrive just at the hour of sundown, everything is in readiness. the fire is burning brightly, the fortune teller is at her post, the kettle is steaming and the refreshments are spread on table cloths laid on the grass. then the tea is made and each man enjoys a dainty but toothsome repast. after tea the baskets and equipments are replaced in the wagon and the grounds cleared. the remainder of the evening may be spent in dancing, fortune telling and the like. chapter vii. a japanese tea. 1. in japan the hostess serves the tea from the table. there is a charcoal burner over which the water is kept lukewarm, not hot. the tea is powdered very fine. it is in the teapot or cups as the hostess chooses. the water is poured over it and off quickly for the tea in the cup is very weak and only straw-colored, not dark as we make it. it is drunk without cream or sugar. with it are served tiny wafer-like sweet cakes and dishes of bonbons are on the table, no nuts, just bonbons. nothing is on the table save the tea equipment, tiny cups and saucers and dishes of sweets. as the water is only lukewarm one can easily have the five o'clock teakettle on the table (though that is not japanese). as fast as the water boils pour into a pitcher and keep the kettle replenished, pouring into the cups from the pitcher. or have the maids bring the water from the kitchen. in japan the geisha girls are employed in the public teahouses to entertain men visitors so "maids" will be a better term by which to call the young girls who help you. if one wishes to make their room japanese, fill the vases with imitation peach or cherry blossoms, hang japanese lanterns in doorways and japanese banners, which can be made from paper napkins and bright red paper for a background. the incense sticks are very inexpensive and any large department store which deals in japanese goods including the five and ten cent stores, keep them. serve date sandwiches cut in shape of dominoes and dotted with currants, or nut or any sandwiches desired cut in this shape and so decorated, chocolate with whipped cream, strawberries arranged around a mound of powdered sugar, a spray of strawberry leaves and blossoms laid on the plate, or any fresh berries. serve small cakes domino shape covered with white icing, dotted with tiny chocolate candies representing the domino spots. or if one wishes to serve ice cream with the berries have it moulded in a two quart can, then turned out on a round platter, making a column of ice cream. surround with fresh berries at the base with a few large perfect berries on top. a japanese tea. 2. instead of using the orthodox square at home cards, write the invitations on long, thin, narrow slips of paper, the lettering running from the bottom to the top and from right to left; a few queer birds, the suggestion of a lantern and a falling chrysanthemum splashed in carelessly in sepia, are very effective touches. the cherry-blossoms are used in decorating, which are simply little, round, white paper petals with the edges dipped in red dye, fastened to boughs and put up everywhere, as are also the fluffy chrysanthemums, dainty butterflies, and a profusion of cheap little fans. a huge japanese umbrella hangs over the tea-table, at which four girls dressed in kimonas preside, while two others are in the drawing room. the kimonas, which are very easily made, are all different in color, although a two-color scheme would, perhaps, be prettier--say white and yellow, or white and mauve, with chrysanthemums to correspond. the refreshments are, perhaps, the most novel part of the whole idea. instead of the conventional salads, ices, cakes, etc., the guests are served with delicious tea, in the daintiest of japanese cups, and hot buttered baps. during the afternoon have selections from "the geisha," "the mandarin," "the little tycoon," and "the mikado." a japanese tea. 3. at a japanese tea, several small tables are used, set at intervals in the room; these are generally presided over by the hostess and the ladies who receive with her, each being furnished with a tea service. they are laid in white damask or linen embroidered in a japanese design, the center is occupied by a circular mound of red blossoms which symbolize the emblem of the flowery kingdom's flag, combining the national colors also red and white. in the middle of the mound, slightly elevated, there is placed a "jinriki-sha," which is the riding vehicle of japan, a two-wheeled affair resembling our modern dog-cart; it is drawn by a man in costume and seated in it is a woman, also in costume, holding above her and large enough to extend over the table, one of those grotesque paper umbrellas, which are as much a part of that country as its rice and tea. the edges of these are festooned with red and white flowers and hung with the smaller sized, globe shaped lanterns that are used profusely about the room also, for decorating and lights. candelabra likewise is used, and it should be of that quaint looking black material that is decidedly oriental in appearance and is the latest thing in such bric-a-brac. white tapers with red shades show off to advantage above this dark fancifully wrought metal, shedding a softly subdued radiance, at once pretty and restful to the eye. the chrysanthemum, while not the national flower, is the imperial favorite and best beloved bloom of the people, therefore it is the proper one for decoration, united with potted plants, palms, vines, etc. all hues and kinds may be combined in the general adornment of room or rooms (the red and white being confined to the tables alone), for twining, banking or bouquets, just as fancy dictates, and the furnishings admit. the chrysanthemum, gorgeous in itself and lavishly employed, makes a superb decoration, and if, for a background, the walls, doors, windows, etc., are draped in japanese tapestry goods, with friezes of the flowers, the result will prove singularly striking and beautiful. of course, japanese china is used, and as to the things to eat there can be offered thin sardine sandwiches, delicate wafers, fruits, confections. this is merely a suggestion; individuals use their own ideas, and at different places customs change. ices served should be in oblong squares with round red centers to represent the flag of japan. souvenirs for guests, if any are given, ought to be small cups and saucers of the genuine ware or fac-simile in candy, tied with red and white ribbons. chapter viii. two valentine teas. here's to a cup of tea. it holds intoxication great for me. i find it makes me want to dare do bold things right then and there; to steal a kiss from phyllis fair, as she pours tea. pink is the color scheme; the invitations are written on rose-tinted cardboard, cut heart-shape and adorned with floral love-knots. the hostess can wear a pink gown and the rosy-hue effect is also carried out in the dining-room decorations. on a blank space of the wall have two hearts formed of pink carnations and smilax, and pierced by a gilded arrow. beneath, on a pink cardboard, lettered in gold, have this verse: "love always looks for love again; if ever single it is twain, and till it finds its counterpart it bears about an aching heart." the long table, covered with snowy cloth, has the valentine idea in heart design used as much as possible in the decorations. the candles are pink and the paper shades in the shape of roses; pink bonbons bearing appropriate mottoes and tiny cakes covered with pink frosting, are in heart-shaped dishes; around the dishes are garlands of green, caught in a bow-knot with a narrow pink satin ribbon. in the center of the table is a large heart-shaped cake, fringed with smilax and pink roses, and on the top, pink figures numbered from one to sixteen. before the cake is cut, a silver tray holding corresponding numbers is passed, with the explanation that one of the pieces contains a tiny gold heart, and that the finder will surely succumb to cupid's darts before another year. in another piece is a dime which will bring the lucky possessor success, wealth and happiness. the place-cards consist of heart shaped booklets with the name of the guest in gold, and an artistic sketch of cupid equipped with bow and arrow. on the leaves are the following conundrums: what kind of a ship has two mates and no captain? (courtship.) what is the difference between a mouse and a young woman? (one wishes to harm the cheese, the other to charm the he's.) the souvenirs are square cards, on which are quaint pen sketches, and rhymes, each peculiarly adapted to the one that receives it, and, of course, more or less personal. the ices are heart-shaped and the two maids who act as waitresses represent the queen of hearts, attired in dresses bedecked with hearts, and small crowns of hearts upon their heads. have a heart hung from the chandelier, the guests in turn being placed about eight feet from it, then request them to hold the left hand over one eye, raise the right arm even with the heart, and keeping it in that position, walk rapidly straight ahead and hit it with a finger, striking horizontally. it is declared easy to do until tried. a valentine tea. 2. here are some contests for a valentine tea. call on each one for an impromptu valentine. award a book of rhymes for the best. turn down the lights and require each man to propose to his partner. prepare red cardboard hearts and write fortunes on them with baking powder and water. ask each guest to select a heart and hold it to the fire when the writing will appear. provide a fish pond with comic valentines. provide a long table, sheets of fancy paper, flowers, pictures, paste, scissors and watercolors and ask each to make an original valentine. the game of hearts, the auction of hearts and the auction of valentines are old but excellent ways of amusing a company. for the auction of hearts the girls are in a separate room and a clever auctioneer calls off their charms and merits and knocks them down to the highest bidder, who does not know who he has bought until all are sold. a fancy dress party, each girl representing a valentine, is a delightful entertainment for the evening. a small boy may be used for cupid and blindfolded. he takes a man from one side of the room and presents him to a girl on the other side of the room. chapter ix. a grandmother's tea party. one of the newest suggestions for an original hospitality is "a grandmother's tea party." if you have an "at home" day, as every busy woman should, and you want to serve tea to your guests, offer it to them as it was offered fifty years or more ago. first of all, collect all of your antique table service. every family has some dear old treasures of the kind--tea cups, old linen, flower vases, silver epergns, etc. you probably have somewhere laid away a wonderful old damask cloth which dates back at least half a century. cover the table with this and scatter over it a handful of carnations, allowing them to fall at haphazard. the centerpiece will be in the form of a huge cake placed on a high glass dish. this confection might be resplendent in a design of blossoms and turtle-doves carried out in variously tinted icings as the old-time cakes so often were. on either side of the cake dish are placed tall epergns--veritable antique pieces built high with pyramids of fruit. bonbons--they should be called sugar plums in this connection--must be old-fashioned sweets quaintly wrapped in fringed papers. often the tall glass lamps will also be procurable in a pattern of fifty years ago. this will produce a thoroughly charming little table with a quaintness and a touch of femininity that everyone will enjoy. the woman who is looking for a new way to serve tea on her day at home couldn't do better than to attempt this. it is easy to do; it costs little, it is pretty; it is feminine. an april fool tea. send invitations asking your guests to dress as foolish as possible. the hostesses costume can be combinations of several, as a decollete corsage, short walking skirt, one high-heeled slipper and one bedroom slipper, one side of her hair braided and hanging down and the other piled up high and decorated with feathers from the duster. or she can dress as "folly" with pointed black velvet bodice, white blouse, red and yellow striped skirts, pointed cap and wear a small black masque covering the upper part of the face, and carry a stick wound with red and yellow ribbon with tiny bells fastened by ribbons. if you care to take the trouble and the expense (though it need not be very great), you can construct a maze or labyrinth by which the guests approach your door. make this of frames of wood covered with sheeting, newspapers or heavy cartridge paper, and make as many turns in it as you choose. when the front door is reached have it fly back and display the sign: "april fool. try the back door." if you have a side entrance you can have a similar sign and prolong the agony. have a dummy hostess at the back door and direct the guests to one or two wrong rooms before they reach the right dressing room. have a masked person standing at the door of the parlor as hostess. when the guest starts to shake hands, display the sign "april fool, i am not the hostess." have two or three hostesses before the right one is reached. have the room full of surprises in the way of decorations, cabbage heads and vegetables for bouquets, tin lanterns for lights, a den for stuffed animals and similar fakes. no talking of any kind will be permitted for the first hour, though two or three notebooks and pencils can be displayed for those who feel they must express their thoughts. the examination of the "fool" costumes will take place in deaf and dumb show. give a bunch of onions tied with green calico for the worst costume. ring a big dinner bell at six o'clock and arrange one or two childish games to be played to fill in the time before tea or ask the guests to represent some noted character in pantomime, the others to guess which character is portrayed. for the tea pass cards numbered from one to ten and have the guests call for their supper by indicating four numbers--1, fork; 2, sandwich; 3, plate; 4, pickle; 5, napkin; 6, glass of water; 7, cup of coffee; 8, cake; 9, spoon; 10, ice cream. for instance, a guest writing on his card 1, 3, 5, 6, would receive a fork, plate, napkin and glass of water for his supper. have several waiters and put names on the lists so that all the articles may be brought in at once. after waiting until those who get articles of food try to eat them, for of course, the sandwiches, cake, pickles and ice cream must be "april fool" ones made of sawdust, cotton and similar substances. serve real sandwiches, coffee, cake and ice cream. a colonial tea. a delightful way to entertain six elderly lady friends would be to give a colonial tea. word the invitations thus: "my dear madame:--ye distinguished honor of your presence is requested thursday, ye second of october, from three of ye clock until ye early candlelight, at four hundred and seven, sheridan road, ye city of ----, ye state of ----, to meet your most obedient and humble servant, mistress ----." light the rooms with candlelight and decorate with nosegays of garden flowers and autumn leaves. seat the guests at round tables. have all the viands on the table at once. let the menu be cold turkey, pressed chicken, cold tongue, tiny pocketbook rolls, jellies and preserves, gelatines, pound cake and fruit cake, hot tea and chocolate. decorate the table with old-fashioned flowers in quaint vases. women of that age generally prefer to bring their own needlework and visit, so have a brief program of old-fashioned music, or an interesting old-fashioned story read. pretty rose tea. one of the most beautiful "rose" teas can be given if one has a rose garden. hundreds of dozens of roses, white for the drawing-room, red for the hall and library, yellow for the music room and pink for the dining room can be used. the roses are placed in immense oriental bowls on polished table tops. the tea table has an immense basket of pink and white roses in rare varieties and the surface of the table is covered with a smilax mat bordered with pink roses and tiny electric light bulbs looking like glow worms. the ice cream is in the shape of a pink cup with green handles filled with fruit the whole being of ice cream and very delicious. with this is served little pink cakes and candy roses and chocolate with whipped cream. omber shades of rose. a beautiful color effect can be secured for a tea by placing on a long table a series of french baskets of roses shading from american beauty to white. the basket at the lower end of the table is in the american beauty shade, the next basket of roses of a lighter shade, the third a deep pink, the fourth a pale pink and the fifth basket bride roses. tied to these baskets are ribbons in the omber shades of rose. the candles between the baskets are the same shades as the different roses and the electric lights of the chandelier are hooded in rose like shades of varying hues. a bouquet tea. let the invitations read somewhat in this way: "will you take tea with us under the trees tuesday afternoon at five o'clock? please wear a bunch of roses. hoping that we may have the pleasure of your company, believe me, sincerely yours, ----." the piazza is the most natural place for the guests to assemble, and after hats have been laid aside within doors, the four walls of the house may be left behind, and on the shaded piazza, made charming with a few bowls of roses, the bouquet game can be played, making a pleasant beginning to the party. this game is most suitable for a gathering not too large, as it somewhat taxes the memory. the guests are placed at one side of the piazza in a long line and each is provided with a bouquet, holding a few less flowers than there are guests, that is: if there are fifteen guests, each should have a dozen flowers. each person then takes the name of a flower and as the hostess calls the roll each says slowly and distinctly, "i am a pansy," "i am a rose," "a tulip," "a violet," as the case may be. the hostess writes these names down so that she may have them for reference. she may call the roll once again when this is done to freshen memories, and then until the end of the game no one, under any circumstances, may reveal her flower identity. then one at a time, beginning at the right hand, each guest is called to the center facing the line to be asked one question by every one in turn in the line. in her answers the one in the center must include the questioners' flower identity. no. 1, for instance, is "lily" and asks the person in the center. "what animal do you like best?" he answers, "tiger-lily" and then lily presents him with a flower. no. 2 may be "sunflower" and the one in the center cannot remember it, so when asked a question he says to sunflower or no. 2, "weed i know you not" and gives sunflower a flower, and so all down the line until the end when the one who has been in the center takes his place in the line and the next in turn comes out to the middle of the piazza to face the ranks and try his memory. of course many of the flower names can only be brought in awkwardly, but there is a chance for some cleverness and fun. the game makes merry fun if all enter into the spirit of it. if any one gets entirely out of flowers he drops out of the game. at the end prizes are given to the man and the girl having the largest number of flowers in their bouquets. spring planting. spring planting is another good contest: plant the days of the year and what will come up?--dates. plant a kiss and what?--(two lips) tulips plant a girl's complexion and what?--pinks. plant tight shoes and what?--acorn. plant a millionaire and what?--(astor) aster. plant a disciple of st. paul and what?--timothy. plant a landing for boats and what?--docks. plant an unfortunate love affair and what?--bleeding heart. plant some cats and what?--cat tails. plant a government building and what?--mint. plant the author of "the marble faun" and what?--hawthorn. plant a tramp and what?--(beat) beet. plant a dude and what?--coxcomb. plant something black and what?--nightshade. plant a vessel for holding liquid and what?--pitcherplant plant the signet of a king of israel and what?--solomon's seal. plant a fortune hunter and what?--(marry gold) marigold. plant a little puppy and what?--dogwood. plant a happy love affair and what?--hearts-ease. plant a lover's request and what?--forget-me-not. plant a wise man and what?--sage. an israelite with the habit of traveling and what?--wandering jew. plant a young lady on a foggy morning and what?--maid-in-the-mist. plant an afternoon hour and what? four o'clock. plant a bird in old clothes and what?--ragged robin. plant the unmarried man's bane and what?--bachelors buttons. plant something neat and what?--spruce. plant a dainty piece of china and what?--buttercup. plant a cow and what?--milkweed. plant solomon's sceptre and what?--goldenrod. plant a little boy and what?--johnny-jump-up. plant a young minister and what?--jack-in-the-pulpit. plant a royal lady and what?--queen-of-the-meadow. then if the hostess has even a bit of a garden, a bell rung out under the trees calls the merry throng to partake of old-fashioned "high tea" at little tables set where the afternoon shadows slant restfully, and with the birds' music about, the charm of out-of-doors will add flavor to the dainties. tea biscuit, chicken salad and tea or chocolate, ices or frozen custard and sponge cake are most suitable. a high tea. a high tea is one of the most complimentary entertainments to which a hostess may invite her friends in the afternoon. the number of guests is limited, but the possibilities for decoration, daintiness and elegance are unlimited. the exact hour is written on the invitation, as high tea at 4:00 o'clock (or 5:00 o'clock). the guests may number about twenty-four, but twelve or sixteen is a desirable number. they arrive exactly at the appointed hour. they are seated at small tables having places for four at each table. the menu is a little more substantial than for a reception. here is a typical "high tea" menu: _hot bouillon_ _sweetbread and mushroom patties_ _tiny pickles_ _creamed chicken in green peppers_ _cauliflower scalloped_ _hot rolls_ _spiced cherries_ _asparagus salad_ _grated parmesan cheese_ _ice cream in form of fruits, flowers, or any desired form_ _angel food_ _coffee_ this menu, of course, may be varied. clam cocktail, grape fruit, a fruit cup or hot fruit soup may be served for the first course, croquettes, any sort of salad and ice cream or gelatines. an original embroidery contest to precede the tea is to secure the large pattern initials which come very inexpensive, getting the initial of each guest. prepare oblong pieces of linen or lawn which will fold into envelope shape, six by fourteen inches. give each guest a piece of the linen and the pattern for her initial. she embroiders the initial in the corner or center of the flap to the "envelope" which is a stock and turnover case when finished. each guest is given her turnover case to finish as a souvenir. give prizes for the best initial, the one completed first and for the slowest. a simple menu for high tea. for a high tea for ladies, serve first an oyster cocktail in glasses, fruit punch or brandied peaches. then serve sweetbread salad, with bread and butter sandwiches. frozen eggnog and fig cake are a change from the regulation ice cream. follow by tea. a "book-title" tea. 1. the latest novelty in afternoon entertainments in england is what is called a "book-title" tea. of course, this would be just as amusing in the evening, and any refreshments may be served that the hostess prefers. the guests are all expected to devise and wear some particular badge or ornament which indicates, more or less clearly, the title of some book, preferably works which are well known. the "badges" worn may be very clever and most tastefully executed. "dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method. "little men" is represented by a badge bearing the names of little great men, such as napoleon, lord roberts, etc. a lady may wear around her neck fragments of china tied by a ribbon. this represents "the break-up of china," lord charles beresford's book. another lady, whose name is alice, may wear a necklace of little mirrors, and this represents "alice through a looking glass." an ingenious design consists of a nickel coin, a photo of a donkey, another nickel coin, and a little bee, meaning "nickolas nickleby." a daisy stuck into a tiny miller's hat stands for "daisy miller," and the letters of the word olive twisted on a wire for "oliver twist." two little gates, made of paste board and a jar, represents "gates ajar," and a string of little dolls dressed as men, "all sorts and conditions of men." there are many other interesting and ingenious designs. a book title tea. 2. this is an original entertainment for a few friends. have amusing pen and ink sketches handed around together with a small note book and pencil for each guest. explain that each sketch is supposed to represent some well-known book and each guest is given an opportunity to put on his or her thinking cap and name the volume in his note book and pass the sketch on. this novel game affords no end of mirth and enjoyment and at a given time the hostess looks over the books and corrects them. the house of seven gables is very simple and easy to guess, it being simply a rough sketch of a house with seven gables. an old-fashioned girl is represented by a girl of ye olden time in simple and quaint costume with a school bag on her arm. a small snow covered house is enough to suggest "snow bound" to many of the guests. the lady and the tiger ought not to puzzle anyone, it is a simple sketch of a lady's head in one corner and a tiger in the other. on one card appears 15th of march, which seems more baffling than all the others. it proves to be "middlemarch." a large letter a in vivid red of course represents "a scarlet letter." "helen's babies" is a sketch of two chubby boys in night robes. "heavenly twins" is represented by twin stars in the heavens. "darkest africa" needs nothing but the face of a darkey boy with mouth stretched from ear to ear. one of the sketches is a moonlight scene with ships going in opposite directions and is easily guessed to represent "ships that pass in the night." anyone with originality can devise many other amusing and more difficult sketches. prizes might be given to the one who guesses the largest number correctly. patriotic tea. "while other constellations sink and fade, and orient planets cool with dying fires, columbia's brilliant star can not be stayed, and, heaven-drawn, towards higher arcs aspires; a star of destiny whose searching rays light all the firmament's remotest ways." "that force which is largely responsible for the greatness and grandeur of the republic is the woman behind the man behind the gun." booklets with small silk flags mounted on the covers and bearing these quotations with tiny red, white and blue pencils attached make suitable favors for the guests at a high tea. for one contest give twenty minutes in which to write a list of words ending in "nation" as, carnation, condemnation, etc. for this prize give a red, white and blue streamer on which tiny flags of all nations are fastened. for a second contest allow a given length of time in which to write correctly the words of the american national anthem. a book containing a description of national music would make a suitable prize for this contest. decorate the dining room with silk flags and red, white and blue bunting and in the center of the table have a blue vase filled with red and white hyacinths or carnations or roses. have the ice cream frozen in form of a bust of washington on a shield in three colors. debut tea. the leading color in the refreshment room is yellow. the table has a beautiful lace cover and in the center is a large basket of yellow roses, the golden gate variety. around the center are candles with yellow silk shades and a silver compote holding green glace grapes tied with yellow ribbon. the mantel is filled with ferns and a mass of yellow roses in the center. the electric lights at either side of the mantel have yellow silk shades. instead of ice cream and cake, the menu for the afternoon tea is a delicious meringue filled with whipped cream and wine jelly, coffee and glace grapes. yellow tea. yellow is a pretty color for a bridal tea given in june. use scores of yellow candles in crystal candlesticks and candelabra and yellow roses in vases, baskets and wall pockets on window and book ledges, plate rails, book cases and hung in the doorways by yellow ribbons. an immense basket of yellow roses and ferns with a white cupid in the center is pretty in the center of the tea-table. outside this basket have a border of individual crystal candlesticks with yellow tapers and small golden hearts attached to the tapers. the bonbons are yellow hearts and all the refreshments are yellow and heart shaped. a candlelight tea. illuminate the rooms with candles in different colors with shades to correspond, green and white in the parlor, setting a row of candles in a straight line across the mantel and banking them with masses of feathery green. use pink in the dining or supper room. have a round table lighted by pink candles and pink shades in flower forms, placing the candles either in a pyramid in the center or in a wreath with christmas green tied with broad pink ribbon, in the center. at each plate put a tiny dresden candle stick (such as come in desk sets) with pink candles for favors. serve hot bouillon, oyster and mushroom patties, tiny pickles, creamed chicken in green peppers, cauliflower au gratin, hot rolls, spiced cherries, asparagus salad, grated parmesan cheese, wafers, ice cream in form of pink candles with lighted tapers, christmas cakes. a flower tea. for early september a flower tea is a most enjoyable affair and is easily arranged with little expense. have the invitations sent out at least a week before the event. the parlors should be tastefully arranged and decorated with flowers. wild flowers are in abundance at this time and they are always bright and cheery. let each guest, as she arrives, be presented with a bouquet of flowers, no two being alike. for amusement there is nothing better and more instructive than the following: pass to each lady a sheet of paper with a pencil, the paper containing typewritten questions. explain to the company that the contest is to last fifteen or twenty minutes as desired. the printed questions are to be answered by the name of flowers. here are appropriate questions for the contest, with correct answers: what lady veils her face? maid-of-the-mist. who is the sad lady? ane-mone. what lady weeps for her love? mourning-bride. who is the bell of the family? bell-flower. what untruthful lady shuns the land? false-mermaid. what young lady is still the baby of the family? virginia creeper. what lady comes from the land where ladies bind their feet? rose-of-china. who is the neat lady? prim-rose. after the given time expires let each guest sign her name to the paper she holds and exchange with her nearest neighbor. then the fun begins as one rises and reads the questions and answers. each lady should mark the paper she holds and in rotation they rise and give the number of correct answers, not mentioning the name on the paper. when it has been decided which paper holds the greatest number of correct answers, the contestant's name is given as winner, and she is presented with a dainty souvenir, such as a flower vase, or a dainty painting of flowers. other games and contests may follow, all suggestive of flower land. the afternoon-tea should be dainty and appropriate. a big doll, literally covered with flowers, makes a pretty centerpiece for the table. let ice lemonade be served, each glass having a sweet flower floating on its surface. the cakes should be in the form of flowers and the bonbons, flower candies. it is pretty to call each guest by the name of the flower given her when she arrives. if there is music after tea let a song of the flowers be rendered. an exchange tea. this style of party is intensely amusing, and will keep a large company interested for several hours of an evening or afternoon, as it is one continued round of mirth-provoking "sells," in which everybody is "sold." it is not so much in vogue for small affairs, where only a few guests are invited, but where a large crowd is to be entertained it is just the thing to furnish enjoyment and fun. this is how it is arranged. when requested to attend an exchange tea, each person, male and female, picks out from his belongings, personal or otherwise, such an article as he or she does not want, and after wrapping it well, takes it to the party. of course, everybody desires to get rid of his parcel, and the exchange business waxes warm and furious as it progresses, for usually not one individual obtains anything which he wishes to keep, as a "pig in a poke" is scarcely ever a bargain. constant exchanging is not compulsory, so that if by any lucky chance you have gotten rid of your own bundle, and become the proud possessor of another whose hidden treasures happen to suit you, then you are privileged to stop and hold on to your prize. generally speaking, however, the contents of the mysterious parcels are hardly ever desirable, which creates all the more excitement and enthusiastic bargaining, and in the end each one will be left with something ridiculous or utterly useless, upon his hands. and that's just where the fun comes in. serve this menu: _cold sliced chicken, garnished with tiny radishes and hard-boiled eggs_ _olives_ _nut sandwiches_ _orange and pineapple salad_ _sweet wafers_ _strawberry ice cream_ _iced tea_ a watermelon tea. ask a congenial party, being sure that all are fond of watermelon. have the fruit on ice at least twenty-four hours before serving, and above all things give this affair when the temperature is up in the nineties if you want it fully appreciated. have a sharp knife and cut the melons at the table (for it is such a decorative fruit), and use only white dishes and flowers. let each guest count the seeds in the piece or pieces and give a souvenir to the one having the largest number. a pretty prize and appropriate is to procure a very small and symmetrical melon, cut off the end, hollow out and line with oiled paper, fill with bonbons and tie the end on with broad pink satin ribbon. if expense is no object, have a quartet of colored singers with banjos concealed and let them sing good old plantation songs for an hour or two, not forgetting "den, oh, dat watermelon." grape juice is a good drink to serve this party. have the tumblers half filled with finely cracked ice. chapter x. unique ideas for tea. a chocolatiere. a chocolatiere is a pretty affair. the decoration is an immense mound of bride roses in the center of the dining room table. the refreshments are baskets of chocolate ice cream filled with whipped cream. the cakes are chocolate squares. the candies are all chocolate and cream, and hot chocolate is served. chocolatieres are very popular entertainments for young girls and for matrons. they are given in the morning or afternoon. as nearly every woman loves chocolate, they are pretty certain to please the guests. a kaffee klatch. the kaffee klatsch is an afternoon affair where ladies meet and chat as they sew and are served a luncheon of german dishes--cold meats, salads, coffee-cake, pickles, coffee, etc. each guest is given a bit of needlework, button-holes to work, or a small doily to embroider and a prize is given for the best work. have a number of tea towels, cheesecloth dusters, canton flannel bags for brooms, silverware towels, etc., cut and ready to hem. when the ladies assemble, let them hem these as a gift for the bride (for whom the kaffee klatsch is given) to take home with her. ask each to tell some of her first experiences in housekeeping, and at the close of the afternoon take a vote on the funniest experience, the cleverest in emergency and the best told. to do this successfully, you will have to lead the conversation and not let the ladies know they are talking purposely. another way is to assign topics as for a conversation party, giving such topics as: "my first attempt at making bread," "my first housecleaning," "unexpected guests," "my first pie," etc. or, ask each guest to write her first housekeeping experience (some funny incident) and bring it. have the papers read aloud, but not the names. let the guests guess whose the experiences are. use this contest. what stitch is: hard to live with? (cross stitch.) a part of a cough? (hemstitch.) a part of a window? (blindstitch.) is found on a fowl? (featherstitch.) is a fish and something everyone has? (herring-bone.) is made of many links? (chainstitch.) is not forward? (backstitch.) is useless without a key? (lockstitch.) repeats itself? (over and over stitch.) for a prize for the best answers give a little leather sewing case fitted with needles and thread. a "rushing" tea for sorority. generally speaking, one will use their sorority colors in flowers and ribbons and their insignia cut from paste-board and covered with tissue paper of the desired color. a gigantic insignia would make a suitable wall decoration. hang pennants of the colors everywhere, and if it is a musical sorority, work in the staff and notes in the decorations. these can be painted on cheap white muslin or paper and tacked about the walls. if one cares to learn a little musical yell, do so as a surprise. if the "rushing" is for new members, one can easily plan a series of funny tableaux picturing the new member in various incidents: leaving home, or breaking home ties; arriving at college; crossing the campus; meeting the president; meeting her roommate; unpacking, etc. insist upon the new members' answering each question to the tune of some college song, or else coach the old members to answer all questions by new members in this manner. have a sorority of dolls dressed in the colors, each doll holding a pennant, in the center of the table. paint the staff and notes on the muslin table-cloth and make little paper drums to hold the salted nuts and bonbons. serve grape juice, a salad of mixed fruits, sweet wafers and chocolate. sandwiches for teas. the first requisite in the preparation of good sandwiches is to have perfect bread in suitable condition. either white, brown or entire wheat bread may be used, but it should be of close, even texture, and at least one day old. for very small, dainty sandwiches to be served at afternoon teas or breakfasts, the bread may be baked at home in baking-powder tins. these should be only half-filled, and allowed to rise before baking. the butter should be softened by creaming, not melting, and spread smoothly on the bread before it is cut. cut the slices as thin as possible, and when a variety is offered it is well to keep each kind of a different shape, as, for instance, circles of anchovy, triangles of chicken, fingers of game and squares of fruit butters. flavored butters are much used in making sandwiches, and are simply and easily prepared. fresh, unsalted butter should be used. after creaming the butter, add the flavoring material, and beat until smooth and thoroughly blended. caviare, anchovy, sardines, oysters, salmon, lobster, cheese, cress, chives, chili, chutney, olives, parsley, cucumbers, horseradish and paprika are all used for flavoring these various butters. for afternoon teas, fruit and flower butters make delicious sandwiches. of these the most popular are strawberry, pineapple, red raspberry and peach. lemon butter mixed with fresh grated cocoanut is also a delectable sandwich filling, and cherry jelly with shavings of dried beef another. butters flavored with rose or violet petals are very delicate and attractive, but, as may easily be imagined, find little favor with the sterner sex, who prefer their refreshments of a more substantial order. anchovy sandwiches--rub the yolks of hard-boiled eggs to a paste, season to taste with anchovy essence, and add a few olives, stoned and chopped very fine. spread this mixture on very thin slices of buttered bread and cut into dainty shapes. caviare sandwiches--spread thinly-buttered bread with fresh caviare seasoned with lemon juice and on top of this lay a little minced lobster. finish with another piece of buttered bread. olive sandwiches--scald and cool twelve large olives, stone them, and chop very fine. add one spoonful of mayonnaise dressing, and one teaspoonful of cracker dust; mix well, and spread on buttered bread. queen sandwiches--mince finely two parts of cooked chicken or game to one part of cooked tongue, and one part minced cooked mushrooms or truffles. add seasoning and a little lemon juice, and place between thin slices of buttered bread. lobster sandwiches--pound two tablespoonfuls of lobster meat fine; add one tablespoonful of the coral, dried and mashed smooth, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a dash of nutmeg, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of paprika, and two tablespoonfuls of soft butter. mix all to a smooth paste and spread between thin bread and butter. jelly sandwiches--mix a cupful of quince jelly with half a cupful of finely chopped hickory or pecan nuts, and spread on buttered bread. date sandwiches--wash, dry and stone the dates, mash them to a pulp, and add an equal amount of finely chopped english walnut or pecan meats. moisten slightly with lemon juice. spread smoothly on thinly-sliced brown bread. fig sandwiches--stem and chop very fine a sufficient number of figs. add enough water to make of the consistency of marmalade, and simmer to a smooth paste. flavor with a little lemon juice, and when cool spread on thin slices of buttered bread, and sprinkle thickly with finely chopped nuts. fruit sandwiches--cut equal quantities of fine fresh figs, raisins and blanched almonds very small. moisten with orange juice and spread on white bread and butter. beef sandwiches--to two parts of chopped lean, rare beef, add one part of finely minced celery, salt, pepper, and a little made mustard. place on a lettuce leaf between thin slices of bread and butter. ginger and orange sandwiches--soften neufchatel cheese with a little butter or rich cream. spread on white bread, cut in very thin slices, and cover with finely minced candied orange peel and preserved ginger. place over another slice of bread. candied lemon peel and preserved citron, finely minced, also make a delicious sandwich filling. novelties in tea serving. if you wish to vary the serving of your tea add three cloves to the lemon and sugar. or a thin slice of apple added with sugar is delicious. in sweden a piece of stick cinnamon is added by some to tea while it is steeping. summer porch tea parties. one of the prettiest decorations for a porch tea party is a hanger or pocket for flowers made by cutting pockets in large round pieces of bamboo, the rods being about three feet long. these pockets are filled with scarlet lilies and hung in the corners and on the posts of the porch. hang red chinese lanterns in the open spaces and have red paper fans in chinese jars on tables and ledges. the porch boxes along the railings can have their real contents almost concealed in ferns, and scarlet lilies stuck in amid the ferns. across one corner the gay striped hammock, with its open meshes filled with wild cucumber and clematis vines fastened against the house, makes a background for the punch bowl. orange ice and cream cake can be served on plates decorated with gold and white, with a bunch of daisies tied with pale green gauze ribbon on each plate. summer porch tea party. 2. a porch tea party given in the summer is a most enjoyable affair. the guests are seated on the porch which has immense jardinieres filled with garden flowers, and draperies of large american flags. the punchbowl is just inside the door in the hall. the guests bring their needlework and as they sew, one of the number reads a group of original stories. following this have a little contest called the menu. the prize for the correct list is a solid silver fork with a rose design. the refreshments are lemon sherbet, macaroons, sweet wafers, pecans and bonbons. menu. _soups_. _the capital of portugal_. _an imitation reptile_. _roasts_. _a gentle english author_. _found in the orient_. _boiled meats_. _woman's chief weapon_. _a son of noah_. _game_. _a universal crown_. _a part of caesar's message and a male relative_. _relishes_. _a complete crush_. _elevated felines_. _lot's wife_. _vegetables_. _slang for stealing_. _to pound_. _pudding_. _what we don't want our creditors to do_. _fruits_. _what a historian delights in_. _must be married at home_. _wines_. _what a lover says to his sweetheart_. _imitation agony_. _a sailor's harbor_. answers: soups: lisbon, mock turtle; roasts: lamb, turkey; boiled meats: tongue, ham; game: hare, venison; relishes: jam, catsup, salt; vegetables: cabbage, beef; pudding: suet; fruits: dates, canteloupe; wines: madeira, champagne, port. scanned images of public domain material from the google print archive. suppers novel suggestions for social occasions compiled by paul pierce editor and publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, superintendent of food exhibits at the st. louis worlds's fair, honorary commissioner of foods at the jamestown exposition. chicago brewer, barse & co. copyright 1907 by paul pierce to the aristocracy of america. to that much abused, but very eminent class, the society women of america, this book is dedicated. it is with a realization that they constitute the better half of the best aristocracy in the world--probably the only real aristocracy of the present day. it is an aristocracy of real merit, entree to which is attained by achievement, not by mere inheritance. no titles are inherited there; they are bought with effort and accomplishments. it is an aristocracy of the fittest, not of chance birth. out of the competition is growing a higher and higher standard for each succeeding generation, and hence it is an aristocracy of ascent and not of descent. suppers are the favorite social function of the american aristocrats. hence it is with the highest esteem of their station, and the honor they reflect on the nation that this humble volume is recommended to their especial protection and favor. publisher's announcement. so scant is the information regarding suppers that it has been almost impossible for the host or hostess to obtain authentic knowledge regarding these functions excepting through actual experience as a guest, and even then the prevailing ignorance has led to many erroneous conceptions causing deplorable awkwardness. the publication of this volume was decided upon only after a search of libraries and bookshops everywhere revealed such a woeful dearth of information on suppers and the fact that such information as was obtainable was often misleading and in many cases positively ridiculous. there is no social function that lends itself so admirably for a high class entertainment as the supper. this volume, therefore, will fill a vacuum in the needs of society; it will supply a long felt want of both men and women, who often, so often, have worried over the proper forms and menus for suppers. the book is complied by paul pierce, publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, an international authority on all subjects pertaining to dinings and other social functions. mr. pierce is the compiler of "dinners and luncheons," "parties and entertainments," "breakfasts and teas," and "weddings and wedding celebrations," to which "suppers" is a companion. all the other volumes will be found most helpful to the man or woman who entertains on a large or small scale. contents chapter i. _chafing dish suppers_--chafing dish cooking and serving--chafing dish chat--a chafing dish supper--a chafing dish party--over the chafing dish. chapter ii. _german, dutch and bohemian suppers_--some queer german suppers--a dutch supper--bohemian supper for men--the dutch supper. chapter iii. _entertaining in the modern apartment_--a little sunday night supper--stag suppers--a bachelor supper. chapter iv. _suppers for special occasions_--danish valentine supper--a hallowe'en ghost hunt--a hallowe'en supper--hallowe'en supper menus--a pie party for thanksgiving season--the pie shelf--birthday suppers--birthday party. chapter v. _miscellaneous suppers_--camping parties and clambakes--nutting party--harvest home supper--autumn suppers--dickens' supper--boston supper party--yachting party--butterfly supper--young married couples' supper--head dress supper party--quilting supper--wedding supper--waffle supper--the bohemian picnic supper--railroad party--literary supper--peanut party--folk lore supper--cake walk supper--bridge whist supper--after theatre menus--a cold supper menu for hot weather. chapter vi. _toasts_--stories for suppers. chapter i. chafing dish suppers--chafing dish cooking and serving--chafing dish chat--a chafing dish supper--a chafing dish party--over the chafing dish. in serving the most simple of chafing-dish suppers, it would seem as though the novice had a million things to remember and a thousand duties to follow in quick succession. she is the cynosure of all eyes. with what grace and tact she may discharge her pretty duties, or with what awkwardness and evident distaste, none but a "chafing" audience can really appreciate. charming and at home on every other occasion, the most finished society woman frequently feels completely lost in this unwonted dipping into domestic service. perhaps one of the most embarrassing moments is when, the company assembled, unconsciously expectant and usually most flatteringly interested, the hostess prepares to fill and light the little lamp whose flickering flame begins the ceremony. if the hostess is wise and conversation seems to flag at this interesting moment, she will promptly start the ball rolling and relieve the tension by some extemporaneous remark, some light jest that will at least temporarily distract the attention of the merry assemblage. but this over, there is still the inconvenient delay before the water heats, the butter splutters and the real preparing of the supper is begun, and remembering this and the embarassing interval, even at the most informal supper the chafing-dish course should be preceded by a little appetizer, or, to speak more correctly, diverter, which will form a pleasant interlude, occupy in part the attention of the guests and tend to promote the success of her favorite dish by allowing her to proceed in its preparation undisturbed by haste or excitement. for this purpose something most appropriate to the supper must be served, in order that, as according to the customs in ancient rome, the _piece de resistance_ may be emphasized and the appetite whetted, not cloyed by the introductory viands. before the favorite welsh rarebit, so rarely thought of in any combination but with ale and indigestion, anchovy sandwiches garnished with water cress will be found delicious, or sardines, chilled in lemon juice, and offered with inch wide sandwiches of buttered boston brown bread may be served. iced shaddock pulp, flavored with maraschino, is an excellent introduction to creamed chicken. egg lemonade, clam cocktail, raw oysters with stuffed mangoes, or some such light course can all be easily prepared beforehand, and should be served most daintily, individually, in order that no rapacious collegiate may inadvertently regale himself with a second helping, and thereby too early spring the epicurean trap so adroitly set for later refections. the lamp lighted and this first course passed, the hostess may at least be sure of a short interval in which to make her preparations. have everything ready beforehand--the rest is easy. why there should be so much excitement over the cooking of an ordinary rarebit, a creamed chicken, a souffle of oysters or all this terrible excitement about a lobster newberg or a simple cheese fondue is beyond comprehension. the first ambition of the young hostess seems to be a rarebit, possibly because its frequent introduction at stag suppers makes it a great favorite with her men friends. rarebits are avowedly hard to make, and the recipes are legion, but whatever formula you use, whether you use cream, ale, beer, curry or tobasco, never fail to add two half-beaten eggs for each pound of cheese, and serve the minute it reaches a creamy consistency. this principle followed, your rarebit woes will vanish, and the fame of your chafing dish will be heralded abroad. unless you are really an experienced cook, it is unwise to attempt too complicated a dish, but a little practice will soon put you quite at ease, and a little thought will enable you to serve your sunday-night supper or a midnight lunch quite as easily this way as any other. we are most of us familiar enough with simple cooking to prepare any ordinary dish, and without entering into a list of formulæ, the following suggestions will be found all sufficient: ham, oyster, bacon, cheese, potato, jelly, celery or preserved fruit omelets; scrambled eggs; curried oysters or chicken; minced ham or minced tongue souffle; fried shad roe, calves brains, chops, sausages or sardines; creamed chicken with mushrooms, creamed sweetbreads, liver, bacon, lobster, oysters, cold boiled fish of all kinds; fried oyster, clam, corn, pineapple, peach, orange or banana fritters (fried in butter); cheese fondue, welsh rarebit, sardines in cheese sauce, or any other simple little dish your fancy may dictate. with such an array as this to choose from, and a hundred other equally simple dishes in reserve, is it possible for any one to despair over the impossibilities of the chafing dish and its limited qualifications for a quick, hot supper? chafing dish chat. while recipes for chafing dish cookery abound, the little hints which make all the difference between success and failure in the concoction of any given dish are usually omitted. the chafing dish novice is usually obliged to learn them by that hardest of all teachers, experience. to ameliorate this difficulty, the following suggestions are given: have plenty of alcohol on hand to avoid the possibility of the lamp's going out just before some dish is completed, otherwise, if you are a man, you may be tempted to use language almost warm enough to cook the ingredients. if your chafing dish lamp has not been used for some time, pour only a little alcohol into it at first, let it stand, and then fill it up. if obliged to refill the lamp in the process of cooking, do not do it while the lamp is very hot, as the igniting point of alcohol is low. do not fill up your lamp until ready to use it, as alcohol evaporates very rapidly. have a metallic tray underneath the chafing dish. do not blow the flame to extinguish it, or it may fly back at you and scorch your eyebrows and lashes. put it out with a little extinguisher that comes with the lamp. almost everything can be cooked without the hot water pan, and thus one-half the time can be saved in making your dish. raise the pan from the flame if it becomes too strong. never leave the alcohol bottle uncorked, on account of the odor of the alcohol and also to avoid the possibility of its catching fire. should the contents of the bottle ignite, clap your hand over its mouth. this will extinguish the fire at once. use wooden spoons for stirring, as they do not scratch the dish. almost anything that can be cooked in a sauce pan on the stove can be cooked in the chafing dish. have everything you need for your dish on the table before you begin to cook, and if possible have every ingredient, except the seasonings, measured. one level tablespoonful of butter when melted is usually enough to cover the bottom of the chafing dish. do not use too much sherry in making lobster newberg, for alcohol, when used in cooking, tends to make fish or flesh tough. remember in measuring out the sherry that you are preparing a dish, not concocting a drink. the sherry should not be instantly recognized; there should be just a hint of its flavor. when your dish is completed, serve it from the chafing dish. if, however, you prefer turning it out on a platter, garnish the edges of the same with watercress or parsley. last, but not least, save the best and brightest story you have heard during the week, to relate at the chafing dish supper. a chafing dish supper. a chafing dish supper menu must necessarily be confined to those dishes which are the hosts' or hostess' specialty--welsh rarebit, panned or creamed oysters, shellfish, eggs or meats. the very informality of a chafing dish supper is its charm, the guests sitting at the table while the dishes are prepared. decide upon the chief dish and have everything possible prepared in the kitchen and ready to use at the table, the cheese or meat cut into dice, the bread or crackers toasted, the ingredients measured and in glasses or cups and all utensils ready to use. decorate the table with centerpiece and plate mats or large white cloth with bowl of flowers or fruits in the center. do not have many candles or decorations on the table as these will interfere with the preparation of dishes. have the chafing dish or dishes at one end of the table and some hostesses have a higher chair in which to sit while they preside over the chafing dish. have the salad, trays or platters with sandwiches and coffee machine if you make coffee at the table, placed conveniently by those who prepare these articles of food. suppose you are to serve panned oysters, on squares of toast, lettuce salad, bread and butter sandwiches and coffee, or welsh rarebit, potato salad and coffee and sandwiches. any of these is a good menu as you will not want sweets or ice cream at such a supper. for safety place your chafing dishes on metal trays and do not fill the lamp too full. many hostesses prefer to have their ingredients on the table in bowls which will not break and on japanese trays and use wooden spoons for stirring as they do not become hot, and do not scratch the dishes. as food is served directly from the chafing dish to the plates and the object is to have everything very hot, garnishings are not necessary. the water pan placed under the cooking pan will keep things hot after the flame is extinguished. two chafing dishes come in very handy in keeping the toast and hot water hot while the main dish is being prepared. have a pile of hot plates at hand and have someone place the toast on the plate and hand it to the hostess who serves from the chafing dish. while she is doing this, have someone at the other end of the table mix a plain french dressing and toss the lettuce leaves in it in a large bowl and serve the lettuce salad, or serve the potato salad which should be already prepared on small fancy plates. if coffee is made at the table assign this task to one guest and appoint two or three waiters to see that the sandwiches, coffee, salad and the chafing dish product are handed about. dill pickles are popular for chafing dish suppers, and so are wienerwursts, rye bread and swiss cheese. the main idea of such a supper is to keep everyone busy helping and seeing that the supper does not lag. a chafing dish party. hey diddle diddle, the cat's in the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon, the little dog laughed to see the sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon. start in with a spelling match and spell each other down in good old-fashioned style. as soon as any one misses two words he or she is dropped out. finally when only one is left, award a prize, a little water color, painted by the hostess, and framed passe-partout, to the "unabridged dictionary" as the winner might be called. the one who fails and retires first from the field receives a toy chafing dish. in the dining room the polished table is daintily set with doilies under the olive and almond dishes, and under the plates and glasses. the supper is a very simple one. make creamed oysters in the chafing dish and serve them in home-made pate shells. then have celery sandwiches made of thin slices of bread rolled around tender splintered stalks of celery, and dainty lettuce sandwiches with the lettuce crisp and cold and the mayonnaise of good stiffness and small cups of coffee. to divert the attention while the hostess is cooking the oysters put at each plate a large oyster shell with a verse painted upon it in the form of a recipe which brings out little characteristics of each one of the guests. one man who is very clever and a dabbler in verse may receive the following: "for this wonder culinary take a pound of dictionary, philosophy, perhaps a cup- beat three epics, mix them up, with a measure of blank verse season with oratory terse, sprinkle in a bunch of rue ---looms into view." a girl who has a record of alleged broken hearts to her account, is exploited in this style: "take an ounce of fickleness, remorse, perhaps a grain or less; stir this into ready wit, a siren's smile to leaven it; a laugh of wondrous catchiness this is little ----" over the chafing dish. recipes for cooking with this dish of dishes are more than plentiful, yet new ones are always sought; and these will all be found most excellent. sweetbreads with peas. can of peas; three small sweetbreads; one teaspoonful butter; one-half pint of stock broth; celery leaf; salt; white pepper; one-half teaspoonful brown flour. stand the sweetbreads in cold water for an hour. then parboil and remove rough edges, membranes, sinews, etc. put in cold water and keep on ice until wanted. put into the chafing dish the butter and the sweetbreads. when the butter has been absorbed, add one-half pint of stock and the celery leaf, chopped fine, the salt, pepper and browned flour. turn the sweetbreads. when the same is reduced one half it is ready. while the sweetbreads are cooking open a can of green peas. warm thoroughly in the chafing dish. put in salt, pepper and tablespoonful of butter. serve peas and sweetbreads together. lobster a la newberg. meat of a boiled lobster, cut into large dice; good-sized lump butter; one gill of sherry; one pint of cream; yolks of two eggs; glass of sauterne. put the lobster into the chafing dish with a good-sized lump of butter and stir gently until the butter is melted and the lobster heated through. mix the sherry with the cream and yolk of eggs, first blending the latter with enough cream to make them thick as mayonnaise. pour the mixture into the dish over the lobster. let it simmer a moment, then pour the sauterne over the whole and serve hot. welsh rarebit. one pound chopped american cheese; one-half glass ale; yolk of an egg; one teaspoonful dry mustard; one teaspoonful worcestershire sauce and butter; a dash of red and one or two of black pepper; a few drops of tabasco. if cheese is fresh add salt. into the chafing dish put a few small lumps of butter. after it has simmered a bit put in the cheese. stir constantly and gradually add the ale. when the cheese and ale are well blended stir in the condiments prepared as follows: to the yolk of the egg broken into a cup, add the dry mustard and worcestershire sauce, red and black pepper and tabasco. let it have one more heating and pour over toast or toasted biscuit. chapter ii. german, dutch and bohemian suppers--some queer german suppers--a dutch supper--bohemian supper for men--the dutch supper. some queer german suppers. at the following suppers german wines or beers are served during the meal when desired: _beer bouillon_ _fricandeau of veal, with macaroni_ _cauliflower_ _cold pullet, with apricot compote_ _chocolate souffle_ _coffee_ _herring broth_ _pork cutlets_ _cold turnips_ _sour roast meat sliced, with pear compote_ _orange jelly_ _small cups of coffee_ _sardines_ _turbots_ _carrots, creamed_ _slices of venison, with cranberry compote_ _omelette_ _black coffee_ _plum bouillon_ _salmon with butter_ _fillet of beef with mushrooms_ _creamed asparagus_ _duck with currant compote_ _ices_ _black coffee_ _crab broth_ _cold slices of beef, with plum sauce_ _sour potatoes_ _belgian hare, sour cream sauce_ _crackers and cheese_ _small cups of coffee_ in germany the rich and poor alike have the same taste for strange and extraordinary dishes, though these are prepared in a more costly manner in the houses of the wealthy. the german "geschmack," to borrow their own word, seems different from that of other nations. a waiter who had the selection of a menu for the principal officers' mess in berlin, when questioned stated that all the sweets were regularly struck out by the officer who revised the bill of fare with the remark, "give us only sour." that the germans, however, lay great stress on the culinary art is best proved by the fact that in the german domestic exhibition, recently held in berlin, the recipes were sold at the rate of 12-1/2 cents apiece and freely bought at that price. the germans have a greater variety of soups, including chowders, broths and bouillons, than any other nation of europe. most peculiar are their beer soups. one of the most popular of these is beer and raisin soup, which, in the form of chowders, broths, bouillons and soups, is served for breakfasts, dinners, and suppers. it is made as follows: boil a sufficient quantity of raisins in water with a slice of bread in it until the raisins are soft. then pour in beer till the mixture tastes quite strong. sweeten with sugar and when it boils add from a half to a whole teaspoonful of flour thickening. stir the liquid and add whisked eggs or cream. it might seem the height of human imagination to combine beer and raisins in a soup or bouillon, but the germans proceed a step further and make a favorite soup, broth or bouillon out of beer and milk, which are mixed together in the proportion of two pints of milk to one pint of beer and prepared with the addition of currants, flour and salt. fruit soups, broths and bouillons of all kinds play an important part at german luncheons, dinners and suppers, and really some of them are delicious. perhaps the best is a strawberry decoction which is made as follows: boil some biscuit powder in water. add wine, sugar and cinnamon according to taste. in case the mixture is not thick enough stir in a little corn flour. when this has boiled take it off the fire and put in some cupfuls of ripe strawberries which must have lain an hour with sugar over them. serve as soup, broth or bouillon. fish soups are also very usual, the chief fish employed for the purpose being the carp and the pike. indeed the germans seem able to make soup out of anything and, not only to make it, but enjoy it. vegetables at german dinners, luncheons or suppers are always served in a special course by themselves, being served cold at suppers. they are dressed with oil, butter, or drippings, never boiled in water as we cook them. these fats are placed in a saucepan and allowed to boil before the vegetables are put in. suet may be used instead of the above. of course, this method of dressing does not always apply to potatoes--which are boiled in the american manner, though served in a countless variety of ways. they are served with melted butter and parsley sauce as a dish by themselves. they are served with sour milk sauce. other preparations of potatoes are too numerous to mention, but we may briefly enumerate sour potatoes with bay leaves (the latter being boiled with them), potato fritters, potatoes and apples, potatoes and pears, potatoes and damsons, potatoes and vermicelli, etc. some of these mixtures we attest, from personal experience after tasting them, are not so unsavory as at first sight might appear. the potato is a vegetable of undecided flavor and lends itself to combinations with sweet fruits in an extraordinary manner. indeed by the addition of sugar in some of the german dishes it would pass for a fruit itself. sour roast meat is a favorite with germans. the extraordinary taste which finds pleasure in eating this sour meat is little less remarkable than the strange way in which the viand is prepared. whey is first taken and curdled with vinegar, and the meat is laid in this, the whey and vinegar being changed every two days. this preliminary pickling goes on for more than a week until the meat is thoroughly sour and sodden. if not sour to the last degree the cook has orders to baste it with vinegar while roasting, so as to secure the extreme point of acidity. before it is put to the fire the cooks often slash it, and rub it with cayenne pepper, onions, turnips and the crust of black bread so as to give it some recondite flavor, with the merit of which we are unacquainted. when finally cooked, it is eaten by germans with as much relish as a fine sirloin is by americans. this meat is very popular when served cold at suppers. at german suppers along with the meat is eaten the "compote." this is a species of preserved or stewed fruit, which is served on little glass plates, and lies at the side of the supper plate. it is not an uncommon sight to see a german at supper or dinner putting methodically a piece of meat in his mouth and next instant a spoonful of cranberries or stewed apricots, and repeating the process indefinitely as long as the meal lasts. the little glass plate on which the "compote" lies is lifted to the mouth along with the spoon, replaced on the table, and then the german attacks his meat for another mouthful only. a dutch supper. some cold night try an american version of a dutch supper. have the place cards in the form of hans brinker with the silver skates, or sketches of henriette ronner's famous cats. a windmill for a centerpiece and copies of the wooden shoes for bonbons and nuts. use delft china and of course the coffee must be from mandheling or padang--the best java. from a german bake shop get the bread, either "kummel," (which is rye with caraway seeds), or pumpernickel. be sure and have herring and anchovies in some form--anchovy toast is nice. the simplest way to prepare this is to toast white bread cut in strips, then spread each with butter and essence of anchovy. fry some fine oysters. prepare plenty of cabbage salad or cold slaw, with boiled dressing. from a delicatessen store procure dill pickles and a nice edam cheese. after these, serve rich compotes of fruit--cherry and plum, with anise seed cookies and little nutmeg and cinnamon cakes, so that if, perchance, dreams follow, they will be of the tropic seas and the fragrant breezes of the dutch spice islands. bohemian supper for men. here are two ideas for a bohemian supper. knowing that men prefer substantial dishes with generous helpings to a great number of fancy "messes" as they term it, we would therefore suggest a beefsteak supper. first serve raw oysters. after the oysters have the steaks brought in on separate platters, placing platters before the second, fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc, guests. these men cut the steak for the men on their left and right. with the steaks serve french fried potatoes and the vienna bread or rolls, the very hard crusty kind. for the second course serve cheese, a rarebit on hard crackers, or any strong cheese. serve ale or beer with this supper and no sweets. in buying the steaks the chef will have to pay more attention to the quality of the meat, than size and appearance. the steaks should be broiled over coals and served piping hot in their own gravy. the second menu includes one hot dish, a rabbit fricasse or stew. any chef (especially german) can prepare what is called "hassenpfeffer stew." this is rabbit soaked in vinegar and cooked with certain herbs and is liked by bohemians. with this serve potato salad and cold dishes, swiss cheese on rye bread, westphalian ham, frankfurters, bologna, cottage cheese with chopped chives, dill pickles, spanish onions sliced in vinegar, french mustard, radishes, spring onions, pickled beets and pickled eggs, pickled herring. serve black coffee, beer or ale with this supper. have the sandwiches in baskets and the condiments in the four-part dishes, everything on the table and no waiters save for the liquors. sardines on toast will make a good first course or appetizer for this dinner. if one has a few pieces (violin, cello, bass viol, flute) to play hungarian airs during the dinner it will please the guests. the table should be bare of cloths of any sort. arrange as a center decoration a miniature prize fight. have a small platform roped off with silk cords, toy figures of pugilists labeled, and all the accessories. for each guest a toy figure of a hunter, football player, golfer, prize fighter or any desired athlete could be used. on the back of the figure hang something which will refer to some particular fad or joke on the member. for instance, if one has met with an accident in hunting put a bit of porous plaster on the back of the figure. if one has won a trophy, hang a tiny loving cup or stein, etc. in place of the toasts try this: arrange with a man at the telephone exchange to ring up the telephone in the house every ten or fifteen minutes during the dinner. ask one man to answer the 'phone and carry on a fake conversation taking off different members of the dinner, incorporating the question in his answer. this will keep the crowd roaring. a man with a megaphone describing a race or fight will keep the crowd in a good humor. the dutch supper. the plebian dutch supper is the very latest mode of dispensing hospitality, and has, as yet, the charm of novelty. the hours range from six in the evening until midnight, and during the heated term is very popular as the windup of a trolley or automobile ride. now, it would not do to seat an american crowd to a genuine dutch supper, in all its glory of limburger and sour-kraut, but relieve it of the disagreeables, and a menu, not fancy, but simple and eatable, remains. the table must be covered with the whitest of linen, while the decorations should be blue and red, thus to combine effectively holland's national colors, which, by the way, are not the same as our own. the center is occupied by a great dish of stuffed eggs, garnished with parsley, the green sprays trailing on the cloth; as a companion to this, there is a large platter of thinly sliced ham, cold, but the "weinies" must be steaming hot. then there is a salmon salad encircled by water cress or nasturtium leaves, and at intervals, dainty mounds of potato salad. tomatoes with french dressing (with onions would be more in keeping), small saucers of cheese, sweet and sour pickles, olives, slaw (instead of sour-kraut), bread, in layers of white and brown, and last, but by no means least, smear-kase, served individually. pretzels and fruits, which may include any and all kinds, form the dessert, and can be most artistically arranged by a tasteful person with deft fingers. beer, in mugs, is, of course, the correct beverage, but the lighter wines are also permissable. one charming feature of the supper is that it is served cold and all together, which leaves the hostess free to enjoy her guests without fear that something will go wrong in the culinary department. now, like everything else, the dutch supper can be made elaborate, and the bill of fare extended and put in courses, but a friendly gathering about a homely meal, where one naturally feels at ease, will appeal to most as preferable. chapter iii. entertaining in the modern apartment--a little sunday night supper--stag suppers--a bachelor supper. there are some people to whose distorted vision the tiniest molehills are magnified into veritable chains of mountains, rugged and insurmountable; and if, in addition to their other woes, they happen to be unfortunate enough to dwell in a flat, their desolation is complete. to these women what is said on the subject of entertaining in a modern apartment will possess not one atom of interest. before their horrified eyes will gleam a thousand unsolvable difficulties, and an attempt to successfully evade them might engulf them still further, so this appeal for the much maligned "tenement" of the day is to some bright little woman whose very touch transforms and whose ready brain devises with unerring accuracy. first; it is not to be supposed, if you are dwelling in a modern apartment, that your wealth is unlimited, your resources illimitable and just for that very reason your fertile brain has far more opportunity to exercise its originality than if you merely telephoned "covers for twelve" to some fashionable caterer, stepped into an evening gown held by an obsequious maid, and exhibited your jewels at the head of your well appointed table, conscious (if not troubled) by the fact that this same man was turning out well-served dinners by the dozen, shaping them all (like his ice-cream) in certain fashionable moulds. we all retain just enough of the old adam to relish a well earned victory, and the old lady whose light hand for cake is the talk of the township, is just as much of an artist in her own way as the fashionable decorator. it is almost as impossible to set down a given rule for entertaining as it was for the old darkey to present in tangible form her famous recipe for pones. "why, honey," said she, "it's easy enuf. i jes stir up a little cohn meal and watah, adds some salt and other truck and cooks it till it's done. sho nuf you cud make it yousef." it is quite as often the hand that stirs the cake as well as the ingredients themselves that makes the entertainment successful. there are some women who have a perfectly inexplicable talent for making life livable. under their deft fingers awkward curtains and draperies assume classic form; from their imaginations blossom forth the most marvelous devices for entertainment and comfort; their ferns never have scales and their umbrella plants do not wither at the edges. these are the women who, with studied patience and ready tact, overlook the small ills our flesh is heir to and bring forth into the bright sunshine the many opportunities which everyone's life contains. a woman who lives in an apartment so tiny and modest it would seem at first glance almost impossible to entertain therein, can study its best effects and give as charming little dinners as were ever attended. her dining room, small but cosy, seems made for decoration and her table may well be the delight of many a more ambitious hostess. the decorations, simple, inexpensive and artistic, are the outward and visible signs of her individual taste. no thick stalks of unbending and forbidding "bouquets" disfigure her pretty vases. her candles gleam through dainty shades (of paper it is true) fashioned by her own deft fingers. full-skirted and fluffy, their inexpensiveness makes it quite possible to have them of all colors and shades, and a much-prized pair of silver candelabra lend dignity to the general effect. quiet entertaining, preceded by gracious little notes presaging a cordial welcome, is one of her fancies, and one is quite sure that at her home the entertainment will be deprived of customary stiffness and will resolve into a merry table of congenial friends. a short time ago an old friend of such a woman became engaged and wishing to meet his fiancee she followed her call by an invitation to supper. appreciating the newness of the engagement and her slight acquaintance with the young lady, she wisely made it a little supper of four and decked her table with sweet simplicity. her china, of dainty limoges, was purchased with an idea of being serviceable for many occasions, and is mostly in odd half-dozens, although the color scheme throughout is green and white, a combination which blends well with anything. her soup plates, tea plates, dinner plates, platters and vegetable dishes are of the same pattern, but the china for the entree, the salad set, dessert set, cheese plates, bread and butter plates, etc., are all of a different but harmonizing design. green and white being always a lovely color for the table and also admitting of very inexpensive treatment, make informal suppers not only quite possible but very attractive as well. the table was round, just large enough for four, and nearly covered with a pretty lunch cloth embroidered in white. in the center a huge butterfly bow of wide green ribbon that just matched the china trailed nearly to the edge of the table. over the cloth were scattered white carnations and ferns in artistic carelessness, and two slender candlesticks, with generously green skirted candles, broke the flat effect. each candlestick wore, with holiday gayness, a large green bow, and the soft combination of color and grouping was charming. the supper itself was very simple. a course of raw oysters and stuffed mangoes, with the usual accompaniment of horseradish and lemon, came first. quail on toast with quince jelly (the jelly served in individual forms on tiny leaves of lettuce) followed with stuffed potatoes as an accompaniment and a delicious little chestnut salad was next in order. the dessert was a rich chocolate cream, stiffened with gelatine and moulded round with a large hole in the center. this was filled high with thick cream, whipped, sweetened and flavored with maraschino. the bonbons, of green and white, added the last touch of harmonic color to the dainty little feast. a little sunday night supper. shortly after this, encouraged by her success, she gave a little sunday night supper to introduce two young people to each other. the table, as before, was round, but the colors used were yellow and white. a large round tea cloth, fashioned by the hostess, covered the table. in the center five ragged yellow chrysanthemums were fastened together with a wide yellow ribbon and wired to a slender upright, which they entirely concealed. just inside the circle formed by the plates, glasses, etc., a wavy circle of smilax trailed and ran out into little curves between the plates. nothing more simple could be imagined, but the guests had a very appreciative look as they were seated. getting acquainted under such conditions was a very natural and easy process. the supper was simplicity itself, and consisted of a clam cocktail; frilled french chops with green peas; a rarebit made in the chafing-dish and a rich lemon ice for dessert. in connection there were, it is unnecessary to add, many delicious accompaniments. brown bread sandwiches, thin as wafers, were passed with the cocktail. bread accompanied the chops, the rarebit was served in a bank of cress, with lettuce and cress sandwiches, and the ice was made even more delicious by the addition of stuffed champagne wafers. a pleasant time in the host's den followed, and thus, a happy little evening, quite within the reach of anyone, was made possible by a little forethought. the apartment in which this woman lives has only six rooms, so you can imagine that entertaining (in its ordinary sense) is somewhat out of the question, but very charming little "at homes" are given once a month during the winter, and as the parlor and den adjoin, and are cosily furnished to correspond, it is quite possible to entertain in this way. if you attend her "wednesdays" in december you will be ushered in by a neat little maid in frilled cap and apron and black sateen gown. you will find your hostess in the parlor with half-a-dozen others, and, think you have a glimpse into japanese fairyland. the den is somewhat denuded of its ordinary furnishings, but the bizarre posters still remain on the walls, and the couch, covered with a scrawly japanese creton, is still in evidence. wires are stretched from picture moulding to picture moulding, and japanese lanterns swing gayly from above. in one corner a huge paper umbrella, dangling with unlighted lanterns, bright hued and tiny, swings over a low tea table, at which sits one of the hostess' friends in japanese array. her dark eyes, blackened into almond-shaped slits, vie with her decorated hair in foreign effect. from dainty little japanese cups we drink the tea she makes for us and thank fortune there is one woman in the world at least who dares trifle with the conventional "at home" and eliminate its objectionable features. while drinking your tea you nibble at rolled tutti fruitti wafers, munch delicious home-made bonbons, stuffed figs and nougat (for which your hostess is so famous), revel in a huge japanese jar (strangely like a familiar umbrella stand) which holds five great ragged yellow chrysanthemums with stems nearly three feet long, and finally settle yourself down to listen to some quaint little love song, with guitar accompaniment, sung by a dear little maid with bronze-brown hair. this hostess limits each "at home" to twenty-five, so small a number it makes the average hostess smile, but, if necessary, gives four or five through the winter, as she needs no service beyond that of her own maid, making the expense marvelously small. she has many friends who feel as you do, that one bid to a sociable little "five o'clock" in her doll-house flat is worth all the receptions of a week on gay upper fifth avenue. the first saturday evening in each month, from november until april, she and her husband are at home to his bachelor friends and any young married people who can endure the suffocating atmosphere. all the easy chairs are pressed into service, the little iron lanterns blink joyously, and story-telling, music and smoking are the order of the evening. the light being dim, positions are uncertain and bachelor manners prevail, so unrestrained jollity reigns, and though the people in the other flats may hear the echoing laughter they pass it over with a good natured tolerance and wonder what there is that is so funny. about half-past ten, when stories wane and a change seems desirable, the little low tea table appears and a rarebit, souffle of oysters, or some chafing-dish dainty, is prepared by the hostess. occasionally, when one of the men has a firmly founded reputation for some special dish he is asked to officiate, which he does amid the joyous jokes of his roistering colleagues, while everyone within reach renders able assistance and the others keep up a running fire of disabling comments. if one is willing to take advantage of their very present opportunities it seems to me that limited means lose half their disadvantages. choose your apartment with a view to entertaining. if your bed-room opens from the parlor make it dainty and sweet and close the portieres until merely a glimpse appears. wax your hardwood floors and keep them shining like mirrors; if rugs are scarce they will be a good apology. make your friends welcome and give them a good time when they come. an old-fashioned candy-pull is often more entertaining than the most elaborately prepared function. a stag supper. 1. in the main room have a mellow light from two or three swinging iron lanterns and several in japanese paper. off in one of the corners, have a cut-glass bowl filled with punch and around it a ring of smilax. the guests select their places by each choosing the name of one of six popular actresses. a silver tray containing six small blank envelopes is passed, and in each envelope is enclosed one of the host's cards, on the back of which is inscribed the name of an actress. passing into the dining-room they find, at each place, a photo to correspond, on the back of which is written some well-known quotations from the actresses' most famous plays. these photos are removed from their original cards by soaking, and are rebuffed and mounted on rectangular mats of dull gray, on which the inscriptions are written in white ink. in the dining room over the heavy damask cloth, is stretched a quaint old german table runner, reaching from end to end of the table. in the center, embroidered in the red cotton used in such work, hospitality encourages jollity in the familiar old motto, "ein froher gast is niemand's last" (a merry guest is no one's burden). "wein, weib und geasang," the faithful trio, is all represented. at each place, beside the napkin, is a rich red rose, just large enough to form a dainty boutonniere. mounds of red pickled cabbage accompany the oysters, rich tomato soup follows, and the nougat ice cream is decorated with candied cherries. the introduction of the bonbons in the form of candy cigars, tied in bunches with the familiar yellow bands, causes amusement. brandy is burned on the coffee, and genuine cigars passed. a stag supper. 2. turn the ballroom into a "roof garden" for a bachelor supper. cover the walls with canvas or grey cartridge paper painted to imitate grey bricks with ivy leaves painted over the surface. in each window arrange a little hedge of plants in pots and use screens of wire covered with vines. hang many colored lanterns from the roof and at intervals about the room between tables and have tall branching standards with arms from which hang the lanterns. tall palms and bay-trees in tubs set about the room add to the effect. have a hidden orchestra to play airs from the popular operas or have an impromptu vaudeville, the guests furnishing the talent. a band of gypsy fortune-tellers (men dressed to imitate gypsy girls) admitted at the close of the feast will furnish fun, especially if they are men knowing the lives of the guests. serve a beefsteak supper with any kind of beverages you choose. for name cards have steins cut from cardboard and decorated in imitation of the mettlach steins. a bachelor supper. have small mice pins for souvenirs. decorate the long table in green vines, white flowers and odd candle holders. creeping in and out of the vines have artificial snakes, frogs, and other reptiles. have the napkins held by toy spiders and fasten bats over the chandelier globes. if one wishes a plain dinner serve oyster cocktails, tenderloin steak with mushrooms, french fried potatoes, stewed corn, lima beans, tomato and onion salad with mayonnaise, cheesestraws, bavarian cream, peach cake, cheese, crackers, coffee. pass cigars. have colored waiters who are good singers and between each course have them give a jubilee song. after dinner let them entertain the guests with songs, and banjo and guitar music. chapter iv. suppers for special occasions--danish valentine supper--a hallowe'en ghost hunt--a hallowe'en supper--hallowe'en supper menus--a pie party for thanksgiving season--the pie shelf--birthday suppers--birthday party. in denmark our well known snowdrop, one of the earliest messengers of spring, has been since olden days held sacred to st. valentine. on that auspicious eve the danish lover sends his lady a bunch of snow-drops (_vinter-gjaeks_), (winter jokes they are called, because they peep out while it is yet winter and try to hoax people into thinking spring has come), with a card attached bearing a verse or sentiment and as many pin pricks as there are letters in his name. if she cannot guess the name from this clew she is fooled (_gjaekket_), and at easter must pay the sender a forfeit of colored eggs. this quaint bit of folk-lore can be used in a novel valentine supper. the invitations, bearing a bunch of painted snow-drops in one corner, invite you to a "danish valentine supper." cherry and white are the national colors of denmark, and these should be used in the dining-room. the candles have cherry shades and in the center of the snowy cloth have a square of cherry velvet, on which snow-drops and ferns are banked with dainty effect. the menu cards are shaped like hearts, tied with a knot of cherry ribbon and edged with painted snow-drops. across the top in gold letters is the word "_welbekomin_" (may it agree with you.) at each place have a tiny heart-shaped cup of cherry crepe paper, holding a little bunch of snow-drops. the ices are in the shape of hearts with a candied cherry in the center of each. heart-shaped cakes can be iced in pink, and mingled in the salad have tiny hearts cut from slices of red beef. when all are assembled in the parlor give each guest a square white envelope enclosing a card having a knot of snow-drops in one corner with cherry ribbon, and containing a verse and numerous pin pricks. each one must guess from these the name of his companion for supper. here are some of the verses, some of which are translations from the danish. "though a child of winter's cold and storm, i bring to you love-greetings warm. from whom? ah, yes! that shall you guess! and that you may the sender surely know, count all the little pin-pricks signed below." .... ...... * * * * * "little maiden fair and neat, here on stalk so light, fine as silk by fairies spun, hangs a snowdrop white; from a friend i come- tell me now--from whom?" .... .. ...... * * * * * "love's first kisses are the snow-drops, ringing here like fairy bells; let thy heart bend low and listen to the tale their music tells." ...... ...... * * * * * "sir knight, wouldst know thy lady's name? these pin-pricks tell from whence i came." .... .. ...... * * * * * "love wove the snow-flakes in a flower to deck his lady's secret bower; with them my love i now confess- thy true knight's name i'd have thee guess." .... ...... * * * * * "farewell to winter! now farewell- we snow-bells rang his dying knell, and had you but a fine, fine ear, that could our fairy chiming hear, then should you know which friend so true has sent this vinter-gjaek to you: for ever softly do we sing the name of him whose love we bring." ........ .. ...... * * * * * "wouldst find the fair lady fate chooses for you? then search ye this line of wee pin-pricks clear through." .... ........ * * * * * "for life, as for dinner, chance fixes our mate; these pin-pricks point you the way to your fate." ........ .......... a hallowe'en ghost hunt. "fr the gobble-uns'll git you, ef you don't watch out." have the above words from james whitcomb riley's poem printed in large letters over the entrance, the door of which should open with a rattle of chains and a creaking. ask each guest to wear a false face and a red or black domino. when all have assembled in the parlor, where lights are turned low, have a guide in red with a mephisto make-up or a witch to instruct the party before it starts on the "ghost hunt." not a word must be spoken no matter what the provocation, not a giggle must be heard, no one must turn his head or eyes, but look straight ahead. have goblins in red with big eyes painted on their cotton masks, holding clubs, stationed along the route to watch offenders. take the party by a circuitous route, upstairs through dark rooms where open windows and doors make the air cold, up into the attic, lighted only by burning alcohol and salt, then down stairs, around the porches and about the yard. if there is an outside cellar-way, take them down that, otherwise inside the house to the cellar. all along the route have imitation "spooks" placed in corners and unexpected places--grinning jack-o'lantern heads, with ghostly bodies, immense false faces with lights behind them, witches, grotesque animals including black cats, black bears, etc. from cobwebs of grey cotton or wool ropes suspend bats and spiders. leave objects about for guests to stumble over and have as many terrifying noises as possible. in a corner of the cellar, screened by canvas and guarded by fierce goblins, have the great chief ghost and his secretary on a throne. around the corner have a ring of ghosts manufactured from brooms with sheets and white cowls. the ghost hunters sit on the floor in silence for a few moments. then the secretary, in terrible tones, calls the name of each guest and gives the list of his pet sins. the secretary should be a person with ready tongue and wit knowing jokes on each individual. when the secretary finishes each case, the great chief ghost asks the defendant what he has to say for himself. if the latter plead his case successfully and solemnly swear that he is prepared to tell a ghost story if called upon, he is allowed to select his own punishment. if, however, he cannot clear himself, the great chief ghost names his punishment. the sentences should be as ridiculous as possible. the trip back from the cave should be as tantalizing as can be made. viands should be offered and whisked away. the clever host and hostess can devise many tricks. the ghost hunt should end in a brilliantly lighted dining room with table set for supper and time allowed just before midnight to try the familiar hallowe'en charms. this party can be given by a club or church using a big house and grounds. decorate the table in unique arrangement of pumpkins, fruits and candies and serve any preferred menu, or this one: _oyster soup, alphabet crackers,_ _veal or chicken patties, cold boiled ham or tongue,_ _potato salad, apple sauce, dill pickles,_ _hot gingerbread, cheese, coffee._ a hallowe'en supper. some merry, friendly countra folks together did convene, to burn their nuts, an' pluck their stocks an' hand their hollowe'en. --burns. "_butter'd sowens_" _broiled squirrels, hot pocketbooks_ _bow-kail salad_ _brownie cake, halloween jelly_ _roasted chestnuts, apples_ _coffee_ buttered sowens--oatmeal made into mush and eaten with butter and sugar. the scotch always have this for their hallowe'en supper. broiled squirrels--your squirrels must be young and tender. clean, and soak to draw out the blood. wipe dry, and broil over a hot, clear fire, turning often. when done to a golden brown, lay in a hot dish and anoint with melted butter. season each squirrel with a salt spoon of salt and half spoon of pepper. they are delicious. hot pocketbooks--one pint of sweet milk, brought to boiling point, to which, add one tablespoonful of sugar, half teaspoonful of salt and butter the size of an egg; let cool till luke warm, then add half cake of yeast, two eggs and a quart of flour. let the dough rise in a warm place until very light, then put down with the hand and let rise again; roll out to about five-eighths of an inch thick, cut in four inch circles, brush with melted butter and fold over; let rise on tins, bake until a delicate brown, then while warm, go over the surface with melted butter to make the crust tender. bow-kail salad--put one-half cup of vinegar and one tablespoonful of butter to heat in a double boiler. beat yolk of one egg, one spoonful of flour and one of sugar together, add two tablespoonfuls of sour cream and cook in the vinegar until smooth. just before it boils, stir in the well-beaten white and pour immediately over your cabbage or "bow-kail," which has been shredded and salted. brownie cake--one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one-half cup of sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful of vanilla, one cup and a half of flour, sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder. set one square of chocolate on a kettle of boiling water and let it melt. after melting, mix one-half cup of sweet milk slowly in the chocolate, add half-cup of sugar. pour into batter, mix thoroughly, and bake in layers. put together with the following filling: filling--four ounces chocolate melted, add one-half cup of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter and one cup of sugar; boil until it forms a very soft ball when dropped in cold water, then add one cup finely chopped nuts. spread this very thick between the layers. ice with plain chocolate icing, which you have reserved, before adding the nuts, and decorate with unbroken halves of english walnuts. hallowe'en jelly--soften one ounce of gelatine in half a pint of cold water. when quite soft, add half a pint of hot water and a pint of good sparkling cider. if the cider be very sweet, the juice of a lemon is an improvement. set on ice until firm, and when ready to serve, turn into a pumpkin shell which has been prettily carved on the edges. hallowe'en supper menus. a suggestive menu is the following: _goblins' broth, elves' fingers_ _fairy rings_ _chicken and celery salad in mayonnaise triangles_ _almond butter hearts_ _strawberry jelly crescents with whipped cream_ _witches' wands, the cake of doom_ _fruit, nuts, bonbons_ _coffee_ the goblins' broth is merely a delicious beef or chicken bouillon, the elves' fingers, strips of brown bread and butter, and the fairy rings mushroom patties baked in ring moulds. to make the salad use any favorite recipe for chicken salad, and mix it with a bright golden mayonnaise to which enough aspic jelly has been added to make it quite firm when cold. pour into a square mould to set, cut into dainty triangles just before it is to be served, and lift carefully with a broad thin-bladed spatula. serve on crisp lettuce leaves on gilt-edged plates. spread white bread with almond butter and cut into heart shapes. mould the strawberry jelly in half moons and serve with a spoonful of whipped cream (made golden with the yolk of egg) between the "horns." the witches' wands are most delicious. roll puff paste thin, sprinkle lightly with finely chopped blanched almonds, press the rolling pin lightly over again, and cut in strips not over two inches wide. wind from the small end of the pointed tin tubes called lady lock sticks, and have each layer slightly overlay the preceding one. set the tubes across a baking pan and bake in a good oven to a deep yellow. when done remove from the oven and push the paste from the tube. just before serving fill with pineapple meringue. have bonbons in all kinds of suggestive shapes; brownies, witches, brooms, rings, crescents, triangles, et cetera. a pie party for thanksgiving season. thanksgiving is the pie season _par excellence_. the very name calls up visions of old fashioned, buttery shelves loaded down with rows upon rows of the flaky wheels and delicious fillings. a new idea in entertaining for thanksgiving, "the pie party," makes use of this american product. the scheme is an excellent one for the day itself or for any time during thanksgiving season. to prepare for a pie party, get together as many pie plates as you can beg, borrow or buy. a couple of dozen will be needed at least. arrange tables along the wall of the room in which the guests are to be received, and place the pie plates upon these tables. cover the tables with white paper terminating in paper lace to give the effect of quaint, old-fashioned shelves. in each pan place a group of articles or pictures which will represent in anagram the filling of a pie. punning and word stretching of all kinds are allowable, although each puzzle must be simple enough to be readily recognized when guessed. here is a rough suggestion to show the plan of the puzzles. the hostess may modify it to suit her own needs. the pie shelf. a twig from a pine tree and an apple. pineapple. the letters of the word cheese on alphabet cards, jumbled together, with a slice of cake. cheesecake. a cigarette case in the form of a coffin (bury) and a scrap of straw. strawberry. a paperweight representing a ragged little dog and an entomological photograph of the common ant. cur(r)ant. a little oyster crab and an apple. crabapple. a lead line (plumb). plum. a pot, the letter a from baby's alphabet and the toe of a boot (pot-a-toe), all four articles being sprinkled with granulated sugar. sweet potato. a bicycle pump and a card having the words father, mother, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, written upon it. pump-kin. a breakfast cocoa box and a chestnut. cocoanut. a tailor's iron and a berry. blackberry. cardboard cut in the shape of a peach with "to inform against," written upon it. peach. two aces (pair). pear. a slip from the daily calendar bearing the date november. date. a bow of cherry colored ribbon. cherry. a bow of blue ribbon and a berry. blueberry. some fluffy easter chickens and a pot. chicken pot pie. a pair of pruning shears. prune. the guests are invited to inspect the pies and guess the contents. each player works for himself and consultations are not allowed. wee note books, having covers decorated in water color, with picturesque thanksgiving scenes, are distributed among the guests, for use in writing down guesses. it is explained that fruits, vegetables and everything of which pies are made, figure in the list. one hour is the usual time limit. the player, who in that time discovers most of the fillings, carries off first honors. there should be a second award and a couple of laughable boobies in the form of jelly tarts. the first prize might be a smart silver pie knife, and the second a pretty china pie dish. smoking hot roasted oysters, jellied tongue with chopped pickle served in spanish peppers, little hot rolls in form of balls, a plain tomato salad and slices of delicious home-made pies are among the good things of the menu. birthday supper. 1. in the cake put a gold penny, a silver four-leaf clover, and a little image or amulet to drive away bad luck. wrap them in paraffine or waxed paper or coat them with paraffine before putting them in the cake. ask each one to make some birthday wish as the birthday person cuts his slice of cake. place the cake on a table wreathed in greens or flowers or on a flower-trimmed tray. as many prefer scarlet carnations, this flower and red candles will make a pretty party. just after supper pass the loving cup filled with claret, or fruit punch or cider. each guest takes a sip to the health of the host. if your guests enjoy cards, let them play bridge, euchre, cinch, hearts, or the new card games in which figures are involved. if they do not care for cards a short program of old ballads by a good singer is always liked. as a surprise arrange a little series of funny tableaux showing the different birthdays of the guest of honor. to do this darken a room behind the players, and have a big screen for a background. no special stage properties are needed as the more ludicrous this is the more it will be enjoyed. have some one at the piano play appropriate music for the different tableaux. for one year old have a baby in a cradle or in its mother's arms; for seventh birthday, a little boy starting to school with books and apple or candy; for the fourteenth birthday have a youth in sweater with football in arms rushing to the goal; have the twenty-first birthday represented by the young man courting, the twenty-eighth by the wedding; and for the thirty-sixth have someone dressed and made up as nearly like the guest of honor as possible. for decoration have a frieze of ropes or smilax caught with scarlet ribbon. cover the chandeliers with the greens and the shades with scarlet tissue paper. bank the mantels with greens, having a mass of scarlet berries or flowers in the center of each. red candles and shades on the mantels help the effect. if you have a table in the dining-room make the initials of the guest of honor in candles placed in a large wreath tied with scarlet ribbon. at each corner of the table have a single candle in a smaller wreath. for supper serve a hot course, creamed oysters, or creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms, tiny hot buttered rolls and tiny pickles, chopped pickle or spiced peach, quince or pear, or brandied quince; chicken salad, or sweetbread salad on a lettuce leaf with cheese straws, stuffed olives, coffee, ice cream frozen in fancy forms, (leaves being a pretty design), and cakes in tiny squares with little red candies like scarlet berries on green or white icing. birthday supper. 2. candles may be used for a centerpiece and also to outline the figures representing the number of years. a pretty ceremony, if you use candles on a birthday cake, is to have each guest light a candle with a wish for the guest of honor. when the cake is cut, blow out the candles and lift them off. for the red color scheme, garnish the dishes with radishes, slices of tomatoes, red peppers, beet rings, candied cherries. serve cream of tomato soup, tiny radishes cut in rose forms, wafers, salted almonds. broiled lobster garnished with slices of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. serve individual chicken pies baked in ramekins and served in red paper cases. in making these pies add mushrooms, potato marbles, white of hard-boiled eggs cut in rings and yolks cut in half. make the cream sauce by using the liquor from the canned mushrooms, strong chicken stock and milk, thickened with flour. with this course serve a relish in red peppers, creamed peas, tiny hot rolls and a slice of sweet cucumber or watermelon pickle with a candied cherry on top. a beet salad garnished with rings of hard-boiled egg whites and the yolk run through a ricer, or chicken salad served in red peppers, tomato, cucumber and celery salad served in tomato shells, fruit salad served in red apples hollowed out. serve wafers with the salad course. a pretty idea for the ice cream is to have it moulded in shape of candles with a little wick to be lighted just as it is brought to the table. serve little square cakes with white icing and red bonbons. this menu gives two hot and two cold courses. serve coffee or tea. at the close of the supper pass a loving cup of fruit punch, grape juice or wine, and ask each one to drink to the health of the guest of honor. birthday party. the guests are requested to represent, in some manner, their birth month. most of them wear the birth stone suitable to the month which, as old legend tells us, is sure to protect against misfortune, the jewel acting as a talisman. some may substitute flowers appropriate to their birth month. a young lady, whose birthday is in january, may wear a string of tiny silver beads which tinkle musically wherever she goes. another claiming january, also, as her birth month, may wear a brooch showing an old man and an infant, representing the old and new year. february's children are decked in red paper hearts, pierced with arrows. a young girl wearing a white apron, with several bars of music on the hem, represents march. april is represented by a paper fool's cap, and may by a pretty spring gown, decorated with violets and lilies of the valley. july, with her tri-colored streamers and numerous flags is easily dressed. august has white organdy and carries a palm leaf fan. september is adorned with golden rod and purple asters. october's daughter, wears a rich yellow gown, nearly covered with glorious autumn leaves, and a cap of the same brilliant leaves. november's costume is most striking, being a poster design, representing thanksgiving. december's is a picturesque suit of white eider down flannel, ornamented with holly berries and running pine. each guest is requested to furnish one dish appropriate to the month in which she was born. in this way the supper is quite out of the ordinary and the only tax on the hostess, with the exception of her one dish, is for coffee, pickles and cake. below is given the menu: _oyster stew,_ _butter wafers,_ _fish souffle,_ _potato balls with cream sauce,_ _cold turkey,_ _currant jelly,_ _salted nuts,_ _olives,_ _salmon sandwiches,_ _orange and nut salad,_ _wafers,_ _strawberries,_ _ice cream and cake,_ _pumpkin pie and cheese,_ _fruit,_ _coffee._ chapter v. miscellaneous suppers--camping parties and clambakes--nutting party--harvest home supper--autumn suppers--dickens supper--boston supper party--yachting party--a butterfly supper--young married couples supper--head dress supper party--quilting supper--wedding supper--waffle supper--the bohemian picnic supper--railroad party--literary supper--peanut party--folk lore supper--cake walk supper--bridge whist supper--after theatre menus--a cold supper menu for hot weather. throughout this broad land of ours, thousands of campers will be folding their white tents into compact rolls, tying gay blankets into portly bundles, investing in mosquito netting and hammocks, packing into boxes their cooking utensils and fishing tackle, and finally loading all into boat or farmer's wagon, to gain health and happiness, and incidentally, to have a royal good time. happy the camper who, taking hint from the big lumber camps, ties to his wagon an iron bean pot, and has always on hand for hungry souls a mess of delicious baked beans. every well-regulated camp should have a bean-hole dug close by the camp fire, and then when guests come out from town, if the camp is near town, a bean bake enlivens things. the bean-hole is dug three feet square and carefully lined with flat stones or boulders, then it is filled with hard wood which makes fine coals. the wood is fired and burned until there glows a bed of hot coals and the stones are at white heat. a place is scooped out in the center for the bean-pot, and it is placed in this little oven, the coals swept back into place, the hot ashes added, and the hot earth around the fire put over it all. then, snugly tucked away in their bed so warm, the beans are left alone for four and twenty hours. when taken out, steaming and fragrant, they are perfect in form, brown and crisp, and of flavor so delicious that the mouth waters at the mere recollection. this with brown bread or cone pone, baked in the ashes, and good strong coffee, makes a meal in itself, and if the beans are served hot, the hungry campers feel they have had a feast fit for a king. those who cling to their bean-pots keep one mess of beans baking all the time and are never without this dish. even city folks have had royal good times at bean bakes given at some home with large yard, and, with an addition to the beans, salads, sandwiches, cakes, and other frills, generally scorned and passed by for the delicious baked beans. naturally digging a hole in the ground and building a fire does not constitute a dish of baked beans; among other things necessary might be mentioned the beans themselves. these are soaked over night and then placed in the iron pot; the best sort is the english kettle with three iron legs and rounding bottom. right in the center of the beans a place should be made for the pork. the pork should be pickled pork of a particular kind--fat on top, lean below and scored across the top. one pound of pork to one pound of beans is the allowance. for flavoring use one cookingspoonful of new orleans molasses; one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt and one of pepper. stir into the beans and fill even to the top of the pork with water. given twenty-four hours of slow baking, with no chance for the moisture to escape, the result is an ideal dish worth trying. to the camper who comes in when the sun is tinging the western sky with crimson, tired and hungry from carrying a gun or holding a fishing rod all day, there is no dish so appreciated as chowder. this dish is easy of preparation. take peeled potatoes and parboil them, then add fresh water, and put into the kettle the result of the day's chase. the little birds found along the streams, like squabs and sandpipers, are fat and give the chowder a fine flavor. in go the fish, squirrels and other small game, the fish of course, being boned. add green corn cut from the cob, salt and pepper, and perhaps a little salt pork, though the little birds furnish fat enough. serve smoking hot and as you stretch your tired limbs under the camp table, you will thank your stars that some genius invented chowder. the ideal way to cook fish in camp is to first clean the fish and then stuff it, if one chooses (though he need not stuff the fish unless he like) and then make a stiff mortar of clay and encase the fish. lay it on the coals and when the clay cracks and peels off the skin of the fish comes off with it, leaving the pure sweet fresh meat, which retains the juices and delicate aroma of the fish. this way of cooking fish cannot be beaten. this is also a good way to cook corn. just leave on the husks and lay the ears on the coals and by the time the husks have burned off the corn is cooked deliciously. in the regions where shad abounds, there is nothing to be compared with planked shad, and this is the most popular dish. the shad is fastened on an oak shingle and turned before the fire until it is cooked, when it will be found that the fish has absorbed the aroma of the wood and the result is a flavor that delights epicures. clam bake. a clam-bake is a delight wherever and whenever partaken of, but when it is prepared in the piney woods of cape cod by the inimitable skippers of buzzards bay it is something that is not to be forgotten. it is a joy, from the gathering of the first stone to the swallowing of the last possible clam. the skippers of onset are particularly noted for their skill in making clam-bakes. first select the stones, (which must be about the size of large paving blocks,) and arrange them in a circle. then bring wood and chips and brush and lay them in the center, and thoroughly pile on top other blocks which have been collected. the pile of stones and wood being completed, the next thing is to set fire to it, and soon a merry blaze rises up, the flames licking around the stones and forming a pretty picture. the stones once hot enough the real work of the bake begins. the right amount of heat has been obtained, a barrow load of rockweed is brought--rockweed, not seaweed. as soon as the rockweed is thrown on the red hot stones a salty, savory smelling steam begins to rise. first and foremost come two great barrow loads of clams which are spread on the steaming rockweed, then follow great piles of blue fish, each fish being stuffed and wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth to prevent coming into contact with the weed. the blue fish is carefully placed on top of the clams and following that is a heaping load of corn, with a few leaves left on each ear to protect it from the weed. when the corn is piled high a barrow weighed down with live lobsters is brought. be particular over the disposition of the lobsters. each one is placed with care and precision into the precise spot where it will do most good. a milk pail full of fresh eggs follows the lobsters and the whole mass of food is buried in a stack of rockweed, and to complete the process a sail and a tarpaulin are drawn over the top and battened all down so that not a speck of steam can escape. while the guests play games or stroll along the shore, the men heat big, round stones in the oven. this is a deep hole lined with stones, and the fire is built in the hole. when the fire dies down the stones are left red hot. then the chef places dozens of clams in their shells on the hot rocks. then a blue fish wrapped in cheesecloth and then half a dozen chickens prepared for broiling and wrapped in a similar way are placed in the hole. next comes a peck of irish potatoes with their jackets on, and three dozen ears of sweet corn. over it all is packed seaweed and then heavy canvas, and then the guests sit patiently for three-quarters of an hour until the steam has thoroughly cooked the supper. when it is done it is fit for a king, and is served on a long table of boards, on wooden platters, with big watermelons for dessert. nutting party. a nutting party is particularly appropriate to be given during the fall season. the invitation may be written on paper, folded neatly and slipped inside an english walnut shell--which is then glued together and sent in a small box, labeled "a nut to crack." decorations should carry out, as far as possible, the effect of a woodland scene. the walls may be entirely covered with branches of autumn leaves, and mantels and over doorways banked with pine boughs and greenery of all sorts. rustic tables and chairs, if available, are most appropriate, and lights shaded with red or yellow shades. as the guests arrive, each should be given a peanut shell, glued together or tied with ribbons. on a slip of paper inside is written the number of table and partner. to indicate progressions, ribbons may be glued to nuts of different kinds and one given for each game won. or little baskets may be given into which a nut is dropped for each game won. or if tally cards for finding partners are preferred, they may be painted to represent nuts of different kinds, not more than two being alike. the nutting game itself is played similarly to that well known children's game, "jackstraws." on each table is placed a pair of bonbon tongs--the kind that come in candy boxes are best--and a tall tumbler heaped full of nuts--peanuts are best for the purpose--with one gilded nut. for the first game, lady no. 1 at all the tables begins play and after the first game the lady begins who lost in the game preceding. the gentleman opposing the lady who begins play, carefully turns out on the table the peanuts and the players proceed as in jackstraws, getting with the tongs as many peanuts as possible, one at a time, without shaking the others. the winners progress and change partners, after the bell rings at the head table. at the head table, as at the other tables, the winners progress and the losing lady remaining begins play for the next game. at the head table each player has two chances at the peanuts and then the bell is rung. the natural-color peanuts count one each and the gilded one ten. suitable prizes are: for the ladies, a silver english walnut thimble case; a linen centerpiece in chestnut design; a silver almond charm, "philopena," which opens with kernel inside; a silver english walnut, exact size, which opens, containing powder puff, mirror, place for miniature, small scent bottle and pin-cushion, "all in a nut shell"; a real english walnut shell containing a fine lace-betrimmed handkerchief, enclosed in a series of boxes, one fitting within the other; a sterling silver almond set or almond scoop; a silver vinaigrette in exact reproduction of a peanut. for the gentlemen, a burnt wood nut bowl, with nut cracker and set of nut picks; a handsome edition of e. p. roe's "opening of a chestnut burr;" a silver peanut magic pencil, etc. the shops show big paper mache english walnuts, peanuts and almonds, full of sweetmeats in imitation of the real nuts, which make appropriate consolation prizes. french "surprise mottoes" in the shape of walnuts, each containing a hat, make very amusing favors. the refreshments may perfectly carry out the nutting idea: _peanut sandwiches, walnut sandwiches,_ _chicken and nut salad,_ _salted nuts,_ _bisque of almonds or burnt almond ice cream,_ _cocoanut, hickory nut, or pecan cake,_ _nut bonbons, festinos,_ _cheese balls with english walnuts,_ _coffee._ for the peanut sandwiches, use the ready-made peanut butter. for walnut sandwiches, chop meats very fine, mix with mayonnaise and spread on buttered bread. serve salad on lettuce leaf, garnished with a few whole nut meats. in salting mixed nuts, it is not considered necessary to blanch any except almonds and peanuts. the bisque of almonds requires one pound blanched almonds, one heaping cup of sugar and two pints of cream. pound almonds a few at a time, together with a little sugar and rosewater, mix with cream and freeze. for burnt almond ice cream use one quart of cream, one-half pound of sugar, four ounces of shelled almonds, one teaspoon of caramel, one tablespoon of vanilla, 4 tablespoons of sherry. blanch and roast almonds, then pound in a mortar to a smooth paste. put one-half the cream and the sugar on to boil, stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the remaining pint of cream and the almonds; stand away to cool; when cold, add the caramel, vanilla and sherry. freeze and pack. for the nut cake, use two pounds nuts cut fine, eight eggs, one pound sugar, one pound flour, one teacup butter, two heaping teaspoons baking powder, one cup milk, and juice of one lemon. mould the cheese balls round with the hands, and stick an english walnut meat on either side. harvest home supper. the rooms can be trimmed beautifully with corn, asparagus, hops, jack-o'lanterns, and so on. state in the invitations, which are to be tied in corn husks with grass, that a hay-rack will call for the guests. on each of the gate posts place huge jack-o'lanterns. in fact, have these for illumination wherever one can find places to put them. for decoration use autumnal grasses, wheat, oats and corn, and festoon strings of them wherever possible. make a frieze around the room of ears of corn from which the husks are pulled apart. this will form a festoon from which will hang down like tassels, the ears of white and yellow corn, and if one can find a few red ears so much the better. bank the fire-place and corners with boughs of autumn leaves, and festoon them in garlands wherever there is a vacant place. scrub the bare floors well, put a little wax on them, and engage one or two musicians to dispense old time melodies. carry out the harvest home idea in the dining-room. have most of the decorations, fruits and garlands with graceful sprays of the virginia creeper in the glory of its autumnal colors, festooned from doors to windows and back again, and have the table decorations the same. serve the guests sitting around the room, with delicious turkey, ham, bread, sweet and sour pickles, doughnuts, cider, etc. by all means have pumpkin pie, which would be so much in keeping with the occasion. an autumn supper. just before closing your cottage for the season, send out invitations to friends, asking them to spend an evening with you at your home. the invitations may be written upon scarlet maple leaves. when the evening for entertaining arrives the cottage should reflect the glory of the woods. boughs and branches of silver and sugar maples decorate the hall, "den," dining room and kitchen, and berries, vines and burrs fill jars, vases and cornucopias of birch bark. in the rough stone fire-places, log fires burn. the guests go to the kitchen to make maple sugar creams, and while the candy is hardening, games are played and stories told. each guest, blindfolded, must draw the outline of a maple leaf. next, leaf shaped cards are distributed with the names of different trees written upon them, acrostically arranged. a nut race closes the games, and the prizes are then awarded. then the company may gather around the fire. bundles of lichen covered twigs, of pine cones and of twisted tree roots are selected according to individual fancy and put on the fire, each person telling a story, original or otherwise, until his bundle is burned away; the changing shapes in the fire suggesting many quaint fancies. for table decorations have a garland of leaves encircle the polished top just outside the plates. a large wreath and a low bowl of nut burrs and sprays of bright leaves and berries make a gorgeous centerpiece. have smaller wreaths around the bonbon and nut dishes, and mats of leaves laid under the plates and dishes and used for doilies under the finger bowls. a birch bark cornucopia of maple sugar candy and a droll little nut indian clad in a scarlet blanket by each plate make pretty souvenirs of the feast. leaves can be pasted on the candle shades which are made of stiff-buff paper: _roasted quail on toast,_ _strawed potatoes,_ _salad sandwiches, maple layer cake,_ _waffles,_ _nuts, coffee._ when the frost is on the pumpkin. the hostess who wants to provide a simple, and at the same time a novel entertainment for her friends should call to her aid the glossy, orange coated pumpkins. with pumpkins for the motif, so to speak, an evening full of fun may be enjoyed. decorate square white cards with a huge pumpkin; one who cannot draw can cut a very presentable looking pumpkin from orange paper and paste it on the cards. then write on each: the mighty mammoth pumpkin will be on exhibition at mrs. blanks, from 7 to 11 p. m., next thursday night. you are cordially invited to come and guess its weight. get the largest pumpkin you can find and a goodly collection of shapely, medium-sized ones. make a record of the weight, the length, and the girth of the big pumpkin, then carefully cut open lengthwise and scoop out, and if trouble is no object count the seeds. fill the pumpkin with sawdust and bury in it the souvenirs, simple little trifles, orange hued penwipers, needlebooks, pincushions, etc. wrap them up in paper and bury them deep. set the pumpkin on a mat of leaves on a small table and label "hands off." each guest is given a card with a pencil attached to record his guesses. little leather covered inkstands, the exact counterpart of tiny pumpkins, and pumpkin paper weights equally as natural in appearance are appropriate for the head prizes, while pumpkin emery bags and pumpkin-shaped blotters will please the winners of the boobies. the rest of the evening may be spent in carving jack o' lanterns from, small pumpkins. the guests may be required to write a recipe for pumpkin pie which will bring forth some wonderful flights of fancy. decorate the rooms with pumpkin vases filled with chrysanthemums and have a bowl of orange fruit cup set inside of a large pumpkin for the guests' refreshment during the evening. in setting the table have a pumpkin vase of ferns and yellow and white chrysanthemums for the centerpiece. the supper is served from pumpkin dishes. select round, deep pumpkins with a stem, choosing those of a pretty color and shape. saw off the tops even, so they may be put back on the pumpkins as lids, scoop out and line with parchment paper. as this supper is very informal, sandwiches with various fillings, a rich chicken salad made with walnut meats and chopped celery, cheese and bread sticks and coffee may form the substantial part. stuffed figs and dates, bonbons and macaroons are served for the sweet course and an orange ice or snow pudding in little pumpkin paper cases. a dickens' supper. a happy selection of time for a dickens party is the christmas season, which is so peculiarly connected with so many of dickens' writings. have the rooms brilliantly lighted, and the bright berries of the christmas holly against a background of the "ivy green" which dickens loved. the hostess might dress in a handsome costume of the time of edith dombey. the guests can each represent some character of dickens. betsy trotwood, tall and rigid in stiff gown and tight cap. dora, young and blonde, with infantile manner. peggotty, buxom and tightly compressed into her gown. dick swiveller and the marchioness. mrs. tizziwig, "one vast substantial smile." madame defarge, stolid and plying her ceaseless knitting. joey b., with his swagger, "sly sir; devilish sly." mr. micawber, bland and portly. little nell and her grandfather, and so on with the characters which dickens has made living creatures indeed. gathered in the reception rooms the group will make a quaint, lovely picture to the entering guest. when all the guests have arrived cards are distributed, on each of which is a water colored sketch of some of dickens' characters. an english walnut shell tied with pink ribbon and attached to the corner of the card holds a quotation from dickens, and beneath this nut is the pertinent quotation, "the dickens to crack." a prize can be awarded to the one answering most correctly from which books the different quotations were taken. some of the pathetic scenes from dombey and son can be read by some one whose musical voice and gentle face, as well as intelligent reading, make this part especially effective. the hostess can read an extract from verses headed "the christmas carol" in pickwick papers. "my song i troll out, for xmas stout the hearty, the true and the bold; a bumper i drain and with might and main give three cheers for this christmas old! we'll usher him in with a merry din, that shall gladden his joyous heart, and we'll keep him up while there's bite or sup, and in fellowship good we'll part." pass around small glasses of egg-nog and have toasts of christmas cheer. for refreshments have delicious oyster and mushroom cream soup, cold wild duck, jelly and celery. a frozen salad after this; it is made of tomatoes (canned) cooked a little, strained, and when cold mixed with a thin mayonnaise, then frozen, making a delight for the palate. the ice is a lemon ice frozen in individual molds very hard and covered with a hot chocolate sauce, making a most delicious blending of hot and cold, sweet and sour. a tiny glass of cordial completes the repast. for the prize for the quotations have a handsome copy of christmas stories tied with red ribbons and ornamented with a bunch of holly. for the booby prize have a bag of the buttons peggotty burst from her gown when an exuberance of emotion filled her breast. a boston supper party. when the guests assemble put them in charge of a man with a megaphone and start them through the rooms on a "seeing boston" tour. have fake tablets and different objects to represent the places of interest. these objects could be numbered and turn the "seeing boston" into a guessing contest. give each guest a note book and pencil to enter the correct name opposite the correct number. this can include side trips to lexington, concord, bedford, etc. take the folders and circulars of a trip through boston, cut out the tiny pictures, mount on grey paper, letter with white ink and give them as souvenirs. or remove all lettering and use these pictures as a contest, asking the guests to name the pictures correctly. for amusement have "paul revere's ride" acted in pantomine, or charades on the different names. for supper serve pork and baked beans, boston brown bread, pie, tea, etc. tiny earthen bean-pots, spectacles, handbags, imitation folders--any of these things would do for souvenirs. a yachting party. have a large room fitted up as the deck and after deck of a steam yacht. to reach the room have the guests climb through a hatchway. steamer chairs and nautical paraphernalia fill the deck and a dozen life preservers hang conveniently near. have all the necessary rigging and a flag pole floating the yacht flag. the host and his guests should wear yachting costumes and the souvenirs be tiny red and green lanterns for the men and yacht stickpins for the girls. the menu cards are decorated with the insignia of the yacht and couched in nautical terms. serve the following menu: _oysters in block of ice_ _celery, stuffed olives, salted wafers_ _rum omelet_ _cold ham, cold tongue, olives_ _pate de fois gras sandwiches, rare beef sandwiches_ _roquefort cheese, hard crackers_ _grape fruit salad_ _coffee_ a butterfly supper. under the chandeliers, in corners and doorways, have butterflies fluttering from invisible silver wires. these butterflies are made from delicate hued crepe paper, their wings marked with rings of ruby, green, blue, gold and silver. each guest is offered a butterfly on entering the drawing room; the men wearing them as boutonniers, the women putting them in their hair. the host fastens a large paper butterfly, minus one wing and the antennæ, to a curtain hung across a window. each guest, in turn, blindfolded, tests his idea of distance in trying to pin the wing and antennæ on the butterfly. a set of six paper butterfly princess lamp shades is the woman's head prize. a butterfly whisk holder, containing a silver handled brush, is given the equally lucky man. the "boobies" are a miniature lantern and a toy spy-glass. in the dining room this supper is served. first a fruit drink, lemonade or grape juice. on the plate on which the glass cup rests have a small bunch of purple grapes. decorate fish plates with lemon baskets holding the sauce tartare. with broiled chops serve stuffed tomatoes and corn pudding moulded in cups with white sauce flavored with onion. serve raspberry ice. for salad serve pears and german cherries sweetened. for dessert serve the nutmeg muskmelons filled with ice cream or ice. have a tin-smith make a butterfly shaped cake cutter, four inches across the wings. bake these cakes in a quick oven, ice them white, pink and green and then mark with rings of a contrasting color of icing. the centre scarf and doilies, of fine white linen, for the dining table, have a cut-out butterfly border worked with white silk and gold thread. a fairy rose-tree, trained on a bamboo trellis, the pot dressed in skirts of white and green paper and sash of satin ribbon, makes a most effective centre piece. paper butterflies shade the candles, and a crepe paper covered box of bonbons, with a butterfly hovering over the top, stands beside each plate. decorate the name cards with sketches of butterflies. young married couples' supper. for the young married couples' supper carry out the heart-shape idea. outline large heart in smilax on the table. have the smilax at least three inches wide. dot it with clusters of roses, lilies of the valley or any preferred flower. in the center have a mound of the same flowers and between the center and the smilax place individual candlesticks with white candles and shades to match the flowers. a few single flowers may be scattered over the cloth. for a menu serve a fruit cup in the parlor before asking the guests to the dining room. at the table have first hot bouillon with a bit of lemon in it. have the main course fried chicken and rice with shoestring potatoes, tiny red radishes, creamed cauliflower, pickles and hot rolls. creamed sweetbreads on toast may be used for a course if wished. serve salmon salad on a lettuce leaf and with it reception flakes on which grated cheese has been sprinkled and the wafers put in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. to serve the chicken take a large chop plate, pile the rice in a snowy mound in the center and place the pieces of chicken around it, serving a spoonful of rice with each piece of chicken. a head-dress supper party. for a head-dress party ask each guest to dress the hair in some fancy way. the men dressing in washington, jefferson and other wigs noted in history, while the ladies fix their locks according to noted beauties, queens, and others. strings of pearls, tiaras, and jewels make a beautiful display. conventional evening dress is worn in most instances, save where a ruff or frill is added to heighten the effect of the headgear. a prize is offered for the best head-dress. the minuet makes a pretty dance to finish the evening. for refreshments serve chicken salad in tomatoes hollowed out or cucumber boats, cheese wafers, stuffed olives, tiny pickles and squares of jelly, strawberries and plain vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake, coffee or chocolate. serve fruit punch during the evening. a quilting supper. build a little log cabin of twigs for the center of the supper table and arrange stick candy, bread sticks, celery, cheesesticks and other viands, log-cabin style, on pretty plates. light the table by candles in old-fashioned candlesticks. serve a hot course, oyster patties, sandwiches, potato salad, hot gingerbread, apple sauce, tea and coffee. wedding supper. first serve an orange or lemon ice. serve this in tall glasses and decorate the top of the glass with a sprig of mint. have the ice served from a tray decorated with a wreath of green or green and white. for the green have mint leaves, lemon verbena or geranium leaves or ferns. then serve chicken salad made of the breast of chicken cut in dice, celery cut coarse, and large nut meats. add sweetbreads and cucumbers to the salad if desired. mix with a white mayonnaise and serve in white head lettuce, using the cup-like outside leaves. use the tiny lettuce heart for a crown, and garnish with white radishes cut into roses, and olives cut in fancy shapes. serve plain white bread and butter sandwiches cut in hearts and rings or salted wafers. have the salad on white plates and passed from a tray trimmed in ferns or white sweet peas. have the ice cream in any fancy shape. pink hearts dotted with pink candied roseleaves makes a very pretty course. lay a pink rose on each plate. if one cannot get fancy shapes from their caterer, use the cone shaped spoon and dish the cream in shape of cones. then surmount each cone with a pink candy heart. for cakes, serve cocoanut balls or squares of white cake covered with pink or green icing. serve these from a tray or platter covered with pink and white sweet peas, putting the cakes in among the flowers. have the wedding cake on a flower trimmed table under a gay little canopy and have the bride cut it the last thing, after coffee is passed. a waffle supper. let us have a waffle party and introduce some of the men to more intimate acquaintance with the mysteries of the cuisine. flat dwellers (the word always reminds me of "cliff dwellers") seem to consider that the propinquity of the kitchen makes entertaining a difficult matter, but if the truth were known, it makes possible many a winter evening's jollity. the invitations are made of cream white satin, fashioned in the exact shape and size of a waffle section, padded with white cotton wadding and tacked to simulate the meeting place of the irons. they are then scorched to the right color with a hot iron and on them is printed in sepia tints "come and eat me;" on the reverse side is printed date "----, at 8 p. m. ---ave." use the abbreviated forms for this lettering on account of the difficulty encountered from limited space and the writing on satin. before the evening arrives prepare cards about four by six inches, in the center of which print a much praised recipe for waffles, reading as follows: six cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; four cups milk; three tablespoonfuls butter; one and one-half teaspoonfuls salt; nine eggs beaten separately. mix flour, baking powder and salt, yolks with milk, then melted butter, flour and last the beaten whites. in the upper left hand corner of the card have a small pen and ink sketch of some cooking utensil and in the right hand corner a number. in the center a ribbon for fastening. the utensils are as follows: 1. waffle irons. 2. mixing bowl. 3. milk bottle. 4. salt box. 5. eggs. 6. egg beater. 7. butter. 8. flour sieve. it is possible to introduce as many different cooking utensils as there are guests. after half an hour's visit let the guests all repair to the kitchen where the numbered articles are to be found. no. 1, to whom is apportioned the two waffle irons, lights the gas under them, greases the irons when hot with a square of salt pork on the end of a fork and--later--cooks the first waffle, but that comes later on. each secures his special utensil. the master of ceremonies takes charge and calls off the various ingredients in proper order. number 2 warms the mixing bowl slightly, number 3 unstoppers the milk and measures it, number 4 measures the salt, number 5 breaks the eggs and beats the yolks, number 6 beats the whites, number 7 melts the butter, number 8 measures the flour, number 9 produces and measures the baking powder, etc. finally, when all is ready and the master of ceremonies has superintended the proper mixing, the rest adjourn to the dining room, leaving numbers one and two to bake the first waffles. the master of ceremonies sits at the head and the numbers run consecutively from his right. the swinging doors through the butler's pantry are propped open so as not to isolate the cooks and the supper begins. at one end of the table have a medium sized veal loaf, at the other a mould of tongue jellied with hard boiled eggs. chocolate is poured at one side of the table, coffee at the other. marmalade, pickles and graham bread cut thin and made into sandwiches are placed in small dishes. two large bowls of whipped cream with small bowls of powdered sugar, two pitchers of maple syrup boiled down and beaten until thick as batter, are for service with the waffles. by the time the meats are served, the first sets of waffles are ready and the cooks pass them around. the next couple then pass to the kitchen to bake the next sets and so on until all are served. the bohemian picnic supper. an indoor moonlight picnic is a new diversion. the lights should be hidden by soft white silk shades, giving a moonlight effect, and the rooms decorated with foliage plants. a fishpond with grotesque objects, including a live mermaid, (a man in startling costume), is one feature. in one room is a "merry-go-round." the chairs are placed in a circle and a graphaphone in the center plays popular tunes. at 10 o'clock the doors to the dining room are opened. the table cloth is spread on the floor, surrounded by cushions. in one corner of the room are the baskets containing the supper of sandwiches, olives, pickles, baked beans, cake, pie and other picnic favorites. the girls take the viands from the baskets and arrange them on the floor, while the men serve coffee from a coffee boiler on a small table. during the meal each guest is obliged to describe some picnic he has attended or pay a forfeit. a railroad party. have a "railroad party" if you like the refreshing flavor of informality at your social functions. have the invitations read, "an excursion on the funville, frolictown & featherbrain railway." to begin with, the rapidly gathering guests "getting aboard" are greeted by the hostess and her receiving party, who cover their evening attire with spic-and-span linen dusters and caps. down the line are distributed a miscellaneous collection of peregrinating paraphernalia from the red and white cotton umbrella, which the hostess resolutely grasps in the middle, to the omnipresent hand-box and the traditional bird cage. with a final "all aboard" from a bustling man in regulation railway uniform, accompanied by the clanging of a bell, the trip to interesting cities begins. the conductor, in blue coat and brass buttons, promptly appears, to distribute tickets to the animated tourists. these tickets are in booklet form, inside the covers being an eighteen-inch pink paper ticket. at the top is a space for the excursionist's name, and further down a series of spaces where the excursionist is to write the names of the various stations at which the train is to stop. the name of the station is suggested by a preceding statement. this ticket, including "rules and regulations," as well as correct insertions for the stations, reads as follows: the funville, frolictown & featherbrain railway. _excursion ticket_ _issued to_ ............................................... _tuesday_, ------ _good for one trip only._ rules and regulations. this ticket is not transferable, reversible, or salable. it must be signed by the person to whom it is assigned. the conductor will not punch this ticket. punch is prohibited on this railroad. if you cannot crack these nuts call on the brakeman. do not pull the bell rope; this is not a pullman car. the company will not be responsible for cattle killed by the carelessness of the passengers who throw crackers out of the window. doctors are not provided on this train, but if you have the grip it can be checked by the baggage master. the porter is the car-pet and he has to have his tax. _the first station at which this train stops is:_ that for which our forefathers fought. independence. _the second is:_ a female habiliment. galveston. _the third is:_ a military defense and a paris dressmaker. fort worth. _the fourth is:_ an ancient city whose downfall, after a long siege, avenged the abduction of a woman. troy. _the fifth is:_ an accident which generally gives one a ducking. bath. _the sixth is:_ an opera encore. sing sing. _the seventh is:_ a city whose end and aim is "go." chicago. _the eighth is:_ begins with an exclamation, appeals to maternity, ends with a laugh. omaha. _the ninth is:_ a board of city fathers, in connection with a precipice. council bluffs. _the tenth is:_ where the seat of affection is easily waded. hartford. _the eleventh is:_ one of the apostles. st. paul. _the twelfth is:_ a woman's monday occupation and two thousand pounds. washington. _the thirteenth is:_ an infernal region, a girl's name. helena. _the fourteenth is:_ what a young man called when his sweetheart anna was drowning. savannah. _the fifteenth is:_ an afflicted stream. cripple creek. _the sixteenth is:_ a small geological formation. rock island. _the seventeenth is:_ what most old maids desire to find. manitou. _the eighteenth is:_ a pleasing beverage and a period. wyandotte. _the nineteenth is:_ outward sign of spiritual grace and exclamation. sacramento. _the twentieth is:_ a young miss and a slang term of coin. gallatin. _the twenty-first is:_ the father of democracy and a large town. jefferson city. _the twenty-second is:_ an extinct king of the prairies. buffalo. _the twenty-third is:_ a girl's name, a laugh and a tumble. minnehaha falls. _the twenty-fourth is:_ that upon which we rely. providence. _the twenty-fifth is:_ a bandmaster's staff and a society girl's cheeks. baton rouge. appropriate prizes--leather traveling bags--are awarded to excursionists who have done the most sight seeing--that is, who have guessed the names of most of the stations. in the mean time small boys in uniform pass through the "parlor cars" dispensing to the passengers such train delectables as popcorn and peanuts, while other uniformed youths pass lemonade in the time-honored tin receptacle with glasses in openings at the side. suddenly the station supper gong is sounded and the brisk announcement made, "twenty minutes for refreshments." thereupon the lively excursionists proceed in sections to the dining room where the novel feature of the railroad party is cleverly carried out. along one end of the room is constructed a high lunch counter with every equipment of the metropolitan station. there is the steaming coffee urn, the familiar glass covers under which repose pumpkin pie and doughnuts, old-fashioned cake-stands with fruit, and so on. bright colored placards on the wall announce the eatables, including chicken and ham sandwiches, stuffed eggs, hokey-pokey ice cream, assorted cakes, coffee, chocolate and milk. the floral decorations in this "buffet car" are effective. the white cloth that covers the counter and extends to the floor is festooned with strings of smilax and spotted with sprays of fern. on top of the counter is a huge bowl of scarlet roses, and two immense palms behind the lunch counter make a pleasing background. in all the coaches, in fact, flowers and foliage are used in profusion. literary supper. give each guest a card numbered, and ask him to draw thereon a picture which shall illustrate some well-known novel. when all have finished have them pass the cards and on a second numbered list write the titles of the books illustrated. give a prize for the most perfect list and the best illustration. let the guests vote on the best illustration. or, pin on the back of a guest the name of a character in a book, or the name of an author, and let him by questions discover his own identity. if he fails to guess and has to be told, he sits down. if he guesses correctly, another name is pinned on his back, and another, and so on. the one guessing the greatest number of names receives the prize, which may be simply a bunch of flowers. ask each guest to wear something representing the title of a book. give each a number as he enters and a list of numbers and let all place correct names opposite the numbers on their lists. write a simple love story, leaving blanks to be filled with names of books. this may be written on a large sheet of paper or on a blackboard, the blanks numbered and each guest given a numbered list to place words intended to fill blanks, or enough copies may be made for each guest to have a copy. partners for supper may be found by cutting quotations in half and matching them again. or one guest may be given the name of a book to find his partner in the author; or he may receive a slip containing the name of some man character in fiction, to find his partner in the corresponding woman character, as "david copperfield" would seek "dora," "mr. micawber" would seek "mrs. micawber," etc. serve pressed chicken or veal cut in squares resting on cress; sandwiches of white grapes and nuts, chopped pickle; fruit salad served in white lettuce leaves, cheese crackers, ice cream or ices, cake, coffee or chocolate. make the cheese crackers by spreading a thin layer of cheese on the crackers and toasting them in the oven. a peanut party. write invitations on cards cut out and painted to represent peanuts. have them read, "won't you come next tuesday night at 7 o'clock and help me gather my peanut crop? cordially yours," when the guests assemble the night of the party, give each one a gay calico bag and a large wooden spoon. then explain that they are to hunt for the peanuts on the lower floor of the house, and that the peanuts can only be taken up with the aid of the spoons. half an hour is allowed to gather the peanut crop, and then the bags are marked with the gatherer's name and dropped into a large straw basket--the bag containing the largest number of peanuts receives a prize. this hunt causes much merriment. when the time has expired and the bags are all in the basket, a large bowl of peanuts is put on a table and each guest given a needle and thread and told to make a necklace and pair of bracelets,--the best made set of peanut jewelry to be awarded a prize. the next feature of the evening's fun is making and dressing quaint little chinese figures of peanuts. crepe paper of various hues is provided for the costumes, and black thread for the queues. first the peanuts are strung to form the little manikins, then eyes, nose and mouth are marked on with ink. jackets and trousers are next cut and made, and the little ching-changs are dressed. pigtails are plaited and sewed on to the tops of the heads, then the hats go on and the little celestials are ready to be inspected by the judges. these dolls the guests keep as souvenirs of their skill. in the dining room have a small evergreen tree planted in a china jardiniere in the center of the supper table with little peanut owls perched on the branches of the tree. these owls have wings of light manila paper and are marked with ink to represent feathers. big, staring eyes add a touch of realism. the owls are attached to the branches, singly and in groups, with glue. for supper serve creamed chicken patties, tiny hot rolls, brandied peaches or sweet watermelon pickle; salad of cucumbers and mayonnaise served on lettuce leaves or cress, peanut butter, and chopped smoked tongue sandwiches, ice cream served in sherbet glasses, assorted cakes, coffee or chocolate. folk lore supper. engage real colored singers to give a program of songs of the southland, the old-time plantation melodies. arrange the stage with a log cabin surrounded by sunflowers in the background and a cotton field in foreground, and have the singers costumed as field hands. some of the best known and best liked songs include "old black joe," "swing low, sweet chariot," "nobody knows the trouble i am seeing," "nellie gray," "suawanee river," "way over jordan," "ride up in the chariot," "massa's in the cold, cold ground," "dixie." serve a fried chicken supper with rice, hot biscuits, syrup, cornpone, ice cream and cake and coffee. the program can end with buck and wing dancing, jigs and cakewalks. cake walk supper. at this cake walk there is no walking for the cake. the cakes themselves walk for prizes. ask each guest to dress representing a certain variety of cake, but concealing the name of the particular cake represented. give a prize to the person who discovers the largest number of names. one girl representing wedding cake can come with bridal veil, orange blossom wreath and shower bouquet. fruit cake may be suggested by a girl carrying a graceful basket of fruit which she distributes to the company. in her hair she may wear a crown of artificial grapes and grape leaves. a woman of very diminutive size who might be thought to be almost ineligible for the gathering because she came without insignia of any kind might represent short cake. and these are but a few of the ingenuities. the entire list is too long to give here, but each repetition is sure to call forth new ideas. the winner of the first prize receives a pretty china cake dish, while the second prize is a dainty cake knife in silver. there is a booby, too--a small cook book giving twenty-five choice recipes for cakes. the guessing of the cakes is followed by an informal supper. serve _chicken mousse with lettuce and nut salad_ _brown bread and butter sandwiches_ _olives, salted almonds_ _peach bavarian cream, fancy cakes_ _coffee_ menu and service for bridge supper party. if one wishes a dainty and appetizing menu for a card supper serve sweetbread and celery salad, stuffed olives and tiny pickles, assorted sandwiches and plain vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce, fruit cake, white cake and coffee. while the judges are counting the points for game, have the maid lay a lunch cloth on each table. serve the sweetbread salad either in cucumbers hollowed out or in red or green pepper shells, resting on a wreath of watercress. a pretty effect is secured by using alternate green and red peppers and leaving the tops with the stem for covers. tie the tiniest of red peppers to the stems with narrow green ribbon for decoration. the sweetbread salad is made of cold cooked sweetbreads and celery cut into dice and covered with mayonnaise. if one adds a few sliced almond meats and mushrooms the flavor is improved. serve ham sandwiches cut in shape of playing cards and decorated with bits of pickled beets to simulate card spots, heart shaped sandwiches of chopped green peppers and mayonnaise, cucumbers and watercress mixed with mayonnaise, plain bread and butter sandwiches, using brown and white bread. if one wishes a hot course, serve oyster or cream chicken patties and tiny hot rolls. the fork is brought on the plate with the salad or hot course. serve ice cream in the sherbet glasses with stems. place a lace paper doily on the plate, stand the glass on this and lay a pink rose on the plate. pass the hot chocolate sauce in a silver or pretty china pitcher, or have it poured over the ice cream before it is brought in. pass the coffee in after dinner coffee cups, the maid bringing in a tray full of the cups followed by an assistant with sugar, cream and after dinner coffee spoons. cut the cake into squares and pass in silver basket or handsome plate with doily. "after the theatre" menus. _cold chicken in cranberry jelly cups_ _celery and oyster patties_ _bread and butter sandwiches_ _lemon jelly with whipped cream_ _ice cream, lady fingers, cocoanut_ _macaroons_ _bonbons, coffee_ _mushroom patties_ _turkey and celery salad in lettuce cups_ _cheese and nut sandwiches_ _pineapple jelly with whipped cream_ _vanilla ice cream_ _small sponge cakes_ _coffee with whipped cream_ oyster crabs on steak. since dealers do not sell oyster crabs at reasonable rates where they know their value or have a fashionable trade, if economical, one has to find a modest oyster house where they do not bring a cent and more apiece, but are for sale in bulk. a few dozen at least are needed for the steak. oyster crabs are tiny things and they shrink in cooking. the pan must be hot with plenty of butter in it throw in the crabs whole of course, for they are wee things, clean as an oyster, and let them cook to a turn. salt and pepper them and turn them over the steak which has been broiled exactly right. the oyster crabs must be cooked so as to be ready when the steak is done. a cold supper menu for hot weather. _iced consomme_ _celery, salted wafers_ _lobster en mayonnaise, brown bread sandwiches_ _cold filet of beef_ _saratoga potatoes, jelly, brandied cherries_ _tomatoes stuffed with celery, green peppers and cucumbers_ _chicken salad_ _roquefort cheese, toasted crackers_ _ice cream in canteloupes_ _fruits, crystallized candies_ chapter vi. toasts and stories for suppers. here's to man, god's first thought, here's to woman, god's second thought; as second thoughts are best, "here's to woman." --_detroit free press_. * * * * * a health to the man on trail this night; may his grub hold out; may his dogs keep their legs; may his matches never miss fire. * * * * * to "one of the boys." here's to a jolly fellow, who is one of the boys, and stays till he gets mellow, sharing the drinks and joys. his glass he'll fill to the rim, and dash it out of sight, we can all tie to him, you bet, "he's all right!" * * * * * here's to you, as good as you are, and here's to me, as bad as i am; but as good as you are, and as bad as i am, i'm as good as you are as bad as i am! --_an old scotch toast_ * * * * * here's to the maiden of bashful fifteen here's to the widow of fifty; here's to the flaunting, extravagant queen, and here's to the housewife that's thrifty! let the toast pass; drink to the lass; i'll warrant she'll prove an excuse for the glass. --_sheridan._ * * * * * "the women, god bless them, we toast them alway, lest the women, god bless them, roast us every day." * * * * * while there's life on the lip, while there's warmth in the wine, one deep health i'll pledge, and that health shall be thine. _lucille--owen meredith._ * * * * * crown high the goblets with a cheerful draught; enjoy the present hour; adjourn the future thought. --_dryden's virgil._ * * * * * here's to love, a thing so divine, description makes it but the less; 'tis what we feel but cannot define, 'tis what we know but cannot express. * * * * * "to the salad of life. "with its laughter and tears, its blessings and joys, its mixture of peace and of strife. and may it be seasoned to each man's taste, with plenty of love for its dressing, and when we have eaten the last on the dish, let us hope it has proven a blessing." * * * * * "clink, clink your glasses and drink! why should we trouble borrow? care not for sorrow, a fig for the morrow! tonight let's be merry and drink!" * * * * * here's to the prettiest, here's to the wittiest, here's to the truest of all who are true. here's to the neatest one, here's to the sweetest one, here's to them all in one--here's to you. * * * * * "laugh at all things, great and small things, sick or well, at sea or shore; while we're quaffing, let's have laughing- who the devil cares for more." --_lord byron._ * * * * * a toast to your hair, my loved one, a toast to your beautiful hair! it rests like a crown of unmatchable brown on your brow so pure and fair. there's a charm in its lightness, an air in its brightness, that tangled my heart in its snare. then pledge me, my fair one, my loved one, my rare one, a toast to your beautiful hair! --_bayard bacon._ * * * * * woman. the fairest work of the great author. the edition is large and no man can afford to be without a copy. * * * * * he is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she. --_shakespeare._ * * * * * to friendship--it improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.--_cicero._ * * * * * ho gentlemen! lift your glasses up- each gallant, each swain and lover- a kiss to the beads that brim in the cup a laugh for the foam spilt over! for the soul is a-lift and the heart beats high, and care has unloosened its tether; "now drink," said the sage, "for tomorrow we die!" so let's have a toast together. * * * * * swing the goblet aloft; to the lips let it fall; then bend you the knee to address her; and to drink gentle sirs, to the queen of us all- to the woman that's good--god bless her!- and i pledge my last toast, ere i go to my rest- o fortunate earth to possess her!- to the dear tender heart in the little white breast of the woman that's good--god bless her! * * * * * here's to the girl that's good and sweet here's to the girl that's true, here's to the girl that rules my heart- in other words, here's to you. * * * * * here's to the land of the shamrock so green, here's to each lad and his darling coleen here's to the ones we love dearest and most and may god save old ireland,--that's an irishman's toast. * * * * * a toast to thanksgiving, a pæan of praise, a health to our forefathers brave; may we honor the deeds they have done in the past, hold sacred all that they gave. --_estelle foreman._ * * * * * an englishman's frank toast. in cosmopolitan los angeles there are five gentlemen companions, each representing a different nationality, who from frequent association have become intimate friends. one is a russian, one a turk, one a frenchman, one an american and one an englishman. these five frequently assemble together and tell of the comparative merits of the respective countries they represented and thus their companionship is a source of instruction as well as entertainment. recently they gave a champagne supper to which a few friends were invited. during the course of this dinner it was proposed that each of the five give a toast to his native country, the one giving the best toast to be at no expense for the feast. the result was these toasts: the russian--"here's to the stars and bars of russia, that were never pulled down." the turk--"here's to the moons of turkey whose wings were never clipped." the frenchman--"here's to the cock of france, whose feathers were never picked." the american--"here's to the stars and stripes of america, never trailed in defeat." the englishman--"here's to the rampin' roarin' lion of great britain, that tore down the stars and bars of russia, clipped the wings of turkey, picked the feathers off the cock of france, and ran like h--l from the stars and stripes of the united states of america." the englishman was at no expense for the feast. * * * * * "why, patrick, you seem to be in great pain--you have taken something that disagrees with you." "yes, doctor, i swallowed a potato bug be accident, and although i took some paris green a minute after it don't quiet the disgraceful little baste. he's racing up and down and all round inside of me." * * * * * "if you would refuse occasionally when those hateful men ask you to drink," said mrs. booce, "you would not be coming home in this condition. you lack firmness of character." "don't you b'leeve nossin' of the sort," said mr. booce, with much dignity. "the fellers tried to start me home more'n two hours ago." * * * * * guest--"am i the unlucky thirteener?" host--"no, you're the lucky fourteener. you're to fill up the gap." guest--"all right; i've brought it with me." * * * * * "suppose you come and dine with us tomorrow?" "wouldn't the day after do just as well?" inquired the poor relation. "certainly; but where are you going to dine tomorrow?" "oh, here. you see, your wife was kind enough to ask me for that occasion." * * * * * at a dinner given in a home that was marked for the literary acquirements of its members the conversation naturally turned to books and their authors. this was not much to the liking of one young woman, who was more noted for her skill at golf and kindred sports than for her knowledge of romance and history. from time to time she attempted to start a discussion of outdoor games, but to no avail. at last her companion at the table turned to her with the inquiry: "and do you not like kipling?" the fair young thing knitted her brows in thought for a moment, then answered blithely: "kipling? i don't believe it has been introduced in our set yet. how do you kipple, anyway?" * * * * * book agent--"is the lady of the house in?" cook--"we're _all_ ladies here, yez moonkey-faced divil! if yez mane the _mishtress_, say so!" * * * * * a sunday-school teacher recently told her class about the cruelty of docking horses, says our dumb animals. "can any little girl tell me," she said, "of an appropriate verse of scripture referring to such treatment?" a small girl rose and said solemnly, "what god hath joined together, let no man put asunder." * * * * * i am reminded of a sick man who had a talking wife. a doctor was sent for to prescribe for the husband. when he left he said to the wife: "your husband is not dangerously ill. all he needs is rest, so i have prescribed this opiate." "how often shall i give it to him?" she asked. "oh, don't give it to him at all. take it yourself." * * * * * scene: the bar parlour of the prince george, brighton. pipes and beer all round. an old salt saying:-"i've got a riddle to ask you chaps. if a 'erring and a 'alf cost three farthings 'ow many could you buy for sixpence?" profound silence, and much puffing of pipes. presently a voice from the corner:-"i say, bill, did you say 'errings?" "yes, i said 'errings." "drat it, i've been a-reckoning of mackerel all this 'ere time!" * * * * * "an' phwat are yez a-doin' wid that pig in the sea?" "shure, an' i'm a makin' salt pork av him afore i kill him." * * * * * a story is told of a man who, having submitted himself to the manipulation of a venerable barber was told: "do you know, sah, you remind me so much of dan'l webster?" "indeed," he said, "shape of my head, i suppose?" this staggered the aged colored man somewhat. he had not expected that there would be a call for an explanatory superstructure. "no, sah," he stammered in reply; "not yo' head, sah, it's yo' breff." * * * * * "speaking of mushrooms and toadstools, gentlemen," chimed in dumley, "a friend of mine not long ago gathered a quantity of what he supposed were mushrooms, and took 'em home. his wife cooked 'em and the whole family ate heartily of 'em." "and did they all die?" inquired the crowd, very much shocked. "no, they happened to be mushrooms, you see," replied dumley with a far-a-away look in his eye, "but it was a narrow escape." * * * * * he was enjoying an ear of corn in the good, old-fashioned way. "you look as if you were playing the flute," his hostess remarked, smiling. "oh, no," was the amiable retort; "it's a cornet i'm playing, by ear." * * * * * london landlady (to shivering lodger).--no, sir, i don't object to your dining at a restorong, nor to taking an 'apenny paper, but i must resent your constant 'abit of locking up your whiskey, thereby himplying that me, a clergyman's daughter, is prone to larceny. * * * * * "pat," said his young wife, "i wish you wouldn't put your knife in your mouth when you eat." "an' phwere would yez hev me put it," said pat, in astonishment, "in me eyes?" * * * * * first lady--"what birthday presents are you going to give to your husband?" second lady--"a hundred cigars." first lady--"and what did you pay for them?" second lady--"oh, nothing! for the last few months i have taken one or two out of his box every day. he hasn't noticed it, and will be pleased with my little present and the fine quality of the cigars." * * * * * arabella (scared)--"oh, mammy! miss smiff say her ole man gits fits eb'ry time he come home drunk an' i's 'fraid i done cotch 'um." mammy--"g'wan, chile; fits ain' ketchin'." arabella--"dey mus' be, kase miss smiff says she give 'em to him herse'f." * * * * * mistress (greatly scandalized)--"is it possible, hannah, you are making bread without having washed your hands?" new kitchen girl--"lor', what's the difference, mum? it's brown bread." * * * * * family physician--"i'm afraid you have been eating too much cake and candy. let me see your tongue." little girl--"oh, you can look at it, but it won't tell." * * * * * "patrick, you told me you needed the alcohol to clean the mirrors with, and here i find you drinking it." "faix, mum, it's drinkin' it and brathin' on the glass oi'm a-doin'." * * * * * a clergyman was being shaved by a barber who had evidently become unnerved by the previous night's dissipation. finally he cut the clergyman's chin. the latter looked up at the artist reproachfully and said, "you see, my man, what comes of hard drinking." "yes, sir," replied the barber, consolingly, "it makes the skin tender." * * * * * they began by making much of his office, and the great qualities necessary to properly fill it. they laid stress upon the decay of the standard of fitness, and congratulated themselves that they had at last met with an instance where the man did honor to the office. the mayor stood it for some time, and then in the blandest manner remarked: "you make me more worthy, gentlemen, than i really am. i am not a genius, nor yet am i a sot or a simpleton, but rather, if you will permit such self measurement, something between the two." * * * * * first quick lunch waitress--"say, but that dude is gone on molly!" second quick lunch waitress (enviously)--"ain't he? when he orders 'beans and draw one and sinkers' from her he puts such love in it that it sounds like 'paddy defoy grass, coffee o'lay and parker house rolls.'" * * * * * "will you have a piece of the pie, mr. goodman?" asked bobby's mother of the minister. "thanks, no," he replied. "will you, bobby," she inquired. "no, i think not," said bobby, rather hesitating. the minister looked at bobby in surprise. "i thought all little boys were fond of pie," he said. "they are," replied bobby. "i could eat that hull pie, but ma said if you didn't take any i mustn't, and she'd save it for tomorrow." games for everybody by may c. hofmann foreword every one is fond of having a good time when invited out to a party or social. sometimes a stupid evening has been spent because either the guests were not congenial or the hostess had not planned good games. the purpose of this book is to furnish just what is needed for a pleasant home gathering, church social, or any other indoor occasion. very few, if any, of these games require much preparation. just use what is in the house, follow the directions given, and a good time will be the result. some of the games for "adults" can be played by the younger ones, and _vice versa_. other games, by being changed a little by the hostess, can be made to suit the occasion. many of the good old games that every one has played are here, while the newer ones, which may be strange at first, will prove most enjoyable when every one has "caught on," as the saying is. m.c.h. contents i. games for children animal show. chase the rabbit. soap-bubble contest. rose guess. new blind man's buff. finding flowers. bean-bag contest. blowing the feathers. school. hide the thimble. fan ball. spool flower hunt. marble contest. passing by. the serpent's tail. little bo-peep. spool armies. spinning for 20. shoe hunt. hop-over. bouquet. making squares. simple simon's silly smile. tea-pot. blind man's buff. cat and mouse. musical chairs. button, button. statues. our cook doesn't like peas. hold fast, let go. simon says. old soldier. hide and seek. hang-man. bird, beast, or fish. peter piper. look out for the bear! hoop race. button fun. steps. he can do little. wink. double tag. puss in the corner. i have a basket. still pond, no more moving. ring on a string. hunt the slipper. what is my thought like? oranges and lemons. red-hot potato. judge and jury. reuben and rachel. frog in the middle. horsemen. my house, your house. malaga grapes. ii. games for adults spoon pictures. boots, without shoes. proverbs. animal, vegetable, or mineral. what time is it? it. how, when, where. buz. jenkins up! state outlines. prefixes. my father had a rooster! cross questions and crooked answers. magic writing. famous numbers. magic answers. modelling. scissors crossed or uncrossed. capping verses. rabbit. ghost. what am i? needle threading. confusions. verbal authors. pin doll babies. building sentences. geography. what would you do if--? watch trick. find your better-half. words letters. seeing and remembering. live tit-tat-to. bits of advice. pictures. household gossip. table football. musical medley. another musical medley. passing clothespins. pantomime. birds fly. trips around the world. jack's alive. going a-fishing. consequences. personal conundrums. hunting the whistle. the five senses. wiggles. telegram. spelling match. poor pussy. guesses. nut race. torn flowers. spearing peanuts. peanut hunt and scramble. musical illustrations. an apple hunt. shouting proverbs. baker's dozen. peanut contest. definitions. alphabetical answers. pitch basket. who am i? progressive puzzles. tit for tat. eye-guessing. the prince of wales. commerce. laugh a little. location. fashion notes. stray syllables. quaker meeting. magic music. patchwork illustrations. biography. orchestra. who is my next-door neighbor? fire. the months. bell buff. postman. spooney fun. cities. going to china. a penny for your thoughts. misquoted quotations. literary salad. broken quotations. parcel delivery. who are they? swaps. talking shop. sight unseen. a study in zoology. auction sale the genteel lady. rhymes. art gallery. hunting for book-titles. iii. games for special days jack frost. magic candles. the lucky or unlucky slipper. cakes. valentines. initial compliments. heart hunt. heart pricks. valentine puzzle. hearts and mittens. riven hearts. proposals. washington's birthday. april first. easter egg race. suspended eggs. egg race. rolling eggs. bunny's egg. july fourth. flags of all nations. our flag. hallowe'en. hallowe'en stories. hallowe'en fates. some more fates. water charm. over the cider mugs. ships of fate. cake with candles. hunt the squirrel. christmas tree. christmas guesses. christmas wreath. christmas candles. a game within a game. toss the goodies. snowballs. decking santa claus. part i. games for children. animal show. an amusing game for children is one in which each child is to make some sort of animal out of vegetables or fruit, and toothpicks. when all the children have arrived, pass around slips of paper containing a number and the name of some animal. each one must keep secret what his animal is to be. let the hostess prepare a basket of vegetables, potatoes, beets, carrots, and fruits, lemons, bananas, etc., suitable for the occasion, from which the children can take their choice to make their animals. plenty of toothpicks must be provided for the legs, ears and tails. allow five minutes for constructing the creatures. then collect the specimens, pinning a number corresponding to the one on the slip, to its back, and arrange the "show" on a table. many queer sights will be seen. the children, having received pencil and paper, should be told to write down the number of each animal, and opposite it what the animal is intended to represent. a prize can be given to the one who has guessed the greatest number correctly. chase the rabbit. all the children kneel on the floor in a ring with hands on each other's shoulders. one is chosen to be the "rabbit" and runs around outside the ring and touches one of the players, who is to chase him to his "hole." the minute the player is touched he must run to the left, while the rabbit goes to the right, must tag the rabbit when they pass each other and try to get back to the "hole" again. if he fails, he becomes the "rabbit," and the game goes on as before. soap-bubble contest. provide each child with a clay pipe and prepare two basins of soap suds for the game. if a little glycerine is put in the water, the bubbles will last longer. divide the company into two sides, an even number in each. stretch a cord or rope at a medium height across the middle of the room. two children, one from each side, play at a time. each stands on his side, blows the bubble from the pipe and blows it toward the opposite side, and over the rope if he can. if it goes over the rope without breaking, he has won one point for his side, if not, his side has lost. tally is kept as each set plays, and the side that has the most points, wins, and surely deserves a prize. rose guess. any child can play this simple game. take a full blown rose and hold it up where all can see it, then let them write on a slip of paper how many petals they think are in the rose. the petals are then counted by one of the children and the one who guesses the nearest, receives a prize. any flower with many petals, can be used. new blind man's buff. the one who is chosen for the "blind man" does not have his eyes bandaged as in the old game. stretch a sheet between two doors and place a light, candle or lamp, on a table some distance from the sheet. the "blind man" sits on the floor or low chair in front of the light facing the sheet, but he must be so low down that his shadow will not appear on the sheet. the children form a line and march single file between the light and the "blind man," who is not allowed to turn around. thus their shadows are thrown on the sheet and as they pass, the "blind man" must guess who they are. the children may disguise their walk and height, so as to puzzle him. as soon as the "blind man" guesses one correctly, that one takes his place and becomes "blind man," while the former takes his place in the procession, and the game proceeds as before, but the children had better change places, so the new "blind man" won't know their positions. finding flowers. a very simple game for children is one played like the old-fashioned "london bridge." two children with joined hands stand opposite each other, and the rest form a ring and pass under the raised hands, while they repeat, "we're seeking a pansy, a pansy, a pansy, we've found one here." as they say "here," the raised hands close around the child who was passing by, and "pansy" takes the place of the one who caught her, and she names some other flower which is to be found, and the game goes on as before, substituting that flower for pansy. then it continues until all the flowers are "found." bean-bag contest. prepare an even number of bean bags of moderate size, half of one color and half of another. appoint leaders, who choose the children for their respective sides. there should be an even number on each side. the opponents face each other, with the leader at the head, who has the bag of one color at his side. the bags are to be passed, 1st, with right hand, 2d, with left hand, 3d, with both hands, 4th, with right hand over left shoulder, 5th, with left hand over right shoulder. before the contest begins, it is best to have a trial game, so all understand how to pass the bags. at a given signal, the leaders begin, and pass the bags as rapidly as possible down the line, observing all the directions. the last one places them on a chair, until all have been passed, and then he sends them back, observing the same rules, until all have reached the leader. the side who has passed them back to the leader first, and has done so successfully, is the winning side. blowing the feathers. the children are seated on the floor, around a sheet or tablecloth. this is held tight by the players about 1 1/2 ft. from the floor, and a feather is placed in the middle. one is chosen to be out, and at a given signal from the leader, the feather is blown from one to the other, high and low, never allowed to rest once. the player outside runs back and forth, trying to catch the feather. when he does succeed, the person on whom it rested or was nearest to, must take his place. school. the players sit in a circle, and each takes the name of some article found in the schoolroom, such as desk, rubber, blackboard, etc. one of the players stands in the center and spins a plate on end; as he does so, he calls out the name of an article which one of the players has taken. the person named must jump up and catch the plate before it stops spinning. if he is too slow, he must pay a forfeit. it is then his turn to spin the plate. hide the thimble. all the players but one, leave the room. this one hides a thimble in a place not too conspicuous, but yet in plain sight. then the others come in, and hunt for the thimble; the first one seeing it, sits down and remains perfectly quiet until all the others have found it. the first one who saw it, takes his turn to hide it. fan ball. make two balls, one red and one blue, out of paper thus-[illustration: a drawing of three identical circles of paper. no. 1 should have slits on the top, bottom, left, and right. no. 2 should have slits on the left, right, and a vertical slit in the center. no. 3 should have vertical and horizontal slits intersecting in the center.] slip no. 1 in no. 2, and no. 3 fits over and bisects the other two. appoint two leaders who choose their teams; each team takes a ball and a palm leaf fan. goals--three chairs, one at each end of the room and one in the center, at equal distance from others. two play at a time, one player from each side. the player stands in front of his goal and at the word "ready," fans his ball to the opposite goal. it must go through the back of the chair in the middle of the room, and through the opposite goal, in order to win. when all have finished playing, the team which has the most successful players in it, wins the game. spool flower hunt. gather together as many spools as possible, marking each with a separate letter, which, when put together, will form the name of some flower, such as: rose, violet, daisy, pansy, etc. stand all the spools in a row, those forming names standing together. one child, the gardener, gathers up all the spools and hides them in all the corners and out-of-the-way places in the room, only one spool being in each place. when all are hidden, the children are summoned in to hunt for the flowers. the object is to find such spools as form a name. as the spools are found, the children see if the letters on them spell a flower. when the hunt is over, the one having the most complete sets of flowers is the winner. marble contest. cut five holes of different sizes in the lid of a pasteboard box. number the largest hole 5; the next largest 10; the next, 20; the next, 50; and the smallest, 100. place the box on the floor and give each child an equal number of marbles. the object of the game is to see which child can count the most by dropping the marbles into the box through the holes. each player in turn stands over the box, holds his arm out straight, even with the shoulder, and drops the marbles one by one into the box. if one goes through the largest hole it counts 5, if through the smallest, 100, and so on, count being kept for each player. the one scoring the greatest number of points is the winner. passing by. an amusement for children on a train, or at home when it is raining, is the following, and it will help to while away the time. if there are several children, choose sides and appoint one to keep the count for his side. each side sits by a different window and watches the passers-by. every man counts 1; every women 2; baby 3; animal 5; white horse 10; black cat 50. as a child sees someone passing, he calls out the number for his side; if a woman, he says 2; if a man and woman together, it will be 3, and so on. if the children are looking upon the same street the side that calls its number out first adds it to its score. it is more exciting if the different sides have different streets to look out on. if on a train, one side sits on the right and the other on the left, and when an object is seen, they call out right, 5, or left, as the case may be, for the mother, or older person to put down on the score card. the side which succeeds in reaching 100 first is the winning side. if the trip is long, 500 can be the limit. the serpent's tail. this is a japanese game, and is played this way. all the children form a line, each resting his hands on the shoulders of the player in front of him. one child is chosen out, and is called the "catcher." the first child of the line, or "serpent," is called the "head," and the last one, the "tail." the "catcher" stands about three feet from the "head" and when someone gives a signal he tries to catch the "tail" without pushing anyone, or breaking through the line. the children forming the "body" defend the "tail," by moving about in any way they choose, but the line must never be broken, as the "tail" is considered caught if it is. when the "tail" is caught, the "catcher" becomes "head," and the "tail" is then "catcher," the last child in the line being "tail," and the game goes on as before. little bo-peep. dress the little girl in whose honor the party is given as little bo-peep, with a little crook. hide small toy sheep all over the room in every nook and corner. as each child comes, give her a little stick fixed up like a crook, and tell the children to find the sheep. after the hunt is over, award the child who found the most sheep some little prize. each may keep the sheep she finds. if the party is in honor of a little boy, change it to "little boy blue," and have horns instead of crooks. spool armies. children may derive a lot of fun from a large supply of empty spools of all shapes and sizes. pieces of cotton batting stuck in the opening at the top may serve as heads. for the "army" gather together as many spools of the same size as you can, numbering each one. choose a large spool for the general. arrange them in rows with the general at the head of a chair or box. a small ball, or pieces of muslin knotted into small balls, will serve as ammunition. when the battle begins, each child aims at the general, endeavoring to knock him over, and as many others as he can. the score is counted after each attack. if a spool has fallen over, but not off the chair, it counts but half its number; if on the floor, it is "dead," and the whole number is counted. spinning for 20. on a board or piece of cardboard, mark with pencil or ink, the design illustrated, the size of the circles varying with the size of the board. [illustration: 4 concentric circles, numbered 20, 15, 10, and 5.] a top may be made out of an empty spool by taking one end of it and sticking a piece of wood, pointed at one end about an inch long, through it. each spool makes two tops which are spun with the thumb and forefinger. a penny may be used to spin, in fact any small thing that spins will do for a top. number the circles as in the diagram. place the top on the dot in the center of circle 20 and spin it. the number of the circle the top stops on, is the number scored. if on a line it counts for the circle next it. if outside the line of circle 5 it counts nothing. any number can play and any number, such as 100 or more, may be the score. shoe hunt. shoes, four inches long, are cut out of cardboard, from patterns found in catalogues. the pairs are mixed and hidden all over the room, high and low, behind pictures, under mats, etc. the girl or boy finding the greatest number of shoes that prove to be pairs receives a prize. to add to the merriment, several pairs of real shoes may be hidden, too, and the children will enjoy hunting for the mates. hop-over. fun for the children is in store when they play this game. all stand in a circle, not too near each other. one player stands in the center, holding a rope, or stout cord, at the end of which is attached a weight of some kind. at the word "ready" the one in the center whirls the cord rapidly around near the floor. the players, to prevent it from touching their feet, hop over it as it approaches them. in a short time every one is hopping and a lively time ensues. the one whose feet were touched takes the center place and endeavors to hit some other player's feet. bouquet. this is played similarly to "stage-coach." any number of children can play it. one is chosen out and is called the "gardener." all the children sit in a circle and the "gardener" gives each one in turn the name of some flower. when all are named the "gardener" stands in the center of the circle and tells how he has gone to the woods to gather certain flowers, how he has transplanted them to form a lovely garden, the care he has to take of them, and so on, telling quite a long story and bringing in the names of all the flowers he has given to the children. as a flower is mentioned, the child who has that name rises, turns around, and sits down again. anyone who fails to rise when his flower is named must pay a forfeit. when the gardener says something about a bouquet, all the children rise and exchange seats. then the "gardener" tries to get a seat, and if he succeeds, the person who has no seat becomes the "gardener" and the game goes on as before. making squares. make a square or rectangle of dots, as shown on page 26. provide the children with pencils. each one makes a line joining two dots but tries to prevent the others from making a square. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-. . . .-. . |a| | | .-.-.-. . . . |a| | | .-. . . . .-. |a| | | .-.-.-. .-.-. |b|b| | .-.-. .-. . . | . .-. . . .-. | | | .-.-. . . . . for a while it is easy, but soon the number of dots is scarce, and it requires careful marking to prevent the squares from being formed. finally all the chances are gone and the next player completes a square, as a reward he is given another chance, thus completing several, then he joins two dots and the next player continues. each one places his initial in his completed square, so the score is easily counted. the one who has succeeded in making the most squares is the winner. simple simon's silly smile. all the players sit in a circle and one who is bright and witty is chosen as leader. he stands in the center of the circle and asks the most ridiculous questions he can think of. the players when asked any question, must always answer "simple simon's silly smile." no other answer will do and whoever laughs or fails to say it correctly, must pay a forfeit. tea-pot. one player leaves the room, and while he is gone the rest decide upon some word which has several meanings, which he must guess when he comes in. the rest of the players converse about the word, but instead of mentioning it, say "tea-pot" in its place. suppose the word chosen is "vain." no. 1 may say: "she is altogether too tea-pot for me." (vain) no. 2 says: "the tea-pot pointed north yesterday." (vane) no. 3: "the tea-pot is blue." (vein), and so on, each in turn making some remark about the chosen word until the player has guessed it correctly. the person who gave the broadest hint about the hidden word must leave the room next. blind man's buff. it is hardly necessary to describe this game as almost everybody knows how to play it. there may be some who do not know, however, so it is included here. clear the room as much as possible, pushing all the chairs, tables, etc., against the walls. the child chosen as "buff" is blindfolded, and is asked the following question by the other children. "how many horses has your father got?" he answers "three." "what color are they?" "black, white, and gray," is answered. everyone calls out "turn around three times and catch whom you may." "buff" turns around, and then tries to catch whoever he can. the children try to escape him by dodging him until finally one is caught, and before the handkerchief is raised, "buff" must guess whom he has caught. if he guesses correctly, the one caught becomes "buff." cat and mouse. the children sit in two rows facing each other, with a space between. blindfold two children, one being the "cat" and the other the "mouse." the "cat" stands at one end of the row and the "mouse" at the other. they start in opposite directions and the "cat" tries to catch the "mouse." the children may give hints as to the direction the players are to go in. when the "mouse" is caught, he becomes "cat," and another child is chosen as "mouse." musical chairs. musical chairs, or going to jerusalem, is a favorite game of the children. someone who plays the piano well starts up a lively tune and the children march around a row of chairs which have been arranged facing alternately in opposite directions. there should be one less chair than the number of players. when the music stops, each child tries to find a seat. someone will be left out, as there is one chair short. this one takes another chair from the row and the game continues until there is one child left with no chair. this one has won the game. button, button. all the children sit in a circle with hands placed palm to palm in their laps. one child is given a button and she goes to each in turn, slipping her hands between the palms of the children. as she goes around the circle she drops the button into some child's hands, but continues going around as long after as she pleases, so the rest will not know who has it. then she stands in the middle of the circle and says: "button, button, who has the button?" all the children guess who has it, the one calling out the correct name first is out and it is his turn to go around with the button. statues. arrange all the children except one on chairs or a bench. this one is the leader and she stands on the floor in front of the children. beginning at one end of the row, she pulls each child from the bench, letting her remain in whatever position she falls. sometimes she can tell them how to pose, for instance, she will say "like an angel," and that child will fold her hands and look upward. another might be "cross school-teacher," and this child may pretend to be scolding someone. each child remains perfectly still, posed in the attitude suggested, until all the children are on the floor. then the leader selects the one she thinks has posed the best and that one takes the leader's place and the game goes on as before. our cook doesn't like peas. all the players except one sit in a row. this one sits in front of them and says to each one in turn: "our cook doesn't like p's; what can you give her instead?" the first one may answer "sugar" and that will suit her, but the next one might say "potatoes," and that will not do, and he will have to pay a forfeit because the letter "p" comes in that word. there is a catch to this as everyone thinks that the vegetable "peas" is meant instead of the letter. even after everybody has discovered the trick it will be difficult to think of words, and if a player fails to answer before 5 is counted, a forfeit must be paid. "my grandma doesn't like tea (t)" is played in the same way. hold fast, let go. a simple game for small children is the following. each child takes hold of a small sheet or tablecloth, the leader holding it with his left hand, while he pretends to write with his right hand. the leader says: "when i say 'hold fast,' let go; and when i say 'let go,' hold fast." he calls out the commands one at a time and the rest do just the opposite of what he says. whoever fails must pay a forfeit. simon says. one child is selected to be simon. the rest of the children sit around in a circle. simon stands in the middle and gives all sorts of orders for the children to follow. every order which begins with "simon says" must be obeyed, whether simon performs it or not, but if simon should give some order, such as "thumbs down," whether he puts his thumbs down or not, it must not be obeyed by the others because it was not preceded by "simon says." all sorts of orders such as "thumbs up," "thumbs down," "thumbs wiggle-waggle," "thumbs pull left ear," etc., are given. the faster the orders are given, the more confusing it is. a forfeit must be paid by those who fail to obey the orders. old soldier. one child, who represents the old soldier, goes around to each child in turn and begs for something, saying that he is poor, hungry, blind, etc., and asks what they will do for him. in answering the old soldier no one must use the words, "yes," "no," "black," or "white." as soon as a child is asked, he must answer immediately. if he does not, or says any of the forbidden words, he must pay a forfeit. hide and seek. one child is chosen out. this one stands by a post or in a corner which is called "base," and hides his eyes. the children decide among themselves how much he shall count while they are hiding. suppose they choose 100, then he counts 5, 10, 15, 20, etc., until he reaches 100, and then he calls out: "ready or not, you shall be caught." each child having hidden in some place while he was counting, remains perfectly still while he is hunting for them. if he passes by some child without finding him, that one can run to the "base" and say "one, two, three, i'm in free!" as many children as can try to get in "free," but if the one who is out tags any of them before they reach "base," the first one tagged is the next to hide his eyes. hang-man. two children may derive a great deal of amusement from this simple pastime. at the top of a piece of paper write all the letters of the alphabet. underneath, the child who has thought of a word or short sentence puts a dash down for every letter contained in the word thought of. suppose the words thought of were "gamebook," it would be written thus: -------the other player asks if the word contains "a," and the other puts it in its proper place, crossing the letter off of the alphabet above. the other guesses different letters at random, every right one being put in its place, while for every wrong one a line is drawn to help construct a gallows for the "hang-man." if there are many wrong guesses, the "hang-man" may be completed and then the word is told the other player. the players take turns in giving out and guessing the words. the gallows is made thus for every wrong guess: [illustration: the gallows and hang-man is drawn progressively, one line at a time.] bird, beast, or fish. a simple little game for amusing two children is the following. write on the top of a slate or paper the words "bird, beast, and fish." one child thinks of the name of some animal and puts down the first and last letters of the word, marking dashes for the other letters. his companion thinks over all the names of animals he knows containing that number of letters, until finally he has guessed what it is or else has given up. if he guesses correctly it is his turn to give either a bird, beast, or fish. peter piper. this is an amusing game for children. a blackboard is needed upon which the verse, "peter piper," etc., is illustrated or written so that the words are mixed up and it will be difficult to point out. some older person will be needed to superintend the game. one child is given a pointer and as the others sing, to any familiar tune (yankee doodle, for instance): "peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, now if peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where is that peck of pickled peppers, peter piper picked?" she must point out each word or drawing as quickly as it is sung. if a mistake is made in pointing, the child takes her place with the rest and another child is out. each one is given a turn. it is an achievement, if done successfully, and some suitable gift should be given as a prize. look out for the bear! any number of children can play this game. one is chosen to be the "bear," and he hides in some part of the room or garden, while the rest, with their backs turned, are standing at their goal. as soon as the children have counted 50 or 100, they all scatter and hunt for the "bear." the child who finds him first calls out, "look out for the bear," and all the children run to their goal. if the bear catches any while running for the goal, they become "bears." these "bears" hide together and the game continues until all the children are "bears." hoop race. all children love to roll hoops. for a little folks party, plan to have as many hoops as children, so each can have one. bind these around with tape or ribbon. the children contest one at a time. the child who succeeds in rolling his hoop around the room three times without having it turn over or stop, wins the prize. if the room is very large once or twice around will be enough, so the children aren't tired out. button fun. an amusement for small children, is to gather together as many buttons of all shapes and sizes, plain and fancy, as can be obtained. the largest button is the father, the next size is the mother, several children arranged according to size, and a tiny one for the baby. plain buttons are called servants, others animals and pets. the children arrange their families in pasteboard boxes, using pasteboard cards for chairs, carriages, etc. all children like to play "house," and a whole afternoon can be whiled away making stores out of cards, to do shopping in, and boats for the button-children to play in. "school" also can be played and the boys enjoy forming rows of soldiers and parading up and down. steps. one child is chosen out. this one stands by a post or door with his back to the other players. the rest of the children stand in a row at the other end of the room or porch, as the case may be. the one by the door counts 5, slowly or quickly, and then turns around. while he is counting and his back is turned, the others take as many steps forward as they can without being caught. if anyone is moving when the player turns around, they exchange places, and the game continues, the children advancing step by step toward the goal. when one has reached the goal and touched it, he can go back again and begin all over. the one who touches the goal the greatest number of times just by stepping, and has not been caught, wins the game. he can do little. all the players sit in a circle. one, knowing the catch, begins by saying: "ahem, he can do little who cannot do this." while saying this, he taps a stick on the floor several times. this stick passes from one to the other in turn, each one thinking that the stick must be tapped a certain number of times, but the catch is that just before saying "he can do little who cannot do this," each one ought to clear his throat as the leader did at first. allow the game to continue around the circle two or three times before explaining the catch. a forfeit is paid by each player who does not do it correctly. wink. all the girls sit in a circle, and the boys stand outside, one boy behind each girl's chair. one chair is left vacant, but a boy stands behind it, and by winking at the girls one at a time, tries to get one for his empty chair. as soon as a girl is winked at, she tries to leave her seat, and take the vacant one, but if the boy behind her touches her before she leaves the seat, she cannot go. each boy has to keep his eye on the one who is winking and on the girl in his chair, for if he is not watching, she may escape before he has time to touch her, and then it is his turn to do the winking and get a girl for his chair. if the winking is done quickly it adds to the interest of the game. no boy can keep hold of a girl all the time; he must only touch her when she starts to leave her place, and then if she is beyond arm's length, he cannot call her back. double tag. the children stand in pairs, one behind the other, in the form of a circle, all facing the center. two of them are out, one who runs away, and the other who tries to catch him. the one who is running away may place himself in front of any couple for safety and he cannot be tagged, but the child at the end of the trio must run, and if he is caught before he can stand in front of another couple, he is the catcher and pursues the other child. puss in the corner. all the children except one stand in corners, or in any fixed stations if there are not enough corners to go around. the one who is out stands in the middle to represent "puss." the players then beckon to each other one at a time saying, "here, puss, puss," and run and change places with the one who is called. puss tries to get one of the vacant places. if she succeeds, the child who is left out is "puss," until she manages to obtain a place. i have a basket. one child begins by saying: "i have a basket." the one to his left says: "what is in it?" the first one replies with the name of some article beginning with "a," as "apples." no. 2 says: "i have a basket," and the next one to him says: "what is in it?" no. 2 replies: "apples and bananas," (or some other word beginning with "b"). no. 3 says: "i have a basket." no. 4 asks the same question as before and no. 3 responds with "apples, bananas, and cats," and so on, each in turn repeating what the others have said, and adding another article, which commences with the next letter of the alphabet. whoever forgets what the other articles were must pay a forfeit. thus it continues until the last one has named all the articles in order, and ended with "z". still pond, no more moving. all the children form a circle, joining hands. one is blindfolded, given a cane, and stands in the middle of the circle. the children march around her, going fast or slowly until she taps on the floor three times with the cane and says: "still pond, no more moving." the children drop hands, and remain perfectly still, right where they are. the one in the middle feels her way toward the children, holding the cane in front of her. the first child who is touched with the cane must take hold of it. the blindfolded one says, "grunt like a pig," and the one holding the cane must grunt, disguising her voice if possible. if the blindfolded one guesses who she is, they exchange places, and the game goes on as before, but if she fails, she has another turn and may tell the player to "bark like a dog" or "mew like a cat" until she guesses the right one. ring on a string. slip a ring on a long piece of string having the ends knotted together. the players stand in a circle and the string passes through their closed hands. each makes the motions of passing something. the ring circulates from one to another, while a player in the middle tries to find it. as soon as the ring is found, the person in whose hands it was takes his place, and the ring is passed as before. hunt the slipper. all the children except one sit on the floor in a circle, with their knees raised. the one left out brings a slipper, and handing it to one child says: "cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe, get it done by quarter-past two." he walks to the other side of the room and in a minute comes back and asks if the shoe is done. in the meantime the slipper is being passed from one to the other, under their knees. the child who is asked if the slipper is done says she thinks her neighbor has it, the neighbor is asked and receiving the same answer the one hunting it goes from one to the other until the slipper is found. if it takes too long for him to find it, the slipper may be tossed across the circle, so it will be easy to follow it up. what is my thought like? all the children except one sit in a circle. this one thinks of something and, standing in the middle of the circle, asks each one in turn: "what is my thought like?" each one names some object, and when all have been asked, the leader announces what her thought was and each in turn must prove the resemblance between his answer and the thought. whoever fails must pay a forfeit. suppose the thought is a stove, and no. 1 says: "like the sun." no. 2, "like silver," then the second time around no. 1 can say: "a stove is like the sun because they both give heat;" no. 2 can say: "a stove is like silver because they both shine when well polished," and so on. oranges and lemons. the two tallest children, one named "orange," the other "lemon," join hands and form an arch for the other children to pass under. the children, holding on to each other's dresses, march in single file and sing: "'oranges and lemons,' say the bells of st. clement's, 'brickbats and tiles,' say the bells of st. giles, 'you owe me five farthing,' say the bells of st. martin's, 'when will you pay me?' say the bells of old bailey, 'when i grow rich,' say the bells of shoreditch, 'when will that be?' say the bells of stepney, 'i do not know,' says the great bell of bow. here comes a candle to light you to bed, and here comes a chopper to chop off your head." when the last line is sung the child who is under their arms is caught and asked in a whisper if he will be an orange or lemon. he answers, and joins whichever side he chose, holding the other around the waist. the game continues until all are caught, and then there is a tug-of-war between the oranges and lemons. red-hot potato. the "potato" in this game is a knotted handkerchief. one player is chosen for the center, and the others sit around in a circle. the one in the center throws the "potato" to anyone in the circle. this one must throw it to another player and so on, tossing it, from one to another, and never allowing it to rest. the player in the center tries to catch it. if he succeeds, the one who last tossed it exchanges places with him, and the game goes on as before. judge and jury. arrange the children in two rows, facing each other. the judge sits at one end in the aisle. he asks one of the jury a question (anything he happens to think of). the one who is questioned must not answer, but the child sitting opposite him must reply for him, being careful not to use any of the following words in his answer. yes, no, black, or white. some answer must be given, whether it be sensible, or not. whoever fails to answer before the judge counts 10, or answers out of turn, or uses any of the forbidden words must either pay a forfeit or become the judge. reuben and rachel. blindfold one of the players. all the rest form a ring and dance around him until he points at some one. that one enters the ring and the blindman calls out: "rachel;" she answers: "here, reuben," and moves about in the circle so as to escape being caught by "reuben." every time the blindman calls out "rachel," she must reply with "reuben" and thus it goes until finally "rachel" is caught. "reuben" must guess who she is, and if he guesses correctly, "rachel" is blindfolded and the game goes on as before. if not, the same child is "reuben" again. frog in the middle. the children form a ring. one, the frog, is chosen out, and he stands in the middle of the circle. the children, holding hands, dance around him, saying: "frog in the middle, jump in, jump out, take a stick and poke him out." as the last line is sung, the frog takes one child by the hands and pulls him to the center, exchanging places with him. the children continue dancing around and singing while the frogs jump thick and fast. the game continues until all have been frogs or are tired out. horsemen. this is a rough-and-tumble game for the boys, and must be played either outside, or in a large bare room. sides are chosen, the big boys taking the small boys on their back, carrying them "pick-a-back." the one carrying the boy is called the horse, and the other the rider. the sides stand opposite each other and when a signal is given, they rush toward each other, the horses trying to knock down the opposing horses, and the riders trying to dismount each other. the game continues until a single horse and rider remain, and the side to which they belong wins the game. my house, your house. attach a string to the end of a small stick. at the end of the string make a loop that will slip very easily. on a table make a circle with chalk. the leader, or fisherman, arranges the loop around the circle and holds the stick in his hand. whenever he says: "my house," each player must put his first finger inside the circle, and leave it there. when "your house" is said, the fingers must be withdrawn. the commands must be given very quickly, and the fisherman must be quick to jerk his rod, thus catching several fingers. a forfeit should be paid by everyone who is caught, and the fisherman can exchange places if he wishes. malaga grapes. all the players sit in a circle and one who knows the trick takes a small cane in his right hand; then, taking it in his left hand, he passes it to his neighbor, saying: "malaga grapes are very good grapes; the best to be had in the market." he tells his neighbor to do the same. thus the cane passes from one to the other, each one telling about the grapes; but if any should pass the stick with the right hand, a forfeit must be paid. the trick must not be told until it has gone around the circle once or twice. part ii. games for adults spoon pictures. it will be necessary for two of the players to know how to play the game. one is sent out of the room, and the other remains inside to take a picture of one of the guests. this is done by holding up a spoon or some polished surface to a player's face. when the picture is taken, the one outside is called in, given the spoon, told to look at it, and guess whose picture it is. in a short time she has guessed correctly, to the amazement of the guests. she leaves the room again, while another picture is taken, is called in, and guesses that, and so on. if any guest thinks he can do it, he may have a trial, but he may fail. finally it is discovered that the one who remained inside and took the pictures sits in exactly the same position as the person whose picture was taken. if his feet were crossed and his hands folded, the leader will take that position. if another person is in that position, the one who guesses waits until one makes a change, and thus the name may be guessed. boots, without shoes. all the players are sent out of the room. the leader remains inside and calls one player in. they both sit down together and the leader says: "say just what i say. say boots, without shoes." (with a short pause after boots.) the victim may repeat the whole sentence and the leader says, "no, i want you to say boots, without shoes," and thus it may go on until the leader has given the simple statement in all sorts of tones and expressions, and finally, the player realizes that when told to say "boots, without shoes," she must simply say "boots." each player in turn is called in and put through the ordeal, affording much amusement for those already in the room, until all have guessed it and laughed over it. proverbs. any number of persons may play this game. one is sent out of the room while the rest choose some proverb. then he is called in and asks each player in turn a question. in the answer, no matter what the question is, one word of the proverb must be given. suppose the proverb "make hay while the sun shines" is taken, then player no. 1 would have "make"; no. 2, "hay"; no. 3, "while"; no. 4, "the"; no. 5, "sun"; no. 6, "shines"; no. 7, "make"; etc., giving each player a word, often repeating the proverb several times. the answers to the questions must be given quickly, and no special word emphasized. often the one guessing will have to go around several times before he can discover any word which will reveal the proverb. the one whose answer gave the clue must leave the room next, and it becomes his turn to guess. animal, vegetable, or mineral. when the party is large, this game affords much amusement. one player is sent out of the room. while he is gone the players decide upon some object which he is to guess. he is then called in, and asks each one a question. the answers to the questions must be either "yes" or "no," and a forfeit must be paid if any other answer is given. suppose the object chosen is a piece of coal in the fireplace. the player will begin by finding out whether the object chosen is of the animal, vegetable, or mineral kingdom; thus the following questions may be asked: "is it a mineral?" "yes." "is it hard?" "yes." "is it very valuable?" "no." "is it bright and shiny?" "yes." "is it gold?" "no." "silver?" "no." "is it in this room?" "yes." "is it black?" "yes." "is it a piece of coal?" "yes." the correct object being guessed, another player is sent out and the game continues. what time is it? it requires two players who understand this game, a leader and his accomplice. the accomplice leaves the room, while the leader and the rest remain inside. the leader asks the players what hour they will choose for the accomplice to guess. one will say: "four o'clock." the assistant is called in and he questions the leader, saying: "well, what time is it?" the leader answers thus: "don't you know?"; next, "doubtless, dancing time." the assistant immediately answers "four o'clock," to the amazement of the company. the key is that each hour, from 1 to 12 o'clock has been named according to the letters of the alphabet in rotation, from a to k, the leader, in answering, must be very careful to begin each answer with the letter indicating the chosen hour; thus in the above the assistant noticed that each answer began with "d," and "d" being the fourth letter, four o'clock was the time chosen. only the exact hours must be chosen. as the different players think they understand the game, they may take the assistant's place, and many ludicrous mistakes will be the result until the game has been explained to all. it. one of the players who does not know the game is sent out of the room. while he is gone, the others are supposed to be thinking of some person whom he is to guess when he comes in, but it is arranged that each one describes his right hand neighbor when asked any questions. it is more amusing if the circle is composed of boys and girls alternating. the player is called in, having been told beforehand that he is to guess what person the company thought of and that that person is "it." he begins by asking "is it in this room?" "yes." "is it a boy?" "yes." "is his hair long or short?" "very long," and so on, until the information he has obtained may be the following: "a boy, very long hair, pink waist, blue eyes, has a beard, very stout, about 6 feet tall, about 8 years old." the player, astonished at such information, may keep up guessing, until, by closely questioning each one, he guesses correctly. if he cannot guess, it is explained to him who "it" is. how, when, where. one of the players leaves the room while the others select some word with two or three meanings, which is to be guessed. suppose the word "trunk" is thought of. when the player is summoned in he asks each one in turn "how do you like it?" the answers may be "full of clothes," "when the outside is brown," (meaning a tree trunk), "shut up in a cage," (referring to an elephant's trunk). the next time around the question is "when do you like it?" and the answers may be, "when i'm going away," "when i'm in the country," "when i visit the zoo." the last question is "where do you like it?" and the answers may be "in my room," "in the woods," "on the animal it belongs to." the questioner must try to guess the word from the various answers. if he succeeds, the person whose answer revealed the word must leave the room, but if he fails, he has to guess again. buz. all the players sit in a circle and begin to count in turn, but whenever seven, or any multiple of seven comes, "buz" is said in its place. if anyone forgets he may be put out and the game commenced over again, but it is more fun if the players go right on with the counting, as many will fall off when the count is up in the hundreds. the game may be continued as long as is desired. suppose the players have counted up to twenty, the next one would say "buz," as twenty-one is a multiple of seven; the next, "twenty-two," the next "twenty-three," and so on. the one having "twenty-seven" would say "buz," as it contains seven. when seventy is reached, the numbers are said, "buz one," "buz two," etc.; "double buz," for seventy-seven, and so on. "siz" may be substituted for six and its multiples, and "fiz" for five, just for variety. jenkins up! divide the company into two sides. one division sits around the table on one side, the other on the opposite side. the members of division "a" put their hands under the table and a small coin, dime or quarter, is passed from one to the other. when division "b" thinks they have had enough time, the players call out, "jenkins up!" and the players of "a" hold up their closed hands, and when "jenkins down!" is called, they must place their hands, palm down, on the table. the players of "b" must guess under which palm the coin is. each player has one guess, those on the opposite side raising their hands when requested to do so. if "b" guesses correctly, the coin is passed over to them and "a" must guess who has it, but if not, "a" keeps the coin, and "b" has another trial for guessing. tally may be kept, 1 being counted for every correct guess, and a certain number, as 50, may be the limit. the side gaining 50 points first is victorious. state outlines. this is a splendid game for the beginning of an evening as the guests mingle together and become acquainted while hunting for their partners. the hostess prepares pieces of cardboard on which she has drawn the outline of a state without the name. the state capitals are written on separate pieces of paper. the cards and slips are handed out haphazard as the guests arrive. the object of the game is to find the state to which the capital belongs or vice versa, as the case may be. the one who succeeds in locating his capital first is the winner. the hostess can arrange for the length of time. prefixes. one of the players is sent out of the room. the others then decide upon some word which he is to guess when he returns. he is told what the prefix of the word is, and must guess, by asking questions, what the rest of the word is. the players answer his questions by their manner or actions. suppose the word chosen is "encouraged," the answers may be given in a cheerful way. the player who is guessing may think of any number of words with the prefix "en," but he must continue asking questions until the right word has been guessed. the player who has revealed the word by his or her actions, takes the other's place and leaves the room while the rest are deciding upon some word for him to guess. the game continues as before. my father had a rooster! all the players sit in a circle, the leader begins by saying, "my father had a rooster!" the player to his left says: "a what?" the leader answers: "a rooster!" each player repeats this in turn to his left-hand neighbor who asks the question, until it is the leader's turn again. he then repeats the first part and asks the player next to him, "could he crow?" the player answers, "crow he could." this is repeated by each player with the previous questions. the next time the leader says "how could he crow?" the player on the left answers "cock-a-doodle-doo!" this goes around the circle again and when the last one has taken part, all together say "cock-a-doodle-doo," as a finish. no one is supposed to laugh during the whole game, whoever does, may either pay a forfeit or is out of the game. it is best to have a person who knows the game sit next to the leader, so they can start the game correctly. the complete statements are these, "my father had a rooster!" "a what?" "a rooster!" "could he crow?" "crow he could!" "how could he crow?" "cock-a-doodle-doo!" cross questions and crooked answers. all sit in a circle for this game. the first one begins by whispering some question to his left hand neighbor, such as "do you like apples?" the second player must remember the question asked him, and he answers no. 1 by saying, "yes, the nice, red, juicy kind." this answer belongs to no. 1 and he must remember it. no. 2 asks no. 3 a question, being careful to remember his answer, as it belongs to him. suppose he asks, "are you fond of books?" and the answer is "yes, i read every one that comes out." thus no. 2 has a question and answer that belong to him. every one in turn asks a question and gives an answer, remembering the question he was asked and the answer his neighbor gave him, which belong to him. when all have had a turn, no. 2 begins by saying aloud: "i was asked: 'do you like cats?' and the answer was 'yes, the nice, red juicy kind';" no. 2 says: "i was asked, 'do you like apples?' and the answer was, 'yes, i read every one that comes out,'" and so on. magic writing. an assistant is necessary for this game. one gives a little talk about sign-language and says that he can read any sign made with a stick on the floor, and will leave the room while the others decide upon some word for him to guess. beforehand, it has been agreed upon between the leader and his assistant that one tap of the stick on the floor will represent "a"; two taps, "e"; three taps, "i"; four taps, "o"; five taps, "u." thus all the vowels are indicated by taps, and the consonants, by having the first word of the sentence which the leader gives begin with the chosen letter. the letters of the chosen word must be given in order. the leader, who remains inside, knows the chosen word, and when the assistant is called in, he makes many signs with the stick, tapping in the proper places. suppose the word chosen is "games." when the assistant is called in, the leader begins by making many scrolls, etc., on the floor, then says: "great fun, isn't it?" (initial letter "g"), then one tap, "a"; "many don't know what i'm writing." (initial letter "m"); 2 taps, "e"; "sometimes it is hard to read." (initial letter "s"). then a few more marks, so as not to end too abruptly, and the assistant says "games," to the astonishment of the company. this is continued until some have guessed, or until the trick has been explained. famous numbers. provide the players with pencil and paper. each one writes a number on his slip. the papers are collected, mixed up, and each player draws one. each in turn must name something or someone suggested by that number. the one who is unable to name anything must pay a forfeit. suppose no. 1 has 4, he will say: "my number is 4; the declaration of independence was signed on the fourth of july." no. 2, "my number is 13; there are thirteen stripes in our flag." no. 3, "my number is 60; there are 60 minutes in an hour." magic answers. one is sent from the room and the others decide upon some object which is to be guessed when the player enters. the player outside has an accomplice in with the others who asks the question when he returns. it was arranged between them that the object chosen should be named after some four-legged thing. suppose a book is chosen by the players. when summoned in, the accomplice asks: "is it any one in this room?" "no." "is it a handkerchief?" "no." "is it a picture?" "no." "is it a dog?" "no." "is it this book?" "yes." another arrangement is to have the correct object mentioned after something which is black, such as shoes, ink, etc. modelling. provide each player with a card and a toothpick, also a piece of gum, or paraffine if preferred. the hostess announces that when she says "ready," the gum is to be chewed until she tells them to stop, and then each one is to take the gum, place it upon the card, and with the aid of the toothpick, model either an animal or a flower, keeping his selection a secret, as each one can choose what he wishes to model. the hostess keeps an eye on the time and when time is up, (any length she chooses) all the cards are collected and placed on a table for exhibition. there is a curious mixture of cows, cats, dogs, sunflowers, pansies, violets, etc. vote is taken upon the best model and a prize is awarded the victor. scissors crossed or uncrossed. a simple catch game is as follows. it is best if two of the company know how to play it. one of the two is the leader and the other helps her out. the leader hands a closed pair of scissors to her accomplice, who takes it and says: "i received these scissors uncrossed and i give them crossed." (opening the scissors as she speaks.) she passes them to the player on her right who should say: "i receive these scissors crossed and i give them crossed." (if they are left open; if closed, they are uncrossed.) those who do not know the game receive the scissors and pass them and say what they think they ought. it may be just what the player before said, but the condition of the scissors may not be the same, and, therefore, it is not right. thus each one has a turn, and the game continues until some bright player notices that the scissors are called crossed when they are open and uncrossed when they are closed, and that the player who knows the game crossed her feet if the scissors were crossed, and if not, her feet were uncrossed, or resting on the floor as usual. thus the object of the game is to change the words and the position of the feet in accordance with the position of the scissors. capping verses. to while away the time before dinner, or while sitting in the twilight, this is a simple amusement for those who love poetry. one begins by giving a line or verse of poetry. the next one continues, but his verse must commence with the last letter of the previous verse, and so on, each one capping the other's verse. suppose no.1 quotes: "full many a flower is born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air." no. 2 continues quoting: "romeo! wherefore art thou romeo?" no. 3: "o speak again, bright angel." no. 4: "like summer tempest came her tears, 'sweet, my child, i live for thee.'" and so on until the guests tire of it. rabbit. the leader, who knows the game, asks each one in turn: "do you know how to play rabbit?" when all have answered, he says: "do just what i do, and i will show you how." 1st. all stand in a row. 2d. all kneel down on one knee. 3d. all place the first finger of the right hand on the floor. when all the players are in this position, just as they are losing their balance, the leader, who is at the head of the line, pushes against the player next to him, thus knocking over the whole row. as they fall amid laughter, he calmly announces that that is the way to play rabbit. ghost. turn down the lights. all the players sit in a circle. the leader has a button which she gives to some player, as in "button, button, who has the button?" the one who guesses who has the button takes the leader's place while the leader becomes a ghost and remains outside the circle. she can talk to the players in the circle, but no one except the one in the middle can answer her. anyone who does, becomes a ghost with the leader. every effort is made on the part of the ghosts to induce the players to answer. the button keeps going around the inside circle, the one depositing the button becoming a ghost when a correct answer is given and the other one taking his place. the game continues until all are ghosts. if there was one who was not enticed, that one wins the game. what am i? one of the players is sent out of the room. the rest decide upon the name of some animal which he is to guess. when he returns the players question him in turn, imitating the habits of the animal chosen and asking questions as if he were that animal. for instance, the animal chosen is tiger. the questions may be, "do you scratch?" "are your claws sharp?" "do you howl at night?" etc. the player thinking they have named him a cat answers, "yes," and says, "am i a cat?" when answered in the negative, the players still question him until he finally guesses tiger. the player whose question betrayed the name of the chosen animal then takes his place and the game continues as before. needle threading. procure several large jars. stand these on their sides. only men can contest for this, as ladies are supposed to be expert needle-threaders. four or five men contest at a time. each sits on a jar with his feet crossed in front. the leader hands each a needle and thread. allow five minutes for the contest. the jars, being on their sides, will roll around, and as the contestants have their feet crossed, it is a difficult task to remain still long enough to thread the needle. those who succeed deserve some sort of prize. confusions. the players are provided with pencil and paper. each player selects the name of some animal, fish, or bird, and mixes the letters so as to spell other words. for instance, if one chooses elephant, the words might be "pent heal"; if monkey, "o my ken," while mackerel may be "mere lack." allow five minutes for making the "confusion," no letter can be used twice, and words must be formed. then the hostess rings the bell and each player in turn reads his "confusion" to the rest who guess what his chosen word is. each puzzle is carefully timed. the one whose puzzle takes longest to guess is the winner, therefore, each person must mix the letters as much as possible. sides may be chosen if preferred, the players taking turn alternately, the side which has taken the least time to guess the puzzles is the victorious side. verbal authors. the players sit in a circle. one is chosen as judge and he keeps tally. each player in turn, rises, and names some well-known book. the first one to call out the name of the author scores a point. the game continues until the interest ceases or the store of literary knowledge is exhausted. the player having the most points is the winner. this game may be played in another way. instead of calling out the author as the book is named, provide each guest with pencil and paper and announce that as a book is named, each player must write down the author and the name of some character in that book. examples: "the taming of the shrew"- wm. shakespeare--petruchio. "nicholas nickleby"- chas. dickens--mr. squeers. "ivanhoe"- sir walter scott--rebecca. pin doll babies. any number may play this game. if there are men and women it is more amusing. divide the company into groups of five or six. each group sits around a table upon which are pins, needles and thread, scissors, for each player but no thimbles, and strips of tissue paper, colored and white. the hostess hands each guest a large wooden clothes-pin which is to be dressed as a doll, using the tissue paper for dresses and hats. all begin to work at a given signal and the hostess allows a certain length of time for the dressmaking. there is much merriment, as it is nearly as awkward for the ladies to sew without a thimble as it is for the men to use a needle. when the time is up, these doll-babies are arranged in line for inspection. two judges are appointed to decide upon the best and the worst. prizes are awarded. building sentences. the hostess begins by saying one word and announces that each word of the sentence must begin with the initial letter of the given word. the player to her right gives the second word, the next player, the third, and so on, until the sentence is complete only when it reaches the hostess. each player must be careful not to give a word which with the others completes the sentence, as the hostess is the only one who is supposed to finish it--but sometimes it seems as though all the words of that letter have been taken; if this is the case, the player who finished the sentence must pay a forfeit or drop out of the game. suppose there are nine players and number one says "an," number two "angry," number three "ape," number four "ate," number five "apples"; thus number five is out or pays a forfeit as the sentence is completed and there are still four more to play. thus the sentence might have been "an angry ape ate attractive, audacious, ancient april apples." this sentence is absurd, but the more ridiculous, the greater the fun. for the second turn the player to the right of the hostess begins, using a word beginning with another letter and so on, until each player has started a sentence. geography. select two leaders from the company. each leader chooses players for his side. the sides stand opposite each other. one leader begins by giving the name of some river, mountain, lake, city or town, state or country, located in any part of the world, that begins with the letter a, the other leader answers back with another geographical name commencing with a. the two leaders continue with the letter a until they can think of no more names, then, they commence with b, and so on, until every letter of the alphabet has been used. the players on the opposite sides simply help their leader with the names, as soon as one thinks of a name it is passed up to the leader to help him. no place can be named twice. the side that stands up the longest wins. another way to play this game is as follows. having chosen the sides as before, one leader begins by naming any place, lake, river, etc., commencing with any letter; the leader on the other side then follows with a name commencing with the last letter of the previous name; then the player next to the leader on the opposite side follows with a name commencing with the last letter of that name and so on, each player has a turn as it goes from side to side. suppose the leader names washington, the next new york, and so on. thirty seconds is allowed to think of a name, if he fails in that, he must drop out. any one may be challenged to locate the place which he has named. the side which has kept up the longest, is the champion. what would you do if--? predicaments of the worst kind are thought of and written on pieces of paper. these are handed among the guests, who write out an answer, telling the best way out of the difficulty. each question begins with "what would you do if--?" when all have written their answers, the papers are collected in a basket, mixed up, and each one draws one out. the answers are then read aloud. examples: what would you do if you fell into a tar barrel? i would be too stuck up to do anything. what would you do if you should meet a footpad? i would say, "please, sir, go away." watch trick. it will require two people who know this game to be in the secret. one of them leaves the room while his confederate remains inside with the others. he hides an article which the rest of the players have selected, in an adjoining room which is totally dark, placing a watch with a moderately loud tick, either on, or as near to the hidden object as he can. the rest of the players must not know anything about the watch, as they are kept guessing how the player who is out, succeeds in finding the hidden article in the dark room. when everything is ready, the one outside is called in, led into the dark room, and hunts for the object. the rest must remain very quiet, as it breaks the "charm," so the leader says. guided by the ticking of the watch, and knowing that it is there, he soon discovers the hidden object to the surprise of the others. he and his confederate may take turns going out and after a while, if the company are very quiet, one of them might hear the watch ticking and the trick is disclosed. find your better-half. select a number of pictures of men and women from fashion papers, advertising books, etc. if possible, try to procure them in pairs, that is, a man and woman contained in the same picture, or two having the same expression. number the pictures in pairs, thus there will be two of no. 1, of no. 2, no. 3, etc. give the young ladies the pictures of the men and the young men those of the ladies. each one then hunts for his partner or "better-half," comparing the pictures and number. the more mixed the pictures were when given out, the longer it will take to find partners. words the players form a line as in a spelling match. sides may be chosen if preferred. the first one begins by giving the first letter of a word, "a" for instance, thinking of the word "animal." the next player, thinking of "animate," says, "n." the next, thinking of "antidote," says "t," but this with the other letters spells "ant," so he must go to the foot of the line. the object of the game is to keep from adding a letter which finishes the word. often one will give a letter, when thinking of another word, which will complete a word. if he does not notice his mistake, the others call out "foot." letters. empty the contents of a box of "anagrams" on a table so all the letters are in a pile face downward. the players sit around the table. the leader begins by turning up one of the letters and says, "bird." the players all see the letter, and the first one who responds with the name of a bird commencing with that letter is given the card, and then it is his turn to turn up a card, calling out "bird," "animal," "fish," or "famous man," or anything he wishes. suppose the first letter was "e," and a player answered it with "eagle"; the next letter was "g," and "famous man" was called out, someone would say "grant." the one who has answered the most, thus obtaining the greatest number of cards, is the winner. seeing and remembering. fill a table with all sorts of things, books, gloves, dolls, pins, scissors, food, some large, striking picture, another very small object. keep the table covered until ready for use. then remove the cover and let all the guests march around it three times, touching nothing on it, simply looking. the cover is replaced and each one is given a pencil and paper on which he writes down as many things as he can remember were on the table. the one who has the largest list of correct names receives a prize. the objects may be auctioned off afterwards. live tit-tat-to. on a sheet mark a regular tit-tat-to diagram in black point. stretch the sheet so it will be smooth on the floor. divide the company into sides, a captain being appointed for each side. call one side the crosses and the other side the zeros. when a signal is given, the captain of one side takes his position in any one of the squares of the diagram. the captain of the other side follows, taking his position, then a player of the first side takes his position endeavoring to be in a row with the first move, so the next player on his side will form the third cross or zero, as the case may be, in the row, either straight or diagonally, and win the game for that side. the winning side then changes to zeros if they were crosses or vice versa. let each player have a turn, as there are only nine squares, and as the game may be won before they are all filled, some may not have a chance to play. it is best, when playing a new game, to let those who did not play before have first play. bits of advice. each person is given a slip of paper and pencil. the leader then tells the players to write a bit of advice, original if possible, on the paper, fold it, and drop it into a basket as it passes by. the papers are all mixed up and the basket is passed again, each player taking one, but not unfolding it until he is told to. before opening the papers each one must say whether the advice is good or bad, necessary or unnecessary, and whether he intends to follow it. when the paper is unfolded it may be the opposite of what he has said. pictures. provide the players with pencil and paper. all sit in a circle. the leader announces that pictures are to be drawn in this manner. first, draw a head (either animal or human), fold the paper, pass it to the right. second--draw a neck, shoulders, and arms. third--complete the body (the former player having left two lines below the fold of the paper). fourth--the skirt, trousers or legs, as the case may be. fifth--the feet, and if you wish to add to the fun, the last one writes a name either of some one present or some noted person. the papers are folded and passed after each drawing and the last time, they are all opened and passed around to be inspected and laughed over. [illustration: a drawing of man with a cat's head, wearing a dinner jacket, skirt, and clogs. five folds are indicated at the neck, mid-torso, waist, knees, and feet.] household gossip. one of the guests is sent out of the room. the hostess asks the remaining players to say something about him. as each one in turn gives his statement, she writes it down with the person's name on a piece of paper which she keeps. the player is then summoned in and she reads the statements about him one at a time and he must try to guess who said it. as soon as he guesses one correctly, the one who said it must go out of the room and the game goes on as before. examples-you have the family eyes. your chin is too small. the left sleeve of your coat has a spot on it; and so on. table football. the "football" for this game is an eggshell which has had the egg blown out of it. the players sit around the table with their captains, who have been previously chosen at each end. there need not be just eleven on each side as in a regular game, but any number. each captain chooses his side. boundaries are marked on the table with, chalk or tape, the two ends being the goals. when all are ready, the eggshell is placed in the middle of the table, a signal is given, and the members of each team blow the shell towards his goal. no player can leave his place, and the "football" must be moved entirely by blowing. regular football rules are used and the count is the same as in football. it will add to the interest, if the two teams stand for rival colleges. musical medley. number eight slips of paper with the same number. on each slip write a part, or a line from a verse of a familiar song. suppose set no. 1 was a verse of "america," this is the way it would be written. 1. my country, 1. 'tis of thee, 1. sweet land of liberty, 1. of thee i sing; 1. land where my fathers died, 1. land of the pilgrim's pride, 1. from every mountain side, 1. let freedom ring. prepare as many slips in groups of eight as there are guests. give each one a slip at random and tell each to find the rest of his set. when the players of one group have found each other, they stand together in one corner of the room and practise their song. each group does this until all the groups are formed, and then, commencing with no. 1, each group in turn sings its song aloud for the benefit of the audience. another musical medley. provide each player with pencil and paper. before playing this game it must be arranged with someone who plays the piano well to have a list of popular songs ready, which she must play one right after the other. when the leader gives a signal, the pianist strikes up a tune and continues playing from a part of one song into another until she has reached the end of her list. the others write down on their papers the names of the songs as fast as they are played, and when the pianist stops, the correct list is read by her, and the rest check off their lists. prizes may be awarded. it is a strange fact, that after such a medley, there will be very few, if any, who have correct lists. passing clothespins. sides are chosen among the players. each side then takes its position, forming a row on the floor, the leader at the end. the sides face each other, but quite a space is left between them. at the head of each line is placed a basket containing twelve clothespins. each player is instructed to hold his neighbor's right wrist with his left hand, thus leaving one hand (the right one), free. the leaders begin by passing the clothespins, one at a time, down the line, each player being careful not to drop one. when one reaches the end of the line, the last player places it on the floor beside him until all twelve have been passed, then he passes them, the same as before, up the line to the leader. the side which succeeds in passing all its clothespin back to its leader first is the victorious side. it is best to have a trial game first, so that the players may become used to passing with one hand, thus being able to do it rapidly for the regular game. if a clothespin is dropped, the player who dropped it must pick it up and pass it on. the rest must wait until it is passed before passing any of the others. pantomime. give each guest a slip of paper, folded, containing words which can be acted in pantomime. each one must keep his a secret, as the rest of the company guess what he is acting out. the players sit in a circle, and the one acting in pantomime his words, stands in the middle where all can see him. suppose one had "dog" on his slip, he would pretend to pet him, call him, and make him perform. another might have "blackberries" and make all the imaginary motions of picking and eating them, and being caught on the bushes. if one has "strawberry shortcake," she can go through the process of making the imaginary cake, and hulling the berries for it. as soon as it is guessed what the player's word is, the rest call it out. birds fly. the players sit in a circle, one person who is quick and witty is chosen as leader. he stands in the center of the circle. whenever he mentions any animal that flies all the players make a flying motion with their hands, but if he names something that doesn't fly, he alone makes the motions; if any player makes the motion when he ought to be still he is out of the game. suppose the leader begins by saying "parrots fly," all must move their hands up and down whether the leader does or not, but if he says next time "horses fly," all must remain still. it is a good plan to call the names quickly, inserting many that don't fly, when the players are excited, so they will be confused and many will be out. trips around the world. there are several ways of playing this game, here are two. provide each guest with a little paper book to represent a guide book and a pencil. articles of all kinds have been scattered around the room to represent different countries, states, or cities. a little package of tea suggests china; a paper fan, japan; a piece of cotton batting, louisiana; a wooden shoe, holland; a stein, germany; and so on. allow a certain length of time for the guesses, then collect the little books, and the player who has guessed the greatest number correctly receives a prize. another way. the players sit in a circle, number one names some place beginning with the letter a, and asks no. 2 what he shall do there. no. 2 answers in words beginning with a, and he, in turn names a city commencing with b, and asks no. 3 the question. thus each player must answer the question of his neighbor, and name another place. for example: "i am going to america, what shall i do there?" "admire astrakhan apples. i am bound for boston, what shall i do there?" "bake beans and brown bread. my journey takes me to chicago, what shall i do there?" "catch cold," etc., etc. jack's alive. a piece of kindling wood is held in the fire until it is well lighted. it is then passed from one player to the other, each one saying in turn, "jack's alive." the instant the stick ceases to burn "jack" is "dead" and the one who is then holding it has to pay a forfeit. it is passed very quickly from one to the other, as each player wishes to get rid of it before the spark goes out. for a forfeit, the man who was holding it will have to undergo the process of having a black mustache made with the charred end of the stick. going a-fishing. cut a number of small fishes about two inches long out of cardboard. each fish counts five, but two, which may be a little larger, are numbered ten. a loop is made with thread on the back of each fish. rods (sticks about a foot long with string, at the end of which is a bent pin, fastened to each) are provided for the players. the fishes are placed on the floor or table and, at the word "ready" from the leader, all the players go a-fishing. each tries his best to hold his rod steady enough to slip the bent pin through the loop of thread. as soon as a fish is caught all must stop until the signal to begin again is given. everyone tries to catch the fishes marked ten, but sometimes it is wiser to catch as many ordinary ones as a person can, thus making more points. the player scoring most points is victor. consequences. provide each player with pencil and paper. the first thing to write on the paper is an adjective which applies to a man. the paper is then folded over and passed to the right. this time each one writes the name of a man (either present or absent), folds the paper so the next one can't see what is written, and passes it on to the right. this is done each time and the order of names is as follows after the first two, then an adjective which applies to a lady, then a lady's name; next, where they met; what he said; then, what she said; the consequence; and last of all, what the world said. after all have finished writing "what the world said," the papers are passed to the right, opened, and read aloud. thus: handsome mr. --- (met) pretty miss (at) the fair (he said) have you heard the news? (she said) i intend to go home. (the consequence was) they never spoke again. (the world said) "as you like it." personal conundrums. the guests are requested to think up some conundrums about some person in the present company. each one in turn gives his conundrum and the player to his left must answer it if he can; if he fails, any one present may help him out. the conundrums may be written if preferred, mixed up in a hat or basket and each player takes one to answer. some of them may prove very funny. for the best conundrum and best answer given, a prize may be awarded. examples-why is mr. ---like the flatiron building? because he is so very tall. why is miss ---like sugar? because she is easily melted, that is, overcome. hunting the whistle. the players who know how to play this game stay in one room, while the others go into the hall, or another room. those knowing the trick sit down in chairs which have been arranged in two rows, with an aisle between. the leader calls one in from the other room and explains to him that there is a whistle in the room, and as he hears it blown he must find it. he can make a long speech about the whistle so as to interest the player, because someone is then pinning the whistle, (which is on the end of a string) to the player's coat. both the leader and player stand at one end of the room, between the two rows of chairs. when the leader says "go," the player starts on his hunt. the rest of the players pretend they have the whistle, and blow it whenever it chances to pass their way. thus the player is kept going from side to side until finally someone happens to pull the string and he feels it and discovers the whistle on his own coat. he then takes his place with the rest in the row and another one is called in and goes through the same hunt. thus it continues until all the players know the game. the five senses. all the players sit in a circle. no. 1 begins by naming something he has seen, being careful what his last word is, as it must furnish him with a rhyme for the rest of the game. each player in turn tells what he has seen, then no. 1 repeats his first statement and adds what he heard, the next time, what he tasted; then what he smelt; and lastly, what he felt. for example, no. 1 says, "i saw a ring of solid gold." no. 2 says, "i saw a boy fall off the car." the second time round no. 1 says, "i saw a ring of solid gold. i heard a story twice told." no. 2 says, "i saw a boy fall off the car. i heard the war news from afar." and so on, after going around five times, no. 1's complete rhyme would be, "i saw a ring of solid gold. i heard a story twice told. i tasted cheese that was too old. i smelt hay that soon would mould. i felt for something i couldn't hold." do not have the verses written as there is more fun in trying to remember one's rhyme. wiggles. provide each guest with pencil and paper. papers four inches square will be large enough. each player draws a line about an inch and a half long with one or more quirks in it, in the upper left hand corner of the paper. the papers are then passed to the player to the right who must draw some picture out of the "wiggle" in the corner. the paper may be turned in any position. allow five minutes for the drawings. at the end of this time, each one writes his name on the paper and hands it to the hostess. a committee is appointed to decide upon the best "wiggle-picture" and a prize is awarded to the artist. examples-[illustration: two drawings of a roman column a swan, and the "wiggles" they are based on] the heaviest line is the wiggle. telegram. provide the players with pencil and paper. each one then writes on his piece of paper ten letters of the alphabet in any order, using no letter twice. the papers are then passed to the right and each one is requested to write a telegram, using the ten letters for the beginning of the ten words, just in the order given. the papers are then passed again and the telegrams are read aloud. some will be very amusing. examples-a. e. f. j. k. l. n. o. p. t. am ever frightfully jealous. keep lookout now on pa's tricks. c. b. d. w. g. h. s. i. m. y. come back. down with grandma. how shall i meet you? spelling match. choose leaders and divide the company into sides. the sides stand opposite each other as in the old-fashioned spelling match. the leader, who may be the hostess, has a spelling book from which she selects the words which the players must spell backwards. words of one or two syllables may be chosen, and if, when spelt backwards, they spell other words, so much the better. the players take turns, one on one side, and one on the other, and so on, until all have spelled. if any fail to spell the word backwards, or do not pronounce it afterward, if it can be pronounced, they must drop out. the side which stands up the longest is the winning side. some words are: star now pan dew mat eve bard tub stop eel tops ton ten on den nun poor pussy. all the players sit in a circle, one being chosen out. this one kneels before each player in turn and says, in pitiful tones: "meow!" each player, when addressed by "pussy," must say, without smiling: "poor pussy." "pussy" addresses each player three times, trying her best to make the players laugh. if the one she is kneeling before does laugh, they exchange places, but if not, "pussy" moves on to the next one. guesses. each player receives a slip of paper and pencil. the leader begins by saying: "guess how high the door is." "guess how thick that book is." "guess how tall mr. blank is." "how far does this chair stand from the floor," he allows a few seconds after each question for the players to write their answers. after twenty or more guesses have been asked, the papers are passed to the right hand neighbor for correction. the leader then measures each article, person, or thing, with a tape measure, and the guesses on the lists are checked off. the person who has a correct list deserves something for a reward. nut race. choose two captains from the company, who select sides until all the guests are on one side or the other. place a pile of mixed nuts on the floor and an empty bowl about three feet from it, at one end of the room and at the other end another pile and bowl. the captains and their sides stand by their respective pile of nuts. when the signal is given each captain takes as many nuts on the back of his left hand from the pile as he can gather without the aid of his right hand and carries them to the empty bowl at the opposite side of the room. the players follow the captain in turn continuing until the pile is gone and the bowl is full. the side which succeeds in filling its bowl first is victorious. torn flowers. prepare a table full of different colored tissue paper, bottles of mucilage and white cards, one for each guest. the players sit around the table, the hostess gives each a card and announces that each one is to make a flower out of the tissue paper, but as there are no scissors each one must tear his paper and every one knows how hard it is to tear tissue paper. each one keeps the name of his flower a secret. as they are made they are pasted on the cards. each card is numbered and when all are done "tearing," the cards are collected and placed on a table for exhibition. the player guessing the greatest number of flowers correctly receives a prize. the game may be varied, as either animals or vegetables could be torn. spearing peanuts. fill a cup with peanuts, two of which are blackened with ink on one end. the guests play one at a time. no. 1 sits down by a table, empties the cup of peanuts in a pile on it and is given a hatpin with which she spears the peanuts one at a time without disturbing the pile, and places them back in the cup. a few minutes is allowed each player; when the time is up, the peanuts in the cup are counted, the blackened ones count ten apiece and the plain ones, one. tally is kept for each player and a suitable prize is given to the one who succeeded in securing the largest score. peanut hunt and scramble. before the guests enter the room, hide peanuts in every conceivable place, behind pictures, under chairs, on the gas fixtures, among the ornaments, five or six in vases, etc. give each guest a paper bag as he enters the room into which he places all the peanuts he finds. allow a certain length of time for the hunt, then collect all the bags and select a good tall person who stands on a chair and empties the contents of each bag on the floor as fast as he can and a lively scramble for them ensues, then the one who has the greatest number of whole peanuts collected deserves a prize; the others can eat their peanuts as a comfort. musical illustrations. a blackboard and different colored chalk will be necessary for this game. give each guest a slip of paper on which is written the name of some song. the leader announces that each one in turn steps up to the blackboard and illustrates his song in the most vivid manner possible. each player is numbered and after no. 1 finishes his drawing the others write their guesses on paper opposite his number and no. 2 erases the former drawing and illustrates his song. thus each one takes his turn, allowing time for the others to write their guesses. when all have had their turn the correct list is read by the leader, the players checking their own lists. prizes may be given to the one having the most correct answers and to the person who illustrated his song the most artistically. suggestions for songs are "sweet bunch of daisies," "the four-leaf clover." "my old kentucky home" may be illustrated by drawing a house in the outline of the state of kentucky; "home, sweet home," by a house and a jar of sweets near it; "america," by the outline of north america. an apple hunt. the hostess should prepare beforehand cards four inches square and outline on each an apple by dots concealing the outline with other dots. in one corner of the card is stuck a needle containing enough green thread to outline the apple. these "apples" are then hidden by groups, five in a group, in different parts of the room. a set of directions is prepared such as, no. 1, "look under the mat"; no. 2, "look under a certain rocking-chair," and so on. five of these directions are sufficient, the last one telling where the apple is hidden. there are different sets of directions lettered a, b, c, etc., five in a set, all lettered alike; the group of five apples being at the end of each set of directions. as each guest arrives he is given no. 1 of some set. following that, he finds no. 2, and so on, until he finds the five apples, one of which he takes, finds the dotted apple, threads the needle and outlines it with the green cotton. the one who succeeds in finding his apple first and makes the neatest outline is the winner. shouting proverbs. the more playing this game, the merrier it will be. send one of the players from the room. the others decide upon a familiar proverb which he is to guess when he returns. suppose the one chosen is "a rolling stone gathers no moss." beginning with the leader and going to the left each player in turn takes one word, thus the leader has "a," the next "rolling," the next "stone" and so on, repeating it until every player has a word. if the company is large two or three might have the same word. when the one who was out is summoned in, he counts 1,2,3; when he says 3, all the players shout their word. it will be very confusing and hard to hear any one word, but after the second or third trial, one word which was heard above the rest might suggest the whole proverb. the player who is out is given five trials in which to guess; if he does not succeed, he must go out again, but if he has listened attentively to one or two, and has guessed correctly, the player whose shouting gave away the proverb is then sent out and the game continues as before. baker's dozen. this game is just for two and is similar to tit-tat-to. make a drawing like the illustration and the game is ready. [illustration: a drawing of a stack of twelve rectangles topped with an half-circle. these are numbered sequentially from the bottom.] no. 1 chooses a figure which no. 2 must try to guess by indicating with a pencil dot or mark at the side of the different spaces, until he has guessed the number chosen. the numbers in the different spaces marked by no. 2 are added to his score; and those unmarked are added to no. 1. suppose no. 1 chooses 13, and no. 2 marks first 4, then 10, 9, 5, 2, and finally 13, the sum of all these (43) will be no. 2's score, while the sum of the numbers unmarked (48) belongs to no. 1. the game may be played as long as is desirable, but it is more exciting to have a fixed number, such as 300 or 500. peanut contest. place two small bowls on a table at one end of the room, at the other end of the room on a table have two bags of peanuts and two knives. the players may choose partners in any way desired. the partners play together. the leader gives a signal, watches the time and keeps tally. when the signal is given a player, with his partner, steps to the table containing the peanuts, each takes a knife and when the leader says "go," each places as many peanuts as he can on the blade of the knife and carries it with one hand to the other end of the room, where he deposits the peanuts and returns for more. as many trips can be made as the time will allow. three minutes is good time. when the time is up the leader says, "stop," and the number of peanuts in each bowl is counted and accredited to the two players. each pair takes turn in playing, time and tally being kept for each until all have played. the list of contestants is read aloud, the partners who succeeded in carrying the greatest number of peanuts to their bowls receive a prize. definitions. provide each player with pencil and paper. the leader has a dictionary which she opens at any place and selects a word which the rest are to define. the players write the word and their definition of it on the slips of paper. when the leader taps a bell all the slips must be collected and mixed up in a basket or hat. each player then draws out a slip and the definitions are read aloud in turn. the leader decides which one has written a definition most like the one in the dictionary. the author of the best one rises, receives the dictionary, gives out a word and the game proceeds as before. alphabetical answers. prepare cards with one letter of the alphabet on each, omitting v, x, z. of course if the company is large, several will have the same letter. the cards are pinned on the guests, and it is announced that no one must answer any question presented to him except by a sentence commencing with the letter on his card, the answer being given before the questioner could count ten. no two players can question a person at the same time, and no one can give the same answer twice. if a player begins his reply with a wrong letter or does not answer in time, his letter is taken from him by his questioner, who adds it to his and he then has the privilege of answering with either of his letters. the player who is without a card is supplied with one again but after the third trial he is out of the game. pitch basket. select a number of small fruit baskets, all the same size, and have a box of checkers handy. suppose you have five, on the bottom of one mark 20, on another 15, on two, 5; and on the other, 0. place the baskets in a row on the floor so their numbers cannot be seen. choose sides, giving the red checkers to the leader of one side and the black checkers to the other. one side lines up about 10 ft. away from the baskets, the leader giving each player a checker; if there are any left he keeps them and has the privilege of throwing them. each one in turn throws his checker into any basket, trusting to luck that they fall into a basket with a number on it. when all have played the leader turns up each basket to see its number and counts the number of checkers thrown into it. if there were two in basket no. 20, it would count 40; if 3 in one basket no. 5, it would be 15; if four in the other basket no. 5, 20; and if there were 3 in basket 0, it would count nothing. thus the score for that side is 75. the players on the other side line up and play as the others did. the order of the baskets must be changed by someone not of that side, so no one knows which is which. their score is added up. the game continues until a certain number, 300 or 500, has been reached. the side scoring that number of points first is victorious. who am i? as the guests arrive pin a card with a name of some noted author, statesman, or poet written on it, on their backs, so that every one can see it but themselves. of course, each person wants to know who he is, so the guests talk to each other as though they were the person whose name is on the other's back, but do not mention the name, and from the conversation, they have to guess who they are. progressive puzzles. the players are provided with pasteboard cards 2 inches square, and scissors. at a signal, given by the hostess, they must cut their cards in four pieces, the cuts must intersect in some place, but the card can be cut in any other way. when the cards are cut and the four pieces mixed, they are passed to the player at the right, who has to put the four pieces together correctly. a certain time is given for each puzzle and each time it is passed to the right, until each player has his own puzzle again. tit for tat. plan to have an even number of guests invited, half ladies and half gentlemen. provide thick boards for each lady, also a hammer and paper of tacks, and for the men, plain hats (untrimmed) and material for trimming, also a paper of pins. when all the guests arrive set them to work. the ladies have to hammer as many tacks in straight, in their boards as they can, during the allotted time, while the men trim their hats, choosing their material from that which is provided. when the time (which may be as long or as short as you wish) is up, the men put on their respective hats and pass before the ladies for inspection; the one having the best trimmed one receives a prize. the men inspect the work of the ladies, and the one who has hammered the most tacks into her board "straight," receives a prize. eye-guessing. hang a sheet or screen in a doorway between two rooms and cut six holes, the size and shape of eyes, each pair a distance apart, in it, some up high and some down low. choose groups of four to go behind the sheet, the rest of the guests staying in the other room. three of the chosen four look through the holes at a time. the short ones can stand on chairs and look through the high pair, while the tall ones can stoop down, thus confusing those who have to guess who the pairs of eyes belong to. a short time is given for guessing each group, and then the next set go out. the guesses are written on slips of paper and after all the eyes have been "examined," the correct list is read by one who stayed behind the sheet all the time. the prince of wales. any number can play this game. the players stand in a line around the room and number themselves, beginning with one, until each has a number. the leader, who has no number and who has charge of the game, begins by saying-"the prince of wales has lost his hat, all on account of no. 1, sir;" then no. 1 says: "no, sir, not i, sir, no. 5, (or any number he wishes), sir." then no. 5, repeats what no. 1 said, giving another number instead of 5; but if he fails to respond, then the leader says, "no. 5 to the foot, sir," and then all those who were below no. 5 move up one, and thus their number becomes one less. the leader begins again and he must be very quick to send those to the foot, who fail to respond. commerce. the guests are seated around a table, each one having a pile of fifty beans in front of him. the leader has two packs of playing cards, one of which is used for an auction sale, one card at a time being sold to the highest bidder, who pays for it in beans. when all the cards of the first pack have been sold, the players arrange their cards and beans on the table ready for business. the auctioneer then holds up the second pack and announces that he will call the cards off one at a time, and as he does so, the player who has the duplicate of that card must give it up to the auctioneer. after each calling there is a little time allowed to buy or sell the cards, the object of the game being either to have more beans than any one else, or to have the duplicate card which is at the bottom of the second pack, thus causing a very exciting time as the second pile diminishes. laugh a little. the players sit in a circle with one in the middle for leader. the leader must be one who laughs heartily and is very quick. he begins the game by throwing a plain, white handkerchief up in the air, as high as he can, and while it is in the air, everyone must laugh, but the minute it touches the floor, there must be perfect silence. the leader must catch those who are still laughing and send them from the ring. the game goes on until every one is out of the circle. if there should happen to be one who doesn't laugh when the handkerchief is on the floor, he surely deserves a prize. location. choose two leaders who select sides. one begins by calling the name of some town or place and then counts ten. while he is counting, the opposite opponent must answer where the place is. if he fails to answer before ten is counted, he must drop out. then the leader of the other side takes his turn, and challenges some player of the opposite side. the side which stands up the longest, wins the game. fashion notes. the names of various fashion papers, such as "the delineator," "the styles," "le bon ton," "ladies' home journal," are written on cards, which are cut so that it requires the two parts to know what the title is. distribute these among the guests, who hunt for the corresponding part, thus getting their partners; crayon and paper is given out and the ladies are requested to draw and color a gown representing the one she has on, while the men are asked to write a description of the gown. the drawings and descriptions are collected after time is allowed, and placed on a table for display. prizes may be awarded to the partners having the best drawing and description. stray syllables. prepare long strips of paper on which the guests are requested to write several words of three or more syllables, leaving spaces between each syllable. when this is done, cut up the words into the syllables and mix thoroughly. then each player draws three syllables and tries to construct a word. if a word can't be made of all three syllables, maybe it can be made of two, but if it is then impossible to construct a word, the player must wait until the rest draw three syllables again, and perchance he may be able to construct two words, using the syllables he could not use before. the one constructing the most words, wins the game. quaker meeting. all the guests sit in a circle and the leader begins by saying: "this is a very solemn occasion." he then twirls his thumbs and looks very solemn. commencing with the player to the right of the leader, each one in turn repeats what he has said, very solemnly twirls his thumbs, and keeps twirling them, until each one has repeated it, and it is the leader's turn again. he then says, "sister jane died last night," still twirling his thumbs. this goes around the circle as before. then the player to the right of the leader says, "how did she die?" and he replies, "like this," moving his right hand up and down. thus each one tells his neighbor, and makes the motion just as the leader has done. after each one has said this, still repeating the same question and answer, the leader moves his left hand up and down, too, thus both hands are going; the next time both hands and the right foot are moving; then both hands and both feet; next, hands, feet, and head, bobbing up and down; last, fall back in the chair uttering a hideous groan as if dead. no one must laugh during the whole game; whoever does, must leave the circle. magic music. one player is sent from the room and the rest decide upon something he must do when called in. when this has been done he is summoned by magic music which is made by having one of the players strike on something which will make a noise. if there is a piano, so much the better, if not, a piece of metal or a bell will do. as he nears the object which he is to find the music grows very loud, and faint when he is far away. suppose he is to take a flower from a vase, and give it to one of the players. as he nears the flowers, the music grows louder and louder, and if he touches one, it stops; then he knows he has to do something with it. if he smells it, the music grows faint, and he knows he is wrong. as he starts to give it to the players, the music varies until he has given it to the right one. someone else then leaves the room, and the game goes on as before. patchwork illustrations. for this game it is necessary for the hostess to collect a large number of pictures from magazines, advertisement pages or papers. these are placed in the center of a table around which the players are seated. each guest is provided with a paper at the top of which is written a quotation. the hostess announces that each player is to illustrate his or her quotation with the pictures provided. the pictures are pasted on the papers, and if necessary, a background can be made with pencil or pen and ink. the papers are then arranged on a table for inspection and a prize is awarded for the best illustration. biography. provide the players with pencil and paper. the leader then announces that a biography is to be written, and the first thing to write is the name of some person in the room; the paper is folded over so the name cannot be seen and passed to the player at his left, who writes a date which is the birth date, and the name of some town; the paper is folded again and passed to the left and this time a sentence of ten words is written about early childhood--from one to ten years. next, a sentence of same length telling of events between twenty and forty years; next, between forty and fifty years; date of death next, last, remark about this life. when all has been written, the folded papers are passed to the left again and each player reads his paper aloud. the more ridiculous the sentences, the better the biography, and as no one knows what is under the folded parts, sometimes the date of death will be earlier than that of birth, or there will be a vast difference in time. example--name, john smith. born, july 4, 1449, boston. from 1 to 10 years, mischievous child, quarrelled with everybody, expelled from school, stole eggs. from 20 to 40, stayed home, did dressmaking, became sickly, remained an old maid. from 40 to 50, became a wealthy widower, left with three children to raise. died january 1, 1860. most remarkable man that ever lived in his little town. orchestra. any number can play this game, the more the merrier. each player is told to play some imaginary instrument. the leader with an imaginary baton, begins by humming some lively, familiar tune. the players follow with motions suitable to their instruments and sing the tune the leader is humming. when the leader pretends to play some instrument, the player who has that imaginary instrument, must pretend he is leader and beat time with the baton, but as soon as the real leader changes the instrument or beats time again the player must continue with his own instrument. the leader must be quick to change from one instrument to another and the players must be quick to follow him, for if they don't, they have to leave the orchestra until the piece is over. who is my next-door neighbor? half of the company are blindfolded. they are led to a row of chairs arranged in the middle of the room, each sitting so there is a vacant chair behind him. the other half, who are not blindfolded, very quietly take the vacant chairs and sit perfectly still. the leader then announces that those not blindfolded are to sing when he gives the signal, and the blindfolded ones, who are to remain still, must listen attentively to their right hand neighbor and guess who he is. some familiar tunes must be chosen and the singers can disguise their voices if they choose. the leader begins by playing the tune on the piano and when he says "sing," the victim singers begin while the blind victims listen. one verse of the song will be enough for this medley and those whose voices have been recognized, exchange places with the blindfolded ones, while the others remain in the same place until the listener has guessed who he is. the game then goes on as before. fire. choose two leaders from among the players. each leader chooses his side. the sides sit opposite each other, the leader of one throws a ball to any one in the opposite side. as he does he says either, "earth," "air," "water," or "fire," and counts ten. the person who caught the ball must answer before he finishes counting ten. if "earth" was called he must name some quadruped found therein; if "water," some fish must be named, or "air," the name of some bird; but if "fire" was called he must remain perfectly still. if the players give a wrong answer or speak when they should be silent they are out, and the leader must throw the ball to some one else, but if the players answer correctly, it is their turn to throw the ball to someone in the opposite side, and the game goes on as before. the side whose players stand up the longest, wins the game. the months. the leader need be the only one who understands this game. he asks, "what month are you going away in?" one player might answer "september." he then asks, "what will you wear?" "what will you take with you?" and "what will you do?" all the answers must be given with the initial letter of the month chosen. for instance, the answers to the above questions may be: 1st, "silk stockings," 2d, "sardine sandwiches," 3d, "see the sights." the answers will probably be mixed as the players do not know the trick. each one who misses pays a forfeit, and the leader questions the next player. when one or two do catch on, the more ridiculous they make their answers, the funnier the game. bell buff. in this game all the players except one are blindfolded. this one is called the guide and has a small bell which he rings during the game. all the blind men are led to one end of the room by the guide. he then takes his position a little distance from them and rings the bell, which is the signal for the game to begin. the blind men grope around wildly for their guide who rings the bell all the time, but must move in different places, so as to escape the blind men who are hunting him. the blind men are only guided by the sound of the bell, and the guide must be very quick to change his positions or he will be caught by his pursuers. the first blind man who catches the guide, exchanges places with him, and the game goes on as before. postman. the players sit in a circle; one is chosen for "postman," is blindfolded, and another is chosen for postmaster. the postmaster gives each player the name of some city or town, and stands outside the ring so he can give orders. the "postman" stands inside the circle and when the postmaster says, "i have sent a letter from new york to san francisco," the players having these names must exchange places, and he must try to capture one. if he succeeds he takes that one's place, the one caught then becoming "postman." the postmaster must exchange names very rapidly, and if a player should remain seated when his city is called, he has to be "postman." if the postmaster says, "general delivery," all exchange places, and the "postman" tries to secure a vacant place. spooney fun. all the players sit in a circle. one is chosen to be out. he is blindfolded and given a spoon (a large one) with which he is to feel. he stands in the middle of the circle, then is turned around three times and told to guess who the first person, which he touches with the spoon, is. he advances cautiously until he touches someone. then with the back of the spoon he feels the person all over. the players must keep perfectly quiet, disguising themselves if they see fit, as the collars and cuffs of the men will be felt very easily with the spoon. as soon as the blindfolded one has guessed who the player is he was feeling, they exchange places and the game goes on as before, but if he fails to guess the first time, or has felt with his hand instead of the spoon he is out again and remains out, until he has guessed correctly. cities. provide all the guests with pencil and paper. the hostess then requests that each write the name of the city in which he was born, and under that a sentence, descriptive of that city or containing something suggestive of it. the letters of the city form the words of the sentence and must follow in regular order. allow fifteen minutes for composing the sentences, then collect them, mix them up, and each player is given one. thus each one has some other person's slip to read. the one who composed the best sentences deserves a prize. examples--city, new york. sentence--n-ow, e-very, w-all st., y-ankee, o-wns, r-eal, k-ingdoms. city, chicago. sentence--conflagration, h-igh, i-n, c-rowded, a-reas, g-rew, o-n. going to china. this is a catch game for those who have never played it. the leader begins by saying, "i'm going to sail for china next week, i would like to have you go, what will you take?" this question is asked every player and there are many different answers, but all cannot go, as they have not answered correctly. the point is, if you wish to go sailing, you must take something which commences with the same letter as the initial of your last name. the leader then says, "you can go." for example, suppose the player who is asked the question says she will take bananas. if her last name begins with b she can go, but if not, the leader says, "lou cannot go this trip." the game continues until every one has guessed the trick and they can all go. a penny for your thoughts. provide each player with pencil and paper and a penny. the hostess explains that the answers to the following questions are things which are found on every penny. the questions may either be written on the paper beforehand or the guests can write them as the hostess asks them. a prize may be awarded to the player whose paper contains the greatest number of correct answers. 1. an emblem of victory, (laurel wreath). 2. an emblem of royalty, (crown). 3. a south american fruit, (date). 4. a spring flower, (tulips, two lips). 5. a portion of a hill, (brow). 6. a portion of a river, (mouth). 7. a messenger, (one cent, sent). 8. a piece of armor, (shield). 9. mode of ancient punishment, (stripes). 10. means of inflicting it, (lashes). 11. something to be found in school, (pupil). 12. three weapons, (3 arrows). 13. an animal, (hare, hair). 14. a part of a stove, (lid). 15. plenty of assurance, (cheek). 16. the first american settler, (indian). 17. part of a duck, (feathers). 18. a place of worship, (temple). 19. two sides of a vote, (eyes and nose, ayes and noes). 20. the cry of victory, (won, one). misquoted quotations. choose very familiar quotations from longfellow, shakespeare, tennyson, or any well-known author or poet, and write them on slips of paper. change some of the words of the original, or even a whole line, and when each guest receives his slip he is requested to repeat the quotation correctly. for example--"to be, or not to be; that is the question," may be written, "to be, or not to be: that is the problem." literary salad. salad leaves are prepared for this game by folding and twisting pieces of green tissue paper until they look like lettuce leaves. then paste slips of white paper containing a quotation, on each leaf. the participants of this salad are requested to guess the name of the author of their quotation. this may be played very easily at a church social where the leaves may contain bible verses instead of quotations, and the players are asked to tell just where their verses are found, in what book and chapter. broken quotations. this is a good game to play at the beginning of a social gathering, as the guests have to mingle together and thus become better acquainted, and the stiffness of a formal gathering passes off. the hostess has prepared familiar quotations which were written on paper and then cut in two or three parts and pinned in different places around the room. the guests are requested to find as many quotations as they can during a certain length of time. as the parts are scattered all over the room, it isn't as easy as it sounds to find the complete quotations. the person gathering the most quotations, deserves a prize. parcel delivery. packages of all shapes and sizes and securely wrapped up are prepared by the hostess who has numbered each one. the players are provided with pencil and slips of paper with numbers corresponding to the numbers on the parcels, arranged down one side. the guests sit in a circle and the packages are passed from one to the other. each one is allowed to feel the packages as much as he pleases, but no one must look inside. as the packages are passed, the names, guessed by the sense of touch, are written opposite their appropriate numbers on the slips of paper. after all the bundles have been passed, the hostess opens each one and keeps account of those who have guessed correctly, while those who have failed, are requested to read their guesses as this affords much amusement. who are they? photographs of noted people, labelled with names that do not belong to them, are hung about the room. each picture is numbered. the guests, provided with pencil and paper, are given a certain length of time in which to guess the correct names, which are written opposite their corresponding numbers. familiar photographs such as dickens, shakespeare, washington, lincoln, napoleon, etc., should be chosen. swaps. the guests are requested to bring something wrapped up in paper, which they wish to get rid of. the hostess prepares a duplicate set of numbers, pinning one number on each parcel, as the guests pass by her. when she gives a signal (clapping hands or ringing a bell), the two persons having no. 1 pinned on their packages exchange them, those having no. 2, and so on, until all have exchanged or swapped. then all open their packages, some may have received better things, while others may have a worse swap. talking shop. partners may be chosen for this game by writing names referring to ladies on one set of papers like, "judy," "jill," "juliet," and names referring to men on another set of papers like, "punch," "jack," "romeo." hand each guest a slip of paper with the name on it and each one hunts for his partner. when all the partners are found, the leader announces that at a given signal all the ladies are to talk to their partners for five minutes about household affairs, shopping, or fashions. each man listens attentively to his partner, and when the five minutes are up, he has to write a short account of her conversation, on paper, which the hostess provides. five minutes is allowed for this. then the men talk to the ladies for five minutes about business affairs, stocks, law, building or medicine, and it is the ladies' turn to write a short composition of what she heard. the papers are collected, the hostess reads them, and a prize is awarded to the best or most amusing account. sight unseen. partners may be chosen in any way for this game. the host gives each pair a sheet of paper and pencil. the partners decide among themselves which one is the best artist, he or she (as the case may be) takes the pencil and paper, while the other receives some common object from the host. the chairs must be arranged side by side, but facing in opposite directions, so the one who is to draw may not see the object his partner has. when the signal is given to begin, the one having the object describes it to his partner, who must draw it, from the description given. after twenty minutes have passed, the drawings and their objects are collected, arranged side by side, and it is decided by vote which drawing is most like the object it represents. a study in zoology. it will be necessary to have several sheets of silhouette paper (black on one side and white on the other), a large sheet of white cardboard, several pairs of scissors, and as many pencils as there are players, for this game. each player is handed a piece of silhouette paper, on the white side of which is written a number and the name of some animal. the players are handed pencils and requested to draw the animal, assigned to each, on the white side of the paper. the animals are then cut out and handed to the hostess. fifteen minutes are allowed for this. the hostess, having collected all the animals, pastes them back side out, on the sheet of cardboard, and writes a number corresponding to the one already on the animal, underneath each. the cardboard sheet is hung up where all can see and the players are handed pieces of paper with numbers arranged down one side, on which each player is to write opposite its corresponding number what each animal is supposed to represent. a prize may be given to the one guessing the greatest number of animals correctly. auction sale provide twenty or more bundles, all shapes and sizes, securely wrapped. each bundle has a name on it suggestive of what is inside. for instance, "a pair of kids," may contain two kid hair curlers, "a bunch of dates," may be a calendar; "a diamond pin," a dime and a pin. each guest is given a bag containing fifty beans, no one can bid higher than fifty. the auctioneer, who must be a witty person, who can carry on a lively bidding, stands by a table where the parcels are piled and carries on the sale until all the parcels are sold. the bundles are then opened by the purchasers and there is much merriment over the contents. the genteel lady. the players sit in a circle. the leader begins by saying, "i, a genteel lady (or gentleman, as the case may be) always genteel, come to you, a genteel lady (or gentleman) always genteel (bows to the player on the right), from yonder genteel lady (or gentleman) always genteel (bows to player on left), to tell you that she has an eagle." the next player repeats that word for word and adds something about the eagle, for instance, the last part may be, "to tell you that she has an eagle with silver beak." the next player may add, "golden claws," the next "emerald eyes," the next "purple feathers," and so on. the players who repeat every word correctly, adding their description of the eagle, remain "genteel," but those who make a mistake become "horned" instead of "genteel." the leader has charge of the "horns" which may be toothpicks or pieces of paper twisted up tight. for every mistake a "horn" is tucked in the player's hair. each player repeats what the leader has said, but if the player next to him is "horned," he must substitute "horned" for "genteel" when referring to him. when each one has repeated this tale, the players who have "horns," and there will be many, must pay a forefeit for every "horn" they have. rhymes. provide each player with slips of paper and pencil. the hostess then announces that each one is to write some question at the top of the paper, fold the paper over and pass it to the player at the left, who writes a noun, folds the paper over and passes it to the left again. the players who then receive the slips are requested to write one or more stanzas of poetry containing the noun and question written at the top of the paper. allow fifteen minutes for this, then pass the papers to the left and they are then read in turn. a prize may be given to the one who wrote the best poetry. examples-question--where did you get that hat? noun--fair. "where did you get that hat?" said shortie to mr. fat, "i stole it from the fair, when i was leaving there." question--can you dance? noun--day. "may-day! let us away! can you dance? here's your chance, on this lovely may-day." art gallery. select copies of famous paintings, those familiar to every one, and hang them around the room. neither the name of the painting nor of the artist must be on it, only a number on each picture. provide the guests with pencil and paper and allow a certain length of time, according to the number of pictures, for guessing the names and artists. hunting for book-titles. the hostess must prepare beforehand pictures, cut from magazine advertisements and miscellaneous articles, suggestive of the titles of books. these are arranged around the room, some on tables, some on the wall, and in any place, so all the guests can see them. all the articles are numbered. the guests are handed pencil and paper and the hostess announces that all the articles represent the title of some book and when guessed the names are to be written opposite their corresponding numbers. allow half an hour for the hunt, and when the time is up the hostess reads the correct list and the player who has guessed the largest number correctly, deserves a prize. examples--a large bow of orange ribbon pinned on a curtain, immediately suggests "a bow of orange ribbon," by amelia barr. a picture of several boys suggests "little men," by louisa m. alcott. a picture of gen. grant cut in half suggests "half a hero." part iii. games for special days. jack frost. around christmas and new year's the children will enjoy playing this. all form a circle; one, jack frost, stands in the middle. jack frost runs around inside the circle and touches one child on her right hand, and goes back to his place again. the child touched says: "jack frost came this way," the child to her left says: "what did he do?" no. 1 says: "he nipped my right hand," (shaking her right hand). no. 2 tells no. 3 about jack frost, each doing as no. 1 did, and thus it goes down the circle, until back to no. 1 again. jack frost then steps out and bites her left hand, and now both hands are shaking; thus each time jack frost nips some part, that is shaking with the rest, until the children are hopping up and down, and shaking all over. magic candles. arrange twelve candles, one for each month, in a row about two feet apart. have the candles different colors suggestive of the months they represent, such as, green for march and red for december. the children form in line and one at a time jump over the candles, which are lighted. if a light goes out the child who has just jumped will have bad luck in that month which the candle represents. the lucky or unlucky slipper. a slipper is waved three times over the head and then thrown on the floor. if the toe be toward the player, good luck is coming. if the heel, bad luck is in store, and if it rests on its side, there is hope for something better. cakes. on the sixth of january, twelfth night was celebrated in the olden times. then all the pastry cooks did their finest baking and decked their windows with marvelous productions of cakes. if a party is being planned for this day invite your guests to come dressed as cakes. just the ladies will do this and the men can wear miniature cooking utensils if they choose. give each lady a number and each man a pencil and slip of paper. the men must guess what cakes the ladies represent and write their answers with the corresponding numbers on the paper. when all the cakes have been guessed the correct list is read by the hostess and the one having the largest number of correct answers may be awarded a prize. a prize may also be awarded to the lady attired in the best representation. one dressed in dark brown would suggest "chocolate cake"; another in orange-colored cheesecloth, "orange cake"; another with wreaths of raisins, currants and citron, suggest "fruit cake"; while one in just a plain dress with no signs suggestive of any cake may be "lady cake"; another carrying a hammer and pounding it whenever she saw fit, suggests "pound cake." valentines. when inviting the guests for a valentine party, request each one to bring an original valentine addressed to one of the guests. as the guests arrive, the hostess collects the valentines, being careful to keep those addressed to ladies in one pile, and those addressed to gentlemen in another. the hostess then hands each one a valentine, giving the gentlemen those addressed to the ladies and the ladies those for the gentlemen. the valentines are then read aloud and a jolly time will be the result. a prize may be awarded for the best valentine, the brightest and most witty. initial compliments. each gentleman is handed a slip of paper with the name of a lady guest on it. the gentlemen are then requested, one at a time, to go to their respective ladies, giving each a compliment, every word of which begins with the initial letter of the lady's first name. as each lady is addressed by a gentleman, she replies, using the initial letter of his name in her answer. votes are taken as to the best compliment and answer and a simple prize may be awarded the pair who obtained the most votes. heart hunt. cut out of red, white, blue, yellow and green paper hearts of all shapes and sizes, then cut each heart into four pieces and scatter these all over the room, on the floor, chairs, tables, behind pictures, etc. allow a certain length of time for the hunt, and when all the pieces have been collected, request each guest to put his pieces together and see how many whole hearts of the same color he has collected. the white heart counts 1; the blue, 2; the yellow, 3; the green, 4; and the red, 5. the one scoring the greatest number of points is the winner of hearts and deserves a prize. a booby prize may be awarded the one who has only broken hearts. heart pricks. a large heart made of some red material, (flannel or cheesecloth) is pinned securely to a sheet, which may be stretched on the wall or door. in the center of the large red heart is a small white heart, either sewed or pinned on. each guest is given an arrow of white cloth with a pin in one end. when everything is ready the hostess blindfolds the guests one at a time, and standing a certain distance from the heart, starts them in the right direction. each one endeavors to pin his arrow on the heart; the one pinning it nearest to the middle of the white heart wins the game. valentine puzzle. select five good paper valentines. paste each on a piece of cardboard and cut into small pieces. have five small tables in the room and place a puzzle on each. if the company is small, assign five persons to a table, if larger, use your own judgment. each one at the table takes his turn, trying to put the valentine together in its proper shape. each player is timed, and the one who succeeds in putting it together in the shortest time is the winner. if desired, the players can go from one table to the other; the one who succeeds in putting the most puzzles together out of the five, is the winner. hearts and mittens. cut out of red cardboard half as many hearts and mittens as you expect in your company. out of blue cardboard cut hearts and mittens for the rest of the company. number them so every heart has its corresponding mitten. attach strings or ribbons to each and place them in a basket. each guest takes the end of a string and pulls out his heart or mitten, as the case may be. each one then hunts for his partner. when all are paired off, a circle is formed and someone strikes up a lively march. whenever the music stops, all the ladies stand still, and the gentlemen move up one. this goes on until everyone has had a different partner, and finally, when the original one comes, there is a grand march before the circle breaks up. riven hearts. another way of securing partners for the evening is as follows: suspend two large hearts made of either white or red paper from the ceiling, several feet apart. make a hole in each, through which are hung the ends of long strings. the ladies hold the strings on one side and the gentlemen on the other. when the hostess gives a signal, all pull on their strings. thus the hearts are riven and partners are found holding the ends of the same string. proposals. as the guests assemble for the valentine party, give each gentleman a slip of paper bearing the name of a woman, and the ladies, the name of some man, noted in fiction as lovers. thus the one who has romeo hunts for the lady who has juliet on her paper. when all know who their partners are, the ladies must evade every attempt on the part of the gentlemen of proposing to them during the evening. a prize is given to the gentleman who has succeeded in proposing, and to the girl who has alluded all efforts of her partner by her wit and ingenuity. another way is to have the proposals progressive. every gentleman must propose to every lady before the evening is over. the ladies use every effort they can to prevent them from "coming to the point." the man making the most offers receives the prize. the lady receiving the fewest declarations receives a prize. washington's birthday. for a party on this day, the room should be decorated with flags, hatchets, etc., and red, white, and blue bunting, so as to add a patriotic air to everything. a picture of washington may be cut in many pieces for a puzzle. the one who succeeds in putting the picture together in the shortest time receives a prize, which may be a large picture of washington. a cherry tree may be represented by using a branch of any tree and decorating it with small candy cherries. if these cannot be obtained, any kind of candy may be wrapped in red tissue paper and tied to the branch. the players are blindfolded one at a time, given a pair of scissors, and requested to "cut off a cherry." to add to the fun small paper hatchets may be hidden around the room for the players to find, as in a peanut hunt. the head of a hatchet may be drawn on a sheet which is tacked to the wall, and the players are given cloth handles which they are to pin to the sheet while blindfolded. the one who succeeds in pinning his handle nearest to the proper place may be awarded a prize. april first. for an april fool's day gathering, ask each guest to come prepared to do some sleight of hand trick. when all are assembled, each one in turn performs his trick. a vote is taken for the most clever and a prize is awarded. each one present endeavors to fool someone else during the evening. the one who has not been fooled once during the whole evening receives a prize; the one who is fooled the most times is given a prize, too. easter egg race. color an even number of eggs, half the number one color, the other half, another. place all the eggs of one color on the floor in a line at intervals of one foot. at the end of the line put a basket. form a similar line, a little distance from the other, of the remaining eggs. for convenience, we will say one line is of green eggs, the other of pink. choose two players as leaders, who select their sides. one side chooses the green row, and the other, the pink. two, one player from each side, play at a time. when all is ready the two leaders stand by their respective rows, each is given a large spoon, and when told to "go," each one spoons up the eggs, one at a time, and carries them to the basket at the end of the line. the one who succeeds in spooning up all his eggs first wins for his side. thus each player in turn works for his side until all have had a chance and the side whose players were the most successful is the winning side. suspended eggs. after an egg hunt, several eggs may be gathered together and a string or ribbon run through each and hung in different lengths from a chandelier. candy eggs and little baskets of eggs may be suspended, too. place a tablecloth or sheet underneath to prevent the carpet from being spoiled by the downfall. each child in turn is blindfolded and given a cane with which to strike the suspended eggs. whatever is knocked down is his. if he fails to knock something down the first time, he may have another turn. egg race. give each child a tablespoon and a hard-boiled egg. the children form in line and one is the leader. each one holds the spoon with the egg in its bowl at arm's length and hops on one foot, following wherever the leader leads them. the leader may take them up stairs, over stools, and any place hard to reach on one foot. to drop the egg or rest on both feet prevents one from continuing in the game. she must stay out until the next time round. rolling eggs. mark on the table, or on the floor, if preferred, with chalk, four parallel lines, eight or ten feet long, and four or five inches apart. thus there are three narrow spaces. at the end of each space make a circle, numbering the middle one 10, and the other two, 5. the middle space is marked 3, and the other two, 1. the object of the game is to have each child roll five eggs, one at a time, down the middle space to the circles at the ends. if the egg goes into the middle circle, it counts 10, but if it stops in the middle space, it counts only 3, and so on, counting the number of the place where it stops. tally is kept for each child, the one scoring the most points wins the game. bunny's egg. on a sheet draw a rough-sketch of a good-sized rabbit, the regular easter bunny, standing on its hind legs, and holding its paws as if it were carrying an egg. stretch the sheet on the wall and tack it firmly in place. cut eggs out of different colored cloth to represent easter eggs. the eggs should be as large as the space between the rabbit's paws. in each egg stick a pin. blindfold the children in turn and give each an egg, which is to be pinned on the sheet, and right in "bunny's" arms, if possible. as the children take their turn, no matter how straight on the way they were started, "bunny" will be surrounded with eggs, until some child pins the egg in his arms. this child deserves a prize. july fourth. aside from the enjoyment of firecrackers, etc., there are a few games to amuse the children on this day. if a party has been planned for the fourth, the rooms should be appropriately decorated for the occasion. as soon as all the children arrive choose two leaders, who in turn select sides. a line is marked on the floor and the sides stand on each side of this boundary line. a few feet from the line on each side is placed an american flag. any flag can be made to stand up by placing the end of the stick securely in the hole of an empty spool. each leader guards his own flag. the children endeavor to secure their opponents' flag. if a leader tags anyone who crosses the boundary and comes too near the flag, that child is out of the game. however, if one does succeed in capturing the other's flag, and carries it over the boundary into his side, that side is victorious. flags of all nations. flags of all nations are collected and displayed around the room. each one is numbered. the guests are given pencil and paper with numbers down the left hand side. opposite each number the guest writes the names of the country which the flag bearing the corresponding number stands for. allow a certain length of time for guessing, then collect the papers, read the correct list, and correct the papers. prizes may be awarded, but the satisfaction of having guessed the most seems to be enough reward. our flag. other games for the fourth are as follows: each child is given a piece of white paper or cardboard 6-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches in size. all sit around a table on which are red and blue paper and a pile of stars by each one's place. scissors and a bottle of mucilage are handy. the children are given a certain length of time in which to make their flags, putting the blue field and stars and stripes correctly on their pieces of cardboard. the one who completes his flag first deserves a prize. suspend a bell in a doorway low enough for the children to reach. the children stand about ten feet away and each in turn throws a beanbag, endeavoring to make the "liberty bell," as it is called, ring. those who succeed in making it ring receive little bells as a reward. the contents of several boxes of torpedoes may be emptied and hidden around the room. the children hunt for them, and have a jolly time shooting them off after the hunt is over. hallowe'en. a hallowe'en party is probably the only gathering where the stiffness and formality entirely disappear. every one is in for a good time, and should be dressed in old clothes ready to try all sorts of experiments. decorate the room appropriately with pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns, greens, weird lights, and strings of peppers, if possible. mirrors should be in profusion. effective lights may be made from cucumbers by scraping out the inside and cutting holes in the rind for eyes and nose, and placing a candle in each. persons dressed as ghosts may receive the guests and usher them into the room where the fun is to be. as soon as a person enters, the hostess, who is not a ghost, blindfolds the victim, and those already in the room take turns shaking hands with him. he has to guess who each person is. it is marvellous how many mistakes will be made, even if the guests are the best of friends. hallowe'en stories. there are several ways of telling ghastly stories on hallowe'en. have a large ball of different colored yarn handy and before the midnight hour, turn out the lights, and ask all the players to sit in a circle. the hostess, holding the ball of yarn, begins by telling some weird story, unwinding the yarn as she proceeds, until she comes to a different color, and then she tosses the ball to someone in the circle, and that one must proceed with the story until she comes to a different color. it is then tossed to another, and so on, until the ball is unwound and the story ended. another way, more ghastly still, is to give each guest a saucer in which is a handful of salt and some alcohol. each one in turn lights the contents of the saucer and tells some ghost story, continuing until all the alcohol is burned, and no longer. the stories may be lively or sad. hallowe'en fates. for obtaining partners, fill a pumpkin rind with nuts, which have been opened, had the meat taken out, some token of the fate placed inside, and glued together again with a ribbon attached to each. those drawing nuts having the same colored ribbon are partners. the one whose nut has a ring in, is to be married next; if a coin, he is to be the most wealthy; if a thimble, a spinster all her life. the other nuts may have slips of paper with prophecies written on them. a bag filled with nuts may be tied up tightly and hung in a doorway. one of the players is blindfolded and given a stick with which he is to hit the bag as hard as he can, thus breaking it, and scattering the nuts on the floor. the one who succeeds in gathering the greatest number of nuts will be the luckiest during the year. fill two large pans with sawdust. bury in one pan pieces of paper bearing a rhyme about one's future, these can be about the ladies for the men to draw, and in the other pan verses for the ladies to draw. the papers are folded up tightly. the ladies and gentlemen take turns putting in their thumbs. as soon as a verse is found it is read aloud. example for the men to draw: "medium height, eyes of blue, charming girl is awaiting you." for the ladies: "tall and slight, with red hair, fond of walking and fresh air." some more fates. in addition to the regulation "bobbing for apples," "floating needles," and throwing the apple peel over the head, there are many other amusements of prophecy. in a doorway a portiã¨re of apples may be hung. apples are strung on strings of various lengths. the tallest guests endeavor to bite those swinging on the longest strings stooping in the attempt, while the shorter ones reach for those above. the one who succeeds in eating the whole of his apple just by biting it, will never want for anything. a horseshoe is hung in a doorway. each guest is given three small apples. each in turn tries to throw the apples, one at a time, through the horseshoe. if he succeeds in sending all three through, he will always be lucky during the coming year. from the ceiling suspend a large pumpkin, on whose rind all the letters of the alphabet have been burned or painted. twirl this quickly and each guest in turn tries to stab some letter with a hatpin. the letter which is pierced is the initial letter of one's fate. another,--swing a wedding ring over a goblet and repeat the alphabet slowly, the letter said as the ring touches the glass is the initial of the future wife or husband, as the case may be. this same ring may be suspended from the ceiling, at a convenient distance from the floor. whoever succeeds in running a pencil through it while walking towards it, without stopping, is the next to be married. water charm. place three bowls on a table, one containing clear water, another soapy or muddy water, and the third one empty. blindfold the players one at a time, and lead them to the bowls, (whose positions are changed each time) to put their fingers in one of them. if a player touches the clear water, he will be happily married; if the soapy water, he will marry a widow; and if he puts his finger in the empty bowl, he will never marry. for knowing the occupation of the future one, there are several ways. articles suggestive of different trades may be buried in flour, and the players in turn take a spoonful out of the dish and see what they can find. if not successful the first time, they may have a second trial. another way is to melt lead and then drop in into cold water, and the form it takes will suggest the trade of the future husband. sometimes the forms are intricate, but if they suggest any trade, that is the real one. if it flattens out and looks like a book, an author will be the fate; if in tiny pieces, like particles of dirt, a farmer will be suggested, and so on. over the cider mugs. by each place at the table place a mug of sweet cider, a small bunch of matches, two candles, and a slip of paper with a pencil. before the refreshments are served, when all are seated, the hostess announces that as she counts twenty-five slowly, each guest is to write a wish on the paper, light a candle, burn the paper in the light, letting the ashes fall into the cider, and drink the contents of the mug, ashes and all. all who succeed in doing this before twenty-five is counted, will have their wishes granted. later, ask each guest to light both candles, naming each after a sweetheart, and allow them to burn as long as they will. the candle which burns longest shows which one will prove most faithful. ships of fate. prepare as many half shells of walnuts as there are guests. in each fasten a small candle with a drop of the wax. fill a tub with water, and before sailing the boats, the water should be agitated so as to have it wavy. two at a time may sail their boats, lighting the candles as they are launched. the life of the owner is prophesied by the seaworthy qualities of his ship. if the storm overcomes the ship, the one whose it is, will be wrecked by adversity. the ship sailing across the tub signifies a long sea voyage, while those remaining by the side show that the person loves home better. if the two ships stay together throughout the trip, the couple owning them will have a happy marriage. if they bump together, that signifies a quarrel, and if they sail in opposite directions, each person will lead a single life. cake with candles. a large cake with as many different colored candles on it as there are guests, is passed around, and each one takes a piece of it, with the candle too, choosing whatever color they wish. as the cake passes from one to the other, the hostess reads the following prophecies, having prepared them beforehand to suit the company: "bright and cheery, candle red, the year is here in which you wed." "if your candle green should be, you will find your love at sea." "lonely, hopeless, spinster she, if white candle hers should be." "happy he with candle blue, thy sweetheart is ever true." "she who holds a candle yellow, marries now a jealous fellow." hunt the squirrel. to amuse the children after the thanksgiving dinner, ask them all to join hands and form a ring. one is chosen out and is given a nut which he is to drop behind some child. as he walks around the outside of the ring he says: "hunt the squirrel in the woods, i lost him, i found him. hunt the squirrel in the woods, i lost him, i found him. i won't catch you, and i won't catch you, but i will catch you." as he says the last line, he drops the nut behind some child. that one must pick it up, and run around the circle, trying to reach his place before the other one gets there. if he fails, he is out and the game continues as before. christmas tree. a novel amusement for children at christmas time is to trim a christmas tree when blindfolded. stand a small tree at one end of the room, ready to be trimmed. have all the ornaments on a table near at hand, ready to be put on the tree. blindfold the children one at a time, lead them to the table to take their pick. the first thing touched must be taken, and after turning the child around three times start him straight toward the tree. when he reaches the tree, he must wire the ornament, or whatever he had, in place. some older person can be ready to turn the tree around, as it will be trimmed only on one side, if not. the children can have as may turns as they wish until the tree is trimmed. christmas guesses. suspend a large bunch of mistletoe from one of the chandeliers. the children, one at a time, stand under the mistletoe, and guess how many berries there are on it. the berries are counted when all have guessed. the one coming the nearest receives a prize. while watching the christmas tree, after the presents have been distributed, some one says, "i see something on the christmas tree which commences with t. what is it?" many guesses are given, the one who says "tinsel," has guessed correctly, and it is his turn to give a guess, which may commence with p and c. pop-corn is easily guessed, and so on, until everything has been guessed. christmas wreath. suspend a large christmas wreath in a doorway at a convenient height from the floor. prepare in advance "snowballs," made of cotton batting covered with white tissue paper. the players stand about eight feet from the wreath, and take turns, one at a time. each is given three "snowballs," and the one who succeeds in throwing all three, one at a time, through the wreath, is given the prize. to make it more exciting, sides may be chosen, and each one of the three snowballs numbered, one being 5, the other, 10, and the third, 20. if the ball numbered 5 goes through, it counts 5 for that player's side. if it does not go through, it is a loss, and so on. the side scoring the most points is victorious. christmas candles. a small tree is placed on a table. the candles are lighted. blindfold the players, one at a time, turn around three times, and allow each to take five steps toward the tree. then he must blow as hard as he can, endeavoring to blow out all the lights, if possible. the one who succeeds in extinguishing the most receives a prize. another amusement is playing "the night before christmas" like "stagecoach." give each child the name of some part of santa claus' outfit, the sleigh, the reindeer, etc. the hostess then reads the well-known story, "the night before christmas." as she mentions the names, the players having them, rise, turn around, and sit down again. when she mentions santa claus, all change places, and she tries to secure a seat. the one left out continues the story, and so on, until completed. a game within a game. while the children are waiting on christmas for their presents, or dinner, or whenever the time seems to drag, suggest that each one think up the best game he knows. give each child a pencil and a card on which the game and the name of the child who thought of it are written. each one in turn tells his game and all the children play it. when all have had a turn, and each game has been played, the children look over their lists and choose the game they liked best. the originator of the most popular one receives a prize. toss the goodies. the children form a square, each one holding the sides of an old tablecloth or piece of sheeting. in the center of this is placed a pile of nuts, candies, raisins, fruits, and all sorts of goodies. when a signal is given, the children all together toss the cloth up and down, singing: "toss the goodies up and down, up and down, up and down, toss the goodies up and down, goodies for you and me." when the last line is sung, an extra large toss is made and thus all the goodies fly to all parts of the room. the children then all scramble around picking them up and having a jolly time. snowballs. a pretty idea for concealing christmas presents for the children is to make a lot of snowballs out of white tissue paper and cotton batting, and concerting the gifts inside. pile all these snowballs under the tree, and when the time comes for distributing them, the mother, or some older person tosses them, one at a time, to the children, who are standing at distance eagerly waiting for them. as the children catch them they step out of line to leave room for others until all have received one. then all the balls are opened and the presents disclosed. decking santa claus. santa, who has been invited to the party, after being introduced to all the children, sits at the end of the room. the children are blindfolded one at a time, and after being turned around three or four times, are told to walk up to him, and place on his head their own caps, which they had received in bonbons just before. the child who succeeds in decking santa claus with his own cap may receive a little prize. indian games and dances with native songs arranged from american indian ceremonials and sports by alice c. fletcher holder of the thaw fellowship, peabody museum, harvard university _author of the hako, the omaha tribe, indian stories and song, etc._ 1915 dedicated to the youth of america preface this little book took its rise in the following experience that came to me many years ago when living with the indians in their homes and pursuing my ethnological studies: one day i suddenly realized with a rude shock that, unlike my indian friends, i was an alien, a stranger in my native land; its fauna and flora had no fond, familiar place amid my mental imagery, nor did any thoughts of human aspiration or love give to its hills and valleys the charm of personal companionship. i was alone, even in my loneliness. time went on. the outward aspect of nature remained the same, but imperceptibly a change had been wrought in me until i no longer felt alone in a strange, silent country. i had learned to hear the echoes of a time when every living thing upon this land and even the varied overshadowing skies had its voice, a voice that was attentively heard and devoutly heeded by the ancient people of america. henceforth, to me the plants, the trees, the clouds and all things had become vocal with human hopes, fears and supplications. when i realized how much closer because of this change i had been drawn to our land, how much greater had become my enjoyment of nature, the desire arose to find some way by which i could help to make audible to others the voice i had heard, and thereby restore to our hills and valleys their lost human element. impelled by this purpose i have arranged these dances and games with native songs in order that our young people may recognize, enjoy and share in the spirit of the olden life upon this continent. my obligations are due to mr. francis la flesche of the u. s. bureau of american ethnology and to mr. edwin s. tracy, musical director of the morris high school of new york city, for assistance in the preparation of this book. alice c. fletcher contents preface introduction song and dance among the indians part i dances and songs the life of the corn (a drama in five dances) introduction dance i. the corn speaks dance ii. planting the corn dance iii. the corn springs up dance iv. the fields are ready dance v. honor to mother corn calling the flowers appeal for clear sky the hé-de wa-chi (an omaha festival of joy) part ii games introduction hazard games introductory note pa-tol stick plum stone guessing games introductory note pu-in atá-a-kut hand game hiding the disks i-ou'-tin ball games introduction ball and racket ta-bé double-ball hoop and javelin follow my leader part iii indian names introduction presenting the child to the cosmos giving the child a name bestowing a new name taking and indian name in camp indian names for boys indian names for girls indian names for camps part i dances indian games and dances with native songs introduction the adaptations from indian ceremonies and sports here offered will enable those who take part in them to follow in happy mood some of the paths of expression that were opened long ago by thoughtful men and women as they lived, worked and played on this land in undisturbed intimacy with nature. some of the thoughts bred of this intimacy find their expression in these dances and games, and it may help toward a better understanding of them and their spirit to tell briefly how the indian looked upon and regarded his relation to nature. the natives of america thought of the cosmos as a unit that was throbbing with the same life-force of which they were conscious within themselves; a force that gave to the rocks and hills their stable, unchanging character; to every living thing on land or water the power of growth and of movement; to man the ability to think, to will and to bring to pass. this universal and permeating life-force was always thought of as sacred, powerful, like a god. to it a name was given that varied in the different languages; in the omaha tongue it was called wakon'da. through wakon'da all things in nature were related and more or less interdependent, the sky, the earth, the animals and men. nature was, in a sense, the manifestation of wakon'da, consequently it was regarded as something more than the means by which physical life was sustained and became the religious and ethical instructor of man. all food came from the earth; the wild fruits, the roots, the cultivated maize, these and the animals all derived their living power from wakon'da and yielded their life to man that he might live and be strong. therefore, the hunt was conducted with ceremonies in which the bounty of wakon'da was formally recognized, and when food was eaten thanks were offered to this unseen power. the indian lived in the open and watched with reverent attention the changing aspects of his environment. to him nothing was without significance, for all things were imbued with powers from wakon'da and could convey lessons or admonitions to be heeded by the individual and by the people in their social life. for example: the indian noted the unfailing recurrence of day and night and that upon the regularity with which one followed the other all creatures relied, while man depended upon this constancy to carry out any given purpose. from thoughts upon this natural phenomenon and its effects on the actions of men, ideas arose that led the indian to the conception of truth, that something, as between man and man, that can be depended on both in word and in deed. "thus," the old men said, "wakon'da taught us the necessity of truthfulness, if we would live peacefully together." other natural aspects, as the storm, with its terrifying thunder and destructive lightning, and the passing of the clouds revealing the blue sky, when the birds renewed their song, seemed to picture to the indian the devastation of war and the happiness of peace. again, the tree, compacted of many parts, suggested how the tribe could be made to stand and become strong. so it came to pass that as the ancient people looked about and thought on what they saw, they gradually formulated ceremonies and adopted symbols in order to express what they came to believe. all their rites, their vocations, their pleasures were born, practiced and enjoyed under the arching skies, and were permeated, as by a vital spirit, with an unquestioning consciousness of oneness with nature. we shall not be false to any great truths that have been revealed to us concerning the world in which we live, if we listen to the olden voice, an unseen heritage of our bounteous land, as it sings of man's unity with nature. may they who join in these dances and games catch their vital spirit and learn to feel at home with the winds, the clouds, the fields and the woods. song and dance among the indians the song while studying indian life and thought through the sharing, as far as possible, of native conditions, i discovered indian music. in the loneliness that naturally belonged to my circumstances this discovery was like finding a flower hidden in a tangle hard to penetrate. i had heard indians "singing," but the noise of the drum, the singers' stress of voice, so overlaid the little song that its very existence was not even suspected. circumstances at length arose, incident to my convalescence after a long illness, when, to give me pleasure, my indian friends came and sang softly to me, without the drum. great was my surprise to hear music; to be told that i was listening to the same songs that the earnest men and women had previously sung but which for me had been buried under a tumultuous din. thenceforth my ears were opened and never again, no matter how confusing the conditions, did i fail to catch the hidden melody. as my appreciation of the value of indian music grew, i determined to gather and to preserve these wild flowers of song. i wanted them not merely as a contribution to the study of music but that they might help to vibrate the chords that belong to a common humanity. of the songs i heard in solitude, some were published over thirty years ago. since then many of my gleaning have been used by different composers and the musical message sent far and wide. with the indian, words hold a secondary or an unimportant place in a song. the music and accompanying action, ceremonial or otherwise, convey the meaning or purpose. when words are used they are few, fragmentary and generally eked out with vocables. frequently only vocables are attached to a melody. to the indian, song holds a place similar to that filled for us by wordless instrumental music. in ceremonies, rituals occur that are always rhythmically intoned; each line generally terminates in a refrain. songs have a place in these rituals, breaking in on the recital particularly when an emotion is evoked, for music is the medium of emotional expression. an old indian priest explained this peculiarity by saying: "harmonious sounds unite the people." unaccustomed as we are to the use of songs that have no words, we would not only find it difficult to understand their meaning but we would lose much pleasure when singing them. to obviate the perplexities arising from the indian's peculiar treatment of words and to make clear the meaning of a song, words have been supplied. these words are in no instance a literal translation, for the few broken words that belong to some of the melodies used in these dances and games, because of their fragmentary character, would have no value as an interpretation either of the music or of the action. in a number of instances the original vocables are retained, where the music is merely a rhythmical accompaniment to a simple, easily understood movement. where words are given to a song, they follow closely both the accents and the rhythm of the music. the written stanzas are not meant to be read but to be sung. they express the thought or the feeling that gave rise to the music, they aim to make its meaning understood so that the song can be intelligently sung. in arranging these words, care has been taken never to forget or to change the natural and the psychical environment that belongs to the melody. indian songs are very short. they have no preliminary measures, but at once voice the actuating emotion; that done, they come to a close. although they are so short, they have form and in their structure follow in simple lines the rules of phrasing and motivization taught in our schools. these songs, speaking in general terms, partake more of the character of motifs than of musical compositions. they do not stand alone or apart from the ceremonials or pleasures of which they form an essential feature. the dance the different indian tribes vary in their modes of dancing; moreover, the same theme is not interpreted by all the tribes in the same manner. in some sections of our country the dancers wear costumes and masks that are symbolic, both in color and form; in other regions, feathers are the principal and emblematic decoration; elsewhere, the men may dance very nearly nude. however diverse the dancing regalia may be or how marked its absence, the indian dance always presents two characteristics, namely: dramatic action and rhythmic precision. every indian dance has a meaning. the dance is generally either the acting out of some mythic story or a presentation of a personal experience. every movement of the body, arms, hands, feet and head is always in strict time with the songs that invariably accompany the dance. indian dances are complex rather than simple. their "spontaneous activity" is not the result of "a dominating emotion" but of a desire to present dramatically certain mental pictures. this is particularly true of dances which form a part of religious ceremonials. as a consequence, none of these dances are improvised. all follow forms that have been handed down through generations and have become more or less conventionalized. when the dance portrays a personal experience the dancer is allowed a freedom of invention not elsewhere permitted. even in this case the dancer is obliged to follow certain conventional forms, as in the sign language; otherwise his story would not be understood. on the eastern continent the peoples from whom we are descended had songs and dances peculiar to their different vocations, so on this western continent the song and dance were the accompaniment of the native industries. a study of the indian dramatic dances shows that by means of them the vocations of men and women were lifted out of drudgery, made types of activity and allied to the forces recognized in the religious beliefs of the people. the dances here given, those relative to the corn and also the héde-wache, not only illustrate what has been said above but they reflect back a light upon the religious dances that obtained among the eastern nations of antiquity. when the indian dances, he dances with freedom; his whole body becomes expressive of the actuating emotion of the scene he intends to portray. because of his freedom, his remarkable sense of rhythm and the strong mental picture he aims to present, whether it be the flight of the eagle, the sportive pleasure of birds, the movements of animals, the alertness of the warrior in attack, or in eluding a blow, his motions are always sharply vivid and natural. it is a pleasure to be able to offer in the following pages a number of indian songs with their original accompaniment of action, as the two complement each other for the expression of certain native thoughts and aspirations. whoever takes part in the dances here presented should never attempt to imitate what is supposed to be the indian's manner of singing or his dancing steps and postures; in either case the result would probably be an unmeaning burlesque. each dancer should have a clear mental picture of the scene to be enacted and then give free play to bodily movements for its expression, always keeping in rhythm with the song, so as to make sound and motion a rhythmic unit. the life of the corn a drama in five dances introduction.--these dances in their purport and music are taken from the sacred rituals of the omaha, the osage and the pawnee tribes. the richness and beauty of symbolism in the original language suffer a loss of native naïveté in their english interpretation. the american food plant known by the general term "corn" was developed ages ago from certain native grasses. the _euchlaena luxurians_ found in guatemala is probably an ancestor of the maize. the word "maize" belongs to the language of a people living by the caribbean sea and never was a universal term for corn among the indians of our country. the tribes to which maize was known gave it a name derived from their own languages. so very many centuries have passed since corn was a grass that there is no way now of finding out when in the remote past the natives of this continent began the task of developing from a grass a staple article of food like the corn. the process required years of careful observation, manipulation and culture. not only did the indians accomplish this task but they took the plant from its tropical surroundings and acclimated it throughout the region east of the rocky mountains up to the country of short summers in the north; cartier, in 1534, found it growing where the city of montreal now stands. from this hasty glance at the long history of the maize we can discern the natural sequence of its close relation to the thought and to the life of the indian, and to a degree understand the love and the reverence with which the corn was held and regarded as a gift from god. every stage of its growth was ceremonially observed and mentioned in rituals and songs. among the omaha tribe when the time came for planting, four kernels from a red ear of corn were given to each family by the keeper of this sacred rite. these four red kernels were mixed with the ordinary seed corn, that it might be vivified by them and made to yield an ample harvest. red is the symbolic color of life. in this ceremony is preserved a trace of the far-away time when all the precious seed corn was in the care of priestly keepers. the ceremony of giving out the four red kernels served to turn the thoughts of the people from a dependence solely on their own labor in cultivating corn to the life-giving power of wakon'da dwelling within the maize. in the omaha ritual song of twenty-six stanzas which preceded the distribution of the four red kernels, the corn speaks. it tells of its roots reaching in the four directions (where dwell the messengers that bring life), of the growth of its jointed stalk, of the unfolding of its leaves, of the changing color of the silk and of the tassel, of the ripening of the fruit, of the bidding of the people to come, to pluck and to eat. the music of this ritual song is simple. it is here given with a very brief paraphrase of the words of the ritual song. dance i introductory note.--this ceremonial dance touches upon the mystery of the giving of life that life may be maintained; an exchange that links together the different forms of life and enhances the joy of living. _properties_.--thin green mantles; yellow plumes like the corn tassel; bone clips; as many of these articles as there are dancers. _directions_.--this dance belongs to both sexes and a number of each should take part, if that is possible. should there be trees near the open space where the dance takes place, one-half of the dancers, closely wrapped in their green mantles, should be grouped at one side among the trees and the other half similarly placed at the other side. in the center of the space a single dancer stands facing the rear, wrapped about the head and body with the green mantle, leaving only the face exposed. all being in readiness, the central figure turns slowly, lifts a draped arm and says slowly and impressively: "harken! the corn speaks!" the group of dancers on the right then sing softly the _first_ line only of the ritual song in which the corn speaks. the group of dancers on the left repeat the _same_ line like an echo of the first group. both groups of dancers now begin to move slowly and in rhythm with the following song toward the figure standing in the center of the space, singing, as they move, the ritual song _from the beginning_: ritual song no. 1 fourfold deep lie my roots within the land; clad in green, bearing fruit, lo! here i stand! pluck and eat, life for life, behold, i give! shout with joy, dance and sing with all that live. [music] at the words "lo! here i stand!" the company of dancers should all be standing in a semi-circle. as the words in the third line, "behold, i give!" are sung, the draped arms should be slightly extended forward as in a presentation. the fourth line requires some dramatic action, but it should be restrained rather than free. the arms, still draped with the green mantles, should be raised a little as the words "shout with joy" are sung, and during the singing of the remainder of the line swayed from side to side in rhythm with the song, always with a reserve in the movements, because of the mystery mentioned in the words of the song, that life is maintained by the giving of life. a pause of about two beats should follow this ritual song. as "ho-o! ho-o!" the opening of the next song, is given, every dancer should suddenly turn half-way round, give a movement of the head such as would cause the mantle to fall back and leave the head with the corn tassel exposed; the ends of the mantle should be gathered in the hands so that the mantle can wave with the dance as the following song is sung: song no. 2 ho-o! ho-o! dance we singing, promise bringing of the wealth of summer fair; hearts beat lightly, skies shine brightly, youth and hope are ev'rywhere. _refrain_: ho-o! ho-o! ho! ho! ho! [music] as each "ho-o!" of the refrain is sung, the dancers should whirl like merry sprites, twine and untwine their green mantles about their forms until the song begins again. then they should all skip off with springing, rhythmic steps in open indian file, letting their mantles float and wave about them as they wind in and out over the camp ground carrying "youth and hope ev'rywhere." every time the refrain is reached, the dancers should stop and whirl, then as the song begins again move off in line, dancing as before. when they are ready to stop (that can only be done during the singing and whirling of the refrain), each dancer should whirl from the line and keep up that movement, singing "ho!" until his or her tent is reached. dance ii introductory note.--the rituals and ceremonies from which this dramatic dance with its accompanying songs are taken have been handed down through numberless generations. they deal with the perpetuation of the vocations of the people and also with the duties of the warrior, who must so protect the people that these vocations can be pursued in peace and safety. the portion of the ritual that relates to the planting of the maize is here given. it is practical in character. the ground is to be cleared of the débris of winter's storms and the dead leaves and twigs gathered into heaps and consumed by fire. when the brown earth is uncovered on the sunny slope it is to be mellowed and made into little hills with flattened tops to receive the kernels of the corn. the first seven of these hills must be ceremonially planted. into the first hill one kernel of corn is dropped, two kernels are put into the second hill, three in the third, and so on to the seventh, in which are placed seven kernels. the product of these seven little hills must be kept separate, for it is to constitute the "first fruit offering" made to wakon'da, through the priest, in recognition of the gift of corn as food. after the seven hills are completed, then the rest of the field is similarly prepared and planted. when the kernels are put in the loosened ground they are covered and stamped with the foot, so that each little hill beards the mark, the footprint, of the planter. the ritual song depicts the task of planting to its completion and compares the rows of little brown hills to lines of buffalo following one another down the slope. with this vision, suggesting the promise of abundant food, the workers joyfully turn toward the home fireside. the words given for the first song are a brief paraphrase of the many stanzas of the original ritual song, which so touches the necessary acts of the planter as to lift them above a merely prosaic level. _properties_.--as this dance represents work, no scarfs or mantles are used. the garments should be plain and the arms free for the necessary dramatic motions in portraying the various acts connected with clearing, preparing and planting the ground. in ancient times the hoe used for this work was made from the shoulder blade of the elk, or a stick three or four feet long shaped at one end like a wedge. similarly shaped sticks of wood should be used in this dance, one for each dancer. pouches are required made of brown cloth, with broad bands or straps long enough to pass over the shoulder and chest and to let the pouches hang at the back. both pouches and straps should be ornamented with geometric designs painted in red, yellow, blue or green; two or three of these colors should be combined in each design. the corn carried within the pouches can be represented by rounded chips, little stones or, when possible, by the corn kernels themselves. the boys must wear head-bands, carry bows and have quivers hung at their backs. they must scatter around the border of the "field," move watchfully about, peer into the distance and act as if on the alert to detect or to meet any prowling enemy. _directions_.--a space should be set apart to represent the "field" where the dramatic action takes place. this dance requires considerable dramatic pantomime. the words in the two lines of each stanza of the song serve as a prelude to the action which follows. sometimes the action may be confined to the refrain, but generally there must be acting throughout the singing both of the words and the refrain. much in this dance must be left to the imagination and skill of the group of dancers, who should rehearse together and decide how best to make a clear, strong picture. the native music here given belongs to the act of preparing the ground and planting the kernels of corn. attention is called to the second, fourth, sixth and eighth measures of the song. the three-quarter notes and the eighth and rest should be accented by movements of the hoe, the foot or both. the rhythm of the first measure is a little different from that of the third, fifth and seventh, caused by the third note being a quarter note, denoting a definite act or pause; the remaining four notes of the first measure are flowing, as well as all the notes of the third, fifth and seventh measures. by observing these little points in the music the drama will be given variety and made more picturesque and effective. at the beginning of the song the dancers should be at a little distance from the space set apart to represent the "field," so that they will be able at the proper time to go toward it. as the first line of the first stanza is sung the dancers should stand in a loose group, adjust their hoes and pouches to be ready to go to the "field"; during the singing of the second line they should break into a file and move off. all these movements of body, hands and feet must be in strict time and rhythm with the music. song no. 1 1 here we stand ready now to go on our way to the field, buried under leaves dead and gray. _refrain_: ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! [music] by the end of the first line of the refrain the dancers will have reached the "field" and have begun to dispose themselves over the space. seven must stand in the first row, where they are to make the seven ceremonial hills. these seven dancers should lead the motions of all the others, so that the movements may present even lines, as in the bowing of violins in an orchestra. the refrain should be repeated as many times as is necessary while the dancers are taking position, clearing the field, etc. the number of repeats must be determined upon at the rehearsals of the dancers. sufficient time should be taken to bring out the picture and to give it in perfect rhythm with the music. when the refrain closes, the dead leaves and twigs are supposed to be gathered into heaps ready to be burned. 2 see the fire send its "word of flame" mounting high, now the smoke rolls about the earth, shuts out sky. _refrain_: ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! the action for this stanza should indicate the heat of the fire; shielding the face, pushing back stray leaves or twigs to the burning heap; the rolling smoke follows the dancers, who here and there try to escape it. this scene will require study to bring out the picture rhythmically. it should form a contrast to the preceding and the following scene, in both of which the movements are more or less uniform. in this scene groups should emphasize certain conditions: the fire, the smoke, the work of keeping the heaps together, so that the picture will be one of action diverse to a degree and yet every movement dominated by the rhythm of the song; the picture will thus be made a unit. 3 mellow earth, make the little, hills smooth on top, on the earth softly the kernels we drop. _refrain_: ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! in the action of this stanza the seven dancers in the front row make seven ceremonial hills, mellowing the earth with the wooden hoes and gathering it into little hills made smooth on top. the pouches are swung to the front, the corn taken out with one hand while the other holds the hoe at rest, and the kernels are dropped on the softened earth. the dancers should be careful to remember that in the ceremonial row of seven hills but one kernel is to be dropped in the first hill, two in the second, and so on up to seven in the seventh hill. all the dancers scattered over the "field" must follow the movements of the seven in charge of the seven ceremonial hills. 4 cover all gently, leave the print of our feet on the earth mellowed fine, so brown, so sweet. _refrain_: ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! in the action for this stanza the hoe and the feet of the dancers have a special part. the movements of the dancers should represent the covering of the dropped seed with the mellowed earth and the making of the footprint on the top of the little hill within which the seed is now hidden. in the native ritual song the term "footprint" is used symbolically; it represents a person--in this instance the one who had done the work--also the work itself that has been accomplished. the dancers should be careful to remember the rhythm of the second, fourth, sixth and eighth measures, as these can be used to emphasize "footprints" and also the completion of the task. during a repeat of the refrain the dancers should drop their hoes and gather in groups as if to look at the field; this action will bring them into the position required for the fifth stanza. 5 how like lines of buffalo upon the slope, lie our little brown hills, so full now of hope. _refrain_: ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! ah hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they ha! the motions of the hands and the movements of the body should indicate that in looking over the field one is struck by the striped appearance made by the rows of little hills, recalling the resemblance to the buffalo descending the slope. the final "ha!" of the refrain should indicate pleasure. a brief silence should follow, during which the dancers pick up their hoes, adjust their pouches, fall into line and sing the following song: song no. 2 light our hearts and gay as we homeward take our way, while the winds about us play, singing as we go. hy-ya hy-ya hy-ya ho! hy-ya hy-ya hy-ya ho! hy-ya ho! ho! hy-ya ho! [music] this song should be repeated many times as all the dancers, with rhythmic, springing steps, wind about the camp ground before they finally disperse. dance iii introductory note.--this dance is from the corn ritual song and is a dramatization of a visit to the planted field after the lapse of a few weeks. life has been stirring in the kernels of corn that had been hidden within the little hills, and the kernels now call to those who had planted them to come and see what was taking place. _properties_.--the same as those used in the preceding dance. both the boys and the girls should wear the same costume as in dance ii. _directions_.--the scene should be the same as in dance ii. the "field" to be visited should be in the same place as the space set apart for the "field" where the little hills were made and planted. a part of the boys should act as guards of the "field" as before. a few should scatter among the girls and join in looking at the sprouting corn as it breaks through the soil, and these should join in singing the song. at the opening of the dance the dancers should be discovered standing in groups as though they had accidentally met as neighbors of the same village. they should stand at the same place whence they had started to go to the "field" in the preceding dance. the groups should be talking in dumb show. suddenly each group should act as if its attention had been arrested by a sound, and while in this attitude of arrested attention all should begin to sing the following song: song 1 a call i hear! hark! soft the tones and weak. again the call! come! our feet that call must seek. _refrain_: hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, again the call! ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. [music] this dramatic dance will require to be rehearsed and the details planned by the dancers, so that a clear picture may be brought out and also the native poetic thought embodied in the ritual song from which it is taken. a few hints can be given, but much of the action must depend upon the imagination and dramatic feeling of the dancers. as the first line, "a call i hear!" is sung some one should raise the hand toward the ear, another raise it as a warning to keep quiet. the line "hark! soft the tones and weak" is an address to one another in the groups. then comes another sudden arrest, "again the call!" these three lines should be sung without any change of position either by the groups or by the individuals. action should be confined to the hands and the head. when singing the fourth line all should begin to stir, to adjust their pouches, tighten their hold on the wooden hoes and, as if moved by a common impulse, should prepare to go and seek the source of the call. in their going the groups should not fall into one line but each group move by itself. during the refrain the dancers should act as if in doubt which way to go. at the line "again the call!" all should stop as if arrested, and then move off again when the refrain is taken up. all the groups should keep the rhythm of the music. there should be a good deal of by-play and the action should indicate bewilderment, both as to the meaning of the call and the locality whence it comes. it should appear as though some of the groups are baffled in their attempt to locate the call. 2 a call i hear! hark! it is near at hand, the call! the call! floats to us where we now stand. _refrain_: hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, again the call! ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. the action of this stanza shows the dancers being led by the call to the "field," where the call seems to become clearer and at last is there located. the dancers should scatter in groups, while different individuals should look about searchingly but without breaking the groups. these should move here and there seeking for the "footprints" that had been left on the smooth tops of the little hills, and so lead to the action required for the next stanza. whenever in the song the line "the call! the call!" occurs, there should be an apparent arrest of movement among the dancers as if to listen. 3 again the call! forth to the light of day they come! they come! come pushing upward their way. _refrain_: hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, they call! they come! ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. "day" is the symbol of life; the kernels are coming "into the light of day" in the original ritual song, meaning they are entering into life. they call as they come, struggling and pushing their way through the breaking earth. this life movement should be indicated by the motions of the dancers as they pass in groups with rhythmic steps from one little hill to another. directions as to how these motions should be made would hardly be helpful; the dancers can best plan this pantomime. 4 again the call! two feeble leaves are seen, they call! they call! soon shall we stand clad with green! _refrain_: hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, they call! they call! ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. the original ritual song tells that the feeble leaves, the first shoots, cannot stand or support themselves; they are helpless as infants. but they have come to the "light of day," "have entered into life," and they will grow, become strong and stand, stretching ever higher into the light. the native stanzas portray the progressive movements of the corn from feeble helplessness into the power of life. the action of the dancers should convey this meaning by appropriate pantomime. 5 they call! they call! up springs our jointed stem, they call! they call! golden fruit shall grow on them. _refrain_: hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, they call! they call! ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. in this stanza the promise of fruit is given. the dancers should show excitement not only at the wonderful spectacle they observe but because of the promise given. they should still keep in groups as they move about and exult in the results that have come from the little hills where they left their "footprints." in the original ritual song there are more than a score of stanzas in which the various occurrences of the growth of the corn are mentioned, mingled with symbolic imagery. "footprints" represent both labor and ownership. those who planted the kernels look for these marks and rejoice over what they find. they had begun their planting "like a game," a venture; whether it would be successful or not no one could tell. but success had come. the action for the last stanza should indicate an abandonment to delight; hoes should be dropped as the groups mingle and act out pleasure not only at what is seen but what is promised. a pause should follow, then the hoes should be picked up and the dancers gather by twos and threes in a line to return home; as they start they break into the same song which they sang on the return from making and planting the little hills: [music] the dancers should keep up the song and rhythmic dance until their individual tents are reached. dance iv introductory note.--this dance, taken from the corn ritual, represents a visit to the field later in the season when the harvest time is near at hand. the keynote of this visit is in a line of one of the many stanzas of the original ritual song, "i go in readiness of mind." the mind is assured, prepared to find in the place where the "footprints" had been made, where the little kernels had broken the covering of earth to reach "the light of day," that these have now grown tall and strong under the summer sun and are "standing in the fulness of day." this assurance is justified, for the corn is found ready to pluck, and some of its ears are joyously carried to the people at home. _properties_.--the same costumes as those worn by the boys and girls in dance ii and iii. the green scarfs used in dance i will be needed in the latter part of this dance; these can be folded and carried in the pouches and pockets. _directions_.--the scene should be laid in the same place as the two preceding dances and the dancers should gather at the same spot whence they started to the "field" in dance ii and iii. the dancers, both boys and girls, should be discovered standing in an open group talking together in dumb show, evidently discussing the probabilities as to the ripening of the corn. they may have been saying: "already the boys are shouting, the cattail is in bloom!" this was a sign that the time had come for the corn to be ripe. some one whose mind was "in readiness" makes the suggestion (in pantomime) to go to the "field"; to this all agree, and the group breaks into lines as the boy and girl dancers sing the following song: song 1 in readiness of mind to the field we go, where we footprints made, there stately jointed stalks grow. loud rustle the long leaves, bright the tassels wave o'er each row. _refrain_: ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. [music] the steps of the dancers must be in rhythm with the song and all movements should indicate a feeling of assurance. when the "field" is reached certain motions of the feet should suggest a memory of the "footprints." the "field" is now covered by rows of tall cornstalks; therefore, when the "field" is reached the dancers should move in parallel lines, as if they were passing between these rows. some lines should cross at right angles, giving the effect of walking between high barriers, along pathways that intersect each other at right angles. when the dancers pass along these alleys, so to speak, movements should be made to indicate brushing against or pushing out of the way the "long rustling leaves" of the corn, and to point to the "waving tassels" far above their heads. this pantomime, with its rhythmic movements suggesting long lines of cornstalks, the brushing aside with the hands of the long leaves of the stalks, should make an effective picture. 2 strongly the ears shoot out, fill'd with golden grain, up into the full light, life flowing in each vein, sacred the corn now stands ready to give its strength full fain. _refrain_: ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. the length of the original ritual song, together with the picturesque quality of the native language, permits the bringing out in full detail of this scene of the cornfield: the ears standing at angles from the stalk, and the husks full of kernels replete with life-giving power. because of this power the corn has now "become sacred," filled with life from wakon'da, thereby related to that great power and through it linked to the life of mankind. the idea of this unity throughout all nature, including man, is fundamental to indian thought and belief. it is expressed in all his religious ceremonies and also in his vocations, both serious and playful. in the present instance it appeals to him through the planting, the growth, the maturing and the use of the corn, giving its life to man. to convey the picture of the cornfield, and to suggest the thoughts that imbue the scene as expressed in the native rituals, will require some study, but the effort will be well worth while. these thoughts were vital upon this continent centuries before the land became our home. the maize in all its richness and beauty has become ours to enjoy, and while we accept this gift let us not fail to catch and to hold the lingering vibrations of its native teaching that aimed to lift the thoughts of the worker in the cornfield to the great giver of life and beauty. in planning the pantomime for this stanza the dancers should not forget the rhythm of the song and to keep the lines as though they were walking between rows of tall cornstalks. 3 where'er we look wide fields wait harvest to meet; ripe are the ears we pluck, juicy the corn we eat; filling our arms, we go homeward, happy hearts there we meet. _refrain_: ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey hey hey they, ah hey hey they, ah hey they. the action requisite for the interpretation of this stanza by pantomime is comparatively easy, as looking over the field ready for harvest, and plucking a few ears of the corn. care should be taken not to appear to touch the row where the seven hills were made, for the product of these are to be used as the "first-fruit offering." during the singing of the first line of the third stanza a few of the dancers should slip behind some of the others and there take out their scarfs from the pouches or pockets, make each scarf into a loose bundle and carry it upon the folded arms as though it was filled with ears of corn. in this way, a few at a time, the dancers can secure their scarfs, and arrange them to look like bundles of corn to be taken homeward. all the lines that have been moving as between rows of corn should now come together and form a long line and with dancing, rhythmic steps, and arms filled with corn, return to the starting place, and from there wind about the camp ground singing the refrain, which can be repeated _ad lib_. until they finally disperse and go to their tents. dance v introductory note.--this dance represents the bringing of the "first-fruit offering" of the corn from the seven little hills that were ceremonially planted after the dead leaves of winter had been cleared away. the dancers who follow the seven leaders carrying the cornstalks represent the people in triumphal procession in honor of corn as "mother breathing forth life." both words and music of the song for this procession are taken from a great religious ceremony of the pawnee wherein corn is spoken of as a-ti-ra, mother, with the prefix h' signifying breath, the sign of life. "h'a-ti-ra" ("mother breathing forth life") is repeated over and over and is the only word used in this song. the repetition is not an idle procedure but an awakening of echoes in the native mind, of all that corn has meant to his ancestors and race during the centuries. the repeated words imply contemplation on the subject. this song when heard sung by a hundred or more could not fail to impress one with its majestic fervor. the beautiful, bountiful maize giving its life that others might enjoy life, on another plane, is here reverently and joyously proclaimed "mother." _properties_.--green and other bright colored scarfs or mantles, as many as there are dancers, boys and girls, also wreaths made of long leaves like those of the cornstalk; these can be manufactured from green paper. tall yellow plumes, similar to the tassel of the corn, and fastened to the wreath in such manner that when the wreath is worn the plume will stand above the forehead. seven cornstalks, or wands so wound with green as to appear like the stalk of the corn with its tassel. _directions_.--all the dancers should be wrapped in their mantles and have on their wreaths, the erect tassel plume standing directly over the middle of the forehead. boys and girls must mingle in this dance. all dress as before, with the addition of the mantles. implements, pouches and bows and arrows are not used. of the seven who are to lead, four should be boys and three girls. when leading the procession and carrying the cornstalks, the first line of four should be a boy, two girls, a boy; the second line of three should be a boy, a girl, a boy. these seven must wear green robes or mantles and hold the cornstalks, with their hands draped by the mantle. the other dancers can wear green or other colored mantles or scarfs. the boys must sing the songs, for the volume of sound must be full in order to produce the true effect of this impressive ceremony. the seven dancers who have been selected to act as leaders should stand in a group by themselves in front of the other dancers, who are in loose groups at the rear. on the space which heretofore in these dances has represented the "field," the seven cornstalks or wands should be laid in a windrow on the ground. when ready to begin the dance the dancers should be discovered in the two groups as already described, talking quietly in dumb show. the seven leaders, who are in the front group by themselves, appear to consult together; then, led by one of their number, sing the following song: song no. 1 1 golden on ev'ry hand, waving, the cornfields stand, calling us thither; calling us thither, first-fruits to cull and bring our sacred offering to great wakon'da, giver of corn. [music] during the singing the seven leaders stand together wrapped in their green mantles. all the other dancers are grouped at a little distance back, still talking as at first in dumb show. at the third line they stop talking, at the fourth line they give attention to the seven leaders, at the fifth line they join in the song. during the singing of this stanza there should be no change in the relative positions of the two groups, but during the singing all who sing should keep up a gentle rhythmic swaying of the body. 2 now to the field we hie, where stands the corn so high, calling us thither; calling us thither, first-fruits to cull and bring our sacred offering to great wakon'da, giver of corn. the seven leaders, at the beginning of the first line of the second stanza, slowly fall into line and with deliberate rhythmic steps move toward the "field," reaching it by the fifth line, and while singing that line they should pick up the cornstalks and hold them, with their hands draped with their green mantles, high to the front. at the close of the first stanza the other group of dancers should resume a dumb show of speaking to one another until the third line of the second stanza, when they change their attitude and give attention; at the fourth line they join in the song, and at the fifth move toward the "field" where are the seven leaders. by the close of the second stanza all the dancers should be in one group at the "field." all the dancers stand there at the "field" a moment in silence. then the seven leaders sing the introduction to the following processional song: song no. 2 _introduction_: follow mother corn, who breathes forth life! _chorus_: h'a-ti-ra, h'a-ti-ra, h'a-ti-ra, a-ti-ra, h'a-ti-ra, a-ti-ra, h'a-ti-ra, a-ti-ra, a-ti-ra, h'a-ti-ra, a-ti-ra. [music] this song is retained as sung in the original pawnee ceremony; the meaning has already been explained. the introduction is sung by the seven leaders, who advance in two rows, four in the first, three in the second, and in this manner they lead the processional dance. at the chorus all the other dancers fall in behind the leaders, either in couples or singly, every one singing. all steps must be rhythmic and in time with the music. the seven leaders move steadily, also in time with the music, as they hold the cornstalks high, while the followers wave their scarfs or mantles and dance happily and lightly, but with dignity. the picture should be one of contrast as the procession takes its way among trees and through the sunny fields, the seven moving evenly, with the corn held high, and the joyous, fluttering group of dancers following. the life of the corn culminates in a delight of color, movement and song. calling the flowers introductory note.--this dance is derived from a ceremony, observed among the indians of the north pacific coast, in which the spirits dwelling beneath the ground are called to come and join those who are dancing. the dancer who calls the spirits moves with gliding steps, the arms outstretched, the hands beckoning upward in a gentle, enticing manner. the grace, dignity and earnestness of this dance linger with the writer as a beautiful memory after the lapse of many years. _properties_.--a green scarf for the caller. blue, white and rosy scarfs for as many dancers as will personate the three flowers that respond to the call: violets, wild-roses and daisies. a twisted rope of green to link the dancing flowers together in the final dance. _directions_.--a clear space will be required large enough for all the dancers to move about in the final dance. those who personate the flowers should be hidden from view until the time when they are to respond to the call. in the properties enumerated above, mention is made only of scarfs. the picturesqueness of the dance would be enhanced if the dancers wore headdresses shaped somewhat like the flowers and made of appropriate colored paper; blue or lilac for the violets, with a touch of yellow; deep pink or pale red for the wild-roses, with a little yellow for the stamens; white with yellow for the daisies. the twisted rope of green paper should be made over heavy twine, so as to be strong enough for the dancers to grasp in the final dance. all these decorative articles should be made in the camp. the dancer who acts as the caller should wear the green scarf loosely thrown about the head and body. if the voice of this dancer is not strong enough to be clearly heard by those who look on at a little distance, then two other persons should stand one at each side of the open space and sing with the dancer who is the caller. these two extra singers should be wrapped in green scarfs and stand quietly as interested spectators while the dancer calls. care should be taken to give the words of the songs with clearness and distinctness, so that every person within hearing distance can catch them easily. the dance the scene opens with the one who is to call the flowers standing in the center, looking about in different directions. suddenly, as if the thought occurred to call for companions, the following song is begun: song no. 1 call to the flowers hither come, come to me, flowers! wake from your sleep. oh, hither come, hither come, flowers! hear me calling, wake from your sleep, o flowers! hark! some one comes. [music] with the song, movement begins. the steps taken should be gentle and gliding, the arms outstretched as in entreaty, the hands moved as in beckoning, not with one finger but all the fingers slowly bending toward the open palm. the dancer should think what the action means as she glides about the open space, and strive to carry out the picture of awakening the sleeping flowers, of bidding them to "come hither." it is possible that more time may be required by some dancers to produce the picture than merely singing the song once through would give; in that case, that portion of the song having the words "hear me calling, wake from your sleep, o flowers!" can be repeated once or twice, to meet the requirements of the dancer. the last line, "hark! some one comes!" should be given with dramatic action. these words are the cue for those who are to represent the violets to prepare to enter from different points on the right, and to make a soft, stirring sound before they come into view, singing the following song: song no. 2 song of the violets violets have come in heav'nly hue; with fragrance sweet they bring to you love from the dell where they grew close to the earth so true. [music] the violets dance with quiet steps in rhythm with the song. they slowly advance and gather in a loose circle about the caller, whom, as they come near, each one lightly touches, to give "love from the dell where they grew." then they retire to the edge of the open space at the right and sit on the ground in little groups. when they are quiet and in their places, the caller moves toward them, then turns, stops, looks at the empty side at the left and sings: song no. 1 call to the flowers [see page 42] the last line gives the cue to those who represent the wild-roses to make a rustling sound where they are hidden on the left. they enter with light springing steps, singing: song no. 3 song of the wild-roses wild-roses come all bright and gay, blushing red like dawn of day; dancing come they, full of play, hiding all their thorns away. wild-roses come all bright and gay, blushing red like dawn of day, dancing come they, full of play. [music] the wild-roses dance about gaily; they circle the quiet little clumps of violets that remain seated. the wild-roses frolic around the caller, capering about in wild freedom but keeping their steps in exact time with their song. finally they pause in groups at the left. after a moment, the caller moves toward the rear of the open space and while there once again sings: song no. 1 call to the flowers [see page 42] at the close of the song the dancers who are to represent the daisies give a trilling shout and appear from the rear of the open space, skipping; their leader holds the end of a long green rope, which is caught hold of by each dancer who follows, all singing: song no. 4 song of the daisies up from meadows free, coming full of glee, troop the daisies white, dancing in the light, all skipping blithe and gay. now we make a chain, singing as we twine then back into line- merry at play! [music] as the daisies skip in the open space, the dancers are widely separated as they hold on to the rope; at the words "now we make a chain" the violets, who had risen as the daisies entered, move toward the string of dancers; the wild-roses also come toward the chain and grasp the green rope. the colors of the flowers should alternate and all the flowers should have hold of the rope and cling to it as to a great green stem. then all circle around the caller, who is the last to grasp the stem. as all the flowers dance they repeat song no. 4, beginning at the words "troop the daisies white," etc. this chain of flowers should make, as they dance, interweaving figures. these can be left to the fancy of the dancers, but just what they are to be must be decided upon beforehand and rehearsed; otherwise the dance will not be successful and pleasing. the dances for each kind of flower will require practice, for the character of each flower should be well brought out; the gentleness of the violets can make a charming contrast to the waywardness of the wild-roses and the pliant daisies who are at home everywhere. appeal for clear sky introductory note.--among those indian tribes that lived outside the semi-arid sections of our country, the storm with its destructive force was the representative of war, and thunder was a war god. warfare was widespread among the tribes dwelling in the mississippi valley; yet among these people the desirability and value of peace were recognized. honors won in a defensive fight gave the warrior higher rank than those gained in wars of aggression. rituals belonging to religious ceremonies, and also to war rites, taught that the first duty of the warrior was to protect the women and children, the fields and the food supply, for his strong arm and ready courage made the tribe's only wall of defence against enemies. these tribes had ceremonies relating to the maintenance of peace not only within the tribe but for the purpose of forming peaceful relations with other tribes. the clear sky was the symbol of peace, of happiness and of prosperity, conditions the very opposite of those that attended war. when a peace ceremony was in progress, if a storm arose it was looked upon as an omen of disaster. at such a time, when clouds gathered, the people joined in ceremonial songs and appeals for clear sky, the symbol of peace. the following dramatic dance and the accompanying songs are employed on such an occasion. the songs are taken from ceremonies used to promote peace. _properties_.--staffs, about three feet long, with small blue flags, as many as there are dancers, the same number of blue head-bands and blue sashes. the latter are to be worn from the right shoulder across the breast and tied at the waist under the left arm. a drum. _directions_.--this dance belongs to both sexes and boys and girls should, if possible, join in it. the dance all the dancers stand facing the east, in one or more rows deep, according to the number, their staffs held in the right hand so that the flags will hang in front of each dancer, covering the chest, as they begin the following song: song no. 1 away, away, dark clouds, away! leave the sky! go far away, dark clouds, to-day! leave the sky! stormy clouds, go far away, far away, stormy clouds, no longer stay! leave the sky! go far away, dark clouds, to-day! leave the sky! stormy clouds, go far way, far away! stormy clouds, begone! [music] first appeal in the first line at each "away" the dancers should look up toward the east and move a step forward in that direction. at the line "leave the sky!" they should point their flags toward the east, keeping the staff out on a level with the body, and accent it by thrusting it forward as if pointing to the east, being careful not to change the level of the staff. at the second "leave the sky!" the level of the staffs must be raised to about the chin of the dancer and the same pointing motion repeated at this level. at the third "leave the sky!" the staffs are raised to the level of the dancers' eyes and the same pointing movement repeated. at the fourth "leave the sky!" the level of the staffs is raised to a line with the top of the head and the pointing motions again given. at the last line, "stormy clouds, begone!" the staffs and flags should be raised aloft and waved with precision to the rhythm of the song. the steps and movements of the body should be that of backward and forward, to give a pulsating effect, all in exact time with the music. the drum should be beaten in 4/8 time, the first and third stroke heavier than the second and fourth. this series of movements constitutes the appeal to the east. the dancers next turn to the north, repeat the song and all the movements of staff and body in exactly the same manner. the dancers now turn toward the west and go through the song and movements without any variation. they then turn toward the south and repeat song and movements as before. this brings the first appeal to a close. second appeal all the dancers gather in a loose group in the center of the open space, where they divide into two lines that must cross each other at right angles. when this cross-figure is formed, all, as they stand, should face the east. the staffs should be held at an angle similar to that of a baton and then swayed to the rhythm of the following song of pleading and of hope: song no. 2 come, soft skies of blue, o'er the earth of verdant hue bend in peace! clouds by thy sunny breath all are gone, blue sky! joy now fills our hearts anew, sorrows cease; songs of birds sing of thy peace, blue sky! [music] as the dancers sing they should take a step sidewise to the right, then return to the first position; then a step to the left and return, so that the whole cross-figure has a swaying motion accentuating the rhythm of the song, which should be sung smoothly and flowingly. when the words "blue sky!" are sung the flags should be raised aloft and waved in rhythm and then returned to the previous level. the song should be repeated several times and the figure maintained as the singers face the north, west, south and back to the east. then the dancers should break into groups and, still singing the song and dancing rhythmically, disperse to their tents. the hé-de wa-chi an omaha festival of joy introductory note.--for centuries the home of the omaha tribe has been in the region now known as the state of nebraska, north of the city which bears their name. there they dwelt in permanent villages, surrounded by their garden plots of corn, beans, squashes, etc. from these villages every year in june all the tribes except the sick and infirm went forth to follow the buffalo herds in order to obtain their supply of meat and pelts. as this tribal hunt was essential to the needs of the life of the people, it was a very serious affair, initiated with religious ceremonies and conducted under strict rules enforced by duly appointed officers. it was at the close of this great tribal hunt, when food and clothing had been secured, while summer lingered and the leaves had not yet begun to fall, so that brightness was still over the land, that this festival of joy took place. like all indian ceremonies, the hé-de wa-chi embodied a teaching that was for the welfare of the tribe, a teaching drawn from nature and dramatically enacted by the people. the omaha tribe was made up of ten distinct groups, each one having its own name, a set of names for those born within the group, and certain religious symbols and ceremonies committed to its care. by tribal rites and regulations these ten distinct groups were welded together to form the tribe, whose strength and prosperity depended upon internal harmony and unity. the hé-de wa-chi taught the people what this unity really stood for. the central object of the ceremony was a tree, which was the symbol of the tribe; its branches were as the different groups composing the tribe, the twigs that made up the branches were as the individuals that formed the groups. the omaha had special ceremonies for the preparation of the central object. they cut a tree, left a tuft of branches at the top and painted the trunk in alternate bands of red and black. the red bands represented day, the black, night; the decoration as a whole stood for the continuity of life. this pole was planted in a broad open space. as the melodious call to the ceremony echoed over the land, the people gathered from their tents. each one of the ten groups took its respective place and all the groups formed a wide circle about the tree. every one, down to the little children, carried a twig with leaves. these they held aloft as they made their rhythmic, ceremonial approaches to the tree, and afterward danced about the sacred symbol. it was a wonderful and a beautiful scene that took place on the prairies years ago, when hundreds of omahas moved to the rhythm of the sacred songs, waving the green sprays as they danced up to the symbolic tree and circled about it with thanksgiving and joy. it was thus they exemplified tribal unity, wherein every one was a part of the living whole. this ancient american ceremony should live anew with us wherever we gather to enjoy the delights of nature in goodly company. _directions_.--it may be difficult to prepare a young tree for the central pole after the manner of the omaha; if so, a space around a single tree can be made to serve. bands of red and black muslin or paper should be put about the tree trunk; these are to symbolize the days and nights enjoyed during the camp life. the members of the camp should be divided into groups and each group have a name and a color. small branches should be gathered, equal in number to those who will take part in the dance. if actual branches are not available, wands can be used; to these fluttering decorations of green paper should be attached, also a streamer the color of the group. each group should be assigned a place in the wide circle that is to be made about the tree. when all are ready the following call should be sung. the indian words are retained, as they are easy to pronounce and fit the meaning, and are adapted to the long echoing cadences of the call. song no. 1 the call zha-wa i-ba i-ba e-he, zha-wa i-ba i-ba ha e-he. [music] [words: zha-wa = to rejoice; i-ba = come; ha = vowel prolongation of the syllable ba; e-he = i bid you. "i bid you come to rejoice."] this english translation of the native words does not convey the stirring appeal of the omaha: "to rejoice! come! i bid you." the stress of the music of the call is on "zha-wa," to rejoice; the notes which carry the words "e-he," "i bid you," seem to float afar as if to reach the most distant member of the tribe with the summons. the cadence of the call echoes itself, as the second line is like the first, only lower in tones. when all of the camp have gathered in response to the call, each group must stand in its appointed place and every member hold a decorated wand. four beats of the drum are now to be given; the beats must not be loud or rapid. when the reverberations of the drum cease, absolute quiet must be maintained, each one's wand must hang downward from his right hand, while the following chant is given, sung by the leaders of the groups. the words are by john b. tabb, the music is arranged from the omaha invocation. song no. 2 invocation all that springeth from the sod, tendeth upward unto god; all that cometh from the skies, urging it anon to rise. [music] this chant takes the place of the prayer sung at this point of the ceremony by the omaha keepers of the tribal sacred pipes. the prayer in the original has no words, vocables only are used, for the music is what carries the appeal to wakon'da (god). at the close of the chant two strokes of the drum should be given. then the leaders should sing the first line of the following song; all the camp respond at the beginning of the second measure, and the song follows. this music is the dance song of the ceremony when all the omaha tribe made four rhythmic advances toward the sacred tree, stopping at the close of each advance. the song was sung four times, once for each forward movement. song no. 3 approach to the tree _leaders_: ev'ry one lift up the branch! _response by all:_ up it goes! _song by all:_ dancing, singing, we like leaves sway to and fro. happy leaves! dancing leaves! swinging as the breezes blow, so will we ever be blithe and joyous as we go. hi-o! [music] "hi-o!" is the call given by the leaders for the dancers to pause. when this call is heard, all the branches must be at once lowered and every person stand still. after a brief pause the leaders will again sing the command, "ev'ry one lift up the branch!" then comes the response, "up it goes!" the song immediately follows, all the wands held high and waving in rhythm to the melody while the second advance is made. each one of these advances should be but a few steps, on account of the limitations of space. the dancing steps, the rhythmic movements of the body and the swaying wands should give an undulating line suggestive of waving branches. the available space on the grounds should be calculated so as to permit the four approaches accompanied by the dance-song to reach a point near the tree, yet far enough to permit the forming of two circles of dancers around its base. at this point the company should divide into two parts, one part to form an inner circle and the other to form an outer circle. these two circles are now to dance around the tree, one to go from right to left, the other from left to right. at this time the leaders tie their wands to the trunk of the tree, but all the others retain their wands while they dance in these concentric circles. all should sing the dance-song, keeping time with the feet and waving the wands to the rhythm of the music. as the dance goes on, the time can be accelerated and the circles become wider and narrower, but in all these movements the rhythm of song and dance must never be broken--for the rhythm stands for the binding force of a common, social and loving life. song no. 4 dance around the tree 1 dance the leaves in sunlight, dance the leaves in dark night, leaves ever, ever dance on the tree, the tree! [music] 2 high we lift the green branch, dance and wave our green branch, each one is a green branch of the tree, the tree! 3 now we all return them, bind them to the tree stem, while we sing the glad word, unity! o tree! 4 strong our hearts in daylight, strong our hearts in still night, thus the hé-de wa-chi bids us be, o tree! this dance-song can be repeated as often as desired. when at last the leaders wish it to stop they must give the call, "hi-o!" as they did for the pause in the dance of approach to the tree. when this signal is given, the members should toss their wands at the foot of the tree from the place where they had stopped dancing. in the ancient omaha ceremony the people had the vast expanse of the prairie at their disposal, yet each tribal group kept its appointed place, not only during the dance, wherein they made four approaches toward the sacred tree, but when all the groups formed into two great circles the tribal order of their relative positions was still preserved. the two circles were made up according to sex. the women and girls danced in one direction next to the pole; the men and boys formed the outer circle and danced in the opposite direction. this dance was the occasion of much hilarity and fun. old and young danced with vigor, and great was the delight of the tribe as it spun around the emblematic tree, carrying branches. at the close of the dance all tossed the branches at the foot of the pole, leaving a mound of green on the widespreading plain. if boys and girls take part, as they should, in this ceremony, let the girls form the inner circle and the boys the outer circle as they dance about the tree in true omaha fashion. in real indian life every vocation has its accompaniment of song, no matter how homely may be the employment. so, keeping faith with that ancient american custom, let the camp be put in order after the ceremony while all sing the following song, which may be called the clearing up: song no. 5 the clearing up [music: now is our dancing ended, light are our hearts as our footsteps turn at our leaders' bidding. safely we gather together branches that served our playtime, setting our camp all in order ere to our tents we betake us.] this scene, in which all should take part, can be made merry as well as useful. part ii games indian games introduction.--all the games here presented have been played in our land for untold generations, while traces of the articles used for them have been found in the oldest remains on this continent. according to dr. stewart culin, the well-known authority on indian and other games, "there is no evidence that these games were imported into america at any time either before or after the conquest. on the other hand they appear to be the direct and natural outgrowth of aboriginal institutions in america." dr. culin calls attention to the reference to games in the myths of the various tribes. among those of the pueblo people mention is made of the divine twins who live in the east and the west, rule the day and the night, the summer and the winter, "always contending they are the original patrons of play and their games are the games now played by men." (bureau of american ethnology, vol. 24, p. 32.) it would lead too far afield to follow the interesting relation between ceremonials and games, a relation that is not peculiar to the culture found on the american continent but which obtains the world around. the environment of man in general outline is much the same everywhere; the sun ever rises in the east and sets in the west; day and night always follow each other; the winds play gently or rend with force; the rains descend in showers or fall in floods; flowers and trees spring up, come to maturity and then die. therefore, when man has questioned nature as to the why and the wherefore of life, similar answers have come from all parts of the earth; so it happens that man's games, which often sportively reflect his serious thoughts, show a strange similarity. indian games that depend upon chance, according to dr. culin, may be divided "into those in which the hazard depends upon the random fall of certain implements employed, like dice, and those in which it depends upon the guess or choice of the player; one is objective, the other subjective." games of the first or objective class are generally played in silence, while those of the second or subjective class, called guessing games, are accompanied by singing. (ibid., p. 44.) in a game where the two sides contest, as in a ball game, the sides were frequently played by two different tribes or by two villages in the same tribe. in such cases the players often went through a course of training in order to prepare them for the contest. bathing, exercise and diet had to be followed according to prescribed custom. among the cherokee the partaking of rabbit was forbidden, because the animal is "timid, easily alarmed and liable to lose its wits"; so if the player ate of this dish, he might become infected with like characteristics. mystic rites were sometimes performed to prepare the player so that he would be successful. (ibid., p. 575.) according to the indian belief, the pleasure of games was not restricted to mankind but was enjoyed by birds and animals. the following story from the cherokee is told by mr. james mooney and quoted by dr. culin (ibid., pp. 578, 579): "the animals once challenged the birds to a great ball play. the wager was accepted, the preliminaries were arranged, and at last the contestants assembled at the appointed spot--the animals on the ground, while the birds took position in the tree-tops to await the throwing up of the ball. on the side of the animals were the bear, whose ponderous weight bore down all opposition; the deer, who excelled all others in running; and the terrapin, who was invulnerable to the stoutest blows. on the side of the birds were the eagle, the hawk and the great tlániwa--all noted for their swiftness and power of flight. while the latter were preening their feathers and watching every motion of their adversaries below, they noticed two small creatures, hardly larger than mice, climbing up the tree on which was perched the leader of the birds. finally they reached the top and humbly asked the captain to be allowed to join in the game. the captain looked at them a moment, and, seeing that they were four-footed, asked them why they did not go to the animals where they properly belonged. the little things explained that they had done so, but had been laughed at and rejected on account of their diminutive size. on hearing their story the bird captain was disposed to take pity on them, but there was one serious difficulty in the way--how could they join the birds when they had no wings? the eagle, the hawk and the rest now crowded around, and after some discussion it was decided to try and make wings for the little fellows. but how to do it! all at once, by a happy inspiration, one bethought himself of the drum which was to be used in the dance. the head was made of ground-hog leather, and perhaps a corner could be cut off and utilized for wings. no sooner suggested than done. two pieces of leather taken from the drumhead were cut into shape and attached to the legs of one of the small animals, and thus originated the bat. the ball was now tossed up and the bat was told to catch it, and his expertness in dodging and circling about, keeping the ball constantly in motion and never allowing it to fall to the ground, soon convinced the birds that they had gained a most valuable ally. they next turned their attention to the other little creature; and now behold a worse difficulty! all their leather had been used in making wings for the bat and there was no time to send for more. in this dilemma it was suggested that perhaps wings might be made by stretching out the skin of the animal itself. so two large birds seized him from opposite sides with their strong bills, and by tugging and pulling at his fur for several minutes succeeded in stretching the skin between the fore and hind feet until at last the thing was done, and there was the flying squirrel. then the bird captain, to try him, threw up the ball, when the flying squirrel, with a graceful bound, sprang off the limb and, catching it in his teeth, carried it through the air to another tree-top a hundred feet away. "when all was ready the game began, but at the very outset the flying squirrel caught the ball and carried it up a tree, then threw it to the birds, who kept it in the air for some time, when it dropped; but just before it reached the ground the bat seized it, and by his dodging and doubling kept it out of the way of even the swiftest of the animals until he finally threw it in at the goal, and thus won the victory for the birds." hazard games introductory note.--the objects which are thrown or tossed in games of hazard dr. culin for convenience has designated as "dice" and he calls the games "dice games." (ibid., pp. 44, 45.) he found these games among one hundred and thirty tribes belonging to thirty different linguistic stocks. throughout this wide distribution the "dice" are not only of different forms but are made from a variety of materials: split-cane; wooden or bone staves or blocks; pottery; beaver or muskrat teeth; walnut shells; persimmon, peach or plum stones. all the "dice" of whatever kind have the two sides different in color, in marking, or in both. those of the smaller type are tossed in a basket or bowl. those that are like long sticks, similar to arrow shafts, from which they are primarily derived, were thrown by hand. myths of the pueblo tribes speak of the game, in which "dice" shaped like a shaft were used, as being played by the war gods. the split-cane "dice" were "sacrificed" on the altar sacred to the gods of war. in this connection it is interesting to find evidence that the "dice game" of hazard was associated with the thought of war among tribes very different, both in language and customs, from the pueblo indians. among the tribes living on the prairies the word used to indicate a "point" made in a "dice game" is derived from the same root as the word used to indicate an honor won on the field of battle. two examples of the class of games called "dice games" are here given: the first a pueblo game played almost exclusively by men; the second a game found among the omaha and kindred tribes and almost exclusively played by women. 1 pa-tol stick game _properties_.--three wooden billets; a flat stone about six inches in diameter or square; forty stones about as "big as a fist" or like pieces of wood; as many sticks for markers as there are players; counters to score the game. _directions_.--the three billets, called pa-tol sticks, are made four and a half inches long, one inch wide and half an inch in thickness; it is important that the wood from which they are made be firm and hard. two of the billets are plain on one side, on the other side a diagonal line is incised from the left-hand upper corner to a point about two inches below the right-hand upper corner; another diagonal line is incised from the right-hand lower corner to about two inches above the left-hand lower corner. the third pa-tol stick has the same design on one side, and on the other side the design is repeated and an additional diagonal line incised from the right-hand upper corner to the left-hand lower corner. it would be well to blacken all these incised lines in order that the designs can be readily seen during the playing of the game. [illustration] a circle, called the pa-tol house, about three or four feet in diameter, is made by setting forty stones "about the size of a fist" so as to form the circumference. between every tenth and eleventh stone there must be an opening of four or five inches. these openings must face the north, east, south and west; they are spoken of as "rivers." the flat stone is placed in the middle of the circle. each player has a marker, a small stick or twig, which is called his "horse." as many can take part in the game as conveniently can seat themselves around the pa-tol house. the following description of the game is given by dr. charles f. lummis and quoted by dr. culin (ibid., pp. 191, 192): "when the players have seated themselves, the first takes the pa-tol sticks tightly in his right hand, lifts them about as high as his chin and, bringing them down with a smart vertical thrust as if to harpoon the center stone, lets go of them when they are within some six inches of it. the three sticks strike the stone as one, hitting on their ends squarely, and, rebounding several inches, fall back into the circle. the manner in which they fall decides the denomination of the throw, and the different values are shown in the diagram. although at first flush this might seem to make it a game of chance, nothing could be farther from the truth.... an expert pa-tol player will throw the number he desires with almost unfailing certainty by his arrangement of the sticks in his hand and the manner and force with which he strikes them down. it is a dexterity which any one may acquire by sufficient practice, and only thus. the five throw is deemed very much the hardest of all, and i have certainly found it so. [see diagram.] "according to the number of his throw the player moves his marker an equal number of stones ahead on the circle, using one of the rivers as a starting point. if the throw is five, for instance, he lays his horse between the fourth and fifth stones and hands the pa-tol sticks to the next man. if his throw be ten, however, as the first man's throw is very certain to be, it lands his horse in the second river, and he has another throw. the second man may make his starting point the same or another river, and may elect to run his horse around the circle in the same direction that the first is going or in the opposite. if in the same direction, he will do his best to make a throw which will bring his horse into the same notch as that of the first man, in which case the first man is killed and has to take his horse back to the starting point, to try over again when he gets another turn. in case the second man starts in the opposite direction--which he will not do unless an expert player--he has to calculate with a good deal of skill for the meeting, to kill and to avoid being killed by the first player. when he starts in the same direction he is behind and runs no chance of being killed, while he has just as good a chance to kill. but if, even then, a high throw carries him ahead of the first man--for jumping does not count either way, the only killing being when two horses come in the same notch--his rear is in danger, and he will try to run on out of the way of his pursuer as fast as possible. the more players the more complicated the game, for each horse is threatened alike by foes that chase from behind and charge from before, and the most skilful player is liable to be sent back to the starting point several times before the game is finished, which is as soon as one horse has made the complete circuit. sometimes the players, when very young or unskilled, agree there shall be no killing; but unless there is an explicit arrangement to that effect, killing is understood, and it adds greatly to the interest of the game." ii plum stone game this game belongs to the second and non-ceremonial class of the games of hazard and is generally played by women. the omaha type is here given, but it is similar to the game as played by kindred tribes. _properties_.--five plum stones; a basket or wooden bowl; one hundred counters. the omaha used stalks of the blue joint grass as counters, but small twigs or sticks will serve. the plum stones should be carefully cleaned and dried. two of the stones are burned black on both sides with a hot iron; on one side of each of these stones a crescent is marked, and between the lines of the figure the black is carefully scraped so as to leave a clear design of a new moon on a background of black. on the other side of these two stones a star, four or five pointed, is drawn and all the black within the lines is scraped off, leaving a brown star on a background of black. the other three stones are each burned black all over on one side; the other side is left the natural color of the stones. these stones can be prepared in camp, but the basket or wooden bowl will probably have to be furnished from outside. _directions_.--two players to one basket or bowl. the game is generally one hundred points. the two players sit opposite and have the basket or bowl between them, with the five plum stones lying in the bottom. the one hundred counters are within reach at one side. as points are made, the winner takes a corresponding number of counters from the general pile and lays them beside her on the side opposite to the general pile; when this is exhausted, then the winner takes her counters from the winnings of her opponent. whoever wins all of the one hundred points has the game. lots should be drawn to decide who shall have the first play. the one who wins the first play takes the bowl or basket by the rim with both hands and gives it a toss sufficient to throw up all the stones, but not violent enough to make them fall outside the bowl or basket; such a throw would not count. if the throw is not such as to move all the stones, make them turn and all move about within the bowl, that throw will not count. the following are the combinations that count, that is, make points: two moons and three whites (natural color) = 10 points. two stars and three blacks = 10 points. one moon, one star and three whites (natural color) = 1 point. one moon, one star and three blacks = 1 point. no other combinations count anything in the game. as will be seen, there are a number which cannot be counted. if one tosses the bowl and the stones fall in such manner as to make a combination that does not count, there is no forfeit; the player merely fails to score any points. the player who wins a point, or points, keeps on tossing the bowl until she fails to make a point. she must then let her opponent toss the bowl, who will keep tossing the bowl as long as she can win a point. there are players among the indian women who are very skilful and are able to make the stones fall frequently in the combinations that win ten points. guessing games introductory note.--games of the "subjective" class, designated as guessing games by dr. culin, were generally accompanied by singing. there is a great variety in the games of this class, and five examples drawn from different sections of the country are here presented. indian games of this character do not always depend so much on chance as on the quickness of vision and skilful manipulation by the players. in games of this class the indians never make random motions, all their movements, whether of the body, the feet, the hands or arms, being always in strict accord with the accompanying song, while the drama implied in the game is acted out, at the same time, more or less clearly. in these games the indian players seem to be impelled by a common rhythmic and dramatic impulse, making a unity that enhances the interest and pleasure excited by the game. i pu-in introductory note.--this was a favorite game among the natives of the northeastern states; its "strange whimsies" were first mentioned by william wood in his book, "new england prospect," published in london, 1634. it is probable that some form of this game still persists among the scattered descendants of those nearly extinct tribes, but it is not likely that at the present day the victor would proclaim his prowess, as was formerly done, by wearing in the holes of his ears the counters that marked the number of his successful guesses. _properties_.--a number of wheat or other straws cut about a foot long; a mat or blanket; a pointed staff for the leader. _directions_.--ten straws must be laid aside as counters for each player. the rest of the straws are separated into tens and each ten tied with a wisp, making a bundle; one bundle must have eleven straws. there should be as many bundles as players. the bundles must all be tied alike. the game consists in guessing which bundle has the eleven straws. the number of guesses allowed in a game must be fixed upon before starting to play. all the bundles are thrown in a heap upon the center of the mat. the leader, who is generally chosen by lot, leads the players to the mat containing the bundles. each player holds in his left hand his ten counters and follows the leader with his staff as he moves around the mat from left to right, while all sing the following song, taking steps to the rhythm of the music: game song [music] when the leader strikes his staff on the ground every player must stop just where he happens to be, stoop and pick up a bundle with his right hand and begin to wave it above his head and sway his body to the time of the song. when the leader points with his staff to a player, that person must make a guess. as he scans the waving bundles he points with his left hand that holds his counters to the bundle which he thinks contains the eleven straws. if the guess proves to be correct, the guesser puts one of his counters in his hair or behind his ear. at once all bundles must be thrown in a heap on the mat. the leader then moves forward by the left, followed by the players, every one singing and keeping time with the song. when the leader strikes the ground with his staff, all halt. each player immediately seizes a bundle, holds it aloft and begins to wave it. the leader designates with his staff a person who must guess. if the guess is wrong, the guesser drops one of his counters on the mat and the leader points to another player who must guess. if he loses, he drops one of his counters on the mat; the guessing goes on as described, until some one is successful and puts a counter in his hair, when the bundles are all thrown on the mat and the play begins again as before. should the person designated by the leader to guess think that he holds the bundle with eleven straws, he must point it at the leader. if this surmise is correct, the person guessing puts a counter in his hair and all bundles are again thrown on the mat. in this way the game proceeds until some player has won the requisite number of counters and has them all standing in his hair. throughout the game the singing must be kept up, accompanied by rhythmic movements of the feet and the body, the players acting as though searching among the tall grass for a desired clump. when a point is won, the leader should shout out the counter won, without interrupting the song or the play. among the indians the game, once started, is kept going without halt or break in the song or the movements. the calling out of the winnings in no way disturbs the singing or the playing. the victor should wear his successful counters in his hair the rest of the day, if possible. ii atá-a-kut introductory note.--this game is played among one of the basket making tribes of california. as not infrequently occurs in indian games, there is in this pastime a reflection both of the environment and of the vocations of the people who used it. the drama or theme of the play is the search for a particular reed, which for the purpose of the game is marked in a special way. _properties_.--a mat or blanket and about fifty reeds; the reeds should be similar in thickness and about a foot long. _directions_.--the number of points which shall constitute winning the game should first be agreed upon; if ten be the number, then twenty reeds should be set aside as counters and the rest used as game-reeds. all of these latter must be alike save one, and that reed must have a black band about an inch or so wide painted around the middle, that is, midway between the two ends of the reed. it is this particular reed that must be detected or its location guessed. the mat or blanket should be laid east and west. the two players sit opposite each other, one near the northern edge of the mat, the other near the southern edge. the counters are divided in half, one-half put at the eastern end of the mat, the other half at the western. the counters at the east belong to the player sitting at the north, those at the west to the player at the south. two singers stand back of each player. the spectators are grouped about the mat, but must not be too near the players. lots are drawn to decide which player shall "hold the reeds." the player who loses the chance to "hold the reeds" becomes the one who is to be the guesser. all the game-reeds, including the reed with the black band painted on it, are thrown in a pile in the center of the mat or blanket. the player who is to "hold the reeds" gathers all the game-reeds in his hands, brings them behind his back, where he shuffles and divides the reeds into two bunches, one for each hand. when he is ready to bring his hands forward, each one with a bunch of reeds grasped by the middle, the two singers standing behind him start the following song: game song [music] when the music begins, the player holding the reeds sways his body from side to side, moves his arms and hands with the reeds and simulates being blown by the winds. the opposite player, by the movements of body and arms, indicates that he is pushing his way through tall reeds tossed by the wind, searching for something he desires to find. both players in all their movements must keep in rhythm of the song, observe strict time and strive to make their actions tell the story plainly. the guesser through all his motions must keep his eyes on the bunches held by his opponent, seeking for an indication to show which one contains the marked reed. when he is ready to guess he extends both arms toward the bunch he has fixed upon, as if to grasp it. at this action the holder of the reeds must open his hand and let the reeds of that bundle fall on the mat. the guesser then searches among the spilled reeds for the one that is marked; if he finds it, he holds it up so that all can see that his guess has been correct and the reed discovered. the two singers who stand behind him give the victory shout, go to his pile of counters, take one and place it at his right hand, then the reeds of the other bunch are thrown by the holder on the mat, so that all the game-reeds are lying in the center, as at the beginning of the game. the player who made the successful guess now picks up the game-reeds and behind his back shuffles and divides them. when he is ready to bring forward his two hands holding the reeds, the two singers standing behind him begin the game song, while he waves the bunches, acting what is now his rôle, that of the reeds being blown about by the winds. the other player now becomes the guesser and must act as though he were searching among the blown reeds for the one he desires. the player who "holds the reeds" is thought to have the advantage; that is why lots are drawn at the beginning to decide who shall have that part in the game. the player holding the reeds aims to make the guessing as difficult as possible by deftness in hiding the banded reed, so as to keep his advantage. every time a guess is made the reeds of the bunch guessed must at once be dropped on the mat, that all may see the reeds while the guesser searches among them for the marked reed. if he cannot find it, the singers who stand behind him call out that a point has been lost, take a counter from his pile and place it at the right hand of the player holding the reeds, who at once drops all the game-reeds on the middle of the mat, to be again taken up by him, shuffled and divided behind his back, when he resumes the waving of the bunches of reeds blown by the wind and the guesser who lost starts to make another guess. should he be successful, the counter he had lost would be taken back and placed at his right hand. in this manner counters lost can be reclaimed, until one or the other of the players has won and been able to hold the number of counters required for the game. the presentation of the little drama of this game rhythmically affords an opportunity for considerable dramatic action and yields pleasure both to the performers and to the spectators. this game was much played among the tribes where it was known. iii hand game introductory note.--this game, dr. culin states, is played among eighty-one indian tribes of the united states. the game bears different names in the various languages of these tribes. hand game is a descriptive term and not a translation of any native name; it refers to the fact that the object is held in the hand during the play. the following form of this game is the way it was formerly played among the nez perce indians of the state of idaho. lewis and clark, who were the first white men to record their meeting with these indians, mention this game, and capt. bonneville gives an account of it when he visited the tribe during the third decade of the last century. _properties_.--a bone or wooden bead about two inches in length and half an inch in thickness; thirty counting sticks (these are sometimes spoken of as arrows, and there are indications that they were once arrows--the arrows of the twin gods); a mat oblong in shape; two logs or pieces of board about the length of the mat, and as many sticks (to be used as drum-sticks) as players can sit on one side of the mat. _directions_.--the mat should be laid east and west, the logs or boards put on the north and south edges and the counting sticks placed in two piles of fifteen each on the ends of the mat. the players sit on the ground, a row on each side of the mat to the north and south. lots are drawn to decide which side shall have the bead "in hand." the leader and the singers must always stand behind the row of players who have the bead "in hand." the opposite side must have the drum-sticks and beat on the log or board in time with the singers. when the players are seated in two rows, one on each side of the mat, the leader hands the bead to a player on the side that has drawn the right to have the bead "in hand," and then takes his place beside the singers, who stand behind that row, and starts the following song. all in that row join in the singing. hand game song [music] the players on the opposite side, who are to guess who is hiding the bead, at once begin to beat the time of the song on the log or board that is in front of them, on the edge of the mat, and at the same time they must watch the other side where the players are trying to pass the bead from one hand to the other and from one person to another without exposing the bead to view. in all these actions the movements of hands, arms and body must be rhythmical and in time with the song. all the players in the row that has the bead "in hand" must act as if each one either had the bead or was trying to pass it on, whether he actually has the bead or does not have it. when one on the opposite side thinks he detects the whereabouts of the bead and is willing to risk a guess, he points his drum-stick to the hand he thinks has the bead and cries, "hi-i!" and the hand indicated must be immediately opened so that all may see whether the guess is correct or not. if the bead is seen to be in the opened hand, the leader calls out, "success!" and goes to the pile of counting sticks belonging to the side of the guesser, takes one and stands it in the ground in front of the successful guesser. the leader then hands the bead to the player who has won and proceeds to gather the drum-sticks and distribute them to the players on the opposite side. the singers pass around and take their places behind the row of players who now have the bead "in hand." when all are in readiness, the leader starts the song again and the players begin their movements of secretly passing the bead, while the other side beat time with their drum-sticks on the log or board in front of them. the side that has the bead "in hand" always does the singing, led by the leader and singers, who must stand at the rear of the row having the bead. if a guess is incorrect the leader goes to the pile of counting sticks that belongs to the side which has the drum-sticks, takes a counting stick and thrusts it in the ground in front of the row opposite to the guesser; that means one lost to his side. the bead in that instance remains on the same side until it is won by the opposite side through a successful guess. in this manner the game goes on until one side or the other has won all the thirty counting sticks and become the victor in the game. iv hiding the disks introductory note.--this game, known under a variety of names, is a favorite among the indian tribes living on the north pacific coast. the disks, always of an uneven number, are made of wood and ornamented with designs composed of segments of circles with groupings of dots. some of the markings are regarded as cabalistic, and there are men who claim to have a knowledge of spells that will bring luck to the disks they ornament and treat; such disks are considered valuable and often command a high price. all of the disks in a set that is used in this game are ornamented alike except one; this must be different from the others. it may be decorated with red, for the sun, or with a dark color almost black, for the night. this disk is frequently called the "chief," and the aim of the game is to guess in which pile of disks the "chief" is hidden. _properties_.--a mat on which the game is played; a small mat on which the counting or tally-sticks are put; a board that is to serve as a drum; four drum-sticks; nine wooden disks about two and a half inches in diameter. the designs on the nine disks, the twenty tally-sticks and the four drum-sticks should be in color or burned into the wood. eight of the disks should be decorated alike; the ninth must be different and have either red or brown as the predominating color; this disk is the "chief." a bundle of excelsior is to be the substitute for the fiber of cedar bark which is used by the indians of the northwest coast when playing this game; if excelsior is not available, dry leaves or some other dry material might be substituted, within which, or under which, the disks could be hidden. all the articles used in this game except the mats should be made in camp. _directions_.--an uneven number of players is required for this game. the mat is laid east and west; at a little distance back to the northwest the small mat is placed and on it are put the twenty tally-sticks. in a line with the small mats to the northeast is laid the board around which the four singers and drummers sit. the bundle of excelsior, or whatever material is used in its place, together with the nine disks, is put at the western end of the mat; before these is the place for the player who is to hide the disks. on the northern and southern side of the mat sit the players who are to guess where the "chief" is hidden, three or four on a side. the messenger stands at the eastern end of the mat facing the player who is to hide the disks. lots should be drawn to determine who of the six or eight players are to sit on the northern side and who on the southern side. the player who is to do the hiding of the disks can be either selected or drawn by lot. whoever takes this part in the game should be capable of considerable dramatic action. among the indians the person who does the hiding of the disks personifies one who practices magic; he makes passes over the disks and the cedar fiber under which the disks are hidden, makes signs and movements, and does what he can to throw a spell of confusion over those who are to guess where the "chief" is hidden. when the players about the mat, the singers about the board drum and the messenger standing at the eastern end of the mat are all in readiness, the singers begin the following song, keeping time by beating with their drum-sticks on the board drum; the players about the mat join in the singing. hiding the disks [music] the player at the western end of the mat opens the bundle of excelsior or other material and spreads it on the mat and then puts all the nine disks under the material, making many movements as he does so, all of which must be in rhythm with the song, rolling the disks about under the material and finally dividing them into two parts, well covered up by the material. he continues to make passes with his hands as though invoking mysterious forces and to shuffle around the two piles of material in which the disks are hidden. suddenly a player points to one of the piles; the player at the end ceases to shuffle and sends the disks concealed in the pile rolling down the mat to the messenger standing at the other end, who looks to see if the "chief" is among the disks rolled toward him. if he finds it, all of the players on the side of the guesser give the victory shout and the messenger goes to the small mat, brings one of the tally-sticks and stands it before the successful guesser. then the messenger rolls the disks back to the other end of the mat where the person sits who hides the disks. that player begins again his passes and movements as he mixes together the nine disks and hides them under the material; then he divides the disks and the material under which they are hidden into two piles, shuffles them about until a player points to a pile, when he at once stops shuffling and sends the disks under the pile pointed at rolling down the mat to the messenger. if the "chief" is not found among the disks, the side to which the unsuccessful guesser belongs loses a point, and the messenger takes from the small mat a tally-stick and stands it at the end of the row of players on the opposite side. the disks are then sent spinning over the mat to the player who hides them. he mixes up the disks, hides them, shuffles the piles until another guess is made. if that guess should be by a player on the side that had just lost a point, and the guess prove to be successful--that is, the pile pointed at contain the "chief"--then the messenger takes the tally-stick that had been put at the end of the row of the opposite side and stands it in front of the successful guesser. he could not take back a tally-stick that had been won by a guess unless all the tally-sticks had been taken from the small mat. one side or the other must win twenty points to be victor in the game. in the process of winning the game the tally-sticks may therefore be taken back and forth before one side wins the entire twenty. the victory shout is given only when a successful guess is made. the singing stops at a victory shout and is resumed as soon as the disks are rolled back to the player who hides the disks. he must be careful to keep all his dramatic actions and movements of hands, arms, body and head in rhythmic accord with the song. the steps and movements of the messenger must also be in time with the song. v i-ou'-tin introductory note.--this game belongs to the class of guessing games. the form here presented is adapted from the game as played by the omaha, otoe, ponca and pawnee tribes, among whom it is a favorite. _properties_.--a standard, or the camp flagstaff can be used; a blanket or rug; three official scarfs, one blue, one green, one white; two wands, one decorated with blue and the other with green; eight tally-rods, ornamented at one end with red tassels; two small balls of a light, soft material, hair or wool; a drum; six decorated drum-sticks; rosettes of blue and of green; strips of blue and green paper. [illustration] _directions_.--a fairly level open space large enough for a circle of from twenty to thirty feet in diameter is marked upon the ground, in the center of which the standard is planted. directly west and on a line with the standard the blanket or rug is spread. in front of the rug and on a line with the standard the drum is set. at a little distance on each side of the drum the two wands are thrust in the ground, the one decorated with blue to the north, the one with green to the south. on the rug back of the drum the eight tally-rods are laid in a bunch, with the butts of the rods toward the east. at the butts of the rods are placed the two little balls. the players draw lots as to which side they are to belong. this is done by putting the green and blue strips of paper in a receptacle and each one drawing a strip. those who draw blue belong to the north side; those who draw green, to the south side. each player must then fasten a rosette, of the color of the side to which he or she belongs, on the shoulder; those who belong to the north side must put the blue rosette on the right shoulder, and those who belong to the south side must put the green rosette on the left shoulder. _officers_.--two judges; a custodian; two guessers; six singers. the players on the north side choose from among their number one who is to be their judge; the players on the south side choose one for their judge. it is the duty of the judges to select the custodian, the six singers, the two guessers; to preserve order, decide when there are disputes, and to lead in the opening ceremony. the custodian has charge of all the properties, must place them as directed, move the drum from side to side, and at the close of the game gather all the articles required for the game and put them in a place of safe keeping for use at another time. the custodian wears the official white scarf tied about the waist. this officer does not wear any rosette, as the custodian does not belong to either side but to all who take part in the game. the judge on the north side must wear the blue official scarf. this is crossed over the breast from the right shoulder, on which is the blue rosette, to the waist on the left side, where it is tied. the judge on the south side wears the green official scarf. this is crossed over the breast from the left shoulder, where is the green rosette, to the waist at the right side, where it is tied. the six singers, three for each side, sit in an open group on the ground near the ends of the rug, those wearing blue rosettes on the north and those wearing green rosettes on the south side. the players take their seats on the ground on the line of the circle, those wearing blue rosettes on the north half, those wearing green rosettes on the south half of the circle. when all are in their places the custodian leads the two judges to the rug, on which they are to sit a little back of the wands--blue to the north, green to the south. the custodian then takes up the tally-rods, gives four to each of the judges and retires to stand back of the rug, behind the judges, ready for duty. up to this moment laughing and talking goes on among the players, but as the custodian divides the tally-rods and hands them to the judges instant silence falls on all present. the opening ceremony the two judges rise in their places. the north side judge holds the four tally-rods in his right hand, the south side judge holds the four tally-rods in his left hand; the two then walk abreast to the standard. there they face the north, move forward a few steps, pause, and each judge holds up his tally-rods to the north, while all the players on both sides of the circle sing the following song: song 1 hail! o north! thy wind send to blow care away, to bring joy to-day; makes eyes keen, make hands swift for play. [music] at the close of the stanza the two judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the east, pause, then elevate their tally-rods, and all the players sing the second stanza. 2 hail! o east! thy wind send to blow care away, to bring joy to-day; makes eyes keen, make hands swift for play. at the close of the stanza the two judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the south, pause, again elevate their tally-rods, while all the players sing the third stanza. 3 hail! o south! thy wind send to blow care away, to bring joy to-day; make eyes keen, make hands swift for play. at the close of this stanza the two judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the west, pause, once more elevate their tally-rods, and all the players join in singing the fourth stanza. 4 hail! o west! thy wind send to blow care away, to bring joy to-day; make eyes keen, make hands swift for play. at the close of the song the judges lower their tally-rods and walk to the rug, where they take their appointed seats behind the respective wands. they then lay all the tally-rods on the space between them. the contest a contest now takes place between the two persons chosen by the judges to be the two guessers, one for each side, to decide which shall begin the game. the judge for the north side calls the name of the person chosen to be the guesser for that side and the custodian escorts him to his place within the circle. the judge for the south side calls the name of the person chosen to be guesser for that side, and the custodian escorts him to his place within the circle. the custodian then gives to each the wand belonging to his side and also one of the small balls. the guesser from the north side hides his ball in one of his hands, shifting it behind his back, then he holds out both hands in front of him with all the fingers closed except the index finger, which is extended as if pointing to the other guesser. both hands and forearms must be rhythmically moved up and down. the south side guesser watches for a moment and then points with his wand to the hand he thinks has the ball. as soon as he points to a hand, it must be immediately opened, palm upward. should the ball be in the other hand, it must be shown to be lying there. if the guess was correct, the ball being in the hand pointed at, it counts one. three correct guesses must be made by one of the guessers in order to secure for his side the right to open the game. in this contest the guessers must alternate, first the north side guesser, then the south side guesser, and so on until one of the guessers has won three correct guesses. that decides it. his side is to hide the ball and the other side's guesser is to do the guessing. the game the custodian takes the drum from its position in front of the rug, carries it to the side of the successful guesser and sets it before the three singers who are to lead in the singing of the song belonging to that side of the circle of players. every one on that side must sing the song as they hide the balls. only those on the side that is hiding the balls sing. they can only sing the song that belongs to their side. song for the north side [music] song for the south side [music] there are no words for either of these songs. the vocables given are those used with these songs when the indians sing them as they hide the balls. the custodian takes the two balls from the guessers and hands them to two persons designated by the guesser who has won the right for that side to begin. the two persons designated must be two who are sitting together. they each take a ball, and they must hide the balls in the same manner as did the guessers during the contest. the fingers of the hands are closed, all but the index finger, which is extended as if pointing. the hands and arms move up and down and also from one side to the other; all of these movements must be in exact time to the song and the drum-beats. these swaying, rhythmic movements are pleasing to the eye and add to the enjoyment of the game. while the two persons having the balls are hiding them, swaying their hands and arms, the guesser, who is of the opposite side, is watching intently the hands of the players. when he is ready to make a guess he points his wand to where he thinks the balls are--directly in front, if he suspects the balls to be in the two inside hands. if he thinks the balls are in the two outside hands, he points his wand to one of the hands and extends his empty hand toward the other; in that case the guesser stands with both of his arms extended. as soon as the guesser points with his wand, the hands indicated must be at once opened, palms upward, so that all can see whether the guess is right or wrong. every correct guess counts one for the side of the guesser. as soon as a correct guess is made, the judge for that side takes up one of the tally-rods and lays it toward his side; this shows that a point has been won for that side. if the guess is wrong, the judge for the other side takes up one of the tally-rods and lays it over on his side. the other side has lost one, while his side has gained by the other's loss. to win a sweep, all the eight tally-rods must be gained by one side. three sweeps by a side gives that side the game. whenever a sweep is made the balls are handed over to the custodian. the two judges rise, go to the standard, stand there, one facing north (his side), the other the south (his side). the two guessers go to the standard, stand there, one facing east, the other west. all the winning side rise, go toward the standard and form a circle around it. there they sing the victory song. victory song [music] as they sing they sway their arms as though hiding the balls, and dance to the rhythm of the song. four times they dance around the standard and sing the victory song. all movements must be in time with the song. at the close of the fourth circuit of the standard, all return to their appointed places and the game is resumed. the custodian takes up the drum, carries it to the side that has just danced and sets it before the three singers of that side. the guesser, who is of the opposite side, designates the two who are to hide the balls and the game proceeds as described above. whenever a side that has been hiding the balls fails three times to elude the guesser, then the custodian takes the drum from that side and carries it to the other side of the circle, puts it before the singers and gives the balls as directed. sometimes there are disputes as to these transfers and as to the points lost; three must be lost to secure a transfer. it then becomes the duty of the judges to decide. with every transfer of the drum the song changes. the balls and the right to sing go together, but the song belonging to one side must not be sung by the other side. the songs are not interchangeable. this game is provocative of fun and merriment as well as dexterity of hand and quickness of vision. it also presents a very pretty spectacle. it is greatly enjoyed by indian men, women and children. it has also found favor with merrymakers of our own race. ball games introduction indian ball games have one feature not found in the ball games as played by us; that is, with the indian the ball is never pitched and tossed by hand during the play. at the opening of an indian game the ball must be tossed by hand, but after that the ball is struck by a racket, stick or club and in that way sent from player to player and on to the goal. an exception to this general rule is found in an omaha ball game given in the following pages. the opening ceremony requires the ball to be handled and moved in a peculiar and ceremonial manner by the hand of the umpire before he tosses it up for the beginning of the actual play. the balls used by the indians are of different materials--buckskin stuffed with hair; formed from roots, such as the wild-grape vine; wood; bladder netted with sinew; and in a few instances, of bone or stone. three ball games are here given. i ball and racket introductory note.--the game in which the ball is struck with a racket is almost exclusively played by men, but there are tribes where it is played by women, and one tribe, cited by dr. culin, where it is played by men and women together. the form of ball game where the racket is used was less widely distributed over the country than some others. it was most frequently found among tribes living near the atlantic coast and in the region of the great lakes. it had a limited range on the pacific. there are two forms of the racket ball game, one where a single racket is used and the other where two rackets are employed to catch the ball. the latter form is peculiar to the tribes formerly living in the southern states. the game here given is presented as it is played among the chippewa tribes dwelling in minnesota. _properties_.--a ball, not too hard and the size usually employed for cricket. as many rackets as there are players. red and yellow head-bands equally divided as to number and enough for all the players. _directions_.--the field should be as large as the camp ground will permit. at the extreme east of the field a tall pole should be set as a goal and a like pole at the west for the other goal. to the pole at the east a red streamer should be tied and a yellow streamer to the pole at the west. these poles should be practically in line and as distant from each other as it is conveniently possible to set them. the rackets should be made in camp. a racket can be made from a sapling cut at such length that when the racket is completed it will be 26 inches long. one end of the sapling is whittled fiat on one side for a sufficient length to be bent round to the shaft or handle so as to form the rim of the circular receptacle which is to receive the ball. sometimes both sides of this bent portion of the sapling are made flat. the end of this flat end where it curls round upon the shaft or handle must be bound firmly to the shaft with thongs or heavy twine. holes are sometimes bored through the rim and the thongs or twine are passed through them and woven into a loose netting to form a bottom to the coiled end, making a shallow cup-shaped receptacle in which to catch or hold the ball. the rackets are not difficult to make. each lad should make his own racket and mark the stem with some device by which he can identify it should he drop it during the play. care should be taken when making the racket to have the cup-shaped receptacle at the end of the shaft of such size as to hold the ball without its rolling about, in which case it would be easily dropped when being carried on a run; yet it must be large enough to catch and hold the ball as it is flying about. the players should be divided into two parties by casting lots. those who belong to the east goal should wear red head-bands; those who have the west goal should wear yellow head-bands. an umpire must be selected. the ball must strike one of the goal posts to make a point; the number of points that shall constitute the game should be agreed upon. two players, one from each side, stand near each goal. one helps the ball for his side; the other hinders the ball when near the goal by tossing it back into the field again so that his side may catch it. the game the four players stand at their posts beside the two goals; all the others gather in the field. the umpire takes the ball and goes to a place as near the center of the field as possible. all being in readiness, he throws the ball with force straight up in the air. every player watches the ball and makes ready to try and catch it in his racket when it descends. if one succeeds in catching the ball, he runs at full speed toward his goal, holding his racket so that the ball will not fall out. the other players rush after him, trying to strike his racket and dislodge the ball. if he is hard pressed he may try to toss the ball to a player on his side who has a clearer space; if the ball is caught by the player to whom it was sent, then all the players turn upon the new holder of the ball and try to block his progress. in this game care must be taken never to strike the arm or body of a player; only the racket should be struck. there is danger of receiving injuries if this rule is not strictly observed. perhaps one of the most difficult feats in this game is when a player has brought his ball near to the goal to so turn his racket while it holds the ball as to send the ball with such force that it will strike the post squarely and not miss the goal. the difficulty is owing to the horizontal position of the racket when holding the ball. of course, the keenest playing is about the goal, where the guard of the side opposite to the player does his best to catch the ball on its way to the post and send it back into the field. the ball should not be allowed to touch the ground from the time the umpire throws it into the air until it falls at the pole after a point has been made by the ball striking the post. it is the duty of the umpire to go to the pole, mark the score, return with the ball to the center of the field, where he again sends it up into the air, and the game starts afresh for a second point to be made. this game is good sport; it develops and requires skill, agility and strength. ii ta-bé introductory note.--this ball game was known to a number of tribes that formerly lived on the prairies, and called by different names. the game as here given is as it was played among the omaha. the opening of the game was ceremonial. the person who performed the opening ceremony had to belong to the tribal group that had charge of the rites pertaining to the wind, for the figure outlined on the ground by the movements of the ball in the opening ceremony was one of the symbols of the wind. the wind when spoken of ceremonially was called the four winds, one for each of the four points of the compass. these four winds were regarded as the messengers of the giver of life, known as wakon'da by the omaha and kindred tribes. the recognition of man's connection with the forces of nature did not disturb the pleasure of the indian when entering upon a game; on the contrary, it tended to enhance his happiness by bringing to his mind his dependence upon wakon'da, together with the feeling of being in accord with the power represented by the wind. _properties_.--a ball about three or four inches in diameter; the omaha and kindred tribes made the ball out of the root of the wild-grape vine. as many sticks as there are players, the sticks to be about three feet long and crooked over at one end. each stick should be marked by some design invented by its owner, so that each player can identify his stick. [illustration: diagram of the ta-be 1 circle showing lines made by the ball 2 goals 3 guardians 4 players at the opening of the game] _directions_.--a wide open field is best for this game. two goals, one at the east, the other at the west. the goals are each made by two posts with a cross piece on top. the path of the ball is east and west. the officers of the game are: an umpire, four guardians of the path. two of the guardians of the path stand at the eastern goal and two at the western goal. the two guardians at a goal represent the two sides; one wears a yellow streamer or badge, the color of the west; the other wears a red streamer or badge, the color of the east. a red streamer is tied to the goal at the east and a yellow streamer to the goal at the west. it is the duty of the one who wears the color of the goal by which he stands to try and help the ball through the goal when it comes in that direction, and it is the duty of the one who wears the color of the opposite goal to prevent the ball from going through and to send it back into the field or toward the other goal. the players on the two sides are chosen in the following manner: the person who is to act as umpire and to perform the opening ceremony must sit in a circle drawn on the ground, about six feet in diameter, and face either the north or the south. all the sticks are placed before him in a bunch. he is then blindfolded. after that he picks up a stick with each hand and lays down the stick that he has in his right hand on his left side, the stick that he has in his left hand he lays down on his right side. when he has finished dividing the sticks in this manner they are in two bunches, one toward the east and the other toward the west. the blindfold is then removed. when that is done, all the players run to the two heaps and each takes his own stick, recognizing it by the design marked or cut upon the stick. all those whose sticks were in the pile to the east must tie on a badge or streamer the color of the east, red. all those whose sticks were in the bunch toward the west must tie on the color of the west, yellow. all the players must now stand in two lines. one line starts from the circle and extends directly toward the goal at the east; all in this line must be only those whose sticks were in the east pile and who have on the color of the east, red. the other line starts from the circle and stretches out toward the west goal, and is composed of those whose sticks were in the west pile and who have on the color of the west, yellow. the four guardians of the path take their places. the umpire wears no color. all being in readiness, the umpire advances to the middle of the circle. the opening ceremony the umpire places the ball in the exact center of the circle, then he gently urges it with his stick in a line toward the north until it reaches the edge of the circle. there he picks it up and puts it back in the center of the circle. again he gently pushes it with his stick along a line toward the south until the edge of the circle is reached, when he returns the ball to the center of the circle with his hand. in the same manner as before he sends the ball slowly along a line to the west. when the edge of the circle is reached he picks up the ball and returns it to the center. once more the ball is moved in a line, this time to the east; when it touches the line of the circle it is picked up as before and placed in the center of the circle. the symbolic figure that has thus been made is that of a circle within which two straight lines cross each other at right angles; the circle is divided into four quarters, one for each of the four winds. the game every player now stands at attention, with his stick ready for action. the umpire pauses a moment at the center of the circle, then he picks up the ball lying there and throws it into the air as high as he can. all the players, who have watched the throw, run in the direction where the ball seems likely to descend, in order to have a chance to strike it toward one of the goals. to win the game the ball must be sent through a goal; to strike it so that it goes over or around the goal does not count. the ball must be made to take a straight line, to "make a straight path" through a goal, then the game is won. when a good shot is made, all on the side of the one who made the stroke should send up a shout. when the goal is won the winning side should give the victory cry of the game, "ta-bé!" iii double-ball game introductory note.--some stories credit the moon as the giver of this game to the women, by whom it is exclusively played throughout the united states except among the tribes in northern california, where the men use the game. there are indications that the double-ball game was known upon this continent in the remote past. the peculiar ball employed for this game is composed of two small stuffed pouches connected by a band, or two billets of wood about five inches long, made like thick pegs with heads and ornamented on all sides with carvings; a leather thong five to eight inches long is attached at each end to the neck of each of the two billets. dr. culin reports an ingenious specimen made by the maricopa indians of arizona; that double-ball is made from narrow strips of leather braided to form a band, each end of which is enlarged by braiding so as to make a ball, the finished article being about eight inches in length. (ibid., p.665, fig. 882.) _properties_.--one double-ball; as many sticks as players; red and yellow head-bands, equal in number, for the two sides of players. _directions_.--the double-ball should be made in camp in the following manner: a strip of leather or of strong, closely woven brown cloth from fifteen to twenty inches long. for six inches from both ends the strip should be about seven inches wide; the portion of the strip between these wide ends should be about three inches wide. the wide ends are to form the pouches, and the narrower middle section the band to connect the two pouches. the two edges of the strip should be lapped and strongly sewed the entire length of the strip, except a small opening about an inch long left on the side of each of the pouches. through this opening the pouches are filled with dry sand, then the edges are securely sewed together so that no sand can escape. these pouches are the "balls." the sides of the pouches should be decorated with designs painted in bright colors and a little tuft or tassel of red yarn fastened at the middle of the bottom of the pouch. the sticks should be about thirty-two inches long, not too heavy and somewhat pointed at one end that is slightly curved. each stick should be marked by an individual device so that it can be claimed by its owner. two wickets, made by crotched poles about five and a half to six feet high, having a bar fastened across the top, are placed in line with each other, one at the east, the other at the west, and as far apart as the limits of the camp grounds will permit. a red streamer to be tied to the eastern wicket and a yellow streamer to the western wicket. the players are divided into two parties of equal numbers and lots should be drawn to decide which side shall have the eastern goal, and all of that side must wear red head-bands; the other side must wear yellow head-bands to show that theirs is the western goal. an umpire must be chosen, to whom belongs the duty of tossing the ball when necessary; to keep the score, and to settle any disputes. to make a point the ball must be tossed so as to hang on the crossbar of the wicket. an agreement must be made as to how many points shall constitute the game. the game the players stand in two rows about fifteen to twenty feet apart, one color on one side, the other color opposite. the umpire takes a place between the two lines and as near as possible to the middle of the rows. when all are in readiness the double-ball is tossed by the umpire straight up into the air, and all those whose places are near the middle of the rows watch the descent of the "ball" and try to catch on their sticks the connecting cord of the double-ball. if one succeeds, she tries to send it down the line toward the goal of her side; those of the opposite side try to prevent success to this movement and to send the "ball" in the other direction. the "ball" should not be allowed to touch the ground from the time it is tossed until it is lodged on the wicket. the side that lets the "ball" fall to the ground loses a count, and the side that keeps the "ball" up until it reaches the goal scores two points, equal to four counts. hoop and javelin introductory note.--this game was widely known and played among the various tribes dwelling within the territory now occupied by the united states. in its passage from one tribe to another the game became modified into several types, but the fundamental character was not changed, so that all these types are, in a sense, a unit. the game is very old upon this land; the articles used in playing it have been found in ancient graves, in the cliff dwellings of the southwest and in various ruins scattered over the country. among the pueblo tribes the articles used in types of this game appear among the paraphernalia on altars prepared for certain ceremonies. from a study of these ceremonies in connection with the myths of the people it seems probable that the hoop used in this game represents the shield of the war god. when the hoop has a netting that fills the center and covers the edges, the netting simulates the magic web of the spider woman, a person that frequently figures in the myths and stories of different tribes. her web generally serves as a protection furnished by her in a conflict. the netted hoop appears as a decoration upon the interior of pottery bowls formerly made by the indians of the southwest. in some of these bowls the netting is dotted with spots. dr. culin regards this particular design "as representing the spider web with the dew upon it," and adds: "the 'water shield' [of one of the zuñi war gods], from which he shook the torrents, was suggested, no doubt, by dew on the web." (ibid., p.425.) to one unfamiliar with the indian's habit of mind it may seem strained to connect the beads of dew on a spider's web with the torrential rain, but to one familiar with native thought as expressed in myths where the indian has dramatized his conceptions of nature and of natural forces and phenomena, the connection ceases to be strange. on the pueblo altars the netted shield is always associated with arrows, bows or darts. in the various types of this game the arrows, darts, bows, javelins and lances that are associated with the hoop are interchangeable, some tribes using one and other tribes another. under all the varied types with their different forms as found among scattered and unrelated tribes the game holds to its original significance, primarily religious in character, being an appeal for the protection and the perpetuity of life. only two articles are required for this game, the hoop and the javelin. in one type the hoop is covered with a netting more or less closely and elaborately woven. in all the netted designs it is usually possible to trace a figure as of a path crossing at right angles in the center of the space within the hoop and ending at four equidistant points on the edge of the hoop. this path indicates the path of the four winds, which stand with their life-giving power at the four directions, the north, east, south and west. in some localities the netting of the hoop is made from the yucca, in other places corn husks are used. with the closely netted hoop arrows are apt to be found. some of these have as the shaft a corn cob with a stick about eighteen inches long thrust through the cob, sharpened at the lower end and a tuft of feathers tied to the upper end; this feathered stick is a prayer-stick such as is offered at a shrine. in another type of the game the hoop is of stone; the lance is associated with this kind of hoop. there are a variety of nettings for the hoop and much diversity in the style of arrows, darts and javelins used in the game. the simplest is chosen to be here presented, for the reason that both the articles used in the game should be made in the camp where it is to be played. the hoop and javelins were always made by the youths who joined in the sport, and the making of hoop and javelin was part of the fun. [illustration: hoop and javelin] _properties_.--a hoop and two javelins. the hoop is made in the following manner: a piece of rope, not of a heavy kind, about sixteen inches long will give the foundation for a hoop about four inches in diameter. the two ends should be spliced together so as to leave the edge of the hoop even. the ring of rope is wound with a strip of leather or cloth in order to give the hoop such a surface that it can roll and yet be flexible and light. the javelin is made of three parts, the shaft and the two barbs. the shaft is of wood, four feet long, round and smooth. an inch from one end a section three inches long is cut into both sides of the shaft a quarter of an inch deep, and the bottom and sides made smooth. the barbs are formed from two small branches cut from a tree or shrub so as to preserve three inches of the stem from which the branch forks; the branch is cut so as to be five inches long and is made flat on the inner side. the stem is made flat on both sides; a flange is made on the outer side. several pieces of leather are cut, a quarter of an inch wide and an inch long; these are bound for half their length to the inner and flat side of the branch so as to leave the ends free, which are bent up and stand like teeth along the barb. the stems of the barbs are now fitted into the sections cut on both sides of the shaft so that the barbs point backward on each side of the shaft, and are firmly bound in place on the shaft. about three inches from the other end of the shaft a band is cut around the shaft but not very deeply. the two javelins are made as nearly alike as possible in justice to the players. _directions_.--a level course from north to south and from fifty to one hundred feet long. four players; two stand at the north end of the course and two at the south end. the one whose place is toward the east on the north and the one who stands toward the east on the south end are partners. both of these players should wear a red band about the head, as red is the color of the east. the two players who stand toward the west at the two ends are partners, and these should wear yellow bands about their heads, yellow being the color of the west. the opponents in the game, therefore, stand side by side. partners cannot help each other in the playing, but both players count for their side all the points they make. the javelin is grasped by the middle, the barbed end toward the back, and the plain rounded end is shot toward the hoop. the number of points that will constitute the game should be decided upon before beginning the game. ten is the usual number among the indians. lots should be drawn as to which of the four players should be the first to throw the hoop. the one who draws the hoop then takes one of the javelins, and the player whose place is beside him takes the other javelin. the game at a signal, the players with the javelins and the hoop start on a run along the course; the one with the hoop throws it a little upward with all his force and both players watch the course of the hoop, having their javelins ready to hurl at the hoop the instant they think they can reach it. if the javelin passes through the hoop and stops it so that it falls on the shaft below the band that was cut thereon, that throw counts two. if the hoop is caught on one of the barbs, that counts one. if the shaft goes entirely through the hoop so that it does not fall on the javelin, that counts nothing. if both javelins catch on the hoop, that is a draw and neither player can count the point made. if on this run and throwing of the hoop and javelins neither of the players scores a count, the player at the other end who is the partner of the one who threw the hoop now takes the hoop to throw it. he and his opponent who stands beside him now start on a run; the hoop is thrown and the javelins hurled as before. in this way the players at the ends of the course alternate in throwing the hoop north or south, but the right to throw the hoop belongs to the player who makes the best point. the hoop thus passes from the east or west players according to the points made. the game is an athletic sport, and much skill can be developed in the throwing of the javelins and also in the tossing of the hoop so as to prevent scoring by the opponent. if the grounds are large enough, there is nothing to prevent having two courses and two games going on at the same time. follow my leader this game is widely played among the indian tribes, particularly by the boys, and also by the girls. the leader improvises the steps and the movements, which all who follow must repeat and keep time to the song. the song here given is traditional in the omaha tribe. it has been handed down from one generation of young folk to another--for how many, "nobody knows." the game a leader is chosen, and all who join in the game must go where he goes, dance as he dances, move the arms, hands and feet as he does. the skipping and dancing must be in exact time with the song that all must sing. the game gives opportunity for fancy steps, winding, intricate figures, "cutting capers" and merry pranks. song follow my leader where'er he goes; what he'll do next, nobody knows. [music] part iii indian names indian names introduction.--among the indian tribes of the united states all personal names have a definite significance. although there are diversities in the customs relating to names among the various tribes, yet, looking at these as a whole, personal names are observed to fall generally into two classes: first, those which refer to sacred rites; second, those which commemorate a personal achievement. an indian tribe is composed of a number of kinship groups or clans. to each one of these, speaking generally, belongs the hereditary duty of performing a certain rite and also the care of the sacred objects connected with that rite. each kinship group or clan has a set of personal names, all of which refer to the rite peculiar to the clan, or to the sacred objects or to the symbols connected with the rite, and one of these names is given to each person born within the clan. names of this class are generally retained by men and women throughout life and, to a degree, are regarded as sacred in character. these names have also a social significance, as they always indicate the birth status of the person, for the name at once shows to which clan or kinship group the bearer belongs. no one can exchange his clan or birth name, any more than he can change his sex. the names that belong to the second class are those which are taken by an adult to mark an achievement. this must be an act in which he has shown special ability or courage in successfully defending his people from danger. such a name, therefore, marks an epoch in a man's life and is strictly personal to the man, and, to a degree, indicative of his character or attainments. it sometimes happens, although but rarely, that a man on such an occasion may decide to take the name of a noted ancestor rather than acquire an entirely new name, but the character of the act of taking a new name is not thereby changed. these facts concerning the significance of indian personal names throw light on the widespread custom observed among indians of never addressing men or women by their personal names or of using those names in their presence. to do so is a breach of good manners. the personal name, as has been shown, refers either to the religious rites sacred to the bearer's clan or else to a notable act performed by the man; in both cases the name stands for something that is too closely connected with the life of the individual to make it fit for common use. the difficulty of designating a person one wishes to address is met by the use of terms of relationship. of course, in some companies these terms would be literally true and proper, but there are terms which are used in a wider sense and which do not imply actual kinship. (the subject of indian relationships and their terms is too complex to be entered upon here.) there are terms which are employed merely to indicate respect. for instance, "grandfather" is used when addressing or speaking of the president of the united states; "little father" and "father" when addressing or speaking of the secretary of the interior and the commissioner of indian affairs, both of whom rank below the president, as is well known to the indian. the use of terms of relationship may appear strange to us, but there is, as we have seen, a reason for it. this reason also explains why a child or an adult generally stands mute when we address him by his personal name or ask him what his name is; his silence is not to be attributed to "indian stolidity," which we ignorantly regard as a marked characteristic of the race. the bestowal of a name, whether the name is of the first or of the second class already described, was always attended with ceremonies. these differed among the many tribes of the united states, particularly in their details, but fundamentally they had much in common. presenting the child to the cosmos among the omaha a ceremony was observed shortly after the birth of a child that on broad lines reflects a general belief among the indians. in the introductory chapter of this book the indian's feeling of unquestioning unity with nature is mentioned. the following omaha ceremony and ritual furnish direct testimony to the profundity of this feeling. its expression greets him at his birth and is iterated at every important experience throughout his life. when an omaha child is born the parents send to the clan that has charge of the rite of introducing the child to the cosmos. the priest thus summoned comes to the tent wherein the infant lies and takes his stand just outside the door, facing the east. he raises his right hand, palm outward, to the sky, and in a clear ringing voice intones the following ritual: ho! ye sun, moon, stars, all ye that move in the heavens, i bid you hear me! into your midst has come a new life; consent ye, i implore! make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the first hill! ho! ye winds, clouds, rain, mist, all ye that move in the air, i bid you hear me! into your midst has come a new life; consent ye, i implore! make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the second hill! ho! ye hills, valleys, rivers, lakes, trees, grasses, all ye of the earth, i bid you hear me! into your midst has come a new life; consent ye, i implore! make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the third hill! ho! ye birds, great and small, that fly in the air; ho! ye animals, great and small, that dwell in the forests; ho! ye insects that creep among the grasses and burrow in the ground, i bid you hear me! into your midst has come a new life; consent ye, i implore! make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the fourth hill! ho! all ye of the heavens, all ye of the air, all ye of the earth, i bid you hear me! into your midst has come a new life; consent ye, consent ye all, i implore! make its path smooth--then shall it travel beyond the four hills! in this manner the child, the "new life," was introduced to the cosmos of which it was now a part. all the powers of the heavens and of the earth were invoked to render aid to the "new life" in its onward struggle over the rugged path that traverses the four hills of life, typifying infancy, youth, maturity and old age. an infant was merely a "new life," it was wholly dependent upon others; no name was given it (only endearing terms were used), for the reason that a name implies either a sacred responsibility or a personal achievement, neither of which was possible to an infant. when, however, the child could go about alone, generally at three or four years of age, the time had arrived when it must be given a tribal name, one belonging to the rites in charge of its birth group. by means of this ceremonial act the child was inducted by sacred rites into the tribe and became a recognized member. giving the child a name this ceremony, formerly practiced among the omaha and cognate tribes, took place in the spring, "when the grass was up and the birds were singing." a tent was set apart and made sacred by the priest who had the hereditary right to perform the ceremony. as the occasion was one of tribal interest, many people flocked to the scene of the rite. a large stone was brought and placed on the east side of the fire that was burning in the center of the space inside the tent. when everything was ready the old priest stood at the door awaiting the arrival of the child. then all the mothers who had children of the proper age wended their way to this tent, each one leading her little child, who carried in its hands a new pair of moccasins. as the two reached the tent the mother addressed the priest, saying: "venerable man, i desire my child to wear moccasins." (this was a symbolic form of expression.) "i desire my child to walk long upon the earth, to be content with the light of many days. we seek your protection!" the priest made a formal reply and the little one, carrying its moccasins, entered the tent alone. after a few ritualistic phrases the priest accompanied the child to the fire place, where he and the child stood facing the east while the priest sang an invocation to the four winds. he bade them to come hither and stand in this place in four groups. at the close of this ritual song the priest lifted the child by the arms so that its little bare feet rested upon the stone, as it faced the south; then he lifted the child again by the arms and its feet rested on the stone, as it faced the west; again the child was lifted and its feet were upon the stone, as it faced the north; once more the priest lifted the child and its feet touched the stone, as it faced the east. then the priest sang the following ritual song: turned by the winds goes the one i send yonder, yonder he goes who is whirled by the winds, goes where the four hills of life and the four winds are standing, there into the midst of the winds do i send him, into the midst of the winds standing there! this song and the entire ceremony, which is spoken of as "turning the child," are highly symbolic and cannot be fully explained at this time. the winds are the messengers of the great invisible wakon'da and bring the breath of life and strength to man. at the close of this song the priest put the new moccasins on the feet of the child and sang another ritual song which says: here unto you has been spoken the truth; because of this truth you shall stand. here declared is the truth; here in this place has been shown you the truth. therefore, arise! go forth in its strength! as the priest sang the last line he set the child on its feet and made it take four steps toward the east; these steps are typical of its now entering into life. then the priest led the child to the entrance of the tent, where he called aloud the tribal name of the child, then for the first time proclaimed, adding: "ho! ye hills, ye grass, ye trees, ye creeping things, both great and small, i bid you hear! this child has thrown away its baby name! ho!" all the children of the tribe passed through this ceremony and in this way received their sacred personal names, which were never dropped throughout their after-life, not even when a man took a new name. bestowing a new name the bestowal of a new name upon an adult generally took place at some tribal ceremony when all the people were gathered together. in this way as much publicity as possible was given to the act. among the pawnee tribe there were three requirements that had to be met in order to take a new name: first, a man could only take a new name after the performance of an act indicative of ability or strength of character; second, the name had to be assumed openly in the presence of the people to whom the act it commemorated was known; third, it was necessary that it should be announced in connection with such a ritual as that here given. these three requirements indicate (1) that a man's name stood for what he had shown himself to be by the light of his actions; (2) that this was recognized by his tribesmen, and (3) that it was proclaimed by one having charge of mediatory rites through which man can be approached by the supernatural. the old priest who gave the following ritual and explained it said: "a man's life is an onward movement. if one has within him a determined purpose and seeks the help of the powers, his life will climb up." here he made a gesture indicating a line slanting upward; then he arrested the movement and, still holding his hand where he had stopped, went on to say: "as a man is climbing up, he does something that marks a place in his life where the powers have given him an opportunity to express in acts his peculiar endowments; so this place, this act, forms a stage in his career and he takes a new name to indicate that he is on a level different from that he occupied previously." he added: "some men can rise only a little way, others live on a dead level." he illustrated his words by moving his hands horizontally. "men having power to advance climb step by step." again he made his meaning clear by outlining a flight of steps. the following ritual is recited on the occasion of taking a new name and is a dramatic poem in three parts. the first gives briefly the institution of the rite of changing one's name in consequence of a new achievement; the second shows how the man was enabled to accomplish this act. it begins with his lonely vigil and fast when he cried to the powers for help; the scene then shifts to the circle of the lesser powers, who, in council, deliberate on his petition which makes its way to them and finally wins their consent; then the winds summon the messengers and these, gathering at the command of the lesser powers, are sent to earth to the man crying in lonely places, to grant him his desire. this part closes with a few vivid words which set forth that only by the favor of the powers had the man been able to do the deed. the third part deals with the man's names--the one to be discarded and the one now to be assumed. the ritual is in rhythmic form, impossible to reproduce in english. the following rendition contains nothing which is not in the original text as explained and amplified by the priest. the ritual was intoned in a loud voice; the man who was to receive a new name stood before the priest where he could be seen by the entire assembly. ritual harken! 'twas thus it came to pass: in ancient days, a leader and his men walked this wide earth, man's vast abode roofed by the heavens, where dwell the gods. they reached a place the spot no man can tell, faced dangers dread and vanquished them; then, standing as if born anew to life, each warrior threw away the name that had been his ere yet these deeds were done. harken! the leader and his men made there the vict'ry song, and set the mark ye must o'ertake, if ye would be like them! harken! the leader and his men turned then toward home. their vict'ry song proclaimed them near; the village rose, looked toward the hill, where on the top stood the brave men, singing their song, heralding thus the favor of the gods by which they had surpassed all former deeds- made new their claim to be accounted men. harken! and whence, think ye, was borne unto these men courage to dare, strength to endure hardship and war? mark well my words, as i reveal how the gods help man's feebleness. the leader of these warriors was a man given to prayer. oft he went forth seeking a place no one could find. there would he stand and lift his voice, fraught with desire that he might be invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes threat'ning his tribe, causing them fear. night-time and day this cry sped on, traveling far, seeking to reach- harken! those places far above, harken! within the circle vast where sit the gods watching o'er men. harken! this poor man's prayer went on, speeding afar into the blue heavens above, reached there the place- harken! where dwell the lesser gods, harken! and great ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all! harken! it was because a god received this prayer, considered it, favored its plea, and passed it on to him whose place was next, in that grand ring, who in his turn received the prayer, considered it, and sent it on- harken! around that circle vast, harken! where sit the gods above. harken! and thus it was the prayer sent by this man won the consent of all the gods. for each god in his place speaks out his thought, grants or rejects man's suppliant cry, asking for help; but none can act until the council grand comes to accord, thinks as one mind, has but one will all must obey. harken! the council gave consent; harken! and great ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all! harken! to make their purpose known, succor and aid freely to give, heralds were called, called by the winds. then in the west uprose the clouds heavy and black, ladened with storm. slowly they climbed, dark'ning the skies, while close on every side the thunders marched on their dread way, till all were come to where the gods in stately council sat waiting for them. then bade them go back to the earth, carrying aid to him whose prayer had reached their circle vast. this mandate given, the thunders turned toward earth, taking their course slantwise the sky. harken! another followed hard- lightning broke forth out of the cloud, zigzag and dart, cleaving their way slantwise to earth, their goal to reach. harken! for these two were not all that hastened to proclaim the god's behest- swift on their wings swallows in flocks swept in advance, ranging the path, black breasts and red, yellow and white, flying about, clearing the way for those who bore the message of the gods granting the man courage to dare, strength to endure, power to stand invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes. harken! 'twas thus it came to pass: the leader grasped the help sent by the gods; henceforth he walked steadfast and strong, leading his men through dangers drear, knowing that naught could strike at him to whom the gods had promised victory. attend! once more i change his name. harken! _ri-ruts'-ka-tit_ it was we used to call him by, a name he won long days ago, marking an act well done by him, but now passed by. harken! to-day all men shall say- harken! his act has lifted him where all his tribe behold a man clothed with new fame, strong in new strength gained by his deeds, blessed of the gods. harken! _sha-ku'-ru wa'-ruk-ste_ shall he be called. taking an indian name in camp in view of the significance of indian personal names, and the dignity and reverence which in every instance surrounded the giving or the taking of a name, it hardly seems appropriate that indian names should be assumed even for a short period without some regard being shown to the customs and thought of the people from whom the names are borrowed. while there should be no travesty of rites such as those that have been here described, rites that have been held sacred upon this continent for untold generations, still it would not be unseemly to hold to the spirit of those rites when we borrow these names during the camp days in which we seek to live close to the nature that the indian loved so reverently and well. when it is decided among the members of the camp to take an indian name, on the day of the ceremony all the camp should assemble early in the morning. when all have gathered, they should move toward a place where the sun can be seen when it rises over the lake, the hilltops or the woods. there all should pause. the candidate for the name should not wear any head-band. the boy or girl should stand well to the front of the group, all of whom should face the east. the entire company should then join in the following song: song no. 1 skies proclaim a new day! we joyfully meet, we thankfully greet, his[a] new name this day shall repeat. [music] the leader of the camp must then intone the following: hear! o trees that gird our camp! listen, ye birds that fly through the branches! harken, ye rippling waves on stream and lake! hear me! into your midst has come a friend, he[a] bears a new name! ye shall know him as ---(name) [footnote a: the pronoun should be changed according to the sex of the candidate.] the announcement of the name should be distinctly made so as to be clearly heard by the entire company. the head-band or other camp insignia should now be officially put on the candidate. all present should then join in singing the following song, clapping their hands as beats to the music as they skip back to breakfast and to the pleasures of the day: song no. 2 homeward we go, calling his[b] name; new is the name now we proclaim; no other change in our friend, he[b] is the same! [footnote b: change the pronoun to the proper sex.] [music] 2 singing we go, way ha way ho! dancing also, way ha way ho! no one more merry than we, way ha way ho! the second stanza should be repeated and the steps kept in rhythm until the dancers finally disperse. indian names for boys all vowels have the continental sound the names here presented, for boys, for girls and for camps, have been chosen out of many because the words are easily pronounced; none of them have any of the peculiar labial, nasal or guttural sounds common in the various indian languages, which are difficult to represent by the letters of our alphabet and equally difficult for most americans to pronounce. 1. a-di'-ta priest omaha. 2. an'-ge-da from every direction omaha. 3. de'-mon-thin talks as he walks ponca. 4. e-di'-ton standing as a sacred object omaha. 5. ga-he'-ge chief omaha. 6. gu'-da-hi "there he goes!" a coyote omaha. 7. ha'-nu-ga-hi nettle weed ponca. 8. he'-ba-zhu little horns ponca. 9. he'-ga buzzard omaha. 10. he'-sha-be dark antlers omaha. 11. he'-thon-ton towering antlers (elk) omaha. 12. ho-ho' fish omaha. 13. hon'-ga imperial eagle osage. 14. hu'-ton-ton roar of thunder omaha. 15. i'-ku-ha-be he who causes fear ponca. 16. i-shta'-pe-de fire eyes (lightning) ponca. 17. ka-ge'-zhin-ga little brother omaha. 18. ka-wa'-ha very old name, meaning lost omaha. 19. ka'-wa-sab-be black horse osage. 20. ka'-wa-ska white horse osage. 21. ka'-wa-zi yellow horse osage. 22. ke'-ton-ga great turtle ponca. 23. ke'-zhin-ga little turtle ponca. 24. ki'-ko-ton-ga curlew omaha. 25. ki'-mon-hon facing the wind omaha. 26. ki'-wa-go male buffalo pawnee. 27. ku'-ge sound of the drum omaha. 28. ku'-rux bear pawnee. 29. ku'-sox left hand pawnee. 30. le-sha'-ro chief pawnee. 31. mi'-da-in-ga playful sun osage. 32. mi'-ka raccoon ponca. 33. mi'-ka-si coyote omaha. 34. min'-dse bow osage. 35. mon-chu' bear omaha. 36. mon-chu'-pa bear's head omaha. 37. mon-e'-ga-he arrow chief ponca. 38. mon-ge'-zi yellow breast omaha. 39. mon-ka'-ta he of the earth ponca. 40. mon'-sa arrow shaft osage. 41. mon'-te-ga new arrows osage. 42. ni-ni'-ba pipe omaha. 43. ni'-sho-sho swallow omaha. 44. non-ke'-ne graceful walker (deer) omaha. 45. non'-nun-ge runner osage. 46. non'-pe-wa-the he who is feared omaha. 47. nu'-da-hun-ga captain omaha. 48. o'-pa elk omaha. 49. pa-he'-ta-pe seeking the hills omaha. 50. pa'-na-hoo owl omaha. 51. pa'-sun american eagle omaha. 52. pa-thon' white-headed eagle omaha. 53. pe'-de-ga-he fire chief omaha. 54. pe'-num-ba seven ponca. 55. sha-ku'-ru sun pawnee. 56. sha-thu' sound of the water ponca. 57. shon'-ge wolf omaha. 58. shon'-ge-sab-be black wolf omaha. 59. shon'-ge-ska white wolf ponca. 60. shon'-ge-zi yellow wolf ponca. 61. shon'-ton-ga grey wolf ponca. 62. sho-sho'-ka osprey omaha. 63. shu'-ka-bi bunch of clouds ponca. 64. ski'-rik grey wolf pawnee. 65. ta-de'-ta to the wind omaha. 66. ta-de'-u-mon-thin walking in the wind omaha. 67. te-thon' white buffalo omaha. 68. the'-ha soles omaha. 69. u'-ba-ni digging in the earth (little creatures) omaha. 70. u-ga'-e spread out (herd of buffalo) omaha. 71. wa-he'-he easy to break, fragile omaha. 72. wa-ke'-de one who shoots omaha. 73. wa-po'-ga grey owl omaha. 74. wa-shis'-ka shell omaha. 75. wash-kon'-hi power of the thunder omaha. 76. wa-sho'-she brave omaha. 77. wa-thu'-he startles the game omaha. 78. wa-zhin'-ska wisdom omaha. 79. we'-kush-ton one who gives feast frequently omaha. 80. wi'-a-go feather dakota. 81. zha'-be beaver omaha. indian names for girls 1. a'-bey leaf omaha. 2. a'-bey-tu green leaf omaha. 3. a'-bet-zi yellow leaf omaha. 4. a'-ka-wi south wind omaha. 5. a-sin'-ka youngest daughter osage. 6. chon'-ku-sha robin dakota. 7. chon'-wa-pe leaf dakota. 8. chon'-wa-pe-ska red leaf dakota. 9. chon'-wa-pe-tu green leaf dakota. 10. cho-xon'-zhe-da willow dakota. 11. da'-a-bi the visible sun omaha. 12. don'-a-ma the sun visible to all omaha. 13. ha'-ba-zhu-dse red corn osage. 14. ha'-ba-zi yellow corn osage. 15. ha'-ba-tu blue corn osage. 16. ha'-ba-ska white corn osage. 17. hon'-ba-he dawn dakota. 18. i-shta'-sa-pa dark eyes dakota. 19. i'-ni-a-bi home builder omaha. 20. ka-shi'-a-ka meadow lark omaha. 21. mi'-a-kon-da sacred moon omaha. 22. mi'-gi-na returning moon omaha. 23. mi'-mi-te standing new moon omaha. 24. mi'-na oldest daughter osage. 25. mi'-pe good moon omaha. 26. mi'-ta-in crescent moon ponca. 27. mi'-the-be shadowy moon ponca. 28. mi'-ton-e new moon omaha. 29. mi'-wa-thon white moon omaha. 30. ni'-da-wi fairy girl omaha. 31. pa'-zi yellow head (bird) ponca. 32. pa'-ha-zi yellow hair (young animal) ponca. 33. raw-ska' anemone omaha. 34. raw-tu' violet omaha. 35. raw-zi' sunflower omaha. 36. ta'-de-win wind maiden omaha. 37. ta'-in new moon ponca. 38. ta'-in-ge coming moon ponca. 39. wa-ha'-ba corn omaha. 40. wa-ha'-ba-ska white corn omaha. 41. wa-ha'-ba-tu blue corn omaha. 42. wa-ha'-ba-zi yellow corn omaha. 43. wak'-cha flower dakota. 44. wak'-cha-zi sunflower dakota. 45. wa-shu'-dse wild-rose omaha. 46. wa-te'-win victory woman omaha. 47. wa-zhin'-ga bird omaha. 48. wa-zhin'-ga-tu blue bird omaha. 49. we'-thon-ki-tha to come together (as in a society) omaha. 50. we'-ton-a old name, meaning lost omaha. 51. we'-ton-be-the one who gives hope omaha. 52. wi'-he younger sister omaha. 53. wi'-te-ga new moon dakota. 54. zit-ka'-la bird dakota. 55. zit-ka'-la-sha red bird dakota. 56. zit-ka'-la-tu blue bird dakota. 57. zit-ka'-la-zi yellow bird dakota. indian names for camps e'-zhon u-ti a camp among the elms. hin'-de-hi u-ti a camp among the lindens. ney'-a-ti a camp by the lake. tosh'-ka-hi u-ti a camp among the oaks. wa-shis'-ka a-ti a camp by the brook. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | note: | | | | tags that surround words =materials required:= indicate | | bold. tags that surround the words _a hurdle race_ indicate | | italics. | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ the child's rainy day book _other books by mary white_ how to make pottery how to do beadwork how to make baskets more baskets and how to make them [illustration: building a piece of pottery with coils of clay--as the indians do] the child's rainy day book by mary white illustrated by the author [illustration] new york doubleday, page & company 1905 copyright, 1905, by doubleday, page & company published, october, 1905 _all rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages including the scandinavian._ to my sister anna white sherman and her children roger, herbert, elizabeth, rosamond and anna contents chapter page i. a foreword to mothers 1 ii. simple home-made toys and games 5 iii. basket weaving 35 iv. knots with raffia and cord 53 v. what a child can do with beads 73 vi. clay working 103 vii. indoor gardening 125 viii. gifts and how to make them 143 ix. paper flowers and toys 173 x. games for two or three to play 201 list of illustrations building a piece of pottery with coils of clay--as the indians do _frontispiece_ facing page playing the bean bag game 8 planning a book house 12 basket weaving 42 knots with raffia and cord: 1. the beginning of a ping pong net. 2. a turk's-head knot. 3. raffia work bag. 4. doll's hammock. 5. a rattan napkin ring 68 a little garden for a little girl 136 making a chrysanthemum 198 a ball-and-fan race 208 list of figures figure page 1 9 rattan ring 9 2 14 3 15 4 17 5 19 6 20 7 21 8 22 9 23 10 24 11 26 12 a 29 12 b 29 12 c 30 13 30 14 31 15 38 16 39 17 40 18 41 19 43 20 49 21 55 22 56 23 58 24 59 25 60 26 6l 27 62 28 62 29 63 30 63 31 64 32 65 33 66 34 67 35 67 36 68 37 70 38 70 38 a 79 39 80 40 81 41 82 42 84 43 87 44 90 45 91 46 91 47 92 48 92 49 94 50 94 51 95 52 96 53 97 54 97 55 99 56 100 57 107 58 108 59 109 60 110 61 110 62 111 63 112 64 116 65 117 66 119 67 132 68 135 69 138 70 148 71 148 72 149 73 151 74 151 75 156 76 158 77 160 78 162 79 163 leather tag case 166 80 169 81 171 82 171 83 175 84 176 85 180 86 181 87 182 88 183 89 184 90 185 91 187 92 188 93 188 94 189 95 191 96 192 97 193 98 193 99 194 100 195 101 195 102 198 103 206 104 213 a foreword to mothers child's rainy day book chapter i a foreword to mothers how shall we answer the ever recurring rainy day question, "what shall i do?" we hear it wherever children are kept indoors--from whatever cause. all of us are concerned with the answer--mothers, fathers, teachers, big brothers and sisters--even maiden aunts. we all know what is coming when jack turns from the rain-splashed window with a listless face and dorothy, none too gently, thrusts her favourite doll into the corner with its face to the wall. one might suppose that, with the hosts of mechanical toys, of costly french dolls, each with a wardrobe as much in keeping with fashion as that of a society woman, the small sons and daughters would be content for a year of rainy days. but that proves how little one knows about it. such toys are too perfect, too complete, and very soon they are pushed into the background. the boy's real treasures are the willow whistle that uncle tom taught him to make last summer, the boat that he is building and the game he invented--a favourite one with all the children. bedtime and getting-up time for the french doll may come and go, while she lies forgotten in the corner, for is there not a dress to be made for the clothespin doll? we need only to look back about twenty years to realise how natural all this is. what do we remember? not the toys that were brought us when father and mother went on a journey. they are very hazy--these visions of a doll in silk and lace, and a donkey with real hair and a nodding head. what became of them afterward? we forget. but the games we "made up," the paper dolls we cut from fashion papers, the target we laboured to make of coiled straw--these are as fresh in our memories as if we had played with them yesterday. shall we not answer the question by giving the children something to do, not by entertaining them but by helping them to entertain themselves. simple home made toys and games chapter ii simple home made toys and games _a bean bag game_ =materials required:= 1/2 yard each of blue, red, yellow and green gingham, 3 quarts of small white beans, a length of no. 6 rattan, a bunch of red raffia, a tapestry needle, 3 screw eyes, 2 1/2 yards of strong twine, a spool of no. 40 white cotton, a needle, scissors. very many good games can be played with bean bags. the following is a simple one to prepare. cut from blue gingham three pieces, each five inches wide by twelve long. other pieces of the same size are cut from red, yellow and green gingham--three of each colour. these pieces are made up into bags by doubling them and stitching up the sides with strong thread; leaving one end of each open. this will give a small girl something to do for more than one rainy day. when they have all been stitched, fill each bag half full of small, white beans, turn in the edges of the open end and sew it up, over and over, with strong thread. be very careful to sew the seams securely, for if you do you will have a good, durable bag instead of one from which the beans are always dropping. the other part of the game is a large ring of rattan ten inches across, which is made as follows: soak a piece of no. 6 rattan in water for a few minutes. while you are waiting for it to get pliable thread a tapestry or darning needle with red raffia. whittle an end of the rattan into a long point. next coil the rattan into a ring, ten inches across; lay the end of your raffia, with its tip turned to the right, on the rattan ring and bring the needle, threaded with raffia, around and over the ring. the raffia is then brought under the long end of rattan, around it and down under the ring, binding the second coil of rattan to the first with what is called a "figure eight" stitch (see fig. 1). hold the ring firmly in your left hand while you sew with the right. first under and around the lower coil, then up, under and around the upper one. it is pretty work, besides making such a firm, light ring. [illustration: playing the bean-bag game] [illustration: fig. 1] when you have bound the second coil to the first almost all the way round the ring, cut the rattan so that it will overlap the beginning of the ring about an inch, and whittle it to a long, flat point. continue the figure eight stitch as far as you can, then bind the raffia round and round the ring, and sew back and forth through the raffia covering till it is secure. you can then cut it close to the ring. [illustration: rattan ring] fasten a screw eye at the top of the frame of the playroom door and one on each side of the doorway, on the edge of the frame, four feet and a half from the floor. tie a piece of strong twine, about a yard long, at the top of the ring and another, three-quarters of a yard, on each side. fasten the upper string to the screw eye above the doorway so that the ring will hang with its lower edge about four feet from the floor. tie the other strings through the screw eyes to right and left of the doorway. the game is now complete. from two to four children can play it. each has three bean bags of one colour and takes his turn at throwing them through the ring, standing on a mark eight feet from the doorway. one player keeps the score, and whenever a bean bag is sent through the ring the child who threw it is credited with five points. the one who first succeeds in making fifty points is the winner. _a book house for paper dolls_ =materials required:= a large blank book with a stiff cover, and preferably with unruled pages, a number of old magazines, some pieces of wall paper the size of the book's pages, several pieces of lace or other fancy paper, a tube of paste, scissors. any little girl who is looking for a home for a family of paper dolls will find a book the very best kind of a house for them. and then such fun as it will be to furnish it! first comes the house hunting. a large new blank book with unruled pages would be best of all, and that is what we want if we can get it, but of course all doll families cannot live in such luxury. an old account book with most of its pages unused will make an excellent house. i have even known a family of dolls to be cheerful and happy in an old city directory. it will be easy to find furniture in the advertising pages of magazines, rugs can be cut from pictures in the same magazines and bits of wall paper are used for the walls of the book house. tissue paper of different colours and papers with a lace edge make charming window curtains, while thicker fancy papers may be used for portieres. on the cover of the book a picture of the house, or just the doorway, may be pasted. the first two pages are of course the hall. for this you will need a broad staircase, hall seat, hardwood floor and rugs, with perhaps an open fireplace or a cushioned window seat to make it look hospitable. try to find furniture all about the same size, or if you cannot do this put the smaller pieces at the back of the room and the larger ones toward the front. next there will be the drawing room to furnish, then the library, the dining room and pantry, not forgetting the kitchen and laundry. use two pages for each room, leaving several between the different rooms, so that the book shall not be too full at the front and empty at the back. if it does not close easily remove some of the blank pages. cut out the different pieces of furniture as carefully as possible, paste them in as neatly as you can, and you will have a book house to be proud of. flowered papers will be the best for the bedrooms, or plain wall papers in light colours; and with brass bedsteads, pretty little dressing tables and curtains made of thin white tissue paper (which looks so like white muslin), they will be as dainty as can be. now and then through the book it is interesting to have a page with just a bay window and a broad window seat with cushions and pillows--as if it were a part of a long hall. hang curtains of coloured or figured paper in front of it so that they will have to be lifted if anyone wants to peep in. when you have finished the bathroom, playroom, maids' rooms and attic there will still be the piazza, the garden, the stables and the golf course (covering several pages), to arrange. if you have a paint box and can colour tastefully you will be able to make your book house even more attractive than it is already. [illustration: planning a book house] _united states mail_ =materials required:= a pasteboard box, about 3 by 6 inches, some old white pasteboard boxes with a glossy finish, a box of paints, 3 unused postal cards, a tube of paste, pen and ink, scissors. this is a fine game for rainy days. any boy can make it and if he likes to use pencil and paint brush he will find it as interesting to make as to play with. get a small pasteboard box about six inches long by three wide and an inch deep--such as spools of cotton come in. cover it with white paper, pasting it neatly and securely. then draw and colour on the lid a mail bag, which should almost cover it--either a brown leather sack or a white canvas one with "united states mail" on it in large blue letters. do not forget to draw the holes at the top of the bag and the rope which passes through them to close it. you have now something to hold the counters for the game. these are made to look like letters and postal cards. to make the letters, rule a set of lines three-quarters of an inch apart, across a box or cover of shiny white cardboard. then another set, crossing the others at right angles. these should be an inch and a quarter apart. the postal cards are ruled in the same way (on real, unused postal cards), so as to make oblong spaces. cut these out with a sharp pair of scissors. there should be thirty cardboard pieces and at least twenty-five of the postal cards. now draw on the cards, with a fine pen and black ink, marks like those on a postal card--the stamp in the corner, the lettering and the address. make pen lines on all of the pasteboard letters like fig. 2 and paint a tiny red dot on each to look like sealing-wax. on the reverse side of one write something to look like an address, and paint in large letters "d.l.o.," (to stand for dead letter office) in the corner. six other letters are also addressed in the same way, but have instead of "d.l.o." a red stamp and a blue one, the latter wider than it is high, to represent a special delivery stamp. nine pieces should also be cut from brown cardboard in the shape shown in fig. 3 to represent packages. paint three red stamps in the corner of each of these. [illustration: fig. 2] _rules for playing united states mail_ [illustration: fig. 3] two or more persons can play this game. when the pieces are equally divided among the players, the one on the right of the dealer throws a piece on the table, saying as he does so, "i send a letter to b----," for example, and then counts five, not running the numbers in together, but as deliberately as a clock ticks. before he has stopped counting, the player on his right must name a city or town beginning with b. if he succeeds in doing this he wins the piece, otherwise it goes to the player who threw it. when all the pieces have been played each player counts his score. the value of the pieces is as follows: each postal card counts one, each letter two, each package six. the special delivery letters are worth ten points each, and the person who is so unfortunate as to have the letter with "d.l.o." upon it loses ten points from his score. _flying rings_ =materials required:= a flour-barrel top, 3/4 yard of yellow cheesecloth, 5 large wire nails, 3 lengths of no. 4 rattan, a bunch of red raffia, a bunch of green raffia, a bunch of yellow raffia, a tapestry needle, some small tacks, a hammer, a tube of glue, a sheet of note paper. boys and girls will enjoy this game, and both can help in making it. the materials are simple and easily obtained, which is also an advantage. first of all we shall need a flour-barrel top. this should be covered with yellow cheesecloth drawn smooth and tight and tacked in place along the outer edge. measure with a rule to find the exact centre and make a pencil mark on the cheesecloth at that point. another mark is made above this one, half way between it and the edge. a third mark is placed at the right of the middle one and half way between it and the edge, as well as one to the left and one below it at the same distance from the centre. a large nail is driven into the barrel top at each of the five marks (see fig. 4). two screw eyes are then put in at the top, about a foot apart, so that it can be easily hung. next draw on note paper that is not too stiff the figures 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50. make them about an inch high and quite thick and go over them with ink. with a small pair of scissors cut out these numbers and paste each under a nail, as shown in fig. 4. [illustration: fig. 4] next there are the rings to be made. follow the directions given on pages 6 and 7, using no. 4 rattan instead of no. 6, and these rings should only be two and a half inches across. make three rings of each colour, green, red and yellow, and the game is complete. _to play it_: hang the barrel top on the wall or against a screen and see who can throw the most rings on the nails standing six feet away. each player has three rings of a different colour, and each in turn throws his rings at the mark. when he succeeds in tossing a ring on one of the nails he scores as many points as the number under the nail indicates. _how to make a cork castle_ =materials required:= a number of old corks, the larger the better, a tube of glue, a penknife, a piece of pasteboard a foot square, a sheet of dull green tissue paper. [illustration: fig. 5] such fascinating castles can be made from old corks--or if you live near a cork factory you can get plenty of odds and ends of cork bark that will be even better for the purpose. with a penknife cut small bricks, half an inch long by quarter of an inch wide and an eighth of an inch thick. if you are planning a round tower, such as is shown in fig. 5, make the bricks in the wedge shape shown in fig. 6. cut them as nearly alike as possible, but it will do no harm if they are not perfectly regular; the castle will only look more ancient and interesting. it is wonderful how much the bits of cork look like stone. when you have a good supply of bricks ready you may begin to build. use glue to stick the blocks together; the kind that comes in a tube is the easiest and cleanest to handle. leave spaces for doors and windows, and for the roof use a large flat cork from a preserve jar. mark it off into battlements such as are shown in fig. 5, and cut them out carefully. then glue the roof securely on the walls of the castle. [illustration: fig. 6] where shall we place it now that it is made? a green mountain side is a good location for a castle, and it can be made quite easily. bend a piece of pasteboard about a foot square (an old box cover will do) into dents that will almost break it, these look quite like hills and valleys and sharp crags, especially when they have been covered with green tissue paper. to do this spread a layer of paste or glue all over the pasteboard and then press the paper upon it. if it wrinkles, so much the better, for it will look more like grass and growing things. _a doll's shaker bonnet_ =materials required:= a piece of fine straw about 4 x 6 inches, some scraps of plain-coloured china silk, 1/2 yard of straw-coloured ribbon, 1/4 of an inch wide, 1/2 yard of narrow ribbon the colour of the china silk, a spool of straw-coloured sewing silk. [illustration: fig. 7] the daintiest little shaker bonnet may be easily made by a little girl to fit one of her dolls. from the brim of an old leghorn, or other fine straw hat, cut two pieces, the shapes shown in figs. 7 and 8. for a doll six or eight inches long the front piece will need to be about five inches long by an inch and a half wide. bind the curved edge of the front piece with the straw-coloured ribbon, sewing it through and through with small stitches, using straw-coloured sewing silk. sew one edge of a piece of the straw-coloured ribbon close to the curved edge of the back piece from a to aa (see fig. 8). mark, with a pencil, a dot at the middle of the curved edge of the back portion and one at the middle of the straight edge of the front part. pin the two parts together at these dots and sew the edges together. in doing this you will have to turn back the ribbon which edges the back portion. next bring the ribbon forward to cover the rough edges of the straw where the two parts join and sew its loose edge along on the front portion. cut a piece of china silk seven and three-quarters inches long by an inch and three-quarters wide. make a narrow hem all around it. a tiny pencil mark is then made on the lower edge of the back piece and another at the middle of the silk strip. gather the silk just below the hem on the upper edge and sew it to the lower edge of the bonnet at the back. stitch a piece of narrow ribbon eight inches long at each side of the front, for strings, and the bonnet is done. [illustration: fig. 8] _leather and string puzzle_ =materials required:= a strip of thick leather, 7 inches long by 2 wide, a piece of heavy linen string a foot long, a knife. [illustration: fig. 9] with a sharp knife, a small strip of leather and a bit of strong string any boy can make this simple puzzle. it is easier to make, however, than it is to do, as the boy's friends will discover. fig. 9 will show how it is made. a strip of leather five and a half inches long, an inch and a quarter wide at one end and five-eighths of an inch at the other, is first cut. then, starting at about five-eighths of an inch from the narrow end, cut with a sharp knife two slits down the middle of the piece three-eighths of an inch apart and three inches long. at three-eighths of an inch from the wide end a small piece, one-quarter of an inch square, is cut out of the middle of the strip (see fig. 9). from the scraps of leather remaining cut two pieces, each one inch long by five-eighths of an inch wide. make a hole in the middle of each. then pass a piece of stout linen cord eleven inches long back of the long, open strip in the large piece of leather, leaving the ends of equal length. pass both ends down through the square hole and tie each of them securely through the hole in the middle of one of the small pieces of leather. this completes it. [illustration: fig. 10] the object is to try to get the string, with the small piece of leather at either end, off the large piece of leather without cutting or untying it. the only way to do this is shown in fig. 10. holding both ends of the string, close to where it passes back of the narrow strip in the middle of the large piece of leather, pull the strip out through the small square hole. one of the small pieces of leather can then be slipped through the loop thus formed, releasing the string. _a bed for a little doll_ =materials required:= an oblong pasteboard box an inch or more longer than the doll it is to hold, 1/2 yard of flowered or striped muslin, 1/4 yard of blue and white seersucker or other cotton, some cotton or wool wadding, 1/2 yard of thin white cotton cloth, 1/4 yard of outing flannel, 1/4 yard of white piquã©. almost any little girl who chooses to do so can make this dainty bed for one of her small dolls. she will only need an oblong pasteboard box with a cover, and large enough to hold the doll comfortably. if mamma will let her have some pieces of cotton, flowered, striped and plain and a little cotton or wool wadding, she will have all the materials she needs. first cut from blue and white striped cotton a bag the length and width of the box. stitch it neatly together around three sides, turn it right side out and fill it with cotton or wool wadding. turn in the edges on the fourth side and sew them together over and over. with a darning needle threaded with blue cotton or silk the mattress can be tufted here and there. the needle is first run through to the under side, then one little stitch is taken, bringing the thread back again to the right side, where the two ends are tied tightly together and cut close to the knot. if these tufts are made at equal distances, say one inch apart, all over the mattress it will make it look very "real." [illustration: fig. 11] the pillow is made in the same way as the mattress, except that it is not tufted. cut the sheets and pillowcase from thin white cotton, allowing enough for hems. make the pillowcase a quarter of an inch wider and about an inch and a quarter longer than the pillow. stitch it around both sides and on one end and hem the other end. tiny blankets may be cut from outing flannel, and a spread made from a piece of white piquã© or other thick white wash material. the bed can now be made up, but it will look very plain. a fluffy canopy and valance (or flounce) of flowered or striped white muslin will improve it wonderfully. the cover is set on end and the head of the bedstead is pressed into it (see fig. 11), making a frame for the canopy. measure from the front corner of this frame to the middle of the front and cut a piece of muslin half again as wide as this measurement and long enough to reach from the top of the frame to the bottom of the bed. another piece the same size is cut, and then both are turned in and gathered at the top, hemmed on the other edges and sewed into place on the top edge of the canopy frame, so that the two will meet in the middle. they are both looped back against the front edge of the frame, see fig. 11, and sewed there securely. the valance or flounce around the lower part of the bed is cut wide enough to allow for hemming at the bottom and to turn in at the top. it should be long enough to reach once and a half around the bed. turn in the upper edge of the valance, gather it to fit the bed and pin it in position. then sew it with a strong needle and coarse thread on to the box through and through. this makes as comfortable and pretty a bed as dolly could wish. _floor baseball_ =materials required:= a piece of white chalk, a piece of sheet lead, 2 by 2 inches, and as thick as a fifty-cent piece, 3 or 4 strands of scarlet raffia, a tapestry needle, a gimlet. this is a delightful game for a rainy day, and the preparations for it are very simple. in fact, when you have fashioned the disk of lead with a raffia covering, there is nothing to provide but a piece of chalk. you can buy, from almost any plumber or tinsmith, for a few cents, a scrap of sheet lead two or three inches square and about as thick as a half dollar. upon this piece of lead lay a half dollar, draw around it with a pencil and cut out the circle with a sharp, strong pair of scissors. it cuts as easily as cardboard of the same thickness. bore a hole one-quarter of an inch across through the centre of the disk with a gimlet or sharp-pointed awl. it is possible to use the disk just as it is, but it makes less noise if it is covered with raffia. to do this, thread a worsted (or tapestry) needle with raffia--the grass-like material that you have seen used for making baskets. tie the other end of the raffia through the disk, as shown in fig. 12 a, put the needle down through the hole in the centre, up through the loop in the raffia (see fig. 12 b) and pull your strand up close to the edge. this will make a stitch like that shown in fig. 12 c--what sailors call a half hitch and mothers a buttonhole stitch. make more of these stitches around the disk, until finally it is entirely covered (see fig. 13). if the strand of raffia gives out before the disk is covered sew the short end through the last two or three stitches on the edge of the disk and start a new piece by bringing the end through the last stitch on the edge. the short ends of both strands should be covered with the buttonhole stitches as you go on. [illustration: fig. 12 a] [illustration: fig. 12 b] [illustration: fig. 12 c] [illustration: fig. 13] now mark the diagram shown in fig. 14 on the playroom floor with chalk, making the diamond two feet long by a foot and a half wide. in the centre of it is a circle, four inches across, which is home. each player takes his turn at throwing the disk, standing on a line eight feet away. if he throws the disk into the space marked 1 he counts that he has a man on first base; if on 2, that he has one on second; and if on h, a home run is counted. if by chance with his first and second throws he puts the disk into 2 and 3 and with the third throw sends it into h he will have three runs to his credit. should he throw the disk into f he loses one point from his score, and when he has thrown the disk outside the diamond three times he is out. [illustration: fig. 14] _a rug for the doll's house_ =materials required:= a small wooden frame, a piece of cream-coloured canvas, a ball of dull green worsted, a ball of cream white worsted, a steel crochet needle, no. 2. hooked rugs such as our grandmothers used to make are great fun to do. why should not a little girl make one of finer materials for the floor of her doll's house? either an empty slate frame or a wooden frame such as is sold by dealers in kindergarten supplies for chair caning will do very well to hold the canvas of which the rug is made. instead of strips of woolen we shall use worsted of various colours, and a strong steel crochet needle will be needed for "hooking." when you have decided upon the size of the rug you wish to make cut a piece of canvas an inch wider and longer than it is to be, and make a hem a quarter of an inch wide all around it. with a needleful of white linen thread sew the rug into the frame, taking the stitches through the edge of the canvas and around the frame until it is securely fastened in. suppose a green rug is planned, with a group of white stripes at each end. it will be well to mark on the canvas where the stripes are to run before beginning the work. the worsted should be wound into balls. starting with an end of the green worsted, at the lower right side of the frame, hold it under the rug and hook it up through the canvas with the crochet needle. draw up a long enough end so that it can be cut off when the rug is finished and leave a thick texture. do not make all the loops the same height, for if now and then one is left too low to cut with the others it will make the rug wear better. one after another of these loops is drawn through the canvas, leaving two threads of canvas between every two loops, in a straight line across the rug. when the edge of the rug is reached a row is made above the one just finished, bringing the worsted from left to right. so it goes on till the rug is finished, only changing the ball of green worsted for a white one when it is time to make the stripes. after the hooking is done, the tops of the longer loops are cut off with a sharp pair of scissors, so as to make a smooth, soft rug. it will wear better if it is lined. when you have completed this rug you may want to make others with patterns woven into them. draw the pattern on the canvas with a soft lead pencil and it will be quite easy to work. basket weaving chapter iii basket weaving the rattan of which the baby's go-cart and mother's armchair are woven came from a far-away forest in india. troops of monkeys may have swung upon the very pieces on which your baby brother is bouncing, for the rattan hung from tree to tree in long festoons. one day some brown natives cut it down and stripped it of its leaves. it was then packed in bundles and sent to this country. the hard, shiny bark cut into strips has been woven into cane seats for chairs, and the inner part or core of the rattan was cut by a machine into the round strands that you see in wicker furniture. it takes a man's strong hands to weave great armchairs and baby carriages, but boys and girls can make charming little mats and baskets as well as tiny chairs and tables for the doll's house, and other interesting things. dealers in kindergarten supplies sell the rattan in different sizes, from no. 00, which is as fine as cord, to no. 7 or no. 8, which is almost as thick as rope. you will only need the medium sizes, nos. 2, 3 and 4, for your weaving, with some raffia--the soft but strong fibre that the gardener uses for tying up his plants. this you will also find at the kindergarten-supply store. a pair of shears, a yardstick and an awl are the only tools you will need. [illustration: fig. 15. twist of rattan] rattan comes in long skeins or twists (see fig. 15). always draw it out from the loop end, so that it will not get tangled and break. two sizes of rattan are generally used in making a basket, the thicker for the spokes or ribs and the fine for the weavers. both must be soaked in warm water to make them soft and pliable. as many spokes as are needed are first cut the required length and tied together with a piece of raffia. the weavers are then coiled into rings, so that they also can be soaked. this is done as follows: starting near one end of a length of rattan, coil it into a ring. twist the short end around this ring once or twice to hold it (see fig. 16). coil the rest of the strand into rings, one above the other, and twist the other end of the rattan around them all until they are held securely. have ready a basin or pail of warm water--not hot--and let the spokes and weaver soak in it for ten or fifteen minutes. [illustration: fig. 16] suppose we begin with a mat, which is started, just as the baskets are, at the centre. _a mat or stand for a teapot_ =materials required:= 4 12-inch spokes of no. 4 rattan, 1 7-inch spoke of no. 4 rattan, 1 weaver of no. 2 rattan. feel the ends of your weavers and you will find that some are stiff while others are almost as soft and pliable as cord. choose a soft one to start the mat. the four spokes arranged in pairs are crossed in the centre, the vertical ones being above the others, or nearer to you. place the short spoke, seven inches long, between the upper parts of these vertical spokes. they are held in position by the left hand, which is, as always, the one that holds, while the right is the weaving hand. an end of the weaver (which has first been unwound) is placed along the horizontal spokes, back of the vertical ones, with its tip toward the right. the forefinger of the right hand now presses the weaver across the vertical spokes and down behind the horizontal ones on the right (thus binding the end of the weaver securely), next over the lower vertical spokes and behind the horizontal ones on the left (see fig. 17). this is repeated, and then, starting with the upper vertical spokes, the spokes are separated and the weaving begins (see fig. 18). if you want to do close, even work, do not pull the rattan as you weave, but _press_ it with the forefinger, under and over the spokes as close to the work as possible. the spokes should be very evenly separated, for upon this much of the beauty and strength of your baskets will depend. think of the regular spaces between the spokes of a wheel and how much trouble one badly placed spoke would make. when there is just enough weaver left to go around once, the edge is bound off. this is very much like overcasting. [illustration: fig. 17] [illustration: fig. 18] after going under one spoke and over another, the weaver is passed under the last row of weaving just before it reaches the next spoke. it then goes behind that spoke, in front of the next and under the last row of weaving before the next spoke. when a row of this binding has been made around the edge the mat is finished with the following border: cut the spokes all the same length, not straight across but slanting, so as to make a point that can easily be pushed down between the weaving. then hold them in water for a few minutes. when they are quite pliable the first spoke (any one you choose to begin with) is pushed down between the rows of weaving beside the one to the left of it or spoke no. 2. no. 2 is pushed down beside the next one to the left, no. 3, and so on all the way around the mat. take care that at least an inch of each spoke is pressed below the edge of the mat. _small candy basket_ =materials required:= 4 14-inch spokes of no. 4 rattan, 1 8 inch spoke of no. 4 rattan, 2 weavers of no. 2 rattan. this little basket may be woven of rattan in the natural colour and afterward dyed or gilded, or one can buy the rattan already coloured. weave a bottom like the beginning of the mat, and when it measures two inches in diameter (that is, from side to side, across the centre), wet the spokes and turn them up. the spokes should be turned up away from you, for the side toward the person weaving is always the outside of the basket and the weaving should go from left to right--as you read. bend them over the middle finger so that the sides of the basket will be curved. [illustration: basket weaving] place the bottom of the basket on your knee, with the side which in starting was toward you turned down and the spokes bent upward, and do the weaving of the sides in that position. in joining a new weaver lay it across the end of the old one, back of a spoke (see fig. 19). [illustration: fig. 19. joining weavers] the weaver at first should not be drawn too tight, but allowed to go easily, though it must be pressed closely down upon the row beneath it. when about three-quarters of an inch has been woven up the sides, the spokes are drawn gradually closer together by a slight tightening of the weaver, and this should be continued until an inch more has been woven. bind off and finish with this border. the spokes for the border should measure at least four inches from the last row of weaving to the end of the spoke. cut and soak as described in the directions for making a mat. spoke no. 1 crosses the next one on the left, or no. 2, and is pushed down beside the next spoke, no. 3. no. 2 crosses no. 3 and is pushed down beside no. 4, and so on around the basket. _doll's table of rattan_ =materials required:= 6 22-inch spokes of no. 3 rattan, 1 12-inch spoke of no. 3 rattan, 1 weaver of no. 2 rattan, a piece of fine wire, 4 or 5 inches long, several strands of raffia, an awl. perhaps you did not think it was as interesting to make a mat as to weave baskets, but you will be glad you know how to do it when you see some of the things that can be made with mats. for example, this dear little wicker table, just the size for a doll's house and the shape for an afternoon tea. two groups of spokes, one of three and the other of three and a half, are crossed in the centre. the short spoke should be put between two others, never on the outside of a group. the mat is woven like the other mat and basket until it is three and a half inches in diameter, when the edge is bound off. bring each spoke across the next one and press it down beside the next, as in the border of the basket, except that the long end is not cut off, but brought out between the fourth and fifth rows of weaving on the under side of the mat. the loops of the border are drawn in so that they will not be more than a quarter of an inch beyond the weaving. the long ends of the spokes (which are to form the legs of the table) are brought together and bound with a piece of fine wire just under the centre. separate them into three groups of four spokes each. the odd spoke is either cut off or whittled very thin and bound in with one of the three groups. a strand of raffia is now doubled around two or three spokes, above the wire binding, and wound tightly around one of the groups until it has covered two inches, from the binding down. at the end a half hitch or one buttonhole stitch is made, to keep the raffia from slipping. it is then wound up again to the top. the raffia is brought down the second leg as far as the first one was wound; here it is turned with a half hitch and brought up again in the same way. the third leg is also wound down and up again, with a half hitch at the bottom to hold it. after this third leg has been covered the raffia is brought in and out between the legs, where they separate, in order to spread them more. it is then tied and the ends are cut close. finally the spokes at the end of each leg are cut slanting so that the table will stand firmly. _doll's chair of rattan_ =materials required:= 6 20-inch spokes of no. 3 rattan, 1 11-inch spoke of no. 3 rattan, 4 10-inch spokes of no. 3 rattan, 1 piece of no. 3 rattan about 9 inches long, 2 weavers of no. 2 rattan, several strands of raffia, an awl. would you like to make a tiny high-backed chair to use with the tea table in the doll's house? it is only a trifle more difficult to make than the table. two groups of twenty-inch spokes of no. 3 rattan, one having three and the other three and a half spokes in it, are crossed at the centre, bound around twice with a weaver of no. 2 rattan and woven into a mat three inches in diameter. after binding off the edge the following border is made: each spoke is brought down beside the next one, as in the border of the mat, except that the long end is drawn out between the second and third rows of weaving on the under side of the mat. when all the spokes have been brought out in this way underneath the mat, or seat, the four groups of three spokes each which are to form the legs are so divided that the vertical spokes in the centre of the chair seat shall run toward the front and back of the seat. the thirteenth spoke is whittled to a thin point and bound in with one of the other groups, which are wound with raffia down to the end, turned with a half hitch and brought up again. a neat way to start the raffia is to thread it across a row of weaving in the chair seat, just above the group it is to bind. a piece of no. 3 rattan about nine inches long is coiled into a ring and held within the space enclosed by the legs, about half way down, where it is wound around with a strand of raffia and bound securely to each leg. the back of the chair is formed by inserting four spokes of no. 3 rattan, ten inches long, beside those in the seat, at that part of the seat which has been chosen for the back. to do this push a sharp pointed awl in between the weaving, beside a spoke, draw it out and you will have made room for the new spoke to run in. bend the spokes up and weave back and forth upon them with a no. 2 weaver, turning on the outside spokes. needless to say, the weaver must be very soft and pliable in order to make these sharp turns. you will find that you can make almost any kind of a back you choose. if you decide to make an oval-shaped back, then when you have woven it high enough, bring each of the outside spokes over and down beside the other one, running it in between the weaving. the inner spokes are crossed at the centre and run down beside the outer spokes. to make an armchair insert six spokes instead of four at the back of the seat and weave the outer spokes in with the others for a few rows. they are then bent over and forward to form the arms. each is cut to the desired length and run in beside one of the side spokes in the seat. _a bird's nest_ =materials required:= 8 18-inch spokes of no. 3 rattan, 1 10-inch spoke of no. 3 rattan, 1 1/2 weavers of no. 2 rattan, a bunch of raffia a tapestry needle, no. 18. at the bird market in paris charming little nests are sold, woven of rushes on spokes of brown twigs, in the shape of an indian tepee. they are intended for caged birds, who cannot build their own nests of sticks and grass and horsehair from the fields and wayside. some free birds like them, too--wrens, for example. a boy or girl who has made the mat and basket and doll's furniture will have no difficulty in weaving one of these nests. then there will be the delight of hanging it in a tree (not too near the house) and watching to see what bird will choose it when nesting time comes. [illustration: fig. 20] let us weave a nest that shall be light and yet firm. spokes of rattan will give it strength and weavers of raffia will make it soft and comfortable. two groups of spokes, one of four and the other of four and a half, are crossed at the centre, bound three times with a strand of raffia and woven into a bottom an inch and a half across. another weaver is then added and an inch of pairing is made. pairing, or _bam tush_, as the indians call it, is a simple stitch. two weavers are started, each one behind a spoke (see fig. 20). the one on the left is brought over the first spoke, under the next and down in front. it is now the turn of the second weaver, which also passes over the first spoke on its right, under the next and outside, where it is held down in front while the other weaver repeats the process. so it goes on around the nest. the spokes are then wet so that the bottom may be formed into a bowl shape, with sides rounding up from the very centre. a row of pairing in no. 2 rattan is next woven to hold the slippery raffia in place. this is followed by five-eighths of an inch of raffia woven in pairing, the sides still being flared. two rows of pairing in no. 2 rattan are then woven, drawing the spokes in very slightly. at this point, which is the widest, the nest should measure eleven inches around the top. a row of under and over weaving is started, and at the place which has been chosen for the doorway the weaver is doubled back on a spoke and woven from right to left until it comes to the second spoke to the right of the one it first doubled around. it is brought around this spoke, thus making the beginning of a doorway, which has an unused spoke in the centre of it. the weaver then returns to the spoke it first doubled around, where it doubles back again. this is repeated until the doorway is an inch and a quarter high. two rows of pairing in no. 2 rattan are then woven all the way around, forming a firm top for the doorway, where they cross it. the spokes are drawn in closer and closer with rows of pairing in raffia, until, when an inch and a half has been woven, they meet at the top. the ends of the spokes are left uneven lengths and bound around with a strand of raffia threaded through a tapestry needle. a loop to hang it by is made of two strands of raffia, five and a half inches long, covered close with buttonhole stitch in raffia. the spoke in the centre of the doorway should be cut at the lower part of the opening, just above the weaving, and after it has been wet until quite pliable it is bent and pressed up between the weaving beside the upper part of the same spoke. knots with raffia and cord chapter iv knots with raffia and cord sailors' knots are of course fascinating to boys, but why should not girls enjoy making them, too? think of the dolls' hammocks, the work bags and twine ball nets one can make, and think of being able to tie a good, square knot--one that will hold--instead of the "granny knots" that brothers and boy cousins laugh at! [illustration: fig. 21] of course you know how to tie the simplest knot of all--the one shown in fig. 21. let us call it the loop knot, for it is made by tying the ends of a strand together to form a loop. you have used it often for that purpose, i am sure, and sometimes to tie two pieces of string together. you can make a pretty and useful sponge bag of raffia in the natural colour with this knot. the wet sponge will not hurt the raffia, and in such an open bag the air soon dries it. _knotted sponge bag_ =materials required:= 25 strands of raffia, a length of no. 5 rattan, a tapestry needle. [illustration: fig. 22] roll a length of no. 5 rattan into a ring, as described on page 38, so that it can be soaked in warm water till it is pliable. cut it into three pieces, each forty-seven inches long. tie an end of one of these pieces into a ring seven inches in diameter and twist the long end in and out once around this (see fig. 22). at the end of this row the ends, where they meet, should overlap an inch. if they are longer, cut them off with a slanting cut and tie them tightly together with a piece of raffia. two more rings, the same size as the first one, are made with the other pieces of rattan. hang one of the rings where you can reach it easily, on a low bedpost, for example. double a strand of raffia and tie it through the ring as shown in fig. 21, drawing the knot up quite close. twenty-two strands are knotted on in this way. space them along the ring about an inch apart, and, beginning with any pair of strands, tie the right-hand one with the nearest strand of the next pair on the right, making an even mesh at an inch from the first row of knots. continue this all around the ring, when you will have made one row. ten more rows are knotted in this way. then bring the ends of all the strands straight down together and tie them below the centre of the ring with a piece of raffia. the ends are cut off evenly at about two inches and a half from where they were tied, to form a tassel. the two other rings are used for the handles of the bag. lay one of them against the ring at the top of the bag so that the places where the rings are tied will come together. thread a tapestry needle with raffia and bind the rings together with buttonhole stitch for an inch. then sew through and through the binding to make it secure and cut the end close to the ring. the other ring handle is bound to the opposite side of the top ring in the same way. _a doll's hammock_ =materials required:= 14 strands of raffia, a tapestry needle. even simpler to make than the sponge bag is a doll's hammock of raffia. it is knotted in just the same way. [illustration: fig. 23] lay twelve strands of raffia evenly together. bend them to find the middle, or "middle them," as the sailors say. lay the short end of another piece of raffia on the middle of the twelve strands, with its tip turning toward the left, and wind the long end round and round from right to left, binding them together for two and three-quarter inches. bring the two ends of this binding together to form a loop, wind a strand of raffia tightly around them (see fig. 23), and tie the ends securely. you will then have twenty-four ends to knot together, two and two, as the knots in the bag were made. pin the loop on the cushion of a chair or tie it to a low hook or to the doorknob, so that you can pull the strands taut. the first row of knots is tied about two inches from the loop and after that the rows are only an inch apart. the finishing of the edge of the hammock is of course different from the bag. [illustration: fig. 24] it is done in this way: in starting the second row of knots the left strand in the first pair is of course left untied, and, after knotting the row across, the right strand of the last pair is also left free. when the third row is started the loose strand on the left side of the hammock is knotted in with the left one in the first pair of strands in this row (see fig. 24). in other words, the strands which are left untied at each side of the hammock when the second, fourth, sixth and all the even numbered rows have been knotted, are tied in with the outside strands in the next uneven numbered row. to make a hammock for a little doll thirteen rows of knotting will be enough. when the last row has been tied bring the ends of the strands together, start a new strand at two inches from the last row of knots, and bind the ends together tightly for two and three-quarter inches to make a loop like the one at the other end. after the loop is finished cut the ends close to the binding, and with a tapestry needle threaded in the end of the binding strand sew it through and through, to secure it, and cut its end close to the binding. _how to tie a square or reef knot_ [illustration: fig. 25] once upon a time a little girl was carrying a bundle of cookies by the string, when suddenly the knot slipped and the cookies rolled in every direction, over the sidewalk and into the street. if the baker's wife had known how to tie a square knot instead of that useless "granny," the accident would never have happened. i wonder if you have ever had an experience of this kind. if so, i am sure you will like to learn how to tie the ends of a piece of string together so that they cannot slip. [illustration: fig. 26] take the ends of a piece of string, one in each hand. cross them and bring the upper end down under the long end of the other piece (see fig. 25). now turn it back in the opposite direction above the first part of the knot, to make a loop, and pass the other end down through it (see fig. 26). in this way each end of the string will come out beside its own beginning. _two hitches_ there is no simple knot that you will find more useful than the half hitch. it is described in the directions for making the game of floor baseball in chapter ii. two of these half hitches, side by side, are called by sailors a "clove hitch." in making nets this clove hitch is used to attach the first row of meshes to the top line or head rope, as it is called. [illustration: fig. 27] another use for the half hitch is in the process that sailors call "kackling" (see fig. 27). this is used to prevent two ropes from rubbing against one another, or chafing. a beautiful handle for a basket or bag may be made with this knot. [illustration: fig. 28] [illustration: fig. 29] [illustration: fig. 30] take two pieces of rope and some light cord, or, if it is to be the handle of a basket, two pieces of heavy rattan, no. 5, and some no. 00 rattan with which to do the knotting. if you use the rattan be sure to soak it for ten minutes in warm water and choose a soft piece of the fine rattan for knotting. hold the heavy pieces of rattan side by side, lay an end of the fine rattan upon them at the middle (see fig. 28), with its tip turning toward the left, and hold it there with the left hand, while with the right you bring the long end up and around both of the large pieces of rattan up and under the short end of the fine piece. it is then brought down and around the two large pieces of rattan and the end is passed down through the loop made in starting the hitch (see fig. 29). draw the tying strand up tight and bring the long end up and around the large pieces of rattan and up under the loop it left in starting (see fig. 30). take care to keep the fine rattan wet so that it will be very pliable; if it dries it will surely crack as you tie it. _net making_ if you would like to make a ping-pong net or a net for crabbing, you will find it quite easy to do and very interesting. after you have made these small nets you may feel like trying a tennis net if you have plenty of time and patience. [illustration: fig. 31] at a hardware store you can buy tightly twisted cord of the size you wish to use in making your net. it is generally sold by weight. if you are planning to make a ping-pong or tennis net you will also need a heavy piece of cord for the head rope. a crab net would of course be netted on to an iron ring attached to a long wooden handle. a needle such as is shown in fig. 31 may be made quite easily by any boy who can whittle. [illustration: fig. 32] when you have wound your cord on the needle, stretch the head rope taut between two convenient points, the backs of two chairs, for example, and begin at the left by tying one end of the cord to it. make a loop the size you wish the mesh to be and fasten the cord to the head rope with a clove hitch, or two half hitches (see fig. 32). when you have worked as far as you wish, get on the other side of the net and work back again. this row of meshes and all that follow after are made by fastening them to the upper row with a sheet bend (see fig. 32). after the second row is finished come around to the other side again and knot the third row. when the net is wide enough knot it to a piece of rope the size of the head rope with a row of clove hitches. _the weaver's knot_ [illustration: fig. 33] in weaving bead chains on a loom, and in doing other things, you will often need to tie a new piece of thread or cord to a very short end. the weavers have a knot they use for this purpose, and as it is a simple one perhaps you would like to learn it. hold the old end in a vertical position (that is, as if it were standing up), lay the new piece back of it, its short end turning toward the left and reaching an inch or more beyond the vertical thread. bring the long end around in front of the vertical thread, up back of its own short end on the left and across in front of the vertical thread (see fig. 33). all these threads are held in position by the fingers and thumbs of the left hand, while the right hand brings the thread around. the vertical or old end is now turned down through the loop in front of it and there held by the thumb, while with the fingers of both hands the long and short ends of the new thread are pulled up tight. _turk's head_ there is a beautiful knot called by sailors a "turk's head." girls will find that they can make the prettiest buttons imaginable with it, using silk cord of any colour, and both boys and girls will enjoy making napkin rings of rattan with a more open arrangement of the same knot. [illustration: fig. 34] [illustration: fig. 35] to make a button take a yard of cord, and at about four inches from one end bend it into a loop (like the one shown in fig. 34), about half an inch across. the long end should come above the short one. next make a second loop lying above and to the left of the first one (see fig. 35), bringing the long end under the short one left in starting. the long end is then brought over the left side of the second loop, under the left side of the first loop, over the right side of the second loop, under the right side of the first and around to the beginning, inside of the short end (see fig. 36). this makes one row, or the beginning of the button. if you have a bodkin with a large eye, the long end of the cord can be threaded into it and this will make the work easier. the next row follows the first one exactly--close to it and always on the inside. when the cord has followed in this way four times, to complete four rows (keeping the button form always in mind and moulding the cord into that shape), a firm little button will have been made. [illustration: fig. 36] _napkin ring_ =material required:= 1 length of no. 4 rattan. [illustration: at the top of the plate is the beginning of a ping-pong net. below it at the right is the turk's-head knot. still lower the knotted raffia work bag hangs. on the left is swung a doll's hammock of knotted raffia and above it a rattan napkin ring, made with the turk's-head knot] with a piece of rattan in the natural colour or a length of coloured rattan you can make a useful and very pretty napkin ring by following the directions just given, with only one change. in beginning the second row (shown in fig. 36), the long end is brought to the left or outside of the short end and continues around on that side. five rows may be made instead of four. keep the ring form in mind all the time, have the rattan wet and pliable and mould it into the shape of a ring, keeping the top and bottom as nearly the same size as possible. _green raffia work bag_ =materials required:= a bunch of green raffia, a length of no. 5 green rattan, a tapestry needle. _a tapestry needle_ when your mother was a little girl her mother used to make with linen twine a kind of coarse, heavy lace called macramã©. one of the knots she used was called "solomon's knot," and that is the one you will use if you decide to make this work bag. a length of no. 4 rattan and a bunch of raffia, both in a soft shade of green, will be needed. these you can buy of a dealer in basket materials for a few cents. twist three rings like those for the upper edge and handles of the sponge bag described in the first part of this chapter. hang one of these rings on a low bedpost or on a hook placed so that you can reach it easily when seated. take two strands of raffia, double them around the ring, and with the four ends thus made tie a solomon's knot as follows: hold the two upper strands straight and taut. bend the under strand on the left across them to the right (see fig. 37), and bring the under strand on the right over the end of the left strand, back of the middle strands and through the loop made by the left strand in starting. another pair of strands is knotted on in the same way, and another, until there are twenty-two groups around the ring. starting anywhere on the ring, the two strands on the right of a group are brought beside the two on the left of the next group to the right. the middle pair of these four strands are held straight down, while the strands on the right and left are tied upon them in a solomon's knot. this knot should be half an inch from those in the first row. make a double knot this time as follows: after tying the knot (shown in fig. 37), take the end which is on the right after the first knot has tied, bring it over to the left, above the middle strands, and bring the one on the left down over the end of the strand which was on the right, back of the two middle strands and up through the loop left in starting the right strand (see fig. 38). the whole row is made in this way. ten rows are knotted, each one about half an inch from the row above. the bag is finished in the same way as the sponge bag, with a tassel and two handles. if you choose you can line it with silk of the same colour as the raffia, or, if it is to be used for a duster bag or to hold grandmother's knitting, it will not need a lining. [illustration: fig. 37] [illustration: fig. 38] what a child can do with beads chapter v what a child can do with beads long, long ago when the world was young, the child who wished for a gay and pretty necklace for her little brown throat strung berries and seeds or pieces of shell and bone that her father ground smooth by hand and pierced for stringing. for thread there were grasses and fibres of plants or sinews of deer. indian children sometimes used beads of clay, and so did the little egyptians, for the fine clay by the river nile made beautiful beads, as well as pottery. the children of the north--the little esquimaux--had beads of amber, and the indian tribes farther south strung shells that look so much like the teeth of animals one can hardly believe they are anything else. look for them at the natural history museum and you will see that this is so. nowadays there are of course many more kinds of beads--beads of glass, china, gold and silver, and even of semi-precious stones. after all, though, the child who lives in the country or by the sea can gather the most interesting kind of all--such as were strung by those children who lived so long ago--seeds, berries, shells and seaweed. gather them on a sunshiny day and store them away for use in the dull hours when you are obliged to be indoors. the seeds of muskmelons are soft enough to pierce; watermelon seeds will take more effort and a stronger needle. then there are the orange berries of bittersweet and the red ones of holly. haws or hawthorn berries are a beautiful red, too, and perhaps you will find in a neighbour's garden a bush of job's tears--gray, white or brown. the grape-like seaweed which bursts with a pop when you step on it makes very pretty beads. cut each one close to the bulb, yet far enough to leave a short piece of the stem on each side of the bead. pierce the bulbs while they are still wet, and after they have dried for a few days they will be ready to string. apple and flax seeds, beans and peas before they have dried, make excellent beads. a few of the small glass beads which come in bunches may be used with these natural beads, and will set them off wonderfully. although they are usually sold in bunches, eight skeins to a bunch, the skeins can sometimes be bought separately. olive-green crystal beads of the size that dealers call no. 3-0 are beautiful with red berries, and what could be prettier to string with brown seeds or job's tears than gold-lined crystal beads? let us use them in making a chain for a muff or fan. _muff chain in brown and gold_ =materials required:= 12 brown seeds or job's tears, a bunch of gold-lined crystal beads, no. 3-0, a spool of no. 60 white linen thread, a no. 5 needle. have you ever seen any job's tears--the interesting tear-shaped seeds of an east indian grass? it grows very well in this climate, and you may like to raise it yourself. think of being able to pick beads from a plant of your own! be careful to boil these beads before stringing, for a little grub sometimes lives in them, and he may appear when you least expect him or may even make a meal of the thread on which the beads are strung. if you have not the job's tears, apple seeds will look almost as well, or you can buy at the grocer's whole allspice. use a no. 5 needle and a piece of no. 60 white linen thread four inches longer than you wish the chain to be when it is finished; two yards and a quarter is a good length. string a seed and draw it down to the middle of the thread, then string some of the gold-lined crystal beads for about three-quarters of an inch. a seed is next threaded on, and then quarter of an inch of gold-lined beads. keep on in this way, first threading a seed and then quarter of an inch of gold-lined beads, until there are only two inches of the thread left. tie this end through a bead to keep the others from slipping off. thread your needle with the other end of the strand and start by stringing three-quarters of an inch of the gold-lined beads, then a seed and quarter of an inch of gold-lined beads. when this end of the strand has been strung--just as the other was--to within two inches of the tip, tie the two ends together and the chain is finished. _raffia and bead chain_ =materials required:= 2 strands of rose-pink raffia, a bunch of large rose-pink crystal beads, 2 fine darning needles. [illustration: fig. 38a] another pretty and simple chain is made of large rose-pink crystal beads strung on pink raffia; or you can use seeds or berries instead of the crystal beads, in which case the raffia will have to be split. tie the strands of raffia together at one end, and on each of the other ends thread a fine darning needle. string one bead, then pass both needles through a single bead and through another and another (see fig. 38a). two beads are then slipped on each strand (see fig. 38a). next both needles pass through three beads, and so on to the end of the chain. tie the ends securely. _double chain of seeds and beads_ =materials required:= a bunch of crystal beads, letter e, 25 large beads of a deeper shade or the same number of seeds or berries, a spool of no. 60 white linen thread, a no. 5 needle. [illustration: fig. 39] a double chain like the one shown in fig 39 may be made of crystal e beads strung with seeds or larger beads of a deeper shade. measure off a piece of white linen thread, no. 60, double the length you wish the chain to be. three yards twenty-two inches will make a chain sixty-five inches long, which is a good size. in one end of it thread a no. 5 needle and string one large bead, or seed, which should be pushed down to the middle of the strand. here it may be tied, to hold it in place. next string two inches and a half of e beads, then another large bead, or seed, and so on to the end of the strand, where the tip is tied through the last bead. the other end of the strand is then threaded and two inches and a half of the e beads are strung, the needle passes through the next large bead on the end first strung (see fig 39), and two and a half inches more of the e beads are threaded. so it goes on to the end of the chain--the needle always passing through the next large bead on the strand already strung, after two inches and a half of e beads have been threaded. _braided raffia chain_ =materials required:= 3 strands of pale green raffia, 66 darker green crystal beads, no. 0. [illustration: fig 40.] a braided raffia chain with a cluster of three crystal beads every few inches is so simple that any little girl can make it. choose pale green raffia and beads of a deeper shade, and it will look like clover leaves on their stems. string twenty-two of the green crystal beads, no. 0 size, on a strand of split raffia. on two other strands thread the same number of beads. tie the thin end of each piece around the last bead, so that it cannot slip off. the other ends are all tied together. now pin the knot securely to a cushion, or tie it to a hook at a convenient height and braid the three strands together closely and evenly for about two inches. then slip a bead from each piece up close to the work and braid it in as shown in fig. 40. this will make a clover leaf. after braiding two inches more slip another bead on each strand up close to the work and make another leaf. when it is finished tie the ends together securely. _a daisy chain_ =materials required:= half a bunch of olive green opaque beads, no. 3-0, half a bunch of milk white beads, no. 0, 1 skein yellow crystal e beads, a spool of no. 60 white linen thread, a no. 5 needle. [illustration: fig. 41] next best to making a daisy chain out-of-doors is to string one of beads. and this rainy-day chain will last as many months as the real chain would hours. first string sixteen green beads, then eight white ones. run the needle down through the first white bead and string a yellow one. next pass the needle through the fifth white bead (see fig. 41) and draw the thread up tightly. this makes a daisy. string another stem of sixteen green beads and make a daisy as you did the first one. the whole chain is strung in this way. _chain of watermelon seeds strung with beads_ =materials required:= 120 fresh watermelon seeds, a bunch of pink crystal e beads, a spool of no. 60 white linen thread, a no. 5 needle. a chain that is very pretty and effective may be made with watermelon seeds and pink crystal e beads, the colour of the inside of a watermelon. the seeds can be pierced quite easily with a no. 5 needle. take two pieces of white linen thread, well waxed, the length you wish the chain to be, and two needles. tie an e bead on the end of each piece of thread. lay them side by side and string four more e beads on the strand at the right. pass the needle on the left up through the three middle beads of the five on the right strand (see fig. 42), and string one more e bead. next thread a seed on each strand and string the e beads in the same way. so it goes on for the whole length of the chain. [illustration: fig. 42] if you are fond of playing indian and have no indian costume, you ought to be happy. that seems a strange thing to say, but the reason is this: you can have all the fun of making a costume yourself, you can learn how to do it in the indian way, and after it is finished it will be far more like the dress worn by western indians than those that are sold ready made. suppose we begin with the belt. it is woven on a loom--not an indian loom, which, as perhaps you know, was a bow strung with several strings which served as the warp threads for the belt or chain. possibly you have a loom of your own and know how to use it; but if not you can either buy one for twenty-five or fifty cents, or, what is still better, make one yourself. a simple, good loom may be made from a cigar box. _a home made bead loom_ =materials required:= an oblong cigar box, about 2 1/2 inches deep, 4 small sticks of wood 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2-inch square, 16 1/2-inch screws, 6 small screw eyes, 6 tacks, a sharp knife, a screw driver, a hammer, sand paper. choose a good strong cigar box, one that is quite shallow, and remove the cover. rule a line one inch from the bottom of the box on each long side and draw a sharp knife across the line several times until the upper part separates easily from the lower without injuring it. smooth the tops of the sides with sandpaper. fasten each of the small sticks of wood inside a corner of the box, to strengthen it. this is how it is done. drive one of the half-inch screws up from the bottom into the end of the stick, another into it through the side, and two, one near the top and one lower down through the end of the box, into the stick. on the outside of the box at one end six round-headed tacks are driven in a row an inch and a half from the top and about three-quarters of an inch apart. drive six screw eyes in the same position on the opposite side. cut a row of notches on the top of each end of the loom, about one-sixteenth of an inch apart, and deep enough to hold a thread. the loom is then ready for weaving. chalk-white beads are much used by the bead-weaving indians like the sioux and winnebagos, especially for the ground-work of their belts. let us choose them for the background of the belt and weave the design in indian red and blue. _indian bead belt_ =materials required:= 1 bunch chalk white beads, no. 3-0, 4 skeins each indian red and dark blue beads, no. 3-0, 1 spool no. 60 white linen thread, 1 spool no. 90 white linen thread, a no. 12 needle, a piece of wax. [illustration: fig. 43] cut twenty-two pieces of no. 60 linen thread about six inches longer than you wish your belt to be. tie a loop at one end of each piece and slip it over the round-headed tacks at one end of the loom. bring the long ends one at a time through twenty-two of the notches at the top of the loom and stretch them across to the notches in the opposite end. draw them taut and tie them through the screw eyes. these make the warp threads for the belt. as you will see by the pattern, the belt is twenty-one beads wide and you have twenty-two threads. this is so that there will be a thread on each side of every bead. thread the needle with no. 90 white linen thread. tie one end of it to the warp thread on the left (as you hold the loom with the end on which are the screw eyes toward you). bring the needle out to the right below the warp strands, string twenty-one white beads and press them up between the warp strands, so that one bead will come between every two threads. run the needle back from right to left through the beads, making sure that it goes _above_ the warp threads. this makes one row. the whole belt is woven in the same way, except that when the figure begins the beads should be strung according to the pattern. for example, in making the first row of the pattern shown in fig. 43, you will string nine white beads, three indian-red ones and nine more of the white. the next two rows will be the same, and then you will string six white beads, three indian-red, three blue, three indian-red, and six white. wax the thread you weave with, so that the sharp-edged beads will not cut it. in joining new needlefuls use the weaver's knot shown on p. 66. armlets are woven in the same way, but much wider--about forty beads wide and long enough to go around the upper part of the arm. tie them together with strips of chamois, knotted in with the ends of the warp strands. head bands, bracelets and chains are also woven in this way. _bead wrought indian shirt_ =materials required:= 1 large chamois skin, 2 smaller chamois skins, 1 spool white linen thread, no. 90, a no. 11 needle, 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch indian red beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, no. 4-0, 28 large indian red opaque beads. [illustration: fig. 44] although this shirt and the moccasins and leggings that go with it are so simple to make, you are almost sure to need the help of your mother or governess in planning and cutting them. the shirt is the size for a child of seven or eight, but it can easily be enlarged so as to fit a boy of twelve or fourteen. it is made by the pattern shown in fig. 44, which is drawn on the scale of one inch to a foot. one large chamois skin and two of medium size will be needed. double the large skin lengthwise to cut the upper part of the shirt. this should be ten inches deep and a yard wide. cut at the centre a slit about nine inches long for the neck. the ends form the sleeves. lay the two smaller skins together and cut from them the lower portion of the shirt. the back and front are alike, each measuring nineteen inches wide at the top, twenty-two inches at the bottom, and fifteen inches deep. make a pencil mark at the centre of each lower edge of the upper part and one at the middle of the top of both of the lower pieces. turn up an inch at each lower edge of the upper part of the shirt and baste the doubled edge of one side against the top of one of the lower parts, keeping the pencil marks at the middle of each together. sew the edges together over and over with no. 90 white linen thread. join the other side in the same way. the overlapping edges of the upper part of the shirt should be kept on the right side. sew the sides of the shirt together with a row of backstitching, four inches from the edge. the edges are cut into a fringe four and a half inches deep at the ends of the sleeves and three inches on the sides and bottom of the shirt. the edges of the upper part which hangs over the lower are also cut into a short fringe. work two narrow bands of bead embroidery round the neck, and if you like you can also work a band half way down the lower part of the shirt and one near the lower edge just above the fringe. they are made in this way: thread a no. 11 needle with white linen thread and make a knot at the other end. start at the right of the neck close to the edge. bring the needle through to the outside of the shirt. string four beads, press them down close to the shirt and bring the needle through to the inside. this makes a stitch which runs up and down at right angles with the neck opening. bring the needle out again on a line with the place where it went in and close beside it, string four more beads, bring it up and run it in again just at the left of where the work began (see fig. 45). this simple stitch is the one that is most used by the indians in embroidering their buckskin shirts, leggings and moccasins. string different colours, according to the pattern. several designs for this work are shown in figs. 46, 47 and 48. if you wish to decorate the shirt still more, cut strips of chamois about a quarter of an inch wide and five inches long, pierce a row of holes, two together, at intervals of an inch and three-quarters across the shirt (see fig. 44), bring the strips of chamois through them and tie them once. string a large indian-red bead on each end and tie a knot to keep it from falling off. [illustration: fig. 45] [illustration: fig. 46] [illustration: fig. 47] [illustration: fig. 48] _indian leggings_ =materials required:= 2 small chamois skins, 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch indian red beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, no. 4-0, a spool of no. 90 white linen thread, a no. 11 needle. [illustration: fig. 49] [illustration: fig. 50] nothing could be easier to make than indian leggings, and you can put as much work or as little as you choose into the embroidery. cut from two small chamois skins two pieces in the shape shown in fig. 49. they should each be eight and three-quarters inches at the lower edge, twelve inches at the top and twelve high. the design shown in fig. 50 will be simple and effective, and narrow bands like those in fig. 51 may be worked along the edge that laps over and across the bottom. six strands of chamois about eight inches long are brought through the leggings on each side at an inch from the edge. these form the fastenings. [illustration: fig. 51] _beaded moccasins_ =materials required:= 1 medium-sized chamois skin, 1/2 bunch dark blue beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch indian red beads, no. 4-0, 1/2 bunch white opaque beads, no. 4-0, 1 spool no. 25 white linen thread, a no. 3 needle, 1 spool no. 90 white linen thread, a no. 11 needle. to make the pattern for these moccasins you need only stand on a sheet of brown paper and draw with a pencil around your bare foot so as to get its exact size and natural form. cut the pattern out and take it to a shoemaker, who will cut from it a pair of leather soles. the uppers you can cut from a paper pattern copied from the shape shown in fig. 52. it will not be difficult to plan them to fit the soles, for you have only to measure the distance around the outer edge of the soles and make the uppers measure about an inch more along the outer edge, to allow for the seam at the back and for a little fulness across the toe. work them in some simple design, like the one shown in fig. 53. a pretty beaded edge is made with a stitch which is very like the one used in working the bands. thread a needle with no. 90 white linen thread and bring it through the top of the moccasin close to the edge. fasten the end by taking two or three small stitches. string six beads of a colour used in working the bands and bring the needle through the edge from the inside of the moccasin out, about a quarter of an inch from the beginning, making the stitch shown in fig. 54. before starting the next stitch pass the needle under the first one. work the whole upper edge of the moccasin in this way, then stitch it together up the back, making a seam a quarter of an inch wide. it should be stitched on the inside and then turned right side out. the uppers are stitched on to the soles with a no. 3 needle and a well-waxed piece of white linen thread, no. 25. should this prove too hard work for small fingers the moccasins may be taken to a shoemaker to finish. [illustration: fig. 52] [illustration: fig. 53] [illustration: fig. 54] _bead wrought silk bag_ =materials required:= a piece of silk or ribbon, 5 inches wide by 7 3/4 inches long, 1 bunch of crystal beads, no. 4-0, the same colour as the silk, 1 skein of no. 4-0 beads of a contrasting colour, a spool of letter a sewing silk of the same colour as the silk, a no. 11 needle, a yard of inch-wide ribbon the colour of the silk. [illustration: fig. 55] the daintiest little silk bag may be made by any small daughter for mamma or a dearly-loved aunt to carry a bit of lace work or some other treasure. a piece of soft ribbon five inches wide and seven and three-quarters inches long in a pale shade of lavender makes a charming bag. a network of lavender crystal beads of the same shade, with a pearl or gold-lined crystal bead at the point of each diamond-shaped mesh, gives the finishing touch of daintiness (see fig. 55). start by threading a fine needle with a piece of sewing silk the colour of the bag. fasten the end by taking one or two small stitches near the left side of the strip of silk at about two inches from the lower edge. string six lavender beads, one pearl and seven lavender beads, and take a stitch a quarter of an inch from the beginning and on a line with it. now run the needle down through the last bead strung (see fig. 56), and string six more lavender beads, one pearl and seven lavender. another stitch is made a quarter of an inch from the last one, the needle is run down through the last bead, and it goes on in this way until a row has been made across the piece of silk. the bag is then stitched up the sides and around the bottom on the wrong side and turned right side out. bring the needle attached to the beadwork down through the six lavender beads and one pearl one, at the left side of the first half diamond made, and string six lavender, one pearl and six lavender beads. pass the needle through the next pearl bead on the right in the row above and string another six lavender, one pearl and six lavender beads to make another half diamond. so it goes on around the bag. this row and all the other ones are only attached to the row above, not to the silk. the last row of netting should reach a little below the bottom of the bag. a twisted fringe is then made as follows: run the needle down through the beads on the left side of the first mesh in the row just finished, through the pearl bead at the point, and also pass it through the pearl bead on the back of the bag which lies just beneath it. string thirty lavender beads and pass the needle up through the beads on the right side of the first mesh and down again through those on the left side of the second mesh. it runs through the pearl bead at the point of the mesh and the one under it at the back of the bag. string thirty more beads and twist the thread on which they are strung once around the right side of the loop just made. the next loop is made in the same way--passing the needle up through the beads in the right side of the second mesh, down through those in the left side of the third one, and through the pearl bead at the point of the mesh at the front and the one below it at the back. thirty more beads are then strung. when you have made this fringe all across the bottom of the bag, fasten the end of the silk by sewing it two or three times through the bottom of the bag. finish the top of the bag with drawing strings as follows: turn in a hem three-quarters of an inch wide at the top of the bag and baste it. hem it around neatly with the lavender sewing silk and make a casing for the drawing strings to run through, by putting a row of backstitching a little over a quarter of an inch above the bottom of the hem. there should be two little holes made on each side of the bag on the outside of the hem between the stitched seam and the bottom of the hem. they are put there so that the ribbon drawing strings can run into the casing. you can make them with an ivory or metal piercer called a stiletto, or any other tool that has a sharp round point. the neatest way to finish these holes is to sew the edges over and over with a needleful of sewing silk. half a yard of narrow ribbon should be allowed for each drawing string. thread it in a bodkin, or ribbon needle, which is run into one of the holes at the side of the bag, through the casing at the lower part of the hem, all around the bag and out of the hole beside the one where it went in. now tie the ends of this drawing string together, thread the other one through the bodkin and run it into a hole on the opposite side of the bag, through the casing all around the bag and out of the little hole beside the one where it went in. the ends of this piece are also tied, and then the bag is done. [illustration: fig. 56] clay working chapter vi clay working have you ever noticed how, when it rains, one road will dry at once, and on another your footprints will hold the water like a cup for hours? do you know the reason for it? the first road is sandy, and so the water filters through the coarse particles and soon disappears. the other is mostly of clay, which is close and fine, and after your foot made that little hollow it was doubtless half baked by the sun so that it became like natural pottery. you probably know all this, and have felt with your own fingers the difference between the sand, in which you have built forts and dug with your shovel in the summer and played with on the kindergarten sand table in winter, and the soft, smooth clay that you have formed into bird's nests, eggs and other things in kindergarten. years and years ago, before our great-great-great-grandfathers were even thought of, some man noticed the same thing that you do--that one part of the earth held water for hours, while it disappeared so quickly from other parts--and it set him thinking. why not make a bowl in which he could carry water when he was travelling or hunting in dry places? this is the way, some wise men think, the making of pottery began. cups and small vessels could easily be moulded from small lumps of clay, but large pieces--great bowls and jars--it was soon found would have to be formed in a mould. shallow baskets, pieces of gourd or fruit rind, were the moulds in which these large pots were started. in beginning the bottom, either a small piece of clay was patted flat into a form like a cookie and fitted into the bottom of the mould, or else a strip of clay was coiled round and round into a mat shape, working the coils together with the fingers. the sides were almost always built up with coils of clay, then, with the fingers and some rude tools--smooth stones, bits of shell or pieces of gourd--they were smoothed and polished. soon the potters began to decorate their vessels with patterns cut or pressed into the damp clay and even painted them with coloured clay, ground fine and mixed with a liquid. the clay objects you enjoyed making in kindergarten were not very strong. a bowl or cup that is moulded from such clay will not hold water for very long either. it will soon soften and fall to pieces. that is what happened to the first clay bowls and cups. if clay is baked in the sun it becomes a little harder and more useful--but not much--so the first clay workers found that they must bake their clay pots more thoroughly if they were to be really strong. some of the old potters--like the catawba indians--baked their vessels before the fire, and as the clay they used was very good they found it made them hard enough. in other tribes the potters made a bed of bark, set fire to it and baked the pot until when it came out it was red hot. at first the clay workers used the clay just as they found it, but when they began to make large pots and cauldrons to cook in they found that powdered shell or sand mixed with the clay made them stronger and less liable to crack in baking. [illustration: fig. 57] the cooking vessels had almost always rounded bottoms, because in those days the floors of houses were of sand or soft earth into which the rounded bottoms would set and hold the pots upright. these pots were set directly over the fire and kept in position by stones or sticks of wood. some that had handles or flaring rims could be hung over the fire by cords or vines. [illustration: fig. 58] the indians moulded all sorts of things out of clay besides these utensils. drums were made by stretching buckskin over the tops of earthen pots. then there were whistles and rattles, trowels, modelling tools, figures of men and animals, and many toys like those shown in figs. 57, 58 and 59. beads were also made of clay, and so were tobacco pipes in many shapes. one would have the face of a man on the bowl, another a goat with open mouth, or a bird with its neck outstretched and bill parted, and on another the bowl would be formed by a natural-looking snake coiled up for a spring. [illustration: fig. 59] in time men learned more about clays and how to mix and form and bake them, until now, as you know, pottery that is beautiful and serviceable is made all over the world, and in great factories china and porcelain made of the finest clays are moulded, decorated and fired for our use. it will be interesting to you sometime to see one of the factories where such ware is made, but although it is so fine and smooth and perfect and so useful to us, i doubt if the workmen who make it have half the pleasure in their task that the first potters had in moulding their rough cooking utensils and clay pipes. so i am glad to think that although you may never be able to make china, you can work in clay as the indians used to do, for that you will enjoy far more. [illustration: fig. 60] [illustration: fig. 61] of course you would like to make something that you can use, something that will not crumble and break like the things you modelled in kindergarten. to do this you will need to get a clay which can be baked--or fired, as potters express it--and you must have a clay that is so mixed or arranged as to bake well in the kiln (or pottery oven) to which you are going to send it. if you live near a pottery where flower pots or gray stoneware are made you can probably arrange to buy your clay there, and after your pottery is finished have it baked at the same place. the clay that is used at a stoneware pottery is arranged so as to fire at a much greater heat than the flower-pot clay, and so the ware is stronger, but the flower-pot ware will be strong enough for the things you will make. although this clay is gray before it is baked, it comes from the kiln a beautiful indian red. [illustration: fig. 62] you will not need many tools beside your own fingers and thumbs. one boxwood modelling tool the shape shown in fig. 60, and another with more flattened and rounded ends (see fig. 61) will be enough to begin with. these you can buy at a kindergarten-supply store. later you may need the sheet-steel tools shown in figs. 62 and 63. dealers in hardware sell the sheet steel, and these tools can easily be cut from it--doubtless the dealer will do it for you. [illustration: fig. 63] buy fifteen or twenty pounds of clay at a time, ready mixed if possible. if it comes to you in the dry state--in rock-like pieces--you must first pound it to a powder. this you can do out of doors by spreading the lumps of clay on a paper laid on flat stone and pounding them with a smaller stone, or, if it must be done in the house, spread the clay on a strong bench or table and pound it with an old flatiron. it is now ready for soaking. put a little water in an earthen crock and add the powdered clay to it, mixing it with your hand and adding clay until it is the right consistency to mould. if you find you have too much water, pour off some after the clay is well mixed, and if it is still too moist, spread it on a board in the air until it has dried out sufficiently. keep the clay in an earthen crock with a cover. pour a little water into it first, just enough to moisten the bottom of the crock, and then put in the clay. when it is to be left over night or a longer time, make deep holes in the clay with your thumb and pour water into them. lay a damp cloth over it and cover with the earthen top. if at any time it dries out so that it cannot be easily moulded, let it dry entirely, pound it to powder again and mix as already described. if you live in the country the place to work with clay will be in an outbuilding, a woodshed, barn or workshop where there is a good strong table or bench. the best place for a city child to work is a playroom where there is a wooden floor, an old table and nothing valuable to be harmed with clay or water; or a light, dry cellar. a girl should wear a long-sleeved apron and a boy a pair of overalls. in such a workshop and costume you need not give a thought to clothes or carpets. have a pitcher of water and a small bowl for the "slip"--or clay thinned with water until it is about as thick as cream--which is almost as important as the clay itself. when you are ready to begin work, take a lump of clay about as large as a grape fruit; pound and knead it on the table. next draw a strong wire through it, dividing it into halves. press the two outer surfaces together and knead out the air-holes which you will see on the inner surfaces. repeat this process several times, and all these air bubbles will finally be expelled. suppose you begin with something simple--some tiny red building bricks which will delight your small brother--perhaps even you may not feel to old to enjoy playing with such a "real" toy. _building bricks_ =materials required:= about 3 pounds of clay, 2 level boards, 15 by 20 inches, 1/2 yard of white cheesecloth, a rolling pin, a foot rule, a strong, sharp knife. the clay of which these bricks are made should be well kneaded, and it should also have a great deal of what potters call "grog" mixed through it. "grog" is baked clay pounded into small pieces--an old flower pot will do if you are using flower-pot clay. mixed with the unbaked clay it tempers it, that is, it makes it less likely to shrink and crack in baking. cover a level board with a piece of wet white cheesecloth and tack it securely upon it. mould the lump of clay into a square, by hand, lay it on the board and pound it with the thick part of your hand into an irregular square cake, then roll it with a rolling pin till it is about three-eighths of an inch thick. have ready another board the same size and covered with wet cheesecloth, lay it on top of the clay sheet and reverse it so that the clay shall be transferred to this second board. roll it again till quite smooth and set it away overnight. the next day take a foot rule and a sharp pencil and mark the clay sheet into bricks, two inches long by an inch wide. cut them out with a strong, sharp knife, but do not lift them until they are thoroughly dry, which will be in three or four days. they should then be carefully packed and sent to the pottery to be fired. _a clay whistle_ =materials required:= a piece of clay about the size of a lemon, the wooden modelling tools, a bowl of slip, a pen knife. [illustration: fig. 64] the mexicans mould tiny whistles of clay, which are as simple as possible to make and very fascinating to own. if you would like to make some for yourself and your friends this is the way to do it: mould a small piece of clay into a cup shape about an inch across and three-eighths of an inch high. put it in the air to dry for ten minutes. now roll a piece of clay, about the same size, on the table with the palms of both hands (near the base of the thumb), lightly, yet so as to make the clay roll entirely around with each push. if the roll flattens from too hard pressure, pat it till it is round again and roll it until it is of even thickness--about quarter of an inch in diameter. it is then flattened evenly by patting it with the fingers, one end is cut into a long point and the coil is started on edge with the narrow side up on the top of the cup of clay, whose rim must first be wet with slip. bend the upper edge of the roll of clay in quite a little, to follow the shape shown in fig. 64. hold the long end of the clay strip with the left hand, while, with the thumb and middle finger of the right hand held on each side of the coil to support it, the forefinger presses it down firmly on the top of the little cup. when the coil has gone all the way around cut the end into a flat point, which will fit evenly in with the one at the beginning, and press the edges together with the flat part of the nail of your forefinger. do this where the edges of the coil come against the rim of the cup. make quick and firm yet short strokes of the nail up and down, inside the cup and out. then let it dry for a short time, about ten or fifteen minutes. roll another coil in the same way and attach it, after brushing the top edge of the clay cup with slip, bending the top edge of the coil in very decidedly so as to leave only a small opening at the top. the third coil is made in the same way, but put on so as to make the sides go straight up like the neck of a bottle or vase. one more straight coil completes the neck, and a piece of clay is then put across the top, closing it. after the whistle has dried for an hour or more a triangular hole is cut with a knife in the lower part (see fig. 65), and a slit in the top. a hole is also made in the bottom. it should then be thoroughly dried for several days before sending it to be fired. not every one of these whistles makes a good clear sound, but they are so easy to mould that you will not mind one or two unsuccessful attempts when you finally make one that blows clear and shrill. [illustration: fig. 65] _clay rattle_ =materials required:= a piece of clay about the size of an orange, a bowl of slip, the modelling tools. the indians used to make clay rattles like the one shown in fig. 66. it is formed like the whistle except that the cup-shaped piece which is made in starting should be an inch and three-quarters across and three-eighths of an inch high. roll the strips of clay as already described and brush the edge of the cup-shaped piece with slip before attaching each coil. the handle should be about three inches long. before closing the end of it drop in four or five clay pellets, about the size of small peas, which have been well dried in the sun. then seal it with a piece of clay, let it dry for several days and send it to the pottery to be fired. [illustration: fig. 66] _birds' drinking dish_ =materials required:= about 2 1/2 pounds of clay, the wooden modelling tools, the oval tools of sheet steel, a bowl of slip, a low wide bowl, a small sponge, a knife, a ground glass slab about a foot square, a cloth in which some ground flint is tied. one of the best ways to attract the birds is to have a drinking dish, wide and generous, always ready for them on the lawn. this is of course taking for granted that you live at least a part of the year in the country. isn't it delightful to think that you can make such a dish with your own hands? it is a little more difficult than the other things you have made, but what of that--it will be worth the trouble if you can give a lawn party to the birds every day! as this is to be quite a large dish, you will need to have a mould to form it in, or at least to support the sides in starting. choose some low, wide bowl or dish, one about two inches high and ten inches across the top. have ready some powdered flint tied up in a piece of cotton cloth--you can buy it of dealers in potters' supplies or possibly at the pottery where your clay work is fired. this is to dust over the inside of the mould to prevent the clay from sticking to it. take a lump of clay, about two and a half pounds, knead and pound it until all the air bubbles are worked out. a small piece of the clay is then patted out with the hands on a table or board and rolled smooth with a rolling pin until it is three-eighths of an inch thick and about two inches wider than the bottom of the bowl you have chosen. lay it in the bottom of the mould, which has first been dusted with ground flint. press the clay lightly but carefully against the bottom and sides, making sure that it fits close against them. then cut the top edge even with one of the wooden modelling tools. with the same tool cut crisscross strokes in this upper edge and wet it with slip, to prepare it for the first coil of clay, which is made and attached like those used in forming the whistle. these coils should, however, be larger--about an inch wide and long enough to go all around the bowl once. join every coil in the same way, taking care to press each one against the sides of the mould as well as upon the coil beneath, and to smooth the inside of the bowl with your fingers and the modelling tools. after attaching a coil, let the bowl dry for ten or fifteen minutes--in the air, unless it is a cold day. be careful never to let your clay work freeze or it will be spoiled. when the bowl is about two inches and a half high set it away overnight to dry. in the morning it will have shrunk so that it will slip easily out of the mould. turn it bottom up on a table and wet the cracks between the coils with slip, then fill them in carefully with clay of the same stiffness as that of which the bowl is made. never put water or wet clay on a piece of clay work that is almost dry, or it will crack. after it has been set away for a few hours to harden, make it smooth and even as follows: first take the oval tool of sheet steel with rough edges, hold it in your right hand, not straight but bent to fit the curves of the outside of the bowl; with it scrape the large humps away from the sides of the bowl, making quick, light and short strokes in every direction--up, down, across and diagonally. when the largest humps have been removed, go over the bowl in the same way with the smooth-edged oval tool. then take a damp sponge, one from which the water has all been squeezed, and pass it lightly over the bowl, smoothing it with the fingers. make it as even and perfect as you can. next the bottom is to be finished. draw with a pencil a circle on the bottom of the bowl, about an inch in from the edge all around, and scrape, with the sharpest wooden tool, a layer of clay out of the bottom within the circle, so that the outside ring shall form a ridge about one-sixteenth of an inch above it. now cut the top edge of the bowl as even as you can by eye, using a knife. then make it perfectly even in this way: pour a little water on the ground-glass slab, hold the bowl bottom up and move it firmly yet quickly round and round on the wet surface and then quickly slide it off at the edge of the slab, before it has a chance to cling to the glass. if the bowl seems too heavy for you to hold securely in moving it about so quickly, it will be wise to let an older person do this for you. then there will be nothing more to do but let it dry for a few days and send it to the pottery to be fired. indoor gardening chapter vii indoor gardening _a rainy day in october_ all summer long the out-of-door gardens kept us busy, planting, weeding and watering. when we had had a week or two of sunshiny weather we began to wish a cloud would sail over the blue sky and bring the rain our thirsty flowers needed. we could see the reason for rainy days in summer-time. now, however, it is different; a rainy day in autumn is so cold and disagreeable. it settles down to work in a business-like way--not like a summer shower, which has, all through, a hint of the sun behind the clouds. no, an autumn rain is chilly and gray and lasting, and the best way to forget it is to find something interesting to do indoors. suppose we plan an indoor garden. there are the plants that were brought in from the garden the other day--geraniums, heliotropes, lobelias and begonias--all need our care and attention. a boy with a taste for woodworking can make a shelf and put up brackets in a window where the sun will reach them. even a plant table may not prove too difficult for him. there is one particularly interesting thing that both boys and girls can do, and that is to plan christmas gifts of budded or blossoming plants for their family and friends. how is it to be done? why, by planting bulbs in october. you have seen bulbs, of course, at the florists; they are mostly dingy brown or yellow and look like onions. if anyone in the family had a garden last summer there will be sure to be catalogues of seeds and bulbs in the house, and you can begin by making a list of the bulbs you wish to send for. such a number as you have to choose from--tulips, crocuses, lilies, hyacinths, narcissus, daffodils, and plenty more. they are not costly either. hyacinths can be bought for from six to fifteen cents each; these are the ordinary ones. roman hyacinths, which have beautiful white flowers, cost only four or five cents. chinese lily bulbs are more expensive; one can be bought for ten cents or three for twenty-five cents, but they are large and the blossoms are so fragrant and beautiful that they are well worth it. these are grown among pebbles in a dish of water. they will look well in a glass dish or in a shallow pottery bowl--such as you can buy for ten or fifteen cents at a japanese store. for hyacinths, tall, slender glasses are to be had at the florist's for fifteen cents. they come in several colours, but the dark green is best--and that reminds me that there is a case you can make of rattan and raffia around one of these glasses to enable you to hang it beside a window. this you can do some other rainy day. the chinese lily bulbs are put into a dishful of tepid water which has a few small pieces of charcoal in it. a number of small stones are fitted around the bulbs to keep them upright and steady, and then they are put near a window where the sun comes. hyacinths may be grown in the glasses or in flower pots, just as one chooses. a mixture of good soil from the garden and sand is best if they are to be grown in pots. be careful in taking the garden soil to sift it through your fingers, making sure that no worms are lurking in it, to trouble the bulbs later on. put stones for drainage and some pieces of charcoal at the bottom of each pot. the bulb is planted so that about one-third of it is left above the earth. if it is to be grown in water, use rain water and fill the glass so that the base of the bulb will just touch it. however they are planted, in pots or in glasses, they should be left in a dark, cool place like an airy cellar, until they are rooted. this will take about two weeks for those in glasses and six for the potted hyacinths. if it is possible, bury the pots in the open ground about six inches deep, or cover them with soil, for about five weeks. they can then be put into the window garden. consult the bulb catalogues for suggestions as to the care of your plants. _basket case for a hyacinth glass_ =materials required:= a dark green hyacinth glass, 2 weavers of no. 2 rattan, 2 weavers of no. 2 black rattan, a bunch of copper red raffia, a tapestry needle, no. 19. after you have bought your hyacinth glasses, and before the bulbs are put into them, you may like to make for each a simple case of basket work by which it can be hung against the window frame. it is made of rattan rings bound together with raffia of some colour that will look well with the hyacinth blossoms. a dark green glass with a covering of black and the natural-coloured rattan bound with copper-coloured raffia is a good combination, if the hyacinth is to be white. make two rings of black rattan like those described in the directions for making a sponge bag (see chapter iv). one should be large enough to slip over the glass, down to about half an inch from the bottom of it, the other to three inches from the bottom. this second ring must be made on the glass, as the flaring top will not allow so small a ring to slip over it. this will not be difficult to do. tie the rattan around the glass just below where you wish it to be placed (about two and three-quarters inches from the bottom), then slip it up where the glass is narrower and twist the ends around this foundation ring twice, as shown in fig. 22. this makes a ring of three circuits, the foundation ring counting as one. make four rings of the natural-coloured rattan, each measuring two inches and a quarter in diameter on the inside. these are made with two circuits; that is, after tying the foundation ring the ends are twisted all the way around it once, instead of twice as the black ones were, and are cut just so that they will lap. bind these four rings together in a hollow square with bindings five-eighths of an inch long of raffia in buttonhole stitch (see fig. 67). fasten the ends of the rings by making the binding come over them. slip this square over the top of the glass and down between the two black rattan rings. here each of the four light rings is bound with raffia in buttonhole stitch to the black ring above it, as well as to the one below. to make a loop to hang it by, tie a ring of black rattan around the neck of the glass, twist its ends twice around it, and then without cutting the ends tie them into another ring an inch and a quarter in diameter, inside measurement, which stands out from the glass and forms a loop. this ring is made with two circuits. [illustration: fig. 67] _growing plants in fibre_ later on, in november and december, there may come days when you are kept indoors, and then perhaps you will like to do some more gardening with bulbs. shall we begin with the spring bulbs--tulips, crocuses and daffodils? it is wonderful, isn't it, to think of being able to plant them when out of doors the earth is covered thick with snow? this is how it is done: buy from a florist or seedsman a fibre mixture which they sell for this purpose. take a large tub or pail and put some fibre into it, add plenty of water and stir the fibre thoroughly with a stick. let it remain in the water for two days, stirring it from time to time so that it shall get water soaked. it will then be ready for use. if you plan to give the plants away when they are in bud they should be started in jars or bowls that can be included in the gift. japanese or spanish pottery bowls can be bought for from ten to twenty-five cents each, and one of these with a daffodil or narcissus growing in it will make a delightful birthday gift for someone you love. if you are not planning to give them away, of course you will be able to collect about the house enough bowls and jars of china and pottery to hold them. put a few pieces of charcoal at the bottom of each dish--these are to keep the water pure and the fibre wet. put into each bowl some of the wetted fibre until it is about two or three inches deep, depending on the depth of the bowl. place the bulbs on the fibre so that they just touch and fill all in with the wet fibre. put more fibre over them and press it gently down and around them--not too hard. fill the dish in until it is nearly solid. now put the bowls away in a cellar or any dark but airy room where they will not get frostbitten and watch them day by day to see that the fibre does not get dry; it must be kept moist but not soaking wet. be especially careful that the bulbs do not get dry. when they are all rooted and have grown perhaps an inch, bring the bulbs into a lighter room and let them have plenty of air. put them on the window sill or even in the garden in the middle of the day, if it is not too cold, and as they begin to show some buds water regularly and often. _planting indoors in february_ as early as february you can begin to plan your out-of-door flower garden and start some seeds indoors. tuberous begonias, canterbury bells, verbenas, single dahlias, scarlet sage or salvia, tufted pansies and cosmos can all be started now. first of all you will need some flats or low wooden boxes--they should be about three inches deep and not too large to handle. if it is possible to get such shallow boxes at your grocer's so much the better, otherwise you can have a soap box or two sawed down to the required height. if they have no cracks or holes for drainage, bore some and partly cover them with pieces of an old flower pot, rounded side up. put pebbles or other rough material in the bottom of the box. now you are ready for the soil. get good, rich loam from the garden and sift it into the boxes. you can then begin planting. the large seeds should be planted about half an inch deep, medium sized ones as deep as four times their own width; the very small ones are just pressed into the earth, and the smallest should have a piece of glass placed over the box so that they will not dry out entirely. wet the soil until it is quite moist and press it with a level board after planting. set the boxes in a sunny window, one that faces south or southeast, and keep them moist, but not wet, with a bulb sprinkler (see fig. 68). [illustration: fig. 68] _march planting_ this blustery month of bad weather out of doors you can have a delightful time with your indoor garden. the bulbs you started in fibre should be in bloom by this time, and while you are enjoying them you can start some flower seeds for your out-of-door garden. this is the time to plant what are called annuals--that is, plants that live just a year--like batchelor's-buttons, sweet peas, nasturtiums, four-o'clocks, marigolds and zinnias. use flats or shallow wooden boxes, like those already described, to plant in. choose good garden soil and, before filling the boxes, heat it in the oven, very hot--this will kill the weed seeds. sow the seeds in rows an inch and a half apart and three-quarters of an inch apart in the row. when all the seeds are up, thin the little plants out so that they will be an inch and a half apart in the row. put them in a sunny window as close to the glass as possible and keep the shades rolled high. if you do not give them enough sun they will become thin and spindly--like children who never go out. turn the boxes now and then so that all sides will get the sunlight. you will need to put some labels into each box, bearing the names of the seeds that are planted there. the best ones are made from the covers of old grape baskets. cut them into strips, write on each the name of the seed and the date, and stick it into the earth. [illustration: a little garden for a little girl] gradually as the weather gets warmer you can give the little plants more air by opening the windows, and later by putting them out of doors in some sheltered but sunny spot. when there is no longer any danger from frost, the boxes can be set out of doors day and night, only taking them in in case of a severe storm. the seedlings may need to be separated and transplanted indoors before it is warm enough to set them in the out-of-door garden. common grape baskets do very well for this purpose and hold about a dozen little plants--flats may also be used. allow as much space between the seedlings as possible, for if they are too close the roots will twine about each other and make it very hard to transplant them later on. when they are large enough to be transplanted put them into a basin of lukewarm water and plant them in their new box one at a time. do not put them in the sun for a few days, but keep them shaded until they have taken root. _starting gourd vines in the indoor garden_ of course you have seen gourds, perhaps not growing, but surely you know how they look when dried. hard, smooth-shelled things of a beautiful golden brown colour, they grow in the strangest shapes. some are round or oval with a queer twisted stem (see fig. 69). they have many uses--to hold the stockings open and smooth (so that grandma can darn them easily), as bird houses, match holders, and even for drinking cups. [illustration: fig. 69] they are the fruit of a vine which would be charming to train on a trellis or arbour in your out-of-door garden, and then when harvest time came you would have the interesting gourds to dry and use as you chose. if you would like to raise them, sow the seeds in shallow wooden boxes indoors in march. plant them a quarter of an inch deep, and when the little plants crowd one another and are strong enough to transplant remove them to larger boxes and plant them six inches apart. when planting the vines out of doors in may or june put plenty of manure about them and give them ample space. if the vines bear many gourds, and all small ones, pinch off some and the others will develop better. do not pick the gourds until they are quite ripe; that is, when they begin to look slightly yellow. they need plenty of hot sun in order to come to perfection. leave them as long as possible on the vines, only being careful that they are not touched with frost. in the south they are sometimes left on the vines all winter. after picking them, hang them in an airy place in the house or out of doors. leave a little of the vine on each one and they can then be hung by strings tied to these handles. if you follow these few rules your gourds should dry smooth and hard. _how to start lavender indoors_ do you know the smell of lavender--that sweet, refreshing perfume that clings to some of grandmother's treasures of linen and embroidery? one catches a whiff of it in old gardens sometimes, and it is always welcome. you can buy the seed from a florist or seedsman--_lavandula vera_ is what the true english lavender is called, and that is best. if it cannot be had, _lavandula spica_ is next best. it takes time to raise either, but it will be such an addition to your out-of-door garden that you will not regret the time spent. about the first of march the lavender seed should be sown, in window boxes or flats. make shallow drills with your finger, drop the seed in and cover lightly. sprinkle them every day with your bulb sprinkler until they come up. when the little plants each have four leaves they may be transplanted. before starting to transplant them they should be thoroughly wet. set them five inches apart. in the winter protect the plants with litter--leaves, straw, etc.--six inches deep. the next year, in march, they should be set in rows three feet apart. when the plants are in full bloom the sprigs are cut, and then dried in a cool, darkened room or closet. lay them on paper so as to save all the blossoms. the lavender flowers may be made into the daintiest of sachets by filling with them sheer linen bags or pale lavender silk ones. the sprigs that are left after the blossoms have fallen may be used like chinese incense to sweeten a room, by lighting the blossom end of a single piece and letting it burn in a vase or incense holder. gifts and how to make them chapter viii gifts and how to make them it is wonderful what your head and hands can do when you begin to plan gifts for family and friends at christmas, birthdays and the in-between times when "un-birthday presents"--as "alice in wonderland" called them--are so welcome. but i am sure you know the breathless feeling of having to make or buy a long list of christmas presents with only two weeks or so in which to accomplish it. why not keep a gift box or drawer, where you can pack away the pretty things you take such pleasure in making on dull days all the year round? there are ever so many things--games, toys, baskets and beadwork--which you will find in other chapters--that will help to fill this gift box, and i am going to tell you about some others. there are several things to think of in planning a gift. it should be something that will be within your means, something that is worth giving, however small--not "trash"; but what is most important of all is that it shall really please the one who receives it. if it can be a lasting pleasure so much the better. suppose you try keeping a notebook; begin it now, and write down the little things that you hear the family wish for during the year--tiny things, maybe, but just what they want. for instance, aunt helen, who writes, never has enough pencils--her nieces and nephews know why. father is unable to find an express tag when he wants one, because he has no case to hang close beside his desk. joe says he wishes someone would make him a chamois cover for his new knife--it is getting scratched already; and mamma cannot find that recipe for potted pigeons that she cut from the paper saturday evening. what a number of entries you will be able to make in your gift book! see how it reads: aunt helen: one dozen pencils. father: leather tag case and tags. mother: a blank book with her newspaper recipes pasted in. joe: a chamois knife case. and this is just a beginning. when you visit your friends you will soon see or hear what little things will please them. then you can begin collecting the materials for your gift box, and when a rainy day comes what pleasant hours you will spend. let us begin with the _beaded knife case_ =materials required:= some scraps of chamois skin in the natural or another colour, 1 skein no. 4-0 beads in a colour that will harmonise with the leather, 1 e bead of the same colour, a spool of letter a sewing silk the colour of the leather, a no. 11 needle. one of the simplest and prettiest gifts you can make is this beaded knife case. if you have made the indian costume described in chapter v. you will have plenty of scraps of chamois left. otherwise you can buy a small chamois skin in the natural colour, or, if you prefer another colour, skins of beautiful tints may be bought. red is very effective and not as costly as some others. in buying a skin, choose a colour that you will not tire of, for you will be able to make so many small things of it that it will be well to have a colour you will always like; either red or green or a soft brown that is not too light will be a good choice. [illustration: fig. 70] [illustration: fig. 71] from a piece of cardboard cut the patterns shown in figs. 70 and 71. if the case is for a penknife, the larger one (fig. 70) should measure one inch wide by four and one-eighth inches long, and the other should be the same width but two and three-quarters inches long. cut two pieces of chamois from these patterns, lay the smaller one against the larger, with the rounded ends of both together and the edges of the sides fitted evenly, and baste them so. now start at the top left-hand edge of the smaller piece, where it comes against the edge of the larger one, and sew the edges together with the stitch shown in fig. 72. this is how it is done: thread a no. 11 needle with sewing silk the colour of the chamois. fasten the end by sewing through and through the edges of the case. string three beads and make one over-and-over stitch through both edges of the case, bringing the needle out at about one-eighth of an inch from where it started. run the needle up through the third bead, string two more, make another stitch, run the needle up through the last bead strung, and so on. when you have gone all the way around the double edge, continue the stitch across the top of the smaller piece and around the rounded top of the larger. next a loop must be made to fasten the case. hold a small pencil at the top of the larger piece of chamois close to the rounded edge, and, starting about an eighth of an inch from the centre of this end, fasten an end of a needleful of sewing silk; take a stitch around the pencil and in at one-eighth of an inch the other side of the centre. take six or eight stitches back and forth in this way. this will make a loop, which should be covered with buttonhole stitches. now slip the knife into the case, turn the flap (the rounded edge of the larger piece) down and mark the place to sew the large bead over which the loop is to fit, in order to fasten it. sew an e bead the colour of the smaller beads at this place, bring the loop over it, and the case is complete. [illustration: fig. 72] _needle book of flowered silk_ =materials required:= a piece of flowered silk or ribbon 5 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide, a piece of plain-coloured ribbon the same size, a piece of white flannel 10 inches long by 7 inches wide, 1/2 yard of narrow ribbon the colour of the silk, a spool of sewing silk the same colour, a piece of bristol board 10 by 7 inches. the shakers make needle books of fine straw cloth, that are so dainty and yet simple that they are well worth copying. fig. 73 shows the shape in which the cover of the book is cut. it may be made of two pieces of bristol board; one covered with flowered silk or ribbon, the other with plain silk that will harmonise with the flowered. the two are then basted together and sewed over and over. two pieces of flannel are cut the same shape, but about half an inch smaller all the way around. these are laid inside the cover, which is then bent exactly at its centre so that both ends will come evenly together. a hole is punched through both sides of the cover and the flannel at about half an inch in from the edge and quarter of an inch from the doubled middle of the cover. another hole is made on the other side of it and a narrow ribbon threaded in a bodkin, or ribbon needle, is brought in through one hole, across the back and out through the other. the ends are then tied in a pretty bow (see fig. 74), which finishes it. [illustration: fig. 73] [illustration: fig. 74] _sweet clover bags_ =materials required:= all the white sweet clover that a little child can gather, some pretty cotton cloth, a needle and thread, scissors. did you know that the white sweet clover that grows in long spike-shaped sprays on low bushes along the wayside is even more fragrant when it is dried? gather some this summer, and spread it where it will dry in the sun, turning it often. strip the blossoms from the stems, and when a rainy day comes you can make with them some gifts that will be welcome wherever they go. keep the flowers in a covered box till you are ready to use them, then make linen, or even pretty white cotton, bags about ten inches long by six wide. fill them with the dried clover, sew up the ends securely, and they will be ready to send to grandmothers, aunts and cousins, to make their linen closets fragrant. a little pillow of white cotton filled with these flowers, with a pretty outer case of fine linen, makes a delightful gift for an invalid friend. _eyeglass cleaner_ =materials required:= several sheets of soft white tissue paper, a piece of green or brown leather 4 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches long, a strip of leather 15 inches long by 1/4 of an inch wide, 1 skein no. 3-0 beads, 2 large beads of the same colour, an awl or punch. one of your friends who wears eyeglasses was told by a wise person that the best thing with which to clear her glasses was--what do you think? not a handkerchief or a piece of chamois, but soft tissue paper. "that is simple enough, i'm sure," said she; but it wasn't, for whenever she wanted a piece of tissue paper it didn't happen to be near, so she used a handkerchief or chamois most of the time. she found the tissue paper was much better, however, and wondered why children who don't know what to give to friends who wear eyeglasses or spectacles, don't give them a pad of tissue paper to hang by the dressing table or some such convenient place. true, its use would have to be explained, for not many people know that tissue paper is such a good cleaner of glasses; but when they have tried it they will be really grateful for the helpful little gift. cut soft white tissue paper in sheets four inches wide by six and one-half long, and make a cover of green or brown leather the same size. punch two holes at the top of the cover, each about half an inch down from the top and one inch in from the side. lay the cover on the pile of tissue paper sheets and run an awl or punch through the holes in the cover, making holes in the same places through the tissue paper. cut a strip of leather about one-quarter of an inch wide and fifteen inches long, thread it in a bodkin, run it through the hole on the right of the cover, through the sheets of tissue paper and out of the hole on the left of the cover. here it is tied in a bow, leaving a long loop at the back to hang it by. a large bead of a colour that will look well with the leather may be strung on each end of the bow and a knot tied to keep it from falling off. if you choose, the edges of the cover may be worked with the bead stitch shown in fig. 54. _a german wonder ball_ =materials required:= 1 hank of single zephyr worsted of some pretty colour, several tiny gifts. one of the most delightful of gifts can be planned by a little girl of boy for a friend who is learning to knit. this is the wonder ball. it is one of the many good ideas that come to us from germany--the land of knitting. buy a hank of worsted of some pretty colour and a number of tiny gifts--a thimble, a wee package of chocolate, the smallest of baskets and any other little things you can think of. start winding the worsted around the very choicest gift--so that it shall be at the centre--then by degrees, as you wind, lay the other gifts on the ball and cover them with the worsted. your little friend should be told to knit till all the presents are found. _pin case for travelling_ =materials required:= a piece of flowered silk or ribbon 8 inches long by 5 inches wide, a piece of plain-coloured silk 8 inches long by 5 1/2 inches wide, a piece of cotton wadding 7 1/2 inches long by 4 1/2 inches wide, 1/2 yard of ribbon 1/2 inch wide, the colour of the silk, a spool of sewing silk the same colour. the friend who travels will be glad to have a case in which to keep her pins. it is very simple to make. cut from any pretty piece of silk or velvet a strip five inches wide by eight long, or a piece of five-inch flowered ribbon the same length will do even better. another strip of thin silk--white or some colour that will look well with the first piece--should be cut the same size, if the flowered piece is of silk; if it is of ribbon, cut the lining silk half an inch wider. a piece of the cotton wadding that comes in sheets is cut half an inch smaller in length and width than the others. half a yard of narrow ribbon to match the silk, and a spool of sewing silk will also be needed, and if you like you can give a still more festive touch to the case by filling it with fancy pins, those with pearl or gun-metal heads. [illustration: fig. 75] first baste the strip of cotton wadding on the lining silk through the centre, then turn quarter of an inch of the edge of the silk up over the wadding and baste it securely around all four sides. now baste the flowered silk cover against the other side of the wadding, turning in all rough edges, and making sure that the edges of the lining and cover are quite even, one above the other. sew them together over and over, as neatly as possible, with the coloured sewing silk, and stitch the ribbon at its centre to the middle of one end of the case to form strings (see fig. 75). after it is filled with the pretty pins and rolled up, bring the ribbons around it and tie them in a dainty little bow. _a case for tape_ =materials required:= a piece of flowered or figured cotton 8 inches long by 4 1/2 inches wide, a piece of plain-coloured cotton the same size, 3/4 yard of 1/2-inch ribbon the colour of the cotton, a package of india tape, a bodkin, a spool of cotton. a case that is made in very much the same way as the one for pins is used for holding pieces of tape of various widths. it is something that almost any aunt would be delighted to have for her work basket. [illustration: fig. 76] packages of what is called india tape are sold at many of the dry goods shops for five or ten cents. they contain bunches of tape of different widths, a yard or two in each bunch. pieces of pretty cotton, one figured or flowered, the other plain, will do quite as well as silk to make the case. then you will need a simple metal or bone bodkin and three-quarters of a yard of narrow ribbon or silk braid. that is all except a spool of cotton, needle and scissors. cut a piece of plain-coloured cotton eight inches long by four and a half wide, and lay the bunches of tape all along it, about an inch apart. now lay a piece of half-inch wide ribbon or silk braid along above the bunches of tape and exactly at the middle of the strip of cotton, as shown in fig. 76. pin the ribbon to the cotton lining at each side of every piece of tape, making a loop that is large enough for each bunch to slip through without pulling the cotton lining. a little loop should also be made just large enough to hold the bodkin. now take out the bunches of tape and stitch the ribbon to the lining where it is pinned. cut a piece of flowered cotton the same size as the lining, and, turning in the edges of both pieces for a quarter of an inch all the way round, lay them together with the raw edges in and baste them evenly one above the other. next sew them together over and over all around. stitch the middle of a piece of ribbon sixteen inches long to the middle of the right end of the case, slip the bunches of tape and the bodkin through their loops, roll the case and tie the ribbon strings around it. it will then be ready to pop into your gift box. _a braided raffia lamp mat_ =materials required:= a bunch of raffia, a bunch of coloured raffia, a tapestry needle, no. 19. [illustration: fig. 77] a lamp mat will be a welcome gift to mamma or even to your big brother for his room at college. the simplest one to make is of braided raffia. take six pieces of raffia and tie them together at one end. fasten this end to a nail or chair back, at a convenient height. if the raffia is dampened a little it will work more smoothly. now braid it into a three-stranded plait, using two pieces for each strand. when a new piece is needed lay it above the end of the old one and continue. the ends are cut close after the braid is finished. you will need a great deal of this braided raffia--about ten yards of the natural colour and two or three of the coloured--but do a little at a time and you will find it pleasant work. when you have enough prepared, thread a no. 19 tapestry needle with a split strand of raffia and bind the end of it tightly around the end of the natural-coloured braid, taking a stitch or two through it to secure the binding. now cut off the knot (which tied all six pieces together in starting) close to the binding and coil the braid into a tiny round centre. run the needle through this centre back and forth, then start coiling the second row, bringing the long end of the braid around with its edge under the outer edge of the centre. the needle is run in slanting from right to left (see fig. 77), then out from right to left, so that the stitches form a v within the coil. the whole mat is coiled and sewed in this way, except that when the last row of natural-coloured braid is stitched on, the end is bound as it was at the beginning and brought gradually in under the mat, where it is sewed securely. be sure that you have finished a row before you end it off. this you can tell by counting the rows, from the centre out, on all sides of the mat. an end of the coloured braid (which is to form the border of the mat) is also bound with a split strand of coloured raffia and sewed against the under side of the mat. it is then sewed around like the rest of the mat, except that in the first row you will have to take great care to run the stitches through the natural-coloured braid so that they will not show. be sure to finish the border at the part of the mat where it was started. _sewed raffia lamp mat_ =materials required:= 12 or 14 yards of cotton clothesline or window cord, a bunch of raffia, a bunch of coloured raffia, a no. 19 tapestry needle. a soft, thick lamp mat that is beautiful to look at and very useful is quite simply made as follows: [illustration: fig. 78] buy twelve or fourteen yards of cotton clothesline. it is white and smooth, and twisted like the fibre clothesline. or there is a soft cotton window cord that is even better, because it is smoother. thread a no. 19 tapestry needle with a strand of raffia, putting the thick, or root, end through the needle. lay the other end of the raffia on the rope, with its tip turning toward the long end. starting at the very end of the rope, wind the long end of raffia around it (and its own short end) for an inch or more. then coil it into the smallest ring you possibly can, bring the long end of the raffia around, up through the centre of the ring and around again, taking in two coils--the one of which the ring was made and a second one made by bringing the long end of the rope around the ring (see fig. 78). the first and second coils are covered in this way with a simple over-and-over stitch, which binds them together, passing around both and up through the centre. with the third coil the real stitch begins. it is an indian one called the figure eight stitch. the needle passes under the third coil (that is, the long end of rope which you are coiling around), around, over it, under the coil below, around, over it and up again, under and around the third coil--drawing the coils close together. the whole mat is sewed in this way. if you choose, you can work a design of coloured rings as a border or a solid border of the coloured raffia. fig. 79 shows how the new pieces of raffia are added. cross the old and new ends on the rope, bring the needle threaded with the new strand under the lower coil, out in front, over the lower coil, under and around the upper one, and so on. [illustration: fig. 79] _doll's hat of raffia_ =materials required:= a bunch of raffia, a tapestry needle, no. 19. how would you like to make a doll's raffia hat, as a birthday gift for one of your special friends--one that will fit her favourite doll? of course it is to be a surprise, but you will have plenty of opportunities to measure the dolly's head. the raffia comes in so many colours that you will be able to choose one to match a special gown. when you are ready to begin, make five yards or more of braided raffia as described in the directions for the braided raffia lamp mat, and start the hat in the same way as the mat was begun, except that an oval instead of a round centre is formed. when you have made a large enough top for the crown, bring the coil of braid around, with its upper edge a little above the middle of the row just finished, drawing it quite tight, and in sewing make the stitches run like the twists in the braid--so that they will show as little as possible. the next row is sewed in the same way, and the next, until the crown is the height you wish. in starting the brim flatten the braid and bring it around more loosely. be sure that each row of braid is sewed half way under the row to which you are stitching it. make the whole brim in this way, keeping the braid always flat and loose so that it shall not pucker. when it is as large as you wish, you can make the edge roll slightly by drawing the last two rows quite tight as you sew them on. fasten the end of the braid at the back of the hat by binding it with the raffia in your needle and stitching it firmly on the under side of the brim. _leather tag case_ =materials required:= a piece of heavy leather 3 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches long, a piece of leather 3 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches long, some strips of leather 1/4 inch wide, several kindergarten beads of a colour to match or harmonise with the leather, a punch to make round holes, 2 dozen baggage tags, scissors, a bodkin. [illustration: leather tag case] one of the best presents a child can give to his father, or a man friend, is a leather case full of tags. things made of leather are so handsome and durable that you cannot do better, in buying material for your gift box, than to invest in a skin of heavy leather in the natural colour, red or green. another useful thing for your gift work will be a punch with which to make round holes in leather or cardboard. you will then only need a pair of scissors, a pencil and a few beads in order to be equipped not only to make this tag case but several other charming gifts. measure and mark with pencil on the leather two pieces, one six inches and one-quarter long by three inches and one-half wide, the other four and one-half inches long by three and one-half inches wide, and cut them out carefully. also cut a number of strips of leather a quarter of an inch wide and as long as the skin will allow. on each corner of the smaller piece of leather mark a dot three-sixteenths of an inch in from the edge. then make three more dots the same distance from the edge and about an inch apart on each side, and two near the bottom, the same distance from the edge and each other. now with your punch make holes through these dots. lay this piece of leather on the larger one, with the lower edges and sides together, and with a pencil mark through the holes on the piece below. dots are also made three-sixteenths of an inch in from the edge at each of the upper corners of the larger piece of leather, two about an inch apart at the middle of the top edge, and one more on either side, half way between the dots at the upper corners and the upper ones of those already marked from the smaller piece of leather. all these dots have holes punched through them. now lay the pieces together, the smaller one on top, with its lower edge and sides fitting exactly with the bottom and sides of the larger piece. starting at the upper right-hand corner of the smaller piece, bring a bodkin threaded with a long strip of leather up through the holes in both pieces, then up through the next hole below in both pieces, lacing them together all the way around to the other side. here the bodkin is slipped off and the end is knotted with another strip of leather. on this new strip the bodkin is threaded and brought up through each hole in succession along the left side, the top and down the right side of the large piece of leather. it stops where the lacing began, and the ends are there tied together. a large bead is slipped on each of these ends and one on each of the two ends on the opposite side, and a knot is made at the tip to keep the bead from falling off. to make a loop to hang it by, thread the bodkin with a short strip of leather, run it down through the left of the two middle holes at the top of the case and out again through the right one. cut it the length you wish the loop to be and thread a bead on each end, making a knot at the tip to keep the bead on. _beaded leather pen wiper_ =materials required:= two circular pieces of leather about 3 1/2 inches in diameter, 3 circular pieces of natural-coloured chamois about 3 inches in diameter, a strip of leather 1/4 inch wide and 1/4 yard long, 1 skein of beads, no. 3-0, 1 skein of beads, no. 3-0, of another colour. [illustration: fig. 80] a pen wiper is such a usual present that you may think no one would care for it, but look around and you will surely find a big brother or sister, or perhaps a friend, who hasn't one. and this is such an interesting pen wiper to make. it is very simple, just two round pieces of leather and three of chamois. the top piece of leather has the design shown in fig. 80 worked on it in beads of a colour that will look well with the leather you have chosen. black and crystal beads will harmonise with red leather or dark-green crystal and opaque white. if the leather is not so bright a colour, the beads may be more gay. work the design with the stitch described in the directions for making an indian beaded shirt in chapter v., bringing the strings of beads farther apart at the outer edge of the circle than on the inside. when the beadwork is done, put the pieces of leather together with the chamois ones between, mark two dots a quarter of an inch apart at the centre of the top, punch holes through the dots and then through the other pieces of chamois and leather. a bodkin threaded with a strip of leather is then run down through one hole, up through the other, and the ends are knotted together and cut quite short. _baby's worsted ball_ =materials required:= a piece of thin cardboard a foot square, odds and ends of worsted, a worsted needle, a piece of string, scissors. we have not made any plans, as yet, for a gift for the baby. suppose we make him a great, fluffy worsted ball. among your mother's odds and ends of worsted you will find plenty of gay colours that will be exactly what you want. then you will need some thin cardboard, or bristol board. on this mark two circles, five inches in diameter, and at the centre of each of these, two smaller circles an inch and a quarter in diameter. cut out the two large circles and the small holes within them. you will then have two circular pieces of cardboard with a round hole in the centre of each, making it look like a cookie. take a strong but slender piece of string about a foot long and lay it around the hole in the centre of one of the pieces of cardboard, with the ends coming together below the outer edge (see fig. 81). lay the other piece of cardboard directly over the first one and hold them firmly together (see fig. 82) while with a needle threaded with worsted you sew around and around the cardboard rings, bringing the needle each time through the hole in the centre and around the outer edge of both rings. when a needleful of worsted is finished leave the end hanging and start another. keep on until the hole in the middle is quite filled up and the whole thing looks like a puffy cushion. now take a sharp pair of scissors and cut the layers of worsted at the outer edge of the pasteboard rings all the way around. do this carefully but quickly, and be sure not to cut the two ends of string, for now is the time to use them. they are tied together just as tightly as possible, and as close to the centre. the cardboard rings are then slipped out, leaving a soft, fluffy ball of many colours. clip off the uneven ends of worsted here and there, and the ball will be complete. [illustration: fig. 81] [illustration: fig. 82] raffia sewed in the same way over tiny cardboard rings, then tied and cut, makes fascinating little pompons for a doll's hat. paper flowers and toys chapter ix paper flowers and toys [illustration: fig. 83] it sometimes seems, on a rainy day, as if there was nothing to do because you have not the materials that are needed for certain occupations--but there is always paper. you may not, of course, have all the things that are used in making tissue-paper flowers, unless you have been so thrifty as to buy them, looking forward to just such a time as this. but if you cannot make the flowers at once, you can decide which ones you wish to do and plan a list of the materials you will need. then there are numbers of things that you can fashion from watercolour paper, or even heavy note paper and cardboard; so let us get out pencil and paper, paste and scissors, and begin. =materials required:= 2 large sheets of linen writing paper 1 sheet of deep-yellow tissue paper, 1 sheet of olive-green tissue paper, a little cotton batting, a long wire stem, a tube of paste, pen and ink, scissors. [illustration: fig. 84] how would you like to make a game of your very own with which you and your brothers and sisters or some of your friends can play? it is quite simple--just a great paper daisy with a slip of paper pasted on the under side of each petal. upon each slip is written a sort of conundrum, the answer to which is the name of a plant or flower. if you can get a real daisy for a model, so much the better. fold a large sheet of linen writing paper diagonally so that you will have a square eight by eight inches. bend it over again diagonally, and then again and again, so that it will have been folded four times in all. now draw the outline of a daisy petal upon the folded paper (see fig. 83), and cut it out through all the thicknesses. this will give you a sixteen-petaled daisy. the centre has next to be made. cut from deep-yellow tissue paper eight circles three inches across, six circles two inches, and six an inch across. this is easily done by folding the paper into as many thicknesses as you wish circles of each size, so that you can cut through them all at once. before separating the circles cut the edges into a fine fringe about three-eighths of an inch deep. fold a piece of olive-green tissue paper in the same way as the white paper for the petals was folded, but once more, and cut it like fig. 84. this is for the calyx. next cut some slips of paper just large enough to be pasted on the underside of the petals and write on each a number and a conundrum from the following list: 1. a public building in philadelphia. 2. a plant that rhymes with pansy. 3. a foolish wild animal. 4. a wise man. 5. fit for a king. 6. a girl's name. 7. a plant for sundays. 8. for thirsty folk. 9. several droves of sheep. 10. part of a pet. 11. two girls' names. 12. something that we know flies, though no one has ever seen it. 13. a rosy athlete. 14. a necessary article of food and a piece of china. 15. a girl's name and a metal. 16. an animal and a covering for the hand. the following key, or answers to the conundrums, you will of course keep hidden until after the game has been played: 1. mint 2. tay 3. dandelion. 4. sage. 5. goldenrod. 6. sumach (sue mack). 7. jack-in-the-pulpit. 8. pitcher-plant. 9. phlox (flocks). 10. cattail. 11. rosemary. 12. thyme. 13. scarlet runner. 14. buttercup. 15. marigold. 16. foxglove. when the slips have each been pasted on a petal the daisy is put together in this way: take a long, stout piece of wire, such as is sold for paper-flower stems; put the yellow circles all together, the larger ones at the bottom, then the medium ones and the smallest on top. bend one end of the wire into a tiny ring and run the other end down through the centre of the yellow circles, then through the middle of the white circle with the petals on its edge, putting a touch of paste between the centre and the petals. now paste a thin layer of cotton batting to the lower side of the petal-edged piece, at the centre, and run the wire stem through the middle of the green calyx, pasting the paper lightly to the cotton. wind the stem with olive-green tissue paper cut in strips two inches wide, and cut from the same paper some leaves as much as possible like the little leaves of a daisy plant. the directions for playing this game are given in chapter x. _how to make a country girl_ =materials required:= a sheet of brown paper, a sheet of heavy watercolour paper, 6 by 8 inches, a pencil, a box of watercolour paints, scissors. [illustration: fig. 85] little country girls are almost always useful, and though this one is only made of paper she can be useful too. she will serve as a dinner card or a penwiper, or even carry courtplaster to those who need it. if you do not care for any of these things you can play with her, for she makes a charming paper doll. fig. 85 shows one side of the little girl, the other is just the same. she is made as follows: cut from brown paper the pattern shown in fig. 86, making it six and a half inches high by four and three-eighths inches broad--at the widest point. take care to mark the dotted lines exactly where they are in the picture. it will be better to draw the apron, sunbonnet and little shoes on the pattern, for then you can copy directly from it instead of from the smaller one in the book. lay the pattern on a piece of heavy watercolour paper and draw around it with a sharp-pointed pencil, marking the dotted lines exactly. next the little girl must be cut out. do this carefully with a pair of small, sharp scissors. bend the paper on the dotted lines so that it will look like fig. 85. on all the lines except the one down the front a (see fig. 86) and the two marked b the paper is bent forward, on these two it turns back and the flaps on the bottom of the shoes are turned back. now for the finishing touches. for these you will need pen and ink and a box of watercolour paints. the dress, where it peeps out beyond the white apron, the bands on the sleeves and the dots and edge of the sunbonnet, should all be painted some pretty colour--pink, red, blue, green or yellow--whatever you choose. the shoes should be black, and the outlines of the apron and pockets, the gathers of the sleeves and sunbonnet are all drawn in black ink. [illustration: fig. 86] [illustration: fig. 87] the little girl is now complete unless you wish to have her stand by herself, in which case cut a circular piece of cardboard and glue her upon it by the flaps on her shoes. if you would like to make her useful, you can attach two or three tiny sheets of courtplaster between her skirts or several leaves of flannel, so that she can serve as a penwiper. [illustration: fig. 88] _a paper santa claus_ =materials required:= the same as for the country girl. [illustration: fig. 89] another delightful little paper person made on the plan of the country girl is the santa claus shown in fig. 87. he makes a charming christmas card to carry greetings or a gift. the pattern (see fig. 88) is made five and one-eighth inches high by five and a quarter inches wide, of brown paper, in the same way as the pattern of the country girl. santa claus is also cut from watercolour paper and bent according to the dotted lines. the colouring should be red and white, of course, with a green holly wreath. it would not do to forget the saint's pack, which is cut from the pattern shown in fig. 89. it is painted brown, with gaily coloured toys--dolls, drums and noah's arks--peeping out at the top. paste it between the two sides of santa claus near his shoulders. _a seashore boy_ =materials required:= the same as for the country girl. [illustration: fig. 90] as a companion for the country girl you can make, if you like, a seashore boy (see fig. 90) in just the same way. the pattern given in fig. 91 shows where the paper is to be folded. from all the folds the paper should bend backward except on the lines marked a, from these it bends forward. the colouring should be mostly blue and white. the great sun hat will be straw coloured, of course, with a blue band. his short socks are of white, with brown legs showing above them, and his suit should be blue, or a white one with a blue tie. the pail may be painted red. _a valentine favour_ =materials required:= a piece of watercolour paper a foot square, a box of watercolour paints, a strip of scarlet china silk 5 inches wide by 1/2 yard long, a yard of scarlet baby ribbon, a spool of scarlet sewing silk, a bodkin, a tube of paste, scissors. a boy or girl with deft fingers can make the most attractive little valentine favour imaginable in a short time and at very slight expense. it is a double heart of watercolour paper, painted scarlet and with a silk puff of the same colour drawn up at the top, making a bag for bonbons. [illustration: fig. 91] [illustration: fig. 92] [illustration: fig. 93] the heart is perhaps the most difficult part, but a child who has learned in kindergarten to weave with paper will be able to do it without much trouble. cut from watercolour paper two pieces in the shape shown in fig. 92. the paper should be doubled and the fold laid against the straight edge at the bottom of the pattern. the size does not matter very much, though if the heart is to hold anything the pieces should measure four inches and a quarter from the doubled edge to the top of the rounded end and two and five-eighths inches across. rule with pencil a light line across each piece at two and five-eighths inches from the straight end. five lines are also ruled in the other direction, the first one seven-sixteenths of an inch from one side of each piece of paper and the others the same distance apart (see fig. 92). cut along these lines with sharp, strong scissors from the double straight edge to the ruled line near the top of each piece. the lower part of both pieces will thus be cut into doubled strips. now take a piece in each hand, rounded end down, and weave the lower strip of the piece in your right hand through the strips in the left-hand piece. as the strips are double, the weaving must be done rather differently than with single strips of paper. the strip with which you are weaving goes around the first strip in the left-hand piece, through the next one, around the next, and so on (see fig. 93). when it comes to the end it is pushed down a little way and the next strip on the right is woven above it, only that this one passes through the strips that the first one passed around, and around those that the first one passed through. weave one after another until all six of the strips in the right-hand piece are woven in with those on the left--when it should open to form a heart-shaped bag, as shown in fig. 94. [illustration: fig. 94] colour the heart on both sides with vermilion watercolour paint and it will then be ready for the silk top. cut from scarlet china silk a strip five inches wide by half a yard long. sew the ends together, hem the top and make a casing for the ribbon drawstring, as described in the directions for the beaded silk bag in chapter v. the lower edge is gathered to fit the inside of the top of the heart and pasted into it on a straight line, running just below the openings, around both sides of the heart. if the paste is not very sticky you may need to take a tiny stitch here and there with scarlet sewing silk, tacking the silk top more securely to the heart. it will then be ready to line with a lace paper doily or some waxed paper, and fill with bonbons. _a frog jumping jack_ =materials required:= a small sheet of 4-ply bristol board, a box of watercolour paints, a ball of fine white string, pen and ink, a pair of sharp scissors, a large, sharp-pointed worsted needle. there is a funny frog jumping jack that you can make if you like some cheerless, rainy day. he brings smiles wherever he goes. take a sheet of heavy four-ply bristol board and draw upon it the pieces shown in figs. 95, 96, 97 and 98--the frog's head and body, legs and one arm. make them as large as you can. the head and body together should measure eight inches high by seven wide, from the right side to the end of the mandolin on the left. the legs should be about six and a half inches long and the right arm should of course be the size of the left, which is drawn on the same piece as the body. colour the body, throat and legs pale yellow with watercolour paint; the upper part of the head, the arms and the outer edges of the body and legs are first painted light green and then marked with irregular spots and dashes of medium and dark bluish green. a red ribbon with a maltese cross of the same colour is painted around his neck, and the mandolin he holds is white above and black underneath. the eyes should be dark green with very large whites, and the smiling mouth red, of course. the strings of the mandolin are drawn with pen and ink, as are the outlines of the whites of the eyes, the hands and feet. now mr. frog must be put together. tie a knot in a piece of fine white string and thread the other end through a large worsted needle. run the needle through the frog's body at the lower right side (where you see the dot on fig. 95), leaving the knot in front, pass it through the right leg about half an inch from the top and fasten it with a knot at the back. the other leg is attached in the same way, and the right arm is placed in position and fastened to the body as the legs were. a knot is then made in a piece of white cord and the end is brought through the right arm (leaving the knot in front) about three-quarters of an inch below where it is fastened to the body, and near the outer edge of the arm. the end of the string is brought down at the back of the frog, quite loosely, to the upper part of the right leg, where it passes through and is tied to the part of the string that comes from the arm (see fig. 99). it is then brought across to the top of the left leg, where it is tied. a separate string fifteen inches long is attached to the centre of the piece, which passes from one leg to the other (this is the one that is pulled to make him jump), and a short loop of string is fastened at the top of his head by which to hold him. when the long string is pulled mr. frog will dance and play the mandolin. [illustration: fig. 95] [illustration: fig. 96] [illustration: fig. 97] [illustration: fig. 98] [illustration: fig. 99] _paper flowers_ have you ever made paper flowers? if not, you have probably seen them made by the cardboard patterns which dealers in tissue paper sell. how about making the patterns yourself--for the poppies, daisies and tulips and all the other flowers. it will be an interesting thing to do and not difficult. catch one of the poppy petals as it floats off from the flower, blown by a summer breeze. notice that there are only four petals (if it is a single poppy), the two smaller ones setting across the larger pair below. poppies are charming and much simpler than other flowers to copy in paper. you may have noticed that the petals of the real ones look almost exactly like silky, crinkled paper. draw an outline of the petal a little larger than life on heavy brown paper. fold the paper back at the base of the petal and cut it out in the two thicknesses so that it will look like fig. 100. the two lower petals will be cut in the same way but larger. you now have a pattern for as many poppies as you choose. they can be made in various colours--white, red, pink, pink and white and yellow. you can buy poppy centres ready to use, or if you prefer you can make them yourself in this way: for a poppy four and a half inches across, cut a circle of yellow paper an inch and a quarter in diameter. fringe the edge about half an inch. next take a wire stem, bend the end into a small circle, cover it with a tiny ball of cotton batting and over this a piece of olive-green tissue paper, forming it to look as much as possible like the real poppy centre (see fig. 101). wind the edges of the paper close around the wire stem. now run the other end of the stem down through the yellow circle, brushing it with paste to attach it to the green part of the centre. slip the smaller pair of petals on the stem, then the larger pair (with a little paste between), so that the smaller pair will set directly across the larger. this completes the poppy. the stem is wound with strips of olive-green tissue paper, and the leaves are cut from the same paper by a pattern which you can easily make by laying a poppy leaf on a sheet of cardboard and drawing around it with a sharp-pointed pencil. [illustration: fig. 100] [illustration: fig. 101] _ox-eyed daisies_ =materials required:= 1 or more sheets of deep-yellow tissue paper, a sheet of olive-green tissue paper, a ball of dark-brown worsted, several wire stems, a tube of paste, scissors. ox-eyed daisies are easily fashioned and look so like the real ones that they are as satisfactory as any paper flowers you can make. take four thicknesses of deep-yellow tissue paper. bend the corner over diagonally and cut a square four by four inches. next fold the paper in the same way as for the petals described in the daisy game in this chapter. mark on the top of the last fold a petal, as shown in fig. 83, and cut it out through all the thicknesses. after it is unfolded you may have to cut some of the petals up nearer to the centre. wind some brown worsted around your thumb about twenty times, take it off and run through it the end of a wire stem which has been bent into a tiny crook. tie the worsted centre just above the wire with a short piece of worsted, or bind it with fine wire, and cut the loops at the top. now run the other end of the stem down through the centre of the petals. make a green calyx like the one for the white daisy but much smaller, not over an inch across. wind the stem with strips of olive-green tissue paper, laying in every now and then a daisy leaf cut from the same dark-green paper. other single flowers can be as easily made as this, and you will find that the patterns will not be difficult to make if you take the natural flowers for your models. _a curled chrysanthemum_ =materials required:= several sheets of pink or yellow tissue paper in a light and medium shade, several sheets of olive-green tissue paper, a small piece of cardboard, some wire stems, a tube of paste, scissors. [illustration: fig. 102] chrysanthemums are among the most natural of paper flowers, and fascinating to make. white ones are pretty, and those that are made of shades of pink or yellow are even more attractive. cut the pattern shown in fig. 102 from cardboard and lay it on three thicknesses of medium yellow tissue paper, seven and a half inches square, which have been folded diagonally three times. hold the pattern firmly upon it and cut it out carefully. then in the same way cut two thicknesses of light-yellow paper into petals. a piece of olive-green tissue paper is folded into a smaller square and cut in the same way, to make a calyx. to curl the petals, put a small sofa cushion on your knee, lay a petal upon it, and, taking a common hatpin with a smooth, round head, press it upon the end of each petal up to the centre. this will curl it as if by magic. do another and another till the whole piece is finished. then curl a second piece and a third in the same way. when they are all done bend a long wire stem at one end and run the other end through the centre of the petal-edged pieces, which should be laid one above the other, the darker ones on top. put a touch of paste between them, slip on the green calyx, wind the stem with strips of green tissue paper, laying in a chrysanthemum leaf from time to time, and the flower is complete. [illustration: making a chrysanthemum] games for two or three to play chapter x games for two or three to play on stormy days the children of a family are likely to be alone--unless they are so fortunate as to have a little visitor in the house, or a friend who lives near wraps up and comes to play with them. a child who is alone can read, or find in the other chapters of this book some absorbing occupation; for a party of children there are always plenty of games, but it is sometimes difficult to think of a game that two or three will enjoy. the following are a few suggestions for such an emergency: _picture puzzles_ =materials required:= as many pieces of cardboard about 6 by 8 inches as there are children, as many pairs of scissors as there are children, one or more tubes of paste, several old magazines. there is such a fascination about cutting and pasting that a game like this is one of the best you can choose for a dull day. each child has an old magazine, a piece of cardboard and a pair of scissors, while tubes of paste lie conveniently near. when the children are seated around a table the game begins. it is played in this way: each player cuts from his magazine a picture (which must be smaller than his card), pastes it upon his piece of cardboard, and when it is dry and firm cuts it in pieces with six straight cuts of the scissors, so as to make a puzzle. he then mixes the pieces and passes them to his neighbour on the right. at a given signal each child tries to put the puzzle which he has received together as quickly as possible. the one who finishes first calls out that he is through, and he is of course the winner. as a sequel the children will enjoy colouring the puzzles. if they are pretty and neatly made they may be given to a child's hospital, to amuse some other little children in the long days of convalescence. _how to play the daisy game_ this is a good guessing game for two or more children to play, and if you will follow the directions given in chapter ix. you will find that it can be made quite easily. none of the players should have seen the key, or answers to the conundrum, but if you find that they have seen it, you can write on the slips of paper, instead of the conundrums, the names of flowers with the letters mixed for example, sapyn, for pansy. each child in turn pulls a petal from the daisy and tries to guess the name of the flower, which is the answer to the conundrum written on the under side of the petal. five minutes is the time allowed, and if the player has not guessed the flower in that time he must pass the petal to the child on his left, who also has five minutes in which to guess it. if he guesses correctly the petal belongs to him, and at the end of the game the player having the most petals has won. _horses in the stable_ =materials required:= a pasteboard shoe box, some marbles, pen and ink, scissors. although this game is played with marbles, girls as well as boys will enjoy it, and it is so easily prepared that it can be played at short notice. take a long pasteboard box--a shoe box is about the right size. remove the cover and turn it upside down. now, starting at the lower edge, draw five doorways, like those shown in fig. 103. the one in the centre should be an inch across and an inch and a half high, the two on each side of it an inch and a half wide and two inches high, and the outer ones each two inches wide and two and a half inches high. cut out these doorways with a sharp, strong pair of scissors and mark over the middle one in pen and ink the number 25. the two on either side of it have marked above them 10, and the other two each have 5. stand the box, or stable, thus prepared, against the wall and place a mark four feet from it. each player has three marbles, and in turn tries to roll or shoot them from the mark through the little doors into the box. if he succeeds in putting one through the smallest door he makes twenty-five; if through either of the other doors his score is increased by the number marked above it. there should be a time limit for the game--half an hour, for example. the score of each player, which is kept on a sheet of paper, is added at the end of that time and the one having the most points has won the game. [illustration: fig. 103] _plants and flowers_ =materials required:= as many pencils and sheets of paper as players, a large sheet of cardboard, some seed catalogues, pen and ink, a tube of paste, scissors. although a number of children can play this game, two or three will enjoy it quite as well. any boy or girl can make it. you will need first of all a number of seed catalogues. cut from these eighteen or twenty pictures of flowers and plants, taking care not to leave the names on them. write in pencil, on the back of each, a number (any one from 1 to 18) and the name--this is for your own guidance later on. now make a list of the flowers and plants, each with its number before it. this is the key, to be put away till after the game is played. take a large sheet of cardboard, about twenty by twenty-four inches, and paste upon it the flowers and plants in the order of their numbers, marking the number of each clearly in pen and ink underneath it. if you like you can colour the pictures--this will make the game more attractive, of course, and as you can use it many times it is worth while. a loop of string, by which to hang it, should be run through the top of the card at the centre. when you are ready to play the game hang the cardboard sheet where all can see it; give each player a pencil and a piece of paper, on the left side of which numbers from 1 to 18 have been marked. each child tries in the time allowed--about twenty minutes--to guess the names of the flowers and plants on the sheet or cardboard, and write each opposite its number on his piece of paper. the correct names are then read from the key and the players check off their guesses. the one who has guessed the greatest number correctly is of course the winner. _a ball-and-fan race_ =materials required:= 2 japanese paper balls, 2 palmleaf fans. [illustration: a ball and fan race] two children will find this race an interesting one for a rainy day. the best place in which to play it is a large room with very little furniture in it--a playroom for example. each player stands at a corner of the room diagonally opposite the other, three feet out from the corner, and each has a japanese paper ball in front of him and a large fan in his hand. they must face different ways and both count together "one, two, three, and away!" as they finish counting, the children begin to fan their balls around the room, close to the wall. there will be some lively skirmishing when they meet, as they are likely to do when half way around the room. then each tries to send his opponent's ball back and his own forward. when each finally gets his ball back to the corner where he started, he must try to send it as quickly as possible to the middle of the room, where a chair is placed. the ball must be fanned through the legs of this chair and to the goal of his opponent. the player who first accomplishes this is the winner. _fun with popcorn_ =materials required:= an open fire, a corn popper, several ears of popcorn, a prize, if desired. if the open fire burns brightly in your playroom, no matter how gray and bleak the day may be outside, you and your brothers and sisters can keep warm and cheerful over this delightful game. you may provide a prize for the winner, if you like, but the only things that are absolutely necessary are the fire, some popcorn and a popper. when the players are seated in a semicircle around the fire they may all help in shelling the corn. after this is done, divide the popcorn evenly between them, so that each shall have a small quantity. the player on the left side of the fireplace now takes the corn popper and pops his corn. when it is done, the kernels that are fully popped are counted, also the unpopped ones, and a record is made of each. the next player pops his corn and counts the result, and so on until all have finished. the child having the largest number of fully popped kernels is the winner, and may receive a prize. afterward the winner and the defeated players will equally enjoy eating the fluffy popcorn, or if the cook is particularly amiable they may be allowed to flock to the kitchen and make popcorn balls. _express_ =materials required:= 12 or 15 articles, large and small, light and heavy. this is a lively game that needs little preparation. all you will have to provide is a number of articles, toys, pieces of china (not valuable ones), a glass of water, some very small things and one or more large ones, something heavy like a dumb-bell or flatiron and something light--a palmleaf fan, for example. when you have them all collected, on a table or stand on one side of the room where the game is to be played, place another table or stand across the room. then you must have a clock or a watch, and that is all--except the players. each child in turn takes one thing at a time, from the stand where the various articles are piled, and carries it to the table at the opposite side of the room. it is done as quickly as possible, for the object is to move everything from one place to the other in the least possible time. each player is timed and his record kept on a piece of paper. if a player drops anything he must carry it back to the starting point and make another trip with it. the next player begins at the table to which the first one took the baggage and carries it, in the same way, back to the first table. so it goes on until everyone has played expressman. the player who succeeds in transferring the baggage in the shortest time is, of course, the winner. _a hurdle race_ =materials required:= a box of tiddledywinks, a sheet of white cardboard, a box of watercolour paints, a pencil, scissors, a ball of white string, some pins. the next time you are kept indoors by the weather, you and a brother or sister may enjoy a hurdle race. it is played with tiddledywink chips and pasteboard hurdles on a large table or on the floor. you can make the hurdles yourself. they should be cut from cardboard, eight inches wide and four inches high. paint some of them with wooden bars and others green--like high hedges. in making the hurdles, cut the cardboard so that a strip two inches deep by an inch across will extend below each lower corner (see fig. 104). one of these is bent sharply forward at the place marked by the dotted lines, the other is turned back, forming stands to keep the hurdles upright. the racecourse will have to be laid out on a covered table or carpeted floor, as the tiddledywinks can only be used on a soft, cushiony surface. you can make the boundaries with white string, held in place here and there with pins. an oval course, though more difficult to mark is rather more exciting than a straight one, but either will do. have the course eight inches wide and as long as you please. the hurdles may be placed where-ever you choose, but be sure to have plenty of them. [illustration: fig. 104] when you are ready to begin, each player takes a large tiddledywink chip and a small one of the same colour--but different from his opponent's--and at a signal given by a third person, who acts as umpire, the race begins. snap the tiddledywink chip just as you do in playing the game, only taking great care not to send it out of the course, for if it goes outside the lines you must set it back three inches. the umpire follows the race, of course, and settles all disputed questions. _pictures from fairy tales_ =materials required:= a number of old magazines, twice as many sheets of cardboard or heavy brown paper, 10 by 12 inches, as there are children, as many pairs of scissors as there are children, a tube of paste for each child. two or three children who know and love the old fairy tales can spend a delightful hour playing this game. each one should have several old magazines and a sheet of cardboard, as well as scissors and a tube of paste. the leader, who may be one of the children or an older person, explains the game as follows: each child is expected to make a picture on his sheet of cardboard to illustrate some fairy tale. it is not necessary to draw it; he can cut from the magazines people and properties and scenery and paste them upon the card. he must be sure not to tell anyone the story he has chosen. at the end of half an hour the pictures should be finished. a bell is rung for everyone to stop work and the pictures are placed where all can see them. the leader now holds one up before the children and asks them what story they suppose it illustrates, and what particular part of the story. the child who answers first wins the picture. the other pictures are held up, one at a time, and the children try to see who can guess them first. if they are ready for another round of the game after this one is finished, they may find it amusing to vary it by making pictures from "mother goose." +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | transcriber's notes: | | | | p.177. 'aesily' perhaps a typo for 'easily', changed. | | obvious punctuation errors repaired. | | | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see 13022-h.htm or 13022-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/1/3/0/2/13022/13022-h/13022-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/1/3/0/2/13022/13022-h.zip) my book of indoor games by clarence squareman 1916 with full page illustrations from photographs loaned by the chicago park commission [illustration: cover.] [plate 1] the publishers gratefully acknowledge their thanks to the chicago park commission for the loan of the photographs of which the half tone illustrations used in this book are copies. index of indoor games acting proverbs 37 acting rhymes 54 adventurers 41 all fours 64 alphabet game 84 animal, vegetable or mineral 45 ants and the grasshopper 91 balancing spoon 114 band box (charade) 29 beggar my neighbor 69 bingo 96 birds, beasts and fishes 61 bird catcher 26, 105 birds fly 100 blackboard relay 102 blind man's buff 18 blind man's wand 47 bob major 24 bridge of knives 112 buff says buff 18 buzz 16 card games 13 cat and mouse 17 cat and rat 104 cat's cradle 81 charades 28 checkers 56 changing seats 102 chinese shadows 118 coach and four 93 cock fighting 83 consequences 43 circle ball 106 crambo 44 coin trick 115 cross questions and crooked answers 11 crows' race 104 cushion dance 77 dancing egg 111 dancing pea 114 dead ball 106 diamond ring 78 dodge 107 dominoes 58 draw a pail of water 87 drop the handkerchief 15 duck under the water 88 dumb crambo 24 dwarf 21 earth, air, fire and water 44 eraser game 106 eraser relay 108 family coach 14 farmyard 77 feather 50 find an object while blindfolded 117 fives and threes 60 flag race 103 flowers 80 flying 47 forbidden letter 78 force of a water drop 115 fox and chickens 107 fox and geese 83 fox chase 103 french roll 27 frog in the middle 100 gallery of statutes 51 game of cat 34 game of conversation 50 garden gate 27 giant 83 grand mufti 79 green gravel 59 hand shadows 118 hands up 48 hide the thimble 103 honey pots 85 hot boiled beans and bacon 52 how to light a candle without touching it 112 how, when and where 21 huckle, buckle, beanstalk 102 huntsman 51 hunt the ring 49 hunt the slipper 48 i apprenticed my son 17 i love my love with an a 43 i point 78 i say stoop 100 i sell my bat, i sell my ball 81 i suspect you 68 it 53 jolly miller 55 judge and jury 48 jumping the rope 105 last man 102 little lady 99 living pictures 34 living shadows 119 lodgings to let 49 lost and found 45 lubin loo 97 magic music 16 magic thread 111 magic whistle 92 magic writing 79 malaga raisins 93 man and object 54 man with his head the wrong way 117 mother, mother, the pot boils over 89 my master bids you do as i do 52 mysterious ball 117 noughts and crosses 61 oats and beans and barley 95 obstinate cork 112 old maid 66 old soldier 22 oranges and lemons 12 our old grannie doesn't like tea 42 paper and pencil games 61 personations 83 pigeon house game 95 poison 103 pope joan 67 postman 20 postman's knock 42 preliminary ball 107 proverbs 38 puss in the corner 20 questions and answers 88 racing and counting scores 101 red cap and blue cap 53 revolving pins 116 riddles 69 riding the bicycle 104 rule of contrary 26 running maze 92 ruth and jacob 56 sally water 94 schoolmaster 25 school room basket ball 101 school room tag 108 sea king 17 seat tag 106 sentinel drop 115 serpentine maze 110 shadows 118 shouting proverbs 38 simon says 26 six and five make nine 113 slap jack 104 slow poke 110 snap 65 snip, snap, snorum 66 speculation 63 spelling game 86 stool of repentance 49 squirrel and nut 101 suggestive breathing work 103 swimming needles 111 tag me or heads up 105 tag the wall relay 110 teacher 105 teacher and class 109 think of a number 119 third man 107 thought reading 70 tit, tat, toe 61 to balance a coffee cup 112 to guess two ends of a line of dominoes 120 to tell the age of any person 120 trades 61 travelers' alphabet 14 tricks and puzzles 110 twirl the trencher 11 vanishing dime 113 what's my thought like? 81 wonderment 89 introduction "let the child imbibe in the full spirit of play. there is nothing like it to keep him on the path of health, right thinking and mind development." that is the guiding purpose of the author. the reader will find in this book a collection of old and present day games. the student of play has long realized that there are no new games, that all our games of today are built on the old timers. the purpose of my book of indoor games is to furnish amusement, entertainment and to be the means of sociability. so very often the question comes up--"what shall we do?" in many cases this book serves only as a reminder, the games and parlor tricks are well known but cannot be recalled at the critical moment. a combination, such as this, of the best of the old-fashioned games and a carefully compiled list of the games of today will furnish much help to the young in their search of entertainment and amusement. but the book will be equally useful to grownups. the author has seen staid, respectable people play "lubin loo" with as much zest and spirit as the youngest group of children. all of us have played "going to jerusalem." the spirit must be there; there is nothing so contagious as the spirit of play. [illustration: hide--then go seek] [illustration] twirl the trencher this is a game which almost any number of children can play. the players seat themselves in a circle, and each takes the name of some town, or flower, or whatever has been previously agreed upon. one of the party stands in the middle of the circle, with a small wooden trencher, or waiter, places it upon its edge, and spins it, calling out as he does so the name which one of the players has taken. the person named must jump up and seize the trencher before it ceases spinning, but if he is not very quick the trencher will fall to the ground, and he must then pay a forfeit. it is then his turn to twirl the trencher. a very similar game to this is "my lady's toilet." the only difference is that each player must take the name of some article of a lady's dress, such as shawl, earring, brooch, bonnet, etc. * * * * * cross questions and crooked answers to play this game it is best to sit in a circle, and until the end of the game no one must speak above a whisper. the first player whispers a question to his neighbor, such as: "do you like roses?" this question now belongs to the second player, and he must remember it. the second player answers: "yes, they smell so sweetly," and this answer belongs to the first player. the second player now asks his neighbor a question, taking care to remember the answer, as it will belong to him. perhaps he has asked his neighbor, "are you fond of potatoes?" and the answer may have been, "yes, when they are fried!" so that the second player has now a question and an answer belonging to him, which he must remember. the game goes on until every one has been asked a question and given an answer, and each player must be sure and bear in mind that it is the question he is asked, and the answer his neighbor gives, which belong to him. at the end of the game each player gives his question and answer aloud, in the following manner: "i was asked: 'do you like roses?' and the answer was: 'yes, when they are fried!'" the next player says: "i was asked: 'are you fond of potatoes?' and the answer was: 'yes, they are very pretty, but they don't wear well.'" * * * * * oranges and lemons two of the players join hands, facing each other, having agreed privately which is to be "oranges" and which "lemons." the rest of the party form a long line, standing one behind the other, and holding each other's dresses or coats. the first two raise their hands so as to form an arch, and the rest run through it, singing as they run: "oranges and lemons, say the bells of st. clement's; you owe me five farthings, say the bells of st. martin's; when will you pay me? say the bells of old bailey. i do not know, says the big bell of bow. here comes a chopper to light you to bed! here comes a chopper to chop off your head!" at the word "head" the hand archway descends, and clasps the player passing through at that moment; he is then asked in a whisper, "oranges or lemons?" and if he chooses "oranges," he is told to go behind the player who has agreed to be "oranges" and clasp him round the waist. [illustration] the players must be careful to speak in a whisper, so that the others may not know what has been said. the game then goes on again, in the same way, until all the children have been caught and have chosen which they will be, "oranges" or "lemons." when this happens, the two sides prepare for a tug-of-war. each child clasps the one in front of him tightly and the two leaders pull with all their might, until one side has drawn the other across a line which has been drawn between them. * * * * * musical chairs or going to jerusalem this game must be played in a room where there is a piano. arrange some chairs, back to back, in the center of the room, allowing one chair less than the number of players. some one begins to play a tune, and at once the players start to walk or run round the chairs, to the sound of the music. when the music stops, each player must try to find a seat, and as there is one chair short, some one will fail to do so, and is called "put." he must carry a chair away with him, and the game goes on again until there is only one person left in, with no chair to sit upon. this person has won the game. * * * * * the traveler's alphabet the players sit in a row and the first begins by saying, "i am going on a journey to athens," or any place beginning with a. the one sitting next asks, "what will you do there?" the verbs, adjectives, and nouns used in the reply must all begin with a; as "amuse ailing authors with anecdotes." if the player answers correctly, it is the next player's turn; he says perhaps: "i am going to bradford." "what to do there?" "to bring back bread and butter." a third says: "i am going to constantinople." "what to do there?" "to carry contented cats." any one who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit. * * * * * the family coach this is a very good old game, and is most amusing if you can find some one who is a good story-teller. the players sit in a circle and every one, except the story-teller, takes the name of some part of a coach or its equipments; for instance, door, step, wheels, reins, box-seat, and so on. when all are ready, the story-teller begins a tale about an old coach and what happened to it, how it went on a journey, came to grief, was mended, and started off again. the story should be told fluently, but not too quickly. every time any part of the coach is mentioned, the player who has taken that name must rise from his seat and then sit down again. whenever "the coach" is mentioned, all the players, with the exception of the story-teller, must rise. any one who fails to keep these rules must pay a forfeit. * * * * * drop the handkerchief a ring is formed by the players joining hands, whilst one child, who is to "drop the handkerchief," is left outside. he walks round the ring, touching each one with the handkerchief, saying the following words: [illustration] "i wrote a letter to my love, but on my way, i dropped it; a little child picked it up and put it in his pocket. it wasn't you, it wasn't you, it wasn't you--but it was you." when he says "it was you," he must drop the handkerchief behind one of the players, who picks it up and chases him round the ring, outside and under the joined hands, until he can touch him with the handkerchief. as soon as this happens, the first player joins the ring, whilst it is now the turn of the second to "drop the handkerchief." * * * * * magic music one of the players is sent out of the room, and the rest then agree upon some simple task for her to perform, such as moving a chair, touching an ornament, or finding some hidden object. she is then called in and some one begins to play the piano. if the performer plays very loudly, the "seeker" knows that she is nowhere near the object she is to search for. when the music is soft, then she knows she is very near, and when the music ceases altogether, she knows that she has found the object she was intended to look for. * * * * * buzz [plate 2] this is a very old game, but is always a very great favorite. the more the players, the greater the fun. the way to play it is as follows: the players sit in a circle and begin to count in turn, but when the number 7 or any number in which the figure 7 or any multiple of 7 is reached, they say "buzz," instead of whatever the number may be. as, for instance, supposing the players have counted up to 12, the next player will say "13," the next "buzz" because 14 is a multiple of 7 (twice 7)--the next player would then say "15" the next "16," and the next would, of course, say "buzz" because the figure 7 occurs in the number 17. if one of the players forgets to say "buzz" at the proper time, he is out. the game then starts over again with the remaining players, and so it continues until there is but one person remaining. if great care is taken the numbers can be counted up to 70, which, according to the rules before mentioned, would, of course, be called buzz. the numbers would then be carried on as buzz 1, buzz 2, etc., up to 79, but it is very seldom that this stage is reached. * * * * * "i apprenticed my son." the best way of describing this game is to give an illustration of how it is played. the first player thinks of "artichoke," and commences: "i apprenticed my son to a greengrocer, and the first thing he sold was an a." second player: "apple?" "no." third player: "almonds?" "no." fourth player: "asparagus?" "no." fifth player: "artichoke?" "yes." the last player, having guessed correctly, may now apprentice his son. no player is allowed more than one guess. * * * * * cat and mouse the children sit in two rows opposite each other with a space between. one child takes the place of "cat," being blindfolded, and one takes the place of "mouse," and is also blindfolded, the cat standing at one end of the row and the mouse at the opposite end. they start in opposite directions, guiding themselves by the chairs, the cat trying to catch the mouse. when the mouse is caught it is made the cat, and one of the company takes the place of the mouse. * * * * * the sea king this game can be played by any number of children. they proceed by first choosing one of the party to act as the sea king, whose duty it is to stand in the center of a ring, formed by the players seating themselves round him. the circle should be as large as possible. each of the players having chosen the name of a fish, the king runs round the ring, calling them by the names which they have selected. each one, on hearing his name called, rises at once, and follows the king, who, when all his subjects have left their seats, calls out, "the sea is troubled," and seats himself suddenly. his example is immediately followed by his subjects. the one who fails to obtain a seat has then to take the place of king, and the game is continued. * * * * * buff says "baff" this is a game in which no one is allowed to smile or laugh. all the players, except one, sit in a row or half circle; one goes out of the room and returns with a stick or poker in his hand, and a very grave and solemn face. he is supposed to have just returned from a visit to buff. the first player asks him: "where do you come from?" "from buff." the next asks: "did he say anything to you?" to which the reply is: "buff said 'baff,' and gave me this staff, telling me neither to smile nor to laugh. buff says 'baff,' to all his men, and i say 'baff' to you again. and he neither laughs nor smiles, in spite of all your cunning wiles, but carries his face with a very good grace, and passes his staff to the very next place." if he can repeat all this without laughing, he delivers up his staff to some one else, and takes his seat; but if he laughs, or even smiles, he pays a forfeit before giving it up. * * * * * blind man's buff in the olden times this game was known by the name of "hood-man blind," as in those days the child that was chosen to be "blind man" had a hood placed over his head, which was fastened at the back of the neck. in the present day the game is called "blind man's buff," and very popular it is among young folk. [illustration] before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. the child having been selected who is to be "blind man" or "buff," is blindfolded. he is then asked the question, "how many horses has your father got?" the answer is "three," and to the question: "what color are they?" he replies: "black, white, and gray." all the players then cry: "turn round three times and catch whom you may." buff accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. he tries to catch the players, while they in their turn do their utmost to escape "buff," all the time making little sounds to attract him. this goes on until one of the players is caught, when buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. if the guess is a correct one, the player who has been caught takes the part of "buff," and the former "buff" joins the ranks of the players. * * * * * puss in the corner this game is really for five players only, but, by a little arrangement, six or seven children can take part in the fun. four players take their places in the different corners of the room, while the fifth stands in the middle. if a greater number of children wish to play, other parts of the room must be named "corners," so that there is a corner for every one. the fun consists in the players trying to change places without being caught; but they are bound to call "puss, puss," first, and to beckon to the one they wish to change with. directly they leave their corners, the player in the center tries to get into one of them. when the center player succeeds in getting into a corner, the one who has been displaced has to take his place in the middle of the room. * * * * * the postman for this game all the players, except two, seat themselves in a circle. one of the two left out is blindfolded and is called the "postman," the other is called the "postmaster-general." each of the players seated in the circle chooses the name of a town, which the "post-master-general" writes down on a slip of paper, so that he may not forget it. he then calls out the names of two towns, thus: "the post from aberdeen to calcutta." at once, the players who have taken those names must change places, and while doing so the "postman" must try to catch one of them. if he succeeds in doing so he takes his place in the circle, having chosen a town for his name, and the one caught becomes "postman" in place of him. sometimes "general post" is called, when all have to change places, and the "postman" is then almost sure to gain a seat. * * * * * the dwarf [illustration] this is a most amusing game if well carried out. the two performers must be hidden behind two curtains in front of which a table has been placed. one of the performers slips his hands into a child's socks and little shoes. he must then disguise his face, by putting on a false mustache, painting his eyebrows, sticking pieces of black court plaster over one or two of his teeth, which will make it appear as though he has lost several teeth. this, with a turban on his head, will prove a very fair disguise. the second performer must now stand behind the first and pass his arms round him, so that the second performer's hands may appear like the hands of the dwarf, while the first performer's hands make his feet. the figure must, of course, be carefully dressed, and the body of the second performer hidden behind the curtains. the front player now puts his slippered hands upon the table and begins to keep time, while the other performer follows suit with his hands. the dwarf can be used either to tell fortunes, make jokes, or ask riddles, and if the performers act their parts well, the guests will laugh very heartily. * * * * * how, when, and where one of the company goes out of the room, while the others choose a word to be guessed, one with two or three different meanings being the best. [illustration] we will suppose that the word "spring" has been thought of. when the person who is outside the room is recalled, he (or she) asks each one in succession: "how do you like it?" the answers may be "dry" (meaning the season), "cold and clear" (a spring of water), "strong" (a watch-spring), and "high" (a jump). the next question is: "when do you like it?" the answers may be: "when i am in the country," "when i am thirsty," "when my watch is broken." the next question is: "where do you like it?" and the answers may be: "anywhere and everywhere," "in hot weather," "in the clock." the game is to try and guess the word after any of the answers, and if right, the player last questioned takes the place of the one who is guessing; if wrong, the questioner must try again. * * * * * old soldier old soldier is a game for young children, and though it seems very simple, yet there is a good deal of fun in it. one of the children pretends to be an old soldier, and goes round begging of each of the other players in turn, saying that he is "poor, and old, and hungry," and asking what they will do for him or give him. in answering the old soldier, no one must say the words: "yes," "no," "black," or "white," and he must be answered at once without hesitation. any one who does not reply at once, or who uses any of the forbidden words, must pay a forfeit. [illustration] * * * * * bob major two of the players sit down, and a cloth, large enough to prevent their seeing anything, is put over their heads. then two other persons tap them on the head with long rolls of paper, which they have in their hands, and ask, in feigned voices, "who bobs you?" if either of those who have been tapped answers correctly, he changes places with the one who has tapped him. * * * * * dumb crambo divide the company into two equal parts, one-half leaving the room; the remaining players should then select a word, which will have to be guessed by those outside the door. when the word has been chosen--say, for instance, the word "will"--the party outside the room are told that the word they are to guess rhymes with "till." a consultation then takes place, and they may think that the word is "ill." the company then enter and begin to act the word "ill," but without speaking a word. the audience, when they recognize the word that is being performed, will immediately hiss, and the actors then retire and think of another word. thus the game goes on until the right word is hit upon, when the company who have remained in the room, clap their hands. the audience then change places with the actors. * * * * * trades each player must choose a trade and pretend to be working at it. for instance, if he is a tailor, he must pretend to sew or iron; if a blacksmith, to hammer, and so on. one is the king, and he, too, chooses a trade. every one works away as hard as he can until the king suddenly gives up his trade, and takes up that of some one else. then all must stop, except the one whose business the king has taken, and he must start with the king's work. the two go on until the king chooses to go back to his own trade, when all begin working again. any one who fails either to cease working or to begin again at the right time, must pay a forfeit. a somewhat more elaborate and livelier game of trades is played by each boy in the party choosing a trade which he is supposed to be carrying on. the leader must invent a story, and, standing in the middle, must tell it to the company. he must manage to bring in a number of names of trades or businesses; and whenever a trade is mentioned, the person who represents it must instantly name some article sold in the shop. * * * * * [illustration] the schoolmaster this is always a favorite game. one of the players is chosen schoolmaster, and the others, ranged in order in front of him, form the class. the master may then examine the class in any branch of learning. suppose him to choose geography, he must begin with the pupil at the head of the class, and ask for the name of a country or town beginning with a. if the pupil does not reply correctly before the master has counted ten, he asks the next pupil, who, if he answers rightly--say, for instance, "america," or "amsterdam," in time, goes to the top of the class. the schoolmaster may go on in this way through the alphabet either regularly or at random, as he likes. any subject--names of kings, queens, poets, soldiers, etc.--may be chosen. the questions and answers must follow as quickly as possible. whoever fails to answer in time, pays a forfeit. * * * * * rule of contrary this is a simple game for little children. it is played either with a pocket-handkerchief, or, if more than four want to play, with a table-cloth or small sheet. each person takes hold of the cloth; the leader of the game holds it with the left hand, while with the right he makes pretense of writing on the cloth while he says: "here we go round by the rule of contrary. when i say 'hold fast,' let go; and when i say 'let go,' hold fast." the leader then calls out one or other of the commands, and the rest must do the opposite, of what he says. any one who fails must pay a forfeit. * * * * * simon says seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the company to be the leader, or simon. his duty is to order all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which must be obeyed only when the order begins with "simon says." as, for instance, "simon says: 'thumbs up!'" which, of course, all obey; then perhaps comes: "thumbs down!" which should not be obeyed, because the order did not commence with "simon says." each time this rule is forgotten a forfeit must be paid. "hands over eyes," "stamp the right foot," "pull the left ear," etc., are the kind of orders to be given. * * * * * the bird-catcher to play this game you must first decide which one of you is to be the bird-catcher; the other players then each choose the name of a bird, but no one must choose the owl, as it is forbidden. all the players then sit in a circle with their hands on their knees, except the bird-catcher, who stands in the center, and tells a tale about birds, taking care to specially mention the ones he knows to have been chosen by the company. as each bird's name is called, the owner must imitate its note as well as he can, but when the owl is named, all hands must be put behind the chairs, and remain there until the next bird's name is mentioned. when the bird-catcher cries "all the birds," the players must together give their various imitations of birds. should any player fail to give the cry when his bird is named, or forget to put his hands behind his chair, he has to change places with bird-catcher. * * * * * french roll a good many children may play at this game. one player is called the buyer, the rest form a line in front of him and take hold of each other. the first in this line is called the baker, the last the french roll. those between are supposed to be the oven. when they are all in place the buyer says to the baker, "give me my french roll." the baker replies, "it is at the back of the oven." the buyer goes to fetch it, when the french roll begins running from the back of the oven, and comes up to the baker, calling all the while, "who runs? who runs?" the buyer may run after him, but if the french roll gets first to the top of the line, he becomes baker, and the last in the line is french roll. if, however, the buyer catches the french roll, the french roll becomes buyer, and the buyer takes the place of the baker. * * * * * the garden gate the garden gate is a very pretty game. a ring is formed of all the players except one, who stands in the middle. the others dance round her three times, and when they stop she begins to sing: "open wide the garden gate, the garden gate, the garden gate, open wide the garden gate and let me through." the circle then dances round her again, singing: "get the key of the garden gate, the garden gate, the garden gate, get the key of the garden gate and open and let yourself through." the girl inside the circle, pretending to sob, replies: "i've lost the key of the garden gate, the garden gate, the garden gate, i've lost the key of the garden gate, and cannot let myself through." but the dancers dance round and round her, singing: "then you may stop all night within the gate, within the gate, within the gate, you may stop all night within the gate, unless you have strength to break through." the captive then rushes to the weakest part of the ring, and tries to break through by throwing her whole weight upon the clasped hands of the children, and generally contrives to break through, the one whose hand gives way being made captive in her stead. * * * * * charades a back drawing-room with folding doors makes a very nice theater for acting charades. almost anything may be used for dressing up--shawls, anti-macassars, table-cloths, handkerchiefs, cast-off dresses, or a dressing-gown. the latter is a very useful garment in representing an old gentleman, while tow or white fire shavings make excellent wigs. the great thing in a charade is to try and puzzle your audience as much as you can. you must choose a word of two or more syllables, such as "bagpipe." first you must act the word "bag," and be sure that the word is mentioned, though you must be careful to bring it in in such a way that the audience shall not guess it is the word you are acting. next comes the word "pipe," and this must be brought in in the same manner. when you have acted the two syllables, you must act the whole: "bagpipe." before beginning the charade, you should arrange who is to bring in the charade word or syllable. you must also settle what you are going to say, or at least, what the act is to be about. let every scene be well thought out and be as short as possible. you must be as quick as ever you can between the acts, for all the fun will be spoiled if you keep your audience waiting. if you have no curtain or screen, the actors must simply walk off the stage at the end of the scenes. to act charades well, one requires a little practice and plenty of good temper, for, of course, only one or two can take principal parts, and therefore some of the children must be content to take the smaller ones. it is a good plan to take it in turns to play the best parts, and if the elder children are kind and thoughtful, they will try to make some easy little parts, so that their younger brothers and sisters may also join in the fun. here we give you a very simple charade, the words of which you may learn, and then act, after which you will very likely be able to make up charades for yourselves. * * * * * the "band-box" charade scene 1: a street this can be made by placing a row of chairs with open backs near the wall facing the audience; a child is stationed behind each chair, and, looking through the open back, pretends to be looking out of a window. band first child behind chair.--oh! dear, how dull our street always is. i declare nothing nice ever comes this way. second child.--no, i quite agree with you. why, i haven't seen a "punch and judy" for months. i wish my mother would go and live in another street. third child.--never mind, let us go out and have a game. (enter five or six children--or a lesser number, if more convenient--carrying toy musical instruments.) first child.--hurrah! here comes a german band. come along, children; let's go and listen to it. (the band groups itself at the end of the street, and the children stand round. after tuning up, the band begins to play.) second child.--now, mary jane, we can dance. i'll dance with you. third child.--no, i want to dance with mary jane. first child.--i don't want to dance at all. second child.--you must. third child.--yes, you must. (band ceases playing and one of the bandsmen comes round for money.) first child.--i haven't any money. second child.--but we haven't begun to dance yet. bandsman.--you shouldn't have been so long arguing then. surely you'll give the band a nickel, after all the pretty music it has played? first child.--i won't. second child.--i won't. third child.--and i won't. bandsman.--well, you are mean. come along. (beckoning to the rest of the band.) we'll go, and it will be a long time before we come down this street again. (curtain falls.) box scene 2: a room tommy (hopping about the room, waving a letter in his hand.)--hurrah! hurrah! uncle dick is coming. hurrah! hurrah! (enter tommy's brother and sister and papa and mamma.) papa.--what's the matter, tommy? tommy.--uncle dick has written to say he is coming to spend christmas with us, and he is bringing me a christmas box. mamma.--how kind of him! but be sure you are careful not to offend him, tommy. he is rather a touchy old gentleman. sister.--i wonder what it will be, tommy. brother.--i hope it will be a set of cricket things, and then we can play cricket in the summer. tommy.--oh! yes, i hope it will be, but whatever it is, it is sure to be something nice. (begins hopping about again. enter uncle dick, a very old gentleman with a gouty foot. tommy does not see him and goes banging into him, treading on his gouty foot.) uncle dick.--oh! oh! oh! oh, my toe! tommy.--oh! never mind your toe! where's my christmas box? uncle dick.--your christmas box, you young scamp! think of my toe. tommy.--please, uncle, i'm very sorry, but i do so want to know what you have brought me for a christmas box. uncle dick (roaring).--here's your christmas box, and may it teach you to be more careful in future. (boxes tommy's ears.) (curtain falls.) here is a list of words which will divide easily into charade words: brides-maids. sea-side. car-pen-try. cur-tail. nose-gay. in-do-lent. hand-i(i)-craft. turn-key. hand-some. key-hole. rail-way. sweet-heart. port-man-teau(toe). mad-cap. a-bun-dance. in-no-cent. fox-glove. pat-riot. to make your charades a real success, you will, of course, require a curtain. a very effective one can be made with a little trouble and at a small cost; indeed, the materials may be already in the house. first you must fix a couple of supports on each side of the room, taking care that they are screwed firmly into the wall, and also taking care not to damage the paper. if you are a neat workman, you will find on taking out the screws that the two small screw-holes on each side will scarcely be noticed, as of course the supports must be fixed near the ceiling. you must then put up your curtain-pole, which should be as thin as possible, so that the rings may run easily. a cheap bamboo pole is the best. two wide, deep curtains are required; very likely the nursery curtains may be suitable. on to these curtains you sew a number of small brass rings, which you can buy for about 20 cents a dozen, or even less. the rings should be sewn on the curtains, as you see in the illustration, right across the top, and from the extreme top corner of the curtain, slantingwise across to the middle. the top rings are passed along the curtain-pole, a string (marked in the illustration a1) is sewn on to the curtain, and threaded through the rings until it reaches a2. it is then threaded through the rings on the pole until it reaches a3, when it is allowed to fall loose. the same arrangement is gone through with string b. the bottom of the curtain must be weighted with shot, or any other weights that may be convenient. when the curtain is to be raised, the stage manager and his assistant stand on each side of the stage with the strings ready in their hands, and at a given signal--the ringing of a bell is the usual sign that all is ready--they each pull a string, and the curtains glide to each side, and may be fixed to hooks, put up on purpose. when the curtain is to fall, the two in charge of it must simply loosen the strings and let them go, and the weights cause the curtains to fall to the center. all sorts of useful and ornamental "properties" may be made at home for a very small cost. cardboard, and gold and silver paper, and glue go a long way toward making a good show. swords, crowns, belts, gold-spangled and gold-bordered robes can be made from these useful materials, and look first-rate at a distance. an old black dress with little gold stars glued or gummed to the material would make an excellent dress for a queen. the swords or belts must first be cut out in cardboard, then covered with gold or silver paper. to make a good wig, you should shape a piece of calico to fit the head; then sew fire shavings or tow all over it. if you wish for a curly wig, it is a good plan to wind the shavings or tow tightly round a ruler, and tack it along with a back stitch, which will hold the curl in position after you have slipped it off the ruler. these few hints will give you some idea of the very many different costumes which can be made by children out of the simplest materials. [illustration: the curtain closed] [illustration: the curtain opened] * * * * * the game of cat the person who is to play the part of cat should stand outside the door of the room where the company is assembled. the boys and girls, in turn, come to the other side of the door and call out "miaou." if the cat outside recognizes a friend by the cry, and calls out her name correctly in return, he is allowed to enter the room and embrace her, and the latter then takes the place of cat. if, on the contrary, the cat cannot recognize the voice, he is hissed, and remains outside until he does. [illustration] * * * * * living pictures living pictures are very amusing if well carried out, and even with little preparation may be made very pretty or very comical, whichever may be desired. it is perhaps better to attempt comical ones if you have not much time in which to arrange them, as the costumes are generally easier to manage, and if you are obliged to use garments not quite in keeping with the characters, it does not matter much; indeed, it will probably only make the audience laugh a little more. the great thing in living pictures is to remain perfectly still during the performance. you should select several well-known scenes either from history or fiction, and then arrange the actors to represent the scenes as nearly as possible. simple home living pictures are a great source of fun, and many a wet afternoon will pass like magic while arranging scenes and making dresses to wear. newspaper masks, newspaper cocked hats, old shawls, dressing-gowns, and sticks are quite sufficient for home charades. suppose, for instance, you think of "cinderella" for one tableau. one girl could be standing decked out with colored tissue paper over her frock, and with paper flowers in her hair, to represent one of the proud sisters, while cinderella in a torn frock is arranging the other proud sister's train, which may consist of an old shawl. bouquets of paper flowers should be in the sister's hands. "little red riding hood" is another favorite subject for a living picture. the wolf may be represented by a boy on his hands and knees, with a fur rug thrown over him. red riding hood only requires a scarlet shawl, arranged as a hood and cloak, over her ordinary frock and pinafore, and she should carry a bunch of flowers and a basket. all living pictures look better if you can have a frame for them. it is not very difficult to make one, especially if you have four large card-board dress-boxes. having carefully cut out the bottoms of the boxes, place the frames as here shown: [illustration] cut out the center framework, leaving a large square, so: [illustration] you must then fasten the four pieces together by gluing cardboard on each side of the joints, and you will have a very good frame, which you can cover with colored paper or ornament with muslin. this frame will last a very long time if carefully treated. it should stand upright by itself; but if it is a little unsteady, it is better to hold it upright from the sides. of course, this will only make a very small frame, but you can increase the size by using more boxes. if you have no time to make a frame, arrange your figures close to a door, outside the room in which the audience is seated. when quite ready, some one must open the door, when the doorway will make a kind of frame to the living picture. it is always well to have a curtain if you can; a sheet makes an excellent one. two children standing upon chairs hold it up on each side, and at a given signal drop it upon the floor, so that, instead of the curtain rising, it drops. when it has been dropped, the two little people should take the sheet corners in their hands again, so that they have only to jump upon the chairs when it is time to hide the picture. of course, these instructions are only for living pictures on a very small scale; much grander arrangements will be needed if the performance is to take place before any but a "home audience." as i told you before, comic living pictures are the easiest to perform on account of the dresses being easier to make, but there are other living pictures which are easier still, and which will cause a great deal of fun and merriment. they are really catches, and are so simple that even very little children can manage them. you can arrange a program, and make half a dozen copies to hand round to the audience. the first living picture on the list is "the fall of greece" and sounds very grand, indeed; but when the curtain rises (or rather, if it is the sheet curtain, drops), the audience see a lighted candle set rather crookedly in a candlestick and fanned from the background so as to cause the grease to fall. here are some other similar comic tableaux which you can easily place before an audience: "meet of the hounds."--a pile of dog biscuits. "view of the black sea."--a large capital c blackened with ink. "the charge of the light brigade."--half a dozen boxes of matches labeled: "10 cents the lot." these are only a few of the many comic living pictures you can perform; but, no doubt, you will be able to think of others for yourselves. * * * * * acting proverbs [illustration] the best way to play this game is for the players to divide themselves into two groups, namely, actors and audience. each one of the actors should then fix upon a proverb, which he will act, in turn, before the audience. as, for instance, supposing one of the players to have chosen the proverb, "a bad workman quarrels with his tools," he should go into the room where the audience is seated, carrying with him a bag in which there is a saw, a hammer, or any other implement or tool used by a workman; he should then look round and find a chair, or some other article, which he should pretend requires repairing; he should then act the workman, by taking off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and commencing work, often dropping his tools, and grumbling about them the whole of the time. if this game be acted well, it may be made very entertaining. sometimes the audience are made to pay a forfeit each time they fail to guess the proverb. * * * * * shouting proverbs this is rather a noisy game. one of the company goes outside the door, and during his absence a proverb is chosen and a word of it is given to each member of the company. when the player who is outside re-enters the room, one of the company counts "one, two, three," then all the company simultaneously shout out the word that has been given to him or her of the proverb that has been chosen. if there are more players present than there are words in the proverb, two or three of them must have the same word. the effect of all the company shouting out together is very funny. all that is necessary is for the guesser to have a sharp ear; then he is pretty sure to catch a word here and there that will give him the key to the proverb. * * * * * proverbs this is a very interesting game, and can be played by a large number at the same time. supposing there are twelve persons present, one is sent out of the room, while the others choose a proverb. when this is done, the "guesser" is allowed to come in, and he asks each person a question separately. in the answer, no matter what question is asked, one word of the proverb must be given. for illustration we will take "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." 1. john must use the word "a" in his answer. 2. gladys must use the word "bird" in hers. 3. nellie must use the word "in" in hers. 4. tommy must use the word "the" in his. 5. estelle must use the word "hand" in hers. 6. ivy must use the word "is" in hers. 7. wilfrid must use the word "worth" in his. 8. lionel must use the word "two" in his. 9. vera must use the word "in" in hers. 10. bertie must use the word "the" in his. 11. harold must use the word "bush" in his. the fun becomes greater if the answers are given quickly and without allowing the special word to be noticed. it often happens that the "guesser" has to try his powers over several times before succeeding. the one who by giving a bad answer gives the clue, in turn becomes guesser, and is then obliged to go out of the room while another proverb is chosen. here is a list of proverbs: a bad workman quarrels with his tools. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. a cat may look at a king. aching teeth are ill tenants. a creaking door hangs long on the hinges. a drowning man will catch at a straw. after dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile. a friend in need is a friend indeed. a good servant makes a good master. a good word is as soon said as an evil one. a little leak will sink a great ship. all are not friends that speak us fair. all are not hunters that blow the horn. all is fish that comes to the net. all is not gold that glitters. all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. a pitcher goes often to the well, but is broken at last. a rolling stone gathers no moss. a small spark makes a great fire. a stitch in time saves nine. as you make your bed, so you must lie on it. as you sow, so you shall reap. a tree is known by its fruit. a willful man will have his way. a willing mind makes a light foot. a word before is worth two behind. a burden which one chooses is not felt. beggars have no right to be choosers. be slow to promise and quick to perform. better late than never. better to bend than to break. birds of a feather flock together. care killed a cat. catch the bear before you sell his skin. charity begins at home, but does not end there. cut your coat according to your cloth. do as you would be done by. do not halloo till you are out of the wood. do not spur a willing horse. early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. empty vessels make the greatest sound. enough is as good as a feast. faint heart never won fair lady. fine feathers make fine birds. fine words butter no parsnips. fire and water are good servants, but bad masters. grasp all, lose all. half a loaf is better than no bread. handsome is as handsome does. happy is the wooing that is not long in doing. he that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing. hiders are good finders. home is home though it be ever so homely. honesty is the best policy. if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. it is an ill wind that blows nobody good. it is never too late to learn. it is not the cowl that makes the friar. it is a long lane that has no turning. it's a good horse that never stumbles. it's a sad heart that never rejoices. ill weeds grow apace. keep a thing for seven years, and you will find a use for it. kill two birds with one stone. lazy folk take the most pains. let sleeping dogs lie. let them laugh that win. make hay while the sun shines. many a true word is spoken in jest. many hands make light work. marry in haste, repent at leisure. never look a gift horse in the mouth. necessity is the mother of invention. old birds are not to be caught with chaff. old friends and old wine are best. one swallow makes not a spring, nor one woodcock a winter. people who live in glass houses should never throw stones. possession is nine points of the law. procrastination is the thief of time. short reckonings make long friends. safe bind, safe find. strike while the iron is hot. take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. the more the merrier, the fewer the better cheer. the darkest hour is just before the daylight. the cobbler's wife is the worst shod. there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. there's a silver lining to every cloud. those who play with edge tools must expect to be cut. time and tide wait for no man. too many cooks spoil the broth. union is strength. waste not, want not. what the eye sees not, the heart rues not. when rogues fall out honest men get their own. when the cat's away, the mice play. willful waste makes woful want. you cannot eat your cake and have it also. [illustration] * * * * * the adventurers this is a very good game and will combine both instruction and amusement. the idea is that the company imagines itself to be a party of travelers who are about to set out on a journey to foreign countries. a good knowledge of geography is required, also an idea of the manufactures and customs of the foreign parts about to be visited. it would be as well, if not quite certain about the location of the part, to refer to a map. a place for starting having been decided upon, the first player sets out upon his journey. he tells the company what spot he intends to visit (in imagination) and what kind of conveyance he means to travel in. on arriving at his destination, the player states what he wishes to buy, and to whom he intends to make a present of his purchase on returning home. this may seem very simple, but it is not nearly so easy as it appears. the player must have some knowledge of the country to which he is going, the way he will travel, and the time it will take to complete the journey. to give an instance, it will not do for the player to state that he is going to greenland to purchase pineapples, or to florida to get furs; nor will it do for him to make a present of a meerschaum pipe to a lady, or a cashmere shawl to a gentleman. more fun is added to this game if forfeits are exacted for all mistakes. the game continues, and the second player must make his starting point from where the first leaves off. of course, all depends upon the imagination or the experience of the player; if he has been a traveler or has read a good deal, his descriptions should be very interesting. * * * * * postman's knock one player begins the game by going out of the room, and then giving a double (or postman's) knock at the door; it is the duty of one of the other players to stand at the door inside the room to answer the knocks that are made, and to ask the postman for whom he has a letter. the postman names some member of the company, generally of the opposite sex; he is then asked, "how many cents are to be paid?" perhaps he will say "six"; the person for whom the letter is supposed to be must then pay for it with kisses, instead of cents; after which he or she must take a turn as postman. * * * * * "our old grannie doesn't like tea." all the players sit in a row, except one, who sits in front of them and says to each one in turn: "our old grannie doesn't like t; what can you give her instead?" perhaps the first player will answer, "cocoa," and that will be correct; but if the second player should say, "chocolate," he will have to pay a forfeit, because there is a "t" in chocolate. this is really a catch, as at first every one thinks that "tea" is meant instead of the letter "t." even after the trick has been found out it is very easy to make a slip, as the players must answer before "five" is counted; if they cannot, or if they mention an article of food with the letter "t" in it, they must pay a forfeit. * * * * * "i love my love with an a." to play this game it is best for the players to arrange themselves in a half circle round the room. then one begins: "i love my love with an 'a,' because she is affectionate; i hate her with an 'a,' because she is artful. her name is alice, she comes from alabama, and i gave her an apricot." the next player says: "i love my love with a 'b,' because she is bonnie; i hate her with a 'b,' because she is boastful. her name is bertha, she comes from boston, and i gave her a book." the next player takes "c," and the next "d," and so on through all the letters of the alphabet. * * * * * consequences one of the most popular games at a party is certainly "consequences;" it is a very old favorite, but has lost none of its charms with age. the players sit in a circle; each person is provided with a half sheet of notepaper and a pencil, and is asked to write on the top--(1) one or more adjectives, then to fold the paper over, so that what has been written cannot be seen. every player has to pass his or her paper on to the right-hand neighbor, and all have then to write on the top of the paper which has been passed by the left-hand neighbor (2) "the name of the gentleman;" after having done this, the paper must again be folded and passed on as before; this time must be written (3) one or more adjectives; then (4) a lady's name; next (5), where they met; next (6), what he gave her; next (7), what he said to her; next (8), what she said to him; next (9), the consequence; and lastly (10), what the world said about it. be careful that every time anything has been written, the paper is folded down and passed on to the player on your right. when every one has written what the world says, the papers are collected and one of the company proceeds to read out the various papers, and the result may be something like this: (1) the horrifying and delightful (2) mr. brown (3) met the charming (4) miss philips (5) in lincoln park; (6) he gave her a flower (7) and said to her: "how's your mother?" (8) she said to him: "not for joseph;" (9) the consequence was they danced the hornpipe, and the world said (10), "just what we expected." * * * * * earth, air, fire, and water [illustration] to play this game seat yourselves in a circle, take a clean duster or handkerchief, and tie it in a big knot, so that it may easily be thrown from one player to another. one of the players throws it to another, at the same time calling out either of these names: earth, air, fire, or water. if "earth" is called, the player to whom the ball is thrown has to mention something that lives on the earth, as lion, cat; if "air" is called, something that lives in the air; if "water," something that lives in the water; but if "fire" is called, the player must keep silence. always remember not to put birds in the water, or animals or fishes in the air; be silent when "fire" is called, and answer before ten can be counted. for breaking any of these rules a forfeit must be paid. * * * * * crambo one of the party leaves the room, and on his return he is asked to find a word which has been chosen by the other players in his absence; and in order to help him, another word is mentioned rhyming with the word to be guessed. questions may then be asked by the guesser, and the players must all introduce, as the final word of their answer, another word rhyming with the word chosen. for instance, suppose the word "way" is selected. the guesser would then be told that the word chosen rhymes with "say." he might then ask the first one of the party: "what do you think of the weather?" and the answer might be: "we have had a lovely day." the second question might be: "have you enjoyed yourself?" and the answer might be: "yes; i have had lots of play." the game would proceed in this way until the guesser gave the correct answer, or one of the party failed to give the proper rhyme, in which case the latter would then be called upon to take the place of the guesser. * * * * * lost and found a very similar game to "consequences" is that of "lost and found," which is played in an exactly similar manner, but the questions are quite different: (1) lost, (2) by whom, (3) at what time, (4) where, (5) found by, (6) in what condition, (7) what time, (8) the reward. the answers may be something like the following: (1) lost a postage-stamp, (2) by sister jane, (3) at three in the morning, (4) at st. louis, (5) it was found by a policeman, (6) rather the worse for wear, (7) at dinner-time; (8) the reward was a kiss. * * * * * "animal, vegetable, or mineral?" this is a capital game for a large party, for it is both instructive and amusing. two sides are picked, one has to guess what word or sentence the remainder of the company has chosen. they go out of the room, and when the subject has been decided upon, return and ask a question of each of the other side in turn. the answer must be either "yes" or "no," and in no case should more words be used, under penalty of paying a forfeit. the first important point to be found out is whether the subject is "animal," "vegetable," or "mineral." supposing, for instance, the subject chosen is a cat which is sleeping in the room by the fire, the questions and answers might be like the following: "is the subject chosen an animal?" "yes." "wild animal?" "no." "domestic animal?" "yes." "common?" "yes." "are there many to be seen in this town?" "yes." "have you seen many this day?" "yes." "in this house?" "no." "have you seen many in the road?" "yes." "do they draw carts?" "no." "are they used for working purposes?" "no." "is the subject a pet?" "yes." "have they one in the house?" "yes." "in this room?" "yes." "is it lying in front of the fire at the present time?" "yes." "is the subject you all thought of the cat lying in front of the fire in this room?" "yes." the subject having been guessed, another one is chosen and the game proceeds. the questions are limited to twenty, but it is hardly ever necessary to use that number. * * * * * hunt the slipper [illustration] the players seat themselves in a circle on the floor, having chosen one of their number to remain outside the circle. the children seated on the floor are supposed to be cobblers, and the one outside is the customer who has brought his shoe to be mended. he hands it to one of them, saying: "cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe; get it done by half-past two." the cobblers pass the shoe round to each other as quickly as they can, taking care that the customer does not see which of them has it. when the customer comes to fetch it he is told that it is not ready. he pretends to get angry and says he will take it as it is. he must then try to find it, and the cobbler who has it must try to pass it to his neighbor without its being seen by the customer. the person upon whom the shoe is found must become the customer, while the customer takes his place in the circle on the floor. * * * * * flying this game requires for the leader a person who can tell a story or make a little amusing speech. each one who plays must place the right hand upon the left arm. the leader then tells a story, during the telling of which whenever he mentions any creature that can fly, every right hand is to be raised and fluttered in the air to imitate the action of flying. at the name of a creature that does not fly, the hands must be kept quiet, under pain of a forfeit. thus: the little wren is very small, the humming-bee is less; the ladybird is least of all, and beautiful in dress. the pelican she loves her young, the stork its parent loves; the woodcock's bill is very long, and innocent are doves. in germany they hunt the boar, the bee brings honey home, the ant lays up a winter store, the bear loves honeycomb. * * * * * the blind man's wand this is another way of playing blind man's buff, and is thought by many to be an improvement on that game. the player who is blindfolded stands in the center of the room, with a long paper wand, which can be made of a newspaper folded up lengthways, and tied at each end with string. the other players then join hands and stand round him in a circle. some one then plays a merry tune on the piano, and the players dance round and round the blind man, until suddenly the music stops; the blind man then takes the opportunity of lowering his wand upon one of the circle, and the player upon whom it has fallen has to take hold of it. the blind man then makes a noise, such as, for instance, the barking of a dog, a street cry, or anything he thinks will cause the player he has caught to betray himself, as the captive must imitate whatever noise the blind man likes to make. should the blind man detect who holds the stick, the one who is caught has to be blind man; if not, the game goes on until he succeeds. * * * * * judge and jury the company should be seated in two lines facing each other, and one of the party should then be elected to act as judge. each person has to remember who is sitting exactly opposite, because when the judge asks a question of any one, it is not the person directly asked who has to reply, but the person opposite to the judge. for instance, if the judge, addressing one of the company, asks: "do you like apples?" the person spoken to must remain silent, while the person who is opposite to him must reply before the judge can count ten; the penalty on failing to do this is a forfeit. a rule with regard to the answers is that the reply must not be less than two words in length, and must not contain the words: "yes," "no," "black," "white," or "gray." for the breaking of this rule a forfeit may also be claimed. * * * * * "hands up!" [plate 3] the company in this game must divide, one-half taking seats on one side of the table, and the other half on the other side; the players on one side being called the "guessers" and the players on the other side being called the "hiders." a button or any small object is produced, and the hiders have to pass it from hand to hand, under the table, so that those sitting opposite may not know who holds it. when it is hidden, one of the guessers cries out, "hands up!" immediately the hiders must place their closed hands on the table; the guessers have then to find out which hand holds the button. if successful, the hiders take their turn at guessing. the person in whose hand the button is found must pay a forfeit. * * * * * lodgings to let the company sit in a circle, and a player stands in the center. there is one spare chair, and the game is for this player to get possession of a vacant seat. when the game begins, every one moves as quickly as possible to the chair next beside him or her, and as this is done all the time, it is difficult for the person who is looking for "lodgings" to find a place by slipping in among them, and his attempts will cause much amusement. * * * * * hunt the ring for this game a long piece of string is required. on this a ring is threaded, and the ends of the string are knotted together. the players then take the string in their hands and form a circle, while one of the company, who is called the hunter, stands in the center. the string must be passed rapidly round and round, and the players must try to prevent the hunter finding out who holds the ring. as soon as he has done this, he takes his place in the circle, while the person who held the ring becomes the "hunter." * * * * * the stool of repentance the players sit in a circle, in the center of which a stool is placed. one of the company goes out of the room, and the rest say all sorts of things about him. for instance, one will say he is handsome, another that he is clever, or stupid, or vain. the "culprit" is then called back into the room and seats himself on the stool, which is called "the stool of repentance," and one of the players begins to tell him the different charges which have been made against him. "some one said you were vain; can you guess who it was?" if the culprit guesses correctly, he takes his seat in the circle and the person who made the accusation becomes the "culprit" in his stead. if, however, the "culprit" is unable to guess correctly, he must go out of the room again while fresh charges are made against him. * * * * * the feather having procured a small flossy feather, the players sit in a circle as closely together as possible. one of the party then throws the feather as high as possible into the air, and it is the duty of all the players to prevent it from alighting on them, by blowing at it whenever it comes in their direction. any player whom it falls upon must pay a forfeit. it is almost impossible to imagine the excitement that is produced by this game when it is played with spirit, and the fun is not altogether confined to the players, as it gives almost as much enjoyment to those who are looking on. * * * * * the game of conversation to play this game successfully, two of the company privately agree upon a word that has several meanings. the two then enter into a conversation which is obliged to be about the word they have chosen, while the remainder of the company listen. when a member of the party imagines that he has guessed the word, he may join in the conversation, but if he finds he is mistaken, must immediately retire. to give an illustration: supposing the two players who start the conversation decide upon the word "box." they might talk about the people they had seen at the theater and the particular part of the house in which they were sitting. then they might say how nice it looked in a garden, and one might mention that it grew into big trees. perhaps one of the company might imagine that he had guessed the word correctly and join in, when the conversation would be immediately changed, and the two would begin to converse about a huge case in which a very great number of things were packed away. by this time, possibly the person who joined in the conversation will leave off, completely mystified. if, however, the word should be correctly guessed, the person guessing it chooses a partner, and they together select a word, and the game begins again. * * * * * the gallery of statues for this game all the company leave the room with the exception of two. one of these then stands like a statue, with perhaps the assistance of a tablecloth or something similar as drapery, while the other acts as showman. when the position is decided upon, one of the company is called in and taken on one side by the showman, and is asked his or her opinion as to the merits of the statue. it is almost certain that some suggestion will be made; in that case he or she is made to assume the attitude suggested, and another player is called in, to whom the same question is put, and another suggestion made and adopted. as each statue is added to the gallery, a great deal of merriment is caused, and in a short time a large collection will be obtained. * * * * * the huntsman one person represents the huntsman, the other players call themselves after some part of the huntsman's belongings; for instance, one is the cap, another the horn, others the powder-flask, gun, whip, etc. a number of chairs are arranged in the middle of the room, and there must be one chair less than the number of players, not counting the huntsman. the players then seat themselves round the room, while the huntsman stands in the center and calls for them one at a time, in this way: "powder-flask!" at once "powder-flask" rises and takes hold of the huntsman's coat. "cap," "gun," "shot," "belt," the huntsman cries; each person who represents these articles must rise and take hold of the player summoned before him, until at length the huntsman has a long line behind him. he then begins to run round the chairs, until he suddenly cries: "bang!" when the players must sit down. of course, as there are not sufficient chairs, one player will be left standing and he must pay a forfeit. the huntsman is not changed throughout the game, unless he grows tired, when he may change places with one of the others. * * * * * hot boiled beans and bacon this is a game for young children. some small article is hidden in the room, while the little one who has to find it is sent outside. this finished, the players call out together: "hot boiled beans and bacon; it's hidden and can be taken." the little one enters and begins to hunt about for the hidden article. when she comes near to its hiding-place, the company tell her that she is getting "hot"; or, if she is not near it, she is told that she is "cold." that she is "very hot" or "very cold," will denote that she is very near of very far away from the object that is hidden; while if she is extremely near, she would be told that she was "burning." in this way the hidden object can be found, and all the children can be interested in the game by being allowed to call out whether the little one is "hot" or "cold." * * * * * "my master bids you do as i do." for all those children who are fond of a little exercise, no better game than this can be chosen. when the chairs are placed in order round the room, the first player commences by saying: "my master bids you do as i do," at the same time working away with the right hand as if hammering at his knees. the second player then asks: "what does he bid me do?" in answer to which the first player says: "to work with one as i do." the second player, working in the same manner, must turn to his left-hand neighbor and carry on the same conversation, and so on until every one is working away with the right hand. the second time of going round, the order is to work with two, then both hands must work; then with three, then both hands and one leg must work; then with four, when both hands and both legs must work; lastly with five, when both legs, both arms, and the head must be kept going. should any of the players fail in keeping in constant motion, a forfeit may be claimed. * * * * * red cap and blue cap the players seat themselves in a circle to represent tailors at work on a piece of cloth--a handkerchief or a duster will answer the purpose. a leader or foreman is chosen, and every one of the company is named in turn red cap, blue cap, black cap, yellow cap, brown cap, etc. the leader then takes the piece of cloth and pretends to examine the work which is supposed to have been done by the workmen. he is supposed to discover a bad stitch and asks: "who did it, blue cap?" the latter immediately answers: "not i, sir." "who then, sir?" "yellow cap, sir." yellow cap must then answer at once in the same manner and name another workman. any one who fails to answer to his name pays a forfeit. if carried on in a brisk manner, this game will cause endless amusement. * * * * * it one of the players is asked to go outside while the company thinks of some person in the room, and on his return he has to guess of whom the company has thought. the players then arrange themselves in a circle, and agree each to think of his or her right-hand neighbor; it is best to have a girl and boy alternately, as this adds much to the amusement. the one outside is then called in, and commences to ask questions. before replying, the player asked must be careful to notice his or her right-hand neighbor, and then give a correct reply. for instance, supposing the first question to be: "is the person thought of a boy or a girl?" the answer would possibly be "a boy;" the next person would then be asked the color of the complexion, the next one the color of the hair, if long or short, etc., to which questions the answers would, of course, be given according to the right-hand neighbor. nearly all the answers will contradict the previous ones, and something like this may be the result: "a boy," "very dark complexion," "long yellow hair," "wearing a black velvet jacket," "with a dark green dress," "five feet high," "about six years old," etc. when the player guessing gives the game up, the joke is explained to him. * * * * * acting rhymes for this game, half the players go outside the door, while those who stay in the room choose a word of one syllable, which should not be too difficult. for instance, suppose the word chosen be "flat," those who are out of the room are informed that a word has been thought of that rhymes with "cat," and they then have to act without speaking, all the words they can think of that rhyme with "cat." supposing their first idea be "bat," they come into the room and play an imaginary game of cricket. this not being correct, they would get hissed for their pains, and they must then hurry outside again. they might next try "rat," most of them going into the room on their hands and feet, while the others might pretend to be frightened. again they would be hissed. at last the boys go in and fall flat on their faces, while the girls pretend to use flat-irons upon their backs. the loud clapping that follows tells them that they are right at last. they then change places with the audience, who, in their turn, become the actors. * * * * * man and object two persons go out of the room, and after agreeing together as to what they shall represent, they come back again, and sit side by side in front of the company. one of the two takes the part of some well-known person, and the other represents an object which is closely connected with that person; for instance, say one represents the governor, and the other the mayor. when the two return to the room, the other players take it in turns to ask each of them a question, to which both the man and the object must reply either "yes" or "no," until the right person and the right object have been guessed. the first player will perhaps ask the "man:" "are you alive?" [illustration] the man will reply, "yes;" then the object is asked: "are you of wood?" "no." the second player next questions him, and then the third, and so on until every one has had a turn at questioning, or the person and the object have been guessed. * * * * * the jolly miller the players decide among themselves which one of their number shall act the part of the jolly miller. this being done, each little boy chooses a little girl as partner; the jolly miller having taken his stand in the middle of the room, they all commence to walk arm-in-arm round him, singing the following lines: there was a jolly miller who lived by himself; as the wheel went round he made his wealth; one hand in the hopper, and the other on the bag; as the wheel went round he made his grab. at the word "grab" all must change partners, and while the change is going on the miller has the opportunity given him of securing a partner for himself. should he succeed in doing so, the one left without a partner must take the place of the jolly miller, and must occupy the center of the room until fortunate enough to get another partner. * * * * * ruth and jacob [illustration] one player is blindfolded, the rest dance in a circle round him till he points at one of them. this person then enters the ring, and when the blindman calls out "ruth," answers "jacob," and moves about within the circle so as to avoid being caught by the blindman, and continues to answer "jacob," as often as the blindman calls out "ruth." this continues until "ruth" is caught. "jacob" must then guess who it is he has caught; if he guesses correctly, "ruth" takes his place, and the game goes on; if he guesses wrongly, he continues to be "jacob." * * * * * checkers this is a splendid game and one very easily learned. it is played upon a special board with thirty-two white and thirty-two black squares. two persons play at the game, who sit opposite to each other. the players have each a set of twelve pieces, or "men," the color of the sets being different, so that the players can distinguish their own men easily. the men are round and flat, and are usually made of boxwood or ebony and ivory, one set being white and the other black. before placing the men upon the board, it must be decided whether the white or the black squares are to be played on, as the whole must be put on one color only. if the white squares are selected, there must be a black square in the right-hand corner; if the black squares are to be played upon, then the right-hand corner square must be a white one. the movements in checkers are very simple; a man can be moved only one square at a time, except as explained hereafter, and that diagonally, never straight forward or sideways. if an opponent's man stand in the way, no move can take place unless there be a vacant square beyond it, into which the man can be lifted. in this case the man leaped over is "taken" and removed from the board. the great object of the game, then, is to clear the board of the opponent's men, or to hem them in in such a way that they cannot be moved, whichever player hems in the opponent or clears the board first gains the victory. as no man can be moved more than one step diagonally at a time (except when taking opponent's pieces), there can be no taking until the two parties come to close quarters; therefore, the pushing of the men continuously into each other's ground is the principle of the game. in beginning the game, a great advantage can be obtained by having the first move; the rule, therefore, is, if several games are played, that the first move be taken alternately by the players. when either of the players has, with his men, reached the extreme row of squares on the opposite side (the first row of his opponent), those men are entitled to be crowned, which is done by placing on the top of each another man, which may be selected from the men already removed from the board. the men so crowned are called "kings" and have a new power of movement, as the player may now move them either backward or forward, as he wills, but always diagonally as before. the kings having this double power of movement, it is an important point for a player to get as many men crowned as possible. if each player should be fortunate enough to get two or three kings, the game becomes very exciting. immediately after crowning, it is well for a player to start blocking up his opponent's men, so as to allow more freedom for his own pieces, and thus prepare for winning the game. it is the rule that if a player touch one of his men he must play it. if player a omit to take a man when it is in his power to do so, his opponent b can huff him; that is, take the man of the player a off the board. if it is to b's advantage, he may insist on his own man being taken, which is called a "blow." the usual way is to take the man of the player a who made the omission, and who was huffed, off the board. it is not considered right or fair for any one watching the game to advise what move to be made, or for a player to wait longer than five minutes between each move. great care should be taken in moving the men, as one false move may at any time endanger the whole game. with constant practice any one can soon become a very fair player, but even after the game has been played only a few times it will be found very interesting. * * * * * dominoes there are several ways of playing dominoes, but the following game is the most simple: the dominoes are placed on the table, face downward, and each player takes up one, to decide who is to play first. the one who draws the stone with the highest number of pips on it takes the lead. the two stones are then put back among the rest; the dominoes are then shuffled, face downward, and the players choose seven stones each, placing them upright on the table, so that each can see his own stones, without being able to overlook those of his opponent. as there are twenty-eight stones in an ordinary set, there will still be fourteen left from which to draw. the player who has won the lead now places a stone, face upward, on the table. suppose it be double-six, the other player is bound to put down a stone on which six appears, placing the six next to the double-six. perhaps he may put six-four; the first player then puts six-five, placing his six against the opposite six of the double-six; the second follows with five-four, placing his five against the five already on the table; thus, you see, the players are bound to put down a stone which corresponds at one end with one of the end numbers of those already played. whenever a player has no corresponding number he must draw from the fourteen that were left out for that purpose. if, when twelve of these fourteen stones are used up, he cannot play, he loses his turn, and his opponent plays instead of him. the two remaining dominoes must not be drawn. when one of the players has used up all his dominoes, his opponent turns up those he has left, the pips are then counted, and the number of pips is scored to the account of the player who was out first. if neither player can play, the stones are turned face upward on the table, and the one who has the smallest number of pips scores as follows: if the pips of one player count ten and those of the other player five, the five is deducted from the ten, leaving five to be scored by the player whose pips only counted five. the dominoes are shuffled again, the second player this time taking the lead, and the game proceeds in this way until one or other has scored a hundred, the first to do so winning the game. this game is generally played by two only, though it is possible for four, five, or even six to join in it; but, in that case, they cannot, of course, take seven stones each, so they must divide the stones equally between them, leaving a few to draw from, if they prefer it; if not they can divide them all. * * * * * green gravel in this game the children join hands and walk round in a circle, singing the following words: green gravel, green gravel, your grass is so green, the fairest young damsel that ever was seen. i'll wash you in new milk and dress you in silk, and write down your name with a gold pen and ink. oh! (mary) oh! (mary) your true love is dead; he's sent you a letter to turn round your head. when the players arrive at that part of the song, "oh, mary!" they name some member of the company; when the song is finished, the one named must turn right round and face the outside of the ring, having her back to all the other players. she then joins hands in this position and the game continues as before until all the players face outward. they then recommence, until they all face the inside of the ring as at first. * * * * * fives and threes this is another game that is played with dominoes, and is one of the most popular. it is excellent practice for counting, and to be successful at it depends, in a very great measure, upon skill in doing this. two, three or four players may take part in this game. after the dominoes have been shuffled, face downward, each player takes an equal number of stones, leaving always three, at least, upon the table; no player, however, may take more than seven, and it is perhaps better to limit the number to five. in playing dominoes, it should always be borne in mind that one end of the domino to be played must always agree in number with the end of the domino it is to be placed against. the object of the game is to make as many "fives" and "threes" as are possible; for instance, a player should always make the domino show fifteen if he can, as three divides into fifteen five times, and five divides into fifteen three times, and he would thus score 8 (three and five). the way to count is to add the two extreme ends together, always, of course, trying to make the number as high as possible, and to make it one into which either three or five will divide, as if a number be formed into which these numbers will not divide, no score will result. suppose there are two players, a and b. a starts the game by playing the double-six, for which he scores 4 (three dividing into twelve four times). b then plays the six-three, making fifteen, and thus scores 8 (the highest score possible, as explained above). a next plays the double-three, which makes eighteen, and scores 6 (three dividing into eighteen six times). b then plays six-blank onto the double-six on the left-hand side and scores 2 (three dividing into six twice). a holding the blank-three, places it onto the blank end, making the number nine, and scores 3. b next plays the three-four, which makes ten, and 2 is added to his score (five dividing into ten twice). thus the game proceeds, each player trying to make as many fives and threes as possible. * * * * * paper and pencil games birds, beasts, and fishes take your pencil and write upon the top of your paper the words, "birds, beasts, and fishes." then tell your companion that you are going to think of, for instance, an animal. put down the first and last letters of the name, filling in with crosses the letters that have been omitted. for example, write down on the paper c*******e. your companion would have to think of all the animals' names that he could remember which contained nine letters, and commenced with the letter c and ended with "e." if the second player after guessing several times "gives it up," the first player would tell him that the animal thought of was "crocodile," and would then think of another bird, beast, or fish, and write it down in a similar manner. if, however, the name of the animal be guessed, then it would be the second player's turn to take the paper and pencil. * * * * * noughts and crosses [illustration] this is a game every boy or girl thoroughly enjoys. take paper, and with a pencil draw four cross lines as shown: [illustration] two persons only can play at this game, one player taking "noughts," the other "crosses." the idea is for the one player to try and draw three "noughts" in a line before the other player can do the same with three "crosses." supposing the player who places his "o" in the right-hand top corner, the player who has taken the "crosses" will perhaps place an "x" in the left-hand top corner. the next "o" would be placed in the bottom left-hand corner; then to prevent the line of three "noughts" being completed, the second player would place his "x" in the center square. an "o" would then be immediately placed in the right-hand bottom corner, so that wherever the "x" was placed by the next player, the "noughts" would be bound to win. say, for instance, the "x" has chosen the "noughts" commences and was placed in the center square on the right-hand side, the place for the "o" to be put would be the center square at the bottom, thus securing the game. the diagram would then appear as illustrated: * * * * * "tit, tat, toe" [illustration] there can be two, three, or four players for this game. first take paper and pencil and write the players' names across the top of the paper in the order in which they are to play. next draw a large circle, in the center of which draw a smaller one, placing the number 100 within it. the space between the inner and outer circles must be divided into parts, each having a number, as shown in the diagram. this having been done, the first player closes his eyes, takes the pencil, and places his hand over the paper, the point of the pencil just touching it. he then repeats the following rhyme, moving the pencil round and round while doing so: tit, tat, toe, my first go, four jolly butcher boys all in a row. stick one up, stick one down, stick one in the old man's crown. at the word "crown" the player must keep the point of the pencil firmly on the paper, and open his eyes. if the pencil is not within the circle, or if within but with the point of the pencil resting upon a line, then the player gives the pencil to the next player, having scored nothing. if, on the contrary, at the end of the rhyme, the pencil is found to be resting in a division of the circle, for instance, marked "70," that number is placed beneath the player's name, and the section is struck by drawing a line across it. if afterward the pencil rest in a division of the circle that has been struck out, the player loses his turn in the same way as if the pencil were not in the circle at all, or had rested upon a line of the diagram. the game continues until all the divisions of the circle have been scored out, when the numbers gained by each of the players are added up, and the one who has scored the highest number of points wins the game. * * * * * card games speculation speculation is a game at which any number of persons may play. the stakes are made with counters or nuts, and the value of the stakes is settled by the company. the highest trump in each deal wins the pool. when the dealer has been chosen, he puts, say, six counters in the pool and every other player puts four; three cards are given to each person, though they must be dealt one at a time; another card is then turned up, and called the trump card. the cards must be left upon the table, but the player on the left-hand side of the dealer turns up his top card so that all may see it. if it is a trump card, that is to say, if it is of the same suit as the card the dealer turned up, the owner may either keep his card or sell it, and the other players bid for it in turn. of course, the owner sells it for the highest price he can get. the next player then turns up his card, keeps it or sells it, and so the game goes on until all the cards have been shown and disposed of, and then the player who holds the highest trump either in his own hand or among the cards he has bought, takes the pool, and there is another deal. should none of the other players have a trump card in his hand, and the turn-up card not having been purchased by another player, the dealer takes the pool. if any one look at his cards out of turn, he can be made to turn all three up, so that the whole company can see them. * * * * * all fours this game takes its name from the four chances or points of which it consists, namely, "high," "low," "jack," and "game." it may be played by two or four players, but the same rules apply to each. the four points, which have been already mentioned, count as follows: "high," the highest trump out; the holder scores one point. "low," the lowest trump out; the original holder of it scores one point even if it is taken by his adversary. "jack," the knave of trumps; the holder scores one point, unless it be won by his adversary, in which case the winner scores one. "game," the greatest number of tricks gained by either party; reckoning for each ace four toward game, each king three toward game, each queen two toward game, each jack one toward game, each ten ten toward game. the other cards do not count toward game; thus it may happen that a deal may be played without either party having any to score for "game." when the players hold equal numbers, the dealer does not score. [plate 4] begging is when the player next the dealer does not like his cards and says, "i beg," in which case the dealer must either let him score one, saying, "take one," or give three more cards from the pack to all the players and then turn up the next card for trumps; if the trump turned up is the same suit as the last, the dealer must give another three cards until a different suit turns up trumps. in playing this game the ace is the highest card and the deuce (the two) is the lowest. having shuffled and cut a pack of cards, the dealer gives six to each player. if there be two playing, he turns up the thirteenth card for trumps; if four are playing, he turns up the twenty-fifth. should the turn-up be a jack, the dealer scores one point. the player next the dealer looks at his hand and either holds it or "begs," as explained. the game then begins by the player next the dealer leading a card, the others following suit, the highest card taking the trick, and so on until the six tricks have been won. when the six tricks are played, the points are taken for high, low, jack, and game. should no player have either a court card or a ten, the player next to the dealer scores the point for the game. if only one trump should be out, it counts both high and low to the player who first has it. the first great thing in this game is to try and win the jack; next you must try and make the tens; and you must also try and win the tricks. * * * * * snap the pack of cards is dealt round, face downward, and each player packs his cards together, without looking at them, and then places them in front of him. the first player then turns up the top card of his pack, the next does the same, and so on in turn; but, as soon as a player turns up a card corresponding in number to the one already lying, uncovered, on the table, one of the two to whom the cards belong cries, "snap." whichever succeeds in saying it first takes, not only the snap card of the other player, but all the cards he has already turned up, and also those he has himself turned up. the cards he wins must be placed at the bottom of his own pack. the one who succeeds in winning all the cards wins the game. it is necessary to be very attentive and very quick if you want to be successful at this game. there is a game very similar to the above called "animal snap." each player takes the name of an animal, and instead of crying "snap," he must cry the name of the animal chosen by the player who turned up the last card. for instance, suppose a five be turned up and a player who has chosen the name of "tiger" turn up another five, instead of crying "snap," "tiger" would be called if "tiger" did not succeed in crying the other player's name first. * * * * * snip, snap, snorum this is a first-rate game and very exciting. any number of players may take part in it, and the whole of the fifty-two cards are dealt out. each player has five counters, and there is a pool in the middle, which is empty at the commencement of the game. the first player plays a card--say it is a six--then the one next to him looks through his cards, and if he has another six he puts it down and says, "snip"; the first player must then pay a counter into the pool. if the next player should chance to have another six, he plays it and says "snap," and the one who is snapped must pay in his turn, but the fine is increased to two counters. should the fourth player have the fourth six, he plays it, and says, "snorum," and the third player must now pay; his fine is three counters to the pool. no person may play out of his turn, and every one must "snip" when it is in his power. when any one has paid the whole of his five counters to the pool he retires from the game; the pool becomes the property of the one whose counters last the longest. * * * * * old maid from a pack of cards take out one queen, shuffle the cards and deal them, face downward, equally among all the players. the cards should then be taken, the pairs sorted out and thrown upon the table. by "pairs" is meant two kings, or two fives, and so on. when all the pairs have been sorted out, the dealer offers the remainder of his cards to his felt-hand neighbor, who draws any card he chooses to select, though he is only allowed to see the backs of them. the player who has drawn then looks at the cards to see if he can pair it with one he holds in his hand; if he can, he throws out the pair; if not, he must place it with his other cards. it is now his turn to offer his cards to his neighbor, and so the game goes on until all the cards are paired, except, of course, the odd card which is the companion to the banished queen. the holder of this card is "the old maid." * * * * * pope joan this amusing game is for any number of players, and is played with a wooden board which is divided into compartments or pools, and can be bought cheaply at any toy shop for a small sum. failing a board, use a sheet of paper marked out in squares. before dealing, the eight of diamonds is taken out of the pack, and the deal is settled by cutting the cards, and whoever turns up the first jack is dealer. the dealer then shuffles the cards and his left-hand neighbor cuts them. the dealer must next "dress the board," that is, he must put counters into the pools, which are all marked differently. this is the way to dress the board: one counter to each ace, king, queen, jack, and game, two to matrimony (king and queen), two to intrigue (queen and jack), and six to the nine of diamonds, which is the pope. on a proper board you will see these marked on it. the cards are now dealt round to the players, with the exception of one card, which is turned up for trumps, and six or eight, which are put aside to form the stops; the four kings and the seven of diamonds are also always stops. if either ace, king, queen, or jack happen to be turned up for trumps, the dealer may take whatever is in the compartment with that mark; but when pope is turned up for trumps, the dealer takes all the counters in pope's compartment as well as those in the "game" compartment, besides a counter for every card dealt to each player, which must, of course, be paid by the players. there is then a fresh deal. it is very seldom, however, that pope does turn up for trumps; when it does not happen, the player next to the dealer begins to play, trying to get rid of as many cards as possible. first he leads cards which he knows will be stops, then pope, if he has it, and afterward the lowest card in his suit, particularly an ace, for that can never be led up to. the other players follow when they can; for instance, if the leader plays the two of diamonds, whoever holds the three plays it, some one follows with the four, and so on until a stop occurs; whoever plays the card which makes a stop becomes leader and can play what he chooses. this goes on until some person has parted with all his cards, by which he wins the counters in the "game" compartment and receives from the players a counter for every card they hold. should any one hold the pope he is excused from paying, unless he happens to have played it. whoever plays any of the cards which have pools or compartments takes the counters in that pool. if any of these cards are not played, the counters remain over for the next game. * * * * * "i suspect you" this game may be played by any number of persons. as soon as the cards have been dealt and the players have examined their hands, the one on the left of the dealer plays the lowest card he has (the ace counting lowest). he must place the card face downward on the table, at the same time calling out what it is. the next player also puts down a card, face downward, and calls the next number; for instance, if no. 1 puts down a card and says "one," no. 2 says "two," no. 3 "three," and so on. it is not necessary for the card laid down to be actually the one called out. the fun of the game is to put down the wrong card without, any one suspecting you. naturally, it is not often that the cards run straight on, as no one may play out of turn, and if one player thinks another has put down the wrong card, he says, "i suspect you." the player must then show his card, and if it should not be the one he said, he must take all the cards laid down and add them to his pack; if, however, the card happens to be the right one, then the accuser must take the cards. the player who first succeeds in getting rid of his cards wins the game. * * * * * beggar my neighbor the cards are dealt equally to the players. the first player puts down a card, face upward, upon the table. if it be a common card, that is, a two, or three, or anything but a picture card or an ace, his neighbors put down in turn their cards until a court card (that is, a picture card or an ace) turns up. if at last an ace be played, the neighbor of the one who plays it must pay him four cards; if a king three cards, if a queen two, and if a jack one. the one who played the court card also takes all the cards that have been played, and puts them under his own pack. if, however, in playing for a court card, one of the players puts down another court card, then his neighbor must pay him, and he takes the whole pack instead of the previous player. sometimes it happens that a second player in paying puts down a court card, and the third player in paying him puts down another, and so on, until perhaps the fourth or fifth player actually gets the cards in the end. * * * * * riddles few children think they will ever tire of playing games; but all the same, toward the end of a long evening, spent merrily in dancing and playing, the little ones begin to get too weary to play any longer, and it is very difficult to keep them amused. then comes the time for riddles! the children can sit quietly round the room, resting after their romps and laughter, and yet be kept thoroughly interested, trying to guess riddles. it is, however, very difficult to remember a number of good and laughable ones, so we will give a list of some, which will be quite sufficient to puzzle a roomful of little folk for several hours. why are weary people like carriage wheels? answer: because they are tired. an old woman in a red cloak was passing a field in which a goat was feeding. what strange transformation suddenly took place? answer: the goat turned to butter (butt her), and the woman into a scarlet runner. why does a duck go into the water? answer: for divers reasons. spell "blind pig" in two letters. p g; a pig without an i. which bird can lift the heaviest weights? the crane. why is a wise man like a pin? he has a head and comes to a point. why is a jew in a fever like a diamond? because he is a jew-ill. why may carpenters reasonably believe there is no such thing as stone? because they never saw it. what is that which is put on the table and cut, but never eaten? a pack of cards. when does a farmer double up a sheep without hurting it? when he folds it. what lives upon its own substance and dies when it has devoured itself? a candle. why is a dog biting his tail like a good manager? because he makes both ends meet. what thing is it that is lower with a head than without one? a pillow. which is the left side of a plum pudding? that which is not eaten. what letter of the alphabet is necessary to make a shoe? the last. if all the seas were dried up, what would everybody say? we haven't a notion (an ocean). why is it certain that "uncle tom's cabin" was not written by the hand of its reputed author? because it was written by mrs. beecher's toe (stowe). why is a fishmonger never generous? because his business makes him sell fish (selfish). what is that which works when it plays and plays when it works? a fountain. what is that from which you may take away the whole and yet there will be some remaining? the word wholesome. why are fowls the most economical things a farmer can keep? because for every grain they give a peck. why is it dangerous to walk in the meadows in springtime? because the trees are shooting and the bulrush is out (bull rushes out). why is a vine like a soldier? because it is listed and has ten drills (tendrils) and shoots. if a man who is carrying a dozen glass lamps drops one, what does he become? a lamp lighter. what belongs to yourself, but is used more by your friends than by yourself? your name. a man had twenty sick (six) sheep and one died; how many were left? nineteen. which is the best day for making a pancake? friday. what is that which everybody has seen but will never see again? yesterday. what four letters would frighten a thief? o i c u. [illustration] why is a spider a good correspondent? because he drops a line at every post. when is the clock on the stairs dangerous? when it runs down. why is the letter "k" like a pig's tail? because it comes at the end of pork. what is the keynote to good manners? b natural. why is a five dollar bill much more profitable than five silver dollars? because when you put it in your pocket you double it, and when you take it out you will find it in-creases. why is a watch like a river? because it doesn't run long without winding. what is that which flies high, flies low, has no feet, and yet wears shoes? dust. which is the smallest bridge in the world? the bridge of your nose. when has a man four hands? when he doubles his fists. what trees has fire no effect upon? ash trees; because when they are burned they are ashes still. what is the difference between a schoolmaster and an engine-driver? one minds the train and the other trains the mind. what is that which goes from chicago to philadelphia without moving? the road. which is easier to spell--fiddle-de-dee or fiddle-de-dum? fiddle-de-dee, because it is spelled with more "e's." when may a chair be said to dislike you? when it can't bear you. what animal took most luggage into the ark, and which two took the least? the elephant, who took his trunk, while the fox and the cock had only a brush and a comb between them. if a bear were to go into a dry goods store, what would he want? he would want muzzlin'. why was the first day of adam's life the longest? because it had no eve. [illustration] why is a washerwoman like a navigator? because she spreads her sheets, crosses the line and goes from pole to pole. why is it that a tailor won't attend to business? because he is always cutting out. when can a horse be sea-green in color? when it's a bay. why were gloves never meant to sell? because they were made to be kept on hand. when are we all artists? when we draw a long face. why are watch-dogs bigger by night than by day? because they are let out at night and taken in in the morning. why is b like a hot fire? because it makes oil boil. why is a schoolmaster like a bootblack? because he polishes the understandings of the people. when is a store-keeper always above his business? when he lives over his store. which is the liveliest city in the world? berlin; because it's always on the spree. why is a water-lily like a whale? because they both come to the surface to blow. why is a shoemaker the most industrious of men? because he works to the last. what is book-keeping? forgetting to return borrowed volumes. why is scooping out a turnip a noisy process? because it makes it hollow. why are teeth like verbs? because they are regular, irregular, and defective. what ships hardly ever sail out of sight? hardships. when is an artist a dangerous person? when his designs are bad. why are tortoiseshell combs like citadels? they are for-tresses. why is the isthmus of suez like the first "u" in cucumber? because it is between two "c's" (seas). what motive led to the invention of railroads? the loco-motive. why are deaf people like dutch cheeses? because you can't make them here. when is the best time to get a fresh egg at sea? when the ship lays to. who was the first whistler? the wind. why need a traveler never starve in the desert? because of the sand which is (sandwiches) there. why is sympathy like blindman's buff? because it is a fellow feeling for a fellow creature. if a frenchman were to fall into a tub of tallow, in what word would he express his situation? in-de-fat-i-gabble. (indefatigable.) why is a dinner on board a steamboat like easter day? because it is a movable feast. spell "enemy" in three letters. f o e. why is a little man like a good book? because he is often looked over. why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire? because the sooner it is put out the better. what is the difference between a soldier and a bombshell? one goes to wars, the other goes to pieces. which is the only way that a leopard can change his spots? by going from one spot to another. why did eve never fear the measles? because she'd adam. when is a tall man a little short? when he hasn't got quite enough cash. what houses are the easiest to break into? the houses of bald people; because their locks are few. why is a watch the most difficult thing to steal? because it must be taken off its guard. why is there never anybody at home in a convent? because it is an (n) uninhabited place. why does a person who is not good looking make a better carpenter than one who is? because he is a deal plainer. what is the best tree for preserving order? the birch. why is shoemaking the easiest of trades? because the shoes are always soled before they are made. what plant stands for no. 4? iv. how can a gardener become thrifty? by making the most of his thyme, and by always putting some celery in the bank. why is it probable that beer was made in the ark? because the kangaroo went in with hops, and the bear was always bruin. "what was the biggest thing you saw at the panama exposition?" asked a wife of her husband. "my hotel bill!" said he. why is c like a schoolmistress? because it forms lasses into classes. what is that which never asks any questions and yet requires many answers? the street door. if a man bumped his head against the top of a room, what article of stationery would he be supplies with? ceiling whacks (sealing-wax). which is the oldest tree in the country? the elder tree. which is the longest word in the english language? smiles; because there is a mile between the first and last letters. what is that which happens twice in a moment and not once in a thousand years? the letter m. how many sides are there to a tree? two, inside and out. what sea would a man most like to be in on a wet day? a dry attic (adriatic). why is coffee like an axe with a dull edge? because it must be ground before it is used. what is the difference between a bottle of medicine and a troublesome boy? one is to be well shaken before taken, and the other is to be taken and then shaken. what makes more noise than a pig under a gate? two pigs. when is a door not a door? when it is a-jar. what is the difference between a naughty boy and a postage stamp? because one you stick with a lick, and the other you lick with a stick. why did william tell shudder when he shot the apple from his son's head? because it was an arrow escape for his child. what is that which the more you take from it the larger it grows? a hole. what is the best land for little kittens? lapland. why should a man always wear a watch when he travels in a waterless desert? because every watch has a spring in it. of what trade is the sun? a tanner. what relation is a doormat to a door? step-fa(r)ther. what is that which you cannot hold ten minutes, although it is as light as a feather? your breath. what is the worst weather for rats and mice? when it rains cats and dogs. what is that which never uses its teeth for eating purposes? a comb. when are two apples alike? when pared. what is the difference between a blind man and a sailor in prison? one cannot see to go and the other cannot go to sea. why is a plum cake like the ocean? because it contains so many currants. what pudding makes the best cricketer? a good batter. when is a sailor not a sailor? when he's a-board. why is the snow different from sunday? because it can fall on any day in the week. what trade would you mention to a short boy? grow sir (grocer). what tree is nearest the sea? the beech. why is a game of cards like a timber yard? because there are always a great many deals in it. why is a tight boot like an oak tree? because it produces a corn (acorn). why is a city in ireland likely to be the largest city in the world? because each year it is dublin (doubling). what is the easiest way to swallow a door? bolt it. why is a dancing master like a tree? because of his bows (boughs). name a word of five letters from which if you take two but "one" remains. stone. why is a like twelve o'clock? it is the middle of "day" when is a man thinner than a lath? when he is a-shaving. * * * * * thought reading this is a very good game, which always causes considerable amusement, and if skillfully carried out will very successfully mystify the whole company. it is necessary that the player who is to take the part of thought-reader should have a confederate, and the game is then played as follows: the thought-reader, having arranged that the confederate should write a certain word, commences by asking four members of the company to write each a word upon a piece of paper, fold it up in such a manner that it cannot be seen, and then to pass it on to him. the confederate, of course, volunteers to make one of the four, and writes the word previously agreed upon, which is, we will suppose, "ohio." the thought-reader places the slips of paper between his fingers, taking care to put the paper of his confederate between the third and little finger; he then takes the folded paper from between his thumb and first finger and rubs it, folded as it is, over his forehead, at each rub mentioning a letter, as o, rub, h, rub, i o, after which he calls out that some lady or gentleman has written "ohio." "i did," replies the confederate. the thought-reader then opens the paper, looks at it, and slips it into his pocket; he has, however, looked at one of the other papers. consequently he is now in a position to spell another word, which he proceeds to do in the same manner, and thus the game goes on until all the papers have been read. * * * * * the cushion dance the children first of all divide themselves into two parties. they then form a ring, and commence dancing round a hassock which is placed, end upward, in the middle of the room. suddenly one party endeavors to pull the other party forward, so as to force one of their number to kick the hassock and upset it. the player who has been unfortunate enough to touch the hassock has then to leave the circle. the game proceeds until only two remain; if these two happen to be boys, the struggle is generally prolonged, as they can so easily jump over the hassock, and avoid kicking it. * * * * * the farmyard this game, if carried out properly, will cause great amusement. one of the party announces that he will whisper to each person the name of some animal, which, at a given signal, must be imitated as loudly as possible. instead, however, of giving the name of an animal to each, he whispers to all the company, with the exception of one, to keep perfectly silent. to this one he whispers that the animal he is to imitate is the donkey. after a short time, so that all may be in readiness, the signal is given. instead of all the party making the sounds of various animals, nothing is heard but a loud bray from the one unfortunate member of the company. * * * * * "i point" it is necessary in this game for the player acting the part of guesser to have a confederate; he is then able to leave the room, and on his return to mention what person was pointed at during his absence. it is done in this way: it is agreed between the guesser and his confederate that whoever speaks last before the door is closed upon the guesser shall be the person who is to be pointed at. it is very seldom that any one discovers this trick. * * * * * diamond ring the players sit in a circle with their hands placed palm to palm, the little fingers downward, between the knees. one of the company is chosen to act the part of maid. she takes a ring between her palms, which she keeps flat together in the same way as the rest. she then visits each person in turn and places her hands between the palms of each, so that she is able to slip the ring into some one's hands without the others knowing. when she has visited each, she touches one child, and says: "my lady's lost her diamond ring; i fix upon you to find it." the child touched must then guess who has the ring. if she guess correctly, she becomes the maid; if not, she must pay a forfeit. the maid then touches some one else and repeats the two lines given above. each guesser may be allowed three trials. * * * * * the forbidden letter the idea of this game is to try how many sentences can be spoken without containing a certain letter which has been agreed upon. supposing, for instance, the letter "f" is not to be introduced; the first player might ask: "is this a new game to you?" the second player could answer: "oh, no! i played it years ago when quite a youngster." he would perhaps turn to the third player, and ask: "you remember it, do you not?" the third player might answer: "yes; but we used to play it differently." this player, having used a word with an "f" in it, must pay a forfeit and remain out. the answers must be given at once, without hesitation, and the player who avoids for the greatest length of time using a word containing the forbidden letter wins the game. * * * * * grand mufti one of the company is chosen as grand mufti. the others then form a circle with the grand mufti in the center, and every action which he performs, if preceded by the words, "thus says the grand mufti," must be imitated by every member of the circle. the grand mufti, in order to lead one of the company astray, will sometimes omit to say the words: "thus says the grand mufti;" in this case, if any member of the company imitate his action, he is compelled to pay a forfeit. * * * * * magic writing in this game a confederate is necessary. the player states to the company, after a few remarks on ancient sign-language, that he is able to read signs made with a stick on the floor, and agrees to leave the room while the company decide upon some word or sentence. the game is played as follows: it is agreed by the player and his confederate that one tap on the floor shall represent a, two taps e, three taps i, four taps o, and five taps u, and that the first letter of each remark the confederate makes shall be one of the consonants of the word or sentence decided upon by the company. the consonants must be taken in order. on the player's return, supposing the word chosen to be "march," his confederate would commence: "many people think this game a deception" (initial letter m). one tap on the floor (a). "really it is very simple" (initial letter r). "coming to the end soon" (initial letter c). "hope it has been quite clear" (initial letter h). a few more signs are made so as not to finish too abruptly, and the player then states the word to be "march." if carefully conducted, this game will interest an audience for a considerable time. * * * * * flowers the company divides itself into equal sides, and each side must have a "home" in opposite corners of the room. the sides retire to their own "homes," and one side privately chooses a flower, then crosses over to the other corner and gives the initial letter of that flower. the children on the second side must try and guess the name of the flower, and when they have done so they catch as many as they can of the opposite side before they reach their "home." those caught must go over to the other side, and the game goes on until one side has won all the children. the sides take it in turns to give the name of the flower. this game may also be played in the garden. * * * * * fox and geese one of the party, called the fox, goes to one end of the room, and the rest of the children arrange themselves in a ring, one behind the other, the tallest first and the smallest last. the first one is called mother goose. the game begins by a conversation between the fox and mother goose. "what are you after this fine morning?" says she. "taking a walk," the fox answers. "what for?" "to get an appetite for breakfast." "what will you have for breakfast?" "a nice fat goose." "where will you get it?" "well, as your geese are so handy, i will take one of them." "catch one if you can." mother goose then stretches out her arms to protect her geese and not let the fox catch one. the fox tries to dodge under, right and left, until he is able to catch the last of the string. of course, the brood must try and keep out of reach of the fox. as the geese are caught they must go over to the den of the fox, and the game continues until all are caught. * * * * * "i sell my bat, i sell my ball" a ring is formed with one child in the middle, who is called the "drummer-man." whatever this child does the others mimic, moving round as they do so, and singing the following words: "i sell my bat, i sell my ball, i sell my spinning-wheel and all; and i'll do all that e'er i can to follow the eyes of the drummer-man." any one who does not at once imitate the "drummer-man" must pay a forfeit and take his place as "drummer-man." * * * * * "what's my thought like?" the players sit in a circle, and one of them asks the others: "what's my thought like?" one player may say: "a monkey;" the second, "a candle;" the third, "a pin," and so on. when all the company have compared the thought to some object, the first player tells them the thought--perhaps it is "the cat"--and then asks each, in turn, why it is like the object he compared it to. "why is my cat like a monkey?" is asked. the other player might answer: "because it is full of tricks." "why is my cat like a candle?" "because its eyes glow like a candle in the dark." "why is my cat like a pin?" "because its claws scratch like a pin." any one who is unable to explain why the thought resembles the object he mentioned must pay a forfeit. * * * * * cat's cradle take a piece of string and knot the ends together and slip it over your hands, as in fig. 1. [illustration] next wind the string round your hands, not including the thumb, as in fig. 2. [illustration] slip the second fingers through the string on your hands and you have your cat's cradle, as in fig. 3. [illustration] you must now ask a second person to put his thumbs and first fingers through the cradle, as in fig. 4. [illustration] draw out the string and take it under the cradle, and you will have fig. 5. [illustration] slip the thumbs and first fingers again into the side pieces of the cradle, draw the string sideways and take it under the cradle, and you will have fig. 6. [illustration] now curl the little fingers round the string, slipping one under the other as shown, and draw out the side pieces. [illustration] slip the thumb and first fingers under the side string, bring them up the middle, and you have your original cat's cradle again. [illustration] * * * * * personations to play this game the company seat themselves in a circle, while one of the players commences to describe some person with whom most of the other players are familiar, and continues until one or other of the company is able to guess from the description who the person may be. the one guessing correctly then commences to describe some one. if, however, the company are unable to make a correct guess, the player goes on until some one is successful. * * * * * frog in the middle one child is seated on the ground with his legs under him, while the other players form a ring round him. they then pull him about and give him little pushes, and he must try to catch one without rising from the floor. the child who is caught takes the middle, while the frog joins the circle. * * * * * giant this game must be arranged in the nature of a surprise for the company assembled. the giant is formed by two youngsters, one of whom seats himself on the shoulders of his friend. a large cloak should then be thrown over them, to make it appear as if it were only one person, and the top boy might wear a mask to prevent recognition. the giant then enters the room and commences dancing. great amusement is afforded the little folk by this game. * * * * * cock fighting this is a most amusing game, and although only two boys can play at it at one time, they will keep the rest of the company in roars of laughter. the two who are to represent the "cocks" having been chosen, they are both seated upon the floor. each boy has his wrists tied together with a handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ankles with another handkerchief; his arms are then passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over one arm, under both knees, and out again on the other side over the other arm. the "cocks" are now considered ready for fighting, and are carried into the center of the room, and placed opposite each other with their toes just touching. the fun now commences. each "cock" tries with the aid of his toes to turn his opponent over on his back or side. the one who can succeed in doing this first wins the game. it often happens that both "cocks" turn over at the same time, when the fight commences again. * * * * * [illustration] games with the alphabet it is necessary for these games that a large boxful of letters should be provided, which can be purchased at any toy store or made by the young people themselves by being cut out of newspapers. the children should seat themselves round the table; the letters should then be well shuffled and dealt round to the players. each child has to form a word or sentence out of the letters which he has received. another variation is to select a long word, and then in a given time to try to form several words from it. names of well-known men, places, etc., can also be given. these games are not only amusing, but serve at the same time to instruct the young folk. * * * * * honey pots for little ones there is scarcely a more popular game than "honey pots." small children of three and four can be included in this game, but there should be two bigger children for the "buyer" and the "merchant." the children, with the exception of the buyer and merchant, seat themselves upon the floor of the room, with their knees raised and their hands clasped together round them. these children are called "honey pots." the merchant and the buyer then talk about the quality and quantity of the honey, and the price of each pot. it is agreed that the price to be paid shall be according to the weight of the "honey" and the "pot." the children are carefully "weighed" by raising them two or three times from the floor and swinging them by the arms, one arm held by the merchant and the other by the buyer. [illustration] when the "honey pots" are all weighed, the buyer says he will purchase the whole of the stock, and asks the merchant to help him carry the pots home. then the merchant and the buyer carry the children, one by one, to the other end of the room. when all are safely at the buyer's house, the merchant goes out of the room, but suddenly returns and says to the buyer: "i believe you have carried off my little daughter in one of the honey pots." the buyer replies: "i think not. you sold me all the pots full of honey, but if you doubt me you can taste them." the merchant then pretends to taste the honey, and after having tried two or three pots exclaims: "ah! this tastes very much like my little daughter." the little girl who represents the honey pot chosen by the merchant then cries out: "yes, i am your little girl," and immediately jumps up and runs away, the buyer at the same time endeavoring to catch her. when the one honey pot runs away, all the others do the same, the buyer catches whom he can, and the game recommences. * * * * * the spelling game each player in this game has what are called three "lives," or chances. when the company is seated in a circle, the first player mentions a letter as the beginning of a word. the game is for each of the company, in turn, to add a letter to it, keeping the word unfinished as long as possible. when a letter is added to the former letters and it makes a complete word, the person who completed it loses a "life." the next player then begins again. every letter added must be part of a word, and not an odd letter thought of on the spur of the moment. when there is any doubt as to the letter used by the last player being correct, he may be challenged, and he will then have to give the word he was thinking of when adding the letter. if he cannot name the word, he loses a "life;" but if he can, it is the challenger who loses. this is an example of how the game should be played. supposing the first player commences with the letter "p;" the next, thinking of "play," would add an "l;" the next an "o," thinking of "plough;" the next person, not having either of these words in his mind, would add "v;" the next player, perhaps, not knowing the word of which the previous player was thinking, might challenge him, and would lose a "life" on being told the word was "plover." the player next in turn would then start a new word, and perhaps put down "b," thinking of "bat;" the next thinking, say, that the word was "bone," would add an "o," the next player would add "n;" the player whose turn it would now be, not wanting to lose a "life" by finishing the word, would add another "n;" the next player for the same reason would add "e," and then there would be nothing else for the next in turn to do but to complete the word by adding "t" and thus losing a "life." it will be seen that there are three ways of losing a "life." first, the player may lay down a letter, and on being challenged be unable to give the word. secondly, he may himself challenge another player who is not at fault. thirdly, he may be obliged to add the final letter to a word, and so complete it. this is a most amusing game for a large party, for as the different persons lose their three "lives," the players gradually dwindle down to two or three, when it gets very exciting to see who will be the last person left in, for he or she will be declared the winner. * * * * * "draw a pail of water." "draw a pail of water for my lady's daughter; my father's a king and my mother's a queen, my two little sisters are dressed in green; stamping grass and parsley, marigold leaves and daisies, one rush, two rush, pray thee, fine lady, come under my bush." two children stand face to face, holding each other's hands. two others also face each other holding hands across the other two. they seesaw backward and forward, singing the above lines. when they come to the line, "pray thee, fine lady, come under my bush," another child pops under and comes up between one child's arms. they sing the verse again and another child creeps under another pair of arms, and so on until there are eight children standing facing each other. the must then jump up and down until one falls down, when she is almost sure to pull the others over. * * * * * questions and answers each player is furnished with a pencil and two slips of paper. on the first slip a question must be written. the papers are then collected and put into a bag or basket. [illustration] then the players write an answer on their second slip. these are put into a different bag, and the two bags are then well shaken and handed round to the company. every one draws a question and an answer, and must then read the two out to the company. the result is sometimes very comical; for instance: questions do you like roses? where are you going to this summer? do you like beef? do you like spiders? answers yes, with mustard. i am very much afraid of them. yes, without thorns. to switzerland. * * * * * duck under the water each child chooses a partner and stands opposite to her, so that two long lines are formed. each couple hold a handkerchief between them, as high as they can lift their arms, so as to form an arch. the couple standing at the top of the lines run through the arch without letting go their handkerchief, and station themselves at the bottom of the lines, raising their handkerchief again so as to continue the arch. this is done by each couple in succession until all have had a turn. whoever breaks the arch or drops the handkerchief must pay a forfeit. * * * * * wonderment it is necessary that two only of the party should have a knowledge of this game, and then "wonderment" is sure to be the result. the two players agree that a certain word shall be regarded as a signal word. as an illustration, imagine this word to be "and." one of the players asserts his belief that he is gifted with second sight, and states that he is able to name, through a closed door, any article touched by any person in sympathy with him, notwithstanding the said person may attempt to mystify him by mentioning a lot of other articles. he then chooses his confederate, as being one with whom he may be in sympathy, and goes outside. the player in the room then proceeds to call out, perhaps, as follows: table, rug, piano, footstool and chair, lamp, inkstand. he then places his hand on the back of a chair and asks: "what am i touching now?" the answer will, of course, be "chair," because the signal word "and" came immediately before that article. if the players are skillful there is no need for the trick to be discovered. * * * * * "mother, mother, the pot boils over" a number of children choose one of their number to be "mother" and another to be the witch. one child represents the pot, and the others are named after the days in the week, sunday, monday, tuesday, etc. if there are too many children they might be called after the months. the mother first names the children, next she takes the pot and pretends to put it on the fire. she tells the eldest daughter that she is going to wash, and that she must take great care of her brothers and sisters while she is away, and on no account to let the old witch into the house. she is also to look after the dinner and see that the pot does not boil over. the mother then goes away, and the eldest daughter pretends to be very busy. the child who is supposed to be the witch knocks at the door, and asks if she may come in and get a light for her pipe. she must pretend to be very old and walk with a stick. "come in," says the eldest daughter; "what do you want?" "to light my pipe at your fire." "very well, but you must not dirty the range." "certainly not; i'll be very careful." while the eldest daughter pretends to look on the shelf for something, the witch puts her dirty shoe on the range, catches hold of monday (the youngest child) and runs off with him. the child who is the pot now makes a hissing noise and pretends to boil over. the daughter calls out: "mother, mother, the pot boils over." "take a spoon and skim it." "can't find one." "look on the shelf." "can't reach." "take the stool." "the leg's broken." "take the chair." "the chair's gone to be mended." "i suppose i must come myself." the mother comes in from the washtub, drying her hands. "where's monday?" she asks. "please, mother, some one came to beg for a light for her pipe, and when my back was turned she took monday." "why, that was the witch." the mother pretends to beat the eldest daughter, tells her to be more careful another time, and goes back to the washtub. the game then goes on as before, and each time the witch comes she takes away a child, until at last even the eldest daughter is taken. the pot boils over for the last time and then the mother, finding all her children gone, goes to the witch's house to find them, when this conversation ensues: "is this the way to the witch's house?" "there's a red bull that way." "then i'll go this way." "there's a mad cow that way." but the mother insists upon going into the witch's house to look for her children. the witch generally hides the children behind chairs. the mother stoops over one child: "this tastes like monday," she says, but the witch replies: "that! it is a barrel of pork." "no, no," says the mother, "it is my monday, and there are the rest of the children." the children now jump out and they and their mother begin to run home; the witch runs after them, and whoever she catches becomes witch, while the witch becomes the eldest daughter. * * * * * the ants and the grasshopper lots are drawn in order to decide who shall be the grasshopper; the ants then seat themselves in a circle, while the grasshopper writes on a piece of paper the name of a grain or food which a grasshopper might be supposed to like. he puts this in his pocket and then addresses the ants: "dear friends, i am very hungry; would any of you kindly give me some food?" "i have nothing but a grain of barley," says the ant spoken to. "thank you; that is of no use to me," replies the grasshopper, and goes on to the next player. as soon as any one offers the grain of food which the grasshopper has written down the paper must be produced, and the one who guessed the word pays a forfeit and becomes grasshopper. if no one guesses the word, the grasshopper pays a forfeit. the game then goes on in the same way, except that a different question is asked on the second round. "neighbors," says the grasshopper, "i have eaten abundantly and would have a dance. which would you recommend?" a waltz, a polka, a quadrille, etc., are suggested, and when this question has gone the round, the grasshopper asks what music he can dance to, and the ants suggest the music of the violin, the piano, cornet, etc. then the grasshopper says he is tired of dancing and wishes for a bed, and the ants offer him moss, straw, grass, and so on, to lie upon. "i should sleep very comfortably," the grasshopper says, "but i am in fear of being pounced upon by a hungry bird. what bird have i most reason to fear?" the ants answer: the rook, the lark, the cuckoo, etc. when the game is ended, the forfeits that have been lost must be called. * * * * * the magic whistle all the players but three stand in two rows facing each other. one player sits at the end of the two rows, another leads a third player into the room and makes him kneel down before the player who is seated, and who is called the president. the president then proceeds to make all sorts of "magic" passes over the kneeler's face, back, and hands. while he is doing this, the boy who led the victim in fastens a whistle to his coat. it must be slung on to a piece of string or tape, and fastened very loosely, so that it can be easily grasped and yet will not knock against the wearer's back. the whistle is then blown by the boy who attached it, and the kneeling boy is told to rise and search for the magic whistle. the players who stand on each side must hold their hands before their mouths and pretend to blow whenever the whistle is blown, which must be as often as any one can get a chance without being found out. the victim will search all along the rows trying to find the magic whistle, and it will be some time before he discovers that it is pinned to his own coat. * * * * * a running maze form a long line of children, one behind the other. the leader starts running, and is followed by all the rest. they must be sharp enough to do exactly as the leader does. after running for a moment or two in the ordinary running step, the leader changes to a hopping step, then to a marching step, quick time, then to a marching step, slow time, claps and runs with hands on sides, hands on shoulders, hands behind, etc. finally, the leader runs slowly round and round into the center, and can either wind the children up tightly or can turn them on nearing the center and run out again. for another change the long line can start running and so unwind the spiral. * * * * * the coach and four two children stand hand-in-hand, side by side. these are the front horses. two others, close behind, stand also hand-in-hand and side by side. these are the back horses. slip reins over the left arm of one of the front horses, and over the right arm of the other. the two back horses hold on the reins, standing inside them. a driver must then be chosen, who gathers up the reins in his left hand and in his right hand holds a whip. running beside him, equipped with a horn and parcels and letters, is another child, who acts as guard or conductor. the rest of the children form village streets, by standing in rows facing one another. the coach and four, with the driver and guard, gallop about the room and through the villages, the guard blowing his horn and tossing out a paper or letter here and there. change horses every now and then, so that all may have a turn at being horses. a change of driver and guard, too, is also much appreciated. when the children have had about enough of this game, start a cheer as the coach dashes through the villages for the last time. two coaches greatly add to the fun and enjoyment, as they have to pass and repass each other. * * * * * malaga raisins the players sit in a circle, and one who is acquainted with the trick takes a small stick in his right hand, makes some funny movements with it, and then, having taken it in his left hand, passes it to his neighbor, saying: "malaga raisins are very good raisins, but i like valencias better." he then tells his neighbor to do the same. should any of the players pass on the stick with the right hand, they must pay a forfeit, but of course they must not be told what mistake they have made until the stick has been passed right round the circle. * * * * * sally water this game can be played by any number of children. a ring is formed in which all join with the exception of one little girl, who kneels in the center of the ring. the children then dance round her, singing the following verses: "sally, sally water, sprinkle in the pan, rise, sally, rise, sally, for a young man; choose for the best and choose for the worst, and choose the very one you love best. "now you're married i wish you joy, first a girl and then a boy; seven years after, son and daughter, pray, young couple, come kiss together." [illustration] when they come to the words, "rise, sally!" the child in the center rises and chooses another from the ring. the next two lines are then sung, and the two children in the ring dance round and kiss. sally then joins the ring, the second child remaining in the circle, and the game is continued as before until all the players have acted the part of sally. * * * * * pigeon-house game make a ring of children. in the center place five or six of the smaller children of the party. this forms the pigeon-house and pigeons. now choose one child (boy or girl) to open or shut this old-fashioned dovecote. he runs round the ring outside and gently pushes the children in toward the center, and close to the pigeons, who are sitting on the ground softly cooing (or not, just as they please). this done he moves back. let him be called the farmer or the farmer's boy, if a name is wanted. a pretty and lively tune is now started on the piano. directly it begins, the boy runs forward and pulls open the ring of children, which widens out with raised arms, to form pigeon-holes. the pigeons rise to their feet and fly out of these holes, round and round the room. as the music begins to stop and die away, the pigeons should return to their dovecote, and when the last note sounds they should all be settled again. the farmer's boy now runs round the ring, closing it in and making all safe for the night. this game can be played without music, and the elder children can take their turn at being pigeons. * * * * * oats and beans and barley all the children form a ring with the exception of one player, who stands in the center. the children then dance round this one, singing the first three lines of the verses given below. at the fourth line they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. they pretend to scatter seed; they stand at ease, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words: "turn him round," each child turns round. they then again clap hands and dance round, and when the words, "open the ring and take one in," are sung, the center child chooses a partner, who steps into the ring, and the two stand together while the other children sing the remaining verse, after which the child who was first in the center joins the ring and the game is continued as before. "oats and beans and barley o! do you or i or any one know how oats and beans and barley grow? "first the farmer sows his seed, then he stands and takes his ease, stamps his foot and claps his hands, and turns him round to view the land. "oats and beans and barley o! waiting for a partner, waiting for a partner. open a ring and send one in. oats and beans and barley o! "so now you're married you must obey, you must be true to all you say, you must be kind, you must be good, and help your wife to chop the wood. oats and beans and barley o!" * * * * * bingo "the miller's dog lay at the mill, and his name was little bingo, b with an i, i with an n, n with a g, g with an o, his name was little bingo. "the miller he bought some peppermint, and he called it right good stingo, s with a t, t with an i, i with an n, n with a g, g with an o, he called it right good stingo." one child represents the miller, the rest stand round him in a circle, and all dance round and sing the verses. when it comes to the spelling part of the rhyme, the miller points to a child, who must call out the right letter. any one who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit. * * * * * lubin loo this game can be played by any number of children. the players form a ring by clasping hands; they then dance round singing the first verse, which after the second verse serves as a chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo, here we dance lubin, light, here we dance lubin, loo, on a saturday night." while singing the second verse, the children stop, unclasp their hands and suit their actions to the words contained in the verse. "i put my right hand in, i put my right hand out, i give my right hand shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." each child while singing this first stretches her right arm toward the center of the ring, then draws the same arm back as far as possible, next shakes or swings her right hand, and when the last line is sung she turns right round. the children then once more join hands, and commence dancing, at the same time singing the chorus. the game proceeds as before until all the verses have been sung. here are the remaining verses: "here we dance the lubin, loo, here we dance lubin, light, here we dance lubin, loo, on a saturday night. "i put my left hand in, i put my left hand out, i give my left hand shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. "i put my right foot in, i put my right foot out, i give my right foot shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. "i put my left foot in, i put my left foot out, i give my left foot shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. "i put my own head in, i put my own head out, i give my own head shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. "i put my both hands in, i put my both hands out, i give my both hands shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. "i put my both feet in, i put my both feet out, i give my both feet shake, shake, shake, and turn myself about." chorus. "here we dance lubin, loo," etc. * * * * * the little lady for this game a number of pieces of rolled-up paper to represent horns are required. whoever makes a mistake in the game has a horn stuck in her hair; or, if little boys are playing, the horns might be stuck behind the ears. the leader of the game begins by saying to her right hand neighbor: "good morning, pretty lady, always pretty; i, a pretty lady, always pretty, come from that pretty lady, always pretty" (here she points to the girl on her left), "to tell you that she owns an eagle with a golden beak." the next player turns to her right-hand neighbor, saying: "good morning, pretty lady, always pretty; i, a pretty lady, always pretty, come from that pretty lady, always pretty" (here she points to the last speaker), "to tell you that she owns an eagle with a golden beak and silver claws." the next girl continues the story word for word, adding "a rare skin." the next adds "diamond eyes," and the next "purple feathers." if there are a great number of children, other charms must be added to the eagle, but each child must say the whole of the story, and for each mistake made she receives a paper horn, which must be stuck somewhere about the head. at the end of the game a forfeit must be paid for each of these horns. * * * * * "birds fly" this is a very simple game. each player places a finger on the table, which he must-raise whenever the conductor of the game says: "birds fly," "pigeons fly," or any other winged creates "fly." if he names any creature without wings, such as "pigs fly," and any player thoughtlessly raises his finger, that player must pay a forfeit, as he must also do if he omits to raise his finger when a winged creature is named. * * * * * i say stoop teacher says to the class: "i say stoop." upon the word stoop all the children must stoop. if they do not they must be seated. the teacher must say "i say stand." the children must stand. if they do not they must be seated. this game will cause the children to think quickly, and to act quickly. the teacher can say: "i say fold the hands behind the back. "i say take a deep breath of air." "i say hands on hips." "i say raise the arms over the head." anything else may be substituted; those who are slow to act and think must be seated. the one who remains standing the longest wins. * * * * * flag race players seated at desks. rows need not be full, but there must be same number in each row. choose a player to stand in front of each row to hold the flag, and another to stand at the rear of each row. at the signal the rear player of each row rises, runs to the front, takes the flag from the one holding it, carries it to the one standing at the rear, and takes his seat. as soon as he is seated the next player goes and takes the flag back to the player in front. this continues till all have run. be sure that no team has an unfair advantage because of the positions taken by the flag holders. * * * * * squirrel and nut players all seated, but one, heads on desks and eyes covered, one hand open on desk with palm up. the odd player is a squirrel and passes up and down between the rows and puts a nut in the hand of some player.... this one rises and chases the squirrel. if the squirrel is caught before he can reach his own seat, the one who caught him becomes squirrel; if the squirrel is not caught, he can be squirrel again. * * * * * racing and counting scores make a scoreboard on the blackboard, indicating each row by a number of letter. players run as in "racing" (first grade, first half year). have front players run, tag front wall and return to seats, sit erect; mark score; others in a similar manner. repeat, runners tagging rear wall. see which row has largest score. * * * * * school-room basket ball place a basket in the front seat of the second row and another in the front seat of next to last row. draw a throwing line on floor 20 feet from each basket. at some time beforehand choose four captains and have these captains choose teams, choosing in turn. teams stand at least two rows apart and behind throwing line, each team having a ball. captains stand beyond baskets, two captains at same basket. each captain passes the ball in turn to his players and they throw for the basket. team throwing the most baskets in a round wins one point, first to get five points wins the contest. * * * * * last man players seated at desks. rows playing must be full rows. the game is much like "fox and squirrel" (see first grade, second half year). one player is "it," and there is one runner, besides the full rows of seats. the runner may come to the front of any row and call "last man," and then each player in that row must move back one place, leaving the front seat for the runner, who is now safe. the last one in the rear of the row will be out of a place and thus becomes runner. when a runner is tagged, he is "it," and the one who caught him becomes runner and must get out of the way at once. * * * * * changing seats players seated at desks. when teacher commands "change right," all move one place to right and the right hand row stands. in like manner the command may be "change front," "change back," or "change left." at first it is best to follow each change by the reverse, so as to allow those standing to get seats, but later they may be told that they must run to the vacant seats on the opposite side or end of the room. leaders may be chosen to act in place of the teacher. * * * * * huckle, buckle, beanstalk the children close their eyes and put their heads on their desks. a small object--a thimble or button--is placed in plain sight. at a signal, the children move about the room, and when they see it, take their seats without making any sign of its whereabouts. the first one to see it may hide it the next time. * * * * * blackboard relay this is like the blackboard relay played in the third grade, but instead of marks and letters, words must be written; these may be required to form a sentence, numbers may be written and afterwards added, subtracted, etc., by the succeeding players, or each player may write his own name. it is often interesting to have the last player required to erase all his team has written, or each child may erase his own writing, passing the eraser as he did the chalk. * * * * * hide the thimble one child goes out of the room. a thimble or button is placed in plain sight by another child. the one who was sent out is then guided to the object by the clapping of the children--soft clapping for "cold," and louder for "warm." * * * * * suggestive breathing work 1. march winds whistling through the trees. inhale a deep breath and imitate the wind. 2. keeping a feather in the air. run with head back and blow short breaths, keeping an imaginary feather from falling to the ground. 3. making ocean waves. by blowing the water in a large basin. * * * * * the fox chase four farmers are in their home in the country enjoying a quiet evening. they hear a sound outside, they watch and listen and decide that the foxes are near the cabin. they wait until they are very close, then give chase--and catch as many as they can before the foxes have reached their home in the forest. all caught become farmers and help to catch the rest. * * * * * poison the players join hands to form a circle. about ten erasers are placed in the center of the circle, with spaces between them through which a player might step. the players then try by means of pushing or pulling their comrades by means of clasped hands, to make them knock over the erasers. any player who knocks over an eraser or who unclasps hands must take his seat, the erasers again being replaced. the first players so leaving the circle form a scrub circle. the player wins who remains longest in the first circle. * * * * * slap-jack all the pupils are seated except one. the odd player walks or runs through the aisles, touching some player, and runs around the room in the direction he is going. the one touched immediately leaves his seat, and runs around the room in the opposite direction. the first one back in the empty seat wins. dodging through the aisles to shorten the distance is not allowed. the run must be around the outside of the room. * * * * * crow's race all players form in a straight line. grasp just above ankles and on "go," run a very short distance and return, keeping hold above ankles all the time. * * * * * riding the bicycle hands in position in front, as though grasping the handle-bars, running in place with lifting the knee high and pointing toe to the ground. the same movement, traveling forward with short, quick steps. * * * * * cat and rat children form a circle around the room, with hands joined. a "cat" is chosen to stand outside the circle, a "rat" to stand inside. the players are friends of the rat, and raise their arms to let him under, but keep them down when the cat tries to get through. the cat chases the rat in and out of the circle, among desks and over seats, till the "rat" is caught, when a new cat and rat are chosen. * * * * * jumping the rope this makes a splendid combination exercise. swing the arms in a large circle, as though swinging the rope, and jump each time that the rope comes down. travel forward with the same exercises, jumping and landing on one foot instead of both. * * * * * teacher the children stand or sit in one line. one is teacher and he or she throws a bean bag or soft ball in rotation down the line, the child missing goes to the front. when the teacher misses he or she goes to the foot and the child at the head becomes teacher. no bad or swift throws are counted. * * * * * bird-catcher this game is a great favorite with all the children, even in the upper grades. two players are chosen as bird-catchers, and stand in one corner of the room. the "mother-bird" is chosen to stand in another "nest" in the other front corner of the room. the other players are named in groups (those in one row of seats usually) for various birds, "robins," "wrens," etc. as the name of each group of birds is called, they go to the back of the room, and, at a signal, run to the "mother-bird's nest." the bird-catchers try to catch them before they reach it. the "birds" dodge in and out among the desks, jumping over the seats, etc. the mother-bird and bird-catchers count their birds at the end of the game, and all "fly" back to their seats; that is, wave their arms and skip to their seats. * * * * * tag me, or heads up the pupils, upon the command of the player who is the leader and stands in front of the class, fold their arms upon the desk and lower the head upon the arms. the leader has an eraser or other article which he places upon one of the desks. he commands "heads up" and the pupils raise their heads. the one finding the eraser on his seat rises and chases the leader. if he catches him he becomes the leader; if not, the first one is again the leader. if they fail to catch him after two trials he chooses another leader. * * * * * an eraser game a boy places a rubber eraser, or any small object, on the desk of a girl. she takes the eraser and chases him around the room to his seat. if she tags him, he goes to the corner to stand, with others who are caught, till the end of the game. the girl then puts the eraser on a boy's desk, and the game continues. * * * * * circle ball children stand in a circle around the room; one stands in the center, with a bean bag or ball, and makes quick throws to children in different parts of the circle. * * * * * seat tag--a school-room game the one starting the game runs and tags someone near and gets to that child's seat as quickly as he can. the child tries to tag him on the way. if he tags him the one tagged must go in the mush pot, that is, to go to the front of the room and sit down. the one who caught him continues the game, and when another one gets in the mush pot the first one is permitted to take his seat. the game continues until all have had a run. the runs should all be very short to make the game go quickly. * * * * * dead ball children stand by desks. a tennis or soft rubber ball is thrown among the players. the child hit sits and is out of the game. the child standing near where the ball falls throws it the next time. * * * * * preliminary ball children stand in rows, facing each other, two rows of desks between them, those on one side having bean bags. on the teacher's counts they throw to those in the row opposite, throwing and catching with both hands. after a given number of throws, they put the left hand behind them, throwing and catching with the right hand; the same with the left hand. this is good muscular training. * * * * * dodge players divide into equal groups. one group forms a circle, the other within. outside group has a volley or an outdoor baseball with which they try to hit the one's (players) within. as soon as one is hit he must immediately join the circle and help hit the others. when all have been tagged in this way, groups change places and repeat. the two players who were last to be hit in the two games are captains to choose up for the next time. * * * * * third man played much like "three deep." players stand in couples, facing each other, couples scattered in any way around the room. the runner is free from being tagged when he steps between the two players of any couple, and the chaser must chase the one toward whom the runner turns his back. * * * * * fox and chickens choose a player to be fox and another to be the mother hen. the players are the chickens and all form in a line behind the mother hen, and each one grasping the waist of the one in front. the fox tries to tag the last chicken; the line, led by the mother hen, turns and tries to keep between the fox and that chicken. when the last chicken is tagged he becomes fox, and the mother hen chooses another player in her place. * * * * * eraser relay place an eraser on the front desk of alternate rows. at a signal to start the first child in each row takes the eraser in both hands and passes it over his head to the child behind him. this continues till the last child receives it. the last child runs forward with it, running down the right aisle. on reaching the front seat, his entire row moves one seat backward, so as to leave an empty seat in front. the runner then sits down in the empty seat and passes the eraser backward with both hands as before stated. the changing of seats should be on the left side. the game ends when each child is returned to his own seat. * * * * * school-room tag mark a circle on floor in front of desks. choose a player to be "it." he stands near but not in the circle and calls the names of three players. the players must rise and try to reach the circle without being tagged. they run in any style in either direction. the first one tagged is "it" and the game continues as before. if none are caught, three more are named. encourage naming players who have not been called. * * * * * the serpentine maze players all in single file, teacher leading. each player reaches right hand forward to player next in front and left hand back, grasping hands. march forward, circling to left and winding up into a spiral. when tightly wound, last player should lead, all turn about to left and wind up, circling to right. several variations should be used later: 1. same as first method without grasping hands. 2. when wound as far as possible and leave enough space, teach circles right from center of spiral and line follows, passing out in a reverse spiral; this is done first grasping hands and later without. 3. when leader reaches center of spiral, tight wound, she signals to players in some direction and they lift arms, forming arches, under which the line may pass, teacher leading, hands are kept grasped in this case. * * * * * teacher and class [illustration] similar to "school ball." a leader is chosen for each group of eight or ten players, the players in a line and the leader eight or ten feet away at the side. a row in the school-room may be taken as a group, with a leader standing in front. the leader tosses the ball or bean bag to the players in turn, beginning at the head. any player missing goes to the foot. if the leader misses he goes to the foot and the one at the head becomes leader. if the ball goes twice around and the leader does not miss, he goes in the line just above those who have missed and the head player becomes leader. * * * * * blackboard relay the competing rows must be placed where there is a blackboard at the front of each row. first player of each row has a piece of chalk. at the signal he runs to the board and makes a mark with the chalk, then he returns to his seat, and hands the chalk to the next player, who runs and marks in his turn. later, players may be required to make a cross, circles, capital letters, small letters, add columns of numbers, write words, construct sentences. the teacher is the judge as to whether the marks come up to the requirements, and each team is charged with a foul for each defect. * * * * * tag the wall relay this is like "racing" (see first grade), but more continuous. two or more rows compete. the player in the back seat rises at a signal from the teacher, runs forward down the aisle, tags the wall at the front of the room, and returns to his seat. as soon as he has reached his seat the player next in front of him does the same, the relay being complete when each player in turn has run. the line whose front player is seated first wins. * * * * * slow poke (indoors) alternate rows of children are chosen. on a signal from the teacher, the last children in the alternate rows, run down the aisles, turn to their left; run down the other aisle, turn on reaching their seats, and tag the person who sits in front of them. the person tagged does as the first person did, tagging the person in front only when he reaches his starting place. each person running when tagged. equal numbers should be chosen for each row. the object of the game is to see which row is the winner, depending entirely upon alertness, quickness of mind and honesty in playing with fellow students. * * * * * tricks and puzzles any one who wishes to play a trick or show off a puzzle should test it privately, before attempting to show it before company, for often, owing to some slight error, the trick may at first prove a failure, whereas a little practice will soon make one perfect. * * * * * the dancing egg get a hard-boiled egg and place it on the reverse side of a smooth polished plate or bread-platter. if you now turn the plate round while holding it in a horizontal position, the egg, which is in the middle of it, will turn round also, and as the pace is quickened, the egg will move more and more quickly, until it stands up on one end and spins round like a top. in order to be quite sure that the experiment will succeed, you should keep the egg upright while it is being boiled, so that the inside may be hardened in the proper position. * * * * * the magic thread soak a piece of thread in a solution of salt or alum (of course, your audience must not know you have done this). when dry, borrow a very light ring and fix it to the thread. apply the thread to the flame of a candle; it will burn to ashes, but will still support the ring. * * * * * the swimming needles there are several ways of making a needle float on the surface of the water. the simplest way is to place a piece of tissue paper on the water and lay the needle on it; the paper soon becomes soaked with water and sinks to the bottom, while the needle is left floating on the top. another method is to hang the needle in two slings made of threads, which must be carefully drawn away as soon as the needle floats. you can also make the needle float by simply holding it in your fingers and laying it on the water. this, however, requires a very steady hand. if you magnetize a sewing-needle by rubbing it on a fairly strong magnet and float it on the water, it will make an extremely sensitive compass; and if you place two needles on the water at the same time, you will see them slowly approach each other until they float side by side, that is, if they do not strike together so heavily as to cause them to sink. * * * * * the bridge of knives three knives may be supported by their handles in the following manner: place three glasses in a triangle, each side of which must be about the length of one of the knives. the blade of the first knife should rest on the blade of the second, by passing over it near to the point where the handle and blade are joined; the blade of the second passing in the same manner over the blade of the third, which is to be made to rest on the blade of the first. the handles being then carefully placed upon the glasses, a bridge is formed strong enough to bear a considerable weight. * * * * * to balance a coffee-cup on the point of a knife the articles necessary for the performance of this trick are very simple, a dinner-fork and an ordinary sized cork being all that are needed. fix the cork firmly in the handle of the fork, then stick the fork into it so that two prongs shall be on each side of the cup handle, and slope the fork in such a way that its handle will come under the bottom of the cup. the heaviest weight being thus brought underneath, you can hold the cup on the point of a knife, if you very carefully find the exact place on which it will balance. as the surface of the cup is usually glazed, the hand which holds the knife must not tremble, or the cup will slip off. you may also obtain the same result by using two knives instead of a fork. * * * * * the obstinate cork take a small cork and ask some one to blow it into a fairly large sized, ordinary bottle that has a neck. this seems to be quite an easy matter. the one who tries it will probably blow as hard as possible upon the little cork; but, instead of going into the bottle, as expected, it will simply fall down. the harder the puffs or blows, the more obstinate the cork will appear to be; and even if the effect of blowing gently be tried, it will be of no use; the cork will not go into the bottle, much to the amusement of those who are watching. the reason why the cork will not go in is this: the bottle being already full of air, when the cork is blown, more air will be forced into the bottle, and consequently the air inside will be greatly compressed and will simply force the cork back. the following is a simple way of overcoming the difficulty: instead of trying to force the cork through the compressed air in the bottle, just the contrary should be tried, that is, some of the air should be sucked out of the bottle; this being done, the bottle will become partly emptied, and when the outside air rushes in to fill up the empty space, it will carry the cork with it to the bottom of the bottle. * * * * * six and five make nine this is a simple little puzzle. take eleven strips of cardboard, lay six of them at exactly equal distances on the table, and ask one of the company to add the five other strips and yet only make nine. it is done by placing six of them parallel to each other--the others are used to spell out the word nine. [illustration] * * * * * the vanishing dime stick a small piece of white wax on the nail of the middle finger of your right hand, taking care that no one sees you do it. then place a dime in the palm of your hand and tell your audience that you can make it vanish at the word of command. you then close your hand so that the dime sticks to the waxed nail. blow on your hand and make magic passes, and cry "dime, begone!" open your hand so quickly that no one will see the dime stuck to the back of your nail, and show your empty hand. to make the dime reappear, you merely close you hand again and rub the dime into your palm. * * * * * to light a snowball with a match roll a snowball and put it on a plate. while rolling, contrive to slip a piece of camphor into the top of it. the camphor must be about the size and shape of a chestnut, and it must be pushed into the soft snow so as to be invisible--the smaller end uppermost, to which the match should be applied. * * * * * the dancing pea for this trick, take a piece, two or three inches long, of a stem of a clay tobacco pipe, taking care that one end is quite even; with a knife or file, work the hole at the even end larger, so as to form a little cup. choose the roundest pea you can find, place it in the cup, and blow softly through the other end of the pipe, throwing back your head while you blow, so that you can hold the pipe in an upright position over your mouth. the pea will rise, fall and dance in its cup, according to the degree of force you use in blowing, but you must take care not to blow too hard, or you may blow it away altogether. * * * * * the balancing spoon place a half-opened penknife on the edge of the table and hang a large cooking-spoon by its hook on to the knife, just where the blade and handle join. place the spoon so that its inner (concave) side is facing the table and, after swinging for a little while, the knife and spoon will keep still in perfect balance. even if you fill the spoon with sand it will not fall, so long as the heaviest point is under the edge of the table. the cooking-spoon is hung on to the half-opened penknife where the blade and the handle join, and you can now place the end of the knife-handle on the tip of your finger, on the edge of the table, or on the rim of a glass which is standing near the edge of the table, and your knife and spoon will balance perfectly, without falling over. * * * * * the force of a water-drop get a match and make a notch in the middle of it, bend it so as to form an acute angle, and place it over the mouth of a bottle. now place a dime or other small coin on the match and ask any one to get the coin into the bottle without touching either the bottle or the match. this is very easy to do. dip your finger in a glass of water, hold it over the place where the match is notched, and let one or two drops fall on this point. the force of the water will cause the sides of the angle to move apart, and the opening thus become large enough to let the coin fall into the bottle. * * * * * the sentinel egg this trick requires care and patience. you must lay a piece of looking-glass on a perfectly even table; then take a new-laid egg and shake it about for some time until the white is well mixed with the yolk. in this condition it is possible to balance the egg on its end and make it stand upright on the glass. this trick is more certain to be successful if you are clever enough to flatten the end ever so slightly and evenly, by giving it a gentle and unsuspected tap. * * * * * the coin trick take a coin in each hand and stretch out your arms as far apart as you can. then tell your audience that you will make both coins pass into one hand without bringing your hands together. this is easily done by placing one coin upon the table and then turning your body round until the hand with the other coin comes to where it lies. you can then easily pick the coin up, and both will be in one hand, while your arms are still widely extended. * * * * * the wonderful pendulum if you fill a wineglass with water and place a thick piece of paper over it so that no air can get in, you will find that you can turn the glass upside down without spilling a drop of water, because the pressure of the air on the outside will keep the paper from falling off. it is on this principle that the present pendulum is to be made. take a piece of cardboard larger than the mouth of the glass; pass a cord through a small hole in the center of the card, and fasten it by means of a knot on the under side, then carefully cover the hole with wax, so that no air may get in. place your cardboard over the glass full of water, and by making a loop in the end of the cord you can hang the glass from a hook in the ceiling without any fear of its falling off. in order to make sure that no air can get into the glass, it is wise to smear the rim with tallow before laying the cardboard on. * * * * * the revolving pins take a piece of elastic which is not covered with silk or wool, and through the middle of this stick a pin, which you have bent as shown in the illustration. now hold the elastic between the thumb and first finger of each hand and twirl it round, stretching it a little at the same time. the rapid movement thus caused will make the revolving pin look like a glass object, and if you have a strong light falling on the pin and a dark background behind it, the resemblance becomes very much stronger. after a little practice you will be able to represent many things in this way--cheese dishes, vases, champagne glasses, etc.; and if the bent pin should fall into a horizontal position while revolving, on account of its shape, you can tie one end to the elastic with a piece of white thread, which will not in any way interfere with the working. this trick looks well in a darkened room, when the pin is illuminated by a ray of sunlight coming through a hole in the window shutter. * * * * * the mysterious ball this seems to be a plain wooden ball with a hole bored in its center, through which a string is passed. the ball will move lightly up and down this cord, but let some one who knows the trick take the string in his hand and it becomes quite a different matter; the ball will move quickly, or slowly, at command, and, if told to do so, will stand still until ordered to move on again. the reason for this peculiar behavior is that inside the ball there are two holes, one of which is quite straight, while the other is curved, and turns out of the straight hole. it is through this curved passage that the cord is passed, and you can easily see that to regulate the movements of the ball, it is only necessary to hold the string more or less tightly. if you hold the cord perfectly tight, the ball will not be able to move at all. the ball can be purchased at any top shop. * * * * * the man with his head the wrong way put on a coat and vest so that they fasten behind. then fix a mask over the back of the head and a wig over the face. the effect is very curious. * * * * * to find an object while blindfolded to play this trick, you must take one of your friends into your confidence. borrow a watch and put it in your pocket, and then ask your audience to sit at the end of the room, blindfold your friend, and lead him outside. now say: "ladies and gentlemen, if you will give me some small object to hide, i promise that the blind man will find it, although i shall not even tell him what he is to look for, and i shall lower the gas, so that if the bandage should slip, he will still be unable to see." a key, pencil, or any small thing having been handed to you, lower the gas and proceed to hide the object, at the end of the room, mentioning where you have put it, but not mentioning that you have placed the watch close beside it. you then request "silence" and lead in the blind man and ask him to begin his search. he is guided, of course, by the ticking of the watch, and knows that whatever he finds close to it is the object hidden. when he calls "found," he must slip the watch into his pocket. you then turn up the gas and quietly ask your audience if they do not think your friend is a very clever fellow? * * * * * chinese shadows here is a simple way of making shadow pictures: place a candle on the table and fix a piece of white paper on the wall at the same height from the ground as the light is. now place some non-transparent object, as, for instance, a large book, between the candle and the paper, and on one side of the table place a mirror so that it will reflect the light of the candle on to the paper on the wall. if you now put little cardboard figures between the candle and the mirror, a shadow will be thrown on the white paper and you can move your figures about just as you please. * * * * * hand shadows it is very difficult to explain how these shadows should be made, but you must bear in mind the fact that it is necessary to stand between the lamp and the wall, and extend your arms so that the shadow of your body does not interfere with the picture shadows you intend to make with your hands. the illustrations given will show you how to make two very good shadow pictures, but the fun of the game is for several people to make up pictures of their own, and see who can succeed in making the best. * * * * * the game of shadows for this game you require a white sheet to be hung up at the end of the room. then the "shadow-makers" take up their places on low stools behind the sheet. there must be only one lamp in the room, which should be placed about six or seven feet behind the "shadow-makers." then the "shadow-makers" drape themselves with shawls, or anything handy, and take their places so that their shadows are thrown upon the sheet. they must, of course, try to disguise themselves, so that the "shadow-seekers" may not be able to guess their identity. by loosening the hair and letting it fall over the face, a girl may appear like a man with a beard; bending the finger over the nose gives one a very queer-looking hooked nose in the shadow, and entirely alters the appearance of the face. covering one's self up in a sheet and then extending the arms gives one the appearance of a large bat. as soon as a "shadow-maker's" identity has been guessed he must take his place as a "shadow-seeker," and the one who guessed him becomes a "shadow-maker." the penalty of a glance behind the sheet on the part of the "shadow-seeker" is to pay a forfeit. * * * * * think of a number tell some one to think of any number he likes, but not to tell you what it is. tell him then to double it. when he has done that, let him add an even number to it, which you must give him. after doing this, he must halve the whole, then from what is left, take away the number he first thought of. when this is completed, if he has counted correctly, you will be able to give him the exact remainder, which will simply be the half of the even number you told him to add to his own. * * * * * living shadows in order to make these, you must stand in the corner of the room, near a mirror. let some one hold a light behind you, so that the shadow of your head and shoulders will be thrown upon the wall, and also that the reflected light from the mirror will fall at exactly the same spot as the shadow of your head. if the mirror is now covered with a piece of thick paper, from which two eyes, a nose, and a mouth are cut out, the effect shown in the drawing will be produced. in order to make the shadow still more lifelike, cut out two pieces of paper, fasten one over the mirror, and move the other over it. in this way the eyes and mouth of the shadow may be made to move. * * * * * to guess the two ends of a line of dominoes for this trick a whole set of dominoes is required, the performer taking care to hide one of the set, not a double, in his pocket. the remaining dominoes should be shuffled, and placed according to the ordinary rules of domino games, and the performer undertakes to tell, without seeing them, the two numbers forming the extremes of the line, set during his absence from the room. the numbers on the extreme ends of the domino line will be exactly the same as the numbers on the domino which the performer has in his pocket. if he is asked to repeat the trick, he should be sure to change the hidden domino, or he may chance to be found out. * * * * * to tell the age of any person prepare a set of cards by making a copy of the tables given here. hand them to the person whose age you wish to ascertain, and ask him to name the cards on which his age appears. if you then add together the first number on each of the cards he names, the total will be the age required. no. 1 card no. 2 card no. 3 card no. 4 card no. 5 card no. 6 card 1 29 2 30 4 30 8 28 16 28 32 44 3 31 3 31 5 31 9 29 17 29 33 45 5 33 6 34 6 36 10 30 18 30 34 46 7 35 7 35 7 37 11 31 19 31 35 47 9 37 10 38 12 38 12 40 20 48 36 48 11 39 11 39 13 39 13 41 21 49 37 49 13 41 14 42 14 44 14 42 22 50 38 50 15 43 15 43 15 45 15 43 23 51 39 51 17 45 18 46 20 46 24 44 24 52 40 52 19 47 19 47 21 47 25 45 25 53 41 53 21 49 22 50 22 52 26 46 26 54 42 54 23 51 23 51 23 53 27 47 27 55 43 55 25 53 26 54 28 54 27 55 27 55 29 55 wings and the child works by e. nesbit children's books the magic city the wonderful garden the magic world the railway children oswald bastable harding's luck the treasure seekers the wouldbegoods five children and it the phoenix and the carpet the amulet the enchanted castle nine unlikely tales the house of arden the book of dragons wet magic fiction the incomplete amorist daphne in fitzroy street these little ones man and maid salome and the head the red house dormant the literary sense in homespun fear poetry lays and legends. 1st series lays and legends. 2nd series leaves of life the rainbow and the rose a pomander of verse ballads and lyrics jesus in london ballads and lyrics of the spiritual life new poems [illustration: _photo david norris_ e. nesbit [_frontispiece._] wings and the child or the building of magic cities by e. nesbit author of "the magic city," "the wouldbegoods," etc., etc. with pictures by george barraud and from photographs hodder and stoughton new york and london _printed in 1913_ to the reader when this book first came to my mind it came as a history and theory of the building of magic cities on tables, with bricks and toys and little things such as a child may find and use. but as i kept the thought by me it grew and changed, as thoughts will do, until at last it took shape as an attempt to contribute something, however small and unworthy, to the science of building a magic city in the soul of a child, a city built of all things pure and fine and beautiful. as you read, it will, i hope, seem to you that something of what i say is true--in much, no doubt, it will seem to you that i am mistaken; but however you may disagree with me, you will, i trust, at least have faith in the honesty of my purpose. if i seem to you to be too dogmatic, to lay down the law too much as though i were the teacher and you the learner, i beg you to believe that it is in no such spirit that i have written. rather it is as though you and i, spending a quiet evening by your fire, talked together of the things that matter, and as though i laid before you all the things that were in my heart--not stopping at every turn to say "do you not think so too?" and "i hope you agree with me?" but telling you, straight from the heart, what i have felt and thought and, i humbly say, known about children and the needs of children. i have talked to you as to a friend, without the reservations and apologies which we use with strangers. and if, in anything, i shall have offended you, i entreat you to extend to me the forgiveness and the forbearance which you would exercise towards a friend who had offended you, not meaning to offend, and to believe that i have spoken to you as frankly and plainly as i would wish you to speak to me, were you the writer and i the reader. e. nesbit. contents _part i_ page chapter i of understanding 3 chapter ii new ways 9 chapter iii playthings 17 chapter iv imagination 24 chapter v of taking root 33 chapter vi beauty and knowledge 42 chapter vii of building and other matters 54 chapter viii the moral code 67 chapter ix praise and punishment 82 chapter x the one thing needful 94 _part ii_ chapter i romance in games 107 chapter ii building cities 118 chapter iii bricks--and other things 130 chapter iv the magic city 143 chapter v materials 156 chapter vi collections 165 chapter vii the poor child's city 177 chapter viii the end 190 illustrations portrait of the author _frontispiece_ page the king's summer-house 8 not much higher than the table 13 he has created the engine 18 the tomb in the desert 18 stonehenge 22 the tree like a man 27 poppy doll 29 doves and dragon 30 the astrologer's tower 32 the silver towers 34 furniture to live with 35 the turquoise temple 40 the hall of pearl and red 47 a chinese temple 52 the square tower 56 shell arches 57 handkerchief tents 65 one half of the city 72 the tail of puss 78 the other half of the city 82 the hideous disfigurement 96 of lovely hills and dales 97 the palace of cats 120 guarded arch 123 boxes 135 arches and pillars 140 pillared court 141 materials for the guard-room 148 the guard-room 149 the domino door 150 larch palm 152 the magic city 152 honesty pillars 159 trees 166 thick arches 168 fan window 169 the elephant temple 171 honesty roof 174 clothes pegs 181 towers and cocoanut cottage 185 cotton reels 186 lattice windows 187 _part i_ chapter i of understanding it is not with any pretension to special knowledge of my subject that i set out to write down what i know about children. i have no special means of knowing anything: i do, in fact, know nothing that cannot be known by any one who will go to the only fount of knowledge, experience. and by experience i do not mean scientific experience, that is the recorded results of experiments, the tabulated knowledge wrung from observation; i mean personal experience, that is to say, memory. you may observe the actions of children and chronicle their sayings, and produce from these, perhaps, a lifelike sketch of a child, as it appears to the grown-up observer; but observation is no key to the inner mysteries of a child's soul. the only key to those mysteries is in knowledge, the knowledge of what you yourself felt when you were good and little and a child. you can remember how things looked to you, and how things looked to the other children who were your intimates. our own childhood, besides furnishing us with an exhaustless store of enlightening memories, furnishes us with the one opportunity of our lives for the observation of children--other children. there is a freemasonry between children, a spontaneous confidence and give-and-take which is and must be for ever impossible between children and grown-ups, no matter how sympathetic the grown-up, how confiding the child. between the child and the grown-up there is a great gulf fixed--and this gulf, the gulf between one generation and another, can never be really bridged. you may learn to see across it, a little, or sometimes in rare cases to lean very far across it so that you can just touch the tips of the little fingers held out from the other side. but if your dealings with those on the other side of the gulf are to be just, generous, noble, and helpful, they must be motived and coloured by your memories of the time when you yourself were on the other side--when you were a child full of your own hopes, dreams, aims, interests, instincts, and imaginings, and over against you, kindly perhaps, tenderly loving, often tenderly loved, but still in some mysterious way antagonistic and counting as "them," were the grown-ups. i might say elders, parents, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters, but the word which the child himself uses seems to me, for all reasons, to be the best word for my use, because it expresses fully and finally the nature of the gulf between. the grown-ups are the people who once were children and who have forgotten what it felt like to be a child. and time marks with the same outward brand those who have forgotten and those who do not forget. so that even the few who have managed to slip past the customs-house with their bundle of memories intact can never fully display them. these are a sort of contraband, and neither the children nor the grown-ups will ever believe that that which we have brought with us from the land of childhood is genuine. the grown-ups accuse us of invention, sometimes praise us for it, when all we have is memory; and the children imagine that we must have been watching them, and thus surprised a few of their secrets, when all that we have is the secrets which were our own when we were children--secrets which were so bound up with the fibre of our nature that we could never lose them, and so go through life with them, our dearest treasures. such people feel to the end that they are children in a grown-up world. for a middle-aged gentleman with a beard or a stout elderly lady with spectacles to move among other elderly and spectacled persons feeling that they are still children, and that the other elderly and spectacled ones are really grown-ups, seems thoroughly unreasonable, and therefore those who have never forgotten do not, as a rule, say anything about it. they just mingle with the other people, looking as grown-up as any one--but in their hearts they are only pretending to be grown-up: it is like acting in a charade. time with his make-up box of lines and wrinkles, his skilful brush that paints out the tints and the contours of youth, his supply of grey wigs and rounded shoulders and pillows for the waist, disguises the actors well enough, and they go through life altogether unsuspected. the tired eyes close on a world which to them has always been the child's world, the tired hands loose the earthly possessions which have, to them, been ever the toys of the child. and deep in their hearts is the faith and the hope that in the life to come it may not be necessary to pretend to be grown-up. such people as these are never pessimists, though they may be sinners; and they will be trusting, to the verge of what a real grown-up would call imbecility. to them the world will be, from first to last, a beautiful place, and every unbeautiful thing will be a surprise, hurting them like a sudden blow. they will never learn prudence, or parsimony, nor know, with the unerring instinct of the really grown-up, the things that are or are not done by the best people. all their lives they will love, and expect love--and be sad, wondering helplessly when they do not get it. they will expect beautiful quixotic impulsive generosities and splendours from a grown-up world which has forgotten what impulse was: and to the very end they will not leave off expecting. they will be easily pleased and easily hurt, and the grown-ups in grain will contemplate their pains and their pleasures with an uncomprehending irritation. if these children, disguised by grown-up bodies, are ever recognised for what they are, it is when they happen to have the use of their pens--when they write for and about children. then grown-up people will call them intelligent and observant, and children will write to them and ask the heart-warm, heart-warming question, "how did you know?" for if they can become articulate they will speak the language that children understand, and children will love, not them, for their identity is cloaked with grey grown-up-ness, but what they say. there are some of these in whom the fire of genius burns up and licks away the trappings under which time seeks to disguise them--andersen, stevenson, juliana ewing were such as these--and the world knows them for what they were, and adores in them what in the uninspired it would decry and despise. to these others who have the memories of childhood untainted and yet have not the gift and relief of words, to these i address myself in the first instance, because they will understand without any involved explanation on my part what it is that i am driving at, and it is these who, alone, can teach the real grown-ups the things which they have forgotten. for these things can be taught, these things can be re-learned. i would have every man and woman in whom the heart of childhood still lives, protest, however feebly and haltingly, yet with all the power of the heart, against machine-made education--against the instruction which crams a child with facts and starves it of dreams, which forces the free foot into heavy boots and bids it walk on narrow pavement, which crushes with heavy hand the wings of the soul, and presses the flower of imagination flat between the pages of a lexicon. [illustration: the king's summer-house. 8]] chapter ii new ways "what," we ask with anxious gravity, "what is the best sort of teaching for children?" one might as sanely ask what is the best sort of spectacles for men, or the best size in gloves for women. and the blind coarse generalisation which underlies that question is the very heart and core of the muddled, musty maze we call education. we talk of the best sort of education for children, as we might talk of the best sort of polish for stoves, the best sort of nourishment for mice. stoves are all alike, they vary in ugliness perhaps, but the iron soul of one is as the iron soul of the other. the polish that is good for one is good for all. mice may, and do, vary in size and colour; their mousehood does not vary, nor their taste for cheese. in the inner nature, in the soul and self of it, each child is different from any other child, and the education that treats children as a class and not as individual human beings is the education whose failure is bringing our civilisation about our ears even as we speak. each child is an explorer in a new country--an explorer with its own special needs and curiosities. we put up iron railings to keep the explorers to our own sordidly asphalted paths. the little free wild creatures would seek their meat from god: we round them into herds, pen them in folds, and feed them with artificial foods--drab flat oil cakes all alike, not considering that for some brown nuts and red berries, and for some the new clean green grass, may be the bread of life. or, if you take the mind of a child to be a garden wherein flowers grow that might be trained to beauty, you bring along your steam-roller, and crush everything to a flat field where you may grow cabbages. it is so good for the field, you say--because you like cabbages. liberty is one of the rights we claim for ourselves, though god knows we get little enough of it and use still less; and liberty is one of the rights that a child above all needs--every possible liberty, of thought, of word, of deed. the old systems of education seem to have found it good to coerce a child for the simple sake of coercion--to make it do what the master chose, to make it leave undone those things which it wished to do and to do those things which it did not wish to do--nay, more, wished violently and conclusively not to do. to force the choice of the teacher on the child, to override the timid natural impulses of the child with the hard hoofs of the teacher's individuality, to crush out all initiative, to force the young supple mind into a mould, to lop the budding branches, nip off the sensitive seeking tendrils, to batter down the child's will by the brute force of the grown-up will, to "break the child's spirit," as the cursed phrase used to run--this was, in effect, what education meant. there was a picture in _punch_, i remember--at least i have forgotten the picture, but i remember the legend: "cissy, go and see what bobbie's doing, and tell him not to." it did not much matter what you made a child do, so long as it was something against the grain. he was to learn, not what he with his wonderful new curiosities and aptitudes longed to learn, but what you wished to teach; you with your dulled senses--dulled in the same bitter school as that in which he was now a sad learner. [illustration: not much higher than the table.] generation after generation has gone on, pounding away at the old silly game, each generation anxious and eager to hurt the new one as it, in its time, was hurt. each generation must, one would have thought, have remembered what things hurt children and how much these things hurt, and yet this intolerable cycle of bullying and punishment and repression went on and on and on. children were bullied and broken--and grew up to bully and break in their turn. it must be that this was because the grown-ups did not remember. those who have the care of children, who work for them, who teach them, should be those who do remember: those who have not forgotten what it feels like to be a child--any sort of child. for, though children are all different, there is a common measure among them as there is among men. a law for men cannot be good if it be made--as indeed but too often happens--by those who have forgotten what it used to feel like to be a man; and what sort of poetry do you get from one who has forgotten beauty and sorrow, and the spring, and how it feels to be young and a lover? and if the people who have the care of children have forgotten what it feels like to be a child, those who do remember should remind them. they should be reminded how it feels to be not so very much higher than the table, how it feels not to be so clever as you are now, and so much more interested in so much more--how it feels to believe in things and in people as you did when you were new to the journey of life--to explore every road you came to, to trust every person you met. it is a long time ago, but can you not remember the days when right and wrong were as different as milk and mud, when you knew that it was really wrong to be naughty and really good to be good, when you felt that your mother could do no wrong and that your father was the noblest and bravest of men? do you remember the world of small and new and joyous and delightful things? try to remember it if you would know how to help a child instead of hindering it--try to look at the world with the clear, clean eyes that once were yours in the days when you had never read a newspaper or deceived a friend. you will then be able to see again certain ideals, unclouded and radiant, which the dust of the crowded highway and the smears of getting-on have dimmed and distorted--quite simple ideals of love, faith, unselfishness, honour, truth. i know these words are often enough on the lips of all of us, but a child's ear will be able to tell whether the words spring from the lips or the heart. look back, and you will see that you yourself were also able to distinguish these things--once. education as it should be, the unfolding of a flower, not the distorting of it, is only possible to those who are willing and able themselves to become as little children. it is because certain great spirits have done this and have tried to teach others to do it, that reforms in education have begun to be at least possible. froebel, pestalozzi, signora montessori and many a lesser star has shone upon a new path. and public interest has centred more and more on the welfare of the child. books are written, societies formed, newspapers founded in the interests of the child, and true education becomes a possibility. and well indeed it is for us that this is so. for the education of the last three hundred years has led, in all things vital and spiritual, downhill all the way. we have gone on frustrating natural human intelligences and emotions, inculcating false doctrines, and choking with incoherent facts the souls which asked to be fed with dreams-come-true--till now our civilisation is a thing we cannot look at without a mental and moral nausea. we have, in our countrysides, peasants too broken for rebellion, in our cities. the mortal sickness of a mind too unhappy to be kind. if ever we are to be able to look ourselves and each other in the face again it will be because a new generation has arisen in whose ears the voice of god and his angels has not ceased to sound. if only we would see the things that belong to our peace, and lead the children instead of driving them, who knows what splendid thoughts and actions they in their natural development might bring to the salvation of the world? in the palace of education which the great minds have designed and are designing, many stones will be needed--and so i bring the little stone i have hewn out and tried to shape, in the hope that it may fit into a corner of that great edifice. for if anything is to be done, it is necessary that all who have anything to give, shall give it. as francis bacon said: "nothing can so much conduce to the drawing down, as it were, from heaven a whole shower of new and profitable inventions, as this, that the experiments of many . . . may come to the knowledge of one man, or some few, who by mutual conference may whet and sharpen one another, so that by this . . . arts may flourish, and as it were by a commixture and communication of rays, inflame one another. . . . this sagacity by literate experience may in the mean project and scatter for the benefit of man many rudiments to knowledge which may be had at hand." and that is why i have left for a little while the telling of stories and set myself to write down something of what i know about children--know by the grace of memory and by the dreams of childhood, to me, thank god, persistent and imperishable. chapter iii playthings the prime instinct of a child at play--i do not mean a child at games--is to create. i use the word confidently. he will make as well as create, if you let him, but always he will create: he will use the whole force of dream and fancy to create something out of nothing--over and beyond what he will make out of such materials as he has to hand. the five-year-old will lay a dozen wooden bricks and four cotton reels together, set a broken cup on the top of them, and tell you it is a steam-engine. and it is. he has created the engine which he sees, and you don't see, and the pile of bricks and cotton reels is the symbol of his creation. he will silently borrow your best scissors and cut a serrated band of newspaper, which he will fasten round his head (with your best brooch, if he cannot find a pin), hang another newspaper from his shoulders, and sit in state holding the hearth-brush. he will tell you that he is a king--and he is. he has created crown, robes, sceptre, and kingship. the paper and the rest of it are but symbols. [illustration: he has created the engine.] and you shall observe that the toys which the child loves best are always those toys which lend themselves to such symbolic use. [illustration: the tomb in the desert. 18]] christmas is at hand. you go to buy gifts for the child, in memory of that other child whose birthday gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. you go into the toyshops, elbowing your way as best you can, looking for such toys as may aid the child in his work of creative imagination. you find a vast mass and litter and jumble of incredible futilities--things made to sell, things made by people who have forgotten what it is like to be a child. mechanical toys of all sorts, stupid toys, toys that will only do one thing, and that thing vulgar and foolish. and, worst outrage of all, ugly toys, monstrosities, deformities, lead devils, grinning humpbacked clowns, "comic" dogs and cats, hideous mis-shapen pigs, incredible negroes, intolerable golliwogs. all such things the natural child, with a child's decent detestation of deformity, will thrust from it with screams of fear and hatred, till the materialistic mother or nurse explains that the horror is not really, as the child knows it to be, horrible and unnatural, but "funny." thus do we outrage the child's inborn sense of beauty, which is also the sense of health and fitness, and teach it that deformity is not shocking, not pitiable even, but just "funny." all these ugly toys are impossible as aids to clean imagination. so, almost in as great, though not in so harmful a degree, is the "character doll." the old doll was a doll, and not a character. therefore she could assume any character at your choice. the character doll is baby willy, and can never be anything else, unless imagination, exasperated and baffled, christens him silly billy in the moment of furious projection across the nursery floor. but the old doll, with her good, expressionless face and clear blue eyes, could be a duchess or a dairymaid, a captive princess or a greengrocer's wife keeping shop, a cruel stepmother or joan of arc. i beg you to try baby willy in the character of joan of arc. you cannot hope to understand children by common-sense, by reason, by logic, nor by any science whatsoever. you cannot understand them by imagination--not even by love itself. there is only one way: to remember what you thought and felt and liked and hated when you yourself were a child. not what you know now--or think you know--you ought to have thought and liked, but what you did then, in stark fact, like and think. there is no other way. do you remember the toys you liked, the toys you played with? do you remember the toys you hated--after the fading of the first day's flush of novelty, of possession? the houses with doors that wouldn't open? the stables with horses that wouldn't stand up? the shops whose goods were part of their painted shelves, whose shopmen were as fast glued behind the counter as any live shop-assistant before the passing of the shops act? and the mechanical toys--the clockwork toys. the engine was all right, even after the clockwork ran down for the last time with that inexorable whizz which told you all was over; you could build tunnels with the big brown books in the library and push the engine through with your hand--it would run quite a long way out on the other side. but the other clockwork things! how can one love and pet a mouse, no matter how furry its superficial exterior, when underneath, where its soft waistcoat and its little feet should be, there is only a hard surface from which incompetent wheels protrude? and the ostrich who draws a hansom cab, and the man who beats the boy with a stick? when they have whizzed their last, who cares for the tin relics outliving their detestable activities? think of the toys you liked: the noah's ark--full of characters. what stirring dramas of the chase, what sporting incidents, what domestic and agricultural operations could be carried out with that most royal of toys. mr. noah, i remember, was equally competent and convincing as ploughman or carter. but his chief rã´le was sitting bull. his sons were inimitable as chingachgook and scalp hunters generally. you cannot play scalp hunters with the mechanical ostrich indissolubly welded to a hansom cab. [illustration: stonehenge.] you loved your bricks, i think, especially if you lived in the days when bricks were of well-seasoned oak, heavy, firm, exactly proportioned, before the boxes of inexact light deal bricks, with the one painted glass window, began to be made in germany. how finely those great bricks stood for stonehenge, and how submissively anna, the dutch doll, whose arms and legs were gone, played the part of the sacrifice. if you remember those bricks you will remember the polished, white wooden dairy sets in oval white boxes--churns and tubs and kettles and pots all neatly and beautifully turned. you will remember the doll's house furniture, rosewood, duly mitred and dovetailed, fine cabinet-makers' work, little beautiful models of beautiful things. now the dolls' house furniture is glued together. you can't trust a light-weight china doll to sit on the kitchen chairs. . . . but you can get your mechanical ostrich and your golliwog. . . . children in towns are cut off, at least for most of the year, from the splendid and ever-varying possibilities of clay and mud and sand, oak-apples and snow-berries, acorn-cups and seaweed, shells and sticks and stones which serve and foster the creative instinct, the thousand adjuncts to that play which is dream and reality in one. for them, even more than for the happier country children, it is good to choose toys which shall possess, above and before all, the one supreme quality of a good toy. let it be a toy that is not merely itself, like the ostrich of whom i hope you are now as weary as i, but a toy that can be, at need, other things. a toy, in fine, that your child can, in the fullest and most satisfying sense, play with. chapter iv imagination to the child, from the beginning, life is the unfolding of one vast mystery; to him our stalest commonplaces are great news, our dullest facts prismatic wonders. to the baby who has never seen a red ball, a red ball is a marvel, new and magnificent as ever the golden apples were to hercules. you show the child many things, all strange, all entrancing; it sees, it hears, it touches; it learns to co-ordinate sight and touch and hearing. you tell it tales of the things it cannot see and hear and touch, of men "that it may never meet, of lands that it shall never see"; strange black and brown and yellow people whose dress is not the dress of mother or nurse--strange glowing yellow lands where the sun burns like fire, and flowers grow that are not like the flowers in the fields at home. you tell it that the stars, which look like pin-holes in the floor of heaven, are really great lonely worlds, millions of miles away; that the earth, which the child can see for itself to be flat, is really round; that nuts fall from the trees because of the force of gravitation, and not, as reason would suggest, merely because there is nothing to hold them up. and the child believes; it believes all the seeming miracles. then you tell it of other things no more miraculous and no less; of fairies, and dragons, and enchantments, of spells and magic, of flying carpets and invisible swords. the child believes in these wonders likewise. why not? if very big men live in patagonia, why should not very little men live in flower-bells? if electricity can move unseen through the air, why not carpets? the child's memory becomes a store-house of beautiful and wonderful things which are or have been in the visible universe, or in that greater universe, the mind of man. life will teach the child, soon enough, to distinguish between the two. but there are those who are not as you and i. these say that all the enchanting fairy romances are lies, that nothing is real that cannot be measured or weighed, seen or heard or handled. such make their idols of stocks and stones, and are blind and deaf to the things of the spirit. these hard-fingered materialists crush the beautiful butterfly wings of imagination, insisting that pork and pews and public-houses are more real than poetry; that a looking-glass is more real than love, a viper than valour. these gradgrinds give to the children the stones which they call facts, and deny to the little ones the daily bread of dreams. of the immeasurable value of imagination as a means to the development of the loveliest virtues, to the uprooting of the ugliest and meanest sins, there is here no space to speak. but the gain in sheer happiness is more quickly set forth. imagination, duly fostered and trained, is to the world of visible wonder and beauty what the inner light is to the japanese lantern. it transfigures everything into a glory that is only not magic to us because we know who kindled the inner light, who set up for us the splendid lantern of this world. [illustration: the tree like a man.] but mr. gradgrind prefers the lantern unlighted. material facts are good enough for him. until it comes to religion. and then, suddenly, the child who has been forbidden to believe in jack the giant killer must believe in goliath and david. there are no fairies, but you must believe that there are angels. the magic sword and the magic buckler are nonsense, but the child must not have any doubts about the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the spirit. what spiritual reaction do you expect when, after denying all the symbolic stories and legends, you suddenly confront your poor little materialist with the most wonderful story in the world? if i had my way, children should be taught no facts unless they asked for them. heaven knows they ask questions enough. they should just be taught the old wonder-stories, and learn their facts through these. who wants to know about pumpkins until he has heard cinderella? why not tell the miracle of jonah first, and let the child ask about the natural history of the whale afterwards, if he cares to hear it? and one of the greatest helps to a small, inexperienced traveller in this sometimes dusty way is the likeness of things to each other. your piece of thick bread and butter is a little stale, perhaps, and bores you; but, when you see that your first three bites have shaped it to the likeness of a bear or a beaver, dull teatime becomes interesting at once. a cloud that is like a face, a tree that is like an old man, a hill that is like an elephant's back, if you have things like these to look at, and look out for, how short the long walk becomes. [illustration: poppy doll.] and in the garden, when the columbine is a circle of doves, with spread wings and beaks that touch, when the foxglove flower is a little puck's hat which will fit on your finger, when the snapdragon is not just a snapdragon, but a dragon that will snap, and the poppies can be made into dolls with black woolly hair and grass sashes--how the enchantment of the garden grows. the child will be all the more ready to hear about the seed vessels of the columbine when he has seen the doves, and the pollen of the poppy will have a double interest for her who has played with the woolly-haired dolls. imagination gives to the child a world transfigured; let us leave it that radiant mystery for the little time that is granted. [illustration: doves and dragon.] i know a child whose parents are sad because she does not love arithmetic and history, but rather the beautiful dreams which the gradgrinds call nonsense. here are the verses i wrote for that child: for dolly who does not learn her lessons you see the fairies dancing in the fountain, laughing, leaping, sparkling with the spray. you see the gnomes, at work beneath the mountain, make gold and silver and diamonds every day. you see the angels, sliding down the moonbeams, bring white dreams, like sheaves of lilies fair. you see the imps scarce seen against the noonbeams, rise from the bonfire's blue and liquid air. all the enchantment, all the magic there is hid in trees and blossoms, to you is plain and true. dewdrops in lupin leaves are jewels for the fairies; every flower that blows is a miracle for you. air, earth, water, fire, spread their splendid wares for you. millions of magics beseech your little looks; every soul your winged soul meets, loves you and cares for you. ah! why must we clip those wings and dim those eyes with books? soon, soon enough, the magic lights grow dimmer, marsh mists arise to veil the radiant sky. dust of hard highways will veil the starry glimmer; tired hands will lay the folded magic by. storm winds will blow through those enchanted closes, fairies be crushed where weed and briar grow strong. . . . leave her her crown of magic stars and roses, leave her her kingdom--she will not keep it long! [illustration: the astrologer's tower.] chapter v of taking root when the history of our time comes to be written, it may be that the historian, remarking our many faults and weaknesses, and seeking to find a reason for them, speculating on our civilisation as we now speculate on the civilisations of rome and egypt, will come to see that the poor blossoms of civic virtue which we put forth owe their meagreness and deformity to the fact that our lives are no longer permitted to take root in material possessions. material possessions indeed we have--too much of them and too many of them--but they are rather a dust that overlays the leaves of life than a soil in which the roots of life can grow. a certain solidness of character, a certain quiet force and confidence grow up naturally in the man who lives all his life in one house, grows all the flowers of his life in one garden. to plant a tree and know that if you live and tend it, you will gather fruit from it; that if you set out a thorn-hedge, it will be a fine thing when your little son has grown to be a man--these are pleasures which none but the very rich can now know. (and the rich who might enjoy these pleasures prefer to run about the country in motor cars.) that is why, for ordinary people, the word "neighbour" is ceasing to have any meaning. the man who occupies the villa partially detached from your own is not your neighbour. he only moved in a month or so ago, and you yourself will probably not be there next year. a house now is a thing to live in, not to love; and a neighbour a person to criticise, but not to befriend. [illustration: the silver towers.] when people's lives were rooted in their houses and their gardens they were also rooted in their other possessions. and these possessions were thoughtfully chosen and carefully tended. you bought furniture to live with, and for your children to live with after you. you became familiar with it--it was adorned with memories, brightened with hopes; it, like your house and your garden, assumed then a warm friendliness of intimate individuality. in those days if you wanted to be smart, you bought a new carpet and curtains: now you "refurnish the drawing-room." if you have to move house, as you often do, it seems cheaper to sell most of your furniture and buy other, than it is to remove it, especially if the moving is caused by a rise of fortune. [illustration: furniture to live with.] i do not attempt to explain it, but there is a certain quality in men who have taken root, who have lived with the same furniture, the same house, the same friends for many years, which you shall look for in vain in men who have travelled the world over and met hundreds of acquaintances. for you do not know a man by meeting him at an hotel, any more than you know a house by calling at it, or know a garden by walking along its paths. the knowledge of human nature of the man who has taken root may be narrow, but it will be deep. the unrooted man who lives in hotels and changes his familiars with his houses, will have a shallow familiarity with the veneer of acquaintances; he will not have learned to weigh and balance the inner worth of a friend. in the same way i take it that a constant succession of new clothes is irritating and unsettling, especially to women. it fritters away the attention and exacerbates their natural frivolity. in other days when clothes were expensive, women bought few clothes, but those clothes were meant to last, and they did last. a silk dress often outlived the natural life of its first wearer. the knowledge that the question of dress will not be one to be almost weekly settled tends to calm the nerves and consolidate the character. clothes are very cheap now--therefore women buy many new dresses, and throw the shoddy things away when, as they soon do, they grow shabby. men are far more sensible. every man knows the appeal of an old coat. so long as women are insensible to the appeal of an old gown, they need never hope to be considered, in stability of character, the equals of men. the passion for ornaments--not ornament--is another of the unsettling factors in an unsettling age. the very existence of the "fancy shop" is not only a menace to, but an attack on the quiet dignity in the home. the hundreds of ugly, twisted, bizarre fancy articles which replace the old few serious "ornaments" are all so many tokens of the spirit of unrest which is born of, and in turn bears, our modern civilisation. it is not, alas! presently possible for us as a nation to return to that calmer, more dignified state when the lives of men were rooted in their individual possessions, possessions adorned with memories of the past and cherished as legacies to the future. but i wish i could persuade women to buy good gowns and grow fond of them, to buy good chairs and tables, and to refrain from the orgy of the fancy shop. so much of life, of thought, of energy, of temper is taken up with the continual change of dress, house, furniture, ornaments, such a constant twittering of nerves goes on about all these things which do not matter. and the children, seeing their mother's gnat-like restlessness, themselves, in turn, seek change, not of ideas or of adjustments, but of possessions. consider the acres of rubbish specially designed for children and spread out over the counters of countless toy-shops. trivial, unsatisfying things, the fruit of a perverse and intense commercial ingenuity: things made to sell, and not to use. when the child's birthday comes, relations send him presents--give him presents, and his nursery is littered with a fresh array of undesirable imbecilities--to make way for which the last harvest of the same empty husks is thrust aside in the bottom of the toy cupboard. and in a couple of days most of the flimsy stuff is broken, and the child is weary to death of it all. if he has any real toys, he will leave the glittering trash for nurse to put away and go back to those real toys. when i was a child in the nursery we had--there were three of us--a large rocking horse, a large doll's house (with a wooden box as annexe), a noah's ark, dinner and tea things, a great chest of oak bricks, and a pestle and mortar. i cannot remember any other toys that pleased us. dolls came and went, but they were not toys, they were characters, and now and then something of a clockwork nature strayed our way--to be broken up and disembowelled to meet the mechanical needs of the moment. i remember a desperate hour when i found that the walking doll from paris had clockwork under her crinoline, and could not be comfortably taken to bed. i had a black-and-white china rabbit who was hard enough, in all conscience, but then he never pretended to be anything but a china rabbit, and i bought him with my own penny at sandhurst fair. he slept with me for seven or eight years, and when he was lost, with my play-box and the rest of its loved contents, on the journey from france to england, all the dignity of my thirteen years could not uphold me in that tragedy. it is a mistake to suppose that children are naturally fond of change. they love what they know. in strange places they suffer violently from home-sickness, even when their loved nurse or mother is with them. they want to get back to the house they know, the toys they know, the books they know. and the loves of children for their toys, especially the ones they take to bed with them, should be scrupulously respected. children nowadays have insanitary, dusty teddy bears. i had a "rag doll," but she was stuffed with hair, and was washed once a fortnight, after which nurse put in her features again with a quill pen, and consoled me for any change in her expression by explaining that she was "growing up." my little son had a soap-stone mouse, and has it still. the fewer toys a child has the more he will value them; and it is important that a child should value his toys if he is to begin to get out of them their _full_ value. if his choice of objects be limited, he will use his imagination and ingenuity in making the objects available serve the purposes of such plays as he has in hand. also it is well to remember that the supplementing of a child's own toys by other things, _lent for a time_, has considerable educational value. the child will learn quite easily that the difference between his and yours is not a difference between the attainable and the unattainable, but between the constant possession and the occasional possession. he will also learn to take care of the things which are lent to him, and, if he sees that you respect his possessions, will respect yours all the more in that some of them are, now and then, for a time and in a sense, his. [illustration: the turquoise temple.] 40] the generosity of aunts, uncles, and relations generally should be kindly but firmly turned into useful channels. the purchase of "fancy" things should be sternly discouraged. with the rocking horse, the bricks, the doll's house, the cart or wheel-barrow, the tea and dinner set, the noah's ark and the puzzle maps, the nursery will be rudimentarily equipped. the supplementary equipment can be added as it is needed, not by the sporadic outbursts of unclish extravagance, but by well-considered and slow degrees, and by means in which the child participates. for we must never forget that the child loves, both in imagination and in fact, to create. all his dreams, his innocent pretendings and make-believes, will help his nature to unfold, and his hands in their clumsy efforts will help the dreams, which in turn will help the little hands. chapter vi beauty and knowledge clever young people find it amusing to sneer at the old-fashioned ideal of combining instruction with amusement--a stupid victorian ideal, we are told, which a progressive generation has cast aside. too hastily, perhaps--too inconsiderately. "work while you work and play while you play" is a motto dealing with a big question, and one to which there are at least two sides. entirely to divorce amusement and instruction--may not this tend to make the one dull and the other silly? in this, as in some other matters, our generation might well learn a little from its ancestors. in many ways no doubt we have far surpassed the simple ideals of our forefathers, but in the matter of amusements, in the matter of beauty, in the matter of teaching children things without boring them, or giving powders really and truly concealed in jam--have we advanced so much? to begin with, the world is much uglier than it was. at least england is, and france, and belgium, and italy, and i do not suppose that germany, so far ahead of us with airships, is far behind in the ugliness which seems to be, with the airship, the hall-mark of a really advanced nation. we are proud, and justly, of the enormous advances made in the last sixty years in education, sanitation, and all the complicated and heavy machinery of the other 'ations, the 'ologies, and the 'isms; but in these other matters how is it with us? we have grown uglier, and the things which amuse no longer teach. for a good many years now--more than three hundred--old men have said "such things and such were better in our time." and always the young have disbelieved the saying, which in due course came from their own lips. has it ever occurred to any one that the reason why old people say this is quite the simplest of all reasons? they say it because it is _true_, and true in our land in quite a special manner. the chariot wheels of advancing civilisation must always furrow some green fields, grind some fair flowers in the dust. but the chariot wheels in which civilisation to-day advances grows less and less like a chariot and more and more like a steam-roller, and unless we steer better there will very soon be few flowers left to us. those of us who have reached middle age already see that the old men spoke truly. things are not what they were. without dealing with frauds and adulterations and shoddy of all sorts we can see that things are not so good as they were, nor yet so beautiful. and i do not think that this means just that we are growing old, and that the fingers of time have rubbed the bloom from the fruit of life. because those things which must be now as they used to be, trees, leaves, rivers, and the laughter of little children, flowers, the sea at those points where piers are impracticable, and mountains--the ones stony and steep enough to resist the jerry-builder and the funicular railway--still hold all, and more than all, their old magic and delight. it seems that it is not only that the ugly and unmeaning things have grown, like a filthy fungus, over the sheer beauty of the world, but that the things that people mean to be beautiful are not beautiful, and the things they mean to be interesting lack interest. and the disease is universal: it attacks new things as well as old. the cinematographs even, newest of the new, as things went in the old world; already the canker has eaten them up. in the first year of picture palaces we all crowded to see beautiful pictures of beautiful places: niagara, the zambesi falls, the grand caã±on. the comic pieces were perhaps french, but they were certainly funny. also we saw the way the world lived, when it was the other side of the world: "elephants a-piling teak," naked savages, or as near naked as don't matter, moving in ceremonial dance before the idols that were the gods of their deep dangerous faith. dramas of love and death and pity and poverty. quite often in the early days the cinematograph tale was of some workman driven by want to the theft of a loaf. it is true that the story generally ended in his conviction and the adoption of his charming baby girl by the wife of the _juge d'instruction_, but all the same people saw some one poor and sad and tempted, and were sorry and sad for his sake. also we had tales of indians with men that rode amain, and horses that one longed to bestride, such beauties they were, all fire and delicate strong temperament. war dramas too there were, where the hero left his sweetheart, and turned coward perhaps, redeeming himself with magnificent completeness in the splendid _dã©bã¢cle_ of a forlorn hope. that is all over. already the sordid, heavy hand that smears commercial commonplace on all the bright facets of romance has obscured the vivid possibilities of the cinematograph. we have now for fun the elaborate hurting of one american person by another american person; for scenery, american flat-iron buildings; for romance the incredibly unimportant emotions of fleshy american actresses and actors. there are two girls, good and bad; two men, bad and good. in the end the good man gets the good girl, which is, of course, as it should be, or would be if we could believe in any moral quality in these fat-faced impersonators. you don't care a bit who wins, but none the less, the four of them mouth and mop and mow and make faces at you through five interminable acts, and when the good young man marries the good young woman in a parlour grossly furnished according to american ideals, you feel that both of them are well punished for their unpardonable existence. all real and delicate romance has, we observe, been wiped out by the cinematograph. [illustration: the hall of pearl and red] it has long been the fashion to sneer at the crystal palace, and indeed the poor dear has gone from bad to worse. there are exhibitions there all exactly like all other exhibitions: switch-backs, _montagnes russes_, silhouettes, tumble-scumbles, weary waves, threepenny thrills (where you hustle against strangers and shriek at the impact). but once the crystal palace was otherwise. in the victorian days we sneer at, when our fathers could not see that there was any quarrel between knowledge and beauty, both of whom they loved, they built the crystal palace as a temple vowed to these twin deities of their worship. think what the crystal palace was then. think what its authors intended it to be. think what, for a little time, it was. a place of beauty, a place where beauty and knowledge went hand in hand. it is quite true that a brobdingnagian conservatory does not seem so beautiful to us as it did to the prince consort and sir joseph paxton. it is true that even in the palmiest days of the crystal palace you barked your shins over iron girders--painted a light blue, my memory assures me--and that the boards of the flooring were so far apart that you could lose, down the cracks of them, not only your weekly sixpence or your birthday shilling, but even the sudden unexpected cartwheel (do they still call a crown that?) contributed by an uncle almost more than human. it is true that the gravel of the paths in the "grounds" tired your feet and tried your temper, and that the adventure ended in a clinging to bony fingers and admonitions from nurse "not to drag so." but on the other hand. . . . think of the imagination, the feeling for romance that went to the furnishing of the old crystal palace. there was a lake in the grounds of penge park. how would our twentieth century _entrepreneurs_ deal with a lake? we need not pause to invent an answer. we know it would be something new and nasty. how did these despised mid-victorians deal with it? they set up, amid the rocks and reeds and trees of the island in that lake, life-sized images of the wonders of a dead world. on a great stone crouched a pterodactyl, his vast wings spread for flight. a mammoth sloth embraced a tree, and i give you my word that when you came on him from behind, you, in your six years, could hardly believe that he was not real, that he would not presently leave the tree and turn his attention to your bloused and belted self. (little boys wore caps with peaks then, and blouses with embroidered collars.) convinced, at last, by the cold feel of his flank to your fat little hand, that he was but stone, you kept, none the less, a memory of him that would last your life, and make his name, when you met it in a book, as thrilling as the name of a friend in the list of birthday honours. there was an ichthyosaurus too, and another chap whose name i forget, but he had a scalloped crest all down his back to the end of his tail. and the dinosaurus . . . he had a round hole in his antediluvian stomach: and, with a brother--his own turn to come next, as in honour bound--to give you a leg-up, you could explore the roomy interior of the dinosaur with feelings hardly to be surpassed by those of bandits in a cave. it is almost impossible to over-estimate the dinosaurus as an educational influence. on your way back to the palace itself you passed water temples surrounded by pools where water-lilies grew. afterwards, when you read of tanks and lotuses and india, you knew what to think. there were sphinxes--the correct plural was told you by aunts, and you rejected it on the terrace--and, within, more smooth water with marble at the edge and more lilies, and goldfish, palms, and ferns, and humming pervasive music from the organ. there were groves or shrubberies; you entered them a-tremble with a fearful joy. you knew that round the next corner or the next would be black and brown and yellow men; savages, with their huts and their wives and their weapons, their looking-glass-pools and their reed tunics, so near you that it was only a step across a little barrier and you could pretend that you also were a black, a brown, or a yellow person, and not a little english child in a tunic, belt, and peaked cap. you never took the step, but none the less those savages were your foes and your friends, and when you met them in your geography you thrilled to the encounter. further, there were courts; i first met venus, the armless wonder of milo, and hermes, embodied vision of praxiteles, and the discobolus, whom we all love, and who is exactly like mr. graham wallas in youth, in the grecian court. in the egyptian court there were pictured pillars, and the very word egypt is to me for their sake a word of power to this day. and the spanish court, the court of the alhambra, the lovely mosaic, the gold and the blue and the red, the fountain, the marble, the strange unnatural beauty of the horseshoe arches. . . . i shall never see the alhambra now, but it is because of the spanish court at the crystal palace that there will always be an empty ache in my thought, an ache of the heart, a longing that is not all pain, at its name, a feeling like a beautiful dwarf despair, in that i never shall see that blue and red and golden glory, and the mystery of its strange mis-shapen arches that open to the whole world of dreams. say of the mid-victorians what you will; they did at least know, when they set them, the seeds of romance. think of euston station: those glorious pillars, the magnificent dream of an egyptian building to loom through the egyptian darkness of london's fogs. and the architecture of egypt was too expensive, and euston remains, a magnificent memorial--the child of genius stunted by finance. there was madame tussaud's too, a close link with the french revolution: the waxen heads of kings and democrats, the very guillotine itself. and madame tussaud's daughter, with the breathing breast that seemed alive, and the little old woman in the black bonnet, madame herself, who had seen the rise of republics and the deaths of kings. these things, last time i trod those halls, were put in the shade, their place usurped by vulgar tableaux, explaining to the bored spectators what happens to a vulgar young man with a wife whose skirt is much too short in front and her hair very badly done, if he leaves his home for the society of sirens and cardsharpers. the tableaux were cheap and nasty, and taught one nothing that one could not learn from the _police news_. once there were nightingales that sang in the gardens on loampit hill. now it is all villas. once the hilly fields were hilly fields where the children played, and there were primroses. once the road from eltham to woolwich was a grassy lane with hedges and big trees in the hedges, and wild pinks and bethlehem stars, and ragged robin and campion. now the trees are cut down and there are no more flowers. it is asphalt all the way, and here and there seats divided by iron rods so that tired tramps should not sleep on them. and the green fields by mottingham where the kingcups used to grow, and the willows by the little stream, they are eaten up by yellow caterpillars of streets all alike, all horrible; while in london old handsome houses are tenements, and children play on the dirty doorsteps of them with dead mice and mutton bones for toys. in the country women wear men's tweed caps instead of sunbonnets, and hinde's curlers by day instead of curl papers (which if you were pretty, looked like wreaths of white roses) by night. and everything is getting uglier and uglier. and no one seems to care. and only the old people remember that things were not always ugly, remember how different things were--once. [illustration: a chinese temple.] therefore i would plead with all those who have to do with children to resist and to denounce uglification wherever they may meet with it, and to remember that there is knowledge which goes hand in hand with beauty. to show a child beautiful things, and to answer as well all the questions he will ask about them, to charm and thrill his imagination with pictures and statues and models of the wonders of the world, to familiarise the child with beauty, so that he knows ugliness when he meets it, and hates it for the outrage it is to the beauty he has known and loved ever since he was very little--this is worth doing. if we would make beauty the dear rule of a man's life, and ugliness the hated exception, we should make beauty as familiar to the child as the air he breathes, and if we associate knowledge with beauty the child will love them both. chapter vii of building and other matters a moment of rapturous anticipation lights life when the kind aunt or uncle has given the bricks, when the flat, sliding lid has been slipped back, and the smooth wooden cubes and oblongs have tumbled resoundingly on table or floor. "i am going to build a palace," says the child. or a tower or a church. and, the highest hopes inspiring him, he sets out on the new adventure. but he does not build a palace or a church, or even a railway station. what he builds is a factory, or a wall, or, in the case of the terra-cotta bricks, a portion of a french gentleman's country villa--the kind you see dozens of along the railway between paris and versailles. and however strong the child's desire that what he shall build shall be a palace or a church, that is, something beautiful and romantic, what he does build will always be the last thing he does, or ought to, admire. the fault is in the materials. they are lacking both in quality and quantity. no box of bricks that can at present be bought for money will build anything that can satisfy an imaginative child. an ordinary box of bricks--a really handsome one--measures, say, 12 by 8 by 2 in. if anything admirable is to be built from this amount of material the material ought to be presented in very small cubes, oblongs and arches--say 1 in. by â½ in. for the largest bricks, and going down to â¼ by â¼ by â¼ in. given these proportions a really pretty though undistinguished building might result. but in the box of bricks 12 by 8 by 2 in. the smallest cube measures â¾ in. and the largest brick 9 by â¾ by â¾ in. these long slabs of surface cannot be broken and disguised in such small buildings as the only ones which the materials are enough to build. hence, the deadly monotony of faã§ade, broken only by the three or, in the case of the really handsome box, five arches, and suggesting nothing so much as a "works" or a workhouse. [illustration: the square tower.] in the bricks themselves there is not enough variety. the stone bricks, it is true, have broken out into a variety of ugly shapes and a blue colour with which you can, if you like, build a mansard roof. but a mansard roof in a coarse ugly blue tint, is no thing of beauty. besides, it needs a solid substructure to support it, and if you make your building solid, every brick in your box will be used up, and all you will have to show for it will be a partially built wing of a peculiarly undesirable villa residence, replete with every modern inconvenience. nor must it be supposed that the difficulty can be met by adding more and more boxes of bricks. add them, by all means; and the result will be a larger and probably an uglier factory, or a completed, and therefore more completely hideous, villa. unless you are a millionaire, and have a toy cupboard as big as a pantechnicon, you will never have enough bricks to build up the solid masses which rest the eye, and give solidity and dignity to architecture. among such solid masses _steps_ are not the least important. every child knows that a really good flight of steps will take half the bricks in his box and leave insufficient material for the edifice to which the steps were intended to lead up. the tall broad smooth wall, its quiet surface disturbed only by one or two windows, a flight of steps and a doorway, is for ever out of reach of the child who has only bricks wherewith to build. [illustration: shell arches] the arches supplied with boxes of bricks are usually few and badly proportioned. there is seldom any provision for setting them up in a colonnade. the pillars which will support the ends of two arches are too wide for the _end_ arch, which is single. this difficulty is dealt with in stone bricks, but not in wooden ones; at any rate so far as my experience goes. there never was a time, one supposes, when so much money was spent on children and their toys. it is impossible to believe that, should some toy maker design and put on the market really desirable bricks for children, there would not be a ready sale for them. i suggest, then, that bricks are too large, and too small--and that what is needed is much smaller bricks, and much larger ones. the bricks in the old chest in our nursery started with 2-in. cubes, and went on in gradations of 2-in. to the largest brick--12 by 2 by 2 in. the chest itself must have been at least 4 by 2 by 1â½ ft. another detestable quality in our modern bricks is their inexactness--a sixteenth or even a quarter of an inch, more or less, is no more to the maker of bricks nowadays than it is to a bad dressmaker. our bricks were well and truly cut: they were of seasoned oak, smooth and pleasant to touch--none of the rough-sawn edges which vex the hand and render the building unstable; they were heavy--a very important quality in bricks. they "stayed put." i suggest that such bricks as these, supplemented by arches of varied curves, but unvarying thicknesses, and slabs of board varying in breadth but not in length, would not be a toy beyond the purse of kind uncles and aunts, and certainly not beyond the means of our council schools. the slabs of boards are to build steps with and to make roofs with. every child who has ever built with bricks feels the reckless wastefulness of using for steps the bricks so much needed for walls and towers. and who has not experienced the aggravation of finding when his tower is built that he has used up all the long bricks near its foundation and has now none left which are long enough to lay across its summit and form its roof? the slabs of board should be, like the bricks, of seasoned oak, and should be an inch thick. there should be plenty of arches--so as to render possible some sort of resemblance to norman and classical architecture. but bricks alone, however beautiful and varied, cannot as building material have the value which material freely chosen would have. children love to make mud pies, and to build sand castles, because the material is plastic and responds with more or less of docility to their demands upon it. also there is always enough of it, which there never is of bricks, or for the matter of that, of plasticine. i can imagine a splendid happiness for a child in a bushel of plasticine--but the sticks of plasticine are too small to be made into anything architecturally satisfying; and much too expensive for ordinary children to have in any but such quantities as encourage niggling. you will notice that children never tire of building sand castles on the sea-shore--but they would soon tire of building with a quart of damp sand on a table. it is true that the sea washes away your sand castle, usually before it is finished, but its end is finely catastrophic and full of damp delightful incident. also the climax has the great essential of drama--it is inevitable. how different the demolition of the brick-built house by mamma, who wants space for cutting out, or by mary, who desires to lay the table. the most promising of palaces, the most beautiful of bridges, are, at the urgence of these grown-up needs, swept away, and so, never being able to finish anything, the builder becomes discouraged. perhaps he takes to the floor as an eligible building site, only to find his buildings exposed to the tempestuous petticoat of mary, or the carelessly stepping high-heeled shoes of mamma. the same thing happens with a dolls' school, or a dolls' dinner-party, or any game requiring pageantry of any sort--so that little girls who would like their dolls to be actors in some scene of magnificence find no safe place for the actors save in their arms--and nurse with enforced premature maternal fussings the doll who, in happier circumstances, might be a druid or a martyr, or francis the first at the field of the cloth of gold. it is better to the child's mind that the cherished doll should safely be baby for ever, than that it should be francis the first and get walked on. in any house where space makes such a thing possible, a table might be set aside for children, to be their very own--a table on which neither food nor millinery should ever trespass. of course it is needful that toys and pseudo-toys should be "put away" daily, but it is not necessary that they should all be put away. those which are being used in some splendid half-developed scheme might surely be allowed to stay where they are, so that it may be possible to go on with the game next day. a truce might be called of that ruthless tidying up which, every day, destroys the new idea, and compels the child each day to produce a new scheme instead of allowing it to work on yesterday's and bring it to something a little nearer the perfection which it touched when the child's mind first conceived it. but, it may be urged, children leave everything half-finished, and go off to something else. of course they do--but clear away the half-finished thing, and you will find when they come back from the butterfly flight after some other interest, that they will not be pleased with you. "i've put all your bricks nicely away," you say proudly; and tommy will say "bother!" in his heart, even if his lips are sufficiently trained to avoid that expletive and to substitute: "i do wish you hadn't: i wanted to finish building my tower." you see one thing leads to another. it isn't that children are any more bird-witted than we are: it is that they have not yet learned to restrain the thousand curiosities, desires, and creative impulses proper to their age. you, of course, if you desired to set up a tableau of the field of the cloth of gold, would sit down with a bit of pencil and the back of an envelope and jot down all the properties required for staging the scene. but the child who has "had" the field "in history," and whose imagination has been stirred by the name of it--a thing that will happen under the stupidest of teachers--sets up henry and francis in paper crowns and only then begins to see that tents and banners and cloth of gold are lacking. perhaps he goes off to the village shop to get flags, perhaps to your handkerchief case for tent-cloth, perhaps to the meadow beyond the orchard to gather buttercups. while on any of these quests some supremely important event may strike across his plans, and overshadow them--a new kitten, a gift from the gardener of plants for his little garden, or the fact that some one is going fishing. then francis and henry are forgotten, the buttercups left dying on the doorstep, and the tent-cloth crammed into the pockets among string, stamps, acid drops, and pieces of the watch he took to pieces last holidays and never put together again, and he will follow the new trail. but he will come back to the field of the cloth of gold, and if you have "tidied up" the kings and put their crowns in the wastepaper basket the child will be disappointed and worried, his imagination checked and his scheme baffled. [illustration: handkerchief tents.] his annexation of your handkerchiefs will not occur if you have accustomed him to come to you or to his nurse for the means to his small ends; but if there is no one to whom he can apply for help, you will find that he will not stick at the sacred threshold of your handkerchief case. the tents of the field of the cloth of gold will be far more important to him than the inviolability of that scented treasure-house--unless, of course, you happen to have explained to him exactly how much you dislike that your handkerchiefs should keep the sort of company they meet with in his pockets. then, if he loves you, and has found you reasonable, he will refrain, while wondering at your prejudices. but he will--or ought to--find some other material for tents--letter paper perhaps. letter paper makes quite good tents, though not nearly so good, of course, as handkerchiefs folded diagonally--supported by a central pole, say a penholder, and fastened down at the tucked-in corners with pins or rose thorns. you can explain to him that rose-thorns hurt handkerchiefs, but you will not punish him if this has not occurred to him. and this brings one to the question of crime and punishment, of which perhaps i had better say what i have to say before i go on talking about bricks and how to supplement them. as i was saying, one thing leads to another. chapter viii the moral code in attempting to explain and enforce a moral code, the first and most essential need is to formulate definitely to oneself the code which one proposes to enforce and to explain. there is nothing from which children, and subject human beings generally, suffer so much as the incoherence of the thought of those in authority over them. before you can begin to lay down the law you must know what that law is, and your heart, soul, and spirit must not only know it, but approve it, before you can gain a willing obedience to it from those on whom you wish to impose it. by this i do not mean only that we ought to make up our minds whether this, that, or the other isolated act is right or wrong, as it occurs, but that we ought to have a clear perception and knowledge of the things that are right and the things that are wrong, and have a standard which we can apply to any new action brought under our notice, so that, measuring the new act by our old standard, we shall be able to say, with some sort of rough accuracy, "this is wrong," or "this is right." and the standard of expediency is not a good one for this purpose, nor is the standard of custom, nor yet the standard of gentility or the standard of success in life. children are not good judges of expediency. the law of mere custom will not be strong enough to bind them when desire calls with enchanting voice to forbidden things. gentility and the gospel of getting on will leave them cold. you may at first deal merely with a succession of unrelated particulars, saying, "this is right," "this is wrong," beating down the children's questionings by your mere _ipse dixit_; but a time will come when it will not be enough, in answer to their "why is it wrong?" "why is it right?" to answer "because i say so." the child will want some other standard which he himself can apply. the standard of what you say may be a shifting one, and anyhow, he cannot be at all sure what you will say unless he knows what is your standard, the standard by which you will decide whether to say, in any given case, that a thing is wrong or right. and in order that you may clearly set before the child your own moral standard you must first have set it very clearly before yourself. it is not enough to say, "stealing is wrong," "lying is wrong," "greediness is wrong." if you feel that these things are wrong because they are contrary to the will of god, you will not find that that explanation is sufficient for a child unless he knows very much more about god than his name and certain miraculous and incomprehensible attributes of his. he will want to know what is the will of god, to which these wrong things are contrary. and he will want very much to know the definite right as well as the definite wrong. you will have to give the child a standard that can be applied to positives as well as negatives. there is a very simple standard by which to measure the actions of children--and, much more severely, our own actions. it is set up in the words of christ: "do unto others as you would they should do unto you"--a standard so simple that quite little children can understand and apply it, a standard so severe that were it understood and applied by us who are no longer children, the warped, tangled, rotten web we call civilisation could not endure for a day. there is no other standard by which a child can judge its own actions, and yours, and judge them justly. having fixed your standard it will be necessary to try your own actions by it as well as the child's. and this standard will give you the only vital code of morality, because it compels the continual exercise of imagination, the continual preening and flight of the wings of the soul. you cannot order your life by that divine precept without a hundred times a day asking yourself, "how should _i_ like that, if i were not myself?" without continually putting yourself, imaginatively, in some one else's place. and when the child asks, "why is it wrong to steal?" you can lead him to see how little he would like to have his own possessions stolen. when he asks, "why is it wrong to lie?" you may teach him to imagine his own bitterness if others should deceive him. it is, of course, much easier to say, "it is wrong because i say so," or even "because god says so"; but if you want to mark it right or wrong, to grave it deeply and ineffaceably on the tables of the heart and the soul, teach the child to see for himself _how_ things are right and wrong--and to judge of them by that one divine and unfailing rule. of course even when the child knows what is right he will not always do it, any more than you do: and one of the questions to be considered is how you shall deal with those lapses from moral rectitude of which he, no less than you, will often be guilty. punishments, the old savage punishments, were revenge, and nothing but revenge, a desire to "pay out" the offender, to take an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. more humane and reasonable legislators have sought to prove that punishment is curative--that the fear of punishment will deter people from doing wrong. a distinguished official of the home office gave it as his opinion only the other day that punishment, no matter how severe, will not act as a deterrent, if there is ever so slight a chance of the criminal's escaping it. what would deter would be the _certainty_ of punishment, however slight. now since you are not omniscient you cannot pretend to your child that if he does wrong you are certain to know and to punish him: if you are silly enough to pretend it, he will find you out immediately, and estimate your lie at its true blackness. you can, however, without any pretence, assure him that if he does wrong he himself will know it, that it will make him feel unclean and nasty, and miserable till he is able to wash himself in the waters of repentance and forgiveness. that if he acts meanly and dirtily he will feel dirty and mean, and if he acts bravely and cleanly he will feel clean and brave. and he will find that what you say is true. but not unless you shall have succeeded in convincing him that your standard is a true standard, and that the things which that standard shows to be wrong are wrong indeed. here is the highest work of the imagination: to teach the child so to put himself in the place of the one he has wronged that the knowledge of that wrong shall be its own punishment. no one desires, of course, that a child should be always feeling his own moral pulse: if he has learned that there is a right and a wrong way he will not be always bothering about which way he may be living--it will be only when something goes amiss that he will stop and consider. just as one does not stop to think whether one is breathing properly, only when one chokes one knows that one isn't. [illustration: one half of the city. 72]] punishment, however, should not be confused with the consequences of action, and while children are yet too small to understand all that god may be to them, it is possible to show them the _consequences_ of their misdeeds, magnifying these beyond the consequences of the act to be reprobated and thus pointing the general moral. i mean that one may honourably apply, to the small wrong-doings of childhood, the _sort_ of consequences--proportioned, of course, to the wrong-doing--which would result from such wrong-doing on a larger scale by a grown-up person. it will be exceedingly troublesome and painful for you, but perhaps its painfulness to you may be the measure of its value to the child. for instance, tommy steals a penny, knowing that to steal pennies is wrong. he is very little, and a penny is very little, and your impulse, if not to slap him, might be to tell him that he is a very naughty boy and have done with it. it will go to your heart to bring home to him the consequences of theft, especially as you cannot do it at once; but if, next time you are about to send him to the shop for something, you say, "no: i can't send you because you might steal my pennies as you did the other day"--this will be hateful for you to do--but it will show him more plainly than anything else what happens to people who steal. they are not trusted. and the same with lies. show him that those who tell lies are not believed. but, remembering how it felt to be a child, have pity, and do not teach him these lessons when any one else is there. let the humiliation of them be a secret between you two alone. only when a wrong has been done which demands a restitution or an amend should the soul of the child, shamed with wrong-doing, be exposed to alien eyes. when we sit in judgment on the aggressions and on the shortcomings of others the first need is neither justice nor mercy, but imagination with self-knowledge. the judge should be able to put himself in the place of the accused, to perceive, by sympathetic vision, the point of view of the one who stands before the judgment-seat. the judge is an adult human being, and therefore has some knowledge of the mental and moral processes of human beings. he should use this knowledge; and when it comes to a grown-up judging a child, it is no less necessary for the judge to place himself imaginatively in the place of the small offender. and this cannot be done by imagination and self-consideration alone. memory is needed. let me say it again: there is only one way of understanding children; they cannot be understood by imagination, by observation, nor even by love. they can only be understood by memory. only by remembering how you felt and thought when you yourself were a child can you arrive at any understanding of the thoughts and feelings of children. when you were a child you suffered intensely from injustice, from want of understanding, in your grown-up censors. you were punished when you had not meant to do wrong: you escaped punishment when you had not meant to do right. the whole scheme of grown-up law seemed to you, and very likely was, arbitrary and incomprehensible. and you suffered from it desperately. so much that, even if you have now forgotten all that you suffered, the mark of that suffering none the less remains on your soul to this day. it would seem that the humiliations, the mortifications endured in childhood leave an ineffaceable brand on the spirit. how then can we not remember, and, remembering, refrain from hurting other children as we were hurt? the spirit of the child is sensitive to the slightest change in the atmosphere about him. you can convey disapproval quite easily--and approval also. but while most parents and guardians are constantly alive to the necessity for expressing disapproval and inflicting punishment, the other side of the medal seems to be hidden from them. the most prevalent idea of training children is the idea of prohibition and punishment. "you are not to do it! you will? then take that!" the blow or punishment following, expresses simply and exactly the whole theory of moral education held by the mass of modern mothers. the vast mistake, both in the education of children and government of nations, is the heavy stress laid on the negative virtues. also the fact that punishment follows on the failure _not_ to do certain things--whereas no commensurate reward is offered even for success in _not_ doing, let alone for success in active and honourable well-doing. the reward of negative virtue is negative also, and consists simply in non-punishment. the rewards of active virtue are, in the world of men, money and praise. but there are deeds for which money cannot pay, and sometimes these are rewarded by medals and paragraphs in the newspapers--not at all the same thing as being rewarded by the praise of your fellow-men. now children, like all sane human beings, love praise. they love it more keenly perhaps than other human beings because their natural craving for it has not been overlaid with false modesties and shames. they have not learned that praise to the face is open disgrace. on the contrary, praise to the face seems to them natural, right, and altogether desirable. see that they get it. do you remember when you were little how you struggled to exercise some tiresome negative virtue, such as not biting your nails, not teasing the cat, not executing, with your school-boots, that heavy shuffling movement, so simply relieving to you, so mysteriously annoying to the grown-ups? can you have forgotten how for ages and ages--three or four days, even--you refrained from drinking water with your mouth full of food, from leaving your handkerchief about in obvious spots natural and convenient, how you sternly denied yourself the pleasure of drawing your hoop stick along the front railings--because, though you enjoyed this musical exercise, others did not? and how, all through the interminable period of self-denial, you heartened yourself to these dismal refrainings by the warm comfortable thought, "_won't_ they be pleased?"--and how they never were. they took it all as a matter of course. to them, because they had forgotten how it felt to be a child, all your heroic sacrifices and renunciations counted as nothing. to them it was natural that a child should keep his fingers out of his mouth, and off the tail of puss, should keep his feet still and his handkerchief in his pocket, should do the suitable things with meat, drink, and hoop-sticks. they never noticed, and so they never praised. but when, worn out by long abstinence from natural joys, natural relaxations, you broke one of those rules which seemed to you so useless and so arbitrary, then they noticed fast enough. [illustration: the tail of puss.] "can you _never_ remember," they said, "just a simple thing like not biting your nails?" bitter aloes following, no doubt. or, "i really should have thought," they would say, "that considering the number of times i've spoken about it you would remember not to make that frightful noise," with boots or hoop sticks or a blade of wet grass or what not. they did not pause to think, in their earnest grown-up business of "bringing the boy up," how many, how very many, and how seemingly silly, were the "don'ts" which you had to remember. but you will not be like that: you will notice and approve, and most needful of all, reward with praise the earnest, difficult refrainings of the child who is trying to please you: who is trying to learn the long table of your commandments all beginning with "thou shalt not," and to practise them, not because these commandments appeal to him as reasonable or just or useful, but just because he loves you, wants to please you, and, deepest need of love, wants you to be pleased with him. a hasty yet determined effort at putting yourself in his place is the thing needed every time you have to sit in judgment on the actions of another human being--most of all when that human being is a little child. if we cultivated this habit we should not hurt other people as we do. i have seen cruel things. a little girl, suffering from a slight affection of the eye, was given by a sympathetic aunt the run of a box of that aunt's old ball-dresses. she spent a whole hour in arranging a costume which seemed to her to be of royal beauty. a crushed pink tulle dress, a many-coloured striped roman sash, white satin slippers, put on over the black strapped shoes, and turning up very much at the toes. white gloves, very dirty and wrinkled like a tortoise's legs over the plump dimpled arms. hair dressed high on the head over a pad of folded stockings, secured by hairpins borrowed from the housemaid. a wreath, of crushed red calico roses from somebody's last summer's hat, some pearl beads, the property of cook, and a blue heart out of a cracker--saved since christmas. "i am a beautiful princess," said the child, and the housemaid responded heartily: "that you are, ducky, and no mistake. go and show mother." but mother, when she was told that this stumbling, long-tailed bundle of crushed finery was a beautiful princess, laughed and said, "princess rag-bag, i should say." "it's only pretending, you know," the child explained, wondering why explanations should be needed by mother and not by eliza. the mother laughed again. "i shouldn't pretend to be a princess with that great stye in my eye," she said, and thought no more about it. but the child remembers to this day how she slunk away and tore off the beautiful princess-clothes, and cried and cried and cried, and wished that she was dead. children really do wish that, sometimes. another form of cruelty is mere carelessness. a child spends hours in preparing some surprise for you--decorates your room with flowers, not in the best taste perhaps, and fading maybe before your impatiently awaited arrival--or ties scarves and handkerchiefs to the banisters to represent flags at your home-coming. "very pretty, dear," you say carelessly, hardly looking--and the child sees that you hardly look, "and now clear it all away, there's a dear!" the child clears it all away, and with the dying flowers something else is cleared away, something that will no more live again than will the faded flowers. be generous of praise--it is the dew that waters the budding flowers of kindness and love and unselfishness: it is to all that is best in the child the true elixir of life. chapter ix praise and punishment [illustration: the other half of the city. 82]] while admitting that no pains can be too great, no labours too arduous to spend upon the education of the child, we must not shut our eyes to the fact that the sacrifice of the grown-up may often be better for him--or much more often her--than it is for the child for whom that sacrifice is made. there is a certain danger that the enthusiastic educator, passionately desiring to sacrifice her whole life, may incidentally, and quite without meaning it, sacrifice something very vital in the child. for the child whose every want is anticipated, whose every thought is considered, who is surrounded by the softness of love and the sweetness of sympathy, is not unlikely to disappoint and dismay the fond parent or guardian, pastor or master, by growing up selfish, cowardly, heartless and ungrateful; with no capacity for obedience, no power of endurance, no hardihood, no resource--whining in adversity and intolerable in success. the object of education is to fit the child for the life of the man. once it was held that a rigorous discipline, enforced by violence, was the best preparation for the life which is never too easy or too soft. now we have changed all that, and there is some danger that the pendulum may swing too far, and that the aim of education may come to mean only the ensuring of a happy childhood, without arming the child for the battle of life. it is right that to the educator the child should be the prime object, the centre of the universe, the prime consideration to which every other consideration must give way. but there is the danger that the child may become his own prime object, not only the centre of his own universe, but its circumference, and cherish, deeply rooted in his inmost soul, the conviction that all other considerations should and will give way to his desires. life, we know, will teach him, in her rough, hard school, that he is only the centre of his own universe in that sense in which the same is true of us all--that far from being the prime object of the world which surrounds him, he himself counts for little or nothing, except to those who love him--and that the consideration he receives will not be, as was the consideration lavished on him in his childhood, free, ungrudging, and invariable, but will be conditioned by the services he renders to others and the extent to which he can be to them pleasant or useful. life, it is true, will teach him all this, but if her teaching be a course of lessons in a wholly new subject, they will be very difficult to learn, and the learning will hurt. whereas if, from the very beginning, the child is taught to understand the interdependence of human beings, the fact that rights involve duties and that duties confer rights, he will be able to apply and to use for his own help the lessons which later life will teach him. more, he will have at the outset of life the advantage which one with a clear conception of rights and duties has over one who only sees life as a muddle and maze of things that are "jolly hard lines." they suffer as without hope who see that the world needs mending, and have never made up their minds what sort of world they would like. whereas the child to whom, quite early, the lesson of human solidarity has been taught will, when he shall be a man, know very well what he wants, and will be able, however humbly, to help, in his day and generation, to re-mould the world to the fashion of his desire. it is not difficult to teach children the duties of kindness and helpfulness to others, and the duty of public spirit and loyalty to their fellow-men. a healthy child is active, energetic, and deeply desirous of using his senses and his faculties. it is possible to assign to quite a small child certain duties, but the wise educator will manage to make such duties privileges and not tasks. the system of sentencing children to the performance of useful offices by way of punishment is abominable. it gives them for ever a distaste for that particular form of social service. if we must punish, let us not permit the punishments to trench on the province of useful and, in good conditions, pleasant tasks. give the boy an imposition rather than an order to weed the shrubbery walk; set the girl to learn a french verb rather than to hem dusters. the consciousness of being useful is very dear to children--it is worth while to feel and to show gratitude to them for all services rendered, and though it may be, as they say, more trouble than it is worth to teach the children to help effectually, that only means that it is more trouble than the help they give is worth. what is really valuable is the cultivation of the sense that it is a good and pleasant thing to help mother to wash up, to help father to water the geraniums, and, further, a thing which will make father and mother pleased and grateful. children, like the rest of us, love to feel themselves important. is it not well that they should feel themselves important as givers, and not as claimants only? the tale of their public obligations may well begin with the lesson that it is part of the duty of a citizen to help to keep his city, his country, clean and beautiful. therefore, we must not leave nasty traces of our presence in street or meadow--such traces as orange-peel, banana-skins, and the greasy bag that once held the bun or the bull's-eye. and it is quite as important to learn what we should as what we should not do. the idea and organisation of the boy scouts is a fine object-lesson in the way of training children to be good citizens. the duties of a citizen should be taught in all schools: they are more important than the latitude of cathay and the industries of kamskatka. even the smallest children could learn something of this branch of education. i should like to write a little book of moral songs for young citizens, only i wouldn't call it that. the songs in it might take the place of "mary had a little lamb" or whatever it is that they make the infants learn by heart. one of them might go something like this: i must not steal, and i must learn nothing is mine that i do not earn. i must try in work and play to make things beautiful every day. i must be kind to every one and never let cruel things be done. i must be brave, and i must try when i am hurt never to cry, and always laugh as much as i can and be glad that i'm going to be a man, to work for my living and help the rest, and never do less than my very best. another might begin: i must not litter the park or the street with bits of paper or things to eat: i must not pick the public flowers they are not _mine_, but they are _ours_. . . . and so on. simple rhymes learned when you are very young stay with you all your life. the duties and refrainings just touched on here might be elaborated in different poems. there might be one on being brave, and another on prompt obedience to the word of command. there is no position in life where the habit of obedience to your superior officer is not of value. to teach obedience without bullying would be quite easy: with very little children it could take the form of a game, in which a series of orders were given--for the performance of such actions as occur in the mulberry bush; and the competition among the children to be the first to obey the new order would quicken the child's mind and body, while the habit of obedience to the word of command would be firmly planted, so that it would grow with the child's growth and adapt itself to the needs of life. i would write more than one poem, i think, about the green country and the shame it is that those who should love and protect it desecrate it as they do. let it be the pride of the child that he is not of the sort of people who leave greasy papers lying about in woods, broken bottles in meadows, and old sardine tins among the rushes at the margin of cool streams. such people touch no foot of land that they do not desecrate and defile. wherever they are suffered to be, there they leave behind them the vilest leavings. filthy papers, the rinds and skins of fruit, crusts and parings, jagged tins, smashed bottles, straw and shavings and empty stained cardboard boxes. they leave it all, openly and shamelessly, making the magic meadows sordid as a suburb, and carrying into the very heart of the country the vulgarities of the street corner. it is time, indeed, that certain of the finer duties of citizenship were taught in all schools, harrow as well as houndsditch, eton as well as borstal. and one of the first of these is the keeping of the beauty of beautiful places unsmirched, the duty of preserving for others the beauty which we ourselves admire, the duty of burning bits of paper and burying pieces of orange-peel. if there is not time to teach geography as well as the duties and decencies of a citizen, the geography should go, and the duties and decencies be taught. for what is the use of knowing the names of places if you do not know that places should be beautiful, and what is the use of knowing how many counties there are in england unless you know also that every field and every tree and every stream in every one of those counties is a precious gift of god not to be desecrated by shameless refuse and garbage, but to be cared for as one cares for one's garden, and loved, as one should love every inch of our england, this garden-land more beautiful than any garden in the world? a child should be taught to read almost as soon as it has learned to speak. i can remember my fourth birthday, but i cannot remember a time when i could not read. without going into details as to the merits of different methods of teaching, i may say that a good many words may be taught before it is necessary to teach the letters--that reading should precede spelling--that cat should be presented whole, as the symbol of cat--and that the dissection of it into c.a.t. should come later. i believe that children taught in this way, and taught young, will not in after life be tortured by the difficulties of spelling. they will spell naturally, as they speak or walk. of the value of the accomplishment of reading, as a let-off to parents and guardians, it would be impossible to speak too highly. it keeps the child busy, amused, still and quiet. the value to the child himself is not less. nor is it only that the matter of his reading stores his mind with new material. to him also it is a good thing that he should sometimes be still and quiet, and at the same time interested and occupied. of books for little children there are plenty--not fine literature, it is true--but harmless. as the child grows older he will want more books, and different books--and if you insist on personally conducting him on his grand tour through literature he will probably miss a good many places that he would like to go to. for a child from ten onwards it is no bad thing to give the run of a good general library. when he has exhausted the story books he will read the ballads, the histories and the travels, and may even nibble at science, poetry, or philosophy. i myself, at the age of thirteen, browsed contentedly in such a library--where percy's anecdotes in thirty-nine volumes or so divided my attention with hume, locke and berkeley. i even read burton's _anatomy of melancholy_, and was none the worse for it. it is astonishing how little harm comes to children through books. unless they have been taught by servants' chatter how to look for the "harm," they do not find it. i do not mean that absolutely every book is fit for a child's reading, but if you allow the reading of the old testament it is mere imbecility to insist that all the rest of your child's reading shall ignore the facts of life. you can always have a locked book-case if you choose: only see to it that the doors are not of glass, for the forbidden is always the desired. as regards the facts of life, by which i mean the physiological facts about which there is so much needless and vain concealment, there is, it seems to me, only one rule. if your child has learned to love and trust you it will come to you with its questions, instead of going to the housemaid or the groom. answer all its questions truthfully, even at the cost of a little trouble in formulating your answers. do not leave the child to learn the truth about its body and its birth from vulgar and tainted sources. there is absolutely nothing that you cannot decently tell a child when it has reached the age when it understands that certain things are not fit subjects for public conversation--and until it has reached that age it will not ask that sort of questions. there is no difficulty in making children understand that their digestive processes are not to be discussed in general society, and it is quite easy to explain to them that other physiological processes are also to be avoided as subjects for general conversation. the cat and her family will help you to explain all that the child wants to know. the child should be taught that its body is the temple of the holy ghost, and that it is our duty to keep our bodies healthy, clean, and well-exercised, just as we should try to keep our minds strong and active, and our hearts tender and pure. and one need not always "talk down" to children: they understand far better than you think. they are always flattered by talk that rises now and then above the level of their understanding. and if they do not understand they will tell you so, and you can simplify. in talking of the subjects which interest them, you need not be afraid of being too clever. for even if they do not ask, your instinct and the child's eyes will, if there be love and trust between you, tell you when you are getting out of its depth. but there must be love and trust: without that all education outside book-learning is for ever impossible. chapter x the one thing needful the most ardent advocate of our present civilisation, the blindest worshipper of what we call progress, can hardly fail to be aware of the steadily increasing and brutal ugliness of life. civilisation, whatever else it is, is a state in which a few people have the chance of living beautifully--those who take that chance are fewer still--and the enormous majority live, by no choice or will of their own, lives which at the best are uncomfortable, anxious, and lacking in beauty, and at the worst are so ugly, diseased, desperate, and wretched that those who feel their condition most can hardly bear to think of them, and those who have not imagination enough to feel it fully yet cannot bear it unless they succeed in persuading themselves that the poor of this world are the heirs of the next, while hoping, at the same time, that a portion of lazarus's heavenly legacy may, after all, be reserved for dives. the hideous disfigurement of lovely hills and dales with factories and mines and pot banks--coal, cinder, and slag; the defilement of bright rivers with the refuse of oil and dye works; the eating up of the green country by greedy, long, creeping yellow caterpillars of streets; the smoke and fog that veil the sun in heaven; the sordid enamelled iron advertisements that scar the fields of earth--all the torn paper and straw and dirt and disorder spring from one root. and from the same root spring pride, anger, cruelty, and sycophancy, the mean subservience of the poor and the mean arrogance of the rich. as the fair face of the green country is disfigured by all this machinery which ministers to the hope of getting rich, so is the face of man marred by the fear of getting poor. look at the faces you see in the street--old and young, gay and sad--on all there is the brand of anxiety, a terrible anxiety that never rests, a fear that never sleeps, the anxiety for the future: the fear of poverty for the rich, the fear of starvation for the poor. think of the miles and miles of sordid squalor and suffering in the east of london--not in comfortable whitechapel, but out canning town way; think of barking and plaistow and plashet and bow--then think of park lane and bond street. and if your eyes are not blinded, the west is no less terrible than the east. if you want to be sure of this, bring a hungry, ragged child from that eastern land and set it outside a west end restaurant; let it press its dirty little face against the plate glass and gaze at the well-to-do people gorging and guzzling round the bright tables inside. the diners may be smart, the ragged child may be picturesque--but bring the two together, and consider the conjunction. [illustration: the hideous disfigurement.] and all this ugliness springs from the same cause. as ruskin says: "we have forgotten god." we have therefore forgotten his attributes, mercy, loving-kindness, justice, truth, and beauty. their names are still on our lips, but the great, stupid, crashing, blundering machine which we call civilisation knows them not. the devil's gospel of _laissez-faire_ still inspires the calloused heart of man. each for himself, and mammon for the foremost. we no longer care that life should be beautiful for all god's children--we wish it to be beautiful for us and forget who, as we wish that wish, becomes our foster-father. there can be no healing of the great wound in the body of mankind till each one of us would die rather than see the ugliness of a wound on the body of the least of these our brethren. but so dulled and stupefied is our sense of beauty, our sense of brotherhood, that our brother's wounds do not hurt us. we have not imagination enough to know how it feels to be wounded. just as we have not imagination enough to see the green fields that lie crushed where manchester sprawls in the smoke--the fair hills and streams on which has grown the loathsome fungus of stockport. [illustration: of lovely hills and dales.] now i do believe that this insensitiveness to ugliness and misery, this blindness to wanton befouling of human life and the green world, comes less from the corruption of man's heart than from the emptiness of the teaching which man receives when he is good and little and a child. the teaching in our schools is almost wholly materialistic. the child is taught the botanical name of the orange--dissects it and its flower and perhaps learns the latin names of the flower and fruit; but it is not taught that oranges are things you will be pleased with yourself for giving up to some one who is thirstier than you are--or that to throw orange-peel on the pavement where some one may slip on it, fall and hurt himself, is as mean a trick as stealing a penny from a blind man. we teach the children about the wonders of gases and ethers, but we do not explain to them that furnaces ought to consume their own smoke, or why. the children learn of acids and starches, but not that it is a disgraceful thing to adulterate beer and bread. the rules of multiplication and subtraction are taught in schools, but not the old rule, "if any will not work, neither shall he eat." there is no dogmatical teaching. that means a diet of dry bones. it means that the child is never shown how to look for happiness in the performance of acts which do not, on the face of them, look as though they would make him happy. it is not explained to him that man's life and the will of god are like a poem--god writes a line and man must make the next line rhyme to it. when it does rhyme, then you get that happiness which can only come from harmony. and when you do your best to make your line rhyme and cannot--well, the author of the first line knows that it was your best that you did. god is shown, when he is shown at all, to our modern children, as a sort of glorified head master, who will be tremendously down on you if you break the rules: alternatively as a sort of rich uncle who will give you things if you ask properly. he is not shown as the father to whom you can tell everything. if you are successful in your work you win a prize and go home to your people, and tell them that you are first in history, receiving their applause without shame. if you are good at games or athletics you can tell your mates that you made two goals or eighty-three runs or whatever it is, and delight in their admiration. if you are an athlete the applause of the bystanders is your right and your reward. but whom can you tell of the little intimate triumphs, the secret successes, the temptations resisted, the kind things done, the gentle refrainings, the noble darings of that struggling, bewildered, storm-tossed little thing you call your soul? god, your father, is the only person to whom you can talk of these. to him you can say: "father, i wanted to pay smith minor out to-day for something he did last week, and i didn't because i thought you wouldn't like it. are you pleased with your boy?" do they teach you this in schools or give you any hint or hope of what you will feel when your father answers: "yes, my son, i am pleased." or do they teach you to say: "father, i am sorry i was a beast to-day, and i'll try not to do it again"--and tell you that a voice will answer, "i am sorry too, my son--but i am glad you told me. try again, dear lad. and let me help you"? as you show your latin exes. to your master, so you should be taught to show the leaves of your life to the only one who can read and understand that blotted record. and if you learn to show that book every day there will be less and less in it that you mind showing, and more and more that will give you the glow and glory of the heart that comes to him who hears "faithful and good, well done." you cannot suppose that your life is rhyming with the will of god when you destroy the beauty of the country and of the lives of men so that you may get rich and you and your children may live without working. can you imagine a company promoter who should say: "father, i have made a lot of money out of a company which has gone to pieces, and a lot of other people are ruined, but i know that there must always be rich and poor, and if i didn't do it some one else would"? or--"father, i spoiled the green fields where children used to play and i have built a lot of streets of hideous and uncomfortable houses, but they are quite good enough for the working people. as long as they have such low wages they can't live like human beings. and thou knowest, o father, that wages are and must be regulated by the divine law of supply and demand." or--"father, i have put sand in the sugar and poison in the beer, alum in the bread and water in the milk, all these being, as thou knowest, father, long-established trade customs." men can say these things to themselves and to each other, but there is one to whom they cannot say them. it is of him and not only of the wonders of his universe that i would have the children taught. but they are only taught of the wonders, not of the wonder-worker. it is not that there are none who could teach, no initiates of the great and simple mysteries, no keepers of the faith. there are such, but they are muzzled, and the detestable horrors of civilisation go on in a community which calls itself after the name of christ. and so long as we have in our schools this materialistic teaching, so long shall we raise up generation after generation to support that civilisation and to keep it the damnable thing we know. talk goes on and goes on and goes on. there is talk now of a great measure for the reform of national education, much talk--there will be more. there will be much ink spilt, much breath wasted; we shall hear of montessori and froebel and pestalozzi, of science and the classics, of opportunities of ladders of scholarships and prizes and endowments. we shall hear how hard it is that the sons of the plumber should not be able to go to oxford and how desirable it is that daughters of the dustman should sometimes take the prix de rome. we shall be told how important are the telescope and the microscope, and how right it is that children should know all about their little insides. the one thing we shall not hear about will be the one thing needful. a tottering government may keep itself in power by such a measure, a defeated party may, by it, bring itself back to office, but such a measure will not keep the nation from perdition, nor bring back the soul of a man into the true way. we may build up as we will schemes of education and instruction, add science to science, learning to learning, and facts to facts; but what we shall build will be only a dead body unless it be informed by the breath of the spirit which maketh alive. for education which teaches a man everything but how to live to the glory of god and the service of man is not education, but only instruction; and it is the fruit of the tree, not of life, but of death. _part ii_ chapter i romance in games a sharp distinction can be drawn between games with toys and games without them. in the latter the child's imagination has to supply everything, in the former it supplements or corrects the suggestion of the toy. but in both, as in every movement and desire of the natural child, it is imagination which tints the picture and makes the whole enterprise worth while. in hide-and-seek, that oldest of games, and still more in its sister "i spy," a little live streak of fear brought down from who knows what wild ancestry lends to the game an excitement not to be found in games with bats and balls and nets and bails and straightforward trappings bought at shops. when you lurk in the shrubbery ready to spring out on the one who is hunting you, and to become in your turn the hunter, you are no longer a child, you are a red indian or a canadian settler, or a tiger or a black-fellow, according to the measure of your dreams and the nature of the latest book of your reading. at this point it occurs to me that perhaps you who read may have forgotten the difference between "hide-and-seek" and "i spy." hide-and-seek is just what it says it is; half the players hide, and the others seek them and there's an end of it. it is an interesting game, but flat compared with "i spy." it has, however, this merit, that it can be played without those screams to which grown-ups are, usually, so averse. whereas i defy any one to play "i spy" without screaming. hide-and-seek is a calm game; the thing sought for might almost as well be an inanimate object: it is the game of stoats looking for pheasants' eggs, of bears looking for honey. but "i spy" is the game of enemy looking for enemy: it calls for the virtues of fortitude, endurance, courage--for the splendours of physical fitness, for aptness, for speed. in "i spy" half the players hide and the others seek; but they seek not an unresisting stationary object, but a keen, watchful retaliatory terror. they seek, in shrubbery and garden, behind summer-house and conservatory, in the shelter of tree, hedge, and arbour, for the enemy, and when that enemy is found the seeker does not just say, "oh, here you are"--that ending the game. far otherwise; the seeker in "i spy" goes warily, his heart in his mouth--for, the moment he sees a hider, he must shout "i spy," adding the hider's name. "i spy jimmy!" he cries, and turning, flees at his best speed. the hidden one follows after--the hunted becoming in one swift terrible transition the hunter, and he who was the seeker flies with all the speed he may, across country, to the appointed "home." the quarry unearthed has become the pursuer and follows with yells. grown-ups would always rather that you played hide-and-seek--and can you wonder? but sometimes they will concede to you "i spy" rights, and even join in the sport. it is always well, in playing any game where anything may be trampled, such as asparagus beds, or broken, such as windows, to have a grown-up or two on your side. and by "your," here, of course i mean children. the habit of years is not easily broken, and i am so much more used to writing _for_ children than _of_ them. chevy chase is a good old-fashioned game of courage and adventure. does any one play it now? no child can play it _con amore_ who does not know who it was who when his legs were smitten off he fought upon his stumps, and to what bold heart the bitterest drop in the cup of defeat was "earl percy sees my face----" all wreathed with romance are the song-games, "nuts in may," "there came three knights," and the rest, where the up-and-down dancing movement and the song of marriage-by-capture ends in a hard jolly tug-of-war, and woe to the vanquished! this is a very old game--and there are many words to it. one set i know, but i never have known the end. little boys in light trousers and short jackets and little girls in narrow frilled gowns used to play it on the village green a hundred years ago. this is how it began: up and down the green grass this and that and thus, come along, my pretty maid, and take a walk with us; you shall have a duck, my dear, and you shall have a drake, and you shall have a handsome man, for your father's sake. my mother told me all of that song-game, and that is all of it that i can remember. she always said she would write it down, and i always thought there was plenty of time, and somehow there was not, and so i do not know the end. perhaps mr. charles marson, who first found out the somerset folk-songs of which mr. somebody else now so mysteriously gets all the credit, may know the end of these verses. if he does, and if he sees this, perhaps he will write and tell me. this game of come and go and give and take is alive in france; witness the old song: qu'est-ce qui passe ici si tard, compagnons de la marjolaine? qu'est-ce qui passe ici si tard toujours si gai? ce sont les cavaliers du roi, compagnons de la marjolaine. ce sont les cavaliers du roi toujours si gais. et que veulent ces cavaliers, compagnons de la marjolaine? et que veulent ces cavaliers toujours si gais? des jeunes filles ã  marier, compagnons de la marjolaine; des jeunes filles ã  marier, toujours si gais. and i have no doubt that stout dutch children and german children with flaxen plaits, and small contadine, and spanish and swedish and russian and lithuanian babes all move rhythmically back and forth on their native greensward and rehearse the old story of the fair maid and the knight "out to marry." the mulberry bush is another of the old song-games, where play-acting is the soul of the adventure, and this too is everywhere. "a la claire fontaine," i remember as the french version, danced on wet days in the cloisters of the convent of my youth. le pont d'avignon, a glorious game, with its impersonations of animals, has, as far as i know, no counterpart in this country. all these games are active games: they can, of course, be played by sheer imitation, a sort of parrot-and-monkey aptitude will do it; but if they are to be enjoyed to the full, the imagination must have full play. to _be_ a knight a-riding to fetch a fair lady is quite simple, and quite thrilling--just as to be a bear demands nothing but growls and a plantigrade activity in the performer to be a fearful joy to the non-bear. cricket and football, fives and racquets, the games that are played with things out of shops, do not need imagination to help them out. the games without bought accessories should perhaps rather be termed "plays" than games. and the more highly cultivated the imagination the more intensely joyous are the games. all sorts of acting, dressing-up, and pretending games depend entirely on the imagination, and it is well to encourage children to act scenes which they have observed, or heard about or read about. the smallest child will experience a real joy in putting its pinafore on wrong way round, call it a coat, and announce with pride that it is "daddy going a tata." in the dolls' tea-parties you will observe a careful copy or travesty of your own "company manners," and as the small minds are filled with tales of wonder and adventure, you will find them re-enacted, the nursery rocking chair serving as charger for the gallant knight, and nurse's hassock taking quite adequately the part of the dragon. a small sister can generally be relied on to be the captive princess, especially if handsome trappings go with the part--and a cobweb brush is an admirable spear. the princess will be released from her bonds in time to act as chief mourner at the funeral of the slain hassock, which can be carried down the river in a barge made of the nursery table wrong way up--with the nursery tablecloth for a sail--an admirable tableau certain to occur if any one has told the children the story of elaine. that the dragon should have as sumptuous a funeral as enoch arden himself, need not surprise you: a funeral is a funeral, be the corpse canary, guinea pig, or hassock, and to a dead dragon are due all the honours we pay to a gallant if unfortunate antagonist. not only fairy tales, but history will be acted. you will have jane as queen eleanor sucking the poison from jack's grubby paws, and alice as an arab physician curing the plague, represented by blobs of paint-water on the rigid arms of robert. how beloved will be the grown-up who, passing by the scene, shall refrain from commenting on the deafening groans of the patient, and shall, instead, offer the physician a ribbon for his girdle or a plume from the dusting brush for his turban. exploring plays and all the plays which include wigwams and war paint are such as an intelligent grown-up will be able to intensify and add backbone to--for a child's fancy will naturally outrun his performance, and though he may imagine a feather head-dress or moccasins, he will be only too pleased that a grown-up should make the things for him with that strong, unerring touch to which his small experimenting hands cannot yet attain. all such games require numbers; your only lonely child cannot play indians to the full. two is better than one and more than two is better than two, up to the number of six or eight. people don't seem to see how important numbers are for play. they see it fast enough when it comes to schools, but a regular association of children for the purposes of play is not encouraged. in a large family of boys and girls it just happens happily, but an association of children from various homes generally means a predatory horde of boys: girls don't associate with unrelated girls in joyous play-adventures, and boys are apt to think that little girls who are not their sisters are either angels or muffs, and neither a muff nor an angel is what you want to play games with. parents and guardians might do a great deal to render play-association possible: i suggest that house parties of children, where the utmost possible liberty should be given, would stimulate enormously the plays which encourage daring and initiative, and would teach boys that girls are not necessarily muffs or angels, and teach girls that boys are not all brutes. fathers and mothers sacrifice themselves every year in august; you see them doing it, heavily, definitely, with clenched teeth and a grim determination not to be selfish, and to spend a month with the children at the seaside, however much it may cost in time, temper, and money. the browns go to scarborough, their friends the robinsons go to wales, the smiths are in devonshire and the joneses at littlehampton. they all go to the same sort of lodgings, do the same sort of things, and lucky is the mother whose nerves are not worn very thin indeed before the holiday ends. now suppose all these worthy and self-sacrificing parents agreed to pool their families and let mr. and mrs. brown take charge of them all--in some jolly big house suited to the needs of so swollen a household. sixteen children are really, in many ways, four times easier to manage than four--and at least forty times as easy to amuse. in fact, you don't need to amuse them--they will amuse themselves and each other: mr. and mrs. brown will only have to adjust ebullitions. meanwhile the smiths, robinsons, and joneses are having their holiday where they will. their turn of having the children will come another year, when the browns will be free to range the world in august, knowing that their children are safe and happy and are, thank you, having a much better time than they could have in small seaside lodgings, even with the undivided attention of their fathers and mothers. besides, if i may for once take the part of the mothers instead of that of the children, what sort of holiday do you think the mother has, when to the ordinary routine of housekeeping at home are added the difficulties of housekeeping in unfamiliar surroundings, in a house of whose capabilities she has no experience, and with a landlady whose temper, as often as not, is as short as her tale of extras is long? the woman who works all the year round at the incredibly arduous task of making a home, answering week in and week out the constant, varying demands on all her complex mental and physical activities, does really deserve a real holiday. what is more, she needs it. she will be a better mother the rest of the year if she be allowed for that one month to be just a wife, and a wife on a holiday. the wife whose turn it is to take charge of the amalgamated families will find so great a change from the exclusive care of her own chickens that the change in itself will be a sort of holiday. and the children themselves, perhaps, will learn a little from the enforced separation from the fount of unselfish devotion, and appreciate their mother all the more if they have, be it only half-consciously, missed her a little even through the varied and joyous experiences of their month's house-party. chapter ii building cities the devotion of aunts has often stirred my admiration. the heroism of aunts deserves an epic. but this is, as you say, not the place to write that epic. give me leave, however, to say that of all the heroic acts of the devoted aunt, none seems to me more magnificent than the self-sacrifice which nerves those delightful ladies to settle themselves down to play, in cold blood, with their nephews and nieces games bought at a shop, games in boxes. i am not talking of croquet, or even badminton, though these may be, and are, bought in boxes at shops. nor do i wish to depreciate chess and draughts, nor even halma, the poor relation of draughts and chess, nor dominoes, which we all love. these games, so precious on wet days, or when other people have headaches, cannot be too highly prized, too assiduously cultivated. the rigours of the seaside holiday, too often in wet weather a time of trial and temper, would be considerably mitigated if chess and chess-board, draughts, dominoes, and halma were packed in the trunks along with the serge suits, the sandshoes, and the sun-bonnets. the games which i do so 'wonder and admire' to see aunts playing are the meaningless games with counters and dice: ill-balanced dice and roughly turned counters and boards that look like folding chequer-boards till you open them, and then you find all the ugliest colours divided into squares and circles or slabs, with snakes or motors or some other unpleasing devices on them. these games are all exactly the same in their primary qualities: the first of them that was invented had all the faults of all its successors. yet dozens of new ones are invented every year, just to sell, and helpless children try to play them, knowing no better, and angel aunts abet them, knowing all. grown-ups suffer a great deal in playing with children: it is not the least charm of a magic city that a grown-up can play it and suffer nothing worse than the fatigue incidental to the bricklayer's calling. of course, most grown-ups will say that they would rather be burnt at a slow fire, or play halma, than be bothered with magic cities. but that is only because they do not understand. try the experiment the next time you are spending a wet week-end in a country house where there are children. get the children to yourself and ask your hostess whether you may borrow what you want for a game. the library is the best place for building: there is almost certainly a large and steady table: also there are the books. i need not urge you to spare the elegantly bound volumes, and the prized first editions, and the priceless folios and duodecimos in their original calf and vellum. you will find plenty of books that nobody will mind your using--the old _whitakers_, bound volumes of the _cornhill_ and _temple bar_--good solid blocks for the foundations of your city. if there be a pair of candlesticks or an inkstand which match, you may make a magnificent archway by setting up the candlesticks as pillars and laying the inkstand on the top. you can see how this is done in the picture of the elephant temple. get the children to bring down the bricks and enlist a friendly parlour-maid to let you have the run of the china cupboard, or a footman, if you are in that sort of house, to bring you the things you want on a tray. [illustration: the palace of cats. 120] but it is much better if you can go alone over the house and choose what you really want. you invite the children to help you build, and to build themselves. if they have never built a magic city you will find that they will presently desert their plain brick edifices to watch the development of your palace or temple. they will offer suggestions, and quite soon they will offer objects. they will begin to look about the room with their sharp eyes--and about the house with their keen memory and imagination, and produce the sort of things that look like the sort of things they think you might like for your building. they will wander off, returning with needle-cases, little boxes, shells--and "would this do for something?" is the word on every lip. they are soon as much absorbed in the building as you are--and i take it you are an enthusiast--and your magic city grows apace. then after a little while a grown-up, bored and out of employment, will stray into the library with "hullo! what are you kids up to with all this rubbish?" and stand with his hands in his pockets contemplating the building industry. if you answer him simply and kindly, and don't resent his choice of epithet, it is almost certain he will quite soon withdraw a hand from his pocket and reach out to touch your magic walls with "wouldn't it be better like that?" admit it, and in hardly any time at all you have him building on his own account. another grown-up will stray in presently with the same question on his lips. he too will come to be bored and will remain to build, and by tea-time you will have collected every grown-up of the house-party--every grown-up, that is to say, with the right feeling for cities. it will surprise you to find how keen you will yourself become as the work goes on, and how it will call into play all your invention and your latent craftsmanship. you will be amazed at the results you can achieve with quite dull-looking materials, and still more will you be surprised at the increasing interest and skill of the grown-ups. when it is time to dress for dinner you will feel a pang of positive despair at the thought that your beautiful city, the child of your dreams and skill, must be taken down. it is like the end of the magic of cinderella when her coach became a pumpkin, her horses mice and her coachman a fat rat. now your domes are once more mere basins, your fountain basins are ash-trays, your fountains are but silver pen-cases and their gleaming waters only strips of the tin-foil that comes off chocolate or cigarettes. the walls of your palaces go back into the book-cases, and their faã§ades return to the dull obscurity of the brick-boxes. the doors and the animals who stood on guard at the door-ways and terraces, on plinths or pillars, share in the dark rattling seclusion where many a wooden tail has been broken, many a painted ear lost for ever, but the tidying up has to be done: unless your hostess is one of those rare and delightful people who see what their guests like and lets them do it. in that case she may say "oh! what a pity to disturb the pretty thing! why not let your city stay for a day or two, so that the children can build some more to it to-morrow. no, of course it won't be in the way--and wouldn't it be pretty if we lighted it up with fairy lights after dark?" then your city really has a chance. the children will think of it till bed-time and fall asleep in the happy throes of their first town-planning. you may think that i exaggerate the charms of magic cities, because i happened to invent them, and you may be afraid that my swan, if you ever make up your mind to adopt it, may turn out to be an ugly and dispiriting duckling. i assure you this is not so. i have never met a child who did not like building magic cities, and not many grown-ups. of course the love of them grows, like other loves, and the longer you can keep the city standing, the fonder you and your playmates will get of it. it will grow more and more finished in detail, and the ugly make-shifts will be reorganised and made neat with an irreproachable neatness. if the magic city game were played in schools, as i think it ought to be, a long table--or series of tables--could easily be kept for it, and the city kept standing and be added to from day to day. but it will not be the same sort of city as the one you build in the house where the parlour-maid lives and still less the sort that happens in the house where there is a butler and many silver boxes and cups and candlesticks. now i come to write all this down it seems very trivial, and it will perhaps seem even more so when i come to tell you about the different things we made and used for magic cities. but it is not really trivial. i do not think i claim for the magic city game more than it justifies, and i will tell you, presently, why i think this. of course, when you have finished your city, if you ever do finish it, you make up stories about it, and always, even when you are building it, you imagine how splendid it would be if you were small enough to walk through the arches of your city gates, to run along the little corridors of your city palaces. of course, it would do quite as well if your city became big enough for you to run about in while still keeping your natural size--but it is somehow not really so cosy to think of. when i had built my first three or four magic cities this idea of getting into the city--being, of course, correct citizen-size--lived with me so much that i wrote a story-book about it called _the magic city_,[a] in which a boy and girl do really become the right size and enter into the city they have built. they have there all the adventures whose wraiths danced before me when i was building courts and making palm trees and finding out the many fine and fair uses of cowries and fir-cones. this book, _the magic city_, produced a curious effect. i hope i shall not look conceited (because really i am only proud) when i say that about my books i have had the dearest letters from children, saying pretty things about the stories in the prettiest way. it is one of the most heart-warming things in the world to get these letters and to answer them. and if i had letters like these i should have been only pleased and not disturbed. but the letters about the magic city, though they were full of the pretty, awkward, delicious things that children write to the author of the books they like, held something else--a demand, severe and almost unanimous, to know how magic cities were built, and whether "children like us" could build one, and, if so, how? i got so many of these letters that i decided to build a magic city where any child, in london at any rate, could come and see it. and i built it at the children's welfare exhibition which the _daily news_ arranged last year at olympia. the history of that building would make a largish and intimate volume. the difficulties that beset a home-dweller when she goes out into the world, the anguish of misunderstandings which arise between the builder of magic cities and the people who lay linoleum and put up electric lights, the confusion which results from having packed in boxes and all mixed up the building materials which you are accustomed to look for as you need them in your own home, the extraordinary mass of people, the extraordinary kindness of people; for after all, it is the kindness which stands out. it is true that the gentleman who, very much isolated, fixed the electric lights, behaved exactly like an earthquake, upsetting two temples, a palace, and a tank with an educated seal in it. but then how more than a brother was the man who did the whitewash! it is true that the dictator with the linoleum--but i will not remember these things. let me remember how many good friends i found among the keepers of the stalls, how a great personage of the _daily news_ came with his wife at the last despairing moment, and lent me the golden and ruby lamps from their dining-table, how the boy scouts "put themselves in four" to get me some cocoa-nuts for roofs of cottages, how their scout master gave me fourteen beautiful little ivory fishes with black eyes, to put in my silver paper ponds, how the basket-makers on the one side and the home hobbies on the other were to me as brothers, how the cherry blossom boot polish lady gave me hairpins and the wardens of messrs. w. h. smith's bookstall gave me friendship, how the gifted boy-sculptor for the plasticine stall, moved by sheer loving-kindness, rushed over one day and dumped a gorgeous prehistoric beast, modelled by his own hands, in the sands about my siberian tomb, how the queen of portugal came and talked to me for half an hour in the most flattering french, while the deity from the _daily news_ looked on benign. these are things i can never forget. when the show opened i was feeling like a snail who has inadvertently come out without his shell. think how all this kindness comforted and protected me. and then came the long stream of visitors--crowds of them--i don't know how many thousands, who came and looked at my magic city and asked questions, and looked and looked at it, looked and said things. it is because of what they said that i am writing about that show at all. they all liked the city except two, and i cannot think that those two were, in other respects, really nice people. and more than half of them asked whether i would not write a book about the magic city which i had built there, and which lay looking so real and romantic under the soft glow of the tinted lamps: not a story-book, but a book to tell other people how to make such cities. and i said i would tell all i knew in a book. and when i came to write i found that there were many other things that i wanted to write about children, and other things than magic cities, and i wrote them, and this is the book. and the reason i am telling you all this is that my big magic city at olympia showed me, more than anything else could have done, that the building of magic cities interests practically every one, young or old. it is very difficult to say all this and yet not to feel that you will think that i am boasting about my magic city. but i want you to believe that it was very beautiful, and that you can build one just as beautiful or much more beautiful if you care to try it. it is such an easy game. every one can play it. and every one likes it--even quite old people. by the way, i have been asked to build another city at olympia in april, and i hope that it will be a prettier one even than the other which i loved so. footnote: [a] macmillans. chapter iii bricks--and other things it is a mistake when you are going to build a city to make too large a collection of building materials before you begin to build. if it is natural to you to express yourself by pencil lines on paper you might perhaps draw an outline of the masses of your city as you see them in the architect's vision or illumination which should precede all building, either of magic cities or municipal cab-shelters. having roughly indicated on paper the general shape of your city as you look at it from the front--the shape it would have against the western sky at dusk (i think architects call this the elevation, don't they?)--you proceed to collect such material as will roughly indicate that shape on the table or other building-place. and here let me once more warn the builder new to his business not to be trapped by the splendid obvious bait of floor's wide space. to build palaces while prone on the stomach may be natural and easy to extreme youth. to grown-up people it is agonising and impossible. the floor has only two qualifications as a building site. it is large--larger at least than any of the pieces of furniture which stand on it--and it is flat. and when you have said that you have said all. whereas the inconveniences of the floor as a place for building are innumerable. the floor is draughty, it is inaccessible, except from the attitude of the serpent, and the serpent's attitude, even if rich in a certain lax comfort, is most unfavourable for the steady use of both hands. if you want to see how unfavourable assume that attitude and try to build a card-house on the floor. you cannot do it. if you kneel--well, you know how hard the floor gets if you kneel on it for quite a little time; if you sit or squat your dress or your coat-tails insist on playing at earthquakes with your building. also the city on the floor is liable to hostile invasion by cats or dogs or servants: to the crushing and scattering by short-sighted outsiders or people who rush into the room to look for something in a hurry. think of a playful elephant in some eastern court of carved pearl and ivory lattice; an elephant co-inciding with one of the more fanciful volcanic eruptions, and your conception will pale into placidity in the face of the spectacle of a normal puppy in a floor-built city. and on the floor things not only get broken, they get lost. cotton reels roll under sofas, draughts bowl away into obscurity and are only found next day by the housemaid when she moves the fender, and not then, as often as not; chess kings are walked on and get their crowns chipped; card counters disappear for ever, and it is quite impossible for you to keep an eye on your materials when you are grovelling among them. therefore build on a table--or tables. tables of different shapes, heights, and sizes make beautiful sites for cities. and bureaux are good, if you may take the drawers out and empty the pigeon-holes. i remember a wonderful city we made once: it was called the "city of the thousand lights," and it was built on a bureau, two large tables and three other smaller ones, all connected by bridges in the handsomest way. (the lids of the brick boxes make excellent bridges and you can adorn them to your fancy, and make impressive gate-houses at each end.) the bureau was the temple of mung, and we sacrificed a pale pink animal from the noah's ark at the shrine of this, the most mysterious of the gods of pegana. the thousand lights--there were not a thousand, really, but there were many luminous towers, with windows of a still brighter glow. you make them by putting a night-light in a tumbler--a little water first by way of fire insurance--and surrounding the tumbler by a sheet of paper with windows and battlements and fixed to a cylindrical shape by pins. the paper cylinders are, of course, fitted on outside the tumblers so that there is no danger of fire. all the same it is better to let a grown-up do the luminous towers. [illustration: guarded arch.] having chosen your site and blocked out the mass of your buildings, you begin to collect the building material. for my own part i see the city i am going to build in the eye of the mind--or of the heart--so vividly and consistently that i never need to make notes of it on paper. i know when what i am building is not in accord with the vision, and then i pull it down. truly in accord it never really is, but it approximates. now when you have seen the silhouette of your city and begin to look for stuff to build with, you will instantly find that everything you can lay your hands on is too small. the bricks, even the boxes which contained them, are suited for the detailed building which is to come later, but now you want something at once bigger and less conventionally proportioned. now is the time to look for boxes--not the carved sandal-wood boxes in which aunts keep their pins, nor the smooth cedarwood boxes in which uncles buy their cigars, though both these are excellent when you come to the details of your work, but for the mass you want real big boxes; if you have a large table, or tables, tate's sugar boxes are not too large. also there are the boxes in which starch is packed, and cocoa, and the flatter boxes which the lady at the sweet-shop will give you if she likes you, and sell to you for a penny anyhow. the boxes in which your father gets his collars, and the boxes in which your mother gets her chocolates, though not really large, should be collected at the same time, because they need the same treatment. i am assuming now that you are not building a city for an afternoon's amusement, but one for which you have found a safe resting place--a city that may take days to build and will not be disturbed for days. if you can once found your city in a safe place, and you are working at it day after day, you will go on thinking of more and more things to be added to it, and it will grow in beauty under your hands as naturally as a flower under the hand of summer. [illustration: boxes.] you have now your collection of boxes--but they are of plain, rough wood, and probably disfigured by coarse coloured printed papers telling what the boxes once held. these papers you wash off, and when the boxes are clean and dry, you paint or colour-wash them to suit your requirements. now your requirements are large blocks of colours to match your bricks, and bricks are of three colours--white, terra-cotta, and stone colour. the stone bricks are stone colour and terra-cotta--oak bricks are very nearly stone colour--and there are white-wood bricks. to these three i would add a dark brown; and as this dark brown is not sold in boxes at the shops, you had better colour some of your bricks with it for yourself. dark wood in a city gives a wonderful richness and helps the lighter colours more than you would think possible. a city in which some buildings are of dark wood will have an air of reality never achieved by a city where all is red or white or stone colour. by the way, among the stone bricks there are some blue ones, but you will always have enough of them, for they are the last things you will ever want to use. your boxes then must be coloured either white, red, stone colour, or dark brown. in the white use either white paint--flat, not shining, or if that cost too much trouble and money, whitewash made of whitening, size, hot water and a pinch of yellow ochre or chrome powder to give it a pleasant ivory creaminess. there should be a good deal of size so that the whitewash does not come off on every thing. the red boxes can be painted to match the red bricks, or colour-washed (whitewash as before, but red ochre for colour). stone colour is not a very satisfactory tint and too much of it makes for gloom. the lids and bottoms of the brick boxes will generally give you as much of it as you want. but if you desire stone colour you can make it by putting a pinch of raw umber in the whitewash. or you can paint your boxes with this uninteresting tint--resembling the doors of back kitchens. with these paints or colour-washes you can make your odd many-shaped boxes into smooth-surfaced blocks to match your bricks: and not only wooden, but cardboard boxes can be treated in this way. all these colours can be bought in gigantic penn'orths at the oil-shops. but when i come to the dark brown, which i confess is my favourite colour, no cardboard box will serve your turn. you must choose clean, smooth wood, because the brown colouring is transparent, and the grain will show through. your bricks will be smooth enough, and if the boxes are not smooth a little sand-paper will soon subdue their rough exterior. i suppose you know how to use sand-paper? if you just rub with your fingers you hurt your fingers and don't make much progress; the best way is to wrap the sand-paper round a flat piece of wood--a wooden brick will do--and rub with that. when your wood is all smooth you mix your stain. and here i make a present to all housewives of the best floor stain in the world. get a tin of brunswick black--the kind you put on stoves--and some turpentine. mix a little of the black and a little of the turpentine in a pot and try it on the wood with a smooth brush--a flat brush is the best--till you have the colour you want, always remembering that it will be a little lighter when it is dry. when you have decided on the colour, paint your bricks and boxes on five out of their six sides lightly and smoothly, keeping to the grain of the wood, and not going over the same surface twice if you can help it. this is why a flat brush is the best: it will go right down the side of a brick and colour it at one sweep. then stand each brick up on end to dry. when it is dry you can paint the under bit on which it has been standing. while you have stains and colours going it is well to colour some of your arches, and also such things as cotton-reels, and the little wooden pill-boxes that you get at the chemist's. before colouring these boxes fill them with sand or stones and stick the lids on with glue. otherwise they will not be heavy enough to build with happily. this painting or colouring should be done out of doors, or in an out-house, if possible. if you have to do it in the house spread several thicknesses of newspaper before you begin, and make a calm resting place for your painted things where they can dry at leisure and not be scarred with the finger-marks of her who "clears away." the earnest builder will keep a watchful eye on any carpentering that may go on in the house, and annex the smaller blocks of wood cut off the end of things, which, to an alien eye, are so much rubbish, but which are to the builder stores of price. if there are a few shillings to spare, the carpenter will, for those few shillings, cut you certain shapes which you cannot buy in shops--arches of a comfortable thickness and of satisfying curves, and slabs of board for building steps. these should be of varying lengths and thicknesses and made in sets of twelve steps, with two boards to each step, twenty-four slabs to a set. the biggest might be 1 in. thick and the bottom and largest slabs 12 by 6 in., lessening to 6 by 1 in. the next set might be â¾ in., and of corresponding proportions, then â½ in., then â¼ in. the two basic slabs of the â¾ in. would be 9 by 4â½ in., and those of the â½ in. would be 6 by 3 in. a set with â¼ in. steps (the basic slabs 3 by 1â½ in.) would complete the set. flights of steps of many varying heights and sizes could be built with these slabs. ask the carpenter--if the shillings are forthcoming--to save for you the curved pieces of wood which come out of the arches. they are very useful for the bases of pillars, for towers and for the pedestals of statues or vases. some of the arches, steps, and blocks should be coloured to match the red, white, and brown bricks. [illustration: arches and pillars.] some of the boxes, particularly the larger ones, should have doorways sawn in them on opposite sides--it is pleasant to look _through_ a building and see the light beyond; and if you are a thorough builder you can make a pillared interior which will delight the eyes of those who stoop down and peer through the doorway. a few narrow, oblong windows, high up, will also be useful. you need not show them unless you wish: you can always conceal them by a faã§ade of bricks. [illustration: pillared court.] another pleasant use of a big box is to cut out the top and sides and make a columned court of it, which, when cream-washed, dignifies your city with almost all the glory that was greece and the grandeur that was rome. the columns are cut from broom-handles--twopence each at the oil-shop, or, in the case of smaller boxes, from those nice round smooth wooden sticks which cost a penny and are used in ordinary life to thread window-blinds on. if you are going to make a city which is to stand for some time, a little thin glue is a good help to stability. if it is only a here-to-day-and-gone-to-morrow city, plasticine is good--the least touch of it seeming to make things safe which otherwise might totter to their ruin. but except as mortar plasticine should be shunned. it is not good as a building material. having now your bricks, boxes, arches, steps, and rounds, you may begin to block out your building. quite soon you will begin to find that everything is too rectilinear. even the arches and the rounds and the pillars and the pill-boxes cannot satisfy your desire for curves. this is the moment when you will begin to look about you for domes. and the domes, on the instant of their imposition in your building, will call out for minarets. it is then that you will wander about the house seeking eagerly for things that are like other things. your search will be magnificently successful, if only the lady of the house has given you a free hand, and you have been so fortunate as to secure the sympathies of the kitchen queen. chapter iv the magic city the only magic in the city is the magic of imagination, which is, after all, the best magic in the world. the idea of it came to me when i was dissatisfied with the materials provided for children to build with, and i think it must be a really true idea, because wherever i have applied it, it has worked, and that, i am told, is in accordance with the philosophy of pragmatism and a characteristic of all great discoveries. you may build magic cities in homes of modest comfort, using all the pretty things you can lay your hands on. you may build them in the mansions of the rich, if the rich are nice people and love cities, and if the butler will let you have the silver candlesticks for pillars, and the silver-gilt rose-bowls for domes; and you could build one in the houses of the very poor, if the very poor had any space for building--build them there and not use a single thing that could not be begged or borrowed by an intelligent child, no matter how poor. children love to build. i still think with fond affection, and i am afraid speak with tiresome repetition, of those big oak bricks which we had when we were children. they disappeared when we left the old london house where i was born. it was in kennington, that house--and it had a big garden and a meadow and a cottage and a laundry, stables and cow-house and pig-styes, elm-trees and vines, tiger lilies and flags in the garden, and chrysanthemums that smelt like earth and hyacinths that smelt like heaven. our nursery was at the top of the house, a big room with a pillar in the middle to support the roof. "the post," we called it: it was excellent for playing mulberry bush, or for being martyrs at. the skipping rope did to bind the martyrs to the stake. when we left that house we went to brighton, where there was a small and gritty garden, where nothing grew but geraniums and calceolarias. and we did not have our bricks any more. perhaps they were too heavy to move. perhaps the brighton house was too small for the chest. i think i must have clamoured for the old bricks, for i remember very well the advent of a small box of deal bricks made in germany, which had indeed two arches and four pillars, and a square of glass framed in wood daubed with heavy, ugly body colour, and called a window. but you could not build with those bricks. so there was no building at brighton except on the beach. sand is as good as anything in the world to build with--but there is no sand on the beach at brighton, only sandiness. there are stones--pebbles you call them, but they are too round to be piled up into buildings. the only thing you can play with them is dolls' dinner parties. there are plenty of oyster shells and flat bits of slate and tile for dishes and plates--and it is quite easy to find stones the proper shape and colour for boiled fowls and hams and roast legs of mutton, german sausages, ribs of beef, mince pies, pork pies, roast hare or calf's head. but building is impossible. in the courtyard of our house in france there was an out-house with a sloping roof and a flat parapet about four feet high. we used to build little clay huts along this, and roof them with slates, leaving a hole for a chimney. the huts had holes for windows and doors, and we used to collect bits of candle and put them in our huts after dark and enjoy the lovely spectacle of our illuminated buildings till some one remembered us and caught us, and sent us to bed. that was the curse of our hut-building--the very splendour of the result attracted the attention one most wished to avoid. but clay was our only building material, and after the big bricks were lost i never had any more bricks till i had children of my own who had bricks of their own. and then i played with them and theirs. and even then i never thought of building magic cities till the indian soldiers came. they were very fine soldiers with turbans and swords and eyes that gleamed in quite a lifelike way, riding on horses of a violently active appearance: they came to my little son when he was getting well after measles or some such sorrow, and he wanted a fort built for them. so we rattled all the bricks out of their boxes on to the long cutting-out table in the work-room and began to build. but do what we would our fort would not look like a fort--at any rate not like an eastern fort. we pulled it down and tried again, and then again, but no: regardless of our patient energy our fort quietly but persistently refused to look like anything but a factory--a building wholly unworthy of those military heroes with the prancing steeds and the coloured turbans, and the eyes with so much white in them. so then i wondered what was needed to give a hint of the gorgeous east to the fort, and i perceived that what was wanted was a dome--domes. so i fetched some brass finger-bowls and lustre basins off the dresser in the dining-room and inverted one on the chief tower of our fort, and behold! the east began to sparkle and beckon. domes called for minarets, and chessmen on pillars supplied the need. one thing led to another, and before the day was over the indian horsemen were in full charge across a sanded plain where palm trees grew--a sanded plain bounded only by the edges of the table, along three sides of which were buildings that never rose beside the banks of thames, but seemed quite suitable piles to reflect their fair proportions in the ganges or the sutlej, especially when viewed by eyes which had not had the privilege of gazing on those fair and distant streams. i learned a great deal in that my first day of what i may term romantic building, but what i learned was the merest shadow-sketch of the possibilities of my discovery. my little son, for his part, learned that a bowl one way up is a bowl, a thing for a little boy to eat bread and milk out of; the other way up it is a dome for a king's palace. that books are not only things to read, but that they will make marble slabs for the building of temples. that chessmen are not only useful for playing that difficult and tedious game on which grown-ups are so slowly and silently intent, or even for playing all those other games, of soldiers, which will naturally occur to any one with command of the pleasant turned pieces. chessmen, he learned, had other and less simple uses. as minarets of delicate carved work they lightened the mass of buildings and conferred elegance and distinction, converting what had been a block of bricks into a pavilion for a sultan or a tomb for a sultan's bride. [illustration: materials for the guard-room.] there was a little guard-room, i remember, at the corner of our first city, and there has been a little guard-room at the corner of every city we have built since. in simple beauty, that little guard-room seemed to us then to touch perfection. and really, you know, i have not yet been able to improve on it. the material was simplicity itself: six books, five chessmen, and a basin; and you see here how the guard-room looked when it was done. [illustration: the guard-room.] [illustration: the domino door.] there was a black box, i remember, standing on another box, with domino steps. it needed a door, and we made it a door of ivory with the double blank of the dominoes, and a portico of three cigarettes--two for pillars and one to lie on the top of the pillars and complete the portico. you have no idea how fine the whole thing looked--like a strong little house of ebony and ivory--a little sombre in appearance perhaps, and like a house that has a secret to keep, but quite fine. the palm trees we made out of pieces of larch and yew fastened by plasticine to the tops of elder twigs--and elder twigs have a graceful carriage, not too upright and yet not drooping. they look very like the trunks of tropical trees. but if you have not elders and larches and yew trees to command, you can make trees for your city in other ways. for little trees in tubs we had southernwood stuck in cotton reels--these make enchanting tubs, and there are a good many different shapes, so that your flower tubs are pleasantly varied. fir cones we found useful, too; they made magnificent _chevaux de frise_. [illustration: larch palm.] [illustration: the magic city. 152]] on the first day of building what we soon came to call magic cities we trusted to inspiration; there was no time for thought. and this day was perhaps the most interesting day of all--for we had everything to learn. one of the things which i learned was that this magic city game was an excellent training for eye and hand, as well as for the imagination and the more soothing of the domestic virtues. the eye is trained to perceive likenesses and differences in the shapes and colours of things--to notice, as i said, that a bowl is a dome wrong way up, and that cigarettes are like white pillars. a beautiful yet sinister temple might be built with cigars for pillars and cigar-boxes for pediments, if cigars were the sort of things you were ever allowed to play with. you see that yew and larch and elder can be made to look like palm trees, and that shrubs in tubs are really like sprigs of southernwood in cotton reels. you go about with eyes newly opened to form and colour: you look at every object in a new light, trying to see whether it is or is not like something else--something that can be used in your magic city. you notice that a door is much the same shape as auntie's mother-of-pearl card-case, and your architectural instinct, already beginning to develop, assures you that a pearly door would be a beautiful thing for a temple, if only auntie sees things in the same light as you do. you perceive that a cribbage board is straight and narrow, as a path leading to such a door might be, and that if you stick tiny tufts of southernwood or veronica into the holes along the ivory sides of your path, your path will run between two little green hedges. you will notice that books make colonnades darkly mysterious if the lids of the brick boxes are laid along the back and along the top, and that based on these solidly built colonnades your bricks and arches will rise in galleries of unexpected dignity and charm. the building itself, the placing of bricks and dominoes, and books and chessmen and bowls, with exactness and neatness, is in itself a lesson in firm and delicate handling, such a lesson as is impossible if you are building with bricks alone. the call on the imagination is strong and clear. a house--the meanest hut--cannot be built without a plan or without an architect, though the architect may be only a little child and the plan may be only a little child's dream. to build without a plan is to heap bricks one on another, to make a cairn, not a house. the plan for the magic city, then, gets itself dreamed--the child's imagination learns to know what the bowl will look like when it is upside down, and, presently, what sort of bowls and books and bricks are needed to give to the cloud-capped palace of its desire some shadow in solid fact perceptible to the senses. to create in the image of his dream is the hope and the despair of every artist. and even though the image be distorted--as in all works of art, even the greatest, it always must be--yet it is joy even to have created the poorest image of a dream. and in the labour of creation will blossom those domestic virtues which best adorn the home; patience--for it is not often that for the young architect dream and image even vaguely coincide at the first effort, or the second or the third; good temper, for no one can build anything in a rage. the spirit of anger is the enemy of the spirit of architecture. and besides, being angry may make your hand shake, and then nothing is any good. perseverance too, without which patience is a mere passive endurance. all these grow strong while you build your cities and try to make visible your dream. i do not mean that a child building a city sees all of it at once--in every detail; i don't suppose even the heaviest of architects does that. but i mean that he sees the masses of it with the eye of the mind and arrives by experiment at the details that best suit those masses. if the glass ash-tray will not do, the tea-cup without a handle will--or perhaps the flower-pot saucer, or the lid of a cocoa-tin. . . . one must look about, and find something that _will_ do, something which when it is put in its place will seem the only possible thing. i don't know how real architects work, but this is how you work with magic cities. chapter v materials you wander round the house seeking beautiful things which look like other beautiful things. let us suppose that you have the run of a house where beautiful things are. i will tell you afterwards what to do in the house where beautiful--or at any rate costly--things are not. it is best when the owner of the house is an enthusiastic member of the building party; then she will grudge nothing. in the drawing-room you will find silver candlesticks and a silver inkstand. the candlesticks are like pillars. put the inkstand across the pillars and you have a gateway of unexampled splendour. if there be a silver-backed blotting-book, take it. it will make the great door of your greatest temple. silver bowls should not be passed by, nor bronzes. a vase of japanese bronze set up between two ebony elephants crowns a flat pillared building with splendour. there may be chinese dragons or egyptian gods that have lain a thousand years safe in their bronze amid the sands of the desert, cast aside by the foot of the camel, unseen in the shadow of the tent, and now decking the mantelpiece of the room you are looting. little silver figures of knights in armour and what not--take them if you get the chance. chessmen, too, as many as you can get, the carved ivory ones, of red and white, and the black and brown kind where the heads of the kings and queens are so like marbles and those of the pawns like boot-buttons; draughts too, and spillikins, and those little metal animals, heavy and coloured life-like, which you see on glass shelves in the fancy shop: take them too. they will serve other uses than those to which you will dedicate your noah's ark animals. card counters, especially the golden and mother-of-pearl kinds, and dominoes, and the willow-pattern pots and a blue cup or so from the glass-fronted cupboard. take all these, always giving preference to the things that you will not be asked to put back the same day. little japanese cabinets, tea-caddies of tortoiseshell or wood or silver, silver boxes--and boxes of all beautiful kinds. do not take the playing cards that people play bridge with: these are never quite the same after they have been used in magic cities, and the queen of hearts always gets lost. you can usually acquire odd packs of cards that nobody wants. those with black and gold backs are the best. they make gorgeous pagodas, and a touch of plasticine keeps each card where it should be. in the dining-room you may acquire perhaps, at least you can in mine, brass finger-bowls, and the lids of urns and kettles from the dresser--egg-cups and mugs and basins of lustre and of blue. also those very little pewter liqueur-cups from liberty's, and the tumblers for your towers of light, if you are going to have any. the library will yield you books and atlases--very useful for roofs these last, if they do not slope too much from back to edge; if they do, you can get even with them by wedges of paper laid in on the thin side. but the kitchen will be your happiest hunting-ground, and here you will make a good bag even in those houses where you are not allowed any of the treasures from the drawing-room or the dining-room. tins--tins of all kinds and shapes, from the tin that once held bath olivers and its lesser brother where coffee once lived to the square smaller tins designed for cocoa, mustard, pepper, and so forth. [illustration: honesty pillars.] a flour-dredger and a pepper-pot, a potato-cutter, patty pans, and those little tall tins that you bake castle puddings in, the round wooden moulds with which dairy-maids imprint cows and swans upon pats of butter, the kitchen mortar, especially the big marble one, so heavy that cook does not care to use it, brown earthenware bowls and stewing-pots, the lids of tea-pots, clothes-pegs, jars that have held ginger, and jars that have held jam--especially the brownish corrugated kind of jar--all these things and many more you may glean in a kitchen whose queen is kind. one of the most beautiful buildings i have ever made was built of kitchen things, and bricks and the boxes of bricks, a few shells, and a few chessmen. the three tall towers are two cocoa tins and a bath oliver tin, very brightly polished; the windows and doors and crenellations are of black _passe-partout_, that nice gummed paper which you buy in reels for binding pictures and glass together when you don't want to have picture-frames. on the tops of the tins are the lids of a silver urn, a silver butter dish, and a silver jam-jar. a salt-cellar (wrong way up, with a white chess knight on it) and a pepper-pot with _passe-partout_ doors and windows stand at the base of the tower, and turrets are made of round bricks and draughts, with the chess castles on the top. the porch is a big potato-cutter, with a white chess king on it, and on each side two books with a binding of white and pale gold. along the top of the porch run the lids of two domino-boxes; on these are two rounds that happened when the arches were being cut out. on these little pearl shells are glued, and little roofs of blue tiles complete the porch. behind these more books, white and pale gold with marbled sides, lead up to the platform on which the great tin towers rise up against the snowy background (linen sheets over the backs of chairs). the lower building is of the boxes of bricks faced with bricks and bearing a large blue jar crowned with a silver egg-cup, a flour-dredger, and a pepper-pot, and some blue and white tiles. an egyptian god stands at the corner of the upper and the lower building, and two green trees with white roses grow out of a tomb at the left. the pathway is of tiles edged with fir cones, and two rose-trees within tubs (cotton reels) stand at its beginning; the whole thing was blue and silver and black, and i wish i could show you a coloured picture of it, or, better still, build the thing up for you to see. the lower platform on the right is a box faced with silver seed-vessels of honesty, and the arches and court are red. the steps are made of blocks of sugar. the tank is edged with red bricks and the water where the seal swims is silver paper. in front is a pavement made of mother-of-pearl card counters, and the inside of the court is made of one large red tile with a pattern of white on it. (you can do this with a square board painted red, and counters laid on it.) the fountain in the middle is a brass match-box and the waters that rise from it are silver paper; but in the picture the water of the fountain seems to have been blown aside by the wind, which no doubt is severe in "those desolate regions of snow." you can build just such another tower and castle with the things you have, but when once you start building you will most likely think of some other way, quite different from mine, and just as good. tiles, by the way, are most useful, and if you have an uncle who is an architect he will have any number sent to him as samples, and he will be rather glad to get rid of them. if your uncles are all eminent in other walks of life it is a pity, but you are probably friends with the man who papers and paints your house, or the man who comes when the pipes burst at christmas, or the man who comes about the gas, or the man who knows all the sullen secrets of the kitchen range. it will be strange if none of these can get you a few coloured tiles when once they know you want them. it is well, if you are a child with a taste for building, to take pains to become acquainted with all the men who come to your house to do interesting things with tools and wood and iron and lead. quite apart from the joy of watching their slow and mysterious processes, and thinking how easy it would be to be a plumber or a paperhanger yourself, there are all sorts of things left over from their work which are of no use to them, but may be of much use to you. all sorts of screws and nails, for instance, these generous men will now and then bestow--little screws of dry colour, little pieces of brass, door-knobs and finger-plates, thick red earthenware pipe, good for towers, lengths of pleasantly coloured wall-paper--the wrong side of which, being plain, can be used for all sorts of purposes. lead piping is useful too, especially if you get it cut into 2-in. lengths--and cut _straight_. the sections make excellent and stable flower-pots for cities. bits of brass tubing are useful too--in fact, brass objects of all sorts deserve your careful consideration. because, if a city is to look handsome, it must have a good deal of metal about it, as the cities in atlantis did. as i write i see more and more clearly that a sharp distinction must be drawn between cities built and demolished in an afternoon, and cities that can be kept going and added to day by day for weeks. you may often be fortunate enough to raid drawing-room and dining-room and to use the spoils for a building that only lasts a day, but no one will strip her rooms of all the pretty things you want and let you keep them for weeks. therefore if you are going to build a city that is to go on, you must collect the materials of your own, and the odds and ends that amiable workmen will readily give you will take a useful place in your collection. if you let it be known that you want odds and ends of pretty and simple shapes, your friends will save them for you, and you will gradually amass the things you need. i know well enough that there will have to be a place to keep them, but the toy-cupboard, if you clear out all the toys you never play with, will hold a good deal, and many of the things you collect will do for other purposes as well as for the building of cities. chapter vi collections [illustration: trees.] first in your building collection will be the boxes, arches, and steps of which i have spoken. dominoes and draughts and chessmen you probably have. odd chessmen--quite beautiful ones can often be bought for a few pence--are very valuable for our purpose. the black and red halma men are very useful too, but the yellow and green always look cheap and nasty. card counters are useful, and so is silver paper. glass drops off old chandeliers are good for fountains, and pieces of green cloth for grass plots. the back of green wall-paper does for this, too; and very realistic grass lawns can be made by chopping up the long green grass that people sell for fire screens. it is really sedge finely split up, and dyed. you cut it up as finely as you can with scissors, and when you have about a teacupful you take a square of stiff cardboard and cover it all over with glue; then quickly, before the glue has time to cool, you sprinkle your chopped grass thickly all over it and leave it to dry. next day, _not before_, spread a newspaper and turn the cardboard over so that the loose grass falls away on to the paper. fasten down your grass plot in a suitable place in your city and build a little red brick wall round it with a little arched gateway, and you will have a neat and charming enclosed garden. for garden beds dark-coloured tobacco makes good mould, and shows up your little rose-trees. you can make standard rose-trees of loofah--dyed green, and the stalks of long matches painted brown. the roses, which are stuck on with glue, are red or white immortelles, and the whole effect is just what you are trying for. large trees can be made of sprigs of box or veronica, with immortelles glued on, and they will last fresh and pretty about a week. palm trees can be made of elder stems and larch or of the sedge grass. lay the grass evenly and, beginning about half-way down, wind brown wool or silk thread round and round closely and, very like splicing a cricket bat, work downwards towards the thick part of the grass stalk. fasten the end very strongly. then stick the stem in a cotton reel or a lead piping pot, cut off, evenly, the loose ends of the grass, fold them back level, cut the stem. for the city of a day sprigs of southernwood, lavender, thyme, or marjoram make charming little trees. shells are extremely useful for decoration and produce the effect of carving. almost all shells will be useful in one way or another, but i have found the most satisfaction in the gray and pearly shells which you find among the thick seaweed ridges on the beach below the grey cliffs of cornwall, and the little yellow periwinkly shells that lie on the rocks below the white cliffs of kent. if you glue these shells strongly on arches and pillars you will find them very handsome adornments. [illustration: thick arches.] keep your shells in boxes. there are always plenty of boxes in the world, and if not boxes, little bags will do to hold the different kinds of shells. it is well worth while to keep the different kinds separate. the work of sorting out the shells is very damping to the eager enthusiast anxious to execute a decorative design. indeed, it is well to keep all your building materials sorted each according to its kind, the wooden things together and the metal things and, above all, the crockery things. keep the noah's ark animals in their ark, and the bricks in their boxes, and when you are going to build don't get everything out at once and make a rubbish heap of it on the floor. [illustration: fan window.] as you grow more accustomed to building, you will find that sometimes you build a temple or palace that charms you so much that you wish to build it again; and you will soon learn what are the materials needed, and just take out those and a few more from your store. i say a few more, because you will never build your temple or your palace twice _exactly_ the same: you are sure to think of some improvement, however small. i have made beautiful windows with the sticks of an old ivory fan, framed in dark wood bricks, and ornamented the dark wall above with elephant tusk shells and others, and below with carved ivory card counters. [illustration: the elephant temple.] there is a certain elephant temple which i have built many times. its floor is a red and white chessboard, and its roof is supported on a double row of white pillars. white pillars surround the altar--a wooden box--on which the ebony elephant stands. on each side of him are red fairy lights, hidden by buttresses from the human eye which peeps through the brazen gates into that shadowy interior, and falling full on the elephant on his pillared shrine. the walls are of big red books--_sheridan's plays_, _tom jones_, and boswell's _life of johnson_. the roof is a flat square lid, once the lid of a packing case, stained a dark brown like the bricks. on the side are the windows made of the ivory fan, and the dark bricks and the elephant tusk shells. there is a door, too, a mother-of-pearl one; in a former life it was the card-case of a much-loved aunt, who nobly contributed it to the temple. above this door is a white animal from the noah's ark. and all the rest of that wall is built up of dark-stained brown wooden bricks. the other side shows between dark buttresses the red of the books, and towards the back of this side are small square buildings--wooden boxes stained brown--with brass domes and mysterious doorways. i think the priests and attendants of the temple live here. the front of the temple shows a little of the red between dark buttresses, which, here, are ornamented with delicate dark carved chessmen. the gate is of pierced brass--two finger-plates for a door, and the brazen pillars of the portico are two candlesticks, which support a brass inkstand, on which stand two yellowish wooden chessmen. on the middle of the roof is a big lacquered wooden bowl--the kind that nice grocers put in their windows full of prunes or coffee. above is a brass rose-bowl, on that a finger-bowl of inlaid brass, crowned with a black chess king. there are two dark arches with bed-knobs on them, and round the roof are various towers and turrets, and tall minarets made of dark bricks with chessmen on the top. in front of the pillars at the gate two black elephants stand on wooden plinths, and the fore-court of the temple and the space at the side are paved with mother-of-pearl. i know the main things that are needed for this temple, but its details are changed a little every time i build it. if you cannot get mother-of-pearl card counters you can make a beautiful pavement by pasting the shining pods of honesty in a pattern on a piece of dark brown cardboard, or dark brown paper pasted on cardboard; but if you do this you must build a little dark-wood brick wall all round to hide the brown paper edges. build gatehouses in your wall, little ones, to show off, by contrast, the massive splendour of your temple. these honesty pods are a most useful substitute for mother-of-pearl. you can paste them on square pillars or on the fronts of boxes (houses i mean) or make sloping roofs of them by sticking them on folded cardboard fastened at the proper angle by tapes glued about a third of the way up. but as a rule sloping roofs are not good in eastern cities. a grass garden with paths of honesty, or a shell-built fountain basin in the middle, will add a charm to any city square. and by the way, don't be afraid of open spaces. have as many buildings as you like, and mass them together as you choose, but let there be open spaces. they will be to your building as mounts are to pictures or margins to books. and for frame or binding, let there be a wall all round your city. it gives a neatness and a completeness which enhance a hundred-fold all the qualities your city may possess. [illustration: honesty roof.] there are cardboard models of st. paul's cathedral, the tower bridge, and the temple at jerusalem. these are interesting in themselves and it is good to put them together. the temple, which is sold by the religious tract society, is really beautiful, and when you have set it up it looks like a model in ivory. the bridge and the cathedral are of dull brown pasteboard--but they are interesting for all that. but when you are tired of these things as models, parts of them can be used with great effect in your building, especially if you paint the brown ones with aluminium paint, or even whitewash them. in the foreground of the picture of the astrologer's tower you will see a little house which doesn't look as if it belonged where it is. and no more it does. it was put in just to show you what these little cardboard buildings are like--it is one of the gate-houses of the tower bridge, and the little white house on the parapet above the steps in the picture of the silver towers is a little gate-house out of another model. when you are collecting shells, you will find smooth flat stones of pleasing colours. collect them--the thinner the better--you can make mosaic floors of them, fastening them in their place with glue or a very thin layer of plasticine. fir-cones of all shapes and sizes are useful, from the delicate cones of the larch to the great varnished-looking cones that fall from the big pine trees on the riviera; they call them pineapples there--_pommes-de-pin_--and they use them for lighting fires. but you can use them for the tops of towers. a little, and only a very little, red tinsel paper is good to use, for the backs of shrines. it gives a suggestion of the glow of hidden lamps--or, put as windows near the tops of towers, it suggests the glow of sunset falling on jewelled casements. you can get it, and also bundles of stamped strips of gold paper, which should be used very sparingly indeed, from mr. bousquet, of the barbican, in london city. there are other things which could serve for part of your collection, but i have told about these in the chapter on poor children's cities, because the poorest child can get them. but they are desirable in any collection, such things as tobacco-tins, jam-jars, clothes-pegs, and the different kinds of common things that you can use for decorating the fronts and backs and sides of houses, if you have not enough bricks to build faã§ades to them all. and remember always to make the backs of your houses as beautiful as the fronts. they may--and should--be plainer but not less beautiful. do not be like the jerry-builders who spend all their decoration, such as it is, on the flat fronts of their villas, and leave the sides and back flat and ugly, and so that when you see the row of them from the railway they look miserable and dejected, as though they knew how ugly they were and were sorry. chapter vii the poor child's city when my city was built at olympia a great many school-teachers who came to see it told me that they would like to help the children in their schools to build such cities, but that it would not be possible because the children came from poor homes, where there were none of the pretty things--candlesticks, brass bowls, silver ash-trays, chessmen, draughts, well-bound books, and all the rest of it--which i had used to build my city. so then i said i would build a city out of the sort of things that poor children could collect and bring to school. and i did. my friends mr. annis and mr. taylor, who were helping me to explain the city and show it to visitors, helped me with the building. we did it in a day, and it was very pretty--so pretty that the school-teachers who came to see it asked me to write a book to say how _that_ was done. and so i did. there are no words to express half what i feel about the teachers in our council schools, their enthusiasm, their patience, their energy, their devotion. when we think of what the lives of poor children are, of the little they have of the good things of this world, the little chance they have of growing up to any better fate than that of their fathers and mothers, who do the hardest work of all and get the least pay of all those who work for money--when we think how rich people have money to throw away, how their dogs have velvet coats and silver collars, and eat chicken off china, while the little children of the poor live on bread and tea, and wear what they can get--often enough, too little--when we think of all these things, if we can bear to think of them at all, there is not one of us, i suppose, who would not willingly die if by our death we could secure for these children a fairer share of the wealth of england, the richest country in the world. for wealth, by which i mean money, can buy all those things which children ought to have, and which these children do not have--good food, warm clothes, fresh country air, playthings and books, and pictures. remembering that by far the greater number of children of england have none of these things, you would, i know, gladly die if dying would help. to die for a cause is easy--you leap into the gulf like curtius, or fall on the spears like winkelried, or go down with your ship for the honour of your country. to lead a forlorn hope, to try to save one child from fire or water, and die in the attempt--that is easy and glorious. the hard thing to do is to live for your country--to live for its children. and it is this that the teachers in the council schools do, year in and year out, with the most unselfish nobility and perseverance. and nobody applauds or makes as much fuss as is made over a boy who saves a drowning kitten. in the face of enormous difficulties and obstacles, exposed to the constant pin-pricks of little worries, kept short of space, short of materials and short of money, yet these teachers go on bravely, not just doing what they are paid to do, but a thousand times more, devoting heart, mind, and soul to their splendid ambition and counting themselves well paid if they can make the world a better and a brighter place for the children they serve. if these children when they grow up shall prove better citizens, kinder fathers, and better, wiser, and nobler than their fathers were, we shall owe all the change and progress to the teachers who are spending their lives to this end. and this i had to say before i could begin to write about how cities may be built of such materials as poor children can collect and bring to school. for i have to own that poor children live in such little crowded houses that there is no room for the building of cities, and in the courts and streets where they play they cannot build, for the passers-by would tumble over their cities, and the policemen would call it an obstruction. so if they have a city at all it must be where they have most of their pleasant plays--at school. besides, the children i have in mind are so very poor, that no one child could possibly collect enough materials for a city. but a number of children could each of them bring a few things, and thus make up enough for the building. and in most schools there will be some children not quite so poor who can afford a penny or so for tinsel paper and the few things--colours, paints, and so on--that do not occur naturally in a house, even a well-to-do house. these, let us hope, will be able to furnish a few old chessmen, for there is nothing like chessmen for giving an air of elegance to domes and minarets. if you cannot get chessmen, small clothes-pegs are good. you can cut them in halves and then you have two kinds of minaret. they can be coloured red or dark brown, or, if your city seems likely to lack metal, you can paint them with gold or aluminium paint. they look well when cut shorter as the battlements of buildings, rather like halma men, but of handsomer and more rotund proportions. your halma man as you buy him in a box is ever a bit of a starveling. if you cut your peg into three, the middle section will make short round pillars to support little galleries, the roof being a strip of mill-board or the lid of a narrow box. [illustration: clothes pegs.] cardboard and wooden boxes of all sizes and shapes are always easy to get. these can be coloured as explained in another chapter, and little doors and windows cut in them. but be sparing of windows; too many windows detract from the dignity of your tower, and make it look like a factory. in poor schools there will not be many bricks, and something must be done to add variety to the faã§ades of buildings when there are not enough bricks to cover or decorate your boxes. a good deal can be done with haricot beans, tapioca, and sago. fasten the beans round the doorways and the windows with glue or seccotine or plasticine. if you use glue let the bean-work be quite cold before you do anything else with it. "next day" is an excellent rule. when the beans are quite firmly fixed, glue the surface all over and sprinkle _thickly_ with tapioca so that not a bit of the box shows. leave the tapioca lying on the surface till _next day_, then turn it up; the loose tapioca will fall off and leave a pleasant rough-cast-looking surface. round cardboard boxes, such as muff-boxes or biscuit-boxes make splendid towers treated in this way. if you cannot get the little round yellow periwinkly shells, maize is very good if you cut each grain flat with a sharp knife, and fix the grains with glue as pillars and arches. tin boxes or round tins polished to silvery brightness, with doors and windows and crenellations of black _passe-partout_, can be built into palaces of astonishing splendour, as you can see in the picture of the silver towers. but always beware of too many windows. other excellent towers are jam-pots: you can paint them any colour you like, but i advise you to stick to terra-cotta, cream colour, and dark brown. very pretty towers can be made of white jam-pots with windows and doors and crenellation of gold paper. only you should outline the gold with ink or dark stain to make it show up against the white. basins that are cracked make good domes, and you can almost always get a cracked basin, however poor you are; tea-cups that have lost their handles, or had a piece bitten out of them, are also not hard to get, and the lids of teapots that are broken, and of saucepans that have been burnt through, come readily enough to the hand of the collector. honey pots and the little brown jugs that cream is sold in are easy to come by, and make moorish-looking domes for buildings. when once you begin to build, you will find that all sorts of things that before looked neither useful nor beautiful become both, when they are built into your city. look at the bedstead-knobs in the elephant temple, and the pepper-pots and the tea-cups on the top of the tower of pearl and red. [illustration: towers and cocoanut cottage.] those children who are lucky enough to go into the country for a holiday can collect fir-cones and acorns; nicely shaped bits of wood are more easily come by in a country village than in a london slum. acorns are most useful, both the acorn and the cup. a brown building with doors and windows outlined in acorn cups with their flat side set on with glue looks like a precious work of carved wood. if you can't get acorn cups, the shells of barcelona nuts are good, but they are difficult to cut into the needed cup shape. the shells of pea-nuts on a stone-coloured building look like carved stones, but always the nutshell must fit its edges tightly and neatly to the surface and show as a little round neat boss. your own observation will supply you with other little and valueless things, which will become valuable as soon as you stick them evenly and closely on a foundation of their own colour. the periwinkly shells and the maize grains look best on white wood. the shells of the cocoanut have a value all their own. the larger ones, sawn neatly in halves, make impressive domes for brown buildings, and half a small cocoanut shell will roof a cardboard box that has held elastic bands, and you can call it a thatched cottage or the hut of a savage chief. i called mine cocoanut cottage, and the curator of my botanical museum lived there. the chief astrologer, of course, lived at the top of his tower, which was a photographic enlarging apparatus. ponds and rivers can be made with the silver paper that comes off cigarettes, and i have made a very impressive tower with match boxes, painted black and piled one on another so that the blue side shows in front, with a touch of red at each side. black windows if you like. if you cannot get any chessmen the pinnacles of your buildings must be clothes-pegs, acorns, and fir-cones, with a very occasional piece of lead pencil or short piece of brass tubing with an acorn or a fir-cone on the top. fir-cones, too, look quite baronial stuck upright on the posts of gates--and they are good edging for paths and roads. pill-boxes make nice little turrets, and cotton reels, coloured to match the bricks and the boxes, are the finest flower tubs in the world. with sprigs of evergreen stuck in them, or a little made rose-tree, they look quite life-like and convincing, especially if you paste a circle of brown paper on the top of the reel, to look like mould, before you stick your shrub in the hole so conveniently placed in the reel, apparently on purpose to have shrubs planted in it. cotton reels with acorns or fir-cones on them are good on the top of gate-posts. [illustration: cotton reels.] [illustration: lattice window.] these are just a few of the things that poor children can get and the way they can use them. the moment you begin to build you will think of a hundred things that i have not thought of, and a hundred ways of using them that i should not have thought of trying. if you can so arrange the site of your city that it need not be disturbed, it will grow in beauty day by day, and you will presently have to name a day to satisfy the children who will want to bring their parents to see it. if you give a school party no other attraction will be needed, and you will find that neither children nor parents will tire of examining your city as a whole and in detail, exclaiming at its beauty and marvelling at its ingenuity. and the children will love it. and so will you. if you are disposed to take a little more trouble with your towers, you can cover them with cement, and mould the crenellations and windows with your fingers. the cement is made of newspaper, size, and whitening. tear up two newspapers and boil them in four quarts of water for three hours. then pound the paper in a large mortar, or squeeze it in your hands till it is all pulp. it will have an unpleasing grey colour at this stage, but in the end it will be creamy white. then add equal quantities of size and whitening and a pinch of yellow ochre, mix thoroughly and let the mixture get cold, when it is ready for use. if it is too thin warm it again, and add more whitening, but do not let the mixture _boil_ after the size has been added. when the mixture with which you have covered your tower is dry,--it takes some days--it will be as hard as stone. a cocoa tin set on a treacle tin makes a very neat tower, as you will see by the picture. square towers can also be made in this way, by covering square tins with the cement. in fact, with a little trouble and some tins of different sizes and shapes you could build a whole palace in this way. doors can be made of black paper, and lattices of paper cut and folded, with black paper behind it, as you can see for yourself by the picture. chapter viii the end you will have noticed that though i began by pointing out that children differ as much as grown-up people do, and that the individual character and temperament of one child are not the character and temperament of another, yet i have throughout spoken of the needs of the child as though the needs of all children were the same. that is because, in the body of this work, i have been dealing with the needs of children as a genus, and not with those of the individual or species. there are certain needs common to all children, needs as universal as the need for food, raiment, warmth, and light. such are the needs for sympathy and justice, leisure and liberty. these things are admitted by all but the driest economists to be the rights of adults, but not, alas! always admitted as the rights of children. and i have tried to show a little what it is that is essential to the true well-being of all children. the hungers and thirsts of the individual spirit cannot be dealt with by any but those in close relation to the individual child. i have tried to lay down broad outlines--to make suggestions, to point out pleasant ways leading to pleasant places. parents, teachers, pastors and masters will make the application--or the variation--in every individual case. one of the things that is the matter with modern education is the absence of the conception of personal idiosyncrasies, tastes, character and temperament. for the matter of that it is this indifference to personality which makes the whole of our civilisation vulgar and vain. our education treats children as though they were all cast in one mould; it treats men and women as though they, in their sphere, differed not at all one from another. you will say that it is impossible, in a great country and a great school, to find out the personal tastes and wishes, hopes, dreams, powers, and possibilities of individuals, and you are quite right. that is why large schools and large communities fail so detestably in the very objects of their existence. schools are intended to educate, and they merely instruct. communities are, at least i suppose they are, intended to enable their members to live happy and useful lives as free citizens, and they only succeed in making slaves of the many and tyrants of the few. the machinery of government and the machinery of so-called education is too big--what it has to deal with is too big--for any fine result to be possible. if we are ever to get out of children, and men and women, anything like the best of which they are capable, we shall have to have much smaller schools and much smaller communities. some sort of beautiful and useful corporate life is possible in a place the size of bedford; it is not possible in a place the size of london. ten or twenty children in a class can be treated as individual human beings, and the best that is in them drawn out by a sympathetic understanding of personal traits and characteristics. but a class of seventy or eighty must be treated as a machine of which the little live units are but wheels and cogs. it can, as a machine, be made to do certain things; the component parts of it can be made to contribute their share to the general result, even as the bright and helpless parts of a machine contribute to its activity. but you can never get out of the children composing such a class anything approaching the fine result which can be achieved by an education based on the broad lines of what is good for _children_, with a superstructure of delicate perception of what is good for the _individual child_. dick, tom, and harry can join in certain lessons and certain games, but there will always be some matters in which dick is not in the least like tom, and harry is quite different from both the others. the people who govern us talk about education--they talk greatly, and a little they do. but they will not do the one simple, straightforward thing which is as essential to the growth of the mind as vital religion is to the growth of the soul. any teacher in any elementary school knows what is needed, but those in power do not know it. they will make scholarships as plentiful as blackberries, they will do all sorts of fine things for secondary education. the one thing they will not do is to _reduce the size of the classes_ in elementary schools. and so long as this is not done the millions we spend yearly on education are, to a pitiably great extent, millions wasted. we might almost as well take at least half the money, put it in bags, tie it up with red tape, and drop it over london bridge, or, still better, spend the money in monthly exhibitions of free fireworks, which would at least give the children and the grown-ups one jolly evening in thirty. a small class can be taught, and taught well, by a teacher of as average ability as ever tumbled head over heels from london to york, but a large class your average teacher will never get at at all. it takes a genius and an orator to speak intelligibly to more than fifteen people. i sometimes wonder if teachers know how much of their teaching their scholars miss altogether--fail to see, fail to grasp, do not know is there. between the careless or overworked teacher and the timid and rather stupid child there is a great gulf fixed. to such a child the voice of the teacher is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, crying quite aimlessly, in a wilderness of unintelligible jargon. many boys--in public as well as elementary schools by the way--go through their whole school life "scraping through somehow," and never once having a clear idea of anything that they are doing, hardly ever a glimpse of what anything is about or that anything has any reasonable relation to anything else. it is rather like a miracle, whichever way you take it, but there it is, and a miracle which might be made impossible and unnecessary by a little sensible commonplace legislation. we want smaller classes, and we want those classes better taught. that is to say, we want more teachers, and better-paid teachers; we want our teachers to be placed in a position of certain comfort, that they shall not be living in the house of poverty with the wolf of worry always nosing round the door, distracting their attention from what should be their chief thought--for most of the months of the year. we want longer holidays, and a better provision for happiness in those holidays, both for teachers and children. we want every teacher and every child to have a real holiday, not merely an absence from school. in a word, we want more money spent on schools and less on gaols and reformatories. it cannot be put too plainly that the nation which will not pay for her schools must pay for her prisons and asylums. people don't seem to mind so much paying for prisons and workhouses. what they really hate seems to be paying for schools. and yet how well, in the end, such spending would pay us! "there is no darkness but ignorance," and we have now such a chance as has never been the lot of men since time began, a chance to light enough lamps to dispel that darkness. if only we would take that chance! even from the meanest point of view we ought to take it. it would be cheaper in the end. schools are cheaper than prisons. now that i have written the words i don't like the look of them; and looking back through this book, i see that most of what i have written applies to the kind of children who are in little danger of going to prison, children in comfortable homes, with enough of, at any rate, material well-being. most of my book refers to the class that is not taught in council schools, and that will not be sent to a reformatory if the eighth commandment is not learnt in one lesson. this class is called the upper middle-class, and it does not go to the council schools because it has money to go elsewhere. the children of this class are, in brain and heart, not superior to the children of what are called the working classes. place the middle-class children in the surroundings of the slum child, and thereupon the middle-class child would grow as the slum child grows, as the plant debarred from light grows--_not straight_. what we want is that there should be a distribution of wealth so changed from the one that now destroys the nation's balance as to put every parent in a position to pay for his child's education, and that the nation's schools should be so superlatively better than all other schools that no parent would dream of sending his child to any school but that provided by the nation for the nation's children. and now that it comes to good-bye, i am sorry to say it. i feel that i have only been touching the fringe of the greatest problem in the world: that there is very much which i have left unsaid, or which i might have said differently, and better. one might go on for all one's life thinking and writing about children and their needs, and always there would be more unsaid than said, less thought than food for thought. if the thoughts which i have striven to set forth give food for thought in others, if my little candle may help to kindle a great torch, i shall look back on the writing of this book as a great privilege and the memory of the hours spent on it i shall treasure with a glad and grateful heart. _printed by hazell, watson & viney, ld., london and aylesbury._ * * * * * transcriber's notes: varried hyphenation retained. obvious punctuation errors repaired. entertainments for home, church and school by frederica seeger edited by theodore waters entertainments for home, church and school contents chapter i--household games and amusements going shopping, hit or miss, game of rhymes, most improbable story, animated art, guessing character, tongue twisters. chapter ii--household games and amusements french rhymes, ant and cricket, a spoonful of fun, how, when and where, grandfather's trunk, predicaments, auction, beast, bird or fish, rotating globe, etc. chapter iii--household games and amusements flags of all nations, game of words, prince of india, exchange, shadow buff, old family coach, the tailless donkey. chapter iv--household games and amusements magic music, cushion dance, animal blind man's buff, musical instruments, my lady's toilet, going to jerusalem. chapter v--household games and amusements tortoise, lemon pig, seasick passengers, enchanted raisins, family giant, animated telescope, etc. chapter vi--household games and amusements the what do you think, knight of the whistle, "can do little," throwing light. chapter vii--church and school socials charades, "cicero," "attenuate," suggested words, "metaphysician," charades on the grecian islands. chapter viii--church and school socials living pictures, tableaux, dignity and impudence, sailor's farewell, home again, various tableaux. chapter ix--church and school socials wax works gallery, mrs. jarley's collection, chinese giant, two-headed girl, captain kidd, celebrated dwarf, yankee cannibal, etc. chapter x--church and school socials art exhibitions, list of exhibitors, "artists," curiosities, explanations, suggestions. chapter xi--optical illusions raising the ghost, magic lantern pictures, phantasmagoria, chinese shadows, wonderful mirror, multiplied money. chapter xii--table games for adults dominoes, backgammon, checkers, jenkins, zoo, stray syllables, chess. chapter xiii--outdoor games for adults lawn tennis, polo, hockey, golf, archery, ring toss, lawn bowls. chapter xiv--holiday games and amusements new years, lincoln's day, valentine party, easter egg party, hallowe'en games, flag day, thanksgiving, christmas. chapter xv--outdoor games for girls basket ball, box ball, guess ball, target ball, string ball. chapter xvi--pastimes for children sun dial, mother, may i play? blind man's buff, tug of war, various ball games. chapter xvii--indoor games for young children patch work, peanut game, soap bubbles, candy pulls, cook and peas, magic music, zoology. chapter xviii--outdoor games for young children bean bag games, skipping the rope, various tag games, crossing the brook. chapter xix--singing games for children moon and stars, bologna man, orchestra, jack be nimble, oats, peas, beans, farmer in the dell, london bridge, etc. chapter xx--games of arithmetic thought numbers, mystical nine, magic hundred, king and counselor, horse shoe nails, dinner party puzzle, baskets and stones, etc. chapter xxi--one hundred conundrums witty questions, facetious puzzles, ready answers, entertaining play upon words. introduction. games are meant to amuse, but in addition to amusing, a good game, played in the right spirit, may have great educational value. now, this is distinctly a book of _games and amusements_. there are games for indoors, scores of them, while there are other scores that can be enjoyed only in the open. when young folks, and older folks, too, for that matter, meet for a pleasant evening, it is rather depressing to have them sit solemnly on stiff chairs in the company room and stare helplessly at one another, like folks awaiting a funeral service. now, if there is present, and there usually is, a bright girl, who knows the games in this book, and she starts in to "get the ball a-rolling," all will soon be enjoying themselves better than if they were watching a three-ring circus. and then the volleys of wholesome laughter that will roll out--why, they will be better for the digestion than all the medicines of all the doctors. it will be noticed that some of the outdoor games, and others devised for indoors, require some apparatus, like tennis and croquet, or back-gammon boards and magic lanterns, but the majority need only the company, and--let it be added--the disposition to have a good time. within the covers of "entertainments for home, church, and school," you will find condensed and clearly set forth the best of a library of books on amusements. entertainments for home, church and school chapter i household games and amusements going shopping--hit or miss--game of rhymes--most improbable story-animated art--guessing characters--tongue twisters going shopping a lively game of "talk and touch." the company is seated in a circle, and one who understands the game commences by saying to his neighbor at the right: "i have been shopping." "what did you buy?" is the required response. "a dress," "a book," "some flowers," "a pencil"--whatever the first speaker wishes, provided always that he can, in pronouncing the word, touch the object mentioned. then the second player addresses his neighbor in similar manner, and so on around the circle until the secret of the game is discovered by all. whoever mentions an object without touching it, or names one that has already been given, pays a forfeit. lighting the candle this feat is a very amusing one, and is performed as follows: two persons kneel on the ground, facing each other. each holds in his left hand a candle in a candlestick, at the same time grasping his right foot in his right hand. this position compels him to balance himself on his left knee. one of the candles is lighted; the other is not. the holders are required to light the unlighted candle from the lighted one. the conditions are simple enough, but one would hardly believe how often the performers will roll over on the floor before they succeed in lighting the candle. it will be found desirable to spread a newspaper on the floor between the combatants. many spots of candle-grease will thus be intercepted, and the peace of mind of the lady of the house proportionately spared. hit or miss great amusement is excited by this game when played in the presence of a company of guests. spread a sheet upon the floor and place two chairs upon it. seat two of the party in the chairs within reach of each other and blindfold them. give each a saucer of cracker or bread crumbs and a spoon, then request them to feed each other. the frantic efforts of each victim to reach his fellow sufferer's mouth is truly absurd--the crumbs finding lodgment in the hair, ears and neck much oftener than the mouth. sometimes bibs are fastened around the necks of the victims for protection. cross questions the company is divided into two equal parts and blank cards and pencils are distributed. one side writes questions on any subject desired, while the other prepares in like manner a set of haphazard answers. the question cards are then collected and distributed to the players on the other side, while their answer are divided among the questioners. the leader holding a question then reads it aloud, the first player on the other side reading the answer he holds. some of the answers are highly amusing. the game of rhymes a variation of the former game. the game is begun by a young lady or gentleman speaking a single line, to which the next nearest on the left must respond with another line to rhyme with the first. the next player gives a new line, of the same length, and the fourth supplies a rhyme in turn, and so on. the game is provocative of any amount of fun and nonsense. a sample may be given: 1st player.--i think i see a brindle cow. 2d player.--it's nothing but your dad's bow-wow. 3rd. player.--he is chasing our black tommy cat. 4th player.--poor puss had best get out of that, etc. any amount of nonsense may be indulged in a game of this sort, within proper limits. clever players can easily give the game a most interesting turn and provoke rhymes that are original and witty. thus, a subject once started, every phase of it may be touched upon before the round closes. the most improbable story the players are seated in a circle and are provided with pencils and paper. it is then announced that this is a competition, and that the one who writes the most improbable story in fifteen minutes wins a prize. the allotted time being up, the papers are collected and re-distributed so that each players receives another player's story. the stories are then read aloud and a committee decides which is the most improbable story. a prize is usually given the writer of this. animated art a picture is selected showing a group of individuals and portraying some historical incident or event illustrative of the affairs of every-day life. the performers make up, each one to represent some character in the picture. out of their number some one is chosen to act as stage manager and he poses the figures. two rooms with folding-doors, or one room divided by a curtain, are required for this representation. a reflection, or footlight, will enhance the beauty of the picture. guessing characters one of the party leaves the room, while the others decide upon some character, real or fictitious. the absentee is then recalled, and each in turn asks him a question referring to the character he has been elected to represent. when he guesses his identity, the player whose question has thrown the most light upon the subject has to go from the room. for example: a goes from the room, and the company decides that he shall represent king henry viii. when he enters, no. 1 asks: "which one of your wives did you love best?" no. 2 says: "do you approve of a man marrying his deceased brother's wife?" no. 3 adds: "were you very sorry your brother died?" etc., while a, after guessing various names, is led by some question to guess correctly, and the fortunate questioner is consequently sent from the room to have a new character assigned him in turn. who is my neighbor? one-half the company is blindfolded; these are then seated in such a way that each has a vacant chair at his right hand. the other half of the players gather in the middle of the room. this is done silently. the unblindfolded players will each one take one of the empty seats next to those who are blindfolded. when requested to speak or sing they must do so. it is permissible to disguise the voice. the blindfolded neighbor must guess who is speaking or singing. the bandages are not taken off until the wearer has guessed correctly the name of the person at his right. when he guesses correctly, the one whose name was guessed is blindfolded and takes the guesser's place. the leader gives a signal, and the players who are unblindfolded walk softly to a vacant chair. the leader then plays a familiar air on an instrument, and says, "sing!" all must sing until he suddenly stops playing. the guessing goes on as before until the leader decides to stop it. tongue-twisters--any number of players the amusing game of tongue-twisters is played thus: the leader gives out a sentence (one of the following), and each repeats it in turn, any player who gets tangled up in the pronunciation having to pay forfeit. a haddock! a haddock! a black-spotted haddock, a black spot on the black back of the black-spotted haddock. she sells sea shells. she stood at the door of mr. smith's fish-sauce shop, welcoming him in. the sea ceaseth and it sufficeth us. six thick thistle sticks. the flesh of freshly fried flying fish. a growing gleam glowing green. i saw esau kissing kate, the fact we all three saw, i saw esau, he saw me, and she saw i saw esau. swan swam over the sea; swim, swan, swim; swan swam back again; well swum, swan. you snuff ship snuff, i snuff box snuff. the bleak breeze blighted the bright broom blossoms. high roller, low roller, rower. oliver oglethorp ogled an owl and oyster. did oliver oglethorp ogle an owl and oyster? if oliver oglethorp ogled an owl and oyster, where are the owl and oyster oliver oglethorp ogled? hobbs meets snobbs and nobbs; hobbs bobs to snobbs and nobbs; hobbs nobs with snobbs and robs nobbs' fob. "that is," says nobbs, "the worse for hobbs' jobs," and snobbs sobs. susan shines shoes and socks; socks and shoes shine susan. she ceaseth shining shoes and socks, for shoes and socks shocks susan. robert royley rolled a round roll round; a round roll robert rowley rolled round. where rolled the round roll robert rowley rolled round? strict, strong stephen stringer snared slickly six sickly, silky snakes. the leith police dismisseth us. she sun shines upon shop signs. chapter ii french rhymes--ant and cricket--spoonful of fun--how, when and where-grandfather's trunk--predicaments--auction--beast, bird, or fish--rotating globe button, button the players sit around the room in a circle. the leader then holds a button between his hands, with the palms pressed together, so as to hide it. he goes around the circle, passing his hand between those of the players. as he does this, he says: "hold fast to what i give you." he is careful not to let the players see into whose hands he passed the button. the circuit having been made, the leader says to the first player: "button, button, who has the button?" the one questioned must answer, naming some one whom he thinks has it. so it continues until all have had a turn at answering the same question. then the leader says: "button, button, rise!" the button holder must do this. french rhymes each member of the company writes upon a slip of paper two words that rhyme. these are collected by one player and read aloud, and as they are read everybody writes them down upon new papers. five or ten minutes being allowed, each player must write a poem introducing all the rhyming words in their original pairs. at the expiration of the given time the lines are read aloud. suppose the words given are "man and than," "drops and copse," "went and intent," etc., these are easily framed into something like this: once on a time a brooklet drops, with splash and clash, through a shady copse; one day there chanced to pass a man, who, deeming water better than cider, down by the brooklet went, to dip some up was his intent. of course, the result is nonsense, but it is pleasant nonsense, and may be kept up indefinitely, to the entertainment of the participants. consequences the players are each provided with a slip of paper and a pencil. each must write the name of some gentleman (who is known to the party), turn down the end of the paper on which the name is written, and pass the paper to the next neighbor. all must then write the name of some lady (also known), then change the papers again and write "where they met," "what he said," "what she said," "what the world said," and "the consequences," always passing the papers on. when all are written, each player must then read his paper. mr. jones . . . . . . . . . and miss smith . . . . . . . . . met on a roof . . . . . . . . . he said, "i trust you are not afraid." she said, "not while you are here." world said, "it's a match." consequences, "he sailed for africa next morning," etc. ant and cricket one of the company being appointed to represent the cricket, seats himself in the midst of the other players, who are the ants, and writes upon a piece of paper the name of a certain grain, whatever kind he pleases. he then addresses the first ant: "my dear neighbor, i am very hungry, and i have come to you for aid. what will you give me!" "a grain of rice, a kernel of corn, a worm," etc., replies the ant, as he sees fit. the cricket asks each in turn, and if one of them announces as his gift the word already written upon the paper, the cricket declares himself satisfied and changes places with the ant. a spoonful of fun this is a german game. one of the players goes into the middle of a ring formed by the other players. he is blindfolded and has a large, wooden spoon for a wand. the players join hands and dance about him. there may be music, if it be so desired. when the signal is given to stop, all must stand still. the blindfolded one touches one of the players with his hand and tries to guess his identity. if he guesses correctly, that player must take his place. stooping, kneeling, or tiptoeing may be resorted to, to conceal the identity of the players. what is my thought like? though this is a very old game, it is well worth the playing. the leader asks each player in turn, "what is my thought like?" the one questioned gives any answer he desires. each player is asked in turn and a list is kept of the replies. finally the leader tells what his thought was, and asks each player in what way it resembles the thing he, or she, likened it to. biography each player receives a pencil and paper and takes a seat as one of the circle of players. the left-hand neighbor is the subject for his right-hand neighbor's biographical sketch. any absurd happening will do, the more ridiculous the biography, the better. the wittiest one calls for a prize. nicknames of cities certain cities have been nick-named, as chicago, the windy city; philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, etc. the hostess requests her guests to wear something suggestive of the nickname of the city represented. each guest writes on a piece of paper what cities he supposes the other guests are representing. a half hour is allowed, when a prize is awarded the one who has given the largest number of guesses correctly. how, when and where one member of the company, leaving the room, a word admitting of more than one interpretation is chosen by the others. on his return, he asks each in succession, "how do you like it?" the player questioned being required to give an appropriate answer. he then inquires in similar manner, "when do you like it," and if the answer to that question still gives him no clue, proceeds to ask, "where do you like it?" when he at last discovers the word, the person whose answer has furnished him with the most information, must in turn leave the room and become the questioner. we will suppose the word chosen to be "rain," which can also be taken as "reign" or "rein." the question, "how do you like it?" receives the answers, "tight," "heavy," "short," "warm," etc. the question, "when do you like it?", "in summer," "when i am driving," "in the nineteenth century," etc. "where do you like it?", "in the united states," "on a horse," "in the sky," etc. my grandfather's trunk--any number of players a great game for young folks of a winter evening. the company being seated in a circle, somebody begins by saying, for instance: no. 1. "i pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles." no. 2. "i pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles and a silk hat." no. 3. "i pack my grandfather's trunk with a pair of spectacles, a silk hat and a dime novel." and so on, each person repeating all the articles already mentioned, besides adding a new one. if any one fails to repeat the list correctly, he drops out of the game, which is continued until the contents of the trunk are unanimously declared too numerous to remember. location location is geographical in character. two captains are chosen. they choose sides until the party is equally divided. one captain begins the game by calling the name of a city. he then counts thirty. before he has finished counting, his opposite opponent must tell where the city is located. if his answer be correct, he in turn names a place, and the second player in the opposite row must locate it before he counts thirty. should any player fail to answer before thirty is counted, or answer incorrectly, he or she must drop out. when there is only one player left on either side, that one gets the prize. predicaments predicaments are thought out. the more ridiculous they are the better. they are written on sheets of paper. each person has to write his idea of the best way out of a predicament. then the papers are collected and read. prizes are given if the hostess so desires. progressive puzzles provide as many small, square cards as there are guests; also several pairs of scissors. the party seats itself in a circle. the cards and scissors are given out. then each player cuts his card twice across, so as to make four pieces. the straight cuts must intersect each other. after the first cut, the pieces must be held together until the second cut has been made. a player mixes his pieces and passes them to his right-hand neighbor. when the leader gives the signal, all the players put together the four pieces they have. the one who first succeeds calls out "ready." then all stop and pass the cards on again. the successful player is given a mark on a tally card. the game goes on until a half hour has passed. the person receiving the most marks is entitled to a prize, or may become the leader, as preferred. mirth the leader for this game must have a contagious laugh. he throws a handkerchief into the air; when he does this, all must laugh heartily, until the handkerchief lies upon the ground, then the laughing must stop immediately. the player laughing after the handkerchief touches the ground is "out." this also happens to the one laughing too soon. the one left alone at last is the winner, and may become leader. crambo each player in the party is given two slips of paper and a pencil. on one slip he writes a question. this may be serious or absurd, as he wishes. on another paper he writes a word, this being a noun--either proper or common. the questions being mixed are distributed--the words likewise. the players write verses answering the questions and containing the words received. auction _needed: twenty, or more, packages, wrapped in paper._ auction may be made a very merry game. it depends upon the auctioneer, however, to make the sales interesting; any articles may be chosen, though dolls, teddy bears, etc., are suggested. the articles are catalogued. they are paid for with the beans given to the players with the catalogues. beast, bird or fish the players sit round in a circle, and one player, who is "it," points to some one, and says either "beast," "bird," or "fish." he then counts ten as quickly as possible. the person pointed to must name some "beast," "bird," or "fish" (whichever he was asked), before ten is reached. if he fails he must give a forfeit. the rotation of the globe when you next chance to eat an egg for breakfast, do not fail to try the following experiment. it is one which always succeeds, and is productive of much amusement to the company. moisten slightly with water the rim of your plate, and in the center paint with the yolk of the egg a sun with golden rays. by the aid of this simple apparatus, you will be in a position to illustrate, so clearly that a child can comprehend it, the double movement of the earth, which revolves simultaneously round the sun and on its own axis. all that you have to do is to place the empty half-shell of your egg on the rim of the plate, and keeping this latter duly sloped, by a slight movement of the wrist as may be needful, you will see the eggshell begin to revolve rapidly on its own axis, at the same time traveling round the plate. it is hardly necessary to remark that the egg-shell will not travel uphill, and the plate must therefore be gradually shifted round, as well as sloped, so that the shell may always have an inch or two of descending plane before it. the slight cohesion caused by the water which moistens the plate counteracts the centrifugal force and so prevents the eggshell falling off the edge of the plate. advice pencil and paper having been given the players, each writes a piece of advice and folds his paper. he passes it to his neighbor, who before opening it, tells whether he thinks the advice good or bad. if he guesses correctly, he scores a point. the game goes on this way, each at the table taking a turn, when new advices are written and passed along. this is done as many times as the hostess desires. the one getting the most points is winner. words each player receives a pencil and paper. he is then told to make as many words as he can from a given word of fifteen letters, or more. it is surprising how many words can be thus made. the winner is the one fashioning the greatest number of words. a book is given him as a prize. chapter iii game of words--prince of india--exchange--shadow buff--tailless donkey --throwing the handkerchief flags of all nations you can learn the colors of the flags of all nations by referring to a large dictionary, or to a book on flags. the flags are drawn with colored crayons, or painted in water colors, on a large water-color card, or a sheet of water-color paper. large cards with numbers down the sides are given to each player, with a pencil. the card of flags is then hung where all can see it, and half an hour is allowed for all to guess the countries to which the flags belong. the answers are written on the individual cards, and the papers are signed with the names of the players. a prize is given to the player who has the greatest number of correct answers. another game of words the players, each of whom is supplied with paper and pencil, are divided equally into two sides, and the leader, having selected a word, suppose "notwithstanding," each party sets to work to see how many different words they can make of the same letters. (thus from the word above suggested may be made "not, with, stand, standing, gin, ton, to, wig, wit, his, twit, tan, has, had, an, nod, tow, this, sat, that, sit, sin, tin, wink, what, who, wish, win, wan, won," and probably a host of others.) a scrutiny is then taken, all words common to both parties being struck out. the remainder are then compared, and the victory is adjudged to the one having the largest number of words. grammatical game this is played by each person drawing, say, twenty letters haphazard, and trying to form them into a phrase or sentence, the palm of merit being awarded to the player who, at the same time, produces the most coherent phrase, and also succeeds in using the greatest proportion of the letters assigned to him. menagerie this is a very funny game if the ringmaster keeps up a running fire of witty remarks. he stands in the circle of animals--otherwise guests--and, whip in hand, shows off his animals, and their tricks, singly, and in groups. the lion roars, as well as performs; the dog barks, and performs the tricks he is told to show off; the canary warbles its song; the bee buzzes; the donkey brays, balks and kicks, etc. at the end of the performance there is a grand circus parade, with music. prince of india the players are numbered from one upward. the leader stands in front of them and says: "the prince of india has lost his pearl. did you find it, number seven?" upon this, number 7 replies, jumping to his feet quickly: "i, sir, i?" the leader replies, "yes, you, sir!" number 7 says: "not i, sir!" leader: "who then, sir, if not you?" number 7: "number 4, sir." number 4 jumps up, and says: "what, sir? i, i?" leader: "yes, sir; you, you." number 4: "not i, not i, sir."' leader: "who then, sir?" number 4: "number 2, sir."' then number 2 jumps to his feet. this goes on until the leader reaches the last one in the circle. if he can repeat again "the prince of india has lost his pearl," before this one can jump to his feet, they exchange places. exchange a blindfolded player stands in the center; the others are seated about him in a circle. each one is numbered. the blindfolded player calls out two numbers, whereupon the players bearing those numbers exchange places, the blindfolded player trying meanwhile either to catch one of the players or to secure one of the chairs. any player so caught must yield his chair to the catcher. no player may go outside of the circle formed by the chairs. hunt the ring all the players stand in a circle holding a long cord, which forms an endless band upon which a ring has been slipped before it was joined at the ends. this ring is passed rapidly from one player to another--always on the cord and concealed by the hand--while somebody in the center endeavors to seize the hands of the person who holds it, who, when actually caught, takes his place within the circle. if the circle is very large, two rings may be slipped upon the cord, and two players placed in the center together. a small key may be used instead of a ring, while still another variation is to have the concealed object a small whistle with a ring attached. when this is adopted, an amusing phase of the game is to secretly attach a string to the whistle and fasten this to the back of the player in the center by means of a bent pin at the other end of the string. then while feigning to pass the whistle from hand to hand, it is occasionally seized and blown upon by some one in the ring, toward whom the victim is at that moment turning his back, causing that individual to be greatly puzzled. shadow bluff a sheet being stretched across one end of the room, one of the players being seated upon a low stool facing it, and with his eyes fixed upon it. the only light in the room must be a lamp placed upon a table in the center of the room. between this lamp and the person on the stool, the players pass in succession, their shadows being thrown upon the sheet in strong relief. the victim of the moment endeavors to identify the other players by their respective shadows, and if he succeeds the detected party must take his place. it is allowable to make detection as difficult as possible by means of any available disguise that does not conceal the whole person, any grimacing, contortion of form, etc. guessing eyes and noses a sheet is fastened up between two doors. holes are cut in it, and some of the party go behind the sheet and stand with their eyes at the holes, while the others must guess to whom the eyes belong. failing to guess correctly, they must give a forfeit. the tailless donkey an amusing game, at which any size party may play and enjoy it for hours. cut a large figure of a donkey, minus a tail, from dark paper or cloth, and pin it upon a sheet stretched tightly across a door-way. each player is given a piece of paper, which would fit the donkey for a tail, if applied. on each tail is written the name of the person holding it. when all is ready, the players are blindfolded in turn--placed facing the donkey a few steps back in the room--then turned around rapidly two or three times, and told to advance with the tail held at arm's length, and with a pin previously inserted in the end, attach it to the figure of the donkey wherever they first touch it. when the whole curtain is adorned with tails--(not to mention all the furniture, family portraits, etc., in the vicinity)--and there are no more to pin on, the person who has succeeded in fastening the appendage the nearest to its natural dwelling place, receives a prize, and the player who has given the most eccentric position to the tail entrusted to his care, receives the "booby" prize, generally some gift of a nature to cause a good-humored laugh. throwing the handkerchief a very old and still quite popular game. the company being seated around the room in a circle, some one stationed in the center throws an unfolded handkerchief to one of the seated players. whoever receives it must instantly throw it to some one else, and so on, while the person in the center endeavors to catch the handkerchief in its passage from one player to another. if he catches it, as it touches somebody, that person must take his place in the center. if it is caught in the air, the player whose hands it last left enters the circle. the handkerchief must not be knotted or twisted, but thrown loosely. chapter iv magic music--cushion dance--animal blindman's bluff--my lady's toilet --going to jerusalem magic music a beautiful game, which amuses even the mere spectator as much as it does the players. one of the company sits at the piano while another leaves the room. the rest of the party then hide some article, previously agreed upon, and recall the absent player. at his entrance the pianist begins playing some lively air, very softly, keeping up a sort of musical commentary upon his search, playing louder as he approaches the goal, and softer when he wanders away from it. in this way he is guided to at last discover the object of his search. cushion dance the cushions are set upright in a circle on the floor. the players then join hands, and form a ring round them. the circle formed by the cushions should be almost as large as the ring formed by the players, and the cushions may be placed at a considerable distance apart. the players in the ring dance round; and each player, as he dances, tries to make his neighbors knock over the cushions. he, however, avoids knocking over any himself. the players should not break the ring, as the penalty to one letting go hands is expulsion from the ring. if it is preferred, indian clubs placed on end may be substituted for the cushions. musical instruments the players sit in a circle and form an orchestra. the conductor stands in the center. a tune is decided on, and the instruments are selected. then the conductor beats time, and each player imitates as well as he can the sound of his instrument, and the motion used in playing it. suddenly the conductor turns to one of the players and asks, "what is the matter with your instrument?" and immediately counts ten. before he finishes counting, the player who has been questioned must begin an answer which is appropriate to his instrument. if his answer is inappropriate, or if it is not begun before the counting stops, he must change places with the conductor. whenever the conductor claps his hands the music must stop, and the players must remain in the attitudes in which they were when he gave the signal. any one who fails to stop humming, or who changes his position, must become leader. the same conductor may continue throughout the game. the person who fails in any of the requirements of the game then pays a forfeit. animal blindman's bluff a blindfolded player stands in the center of a circle with a wand, stick, or cane in his hand. the other players dance around him in a circle until he taps three times on the floor with the cane, when all must stand still. the blindfolded one points his cane in any direction. the one directly opposite it must make a noise like an animal. from this the person in the center of the ring guesses the other's identity. if he does so, there is an exchange of places. my lady's toilet this is a french game. in it each player is named for some article of "my lady's toilet," such as her gown, her hat, her gloves, etc. the players sit in a circle, and when the leader mentions an article of the toilet, the one who is named for it must rush to the center of the ring before the platter stops spinning there. if successful, he or she takes the place of the spinner in the center of the ring. if unsuccessful, the person returns to his or her place. the leader may keep up the interest of the game by comments on the toilettes. this is most interesting in story form. a variation of this game introduces the word ball. whenever this is spoken of, the players must jump up and change places, the spinner trying to secure a seat in the general confusion. the odd player becomes a spinner. mary and john the players--all but two--form a circle and clasp hands. two odd players in the center are called, "mary" and "john." the object of the game is for john to catch mary. as he is blindfolded, he can only locate her in her stealthy movements by the sound of her muffled voice. when he says, "mary, where are you?" she must answer as often as he questions her. mary may stoop or tiptoe, or resort to any means to escape capture, except leaving the ring. when mary is captured she is blindfolded and john takes her seat. so the game goes on after mary has chosen a new john. going to jerusalem this is a piano game, but does not require great skill. one person goes to the piano, while the others arrange in a line as many chairs, less one, as there are players, the chairs alternately facing opposite directions. then, as the pianist begins to play, the others commence marching around the line of chairs, keeping time to the music. when this suddenly ceases, everybody tries to sit down, but as there is one less chair than players, somebody is left standing, and must remain out of the game. then another chair is removed, and the march continues, until the chairs decrease to one, and the players to two. whichever of these succeeds in seating himself as the music stops, has won the game. "what d'ye buy?" this game may be played by any number from three to thirteen. there are a dozen good-sized pieces of cardboard, each bearing a colored illustration of one of the "trades" following, viz.: a milliner, a fishmonger, a greengrocer, plumber, a music-seller, a toyman, mason, a pastry-cook, a hardware-man, a tailor, a poulterer, and a doctor. besides these there are a number of smaller tickets, half a dozen to each trade. each of these has the name of the particular trade, and also the name of some article in which the particular tradesman in question may be considered to deal. a book accompanies the cards, containing a nonsense story, with a blank at the end of each sentence. one of the players is chosen as leader, and the others each select a trade, receiving the appropriate picture, and the six cards containing the names of the articles in which the tradesman deals. he places his "sign" before him on the table, and holds the remainder of his cards in his hand. the leader then reads the story, and whenever he comes to one of the blanks, he glances towards one of the other players, who must immediately, under penalty of a forfeit, supply the blank with some article he sells, at the same time laying down the card bearing its name. the incongruity of the article named with the context make the fun of the game, which is heightened by the vigilance which each player must exercise in order to avoid a forfeit. where the number of players is very small, each may undertake two or more trades. we will give an illustration. the concluding words indicate the trade of the person at whom the leader glances to fill up a given hiatus. "ladies and gentlemen, i propose to relate some curious adventures which befell me and my wife peggy the other day, but as i am troubled with a complaint called 'non mi ricordo,' or the 'can't remembers,' i shall want each of you to tell me what you sell; therefore, when i stop and look at one of you, you must be brisk in recommending your goods. whoever does not name something before i count 'three' must pay a forfeit. attention! "last friday week i was awakened very early in the morning by a loud knocking at my door in humguffin court. i got up in a great fright, and put on"--(looks at toyman, who replies, "a fool's cap and bells," and lays down that card). "when i got downstairs, who should be there but a fat porter, with a knot, on which he carried"--(poulterer) "a pound of pork sausages." "'hallo!' said i, 'my fellow, what do you want at this time of day?' he answered"--(fishmonger) "'a cod's head and shoulders.'" "'get along with you,' i said; 'there's my neighbor, dr. drenchall, i see, wants'"--(butcher) "'a sheep's head.'" "i now went up to shave, but my soap-dish was gone, and the maid brought me instead"--(milliner) "a lady's chip hat." "my razor had been taken to chop firewood, so i used"--(greengrocer) "a cucumber." "i then washed my face in"--(doctor) "a cup of quinine," "cleaned my teeth with"--(fishmonger) "a fresh herring," and "combed my hair with"--(pastrycook) "a jam tart." "my best coat was taken possession of by pussy and kittens, so i whipped on"--(hardware-man) "a dripping pan." "the monkey, seeing how funny i looked, snatched off my wig, and clapped on my head"--(poulterer) "a fat hen." "i now awoke my wife, and asked her what she had nice for breakfast; she said"--(doctor) "a mustard plaster." "then i scolded sukey, the servant, and called her"--(poulterer) "a tough old turkey." "but she saucily told me i was no better than"--(music-seller) "an old fiddle." "i soon had enough of that, so i asked my wife to go with me to buy"--(tailor) "a pair of trousers." "but she said she must have her lunch first, which consisted of----" etc., etc., through half a dozen pages, the tradesmen supply more or less appropriate articles to fill up the gaps in the discourse. chapter v. raisin tortoise--lemon pig--seasick passenger--enchanted raisins--lump of sugar--mysterious production--family giant the raisin tortoise this noble animal is constructed as follows: a muscatel raisin forms the body, and small portions of the stalk of the same fruit the head and legs. with a little judgment in the selection of the pieces of stalk and the mode in which they are thrust into the body, it is surprising what a life-like tortoise may be thus produced. while the work of art in question is being handed round on a plate for admiration, the artist may further distinguish himself, if the wherewithal is obtainable, by constructing the lemon pig the body of the pig consists of a lemon. the shape of this fruit renders it particularly well adapted for this purpose, the crease or shoulder at the small end of the lemon being just the right shape to form the head and neck of the pig. with three or four lemons to choose from, you cannot fail to find at least one which will answer the purpose exactly. the mouth and ears are made by cutting the ring with a penknife, the legs of short ends of lucifer matches, and the eyes either of black pins, thrust in up to the head, or grape stones. the seasick passenger the requirements for this touching picture are an orange, a pocket handkerchief or soft table napkin, and a narrow water goblet. the orange is first prepared by cutting in the rind with a penknife the best ears, nose, and mouth which the artist can compass, a couple of raisin-pips supplying the place of eyes. a pocket handkerchief is stretched lightly over the glass, and the prepared orange laid thereon. the pocket-handkerchief is then moved gently backward and forward over the top of the glass, imparting to the orange a rolling motion, and affording a laughable but striking caricature of the agonies of a seasick passenger. the enchanted raisins take four raisins or bread-pills, and place them about a foot apart, so as to form a square on the table. next fold a couple of table-napkins, each into a pad of five inches square. take one of these in each hand, the fingers undermost and the thumb uppermost. then inform the company that you are about to give them a lesson in the art of hanky-panky, etc., and in the course of your remarks, bring down the two napkins carelessly over the two raisins farthest from you. leave the right-hand napkin on the table, but, in withdrawing the hand, bring away the raisin between the second and third fingers, and at the same moment remarking, "you must watch particularly how many raisins i place under each napkin." lift the left napkin (as if merely to show that there is one raisin only beneath it), and transfer it to the palm of the outstretched right hand, behind which the raisin is now concealed. without any perceptible pause, but at the same time without any appearance of haste, replace the folded napkin on raisin no. 2, and in so doing, leave raisin no. 1 beside it. now take up raisin no. 3 (with the right hand). put the hand under the table, and in doing so get raisin no. 3 between the second and third fingers, as much behind the hand as possible. give a rap with the knuckles on the underside of the table, at the same time saying, "pass!" and forthwith pick up the left-hand napkin with the left hand, showing the raisins 1 and 2 beneath it. all eyes are drawn to the two raisins on the table, and as the right hand comes into sight from beneath the table, the left quietly transfers the napkin to it, thereby effectually concealing the presence of raisin no. 3. the napkin is again laid over raisins 1 and 2, and no. 3 is secretly deposited with them. no. 4 is then taken in the right hand, and the process repeated, when three raisins are naturally discovered, the napkin being once more replaced, and no. 4 left with the rest. there are now four raisins under the left-hand napkin, and none under that on the right hand, though the spectators are persuaded that there is one under the latter, and only three under the former. the trick being now practically over, the performer may please himself as to the form of the denouement, and, having gone through any appropriate form of incantation, commands the imaginary one to go and join the other three, which is found to have taken place accordingly. the demon lump of sugar the performer commences by borrowing two hats, which he places, crowns upward, upon the table, drawing particular attention to the fact that there is nothing whatever under either of them. he next demands the loan of the family sugar basin, and requests some one to select from it a lump of sugar (preferably one of an unusual and easily distinguished shape), at the same time informing them that, by means of a secret process, only known to himself, he will undertake to swallow such lump of sugar before their eyes, and yet, after a few minutes' interval, bring it under either of the two hats they may choose. the company, having been prepared by the last trick to expect some ingenious piece of sleight-of-hand, are all on the _qui vive_ to prevent any substitution of another lump of sugar, or any pretence of swallowing without actually doing so. however, the performer does unmistakably take the identical lump of sugar chosen and crushes it to pieces with his teeth. he then asks, with unabated confidence, under which of the two hats he shall bring it, and, the choice having been made, places the chosen hat on his own head, and in that way fulfills his undertaking. the mysterious production this is another feat of the _genus_ "sell," and to produce due effect, should only be introduced after the performer has, by virtue of a little genuine magic, prepared the company to expect from him something a little out of the common. he begins by informing the spectators that he is about to show them a great mystery, a production of nature on which no human being has ever yet set eye, and which, when they have once seen, no human being will ever set eyes on again. when the general interest is sufficiently awakened, he takes a nut from the dish, and, having gravely cracked it, exhibits the kernel, and says, "here is an object which you will admit no human being has ever seen, and which" (here he puts it into his mouth and gravely swallows it) "i am quite sure nobody will ever see again." the family giant a very fair giant, for domestic purposes, may be produced by the simple expedient of seating a young lad astride on the shoulders of one of the older members of the company, and draping the combined figure with a long cloak or inverness cape. the "head" portion may, of course, be "made up" as much as you please, the more complete the disguise the more effective being the giant. a ferocious-looking moustache and whiskers will greatly add to his appearance. if some ready-witted member of the party will undertake to act as showman, and exhibit the giant, holding a lively conversation with him, and calling attention to his gigantic idiosyncrasies, a great deal of fun may be produced. the joke should not, however, be very long continued, as the feelings of the "legs" have to be considered. if too long deprived of air and light they are apt to wax rebellious, and either carry the giant in the directions he would fain avoid, or even occasionally to strike together, and bring the giant's days to a sudden and undignified termination. chapter vi the what-do-you-think?--knight of the whistle--"can do little"-throwing light "the what-do-you-think?" the exhibitor begins, in proper showman style: "ladies and gentlemen, i have the pleasure of exhibiting to your notice the celebrated 'what-do-you-think?' or giant uncle-eater. you have all probably heard of the ant-eater. this is, as you will readily perceive, a member of the same family, but more so! he measures seven feet from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail, eight feet back again, five feet around the small of his waist, and has four feet of his own, making twenty-four in all. in his natural state he lives chiefly on blue-bottle flies and mixed pickles, but in captivity it is found that so rich a diet has a tendency to make him stout, and he is now fed exclusively on old corks and back numbers of some daily paper. his voice, which you may perhaps have an opportunity of hearing (here the 'what-do-you-think?' howls dismally), is in the key of b fiat, and is greatly admired. people come here before breakfast to hear it, and when they have heard it, they assure us that they never heard anything like it before. some have even gone so far as to say that they never wish to hear anything like it again,"' etc. the "what-do-you-think?" is manufactured as follows: the performer, who should have black kid gloves on, places on his head a conical paper cap, worked up with the aid of the nursery paint box into a rough semblance of an animal's head. this being securely fastened on, he goes down on his hands and knees and a shaggy railway rug (of fur, if procurable) is thrown over him and secured round his neck, when the animal is complete. the knight of the whistle this is a capital game for everybody but the victim, and produces much fun. some one who does not know the game is chosen to be knight of the whistle, and is commanded to kneel down and receive the honor of knighthood, which the leader (armed with a light cane, the drawingroom poker, or other substitute for a sword) confers by a slight stroke on the back. while placing him in position, opportunity is taken to attach to his back, by means of a bent pin or otherwise, a piece of string about a foot in length, to which is appended a small light whistle. having been duly dubbed, in order to complete his dignity, he is informed that he must now go in quest of the whistle, which will be sounded at intervals, in order to guide him in his search. meanwhile the other players gather in a circle round him, making believe to pass an imaginary object from hand to hand. the victim naturally believes that this imaginary object must be the long-lost whistle, and makes a dash for it accordingly, when the player who happens to be behind his back blows the actual whistle and instantly drops it again. round flies the unhappy knight, and makes a fresh dash to seize the whistle, but in vain. no sooner has he turned to a fresh quarter than the ubiquitous whistle again sounds behind his back. if the game is played smartly, and care taken not to pull the cord, the knight may often be kept revolving for a considerable period before he discovers the secret. "he can do little." this is another "sell" of almost childish simplicity, but we have seen people desperately puzzled over it, and even "give it up" in despair. the leader takes a stick (or poker) in his left hand, thence transfers it to his right, and thumps three times on the floor, saying: "he can do little who can't do this." he then hands the stick to another person, who, as he supposes, goes through exactly the same performance; but if he does not know the game, is generally told, to his disgust, that he has incurred a forfeit, his imitation not having been exact. the secret lies in the fact that the stick, when passed on, is first received in the left hand and thence transferred to the right before going through the performance. "throwing light." two of the company agree privately upon a word (which should be one susceptible of two or three meanings), and interchange remarks tending to throw light upon it. the rest of the players do their best to guess the word, but when any of them fancies he has succeeded, he does not publicly announce his guess, but makes such a remark as to indicate to the two initiated that he has discovered their secret. if they have any doubt that he has really guessed the word, they challenge him, i.e., require him to name it in a whisper. if this guess proves to be right, he joins in conversation, and assists in throwing light on the subject; but if, on the other hand, he is wrong, he must submit to have a handkerchief thrown over his head, and so remain until by some more fortunate observation he shall prove that he really possesses the secret. we will give an example. mr. a. and miss b. have agreed on "bed" as the word, and proceed to throw light upon it, alternating upon its various meanings of a place of repose, a part of a garden, or the bed of a river. miss b. i don't know what your opinion may be, but i am never tired of it. mr. a. well, for my part, i am never in a hurry, either to get to it or to leave it. miss b. how delightful it is after a long, tiring day! mr. a. yes. but it is a pleasure that soon palls. the most luxurious person does not care for too much of it at a stretch. miss b. oh, don't you think so. in early spring, for instance, with the dew upon the flowers! mr. a. ah! you take the romantic view. but how would you like it beneath some rapid torrent or some broad majestic river? miss c. (thinks she sees her way, and hazards a remark). or in a sauce? mr. a. i beg your pardon. please tell me in a whisper what you suppose the word to be? miss c. (whispers) fish! what! isn't that right? mr. a. i am afraid you must submit to a temporary eclipse. (throws her handkerchief over her face.) mr. a. to miss b. you mentioned spring, i think. for my own part, i prefer feathers. mr. d. (rashly concludes, from the combination of "spring" and "feathers," that spring chickens must be referred to). surely you would have them plucked? mr. a. (looks puzzled). i think not may i ask you to name your guess? oh, no, quite out. i must trouble you for your pocket handkerchief. miss b. it is curious, isn't it, that they must be made afresh every day? mr. a. so it is; though i confess it never struck me in that light before. i don't fancy, however, that old brown, the gardener, makes his quite so often. miss b. you may depend that he has it made for him, though. miss c. (from under the handkerchief). at any rate, according as he makes it, his fate will be affected accordingly. you know the proverb? mr. a. (removing the handkerchief). you have fairly earned your release. by the way, do you remember an old paradox upon this subject, "what nobody cares to give away, yet nobody wishes to keep?" miss e. ah! now you have let out the secret. i certainly don't wish to keep mine for long together, but i would willingly give it away if i could get a better. miss b. tell me your guess. (miss e. whispers.) yes, you have hit it. i was afraid mr. a.'s last "light" was rather too strong. and so the game goes on, until every player is in the secret, or the few who may be still in the dark "give it up" and plead for mercy. this, however, is a rare occurrence, for, as the company in general become acquainted with the secret, the "lights" are flashed about in a rash and reckless manner, till the task of guessing becomes almost a matter of course to an ordinarily acute person. chapter vii church and school socials charades: "cicero"--"attenuate"--suggested words--"metaphysician"-charades on the grecian islands acting charades in some form or other the game of charades is played in almost every country under the sun. in acting charades the characters and situation are made to represent a play upon a word or words by portraying some feature which vividly brings such word or words to the mind. here is a popular one: send one-half the company out of the room, into another which may be separated by double doors; portieres are best for the purpose. the party in the inner room think of some word which can be represented entire, in pantomime or tableau, and proceed to enact it. after they have made up, the door opens, and discloses half a dozen girls standing in a line, while one of the acting party announces that this striking tableau represents the name of a famous orator. the others failing to guess are told that cicero (sissy-row) is the orator represented. again, just as the clock strikes ten, the doors opening reveal a lady eating an apple or any convenient edible, while a gentleman who stands near points to the clock and then at her. this being correctly guessed to represent "attenuate" (at ten you ate), the other side goes from the room and the previous performers become the audience. there are a host of words which with a little ingenuity may be turned to account. for example: ingratiate. (in gray she ate.) catering. (kate. her ring.) hero. (he row.) tennessee. (ten, i see.) the following are also good charade words: knighthood, penitent, looking-glass, hornpipe, necklace, indolent, lighthouse, hamlet, pantry, phantom, windfall, sweepstake, sackcloth, antidote, antimony, pearl powder, kingfisher, football, housekeeping, infancy, snowball, definite, bowstring, carpet, sunday, shylock, earwig, matrimony, cowhiding, welcome, friendship, horsemanship, coltsfoot, bridegroom, housemaid, curl-papers, crumpet. we will take the word "windfall," as affording a ready illustration of the pantomime charade. "wind" may be represented by a german band, puffing away at imaginary ophicleides and trombones, with distended cheeks and frantic energy, though in perfect silence. "fall" may be portrayed by an elderly gentleman with umbrella up, who walks unsuspectingly on an ice slide and falls. the complete word "windfall" may be represented by a young man sitting alone, leaning his elbows on his hands, and having every appearance of being in the last stage of impecuniosity. to produce this effect, he may go through a pantomime of examining his purse and showing it empty, searching his pockets and turning them one by one inside out, shaking his head mournfully and sitting down again, throwing into his expression as much despair as he conveniently can. a letter carrier's whistle is heard; a servant enters with a legal-looking letter. the impecunious hero, tearing it open, produces from it a roll of stage banknotes, and forthwith gives way to demonstrations of the most extravagant delight, upon which the curtain falls. in another the curtain rises (i.e., the folding-doors are thrown open), and a placard is seen denoting, "this is madison square," or any other place where professional men congregate. two gentlemen in out-door costumes cross the stage from opposite sides and bow gravely on passing each other, one of them saying, as they do so, "good morning, doctor." the curtain falls, and the audience are informed that the charade, which represents a word of six syllables, is complete in that scene. when the spectators have guessed or been told that the word is "met-a-physician," the curtain again rises on precisely the same scene, and the same performance, action for action, and word for word, is repeated over again. the audience hazard the same word "metaphysician" as the answer, but are informed that they are wrong--the word now represented having only three syllables, and they ultimately discover that the word is "metaphor" (met afore). in another charade is seen a little toy wooden horse, such as can be bought for fifty cents. the spectators are told that this forms a word of two syllables, representing an island in the aegean sea. if the spectators are well up in ancient geography, they may possibly guess that delos (deal hoss) is referred to. the curtain falls, and again rises on the same contemptible object, which is now stated to represent a second island in the same part of the world. the classical reader will at once see that samos (same hoss) is intended. again the curtain rises on the representation of an island. two little wooden horses now occupy the scene, pharos (pair 'oss) being the island referred to. once more the curtain rises, this time on a group of charming damsels, each reclining in a woebegone attitude, surrounded by pill boxes and physic bottles, and apparently suffering from some painful malady. this scene represents a word of three syllables, and is stated to include all that has gone before. cyclades (sick ladies), the name of the group to which delos, samos and pharos belong, is of course the answer. a comical charade is a performance representing the word "imitation." the spectators are informed that the charade about to be performed can be exhibited to only one person at a time. one person is accordingly admitted into the room in which the actors are congregated. the unhappy wight stares about him with curiosity, not unmingled with apprehension, fearing to be made the victim of some practical joke; nor is his comfort increased by finding that his every look or action is faithfully copied by each person present. this continues until he has either guessed or given up the word, when a fresh victim is admitted, and the new initiate becomes in turn one of the actors. sometimes, however, the victim manages to turn the laugh against his persecutors. we have known a young lady, seeing through the joke, quietly take a chair and remain motionless, reducing the matter to a simple trial of patience between herself and the company. chapter viii church and school socials living pictures--tableaux: dignity and impudence--sailor's farewell--home again--various tableaux living pictures there are few better amusements for a large party in the same house, with plenty of time on their hands, than the organization of _tableaux vivants,_ or living representations. tableaux, to be successfully represented, demand quite as much attention to detail as a theatrical performance, and scarcely less careful rehearsal. the first element of success is a competent stage manager. his artistic taste should be beyond all question, and his will should be law among the members of his corps. the essentials of a "living picture" are very much the same as those of a picture of the inanimate description, viz., form, color and arrangement. if, therefore, you can secure for the office of stage manager a gentleman of some artistic skill, by all means do so, as his technical knowledge will be found of the greatest possible service. before proceeding to plan your series of pictures, it will be necessary to provide the "frame" in which they are to be exhibited. if the room which you propose to use has folding doors, they will of course be used. a curtain, preferably of some dark color, should be hung on each side, and a lambrequin or valance across the top. where circumstances admit, the directions we give elsewhere as to the construction of a stage and proscenium for private theatricals may be followed with advantage. in any case, a piece of fine gauze should be carefully stretched over the whole length and depth of the opening. this is found, by producing softer outlines, materially to enhance the pictorial effect. if it is practicable to have a raised stage, it will be found of great addition. where this cannot be arranged, it is well to place a board, six inches in width, and covered with the same material as the rest of the frame, across the floor (on edge) from side to side, in the position which the footlights would ordinarily occupy. the next consideration will be the curtain. the ordinary domestic curtains, hung by rings from a rod or pole, and opening in the middle, will serve as a makeshift; but where a really artistic series of tableaux is contemplated, the regular stage curtain of green baize is decidedly to be preferred. the question of "background" will be the next point to be considered. _tableaux vivants_ may be divided into two classes, the dramatic, i.e., representing some incident, e.g., a duel, or a trial in a court of justice, and the simply artistic, viz., such as portray merely a group, allegorical or otherwise, without reference to any particular plot or story. for the former, an appropriate scene is required, varying with each tableau represented; for the latter, all that is necessary is a simple background of drapery, of such a tone of color as to harmonize with, and yet to give full prominence to, the group of actors. the material of the latter as also the covering of the floor, should be of woolen or velvet, so as to absorb rather than reflect light. a lustrous background, as of satin or glazed calico, will completely destroy the effect of an otherwise effective tableau. the lighting is a point of very considerable importance--the conditions appropriate to an ordinary theatrical performance being here reversed. in an ordinary dramatic performance all shadow is a thing to be avoided, the point aimed at being to secure a strong bright light, uniformly distributed over the stage. in a _tableau vivant_, on the contrary, the skillful manipulation of light and shade is a valuable aid in producing artistic effect. footlights should, in this case, either be dispensed with altogether or at any rate used very sparingly, the stronger light coming from one or the other side. a good deal of experiment and some little artistic taste will be necessary to attain the right balance in this particular. where gas is available it will afford the readiest means of illumination. what is called a "string light," viz., a piece of gaspipe with fishtail burners at frequent intervals, connected with the permanent gas arrangements of the house by a piece of india rubber tube, and fixed in a vertical position behind each side of the temporary proscenium, will be found very effective; one or the other set of lights being turned up, as may be necessary. where a green or red light is desired, the interposition of a strip of glass of that color, or of a "medium" of red or green silk or tammy, will give the necessary tone. colored fires are supplied for the same purpose, but are subject to the drawback of being somewhat odoriferous in combustion. where, as is sometimes the case, a strong white light is required, this may be produced by burning the end of a piece of magnesium wire in the flame of an ordinary candle. these points being disposed of, costume and make-up will be the next consideration. as to the latter, the reader will find full instructions in the chapter devoted to private theatricals. with respect to costume, as the characters are seen for only a few moments, and in one position, this point may be dealt with in a much more rough-and-ready manner than would be advisable in the case of a regular dramatic performance. the royal crown need only be golden, the royal robe need only be trimmed with ermine-on the side toward the spectators; indeed, the proudest of sovereigns, from the audience point of view, may, as seen from the rear, be the humblest of citizens. even on the side toward the spectators a great deal of "make believe" is admissible. seen through the intervening gauze, the cheapest cotton velvet is equal to the richest silk; glazed calico takes the place of satin; and even the royal ermine may be admirably simulated by tails of black worsted stitched on a ground of flannel. lace may be manufactured from cut paper, and a dollar's worth of tinsel will afford jewels for a congress of sovereigns. of course, there is not the least objection to his wearing a crown of the purest gold, or diamonds of the finest possible water (if he can get them), but they will not look one whit more effective than the homely substitutes we have mentioned. a "ghost effect" may, where necessary, be produced by the aid of a magic lantern; the other lights of the tableau being lowered in order to give sufficient distinctness to the reflection. dramatic tableaux may often be exhibited with advantage in two or more "scenes"; the curtain being lowered for a moment in order to enable the characters to assume a fresh position. examples of this will be found among the tableaux which follow. having indicated the general arrangements of _tableaux vivants_, we append, for the reader's assistance, a selection of effective subjects, both simply pictorial and dramatic. i. dignity and impudence. (with background of plain drapery, remaining unchanged.) a magnificent flunkey, in a gorgeous suit of livery, standing, with left hand on hip, right hand in breast, side by side with a very small and saucy "boy in buttons," upon whom he looks down superciliously. boy with both hands in trouser pockets and gazing up at his companion with an expression of impertinent familiarity. ii. the fortune-teller a pretty girl, in simple outdoor costume, standing sideways to the spectators, with downcast eyes and a half-smiling, half-frightened expression. the fortune-teller faces her and holds the young lady's right hand in her left, while her own right hand holds a coin with which she is apparently tracing the lines of the young lady's palm, at the same time gazing with an arch expression into her face, as though to note the effect of her predictions. the fortune-teller should be in gipsy costume, a short, dark skirt and a hood of some brighter material thrown carelessly over her head. she should be of a swarthy complexion, with a good deal of color and jet-black hair. iii. faith a large cross, apparently of white marble (really of deal, well washed with whitening and size) occupies a diagonal position across the center of the stage, facing slightly toward the left. its base or plinth is formed of two or three successive platforms or steps of the same material. at the foot a woman kneels, clasping her arms around the cross, as though she had just thrown herself into that position in escaping from some danger. her gaze should be directed upward. a loose brown robe and hood, the latter thrown back off the head, will be the most appropriate costume. magnesium light from above. iv. hope a female figure, clothed in sober gray, and seated on a very low stool, facing right and gazing heavenward. (if a "sky" background is procurable, a single star should be visible, and should be the object of her gaze.) her right elbow rests upon her right knee, and her right hand supports her chin. her left hand hangs by her side, and at her feet lies the emblematic anchor. red light, not too strong. v. charity a ragged boy, barefooted and clasping a wornout broom, sits huddled on the ground left, but facing right. his arms are folded and rest on his knees, and his head is bent down upon them, so as to hide his face. a girl, in nun's costume, is touching him on the shoulder, and apparently proffering help and sympathy. vi. single life scene, a tolerably well-furnished but untidy sitting-room, with numerous traces of bachelor occupation, such as crossed foils on the wall, a set of boxing-gloves under a side table, boots, hats and walking-sticks lying about in various directions. on one corner of the table some one has apparently breakfasted in rather higgledy-piggledy fashion. near the table sits a young man, with a short pipe in his mouth and one foot bare, while he is endeavoring to darn an extremely dilapidated sock. vii. the sailor's farewell scene, a cottage home. a young man, in sailor costume and with a bundle on his shoulder, stands with his right hand on the latch of the door, right center, but looking back with a sorrowful expression at his wife--personated by a young lady in short black or blue skirt, red or white blouse, and white mob-cap--who sits with her apron up to her eyes in an apparent agony of grief. three children are present, the two elder crying for sympathy, the youngest sitting in a crib or cradle and amusing himself with some toy, in apparent unconsciousness of his father's approaching departure. soft blue light from left. music, "the minstrel boy." viii. home again. the same scene. children a couple of years older. (this may be effected by suppressing the youngest and introducing a fresh eldest, as much like the others as possible.) the sailor of the last scene, slightly more tanned, and with a fuller "made-up" beard, has apparently just entered. the wife has both arms round his neck, her face being hidden in his bosom. of the children, the eldest has seized and is kissing her father's hand, while the two younger each cling round one leg. soft red light. music, "a lass that loves a sailor," or "when johnny comes marching home again." various tableaux we subjoin a list of favorite subjects, leaving their actual arrangement to the taste and intelligence of the reader. it will usually be safe to follow the hints in good illustrations. "choosing the wedding gown." a charming scene after mulready, from the "vicar of wakefield." "william penn signing the treaty with the indians." "the drunkard's home," "signing the pledge," "the temperance home." see some good illustrations. "mary queen of scots and the four maries." "mr. pecksniff dismissing tom pinch." "the song of the shirt." "little red riding-hood." "the duel from the 'corsican brothers.'" "heloise in her cell." "william tell shooting the apple from his son's head," etc., etc., etc. chapter ix. church and school socials wax works gallery: mrs. jarley's collection--chinese giant--two-headed girl--captain kidd--celebrated dwarf--yankee--cannibal, etc. the idea is that of a waxwork exhibition, the characters being personated, after a burlesque fashion, by living performers. each "figure" is first duly described by the exhibitor, and then "wound up" and made to go through certain characteristic movements. the collection is supposed to be that of the far-famed mrs. jarley, of "old curiosity shop" celebrity. she may be assisted, if thought desirable, by "little nell" and a couple of manservants, john and peter. the costume of mrs. jarley is a black or chintz dress, bright shawl and huge bonnet; that of little nell may be a calico dress and white apron, with hat slung over her arm. john and peter may be dressed in livery suits, and should be provided with watchman's rattle, screwdriver, hammer, nails and oil-can. at the rise of the curtain the figures are seen ranged in a semicircle at the back of the stage, and little nell is discovered dusting them with a long feather brush. mrs. jarley stands in front, and delivers her descriptive orations, directing her men to bring forward each figure before she describes it. after having been duly described, the figure is "wound" up, and goes through its peculiar movement, and when it stops it is moved back to its place. if the stage is small, or it is desired that the same actors shall appear in various characters in succession, the figures may be exhibited in successive groups or compartments, the curtain being lowered to permit one party to retire and another to take their places. after the whole of the figures of a given chamber have been described, the assistants wind them all up, and they go through their various movements simultaneously, to a pianoforte accompaniment, which should gradually go faster, coming at last to a sudden stop, when the figures become motionless and the curtain falls. mrs. jarley may be made a silent character, sitting on one side, and occasionally making believe to dust or arrange a figure, while the "patter" is delivered by a male exhibitor. or mrs. jarley may, if preferred, be suppressed altogether, and the exhibitor appear as (say) artemus ward, or in ordinary evening costume, without assuming any special character. a good deal of fun may be made of the supposed tendency of any particular figure to tip over, and the application, by john and peter, of wooden wedges, penny pieces, etc., under its feet to keep it upright. supposed defective working, causing the figure to stop suddenly in the middle of its movements, and involving the rewinding or oiling of its internal mechanism, will also produce a good deal of amusement. the "winding up" may be done with a bed-winch, a bottle-jack key, or the winch of a kitchen range, the click of the mechanism being imitated by means of a watchman's rattle, or by the even simpler expedient of drawing a piece of hard wood smartly along a notched stick. (this, of course, should be done out of sight of the audience.) the movement of the figure should be accompanied by the piano, to a slow or lively measure, as may be most appropriate. the arrangement being complete and the curtain raised, mrs. jarley delivers her opening speech, about as follows: "ladies and gentlemen, you here behold mrs. jarley, one of the most remarkable women of the world, who has traveled all over the country with her curious collection of waxworks. these figures have been gathered, at great expense, from every clime and country, and are here shown together for the first time. i shall describe each one of them for your benefit, and, after i have given you their history, i shall have each one of them wound up, for they are all fitted with clockwork inside, and they can thus go through the same motions they did when living. in fact, they execute their movements so naturally that many people have supposed them to be alive; but i assure you that they are all made of wood and wax--blockheads every one. "without further prelude, i shall now introduce to your notice each one of my figures, beginning, as usual, with the last one first." i. the chinese giant a man or woman standing on a high stool, chintz skirt around the waist, long enough to hide the stool, chinese overdress, hat, pig-tail and moustache "this figure is universally allowed to be the tallest figure in my collection; he originated in the two provinces of oolong and shanghi, one province not being long enough to produce him. on account of his extreme length it is impossible to give any adequate idea of him in one entertainment, consequently he will be continued in our next. "he was the inventor, projector and discoverer of niagara falls, bunker's hill monument and the balm of columbia. in fact, everything was originally discovered by him or some other of the chinese. the portrait of this person, who was a high dignitary among them, may be often seen depicted on a blue china plate, standing upon a bridge, which leans upon nothing, at either end, and intently observing two birds which are behind him in the distance. "john, wind up the giant." the giant bows low, then wags his head three times and bows as before, and after a dozen motions slowly stops. "you will observe that i have spared no expense in procuring wonders of every sort, and here is my crowning effort or masterpiece--" ii. the two-headed girl "a remarkable freak of nature, which impresses the beholder with silent awe. observe the two heads and one body. see these fair faces, each one lovelier than the other. no one can gaze upon them without a double sensation 'of sorrow and of joy'--sorrow that such beauty and grace were ever united, and joy that he has had the pleasure of contemplating their union. "wind them up, peter." this figure is made by two young ladies standing back to back, wrapped in one large skirt. they hold their arms out, with their hands hanging, and slowly revolve when they are wound up. iii. the sewing-woman "john, bring out the sewing-woman, and let the ladies behold the unfortunate seamstress who died from pricking her finger with a needle while sewing on sunday. you see that the work which she holds is stained with gore, which drips from her finger onto the floor. (which is poetry!) this forms a sad and melancholy warning to all heads of families immediately to purchase the best sewing-machines, for this accident never could have happened had she not been without one of those excellent machines, such as no family should be without." costume: optional. when wound up, the figure sews very stiffly and stops slowly. iv. captain kidd and his victim "ladies and gentlemen: permit me to call your attention to this beautiful group, which has lately been added, at an enormous expense, to my collection. you here behold the first privateer and the first victim of his murderous propensities. captain kidd, the robber of the main, is supposed to have originated somewhere down east. his whole life being spent upon the stormy deep, he amassed an immense fortune, and buried it in the sand along the flower-clad banks of cape cod, by which course he invented the savings banks, now so common along shore. having hidden away so much property, which, like so many modern investments, never can be unearthed, he was known as a great _sea-cretur_. before him kneels his lovely and innocent victim, the lady blousabella infantina, who was several times taken and murdered by this bloodthirsty tyrant, which accounts for the calm look of resignation depicted upon her lovely countenance. "wind 'em up, john." costumes: captain kidd--white pantaloons, blue shirt, sailor hat, pistol and sword. victim--lady with flowing hair, white dress. movement--the captain's sword moves up and down, and the victim's arms go in unison. v. the siamese twins two gentlemen dressed alike in ordinary costume, with a large bone (attached by wire or string) between them. one arm of each over the other's neck. pugnacious expression of countenance. "the wonderful siamese twins compose the next group. these remarkable brothers lived together in the greatest harmony, though there was always a bone of contention between them. they were never seen apart, such was their brotherly fondness. they married young, both being opposed to a single life. the short one is not quite so tall as his brother, although their ages are about the same. one of them was born in the island of borneo, the other on the southern extremity of cape cod." when wound up they begin to fight, continue for a moment and stop suddenly. vi. the celebrated dwarf boy with red cloak, long white wig, bowl and spoon "this wonderful child has created some interest in the medical and scientific world, from the fact that he was thirteen years old when he was born, and kept on growing older and older until he died, at the somewhat advanced age of two hundred and ninety-seven, in consequence of eating too freely of pies and cakes, his favorite food. he measured exactly two feet and seven inches from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, and two feet and ten inches back again. was first discovered ten miles from any land and twelve miles from any water, making the enormous total of ninety-one, which figure was never before reached by any previous exhibition. wind him up, john." dwarf eats very stiffly with a large spoon in his right hand; in his left hand he holds a bowl, which falls on the floor after a moment and is broken. "john, get your tools and screw up that dwarf's hand, for it has become so loose that it costs a fortune for the crockery he breaks." john screws up the hand, gets a new bowl, and again winds up the figure, which now moves with much greater energy. vii. the vocalist "bring out the vocalist. i now call your attention to the most costly of all my figures. this wonderful automaton singer represents signorina squallini, the unrivaled vocalist, whose notes are current in every market, and sway all hearts at her own sweet will. "wind her up and let her liquid notes pour forth." she gesticulates wildly, and sings a few notes in a very extravagant manner, then stops with a hoarse sound. mrs. j.: "john, this figure needs oiling. why do you not attend to your duties better?" john gets oilcan, which he applies to each ear of the figure, which strikes a high note and sings with much expression and many trills, then makes a gurgling sound, as if running down, and suddenly stops again. costume: evening dress. viii. the yankee description: a tall, thin man, clean shaven, but for a tuft on chin, dressed in black, with broad-brimmed straw hat. he is seated on a low rocking-chair, with his legs resting on the back of another chair. he holds a wooden stick, which he is whittling with a jackknife. "you here behold a specimen of our irrepressible, indomitable native yankee, who has been everywhere, seen everything and knows everything. he has explored the arid jungles of africa, drawn forth the spotted cobra by his prehensile tail, snowballed the russian bear on the snowy slopes of alpine forests, and sold wooden nutmegs to the unsuspecting innocents of patagonia. he has peddled patent medicines in the desert of sahara, and hung his hat and carved his name on the extreme top of the north pole. the only difficulty i find in describing him is that i cannot tell what he cannot do. i will therefore set him in motion, as he hates to be quiet." when, wound up he pushes his hat back on his head and begins to whittle. ix. the cannibal "here you behold a curious cannibal from the feejee islands, first discovered by captain cook, who came very near being cooked by him. in that case, the worthy captain would never have completed his celebrated voyage round the world. this individual was greatly interested in the cause of foreign missions. indeed, he received the missionaries gladly and gave them a place near his heart. he was finally converted by a very tough tract-distributor, who had been brought up in a bloomsbury boarding-house, and was induced to become civilized. one of his evidences of a change of life was shown by his statement that he now had but one wife, like the english. 'what have you done with the other twelve which you said you had a month ago?' asked the tract distributor. 'oh, i have eaten them!' replied the gentle savage. this cannibal was very fond of children, especially those of a tender age; he holds in his hand a war-club, with which he prepared his daily meals, also a warwhoop, which is an original one." costume: brown jersey and drawers, face and hands colored to match, very short skirt, feather headdress, large rings in nose and ears. one hand holds a war-club, the other a child's hoop. movement: when wound up he brandishes his club and raises hoop to his mouth. x. babes in the wood two men, the bigger the better, one dressed as a very small boy, the other as a little girl; each holds a penny bun. "in the next group you behold the babes in the wood, who had the misfortune to have an uncle. this wicked man hired a villain to carry these babes away into the wood and leave them to wander until death put an end to their sorrow, and the little robins covered them up with leaves. these lifelike figures represent the children just after taking their leaves of the villain. by a master stroke of genius the artist has shown very delicately that human nature is not utterly depraved, for the villain has placed in the hand of each of the innocents a penny bun as a parting present. i have been often asked 'why i did not have a figure of the villain also added to the group?' but my reply always is, 'villains are too common to be any curiosity.' "wind 'em up, john." each babe offers to the other a bite of bun alternately. xi. little red riding-hood a young lady carrying a basket on her arm. costume in accordance with the story. "here you behold little red riding-hood, a model of grand filial devotion, for she was so fond of her granny that she wandered through the forest to take the old lady's luncheon, and was eaten by the wolf for so doing, which is a warning to all children to be careful how they do much for their grandmothers, unless they are rich and can leave them something in their wills. this personage was an especial favorite with children, who love to read about her, and shed tears over her unhappy fate, although some of them think that had she been as smart as her dress, she would have been too smart to have mistaken the wolf for her grandmother, unless she had been a very homely old lady, or he had been much better looking than most wolves." when wound up, the figure curtseys and holds out her basket. xii. lady with golden locks young lady with long hair, flowing over her shoulders, holds bottle (labelled mrs. blank's hair restorer) and curling-tongs. "this is one of the most expensive of my costly collection, for blonde hair is very high, and you see how heavy and long are the golden locks which adorn her beautiful face. i cannot pass this figure without saying a few words in praise of the wonderful hair restorer, for this image had grown so bald from the effect of long journeys by road or rail that she was exhibited for two years as the old man of the mountain. one bottle of this wonderful fluid, however, restored her hair to its present growth and beauty, and a little of the fluid being accidentally spilled upon the pine box in which the figure was carried, it immediately became an excellent hair trunk." chapter x. church and school socials art exhibitions--list of exhibitors--"artists"--curiosities--explanations-suggestions "art" exhibition the elaborate "sell" which goes by this name used to be a regular institution in church bazaars and might well be rejuvenated as a novelty. a regular printed catalogue is got up, containing apparently the names of a collection of pictures or sculptures, each object duly numbered and with the name of the artist appended. in some instances the name of a (supposed) picture is followed by an appropriate quotation in poetry or prose, after the orthodox fashion of art galleries. we append, by way of illustration, a selection from the catalogue of a collection which has met with great success: exhibition of the works of living artists part i. works of art 1. horse fair after rosa bonheur. 2. a brush with a cutter off deal carpenter. 3. caught in a squall off yarmouth fisher. 4. the last of poor dog tray barker. 5. "he will return, i know he will" lent by the trustees of the parish. 6. the midnight hour. c. lock. 7. heroes of waterloo. schumacher. 8. true to the core. c. odling. 9. "spring, spring, beautiful spring!" mayne. 10. "tears, idle tears." strong. 11. the midnight assassin. f. sharpe. 12. the dripping well. t. inman. 13. family jars. potter. 14. never too late to mend. s. titch. 15. past healing. kobler. 16. the first sorrow. smalchild. 17. saved. s. kinflint 18. lost 19. first love. sweet. 20. the death of the camel. after goodall. 21. his first cigar. a. young. 22. a good fellow gone. m. i. slade. 23. portrait of a gentleman. anonymous. 24. portrait of a lady. anonymous. 25. our churchwardens. screw. 26. portraits of the reigning sovereigns of europe. (taken by special order). g. p. o. 27. waifs of ocean. fish. "strange things come up to look at us, the monsters of the deep." 28. the last man. unknown. 29. contribution from the celebrated sheepsbanks collection. butcher. 30. the light of other days. dimm. 31. the meet of her majesty's hounds. pratt. 32. water scene. "and i hear those waters rolling from the mountain springs with a sweet inland murmur." 33. the maiden's joy. bachelor. 34. the fall. adam. 35. motherhood. "she laid it where the sunbeams fall unscanned upon the broken wall, without a tear, without a groan, she laid it near a mighty stone which some rude swain had haply cast thither in sports, long ages past. there in its cool and quiet bed, she set her burden down and fled; nor flung, all eager to escape, one glance upon the perfect shape that lay, still warm and fresh and fair, but motionless and soundless there." --c. s. calverley. 36. a friendly party on hampstead heath. moke. 37. borrowed plumes. wigg. 38. out for the night. anonymous. 39. something to adore. anonymous. 40. the weaned grinder. mayne force. "change and decay in all around i see." 41. repentance. g. templar. 42. maggie's secret. rossetter. 43. somebody's luggage. s. canty. 44. eusebius. b. linkers. 45. happy childhood. wackford squeers. 46. not such a fool as he looks. the exhibitor. 47. a choice collection of old china. 48. a fine specimen of local quartz discovered in the possession of a workman. during the building of the new town hall. 49. the skull of the last of the mohicans. 50. a marble group. 51. bust. 52. the puzzle. 53. the instantaneous kid reviver. 54. the earnest entreaty. explanation anyone not in the secret, perusing the above catalogue, would naturally conclude that the descriptions referred to pictorial art of some kind or other. but such is by no means the case. the visitor, on being admitted, finds, in place of the expected pictures, shelves or tables on which are arranged sundry very commonplace objects, each bearing a numbered ticket. on close examination he finds that the numbers correspond with those in the catalogue, and that no. 1, "horse fair"--fare--is represented after a realistic fashion by a handful of oats and a wisp of hay. no. 2, which he expected to find a spirited marine sketch, is in reality only a toothbrush lying beside a jack-plane; while the supposed companion picture, "caught in a squall off yarmouth," is represented by a red herring. no. 4, "the last of poor dog tray," is a sausage, and the exhibitor particularly begs that no gentleman will on any account whistle while passing this picture. no. 5, "he will return, i know he will," presumably the agonized cry of a forsaken maiden, is in reality a poor-rate collector's paper, marked "fifth application." no. 6 is represented by a numbered ticket only, with no object attached to it. the exhibitor explains that "the midnight hour" has not yet arrived, but that any gentleman who likes to wait till it does (which will be at twelve o'clock punctually), is very welcome to do so. the "heroes of waterloo," wellington and blucher, no. 7, are represented by a couple of boots known by those distinguished names. 8, "true to the core," is a rosy-cheeked apple. 9 is a coil of watch spring. 10, "tears, idle tears," on which the exhibitor feelingly expatiates as a noble example of the imaginative in art, is an onion. the space dedicated to no. 11 is occupied by the numbered ticket only, the exhibitor explaining that "the midnight assassin" (who is stated to be a large and lively flea) has strolled away and is wandering at large about the room; and he adds an entreaty that any lady or gentleman who may meet with him will immediately return him to his place in the collection. "the dripping well" (no. 12) proves to be of the description more usually known as a dripping-pan. "family jars," by potter, is found to consist of a pickle jar and jam pot. no. 14, "never too late to mend," is a boot patched all over; while 15, "past healing," is its fellow, too far gone to admit of like renovation. "the first sorrow" is a broken doll. "saved" is a money box, containing twopence halfpenny, mostly in farthings. the next is a vacant space, over which the exhibitor passes with the casual remark, "no. 18, as you will observe, is unfortunately lost." no. 19, "first love," is a piece of taffy. 20, "the death of the camel," is a straw, labeled "the last," and the exhibitor explains that this is the identical straw that broke the camel's back. "his first cigar" is a mild havana of brown paper. "a good fellow gone" is suggested, rather than represented, by an odd glove. nos. 23 and 24 are represented by two small mirrors, which are handed to a lady and a gentleman respectively, with a few appropriate remarks as to the extreme success of the likenesses, coupled with critical remarks as to the "expression" in each case. "our churchwardens" are a pair of long clay pipes. no. 26, "portraits of the reigning sovereigns of europe," are represented by a few cancelled foreign postage stamps. "the monsters of the deep," in no. 27, are represented by a periwinkle and a shrimp. "the last man" (no. 28), is at present missing from his place in the collection, but the exhibitor explains that he will be seen going out just as the exhibition closes. the "contribution from the sheepshanks collection" (29), is a couple of mutton bones; while "the light of other days" (30) is an old-fashioned lantern and tinder box. "the meet (meat) of her majesty's hounds" is a piece of dog biscuit. no. 32 is a leaky can of water. "the maiden's joy" (obviously) is a wedding ring. "the fall" is a lady's veil. no. 35, "motherhood," is the gem of the collection, and should be kept carefully hidden (say by a handkerchief thrown over it) until the company have had time to read and appreciate mr. caverley's graceful lines, when the veil is removed, and behold--an egg! no. 36, "a friendly party on hampstead heath," is represented by three toy donkeys. "borrowed plumes" are represented by a lady's false front. "out for the night" is an extinguished candle. "something to adore" is a rusty bolt. "the wearied grinder" is a back tooth of somebody's very much the worse for wear. "repentance" (no. 41) is represented by a smashed hat and a bottle of sodawater. "maggie's secret" is a gray hair, labeled "her first." no. 43, "somebody's luggage," consists of a broken comb and a paper collar. "eusebius" is a pair of spectacles. "happy childhood" is indicated by a lithe and "swishy" cane. when the company arrive at no. 46, the corresponding object is apparently missing. the exhibitor refers to his notes and says: "46--46? i see they have written down against no. 46, 'the exhibitor,' but i don't see quite what they mean. suppose we pass on to the curiosities, ladies and gentlemen." no. 47 is merely some smashed crockery, and no. 48 a pewter quart pot. no. 49 is again a vacant space, and the exhibitor explains that "the last of the mohicans" has just gone home to his tea, and has taken his skull with him. no. 50 is, as its name implies, a group of marbles, of the school boy character. no. 51 is a paper bag of peas, and, being too full, has "bust." "the puzzle" (no. 52) is an old guide book. "the instantaneous kid reviver" is a baby's feeding bottle; and the "earnest entreaty" is the request of the exhibitor that the visitors will recommend the collection to their friends. if the "showman" be possessed of a good fund of talk and a dash of dry humor, the fun of the collection may be still further enhanced by his explanations and criticisms of the various objects. poor artemus ward's celebrated lecture is an excellent model to copy; indeed, many of his "bits" may be stolen bodily with very satisfactory result. even without the aid of a showman, the comparison of the poetical descriptions and the sober reality will produce a good deal of fun; but, in this case, the various blanks or vacant spaces to be filled up by explanation must necessarily be omitted--a good many telling items being thereby sacrificed. chapter xi. optical illusions raising the ghost--magic lantern pictures--phantasmagoria--chinese shadows--wonderful mirror--multiplied money raising a ghost place a small magic lantern in a box large enough to contain a small swing dressing-glass, which will reflect the light thrown on it by the lantern in such a way that it will pass out at the aperture made at the top of the box, which aperture should be oval and of a size adapted to the cone of light to pass through it. there should be a flap with hinges, to cover the opening, that the inside of the box may not be seen. there must be holes in that part of the box which is over the lantern, to let out the smoke; and over this must be placed a chafing-dish, of an oblong figure, large enough to hold several lighted coals. this chafing-dish, for the better carrying on the deception, may be inclosed in a painted tin box, about a foot high, with a hole at top, and should stand on four feet, to let the smoke of the lantern escape. there must also be a glass planned to move up and down in the groove, and so managed by a cord and pulley that it may be raised up and let down by the cord coming through the outside of the box. on this glass the spectre (or any other figure you please) must be painted, in a contracted or squat form, as the figure will reflect a greater length than it is drawn. when you have lighted the lamp in the lantern and placed the mirror in a proper direction, put the box on a table, and, setting the chafing-dish in it, throw some incense in powder on the coals. you then open the trap door and let down the glass in the groove slowly, and when you perceive the smoke diminish, draw up the glass, that the figure may disappear, and shut the trap-door. this exhibition will afford much wonder. the lights in the room must be extinguished, and the box should be placed on a high table, that the aperture through which the light comes out may not be seen. a magic-lantern trick the light of the magic-lantern and the color of images may not only be painted on a cloth, but also reflected by a cloud of smoke. provide a box of wood or pasteboard, about four feet high and seven or eight inches square at bottom, but diminishing as it ascends, so that its aperture at the top be but six inches long and half an inch wide. at the bottom of this box there must be a door that shuts quite close, by which you are to place in the box a chafing-dish with hot coals, on which is to be thrown incense, whose smoke goes out in a cloud at the top of the box; on this cloud you are to throw the light that comes out of the lantern, and which you bring into a smaller compass by drawing out the movable tube. in this representation, the motion of the smoke does not at all change the figures, which appear so conspicuous that the spectator thinks he can grasp them with his hand. in the experiment, some of the rays passing through the smoke, the representation will be much less vivid than on the cloth; and if care be not taken to reduce the light to its smallest focus, it will be still more imperfect. the phantasmagoria in showing the common magic-lantern, the spectators see a round circle of light with the figures in the middle of it; but in the phantasmagoria they see the figures only, without any circle of light. the exhibition is produced by a magic lantern, placed on that side of a half-transparent screen which is opposite to that on which the spectators are, instead of being on the same side, as in the ordinary exhibition of the magic lantern. to favor the deception, the slides are made perfectly opaque, except in those places that contain the figures to be exhibited, and in these light parts the glass is covered with a more or less transparent tint, according to the effect required. the easiest way is to draw the figures with water colors on thin paper and afterward varnish them. to imitate the natural motions of the objects represented, several pieces of glass placed behind each other are occasionally employed. by removing the lantern to different distances, and at the same time altering, more or less distinct, at the pleasure of the exhibitor; so that, to a person unacquainted with the effect of optical instruments, these figures appear actually to advance and recede. transparent screens for the phantasmagoria are prepared by spreading white wax, dissolved in spirits of wine or oil of turpentine, over thin muslin; a screen so prepared may be rolled up without injury. a clearer screen may be produced by having the muslin always strained upon a rectangular frame, and preparing it with turpentine, instead of wax; but such a screen is not always convenient, and cannot be rolled without cracking, and becoming in a short time useless. chinese shadows in a partition wall cut an aperture of any size; for example, four feet in length and two in breadth, so that the lower edge may be about five feet from the floor, and cover it with white italian gauze, varnished with gum-copal. provide several frames of the same size as the aperture, covered with the same kind of gauze, and delineate upon the gauze different figures, such as landscapes and buildings, analogous to the scenes which you intend to exhibit by means of small figures representing men and animals. these figures are formed of pasteboard, and their different parts are made movable, according to the effect intended to be produced by their shadows, when moved backward and forward behind the frames, at a small distance from them. to make them act with more facility, small wires, fixed to their movable parts, are bent backward and made to terminate in rings, through which the fingers of the hand are put, while the figure is supported on the left by means of another iron wire. in this manner they may be made to advance or recede and to gesticulate, without the spectators observing the mechanism by which they are moved; and as the shadow of these figures is not observed on the paintings till they are opposite those parts which are not strongly shaded, they may thus be concealed and made to appear at the proper moments, and others may be occasionally substituted in their stead. it is necessary, when the figures are made to act, to speak a dialogue, suited to their gestures, and imitate the noise occasioned by different circumstances. the paintings must be illuminated from behind by means of a reverberating lamp, placed opposite to the center of the painting, and distant from it about four or five feet. various amusing scenes may be represented in this manner by employing small figures of men and animals, and making them move in as natural a way as possible, which will depend on the address and practice of the person who exhibits them. a wonderful mirror make two openings of a foot high and ten inches wide and about a foot distant from each other, in the wainscoting of a wall; let them be at the common height of a man's head; and in each of them place a transparent glass, surrounded with a frame, like a common mirror. behind this partition place two mirrors, one on the outward side of each opening, inclined to the wainscot at an angle of forty-five degrees; let them both be eighteen inches square; let all the space between them be enclosed by boards or pasteboard, painted black and well closed, that no light may enter; let there be also two curtains to cover them, which may be drawn aside at pleasure. when a person looks into one of these supposed mirrors, instead of seeing his own face he will perceive the object that is in the front of the other; so that, if two persons present themselves at the same time before these mirrors, instead of each one seeing himself, they will reciprocally see each other. there should be a sconce with a candle or lamp placed on each side of the two glasses in the wainscot, to enlighten the faces of the persons who look in them, otherwise this experiment will have no remarkable effect. this recreation may be considerably improved by placing the two glasses in the wainscot in adjoining rooms, and a number of persons being previously placed in one room, when a stranger enters the other, you may tell him his face is dirty, and desire him to look in the glass, which he will naturally do; and on seeing a strange face he will draw back; but returning to it, and seeing another, another and another, what his surprise will be is more easy to conceive than express. when one looks in a mirror placed perpendicularly to another, his face will appear entirely deformed. if the mirror be a little inclined, so as to make an angle of eighty degrees (that is, one-ninth part from the perpendicular), he will then see all the parts of his face, except the nose and forehead; if it be inclined to sixty degrees (that is, one-third part), he will appear with three noses and six eyes; in short, the apparent deformity will vary at each degree of inclination; and when the glass comes to forty-five degrees (that is, half-way down), the face will vanish. if, instead of placing the two mirrors in this situation, they are so disposed that their junction may be vertical, their different inclinations will produce other effects, as the situation of the object relative to these mirrors is quite different. the disappearing paper attach to a dark wall a round piece of paper an inch or two in diameter, and, a little lower, at the distance of two feet on each side, make two marks; then place yourself directly opposite to the paper, and hold the end of your finger before your face in such a manner that when the right eye is open it shall conceal the mark on the right; if you then look with both eyes to the end of your finger, the paper, which is not at all concealed by it from either of your eyes, will, nevertheless, disappear. multiplied money take a large drinking-glass, of a conical form, that is, small at bottom and wide at top, and, having put into it a dime, let it be half filled with water; then place a plate upon the top of the glass, and turn it quickly over, that the water may not get out; a piece of silver as large as half a dollar will immediately appear on the plate, and somewhat higher up another piece of the size of a dime. multiplying shadows a dummy figure (suppose that of a witch, riding on the conventional broomstick) is suspended by fine threads or wires on the screen remote from the spectators. behind this are ranged, one behind the other, and at right angles to the screen, a row of lighted candles. being all in the same line, they throw one shadow only on the screen. the figure is now made to oscillate slightly, so as to impart some little motion to the shadow. one of the candles is now removed from its place in the row, and waved gently about, now high, now low, the effect to the spectators being that a second shadow springs out of the first, and dances about it on the screen. a second and third candle is then removed, and waved up and down, each candle as it leaves its place in the line, producing a separate shadow. it is well to have three or four assistants, each taking a candle in each hand. chapter xii table games for adults dominoes--backgammon--checkers--jenkins--zoo--stray syllables--chess dominoes at the beginning of the game the dominoes are thoroughly shuffled by being turned face down and stirred round and round. the players then draw at random as many bones as the game requires. these dominoes with which the hand is to be played may stand on their edges in front of the players or may be held in the hand, or both. it is usual to sort them into suits as far as possible. the one who has drawn the highest doublet usually plays or sets first. the object in dominoes is either to block the game so that the adversary cannot play or it is to make the two ends when added together equal to some multiple of a given number, or it is to make both ends of the line the same. the player first getting rid of all his pieces is "domino." dominoes are made in sets known by the number of pips on the highest domino or bone in the set. the standard set is double-sixes and contains twenty-eight bones. some persons use double-nines. in the double-six set there are seven "suits," each named after some number from six to blank. in each of these suits there are seven bones, but each domino in a suit, except the doublet, belongs to some other suit as well. the lower figure on each domino shows the other suit to which it belongs. all games of dominoes, except matadore, are based on the principle of following suit or matching. the first player "sets" a certain domino, and after that each player must play one of the same suit, the suit called for being always that of the exposed or open end. backgammon the object of each player is to get all his men into his home table, and as soon as they have all arrived to throw them off the board altogether. the one that succeeds in doing this first wins the game. each of two players has fifteen men, known as black and white, and each should have his own dice-box. almost all of the folding checker boards are marked on the reverse side for backgammon, and the fifteen men of each color in a checker set are intended for backgammon players. the two sides of the board nearer the players are called tables, and the table with only two men on two of the points is called the inner table. it is also the home table of the player who sits with that side of the board nearer to him. it does not matter which way the board is turned, as the arrow points are alternately light and dark all the way round in either direction, but it is usual to place the side of the board with only two men on points nearest the window, so that there shall be a good light on the home tables. the points in the home tables are known by their numbers, which correspond to the faces of a die, and are called: ace point, deuce point, trey point, four point, five point, and six point. the point immediately across the bar which divides the two tables is called the "bar point," not because it is next the bar, but because it bars the two adverse men in your home table from running away with double sixes if you can "make it up." checkers the object of the game is to capture all the opponent's men and remove them from the board, or else to pin them up in such a manner that he cannot move. if neither player can accomplish this, the game is drawn. a board divided into sixty-four squares is used. these are of dark and light color. each player receives twelve men, known as white and black. at the beginning of the game the board is so placed that each player shall have two of his men touching the edge of the board at his left. the men are set on the black squares. the squares upon the board are supposed to be numbered from one to sixty-four, beginning at the upper left-hand corner upon the side of the board occupied by the black men. in giving the moves the first figures are the moves of a black man. the next figures are the moves of a white man. as the men never leave the color upon which they are first placed, all moves must be diagonal. a man can move only one square at a time, and only to a square which is in front of him diagonally and is not occupied. if a square to which a man might move is occupied by an adverse piece, that piece can be jumped over if there is a vacant square immediately beyond him. the capturing piece moves to this vacant square, and the man jumped over is removed from the board. two or more men may sometimes be captured simultaneously. when a piece may be captured the player is obliged to take it. if he does not, his adversary can compel him to take back his move and make the capture, or can remove from the board the piece that should have made the capture, or can let the matter stand. if there are two different captures on the board at the same time the player can take his choice of them. jenkins any number of players may play this game, which is common to almost every nation, and is very interesting. sides being formed, the players seat themselves at a table, facing each other. it having been decided who shall first hold the silver piece, the player who receives it holds it in his closed hand under the table, as do all the players on his side, when they receive it, and the piece is passed from hand to hand, the object being to deceive the opposite players as to its whereabouts. the captain of the side which has not the coin now calls: "jenkins says hands up," and all the hands come up, closed; then "jenkins says hands down," and all the hands fall, palms downward, on the table. there should be much noise to drown the clink of the piece as it falls on the table. the opposing side now tries to guess the side which has not the coin. the captain directs the players who have not the piece to take their "hands off." none of his side may give this order. should any do so the coin is forfeited. should the captain make a mistake and call up a hand under which the coin is hidden, the piece remains with the same side, and the number of hands still on the table counts for the side which keeps the coin. if the last hand left on the table covers the piece, it then goes to the opposing players. it is necessary to set a score. the side which makes these points wins the game. bouquet each guest receives a slip of paper, on which is written the name of a flower. when all are ready to begin, the hostess gives to each a sheet of tissue paper of the color needed to make a designated flower; also two sheets of green paper of different shades. thirty minutes are allowed for the making of the flowers. a pair of scissors and a needle and thread must be given to each guest; also some mucilage. the flowers are collected and a committee decides who has made the most perfect flower. the one who has done so receives the bouquet of flowers made by the guests. zoo the names of animals are given the players. each receives ten slips of paper numbered from one to ten. these are arranged irregularly in a pile. the slips are turned with the faces downward. the first player turns up his upper slip so that the number is visible and lays it down in front of him. in doing this, he must turn it away from himself, so that the other players see it first; the next player then does the same. should two slips coincide in number, they must each at once call each other's names--the animal names given them. the one who first calls the other's name gives away his slip to that other person, the object being to get rid of one's slips as fast as possible. if the slip turned up by the second player does not correspond in number to that turned up by the first, he also lays it down in front of him; the third player then turns his up, and this is continued around the circle until a slip is turned that corresponds in number with any that has been turned up, when those two players must immediately call each other's names. the winner is the one who first gets rid of his slips. simon says any number of players seat themselves at a table. each player makes a fist of each hand, extending the thumb. the leader says, "simon says, 'thumbs up'!" whereupon he places his own fist on the table before him, with the thumbs upward. the players do likewise. when the leader says, "simon says, 'thumbs down'," he turns his own hand over so that the tips of the thumbs touch the table. the others must imitate him. he then says, "'my thumb wiggles-waggles." he suits the action to the word, and the rest repeat his performance. if at any time the leader omits the words "simon says," and goes through the movements only with the words "thumbs up," "thumbs down," or "wigle-waggle," the players must all keep their hands still and not imitate his movements. any player doing this pays a forfeit. author's initials each player writes on a piece of paper groups of words, each group descriptive of some author, and each word beginning with one of his initials in regular order. the player who guesses the largest number of authors wins the game. example: who is the just, gentle writer? answer: john greenleaf whittier. whose stories are read alike by old and young? answer: james fennimore cooper. who was the greatest humorist? answer: "mark twain." sketches the players are provided with sheets of paper and pencils. they then write a description of some historical character. the object is to give a description that is truthful, yet misleading, in a way, so as to make the guessing a little harder. one player reads his description. the others ask questions that may be answered by "yes" and "no." the one guessing correctly reads his description next. stray syllables the same syllable is often seen in different words. you can prove this by playing the following game: each player writes several words on a long strip of paper, leaving spaces between the different words. this having been done the syllables are cut out and shuffled. each player draws three syllables. the guests seat themselves at small tables, and try to fashion words from the syllables, either using two or three of them. if it is impossible to do this, they must be returned and others are taken in their place. another trial at word-making is given, and the one who, after a definite time, has made the most words out of his syllables, wins a prize. shakespearean romance one of shakespeare's plays is selected, and as many questions are arranged in connection with it as the writer can think of. these are given to the players. example: about what time of the month were they married? answer: twelfth-night. of whom did they buy the ring? answer: merchant of venice. in what kind of a place did they live? answer: hamlet. parodies pencils and paper are given the guests, and a subject for the parody is given. this may be a poem or a story, as selected by the hostess. the parodies are collected and read. the company decides which is the best one. to this one a handsome copy of the poem or story is given. london on a large, oblong slate draw with a slate pencil a diagram, as follows: horizontal lines every two inches across the narrow part of the slate. pieces of paper are blown over the diagram toward the top of the slate; or beans or pieces of chalk may be substituted for the paper. one of these is called a "chipper." if you use beans, snap them over the diagram with the fingers. where the "chipper" stops, draw a mark to represent a small round "o." this depicts a man's head. the "chipper," having been returned to the starting point, is again snapped over the diagram. this continues until the player has marked a head in each of the spaces; or should his chipper land a second time in a space in which he has already marked such a head, he makes a larger round "o" under the head, to represent the body of a man. the third time it lands in this place he makes a downward stroke for a leg, and the fourth time, one for a second leg, which completes the man. should three complete men be so drawn in one space, the player, without shooting again, draws what are called "arms," that is, a horizontal line from the figure across the space to the outside limit. this occupies the space completely and keeps the other players out of it. he continues to play until his "chipper" lands on a line. if this goes beyond the diagram, the player is "out." each player takes a turn. he can start, or complete men, in any space not occupied with three armed men, even though the former player may have started men in the space or have completed two of them. a player can build only on his own men. the one drawing the largest number of spaces with three armed men is the winner. chess chess is a game which can only be played by two persons at the same time. the requisites are a board consisting of 64 squares of alternate black and white, and 32 pieces of wood, ivory, bone or other composition, which are technically known as "men." the board is so placed between the players that a white square is on the extreme right of each. the "men" are called black and white, there being an equal number of each. one player takes the white and another the black. each division of 16 is composed of a king (the capture of which is the issue of the game), a queen, 2 rooks or castles, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. in commencing the game, the rooks are placed on the corner squares, next to them on each side a knight, next to the knights on each side a bishop, and then the king and queen. if white, the queen is placed on the remaining white square, if black, on the remaining black square, and thus both queens face each other. it is the same with the kings. the 8 pawns are placed on each side on the squares immediately in front of the pieces. the player has the privilege of moving his king into any vacant square adjacent to one he is occupying, provided it is not already taken by a piece belonging to his opponent, but he can go no farther. the queen can be moved in any direction up, down, backwards, forwards, as long as there is no piece to block her. the same can be done with the rook or castle, except that it cannot be moved diagonally--the bishop can only be moved diagonally, in a backward or forward direction. the move of the knight is a combination of the rook's shortest move, followed by the bishop's shortest move. it is not hindered by intervening pawns or pieces. the pawn can only be moved one square at a time, and that in a forward direction. another pawn in front of it stops its progress. a pawn has the power of capturing an opposite pawn in either of the adjacent squares in advance and diagonally to the right or left of it when it moves into the square of the one captured. the king is never captured. when a piece or pawn attacks him he is said to be in check and the opposite player cries out "check"! the attacked king is freed from check by moving him to an adjacent square not occupied by a piece or pawn of the opposite side, or else by opposing some piece to defend him from the check. if the player cannot resort to either of these tactics to save his king he is "checkmated" and loses the game. chapter xiii outdoor games for adults lawn tennis--polo--hockey--golf--archery--ring toss--lawn bowls lawn tennis a lawn tennis court is a plot of level ground about 26 yards by 9 yards, divided into sections. a net standing 3 1/2 feet high is drawn across the middle and attached to two posts outside the court on each side about three feet. the players stand on opposite sides of the net; the one who first delivers the ball is called the server and the other the striker-out. at the end of each game they reverse places. the server wins a stroke if the striker out "volley" the service, that is, he strike the ball before it touches the ground; or if the ball is returned by the striker-out, so that it drops outside his opponent's court, the latter wins the stroke. the striker-out wins if the server serves two consecutive "faults," which consist in sending the ball to the net or outside the lines; or if the server fail to return the ball in play, the striker-out wins. either player loses a stroke if the ball touch him in the act of striking, if he touches the ball with his racket more than once, if he touch the net or any of its supports while the ball is in play, or if he "volley" the ball before it has passed the net. the player winning the first stroke gets a credit score of 15; for the second he gets 30; for the third 40, and if he wins the fourth he has the game. six games in succession entitle the winner to a _set_. for a three-handed or four-handed game the court requires to be 12 yards in width. in a three-handed game the single player serves every alternate game. in the four-handed game the pair who have the right to serve in the first game shall decide which partner shall do so and the opposing pair shall decide in like manner for the second game. the partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third, and the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth, and the same order is to be observed in all the succeeding games of the set. if one partner of a double team strikes at a ball and does not touch it, his partner still has the right to return it. a player or different member of a team may strike at a ball as often as he pleases, for it is still in play until hit. the server must wait until the striker-out is ready for the second service as well as the first, and if the striker-out claims to be not ready and makes no effort to return the second service, the server cannot claim the point, even though the service was good. if a player's racket touches the net after the ball has struck the latter he does not loose a point. the ball is always in play until it has struck the ground outside of the court or has touched the inside ground _twice_. a ball is "dead" the instant it strikes the ground outside of the court, and the point must be scored against the side sending the ball there, no matter what happens _after_ the ball touches the ground. in selecting a site for a lawn tennis court select a level field. lay it out north and south, if possible so as to prevent the rays of the sun from blinding the players. the court may, or may not, be grassy. as a general rule, sand courts are preferred. level the court carefully, so there will be no gradient or inequality in it. to make a foundation, use stones pounded into place, and add top-soil to a depth of seven inches or more. the ground should be often watered and rolled. sand is usually mixed with clay for a top soil, as the sand is likely to give under the running feet. in the case of a grassy court it should be constantly clipped and in addition rolled once or twice a week to keep the ground hard and even. polo polo is a game played from horseback in a large, level field. there is a goal at each end of the field in the center, the posts ten feet high and 24 feet apart. the teams are generally four a side, but when possible a greater number may play. the regular game in this country for teams of four is of four periods of 15 minutes of actual play each. to win a goal counts one, and the team having the largest score at the end wins the match. the equipment for the game besides the goal posts (which are generally of wood or papier-mache to prevent serious accidents) are the balls and mallets. the balls are of willow 3 1/8 inches in diameter, and weigh 5 ounces. the mallet sticks are of rattan cane, and from 4 to 4 1/2 feet long, set into square heads beveled at the sides and about 8 inches long and 2 wide. the handles are leather-wrapped to insure a good grip. as to the ponies, no blinkers are used, so that they may have a clear sight of the field. no rowels or spurs are permitted. the animals have to be trained for the purpose. each of the four players of a side has certain rules to obey governing his position. it is for number 1 to watch the opposing back, to ride him off and clear the way for his own side when they have the ball going towards the goal. all his energies must be directed to obtaining a clear field for his side. he requires a fast pony to do the work. the position of number 2 is the most independent and the player is called the "flying man" of the team. he must be an adept in "dribbling" out the ball so as to get a fair hit at it. as it comes to him from his side players his part is to race with it, hitting as he gallops, and in this way make the goal if he can. it is the duty of number 3 to help his back when the latter is being hard pressed and be ready to exchange places with him when the back gets an opportunity to make a run with the ball. number 4 is the real back, for all the others are in front of him and consequently his is the most important position. he must have a shifty pony well trained to riding work. he has to defend the goal, and therefore must be an expert "backhander," that is, quick to send back the ball to the opposing rank when it comes in the direction of his goal. it is the place of the back to knock in when the ball goes over the end line. when he is sure of the half-back player on his side he may go up into the game and make a leading attack himself, but it is nearly always well for him to avoid meeting the ball, for if he misses, the goal is left defenceless. on the whole, pony polo is an intricate game, and while it is not the sport of kings, it is only adapted to the people of leisure with whom time and money are not an object. hockey to play hockey a level field is required about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. the space is marked out in whitewash lines and small flags are placed at each corner. the long lines are called _side_ lines, and the shorter ones _goal_ lines. across the center, 50 yards from either goal, is the center line. this divides the ground in half. these halves are again equally divided by 25-yard lines. five yards inside each line is marked a dotted line, parallel with the side line, and which is called the five-yard line. in the middle of each goal line and 4 yards apart are placed the goal posts, which are uprights 7 feet high, with a horizontal bar from one to the other. fifteen yards in front of each goal is drawn a line 4 yards long, parallel to the goal line; the ends of this line are brought round in curves to meet the goal line and the space thus inclosed is called the "striking circle." the stick and balls are the main requisites of hockey. the sticks are made of hickory. the better kind have ash blades and cane handles, such handles giving a spring which sends a clean drive without giving a jar to the hands. the balls used are about the size and weight of the average baseball. nowadays it is customary to have nets behind the goal posts, so that it may be definitely determined if there is any dispute whether the ball went clean through between the goal posts or past the outside of either. hockey requires 22 players, 11 on each side, consisting of 5 forwards, 3 half-backs, 2 full-backs and a goal-keeper. the center forward stands in the middle of the ground. on her right about 10 yards distant stands the inside right; the right wing stands between the 5-yard line and the side line; the inside left and the left wing stand on the left of the center forward. the half-backs stand 15 yards behind the forward. the center half takes her place directly in line with the center forward; the right half covers the two right forwards, while the left half covers the two left forwards. behind, on the 25-yard line, stand the fullbacks, right and left; the goalkeeper stands between the goal posts about a foot in front of the goal line. the two center forwards start the game by "bullying off" the ball in the center of the field; the ball is placed on the center line while the two forwards stand with a foot on either side of the line facing each other and standing square to the side line; then the center halves and left and inside forwards on the blowing of the whistle for the "bully," close up in order to keep watch, each one ready to take the ball should it come in her direction. when one of the center forwards gets the ball she tries to pass it out to either of her own inside players, who endeavors to "dribble" it up the field until she is encountered by an opposition player, at which juncture, by a quick stroke she passes it out to the wing player. it is in this manner, by keeping a straight course and assisted by their halfbacks that the forwards by passing and "dribbling" get the ball into the "striking circle," and when they get it that length it is not a difficult matter to score a goal. golf in golf the player strikes a ball in the endeavor to send it to a particular spot. he is not met with opposition in such endeavor, as in other ball games, his opponent having also a ball which he, too, is trying to put into the same spot with fewer strokes. this spot into which the player tries to put his ball is a small hole in the earth about 4-1/4 inches in diameter, and the instruments he uses for doing so are exceedingly varied. the game commences by a player hitting off from a marked line called the teeing-ground, the ball in the direction of the first hole. in a regular golf course there are generally 18 holes, their distance apart varying from about 100 yards to 500 yards. the smoothly kept grounds near the holes is called the "putting-greens," and beside each "putting-green" is a marked teeing-ground. after the ball has been struck from the "tee" the player must not touch it with his hand until it is driven into the next hole, out of which he may then take it and "tee" it on the teeing ground in a good position for the drive-off to the next hole. as the holes are widely separated and the ground in many places uneven and broken up, the ball will be driven into many positions, it will lie in the grass, in sand pits or bunkers, and in all kinds of holes and hollows in the rough surface, therefore it will be readily understood that the distance the ball is sent will vary with the stroke. it is to meet the difficulties arising from having to strike the ball in its different positions that so many instruments are called into requisition for the purpose. the names of the chief sticks and implements employed in the sport are: driver, brassie, spoon, cleek, iron, mashie, niblick and putter. the driver, brassie and spoon are wooden-headed clubs, but the others have always iron heads. the driver is the club used for striking to the greatest distance when the ball is on the "tee," that is, on the little mound of sand on which it is placed at the commencement of each hole, so that more facility may be had in striking it. the putter is used on the putting--green, for short strokes round about the holes. the putting--green or ground surrounding each hole is kept level for about a radius of 20 yards from the hole. the different sticks or clubs are graded from driver to putter in accordance with the different lengths of stroke for which they are designed. for instance, the niblick is a short club for taking the ball out of difficult positions ("lies") as when the latter gets into long grass, sand or some other awkward kind of obstruction. a good driver by well hitting the ball can send it to a distance of about 200 yards from the tee. if the hole be so far off as to require a second stroke of equal length he can use the driver again, provided the ball is on level ground, but it is likely it will not be on such ground for the second stroke, and in such case the brassie or spoon is called on to do service. each of these instruments has the face that strikes the ball laid back more than in the driver, so that they can lift it more easily off the ground. if the ball gets into a worse position, as a bunker or sandpit, the use of the cleek, iron or niblick will become necessary. the heads of these clubs are adjusted to deal with difficult "_lies_" that is, positions in which the ball may be driven. the niblick is used for taking it out of especially bad situations. the stroke called the full swing is used with the driver. there are many other modifications of stroke, such as the three-quarter, the half and the wrist strokes. as has been said, the issue of the game depends upon sending the ball into the holes with fewer strokes than the opposition. victory is gained by the side which holes the ball with less strokes. if the sides hole out in the same number of strokes the hole is halved. a match is also won by the side which is leading by a number of holes greater than the number of holes remaining to be played. thus if jones has won six holes and smith four, and seven holes have been halved, jones, in case the round is the ordinary length of 18 holes, will be two holes up, with only one hole remaining to be played, and therefore he, jones, wins the match. this is the general manner of playing the game in a match, each player playing his own ball. in what is known as "score" play the relative merits of several can be tested at the same time. in this kind of play the total score of each player for all of the 18 holes is added up and the player who has the lowest total is declared the winner. archery archery has played an important part in the history of the race from the very earliest times. primitive man hurled his stone-pointed arrows at wild beasts, and as he advanced to a higher state of the observances of the laws of force he fashioned bows to give a greater impulse to his missiles. for hundreds of years the bow and arrow constituted the principal weapon of the chase, and finally became the instrument of offence and defence for armored knights, warriors and heroes. robin hood, roving the wild woods of merry england, depended upon it for his prowess, as did allan a dale and little john. in the early battles it was the chief weapon, and did effective service. in the battle of hastings it decided the issue for william the conqueror; at agincourt, crecy and poitiers victory depended on its use. skilled archers became famous all over the land, and many were their doughty deeds with the long bow. in modern time, however, with the introduction of firearms, archery declined, until it came to be but a mere memory of the past. the last century revived it, and to-day it is one of the most popular sports in england. americans, too, have taken it up with enthusiasm, and clubs are interested in it all over the land, the ladies being especially devoted to it. in 1879 the first organization of archery clubs was formed at crawfordsville, indiana, and the first annual target meeting was held in chicago in the same year. bows for archery are generally made out of tough soft wood, such as yew, with a flat outside called the back and a rounded inside called the belly; they are always strung with latter side inward. lance wood is chiefly used in the united states on account of its resistance to heat. the bow must be easily controlled, and not too heavy. the strain of drawing a heavy bow is apt to pull the bow hand out of the line of sight. a 48-pound bow well drawn and loosed will give a lower trajectory than one of 55 pounds sluggishly handled. by the weight of a bow is not meant its avoirdupois, but the force necessary to draw the arrow to its head on the bow. it is all important to know how to string the bow. grasp the handle firmly with the right hand, draw it near your right side, while the lower end rests against the inside of the right foot, the back of the bow being toward you. with left foot well extended in front so as to brace the body, rest the left hand on the bow below the loop of the upper end of the string, the tip of the thumb and knuckle of forefinger pressing firmly on opposite edges of the bow. draw the bow firmly to you with the right hand, while you push down and away from you with the left. a little practice will soon give the knack. no part of the body except the face must be turned towards the target. stand with the feet at right angles to the direction of the target and have them a few inches apart. in handling the arrow avoid touching the feathers, and in the act of drawing always keep the thumb and fourth finger away from the arrow and string. as the bow is lifted, draw it three parts of the way, catch the aim, complete the draw and instantly loose. the arrows are an important consideration. never use a light arrow with a heavy bow, nor, conversely, a heavy arrow with a light bow. arrows are generally made of one piece of wood, but sometimes a harder kind is used for the part joining the tip and which is dovetailed into the shaft. the tip is formed of steel, and is cylindrical in form. the length varies. a lady's bow of 5 feet calls for a 24-inch arrow, the customary length of men's arrows is 28 inches. the target is a flat disc about four feet in diameter made from straw and covered with an oilcloth or white sheet painted in concentric rings of gold, red, blue, black and white, each color of which, when penetrated by the arrow counts so many points in the aim. the gold is the objective point of the archer, the "bull's eye," as it is called. three arrows are shot by each archer in turn, then three more, the six constituting an end. a certain number of ends complete a given range, while two or three ranges form a round. here is the american round: 30 arrows at 60 yards. 30 arrows at 50 yards. 30 arrows at 40 yards. ring toss this is a very simple game. a stake is driven into the ground for a flagstaff. at a distance of, say nine feet, stakes are arranged as follows: four at equal distances, back of these, at a short distance, three; then two; then one. the setting for nine pins is the same. each stake is numbered from ten, beginning on the left hand side, to one hundred, which is the apex of the setting. iron rings are tossed from the flagstaff by each player. a score is kept. the one getting the greatest number of points is the winner. lawn bowls lawn bowls, although but recently introduced into the united states, is, however, one of the oldest games in existence, and is believed to have been played by the ancient greeks and romans. scotland has brought this game to its present state of perfection. the game is played as follows: select a level lawn, or a floor will answer if this game be played indoors. choose sides, giving those of a side, balls of a similar color. a ball of a third color is called the jack. the one holding it begins the play by rolling the ball over the lawn. where it stops is the goal. the others try to strike the jack. the one doing this is the winner of the game. or put a nine pin, or nine pins, at a distance from the players, and try to strike as is done in a bowling alley. chapter xiv holiday games and amusements new year's--lincoln's day--valentine party--easter egg party--hallowe'en games--flag day--thanksgiving--christmas new year's eve party the decorations for the room are holly and mistletoe. the guests are attired in white to represent snow, or they may appear in fur-trimmed garments. at midnight all sing "auld lang syne," and shake hands. calendars are appropriate souvenirs for the occasion. at midnight all wish each other "a happy new year." children's new year games give the children pencils and paper. let them write out their resolutions for the new year. these may be grave or funny as desired. give calendars as souvenirs. lincoln's day recite poems about lincoln. tell stories about him. explain why "uncle tom's cabin" is a suitable book to read on this day. if possible give tableaux suited to the occasion. those taken from uncle tom's cabin are eminently suitable. valentine party the evening is opened with the playing of a game of hearts. each lady receives a red paper heart, and is requested to write her name on the back of it. the hearts are shuffled and put in a bowl; the men's hearts are put in another bowl. a lady chooses a heart from the men's bowl, then a man chooses from the ladies' bowl. the lady is partner for the evening of the man whose heart she drew and vice versa. valentines are given, and are read aloud by the recipient. comic ones are admissible if not vulgar. valentine mottoes also are given. washington's birthday a martha washington party in costume with a supper in colonial time style. dance the minuet and old-time dances. for april first this is april fool's day. it may be made the occasion of a party. games suitable to the occasion are played; among them pinning a tail to the picture of a tailless donkey fastened on the wall. this may be drawn by one of the children. tails are slightly pinned on the children among themselves. april fool candy is served, and glasses are offered which appear to have lemonade in them, but which are so made that no liquor can be drunk from them, etc. the one who is not fooled all evening receives a prize--the funnier it is the better. it may be a "nigger doll" or the like. a donkey is given as a booby prize to the one most often fooled. this fooling can be done in any way which suggests itself. easter egg parties color hard-boiled eggs and hide them. give your little guests pretty baskets and let them hunt for the eggs, or give each a large wooden spoon to spoon them up. if you live in the country roll eggs down hill at one place as a target at the foot of it. draw a bunny holding an egg. pin it to the wall. the one who, blindfolded, succeeds in putting a pin in the egg receives eggs as presents. flag day display flags liberally. tell stories about the american flag. sing "america," "star-spangled banner," etc. salute "old glory." a hallowe'en party the usual hallowe'en tricks are tried such as the following: a ring, a piece of money and a thimble are hidden; the player who finds the ring will be first married, or these articles may be baked in a cake which is cut and distributed. the one getting the money will be prosperous, the getter of the thimble industrious, the getter of the ring will soon be married. bobbing for apples bobbing for apples. all children like this. in a tub of water several apples float. the children try to capture them with their teeth. floating needles grease needles and let them float in a bowl of water, upon which tissue paper is laid. each child has his, or her, own needle. it is amusing to watch the action of the needle when the paper sinks--as it does when it becomes saturated--the needles rush about. candle and looking-glass each person in turn walks downstairs backwards, alone in the dark, with a looking-glass in one hand and a lighted candle in the other. the future husband or wife will be seen--? or, run around the house three times with your mouth full of water--at midnight. melted lead poured into water results in queer figures which sometimes resemble initials; these are supposed to be those of the future husband or wife. the water charm: put three dishes on a table--one empty, one containing clean water, one soapy water; the blindfolded ones put a finger into one of the dishes, the position of which are changed after the blindfolding. if he puts his finger in clear water a happy marriage will result. apple games put a basket on the wall halfway up. the players stand at a distance and throw apples into the basket. a score is kept, the one putting the greatest number of apples into the basket receiving the prize. thanksgiving party this may be held in a barn. the stalls may be draped with bright-colored goods and decorated with greens, or autumn leaves. japanese lanterns are strung about. chrysanthemums should be the table flowers. old-time dances are danced, such as the virginia reel, money musk, etc. pumpkin pies, grapes, nuts and cider are served as a part of the collation. kris kringle party a kris kringle party may be taken in the open--in sleighs. the driver is dressed as kris kringle. after a sleigh ride in large sleighs drawn by horses decorated to represent reindeer, the party returns to an elaborate christmas supper. christmas songs should be sung, well-known christmas carols, as "'tis the eve of christmas day," "merry bells," "the christmas tree," etc. shadow pantomimes are a good form of entertainment for christmas. they should carry out the idea of the festival. any of the merry games given in the book may be played. the winter games are especially recommended. snowball battle throw ball at a target and keep a score, or build a snow fort and make it the target. christmas guesses suspend mistletoe from a chandelier. let the children in turn guess how many berries are on the suspended bush. the one guessing most correctly wins a prize. "the night before christmas" is read. as the names are named the children arise and turn around, then sit down again. santa claus is mentioned last. when he is spoken of all change seats. the story teller tries to secure a seat. if she succeeds there is an odd player. he must tell a funny story. jack frost sing and act out the jack frost song,--"jack frost is a roguish little fellow," etc., etc. the music and words may be obtained at a music store. jesus bids us shine. christmas is coming. christmas greeting. lead test drop melted lead into cold water. it assumes queer shapes. hallowe'en stories are told. apple tests peel an apple without breaking the peeling. throw the skin over your shoulder and see what shape it assumes. apples are tied to a string and hung from the chandelier. the boys and girls try to bite these without touching them with their hands. a pumpkin game a pumpkin is scooped out and a candle is placed inside; the light shines through the holes in the pumpkin. pumpkin favors are given. all dance around the pumpkin and sing "peter, peter, pumpkin eater," etc. the christmas dinner the christmas dinner is a family reunion, generally; sometimes a friend is invited. if he be a homeless one so much the better. the turkey, of course, is part of the dinner, and pumpkin and mince pies and plum pudding are served, each guest making a choice; rosy-cheeked apples, grapes, nuts and cider form a last course. the christmas presents may be laid at the plates or may be dispensed from the christmas tree--preferably the latter. one of the party impersonates santa claus. yule-tide songs are sung and old-time christmas games are played. stockings hung behind curtains and in odd places hold candy, nuts, raisins, etc. these may be made of silk or any pretty material. the guests hunt for these. suggestions for games to be played at christmas time or at thanksgiving put a very large pumpkin in the center of the room or on a grass plot. the players stand at a distance. each one runs and jumps over the pumpkin, using both feet. in so doing a score is kept. the one jumping over _with both feet together_ the oftenest wins the pumpkin. or dance about the pumpkin; when a small child sitting on it claps or whistles all stop. she selects a player with whom she changes place. this game may be played by adults, the player standing near the pumpkin. chapter xv outdoor games for girls basket ball--box ball--guess ball--target ball--string ball basket ball for girls basket ball is a good form of exercise for women. draw a circle on the ground six feet in diameter. a line is drawn across the center. this is the throwing line. a player stands in the circle and throws the basket ball from her line to other lines, the ball scoring according to its landing place. the lines drawn across the throwing space must be parallel with the throwing line in the circle. for younger girls the lines should be ten, fourteen or twenty feet, according to the age, from the forward edge of the circle. the players of each team throw in rapid succession. each player has but one turn, unless the ball strikes some object before touching the ground, when another trial is allowed. at starting a thrower must stand in the circle and toe the throwing line, drawn across the center of the circle. in completing the throw she must not fall or step forward over the outer line of the circle in front of her. if at any part of the throw, from start to finish, the thrower be out of the circle it is considered a foul and does not score, the number of players in the team being counted as one less when the total or average is figured. for each throw to the first line or any point between it and the next line, a team scores one point. for each throw to the second line or between it and the next line a team scores three points. for each throw to or beyond the third line, a team scores five points. the team averaging or adding the largest score wins first place in the game. there are other forms of basket ball games, where girls throw balls into baskets fastened at a given height. box ball boxes are placed on the floor or ground in a row. the players in line stand at a distance from these, each player facing a box. the play is begun at the right of the line and each tries to toss her ball into the box. when one succeeds in doing this, all run except the one into whose box the ball fell. she picks up the ball, and tries to throw it so as to strike one of the players (of course a soft ball is used). if she fails a stone is put into her box. the game is continued by the same player, but she tries to throw her ball into another box. if she strikes a player with her ball, the one who is struck receives a stone, and she then starts to throw her ball. the game is continued as above. when a player has five stones she goes out of the game. guess ball use a soft ball. the players form in line. one stands before them, with back turned, at a distance of several feet. this player counts up to a certain number, as the ball passes back and forth along the line; as a certain number is called, the holder of the ball throws it so as to strike one of the players. if this player is hit, she turns suddenly and tries to guess by the attitude of the players which one threw the ball. if she guesses correctly, she goes to the front. if the ball misses, the thrower changes places with the one she aimed at. target ball there are so many variations of this game that it is impossible to describe them all. a target is placed and the balls are thrown at it; or several targets at different distances may be aimed at by the players. a score is kept. the one getting the greatest number of points wins the game. or sides may be formed. bombardment this game is played with balls and indian clubs--half as many as there are players. bean bags may be used instead of balls. a score is decided upon, and an umpire keeps the record. each player, in throwing, tries to knock down a club, and this club counts for one or more, up to the number decided upon by the players. string ball the players stand in a circle around the ball, which is hung by a string--in the open--from the branch of a tree. a player tries to strike it with her hand. another tries to catch it before she strikes it again. if the ball is not caught the player scores one. she plays until it is caught. each has a turn. chapter xvi pastimes for children sun dial--mother, may i play?--blind man's buff--tug of war--various ball games sun dial draw a large circle; intersect this with lines like the spokes of a wheel, dividing it into twelve sections, and number them. put a blindfolded player in the center for a hub, and turn him about a number of times, as is done in "blindman's buff." he then walks about. the number of the space he stops upon, after repeating a silly verse to the end, is put upon his score card. if he goes outside the circle, even with one foot, he receives no points. the player who gets the greatest number of points in a given time, wins the game. mother, may i go out to play? the mother stands before her children. one asks: "mother, may i go out to play?" "no," says the mother, "it is a very wet day." "see, mother, the sun shines." "well, be off," says the mother; "but make three courtesies before you go." the child then does this, the other children doing the same. they all run off and return. "why did you run so far?" says the mother. "where did you go, and what have you been doing all this time?" "brushing mary's hair," says the first player. "what did she give you for so doing?" "a silver penny." "where's my share of it?" "the cat ran away with it." "where's the cat?" "in the wood." "where's the wood?" "fire burnt it." "where's the fire?" "water quenched it." "where's the water?" "moo cow drank it." "where's the moo cow?" "sold it for a silver penny." "what did you do with the money?" "bought nuts with it." "what did you do with them?" "you can have the nut shells, if you like." the last words being rude, the mother chases the child or children, according to the manner in which the game is played. she asks as she does this, "where's my money?" the one addressed answers, "you may have the nut shells." the mother tries to catch one or more of the children to inflict punishment. the punishments are usually funny acts of some kind. garden scamp all but two players form a ring, and clasp hands. the garden is enclosed by the players. one of the odd players will be the scamp; another player is the gardener. he moves around outside of the circle, and says, "who let you into my garden?" the scamp replies, "no one," and starts to run. the gardener follows his lead in and out among the players, who lift their hands to allow this. if the scamp be caught he becomes the gardener. the scamp can lead the gardener a lively chase, for he can play leap frog, or turn somersaults, if he so desires. the gardener must imitate him. do this, do that the players face each other in two lines, the leader being in the center. when he says, "do this," they obey, and when he quickly follows his first order by saying, "do that," the "that" being another act, they must again obey at once. if any one is slow, he must exchange places with the leader. the fun of the game depends upon the antics of the one in the ring. weather cock this is an instructive game, as it teaches children direction. each child represents a point of the compass--north, south, east, west. when a leader calls: "which way does the wind blow?" a child of whom this is asked, points either to the north, south, east or west, according to the name given him. the flowers and the wind two parties play this game. they stand at a distance apart. the players represent flowers. the first one in the line walks to the opposite line, and asks of the first one: "what flower am i?" saying this, the flower is ready to run for the wind. an odd player stands ready to give chase, if the guesser does not guess correctly. the wind, of course, is told the names of the different flowers. each player has a turn. blind man's buff one player is blindfolded, and turned about three times, in the center of the room. he tries to catch one of the other players. if he succeeds, he takes off the handkerchief and puts it upon the one touched. in one form of "blind man's buff," the blindfolded one must guess the name of the one he catches before he can remove the handkerchief. french blind man's buff in this game the players are numbered, and one is blindfolded. two numbers are called out. the ones so numbered run, and the blindfolded one tries to catch one of them, or they may run one at a time. if the one in the center catches another, he takes that one's place. blind man's buff with a wand the players dance around the blindfolded one until he touches a player with his wand. when he does this, all stand still. the one in the center may ask three questions of the one touched. he, replying, disguises his voice. if the blindfolded one succeeds in guessing whom he questioned, he exchanges places with him. hide-and-seek games a player hides, the others seek him. or any object may be hidden in an out-of-the-way place, and this is to be found by a player. when he succeeds in doing this, the handkerchief is taken from his eyes (if one is used). each child has a turn in finding the article, the place of hiding being changed each time for the new finder. follow our leader the leader walks before a line of players and performs ridiculous acts which all must imitate. if any player fails to do this, he or she is out of the game. the leader may make the players perform feats like jumping over high places, turning somersaults, climbing, etc., if the players are boys. if among the players there are girls, the feats, of necessity, must not be too hard. feats and forfeits the children are required to perform certain acts or pay a forfeit. these acts are decided upon by a committee before the guests, or players, assemble. a few feats may be suggested, such as the rabbit hop, leap frog, picking up a stick with the teeth while in a kneeling position, etc., or the player may be required to repeat "peter piper," or any ridiculous verses quickly. if he does not succeed in doing what is required of him, he must--if he is a boy--turn a somersault. if the player is a girl, she pays a forfeit or stands with her face to a corner. dumb motions the players form two sides; those on one side are "masters," the others "men." trades are represented, and the men aim to keep working so that the masters will not take their places. the tradesmen go through the motions of their trade. the master must guess the trade. when he does, he exchanges place with the one whose trade he guessed. wand tug of war wooden gymnastic wands are used, half as many as there are players. draw a line across the room or grass; divide the players into two divisions, one on each side of the line, each player facing his opponent. these grasp each other's wand, and at a signal begin to tug, but they must not put foot into the opponent's territory. if they do the struggle ceases. the side wins which secures the greatest number of wands. catch and pull tug of war in the "catch and pull tug of war," a ring is formed by joining hands and standing in a circle, and all tug to break the ring. nine pins a player takes his stand in the center of the room. the others stand in couples a few feet apart. they march around the girl or boy in the center. when the music stops suddenly, one player of each pair goes to the one in front of him. while they do this, the one in the center tries to secure a place. preliminary ball the players stand in two lines. the players of one line, at a signal, throw the balls to those opposite them. they then turn and throw against the wall, if the game is played indoors. ball dull the object of this game is to train the perceptions, the muscular sense, and the muscles themselves. the weight of the ball is suited to the players. the two-pound weights are used for girls. the couples are far enough apart to allow space for full play. one of each couple has a ball for himself and his partner. the throwing of the balls to one of the opposite side is simultaneous, when a leader gives the command. time ball in this game the children are seated. a line is drawn near the wall, and two lines are drawn to form an aisle. then the children decide upon the manner of throwing the ball. this may be done with either hand. the leader stands opposite his aisle on the line. at a signal the first player in each row runs to the mark in his aisle. when he has reached it, the leader, in the way previously agreed upon, throws him the ball, which he catches and returns. he runs back to his seat. this is repeated by each player. then the leader, seating himself, places the ball before him on the floor, or if in the open, on the ground. all assume position. the first row doing this at a signal, scores a point. this is repeated fifteen times. the row which assumes position promptly the greatest number of times win the game. railroad train the players are named for an object on a train, as smoke-stack, boiler, baggage car, wheels, conductor, etc. one player is the train master. he says: "we must hurry up and make up a train to go to new york city at once. it is a special. we will take engine number 21, some coal and wood; the bell must be in good order, and the carpet must be swept; the cushions dusted; the beds in the sleeper must be made up, etc." when these objects are named, the players run up to the starter when their names are given, each one putting his hands on the shoulder of the one before him, the first one having put his hands upon the starter in the same way. when all are in line, the train starts, after the signal, which is a bell. the starter may imitate the noises a locomotive makes as it starts out on its journey. he leads up hill and down dale, and the line must remain unbroken. the one who breaks the line pays a forfeit or is out of the game. the line being mended, continues its journey. merry-go-round stools are placed close together to form a circle, and all the players seat themselves, facing inwards, except one player, who stands in the center. he tries to secure the seat that has been left vacant. this is difficult, because the players on the stools keep moving to the right from one stool to the next, so that the location of the vacant seat varies. when the player in the center secures a seat, the one at his left goes into the center. if more than thirty are playing, it is better to have two vacant stools and two players in the center. pebble chase the leader holds a pebble between the palms of his hands. the others are grouped about him, each with hands extended, palm to palm. the leader then passes his hands between those of the players. no one can tell where he leaves the pebble, until some one guesses where it is. each player has a turn. the one receiving the pebble is chased by the others. if he succeeds in getting to the leader and giving the pebble to him before he is caught, he can return to his place; otherwise he changes place with the leader. how many miles to babylon? the players, being divided into two lines, stand facing each other, with a distance of about twelve feet between them. the lines pair off, and take hold of hands all along the line. a dialogue takes place between the lines, the players in a line speaking in unison. as this is done, they swing their arms and rock backward and forward from one foot to another, keeping time to the rhythm of the words, as follows: "how many miles to babylon?" "three score and ten." "will we be there by candle light?" "yes, and back again." "open your gates and let us through." "not without a beck (courtesy) and a boo (bow)." "here's a beck and here's a boo, here's a side and here's a sou; open your gates and let us through." all the players in the first line say: "here's a beck and here's a boo," as they suit the action to the word. as they do so, they also drop hands and each makes a courtesy, with hands at the hips for the "beck," and straighten up and make a deep bow forward for the "boo"; assuming an upright attitude, then, and bending the head sideways to the right for "here's a side," and to the left for "here's a sou." the partners clasp hands, and all run forward ten steps, keeping time with the rhythm of the words. then all pass under the upraised hands, which represent the city gates. this is done in four running steps, making twelve steps in all. the couples who made the gate then turn around in four running steps, until they face the first line, when they repeat the dialogue as given above, etc. puss in the corner corners are selected by some of the players; the others remain in the center of the room. the puss in a corner calls to the other puss in a corner, "puss, puss," and they try to get to each other's corner before these can be taken by the others. when this is played outdoors, trees or the corners in a fence may be utilized as were the corners of a room. chapter xvii indoor games for young children. patch work--peanut game--soap bubbles--candy pulls--cook and peas--magic music--zoology patchwork the hostess cuts pictures into four parts and mixes them in a box, or loosely places them in the center of a table. then each guest takes four and puts them together as a picture. the effect is very funny at times. some of the children's picture blocks may be used for this game, using four sets at a time. quotations the girl or boy host gives each guest, on a slip of paper, the beginning of a quotation. all go about the room looking for the end of the quotations, which are hidden in different places in the room; or, if older children are playing this game, pencils and paper are given them, and they write the full quotation. table game a penny party furnishes amusement for an evening. with the invitations is sent a request for each guest to bring a penny, not for an admission fee, but for use. for each guest there are provided two cards and a pencil; one card is blank; the other has a list of the things to be found on a penny. the list is numbered, and each person is expected to name as many as he can, prizes being awarded for the best and poorest list. find-1. top of hill. 2. place of worship. 3. an animal. 4. a fruit. 5. a common fruit. 6. links between absent friends. 7. union of youth and old age. 8. a vegetable. 9. flowers. 10. what we fight for. 11. metal. 12. a messenger. 13. a weapon of defense. 14. a weapon of warfare. 15. a body of water. 16. a beverage. 17. what young ladies want. 18. the most popular state. 19, what men work for. 20. sign of royalty. 21. a jolly dog. the answers are: 1. brow. 2. temple. 3. hare (hair). 4. date. 5. apple. 6. letters. 7. 1894 (the date of the penny). 8. ear. 9. tulips (two lips). 10. liberty. 11. copper. 12. one cent (sent). 13. shield. 14. arrow. 15. sea (c). 16. tea (t). 17. beau (bow). 18. united states (matrimony). 19. money. 20. crown. 21. a merry cur (america). usually a half hour is allowed for filling out the blank cards, and after that some time for correcting the lists and awarding prizes. a doll show this is a form of entertainment always liked by the younger children. it can be made amusing, as well as instructive, by having those representing the show to take the part of dolls of the different nations. when the invitations are sent out, it should be specified what part each little guest will take. some of the guests may be the audience if they prefer, or adults may be the on-lookers. each little guest receives a doll as a souvenir. another form of doll party is where the children bring dolls dressed by themselves. the doll whose gown is most neatly made receives a prize. there may also be dolls made of beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., by using sticks, cloves, etc., with the vegetables named. the results are very funny. these are put on exhibition on the table and an umpire decides for which prizes are to be given. peanut game the little hostess or host selects two leaders. these choose sides. two large rugs are placed near together on the floor. a bowl of peanuts is placed in the center of each. the little players which can soonest dispose of their peanuts two inches apart on their rug, are the winners. the hostess gives the signal at the beginning and end of the contest. the sides may work simultaneously or singly, according as the game is played, individually or by sides as a whole. the peanuts are eaten at the end of the game, and a prize of a box of candy is given the winning side or child. this is passed about to the guests. peanut hunt some peanuts must be secretly hidden in out-of-the-way places--in bric-a-brac, etc. give a pretty bag or box to be used as a receptacle for the peanuts, and then the hunt begins. the one getting the most peanuts, receives a prize. he may eat all the peanuts he finds, after the contest is decided, but a lesson in unselfishness is here possible. the hostess may suggest sharing the peanuts with one who _tried hard_ to find many nuts, but did not succeed; or, if there be a lame child, or one deformed, he or she should receive some of the nuts of the winners, and of those the others find. a peanut party the invitations have peanuts painted on them, so have little menu cards, which are placed at each plate at the table. these designs are often funny, and even grotesque, as they represent brownies, etc. peanuts are strung as necklaces, bracelets, etc. some of the sandwiches are made of mashed peanuts--called peanut butter--and they are delicious. peanut candy is served, and at the end peanuts are jabbed for with hat pins. for this all gather at different little tables, or turns are taken at one table, the peanuts being piled up in the center. a box of candy is given the winner. this he or she, of course, passes among the guests. a children's fair this may be made not only enjoyable, but charitable as well. tables holding fancy work--preferably the work of the children--candies (home-made), groceries, aprons, pen-wipers, iron-holders, hand-painted cards, capes, etc., etc., may be sold. rebecca sits at the well--a well of lemonade. a grab-bag, an orange tree, with saleable parcels on it. a post-office, where letters are sold, and finally a refreshment table or tables, the little girls and boys serving as waiters, in costumes. soap bubbles making bubbles requires no great effort of the mind or body. clay pipes for the players are furnished by the hostess. bowls are filled with water which is quite soapy. the pipes show the colors of the side or sides, being tied with ribbons of different colors. the game contest may be decided in two ways. either the one who makes the largest bubble is winner, or the one making the most bubbles in a given time. the sides or individuals may play in turn. a pop-corn party a pop-corn party, of necessity, like a candy pull, must be held in the kitchen. this can be decorated for the occasion. each little guest brings an apron to be donned before the "popping" begins. first, shell the corn. second, take a dipper full of corn and "pop" it. this popping is done in a pan over a clear fire. third, divide into parts, when done. fourth, sprinkle some with cochineal, if pink corn is desired. fifth, string the pop-corn on threads. a needle is used to do this. necklaces, bracelets, and boys' chains may be so made. each child receives a handsome cornucopia or box as a receptacle for his popcorn. candy pull candy ready to pull may be bought at a candy store, or molasses may be boiled at home until it is ready to pull, when the hands are greased and the pulling begins. as suggested for a pop-corn party, the kitchen or dining-room is the best place in which to give a party of this kind. it may be decorated to look well, and the children doubtless would enjoy their play here more than in the parlor. a baby show this may be of dolls or real babies. you can borrow the babies for the occasion. a committee decides which is the handsomest baby, which the best-natured, etc. rattiers, toys, etc., are given the babies, or you can have your parents and other lady friends take the part of babies. put a bib on them when they go to supper. miss children the little players sit or stand round the room in a circle. the leader assigns to each some musical instrument, as harp, flute, violincello, trombone, etc., and also selects one for himself. some well-known tune is then given out, say "yankee doodle," and the players all begin to play accordingly, each doing his best to imitate, both in sound and action, the instrument which has been assigned to him, the effect being generally extremely harmonious. the leader commences with his own instrument, but without any warning suddenly ceases, and begins instead to perform on the instrument assigned to one of the players. such player is bound to notice the change, and forthwith to take the instrument just abandoned by the leader, incurring a forfeit if he fails to do so. the cook who doesn't like peas the fun of this game depends on a fair proportion of the players not being acquainted with it. the leader begins, addressing the first player, "i have a cook who doesn't like peas (p's); what will you give her for dinner?" the person addressed, if acquainted with the secret, avoids the letter p in his answer, and, for example, says, "i will give her some walnuts." the question is then asked of the second person, who, if unacquainted with the trick, is likely enough to offer some delicacy which contains the letter p; e.g., potatoes, asparagus, pork, apple-pie, pickled cabbage, peanuts, etc., etc. when this occurs, the offender is called upon to pay a forfeit, but the precise nature of his offense is not explained to him. he is simply told, in answer to his expostulations, that "the cook doesn't like p's." when a sufficient number of forfeits has been extracted, the secret is revealed, and those who have not already guessed it, are teased by being told (over and over again) that the cook did not like p's, and if they would persist in giving them to her, they must, of course, take the consequences. magic music--any number of players one player is sent from the room. the others decide upon something for him to do, but he is not told what it is, though he is helped by a noise of some kind on metal, or on a musical instrument. when he is near an object with which he is to perform some feat, the noise is loud. if he touches the wrong object, the music is soft. any one of the musical instruments commonly used by children may be employed in this game. zoology--any number of players the leader says: "of what animal am i thinking?" he tells that the animal has a certain number of legs, and gives other points of a like nature. from this description the guessing is done. when a player guesses the animal correctly, he scores a point. each player has a turn. the game is played until it loses its interest. chapter xviii out-door games for young children bean bag games--skipping the rope--various tag games--crossing the brook target bean bag the bags are thrown at targets. a score is made out. a prize is given the one getting the best score. throwing the bean bag over the head is another form of bean bag game. it must be caught by one standing back of the tosser. the one who catches it becomes the tosser. box bean bag this game consists of tosses of the bean bag into boxes. the player stands at a distance. the one being successful in his throws the most times is the winner. bean bag games an equal number of players out of doors. two parties are formed, divided by eight or ten feet of space. the umpire gives a signal, and a player in one line runs to the other side--half way, and tosses his bag to the one at the end of the line; he then takes his place next to this one, and the line moves down. this is continued, opposite sides taking turns. then the game is reversed, until the player who first played is in his original place. bean bag race a bean bag is placed on the ground and another at some distance from it. two players, at a given signal, run to these bags. the one who can catch the bag and get to the staff placed near the umpire is the winner. sides may be scored instead of the individual players. bean bag at the seashore at the seashore stones or blocks of wood may be substituted for the bags. a ring is drawn on the ground and the players take sides. the leader of each side toes a starting line across the ground at a distance from the circle. bean bags or stones are thrown into the center of this, each one having a turn. the side getting the biggest score is the winning one. skipping the rope skipping the rope is an admirable exercise for girls and boys. there should be a spring in doing this. when a jumper comes down on his heels, instead of jumping from his toes, he is apt to make the skipping injurious by jarring his back. the players jump in turn over a long rope turned by two of the players. each has a turn. a score is kept of the number of times a player can do this. sides may be formed, or the jumpers may see how many times they can jump over the rope in succession. home tag--any number of players the chaser tries to tag the runners before they can "get home," or to a given place. if he succeeds, the one tagged is "it." secret tag is played by not telling who is "it." he chases the other players and tries to tag one of them. if he succeeds, the one who was tagged becomes "it." japanese tag in this game the one tagged must place his hand on the spot of his body where the tagger tagged him; doing this, he must chase the other players until he tags one of them. crossing the brook this is a favorite game with little children. a place is marked off and named "the brook"--we will say it is three feet wide. the players run and try to jump the brook. when all have jumped over, they stand and jump backwards. the one who jumps into the brook instead of across it is out of the game. chapter xix singing games for children moon and stars--bologna man--orchestra--jack be nimble--oats, peas, beans-farmer in the dell--london bridge, etc. orchestra this is a very noisy game. the conductor names his players for instruments, and tells them in pantomime how to play. he then orders them to tune up. they do so, producing a terrible discord. then the baton is waved by the conductor, and the musicians imitate the sounds of their instruments, while also imitating the movements assigned them by the conductor. the result is very funny. charley over the water a player becomes "charlie." he stands in the center; the others form a circle about him, and dance, repeating the rhyme: "charlie over the water, charlie over the sea, charlie caught a black-bird, he can't catch me." when the verse is ended, all the players try to stop before charlie can tag them. if they succeed in doing this, charlie remains in the ring and the verse is repeated, etc. the tagged one takes his place and he enters the ring. jack be nimble "jack, be nimble, jack, be quick, jack jumped over the candlestick." a candlestick is placed on the floor. the players in turn jump over it, using both feet in so doing. any other object may be substituted for the candlestick. one of the players sings the verse and when the last line is reached the jump is made. mary's little lamb this is a great favorite with the young folks. when everything else has become tiresome, some one starts the first line of the verse: mary had a little lamb, fleece as white as snow, etc. all sing, and on the second verse being reached the last syllable of the first line is dropped, then the next to the last, the third, the fourth, and so on, until the line is totally omitted. the aim of the singers is to keep exact time, counting a beat for each omitted syllable, and any one whose voice breaks in when all should be silent, pays a forfeit. the same can be done with "john brown's body," repeating the first verse and omitting syllable after syllable at the end of the first line until there is nothing left to sing but the chorus. the snail holding hands, the children form a line, singing the following words; they wind up in a spiral, following the first child, who is the largest one, and represents the snail's head. the others huddle together to form the shell into which the snail creeps. the motion is slow, for the saying "creeps like a snail," is proverbial. hand in hand you see us well, creep like a snail into his shell, ever nearer, ever nearer, ever closer, ever closer. very snug indeed you dwell, snail, within your tiny shell. hand in hand you see us well, creep like a snail out of his shell, ever farther, ever farther, ever wider, ever wider, who'd have thought this tiny shell, could have held the snail so well? with the last verse the creeping out of the shell is accomplished. oats, peas, beans a circle is formed. one player stands in the center. after singing the first four lines, all drop their hands. after this they imitate the motions suggested by the song. at the end of the verse they turn around several times, and then, joining hands, sing the chorus, standing still, for the last two lines. then the one in the center chooses "one in," and returns herself to the circle. the game goes on as before. oats, peas, beans and barley grows, oats, peas, beans and barley grows, nor you nor i nor nobody knows, how oats, peas, beans and barley grows, thus the farmer sows his seed, thus he stands and takes his ease, stamps his foot and clasps his hands, and turn around to view his lands. a-waiting for a partner, a-waiting for a partner, so open the ring and choose one in, make haste and choose your partner. now you're married you must obey. you must be true to all you say. you must be kind, you must be good, and keep your wife in kindling wood. mulberry bush the players stand in a circle clasping hands, and circle round, singing the first verse. in the second and alternate verses, the action indicated by the lines is given in pantomime. in all verses the players spin around rapidly, each in her own place, on the repetition of the refrain, "so early in the morning." here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, here we go round the mulberry bush, so early in the morning! this is the way we wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, this is the way we wash our clothes, so early monday morning. this is the way we iron our clothes, we iron our clothes, we iron our clothes, this is the way we iron our clothes, so early tuesday morning. this is the way we scrub the floor, we scrub the floor, we scrub the floor, this is the way we scrub the floor, so early wednesday morning. this is the way we mend our clothes, we mend our clothes, we mend our clothes, this is the way we mend our clothes, so early thursday morning. this is the way we sweep the house, we sweep the house, we sweep the house, this is the way we sweep the house, so early friday morning. thus we play when our work is done, our work is done, our work is done, thus we play when our work is done, so early saturday morning. itiskit, itasket all the players but one stand in a circle with clasped hands; the odd player, carrying a handkerchief, runs around on the outside of the circle, singing: itiskit, itasket, a green and yellow basket; i wrote a letter to my love and on the way i dropped it. some one of you has picked it up and put it in your pocket; it isn't you--it isn't you-the last phrase is repeated until the player reaches one behind whom he wishes to drop the handkerchief, when he says, "it is you," and immediately starts on a quick run around the circle. the one behind whom the handkerchief was dropped picks it up and at once starts around the circle in the opposite direction, the object being to see which of the two shall first reach the vacant place. the one who is left out takes the handkerchief for the next round. should a circle player fail to discover that the handkerchief has been dropped behind him until the one who has dropped it has walked or run entirely around the circle, he must yield his place in the circle to the handkerchief man, changing places with him. farmer in the dell the players stand in a circle. one of their number is in the center. he is the farmer in the dell. at the singing of the second verse, where the farmer takes a wife, the center player beckons to another, who goes in and stands by her. the circle keeps moving while each verse is sung, and each time the player last called in beckons to another; that is, the wife beckons one into the circle as the child, the child beckons one for the nurse, etc., until six are standing in the circle. when the lines, "the rat takes the cheese," are sung, the players inside the circle and those forming it jump up and down and clap their hands in a grand confusion, and the game breaks up. the farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell, heigh-o! the cherry-oh! the farmer in the dell. the farmer takes a wife, the farmer takes a wife, heigh-o! the cherry-oh! the farmer takes a wife. the wife takes a child, the wife takes a child, heigh-o! the cherry-oh! the wife takes a child. the child takes a nurse, etc. the nurse takes a cat, etc. the cat takes a rat, etc. the rat takes the cheese, etc. the succeeding verses vary only in the choice in each, and follow in this order. the king of france the king of france with forty thousand men marched up the hill and then marched down again. the players stand in two rows or groups facing each other. each group has a leader, who stands in the center and represents a king leading his army. the game or play is a simple one of imitation, in which the players perform in unison some action first indicated by one of the leaders. the leaders of the two groups take turns in singing the verse, at the same time marching forward during the first line of the verse, and back again to their places during the second line, illustrating the action that is then to be taken by all. the verse is then sung by both groups while advancing toward each other and retreating, performing the movements indicated by the leaders. the movements illustrated by the leaders may be anything suitable to an army of men, the words describing the movement being substituted for the line, "marched up the hill," thus: the king of france with forty thousand men waved his flag and then marched down again. the following variations are suggested, each of which indicates the movements to go with it: gave a salute, etc. beat his drum, etc. blew his horn, etc. drew his sword, etc. aimed his gun, etc. fired his gun, etc. shouldered arms, etc. pranced on his horse, etc. it is scarcely necessary to say that a real flag and drum add much to the martial spirit of the game, and if each soldier can have a stick or wand over his shoulder for a gun, the esprit de corps will be proportionately enhanced. london bridge london bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. london bridge is falling down, my fair lady! build it up with iron bars, iron bars, iron bars, build it up with iron bars, my fair lady! iron bars will bend and break, bend and break, bend and break, iron bars will bend and break, my fair lady! build it up with gold and silver, etc. gold and silver will be stolen away, etc. get a man to watch all night, etc. suppose the man should fall asleep? etc. put a pipe into his mouth, etc. suppose the pipe should fall and break, etc. get a dog to bark all night, etc. suppose the dog should meet a bone? etc. get a cock to crow all night, etc. here's a prisoner i have got, etc. what's the prisoner done to you? etc. stole my hat and lost my keys, etc. a hundred pounds will set him free, etc. a hundred pounds he has not got, etc. off to prison he must go, etc. two of the tallest players represent a bridge by facing each other, clasping hands, and holding them high for the others to pass under. the other players, in a long line, each holding the other by the hand or dress, pass under the arch while the verses are sung alternately by the players representing the bridge and those passing under, those forming the arch singing the first and alternate verses and the last "off to prison." as the words "here's a prisoner i have got," are sung, the players representing the bridge drop their arms around the one who happens to be passing under at the time. the succeeding verses are then sung to "off to prison he must go." during this last one the prisoner is led off to one side to a place supposed to be a prison, and is there asked in a whisper or low voice to choose between two valuable objects, represented by the two bridge players, who have previously agreed which each shall represent, such as a "diamond necklace" or a "gold piano." the prisoner belongs to the side which he thus chooses. when all have been caught the prisoners line up behind their respective leaders (who have up to this time been the holders of the bridge), clasp each other around the waist, and a tug of war takes place, the side winning which succeeds in pulling its opponent across a given line. where a large number of players are taking part, say over ten, the action may be made much more rapid and interesting by forming several spans or arches to the bridge instead of only one, and by having the players run instead of walk under. there is thus much more activity for each player, and the prisoners are all caught much sooner. singing games for small children moon and morning stars this is a spanish game. a player represents the moon; the rest are stars. the moon is placed in the shadow of a tree or house. the morning stars dance about a child, standing on a chair with extended arms, to represent the sun just risen. the stars dance around the sun, occasionally going quite near the moon; while doing this, they sing o moon and morning stars, o the moon and morning stars who dares to tread--oh, within the shadow? the moon tries to catch a star, and the one caught becomes the moon. wee bologna man two to forty players. the leader recites: i'm a wee bologna man; always do the best you can to follow the wee bologna man. while doing this he imitates an instrument of an orchestra. the others imitate him. this game may be varied, the bologna man imitating animals or birds, or making any sound he wishes to make, or he can hop and croak like a frog, or imitate the motions and noise of an angry cat, or the like. draw a bucket of water this game is played in groups of four. two players face each other, clasping hands at full arms' length. the other two face each other in the same way, with their arms crossing those of the first couple at right angles. bracing the feet, the couples sway backward and forward, singing the following rhyme: draw a bucket of water, for my lady's daughter. one in a rush, two in a rush, please, little girl, bob under the bush. when the last line is sung the players all raise their arms without unclasping the hands, and place them around their companions, who stoop to step inside. they will then be standing in a circle with arms around each other's waists. the game finishes by dancing in this position around the ring, repeating the verse once more. chapter xx games of arithmetic thought numbers--mystical nine--magic hundred--king and counsellor-horse-shoe nails--dinner party puzzle--baskets and stones, etc. how to tell any number thought of ask any person to think of a number, say a certain number of dollars; tell him to borrow that sum of some one in the company, and add the number borrowed to the amount thought of. it will here be proper to name the person who lends him the money, and to beg the one who makes the calculation to do it with great care, as he may readily fall into an error, especially the first time. then say to the person: "i do not lend you, but give you $10; add them to the former sum." continue in this manner: "give the half to the poor, and retain in your memory the other half." then add: "return to the gentleman, or lady, what you borrowed, and remember that the sum lent you was exactly equal to the number thought of." ask the person if he knows exactly what remains; he will answer "yes". you must then say: "and i know also the number that remains; it is equal to what i am going to conceal in my hand." put into one of your hands 5 pieces of money, and desire the person to tell how many you have got. he will answer 5; upon which open your hand and show him the 5 pieces. you may then say: "i well knew that your result was 5; but if you had thought of a very large number, for example, two or three millions, the result would have been much greater, but my hand would not have held a number of pieces equal to the remainder." the person then supposing that the result of the calculation must be different, according to the difference of the number thought of, will imagine that it is necessary to know the last number in order to guess the result; but this idea is false, for, in the case which we have here supposed, whatever be the number thought of, the remainder must always be 5. the reason of this is as follows: the sum, the half of which is given to the poor, is nothing else than twice the number thought of, plus 10; and when the poor have received their part, there remains only the number thought of plus 5; but the number thought of is cut off when the sum borrowed is returned, and consequently there remains only 5. the result may be easily known, since it will be the half of the number given in the third part of the operation; for example, whatever be the number thought of, the remainder will be 36 or 25, according as 72 or 50 have been given. if this trick be performed several times successively, the number given in the third part of the operation must be always different; for if the result were several times the same, the deception might be discovered. when the five first parts of the calculation for obtaining a result are finished, it will be best not to name it at first, but to continue the operation, to render it more complex, by saying for example: "double the remainder, deduct two, add three, take the fourth part," etc.; and the different steps of the calculation may be kept in mind, in order to know how much the first result has been increased or diminished. this irregular process never fails to confound those who attempt to follow it. another way tell the person to take 1 from the number thought of, and then double the remainder; desire him to take 1 from this double, and to add to it the number thought of, in the last place, ask him the number arising from this addition, and, if you add 3 to it, the third of the sum will be the number thought of. the application of this rule is so easy that it is needless to illustrate it by an example. a third way ask the person to add 1 to the triple of the number thought of, and to multiply the sum by three; then bid him add to this product the number thought of, and the result will be a sum from which if 3 be subtracted, the remainder will be ten times the number required; and if the cipher on the right be cut off from the remainder, the other figure will indicate the number sought. example--let the number thought of be 6, the triple of which is 18; and if 1 be added, it makes 19; the triple of this last number is 57, and if 6 be added it makes 63, from which if 3 be subtracted, the remainder will be 60; now, if the cipher on the right be cut off, the remaining figure, 6, will be the number required. a fourth way tell the person to multiply the number thought of by itself; then desire him to add 1 to the number thought of, and to multiply it also by itself; in the last place, ask him to tell the difference of these two products, which will certainly be an odd number, and the least half of it will be the number required. let the number thought of, for example, be 10; which, multiplied by itself, gives 100; in the next place, 10 increased by 1 is 11; which, multiplied by itself makes 121; and the difference of these two squares is 21, the least half of which, being 10, is the number thought of. how to tell numbers thought of if one or more numbers thought of be greater than 9, we must distinguish two cases; that in which the number or the numbers thought of is odd, and that in which it is even. in the first case, ask the sum of the first and second; of the second and third; the third and fourth; and so on to the last; and then the sum of the first and the last. having written down all these sums in order, add together all those, the places of which are odd, as the first, the third, the fifth, etc.; make another sum of all those, the places of which are even, as the second, the fourth, the sixth, etc.; subtract this sum from the former, and the remainder will be the double of the first number. let us suppose, for example, that the five following numbers are thought of: 3, 7, 13, 17, 20, which, when added two and two as above, give 10, 20, 30, 37, 23; the sum of the first, third, and fifth is 63, and that of the second and fourth is 57; if 57 be subtracted from 63, the remainder 6, will be the double of the first number, 3. now, if 3 be taken from 10, the first of the sums, the remainder 7, will be the second number; and by proceeding in this manner, we may find all the rest. in the second case, that is to say, if the number or the numbers thought of be even, you must ask and write down as above, the sum of the first and second; that of the second and third; and so on, as before; but instead of the sum of the first and the last, you must take that of the second and last; then add together those which stand in the even places, and form them into a new sum apart; add also those in the odd places, the first excepted, and subtract this sum from the former, the remainder will be double of the second number; and if the second number, thus found, be subtracted from the sum of the first and second, you will have the first number; if it be taken from that of the second and third, it will give the third; and so of the rest. let the numbers thought of be, for example, 3, 7, 13, 17; the sums formed as above are 10, 20, 30, 24; the sum of the second and fourth is 44, from which if 30, the third, be subtracted, the remainder will be 14, the double of 7, the second number. the first therefore is 3, third 13, and the fourth 17. when each of the numbers thought of does not exceed 9, they may be easily found in the following manner: having made the person add 1 to the double of the first number thought of, desire him to multiply the whole by 5, and to add to the product the second number. if there be a third, make him double this first sum, and add 1 to it, after which, desire him to multiply the new sum by 5, and to add to it the third number. if there be a fourth, proceed in the same manner, desiring him to double the preceding sum; to add to it 1; to multiply by 5; to add the fourth number; and so on. then ask the number arising from the addition of the last number thought of, and if there were two numbers, subtract 5 from it; if there were three, 55; if there were four, 555; and so on; for the remainder will be composed of figures, of which the first on the left will be the first number thought of, the next second, and so on. suppose the numbers thought of be 3, 4, 6; by adding 1 to 6, the double of the first, we shall have 7, which, being multiplied by 5, will give 35; if 4, the second number thought of, be then added, we shall have 39, which doubled gives 78; and, if we add 1, and multiply 79, the sum, by 5, the result will be 395. in the last place, if we add 6, the number thought of, the sum will be 401; and if 55 be deducted from it, we shall have, for remainder, 346, the figures of which, 3, 4, 6, indicate in order the three numbers though of. gold and silver game one of the party having in one hand a piece of gold and in the other a piece of silver, you may tell in which hand he has the gold and in which the silver, by the following method: some value, represented by an even number, such as 8, must be assigned to the gold, and a value represented by an odd number, such as 3, must be assigned to the silver; after which, desire the person to multiply the number in the right hand by any even number whatever, such as 2; and that in the left hand by an odd number, as 3; then bid him add together the two products, and if the whole sum be odd, the gold will be in the right hand and the silver in the left; if the sum be even, the contrary will be the case. to conceal the trick better, it will be sufficient to ask whether the sum of the two products can be halved without a remainder; for in that case the total will be even, and in the contrary case odd. it may be readily seen, that the pieces, instead of being in the two hands of the same person, may be supposed to be in the hands of two persons, one of whom has the even number, or piece of gold, and the other the odd number, or piece of silver. the same operations may then be performed in regard to these two persons, as are performed in regard to the two hands of the same person, calling the one privately the right and the other the left. the number bag the plan is to let a person select several numbers out of a bag, and to tell him the number which shall exactly divide the sum of those he has chosen; provide a small bag, divided into two parts, into one of which put several tickets, numbered, 6, 9, 15, 36, 63, 120, 213, 309, etc.; and in the other part put as many other tickets marked number 3 only. draw a handful of tickets from the first part, and, after showing them to the company, put them into the bag again, and, having opened it a second time, desire any one to take out as many tickets as he thinks proper; when he has done that, you open privately the other part of the bag, and tell him to take out of it one ticket only. you may safely pronounce that the ticket shall contain the number by which the amount of the other numbers is divisible; for, as each of these numbers can be multiplied by 3, their sum total must, evidently, be divisible by that number. an ingenious mind may easily diversify this exercise, by marking the tickets in one part of the bag with any numbers that are divisible by 9 only, the properties of both 9 and 3 being the same; and it should never be exhibited to the same company twice without being varied. the mystical number nine the discovery of remarkable properties of the number 9 was accidentally made, more than forty years since, though, we believe, it is not generally known. the component figures of the product made by the multiplication of every digit into the number 9, when added together, make nine. the order of these component figures is reversed after the said number has been multiplied by 5. the component figures of the amount of the multipliers (viz. 45), when added together, make nine. the amount of the several products or multiples of 9 (viz. 405), when divided by 9, gives far a quotient, 45; that is, 4 plus 5 = nine. the amount of the first product (viz. 9), when added to the other product, whose respective component figures make 9, is 81; which is the square of nine. the said number 81, when added to the above-mentioned amount of the several products, or multiples, of 9 (viz. 405), makes 486; which, if divided by 9, gives, for a quotient, 54; that is 5 plus 4 = nine. it is also observable, that the number of changes that may be rung on nine bells, is 362,880; which figures added together, make 27; that is, 2 plus 7 = nine. and the quotient of 362,880, divided by 9, will be 40,320; that is, 4 plus 0 plus 3 plus 2 plus 0 = nine. to add a figure to any given number, which shall render it divisible by nine: add the figures named; and the figure which must be added to the sum produced, in order to render it divisible by 9, is the one required. thus suppose the given number to be 7521: add these together, and 15 will be produced; now 15 requires 3 to render it divisible by 9; and that number 3, being added to 7521, causes the same divisibility; 7521 plus 3 gives 7524, and divided by 9, gives 836. this exercise may be diversified by your specifying, before the sum is named, the particular place where the figure shall be inserted, to make the number divisible by 9; for it is exactly the same thing whether the figure be put at the head of the number, or between any two of its digits. the magic hundred. two persons agree to take, alternately, numbers less than a given number, for example, 11 and to add them together till one of them has reached a certain sum, such as 100. by what means can one of them infallibly attain to that number before the other? the whole secret in this consists in immediately making choice of the numbers, 1, 12, 23, 34, and so on, or of a series which continually increases by 11, up to 100. let us suppose, that the first person, who knows the game, makes choice of 1; it is evident that his adversary, as he must count less than 11, can, at most, reach 11 by adding 10 to it. the first will then take 1, which will make 12; and whatever number the second may add, the first will certainly win, provided he continually add the number which forms the complement of that of his adversary, to 11; that is to say, if the latter take 8, he must take 3; if 9, he must take 2; and so on. by following this method, he will infallibly attain to 89; and it will then be impossible for the second to prevent him from getting first to 100; for whatever number the second takes, he can attain only to 99; after which the first may say--"and 1 makes 100." if the second take 1 after 89, it would make 90, and his adversary would finish by saying--"and 10 makes 100." between two persons who are equally acquainted with the game, he who begins must necessarily win. to guess the missing figure to tell the figure a person has struck out of the sum of two given numbers: arbitrarily command those numbers only, that are divisible by 9; such, for instance, as 36, 63, 81, 117, 126, 162, 261, 360, 315, and 432. then let a person choose any two of these numbers; and, after adding them together in his mind, strike out from the sum any one of the figures he pleases. after he has so done, desire him to tell you the sum of the remaining figures; and it follows, that the number which you are obliged to add to this amount, in order to make it 9 or 18, is the one he struck out. thus:--suppose he chooses the numbers 162 and 261, making altogether 423, and that he strike out the center figure; the two other figures will, added together, make 7, which, to make nine, requires 2, the number struck out. the king and the counsellor a king being desirous to confer a liberal reward on one of his courtiers, who had performed some very important service, desired him to ask whatever he thought proper, assuring him it should be granted. the courtier, who was well acquainted with the science of numbers, only requested that the monarch would give him a quantity of wheat equal to that which would arise from one grain doubled sixty-three times successively. the value of the reward was immense; for it will be seen, by calculation, that the sixty-fourth of the double progression divided by 1: 2: 4: 8: 16: 32: etc., is 9223372036854775808. but the sum of all the terms of a double progression, beginning with 1, may be obtained by doubling the last term, and subtracting from it 1. the number of the grains of wheat, therefore, in the present case, will be 18446744073709551615. now, if a pint contains 9216 grains of wheat, a gallon will contain 73728; and, as eight gallons make one bushel, if we divide the above result by eight times 73728, we shall have 31274997411295 for the number of the bushels of wheat equal to the above number of grains; a quantity greater than what the whole earth could produce in several years. the nails in the horse's shoe a man took a fancy to a horse, which a dealer wished to dispose of at as high a price as he could; the latter, to induce the man to become a purchaser, offered to let him have the horse for the value of the twenty-fourth nail in his shoes, reckoning one farthing for the first nail, two for the second, four for the third, and so on to the twenty-fourth. the man, thinking he should have a good bargain, accepted the offer; the price of the horse was, therefore, necessarily great. by calculating as before, the twenty-fourth term of the progression 1:2:4:8: etc., will be found to be 8388608, equal to the number of farthings the purchaser gave for the horse; the price, therefore amounted to 8738 pounds 2s. 8d. the dinner party puzzle a club of seven agreed to dine together every day successively as long as they could sit down to table in different order. how many dinners would be necessary for that purpose? it may be easily found, by the rules already given, that the club must dine together 5040 times, before they would exhaust all the arrangements possible, which would require about thirteen years. basket and stones if a hundred stones be placed in a straight line, at the distance of a yard from each other, the first being at the same distance from a basket, how many yards must the person walk who engages to pick them up, one by one, and put them into the basket? it is evident that, to pick up the first stone, and put it into the basket, the person must walk two yards; for the second, he must walk four; for the third, six; and so on, increasing by two, to the hundredth. the number of yards which the person must walk, will be equal to the sum of the progression, 2, 4, 6, etc., the last term of which is 200, (22). but the sum of the progression is equal to 202, the sum of the two extremes, multiplied by 50, or half the number of terms; that is to say, 10,000 yards, which makes more than 5 1/2 miles. chapter xxi one hundred conundrums witty questions-facetious puzzles--ready answers--entertaining play upon words one hundred conundrums he loved her. she hated him, but womanlike, she would have him, and she was the death of him. who was he? answer: a flea. why is life the greatest of riddles? because we must all give it up. if a church be on fire, why has the organ the smallest chance of escape? because the organ cannot play on it. why should a sailor be the best authority as to what goes on in the moon? because he has been to see (sea). what does a cat have that no other animal has? kittens. when is a man behind the times? when he's a weak (week) back. what is the difference between a baby and a pair of boots? one i was and the other i wear. use me well, and i'm everybody; scratch my back and i'm nobody. a looking glass. what word becomes shorter by adding a syllable to it? short. if a stupid fellow was going up for a competitive examination, why should he study the letter p? because p makes ass pass. why is buttermilk like something that never happened? because it hasn't a curd (occurred). why is the letter o the noisiest of all the vowels? because the rest are in audible. why is a member of parliament like a shrimp? because he has m. p. at the end of his name. why is a pig a paradox? because it is killed first and cured afterward. why is a bad half-dollar like something said in a whisper? because it is uttered, but not allowed (aloud). why do black sheep eat less than white ones? because there are fewer of them. why is a barn-door fowl sitting on a gate like a half-penny? because its head is on one side and its tail on the other. why is a man searching for the philosopher's stone like neptune? because he is a-seeking (sea-king) what never was. why is the nose placed in the middle of the face? because it's the scenter (cen-ter). what is most like a hen stealing? a cock robbing (cock robin). what is worse than "raining cats and dogs"? hailing omnibuses. when is butter like irish children? when it is made into little pats. why is a chronometer like thingumbob? because it's a watch-you-may-call-it. of what color is grass when covered with snow? invisible green. name in two letters the destiny of all earthly things? d. k. what is even better than presence of mind in a railway accident? absence of body. what word contains all the vowels in due order? facetiously. why is a caterpillar like a hot roll? because its the grub that makes the butterfly. what is that which occurs twice in a moment, once in a minute, and not once in a thousand years? the letter m. what is that which will give a cold, cure a cold, and pay the doctor's bill? a draught (draft). what is that which is neither flesh nor bone, yet has four fingers and a thumb? a glove. why has man more hair than woman? because he is naturally her suitor (hirsuter). what is that which no one wishes to have, yet no one cares to lose? a bald head. why is the letter g like the sun? because it is the center of light. why is the letter d like a wedding-ring? because we cannot be wed without it. why should ladies not learn french? because one tongue is enough for any woman. which tree is most suggestive of kissing? yew. what act of folly does a washerwoman commit? putting out tubs to catch soft water when it rains hard. why should a cabman be brave? because none but the brave deserve the fair (fare). what is the most difficult surgical operation? to take the jaw out of a woman. why is it difficult to flirt on board the p. and o. steamers? because all of the mails (males) are tied up in bags. what letter made queen bess mind her p's and q's? r made her (armada). why is it an insult to a cock-sparrow to mistake him for a pheasant? because it is making game of him. what is that from which the whole may be taken, and yet some will remain? the word wholesome. why is blind-man's buff like sympathy? because it is a fellow feeling for another. when may a man be said to have four hands? when he doubles his fists. why is it easy to break into an old man's house? because his gait (gate) is broken and his locks are few. why should you not go to new york by the 12:50 train? because it is ten-to-one if you catch it. why should the male sex avoid the letter a? because it makes the men mean. when does a man sneeze three times? when he cannot help it. what relation is the doormat to the scraper? a step farther. why does a piebald pony never pay toll? because his master pays it for him. why is the letter s like a sewing-machine? because it makes needles needless. what is the difference between a cow and a rickety chair? one gives milk and the other gives way (whey). what flower most resembles a bull's mouth? a cowslip. what does a stone become in the water? wet. if the alphabet were invited out to dine, what time would u, v, w, x, y, and z go--they would go after tea. when was beef-tea first introduced into england? when henry viii dissolved the pope's bull. what letter is the pleasantest to a deaf woman? a, because it makes her hear. when is love a deformity? when it is all on one side. why is a mouse like hay? because the cat'll (cattle) eat it. why is a madman equal to two men? because he is one beside himself. why are good resolutions like ladies fainting in church? because the sooner they are carried out the better. which is the merriest letter in the alphabet? u, because it is always in fun. what is the difference between a bankrupt and a feather bed? one is hard up and the other is soft down. what is that word of five letters from which, if you take two, only one remains? stone. why is the letter b like a fire? because it makes oil boil. what word is pronounced quicker by adding a syllable to it? quick. which animal travels with the most, and which with the least, luggage? the elephant the most because he is never without his trunk. the fox and cock the least because they have only one brush and comb between them. why are bakers the most self-denying people? because they sell what they need (knead) themselves. which of the constellations reminds you of an empty fireplace? the great bear (grate bear). what relation is that child to its own father who is not its own father's son? his daughter. when does a pig become landed property? when he is turned into a meadow. which is the heavier, the full or the new moon? the full moon is a great deal lighter. why is an alligator the most deceitful of animals? because he takes you in with an open countenance. why are fowls the most profitable of live stock? because for every grain they give a peck. what is that which comes with a coach, goes with a coach, is of no use whatever to the coach, and yet the coach can't go without it? noise. if your uncle's sister is not your aunt, what relation is she to you? your mother. why does a duck put his head under water? for divers reasons. why does it take it out again? for sundry reasons. what vegetable products are the most important in history? dates. why is the letter w like a maid of honor? because it is always in waiting. what letter is always invisible, yet never out of sight? the letter s. why is the letter f like a cow's tail? because it is the end of beef. on which side of a pitcher is the handle? the outside. what is higher and handsomer when the head is off? your pillow. why is a pig in a parlor like a house on fire? because the sooner it is put out the better. what is the keynote to good breeding? b natural. what is it that walks with its head downwards? a nail in a shoe. why is a lame dog like a schoolboy adding six and seven together? because he puts down three and carries one. why is the brooklyn bridge like merit? because it is very often passed over. what did adam first plant in the garden of eden? his foot. what is majesty, deprived of its externals? a jest. how would you make a thin man fat? throw him out of a second story window and let him come down plump. what is the difference between a young maid of sixteen and an old maid of eighty? one is happy and careless and the other is cappy and hairless. when was fruit known to use bad language? when the first apple cursed the first pair. if a man gets up on a donkey, where should he get down? from a swan's breast. what is lengthened by being cut at both ends? a ditch. "i am what i am; i am not what i follow. if i were what i follow, i should not be what i am." what is it? a footman. which is the strongest day of the week? sunday. all the others are weak days. the end. note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see 16599-h.htm or 16599-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/6/5/9/16599/16599-h/16599-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/6/5/9/16599/16599-h.zip) school, church, and home games compiled by george o. draper secretary for health and recreation county work department of the international committee of young men's christian associations community recreation rural edition association press new york: 347 madison avenue 1923 dedicated to my father herbert edward draper _whose happy contact with the folks of the country, through his duties as a county official, won for him their esteem; who found recreation in the open country, where the birds, the flowers, and all wild life were his friends and reflected their charm in the life he lived--simple, happy, friendly--true to himself, his family, his neighbors, and his god._ contents part i. games for schools chapter page foreword vii i. school room games for primary pupils 1 ii. school room games for intermediate pupils 8 iii. school room games for advanced and high school pupils 16 iv. school yard games for primary pupils 24 v. school yard games for intermediate pupils 27 vi. school yard games for advanced and high school pupils 37 part ii. sociable games for home, church, clubs, etc. i. games for the home 44 ii. ice breakers for sociables 55 iii. sociable games for grown-ups 59 iv. sociable games for young people 67 v. trick games for sociables 73 vi. stunt athletic meet 83 vii. competitive stunts 88 part iii. outdoor games i. outdoor games for older boys and young men 94 ii. outdoor games for boys 103 iii. games of strength 110 part iv. games for special occasions i. games at dining table 113 ii. a county fair play festival 119 iii. games for a story play hour 123 iv. an indoor sports fair 127 v. racing games for picnics 132 foreword we should all be prospectors of happiness. there are those who discover it in the solitudes of the mountains where freedom is breathed in the air that touches the lofty peaks. others find it in the depths of the forest in the songs of the birds, of the brook, of the trees. most of us must find it in the daily walks of life where the seeking is oft-times difficult. nevertheless, there it is in the manufactured glory of the city, in the voices of children, and in the hearts and faces of men. happiness becomes a habit with some; with others it is a lost art. some radiate it; others dispel that which may exist. happiness can be produced by means of exercising certain emotions, by causing experiences which allow instinctive expression; the song, the dance, the game are examples. all enjoyed activity may be classified as play. play is that which we do when free to do as we like. play produces happiness. work is the highest form of play. the great artist is playing when his imagination finds expression on the canvas in color. if he did not love to paint he would never have become a great artist. the engineer is playing when he produces the great bridge; the financier when he masterfully organizes his capital. the imagination of the child leads him into all kinds of adventure. he becomes the engineer on the locomotive; he becomes the leader of the circus band; he is a great hunter of terrible beasts; an indian, a cowboy, and a robber. in fact, he tries his hand at all those careers which interest him, and we call it play, or may even call it nonsense. in fact, some think play is but nonsense. play is the expression, the exercising of the imagination. should the child be denied the privilege of play, should its visions never find expression, should its mental adventures fail to find adequate physical experience, a great musician, a great engineer, a great statesman, or a master of some great art may be sacrificed. play is not only essential to the child, but, as joseph lee says, play _is_ the child. the natural environment of the child is a play environment; if we are to lead the child or educate the child we have first to enter into his environment and into fellowship with him therein, and adapt our methods to that environment. the processes of education which have taken to themselves those things which are natural to children will meet deserved success. the schoolroom, the sunday school room, or home in which a play atmosphere is experienced, small though this experience may be, is operating on a sound basis. play is nature's method of education. as a kitten in chasing the leaves in the road is playing, it is also learning to catch the bird or the mouse essential for the maintenance of life. so the child, by nature, learns to live by play. activity is life. directed activity means directed life. the body is but the means of activity and is developed only in accord with the activity demands of the individual. character is but the trend of the activities of an individual. so the activities are more the individual than is the flesh and bone which we see. if we recognize that in play the child is under the tutorship of nature, we should seek to encourage rather than discourage the process. by directing the play we are training for life--yes, more, we are creating life. as play creates in the child, it re-creates in the adult. activity is essential to growth. having attained physical growth, the adult does not demand as much physical activity as does the child and as years increase the tendency toward physical activity decreases. there is real danger in this becoming too meager to maintain efficiency, and we recognize more and more the necessity for vacation periods when some of the old spirit of play or of joyful activity may be indulged in and a re-creation process be set up. this recreation is simply reawakened activity, making for greater abundance of life. the spirit of play and the spirit of youth travel hand in hand. if we allow the spirit of play to depart from our life, we lose our grip upon life itself. every man and woman should cultivate and vigorously maintain a play spirit. this might be done through some hobbies, games, or art into which they can throw themselves with abandon for periods of time, frequent, if brief. they should thoroughly enjoy the experience. for the wealthy, to whom all things are possible, this may be hard to find. to those of limited means and of little free time, opportunity is more abundant. to them joy shines forth from even the so-called commonplace things of life. the joy on the faces of those who are playing games, the merry laughter, the jest, the shouting, place this type of activity on a pinnacle among those producing happiness. this volume has been prepared, in order that the young and old may find greater opportunity for joyful activity, and experience the good fellowship, the kindly feeling, the exhilaration and life resulting from playing games, and that those fundamental agencies of civilization, the church, the school, and the home, may be better equipped to serve mankind and to add to the sum of human happiness. acknowledgment this collection of games has been selected from material sent in to the author, by y.m.c.a. physical directors, playground directors, and school and college athletic directors, to which has been added some original material and games that have been seen by the author in his travels about the country. bibliography the author would suggest the following books on games: games for the playground, home, school and gymnasium, jessie bancroft, macmillan co., n.y. games for everybody, hofmann, dodge publishing co., n.y. social games and group dances, elsom and trilling, j.b. lippincott & co., philadelphia. icebreakers, edna geister, the womans press, n.y. social activities, chesley, association press, n.y. play, emmett d. angell, little, brown & co., boston. handbook for pioneers, association press, n.y. camp and outing activities, cheley and baker, association press, n.y. community recreation, draper, association press, n.y. part i games for schools chapter i schoolroom games for primary pupils cat and mouse one pupil is designated to play the role of cat, another that of mouse. the mouse can escape the cat by sitting in the seat with some other pupil. thereupon that pupil becomes mouse. should the cat tag a mouse before it sits in a seat, the mouse becomes cat and the cat becomes mouse, and the latter must get into a seat to avoid being tagged. aviation meet three pupils constitute a team. two are mechanicians, one the aviator. each team is to have a piece of string about 25 feet long, free from knots. a small cornucopia of paper is placed upon each string. the mechanicians hold the ends of the string while the aviator, at the signal to go, blows the cornucopia along the string. the string must be held level by the mechanicians. the aviator first succeeding in doing this, wins for his team. button, button the pupils sit or stand in a circle with their hands in front of them, palms together. the one who has been selected to be "it" takes a position in the center of the circle, with his hands in a similar position. a button is held between his hands. he goes around the circle and places his hand over those of various individuals, dropping the button into the hands of one. he continues about the circle, still making the motions of dropping the button in the hands of others, so as to deceive those making up the ring. after he has taken his place in the center of the circle, those in the ring endeavor to guess into whose hands he has dropped the button, the one succeeding in doing this takes the button and continues the game. bee some object is determined upon for hiding, such as a coin, a button, a thimble, etc. a pupil is sent from the room. during his absence the object is hidden. upon his return the children buzz vigorously when he is near to the object sought and very faintly when he is some distance away. the object is located by the intensity of the buzzing. hide in sight in this game all of the pupils except one are sent from the room. the one left in the room hides a coin, or some similar object, somewhere in plain sight. it must be visible without having to move any object. when hidden, the rest of the pupils are called back and start the search. when a pupil finds the coin, after attempting to mislead the others by continuing his search in different quarters, he returns to his seat without disclosing its whereabouts. as it is found by others, the group of seekers will gradually diminish until there is but one left. when he finds it, the coin is again hidden by the one first finding it. colors a certain color is determined upon. each pupil in turn must name some object which is of that color. failing to do this he goes to the foot of the line, provided some one beyond him can think of any object of that color. if no more objects can be thought of, a new color is selected. i see red one pupil is given the privilege of thinking of some object in the room, of which he discloses the color to the rest of the pupils. for example, if he sees a red apple he says, "i see red." thereupon the other pupils endeaver to guess what red object in the room is thought of. the one succeeding, next selects the object to be guessed. hide the clock this is a good quiet game for the schoolroom. a loud ticking clock is necessary for the game. all of the pupils are sent from the room. one of their number is selected to hide the clock. the others, upon coming back, try to locate it by its ticking. the one succeeding has the privilege of next hiding the clock. poison seat the children all endeavor to shift seats at the clapping of the hands of the teacher. have one less seat than pupils, so that one may be left without a seat. this can be arranged by placing a book on one seat and calling this "poison seat." the child sitting on this seat is "poisoned" and out of the game. add a book to a seat after each change, so as to eliminate one player each time. the one left after all have been eliminated, wins the game. should the teacher clap her hands twice in succession, that is the signal for all of the pupils to return to their own seats. aisle hunt some object--a coin will do--is selected to be hidden. the children of one of the aisles leave the room, the others determine upon a hiding place and hide the coin in plain sight. those out of the room are called back and look for the hidden object. as soon as it is found, the first one finding it goes to his seat and calls, "first." he is not to call until he is actually in his seat. the second one to find it returns to his seat and calls, "second," and so on until it has been found by all in the aisle. if there are six aisles in the room, the occupants of the first six seats in the aisle seeking the hidden object determine which aisle leaves the room next. for illustration,--if the pupil in the second seat is the first one to find the object, then the second aisle of the room will be the one to leave the room for the next hunt. likewise if the pupil of the third seat is the first to find the object, the third aisle will be the one which next has the privilege of enjoying the hunt. if there are more pupils in the aisle than there are aisles in the room, the pupils in the last seats do not count. new orleans the pupils of the room are divided into two groups. one side decides upon some action it will represent, such as sawing wood, washing clothes, etc., and thereupon represents the action. the other group has five chances to guess what the first group is trying to represent. failing to do this, they must forfeit one of their players to the second group and the same side again represents an action. when a group presents an action to the others, the following dialogue takes place: first group: here we come. second group: where from? first group: new orleans. second group: what's your trade? first group: lemonade. second group: how is it made? the first group then represents the action. birds fly this is an attention game. the teacher stands before the class and instructs them that if she mentions some bird or object which flies and raises her arms sideward, imitating the flapping of the wings of a bird, the pupils are to follow her example. but if she mentions some animal or some object which does not fly, she may raise her arms sideward and upward, imitating the flying position, but the pupils are not to follow her example. if they are caught doing so, they must take their seats. for example,--the teacher says, "owls fly". thereupon she and all the children raise their arms sideward and upward. she says, "bats fly" and raises her arms. she next says, "lions fly" and raises her arms, thereupon the pupils are supposed to keep their arms at their sides. music rush a march is played on the piano and the children march from their seats in single file around the room. as soon as the music stops, all rush to get into their seats. the last one in, must remain in his seat during the second trial. if there is no piano in the room, drumming on the top of a desk will do as well. change seat relay the teacher claps her hands. this is the signal for all to shift one seat back. the one in the rear seat runs forward and sits in the front seat. the first aisle to become properly seated wins one point. again the hands are clapped and the pupils shift one seat back, and the one then at the rear runs forward and takes the front seat and so the game continues until all have run forward from the back seat to the front. the aisle scoring the largest number of points wins. charlie over the water this is an old game and is always popular. the children form a ring, joining hands. one is selected to be "it" and takes his place in the center. those in the ring then dance around, singing, "charlie, over the water, charlie, over the sea, charlie, catch a blackbird, but can't catch me." having completed these lines, they all assume a stooping position before "charlie," who is "it," can tag them. if he succeeds in tagging one, that one takes his place in the circle and the game continues. tap relay the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. all bend their heads forward, placing their faces in the palms of their hands on the top of the desk. at the signal to go, given by the teacher, the one in the last seat in each aisle sits up, claps his hands and taps the back of the one in front of him, which is the signal for the one in front to sit up, clap, and tap the one next in front of him, and so the tap is passed until it reaches the one in the front seat of the aisle, who, upon being tapped, stands up, clapping his hands above his head. the first to stand and clap hands above head wins the race. rat-a-tat race similar to the preceding race with the exception that upon the signal to go the one in the back seat knocks with the knuckles of his right hand on the top of the desk a "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat," as in a drum beat, and then taps with the knuckles the back of the one next in front of him, who repeats the performance, tapping off the one in front, and so on. the race ends when the individual in the front seat of an aisle taps the "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat" and stands up. bowing race a book is handed to the pupil in the last seat of each aisle. at the signal to go the pupils holding the book step into the aisle at the right hand side of their desks, holding the books on the tops of their heads with both hands, and make a bow. then returning to their seats, hit the book on the top of the desk and pass it on to the next one in front, who repeats the performance, as does every one else in the aisle. the one in the front seat of the aisle finishes the race by bowing with the book upon his head, then running forward, and placing the book upon the teacher's desk. spin around race a boy is selected from each aisle to take his place at least six feet in front of the aisle. upon the signal to go, the last boy in each aisle runs forward to the right of his desk and links his left arm in the right arm of the boy standing in front of his aisle, and in this position spins around twice, returning to his seat, and tagging off the boy next in front of him, who repeats the performance. the last boy in the aisle to spin around ends the race when he has returned to a sitting position in his seat. chapter ii schoolroom games for intermediate pupils initial tag a pupil who is "it" is sent to the board. he writes thereupon the initial of some other pupil in the room. that pupil is to try to tag "it" before he can return to his seat. if successful, he becomes "it" and continues the game by writing some one else's initial on the board. magic music one pupil is sent from the room. thereupon the remaining pupils hide some object agreed upon. the pupil sent from the room is recalled. the teacher or one of the pupils plays the piano loudly when the seeker approaches the hidden article and softly when some distance from it. the seeker determines the location by the volume of the music. hunt the rattler all of the players in the room are blindfolded, except one, who is given a tin can in which is placed a loose pebble. he is known as the "rattler." the blindfolded players attempt to locate and tag the rattler by the rattle. the one successful takes the place of the rattler. sticker the pupils stand in a circle in the center of which is "it" blindfolded, holding in his hand a blunt stick about 12 or 15 inches long. those in the circle dance around two or three times, so that the blindfolded player may not know their position. at the command "stand," given by the one blindfolded, all must stand still. thereupon, by feeling with his stick, "it" tries to discern an individual in the ring. "it" is forbidden to use his hands, in trying to discover who the individual is. if he succeeds in guessing, the individual guessed must take his place. otherwise he proceeds to some other individual in the circle whom he tries to identify. name race the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. a slip is handed to the one in the first seat in each row. at the signal to go, he writes his full name thereupon and passes it immediately to the one next behind him, who writes his name and passes it on. when the one in the last seat in the row has added his name to the slip, he rushes forward and places the slip upon the teacher's desk. the aisle first succeeding in accomplishing this task, wins. frogs in sea one pupil sits in tailor fashion in the center of the playing space. the others try to tease him by approaching as closely as they dare, calling him "frog in the sea, can't catch me." if the frog succeeds in tagging any of the other players, that player must take his place. the frog is not allowed to change from his sitting position in his effort to tag the other players. corner spry the pupils in the room are divided into four equal teams. each team is assigned to a different corner. a leader stands in front of each team with a bean bag, cap, or ball. at the signal to start the leader tosses to and receives from each member of his team in turn the bean bag. having received the bag from the last one in his line, he takes his place at the foot of the line, and the one at the head of the line becomes leader and proceeds to toss the ball to each member as did the preceding leader. the group, in which all have served as leaders and which successfully completes the game first, wins. flag race the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. flags are given to the pupils in each front seat. on the signal to go, each pupil holding a flag steps out on the right hand side of the seat, runs around the front of his own aisle, back on the left hand side, around the rear seat, returning to his own seat up the right hand aisle, and hands the flag on to the one next behind him, who continues the race. when all the pupils in the aisle have circled their row of seats with the flag, the last one, instead of returning to his seat, runs forward and holds the flag above his head in front of his aisle. the one first succeeding in reaching the front, wins the race. in this race it is often better to run two aisles at a time and thus avoid the possibility of pupils bumping into each other in their attempt to race through the aisles. in this way the various winners can race against each other, making an interesting contest. seat vaulting tag a pupil is selected to be "it." he attempts to tag any other pupil in the same aisle in which he stands. the pupils avoid being tagged by vaulting over the seats. no one is allowed to run around either end. "it" cannot reach across the desk in his effort to tag another. he must be in the same aisle or tag as one is vaulting a seat. a pupil becomes "it" as soon as tagged. jerusalem, jericho, jemima this is a simple game of attention. the three words in the title are near enough alike to require close attention on the part of the pupil to distinguish between them and to act accordingly. have the pupils turn in their seats facing the aisle. if the teacher says "jerusalem", the pupils stand. if she says, "jericho", they raise their arms momentarily forward and upward. if she says, "jemima", they sit down. any child making a mistake sits in her seat and faces to the front. compass an attention game. the pupils stand in the aisle beside their seats. in starting the game, the teacher asks them to face to the north, then to the south, then to the east, and to the west, so that they have the directions fixed in their minds. she then proceeds to tell a story or to make statements such as the following, "i came from the north." at the mention of the word "north" all the pupils must turn and face towards the north. "but since i have arrived in the south,"--at the mention of the word "south" they all turn and face the south, etc. if the teacher should say "wind," the pupils imitate the whistling of the wind; if "whirlwind" is mentioned, all must spin about on their heels a complete turn. failing to do any of the required turns, the pupil takes his seat. geography the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. those in the front seats are number 1, those next behind them, number 2, and so on back. the teacher calls some number. the pupils having that number race to the board and write thereupon the name of some river, returning to their seats. the first one back wins one point for his team. the game continues until all the numbers have been called, the team having the most points wins. spelling words have the pupils in aisle 1 face those in aisle 2, those in aisle 3 face 4, those in aisle 5 face 6. appoint a captain for each aisle. the captain of one team starts spelling a word containing more than three letters. the captain of the team facing his, adds the second letter, not knowing what word the captain of the other team had in mind. the second man of the first team adds a third letter; the second man of the second team adds a fourth, each team trying to avoid completing the word. the team completing the word loses one point to the other team. for example, the first man of team a says "g," the first man of team b says "o," thinking of "gold." the second man on team a says "o," thinking of "goose." the second man on team b can only think of "good" and contributes "d," ending the word. team a thereupon scores a point. the third man of team a continues the game by starting another word. when the ends of the aisles are reached the word, if uncompleted, is passed to the head of the line and continued. if there are four aisles in the room, there will be two groups playing at the same time; six aisles, three groups; eight aisles, four groups. the captains of opposing teams keep a record of the score. rhymes this game stimulates quick thinking. some one is selected by the teacher to start the game, and thereupon gives some word to which the first pupil in the aisle must give a rhyming word before the former can count ten. failing to do this, the leader continues and gives a word to the second one in the aisle. the rhyming words are to be given before the leader has completed his count of ten. then the one succeeding in giving the word replaces the leader. clapping song a pupil is selected by the teacher to clap the rhythm of some familiar air. the rest of the children in the room endeavor to guess the song clapped. the pupil succeeding in doing this is given an opportunity to clap another song. indian trail a pupil is blindfolded and placed in the front of the room. other pupils, one or two at a time, are given the opportunity to stealthily approach the one blindfolded, in an endeavor to take some object, from before his feet, such as a flower pot and saucer, or a tin can with a loose pebble in it, without being detected by the one blindfolded. if a pupil succeeds in taking back the object to his seat without having been heard, he wins a point for his aisle. where two pupils are sent forward at the same time, two similar objects must be placed at the foot of the one blindfolded. the aisle scoring the largest number of points in this way wins the game. number relay the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. they are numbered, beginning with the one in the first seat. the teacher describes some mathematical problem she desires done and calls certain numbers. all the pupils having those numbers rush to the board and compute the problem. the first back to his seat wins a point for his team, the aisle gaining the largest number of points wins the game. multiplication race the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. the teacher decides on a multiplication table which is to be placed upon the board. a piece of chalk is handed to the first pupil in each aisle. at the signal to go number 1 goes to the board and writes the first example in the multiplication table thereupon. returning to his seat, he hands the chalk to the one next behind him, who puts the next step in the multiplication table on the board, and so the race continues until the one in the last seat has returned to his seat, after adding his part to the table. the one first back to his seat wins for his aisle. history race similar to the preceding, with the exception that the pupils are requested to write upon the board the name of some historical personage or some historical event, date, etc. poem race the pupils having learned some poem may use it in a game in the following way: the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. at the signal to go the last pupil in each aisle stands up and recites the first line of the poem, returns to his seat and taps the one next in front of him, who stands up and repeats the second line of the poem, sits down and taps off the third pupil, who repeats the third line, and so the game continues. if the poem has not been completed after the one in the front seat has said his line, he taps the one next behind him, and that one is supposed to give the next line and so on back. the aisle first completing a poem wins the race. if the poem be a very small one, words of the poem instead of lines may be used. if it be a long one, verses instead of lines may be used. last man this is a good active game thoroughly enjoyed by the children. the teacher selects one pupil to be "it," and another to be chased. the one chased can stand at the rear of any aisle and say, "last man." thereupon the front pupil in that aisle is subject to being tagged by "it" and leaves his seat. all the other pupils in that aisle advance one seat and the first man chased sits down in the last seat in the aisle. "it" tries to tag the man who left the front seat before he can go to the rear of any of the aisles. should he succeed in doing so, he can immediately be tagged back if he does not hurry to the rear of some aisle and say "last man." (caution: should any child appear fatigued when "it," substitute another child in his place). change seats this is a good relaxation game. the teacher says, "change seats left." thereupon all the pupils shift to the seats to their left. the children who are in the last aisle on the left must run around the room and occupy the vacant seats on the right hand side. should the teacher say, "change seats right," the reverse of the proceeding is necessary. the teacher can also say, "change seats front," or "change seats rear," and the pupils are expected to obey the commands. those left without seats must run to the other end of the room and take any seat found vacant there. relay run around the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. the pupil in the last seat in each row, upon the signal to go, steps out in the right hand aisle, runs forward around the front of his row of seats, back on the left hand side, circling the rear seat, and sits down, touching off the next pupil in front of him, who repeats the performance. the aisle first accomplishing the run, wins. chapter iii schoolroom games for advanced and high school pupils geography the group is divided into two equal teams. a leader is chosen for each. the leader of team a begins the game by giving the name of a country beginning with the letter "a" (austria). the leader of team b gives another country beginning with "a". the second member of team a, another; the second member of team b, another; until one of the teams cannot think of any more countries beginning with "a". that team last thinking of a country wins one point. the other members of the team can help their team mate, whose turn it is, by suggesting other countries. the member of the team failing to name a country beginning with "a", starts with the letter "b" and the game continues, until one team has won ten points. the names of rivers, mountains, states, cities, etc., can be substituted for the names of countries. seeing and remembering fifteen or twenty articles are placed upon a table under a sheet, in front of the pupils. the sheet is removed for a space of 10 seconds and the pupils are given a good chance to study the articles on the table. after the sheet has again covered the articles, each pupil is requested to write as many of the articles as can be remembered, on a sheet of paper. the one remembering the largest number wins. definitions the teacher selects some word from the dictionary, which is written upon the blackboard. each pupil then writes the definition of that word on a slip of paper. after this is done, the teacher compares the definition with that in the dictionary. the one giving the definition nearest like that in the dictionary wins, and gives the next word to be defined. jumbled words the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. each pupil in the aisle is given a number. the one in each front seat is number 1, the one behind him number 2, and so on back. the teacher has prepared a different sentence for each aisle with just as many words in it as there are pupils in the aisle. one of these slips is handed to number 1 of each team. number 1 takes the first word of the sentence as his word, number 2 the second, number 3 the third, and so on. when the last one in the aisle has learned the last word in the sentence, the slips are returned to the teacher. competition can be added to this phase of the game by seeing which aisle can return the slip to the teacher first. when the slips have all been turned in, the teacher calls any number. thereupon the pupils in each aisle having that number, go to the blackboard and write distinctly their word from the sentence. for example, the teacher calls number 3. number 3 of aisle 1 had the word "money"; number 3 of aisle 2 "can," etc. next the teacher calls number 5. all the number 5's go to the blackboard and write their words directly after those written by their previous team mate. when all the numbers have been called there is a jumbled sentence on the board for each aisle. the pupils of the various aisles then try to guess what the sentences of the other aisles are. each one guessed, counts 5 points. descriptive adjectives an historical personage is selected, such as columbus, george washington, etc. the first pupil called upon must describe the subject with a descriptive adjective beginning with "a". the second, third, and fourth, etc., adding to this description by using adjectives beginning with the letter "a". this continues until the adjectives beginning with the letter "a" have been exhausted. then the letter "b" is used and the game continues. it is well to change the subject after every fourth or fifth letter. this is a good game for adding to the vocabulary of the pupil. a little fun can be had by using, instead of an historical subject, one of the pupils of the room for description. store the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. the one in the front seat in each aisle is number 1, the one behind him, number 2, etc. the teacher has a number of cards upon each of which appears a letter of the alphabet. the teacher holds up one of these letters so that it can be distinctly seen by the pupils. number 1 of each aisle must name some article sold in a grocery store, beginning with the letter held up by the teacher. (for example,--the teacher holds up the letter "f"; number 1 of the second aisle calls, "flour"). the pupil first naming an article of that letter is given the card containing the letter. the next card held up, the number 2's of each team are to name the article, and likewise the winner to be awarded the card. the aisle having the most cards at the end of the game wins. the letters can be written on the blackboard if the cards are not available for the game and points awarded to each winner. the game can also be used with birds, animals, and other subjects in place of articles sold in a store. this is a good game to stimulate quick thinking. distinguishing sounds this game is good training for the ear. various noises, such as the shaking of a pebble in a tin can, in a wooden box, in a pasteboard box, in a large envelope; knocking on wood, on tin, on coin (as silver dollar), on stone, on brass, on lead,--are made. the pupils are allowed to guess just what the noise is caused by. laugh this is a good relaxing game and one in which the practice of self control is a factor. an open handkerchief is tossed into the air. while it is in the air the pupils are to laugh as heartily as they can, but the instant the handkerchief touches the floor, all laughing is to stop. guessing dimensions the ability to measure with the eye is well worth cultivating. each pupil is to guess the distance between various points indicated on the blackboard, the height of a door, the width and the height of a school desk, the height of the schoolroom, the thickness of a book, etc. each of the guesses is written on a slip of paper. the pupil with the best guesses wins. mysterious articles an article is concealed under a cloth on the table. each pupil is given an opportunity to feel the article through the cloth and guess what it is, educating the sense of touch. distinguishing by smell various articles invisible to the eye, with distinctive odors, such as vinegar, rose, mustard, vanilla, ginger, clove, tea, coffee, chocolate, soap, etc., are placed before the pupil. the one able to distinguish the largest number of articles by the smell, wins the game. art gallery pictures of a number of famous paintings by the masters are placed on exhibition. the pupil guessing the largest number of masters and titles, of the various pictures, wins. drawing animals the teacher whispers in the ear of each pupil the name of some animal, whereupon the pupil proceeds to draw that animal, each pupil being given the name of a different animal. drawings are made and put on exhibition. all try to guess as many as possible of the animals represented in the drawings. the drawing securing the largest number of correct guesses wins for the artist. historical pictures a long sheet of paper is given to each pupil, with instructions to draw thereupon a picture representing some historical event. after completing the drawing, each paper is passed about the room. each pupil writes underneath the picture what he thinks the picture represents. his subject is folded under, so that the next pupil to receive the picture cannot see what his guess has been. at the end of the game, the picture having the largest number of correct guesses wins. train of thoughts a word is suggested by the teacher. this is written at the top of a sheet of paper by each pupil. the pupil then writes beneath that word various thoughts that are suggested to him by the word. for instance, the word suggested by the teacher is "aeroplane". pupil a has suggested to him by the word "aeroplane", humming. he writes that on his list. humming suggests bees. bees suggest honey; honey, clover, clover summer, summer swimming hole, etc. when all of the pupils have written fifteen or twenty thoughts which have suggested themselves to them, each is called upon to read his train of thoughts to the rest of the class. bowknot relay the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. a piece of string is given to each pupil in the front seat. at a signal to start each pupil with the string runs forward and ties it in a bowknot on some article placed in front of each aisle. after tying the bow, he returns to his seat and touches the one in the seat next behind him. thereupon the second member of the team runs, unties the bowknot, returns with the string; and hands it to the third, who runs forward, and ties it in a bowknot, as did the first, and returning touches off the fourth, etc. the aisle in which each pupil has accomplished the required task first, wins the race. cooking race this is a good game for the class in domestic science. the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. a piece of chalk is handed to the one in each front seat. at the signal to go, the chalk is passed back until it reaches the one in the last seat in the row. every one in the aisle must have handled the chalk in passing it back. upon receiving it, the last one in the row runs forward to the board and writes thereupon an ingredient necessary in the making of cake. returning, the chalk is handed to the one in the front seat and again passed back until it gets to the one in the next to the last seat, who rushes to the board and writes another ingredient necessary in cake making. and so the race continues. when the last pupil at the board, namely the one from the front seat, has written upon the board and returned to her seat, the race is ended. the race is won by the aisle first completing this task. spelling game the group, if numbering 40 or more pupils, is divided into two teams. the contestants of each team are given a different letter of the alphabet. the teacher gives a word. thereupon the pupils in both teams whose letter occurs in the word named, run one to the front and one to the rear of the room, as assigned by the teacher, and take their places in the order in which their letter occurs in the word. when the pupils have taken their proper position, they call out the letters they represent, spelling the word. the group first accomplishing this, wins one point for their team. if the letter occurs twice in the same word, that pupil representing that letter takes his place where the letter first occurs in the word and shifts to the second position, so as to help complete the word. if the group be too small for two alphabets the game can be played by having but one and seeing which of the various words given is formed in the quickest time by the single group. grammar race the pupils of each aisle constitute a team. a piece of chalk is given to the one in each front seat. at the signal to go, the one with the chalk rushes to the board and writes the first word of a sentence on the board and returns to his seat, passing the chalk on to the second one, who writes the second word for a sentence. the third writes the third, and so on until a complete sentence has been written upon the board. the one in the last seat must complete the sentence and return to his seat, ending the race. twenty-five points is awarded the team finishing first; twenty-five points to each team with correct spelling; twenty-five points for the team with the best writing; twenty-five points for the best composition of the sentence. schoolroom tag a three foot circle is made with a piece of chalk in the front of the room. each pupil in the room is given a different number. the teacher selects one to be "it," who must stand at least ten feet from the circle and be touching a side wall. "it" calls a number. the pupil whose number is called tries to run through the circle in the front of the room and get back to his seat without being tagged by "it". the one who is "it" must run through the circle before he can tag the one whose number he called. if the pupil is tagged he becomes "it". directions an attention game. taking for granted that the pupils have a general knowledge of the directions of various towns or cities in their state or the surrounding states, the following game can be played. all are requested to stand in the aisle beside their seats. the teacher then proceeds to make statements or tell some story, mentioning the names of various cities and towns. at the mention of these the pupils face in the direction in which said cities or towns are located. failing to turn correctly when a city is mentioned the pupil is required to take his seat. chapter iv schoolyard games for primary pupils chase the rabbit the group kneels in a circle with their hands on each other's shoulders. the one selected to be rabbit runs around the circle and tags some individual. thereupon that individual must get upon his feet and run to the left around the circle. the rabbit runs to the right around the circle. the rabbit must tag the one who is running around in the opposite direction, and then both endeavor to get back to the hole left in the circle. the one failing to do this becomes the rabbit for the next play. steps one of the group is selected to be "it". he stands with his back to the group and counts five, at the end of which he turns rapidly around. if he sees any of the group moving, that one seen must go back to the starting line. while the one "it" is counting, it is the object of the group to progress toward him as rapidly as possible. statues this game is similar to the game "steps," above described, excepting that the players standing behind "it" assume the poses of statues. "it" upon turning around endeavors to detect some movement on the part of the statues, in which case that player takes the place of "it". progression the players stand behind a line. each in turn must cover the space between said line and another line twenty yards distant by a manner of progress different from that used by any of the previous players. for example, the first one called upon to cover the intervening space between the lines walks, the second one runs, the third hops, the fourth crawls, the fifth walks backward, etc., and so on until all of the players have reached the far line. this game taxes the ingenuity of the last players to be called upon, as they have to initiate new methods of progress. squirrel in trees players stand in groups of three--two facing one another with hands joined to form hollow trees, and the third within the tree hollow to represent the squirrel. there is also one odd squirrel outside the tree. the teacher or leader claps her hands, when all squirrels must run for other trees, and the odd squirrel tries to secure a tree, the one left out being the odd squirrel the next time. players' positions may be reversed frequently to give all an equal chance to be squirrels. shadow tag this game is similar to ordinary tag, with the exception that "it" endeavors to touch or step on the shadow of one of the players. succeeding in doing this, that player becomes "it". handkerchief tag a player is selected to be "it". a knotted handkerchief is given to the rest of the players. "it" can only tag the player holding the handkerchief in his hands. the players endeavor to get rid of the handkerchief by throwing it from one to another. should the handkerchief fall upon the ground, there is no one for "it" to tag until it has been picked up by one of the players. puss in corner the players are distributed about the playing area, and given goals, such as trees, fence and building corners, etc. one player is selected to be "it". the other players endeavor to change places. "it" can either tag one of the players who is off his corner, on goal, or step into the goal vacated by one of the players. in the first case, the player tagged becomes "it"; in the second, the player left without a goal becomes "it". back to back this is a tag game in which "it" may tag anyone who is not back to back with one other player. peggy in ring a blindfolded player takes his place in the center of the group which has joined hands, forming a ring. the ring begins to dance around in a circle until "peggy", who is blindfolded in the centre, pounds three times with a stick upon the ground or floor. this is the signal for everyone to stand still. "peggy" then holds out the stick to some one in the circle. the one nearest to it must grasp the end. "peggy" then asks the one at the other end three questions. the questions may be answered by grunts or groans and "peggy" endeavors to guess who is thus answering the questions. succeeding, the one questioned takes "peggy's" place in the center of the circle and the game proceeds. chapter v schoolyard games for intermediate pupils link race the group is divided into two teams, and a leader appointed for each. a large square is marked upon the ground and the opposing teams line up upon opposite sides of the square behind their leader, each locking his arms about the waist of the man in front of him. at a signal to go both groups endeavor to tag the rear end of the group in front of them by running about the square, keeping on the lines. should a group succeed in tagging the rear of the line in front, but it is found that their own line is broken through the effort, it does not count. but the broken line can be tagged by the rear of the line and it will count. so it is up to that part of the line which has broken loose at the rear to catch up with the rest of its team. maze tag all but two of the players stand in parallel lines or ranks, one behind the other, with ample space between each player and each two ranks. all the players in each rank clasp hands in a long line. this will leave aisles between the ranks and through these a runner and chaser make their way. the sport of the game consists in sudden changes in the direction of the aisles, brought about by one player who is chosen as leader. he stands aside, giving the commands, "right face!" or "left face!" at his discretion. when one of these commands is heard, all of the players standing in the ranks drop hands, face in the direction indicated and quickly clasp hands with the players who are then their neighbors on the right and left. this brings about a change of direction in the aisles and therefore necessitates a change of direction in the course of the two who are running. [illustration: _maze tag_] the success of the game depends largely upon the judgment of the leader in giving the commands, "right (or left) face!" these should be given quickly and repeatedly, the leader often choosing a moment when the pursuer seems just about to touch his victim, when the sudden obstruction put in his way by the change in the position of the ranks makes necessary a sudden change of direction on his part. the play continues until the chaser catches his victim, or until the time limit has expired. in either case two new players are then chosen from the ranks to take the places of the first runners. it is a foul to break through the ranks or to tag across the clasped hands. turtle tag one player is selected to be "it" and chases the rest. in order to avoid being tagged, a player may lie upon his back with both feet and hands off the ground. roly poly this game must be played in groups, not larger than 12. holes are dug in the ground with the heels of the shoe. these holes are placed about 6 inches apart in a line. they should be about 3 inches in diameter and at least one inch deep. a line is drawn 6 feet from the first hole. the one who is "it" must stand behind this line and roll a soft ball so that it will drop into one of the holes. if he misses, he continues to roll until he succeeds. if he succeeds, the one, into whose hole the ball rolls, runs forward, picks it up and endeavors to hit any other player from the position in which he picked up the ball. the rest may run in their effort to get away. should he miss, a goose egg--(a small stone)--is placed in his hole. should he succeed in hitting a player, a goose egg is placed in the hole of that player. the one to whom is awarded the goose egg is the next to roll the ball from the dead line in the endeavor to get it into a hole. any player getting three goose eggs has to run the gauntlet, which is the name given to running between two lines of players while they slap at his back. the faster he runs the lighter the slaps. no player is allowed to hit from the front. antony over a group is divided into two teams, a and b. the game is played around a small building, such as a small school house or wood shed, around which there is free running space. to team a is given a soft ball, such as a tennis or yarn ball. the ball is thrown over the building to team b. if it is caught by one of the players of team b, the whole team slips around the building, all going in the same direction, and trying to hit with the ball some one on team a before they can get around to the opposite side of the building. team a tries to escape being hit by dodging and running around the building to the opposite side. if a player is hit, he goes to b side. the teams keep their new places and b throws the ball over to a. if the ball is not caught, it is thrown back and forth over the building until caught. the team which first hits all of its opponents wins, or a time limit may be agreed upon and the team having the greatest number of players at the end of that time, wins. snake and bird two lines are drawn in the schoolyard about fifty feet apart. the group is divided into two teams. the one team links hands and takes a position between the two lines, and the leader calls, "birds run". the other team, which is lined up behind one of the lines, endeavors to run across the space between the two lines without being caught by the snake, which endeavors to circle around as many of the second team as it can. a record is kept of the number of boys caught. then the other team becomes snake and endeavors to coil around as many of the opponents, when they attempt to cross the space between the lines, as possible. in and out the group grasp hands, forming a circle. two individuals are selected, one to be "it", and the other to be chased. these two are placed on opposite sides of the circle. then "it" endeavors to tag the other. the one chased may go in and out under the hands of those forming the circle, cut through or run around the circle and "it" has to follow the same course in the pursuit. when "it" succeeds in tagging his partner, two other players take their places. fox and rabbit the group link hands and form a circle. two players are selected, one to be "it" and the other to be chased, as in the preceding game. in this game, however, it is not necessary that the fox follow the same course the rabbit pursues, in his endeavor to tag him, but both can go in and out of the circle at will. the players in the circle endeavor to assist the rabbit and impede the fox in his chase, as much as possible. when the fox has caught the rabbit, two other players are selected to take their places. chicken market one player is selected to be a buyer, another to be the market man. the rest of the players are to be chickens. they stoop down in a row, clasping their hands under their knees. the buyer inquires of the market man, "have you chickens for sale?" the market man says, "yes, plenty of them". thereupon the buyer goes along the line and examines the chickens. he finds one too tough, one too fat, etc., until at last he comes to one which suits his fancy, and he so informs the market man. he takes one arm and the market man takes the other and between them they swing the chicken back and forth. if the chicken maintains the grasp of its hands beneath its knees, it is accepted by the buyer and is led off to the home of the buyer, marked upon the ground. the game continues until all the chickens are sold. chickidy hand the player who is selected to be "it" interlocks the fingers of his hands and holds them against a post, which is known as the goal. the other players fold their hands in the same way and place them against the post. to start the game, "it" counts ten, whereupon the players leave the goal and "it" endeavors to tag one of them. the hands must be kept folded until tagged. the one tagged joins hands with "it" and continues with him in an effort to tag others. the players endeavor to keep from being tagged by the line and try to break through the line. succeeding in this, the individual towards the head of the line, next to the break, drops out of the game. those in the line cannot tag a player who has rushed in and succeeded in breaking the line until the line reforms. pass ball the group form a circle and are counted off in 2's. the number 1's are given a ball or some other object easily tossed, at one side of the circle and the number 2's a like object on the other side of the circle. then 1 competes against 2 in an endeavor, by passing the object around the circle, to have it overtake that passed by the other team. when the object passed by one team has overtaken and passed that of the other, it counts one point and the game starts over, with the objects on opposite sides of the circle. poison the group forms a circle, linking hands. in the center of the circle is placed on end a short log about a foot long. (a tall bottle may be used in place of the log). by it is lying a soft playground baseball or a yarn ball. the circle begins to rotate around the log, the object being to keep from knocking the club over, on the one hand, but to force some one else in the circle to knock it over. the instant it falls, the circle dissolves and all the players except the one who knocks over the club run, while he picks up the ball and throws it at the running players. if he succeeds in hitting some one, the one hit is out of the game. if he fails, he is out. so the game continues until but two players are left. fox trail [illustration] a large circle is drawn upon the ground. this should measure from 30 to 40 feet in radius. another circle is drawn within this first circle and should have a radius 10 feet less than the first. eight or 10 spokes are drawn from the center to the circumference. where these spokes intercept the outer circle a small circle is drawn. these small circles are known as "dens". a player is placed in each one of these dens. another player is known as the hunter and stands at the hub of the wheel. the players in the dens are known as foxes. there is to be one more fox than den. this odd fox can stand anywhere else on the rim, where he tries to get a den whenever he can. the object of the game is that the foxes run from den to den without being caught by the hunter. the method of running, however, is restricted. both foxes and hunter are obliged to keep to the trails running only on the lines of the diagram. it is considered poor play to run from den to den on the outer rim, as there is practically no risk in this. foxes may run in any direction on the trail, on the spokes or on either of the rims. they may not turn back, however, when they have started on a given trail, until they have run across to the intersection of another line. if the hunter succeeds in tagging a fox, the two exchange places, the fox becoming the hunter. this is a good game to play in the snow marking the trails in the snow. weavers race a group forms a circle which is counted off by 2's. the number 1's in the circle constitute team a, and the number 2's team b. two captains stand side by side in the circle. each holds a small stick. at a signal to go both start racing in opposite directions around the circle, going to the rear of the first player, to the front of the second, to the rear of the third, etc., weaving their way in and out. when they meet at the further side of the circle they must join hands and spin around once in the circle before continuing to weave their way back and forth from the point in the circle from which they left. thereupon number 1 of a team tags the next player on his team in the direction in which he ran. number 1 of b team tags the next one on his team who starts in the direction in which the first ran. the race continues until everyone in the team has completed his run around the circle in the required way. circle chase the group forms a circle and counts off by 4's. the leader takes his place in the center of the circle. he calls any number from 1 to 4, and all of the men holding that number step back and run around the outside of the circle to the right, endeavoring to tag the man who is running just ahead of him. the leader blows a whistle, which is the signal for the men to return to their original places in the circle, with the exception of those who have been tagged out. the latter are supposed to take a position within the circle. the leader next calls another number and they proceed as did the first. as the game continues, the circle grows smaller. the individual wins who succeeds in tagging out all those of his number. reuben and rachel the group forms a circle, joining hands. one of the players is blindfolded and placed in the center of the circle. all the rest in the ring dance around him until he points at some one. that one enters the circle and the blind man calls out, "rachel". the other must answer, "here, reuben", and move about in the circle so as to escape being tagged by reuben. every time reuben calls out, "rachel", she must reply, "here, reuben", and so it goes on until she is caught. reuben must guess who she is and if he guesses correctly rachel is blindfolded and the game goes on as before. if not, the same individual continues as reuben and he points out a new rachel to come into the circle. channel tag the group forms a circle, faces to the right and assumes a stride position. the one selected to be "it" takes his place in the center of the circle. the others pass a ball or bean bag either backward or forward between their legs. the one in the center tries to capture the ball or bag. if he succeeds, the one last touching it must take his place in the center of the circle. every one must touch the ball or bag when it passes by them, either forward or backward. soak 'em a sock stuffed with straw is used in this game. a circle is drawn upon the ground. the group is divided into two teams. one team takes its place in the center of the circle, the other lines up around the circumference. those on the outside of the ring endeavor, without stepping over the line, to throw and hit those within. succeeding, the one hit must lie upon the ground within the ring. the others endeavor to avoid being hit by dodging here and there. when all of the first team in the ring have been hit, they take their position outside of the ring and throw at their opponents. the team succeeding in hitting all of the opponents in the _quickest_ time, wins. the dummy one of the group, known as the "dummy", must take a position 30 feet in front of a line and stands with his back to the rest of the group. a soft ball is thrown at him and he endeavors to guess who hit him. if he succeeds, that one must take his place. oriental tag similar to ordinary tag, except that the one "it" cannot tag any one who has his forehead to the ground. ball tag the one who is "it" is armed with a soft ball. he attempts to tag another by means of hitting him with the ball. the one who is hit becomes "it". couple tag similar to ordinary tag, except that the group is arranged in couples. couples must lock arms. the couple which is "it" endeavors to tag some other couple. if either of the men making up the "it" couple succeeds in tagging either man of another couple, that group is "it". chapter vi schoolyard games for advanced and high school pupils dresden tag the group forms a circle with at least three feet space between each individual in the circle. one individual is selected to be "it", another to be chased. those in the circle are to place their hands upon their knees and assume a stooping position, as for leap frog. "it" endeavors to tag the individual he is to chase before said individual can leap over the back of any one forming the circle. should he leap over the back of some one, the one over whose back he jumped is then subject to being tagged by "it". should "it" tag the one chased, then "it" must leap over some one's back to escape from being tagged. after leaping over a back, the individual who made the leap takes the position of the one who left that place in the circle. fox and geese one player is chosen to be fox, another to be gander. the remaining players all stand in single file behind the gander, each with his hands upon the shoulders of the one next in front. the gander tries to protect his flock of geese from being caught by the fox and to do this stretches out his arms and dodges around in any way he sees fit to circumvent the efforts of the fox. only the last goose in the line may be tagged, unless the line be very long, then the last five or ten players may be tagged, as decided beforehand. it will be seen that the geese all may co-operate with the gander by doubling and redoubling their line to prevent the fox from tagging the last goose. should the fox tag the last goose or one of the last five or ten, if that be permissible, that goose becomes fox and the fox becomes gander. plug the hole the players form in a circle with their legs in a stride position, their toes touching those of the next player. the one who is "it" takes his place in the centre of the circle. a partner to "it" takes his place on the outside of the circle. "it" is given a salt bag stuffed with saw dust or an old basketball cover stuffed with rags or some similar object. "it" endeavors to throw the stuffed bag between the legs of any of the players making up the circle. the players in the circle must keep their hands upon their knees until they see the bag coming towards them. they can then intercept it with their hands but are not allowed to move their feet. should "it" succeed in throwing the bag between the legs of any player, his partner on the outside may capture it and endeavor to throw it back into the circle by the same method by which it came out, while the one between whose legs the bag was thrown takes "it's" place. should "it's" partner on the outside succeed in throwing the ball into the circle between the legs of any player, that player takes the partner's place on the outside. partner swat tag form a circle in pairs, partners linking arms together. two stuffed clubs (made by stuffing stockings with waste or rags), are placed in the hands of one of the couples selected to be "it". this couple runs about the circle and hands the clubs to another set of partners in the circle. thereupon the others, receiving the clubs, chase the couple at their right around the circle, beating them with the clubs until they have reached their original place in the circle. the couple holding the clubs then go around the circle and hand the clubs to another couple, who proceed to chase the others at their right and so the game continues. freight train tag the boys are divided into groups of three's. each three line up, one behind the other, with their arms locked around the waist of the man in front. the first man in the group is the engine, and the last man the caboose. one man is selected to be "it", another to be chased. in order to avoid being tagged by "it", the man chased endeavors to hitch on the rear of a freight train by locking his arms around the caboose. thereupon the engine, or the man at the front of the train, is subject to being tagged by "it" until he can hitch on to some other train. those individuals making up a train endeavor to keep any one from hitching on to their caboose. "it", having tagged another, is subject to being tagged back immediately, provided he has not hitched on the rear of some train. roll ball the players form in a circle, grasping the hands of their neighbors. the one selected to be "it" takes his place in the center and is given a basketball or a stuffed sack, which he endeavors to kick outside of the ring. the players in the circle endeavor to prevent same by interfering with their legs. should "it" succeed in kicking the ball outside the circle, the player between whose legs it went or to whose right it went, must take "it's" place. take away the group is divided into two teams. one team is given a ball or some other object which can be easily caught. the object of the game is to keep the ball away from the opponents as long as possible. should the opponents capture the ball, they in turn endeavor to pass it among themselves, keeping it away from the other team. red, white and blue two lines are marked upon the ground, about fifteen feet apart. the group is divided into three equal teams; one team is known as the red, the other the blue, and the third the white. the blue team takes its position between the two lines, with the red team beyond one line and the white beyond the other. a ball or some other soft object easily thrown is given to the red team. any member of that team may try to hit a member of the blue team, with the ball, without stepping over the line. should he succeed, it counts one point for the red. should he miss and the ball go across to where the white team is stationed, any member of the white team endeavors to hit one of the blue and scores a point if successful. should the ball fail to return to either the red or the white team, a member of either of those teams may run into the blue territory to recover it, but must return or toss the ball back to his team beyond the line before it is again in play. the playing time of the game is divided into thirds. the reds change places with the blues in the second third, and the whites with the reds in the last third. only the team between the lines is subject to being thrown at. the team having the most hits to its record at the end of the game, wins. pin ball this game is played with the same rules as basketball, except that in place of the baskets a 6 foot circle is drawn in the center of each end of the playing space, and in the center of each circle a short flat end log about 14 inches long and 3 inches in diameter stands upon its end. seven players constitute a team. a pin guard is placed within each circle, with the pin and he is the only one that is allowed to step inside the circle. the object of the game is to knock down the opponent's pin by hitting it with the ball. it is a foul to carry the ball or to hold an opponent. where basketball rules are known to the players, use the same rules for this game. in case of a foul, a 15 foot line measured from the pin in the circle is used as a free throw line. in a free throw the guard is not allowed to interfere with the ball hitting the pin. a stuffed sack can be used in place of a ball in this game. kick ball an inflated ball about the size of a basketball is best for this game, but a bean bag can be used. the group is divided into two teams. one team is at the bat and the other in the field, arranged as in regular baseball with the exception that there is a short stop on both sides of the pitcher. the home base is marked upon the ground in form of a rectangle 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. the ball is tossed with an underhand toss, so that it passes over the base not higher than the level of the knee of the batter. three strikes and four balls are allowed, as in baseball. three men out retire a side. the principal difference is that the batter kicks the ball and may be put out by being hit with the ball when running between bases. hand baseball this game is like regular baseball, with the exception that a tennis ball or soft rubber ball is used for a ball and the hand is used for a bat. the pitcher throws the ball so that it bounds just in front of the batter. if on the bound it passes over the home plate above the knees and below the shoulders of the batter, it constitutes a strike. the home plate is marked upon the ground and is 2 feet square. the batter hits the ball with the open palm of his hand and runs bases, as in regular baseball. four balls and 3 strikes count as in regular games. last couple out this is an old swedish game and one which can still be played and thoroughly enjoyed. the players are arranged in double file. one player is selected to be "it" and takes a position about 10 feet in front of the file, with his back to it. he calls, "last couple out". thereupon the last two in the double file run forward, one on either side of the line and endeavor to join hands in front of "it", without being tagged. "it" cannot look behind or start to chase until the last couple are on a line with him. the couple are allowed to circle as far out from the double line as they wish in their endeavor to avoid "it", and may join hands in any position, so long as they are in front of "it's" original position. should "it" tag one of them before they have had an opportunity of joining hands, the one tagged becomes "it", and the one who was "it" unites with the extra player at the head of the double column. otherwise "it" remains "it". spanish fly this is an old leap frog game. one player is chosen to be "down". the others follow the leader in taking frog leaps over the back of the one downed. at the first leap the leader says, "spanish fly". all the others must repeat those words upon taking their leap. at his second leap, the leader says, "handlings", and squeezes his fingers into the back of "down". the others must do as he did. the leader next says, "knucklings" and doubles his knuckles up on the back of "down" in leaping over. the next command is "spurrings", and the leader hits "down" with the heel of his right foot in making the leap. the next command is "dump the apple cart", and the leader grasps the clothes of the boy in going over and endeavors to pull him forward. the next is "hats on deck", and the leader places his hat on the back of the boy as he passes over him. the next boy after the leader places his hat upon that of the leader and so on until all of the boys have their hats on the back. the next command is "hats off deck", and the last boy to place his hat upon the back is the first to leap over, endeavoring to pick his hat off without knocking any of the others off. should any of those following the leader fail in accomplishing the trick they are supposed to do, they become "down" and the boy who was downed becomes the leader. tony says this is a good game to follow formal gymnastic exercises, maintaining the same formation. the players are lined up in open order upon the playing space. the leader asks for a number of exercises for the arms and legs. the players execute these upon command provided the words "tony says" precede the command. for example, tony says "attention"; tony says "raise arms to side horizontal"; tony says "arms down." if the leader fails to say "tony says" before the command, the players are not to execute the command. should a player execute the command at the time when he is not supposed to, he is required to run to a given point behind the leader and return to his original place. this is required of every player making a mistake. part ii sociable games for the home, church, club, etc. chapter i games for the home these games have been selected for the use of small family groups. in many of them parents and children will find an opportunity for entertainment during the long winter evenings in the home. twenty questions this is a quiet, entertaining and instructive game. one member of the family is given the privilege of thinking of some specific object anywhere in the universe. the others endeavor to guess what that object is and are only allowed to ask twenty questions in doing so. the one who thinks of the object to be guessed, only answers the questions asked by yes or no. it is exceptional when the object is not guessed, no matter how difficult it may be, before the twenty questions have been asked. example,--the king of belgium is selected by the player. the first question asked by another player is, "is it in the animal kingdom?" this question is answered by "yes". second question: "is it in a menagerie?" answer: "no." third question: "is it a man?" answer: "yes." fourth question: "is it an historical character?" answer: "yes." fifth question: "is he an american?" answer: "no." and so the questions and answers continue. any one has the privilege of asking a question at any time. the one who is thinking of the subject keeps a record of the number of questions asked. if any one has guessed within twenty questions, he has the opportunity of thinking of the new object to be guessed. you know me one of the group is given the privilege of starting the game by assuming he is some well known character, and makes the statement, "i am the man who invented the lightning rod". the others of the group endeavor to guess who he is. the one first guessing benjamin franklin is given the opportunity of continuing the game by assuming he is some other prominent character. come-she-come one member of the group is given the opportunity to select some object in plain sight in the room, to be guessed by the others. that individual says, "come she come". another individual says, "what does she come by?" the first individual answers, "by the letter----", and gives the first letter of the name of the object he has selected to be guessed. the others thereupon endeavor to guess what that object is. the one succeeding determines the next object to be guessed. hide the thimble all of the group leave the room, except one, who hides somewhere about the room a thimble. the others are then called back and endeavor to find it. if the thimble is hidden in a very difficult place, the one who hid it can inform the searchers if they are "warm" or "cold"; "warm" indicating that they are near, "cold" that they are not seeking in the right place. tit tat too a diagram similar to the illustration (fig. 1) is drawn on a sheet of paper. two players only can participate. the first player marks a cross in any of the spaces between the lines; the next player makes a circle in any other space. the object of the game is to have one of the players succeed in placing three of his marks in a straight line, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, upon the diagram. if neither succeeds, a new diagram is drawn and the game continues. the player making the crosses has won the game in (fig. 2) as he has three crosses in a line. [illustration: | | x | o | ---+---+-- ---+---+-- | | | x | o ---+---+-- ---+---+-- | | | | x fig. 1. fig. 2. ] last match three piles of matches are placed upon the table. each pile can contain anywhere from ten to twenty matches. the object of the game is to make your opponent pick up the last match, two players playing. playing proceeds by each player taking up from any one pile as many matches as he wishes. he may take all in the pile if he so desires. each takes matches in turn, endeavoring to make it so that the opponent has to take the last match left on the board. your house, my house a piece of string about three feet long is tied to the end of a slender stick of about the same length. a slip knot is tied in the end of the string. a loop about two inches in diameter is made with the slip knot on the top of the table. all of the players excepting the one holding the stick then place the point of their index fingers on the table within the loop. the one holding the stick, as a fish pole says, "your house" or "my house". if he says "my house", he jerks the stick endeavoring to capture the forefinger of any of the players. he does not jerk the stick when he says "your house". he endeavors to fool the others by saying abruptly, "your house", several times before saying "my house" and pulling the string. the player avoiding being caught next takes the stick. catechism of states q.--which is the best state for fresh pork? a.--new ham, sure. q.--which is the best for an early summer hotel? a.--may inn. q.--in which should surgeons dwell? a.--connect-a-cut. q.--in which should laundrymen prosper? a.--washing done. q.--in which do impudent people dwell? a.--can sass. q.--which is the best for deer-hunting? a.--collar a doe. q.--which is the best for locksmiths? a.--new brass key. q.--in which would you look for a morning attire? a.--day coat, eh! q.--in which is one likely to fail in getting a drink? a.--miss-a-sip. q.--in which can you find a red letter? a.--florid a. q.--in which does the hustle make one sick? a.--ill o' noise. q.--in which is one likely to use his farming implements? a.--i'd a hoe. q.--in which can one acquire an estate by marriage? a.--mary land. q.--in which is one letter of the alphabet taller than the others? a.--o higher. q.--in which are bodies of land surrounded by water given a ride? a.--rhode island. q.--which is called to your mind by holding two $5 bills? a.--tenn i see. q.--which would a woman rather have if she can't get a new sealskin sack? a.--new jersey. q.--which does the farmer's wife mention when she asks you to partake of apple sauce? a.--take sass.--_capper's weekly (topeka)._ step by step a bean bag or soft ball is needed for this game. all of the group excepting one who is selected to be leader sit on the bottom step of the stairs. the leader tosses the ball to the one at the right end of the line and receives it back. he tosses it to the second and third. should any of the players miss catching the ball, all the other players move up one step, except the one missing; he remains on the first step. the leader then continues passing until all have been served; he then starts again at right of line. he passes the ball last to the one on the lower steps. should any of the players on any step miss the ball, all the other players advance one step. the ones who advance from the lower step take a position at the right of the one who missed the ball on the step above. should the leader miss the ball at any time, the one at the right on the highest step takes his place. the game continues until the top of the stairs is reached by one or more players. if more than one player reaches the top step then the progress continues down the stairs, a step for each miss by any of the players. when one player holds the most advanced step alone, the game starts over with that player as leader. spin the platter all of the players in the room are given a number. a tin plate is spun in the centre of the room by one of the players who calls some number. the one whose number is called endeavors to catch the plate before it has stopped spinning. if successful, he calls another number after again spinning the platter. should the player fail to catch the platter before it has stopped spinning, a forfeit is demanded. all the players having forfeits are demanded to pay their forfeits by performing some stunt suggested by one of the group selected to determine the penalty. board and nail puzzle [illustration: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ] a rectangular board 2 inches broad and 3 inches long has holes bored into it in the design herewith illustrated. nails are stuck loosely in all of these holes, excepting the centre one. the puzzle is to jump all of the nails off the board so that only one nail is left, and that in the centre-hole on the board. the nails are jumped off in the same manner that men are jumped in the game of checkers. jumping is allowed either forward, backward, or sideward, but not diagonally. spinning for 20 a wooden top is made by sawing off the end of a large spool and sticking a match or small stick through the hole in the centre. four concentric circles are drawn upon a sheet of paper which should be about twelve inches square. inside of the smallest circle, which should have a diameter of 2 inches, the number 20 is placed. the next circle outside of this one, having a diameter 2 inches greater, should be numbered 15, the next circle numbered 10, and the next 5. the players spin the top in turn. should it cease spinning so that the point of the pin lies within the centre circle, a score of 20 is made. should it fall outside of the last circle, no score is made. the player first gaining 100 points wins the game. red triangle ring toss [illustration] a triangle is drawn upon a board and nails are driven in, as indicated in the accompanying diagram. six rubber mason jar rings are used. the triangle is hung on the wall at a height equal to the height of the shoulders of the intended players. the players stand from ten to fifteen feet distant from the triangle and attempt to toss the rings over the projecting nails. each nail is numbered according to the diagram. each player tosses six rings at a turn. any number of players can play. the player first securing a total of 25 points wins the game. floor baseball (_game invented by t.a. coates_) a diagram is marked with chalk on the floor, as per accompanying diagram. round wooden disks six inches in diameter, one inch thick at the centre tapering to a quarter of an inch at the circumference, in the form of a discus, are used. rubber quoits may be used instead of disks, if available. a player "up to bat" slides disks from a line thirty feet away from the baseball diamond until he has four balls, three strikes, or has earned one or more bases. if the disk, upon being slid forward, lies so that any part of it lies over any line, it constitutes one ball for the batter. if it should lie in the space marked "strike", it constitutes a strike and the batter has one ball and one strike. the next slide, the disk lies in the space marked "1". this means that he places his disk on first base and the next player on his side comes to bat. the second player continues sliding the disks until he has made a base or is put out. should he make a base, the player of the first disk is advanced one base. should he make more than one base hit, the player on the base advances as many bases as the batter has made. the side continues at bat until three men are out. thereupon, the other team comes to bat. should the disk land in "sacrifice", base hit, home run, or should the one at bat gain first by four balls, the man or men on base or bases advance. any man or men reaching home constitutes a run for that team. should the disk land three times within the space marked "strike" during the time at bat, the batsman is declared "out". [illustration: floor baseball] two players can play this game as well as nine, each taking as many slides of the disk as is necessary to reach a base or get out. then the other player does the same until the team has three out. blocks or stones can indicate the position of players on bases if only one disk is used in the game. chic-a-dee this is a good game to be played in the loft of a barn. one player is blindfolded and sits on the floor with legs folded under him, chinese fashion. the other players creep up and say "chic-a-dee" as near his ear as possible. he tries to hit said player before he can get beyond his reach, using a salt bag stuffed with leaves, or some type of padded stick. should he succeed, the one he hits is blindfolded and the game continues. captain kidd's gold this is a good game in which all the members of a family may find pleasure. it develops one's power of observation and memory. a small coin is hidden somewhere about the yard or in the woods, wherever the game may be played, by one of the players. all of the other players must be either blindfolded or placed in a position where they cannot see the player who is hiding the coin. the player having hidden the coin returns to the group and describes just how they are to find same. for illustration:--he gives the following description of the course to follow. "walk twenty paces in a direct line towards the apple tree at the far end of the garden. there you will find a small stone upon a larger one. under the small stone you will find an arrow scratched upon the larger one. follow the directions of this arrow fifteen paces. then turn sharply to the left, go ten paces, and underneath a stone will be found captain kidd's gold." the players may ask him to repeat the directions once. after repeating, however, they must follow the direction without further questioning. the one successful in finding the coin next hides the same. this game can be made simple enough for small children to enjoy or difficult enough to prove a problem for adults. chapter ii ice breakers for sociables bird hunt names of different birds are written on small slips of paper and pinned upon the backs of all the guests. a small card and a pencil are given to each guest and they are instructed to go on a bird hunt. they proceed to try to read the names on the backs of twenty other players. the one first succeeding in getting the names of twenty birds wins the game. each player endeavors to avoid having the slip on his own back read as he endeavors to read those on the backs of the others. my month twelve placards with the name of a month of the year on each are posted about the room, and the players are instructed to gather around that placard bearing the name of the month in which they were born. then each group in turn is called upon to select some activity typical for that month and to act it out. the others endeavor to guess the month by the activity represented. poison circle the group marches in couples around the room while a march is being played intermittedly on some instrument. small rugs are placed in the path of the marchers or circles are drawn on the floor, through which the marchers must pass. if any couple is left on a rug or within a circle when the music stops playing, that couple drops out of the march. all march forward again when the music starts and try to avoid being caught on a rug or in a circle. the last couple in wins. shoe hunt advertisements of shoes are cut out and the illustrations of pairs of shoes are halved. these are hidden around the room. the individual finding the largest number of pairs of shoes wins. players are allowed to trade with each other in order to complete their pairs. matching advertisements advertisements are cut from magazines and each advertisement is divided by irregular cuts into two halves. one half is placed in the pile to be distributed among the men; the other half to be distributed among the ladies. these halved advertisements are distributed among the guests and the men seek their partners by finding the other half of the magazine advertisement matching their own. matching proverbs familiar proverbs are divided into groups of three or four words. these are distributed among the guests. there should be at least two words, and preferably more, on each slip. each individual then seeks to find those others holding the words which complete his proverb. example--the proverb, "a stitch in time saves nine", is chosen. on one sheet of paper is put "a stitch"; on another "in time"; and on another "saves nine". when the individuals necessary to make the complete proverb have gathered together, they represent their proverb by pantomime to the others. mixing march the group, arranged in couples, forms a circle with the ladies on the inside facing their partners. when the music starts playing, the partners separate, both going to the right about the circle. this means that the ladies go in one direction and the men in the other. when the music again stops, the men will be opposite new partners and these partners must face each other and converse on some subject suggested by the leader. when the music again starts the conversation ends and both groups again continue their march in opposite directions and so the game continues. it is suggested, if the group be large and not well acquainted, that each time a new partner is faced for conversation, hands are shaken and names and places of residence given. musical medley this game is similar to the game entitled "matching proverbs", except that different lines of songs are distributed among the guests present and each seeks to find the individuals holding the lines necessary to complete his song. when all are located they get together and practice their song in preparation to sing it to the rest of the group or act it in pantomime. puzzled words words are written out on slips of paper and then cut into single letters. each letter going to make up a word is given the same number. for example, in the word "battle", number each letter of "battle" no. 1. all of the number 1's are told to get together, discover what their word is and when their number is called, act it out for the group to guess. trip around the world various articles are distributed around the room, each representative of some country. for illustration, a package of tea, representing china; a shamrock, representing ireland; a maple leaf, representing canada. a slip of paper and a pencil are given to each member of the group, who endeavors to guess what country each article suggests. bean penalty each guest, upon entering the room, is given ten beans and instructed to ask questions of each other. should a question be answered by either yes or no, the individual so answering must surrender a bean to the one asking the question. at the end of the playing period, the individual having the largest number of beans is the winner. chapter iii sociable games for grown-ups biographic cartoons each individual is given a cardboard 12ã�15 inches, an old magazine, containing numerous ads, a pair of scissors, and is instructed to write the biography of his right hand neighbor, using the advertisements cut from the papers to illustrate the same. in writing the biography as few words should be used as possible. the biographical sketch should be placed upon the cardboard. mucilage should be available for the purpose of sticking on the illustrations, and pens and pencils for the necessary writing. some award can be given to the one making the best biography. illustrated songs each member of the group is given a sheet of paper and a pencil and is instructed to draw thereupon a picture or pictures illustrating the title of some song. (illustration: one individual decides to illustrate the title of "home, sweet home". he proceeds to draw the picture of a house, a sugar bowl, and another picture of a house.) when sufficient time has been allowed for all to complete their illustrations, they are numbered and placed on exhibition. each member of the group endeavors to guess as many of the illustrations as he can, placing his guess after the number of the illustration. the illustration which is guessed correctly by the largest number, wins for its artist. smiles the group forms in couples and marches around the room. they are then subdivided into from four to eight smaller groups. these are stationed in various parts of the room and the ladies are lined up facing the men. they try in every conceivable way to make the men smile or laugh. any one who does so must take a place in the ladies' line. after a few minutes of this, every man in the ladies' line must pay a forfeit, and the men must endeavor to cause the ladies to laugh. tea pot one member of the group is selected to be "it" and leaves the room. the others decide upon some object or word which "it" is to guess. "it" is called back into the room and each member of the group is to make a sentence including the name of the object to be guessed, using in the sentence the word "tea pot" as a substitute for the name of the object. illustration--the object determined upon by the group is the piano stool. the first member of the group says, "by turning the 'tea pot' it grows higher". as soon as "it" guesses the correct object the one whose sentence disclosed what the object was, becomes "it". muddled words the group is divided into two teams. each individual is given a slip of paper and takes the name of some animal, bird, or fish, and muddles up the letters so as to make it difficult to recognize the name. illustration--g fold chin, for goldfinch. any member of the opposing team has the opportunity to guess what the name is. the time it takes for the opposing team to guess is recorded. any member of the opposing team who has correctly guessed the muddled word can give a muddled word for the first team to guess. the team which succeeds in guessing the muddled word in the shortest time wins one point. the team having the most points at the end wins the game. who are they? photographs of prominent individuals are numbered and placed on exhibition about the room, with the wrong title beneath them. each member of the group is given a card and pencil. he goes around the room and writes upon his card the proper name of each individual with the number which is on that individual's photograph. the individual making the largest number of correct guesses wins. photos of men like lincoln, lloyd george, robert e. lee, obregon, etc., should be used for this game. who is it? a sheet is hung up in a doorway. the group is divided into two teams. one group goes behind the sheet. a small hole is cut in the sheet. the members of the group behind the sheet take turns in sticking their noses through the hole in the sheet. the group on the inside attempts to guess whose nose protrudes through the sheet in the order in which they are exhibited. one member of the group behind the sheet keeps a record of the order in which individuals of that group display their noses, so that this can be checked up with the guesses of the other team. after all the noses have been displayed the group returns to its place in the room and listens to the guesses. then the other group goes out and they display their noses. the group making the largest number of correct guesses wins. a modification of this game is made by showing the eye through the hole in the sheet instead of the nose, and the group in front of the sheet endeavors to guess whose eye it is. trades the men are lined up on one side of the room. to each is given three or four buttons, a needle and thread, and a piece of cloth. they race to see which can sew the buttons in a straight line on the piece of cloth, securely, in the quickest time. the women are lined up on the opposite side of the room before a plank. to each is given a hammer and six or eight nails. they race to see who first can drive the nails into the plank without bending them over. rooster ten or twenty are as many as can well play this game. the group is arranged in seats around the room. the leader starts the game by saying, "my father had a rooster". his left hand neighbor says, "a what?" the leader answers, "a rooster". the left hand neighbor then turns to his left hand neighbor and says, "my father had a rooster", and that neighbor says, "a what?", and his answer is "a rooster". this question is asked of each left hand neighbor until it has travelled around the room. when it becomes the leader's turn, he again says, "my father had a rooster", and his left hand neighbor says, "a what?". he answers, "a rooster". the left hand neighbor says, "could he crow?" and the leader answers, "crow he could". this dialogue is passed on around the room, each repeating the exact words of the leader to his left hand neighbor. when it again becomes the leader's turn, he repeats the dialogue previously used and his left hand neighbor inquires, "how could he crow?" and the leader replies, "cock-a-doodle-do", imitating a rooster. this is passed around the room. no one is supposed to laugh during the whole game. whoever does may either pay a forfeit or is out of the game. it is well to have a player who knows the game sit next to the leader, so that it may start correctly. poor pussy the group is arranged in a circle around the room. one player is selected to be "pussy" and takes his place in the centre of the group. he takes a position on all fours before each member of the group, in turn saying "meow". thereupon the one before whom he is kneeling must stroke the back of his head and say, "poor pussy". pussy meows three times and in return for each meow has the back of his head stroked and is addressed, "poor pussy". should the one patting pussy laugh during the performance, he must take pussy's place. gossiping the group is arranged in a circle around the room. the leader whispers some information to his left hand neighbor, remembering the exact sentence or sentences. his left hand neighbor is expected to whisper the same information to the next left hand neighbor and so it is passed around the circle until it is returned to the leader. the leader then tells what the original sentence was, and tells what it is after passing from ear to ear about the group. analogues a member of the group thinks of some object, and without disclosing to the other members of the group what he is thinking about, he addresses in turn all of the others, asking, "what is my thought like?" the first one addressed, without having any idea as to what the leader has in mind, says, "like a star". the second in answer to his question, says, "like a book", and so every one is given an opportunity to state what they think his thought is like. then the leader tells the group the thing he had in mind, which, we will say for illustration, was a fountain pen. he then asks the one who suggested that it was like a star why his fountain pen was like a star. thereupon that one must give some reason why he thought it was like a star and replies, "your fountain pen is like a star because it can enlighten the world". the next one says, "the fountain pen is like a book because it has the possibility of conveying thoughts", and so every one in the group must give the why of his previous answer. this demands quick thinking and initiative on the part of the players. ghost the group sits in a circle about the room. the leader starts the game by giving a letter of the alphabet. the one at his left adds a letter to the first with the view of making a word. the third adds another letter and so the game continues. illustration--the leader gives the letter "a". the one at his left, thinking of the word "adds" adds "d". the third one, thinking of the word "advertisement", adds "v". the fourth, thinking of the word "adversity" adds "e", and so the word continues to grow. if one finishes the word or completes a word without realizing it, that one is given the title of "half-ghost". anyone speaking to the half-ghost, becomes a half-ghost. should a half-ghost chance to finish another word when it again becomes his turn to add a letter to the spelling of a word, then the half-ghost becomes a full-ghost and is out of the game. any one speaking to a full-ghost becomes a full-ghost. full-ghosts and half-ghosts naturally endeavor to get as many others into their class as possible, so between thinking of letters to complete the word in turn and avoiding becoming ghosts, the group is kept in a very difficult frame of mind. the game continues until there are no players who have failed to qualify as half-ghosts or full-ghosts. charades five of the group are selected to act out a charade. these five act out a word in pantomime. while they are doing this a second group of five is selected and prepares to act out another word, immediately following the presentation by the first group. the audience is given three minutes to guess each charade. should it succeed in doing this, then the members of the group each choose a substitute for themselves, thus making a third group of five. while this last group is preparing a charade, the second group is putting on its pantomime, and so the game continues. if the audience fails to guess the word within the required time, then the same group is given an opportunity to act another word. good charade words are as follows: aã«roplane air-oh-plane antarctic aunt-ark-tick buccaneer buck-can-ear charlatan char-lay-tan falcon fall-con handicap hand-eye-cap handkerchief hand-cur-chief microscope my-crow-scope automobile ought-oh-mob-eel pilgrimage pill-grim-age sausage saw-sage stiletto still-let-toe bandage band-age stationary station-airy feline fee-line rainbow reign-beau bookworm book-worm handsome hand-some penitent pen-eye-tent cribbage crib-age broomstick broom-stick infancy in-fan-sea hornpipe horn-pipe eyelash i-lash forswear four-swear masquerade mass-cur-aid melancholy melon-collie pantry pan-tree tennessee ten-i-see antidote aunt-i-dote definite deaf-in-ate knight of the cracker the ladies are lined up on one side of the room. each is provided with a cracker. the men are lined up on the opposite side. at the signal to go the men rush forward and try to secure a cracker from one of the ladies. they then return to their original line and devour the cracker. having succeeded in doing this, they return and whistle a tune which must be recognized by the lady. match boxing competitors are divided into equal teams and the teams are arranged in parallel lines. the outside cover of a small safety match box is given to the first man on each team. he slips this over the end of his nose and holds his hands behind his back with the box on his nose. all other players must hold their hands behind their backs. at the signal to start the players having the box on the end of the nose transfer the same to the nose of their neighbor without the use of their hands. the box is passed in this way to the far end of the lines and back. should it fall upon the floor it is picked up by the one from whose nose it fell, placed on his own nose again, and the game continues as before. chapter iv sociable games for young people what animal? the leader whispers the name of a different animal or object to each individual. when called upon each must try to represent the noise or action of the animal or object. the rest of the group guess what is represented and write the same on a slip of paper. the one guessing the most wins. rhyming verbs half of the group leaves the room while the others decide upon a verb. the group which left the room is then called back and tries to guess the verb from the clues which are given by those who determined the verb. these clues are given in the form of sentences containing words rhyming with the verb. should the group which is to guess think they have found the right verb, they retire from the room without stating it and returning act out the verb. if they have been successful in guessing the verb, then the other group is given an opportunity to guess a verb in the same manner. fruit basket the group is seated in a circle and counted off in 4's. the number 1's are given the name of oranges, number 2's lemons, number 3's bananas, number 4's apples. one of the individuals is selected to be "it". he takes his place in the centre of the group and one chair is taken out of the circle, leaving one less chair than there are players. "it" then calls the name of two fruits, for example, oranges and lemons. thereupon all of the oranges must exchange places with all of the lemons and "it" endeavors to capture one of the seats. succeeding, the one left without a seat is "it" and calls two other kinds of fruit. these two must change places and "it" endeavors to capture a seat. should "it" say "fruit basket", instead of naming two fruits, all must change seats. exchange the group is arranged in seats around the room. "it" takes a place in the centre. all of the players are given a different number. "it" is blindfolded. the game is started by "it" calling two numbers. thereupon the numbers called must change seats. "it" tries to either tag one of the players seeking to change seats or occupy one of the vacant seats, in which case the one without a chair becomes "it". barnyard chorus each player in the group is given some barnyard noise to represent. the leader takes his place in the centre of the room. if he holds up his left hand, all is quiet; if he holds up his right hand, they all imitate their various noises in concert. should one of the players make a noise while the leader is holding up his left hand, that player must stand up before his chair and imitate the noise he has been given to imitate, until some member of the group can guess what the noise is supposed to represent. donkey solo this is a good game to follow immediately after the barnyard chorus. the leader announces that he is to whisper to each member of the group the name of some animal that is to be imitated by that member in chorus with the others. he then goes about and whispers in the ear of every member of the group that he is to keep perfectly quiet, excepting to one individual to whom he suggests that he is to imitate the braying of a donkey. he then takes his position in the centre of the group and instructs the players to give as much volume to their imitation as possible. he gives the signal to start. naturally, all are quiet except the poor donkey who brays his solo, to the amusement of the other members of the group. shifting seats the group is seated in a circle. there is one more chair than there are players. one individual is selected to be "it" and takes his place in the centre of the room. "it" gives the command to shift right. thereupon, the one at the left of the vacant chair moves into the vacant chair, leaving his own chair vacant. the one at the left of his chair, moves into that, each one trying to get into the vacant chair to the right before "it" can succeed in touching him. "it" can give the command "shift left" at any time, which means that they must move into the vacant chair to the left. should "it" succeed in sitting in an empty chair, the one who should have occupied that chair becomes "it". guess the sound the group is arranged in a circle. the one selected to be "it" is blindfolded and takes a position in the centre of the circle. after the blindfolded player has been spun around a few times so that he does not know his location, he is given a wand or short stick. he holds this stick out in front of one member of the group. that member must grasp the end of the stick. then "it" names some animal which the player on the other end of the stick must imitate by some sound. thereupon, the blindfolded player tries to guess who has hold of the other end of the stick. succeeding, the player guessed is blindfolded. rapid transit the players form in a circle. to each is given some article to be passed. these articles should vary in size anywhere from a peanut to a flat iron. the game starts by the leader commanding them to pass to the right. he then passes his article on to his right hand neighbor and receives in turn from his left hand neighbor the article coming to him. the passing continues until the leader gives the command "change". then the articles are passed in the opposite direction. should a player drop one of the articles to be passed or should any one of the players have in his possession more than two articles at one time, that individual drops out of the game, taking one article with him. the game continues until but one is left in the circle. the passing can be complicated, if so desired, by having one or two of the articles passed in the opposite direction. feather tag the group sits in a circle in the centre of the room, holding a large sheet stretched tightly between them. a fluffy feather is placed in the centre of the sheet. one of the group who is "it" endeavors by running about, to catch the feather. those sitting around the edge of the sheet keep the feather from "it" by blowing it beyond "it's" reach. should "it" capture the feather, the one sitting at the edge of the sheet nearest to the feather becomes "it". birds all the players sit in a circle. each is given the name of a bird. the keeper takes a position in the centre of the room and begins to tell a story about birds. when a bird's name is mentioned, that bird must stand up and turn around once in front of his chair. failing to do this, he must pay a forfeit. when the keeper utters the word "migrate" in his story, all of the birds must change seats and he tries to get one of the seats. succeeding, the one left without a seat, continues the bird story. otherwise the first keeper continues his story. simple simon's silly smile the group is arranged in chairs around the room. the one who is selected to be "it" goes from one to another asking questions. all questions must be answered by "simple simon's silly smile", without laughing. should the one questioned laugh, he must take the place of the one who is "it". wink chairs are arranged around the room in a circle, with the boys standing behind each chair. there should be one more chair than there are girls in the group. the boy standing behind the empty chair winks at one of the girls who endeavors to get to the vacant chair before the boy in whose chair she is sitting can tag her. if she succeeds, the boy behind the chair last vacated continues the game by winking at another girl. hush the group sits in a circle in a room which is semi-dark. the leader goes around inside of the circle and slips a button in the hands of one of the players. he does this after making an offer to do it to several others, so as to disguise where he finally deposits the button. all then have a turn to guess in whose hands the button lies. the one who guesses right becomes the leader, and the leader becomes a ghost. the game then continues as before. the ghost asks questions of any of the players, and they are not supposed to answer any question asked them except by the leader. should they do so, they also become ghosts. as the ghosts multiply the game becomes more difficult. the game continues until but two are left of the circle. jack's alive the group sits in a circle in the room. a lighted splinter is handed to one of the group in the circle. it is then passed around the circle, still lighted. should the flame become extinguished, the one in whose hand the splinter rests at that time must pay a forfeit. the forfeit sometimes demanded is that a mustache be made on the upper lip of that individual with the charred end of the splinter. in passing the splinter the player must say jack's alive; failing to do this the splinter is returned to him and should it become extinguished before he can say this, it counts against him. going to jerusalem the chairs are arranged in a circle in the center of the room, with the seats away from the center. there should be one less chair than there are participants in the game. the participants form a line around the outside of the chairs and march forward around the chairs, while the piano, phonograph, or some other musical instrument is being played. the instant the music stops each player tries to sit in a chair. the one failing to get a chair drops out of the game. a chair is taken from the circle and the group starts marching again with the music. when the music stops they seek chairs as before, the one failing to secure one dropping out. a chair is taken out of the circle after each scramble and so the group diminishes until all are eliminated except one, who is crowned king of jerusalem. if the group be large more than one chair can be eliminated at a time. chapter v trick games for sociables hindoo blind reading slips of paper are given to all of the guests and they are instructed to write thereupon a brief sentence of three or four words and to carefully fold the paper. these messages are then collected, and the hindoo mystic proceeds to amaze his auditors by rubbing the messages, still folded, one after another across his forehead and telling what is written on the folded paper. the trick--the message reader has an accomplice who is instructed to acknowledge that he wrote the first note read by the mystic, no matter what that note may be. the mystic makes up in his mind a brief sentence after rubbing the first slip of paper on his head. this sentence is acknowledged by the accomplice. the mystic, after having the note acknowledged, opens it apparently to corroborate his reading, but in reality he is reading the note written by someone else. upon rubbing the next slip of paper across his forehead, he announces the contents of the note last read, which naturally is acknowledged with wonderment on the part of the individual who wrote it. he then apparently looks at this slip of paper, but in reality he looks at the paper which he next intends to read. mental telepathy the group is told that if enough people think hard enough about one object they can communicate the thought to a person who knows nothing about it. one or two "unwise" persons are asked to leave the room and nothing is decided upon. but the group is told that when each "unwise" person comes in in turn, the second thing that is named must be admitted to be the right object. great disappointment should be shown at his failure to get the right object the first time and he should be heartily congratulated on his success the second time. this continues until he realizes that he is duped. the paper artist a sheet of newspaper or any other kind of paper can be used for this game. the accomplice is sent from the room. the one performing the trick then holds the paper in front of the face of one of the individuals in the room. returning to his seat, the accomplice is called into the room and handed the sheet of paper. the accomplice then studies the paper carefully and announces to the group whose photograph he sees thereupon. the trick--the one who takes the impression of the individual assumes the same sitting position that the individual photographed has assumed, thus portraying to the one who left the room whose photograph is on the blank paper. magic answers an accomplice is sent from the room. those remaining in the room determine upon some object, this object to be recognized by the accomplice. when the object has been selected, the accomplice is called back. the one who is to deal with the accomplice asks if several objects in the room are the thing which has been suggested. the accomplice answers, "no," but answers correctly when the object selected is mentioned. the trick--the one asking the questions of the accomplice names some black object immediately preceding the object which is the correct one, thus giving the clue. clairvoyant the one who plays this trick must have an accomplice. the accomplice is sent from the room. it is announced that the accomplice will name the person pointed to. the demonstrator points at an individual and the accomplice on the outside of the room gives the name of the individual pointed at. the trick--the accomplice knows that the one last speaking before he left the room will be the one pointed at by the demonstrator. in pointing at an individual, the one doing the pointing asks of the accomplice, "does the spirit move?" the one on the outside answers, if he knows who is being pointed at, "it does." the first speaker then says, "whom am i pointing at?" the accomplice then gives the individual's name. scissors crossed a simple catch game. the group is seated in a circle. it is best to have two of the company know how to play the game. one of these hands a closed pair of scissors to the other, who takes it and says, "i received these scissors uncrossed and give them crossed" (opening the scissors as he says, "and give them crossed"). he passes them to the player on his left, who should say, "i received these scissors crossed and give them crossed"--(if they are left open; if closed, "uncrossed"). if the players do not know the game, they will cross and uncross the scissors in an attempt to pass them correctly. each one is given a turn and the game continues until some bright player notices that the scissors are called "crossed" when they are open and "uncrossed" when they are closed, and that the player who started the game crossed his feet if the scissors were crossed and, if not, his feet were uncrossed. thus, the object of the game is to change the words and the position of the feet in accordance with the position of the scissors. knights of the sacred whistle one or two of the group are informed that they are to be initiated into the order of the knights of the sacred whistle. they are shown a whistle and told that to become a member they must find this whistle. it is then pretended that the whistle is handed to one of the members of the party. an apron is hung around the shoulders of the victim and the whistle is attached to the back of the apron on a piece of string. the trick is for some of the players to blow the whistle behind the person's back, immediately dropping it and when he turns the person on the other side will blow. as all are standing in a circle, with the person who is being initiated in the centre, he is kept guessing for some time before he finds out where the whistle is located. hay stack chairs are piled to a considerable height in the centre of the room and the person to be initiated is instructed to take off his shoes and jump over them. the leader insists that this is possible, but the uninitiated remonstrates, "it can't be done." the catch is that the individual is supposed to jump over his shoes instead of the chairs. boots without shoes the leader asks one of the players to say as he directs and then asks him to say, "boots without shoes." the player immediately says, "boots without shoes." the leader says, "that is not correct," and goes to the next. the next one also says, "boots without shoes," and so do most of the other members of the group, until one bright individual, discovering the trick, simply says, "boots," which is the correct answer. newspaper touch two individuals are instructed to stand upon a sheet of newspaper, so as not to be able to touch each other. this seems impossible and the individuals taking their places upon the paper endeavor to maneuver in impossible positions, but find they still can touch each other. the trick is to spread the newspaper over the sill of a door. one individual stands on one side of the closed door upon the newspaper, while the other takes his position on the other side of the door. coin and card snap a card is balanced upon the end of the middle finger of the left hand, flat side down. a quarter or some small coin is placed upon the card, directly over the end of the finger. the trick is to snap the card from under the coin so that the coin will remain on the end of the finger. blind blow a lighted candle is placed upon a table. the players are blindfolded in turn, spun around, and instructed to blow out the candle. the time of each player is recorded and the one succeeding in blowing out the candle in the quickest time wins the game. tricks with matches six matches are given to an individual and he is requested to make with them four equilateral triangles. the trick--three matches are laid upon the table, forming an equilateral triangle. the other three are held above the three on the table in the form of a pyramid, with the triangle on the table as a base. [illustration] twelve matches are placed upon the table as herewith illustrated. then those trying to accomplish the trick are instructed to illustrate what matches are made of by moving two matches. the trick--it is natural that the ones trying to solve the trick endeavor to make the word "wood" out of the combination of forms, but by taking the top match off the first square, a "v" can be made by adding it to the third figure. by taking the right hand side off the first square, the letter "e" can be made by adding it to the last figure, spelling the word "love." pigs in pen a farmer has six pigs and five pens. he desires to place the pigs in the pens so that there will be an odd number of pigs in each pen. how can he accomplish this? the trick--he places a pen within a pen. then he places a pig in each of the other pens, and two pigs in the one which encloses the pen, and another pig in the enclosed pen. number trick how can four be made out of three 3's? 3-3/3 penny wise the players are provided with a bright new penny, a piece of paper and a pencil. on the paper have been written the following requirements, each player being expected to write the answers, the one having the largest number of correct answers, winning the game: find on the penny the name of a song. (ans. america.) a privilege. (ans. liberty.) a part of indian corn. (ans. ear.) a part of a hill. (ans. brow.) something denoting self. (ans. i (eye).) part of a door. (ans. lock (of hair).) a weapon of war. (ans. arrow.) an act of protection. (ans. shield.) a gallant. (ans. beau (bow).) a punishment. (ans. stripes.) part of a plant. (ans. leaf.) a piece of jewelry. (ans. ring.) a nut. (ans. acorn.) a musical term. (ans. bar.) an occupation. (ans. milling.) a foreign fruit. (ans. date.) trimming for a hat. (ans. feather.) what ships sail on. (ans. sea.) a perfume. (ans. scent (cent).) a religious edifice. (ans. temple.) a messenger. (ans. one sent (one cent).) a method of voting. (ans. ayes and noes (eyes and nose).) a chinese beverage. (ans. tea (t).) a gaudy flower. (ans. tulips (two lips).) comfort. (ans. ease (e e).) a small animal. (ans. hare (hair).) a term of marriage. (ans. united state.) an ancient honor. (ans. wreath.) one of the first families. (ans. indian.) reading temples the group is told that thoughts can be transmitted through the temples. the demonstrator of the game has to have an accomplice knowing the trick, who leaves the room. the others decide upon a number, not greater than ten. the accomplice is called back into the room, and by placing his hands upon the temples of the demonstrator after having requested every one to concentrate their thoughts upon the number selected, he tells what the number is. the trick--he is told the number by the demonstrator, who clinches and relaxes his jaw, which gives a movement of the temple which can be felt by the accomplice. aeroplane ride the player selected to take the ride is sent from the room and blindfolded. a strong board is held a few inches from the floor by several of the players. the blindfolded player is then called back into the room and invited to step into the aeroplane and is aided in stepping upon the board. his hands are placed upon the shoulders of two other players for support. as soon as the individual has stepped upon the board, it is raised a few inches and the two individuals upon whose shoulders rest his hands slowly and together bend their knees, so as to lower their shoulders, giving the impression to the rider that he has been lifted some distance from the floor. the rider is then told to jump down, but not to fear, as mattresses have been placed upon the floor, so that he is in no danger of injury. the fear of jumping from so great a height as the blindfolded aviator has been caused to feel he has attained, and the surprise of striking the floor in so short a distance after the jump, are very amusing. egg smash several players of the group are blindfolded and take a kneeling position upon the floor. each is given a fake egg and is told to knock it upon the floor to summon the good spirit. they do this very carefully the first time, thinking they have an egg. the eggs are taken away and the group waits to see if a spirit appears. as it does not appear, the eggs are again handed to the players. this time they are not so careful in hitting the eggs down upon the floor, their first experience telling them they are fake. again the eggs are taken from them and the spirit waited for. failing to appear the second time, the eggs are returned to the blindfolded individuals for the third time, but this time instead of fake, they are the real article, much to the surprise and grief of those who break them vigorously upon the floor. musical notes this trick is easily played where a group is sitting around a bare wooden table. the player knowing the trick, pricks the prongs of a fork with his finger nails, causing it to vibrate as a tuning fork. he then makes his audience think that he pulls music from the nose of another player by reaching with his free hand and touching the nose of said player, and to the surprise of his auditors, music is heard. the trick--the instant the one who plays the trick touches the nose, he unobserved allows the end of the fork to come in contact with the hard surface of the table. the vibration of the fork is inaudible until its end comes in contact with the table. siam club players are invited to join the siam club, for which certain rites and ceremonies are necessary. those to be initiated into the club then kneel in a circle in the centre of the room and after bowing forward so that their foreheads touch the floor, they repeat after the leader the following sacred secret words, which they are instructed not to disclose to anyone else, under any conditions: "o whattagoo siam." they repeat this over and over again until they begin to realize that they are saying, "oh, what a goose i am." divesting the trick is to remove the vest of one of the players while he is still wearing his coat. to accomplish the trick one must stand in front of the subject, unbutton the vest, loosening the buckles on the strap behind. next he runs his left hand under the coat, raises the lower end of the back of the vest, while with his right hand he grasps the end of the vest around the neck of the person, who is instructed to hold his arms high above his head. the back of the vest may then be pulled over the head of the subject. one of the lower ends of the vest is then pushed down the coat sleeve. the operator then runs his hand up the coat sleeve and pulls the vest down the sleeve until the arm hole is free from the subject's hand. the vest is then drawn back up the sleeve and pulled through the sleeve and over the hand of the other arm. it can then easily be removed either by pulling down or up the sleeve. chapter vi stunt athletic meet standing broad jump the group is divided into competing teams. each team lines up behind the starting line. each is instructed to see how many feet he can have credited to him in this event. the first player on each team is then instructed to heel the starting line with his right foot and to place his left foot immediately in front of and in line with his right foot, so that the heel touches the toe. the second player on each team then places his right foot in front of and in line with and against the advance foot of number 1, and places his left foot in front of his right. all of the players take this position. the team having the longest feet wins the game by measuring the greatest distance in front of the starting line. standing high jump doughnuts are suspended by means of a string, so that one hangs about eight inches above the head of each contestant. the one first succeeding in eating his doughnut without the use of his hands, wins the event. bawl game competitors are lined up and directed to bawl. the one doing this the best, in the judgment of the judges, wins. peanut relay a bowl full of peanuts is placed before each competitor. an empty bowl is placed at some distance opposite each. each competitor is given a table knife. at the signal to go, keeping his left hand behind his back, he takes one or more peanuts on the flat of his knife from the full bowl and deposits it or them in the empty bowl. he returns for more peanuts. he is not allowed to use his free hand in helping the peanuts on to the knife, or keeping them thereupon. the player first succeeding in transferring the peanuts wins the event. shot put competitors endeavor to throw a handkerchief unknotted from a given line for distance. lucky a number of bags are suspended in such a way as to hang four feet above the heads of the competitors. one bag contains candy; one contains flour; another peanuts; another water, etc. an individual is blindfolded, given a short stick and headed in the direction of the bags. he then endeavors to strike one of the bags. succeeding in knocking the bag of candy, that shall be his prize; likewise the peanuts, flour, or water. peanut throw each contestant is given an equal number of peanuts. the one succeeding in dropping the largest number of peanuts into the mouth of a jug, wins. the peanuts must be dropped from a distance equal to the height of the shoulders. head toss a salt bag is filled with sand. competitors heel a given line and place the bag of sand upon the back of their necks and without the use of the hands, endeavor to throw the bag as far back into the line as possible. duel tug of war two opponents are given a piece of rope about three feet long. each takes a position on the opposite side of a line drawn upon the floor. one tries to pull the other across the line by means of the rope. if successful in drawing the opponent so that both feet are on his side of the line, that player wins. discus throw contestants are given some object like a quoit, a block of wood, etc. a small circle about eighteen inches in diameter is drawn upon the ground. the contestant places the object to be thrown between his feet and endeavors to throw it forward from the circle as great a distance as possible. both feet must work together in making the throw and neither can touch the ground outside of the circle. ring the bell in the centre of a hoop eighteen inches in diameter--(an ordinary barrel hoop)--is hung a bell. the hoop is suspended from the ceiling or a door, so that it will be five feet above the floor. the group is divided into two teams. one team lines up on one side, one on the other. each is given two bean bags. the first player on each team endeavors to throw his two bean bags through the hoop without ringing the bell. succeeding or failing, he takes his place at the rear of the line and the next player repeats his performance. the players on the opposing team are expected to recover and to use the bags thrown through the hoop by the opponents, for their throw. a point is scored for the team by each player successfully tossing a bean bag through the hoop without ringing the bell. chair tilting opponents are placed upon chairs and must stand thereon upon one foot. each is armed with a long pole, the end of which is padded with a wad of cloth. the object is to dislodge the opponent from the chair. dropping the pole or putting the foot down counts the same as being forced from the chair. as soon as one member of a team has been dislodged, another may take his place and the game continues until all of one team have been eliminated. hammer throw an inflated paper bag tied on the end of a yard of string is used as the hammer for this event. each contestant by swinging the bag from the end of the string tries to throw it as great a distance as possible. twenty yard dash contestants carry an egg to the distance line and return with a spoon held at full arm's length from the body. running broad grin have each competitor grin as broadly as possible. the judges measure the grins with a tape measure. light weight race contestants carry a lighted candle in one hand and a glass or bowl brim full of water in the other. if the water is spilled over or the candle blows out, the contestant is out of the race. javelin throw contestants endeavor to throw a short stick through a rolling hoop. one mile run contestants are required to add a column of figures, the total of which will be 5280. long glum the player who can keep from smiling the longest in spite of the jeers and efforts to make him laugh, on the part of the others, wins. turtle race contestants lie flat upon their backs and throw an object over their heads with their two feet, for distance. elimination race an equal number of chalk marks are made upon the floor in front of each contestant. a damp rag is then handed to each, and at the signal to go they are to run to and rub off the chalk mark on the floor. after erasing each mark, they must return to the starting line. when the last mark has been erased and the contestant crosses the starting line, the race ends. chapter vii competitive stunts suitable for sociables and entertainers these stunts may be used as a means of amusement at social functions. in order to avoid calling for volunteers to come forward to participate in the various stunts, cards may be distributed among those who are expected to take part in the stunt program. on these cards are numbers or letters. the one who has prepared the program has determined beforehand how many participants he wants in each stunt. if, in the first stunt, he desires six participants, he will have prepared six letter a's to be distributed. if, for the second stunt, he desires two participants, he will have prepared two letter b's. then when he is ready to put on his program he calls for all the individuals holding the letter a, etc. if there are certain individuals whom he is particularly anxious to have take part in certain stunts, he can instruct the distributor of the letters to this effect. brick relay have four contestants to a team and as many teams as there is space for. two lines are drawn upon the floor about ten yards apart. two members from each team line up opposite to and facing each other, behind each line. two brick bats are placed upon the starting line in front of each team. at the signal to go, the first contestant on each team stands on the two brick bats. bending forward he grasps the front end of each brick with his hands. shifting his weight to one foot, he slides the other foot forward, drawing the brick bat with it by means of his hands. he then shifts his weight to that foot and draws the other foot forward with the brick bat and in this way proceeds to the far line, behind which he turns the bricks over to the second member of his team who races back in the opposite direction by the same method of progress. the third member takes the bricks from the second and covers the intervening space between the lines, and when the fourth member, following the example of his team, has crossed the starting line, the race ends. chair-i-ot race competitors stand on the starting line. two chairs are given to each. they place the chairs behind the starting line, side by side, with the backs of the chairs forward, and stand upon the seats of the chairs. at the signal to go they grasp the backs of the chairs with their hands and shifting the weight from one foot to the other, slide the chairs forward until the distance line has been crossed. chair stubbing each contestant sits upon a chair with his legs straddling the back and his toes on the bottom side round. keeping his feet off the floor, he advances the chair forward by jerking it with his body until it has crossed the distance line. this race can be made a relay by having four men on the team, two men placed behind each line. aviation meet each team is made up of two mechanicians and four aviators. the two mechanicians hold stretched between them a piece of string upon which have been placed two funnels of paper made in the form of cornucopias, point to point. the first aviator on each team, at the signal to go, blows the cornucopia across the string from one mechanician to the other; the second blows it back across; the third blows it in the same direction as the first and the fourth ends the race by blowing it in the same direction that the second aviator blew it, until it touches the hands of the mechanician. equal pieces of string should be used, a loop having been tied in each end through which the mechanicians may slip their fingers for the purpose of holding the string. mechanicians must keep the string level at all times. feather blowing relay four contestants constitute a team. a feather is placed on the starting line and is blown by the first member of each team to the distance line. then the second member of the team blows it back to the starting line and after the third contestant has completed his blow, the fourth blows it back across the finish line. balloon race an inflated rubber balloon and a palm leaf fan must be provided for each team. four players constitute a team. a balloon is placed on the starting line before each team and a fan handed to the first competitor. at the signal to go the balloon is blown forward by means of the fan across the distance line, blown back by the second player, forward again by the third and back across the finish line by the fourth. the team first succeeding wins the honors. lobster race each competitor gets down on the starting line on all fours and at the signal to go travels backward on all fours to the distance line and returns. prune tug of war prunes are tied in the middle of a piece of string, three yards long. opponents are placed opposite each other, each with an end of the string in his mouth. at the signal to go they are to chew the string towards the prune. the one first reaching the prune may eat his prize. whistle race contestants take a deep breath and whistle. the one who can whistle longest on one breath, wins. cracker relay six players to a team. the players on each team sit in a row. four crackers are given to each player. the one on the rear of each team starts the race by standing up and eating the crackers. when he has eaten all four crackers and is able to whistle, his whistle is the signal for the man next in front of him to stand up and eat his crackers, while the first man resumes his seat. so each in turn eats four crackers. when the last, or front man on each team is able to whistle after devouring his crackers, the race ends. blindfold obstacles obstacles, such as vases of flowers, china ware, chairs, etc., are placed in four or more long rows. each contestant is given a row and is requested to try distances before being blindfolded. they then are all blindfolded, placed at the starting point, and told to race down through the line of obstacles without touching anything. in the meantime the objects have been removed. candle roll over four players are chosen for each team. two are lined up in front of the starting line and two opposite on the distance line. one of the players on the starting line is given a lighted candle. a mat is placed half way between the starting and the distance lines. at the signal to start the player holding the candle advances to the mat, executes a forward roll on the mat, holding the candle in his hand. should the candle go out during the roll, he must go back to the starting line and start over after lighting the candle. when he has succeeded in making the roll without extinguishing the candle, he proceeds to the distance line where he passes on the lighted candle to the second member of his team. this one returns to the starting line, rolling on the mat as did his predecessor. should the candle in his hand become extinguished, he must go back to the line from which he started, light his candle and start over. this continues until all four men have covered the required distance, each having rolled over without having extinguished the candle. boat race two players constitute a team in this race. one of the players on each team sits upon the floor. his knees are raised so as to allow his feet to rest flat upon the floor. the other member of the team then sits upon his teammate's feet, facing him, and places his feet and legs in a similar position to that of his teammate, so that each may sit upon the other's feet. they then place their hands upon each other's shoulders. to race in this position, number 1, the player whose back is in the direction to be traveled, leans well forward so that his weight is well on his own feet. this makes it possible for his teammate, number 2, to slide his feet forward along the floor, carrying number 1 backward upon them. number 2 then leans forward so that his weight is well on his own feet, which allows number 1 to draw his feet towards him and number 2 slides forward with them. by swaying backward and forward in this way, the two members of the team, by alternating the sliding of their feet, progress across the floor to the distance line. upon reaching the same, they reverse their direction without turning around. the race ends when they have crossed the starting line. necktie race two players constitute a team. each team may stand opposite each other at different ends of the room. at the signal to go number 1 runs forward to number 2, who must wear a four-in-hand necktie. number 1 unties number 2's necktie, takes it off his neck and reties it in a four-in-hand knot. number 1 then runs back to his former position with number 2 following him. when behind the starting line number 2 starts to untie number 1's necktie, takes it from his neck, replaces it and ties it in a four-in-hand knot. when he has accomplished this, he races back to his original position. the first team accomplishing this, wins the game. part iii outdoor games chapter i outdoor games for older boys and young men push cross line three parallel lines are marked upon the ground about six feet apart. the group is divided into two teams. each team lines up behind one of the outside lines, facing the opponents. at the signal to start, both groups rush forward and endeavor to push their opponents back over their own base line. should they succeed in pushing the opponent so that both of his feet are behind the base line, that opponent is out of the game and retires to a position behind his own base line. at the end of thirty seconds the team having pushed the greatest number of opponents back across their own base line, wins. fortress this game is similar to the preceding game. three parallel lines are made around a hollow square not less than 25 to 40 feet in dimensions. this square is known as the fortress. a small space is marked off in the centre of the fortress for a prison. two captains are selected. these two choose the members of their own teams, in turn. one team is known as the defenders, the other as the attackers. the defending party takes a position within the fortress and the attacking party is scattered around the outside of the fort. both are under the command of their captains. the attacking party may charge the fort as a group or may use any tactics the captain may decide upon. he may feign an attack on one side to draw the defenders' attention, while his principal attack may be directed towards another point of the fortress. the methods of engagement are as follows: opponents endeavor to push, pull, or carry each other across the guard line. the defending players seek to force as many of the attacking players in across the inside line as possible. succeeding in this, such players as have been drawn beyond the inside line are prisoners and must take their place in the prison. the attacking party seeks to force as many of the defenders beyond the outside line as possible. succeeding in this, all those so forced are placed in a small area, which constitutes the prison of the attacking army. the captain should seek to direct the strong against the strong as much as possible in personal combat. the captains may exchange prisoners if they so desire. the battle is won by either party making prisoners of all the opponents, or it may be won by the besiegers, if one of their number enters unattacked the prison within the fortress. should the player accomplish this, he shouts, "hole's won," whereupon the defenders must yield the fortress and the two armies change places, the defenders becoming the attackers, and vice versa. if an old fence is used for one side of the fortress, the other guard line should be drawn five feet inside of the fence line. the attacking captain may withdraw his forces at any time for rest or consultation. either captain may use a flag of truce for similar purposes. under such conditions they arrange for an exchange of prisoners, etc. forcing the city gates this is an old chinese game. two captains are selected, who in turn choose all the other players. the two teams are first formed in two lines, facing each other and about ten feet apart, with the players grasping hands. each line represents a city gate. the captain should arrange the players so that the weakest may be between two strong players. the play begins when the captain of one of the teams sends forward one of his men. this man can make three attempts to break through the opponent's city gate. he can do this, either by breaking the grasp of two of the players or by dodging underneath their arms or between their legs. should he succeed in doing this, he takes back to reinforce his own line the two players who are responsible for his getting through. should he fail, he enlists his efforts with those of his opponents by joining their line. the game is won when one team has succeeded in taking over all of the opponents. hare and hound this is an old game which is always popular. two or three players are designated as hares. each is given a large bag filled with paper torn into small bits. the hares are allowed a few minutes' start ahead of the rest of the players, who are known as hounds. the hounds follow the hares by means of the torn bits of paper scattered on the ground, in an effort to overtake them. when the hares have used up all of their paper they hide their three bags near the end of the trail and race back from that point to the place from which the run started. when the hounds have discovered the bags, they also race back to the starting place. the game is won by the first player reaching said place. human targets an old flour or salt bag stuffed with straw or cloth may be used for this game. one player is selected to be the target. the others endeavor to hit the target by throwing the bag. the target may run or dodge in any way he desires, but the one who holds the bag cannot advance towards him in making his throw. if he is not near enough to hit the target, he can throw the bag to some other player who is nearer. when the target has been hit, the leader selects some one else to act as target. sling the sack either a good sized sack well stuffed with rags or straw, or a small cloth sack filled with sand, may be used for this game. the game can be played on a level stretch of road or in a good sized field. the group is divided into two equal teams. a starting line is marked near the center of the playing space. a player from each team takes a position behind this starting line and in turn, with his left foot on the starting line and with his shoulders at right angles to it, slings the sack with his right arm straight at the elbow, over his head as far as possible. a left-handed player may reverse this position. the spot where the sack hits the ground is marked. the player from the opposing team stands in the same position at the starting line, as did the first player, and makes his throw in the same direction, and his throw is marked. these two throws are made in order to measure what constitutes a good throw of the sack. a line is drawn parallel to the starting line at the point where the farther of the two preliminary throws landed. the starting line and this other line are now known as goal lines. a centre line is drawn parallel to the goal lines and half way between them. a coin is flipped up between the two captains for the choice of goals. the captain who wins the toss can choose either the first throw or the goal he desires to have. when this is determined, each team scatters about on the territory in the vicinity of its own goal line, and the captain of the team which has the first throw designates which player on his team he desires to sling the sack first. this player (team a) must take a position with his advanced foot on the goal line and sling the sack with a straight arm over his head towards the opponent's goal line. the opponents (team b) endeavor to catch the sack before it touches the ground. succeeding, the one catching the sack advances three paces and from that position slings the sack over his head towards team a's goal line. team a players endeavor to catch the sack and if successful, that player succeeding advances three paces towards team b's goal line and slings the sack as before. should any member of the team fail to catch the sack when it is thrown into their territory, the player first touching the sack in an effort to catch it, or the player nearest to where the sack lands, must make the sling from the point behind where the sack is picked up from the ground. the players may move anywhere about in their territory. the captain should endeavor to place them in a position so as to cover as much space as possible. side boundaries can be used if desired, in which case the team supposed to receive the sack which gets out of bounds may advance three paces whether the sack is caught or not, from the point in line with where it first hits the ground. a score is made each time the one member of a team catches the sack with both his feet on the opponent's side of the centre line. in making the catch, should he step back with one or both feet on or across the centre line, or be driven back by the impetus of the sack, it shall not constitute a point. after each point is made, goals are changed, the losing team puts the ball into play. the team having the largest score at the end of thirty minutes wins. game of goose a good sized level field should be used for this game. two gander poles, five feet high, are erected, one at each end of the field, each having two forks at the top, opposite each other. stout tree crotches may be used. the goose is made from a stout cloth bag, such as a ham cover, stuffed, leaving the ends which can be easily grasped. midway between the gander poles a large circle is marked upon the ground, its size being determined by the number playing. mark a circle six feet in diameter around each gander pole to designate the safety limit. the group is divided into two equal teams. these two teams are arranged with their men placed alternately around the circle in the centre of the field. the gander man stands in the centre of the circle with the goose in his hand. at a given signal he swings around and tosses the goose in the air to be received in the arms of some lucky player, who immediately dashes off with it towards his goal. the opponent players endeavor to intercept him and get the goose away from him. when the man carrying the goose is in danger of losing it, he tosses it to some one on his own side, if he can, and the player catching it runs towards his goal. if the second player cannot succeed in making his goal or gander post, he tosses it on to some other member on his team. the player who succeeds in getting both feet inside of the safety circle around the gander pole must not be molested, unless he lets the goose fall to the ground in his attempt to hang it in one of the crotches of the gander pole, in which case he or his team mates may recover it or any one of the opposing team may seize the bird and dash away with it towards his own pole. there must be no scrimmage over the possession of the bird, for as soon as an opponent gets hold of the goose, the player holding the latter must let go his hold. one must not trip an opponent or interfere by body, arm, or leg contact without forfeiting one "honk." three honks count one goose (or goal) for the opposite side. clock games the group forms a large circle. if it be a large group, the circle is counted off into 6's or 8's, if small into 4's. if they be counted into 6's each group of six constitutes a team. number 1 in each case is to act as captain. if it be desired to elect captains, the man elected takes number 1's place in the group. the captain wears a sash or some other distinguishing mark. in this formation a number of competitive races can be used. illustration--the group numbers sixty individuals. it is counted off into 6's. that means that we have ten teams of six men each making up the circle and ready to compete. the leader takes a position in the centre of the circle. the following five games may be played with the teams arranged in clock formation: walking race see clock games above. at the signal to go, the number 6 man steps out of his place in the circle and walks to the right around the circle, until he gets back to the point in the circle he left, and tags off the number 5 man on his team, and this man walks around the circle. this means that all the number 5 men from all the different teams are walking around the outside of the circle in a race, at the same time. numbers 4, 3, and 2 follow in turn after 5. number 2, after completing the circle, tags off number 1, the captain of the team, wearing a sash. the captain walks about the circle until he gets to the hole in the circle which he left, enters through the hole, bringing his sash to the leader, who stands in the centre of the ring. the first sash to reach the leader decides the winner of the race. a running race can be substituted for the walking race and various modifications used, such as backward walking, hopping, frog leap, etc. chariot race see clock games above. similar to the preceding walking race, except that instead of running around the ring singly, the competitors go in pairs, as follows: at the signal to go number 6 locks his left arm in the right arm of number 5, and the two of them so linked together proceed around the circle. having completed the circle, number 6 takes his original place, while number 5 links arms with number 4 and the two travel around the circle. then 4 links with 3, 3 with 2, and the race ends when 2 and 1 have completed the distance around the circle and have brought their sash to the leader in the centre. flathead race see clock games above. similar to the preceding. a small block of wood or flat stone is given to number 6 on each team. at the signal to go he places the block on the head of number 5 and follows number 5, who walks around the ring. number 5 must keep his hands upon his hips. should the block of wood fall from the head of number 5, he must stand still until it has been replaced by number 6. the two continue walking around the circle until they reach the point which they left. then number 6 takes his place in the circle and number 5 takes the block from his own head and places it on the head of number 4, and follows 4 around the ring to replace the block should it fall off. the race ends when number 1, followed by number 2, has completed the distance around the circle, still balancing the block of wood on his head, and presents himself to the leader in the centre. spin around race see clock games above. similar to the preceding race, except that each captain takes a position about four feet outside of the circle near his own team. at the signal to go, number 6 steps out of his position in the circle and runs to his own captain, linking his right arm in the right arm of the captain, who spins him around twice. he then runs around the circle and returns to his original place in the circle, and tags off 5, who repeats the performance of 6. when 2 has completed his round of the circle, he tags off his captain. the captain must run, without spinning around, clear around the circle on the outside, and enter through the point of the circle he originally held, and tag the leader in the middle. leap frog race see clock games above. similar to the preceding. in this race, number 2 will take the place of the captain outside of the ring. at the signal to go, number 6 leaves the ring and proceeds around the circle, leaping with frog leaps over the backs of the number 2 men from each team. returning to his original position, he tags off number 5. number 1's turn will come after that of number 3, and when number 1 has completed the circle, leaping over the backs of all number 2 men, he tags off the number 2 of his own team. the latter runs about the circle once, enters the circle at the point where he originally stood and tags the leader in the centre. riding the snail a group is divided into two equal teams. these two teams line up in parallel lines about six feet apart, back to back. a safety line is drawn at each end of the field about twenty-five yards from where the teams line up. one team is designated as the "head" team; the other as the "tail" team. the leader tosses a coin. if the coin falls with head up, he calls "heads." thereupon tails run across their safety line while heads endeavor to tag them before they succeed. succeeding in doing this the man tagged has to carry the tagger upon his back to the original place of line-up and the coin is again flipped. should it fall with tail up, tails chase heads to the safety line at the other end of the playing space. chapter ii outdoor games for boys treasure hunt this game is a very adaptable one and can be run in a great number of different ways. it can be as simple or as complex as any leader may desire. a mysterious letter may be read to the group or a letter in code posted where the group can see it. the contents of this letter will direct any one to a place where he will find detailed information as to the exact location of a buried treasure. by following instructions or working out the code, a boy will discover a second letter in hiding, or a time limit may be allowed to find letter number 3. at the end of that time the information contained in the second letter may be given to the entire group, so that all may hunt for letter number 3. this method keeps everybody in the game. as many letters may be hidden as desired, using the treasure as the last. this game can be used to teach observation, trailing and tracking. letters using identification of trees, flowers, marks on trees, birds' nests, etc., may be used. map and chart reading make the game more difficult. letters may be written in morse and continental codes, or easy codes may be made. a good book on trees or flowers, a small ax, or any useful article may be the hidden treasure. hide and seek one boy is chosen to be "it." he blinds his eyes while the others hide. he counts 100 by 5's, then says, "ready or not, you must be caught." he then endeavors to find the hidden players. succeeding he must tag the goal and call the name of the player observed. should he, in seeking a player, pass the spot where one is hidden, that player can race in to the goal and say, "in free." the one who is "it," however, can tag that player or the goal. when all the players have been discovered, the one first discovered or caught by "it" must blind his eyes for the next game. one who succeeds in getting "in free" is not subject to being "it" in the next hide. look out for the bear all of the players hide their eyes, except one, who is the bear. he hides. when sufficient time has been given for him to find a hiding place, the others seek him. when a player finds the bear he calls out, "look out for the bear." thereupon all of the players race back to the home base. the bear endeavors to tag as many of the players before they can reach the home base, as he can. all of the players tagged become bears and hide in the next round of the game, which is the same as the first. all of the bears try to tag as many as possible before they return to the home base. the game continues until the last seeker is caught. he has the privilege of being the bear for the next game. still-a-feet this is a simple tag game. the player selected to be "it" starts the game by saying, "one, two, three, still-a-feet, one, two, three, still-a-feet, one, two, three, still-a-feet, one, two, three; no more moving of the feet, feet, feet." while "it" is saying this, the players can endeavor to get as far away from him as they desire, but when he has completed the statement, they cannot move their feet. should he see one of the players moving his feet, he may chase that player until captured. thereupon, that player helps him chase any of the others. a player cannot be tagged until one of the "its" has seen a movement of his feet. the first player caught is "it" for the next game. "it" does not need to chase the first player whose feet he sees moving unless he so desires. he may chase any one of the players whose feet he has seen move. hang tag this is a good game to play around a barn or in a grove where there are low limbs. a player is selected to be "it." he may tag any player who is not hanging with feet clear of the ground. the player tagged immediately becomes "it" and may tag back the one who tagged him after that individual has taken five steps. fox in hole any number of players may participate in this game. the playing area should not be too large. a four foot circle is marked upon the ground as a base. one player is selected to be the fox. while the fox is on the base he may stand on two feet, but when he leaves the base to catch any of the other players he must hop on one foot. should a player become tagged, he becomes the fox, and the other players may slap him on the back until he is safe on the base. should the fox put the other foot down, he must return to the base, and every player may slap him on the back until he succeeds in doing this, but no player can block his path to the base. fence tag this is a simple active game which can be played where there is a low fence or bar, over which the players may easily climb or vault. a player is selected to be "it". he takes his place on the opposite side of the fence from the other players and must climb or vault over and endeavor to tag someone who fails to get over the fence in time. "it" cannot tag anyone whose feet are off the ground, in an effort to get over the fence. neither can he tag anyone who is standing on the other side of the fence from him. this is a very active game, as it keeps the players leaping back and forth over the fence in an effort to avoid being tagged. a player tagged immediately becomes "it". he cannot tag back the one who tagged him, until after that one has a fair chance to get on the other side of the fence. body guard a small space is marked off at one end of the ground as a base or goal. one player is chosen to be the chief, an important personage requiring two body guards. the game starts with these three players in the goal and the balance of the players at large. the three come forth, and the two players who act as body guards clasp each other by the hand, and preceding the chief as a shield, endeavor to prevent the other players at large from tagging the chief. the chief himself may avoid being tagged by moving around the guards. whenever a guard succeeds in tagging a player, the chief and his guards return home, whereupon the player tagged changes places with the man who tagged him. any player succeeding in tagging the chief becomes the chief. sardines one of the players in the group hides, while the other players seek to find him. should a player succeed, he endeavors to get into the hiding place unobserved by the others and hides with the first player. as the game continues, and other players succeed in finding the hiding place, the number of hiding players continues to increase until they are packed in like sardines, hence the name. it is difficult for them, crowded together, in this way, to keep from disclosing the hiding place to the remaining players. the game continues until the last player has discovered the hiding place. the first one to make the discovery hides in the next round. this is a good game to be played around a farm house where there are a number of hiding places, or in the woods where there are trees, boulders and ravines. shinny this is a good game for boys and girls. it has furnished amusement for many generations of children. each player must secure a stick about 2-1/2 feet long. an alder stick with a small bend at one end furnishes an ideal implement for this game. an old baseball or where this is not procurable, a tin can or a block of wood, may be used. the players are divided into two teams. two stones, placed about five feet apart at each end of the playing space, serve as goals. the playing space should be about 30 to 50 yards in length. a level stretch of road can be used, or an open field. the game starts by each team taking a position anywhere in the half of the field nearest the goal they are defending. the ball is placed in the centre of the playing space. two opposing players, known as centres, take a position on opposite sides of the ball, within a distance of two feet of it, with the end of their clubs on the ground. the process of putting the ball into play is called "facing off". in facing off, the two centres raise their clubs from the ground and hit them together above the ball. they do this three times and after hitting them above the ball for the third time, they are allowed to hit at the ball, endeavoring to knock it towards their own players or towards the opponent's goal. the game is now on and each player endeavors to knock the ball, by means of his club, towards and through the opponent's goal. swinging the club higher than the shoulder is barred. should the ball be knocked outside of the playing space, it is brought back in and faced off by any two opposing players at a point well within the playing space, opposite to where it went out of bounds. a goal counts one point and after each goal the ball is faced off in the centre. goals should be changed in the middle of the game, so that no team may have an advantage over the other because of location of goals. one step off and all the way across two goal lines about fifteen yards apart are marked upon the playing space. this game can be played on the road, using the opposite curb stones as goal lines. a player is selected to be "it" and takes his place between the goal lines. he starts the game by saying, "one step off and all the way across". thereupon, all the players who may be behind either goal line, upon stepping over the goal line, must run across the space between the goal lines towards the opposite goal. "it" endeavors to tag the players as they run between the goal lines. each player tagged, helps "it" in tagging the others. after the game starts the players may run back and forth between the goal lines at will. the game continues until all the players are tagged. the first player tagged becomes "it" for the next game. wheel away this game is similar to the preceding game except the players must be behind the same goal line, and the one who is "it" says, "wheel away", which is the signal for all of the players to run across the space to the other goal. those tagged by "it" in their effort to do this, help him to tag the other players. all of the players are expected to run immediately upon hearing "wheel away". otherwise "it" may cross the goal line and tag them. the one first "it" is the one to say "wheel away" each time, until all of the players have been caught. the one first caught is "it" for the next game. bombardment this is a game enjoyed by boys. it is necessary to have half a dozen soft yarn balls or indoor baseballs or bean bags for this game. a large number of players can participate. a playing space is marked off on the ground with a line drawn through the centre. the group is divided into two equal teams. the teams take positions on opposite sides of the center line. the balls are divided equally between the two teams. at the signal to start the balls are thrown at such opponents as may hold one of the balls. the players may move around in their playing space, but are not allowed to step over the centre line. any player can recover a ball, but so long as he holds the ball in his hands, he is the target for the fire of the opponents. each time a player, holding a ball, is hit by an opponent, he drops out of the game. the team first retiring all of the opponents wins. bombardment no. 2 this game is similar to the preceding, except that each player must secure a stick not over two feet long, which can be stuck loosely into the ground in a vertical position. a 2ã�4 block of wood, about 8 inches long, with a flat end which can be balanced upon the ground, can be used in place of the stick if desired. each player sticks his stick up near the back end of his playing space. they must be at least three feet distant from any boundary line and from each other. each player takes a position in front of his stick. the object of the game is to knock over the opponents' sticks. should a player knock over his own stick accidentally, or that of any player on his side, it counts as though it were knocked over by the opponent. when a player's stick is knocked over, that player is dead and takes his stick and leaves the game. the side first succeeding in knocking over all of their opponents' sticks wins the game. the players are not allowed to step over the centre line. chapter iii games of strength taking the heights this is a good rough and tumble game for boys. a bank, a low platform, a pile of dirt or some elevated position is necessary. the object of the game is for the players to strive to get upon the bank and maintain their position thereupon to the exclusion of all other players. hitting, kicking, or the grasping of clothing is barred. wrestle tug of war opponents are so arranged on opposite sides of a line marked upon the ground that those of equal size and strength are facing each other. each player puts his right hand on the back of his opponent's neck and his left hand on his opponent's right elbow. each tries to pull the other over the mark. at the end of the pull, the side having the most players on its side of the line wins the game. referee's hold opponents take the same position as in the preceding event, but instead of attempting to pull across the line, each endeavors to make the other move one or both feet. the best two out of three are used to determine the winner. finger wrestling opponents are arranged as in the preceding game on opposite sides of a line. holding their hands well above their heads, opposing players grasp each other's hands, interlacing fingers, and each endeavors to bend the opponent's wrist backward. succeeding in this, the vanquished drop out of the game. one leg tug of war opponents are arranged as in the preceding game on opposite sides of a line. they turn their backs towards each other and standing upon their right foot, raise their left leg to the rear and hook the foot in that of the opponent. each endeavors to pull his opponent across the line in this position. hog tie two players of equal strength are each given a piece of quarter-inch rope or a strap. each endeavors to tie together the other's ankles. cumberland wrestling players face each other and take a waist hold, arms around opponent's waist, and stand close up. at the signal to "go" each player tries to lift his opponent off his feet. no throwing is allowed. three tries are permitted. greco-roman wrestling opponents face each other and may take any legitimate wrestling hold in their effort to secure a fall from the other. should any part of the body other than the feet touch the ground, it constitutes a fall. shoulder and arm push opponents face each other with a line marked upon the ground between them and place their right hand on the other's left shoulder and their left hand on the opponent's upper right arm. in this position they endeavor to push the opponent back from the centre line, so as to get on the opponent's side of the line. a modification of the preceding may be made by allowing the use of but one hand--the right placed against the opponent's chest, with the left held behind the back. squatting tug opposing players sit upon the ground facing each other, with the soles of their feet flat against each other's. they then bend forward without bending the knees any more than necessary and grasp the opponent's hand. in this position they endeavor to lift the opponent from the sitting position on the ground. neck tug of war opponents interlace their fingers behind each other's necks and endeavor in this position to pull the other across a center line. hand tug of war opponents grasp each other's hands and each endeavors to pull the other across a center line. cane wrestling opponents are given a stick, like a broomstick, which is grasped with both hands. each endeavors to break the grasp of the other upon the stick. part iv games for special occasions chapter i games at the dining table banquet games oysterette race those sitting on one side of the table constitute team "a", those opposite them, team "b". the two captains should be sitting opposite each other. at one end of the table place a dish containing ten to twenty oysterette crackers, in front of the men on the opposite end of each line from the captain, and an empty dish in front of every other man. the opponents having the dish of crackers in front of them are given a spoon, and at the signal to "go" they pass the crackers by means of the spoon from their dish to that of the next on their team. when the last cracker has been transferred, the spoon is handed to the next man on the team, who repeats the performance of the first. (dishes cannot be moved from their original position). the team first succeeding in getting the crackers to the dish of the captain wins. passing the drink teams are arranged as in no. 1. a glass of water is given to the man at one end of the table. the glass should be filled to the brim. with the signal to "go" it is passed to the far end of the table and immediately returned. the glass which returns first to the one who started the passing determines the winner, provided that the glass has as much or more water in it at the finish than the opponents' glass. if the winning team has less water in it, the result is a tie game. rat-a-tat-tat teams arranged as in previous games. a plate or glass must be placed in front of each contestant. two spoons are handed to contestants at the head of each line. at the signal to "go" the opponents beat on the plate rat-tat-rat-tat-tat, as a drum beats. he then passes it on to the next. rat-tat-rat-tat-tat is passed on to the far end of the line and back. when the one who started the race has beaten his last rat-tat-rat-tat-tat, he stands up holding both spoons above his head. earth, air, fire and water teams are arranged as in previous games. a member of team "a" is given an object, which can be conveniently passed or tossed across the table. the game starts by his passing the object to any member of the opposing team. in passing the object, he says one of the four words: "earth, air, fire or water." if the word "earth" is used, he must name some animal; if the word "air" is used, the one receiving the object must name some bird; if the word "water" is used, he must name some fish, and keep quiet if the word "fire" is used. if the word used requires an answer, the one to whom the object is passed must give the name before the one who has passed the object can count ten. failing to do this, one point is scored by team "a". the one on team "b" to whom the object was passed, passes same back to any member of team "a" and says any of the four words. note.--if the word "air" is used, the opponent must name some bird, such as robin, thrush, etc. if "water" is used, shad, salmon, etc. if "earth" is used, lion, cow, etc. around the chair the teams are arranged as in previous games. the opponents at the head of the line are handed an orange. at the signal to "go" they must stand up, push their chair back from the table and run around the chair twice, return to the table, sit down and pass the orange to the next one in line, who repeats the performance of the first. the race ends when the last one in the line has circled the chair twice, sat down and held the orange above his head. jenkins up divide the company into two sides. one division sits around the table on one side, the other on the opposite side. the members of the division "a" put their hands under the table and a small coin, dime or quarter, is passed from one to the other. when division "b" thinks they have had enough time, the captain calls out, "jenkins up!" and the players of "a" hold up their closed hands; and when "jenkins down!" is called, they must place their open hands, palm down, on the table. the players of "b" must guess under which palm the coin is. every player may guess, but only the captain is to be obeyed when he orders an opponent to lift a hand. if a player can succeed in finding the whereabouts of the coin by causing an opponent to raise his hand, it is legitimate. the object is to have the hand containing the coin remain on the table last. every hand left with the palm on the table when the hand hiding the coin is lifted, counts a point for the team holding the coin. the teams alternate the guessing. malaga grapes one who knows the game takes a spoon in his right hand, then taking it in his left hand, he passes it to the one sitting at his left, saying, "malaga grapes are very fine grapes, the best to be had in the market". he tells his neighbor to do the same. the spoon is thus passed from one to the other, each telling the same grape story. if anyone passes the spoon with the right hand, which is the natural thing to do, a forfeit can be claimed. the trick must not be told until it has gone around a table once or twice. table football an egg is blown and the shell used as the football. two captains are selected, each choosing his side. teams take places on the opposite sides of the table and endeavor to blow the egg shell over a goal line which is made two inches from and parallel to their opponents' side of the table. after each goal the egg is placed in the centre of the table and the blowing begins with the sound of a whistle. no player can leave his place, and the "football" must be moved entirely by blowing. if the table be long, more than one egg may be used. spearing peanuts a number of peanuts are placed in the centre of the table. each guest is armed with a hat pin. a few of the peanuts have black spots marked upon their end. these peanuts count 5 points. all other peanuts count 1 point. the player succeeding in scoring the highest number wins. the pin must be stuck into the shell. showing the nut is not allowed. string winding race those seated at one side of the table compete against those on the opposite side. a ball of string is given to the two players sitting opposite each other at one end of the table. at the signal to go the two players maintaining their hold on the loose end of the string pass the ball to the players next to them. each player must hold the string in one hand and pass the ball on, unwinding it, as it progresses to the next player. when the ball has reached the last player he immediately starts rewinding the ball. when he has wound up his share, he passes it back to the next, who continues the winding. by the time the ball has returned to the player at the head of the table, it must be entirely wound. the team first succeeding in accomplishing this, wins the race. the string must be wound upon the ball and not snarled. name writing race the teams are arranged on opposite sides of the table. a long slip of paper and a pencil are handed to two players sitting opposite at the head of the table. at the signal to "go" the two players holding the paper write their last names upon it and pass the slip on to the next player on their side. the second player on each team must write the first name of the preceding player in its proper place on the slip and write his own last name directly under that of the preceding player and then pass the slip on to the third player, and so it continues until it reaches the last player. he follows the example of the other players, leaving space for his first name. the slips are then passed back to the head of the table where the first name of the last man must be written down by the player at the head of the table. when this is done they stand and hold the paper above their heads. the team first succeeding in this wins. each player must give to the player next following him his first name. the last player on each team will have to shout his name, so that the one at the head of the table may be able to fill it in before ending the race. candle and plate race the teams are arranged on opposite sides of a table. the two players at the head of the table are given a plate and a candle and a box of safety matches. at the signal to "go" the candle is placed on its end on the plate and lighted by the first player. the candle is then balanced upon the plate, as it is passed to the next player, who receives the plate endeavoring to maintain the balance of the candle. should the candle fall over, the player in whose hand the plate rests must place the plate down upon the table, again stand the candle on its end and pass it on to the next player. should the flame on the candle become extinguished, the player, in whose possession it is, must place the plate down upon the table, and using the box of safety matches which is on the plate, relight the candle. in this way the candle is passed to the far end of the table and back. the team first succeeding in accomplishing this task wins. this can be made more difficult by requiring each player to keep one hand in his lap during the passing, balancing and lighting of the candle. in lighting, the next neighbor on the team may hold the box of matches while his teammate strikes the match necessary to relight the candle. chapter ii a county fair play festival play programs with everybody in the games, old and young, large and small, are replacing the fakers and chance-men in some of our county fairs. instead of a lot of disgusted individuals with empty purses winding their way on the long home trail we want to hear the laughter of the family group, still exhilarated as a result of a pleasant afternoon spent in happy, healthful recreation. everybody loves to play but few will admit it. in fact a great many do not realize that it is true. in order to get everybody in the game, it may be necessary to use unusual methods. a heterogeneous group can be led into the play program unconsciously if the leader uses the proper approach; and before old deacon hasbrook knows it, he and his good wife, neither of whom have played in nigh on to thirty-five years, will be laughing and frisking about with the rest in a way that you would have said impossible if you had known this sedate dignitary for the past twenty-five years. the grand march here is one way that it can be done. while the band is playing a lively march at one end of the field which is to be used for the games, have the leaders, who have been previously instructed, get all of the folks lined up in couples around the field for a grand march. a couple trained for the occasion leads the march when everybody is in line, marching about the circumference of the field. the leaders start their fancy marching. at one end they turn and march down the center of the field to the far end where the couples separate, the ladies going to the left and the gentlemen to the right. they reunite at the other end of the field. the march continues with numerous variations such as change of formation from double to formation of fours, marching diagonally across the field, crossing at the middle, etc. the march should end with the group arranged in couples around the circumference of the field with the ladies nearest the center. have both groups face the center and have the ladies take one step forward and the men take one step backward. the games for all one american flag on a short stick is handed to the leaders of both lines, that is, the leading lady and the leading gentleman, and at the signal to start the flags are passed about the circle (over the head), the ladies competing against the gentlemen to see which can pass the flag from hand to hand all the way around the circle in the quickest time. the race ends when the flag returns to the leader, who waves the same above his head, indicating the close of the race. if the group is less than 100 in number, the following game can be played: a ball of string is handed to the leader of each team. upon the signal to start, the leaders, holding the end of the string, pass the ball to the next one on the team, who passes it to his neighbor, unrolling it as it goes, and so on from hand to hand, each one on the team keeping hold of the string with his right hand. there should be string enough in the ball to reach all the way round the circle. the ball diminishes as it is passed along. when the ball reaches the last one in the circle he starts rewinding the string upon the ball, passes it back to the next one, who winds on the slack, and so the ball is passed, each one winding until the ball returns to the captain. each team will try to get the ball properly wound back into the captain's hands first. no one can leave his regular position in the line during the race. if the ball has been properly wound, it will be possible to throw the same twenty-five feet to the judges, who take a position within the circle and about this distance in front of the captain. the first one to get the ball into the hands of the judge, by means of this throw, wins the race. in the next race five or six flags of the allies are passed about the circle in the same way. the flags are stuck in the ground in front of the leaders. upon the signal to start, the leaders pick up the first flag and start it on its way, then immediately pick up the second and start it about the circle and so on until all of the flags are in motion. the american flag should be passed last. when all of the flags have been returned to the leaders they run to the center of the ring. the first one to stick the american flag up in the receptacle there placed to receive it wins the race. (careful instruction should be given that the flags in being passed about the circle must be handed from one individual to the next so that every individual passes the flag. throwing is not allowed.) see chapter on racing games for picnic for other suggestions. following these passing games the group can be broken up into smaller circles, each under the direction of a leader who has been previously instructed in the type of game he is to give to his group. the activities of the smaller groups are to be arranged according to the age of the participants. in dividing a group into smaller groups according to age, the leader should first have all children under twelve years of age step forward. these should be placed in the charge of group leaders. next all the boys and girls from twelve to eighteen should be asked to step forward and next all those young men and women who can participate in active games. when this last group has been called forward, those remaining will form the fourth group. it is difficult for one leader to handle more than fifteen individuals. if any of the groups contain more than this number, they should be subdivided, with a leader placed in charge of each subdivision. try as far as possible to have the two sexes equally divided in each group. the games should be carefully selected in advance and the various leaders should have been trained for their task. no active play program for large groups should be planned for a longer period than one hour and then frequent rest periods allowed for adults. games which will be found adaptable for the various groups contained in this volume are suggested below: for the children under twelve--schoolyard games for primary and intermediate pupils. for those from twelve to eighteen--schoolyard games for advanced pupils. for the young men and women--outdoor games for the older boys and young men. for the middle-aged--a selection of games from chapter on "games for picnics, and social games for adults". chapter iii games for a story play hour the story--"paul revere" following the reading of longfellow's poem the listeners are given the opportunity to give expression to their imagination in the following games,-"the red coats" divide the group into two equal teams. one team is called the farmers, the other the red coats. a goal is marked off on the ground in the form of a hollow square large enough to contain all the members of one of the teams. all of the red coats take a position inside of the goal with eyes closed while the farmers hide. after sufficient time has been given to the farmers to hide, the red coats are released and each seeks to discover a farmer. upon being discovered the hiding farmer must remain in his hiding place until tagged by the red coat then they both race back to the goal. the first one to cross the goal line becomes a farmer and the other a red coat in the next hiding. after returning to the goal both farmer and red coat must remain therein until all of the farmers have been discovered. if the last red coats find it difficult to locate the hiding farmers they can call to their assistance such other red coats as they may need, in which case the red coat first discovering the farmer points him out to that red coat who enlisted his help, thereupon said red coat tags the farmer and races with him to the goal. after all of the farmers have been discovered those who are to be farmers in the next round hide and the game goes on as before. in case two red coats discover the same farmer the one first tagging him shall count and shall race with him for the goal. in case the red coat discovers more than one farmer he may choose the one he wishes to tag, but he is not to disclose the other to another red coat. "yankee doodle tag" the group is divided into two equal teams. two lines are marked upon the playing space parallel to each other and about 20 yards apart. these lines should be long enough to allow all of the expected number of players to form line upon, shoulder to shoulder. each team lines up on a goal line facing in the same direction, team a facing the center of the playing space, team b facing away from the center. team a marches forward whistling "yankee doodle" maintaining a straight line until a leader who takes a position near the center of one side of the playing space raises a hand above his head. this is a signal for team a to stop whistling, break ranks and run back to their goal line. team b, whose backs are toward the advancing column, upon hearing the whistling stops, turns about and chases after team a, trying to tag as many of them as possible before they get back to their goal line. every member of team a who is tagged becomes a member of team b. team b next marches forward whistling as did a, while a waits on their goal line until the whistling stops, thereupon they turn about and chase b. the game continues in this way. at the end the team having the most players is declared the winner. note--the leader giving the signal for the whistling to stop should take a position where the signal cannot be seen by the team waiting to chase the whistlers. "paul revere race" the group is divided into teams of from 8 to 15 each. these teams are placed on the field in parallel columns of file with a distance of 10 feet between each team. the players on each team are then arranged in the line at a distance of from 10 to 20 feet apart. the lightest member of each team is selected as the rider for that team and takes his position behind the player at the back end of his line. at the signal to start he leaps upon the back of the last man who carries him forward to the next man of his team in front of him in the line, and the rider must change from the back of the first steed to the back of the second without touching the ground. the second steed carries him to the third, and he is passed on from steed to steed until he reaches the last steed at the end of the column who carries him across a finish line. the first paul revere to cross the line wins the game for his team. "the midnight ride"--quiet games two teams of equal numbers are chosen and arranged in two lines facing each other. if the game is played in-doors place the teams on opposite sides of the room. a pad of paper and a pencil is given to the two players at the head of each line. the leader then reads a number of lines from longfellow's poem "the midnight ride of paul revere", requesting that all of the players endeavor to remember as much of the poem as possible. when a sufficient number of lines have been read the player at the head of each team, at a signal to start, writes the first word of the poem on the sheet and passes it along to the next player in line who writes the second word. and so it is passed until it reaches the end of the line. if a player does not remember the right word he writes his surname in place of the word and passes it on to the next player who either fills in the proper word or writes in the surname. the team which passes the pad to the other end of the line first wins, provided that every one has either written a word from the poem or a name thereupon, and scores 5 points. the team having the fewest names written into the poem also scores 5 points (an error counts the same as a name). in case of a tie, the score race is repeated. modification.--read several verses and require the paper to be passed up the lines and back as many times as are necessary to write down all of the verses read, using the same method used in the other race. the team first getting all of the verses written, wins. those who cannot add the right word to the verse must write their surname in every time the paper passes them. forfeits can be required from them whose names appear above a certain number of times on a sheet. if the group is very large increase the number of teams. the above games are supposed to be played after the reading of longfellow's poem--"the midnight ride of paul revere". chapter iv an indoor sports fair they are still talking about the indoors sports fair that the welfare league of ashton gave last spring, and ranking it as the best thing the town ever did to raise money for their united welfare funds. when the doors were opened on the first night it was not surprising to see a crowd all ready to push in and enjoy the sports prepared for them. no admission was charged, but each sport, exhibit and event had its price plainly marked in black on a bright blue sign at the entrance. that first evening it seemed as if the golf course was patronized as freely as any of the sports. it took up one large corner of the hall, where a miniature nine-hole course had been laid out on dark blue denim. the "holes" were marked out with rings of white paint, and there were a few hazards of sandbags and a very low brick wall. for the most part it was a putting game, a putter being handed to the player after he had paid his admission to the "caddie" at the turnstile gate. they say the boys had the time of their lives at the baseball diamond, and some of their fathers too, to judge from the receipts. back on a large piece of canvas bill simons had "dashed in" with cold water paints a baseball diamond, with trees in the background and bleachers on each side, all in a queer perspective which didn't hurt the game any. in the curtain bill had cut holes just a little larger than a baseball, so that throwing the ball through these holes was not any bush-league business. on the diamond he had marked under the holes, first base, second base, third base, and home run at the plate. back of the plate were two holes quite close together, one marked strike and the other ball. two holes in the outfield and two "over the fence" were also arranged in pairs to make pitching difficult. regular baseballs were sold, four shots for a nickel. the ruling of the game was simple: three strikes out, four balls a chance to try first base, or one of the "over the fence" holes for a home run; after first base, second and third had to be hit successively before a home run could be scored, and to make it harder there was a "grounder" hole near third base which put one out of the game; balls which merely struck the curtain were counted as fouls, four fouls being out. back of the curtain bill had hung an old mattress against which the balls bounded to the floor. this was covered with a black cloth to make the holes in the diamond visible. seeing the old home town down the line next to the baseball diamond came the bowling alley, where everyone who was not a fan or a golf fiend was taking a hand at the sport. this alley was laid on a long board table, and the game played with tenpins and small wooden balls. six balls for a nickel they sold here, and because the sport needed something to speed it up a bit they linked it with the food table next door. the best cooks in town presided over this. you paid your money for your tenpin balls, and proceeded to run up a score by counting the numbers on the pins you knocked down; the pins were set far apart to make it difficult. then you took your score to the food table, where certain numbers of points brought you a glass of jelly, a can of mince-meat, a box of cookies, or a jar of mayonnaise. that bowling alley certainly did appeal to the women! and if there was ever a more successful grab bag for the children than the quoits game, the ashton welfare committee wants to hear about it. they called it a good luck booth for it had a horseshoe-shaped opening with a row of numbered pegs across the back. the kiddies bought the quoits, little wooden horseshoes cut from cigar-box wood, and tossed them over a peg. the number of the peg corresponded to a numbered tag which was handed out to be redeemed at the parcel-post window near the aã«rial mail plane. this aviator, by the way, was an official of the cupid airline, so he advertised on his aã«roplane, which was painted on a large curtain with a hole cut out where the seat would be, and the wheel of an electric fan poked through at the front and set going for a propeller. his mail bag hung over the side of the car inside of which he stood in aviation uniform, and for ten cents you could get your fortune in a small white envelope out of the mail bag if you were a man, or in a pink envelope if you were a girl. but say, for a real scream, you had to take a sight-seeing trip in the auto! it was worth twice the toll. dottie earle had charge of it, and she made one of the funniest guides you ever heard. "this way, ladies and gentlemen," she would shout through her megaphone; "get your tickets for a tour of the city in the most magnificently equipped sight-seeing autos that ever ran on three wheels and one cylinder! only twenty-five cents, two bits a ride! see the birthplace of ashton's mayor, the history of ashton's past, its chief industries," and so on. when her tourists assembled in front of her machine, which was a real car, at least the front half of one, an old relic which the garage had just about decided to scrap, its latter half hidden behind a dark curtain, dottie led them back of the curtain where the sights of ashton were hidden. in another black curtain were a series of holes not any larger than a quarter, and behind each was one of the sights, a cradle, a picture of the town dump, a scrubbing brush and a large pen-knife for the sights already mentioned. for the home team she had a snapshot of the warren twins, for the competitor of the herald, a telephone, and so on with eight other "hits" on town topics and characters. so many guffaws and squeals of laughter came from behind the curtain that they had to call in a "traffic cop" to keep the crowd outside quiet. the "traffic cops," by the way, were boy scouts. they had dark blue costumes of cheap drill, trimmed with white braid, and wore white cotton gloves and shiny badges. they really did have power invested in them by the committee to preserve order and keep the crowds moving. at one point they were allowed to stand with a semaphore and hold up the crowd, not allowing anyone to pass who could not show a certain number of tags from the various booths. this tag system was to insure that all would play fair, for there was so much fun just watching other folks spend money that the tightwads might never have taken their hands out of their pockets or opened their purses. a racket around the candy booth mrs. peterson, who sells the best bread in town, had charge of the cake archery. you bought arrows for this, three for ten cents, but you could not shoot until a dollar's worth of arrows had been sold. then you took your turn at the bow and arrow. the arrow which hit nearest the bull's-eye got the cake, of course, and it was some cake, if it happened to be one of abbie southerland's angel foods. the girls' club had drawn the candy table for their share of the fair, and a pretty booth they made of it, using all the tennis nets they could beg, borrow or steal to drape it with and putting up all the candy in ten-cent packages wrapped in white waxed paper to look like tennis balls. someone got funny and asked why there was such a racket around the candy booth! the fair lasted three days. what with changing the attractions, keeping fresh food on the refreshment tables, making special attractions for children in the afternoons after school by offering prizes for sports events like sack races, obstacle races, and so on, getting up interest in golf tournaments and baseball series, the place was kept packed from three in the afternoon until midnight. in the ladies' home journal, jan., 1921. published with the permission of the author, claire wallis, and the ladies' home journal. chapter v racing games for picnics in these games participants are divided into a number of equal teams. each team is lined up in single file behind a base line. a distance line parallel to the base line and about ten yards from it is indicated on the field. egg and spoon race a basket of eggs, apples, potatoes or stones is placed in front of each team and a spoon given to the first member of each team. empty baskets are placed on the distance line opposite the position of each team. at the signal to go the first player on each team, keeping the left hand behind the back, takes one egg from the basket by means of the spoon and carries it on the spoon to the basket from the distance line. returning to the base line the spoon is handed to the second member of the team who repeats the performance of the first. the game continues until the last player on each team, after carrying the egg forward, returns across the base line. the team first succeeding wins. should a player drop an egg, he must gather up as much of the egg as possible and carry it to the far basket and there deposit it before returning with the spoon to the next member of his team. pea shelling race a basket containing peas and an empty dish are placed on the distance line opposite each team. there should be at least six peas contained in each basket for every player on the team. at the signal to go the first player on each team runs forward, shells his peas into the dish and lays the six empty pods in a straight line behind the dish. accomplishing this, he returns and tags off the next player on the team who repeats the performance of the first. the team first succeeding in shelling all of the peas and having each player's pods lined up in a straight line, wins. needle threading race an individual holding a needle and a short piece of thread is on the distance line opposite each team. at the signal to go, the first player on each team runs forward, takes the needle and thread, threads the needle, hands it back to the individual and returns and tags off the next player on the team. the individual holding the needle unthreads it, ready for the next player to repeat the performance of the first. when the last player crosses the starting line after threading the needle the race ends. button sewing as many buttons as there are players on each team are placed on the distance line opposite each team, a strip of cloth, a needle, and as many short lengths of thread as there are players. at the signal to go, the first member of each team runs forward, threads the needle with one of the pieces of thread, sews a button on the strip of cloth, using up all of the thread in his piece. he leaves the needle stuck in the cloth at the distance line and returns and tags off the next player, who repeats the performance of the first, as do all other team members. rope skipping relay a piece of rope is necessary for each team. at the signal to go, the first member of each team skips rope forward to the distance line. from the distance line he runs back and hands the rope to the next one on the team, who repeats the performance of the first. each player must skip the rope at least six times in each direction. the last member of the team, after skipping the rope forward to the distance line, returns across the base line, ending the event. rope skipping contest a piece of rope is needed for each team. at the signal to go, the first individual skips rope ten times, in place, hands the rope back to the next individual who skips ten times, and so the rope is passed on until it gets to the last one in the line, who skips twenty times and passes the rope back to the one next in front of him in the line. the rope is passed until it gets to the first member of the team, each one skipping ten times upon receiving it. when the one in the front of the line has skipped ten times, he ends the race by running forward across the distance line. dizzy izzy a cane or stick is given to the first player on each team. upon the signal to go he places the end of the stick upon the ground, holding the stick in a vertical position, and places the centre of his forehead on the upper end of the stick. in this position, he circles around the stick three times and then runs forward to the distance line and returns, handing the stick to the next player on his team behind the base line. the second player places his forehead upon the stick and repeats the performance of the first, as does every other player on the team. the last man ends the race by crossing the base line. caterpillar race the players on each team sit upon the ground in single file, with the head of each team behind the base line. the knees are bent so that the feet are near the hips. each player reaches back with his two hands and grasps the ankles of the player next behind him. at the signal to go, the entire column moves forward, endeavoring to keep from breaking the column by any one losing his grip on the ankles of the next member of the team, behind. the caterpillar creeps forward across the distance line and returns. when the rear end of the column crosses the base line, the race is completed, provided the column is unbroken. potato race two peach baskets and two potatoes, stones or blocks of wood for each contestant are needed for each team. one basket is placed before each team on the base line and one directly opposite on the distance line. the potatoes are placed in the basket on the base line. the first player takes a position on the right hand side of the basket behind the base line, with a potato in his hand. at the signal to start, he runs around the basket on the distance line, dropping his potato therein. he returns, running around the basket on the base line, picks up the second potato, which he carries and drops into the far basket, as he circles it. he then returns and tags off the next player on the team, who, after being tagged, picks up the first potato and carries it to the far basket, returning for his second. each player in turn carries two potatoes, one at a time. both baskets must be circled in carrying the potatoes forward. the player is not allowed to touch the basket in running around it. if his potato fails to go into the basket, he must pick it up and put it in before he goes for his second potato or touches off the next runner. the last player on each team ends the race by crossing the base line after having properly deposited his two potatoes in the far basket. apple race* a strawberry basket full of small apples is handed to the first member of each team. at the signal to go the basket full of apples is passed back over the heads of the players until it reaches the last player in the column. the last player, upon receiving the basket full of apples, runs forward on the right hand side of his line to the distance line, where an empty basket has been placed. he pours the apples from his full basket into the empty basket, leaving the basket which is now empty on the distance line. he returns with the full basket to the front of the column and starts passing the basket full of apples back over his head. when it reaches the individual who is then at the rear of the column, he runs forward, repeating the performance of the first. the race ends when the last man on the team to run returns across the base line after having changed the apples on the distance line. apple race no. 2* a basket full of apples and an empty basket are placed upon the distance line opposite each team. at the signal to go the first man on the team runs forward, empties the apples from the full basket into the empty basket. should he spill any, he must pick them up. all of the apples must be in the basket before he leaves them. he leaves the empty and full baskets on the distance line and returns, tags off the next member on his team and takes his place at the rear of the line. when all members of the team have done this and the last member crosses the base line, the race ends. apple race no. 3* peach baskets containing an equal number of apples (fifteen makes a good number) are placed at the front of each team. an empty basket is placed at the rear of the column. at the signal to go the first man on the team picks the apples out of the full basket, one at a time and passes them to the rear as rapidly as possible. every man in the line must receive and pass back every apple. the last man in the column deposits the apples in the empty basket as rapidly as he receives them. when the last apple has been passed back, the man in front of the column passes back the empty basket. when the empty basket reaches the last man in the column, he picks up the full basket, places the empty one in its place and runs to the front of the column with the full basket, places it in front of him on the ground and starts passing the apples back, one at a time, as before. the race continues until the last man on the team runs forward and places his full basket of apples on the distance line in front of his team. judges should count the apples to see that there are as many in the basket as the team started with, before rendering a decision as to the winner of the race. apple race no. 4* a peach basket is placed opposite each team and ten feet beyond the distance line. the first member of each team is handed a good sized apple. at the signal to go he runs forward to the distance line, and standing behind the same, endeavors to toss the apple into the basket. failing to do this, he may run forward and recover the apple, but must return to the distance line in his endeavor to toss the apple into the basket. when he has succeeded in tossing the apple into the basket, he picks the apple out of the basket and runs back, handing it to the next member on the team, who does the same as he did. the race continues until the last member of the team has properly tossed the apple into the basket, recovered it and has run across the base line. * stones may be used in place of apples in these races. apple toss a basket containing four apples is placed on the ground in front of each team. an empty basket is placed on the distance line opposite each team. the first player on each team takes a position beside the empty basket on the distance line. at the signal to go the second player on the team, who stands by the basket containing the apples, picks up the apples, one at a time, and tosses them to the first player who stands on the distance line. the first player, upon catching the apples, drops them into the empty basket until he has received all four. he then carries the full basket back and places it on the ground in front of his team, while the player who tossed the apples to him runs forward to the distance line with the empty basket. the third player on the team then picks up the apples, one at a time, and tosses them to the second player, who is now beside the empty basket on the distance line, while the first player takes his position at the rear of the line. the race continues in this way until it becomes the turn of the first player to toss the apples forward. after having tossed the four apples, he picks up his empty basket and runs with it across the distance line, ending the race. no player can have more than one apple in his hand at a time and the player tossing the apples forward must stand behind the base line and cannot pick up the basket to run forward with it until he has gotten rid of the fourth apple. roll over relay at the signal to go, the first player on each team runs towards the distance line. somewhere between the base line and the distance line, he must take a forward roll upon the ground. he then runs across the distance line and back, tagging off the next player, who repeats his performance. spin around relay one member of each team takes a position on the distance line, opposite to and facing his team. at the signal to go the first man on each team runs forward, locks his right arm in the right arm of the man on the distance line and in this position spins twice around, using the man on the distance line as a pivot. completing his second spin, he remains on the distance line while the man who was there returns and tags off the next member of his team, who repeats the performance. the race ends when the last man to spin around the pivot crosses the base line. this race can be modified by having two or even three individuals distributed at equal distances between the base and the distance line to spin around, instead of one. chair relay a chair is placed on the distance line opposite each team, with the back of the chair towards the team. boxes may be used instead of chairs in this race. at the signal to go the first player on each team runs forward, sits in the chair, lifting both feet clear of the ground, then running around the chair, returns and tags off the next player, who does the same. where folding chairs are available, the chair can be folded and left upon the ground on the distance line. then each contestant is required to open the chair, sit upon it, then fold it, lay it upon the ground and return to tag off the next player. chair passing race a box can be used instead of a chair in this event. all of the players are asked to face to the right. a chair is given to the man at the right hand end of the line to sit upon. all of the others remain standing. at the signal to go, he picks up the chair, and passes it to his left hand neighbor who receives it and passes it on to his left hand neighbor and so the chair is passed until it gets to the player at the left end of the line. he, upon receiving it, places it upon the ground and sits upon it, lifting both feet from the ground. then, picking up the chair, he runs to the rear of his line until he gets to the other end. there again he sits upon the chair, raising both feet from the ground, and then starts passing it to the left. so when every man in the line has run to the right with the chair in turn, the last man ends the race when he sits upon it at the right hand end of the line. chair sitting race a box can be used for this event instead of a chair. if a chair is used, it is well to have a very sturdy one. this race starts with the players in the same position as in the preceding race, the player on the right hand end of the line sitting upon the chair. at the signal to go, he picks up the chair, passing it in front of him to the neighbor on his left, who, after sitting upon the chair and lifting both feet from the ground, passes it in front of him to the next player to the left and so the chair is passed towards the left hand end of the line, each player in turn sitting upon it and then passing it in front of him to the next player on the left. the race ends when the man on the far left end of the line sits upon the chair with his feet off the ground. squash race one crook-neck summer squash, a short stick, a piece of twine and a strawberry basket are needed for each team in this race. the strawberry basket, containing the squash with its neck projecting over the edge, is placed on the distance line. a slip noose is made in one end of the twine. the other end is tied to the end of the stick. this fish pole arrangement of twine and stick is handed to the first man on each team. at the signal to go he runs forward to the distance line and proceeds to fish for the squash in the basket by slipping the noose of string over its neck. he is not allowed to touch the string or squash with his hand in his effort to do this. he must use his stick as a fish pole. when he has succeeded in capturing the squash, he picks up the basket and carries the squash swinging from the end of his fish pole to the next player on his team. the second player, upon receiving the squash, the fish pole, and the basket, runs forward, slipping the noose off the squash. he places the squash in the basket on the distance line and proceeds to fish for it as did the preceding player. each player does this in turn. poison club small logs of stove length, flat on one end, are lined up between the base and distance lines in front of each team. there should be at least five of these for each team and they should not be placed more than three feet apart, set on their flat end in a straight line. at the signal to go the first member of each team hops forward across the distance line, hopping to the right of the first club, to the left of the second, to the right of the third and so on in and out until he has cleared all the clubs. he then completes the distance, hopping to the distance line. from there he may run back and tag off the next member on his team. should he knock over any of the clubs, he must stop and set it up without touching more than one foot to the ground, before he can proceed to the next club. the race ends when the last individual runs across the base line. club change two small circles are drawn on the base line opposite each team. three short logs similar to those in the preceding game are balanced on end in the right hand circle opposite each team. at the signal to go the first player runs forward, picks up the logs, one at a time, and changes them to the empty circle. when he has changed all three logs, he can then return and tag off the next player on his team. the second player runs forward and proceeds to change the three logs back to their original circle. so each player changes the three logs from the full to the empty circle. when the last player, after having accomplished this, crosses the base line, the race ends. fan and bag race a small paper bag well inflated with air, and a palm leaf fan are given to the first player on each team. the bag is placed on the base line in front of the team. at the signal to go, the first player proceeds to blow the bag forward by means of the fan, until it has crossed the distance line. he then picks up the bag, returns, places it on the base line in front of the next player to whom he hands the fan. the second player repeats the performance. the race ends when the last player blows the bag across the distance line. quadruped race the first two players on each team stand back to back behind the base line, with the first player facing the distance line. the two lock arms behind them. at the signal to go the first player bends forward, lifting the second player so that his feet are clear of the ground and carries him forward on his back in this position. when he has crossed the distance line, he lowers the player upon his back, without changing their relative position and that player, upon getting his feet upon the ground, bends forward, lifting the first player upon his back, and runs back with him in this position across the base line. when the first couple has crossed the base line, the second couple on each team proceeds with the race, copying the first. centipede race the players of each team lock their arms around the waist of the player next in front of them and race in this compact position across the distance line, turning around without breaking their formation, and end the race when the last man on the team crosses the base line. blind chariot race several teams can be used in this race. the distance line is pointed out before blindfolding each team. each team is made up of two horses and a driver. all three are blindfolded, facing in the same direction. the horses' inside arms are locked together. the driver takes hold of the outside arms. each team is turned around three times and at a signal, race to the goal. hoop race a wooden hoop is placed on the distance line opposite each team. at the signal to go the first player rushes forward and picks up the hoop and passes it down over his head, body, and legs, steps out of it, while it is lying on the ground. he then steps back into it, and lifts it up, passing it over his entire body, legs, trunk and head. when he has lifted it over his head, he places it on the distance line and runs back to tag off the next player, who repeats the performance of the first as do all the others in turn. rainy day race the players on the team are grouped in pairs. each team is given an umbrella, two raincoats, one pair of gloves and one pair of rubbers. this equipment is placed in a pile upon the ground in front of each team. at the signal to go the first couple on each team go to the pile of clothes; one puts on one glove, one the other; they do the same with the rubbers; each puts on a raincoat and opening the umbrella link arms and run to the distance line and back removing the rubbers, gloves, coat and closing the umbrella. they then tag off the next couple who repeat the performance of the first. this continues until the last couple crosses the base line ending the race. index games for schools schoolroom games _for primary pupils_ aisle hunt 3 aviation meet 1 birds fly 4 bee 2 bowing race 6 button, button 1 cat and mouse 1 change seat relay 5 charlie over the water 5 colors 2 hide in sight 2 hide the clock 3 i see red 3 music rush 5 new orleans 4 poison seat 3 rat-a-tat race 6 spin around race 7 tap relay 6 _for intermediate pupils_ compass 11 corner spry 9 change seats 14 clapping song 12 flag race 10 frogs in sea 9 geography 11 history race 13 hunt the rattler 8 indian trail 12 initial tag 8 jerusalem, jericho, jemima 10 last man 14 magic music 8 multiplication race 13 name race 9 number relay 13 poem race 14 relay run around 15 rhymes 12 seat vaulting tag 10 spelling words 11 sticker 8 _for advanced and high school pupils_ art gallery 19 bowknot relay 20 cooking race 21 definitions 16 descriptive adjectives 17 directions 23 distinguishing by smell 19 distinguishing sounds 18 drawing animals 20 geography 16 grammar race 22 guessing dimensions 19 historical pictures 20 jumbled words 17 laugh 19 mysterious articles 19 schoolroom tag 22 seeing and remembering 16 spelling game 21 store 18 train of thoughts 20 schoolyard games _for primary pupils_ back to back 26 chase the rabbit 24 handkerchief tag 25 peggy in ring 26 progression 25 puss in corner 26 shadow tag 25 squirrel in trees 25 statues 24 steps 24 _for intermediate pupils_ antony over 29 ball tag 36 channel tag 35 chicken market 31 chickidy hand 31 circle chase 34 couple tag 36 fox and rabbit 31 fox trail 33 in and out 30 link race 27 maze tag 27 oriental tag 36 pass ball 32 poison 32 reuben and rachel 35 roly poly 29 snake and bird 30 soak 'em 35 the dummy 36 turtle tag 29 weavers race 34 _for advanced and high school pupils_ dresden tag 37 fox and geese 37 freight train tag 39 hand baseball 41 kick ball 41 last couple out 41 partner swat tag 38 pin ball 40 plug the hole 38 red, white and blue 39 roll ball 39 spanish fly 42 take away 39 tony says 43 sociable games for the home, church, etc. _for the home:_ board and nail puzzle 49 captain kidd's gold 53 catechism of states 47 chic-a-dee 53 come-she-come 45 floor baseball 51 hide the thimble 45 last match 46 red triangle ring toss 50 spinning for 20 49 spin the platter 48 step by step 48 tit tat too 45 twenty questions 44 you know me 45 your house, my house 46 ice breakers for sociables: bean penalty 57 bird hunt 55 matching advertisements 56 matching proverbs 56 mixing march 56 musical medley 57 my month 55 poison circle 55 puzzled words 57 shoe hunt 56 trip around the world 57 social games for grown-ups analogues 63 biographic cartoons 59 charades 64 ghost 64 gossiping 63 illustrated songs 59 knight of the cracker 65 match boxing 66 muddled words 60 poor pussy 62 rooster 62 smiles 59 tea pot 60 trades 61 who are they? 61 who is it? 61 sociable games for young people barnyard chorus 68 birds 70 donkey solo 68 exchange 68 feather tag 70 fruit basket 67 going to jerusalem 72 guess the sound 69 hush 71 jack's alive 71 rapid transit 69 rhyming verbs 67 shifting seats 69 simple simon's silly smile 71 what animal? 67 wink 71 trick games for sociables aeroplane ride 80 blind blow 77 boots without shoes 76 clairvoyant 75 coin and card snap 77 divesting 82 egg smash 81 hay stack 76 hindoo blind reading 73 knights of the sacred whistle 75 magic answers 74 mental telepathy 73 musical notes 81 newspaper touch 76 number trick 78 penny wise 78 pigs in pen 78 reading temples 80 scissors crossed 75 siam club 82 the paper artist 74 tricks with matches 77 stunt athletic meet bawl game 83 chair tilting 85 discus throw 85 duel tug of war 84 elimination race 87 hammer throw 86 head toss 84 javelin throw 86 light weight race 86 long glum 86 lucky 84 one mile run 86 peanut relay 83 peanut throw 84 ring the bell 85 running broad grin 86 shot put 84 standing broad jump 83 standing high jump 83 turtle race 86 twenty yard dash 86 competitive stunts aviation meet 89 balloon race 90 blindfold obstacles 91 boat race 92 brick relay 88 candle roll over 91 chair stubbing 89 chair-i-ot race 89 cracker relay 91 feather blowing relay 90 lobster race 90 necktie race 92 prune tag of war 90 whistle race 91 outdoor games for older boys and young men chariot race 100 clock games 99 flathead race 101 forcing the city gates 95 fortress 94 game of goose 98 hare and hound 96 human targets 96 leap frog race 102 push cross line 94 riding the snail 102 sling the sack 97 spin around race 101 walking race 100 for boys body guard 106 bombardment 108 bombardment no. 2 109 fence tag 105 fox in hole 105 hang tag 105 hide and seek 103 look out for the bear 104 one step off and all the way across 108 sardines 106 shinny 107 still-a-feet 104 treasure hunt 103 wheel away 108 games of strength cane wrestling 112 cumberland wrestling 111 finger wrestling 110 greco-roman wrestling 111 hand tug of war 112 hog tie 111 neck tug of war 112 one leg tug of war 111 referee's hold 110 shoulder and arm push 111 squatting tug 112 taking the heights 110 wrestle tug of war 110 games for special occasions at the dining table around the chair 115 candle and plate race 117 earth, air, fire and water 114 jenkins up 115 malaga grapes 115 name writing race 117 oysterette race 113 passing the drink 113 rat-a-tat-tat 114 spearing peanuts 116 string winding race 116 table football 116 a county fair play festival the games for all 120 the grand march 119 games for a story play hour paul revere race 125 the midnight ride 125 the red coats 123 yankee doodle tag 124 an indoor sports fair a racket around the candy booth 130 seeing the old home town 128 racing games for picnics apple race 135 apple race no. 2 136 apple race no. 3 136 apple race no. 4 137 apple toss 137 blind chariot race 142 button sewing 133 caterpillar race 134 centipede race 142 chair passing race 139 chair relay 139 chair sitting race 140 club change 141 dizzy izzy 134 egg and spoon race 132 fan and bag race 142 hoop race 143 needle threading race 133 pea shelling race 132 poison club 141 potato race 135 quadruped race 142 rainy day race 143 roll over relay 138 rope skipping contest 134 rope skipping relay 133 spin around relay 138 squash race 140 healthful sports for boys by alfred rochefort contents spring chapter i marbles--how played marbles: where and how made; different games; terms of game; how to gain skill. chapter ii whip tops and top games whip tops, peg tops, and some other tops; how they are played; top games. chapter iii kites and how made about kites; how made; their practical uses; flying contests. chapter iv hoops, wheels and buzzers hoops, wheels and buzzers; stilts, different kinds; how used and how procured. chapter v let's go a-fishing "let's go a-fishing"; bait of many kinds and how to get it. fishing outfit; its care. summer chapter vi boating and canoeing useful hints on boating and canoeing. "don'ts" to be observed. definitions. chapter vii small sail boats how to make and manage small sail boats. chapter viii how to swim can you swim? how to learn. confidence. chapter ix styles of swimming styles of swimming; floating, diving; water games. chapter x things boys should know how sides are chosen in games of contest; some things all boys should know. chapter xi curious rhymes for games curious rhymes in counting out games. chapter xii tag and bull in the ring all about the good old game of tag, and bull in the ring. chapter xiii all about leap frog do you know all about leap frog? chapter xiv duck on the rock--cat dead turtle; duck on rock; brick skittles; tip cat; country cat; american cat. chapter xv ball, bat and racket and now for ball! some good games that can be played with ball, bat and racket. town ball; two old cats; hand ball. chapter xvi american baseball the great american game of baseball. some things every player should know. rules. autumn chapter xvii all about football the strenuous game of football. how to lay out the ground. pointers for players. chapter xviii mumbly peg--hop scotch mumbly peg; jackstones; hop scotch. chapter xix how to camp out how and where to prepare camp. a delightful way in which to spend a vacation, if you know the way. chapter xx bicycles and lassoes can you ride a bike? information on wheels. how to throw a lariat. chapter xxi golf, hockey and shinny the old scotch game of golf, hockey and shinny. winter chapter xxii skating--skiing--snow shoeing on the ice and snow. the royal sport of skating. some hints on skiing and snow shoes. chapter xxiii coasting--tobogganing--sleds coasting. how to make sleds. the bob sled. the toboggan. snow games. chapter xxiv general athletics walking, running, jumping. chapter xxv cries--shouts--college yells battle cries, hailing shouts, and college yells. chapter xxvi clever tricks vanishing feats. curious illusions. various deceptive amusements. chapter xxvii sleight-of-hand balancing. juggling. transformations. introduction among the many good and wise things said by the great lincoln was this: "give me the boy with promise of the man in him, and give me the man with the memory of the boy in him, and both can sit at my table, and if they sit together, we'll have all the better time!" this book of out-door games for boys will make better boys, and they'll get a lot more joy out of life and be the better men in time, for having read it and carried out its rules as to wholesome, honest sport. the boy who plays an honest game will do an honest business, and he'll win over "the sneak." if you are "a grown-up," read this book, and in doing so live over again the joyous, gladsome days of your boyhood, and you will sigh, as we do while writing this: "would i were a boy again!" we want the mother, as well as the father, to read this book, for it will recall the brothers of far-off days, and bring her into closer sympathy--we must not say "love," for that is already strong enough --with the exuberance of her boys. and the girls? why, bless you! they, too, should read every scrap of this book, for they will find in it many of their own games, and not one that they could not play and enjoy, if circumstances permitted. and the grand-parents? god bless them! why, they'll enjoy it quite as much as the young folks. spring chapter i marbles: where made; terms of the games; different games; how to acquire skill each season has its own particular work for the farmer, and he does his work without direction from or consultation with his neighbors or any one else. each season has its own particular games for the young folks, and they take to them without any suggestion from outsiders, just as young ducks take to water, without any instructions from the mother bird. the seasons in the south temperate zone are just the opposite to those in the north. some years ago i spent the months of july and august in new zealand, and great was my surprise to find the boys down at dunedin snowballing on the fourth of july, while the sleigh-bells made music through the streets. in the following october, which is the spring month in victoria, australia, i found the youngsters of melbourne playing marbles, just as the boys in new york had been doing when i left it the previous may. marbles we have reason to believe that the first marbles were fashioned from pebbles on the ocean's shore, or ground into roundness by the action of river currents. we do not know when or where marbles originated, but of the antiquity of the game we are very sure. egyptian boys played marbles before the days of moses, and marbles are among the treasures found buried in the ruins of pompeii, which you will remember was destroyed by an eruption of lava from vesuvius in the first century of the christian era. to-day marbles are played in every civilized land under the sun, and with slight differences, the method of shooting and the games are practically the same. germans are the greatest toy and game-makers in the world, and so we should not be surprised to learn that that great country not only produces the most marbles, but also the very best. from germany we get the finest "agates," the beauty and value of which every lover of the game knows. the more common marbles are made in saxony, of a fine kind of white limestone, which is practically a variety of the building material known as "marble," and from which the name is derived. broken into small pieces, and the irregular bits placed between two grooved grinders, the lower one being stone and the upper wood, power is applied, and after much rotating the spheres are turned out, hundreds at a time, and these are afterwards sorted and polished. glass marbles, some of which are imitation agates, are cast in moulds that close so perfectly that the place where they join cannot be seen in the finished product. china marbles are made from pottery-clay, and after being joined are baked, and sometimes they are painted. the small gray, brown or black marbles, usually called "commies," are little balls of clay, baked and glazed. these, being the cheapest, are the most numerous, and are usually the objects of attack, and so change owners the oftenest. names of marbles and play terms while the names of marbles and the terms of the game may vary slightly in different parts of the united states, they are in the main so much alike that the following will be understood by all boys throughout the land: the _taw_ or _shooter_ is the marble used for shooting. the _taw line_, or _scratch_, is a line drawn for a starting point in the game. _ducks_ are marbles to be shot at. _dubs_, an abbreviation of "doubles," means that you get all the marbles knocked out with one shot. _fen dubs_, an abbreviation of "defend doubles," is shouted by an opponent before the play, and means that you must put back all but one marble. _lofting_ means shooting through the air, so that your taw does not touch the earth till it hits the object aimed at or a point near it. _knuckling down_ means resting the knuckles on the ground while shooting. _histing_ or _hoisting_ is holding some distance above the ground. it is not permitted in bull ring or in meg-on-a-string. _roundsters_ means taking a new position to avoid an obstruction. it is not allowed in bull ring. _sidings_ means moving your taw from one side to the other in a straight line when about to shoot it is barred in bull ring. _burying_ is when the taw, if in a good spot, is forced into the ground with the heel of the shoe. this is seldom allowed; "fen buryings" being the accepted law of experts. _laying_ means placing the marbles in the ring. _clearances_ means the removal of all obstructions between the players and the ducks. _sneaking_ means shooting for a position. _babying_ is shooting so as not to send the taw too far. good players often do this so as to secure a position from which they can "skin the ring." _dabsters_ are little squares of cloth or skin laid under the knuckles when playing to keep them from being cut by constant contact with the hard ground. _marble bag_ saves pockets and explains itself. according to quality, marbles are known as "agates," "crystals," "chinas," "alleys," "potteries," and "commies," or the cheapest and least prized. the three great essentials of the game are the boys, the marbles, and suitable ground. the marble is shot from the hollow of the crooked index finger, and projected by the thumb. good shooting is often done in this way, but the most expert shots place the marble on the point of the index finger, and project it with a firmer grip of the thumb. this method is more difficult to acquire, but it pays as does everything that requires practice and effort. a good player, as in billiards, can make his taw carom for position, or he can make it remain stationary, while the marble struck shoots away in a straight line. some good games a boy can practice the above, and i would advise him to do so, but it takes at least two boys to make a game--just as it takes two to make a quarrel, and you must never be one of the latter. just here let me say that the boy who loses his temper, or who has not the manhood to accept defeat in the right spirit, does not make a desirable friend or playmate, for if he cannot conquer himself he is unfit to contest in the sports of youth or in the business of maturer years. fat fat is one of our oldest and simplest marble games. it is played in this way: make a ring eighteen inches or two feet in diameter; ten feet back draw or scratch a taw line to shoot from. if four boys are playing, each places a marble, as indicated, or if there are more players the marbles are placed at equal distances about the ring. the order of the play having been decided on, by shooting or rolling towards the taw line, the nearness to which decides the question, number one shoots for the ring, and if he knocks out a marble, he shoots again from where his taw rests, and so keeps on until he has missed. number two knuckles down at the taw line and shoots, as did number one. if the first taw is within range, he can shoot at that, and if he hits it, then number one must hand number two all the ducks he has knocked from the ring. if number two can hit number one's taw again, then number one is killed, and must retire from that game. when number two misses, the next in order shoots, either at the ring or at the line taw, and so the game proceeds till all the marbles are knocked out, or all but the last player are killed. in the second game, the first man killed is the last to shoot, and so they take turns in the order of their defeat this game is the more fascinating for its uncertainty, for often the last player knocks out the taw of one who so far has been getting all the ducks, and he gets credit for his score. followings can hardly be called a game. it is played by two boys--usually when they have more important business on hand; the first boy shoots in the direction both are traveling; the second follows, and whenever one chances to be hit it counts one for the shooter. knucks in this game, one boy, called "knucks," takes a small marble between his knuckles, then places the clenched hand on the ground. the other player knuckles down at the taw line, four or five feet away, and shoots--he must not roll--at the marble held by the other. every time the "knucks" marble is hit, it counts one for the shooter; each time he misses in the three shots, it counts an additional shot for "knucks" when it comes his turn. the long ring about eight or nine feet from the taw line make an elongated ring, composed of two sections of a circle, crossing each other. draw a circle down the center of the long ring, and on this place the marbles. if there are only two players, then each lays a duck at the intersection of the curves. each additional player adds a duck to the line. where there are only two players, the first is sure to "sneak," that is, to roll his taw so that it will rest near one of the marbles in the ring. if number two hits number one, and so kills him, he wins the game, but if there are more than two in the game, number one is put out. number two has another shot, from the place where his taw rests, at the ducks in the ring, and he keeps on till he misses. so the game is kept up till all the ducks are knocked from the ring. if it is agreed in advance, each player may lay more than one duck in the ring. in this game the killed are not dead, if there are more than two players. they can play when the turn comes, but it must always be from the taw line. the bull ring this is one of the oldest and best games. the ring should be from four to ten feet in diameter. the ducks are placed in the form of a cross, in the middle of the ring, the number each is to "whack up" being agreed upon in advance. the order of play is usually decided on by knuckling down and rolling for the opposite side of the ring. the first player "lofts" at the ducks. he must drive the marble outside the ring for a win. if his own taw goes outside, the successful player can come back to the ring edge for his next shot. if it is a miss and the taw goes outside the ring, it must be replaced inside at the point of exit. when a taw is struck the owner is "dead" for that game, and the successful player keeps on shooting till he misses. when two or more ducks are knocked out of the ring, the player is entitled to raise his score by that number, provided he shouts "dubs" before the others cry "fen dubs." if a player is caught "hunching," that is, pushing his fist beyond the line while shooting, and makes a hit, he must replace the marble and shoot over again. "histings" and the use of "bowlers" are barred in the bull ring. "sneaking," that is, shooting the taw so that it will rest near the middle of the ring, is allowed. if this taw is not hit, it may be able to skin the ring when its turn comes. a dead man, when his turn comes, and there are enough ducks remaining to warrant the risk, may re-enter the game by placing in the ring twice as many marbles as were at first required, and an additional duck near the edge of the ring; on this duck he caroms so as to send it out, then if his taw is in a good place, he may come out ahead. duck-in-a-hole make three shallow holes, and about ten feet away draw the taw line. the holes are three feet apart. the object of each player is to shoot his taw so that it will enter and stay in the first hole. if he succeeds, he is allowed to place his thumb on the far edge of the first hole, and using his hand as a pair of dinders, by a twist of the wrist he marks with his longest finger a curved line on the ground. this is called "taking a span." from the span line he shoots at the second hole, and if successful continues on to the third. if this is won, he takes a span backward for the middle hole. if he reaches the first hole, he repeats it over, but this time he is entitled to two spans. the third time, if there is no miss, he can take three spans, and if he succeeds, he becomes a "king duck," and takes four spans. if the first player misses, and the second player rolls into the first hole, he takes a span and shoots--if it is near--at the first taw, and if he hits, he can place his taw in the second hole, and so on till he misses. when number one's turn comes, he must shoot from the spot where his taw rests. in this game the first king has a great advantage because of his four spans. each time a player hits another, he scores one point, and the hit loses one. by the time all have become king ducks the game is over, or it may be decided in advance that when one has made five or ten points, the game shall end. meg-in-a-hole differs from the foregoing game, in the fact that there is no taw line. the player shoots from one end at the middle hole. if he succeeds, he is entitled to a span, and he keeps on as before till he becomes a king. before this, he can take but one span in any direction, but as a king, he can take one foot measure--his own foot --and a span from the first hole; two feet and a span from the second hole, and three feet and a span from the third hole. this gives him a great advantage, and if there is no rival king he is "monarch of all he surveys." if there is a second king, the first one assigns him the first hole to guard, because from this he can take only one foot and a span. when all become kings, or the points agreed on are won, the game is over. square ring a "square ring" sounds odd, but such things go in playing marbles. the square may be of any size, but four feet is the best. the taw line must be from twenty to thirty feet away. before a player can win the game he must first kill all the others. perhaps that is why it is sometimes called "injun." the first player is at a great disadvantage, for if he knocks out a duck he must replace it, and if his taw stops inside the ring he has killed himself, and is out of the game. the best way is not to knuckle down but to toss for a good position near the ring. the second player, for obvious reasons, must keep away as far as possible from the first, so he shoots through the ring with force, hoping to get a duck on the way, for he does not have to replace it. he can take the duck back to taw and holding it in his left hand shoot at it so as to send his own taw close to number one, which he can then kill. if number two misses, number three pitches his marble off to one side, and so the game goes on, each player guarding his own taw and trying to kill his rivals. knocking out ducks gives the privilege just described, after which the duck is replaced. chapter ii whip tops, peg tops, humming tops and some top games why it happens, no one knows, not even the boys themselves, but that it does happen we all know. tops come in when the marble game is in full blast, and gradually it drives out, till another spring, its beloved rival. tops are of great antiquity, and the chinese and their neighbors, the japanese, are famous for the variety of their tops. i have seen adults in those countries enjoying the game with all the zest of american boys in springtime. it is a good idea for boys, where they have any facilities for so doing, to make their own play tools. in the old days, they whittled out tops, but it hardly pays to do so to-day when well-shaped spinners can be had in every toy shop at a very low price. however, good little tops can be made from the wooden spools on which sewing thread comes. two tops, that will amuse the younger children, can be made from each spool, by whittling down from the rims to the middle of the spool till the parts break at the opening. a peg driven through answers for a spindle. these can be made in a few minutes, and may afford some fun for a winter evening. whip tops if not the very oldest, these tops are certainly the most widely distributed. if a good whip top cannot be bought, a first-rate article can be made from a section of a rounded timber, either natural or turned. it may be of any size, but from two to three inches in diameter, and about a half inch or more in length is the best. whittle this, with care, to a blunt point, into which drive a smooth-headed tack, and there you are. with colored crayons, or paint, the top may be decorated, so as to add to its effect when spinning. tough rags, or leather thongs fastened to a handle about a foot in length, will make an effective lash, but the best whips are made from pliant leather thongs, or still better, from a dried eelskin. to spin the top, put your whip under your left arm--i have seen boys grasp it between their teeth--then with the flat of the fingers of both hands on either side of the top, give a smart twirl. as soon as the top is in motion, ply your whip along the sides, drawing the lash quickly away at each stroke. playing whip-top alone soon gets to be monotonous, but where there are two a "fight" can be arranged for. at the word "go," two boys spin their tops, and then lash them till they crash together. the tops must be kept within a described ring, and the one that knocks the other out is regarded as the king top. if a boy strikes his opponent's top, it is a "foul," and he loses the game. another contest is where, after the lashing, one calls "stop." the one that "dies" first, is naturally out. racing is done by drawing a taw line, from which the whip tops start for a designated goal, the first one in winning. this is an exciting game and not so easy as at first appears. the tin or wooden humming top is but an interesting toy. the japanese make them with a slit in the point which fits into a string or a thin wire, and on such supports they can be made to do remarkable feats. the peg top the peg top is, after all, the king of the top family, and the greatest source of joy to the youth with a sure eye and a steady hand. the "plugger" is the top you spin; the "bait" is the top you strike with the plugger. a "giggler" is an unsteady top that goes dancing and hopping about. boys love their "old reliable taw" in marbles, but their pride in this is never so great as that which they take in a conquering plugger. this should have what is known as a screw peg, which prevents splitting. it can be made, but on the whole, i think it better to buy the pegs. a good, stout, pliant cord is quite as necessary as a well-balanced top. it should have a button, never a loop, to keep it from slipping through the fingers, and it should be of a thickness to fill, without overlapping the grooves. the end should be frayed and moistened to insure a firm grip when starting to wind. it requires much practice to become expert in spinning the peg, but, as in everything else, it pays to learn accuracy. as with whip top, playing alone soon ceases to be good fun, but the game makes for enjoyment. mark out a bull ring about six feet in diameter. put as many tops inside the small ring as there are players, then toss up, or in any other way decide on the order of play. after winding up his peg, the first player, with his left foot toeing the outer ring, strikes for the tops in the center. if he misses and fails to spin, or if he strikes outside the inner circle, he must put another top within the circle and await his turn. if he strikes the tops with the big end of his plugger, it is a miss, and he must replace any top knocked out; but if the peg of the plugger hits a top and knocks it out of the center ring, he pockets it and has another whack. if in spinning in the center ring the plugger jostles out a top or tops, it counts as a hit, and the player is entitled to another "try." if the plugger spins and dies in the ring without knocking out a top, it is a miss, and the player must add another top. sometimes a crack player throws with such force and accuracy as to split a bait top. this is the acme of the game and the crowning glory of the player. often the bait consists of toothless, battered wrecks, but this does not lessen the fun of the game. chapter iii kites: where found; how made; their practical uses; closely related to aeroplanes--a great sport spring winds favor kite flying. this is another world-wide sport, and it was popular with old and young in china--the land of the kite--at the time when the egyptians were cutting stones for the pyramids. everybody knows, or should know, what the great ben. franklin did by means of a kite, though the kite through which he learned the nature of lightning was of a model that is not often seen at this time. this was the old bow kite, the kind that every beginner learns to make, and which needs no detailed description here. the hexagonal or coffin-shaped kite is more reliable than the old sort, and is quite as cheap and as easily made. kites of both these kinds have been used to get a line from a stranded vessel to the shore, and engineers have used them. they did it when the first suspension bridge was built at niagara, to get a line across the chasm, which gradually grew into the great suspending cables. kites have been used to draw light vehicles over smooth ground, and they make good sport when made to draw sleds over the ice, or as "toploftical" sails for small boats. i have seen in new york a tandem team of ten kites used for advertising purposes. the star kite is easily made and is well worth doing. get three sticks or sections of light string, both of equal length. these are fastened in the center, so that, with the ends of the sticks equal distances apart, they will form a six-pointed star. the covering should be of thin, close cotton cloth, or, better still, of light, strong paper, which must be pasted so as to present the side of greatest resistance to the wind, else it will soon be blown off. the tail band is simply a loop fastened to the sticks at the bottom so that it will hang below the kite, and balance it when it ascends. the belly-bands for support and steering--in the latter case two lines are used--must never be attached below the central cross-piece. boys often find fun in sending "messengers" up the strings to the kites. after the kite is up a good height, round pieces of colored paper with a hole in the center and a slit by means of which they are slipped on the string, are sent up. they travel with the speed of the wind till they reach the kite, where they stop. if too heavy, or too many, the messengers may get the kite out of balance. a messenger has been sent up 6,000 feet, or over one mile. that is the height to which american scientists have sent kites with thermometers and barometers attached, so as to record the elevation and the temperature. the hargrave, or box kite, is something new and hitherto unheard of in the kite line. rigidity and strength, without too much weight, are the prime essentials of the hargrave. it may be made by a boy with a knack for mechanics in the following way: take eight stiff, slender pieces of bamboo, eighteen and three-quarter inches in length, such as are sometimes used for fishing poles. these pieces must be of uniform weight and length, and as nearly alike as possible. next cut six sticks, each eleven inches long, and as nearly alike as possible. these are for the middle uprights and end stretchers. after finding the middle of the longer sticks, lash them together in pairs by means of stout waxed thread, or light brass wire. notch the ends of the sticks and make the spread between a and c just eleven inches. this will give you four pairs of crossed sticks. next take one of your eleven-inch uprights, and bind it to the two pairs of cross-sticks. take the other eleven-inch upright and fasten the other two pairs of cross-sticks in the same way. this done, cut two spines, or connecting rods of bamboo, each thirty inches long and as nearly alike as possible. next, with waxed thread, or light wire, bind the two spines over the ends of the eleven-inch stretchers. the spine must fit like the top of a letter t over the stretchers and be square; that is, at right angles with the stretcher. each end of the spine must project beyond the uprights five and onehalf inches; that is, the ends must each be five and one-half inches long, which leaves nineteen inches between points named. bind the other four stretchers to the ends of the sticks. now string the frame so that all the sticks, except the diagonals, shall be at right angles, or "perfectly square," as boys say. this done, paint all the joints with glue. the frame when finished should measure 11 x 11 x 30. this is the measure for each of the two boxes or cells, which should have eight inches between. cover the frame with a strong, light cloth that will not stretch, and sew it on so as to form two boxes covered at the top, bottom and ends. the two broadsides of each one are left open to receive the wind. on the bottom boom, at or near the edge of the cloth cover, fasten a small brass ring for a belly-band. if the foregoing be well done, you will have a kite on the principle of a flying machine, and you will be up with the times. _kite string_ must be considered. in a light wind and with an ordinary kite, good, strong twine answers all purposes, but with large kites and a stiff breeze, the best string is a twisted linen line. learn how to tie knots that won't come undone, and take care not to cut or blister your hands in letting out or hauling in. tailless kites are fast superceding the old-time kind, and they are quite as easy to make and are much easier to manage. here are directions for making it: they can be made in different sizes and flied tandem, from twenty to hundreds of feet apart. the longitudinal stick should be of strong spruce, sixty inches in length and about three-eighths or one-half inch in width and thickness. it can be of any size, if these proportions are maintained. the cross-piece should be a similar stick and of equal length. when in position it is slightly bent, say four per cent, of its length. the frame should be of light spruce, the same size as the cross-pieces. care must be taken to have the angles right. when the frame is finished, cover loosely with manila paper, so that there will be some concavity on the face of the kite on each side below the cross-stick, so that it will belly like a sail; bind the edges with thin wire which stretches less than string. this kite will fly in a very light breeze. the string, particularly if you have a tandem, should be flexible and strong. in a stiff breeze, and with more than one kite, it is well to have a reel, as in a fishing rod, for hauling in. the best way with tandem kites is not, as is usually done, to fasten one kite behind the other on the same string, but to hitch each kite by means of a separate string to the main cord. the tail kite will do for tandem, but as the tails are apt to get snarled, it is not so desirable as the tailless kind. the barrel kite as the bird and the butterfly kites of the chinese can be bought at a low price, i shall not attempt a description of them here, but the barrel kite, which is distinctly american, cannot be ignored. this kite was tried some years ago by the u. s. weather bureau officers in california. it is cylindrical in form, about four feet long, and two feet in diameter. the frame is made up of four light hoops, braced together by four or more thin strips of wood. the twelve-inch space between the pair of hoops at either end is covered with a collar of paper, and the string, by which the kite is held, is attached to a stick, which passes diagonally through the inside of the cylinder from end to end. when this kite catches the wind it lifts quickly and gracefully. as it is easily made, i should like some of my young readers to try it. i have not seen a barrel kite in a tandem, but i can't see why it should not work. between kites on a tandem line, flags of same size, and of any designs that may be thought of, may be strung with good effect. chapter iv some other spring amusements, not forgetting stilts it is said that hoops are loosing their popularity, but be that as it may, i am very sure they will never go out of fashion with the young folk who delight in a good outdoor run, while at the same time they find work for the eyes and the hand. neat iron hoops, with a crooked iron hook to propel, i find much in use, but--and it may be because i am a bit old-fashioned--i much prefer the well-made, wooden hoop with a wooden stick. why, i've had no end of fun with a wooden barrel hoop, but i could never make the iron barrel hoop respond to my urging. some makers have attached bells and other jinglers to hoops, but no boy fit to wear boots cares for these baby contrivances. small light wheels--they can be had from a retired baby carriage--are excellent things to trundle, and some of them require more skill than does a hoop. even tin-can covers or the top of a blacking box may be made to afford fun and test skill. when i was a boy, and i am sure boys do so still, we used to make buzz wheels out of circular tincan tops. two holes, about an inch apart, were cut near the center of the tin. through both openings a string was passed and the ends tied. by trowling, the strings--its ends were held one in each hand--are made to twist. when tight enough, the ends are drawn, and the buzzer starts off with such force that it half winds itself up on the other start. the sucker is a good philosophical toy, for it illustrates air pressure and affords some fun. if you don't know how to make one, this is the way: get a piece of thin sole leather, about four inches square. trim off the corners till the shape is nearly round; next lay the leather on a flat substance and bevel off the edges until they are as thin as you can make them. now, without cutting through to the under side, cut a hole through the top of the leather, just large enough to force the end of a strong string through. before using, soak the leather till it is soft. next find quite a flat stone or brick, force the sucker to the top with your foot, taking care that there is no turned edge, then you can walk off with that stone, forgetting that it is not the stick of the sucker, but the air pressure--some fifteen pounds to the square inch-that holds the two together. stilts are as old and as world-wide in their use as marbles, tops and kites. these are the things that set the boy up in the world without making him too proud. the first stilts i ever used--i was brought up on a farm--i cut "with my little hatchet." they were made from two beech saplings, with the section of a branch retained at the same height on each for foot rests, and the length sufficient to come under the arms and be easily grasped. these were rude makeshifts, but they did to start with, and on them i learned to balance. much better stilts can be made from sticks or board strips, of sufficient length for grasping with the hands, and with foot rests nailed at any required height from the ground part. in the "gadabout" stilt you will notice that the stilt above the foot rest is strapped to the leg, just below the knee, which leaves both hands free. any boy with tools, timber and leather for straps can make "gadabouts," and the arm stilt is still simpler. the natives of the marquesas islands use very high stilts, and they become so expert in their use as to dance with them and to wear them in wrestling matches. the shepherds on the flat plains in the south of france use stilts to enable them to look over a wide stretch of country, and they become so expert in their use that they can travel twice as fast as an ordinary walker on foot. they carry a long pole for balancing purposes and to take soundings when wading through bog or water. spanish stilts differ from the "gadabouts" in that they reach to the hips, and are strapped securely about the thighs. these can be made at home, but it requires much practice to become expert. chapter v let's go a-fishing--something about bait do not despise the earth worm. scientists tell us that without this creature's work in preparing the soil, but little of the earth's surface would be fit for cultivation. to its voluntary efforts we owe our supplies of vegetable food, but not satisfied with this, we conscript him that he may help us to catch fish. some boys, and men too, make hard work of getting worm bait, but in this, as in everything else, it all depends on how one goes about it. if you are going a-fishing in the morning, secure your bait to-night. worms are nocturnal, and they come out of their holes at night, provided it is not too dry on top. the ideal time for scooping them in is about dusk, after a long warm rain. get a lantern and with it carry your bait can half filled with wet moss or soft moist earth. you will find, if the conditions are right, swarms of worms along the edges of beaten paths, or in the short grass alongside. usually the worm has one end of its body in a hole, and as it is very alert, you must catch it before it has time to think, perhaps i should say, to act. for this purpose the bait gatherers will do better in pairs. one holds the can and lantern, while the other seizes the worm. always grab the worm at the place just above the earth. worms, i mean bait worms, are not all of one family, nor is each family equally inviting to fish. the red, fat fellows never come amiss, but the light, flabby kind afford no great lure for even the hungriest sort of a fish. the worm that keeps its tail a-wiggling after he is on the hook, is just the thing. the manure worm, the marsh worm, and a worm found at the root of the sweet flag, all make good bait; but the best of all is the night-crawling earth-worm. angle worms are best kept in a tin box in which a number of holes are pierced to admit air, but they must not be so large as to let the worms out. moist, but not too wet wood or other moss is better than earth as a nest for worms, if they are to be kept some time. keep your bait box in a cool, damp place, and whenever you want worms, lift the moss and you will find the worms hanging to it. soap suds or luke-warm water, if poured over a place where there are worms, will bring them to the surface. if at the same time you pound on the ground, it is said their egress will be hastened. slugs as bait the hellgrammite, a black, ugly slug to be found under stones in summer streams, is the most tempting bait you can offer a black bass. after a time the hellgrammite comes to the surface and takes to the air as a beetle, but in that state he interests the naturalist rather than the fisherman. grub worms are the larvae of beetles, and may be found about manure heaps and in rotten logs. they make good bait for trout, bass, perch, cats and other fish, and they may be kept, but not for long, in the manner described for worms. gentles, or the grub of the blue-bottle fly, are an excellent bait for trout, though they are not good to look at nor pleasant to handle. these can be cultivated by placing offal in a tin can, and keeping it where it will be safe from rats or mice and inoffensive to the nostrils of passersby. in this the blue-bottles will lay their eggs, which will soon develop into gentles. they can be kept in a box filled with moist sand or bran. if kept too long they will start off as flies. the katydids, which raise such a racket from the trees, particularly at night and after the middle of july, are rather hard to get, but they pay for the trouble, particularly if you want to tempt pike or pickerel. black crickets are always abundant in pasture fields, and are tempting to all kinds of fish, but particularly to bass and trout. they should be kept in a roomy box with chips and stones to hide under at the bottom; otherwise, they will kill and eat each other. the grasshopper is nearly as good as the cricket, and it is easily captured and kept. they will live for some time in a box filled with green grass. frogs, if not too large, are a standard bait for pike, salmon, pickerel, and bass. frogs are best caught with a net, but they will take a small hook baited with a bit of red flannel, or they will bite without the hook. be careful in fastening the frog to your hook not to injure it so that it cannot swim. the hook through the web of the hind feet, or through the skin of the back, is, i think, the best way. "live" minnow are easily procured, and, on the whole, they make the most reliable bait. a small, fine-meshed net, fashioned like a sieve and handled by two, is one of the best means of collecting minnows. they should be kept in a bucket and taken out with a scoop made of meshed wire, and the water should be frequently changed. crawfish, to be found under stones in many shallow brooks, make a good bait. keep them in a box filled with wet moss or aquatic plants. by dead bait is meant bits of pork, fresh beef, or even other fish cut up into tempting morsels for "skittering"; that is, where you cast your line with a sinker, and then haul it in over the water, usually by lifting the pole, walking back, or reeling in; a dead frog or a dead fish is just as good as a live one. boys, as a rule, prefer to fish with bait, leaving artificial flies to the seniors. any small live creature will answer for bait; even mice have been used with good effect, and cheese, if it can be kept on the hook, is eagerly swallowed, in bottom fishing, by carp and catfish. when i was a boy we used to string our catches, through the gills, on a cut switch, but if it can be had, a fish basket is better. fishing tackle should be considered. this is of every variety, from the bent pin fastened to a string, and the string fastened to a stick, which most of us began with, up to the elaborate and costly rods, reels and flies of the wealthy sportsmen. boys, who seldom use reels, will find the bamboo, which is sold cheap, the lightest and strongest rod for general use. hooks are of endless size and variety, as are fishing lines. these must be bought with regard to the kind of fish they are to be used on, and of these, boys on the ground are the best judges. but let me urge this: when the fishing season is over do not throw your pole, line and hooks carelessly to one side, but clean them, wrap them, and put them away in safety for another season. the boy who does not take good care of the tools that give him pleasure is making a bad preparation for the serious business of life. summer [blank page] chapter vi hints about boating and canoeing the following rhyme was thought to be very funny when i was a boy: "mother, dear, may i go in to swim? yes, my lovely daughter; hang your clothes on a hickory limb, but don't go near the water." i must reserve for "swimming" a good long chapter, but let me say in all seriousness, before writing anything about boating, that every boy should learn to swim before he undertakes to manage a boat, or even to handle a raft. it is surprising at what an early age this most essential art is acquired, and once learned, it is never forgotten. it is better, if you are going a-boating, not to wear your sunday-goto-meeting clothes. any old clothes will do, provided they are not too heavy. shoes are always in the way, more particularly if you should be sent splashing overboard. a bathing suit, good for a swim or a row, can be made from an old undershirt, with the sleeves cut short. an old pair of drawers, cut off at the knees and hemmed will do, and these can be fastened to the shirt by a light belt or buttons. of course, in such a rig as i have described, you are pretty sure to get sunburned to start off with, and i need not tell you that there is no fun about that. now, if you stand the exposure for about an hour and then cover up, and the next day try an hour and a half, and so on, the skin will turn at first to a light pink and gradually pass to a brown, without the slightest pain or inconvenience. or if you begin by covering the exposed parts with sweet oil, vaseline, lard, or mutton tallow, without salt, you will not suffer from sunburn. as i have said, learn to swim, but in the event of a capsize, even if you can swim, stick to your boat or canoe till help comes, unless you should be so close to the shore as to be quite sure of reaching it, and even then it is best to tow the boat along. every canoe should be provided with cork life preservers. they are cheap and can be used as seats, if placed in the bottom. every boy, whether living by an inland stream, where a boat can be used, or at the seashore, should know the names of the different parts of boats. here is a short definition of the terms that may be of use: the bow is the front end of the boat. the stern is the rear end. fore'ard means toward the bow. aft, toward the stern. the hull is the part of the boat without masts, spars, oars, or rigging. the keel, like the runner of a skate, runs along the center of the bottom of the boat. it keeps a boat under sail from sliding sideways. starboard is the right-hand side of the boat as you face the bow. port is the left-hand side, looking in the same direction. after dark ships and boats carry a red light at the bow on the port side, and a green light on the starboard. the rudder is a movable piece of board at the stern, by means of which the craft is steered. it is worked by a lever, ropes, or a wheel. the lever is called "the tiller." the helm is that part of the machinery you grasp when steering. the deck is the roof of the hull. the center board is an adjustable keel that can be lowered or raised at pleasure. the masts are upright poles to support the rigging and sails. the yards are poles hung on the masts at right angles to them, from which the sails hang when in use, and on which they are furled or folded when not in use. the boom is the movable spar at the bottom of the sail. the gaff is the pole or spar for spreading the top or head of the sail. the sail is really a canvas kite fastened to the boat. the bowsprit is the stick projecting from the bow. the rigging consists of the ropes attached to masts and bowsprit. stays are strong ropes for supporting the masts fore and aft. shrouds are strong supporting ropes reaching from the masts to the sides of the boat. ratlines are little ropes fastened to the shrouds by which sailors may climb up or down. the painter is a rope at the bow, used to fasten small boats as a halter fastens a horse. windward means the side of the boat against which the wind blows. leeward, opposite side to windward. ballast weights of stone, iron or bags of sand used to balance the boat. a good way to learn about the parts of a boat is to whittle out a small working model. this is a help, but only the actual experience can teach you how to manage a sail and at the same time steer the boat. of course, you can learn this for yourself, but the better way is to serve an apprenticeship to some more experienced companion. the first essential to a sail boat is that it should be well made and properly balanced. the second, that it should be carefully rigged, and the third that the man in charge should know just how to avail himself of these advantages. sailing before the wind is easy enough. it is in tacking and beating up against the wind that skill and care are required. jibing, that is changing the boom and sail when tacking, requires the greatest care, particularly if the wind is stiff, and beginners should never be permitted to attempt it. where the water is apt to be rough, the sail of every boat should be provided with reefing points--that is little ropes. they are on both sides of the sail. the sail is rolled up from the bottom and tied down to the boom. this is called "reefing" or "shortening" sail. at nights small boats and canoes should carry lights, as before indicated. it is a difficult thing to make a sailor through books. the best that can be done is to advise what to do, and still more, _what not to do._ advice don't overload the boat. don't carry too much sail. don't trust yourself alone in strange waters. don't leave your anchor at home. don't forget your oars. don't sit on the gunwale-the edge of the boat. don't alter course too suddenly. don't let go the helm for an instant. don't mistake caution for cowardice. don't be afraid to reef. don't let your gear get snarled. don't jibe in a stiff wind. don't get rattled. don't sail with "fool" companions. of course, there are many other "don'ts" that will suggest themselves to the sensible boy; among them, "don't fail to keep your boat pumped out or bailed," and "don't forget to carry an anchor of some sort," and not the least important," don't leave your eatables and drinkables ashore." chapter vii some small, sail boats that can be made in the winter, or that can be bought without much money there is no small boat so popular or so generally useful as the american catboat. the cat can sail into the very eye of the wind, while before the wind she is a flier, and yet she is not the best sail boat for a beginner. let me tell you why: first, the sail is heavy and so it is hard to hoist and reef. second, in going before the wind there is constant danger of jibing with serious results. third, the catboat has a very bad habit of rolling when sailing before the wind, and each time the boat rolls from side to side she is liable to dip the end of her heavy boom in the water and "trip herself up." when a boat trips up she does not necessarily go down, but she is likely to upset, placing the young sailors in an unenviable, if not dangerous, position. fourth, when the craft begins to swagger before the wind she is liable to "goose neck," that is throw her boom up against the mast, which is another accident fraught with the possibilities of serious mischief. mr. dan beard, the famous american artist and author, and an authority in such matters, thinks the sloop is the most graceful of all the single masters. this is the type of our great yacht racers. next to the sloop, and very much like it, is the schooner rig yacht. this is a fine boat, but beyond the pockets of boys; however, smaller sizes can be rigged on the same plan, with a jib and mainsail, and they will be found to be both safe and swift. the construction without careful working drawings, which but few boys could manage without the aid of a skilled workman, it would be impossible to show just how a good sail boat can be made. it should be said, however, that the ordinary rowboat may be easily changed into a sail boat, provided a keel is attached, or a lee board provided. the latter, as you know, is a broad piece of board that is slipped, when needed, into a groove along the side of the boat, to keep it from drifting when the wind is not full astern. good, light string timber that is easily worked should always be chosen. see that it is free from knots; if this cannot be had, do not try to build a boat. after all, unless all the conditions are favorable, and you have great talent for such work, it will be easier to save your money and then buy such a boat as you need, or if you cannot do this, get a carpenter who knows how to build such a craft to make the boat for you. i have known cases where a number of boys, living near the water, bought a sail boat which they owned in common. each had the right to its use on a fixed day, though, as they were school fellows, it happened that they usually went out together. the latter is the better way, provided always that when the crew starts off for a cruise it is distinctly understood that one of the number is to be the captain for the time and is to be obeyed accordingly. it was told when i was a boy, but i doubted the story then and i don't believe it now, that when migrating squirrels, that do not take kindly to the water, reach a wide stream they secure bits of wood or bark large enough to float them, then with their tails erect to catch the wind they sail gaily across. the natives of north australia, the most primitive people of whom we have any knowledge, use logs, singly or lashed together with vines, to cross rivers and arms of the sea. canoes our own american indians were more advanced. even the rudest of them had learned before the coming of the white man to hollow out the log by means of fire and to shape it with stone axes into the form of the present canoe. the birch-bark canoe, made by the indians of the northern rivers and lakes, is really a work of art. it is a model of lightness, and when we consider its frailty, and then the way in which it can be managed in the most turbulent currents, our admiration is divided between the craft of the maker and the surprising skill of the man who handles the paddle. the ancestor of the graceful yacht and of the great ocean steamers, that carry their thousands with as much comfort as if they were on shore, is the rude canoe or raft of our own forefathers. it is from these forefathers that we have inherited our love for outdoor life, for fishing and for water, and the instinctive desire to hunt which is inborn in every healthy boy. evolution in the evolution of water craft, the vessel propelled by pole, paddle or oar must have preceded the use of sails. the former required more strength and the latter more skill. but no matter what science and art may do to make sailing more secure and comfortable, the boy, particularly if he be country bred, and so forced to be more selfreliant, will have a try at the raft, dingey or canoe before he aspires to anything more elaborate and expensive. i like work that develops the ingenuity of the boy. on a long mill pond out in kentucky--this was some years ago--i came upon some boys who were managing a raft propelled by a sail made from two bed sheets. the body of this strange craft consisted of four logs, sharpened at the bow and of varying length, so as to present a wedge point to the water. across the logs cleats were nailed that kept them together and answered for a deck. a stout pole, secured in front, served for a mast and a smaller pole, with a piece of board nailed to the end, acted as a rudder. on board this strange craft there were four boys and a dog, the latter, judging from his barking, quite wild with the fun of it. before the wind this sailing raft made good time, but as the craft refused to tack, the boys lowered the sail and poled back for another try, just as boys clamber up hill in winter for the sheer joy of coasting down. other boats we have learned from the south sea islanders how to build and manage a catamaran. this consists of two canoes or long thin boats, placed parallel and joined together by wooden strips, which also answer for a deck. this craft can be rowed or driven by a sail, placed well forward. its great advantage is its stiffness, for it cannot be upset in an ordinary sea. the dingey, shaped like the bottom of a flatiron, with a blunt stern and a sharp nose, is the boat with which the boy in the country first makes acquaintance. it is propelled by two oars, usually fastened to the sides by pivot row-locks. this is a handy boat for getting about in, but it is quite impossible to learn the art of rowing from such a mechanical contrivance. rowing properly done, there is no single exercise that develops the arms, chest, back and leg muscles as does rowing. whether your boat is a dingey or an expensive rowing shell, always enter it, if the purpose is pleasure and exercise, with the determination to get the best out of it. be sure that your oars are of the right length, so as to avoid the contact of the ends. have the row-locks so arranged that the oars will turn or move in any direction without creaking or strain. the braces for the feet should be movable, so as to accommodate any length of leg, and the seat should not be too high. there are many styles of rowing, none of which may be discussed here. it is well at the start to learn how to "feather" your oars, whether you are handling one or two. this consists in bringing the edge of the blade parallel with the water--a splendid exercise for the wrists-then turning the blade as it reaches the water, and with all the strength of every muscle drawing the oars steadily, never jerkily, till the stroke is finished. the one purpose is to keep up a uniform speed, and this can be done only by a uniform stroke. endurance, rather than mere brute strength, is the thing to be kept in mind in rowing, as in everything else requiring effort. always have in reserve a stock of endurance to be used should occasion require. never start out with a dash, even if you are in a hurry, but strike a gait that you can keep up without making severe demands on that most essential of all the organs--the heart. the canoe the canoe, as you know, is managed by a single paddle, though i have seen, up in some of the adirondack lakes, canoes that were driven by oars. but, excepting in name and shape, these were not canoes; they were long, narrow boats. the indian, and the white man who would learn the fine art of canoeing, sits in the bottom of the canoe and close to the stern end, though in fact a canoe is all stern and all bow, sailing equally well no matter which end is in front. the indian does not paddle on one side and then on the other. he uses, as a rule, the left hand side. he grasps the blade right hand at the top, left hand a foot or more down, and then reaching the paddle forward, he digs it into the water with a strong, firm grip, keeping it perpendicular and drawing it aft. when the paddle is abreast his erect body, he suddenly turns the blade so as to bring the flat against the body of the canoe. this acts at once as a lee board and a rudder. with these graceful movements the canoe is managed from one side, and can be made to go as straight as a bullet to a bull's-eye. unlike the dingey or flat bottom boat, the canoe is easily upset. therefore the paddler and his passengers, if he have any, must sit on the bottom. never rise unless you are alongside a float or dock. the boy or the man who "rocks the boat for fun" is either idiotic or insane; in either case he is unfit to care for precious human lives. now, the ordinary boat will stand a little of such fooling, but the canoe refuses to be rocked. at the first insult of that kind it very properly dumps out its occupants. the canvas canoe the lightness of the birch bark canoe is not the least of its advantages; but as birch bark is not available in the settled parts of our country, a substitute was desired, a substitute quite as light and of a material that would not be seriously injured by dents. this was found in a canvas cover over a light wicker, collapsible frame. a frame can be made of bamboo, rattan, willow or light strong pieces of pliant wood such as spruce or hickory. the pieces can be joined with screws or wire, never nails. the length as to breadth to insure safety should be as eight to one, though many canoes are narrower. with tools and material, both of which are easily obtained, any boy, with patience and some skill, can construct a frame to his own liking. the frame must be covered with a light, strong canvas, cut and sewed to make a good fit. when this is done, paint the canvas inside and out, taking care to paint under the frame, which can be removed if necessary. a second and even a third coat of paint may be needed. canvas covers should be made for the aft and front decks, under which a small tent or camping appliances can be carried. in a canoe of this kind, fourteen feet long and eighteen inches wide, three young american students made a voyage from the head-waters of the rhine to holland and the north sea. they made the canoe in paris, and carried it in a bundle to switzerland. this vessel held a complete camping outfit and provisions. chapter viii if you can't swim, learn at once--helps to learners--confidence is the thing every animal, except man, can swim naturally on finding itself in the water for the first time, for it takes a position nearly the same as if it were on land and walking. the physical structure of man, the lord of creation, is not so favorably adapted for his making his way through the water, his head being much heavier in proportion to its size than his trunk, while he has to make an entirely new departure, in abandoning his customary erect position, and has to adopt movements of the limbs to which he has not previously been accustomed. still, the specific gravity of the human body, particularly when the cavity of the chest is filled with air, is lighter than that of water, in proportion to the obesity of the individual, stout people being able to float more easily than those of spare build. there are thousands and thousands of boys in this vast country who have never seen big rivers, like the ohio and mississippi, or beheld the broad ocean, with its white, sandy beach and small, quiet bays, or the great blue lakes, and whose only chance to swim is in the deep holes of some small stream, a mill-pond or small lake. beginners are just as liable to meet with serious accidents in such places as in the large rivers or the salt sea. for it must be remembered it is not the width of the water, but its depth, that troubles a beginner. how to learn beyond the practice that makes for perfection, the only other thing necessary for swimming is _confidence_. every man, woman, and child-even if never in the water before--could keep afloat if he, she or it had the required confidence, but as they have not this confidence, the question is: "how can it be acquired?" there is an old saying, "familiarity breeds contempt." while, like many other home-made proverbs, this is only partly true, there can be no doubt but that familiarity makes for confidence. the new recruit may be as strong and brave as the veteran soldier, but the lack of experience makes him nervous and unreliable under a fire which the older soldier faces without a visible tremor of eye or hand. it is difficult to get confidence if you begin by getting "awfully scared." every boy, and every girl too, should know how to swim, and both are more than eager to learn. now, the boy who can swim, and who is properly proud of the fact, will, if he stops to think, recall a time not very far distant when he lacked confidence and could not keep himself afloat for a second. and he may recall how frightened he was when some foolishly thoughtless friend or heartless bully tried to duck him, or to push him beyond his depth. be kind the first hard fight i ever had was with a big boy--it is the conflict i look back at with the most pleasure--who was holding a smaller boy under the water. we fought quite naked, and--well, i licked the bully, and never after that did he try to frighten small boys in that swimming hole. boys will be boys, but even then each should have in him much of the man he hopes one day to be. therefore i say, be a protector, a guide, philosopher and friend of the younger boys, and if you know more than they do of anything, and they want to learn, teach them in a cheery, manly fashion, if you have the time. avoid conflicts, but if you must have one, see to it that the bully will not be eager for another such meeting. good advice before saying more, let me give you another bit of good advice. never enter into water the depth of which you are not familiar with, unless you can swim, and in any event do not venture far into strange water unless you are accompanied by a companion as skillful as yourself. big boys, as a rule, are glad to help the smaller ones, and in this way they teach by assuring confidence and showing by example how the thing can be done. planks, floats, bladders and other artificial contrivances are advised by some, but after swimming for years in nearly all the waters of the world, i cannot endorse such doubtful assistance. as one cannot actually swim when supported in this way, it is far better to start in without them. there must be a beginning, and it should be made in the easiest and most sensible way. a good way with your back to the shore and the water almost up to the armpits, bend your knees till the water nearly reaches the chin. then gradually throw your bead back as far as it will go, until the base of the skull is immersed and the water covers your ears. now stretch your arms backwards behind your head, at their fullest extent, the palms uppermost and slightly hollowed. take a full breath, and swelling out the chest, give a little push off the bottom with both feet. keep your mouth shut, as, perhaps for an instant only, the water will ripple on your face as the head takes its position, and then you will find your legs, which must be stiffened and separated. in this position you will float for a second, moving the while towards the shore. then the water will dash over your nose and mouth, but, before it chokes, regain your feet and after a good long breath, try it again. franklin's way another capital dodge is that recommended by dr. franklin, in which the buoyant power of water is still more strikingly exemplified. procure an egg or lump of chalk of an easily handled shape, and, when the water is up to your chest, face the shore and let the egg drop in front of you. now take breath, shut your mouth, but not your eyes, which you can open and shut as easily in the water as out, duck under, and try to pick up the egg. you will find that while your legs rise from the bottom you will have to struggle with your arms to get down far enough to reach the "egg," owing to the great resistance offered by the water, and two or three attempts may be necessary to accomplish your object. you can come up at any moment by depressing the feet, and, as you face the shore, your struggles are working you into shallower water, so that the experiment is a safe one enough. you have now gained confidence, which is half the battle, and the next thing to be done is to try to move on the surface of that element which you have proved capable of sustaining you when motionless. it is certainly easier to float when the body is moving through the water than when it is stationary, on much the same principle which sustains the oyster shell that skips along the surface of the sea, until, the impetus given it by the thrower being exhausted, it sinks to the bottom. in like manner the pace acquired in swimming helps to sustain the body. if you can keep afloat while you count five, or long enough to inhale the breath once, the battle is won; and while you may not be qualified to enter for the long distance championship, you can modestly call yourself "a swimmer." books give us valuable information about how to do many things, but when it comes to swimming, all the book can do is to advise, and if the author gives us his own experience, as i am trying to do here, it must be of great help. confidence i have said that in learning to swim confidence is the great essential, but while still sticking unchangeably to that, i will add that perseverance is a good second. never get discouraged. stick to it. repeat over and over again either of the two exercises before given. each time you will find them easier. then suddenly, and before you know it, you will be keeping yourself afloat. what if it is only for a few seconds and you have not moved a foot? don't give up. "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" that's a motto you should heed, particularly in learning to swim. there are a great many strokes in swimming, but pay no attention to these at the start. strokes when i was a boy, and i presume it is so still, there was a stroke known as "dog fashion." as a matter of fact, it might as well be called the fashion of any other animal, for all quadrupeds swim exactly as they walk, that is by moving the feet alternately forward; and this is the very way one is inclined to try it at the start. if you can go dog fashion with some confidence, it will be well to learn the "breast stroke," which, though not the fastest, is perhaps the most general, as it is the most graceful, among non-professionals. but first a word as to the management of the legs. the legs while the arm movements can be greatly varied, there can be, in the nature of things, no such variation in the action of the legs. it is said, and truthfully, that the motion of the legs of a human swimmer are much like the motion of a frog's hind legs when swimming. that is, the boy draws his legs up simultaneously and kicks them out in the same way, but in so doing he is not imitating a frog, for if he works the limbs together there is no other possible way in which he can do it under water. the frog's breast stroke is another story. a man swims very much as does a frog, though he cannot do so well under water as the amphibian. the legs are kicked in the same way and there is the same motion of the arms of one as of the forelegs of the other. some swimming teachers believe that the main reliance is the legs, but this has not been my experience, and i have seen many swimmers in many waters. the legs steady the body, but it is the arms that make for speed as well as for steering, though on the back it is the legs that do the business. how to do it bring your hands together under your chin, with the palms down, fingers straight, close together, and pointing in the direction you are about to move. next shove the two hands straight out in front of you, keeping your thumbs touching. as your hands are pushed forward, kick backward with your legs, as previously described. when the knees are straight, the legs will be spread wide apart. bring them together, and, if you time this properly, your position will now be that of an arrow, the point being your extended hands. while the arms and legs alike do their share in the propulsion of the body, the legs perform by far the most important work, and the importance of a good "kick" cannot be too strongly urged. though the action of the soles of the feet upon the water helps the "drive," the momentum is also given by the "wedge" of water embraced and driven backwards by the action of the backs of the thighs and calves, as they almost come together at the completion of the leg stroke. hence, the wider the stretch the more powerful the "drive," and the beginner should try to rival as closely as possible that acrobatic performance known as "the splits" when trying to master the kick. the action of arms and legs is alternate; that is to say, when the legs are making their sweep, the arms are thrown forward to their fullest extent, thus helping to sustain the upper part of the trunk, and serving as a prow or cutwater; then, during the first part of the arm stroke, the legs, almost touching after finishing their work, remain stiff and extended, so as to offer as little resistance as possible. these positions are but momentary, but their rigid observance is necessary to ensure pace with the least expenditure of force. the arms the breast stroke will require some practice, and this can be helped by out-of-the-water exercise. close your fingers tightly, but not so as to be very conscious of the effort. in this position, bring them up till the chin rests on the two thumbs, which are side by side and parallel. next separate the hands, fingers still close together, shoot them edgewise as far in front as you can reach, then with the flat palms and closed fingers to the resisting water, draw them smartly back, like oars. for the second stroke, draw the arms edgewise to the first position and repeat as often as may be necessary. this exercise will strengthen the arm and shoulder muscles and greatly facilitate the movements when you come to use them in swimming. be careful always to bear in mind the following rules: keep the head thrown back so as to clear the mouth and chin. try to swim as low as possible. the lower and the nearer level the plane in which the body lies in the water, the less the waste of power and the greater the speed, so that all rising and falling must be avoided, and nothing seen below the chin. always keep the trunk steady and the spine hollowed, avoiding all squirming, wriggling and bending, while the motions must be made steadily, avoiding all hurry. exhale your breath when the hands are extended in front supporting the head, and inhale as they are brought back--an action which expands the chest and gives you almost instinctively the signal for taking breath, which should be inhaled through the nose as much as possible. chapter ix methods of swimming, floating, diving, and some good water games some girls, after they have learned the alphabet of music, and are able to play elementary scales on the piano, are eager to surprise themselves and annoy their listeners by starting in to play tunes, if indeed they are not ambitious to tackle grand opera. but the wise learner is satisfied to take one step at a time, and before going on he is sure that he can do the previous steps reasonably well. i am old enough to have boys of my own, still i hope i shall never be so old as to forget my own boyhood, nor to feel that much of the boy nature does not still keep with me; and this is why i advise my boy friends who read this to learn surely whatever they undertake; in this case it is swimming. after you can manage the breast stroke well, try the side stroke, which you will find more speedy, but it has its disadvantages in a long swim, by reason of the tension thrown on the muscles of the neck in keeping the head thrown so far back from its normal position, while the chest and shoulders, square to the front, offer considerable resistance to the water. history has not handed down the name of the founder of the side stroke, but he deserves canonization equally with the man who ate the first oyster. nature evidently intended man to swim on his side, as in this position the body moves more easily in the water, to which it offers less resistance, while the action of the arms is not so fatiguing, and the head is supported by the water at its proper angle to the trunk. there is no arbitrary rule as to which side you shall swim on, left or right being a pure matter of choice; but while i think the left is preferable, as it gives greater play to the right arm, the right is the usual side "put on" by the majority. the great thing is to be able to swim equally well on either, as this enables you to keep your face to the breakers in a rough sea on whichever tack you lay your course. when you have mastered this stroke you will seem to move forward continuously, and not in a succession of jerks, as with the breast stroke. the natives of the south sea islands, who are, to my thinking, the best swimmers in the world, use this stroke for a long, steady swim, and i have been surprised at the speed they make and the length of time with which they can keep it up without a sign of fatigue. racing the racing stroke is effective for speed, but it soon wears out all but the strong, expert swimmer. in acquiring it you must remember that pace is the great desideratum, and, consequently, rapidity of action is requisite. to gain this you must combine two movements in one, by striking with the propeller on whichever side you swim at the same time as the feet, the sustainer acting in the same manner as before. as the legs are brought up for the kick the propeller is lifted clear of the water, the arm being slightly bent in a graceful curve, and thrown forward in an arc to its fullest extent, the hand being held in the scoop-like position it maintains in the water. now kick, and bring the propeller simultaneously downwards and backwards, with a bold and vigorous sweep, until it reaches the thigh when the elbow is bent, drawing the hand upwards to be thrown forward again. as this stroke is being made, shoot out the sustainer quickly forwards, and while this arm is pulled in towards the body the legs and propeller are quickly brought into action for the next stroke. the learner will have to count one, two, only in effecting this movement, as, when the propeller and legs are striking, the sustainer is shot out, and _vice versa_. other ways swimming on the back is very easy, once the confidence is assured. in this method the hands are folded on the breast, or still better, kept under the water and close to the sides. this done, the feet are drawn up together, as in breast swimming, and then kicked out together. as the arms are the chief driving power, swimming on the back is at best but a slow, jerky method of proceeding, but if one has not learned to float, it is a good way to rest for a bit in a long swim. some swimmers, particularly those that are narrow chested or lank and lean, can never learn to float, though once you know how, it is easier and far more comfortable than "falling off a log." at first, when learning to float on your back, and by the way that is the only way to do it properly, you will find yourself sinking slowly, feet foremost, until you seem to be standing up, and must use some exercise to keep afloat; but you can learn. before lying flat on your back, inflate your lungs fully; as you do so you will be surprised to see how you seem to lift out of the water. now, before your lungs are exhausted, for you will sink as they empty, breathe deeply again and exhaust slowly as before, keeping your arms by your sides and your legs close together and extended. don't expect to float like a life boat at the first try, for you are not built along life boat lines; but if you stick at it, and make the experiment at least once every time you go in swimming, you will float well before the summer is over. going in if you know the water, the best way to enter it is by a quick plunge or a straight dive. to walk into the water and "duck" is rather an ignominious proceeding, only to be excused in the novice or the lady bather we see at our watering-places bobbing up and down at the end of a rope. the swimmer should not rest content until he is able to plunge in like a workman; but first, a word of caution! never attempt to dive unless you know that the water is deep enough for the purpose. many serious accidents have occurred from this mistake, notably when bathing at sea. an incautious plunge from the ship's side into the sail bath extemporized overboard to ward off any danger from sharks has resulted fatally to the rash swimmer, and at all times danger attends rash plunging. it is, nevertheless, astonishing into what shallow water an expert can fearlessly dive from a height, his arms and head emerging almost before the feet have disappeared beneath the surface. the diver needs to be very quick of hand and eye, and many accidents attest the fact of the game not being worth the candle. i have seen bathers extend the arms over their heads and fall forward, which generally entails a smart tingling of the chest and stomach, as the body is almost certain to drop flat on the surface. a very neat plunge, which requires practice and a little pluck, is made by standing erect on the brink edge or board and, instead of springing from the board, allowing the body, kept rigid, to fall forward until it attains the proper distance, then suddenly throw up the feet and plunge in like an arrow and without a splash. under water it requires some practice to swim under water, but you can soon do it. it is well to learn how to keep the eyes open under water. this is no more difficult nor painful than it is to keep them open in the air. this skill may be of great use in locating a body that has sunk for the last time. many such cases have been brought up and restored to consciousness, under proper treatment. water games are not as many as land games, but some of them afford good sport. one of these is "water bladder," which requires good swimmers, at least they must not be afraid of the water. to play this game place two places, for goals, at proper distances where the water is overhead, and mark each with crossed rods, the tops about a foot out of water. divide the party into two sides and take your positions as in an old-fashioned game of football. at the word "ready," the umpire, who is on the shore or at some convenient point, throws an inflated bladder between the opposite sides. the object of the players is to send the bladder over the enemy's goal, and the rules are very simple. it is foul to interfere with an opponent by putting your hands on him, it is foul to use more than one hand in handling the bladder, but you may swim in front of a man, dive under him, in fact "interfere" in every way you can. each goal counts one point, and five points make a game. tub races one might suppose that this would come under the head of boating, but one would be mistaken, for it properly belongs to swimming, as any one who has witnessed or taken part in such a race will tell you. each contestant supplies himself with an ordinary washtub. at the word "go!" he places it in the water, climbs in as best he can, and paddles with his hands for the taw line. this is great fun, and if one out of ten gets through he may count himself fortunate. he may not succeed a second time and will not if the others can help it. when i was a boy we had no end of sport in running and diving from a springboard. this, as you know, is a long, strong board--the longer the better--one end of which is firmly fixed in the bank and weighted with logs or stones; but no matter how weighted you must see to it that it does not get out of balance. the free end projects over the water at any desired angle, and care must be taken at the start to see that there are no stones or snags from which harm may come below the surface. it would be difficult to find anything more graceful than a lot of slender boys speeding up this spring-board and shooting out, feet first or head first, into the river, pond or swimming pool. when a boy can turn a somersault from the end of the board, and come down feet foremost in a clean-cut way, he may be said to be an expert. contrary to the belief of those who have not tried it, it is much easier to turn a back than a forward somersault, though neither can be achieved without some practice. in the back somersault great care should be taken that the diver leaps far, so as to be free and clear of the board when he turns; otherwise his head may strike with bad results. as i have said before, diving may be useful in saving life, or in finding objects that have been lost in the water. in such cases it will be necessary to keep the eyes open, otherwise you will be much like one groping in the dark. the tendency in diving is to keep the eyes closed. there is a feeling that if they are opened the water will hurt them, or that its touch will be painful; but this is a great mistake. if the water is clear, and clear water is the best to swim in, one can see under water nearly as well as on top and the eyes are in no way affected. pearl divers in the persian gulf sometimes stay under water for minutes at a time, and if they could not keep their eyes open while searching for the pearl shells, their descent would not profit much. the eyes of these people are never injured. in the bay of apia, in the samoan islands, i have seen native boys diving from a canoe under the bottom of a great ocean steamer. on one occasion a boy brought up from a depth of fifty feet a silver coin that had been tossed overboard to test his skill. closing advice never go into the water when at all warm. the best way to enter is to plunge or dive in. never go in more than twice a day, even if a fresh lot of boys come down to "dare" you. learn to laugh at dares. never stay in the water more than half an hour at a time, unless there is an absolute need for your so doing. you cannot learn too early that good health is easily lost and hard to regain. chapter x how sides are chosen in games when teams from different clubs, or schools, or places meet to try their skill in some game requiring skill and endurance, there is no occasion to "choose sides" for that has been done in advance. but when boys of the same school or association meet for a game, it is necessary that the leaders should be decided on in advance, as also the means by which the respective sides must be chosen. when two boys are contesting, one may pick up a pebble and ask, "which hand is it?" if the guess is right, the boy making it is "it." "drawing straws" is another method of choosing sides, and it is often used as a game in itself. from a handful of grass, one of the boys selects as many pieces as there are to be players. one of the blades is cut off so that it will be much shorter than the other pieces. "straw holder" arranges the straws so that the top ends protrude from his closed fist, either perfectly even or irregular in their height above the hand, according to his fancy. it may happen that the first boy to choose a straw will select the short one. this in a measure spoils the fun, and to guard against it the lads are often made to stand up in a line and each one in turn pulls a straw from the fist of "straw-holder." each one is expected and required to put it behind his back immediately and keep it there until all the boys in the line have straws behind their backs. then "straw-holder," holding up the straw left in his own hand, cries, "who is short straw?" at that each boy produces his straw and compares it with the others. another method is to place a button, pebble or other small object that can be easily concealed in one hand. then, with both fists closed, place one above the other and ask, "which is it, joe; high or low?" if the empty hand is chosen the boy goes free. so it goes on, the last holder of the stone being it, for the one making the unlucky guess has to hold the object. "odd or even" is often the method by which the one having the first choice in choosing shall be selected. the method is as follows: one boy selects at random a handful of pebbles, marbles or other small objects, and closing his hand, asks, as he holds it out: "odd or even?" if the other boy should say "odd," and on count the objects prove to be even in number, he has lost, and the other boy has first choice; or if it is a counting-out game, the one who guesses right goes free and the last is "it." a very old way is to toss up two coins, sometimes boys carry such things, though never for long. "heads or tails!" cries the tosser. if the other guesses he is free. sometimes a stone or a chip, moistened on one side is used, and the boy who tosses it up shouts, "wet or dry?" this is simply a variation of heads or tails, or odd or even. each section and each crowd of boys has its own way of choosing or counting out, and in this case the best known is best. chapter xi some interesting facts about counting-out games and the rhymes used by players when children indulge in counting-out games they are quite indifferent to the fact that since the infancy of history and in every land, civilized, barbarous and savage, other children have played the same game, in much the same way, and have used rhymes that are curiously alike. some learned men use this fact to prove the unity of all races. mr. beard, to whom i am indebted for much, has collected many of these rhymes. it will interest boys to compare some of them with those he already knows. sometimes it happens that there are more boys than words in the counting rhyme, or the counter foresees that he himself will be it. in both cases he adds to the verse something like this: one, two, three, out goes he! often he will add a whole verse and dialogue as follows: one, two, three, out goes he, into the middle of the deep blue sea! are you willing to be it? here is a rhyme that has in it a distinctly american twang: ena, mena, mina, mo, catch a niga by the toe, when he hollers, let him go, ena, mena, mina, mo. here is another familiar jingle: anna, mana, mona, mike, barcelona bona, strike; care, ware, frow, frack, hallico, ballico, we, wo, wack! huddy, goody, goo, out goes you! eatum, peatum, penny pie, babyloni, stickum stie, stand you out there by! this is irish: a lirripeg, a larrapeg, a bee, a nail, a stone, a stack, a bonny billie gelpie, a belia-bug, a warum rock, crib-i-stery, hick! the little turks and armenians use this count: allem, bellem, chirozi, chirmirozi, fotozi, fotoz, gider magara, magarada tilki bash, pilki beni korkootdi, aallede shooullede edirnede, divid bashi ben ilayen kehad bashi, french youngsters use this rhyme: un, deux, trois, tu ne l'est pas; quatre, cinq, six, va-t'en d'ici! one, two, three, thou art not "it"; four, five, six, go away from here! here is how dutch boys do it: een, twee, sen kopje thee; een, klotje er bij, af ben jij! along the rhine this is popular: ene, tene, mone, mei, paster, lone, bone, strei, ene, fune, herke, berke, wer? wie? wo? was? chapter xii do you know all about the game of tag? the poet pope says, "the proper study of mankind is man." if he did not mean this to include boys, then i don't quite agree with him, for i have found boys and girls, too, be it said, as a rule, far more interesting as objects of study than the average grown-up. i have always liked these stanzas from hood's fine poem, "the dream of eugene aram": "'twas in the prime of summer time, an ev'ning calm and cool, when four and twenty happy boys came bounding out of school; there were some that ran, and some that leapt, like troutlets in a pool. "like sportive deer, they cours'd about, and shouted as they ran, turning to mirth all things of earth, as only boyhood can." if the boys had not already decided on a game, it would be safe to wager that the first thing they started off with was the old and everpopular game of tag. i have seen boys, and girls, too, playing tag among the indian tribes of arizona. the young and ever lightly-clad mexicans delight in it, and the chinese and japanese youngsters never grow weary of a game needing so little in the way of equipment, and which is so easily started, but not so easy to give up, when the spirit of the game has taken full possession of the players. although so simple, there is never monotony in tag. if you don't like one form you can try another, and there are certainly a lot to choose from. one can have brick, wood, iron, tree or any other kind of object tag, the principle being that so long as the pursued has his hand on the object decided on in advance, he cannot be touched. in what is known as "cross tag," the boy who starts the game tags another, who at once starts in pursuit. now, if another boy darts across "its" path this second boy becomes the object of pursuit, and so he continues until he has made a capture and is free to join the field. prisoner's base one of the oldest, and i think the most general and popular of tag games, is called now, as when i was a boy, "prisoner's base." in this game the two leaders choose sides. this done, two objects-they may be walls, trees or posts that stand some distance opposite each other--are used as goals. before these goals, the two armies are drawn up in opposing lines. then the captains, or it may be others, lead off. one of these defies the other to meet him. after this the armies charge, but the purpose of each is to avoid being tagged by the other side, while it tries to tag or touch as many of the opponents as it can. every boy touched is regarded as a prisoner and must go to the base provided for the purpose, which is usually the goal of the other side, where he must remain till the game ends or he is released. the prisoner is guarded, but if he can escape and reach his own side, without being touched, he is free, or if one of his own side succeeds in touching him, he gains his liberty. when all of one side are prisoners the game is over, and the winners deserve their success, for they have had to fight hard for it. the wolf another variation of tag is called "the wolf" in some places, and in others, "when do you eat?" but no matter the name, it is good sport. this is how to do it. a good sized piece of paper--any paper that shows a pencil mark will do--is torn into as many bits as there are boys. each bit is marked with a number, showing some hour of the day. after every player has his marked paper, there must be one piece left. the last piece is marked with a number the same as that on one of those already given out. there are only twelve hour marks on the clock, but if there are more than twelve players, the extras can be given by half hours, like halfpast one. now, under one of the hour or duplicate numbers, mark a cross like x. no one but the marker knows the numbers. each boy, as he draws, looks at his own number, but he must keep it a secret. the numbers must be drawn from a hat, without looking. the undrawn paper belongs to the marker, and he is the boy who holds the hat. the boy who has drawn the paper marked with the x is "it," and so is regarded as the wolf. he goes off some distance, while the huddled "sheep," as the other players are called, decide what time of day they shall each represent. when all is ready the wolf calls out in chilling, hungry voice: "i eat no meat but woolly sheep, my appetite is good; i thirst, i think, their blood to drink, if caught within my wood!" on hearing this, the sheep set up cries of fear and run to form a circle about the wolf. if the ring is not complete before he gets through the rhyme, he is free to seize any boy who is not holding the hands, on either side, of two other boys. if the ring is formed and no sheep captured, the sheep circle about the wolf, chanting this song: "wolf! wolf! wolf! with the brown ear, tell us what hour you dine on one of the sheep assembled here!" the wolf selects his own hour. if he answers "one o'clock," the sheep bearing that number darts out of the ring with the wolf after him. if this sheep circles the ring three times without being caught, he is safe and takes his old place. the same hour cannot be selected again until all the others have been called. when the wolf guesses the number corresponding to his own, he does not have to pursue, for his double becomes the wolf, and he is changed into a sheep. after the game has gone on so far that the number of each is pretty well known, the boys can change numbers without the knowledge of the wolf, and this adds greatly to the sport. bull in the ring another variation of tag is popularly known as "bull in the ring." the bull or "it" is a position to be sought after in this game. the bull can be selected in any one of the ways i have suggested, or in any other way that may be decided on. when all is ready, the boys form a ring by joining hands, with the bull penned in the center. this done, the bull seizes a pair of the grasped hands, and asks: "what is this lock made of?" one of the boys replies, "steel." "steel is strong. what is this lock made of?" asks the bull, as he grasps another pair of hands. "bronze," may be the answer. "and this?" "copper." the next reply, "i can break copper!" shouts the bull. he then makes a feeble effort to break through, or it may be that he is doing his best, but he knows he cannot get out in that way. suddenly he wheels and makes a dash for a part of the ring which he thinks is weakest. if he gets through he dashes away, with the others at his heels, and the first boy that tags him is "it" for the next game. chapter xiii "i spy" and leap frog, the ever-popular games like tag, "i spy" needs no apparatus and no great study. any boy with keen eyes and nimble legs can play the game better than a man four times his age. of course, "i spy" is not a game of solitaire. it needs at least two boys, but it will be more exciting if there are five or six times that number; the more the better. you know how to select who is to be "it." this done, and a goal or home selected, "it" remains at the goal and counts up to one hundred as fast as he can, and this is usually so fast as to eclipse the lightning calculator whom barnum charged an admission to see and hear. while "it" is counting, with his eyes closed and his head bent, his companions start off and conceal themselves in the neighborhood as best they can. when the count is up, and it is all too soon for the half hidden boys, "it" goes out to find them. any hider who can run and touch the goal before "it" shouts: "in free," and he is free. but if "it" spies a boy, then shouts the boy's name and reaches home first, that boy is caught. the game continues till all are free or caught. if "it" fails to catch any, then he must be "it" again for the next game. if he is successful, then the first boy caught is "it." the best time to play "i spy" is in the evening, for the dusk is the best time to hide, and in the dim light it is harder to recognize the boys. if "it" calls a boy by another's name, then he is free for that game. to deceive "it" the other boys often change hats or turn their coats--an act usually frowned down on, but quite permissible in this game. if the last hider gets in undetected and shouts "freeings!" all go out for another hide, and "it" stays in his old position. there are some varieties in this game, but they are not so different from the one given as to make them worth describing. leap frog is distinctly an athletic game, but it nevertheless requires that quality of brains called "judgment." the boy who does not know leap frog has something good to learn, and it is for him i am writing this. one boy turns his back to the player and, bending his head low, rests his hands on his knees. this is called "giving a back." the other boy places his hands on the first boy's back and leaps over him, by straddling his legs wide apart on each side like a frog. the second boy then assumes the stooping posture, and the third boy leaps over the first and second, and the fourth over all three, one at a time, of course. this goes on until there is no boy left who is not stooping. then the first boy's back straightens up and he goes leaping over his fellows and again gives a back, while the second follows, and so on until they are all tired and the game ceases. foot-an'-half the foot mentioned in this title is not the foot marked on a united states standard rule, but a boyish foot enclosed in a rusty shoe and owned by the leader in the game. the boy who is "it" is known as first back. he stands in the proper position at a taw. the leader tells the first back how and where to stand, then lays his hands on the stooping shoulders and straddles over when the leader strikes, he makes a mark to show the place, and the first back takes his place on this line. all the other boys must clear first back from the taw line, not always an easy task if the leader is a good jumper. when the leader's turn comes around again he marks a new taw line about a foot and a half--he uses his own foot for a measure--about eighteen inches or "foot-an'-half" in advance of the old one. on the second jump he marks where his heels strike, and the first back moves to that place, and the others make the leap. so the game goes on till a player fails to clear first back, a failure that usually results in tumbling both over. the player who fails is "it" for the next game, which begins at once. a variation of this game is known as "foot-an'-half," with a leader and a "foot-an'-half." in this game the first back, who must always select the leader, picks out, instead of the best, as in the former case, the very poorest jumper. he chooses for foot-an'-half a better player. his object in doing this is to have foot-an'-half, who is his ally, set tasks that are beyond the ability of the boy chosen as leader. when all is ready first back takes a position, with one foot on either side of the taw line and his side toward the players. foot-an'-half is the last to jump, and knowing what is expected of him, he leaps as far as he can. where his heels come down another line is drawn. to this line first back moves, placing a foot on either side. now comes the test of the leader. he can now take a foot and a half, using his own foot for a rule, and jump from that point, but if any other boy can make the leap from the old taw line, the leader becomes "it" and a new game is started. spanish fly i have been unable to learn where the boys got this name. it is started just like the preceding game. some player, usually one who has confidence in himself, shouts as he makes the leap, and just before his feet touch the ground: "spanish fly!" at once the fun begins in wild earnest. the boy who just shouts is regarded as leader. the second time he makes the leap he cries: "torchlight" and makes the jump with only one hand on first back's shoulders, while he waves his hat in the other. the player that fails to follow the leader's example becomes "it." on the third turn the leader shouts: "hats on deck," and he places his cap on first back's shoulders and goes over without knocking it off. the next player places his cap on top of the leader's and goes over. if there are many boys the hats pile up and the last jumper has a hard proposition to face, but if he succeeds he has a second try when he removes his own hat or cap without knocking the others off; and so it goes on till all the hats are removed. if this trick is successfully completed, and it rarely ever is, the leader goes over again, this time shouting: "hats full of water." as he leaps, he turns his hat so that it rests upside down on his head. if all the players succeed in doing this without losing their hats, the next cry is "hats in the water." as the leader goes over he shakes his hat off and all the others must follow his example. when the hats are all in the water the leader must jump over first back and alight on one foot without touching the hats. then, without touching his raised foot to the ground, he must hop to his own hat, and kneeling down, pick it up with his teeth, turn his back to taw and, with a head toss, throw the hat over first back. if any error should be made, the one making it becomes "it." each player must take his turn at every change made by the leader. there is good sport in this game, if it is played in the right spirit. sometimes boys with the rowdy element in them make it rough, boisterous and even dangerous. let me advise: never play any game with any boy who tries to boss and bully weaker boys. chapter xiv the game of cat, with a glance at some other games all should know the game of tip-cat, although very old in ireland, where it is said to have originated, and in all the british islands, where it is very popular, is comparatively new in this country. up to twenty years ago "cat," as it is generally called, was unknown to the boys of this country. now it is played from the atlantic to the pacific and from the lakes to the gulf. the cat is a piece of wood from four to six inches in length, and from one to two inches in diameter in the middle. from the middle to both ends it is whittled into blunt points. as it must stand a lot of pounding, it will be better if the wood is hard and tough. the bat or driver should be from one to two feet in length, an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, and of uniform thickness. when the cat is placed flat on the ground, or in a slight depression made with the heel, it will, when smartly struck, fly into the air. as soon as it rises it is struck again and sent in the direction desired. in the game of english cat there are from four to eight bases, depending on the number of players. the bases may be small stones, or even holes in the ground. the bases are marked on the circumference of a circle, at equal distances apart. after sides are chosen and it is decided which shall have first innings, the outs take to the field and the ins post themselves at the bases, one base for each. one of the outs throws the cat to the nearest man at base. if he makes a strike then all the boys on base change places, for safety's sake taking the nearest. if the cat has been sent far they keep on changing so long as they think it prudent. each base gained scores one point. if the cat _is_ caught the striker is out, or if the cat is thrown in front of an in who is changing bases, he is out. when the ins are made outs, the positions are reversed and the game goes on as before. when a striker fails to hit, he tosses the cat back to the fielder and tries again. country cat for this game a ring twenty or more feet in diameter must be made, in the center of which the striker stands. the fielder--any boy not a striker is now a fielder--tosses the cat, and if it is missed there is no count. if he hits and fails to send the cat outside the circle, he is out, or if the cat is caught, he is out. if the cat is sent beyond the circle, the striker calls out "twenty", "thirty" or "fifty", depending on the estimated distance the cat has gone. if his claim is allowed, the number called out is placed to the striker's credit. if it is disputed the bat is used for a measuring rod and the distance is measured from the striker's place to where the cat has fallen. if the striker claimed too much he resigns his stick to the one who has the next turn. if it is found that the striker did not claim too much, the number is placed to his credit and the game proceeds. the number of points that is to count for the game is decided on in advance, and when a player has served the full amount, he is declared victor, and another game is in order. american cat the american cat is smaller than the country or english cat, being over four or five inches long. if the game is played on the sidewalk, a small circle is drawn on the paving stones, where the striker stands; but if the game is played on the bare earth, a hole is made, where the striker stands. it is the duty of the batsman to defend the hole or ring with the stick he uses for a bat, and it is the object of the giver or pitcher to toss the cat in the circle or hole. if he is successful, the striker is out. if, on the other hand, it falls outside the circle, the striker places the cat inside the ring, strikes it on one end, which causes the little piece of wood to fly up in the air, and before it reaches the ground the striker endeavors to hit it again and send the cat as far as possible. if he misses he throws the cat back to the fielder, who again attempts to toss it into the circle, but if he succeeds in sending it a good distance he does not call his score, as described in country cat, but the pitcher offers him five points or ten, as the case may be. the striker, however, is not compelled to accept the offer, and may keep the pitcher bidding for some time, and if his last bid is refused the pitcher proceeds to measure the distance from the circle to the cat in jumps. if he can make the distance in fewer jumps than he has bid, the striker, or the striker's side, loses the number of points named in the last bid of the pitcher, and the striker is out. duck on a rock does not require an "it" to start with. as soon as it is decided to try the game, each player hurries to secure a good sized stone, or where this cannot be had, a club or a half brick will do. as each grasps his weapon he shouts, "my duck." the last boy to find a stone is "it" and must call out, "my drake." the drake places his stone on a rock, stump, or other prominence and stands guard. a taw line is drawn and from this the ducks are thrown at the drake, each trying to knock him off his perch. when a player has failed, he must recover his own duck, and in doing so he runs the risk of being tagged by the boy guarding the drake. the drake guardian cannot touch the other until he has put his hand on his duck. the best way is for the ducks to make a rush for their weapons at once when most of them are sure to escape, whereas one has but little chance. whenever a boy is tagged he must assume the place of guardian. if the drake is knocked off, all the boys make a rush for their ducks. the drake cannot tag till he has placed the stone in position. stone throw this game may be played with from six to twenty players. when the game is played outdoors, a large stone is placed on a boulder, and a player stands to guard it. a line is drawn twenty or thirty feet from the boulder. here each of the other players stands in turn and throws a stone at the stone on the boulder, which he tries to knock off the rock. if he does not succeed he goes and stands by the place where some stone has fallen, and waits until some one does succeed. if he prefers, he may pick up his stone and try to run back to the goal before the guard of the stone can tag him. if he reaches it in safety he has a chance to throw again. when some one succeeds in knocking off the stone all who have thrown may pick up stones and run back to the goal line, while the guard replaces the stone on the rock and tries to tag any one who has his stone in his hand, and who has not crossed the goal line. whoever is tagged becomes guard. chapter xv and now for ball--some of the many good games that can be played with a ball, bat, or racket ball in some form is played all the world over. before columbus came across, the indians of the st. lawrence valley played a ball game with rackets, which the french adopted and named lacrosse. no game requires more dexterity of foot, hand, and eye. certain games seem to be favored in certain lands; cricket in england, hand ball in ireland, and baseball in the united states. but, then, as we adopt and absorb peoples of all nationalities so we take all the good things they have to offer in the way of games and, modifying them to suit our own tastes, we make them american. in addition to these imported games, we have, with characteristic originality, invented a lot of games of our own, and in these the boy takes endless delight, without bothering about their origin. on cricket, baseball, hand ball and other great games, many books have been written telling how to play "scientifically". now, i am not trying to teach scientific games. my purpose is to add something to the knowledge of games which my readers already have, and so to increase their interests in those healthful sports that add to the joys of boy life. town ball this game, before being imported from england, long, long ago, was called "rounders." in this game the bat and ball are both different from those used in baseball. there are corners instead of bases, and there is a "giver" instead of a pitcher. the fielders may be of any number, but they are not known by distinctive names. the greatest freedom is permitted in the choice of ball. it may be of hollow rubber, or it may be of the good, old-fashioned, home-made sort. did you ever make a ball, but of course you have, by unravelling a heelless worsted stocking and then winding the thread about a core of cork or rubber till the whole is quite round, the end being sewed to keep it from unravelling. this ball is finished by a cover of thin leather, cut in the form of a three-leaved clover and neatly sewed on with a waxed thread. the bat is like that used in baseball but lighter and shorter. the corners are usually three in number, with a homebase, making four, but this varies according to the whim of the players or the locality where the game is played. ordinarily with three corners the distances are about the same as between the bases in baseball. in place of home-base there is a rectangle marked on the ground where the striker and catcher stand. the giver stands in the same position that the pitcher occupies in a game of baseball; but in place of pitching or making the underhand throw, he throws overhand and "gives" the ball to the catcher over the right shoulder of the batter. the batter stands at the front line of the home-base and holds his bat above his shoulder and strikes from that position, with both hands grasping the handle of the bat, if he is using a flat bat. but if he is using a "delill" he holds it with one hand and allows the swiftly thrown ball to strike his club and glance off at an angle to a part of the grounds where no fielders are on the outlook for it. every time the ball touches the bat it is considered a fair hit, and the batter must run for his first corner and reach it, if possible, before some fielder, the catcher, or giver secures the ball and "burns" or "stings" him, as they call it when they hit a player with the ball. no one stands on guard at the bases to catch the batter out, and the ball, in place of being thrown to the base, is thrown at the man running the corners. when one batter makes a hit or is put out the next batter takes his place as in baseball. the catcher stands behind the bat and without gloves, and with no protection for his face or body he catches the "hot" balls the giver sends to him. the balls are not heavy enough to be dangerous. the fielders scatter themselves over the field, according to the directions of the captain, and try to catch or stop all balls from the bat, or those that are thrown at and miss the runners between corners. when a man is out he is out until the next inning, and the game proceeds without him. if a striker sends a ball in the air and it is caught before it touches the ground by the giver, the catcher, or any one of the fielders, the batter is out. if the ball touches his bat it is counted a hit, and if it is caught by any one of the opposite side he is out. if any one of the fielders, the catcher, or giver makes a successive throw at a man running the corners and strikes him with the ball when he is not touching his corner, he is out. if the batter misses a ball that he strikes at, and the catcher catches the ball before it strikes the ground, the batter is out. when a man is put out, he is out for that inning, and cannot strike again until the next inning for his side. when all are out but one, that one has a very difficult task to make a score, unless he can make a home-run strike. there are no other batters to help him by sending a "skyscraper" over the fielders' heads; but he must run his corners while the giver and catcher, standing in their regular position, pass the ball between them. this always produces a great deal of excitement and sport, as all the batter's side coach him, and if he succeeds in stealing a corner or successfully dodges the ball thrown at him, he is greeted by wild cheers from his side. should he at last succeed in reaching home-base untouched, he has the privilege of "putting in" the best batter on his side, and there are then two men in and a better chance to score. one or two old cat is a modification of town-ball, and was played by our great grandfathers while in camp during the revolution. it is a good game for three or four boys, not less than three, as there must be a pitcher, a catcher, and a batter. any goal can be decided on in advance, but usually the striker, after making a hit, runs and touches the pitcher's base. if he gets back without being it, or stung by the thrown ball, he can keep on, each run counting one. if the ball is struck at and caught, the striker is out, and the catcher goes to the bat. this is one old cat. with two strikers, there are sides and it is called two old cat. hand ball is another game that has grown into popularity in the united states. it is said to have originated in ireland, where regular courts are built for it, but it can be played in any place where there is a high brick wall with a smooth open space in front. this game can be played by two, or sides may be chosen with any number of players on each. a medium ball, with good bounding qualities is the best for this game. the player throws the ball on the ground and in the bound he strikes it with the palm of his hand, sending it against the wall, above the three foot line. the force must be enough to cause the ball to drop outside the taw line. the next player uses his hand as a bat, and sends the ball back against the wall in the same manner. he must hit the ball on the first bound or before it has touched the earth. the next player is ready to take his turn and strikes the ball on the rebound, and so the game proceeds, until some one misses, or sends the ball below the three foot mark or outside the boundaries. if it is the first striker who misses or sends the ball out of the boundaries on the ground or side of the wall, then he loses his inning, and the boy on the other side drops the ball and strikes it as already described. if it is a player on "outs" that makes a miss, then the "inners" count one for each miss or foul. a foul is when the ball goes below the three foot line on the wall or rebounds outside the boundaries. the outs cannot count when the ins miss, but they take the place of the ins and the ins are out. after the first hand up or play it is unnecessary that the ball should rebound beyond the taw line. fifteen points make a game. in england the boys have the same game under the name of fives. anthony over or _house over_. this game was very popular out west when i was a boy. we called the game anthony over; in the east i find it is called house over. but no matter the name, it affords a lot of exciting sport. it is best played in the country for there can be found a house or a barn standing alone and with lots of space on either side for running. after sides are chosen and all are ready, divide into two groups, each out of sight on opposite sides of the building. the ball may be that used in town ball. the boy who has it throws it over the building at the same time shouting as a warning to the boys on the other side: "anthony over," or "house over." one of those on the opposite side must try to catch the ball before it reaches the ground and if he succeeds, he shouts, "over! over! over!" at the same time rushing around one end of the building. those on the side from which the ball was thrown at once make a rush for the opposite side, and all whom he reaches by touching or by striking with the ball are his captives and are counted "out". if there is no catch, there is no count and the sides remain as they were, each throwing the ball alternately, and shouting as before to give warning. in some places the boy hit, instead of being a captive, joins the opposite ranks. it is always very hard, sometimes impossible, to capture the last boy, but it can be done through strategy. corner ball in this game the corners depend on the number of players. with six boys there are three corners, which make the limits of a triangle. with eight boys there are four corners, the limits forming a square. you should have more than four players because with this number you would have only two bases and the boundaries would be a straight line. the ins take the bases and the outs group themselves inside the triangle, square or whatever figure may be formed by the corners. the ins pass the ball around the corners, throwing and catching until they see a good chance to hit one of the outs grouped inside the boundaries. the ball is then thrown at the outs, and if it hits one he is out of the game; and if it misses, the thrower is out of the game. but, if one of those in the center catch the ball, there is a laugh and the ball is thrown back to a corner man with no scorce either way. when all of the one side are put out of the game the opposite side has won, and all are entitled to a throw with the ball at the boy on the losing side who was first put out. the victim stands with head down and back arched facing the wall, while the victors line themselves at thirty feet distant and take turns "burning" the captive--that is, hitting him with the ball--if they can. it must be remembered that the dangerous baseball is never used in these games, and the other ball does no injury to the lad struck. chapter xvi baseball, the great american game. a few pointers that may help you the best baseball field is level and smooth. it is best, if it can be had, to start with the right kind of a layout. the catcher, or back stop, as he is called by professionals, is usually in front of the observation stand, or a board wall or other obstruction. this is usually ninety feet from the home plate. if you fasten a cord one hundred and twenty-seven feet four inches long straight out in the field, the place for second base is found. this done, take a rope or line one hundred and eighty feet long, fasten one end to the home plate and the other to second base; then draw the middle of the line at first to the right and then to the left, till it is tight. this will mark the places of first and third base. the place of the pitcher's box is fixed by measuring a line of fifty feet from home to second base. the pitcher's box should be five feet six inches long by four feet wide. for batsman there are two positions, one for the left and the other for the right handed. the batsman's stand is two rectangular spaces, each six feet long and four feet wide. the nearest line should be six inches from the home plate, and should extend three feet in front and three feet behind the center of the home plate. having thus laid out the field, we proceed to further mark the various points. in doing this, if the field is to be a permanent one, it is best to make use of the most improved apparatus; but if the field is only a temporary one, there are various devices which save expense, and which answer the purpose quite satisfactorily. the home plate is, by the rules, a whitened piece of rubber a foot square, sunk flush with the ground, its outer edges being within the lines to first and third bases. an excellent substitute for rubber is a piece of board painted white, or a bit of marble such as can be readily obtained at any marble yard. the first, second and third bases are canvas bags, 15 inches square, stuffed with any soft material, and so fastened as to have their centers at the corners of the diamond which we have already marked out. they will thus extend several inches outside the diamond. the customary method of fastening the bag is by means of a leather strap passing through loops upon the bag and directly around the center. this strap is slipped through an iron staple in the top of a post driven firmly into the ground at the corner of the diamond, and the strap is then buckled on the under side of the bag. the wooden post and the iron staples can easily be had. it is better to have them to keep the base fixed. a stone is apt to work injury. the bags can be homemade, from old carpets, or old mattresses, or even from shavings or hay, stuffed into little calico or canvas pillows. a piece of stout clothes line will answer for more expensive straps. the pitcher's box must be permanently marked. this is done by sinking into the ground an iron plate, stone or a wooden post, four or six inches square. if there is thick grass in the infield it must be cut from the pitcher's box to the back-stop, nine feet in width, or better still remove the sod and fill in the space with hard-packed earth. the players will soon make the batting-crease and base lines marked on the field. to make a fair division of labor in laying out a field, let three boys agree to furnish the iron staples, and posts for the bases and pitcher's position, seven in all. the four for the pitcher's box may be anywhere from three to six inches square at the top, and two feet long; those for the bases being three inches in diameter; and all of these sharpened to drive in like stakes. the staples, three in number, should be two inches wide. let three others agree to furnish the bases; one boy to provide the six pieces of stuff--about sixteen inches square, another boy to furnish three two inch straps with buckles, or else sufficient rope. the straps must not be less than a yard long. the third boy can see that the bags are looped for the straps, stuffed and properly sewn. three other boys can agree to furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a supply of cord, a sharp spade, a sledge hammer to drive stakes, a small hammer to drive in staples, some lime to mark out the lines, and a pail to wet it in. a tennis marker will save much work. the best ball to purchase is the regular "league" ball. these balls are the most uniform in manufacture and quality, and give the best satisfaction in the long run. it is worth while to purchase more than one, because it often happens that wet grass ruins the cover of the ball. when a base ball has been used in wet weather it should be put aside, and the next time the nine wish to practice on a wet day this ball, which will be very hard, should be used. as soon as it is wet it softens again, and it is just as useful as a new one would be after wetting. constant wetting rots the covers, but a harness-maker will re-cover the balls, and they can be used for practice. in bats there is more variety. a special bat is said to be made of wagon-tongue, but the more commonly favored is of ash, second growth, thoroughly seasoned. these can be bought for from twenty-five cents to one dollar each, according to quality. lighter bats are made of willow; and the cheapest of basswood. these do not last so well as ash, however. the rules specify that the bat shall not be over two and a half inches in diameter, nor more than forty-two inches in length. in selecting a bat, individual taste is the best guide as to matters of weight and balance, but the grain should be examined carefully. if a bat is varnished, the handle should be scraped, so that it will not turn easily in the hands. the first baseman and catcher should each wear gloves to protect the hands from the pounding which playing these positions involves. you can make a pair of baseball gloves out of a stout pair of buckskins. the fingers and thumbs should be cut off at the first joint for the baseman, and if any extra padding is needed, pieces of felt can be sewn on. the catcher's gloves can be made in a similar way, except that the left-hand glove is kept whole and the ends of the fingers reinforced by heavy leather tips. a shoemaker can put on these tips which should be about an inch and a half long. both gloves should have padding in the palm and over the ball of the thumb. this padding can be made of as many layers of felt as are desired, sewn in when the glove is turned wrong side out. the pads should be so cut that they run up into the finger a little way, and thus form a protection for the base of the fingers. every man who catches should wear a mask. a body protector will also save many a bruise. individual uniforms should be considered where clubs are formed, and let me say it is better to start with a club. uniforms for boys need not be expensive; shirts of one color will do with the addition of a home cap. pads on the knees and along the thighs, as well as rough mitts are of use in sliding. any number of players may belong to a club, but only nine can play on a side. each side must have a captain, who must be a good leader as well as a good player. the umpire is chosen by both sides to decide questions in dispute. there is no appeal from his decision, even where both sides think him in error. it would take a whole book properly to go into the details of baseball, but no instructions can take the place of practice, and it will be better if this can be done under the direction of an expert. rules here are a few baseball rules that it will be well to remember: 1. the infield must be thirty yards square. 2. the bases must be four in number. 3. the ball must weigh not less than five nor more than five and a quarter ounces. it must be not less than nine nor more than nine and a quarter inches in circumference. 4. the bat must be wholly of wood, except that the handle may be wound with cord or wire. the length must not exceed forty-two inches nor the diameter, at the thickest, more than two and a half inches. 5. the players on each side shall be nine. the captain assigns them their places. 6. the pitcher must keep both feet on the ground, except when throwing the ball. 7. players' benches, out of the way, must be furnished by the home club. 8. each game must consist of nine innings. if the side first at bat scores less in nine innings than the other did in eight, the game is ended. 9. if after nine innings the score is a tie, the game shall continue unless called off by the umpire. 10. the game shall be forfeited if a player comes too late, or does not take the bat after five minutes when "game" is called. 11. every club shall be required to have one or more substitutes, in the event of an accident to a regular player. 12. men on the bases cannot have substitutes run for them. 13. the choice of innings shall be given to the captain of the home club. 14. a dead ball is one that strikes the bat without being struck at. 15. a score shall be counted every time a base run is made. 16. a ball that goes over the fence, outside the two hundred and thirty feet line, wins two bases. 17. a foul strike is when the batsman hits, when he is not in position. 18. the runner must touch each base in its order. 19. no umpire shall be changed during the game. 20. a coach is restricted to instructing the base runners only. autumn chapter xvii some details about football the mere act of kicking a football is a good exercise in itself, but very few who do so, particularly among boys, know anything about the game. in england and her colonies there are innumerable football clubs in every town and village, but in this country the game is largely confined to colleges, and even in these not all the students play; indeed, so many are the physical requirements and so strenuous is the work that only those with extraordinary strength and activity are selected in the making up of teams. yet, as it is, when properly played, one of our best out-door games, i think it well that my boy readers should know something about it. at one time there were fifteen players on a side; now eleven is the legal number. the ground has much the same appearance of a gridiron, and the name "gridiron" is often applied to it, just as "diamond" is applied to the space marked off for that game. along the field the ball is urged, in ways presently to be explained, and which only the strong and active would care to carry out if pleasure in the strenuous sport were not its own great reward. the ball used in this game is shaped somewhat like a lemon, or two cones joined at their bases. from the middle the angle of slope must be the same to the two ends. the cover is of leather, and enclosed in this is an inflated bladder or an inflated rubber ball of the same shape. the work of inflating is done through a nozzle or opening as in a rubber tire and it is closed in much the same way. this is done before the cover is put on. the football field is not hard to mark out; as in baseball, the flatter and smoother the better. the field is rectangular, one hundred and sixty feet wide by three hundred and thirty feet long. for convenience in telling the position of the ball, lines, indicated by whitewash as in tennis, are drawn across the field, fifteen feet apart. in laying out, measure eighty feet from one corner along the line and mark the point. on the opposite end mark in the same way. the end lines being one hundred and sixty feet long, the points indicated will mark the center of the lines. next measure nine feet three inches to the right, and the same to the left of the center points on the end lines, and place four goal posts, two at each end of the field. this will leave the proper space, eighteen feet, six inches between the posts. on these posts, and ten feet from the ground, the cross bars should be placed. the uprights should extend above the cross bar just ten feet. the team the teams in football consist of eleven men each, but where boys are out for practice, they need not be bound by the regular rules. the eleven men are classified into "rushes" and "backs." there is a quarter back, two half backs and a full back. the first seven are line men, further known as center, right guard, right tackle, right end, left guard, left tackle and left end. each player is given a number to designate him and this number is known to the captain only. the kicks have special names. drop-kick, when the ball is dropped from the hand and kicked the instant it touches the ground; the place-kick, made by kicking the ball after it has been placed on the ground; the punt, made by kicking the ball as it falls from the hands and before it reaches the ground; the kick-off is a place-kick made from the center of the field. the kickoff cannot score a goal. the kick-out, when one of the players on the side which has touched the ball down in its own goal makes a punt, drop-kick or place-kick. a free-kick, any kick where the rules forbid the opponents from advancing beyond a certain point. in-touch is out of bounds. a touch-down is when the ball is kicked or carried across the goal line and held there. a touch-back is when the player touches the ball to the ground behind his own goal, the ball having been propelled over the line by an opponent. a safety touch-down is when either by a kick, pass, or a snap-back, the player guarding his goal receives the ball from one of his own side and touches it down behind his goal line, or when he carries the ball across his own goal line and touches it down, or when he puts the ball in his own touch-in-goal, or if the ball, being kicked by one of his own side, bounds back from an enemy across the goal line and the player guarding the goal then touches it down. some rules when a kicked ball is caught on the fly by one of the opposite side, the catcher marks with his heel on the ground the spot where the catch was made. the catcher then shouts, "fair catch," or he may hold up one hand. beyond the heel mark the opponents of the catcher cannot advance till the ball is again put in play. the catcher is entitled to the privilege of falling back towards his own goal, as far as he chooses; from the point selected he may take a place-kick, a drop-kick, or a punt. instead of this, he may choose to give the ball to one of his own side for a "scrimmage." the scrimmage is governed by special rules. if the catcher chooses to kick, he must drive the ball at least ten yards, unless stopped by one of the other side. a player is said to be "on side" when he is not between the ball and the opponent's goal, or is where the ball touches an opponent. when a ball goes out of bounds, it is called going "into touch." in such case, a player is sent to bring it back to the place where it crossed the line. a member of the side that sent the ball out of bounds puts it again into play. when a player carriers the ball across one of the end lines he obtains what is called a "touch-down." any player on this side may now take out the ball; he makes a mark as he walks by twisting his heel. when he has reached a point that suits, he places the ball for one of his own side to kick. the other side meanwhile retires to its own goal line. when the ball has been carried to within kicking distance of the goal, the question of the kind of kick needed is often a question for deliberation. at any time a player may carry the ball across his own goal line, and touch it down there for safety. this counts two points for the other side, or instead the side may take the ball out twenty-five yards for a kick-out. the moment the ball touches the ground it is "in play," and the enemy lines up on their goal line will block the kick, if possible. the formation is to a great extent governed by the plays to be made, but as a general rule the seven rushers stand in line of battle facing their opponents. just behind the rushers stands the quarter-back, and a few yards in the rear of him the two half-backs are placed; while a dozen yards further back, alone in his glory, the full-back guards his precious goal. if a strong wind is blowing, the winner of the toss-up takes the side favored by the wind, and the other team have the kick-off. if there is no wind to speak of, and no great advantage in either goal, the winner of the toss-up chooses the kick-off, and the other side have the choice of goals. the two teams now line up in their respective positions, and the ball is placed upon the exact center of the field by the side having the kick-off. the full-back as a rule the full-back is a good kicker and is selected to open the game. to the right of the ball on the line stands right-guard, alongside of him is right-tackle, next to him is right-end, then comes right halfback and quarter-back, while stretched out on the line to the left of the ball are the center, left-guard, left-tackle, left-end and left half-back. all these sturdy men are ready to rush upon their opponents the moment full-back's toe touches the ball. as the rules require the opposite side to stand at least ten yards back of the middle line, they form themselves in a sort of rough triangle so as to be able to guard the field and stop the ball with the least possible waste of time. at the required ten yards back of the center line, center of the opposing side is posted, back of center stand the two guards, back of them the two tackles with the quarterback between them, behind them the two half-backs are stationed with full-back in front of his goal. as there are no rules for placing the men on the field, this formation is altered to suit the captains. the player selected to kick the ball must send it at least ten yards into the opponent's camp, and it is usually sent as much farther as the judgment of the kicker directs. when the ball comes sailing over into their ranks the enemy catch it and either return it by a kick or one of them runs with the ball. when the player made the kick-off he calculated that the rushers on his side could reach the ball in time to prevent the enemy making much headway with it, and the enemy calculated to interfere in all lawful ways with the kick-off's rushers. if the enemy who holds the ball starts for a run, the men on the other side tackle him. as soon as the player and ball are brought to a standstill the runner cries "down." then some one on the runner's side places the ball on the ground at the spot where it stopped, and it is put in play by the snap-back kicking it or snapping it back, usually with his hand, but sometimes with his foot, to the quarter-back of his own side, who has taken a position just behind snap-back. up to this time the men of each team have kept their positions upon their own side, but as soon as the ball is put in motion both sides may press forward and the scrimmage begins. when a snap-back is to be made they arrange themselves in this way: center holds the ball, behind him stands quarterback; more to the rear is full-back, with left half-back and right half-back a little to the front. flanking these and slightly in advance are the two ends. each of these is ready to receive the ball, at a signal from quarterback. on either side of center are two guards, and two tackles, and the rival fives face each other. when the ball is put in play there is a grand rush. the runner with the ball is surrounded by friends who try to force their way through the opposing line. it is impossible in a general article to go into all the details of this popular game. many authors have tried to make the rules and the methods plain, but they have not succeeded very well. the best way to learn is from an old player or to watch old players at the game. the points of the game are counted as follows: goal by touch-down 2 touch-down without goal 4 safety by opponent 2 chapter xviii a hint at some well-known games, including hop-scotch during a good deal of world-travelling i cannot recall ever having seen a game of mumbly peg played outside of the united states and canada. i have placed it among the autumn games, but we all know that, except in winter when the conditions are unfavorable, it can be played at any time, where two boys and a jackknife can be assembled, with reasonably soft, smooth ground on which to play. this game has so many variations locally and even among individual players that i shall not attempt a detailed description of the many ways in which the blade of the knife is made to enter the ground. the feats, known to every boy, can be performed alone, and, when a boy, i know i did practice a lot by myself in order to avoid the consequences of defeat. the rule is for the first boy to take the knife and go through as many feats as he can, but at the first failure the second boy takes the knife and does the same. and when all but one have succeeded, the penalty for failure is as follows: a wooden peg two inches long is driven into the ground. a little must be left above the earth. the defeated boy has then to seize this with his teeth and draw it out. if he has difficulty in getting hold, the other boys are the more delighted and set up the cry, "root! root!" but this is not fair, and he should not be discouraged. jack stones is a much older and a more widespread game than mumbly peg. the knuckle bones of sheep and pigs, marbles, pebbles or any other small, heavy objects that can be thrown and grasped, are used. the best are made of iron and are sold cheaply. five stones or jacks are necessary for the game, a description of which i shall not attempt, for the feats vary, and the ingenious boy can add to them. there may be a penalty decided on in the game of jack stones, but it is not usual, and so may be placed among those contests of skill in which success is its own reward. hop scotch is a far more strenuous game than the two just mentioned, nor, when properly played, is it behind them in the skill required. of course, the best place for all games is out in the open country, but the children in towns and cities do not cease from the play for want of space. except when covered with snow and ice, hop scotch courts can be seen chalked out on the sidewalks of all our city blocks. a bit of brick, a flat stone, a shell, the lid of a blacking box, indeed any small object that can be moved by the foot can be used as what is known as the "potsherd." after choosing who shall be first, second, etc., the player stands at taw and tosses the potsherd into division number one. hopping on one foot over the line into number one, and still keeping one foot raised, he makes a hop-kick with the other and sends the potsherd out of the number to that in the right or left section, as may be decided on in advance. there are many local variations of the rules, just as there are variations of the plan of the ground, and perhaps the one you know best is the best. hop scotch may seem simple to those who have never tried it. in truth it is a game which, even in its simplest form, requires much skill and activity. but it is excellent for the muscles of the leg and it cultivates patience and persistency. rules when a player touches his hand or foot to the ground it is called "grounds," and he is out. when a player pitches the potsherd into the wrong division or on a line, he is out. when a player kicks into the wrong division or on a line, he is out. in the next turn he must play from taw. when the turns of the others come they must begin at the division in which they failed. chapter xix how to camp out--things every camper should know camping out is not in itself a game, but it would be hard to imagine a more delightful way for the boy or the man who has still something of the boy in him to spend a vacation. of course, boys in the country have more opportunities to learn about camping than boys living in the city. one thing is that they are more familiar with tools, but city boys are perhaps more eager for the life, as it is so primitive and in such striking contrast to their usual way of living. before going into camp there are many things for the camper to learn if he does not know how, and one of these things is how to make a fire. if one has matches, kindling and wood there is no trick in making a camp fire, but there is a good trick in making a fire where there are no matches and the wood is green or wet. of course, you know that men built fires in houses and camps many, many hundreds of years ago, but you may not know that up to one hundred years ago matches, which are now so cheap and so abundant, were practically unknown. how, then, did they start fires? our own indians get fire--i have seen them do it--by rotating a hard upright stick in a cup-shaped hollow of lighter wood, in which dry charcoal or the fungus-like shavings of punk were placed. cotton or any other substance that ignites easily would answer as well. this is getting fire by friction. every hunter in the west and among the indians and mexicans of two continents now carries a flint and steel, and a dry substance to catch and retain the spark. this substance with a full outfit can now be had in most stores that supply sporting goods, and every camper should have a supply. the back of a jackknife, a bit of flint-like rock, such as quartz, and some very dry cotton lint--kept for protection in a close box--will do just as well as the manufactured outfit, and it can nearly always be had. if you carry half-charred cotton rags in a box or bottle you will find them of use in making fire. shelter camps are either temporary, that is changed from day to day, or they are permanent and may be visited year after year, or they may be used for a few weeks at a time. temporary camps are the ones we are considering, and these can be elaborate or very, very simple. i prefer the latter, and i am sure the boys will agree with me. during the autumn and when the weather is dry and the nights not too cool, the best way to camp is in the open, sleeping on beds of boughs, about a roaring fire, and with one blanket under and another over. small dog tents, such as our soldiers carried in the civil war, are cheap and very convenient. each man carried a section, and two made a tent, into which two men crawled when it rained, but in dry weather they preferred to sleep in the open, even when it was freezing. shelters of boughs, arranged a fashion from a ridge pole make good temporary shelters and are first rate as wind brakes at night. if you have to sleep on the ground, you should have a poncho, that is a blanket faced with rubber on one side, to keep the body from too close a contact with the wet earth. the ideal camping place is near a good spring or beside a stream of pure water, in a natural grove with plenty of dry dead wood in the vicinity. the dry wood should be protected from rain if you are camping in the same place for some time. the camp fire should be made of two thick green sticks or legs to be used as andirons. these should be placed about eighteen inches apart, so as to keep the lighter, dryer fuel off the ground. they will also serve to support the cooking pots. where stones can be had, they serve well for andirons. a shack built of crossed logs requires some time to build and some skill to make, but it is not beyond the reach of any boy who has seen --and who has not--an old-fashioned log shanty. be sure to select a dry place for your camp, and if you are to stay for any time take care to keep it scrupulously clean, burning every scrap that might attract flies or the smaller wild animals, or might make a stench. mr. beard, an authority in such matters, writes: "never pitch your tent in a hollow or depression, or you may find yourself in the middle of a pond. soldiers always dig a ditch around their tents. the floor, which is often your bed, can be covered with straw, if straw is obtainable; if not, fir boughs; these lie flatter than spruce. it is best to lay the foundation of good-sized branches, cover them with smaller ones, and over all place a deep layer of fir twigs broken off the length of your hand and laid shingle-fashion, commencing at the foot of your bed, or the doorway of your shack or tent, each succeeding row of boughs covering the thick ends of the previous row. a properly made bough bed is as comfortable as a mattress, but one in which the ends of the sticks prod your ribs all night is not a couch that tends to make a comfortable night's rest. "candles, lamps and lanterns add to the luggage of a camper and may be dispensed with, yet it often happens that you will need a light at night. if you do, remember that almost any sort of fat or grease will burn with a wick." boys from our cities have even a greater desire to get back to the heart of mother nature than have country boys, perhaps because they find a greater novelty in the forests, the streams and the untrammelled conditions of our primitive ancestors. but even the boy brought up on the farm heartily enjoys the freedom of the camp, and he takes naturally to all its requirements. if lost but all boys, even trained foresters, are apt to get lost in strange woods; but no matter the person, it is well to know what to do under such circumstances. as a rule the denser growth of moss on trees is on the north side. this knowledge may help find the direction; but it is better to carry a small pocket compass. when the sky is clear, the sun and the stars help to guide the course, and if followed one is saved from travelling in a circle, as the lost are pretty sure to do in a dense forest. if twigs are broken from bushes they will serve to show the course to those out searching. a good plan is to follow down the course of a stream, which always flows into a larger body of water and will lead to some abode. if a hill is accessible, the lay of the land may be had from its summit. in any event, should you be lost, do not get rattled. you will be missed in camp and a search will be made by your friends. if you have to stay in the woods all night, make the best of it. others have made the best of it by sleeping near the foot of a tree or beside a log. it will be more cheery if you can make a fire without danger to the woods. the outfit now the camping outfit, including enough provisions for the proposed stay, must be carried, and unless the stay is to be short, a wagon or pack animals should be provided for this purpose. in the army and out west mules are used for this purpose, but any quiet horse will do just as well. the old sawbuck saddle, shaped like the letter x, answers very well, but the mexican pack, known as the aparcho, is much better. it is made of a plated straw matting, on which is fastened a strong wicker-work saddle, and a properly folded blanket, for you must be careful that the animal's back does not get sore. the saddle is fastened by pliant ropes, or broad belts of leather, called in the west "cinches," to fasten which securely requires some skill, as they pass through a circular ring and are secured by a hitch or peculiar knot that holds well and can be unfastened with a quick jerk. for a journey of ten miles or more i would not advise you to make the pack load more than two hundred pounds, though i have known mules to carry three hundred pounds at a pace of twenty miles a day over rough trails. if the pack is heavy, it may be lightened by having each camper carry his own blankets, in a roll, the case resting on the right shoulder. i would advise each to carry a canteen if there is danger of your being long away from good water. you should have the following articles: a long-handled frying pan, a bunch of a half dozen pieces of telegraph wire, each two feet long, with which to make a spider or broiler; by simply laying them across the fire or over the hot coals you have a gridiron; you may bundle it up when its work is done; three or four assorted tin buckets for cooking purposes and for water; a tin coffee pot; a long iron fork; a long iron spoon; some cheap tin cups, plates and spoons, and some forks and knives. do not depend upon the fish and game for food supply, but take along some boneless bacon and fat pork. with the latter, you can cook your fish, and the former is good for a relish with whatever fresh meat you may secure. then you should have some good ground coffee in a tightly closed box. some tea in a screw-top glass preserve jar, sugar, salt, prepared flour, corn meal, rice, beans, oatmeal, condensed milk, evaporated cream, crackers, and as much canned or dried fruits as you can transport without overloading--these are not necessaries, but all of them will come handy. _worth remembering_. it is not well for a lot of boys, no matter how strong and intelligent, to go off camping unless one of their number has had practical experience in that kind of life. it would be better to have a man in the party and to follow his instructions, as a soldier obeys his superior. before starting off it will be well to learn just what each member of the party can do best, and assign him to that work for the time. afterwards it might be advisable to take turns at the work thought to be least agreeable. cooking, washing dishes, gathering fuel and keeping the camp in order are just as essential as hunting or fishing, more so, indeed; for cooking, etc., are necessary, while fishing and hunting are pleasures. keep your own person clean and carry along needles and thread so that you may be able to repair the rents in your own clothes. before going into camp every boy should know how to wash, dry and fold his own flannel shirt, stockings and handkerchiefs. the captain of the camp should write out his orders and post them so that they can be read by all; nothing should be left to chance. under all circumstances keep your temper and remember your companions are entitled to a good time as well as yourself. don't be selfish, and don't go camping with boys who have that vulgar characteristic. chapter xx can you ride a "bike?" some things worth knowing about the wheel, and something about other things to begin with, i am not going to tell you how to ride a bicycle. the only way to learn that is to get a wheel, and if it bucks you off, mount again and keep on trying until you master the machine. i have heard folks say that the bicycle is going out of fashion. that is sheer nonsense! what have boys, or sturdy young men, or sturdy old ones for that matter, to do with fashion? the bike is here, and it has come to stay, and to go on revolving as long as folks live on a revolving world. bike parties that make explorations lasting for days, or even for weeks, are now not unusual, and if they travel prepared to make camp wherever night overtakes them, the more healthful the sport and the more novel and independent the tour. you should know how to carry the necessary baggage on your wheel. it is customary in ordinary wheeling to strip a machine of every ounce of weight not necessary. many riders travel without even a tool bag, pump or wrench. the additional weight of a few tools cannot be sufficient to make much difference to a rider. if you are a "scorcher" and are out to pass everything you meet, the less weight you carry the better time you can make. but the wheel is used by most boys for other purposes. the pathway of the biker is not always straight and smooth, as every boy who has ridden a wheel knows. the collision can always be avoided by good eyes and reasonable speed, but no eyes are keen enough to note, and no skill alert enough to avoid the broken glass, or the bits of scrap iron that beset the path and puncture the tire. repairs a friend assures me that he has mended a punctured tire with chewing gum. now i do not think well of the chewing gum habit, but if the stuff can be found to have better uses, i am not the one to discourage it. so it might be well to carry a supply to fill punctured tires. this is said to be the way to use it. let all the air out of the tire, then with a flat piece of wood force the gum into the hole--of course the gum must be "chewed" first to make it soft. plaster some over the hole, then bind the place with a strip of rag on your handkerchief. this done, pump in the air and ride with care. a broken handle bar is bad, but a substitute that will work can be made if you have some strong string and a stout pocket knife. cut two sections of a springy sapling, and bind them securely to the front fork, one on either side, and sufficiently long to reach just above the broken bar. next tie securely a stout stick of proper length to the broken bar, and tie to this the end of the uprights. if properly done, this will enable you to finish your journey, which for a long distance is much pleasanter than walking and leading your wheel. a rope tire will often enable the rider to reach home. a few yards of clothesline, borrowed, begged, or bought from some wayside house, will enable you to make a solid tire. remove the rubber tire, tie it to your handle-bar, and take the rope and bend one end diagonally across the hollow in the rim of the wheel. wind the rope carefully around, over the bent end of the rope, around again alongside of the first length until the rim is covered. keep the line tight, and wind it until it fills up the hollow and is considerably higher in the middle than at the sides. the neater this work is done, the more comfortable will be your ride home. when the rope tire is complete, pry up the side lap and force the free end of the rope diagonally under it until it comes out on the other side. draw it taut and cut off the end flush with the outer wrapping. now pour water all over the rope until it is thoroughly wet; this will cause it to shrink and become firm and hard. have a stand for your bicycle when not in use, and keep the wheel clean and well oiled. no boy is worthy to own a tool or a toy, or anything else that is perishable, if he is too lazy or too careless to have a pride in it, and to keep it in the highest state of efficiency. the very best time to make needed repairs is when the need is discovered. never wait until the time comes to use the thing again. the boy who gets into that habit is disqualifying himself for the battle of life, in which promptness, accuracy and energy are the prime requisites to success. if you cannot take care of your things, or prefer to resign that duty to others, then resign your ownership too, and let some more deserving comrades own them. i have often wondered why "the rope"--as our western cowboys call the lariat, and the mexican lariata--has not become a national sport, for its proper use requires great skill, and it is distinctly an american institution. children of the mexican herders begin practicing with the lariat as soon as they can coil a rope. i have seen them catching cats and chickens with their little lariats, and their dexterity surprised me. the lariat may be of any length from twenty to eighty feet. it consists of a long, strong, flexible rope, with a running noose at the end thrown. i have seen them made of hemp, horse hair and raw hide-the latter are by far the best, provided they are flexible and soft enough. the raw hide is cut and specially tanned, but for practice an ordinary thin rope will do. the noose is made by fastening a small iron eyelet to an end of the rope, and through this the other end is drawn. the greater part of the rope is held coiled in the left hand, while the noose is circled above the head with the right, and thrown when the proper swing has been reached. a post makes a good target. it should be, to start with, not more than ten feet away. after a time the distance can be increased, and the nature of the target changed. you will be surprised, if you try this, at the skill you will gain, and the pleasure the lariat will afford to yourself and companions. chapter xxi the old scotch game of golf-something about hockey and shinny in scotland, where the game comes from, golf has been pronounced "goff" for more than five hundred years. now that our president and other great men have taken to golf, everybody reads about the popular game, but very few know anything about it but the name. to such, the following facts may be of use. the game is interesting, and its rules can be soon learned, but like everything else we do for pleasure or profit, it takes a good deal of practice before one can pose as an expert. boys take to golf and soon excel their seniors. the equipment for golf consists of a large field, called "the links," to play in, a set of sticks or clubs with which to make the strokes, and a ball to be hit at. the start is made from a point called "the tee." the player's purpose is to send the ball, which may be rubber or gutta percha, and is about one and three-quarter inches in diameter, into a small hole. this hole may be from twenty to a hundred or more yards away, and the skill consists in doing the trick with the fewest possible number of strokes. the player who makes the most holes with the fewest strokes wins the game. this sounds very simple, and it is simple to understand, but not so easy to do. the links many of the best links are laid out where the soil is sandy and the grass sparse and stiff. such links dry quickly after a rain, and the ball is easily played and seen. the course in this country for the regulation game is sometimes three miles long; shorter courses can be laid out for informal work and practice. the links do not extend in a straight line. it is much better to have them wind about and end near the start. by carefully planning the curves, a golf course may be made to occupy limited grounds. it has become a rule to make eighteen holes constitute a full course. in the united states, however, comparatively few courses have more than nine holes, and good practice can be had upon a course with even a fewer number. the starting-point is called "the teeing-ground," and is marked by two whitewash lines at right angles to the course, forming a parallelogram with the side lines of the course five or six yards in length by two or three in breadth. within the parallelogram the player places his ball upon a tee or small hill of sand or earth from a half to three-quarters of an inch high. the holes are about four inches in diameter, and are lined with iron-condensed milk cans or similar vessels may be used--and the ground for seven or eight feet on all sides is more level than the rest of the course and is known as the "putting green." the holes are placed at distances varying from three hundred to twelve hundred feet apart, and are marked by little red flags, which are removed when the player approaches. as a match game consists of thirty-six holes, eighteen holes gone twice over give the required number; so will nine holes gone over four times, or six holes six times, or four holes nine times, or three holes twelve times. so you see that if your ground is limited you need have but three, four, six or nine holes, and the fewer the holes the fairer becomes the game for strangers, because in going over them so often they learn the ground, and that puts them on an even footing with the home players. the clubs the golf clubs are something like shinny sticks in shape, but modified and better made, as the ball must be driven more accurately and much farther. the heads are made of wood or iron. there are a great variety of them, but the beginner does not need more than four or five. the driver, a large club with a long shaft; the head is wood. it is used to start and when the ball is on the tee. let me add here that when the luxury can be afforded, it is usual to employ a boy, known as a "caddy" to carry the bag or receptacle in which the different clubs are kept. the brassie is much like the driver, except that it has a brass head or plate on the hitting part. it is used for a good send when the ball is in a favorable place. the cleek and lofter are iron-headed clubs, and are used to drive the ball far and low. a hundred and twenty yard stroke is good, but not unusual. the golf ball, as i have said, is made of hard rubber, but in learning the game any hard ball of medium size will do, and one club will be enough with which to practice. hazards are obstructions in the way of the ball. a bunker is a hazard, such as a fence, wall, hedge, depression, or trees. the ground between the holes should be cleared as far as possible of all obstructions. hazards are not objected to by good players, as they add to the sport. the game called "singles" is where two players, each with his own ball, play against each other. a "foursomes" is when two players play against another two, each side having a ball and the partners playing alternately. often a skilled player will match himself against a number of inferiors; this is called a three or four ball match. shinny of course every boy who can wield a stick has played at this fine, simple old game. one does not need many tools for this sport. a stout shinny stick, curved at the business end, like the best walking sticks, and a ball, or even a chunk of wood, if not too heavy, and large, will do. the game is played between chosen sides under the lead of properly selected captains. two goals, from ten to a hundred yards apart, are marked out, and between these the ball is placed. this done, the captains display their skill by stationing their men in such a way that they may guard their respective goals if their opponents are driving that way. the captains start the ball a-rolling; all are free to dash in and strike, taking care to guard their own heads and not to hurt the heads of the enemy, for this is a contest, not a battle. each party must keep on its own side, and each goal gained is a game. hockey does not differ much from shinny. in this game the ball is called a hockey, and it does not matter what you call the curved sticks. the goals are selected, and the sides chosen as in shinny, but in this game the captains toss up for first strike. when the ball is struck, the opposite side tries to stop it, and the contest is on. when the ball is sent over the opponent's goal line, the game is won. winter chapter xxii on the ice and snow--the royal sport of skating, with some hints on skiing, and snowshoes outdoor sports in winter are necessarily restricted to the thing that can be done in the snow or on the ice. but what glorious, healthgiving, strength-making things they are! it is from the land of the stern winter that the world's greatest men have come. usually the frost comes before the snow, and with what joy the boys and the girls hear the news, brought by a rosy, eager comrade: "the ice is strong enough to bear." of course, our first experience on the ice was when we tried our first slide guided by the hand of a stronger and more expert companion. how soon we learned to do the trick, and what fun there was in "keep the pot a-boiling," while strings of youngsters took the slide. what if some did topple over? no bones were broken, and the incident always caused a lot of good-natured laughter. roller skating indoors or on smooth roads is certainly a good preparation for ice skating, but it is not at all necessary to begin that way, any more than it is to practice swimming with a support about the body. it is said the children in holland learn to skate as soon as they leave the cradle. certainly the young south sea islanders learn to swim at an equally early age. my advice is: begin skating as soon as santa claus, or some other good fairy gives you skates of the right size. some more advice: never, from first to last, skate with your hands in your pockets. leaves, sticks, bits of paper, or similar obstructions may check and stop, perhaps throw you, and at such times the hands should be free to ease the fall. in the old days, with the help of the blacksmith, the harness maker, and the carpenter, boys had to put their own skates together. those were certainly clumsy affairs, but there was no end of good sport in them. to-day, the patent, clamp skate, fitting snug and securely and without any tight straps or tiresome screws, can be bought cheaply and fastened on in a jiffy. but can you use them when on? that is the question. if you can't, be assured you will soon learn, with patience, practice and the advice of a more experienced companion. wrong help i note that some books on skating advise the beginner to take a chair to the ice and learn on this till confidence is gained. now confidence is never gained by leaning on anything or depending on any person. start in to win by having confidence in yourself. this applies to your life work as well as to skating. when you have mastered your legs somewhat, and can move fairly well forward, it will be quite time for you to learn some other way of getting experience and fun from the sport. begin the variation by trying to cut a forward circle. to begin, you strike out on the left foot, with the body leaning toward the left, the center of the proposed circle. when the weight of the body is on the outside edge, the line described by the skate runner will be a curve directed outward. as soon as you find that you can continue on that stroke no longer bring the right foot quickly forward and down. this last must be a short stroke of only sufficient duration to give you time for another outer-edge stroke with your left foot. at first you will make a very large circle, but gradually you will be able to contract the dimensions. when you have mastered the left-foot circle, try it on the right foot, and practice until you are able to go either way with equal speed. the backward circle, when learned, is easier than the forward ring, for the push stroke is made with the toe. when going backward great force can be given to the toe-push stroke by slightly lifting the heel. to cut the circle backward, you must simply reverse your forward movement. to skate backward, work or scull yourself along any way, until you are able to detect the proper movement and proper manner of giving the strokes. this accomplished, you may call yourself a good plain skater. the spread eagle is one of the first steps in the advance from plain to fancy skating. even when well done, it lacks the elements of grace, but it is most excellent practice to render the limbs supple, and make other more graceful tricks possible; and it is a favorite performance of boy skaters. you must skate straightaway until you have gained sufficient headway, then at the end of the last stroke turn the toes out so that the runners of your skates make a straight line, heel to heel, one skate following the other. in this position you will glide over the ice until the momentum first gained is exhausted. at first the beginner will be only partially successful, but gradually he will be able to describe a wide circle forward, and in a little while gain sufficient control of his feet to slide across the skating pond in a straight line. the spread eagle backward will be found more difficult, for it necessitates turning the toes out until they point backward. in performing this last feat, it is no easy matter to keep your balance, but perfection comes with practice, and soon the boy who devotes time to practice will excite the admiration of his comrades by the ease with which he turns either forward or backward. during his practice the beginner will undoubtedly bend his knees, but after he has reached that point of excellence where his whole mind need not be centered on his feet, he may learn gradually to straighten his legs until at last he can do the spread eagle forward and backward without looking like a straddle bug. a ring can be made without lifting your skates from the ice. this is called a spread-eagle circle, and it is cut by spreading the feet. the skater must learn to keep his feet moving, first the right foot forward and the left foot back, then the left foot forward and right foot back, always with toes turned out spread-eagle fashion. when properly done, this motion will cause the skater to glide around in a circle, his feet moving in a most bewildering manner, while they weave a pretty grape-vine pattern on the ice. it would take a volume properly to tell all the possibilities of skating, and the ice games, like shinny, and curling. but the boy who can manage the movements already indicated will be sure to learn by himself the more advanced art of this fine sport. snow shoes are not so well known in the united states as in canada and throughout the st. lawrence valley. snow shoes are shaped very much like tennis rackets, and are made in much the same way and of much the same material. they are from thirty to thirty-six inches in length, and about one-third that in width. the broad point is to the front, and some eight inches back of this the foot is fastened by means of straps to the front and sides. the framework can be of light willow or strong rattan. the meshes should be closer than in a racket, and the best are made of water-proofed rawhide. it requires much practice to become expert in the use of the snow shoe; but once the skill is acquired, twice the distance, over soft snow, can be made in the day, as compared with the average foot man on ordinary ground. without snow shoes, winter travel would be well nigh impossible over large areas of british north america. we are indebted to the indians for this valuable aid to locomotion. skiing pronounced in norwegian "sheeting"--is the great winter sport of the norwegians and swedes. the sport is fast being introduced into this country and is gaining in popularity in every place where the two requisites--snow and a long, steep hill--can be had. the ski is a strip of ash or spruce wood, turned up in front like a sled runner, and smooth and straight grained. the length varies from six to ten feet, the width from three to four inches, and the thickness from. a third to three-fourths of an inch. the strap, attached by screws to the middle of the ski, is fastened over the toe part of the foot, leaving the heel free to rise and fall. skies are hard to manage going up hill, but on a level of soft snow a great pace can be kept up. but it is in going down hill, and leaping from a "jounce" that the skier is at his best. it is not unusual for experts to jump one hundred and twenty feet from rise to fall. chapter xxiii coasting; sleds of many kinds--the toboggan long before the strong, light, machine-made sled was put on the market or even thought of, the american boy was his own sled-maker, and if this sled was not so sightly, it certainly got there as effectively as does its modern rival. the best of the old-time sleds were made by cutting down a small oak, beech, or maple tree that had a promising curve at the root. this was dressed, then sawed down the middle, so as to make the two runners. through each runner six holes were bored from the top, each pair of holes about two inches apart. into the holes were driven wooden pegs to hold the three benches. the pegs were long enough to go through the two stringers that ran in line with the runners. over this the frame was laid. the bottoms of the runners, when the material could be had, were shod with thick hoop iron, the nails being counter-sunk. in the center curve of the runners, holes were bored for the drawing rope, and all was ready for the snow. a quicker way was to saw out the proper length for runners from an inch, hardwood board, curve the fronts by means of a draw-knife, then connect the runners by braces, and cover with a frame of lighter material. these sleds, when shod at the blacksmith shop with halfcurved iron shoes, were things to delight in, and two of them, properly hitched, made a fine "bob." the bob sled is superior in every way to the old long sled which delighted the grandfathers of the present boys. the old-fashioned sleds were steered by the boy in front kicking with his heels on the frozen snow, or the boy at the stern by dragging one foot behind as a rudder. this answers very well for the common sled, but when the sled is seven, eight, or ten feet long, and loaded underneath with pig iron to give it weight, the boy in front who steers has a difficult and exceedingly dangerous task, especially if the hill is steep and icy; and it is next to impossible to steer such a craft from the stern by dragging one foot behind. the double-runner is much lighter and very much easier to steer on account of the front sled being arranged so that it can be moved independently of the rear sled, for a turn to the right or the left causes the "bob" to take the direction indicated by the front runners; but double-runners steered with a wheel, lever or yoke in front, are very dangerous, as the steersman, in case of an accident, is thrown against the steering apparatus, usually with serious results. the safety double-runner does away with serious results, having a bridle with which it is steered. it also does away with the danger of collision by having an automatic brake that will stop it, in times of danger, within the distance of its own length. these are qualities which will be appreciated by all who "slide down hill," as we called it when i was a lad, or who are fond of coasting, as our schoolreaders called it then, and as every one calls it now. double-runners, or bob sleds, can be made at home, but the work requires so much varied material, so many tools, and so much skill that i shall not tell how the thing is done. a number of boys, who desire to own a bob sled in partnership, can have the work done by a wagon-maker, who knows just how, and has all the material to hand. such sleds, and they are usually well made, can be purchased at reasonable prices and of any size from establishments that deal in such articles. these can be found in any of our large cities. the safe and sane sled, for the ordinary youngster, and the average hill, is that which has a capacity for two--one is still better--and which is steered by sitting astern and keeping one leg back to act as a runner. tobogganing the toboggan is much used in canada, where the indians taught the first whites how to make and use it, and has become popular in the northern states, particularly along the great lakes. it is made of smooth, closely joined, flexible boards, turned up in front by being steam heated. the toboggan lies flat on the ground and may be of any length from six to twelve or even more feet. the passengers squat on furs or other coverings laid flat on the toboggan. the steerer sits behind and controls the direction by a trailing pole and sometimes with one foot. many canadian cities have constructed toboggan slides for the use of the people. the most famous of these is at montreal. this slide has a "joust" or obstruction at the bottom, which causes the toboggan and its occupants to leap into the air in a way that delights the experts and brings alarm to those who are taking their first ride. but the healthy boy does not limit his winter sports to skates and sleds. without either of these appliances no end of fun can be had in the snow itself. it would be a waste of time to describe snowballing, which may be made to afford pleasure, but which as too often done brings discomfort to the ones unexpectedly attacked. a snow battle now, a snow battle, if properly managed, is a different matter, and calls for that endurance and tact that distinguishes the true soldier. the two selected captains toss up in the usual manner for first choice of men. then alternately, as in a spelling bee, each chooses a soldier until all are taken. the taw lines are then drawn, about thirty feet apart, and two flag staffs with colored handkerchiefs for flags are erected in each camp. to bear the enemy's flag to your own camp, that is, over the taw line, wins the victory for your side. tackling is allowed, as in football, and is limited by the same rules. no boy bearing the mark of a snowball on chest or back is allowed to take further part in the game, as he is considered to be a dead soldier, but the dead soldiers may coach their comrades as often as they please. no tripping, no striking, no ice balls, and no "soakers" (wet snowballs) are allowed. snow tag is another good game. count out for "it." while "it" takes his place at the hub of the wheel, the other players scatter around the circumference or rim, and the word "ready" is given. "it" then darts out one of the "spoke" paths and endeavors to tag some one of the other boys, and the fun begins. two cannot pass each other on the narrow paths, and the fleeing boys often step on each others' heels, trip and tumble head first into the deep snow, forming an easy prey for "it"; but again the lads will dance around in a most provoking manner, and as "it" darts up one spoke toward the rim, the players dart down the other toward the hub, and show great skill in eluding "it." chapter xxiv some hints on general athletics, including walking, running and jumping i do not think the advice i have given, as to the games appropriate for each season would be at all complete, if i did not give some advice that will be useful for all seasons and every day in the year. to the boy the enjoyment of the sport is the first thing to be considered, but it is not the only thing. our lives are often affected for good or ill by very little things. injuries have been received by boys in sport that marred all their after lives. it is natural for the young to delight in exercise. it is by taking it that they develop, but the development, to be of value, must be along sensible lines. every healthy boy wants to be an athlete; wants to excel in some line, and as this ambition is reasonable, it should not be discouraged. the youth eager to win in his sports is not apt to be found lagging when he takes up the more serious business of life. competition is said to be the life of trade, and it certainly adds greatly to our interest in sports, but the boy who starts in to learn by trying to compete is doomed to failure. there would be more success in the end if we learned to go slower and so became more thorough in the beginning. there are certain exercises that every athlete must take to have a good physique, and the very first, and by far the most useful of these, is walking. walking can you walk? i hear you laughing at the question; but let me change it slightly and ask, "can you walk properly?" "of course i can," you reply. "i walk just like other folks who are not lame." now very few people walk properly, and no two people, unless it be soldiers or others who have been drilled to the exercise, walk alike. just watch and see for yourself. the good walker is always the graceful, easy walker. he stands erect, but not stiffly. his shoulders are well thrown back. he keeps his mouth closed, except when talking, and he breathes and exhales through his nostrils as the wise god meant him to do. his clothes fit him loosely and comfortably. he steps naturally, and without a trying stride, or a short step mincing gait, as if he wore hobbles. he walks by lifting his feet and not by raising his shoulders. and he wears shoes or other foot gear that do not breed corns or bunions. unless in a great hurry the walk, even the brisk walk, should never exceed three miles an hour; good heel and toe walkers have made forty miles without fatigue in ten hours, but this power comes only after long practice. walking is the very best, as it is the very cheapest, form of exercise, and it is best enjoyed on a country road with a cheerful companion. remember in all your exercising that good health is the one great object. suppress all ambition to be merely strong. many brutes are stronger than many of the strongest men, and many strong men have gone to pieces where lighter but more enduring men have come through the ordeal fresh and unharmed. this i have often noted in war times, when soldiers were called on to make a forced march over trying roads and in a downpour of rain. endurance is the great thing to strive for. the man who lasts is the man who wins. therefore, in your walks, particularly when you are learning to walk well, like an indian or a soldier, never try to do more than can be done without making too great a demand on your bodily strength. running running is a fine exercise, provided always that it be done in season and in reason. to do it in reason you must start in by acquiring the skill to run and the endurance to keep it up. there is one organ which if it stopped for a minute, the owner would be dead; that is the heart. yet many young athletes act as if they were not aware that they had hearts. no exercise that requires sudden violent effort, like fast rowing, or a hundred-yard dash in running, can be undertaken without serious effect to the heart. the andean indians will run, lightly and easily, at the rate of ten miles an hour, and keep it up for ten hours without rest, but you cannot induce them to make a short dash at high speed; they do not want to feel the warning thump of the heart. in learning to run, breathe as in walking, keeping the body slightly bent forward, and the elbows gripped close to the sides. under no circumstances start out by competing with any one, or by trying to run against time. such a course will result in final failure, and may bring on a serious injury. the jog trot is the thing to start in with. try it for a week or two, and you will be surprised at the ease with which you can do it. at first a mile is long enough for a run. after a month you can do two miles without as much fatigue. finally, if the gait be not too fast, you can keep it up for hours. after you have mastered the jog, it will be time enough to quicken the pace into a run, not your swiftest run, mark you, but a run that you can keep up for a mile, with as little exhaustion as you did your first mile trot. it is only by this slow, pleasant training, that you can ever learn to walk and run well, but when you have learned you will be paid for the effort, and then if the time comes to test your speed you will be ready to respond. jumping is closely related to running. it is an exercise in which boys delight, but which they seldom practice so as to achieve any skill. we divide this exercise into standing and running jumps, and each of these can be subdivided into high and broad jumps. in running contests, hurdles or other obstructions are placed in the path of the runner. these hurdles vary in height, but if you want to learn, start in with one or two about as high as your knee. of course, you could take them standing, and it is not a bad exercise, but learn to take them at a moderate run. when you can do this with ease, increase the number or the closeness of the hurdles and add to the length of the run. after a time you can take more and higher hurdles and lengthen the run, but never do either if you find your heart beating, or that the effort brings fatigue. i do not think the running high jump pays for the effort. it is spectacular, that is all; not so the running broad jump. this may be of use. it is safe and sane, and with practice it is surprising the distance that can be covered. after violent exercise of any kind, be sure to take a bath and a brisk rub down. if this cannot be had, a towel well soaked in cold water will make a good substitute, if you dry down with another towel. if your clothes are wet and you are exercising, they may be allowed to dry on you with safety, but if you cannot do this, get dry clothes if possible. i have known sturdy boys to contract rheumatism from wet clothes; and they never got over it. in conclusion, let me advise common sense. think before you act, even when you are out for sport. chapter xxv battle cries, hailing shouts, and college yells the american indians, like the uncivilized of all lands, had their own peculiar battle cry or war-whoop, which it is impossible to reproduce by letters. during our civil war the confederates gave a thrilling imitation of it in their famous "rebel yell," which every old soldier recalls with more or less admiration. the ancient greeks joined in battle with shouts of "eleleu!" the welsh cry was "ubub!" from whence comes our word hubbub, meaning a confusion. the irish war shout was nearly like that of the greek, being "ullulu!" the scotch clans had each its own shout or slogan; the pibroch being the chant of the march to battle. of old, the hungarian horseman, when charging shouted "huzza!" and so the name hussar is given to the light cavalry regiments of many of the european armies. the australian herders have a hailing cry, learned from the natives, which, properly done, carries a great distance. it sounds like "coo-ee!" the first syllable being made deep in the chest, and the other a shrill head note. the yaqui indians of northern mexico take their name from their peculiar war cry, "ya-kee," which is produced like the australian cooee. i have heard this thrilling cry for a distance of over one mile in the sierra madre mountains. all boys, whether bound for college or not, are always interested in what are known as "college yells." each college has its own yell, and in some of them great pains, if not great originality, is shown in the construction of the words. here are a few: _princeton_--"hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! tiger-siss-boom-ah! princeton!" and the sturdy sons of _yale_--"rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! yale!" quickly and sharply enunciated. _harvard_ boys cry, with long-drawn deep notes, "rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! rah! harvard!" _cornell_--"cornell i yell! yell! yell! cornell!" _williams college_--"rah! rah! rah! yums! yams! yums! willyums!" _trinity college_--"rah! rah! rah! trinity! boom-rah! boom-rah! trineye-tee!" _wesleyan college_--"rah! rah! rah! rah! wesleyan! rah! rah! rah! rah!" _brown college_--"rah, rah, rah, rah! brown!" _colorado college_--"rah! rah! rah! pike's peak or bust! colorado college! yell we must!" _the leland stanford, jr._--"wah hoo! ya hoo! l. s. j. u.! stanford!" _dartmouth college_--"hi! hi! hi! rah! rah! rah! d-d-d-d-dartmouth, wah, who, wah!" or, "wah, who, wah! wah, who, wah! da, di, di, dartmouth! wah, who wah!" _union college_--"rah, rah, rah! u-n-i-o-n. hikah! hikah! hikah!" _university of illinois_--"rah, hoo, rah! zipp, boom, ah! hip-zoo! rah-zoo. jimmy blow your bazoo! ip-sidi-iki u. off i. campaign!" _hanover_--"han, han! hanover!" _westminster_-"rah, rah, rah! oh, yes, sir! vive-la, vive-la! westminster!" _cornell, of iowa_-"zip-siss-boom! cor-cor-nell! c-c. tiger-la! zippsiss-hur-rah!" _amherst_--"rah! rah! rah!" etc., and terminating with the name of their institution. boston university--"boston, b-b-boston! varsity! varsity! varsity! rah! rah! rah!" rutgers--"rah, rah, rah! bow-wow-wow! rutgers!" rochester university--"waxico, waxico, waxico, wax! waxico, waxico, waxico, wax! brek-k-ks--brek-k-ks, ah-h-ah! rochester!" university of washington--"u. of w.! hiah! hiah! u. of w.! u. of w.! siah! siah! shooken' shookem! washington!" hobart college--"hip-ho-bart! hip-ho-bart! hip-ho, hip-ho, hip-hobart!" syracuse university--"srah--srah--srah sy-ra-cuse!" this list by no means comprises all the college cries, but it will serve to illustrate the most striking of them. even the women's colleges have their own distinctive cries, and for oddness they quite equal those of the men. and now the high schools, and even the separate classes and school societies are indulging in original cries. but so long as these things keep up the class spirit and make for sound lungs and high spirits, why should old fogies object? chapter xxvi clever tricks worth knowing the vanishing knots for this trick you must use a silk handkerchief. twisting it, ropefashion, and grasping it by the middle with both hands. you must request one of the spectators to tie the two ends together. he does so, but you tell him he has not tied them half tight enough, and you yourself pull them still tighter. a second and a third knot are made in the same manner, the handkerchief being drawn tighter by yourself after each knot is made. finally, take the handkerchief, and covering the knots with the loose part, you hand it to some one to hold. breathing on it, you request him to shake out the handkerchief, when all the knots are found to have disappeared. when the performer apparently tightens the knot, he in reality only strains one end of the handkerchief, grasping it above and below the knot. this pulls that end of the handkerchief out of its twisted condition and into a straight line, round which the other end of the handkerchief remains twisted; in other words, converts the knot into a slip-knot. after each successive knot he still straightens this same end of the handkerchief. this end, being thus made straight, would naturally be left longer than the other, which is twisted round and round it. this tendency the performer counteracts by drawing it partially back through the slip-knot at each pretended tightening. when he finally covers over the knots, which he does with the left hand, he holds the straightened portion of the handkerchief, immediately behind the knots, between the first finger and thumb of the right hand, and therewith, in the act of covering over the knots, draws this straightened portion completely out of the slipknot. the dancing sailor the dancing sailor is a figure cut out of cardboard, eight or nine inches in height, and with its arms and legs cut out separately, and attached to the trunk with thread in such a manner as to hang perfectly free. the mode of exhibiting it is as follows: the performer, taking a seat facing the company, with his legs slightly apart, places the figure on the ground between them. as might be expected, it falls flat and lifeless, but after a few mesmeric passes it is induced to stand upright, though without visible support, and, on a lively piece of music being played, dances to it, keeping time, and ceasing as soon as the music ceases. the secret lies in the fact that, from leg to leg of the performer, at about the height of the figure from the ground, is fixed (generally by means of a couple of bent pins), a fine black silk thread, of eighteen or twenty inches in length. this allows him to move about without any hindrance. on each side of the head of the figure is a little slanting cut, tending in a perpendicular direction, and about half an inch in length. the divided portions of the cardboard are bent back a little, thus forming two "hooks," so to speak, at the sides of the head. when the performer takes his seat, as before mentioned, the separation of his legs draws the silk comparatively taut, though, against a moderately dark background, it remains wholly invisible. when he first places the figure on the ground, he does so simply, and the figure naturally falls. he makes a few sham mesmeric passes over it, but still it falls. at the third and fourth attempt, however, he places it so that the little hooks already mentioned just catch the thread, and the figure is thus kept upright. when the music commences, the smallest motion, or pretence of keeping time with the feet is enough to start the sailor in a vigorous hornpipe. conjuring with coins coin-conjuring has its own peculiar sleights, which it will be necessary for the student to practice diligently before he can hope to attain much success in this direction. the first faculty which the novice must seek to acquire is that of "palming"--_i.e._, secretly holding an object in the open hand by the contraction of the palm. to acquire this power, take a half-crown, florin, or quarter (these being the most convenient in point of size), and lay it on the palm of the open hand. now close the hand very slightly, and if you have placed the coin on the right spot (which a few trials will quickly indicate), the contraction of the palm around its edges will hold it securely, and you may move the hand and arm in any direction without fear of dropping it. you should next accustom yourself to use the hand and fingers easily and naturally, while still holding the coin as described. a very little practice will enable you to do this. you must bear in mind while practicing always to keep the inside of the palm either downward or toward your own body, as any reverse movement would expose the concealed coin. passes being thoroughly master of this first lesson, you may proceed to the study of the various "passes." all of the passes have the same object --viz., the apparent transfer of an article from one hand to the other, though such article really remains in the hand which it has apparently just quitted. as the same movement frequently repeated would cause suspicion, and possibly detection, it is desirable to acquire different ways of effecting this object. it should be here mentioned that the term "palming" which we have so far used as meaning simply the act of holding any article, is also employed to signify the act of placing any article in the palm by one or the other of various passes. the context will readily indicate in which of the two senses the term is used in any given passage. pass i.--take the coin in the right hand, between the second and third fingers and the thumb, letting it, however, really be supported by the fingers, and only steadied by the thumb. now move the thumb out of the way, and close the second and third fingers, with the coin balanced on them, into the palm. if the coin was rightly placed in the first instance, you will find that this motion puts it precisely in the position above described as the proper one for palming; and on again extending the fingers the coin is left palmed. when you can do this easily with the hand at rest, you must practice doing the same thing with the right hand in motion toward the left, which should meet it open, but should close the moment that the fingers of the right hand touch its palm, as though upon the coin which you have by this movement feigned to transfer to it. the left hand must thenceforward remain closed, as if holding the coin, and the right hand hang loosely open, as if empty. palming in the motion of "palming," the two hands must work in harmony, as in the genuine act of passing an article from the one hand to the other. the left hand must therefore rise to meet the right, but should not begin its journey until the right hand begins its own. nothing looks more awkward or unnatural than to see the left hand extended, with open palm, before the right hand has begun to move toward it. pass 2.--this is somewhat easier than pass 1, and may sometimes be usefully substituted for it. take the coin edgeways between the first and third fingers of the right hand, the sides of those fingers pressing against the edges of the coin, and the middle finger steadying it from behind. carry the right hand toward the left, and at the same time move the thumb swiftly over the face of the coin till the top joint passes its outer edge, then bend the thumb, and the coin will be found to be securely nipped between that joint and the junction of the thumb with the hand. as in the last case, the left hand must be closed the moment the right hand touches it; and the right must thenceforth be held with the thumb bent slightly inward toward the palm, so that the coin may be shielded from the view of the spectators. this is an especially quick mode of palming, and if properly executed the illusion is perfect. pass 3.--hold the left hand palm upward, with the coin in position. move the right hand toward the left, and let the fingers simulate the motion of picking up the coin, and instantly close. at the same moment slightly close the left hand, so as to contract the palm around the coin, and drop the hand, letting it hang loosely by your side. the vanishing trick a word of caution may here be desirable. these "passes" must by no means be regarded as being themselves tricks, but only as processes to be used in the performance of tricks. if the operator, after pretending to pass the coin, say from the right hand to the left, and showing that it had vanished from the left hand, were to allow his audience to discover that it had all along remained in his right hand, they might admire the dexterity with which he had in this instance deceived their eyes, but they would henceforth guess half the secret of any trick in which palming was employed. if it is necessary immediately to reproduce the coin, the performer should do so by appearing to find it in the hair or whiskers of a spectator, or in any other place that may suit his purpose, remembering always to indicate beforehand that it has passed to such a place, thereby diverting the general attention from himself. as the coin is already in his hand, he has only to drop it to his finger-tips as the hand reaches the place he has named, in order, to all appearance, to take it from thence. the various passes may be employed not only to cause the disappearance of an article, as above described, but to secretly change it for a substitute of similar appearance. these exchanges are of continual use in conjuring; indeed, we may almost say that three parts of its marvels depends on them. such an exchange having been made, the substitute is left in sight of the audience, while the performer, having thus secretly gained possession of the original, disposes of it as may be necessary for the purpose of the trick. with this brief practical production, we proceed to describe a few of the simpler tricks with coins. heads or tails you borrow a quarter, and spin it, or invite some other person to spin it, on the table (which must be without a cloth). you allow it to spin itself out, and immediately announce, without seeing it, whether it has fallen head or tail upward. this may be repeated any number of times with the same result, though you may be blindfolded, and placed at the further end of the apartment. the secret lies in the use of a quarter of your own, on one face of which (say on the "tail" side) you have cut at the extreme edge a little notch, thereby causing a minute point or tooth of metal to project from that side of the coin. if a coin so prepared be spun on the table, and should chance to go down with the notched side upward, it will run down like an ordinary coin, with a long continuous "whirr," the sound growing fainter and fainter till it finally ceases; but if it should run down with the notched side downward, the friction of the point against the table will reduce this final whirr to half its ordinary length, and the coin will finally go down with a sort of "flop." the difference of sound is not sufficiently marked to attract the notice of the spectators, but is perfectly distinguishable by an attentive ear. if, therefore, you have notched the coin on the "tail" side, and it runs down slowly, you will cry "tail"; if quickly, "head." if you professedly use a borrowed coin, you must adroitly change it for your own, tinder pretence of showing how to spin it, or the like. odd or even; or, the mysterious addition you take a handful of coins, and invite another person to do the same, and to ascertain privately whether the number he has taken is odd or even. you request the company to observe that you have not asked him a single question, but that you are able, notwithstanding, to divine and counteract his most secret intentions, and that you will, in proof of this, yourself take a number of coins and add them to those he has taken, when, if his number was odd, the total shall be even; if his number was even, the total shall be odd. requesting him to drop the coins he holds into a hat, held on high by one of the company, you drop in a certain number on your own account. he is now asked whether his number was odd or even; and, the coins being counted, the total number proves to be as you stated, exactly the reverse. the experiment is tried again, with different numbers, but the result is the same. the secret lies in the simple arithmetical fact, that if you add an odd number to an even number, the result will be odd; if you add an odd number to an odd number, the result will be even. you have only to take care, therefore, that the number you yourself add, whether large or small, shall always be odd. to rub one dime into three this is a simple little parlor trick, but will sometimes occasion a good deal of wonderment. procure three dimes of the same issue, and privately stick two of them with wax to the under side of a table, at about half an inch from the edge, and eight or ten inches apart. announce to the company that you are about to teach them how to make money. turn up your sleeves, and take the third dime in your right hand, drawing particular attention to its date and general appearance, and indirectly to the fact that you have no other coin concealed in your hands. turning back the table cover, rub the dime with the ball of the thumb backward and forward on the edge of the table. in this position your fingers will naturally be below the edge. after rubbing for a few seconds, say: "it is nearly done, for the dime is getting hot," and, after rubbing a moment or two longer with increased rapidity, draw the hand away sharply, bringing away with it one of the concealed dimes, which you exhibit as produced by the friction. leaving the waxed dime on the table, and again showing that you have but one coin in your hands, repeat the operation with the remaining dime. the capital q take a number of coins, say from five-and-twenty to thirty, and arrange them in the form of the letter q, making the "tail" consist of some six or seven coins. then invite some person (during your absence from the room) to count any number he pleases, beginning at the tip of the tail and travelling up the left side of the circle, touching each coin as he does so; then to work back again from the coin at which he stops (calling such coin one), this time, however, not returning down the tail, but continuing round the opposite side of the circle to the same number. during this process you retire, but on your return you indicate with unerring accuracy the coin at which he left off. in order to show (apparently) that the trick does not depend on any arithmetical principle, you reconstruct the q, or invite the spectators to do so, with a different number of coins, but the result is the same. the solution lies in the fact that the coin at which the spectator ends will necessarily be at the same distance from the root of the tail as there are coins in the tail itself. thus, suppose that there are five coins in the tail, and that the spectator makes up his mind to count eleven. he commences from the tip of the tail, and counts up the left side of the circle. this brings him to the sixth coin beyond the tail. he then retrogrades, and calling that coin "one," counts eleven in the opposite direction. this necessarily brings him to the fifth coin from the tail on the opposite side, being the length of the tail over and above those coins which are common to both processes. if he chooses ten, twelve, or any other number, he will still, in counting back again, end at the same point. the rearrangement of the coins which is apparently intended to make the trick more surprising, is really designed, by altering the length of the tail, to shift the position of the terminating coin. if the trick were performed two or three times in succession, with the same number of coins in the tail, the spectators could hardly fail to observe that the same final coin was always indicated, and thereby to gain a clue to the secret. the number of coins in the circle itself is quite immaterial. the wandering dime have ready two dimes, each slightly waxed on one side. borrow a dime, and secretly exchange it for one of the waxed ones, laying the latter waxed side uppermost on the table. let any one draw two squares of ordinary card-board. take them in the left hand, and, transferring them to the right, press the second waxed dime against the center of the undermost, to which it will adhere. lay this card (which we will call a) on the table, about eighteen inches from the dime which is already there, and cover such dime with the other card, b. lift both cards a little way from the table, to show that the dime is under card a, and that there is (apparently) nothing under card b. as you replace them, press lightly on the center of card a. you may now make the dime appear under whichever card you like, remembering that, if if you wish the dime not to adhere, you must bend the card slightly upward in taking it from the table; if otherwise, take it up without bending. the magic cover and vanishing pennies for the purpose of this trick, you require half a dozen cents, of which the center portion has been cut out, leaving each a mere rim of metal. upon these is placed a complete cent, and the whole are connected together by a rivet, running through the whole thickness of the pile. when placed upon the table, with the complete coin upward, they have all the appearance of a pile of ordinary pennies, the slight lateral play allowed by the rivet aiding the illusion. a little leather cap (shaped something like a fez, with a little button on the top, and of such size as to fit loosely over the pile of cents) with an ordinary die, such as backgammon is played with, complete the necessary apparatus. you begin by drawing attention to your magic cap and die, and in order to exhibit their mystic powers, you request the loan of half a dozen cents (the number must, of course, correspond with that of your own pile). while they are being collected, you take the opportunity to slip the little cap over your prepared pile, which should be placed ready to hand behind some small object on the table, so as to be unseen by the spectators. pressing the side of the cap, you lift the pile with it, and place the whole together in full view, in close proximity to the die. the required cents having been now collected, you beg all to observe that you place the leather cap (which the spectators suppose to be empty) fairly over the die. taking the genuine coins in either hand, you pretend, by one or the other of the "passes", to transfer them to the other. holding the hand which is now supposed to contain the coins immediately above the cap, you announce that they will at your command pass under the cap, from which the die will disappear to make room for them. saying, "one, two, three! pass!" you open your hand, and show that the coins have vanished; and then, lifting up the cap by the button, you show the hollow pile, covering the die and appearing to be the genuine coins. once more covering the pile with the cap, you announce that you will again extract the coins, and replace the die; and to make the trick still more extraordinary, you will this time pass the coins right through the table. placing the hand which holds the genuine coins beneath the table, and once more saying, "one, two, three! pass!" you chink the coins, and, bringing them up, place them on the table. again picking up the cap, but this time pressing its sides, you lift up the hollow pile with it and disclose the die. quickly transferring the cap, without the pile, to the other hand, you place it on the table, to bear the brunt of examination, while you get rid of the prepared coins. the pepper-box, for vanishing money this is a small tin box, of the pepper-box or flour-dredger shape, standing three to four inches high. the "box" portion (as distinguished from the lid) is made double, consisting of two tin tubes sliding the one within the other, the bottom being soldered to the inner one only. by pulling the bottom downward, therefore, you draw down with it the inner tube, telescope fashion. by so doing you bring into view a slit or opening at one side of the inner tube, level with the bottom, and of such a size as to let a half-dollar pass through it easily. the lid is also specially prepared. it has an inner or false top, and between the true and false top a loose bit of tin is introduced which rattles when the box is shaken, unless you at the same time press a little point of wire projecting from one of the holes at the top, and so render it, for the time being silent. the box is first exhibited with the inner tube pushed up into its place, and the opening thereby concealed. a marked coin is borrowed, but either before or after the coin is placed therein, as may best suit his purpose, the performer secretly draws out the inner tube a quarter of an inch or so, thus allowing the coin to slip through into his hand. as he places the box on the table, a very slight pressure suffices to force the tube up again into its original position, and close the opening. having made the necessary disposition of the coin, the performer takes up the box and shakes it, to show (apparently) that the coin is still there, pressing on the little point above mentioned when he desires it to appear that it has departed, and immediately opening the box to show that it is empty. the pepper-box will not bear minute inspection, and is in this particular inferior to the rattle box. a nest of boxes this consists of half a dozen circular wooden boxes, one within the other, the outer box having much the appearance, but being nearly double the size, of an ordinary tooth-powder box, and the smallest being just large enough to contain a quarter. the series is so accurately made that, by arranging the boxes in due order one within the other, and the lids in like manner, you may, by simply putting on all the lids together, close all the boxes at once, though they can only be opened one by one. these are placed, the boxes together and the lids together, anywhere so as to be just out of sight of the audience. if on your table, they may be hidden by any more bulky article. having secretly obtained possession, by either of the means before described, of a coin which is ostensibly deposited in some other piece of apparatus, you seize your opportunity to drop it into the innermost box, and to put on the united lids. you then bring forward the nest of boxes (which the spectators naturally take to be one box only), and announce that the twenty-five cent piece will at your command pass from the place in which it has been deposited into the box which you hold in your hand, and which you forthwith deliver to one of the audience for safe keeping. touching both articles with the mystic wand, you invite inspection of the first to show that the money has departed, and then of the box wherein it is to be found. the holder opens the box, and finds another, and then another, and in the innermost of all, the marked coin. seeing how long the several boxes have taken to open, the spectators naturally infer that they must take as long to close, and (apart from the other mysteries of the trick) are utterly at a loss to imagine how, with the mere moment of time at your command, you could have managed to insert the coin, and close so many boxes. if you desire to use the nest for a coin larger than a quarter, you can make it available for that purpose by removing beforehand the smallest box. the ball of berlin wool an easy and effective mode of terminating a money trick is to pass the marked coin into the center of a large ball of berlin wool or worsted, the whole of which has to be unwound before the coin can be reached. the modus operandi, though perplexing to the uninitiated, is absurdly simple when the secret is revealed. the only apparatus necessary over and above the wool (of which you must have enough for a good-sized ball), is a flat tin tube, three to four inches in length, and just large enough to allow a quarter or half-dollar (whichever you intend to use for the trick) to slip through it easily. you prepare for the trick by winding the wool on one end of the tube, in such manner that when the whole is wound in a ball, an inch or so of the tube may project from it. this you place in your pocket, or anywhere out of sight of the audience. you commence the trick by requesting some one to mark a coin, which you forthwith exchange by one or the other of the means already described, for a substitute of your own, and leave the latter in the possession or in view of the spectators, while you retire to fetch the ball of wool, or simply take it from your pocket. before producing it, you drop the genuine coin down the tube into the center of the ball, and withdraw the tube giving the ball a squeeze to remove all trace of an opening. you then bring it forward, and place it in a glass goblet or tumbler, which you hand to a spectator to hold. taking the substitute coin, you announce that you will make it pass invisibly into the very center of the ball of wool, which you accordingly pretend to do, getting rid of it by means of one or other of the "passes" already described. you then request a second spectator to take the loose end of the wool, and to unwind the ball, which, when he has done, the coin falls out into the goblet. the only drawback to the trick is the tediousness of unwinding. to obviate this, some performers use a wheel made for the purpose, which materially shortens the length of the operation. chapter xxvii sleight of hand to balance an egg lay a looking glass upon an even table; take a fresh egg, and shake it for some time, so that the yolk may be broken and mixed up with the white. you may then balance it on its point, and make it stand on the glass. this it would be impossible to do if the egg was in its natural state. the juggler's lunch pare some large apples that are rather of a yellow tint; cut several pieces out of them, in the shape of a candle-end, round, of course, at the bottom, and square at the top; in fact, as much as possible like a candle that has burnt down within an inch or so. then, cut some slips out of the insides of sweet almonds, fashion them as much in the shape of spermaceti wicks as you can, stick them into your mock candles, light them for an instant, so as to make their tops black, blow them out again, and they are ready for use. when you produce them, light them (the almond will readily take fire, and flame for a few moments), put them into your mouth, chew and swallow them one after another. ring and ribbon select two pieces of ribbon, alike in length, breadth, and color; double each separately, so that the ends meet; then tie them together neatly, with a bit of silk of their own color, by the middle, or crease made in doubling them. this must all be done in advance. when you are going to exhibit this trick, pass some rings on the doubled ribbons, and give the two ends of one ribbon to one person to hold, and the two ends of the other to another. do not let them pull hard, or the silk will break, and your trick be discovered by the rings falling on the ground on account of the separation of the ribbons. request the two persons to approach each other, and take one end from each of them, and without their perceiving it, return to each of them the end which the other had previously held. by now giving the rings, which appeared strung on the ribbon, a slight pull, you may break the silk, and they will fall into your hand. the changing ball trick take a ball in each hand, and stretch your hands as far as you can, one from the other; then state that you will contrive to make both the balls come into either hand, without bringing the hands near each other. if any one dispute your power of doing this, you have no more to do than to lay one ball down upon the table, turn yourself, and take it up with your other hand. thus both the balls will be in one of your hands, without their approaching each other. the sensitive goblet to fill a glass with water, so that no one may touch it without spilling all the water. fill a common glass or goblet with water, and place upon it a bit of paper, so as to cover the water and edge of the glass; put the palm of your hand on the paper, and taking hold of the glass with the other, suddenly invert it on a very smooth table, and gently draw out the paper; the water will remain suspended in the glass, and it will be impossible to move the glass without spilling all the water. to light a candle by smoke when a candle is burnt so long as to leave a tolerably large wick, blow it out; a dense smoke, which is composed of hydrogen and carbon, will immediately rise. then, if another candle, or lighted taper, be applied to the utmost verge of this smoke, a very strange phenomenon will take place. the flame of the lighted candle will be conveyed to that just blown out, as if it were borne on a cloud, or, rather, it will seem like a mimic flash of lightning proceeding at a slow rate. the magic re-illumination after having exhibited the trick of lighting a candle by smoke, privately put a bit of paper between your fingers, and retire to one corner of the room with a single candle, and pass the hand in which you hold the paper several times slowly over the candle until the paper takes fire; then immediately blow the candle out, and presently pass your hand over the snuff and relight it with the paper. you may then crumple the paper, at the same time extinguishing the flame, by squeezing it suddenly, without burning yourself. if this trick be performed dextrously, it is a very good one. it is not necessary for the performance of this trick that all the other lights in the room should be extinguished; in fact the trick is more liable to discovery in a dark room, than in one where the candles are burning, on account of the light thrown out by the paper while it is burning, previous to the re-illumination. the moving ball roll up a piece of paper, or other light substance, and privately put into it any small insect, such as a lady-bird, or beetle; then, as the creature will naturally endeavor to free itself from captivity, it will move its covering toward the edge of the table, and when it comes there, will immediately return, for fear of falling; and thus, by moving backward and forward, will excite much diversion to those who are ignorant of the cause. the paper furnace enclose a bullet in paper, as smoothly as possible, and suspend it above the flame of a lamp or candle; you will soon see it melt and fall, drop by drop, through a hole which it will make in the paper; but the paper, except the hole mentioned, will not be burnt. the art of performing this trick consists in using a smooth round bullet, and enclosing it in the paper with but few folds or uneven places. storm and calm pour water into a glass until it is nearly three parts full; then almost fill it up with oil; but be sure to leave a little space between the oil and the top of the glass. tie a bit of string round the glass, and fasten the two ends of another piece of string to it, one on each side, so that, when you take hold of the middle of it to lift up the glass it may be about a foot from your hand now swing the glass to and fro, and the oil will be smooth and unruffled, while the surface of the water beneath it will be violently agitated. the end. the dozen from lakerim by rupert hughes author of "the lakerim athletic club" with illustrations by c.m. relyea 1899. to the best *father* a boy ever had (except possibly yours) belongs the dedication of this story of life at an academy, since his goodness enabled me to know it and write it note about half of this book was published serially in "st. nicholas." the rest of it is here printed for the first time. if in this story of life at a preparatory school i have neglected to say very much about books and studies, and have stuck to far less interesting matters, such as the games and gambols that while away the dull hours between classes, i hope my readers will graciously forgive the omission. list of illustrations it was evident that a severe struggle had taken place "stop the train and wait for me. i'm going to kingston, too!" tug is treated to a little surprise-party quiz learned to shoot the hills at a breathless rate jumbo saw a pair of flashing eyes glaring at him over the coverlet pretty and enid the cross-country run the boxing-match tied up like dummies in sacks "striker--out!" burning the books the dozen from lakerim i some people think it great fun to build a house of cards slowly and anxiously, and then knock it to pieces with one little snip of the finger. or to fix up a snow man in fine style and watch a sudden thaw melt him out of sight. or to write a name carefully, like a copy-book, and with many curlicues, in the wet sand, and then scamper off and let the first high wave smooth it away as a boy's sponge wipes from his slate some such marvelous statement as, 12 × 12 = 120, or 384 ÷ 16 gives a "koshunt" of 25. when such things are erased it doesn't much matter; but there are occasions when it hurts to have father time come along and blot out the work you have taken great pains with and have put your heart into. twelve young gentlemen in the town of lakerim were feeling decidedly blue over just such an occasion. you may not find the town of lakerim on the map in your geography. and yet it was very well known to the people that lived in it. and the lakerim athletic club was very well known to those same people. and the lakerim athletic club, or, at least the twelve founders of the club, were as blue as the june sky, because it seemed to them that father time--old granddaddy longlegs that he is--was playing a mean trick on them. for hadn't they given all their brain and muscle to building up an athletic club that should be a credit to the town and a terror to outsiders! and hadn't they given up every free hour for two years to working like trojans? though, for that matter, who ever heard of any work the trojans ever did that amounted to anything--except the spending of ten years in getting themselves badly defeated by a big wooden hobby-horse? but while all of the dozen were deep in the dumps, and had their brows tied up like a neglected fish-line, the loudest complaint was made, of course, by the one who had done the least work in building up the club--a lazybones who had been born tired, and had spent most of his young life in industriously earning for himself the name of "sleepy." "it's a dad-ratted shame," growled he, "for you fellows to go and leave the club in the lurch this way, after all the trouble we have had organizing it." "yes," assented another, who was called "b.j." because he had jumped from a high bridge once too often, and who read wild western romances more than was good for his peace of mind or his conversation; "it kind of looks as if you fellows were renegades to the cause." none of the twelve knew exactly what a renegade was, but it sounded unpleasant, and the men to whom the term was applied lost their tempers, and volunteered to clean out the club-room where they all sat for two cents. but the offenders either thought they could have more fun for less money, or hadn't the money, for they changed their tune, and the debate went on in a more peaceful manner. the trouble was this: some of you who are up on the important works of history may have heard how these twelve youth of the high school at lakerim organized themselves into an athletic club that won many victories, and how they begged, borrowed, and earned enough money to build themselves a club-house after a year of hard work and harder play. well, now, after they had gone to all this trouble and all this expense, and had enjoyed the fruits of their labors barely a year, lo and behold, one third of the dozen were planning to desert the club, leave the town, and take their good muscles to another town, where there was an academy! the worst of it was that this academy was the very one that had worked hardest to keep the lakerim athletic club from being admitted into the league known as the tri-state interscholastic. and now that the lakerim club had forced its way into the league, and had won the pennant the very first year, it seemed hard that some of the most valuable of the lakerimmers should even consider joining forces with a rival. the president of the club himself was one of the deserters; and the rest of the dozen grew very bitter, and the arguments often reached a point where it needed only one word more to bring on a scrimmage--a scrimmage that would make a lively football game seem tame by comparison. and now the president, or "tug," as he was always called, had been baited long enough. he rose to his feet and proceeded to deliver an oration with all the fervor of a fourth-of-july orator making the eagle scream. "i want you fellows to understand once for all," he cried, "that no one loves the lakerim athletic club more than i do, or is more patriotic toward it. but now that i have graduated from the high school, i can't consider that i know everything that is to be known. there are one or two things to learn yet, and i intend to go to a preparatory school, and then through college; and the best thing you follows can do is to make your plans to do the same thing. well, now, seeing that my mind is made up to go to college, and seeing that i've got to go to some preparatory school, and seeing there is no preparatory school in lakerim, and seeing that i have therefore got to go to some other town, and seeing that at kingston there is a fine preparatory school, and seeing that i want to have some sort of a show in athletics, and seeing that the athletic association of the kingston academy has been kind enough to specially invite three of us fellows to go there--why, seeing all this, i don't see that there is any kick coming to you fellows if we three fellows take advantage of our opportunities like sensible people; and the best advice i can give you is to make up your minds, and make up your fathers' and mothers' minds, to come along to kingston academy with us. then there won't be any talk about our being traitors to the dozen, for we'll just pick the dozen up bodily and carry it over to kingston! the new members we've elected can take care of the club and the club-house." tug sat down amid a silence that was more complimentary than the wildest applause; for he had done what few orators do: he had set his audience to thinking. only one of the twelve had a remark to make for some time, and that was a small-framed, big-spectacled gnome called "history." he leaned over and said to his elbow-companion, "bobbles": "tug is a regular demoskenes!" "who's demoskenes?" whispered bobbles. "why, don't you remember him?" said history, proudly. "he was the fellow that used to fill his mouth full of pebbles before he talked." "i'll bet he would have choked on some of your big words, though, history," growled a little fellow called "jumbo." but the man at his side, known to fame as "punk," broke in with a crushing: "aw, let up on that old dutchman of a demoskenes, and let's talk business." so they all got their heads together again and discussed their affairs with the solemnity due to their importance. they talked till the janitor went round lighting up the club-house, which reminded them that they were keeping dinner waiting at their various homes. then they strolled along home. they met again and again; for the fate of the club was a serious matter to them, and the fate of the dozen was a still more serious matter, because the dozen had existed before the club or the club-house, and their hearts ached at the mere thought of breaking up the old and dear associations that had grown up around their partnership in many an hour of victory and defeat. but where there are many souls there are many minds, and it seemed impossible to keep the twelve together for another year. it was settled that tug and jumbo and punk should accept the flattering invitation of the kingston athletic association, and their parents were glad enough to have them go, seeing that kingston was an academy of excellent standing. history was also to be there, for his learning had won him a free scholarship in a competitive examination. b.j., "quiz," and bobbles were to be sent to other academies--to charleston, to troy, and to greenville; but they made life miserable for their fathers and mothers with their pleadings, until they, too, were permitted to join their fellows at kingston. sleepy was the only one that did not want to go, and he insisted that he had learned all that was necessary for his purpose in life; that he simply could not endure the thought of laboring over books any longer. but just as the dozen had resigned themselves to losing the companionship of sleepy (he was a good man to crack jokes about, if for no other reason), sleepy's parents announced to him that his decision was not final, and that, whether or not he wanted to go, go he should. and then there were eight. the handsome and fashionable young dozener, known to his friends as edward parker, and to fame as "pretty," was won over with much difficulty. he had completely made up his mind to attend the troy latin school--not because he loved latin, but because troy was the seat of much social gaiety, and because there was a large seminary for girls in that town. he was, however, at length cajoled into consenting to pitch his tent at kingston by the diplomatic jumbo, who told him that the girls at kingston were the prettiest in three states. and then there were nine. the phillips twins, "reddy" and "heady," were the next source of trouble, for they had recently indulged in an unusually violent squabble, even for them, and each had vowed that he would never speak to the other again, and would sooner die than go to the same boarding-school. the father of this fiery couple knew that the boys really loved each other dearly at the bottom of their hearts, and decided to teach them how much they truly cared for each other; so he yielded to their prayer that they be allowed to go to different academies. the boys, in high glee, tossed up a penny to decide which should go with the dozen to kingston, and which should go to the brownsville school for boys. reddy won kingston, and rejoiced greatly. but though heady was so blue that his brick-colored hair was almost dyed, nothing could persuade him to "tag along after his brother," as he phrased it. and so there were ten. the deepest grief of the dozen was the plight of the beloved giant, "sawed-off." there seemed to be no possible way of getting him to kingston, much as they thought of his big muscles, and more us they thought of his big heart. his sworn pal, the tiny jumbo, was well nigh distracted at the thought of severing their two knitted hearts; but sawed-off's father was dead, and his mother was too poor to pay for his schooling, so they gave him up for lost, not without aching at the heart, and even a little dampness at the eyelids. heady was the first to leave town. he slipped away on an early morning train without telling any one, for he felt very much ashamed of his stubbornness; and he and his brother shook hands with each other as nervously as two prize-fighters. a few days later the five sixths of the dozen that were booked for kingston stood on the crowded platform of the lakerim railroad-station, bidding good-by to all the parents they had, and all the friends. all of them had paid long calls on their best girls the evening before, and exchanged photographs and locks of hair and various keepsakes more or less sentimental and altogether useless. so, now that they were in public, they all shook hands very formally: tug with a girl several years older than he; pretty with the beautiful enid; quiz with the fickle cecily brown; bashful bobbles with the bouncing betsy; b.j. with a girl who had as many freckles as b.j. had had imaginary encounters with the bandits who had tried to steal her; the unwilling sleepy with a lively young woman who broke his heart by congratulating him on being able to go to kingston; tiny jumbo with plump carrie shields, whom he had once fished out of the water; and reddy with the girl over whom he and his brother had had their bitterest quarrels, and who could not for the life of her tell which one she liked the better. [illustration: stop the train and wait for me, i'm going to kingston, too!] but there was one very little girl in the crowd whose greatest sorrow, strangely enough, was the fact that she had no one to bid good-by to, since her dearest friend, the huge sawed-off, was not to go to kingston. just as the engine began to ring its warning bell, and the conductor to wave the people aboard, there was a loud clatter of hoofs, and the rickety old lakerim carryall came dashing up, drawn by the lively horses sawed-off had once saved from destroying themselves and the dozen in one fell swoop down a steep hill. the carryall lurched up to the station came to a sudden stop, and out bounced--who but sawed-off himself, loaded down with bundles, and yelling at the top of his voice: "stop the train and wait for me. i'm going to kingston, too!" ii there was just time to dump his trunk into the baggage-car, and bundle him and his bundles on to the platform, before the train steamed away; and the eleven lakerimmers were so busy waving farewell to the waving and farewelling crowd at the station that it was some minutes before they could find time to learn how sawed-off came to be among them. when he explained that he had made arrangements to work his way through the academy, they took no thought for the hard struggle in front of him, they were so glad to have him along. jumbo and he sat with their arms around each other all the way to kingston, their hearts too full for anything but an occasional "hooray!" the journey to kingston brought no adventures with it--except that history, of course, had lost his spectacles and his ticket, and had to borrow money of pretty to keep from being put off the train, and that when they reached kingston they came near forgetting sleepy entirely, for he had curled up in a seat, and was reeling off slumber at a faster rate than the train reeled off miles. the first few days at kingston were so busily filled with entrance examinations and selection of rooms and the harder selection of room-mates and other furniture that the dozen saw little of each other, except as they crunched by along the gravel walks of the campus or met for a hasty meal in the dining-hall. this dining-hall, by the way, was managed by an estimable widow named mrs. slaughter, and of course the boys called it the "slaughter-house," a name not so far from the truth, when one considers the way large, tough roasts of beef and tons of soggy corned beef were massacred by the students. it might be a good idea to insert here a little snap shot of kingston academy. the town itself was a moth-eaten old village that claimed a thousand inhabitants, but could never have mustered that number without counting in all the sleepy horses, mules, cows, and pet dogs that roamed the streets like the rest of the inhabitants. the chief industry of the people of kingston seemed to be that of selling school-books, mince-pies, and other necessaries of life to the boys at the academy. the grown young men of the town spent their lives trying to get away to some other cities. the younger youth of the town spent their lives trying to interfere with the pleasures of the kingston academicians. so there were many of the old-time "town-and-gown" squabbles; and it was well for the health of the kingston academy boys that they rarely went around town except in groups of two or three; and it was very bad for the health of any of the town fellows if they happened to be caught within the academy grounds. the result of being situated in a half-dead village, which was neither loved nor loving, did not make life at the academy tame, but quite the opposite; for the boys were forced to find their whole entertainment in the academy life, and in one another, and the campus was therefore a little republic in itself--a utopia. like every other republic, it had its cliques and its struggles, its victories and its defeats, its friendships and its enmities, and everything else that makes life lively and lifelike. the campus was beautiful enough and large enough to accommodate its citizens handsomely. its trees were many and tall, venerable old monarchs with foliage like tents for shade and comfort to any little groups that cared to lounge upon the mossy divans beneath. the grounds were spacious enough to furnish not only football and baseball fields and tennis-courts, but meadows where wild flowers grew in the spring, and a little lake where the ice grew in the winter. miles away--just enough to make a good "sabbath day's journey"--was a wonderful region called the "ledges," where glaciers had once resided, and left huge boulders, scratched and scarred. as jumbo put it, it seemed, from the chasms and caves and curious distortions of stone and soil, that "nature must have once had a fit there.". most of the buildings of the academy looked nearly old enough to have been also deposited there by the primeval glaciers, but they were huge and comfortable, and so many colonies of boys had romped and ruminated there, and so much laughter and so much lore had soaked into the old walls, that they were pleasanter than any newer and more gorgeous architecture could possibly be. they were homely in the better as well as the worse sense. but this is more than enough description, and you must imagine for yourselves how the lakerim eleven, often as they thought of home, and homesick as they were in spite of themselves now and then, rejoiced in being thrown on their own resources, and made somewhat independent citizens in a little country of their own. unwilling to make selections among themselves, more unwilling to select room-mates from the other students (the "foreigners," as the lakerimmers called them), they drew lots for one another, and the lots decided that they should room together thus: tug and punk were on the ground floor of the building known as south college, in room no. 2; in the room just over them were quiz and pretty; and on the same floor, at the back of the building, were bobbles and reddy (reddy insisted upon this room because it had a third bedroom off its study-room; while, of course, he never expected to see heady there, and didn't much care, of course, whether he came or not, still, a fellow never can tell, you know); on the same floor were b.j. and jumbo. jumbo did not stoop to flatter b.j. by pretending that he would not have preferred sawed-off for his room-mate; but sawed-off was working his way through, and the principal of the academy had offered to help him out, not only with a free scholarship, but with a free room, as well, in middle college, an old building which had the gymnasium on the first floor, the chapel on the second, and in the loft a single store-room fixed up as a bedroom. the lots the fellows drew seemed to be in a joking mood when they selected history and sleepy for room-mates--the hardest student and the softest, not only of the dozen, but of the whole academy. sleepy had been too lazy to pay much heed when the diplomatic history had suggested their choosing room no. 13 for theirs, and he assented languidly. history had said that it was the brightest and sunniest room in the building, and if there was one thing that sleepy loved almost better than baseball, it was a good snooze in the sun after he had worked hard stowing away any of the three meals. his heart was broken, however, when he learned that the room chosen by the wily history was on the top floor, with three long flights to climb. after that you could never convince him that thirteen was not an unlucky number. the lakerimmers had thus managed quietly to ensconce themselves, all except sawed-off, in one building; and it was just as well, perhaps, that they did so establish themselves in a stronghold of their own, for they clung together so steadfastly that there was soon a deal of jealousy among the other students toward them, and all the factions combined together to try to keep the lakerimmers from cabbaging any of the good things of academy life. there was a craze of skylarking the first few weeks after the school opened. almost every day one of the lakerimmers would come back from his classes to find his room "stacked"--a word that exactly expresses its meaning. there is something particularly discouraging in going to your room late in the evening, your mind made up to a comfortable hour of reading on a divan covered with cushions made by your best girls, only to find the divan placed in the middle of the bed, with a bureau and a bookcase stuck on top of it, a few chairs and a pet bulldog tied in the middle of the mix-up, and a mirror and a well-filled bowl of water so fixed on the top of the heap that it is well-nigh impossible to move any one of the articles without cracking the looking-glass or dousing yourself with the water. the lakerimmers tried retaliation for a time; but the pleasure of stacking another man's room was not half so great as the misery of unstacking one's own room, and they finally decided to keep two or three of the men always on guard in the building. there was a rage for hazing, too, the first few weeks; and as the lakerimmers were all new men in the academy, they were considered particularly good candidates for various degrees of torment. hazing was strictly against the rules of the academy, but the teachers could not be everywhere at once, and had something to do besides prowl around the dark corners of the campus at all hours of the night. some of the men furiously resisted the efforts to haze them; but when they once learned that their efforts were vain, and had perforce to submit, none of them were mean enough to peach on their tormentors after the damage was done. the lakerimmers, however, decided to resist force with force, and stuck by each other so closely, and barricaded their doors so firmly at night, when they must necessarily separate, that time went on without any of them being subjected to any other indignities than the guying of the other kingstonians. sawed-off had so much and such hard work to do after school hours that the whole academy respected him too much to attempt to haze him, though he roomed alone in the old middle college. besides, his size was such that nobody cared to be the first one to lay hand on him. * * * * * there was just one blot on the happiness of the dozen at kingston. tug and punk and jumbo had started the whole migration from lakerim because they had been invited by the kingston athletic association to join forces with the academy. the magnificent game of football these three men had played in the last two years had been the cause of this invitation, and they had come with glowing dreams of new worlds to conquer. what was their pain and disgust to find that the captain of the kingston team, elected before they came, had decided that he had good cause for jealousy of tug, and had decided that, since tug would probably win all his old laurels away from him if he once admitted him to the eleven, the only way to retain those laurels was to keep tug off the team. when the lakerim three, therefore, appeared on the field as candidates for the eleven, they were assigned to the second or scrub team. (the first team was generally called the "varsity," though of course it only represented an academy.) the lakerim three, though disappointed at first, determined to show their respect for discipline, and to earn their way; so they submitted meekly, and played the best game they could on the scrub. when the varsity captain, clayton by name, criticized their playing in a way that was brutal,--not because it was frank, but because it was unjust,--they swallowed the poison as quietly as they could, and went back into the game determined not to repeat the slip that had brought upon them such a deluge of abuse. it soon became evident, however, from the way clayton neglected the mistakes of the pets of his own eleven, and his constant and petty fault-finding with the three lakerimmers, that he was determined to keep them from the varsity, even if he had to keep second-rate players on the team, and even if he imperiled the academy's chances against rival elevens. when this unpleasant truth had finally soaked into their minds, the lakerimmers grew very solemn; and one evening, when the whole eleven happened to be in room no. 2, and when the hosts, tug and punk, were particularly sore from the outrageous language used against them in the practice of the afternoon, punk, who was rather easily discouraged, spoke up: "i guess the only thing for us to do, fellows, is to pack up our duds and go back home. there's no chance for us here." tug, who was feeling rather muggy, only growled: "not on your life! i had rather be a yellow dog than a quitter." then he relapsed into a silence that reminded history of achilles in his tent, though he was ungently told to keep still when he tried to suggest the similarity. reddy was fairly sizzling with rage at the clayton faction, and sang out: "i move that we go round and throw a few rocks through clayton's windows, and then if he says anything, punch his head for him." this idea seemed to please the majority of the men, and they were instantly on their feet and rushing out of the door to execute their vengeance on the tyrant, when tug thundered out for them to come back. "i've got a better idea," he said, "and one that will do us more credit. i'll tell you what i am going to do: i am going to take this matter into my own hands, and drill that scrub team myself, and see if we can't teach the varsity a thing or two. i believe that, with a little practice and a little good sense, we can shove 'em off the earth." this struck the fellows as the proper and the lakerim method of doing things, and they responded with a cheer. iii tug persuaded reddy, b.j., pretty, and bobbles, who had not been trying for the team, to come out on the field. he even coaxed the busy sawed-off into postponing some of his work for a few days to help them out. he thus had almost the old lakerim eleven at his command; and that very night, in that very room, they concocted and practised a few secret tricks and a few surprises for clayton, who was neither very fertile in invention nor very quick to understand the schemes of others. clayton was too sure of his own position and power to pay any heed to the storm that was brewing for him, and was only too glad to see more lakerim men on the scrub team for him to abuse. the next day tug persuaded some of the others of the scrub eleven to "lay off" for a few days, and he also persuaded the captain of the scrub team to give him command for a week. then he took his new eleven, seven of them old lakerim veterans, out on the field, and worked with them early and late. to instil into the heads of his men the necessity of being in just the right place at the right time, tug drew a map of the field on a large sheet of paper, and spread it on his center-table; then he took twenty-two checkers and set them in array like two football teams. he gathered his eleven into his room at night, told each man jack of them which checker was his, and set them problems to work out. "suppose i give the signal for the left-guard to take the ball around the right-end," he would say, and ask each man in turn, "where would you go?" then the backs drew their checkers up to position as interference, and the tackles and guards showed what particular enemies they were to bowl over. many ridiculous mistakes were made at first, and each man had a good laugh at the folly of each of the others for some play that left a big hole in the flying protection. but they could practise at night and worry it out in theory, while their legs rested till the next day's practice. when he could find an empty recitation-room at an idle hour, "professor tug," as they soon called him, would gather his class about him and work out the same problems on the blackboards, each man being compelled to draw an arrow from his position at the time of the signal to his proper place when the ball was in play. the game now became a true science, and the scrub took it up with a new zest. this indoor drill made it easy also to revive a trick popular at yale in the 'eighties--the giving of one signal to prepare for a series of plays. then tug would call out some eloquent gibberish like "seventy-'leven-three-teen," and that meant that on the first down the full-back was to come in on the run, and take the ball through the enemy's left-guard and tackle; on the second down the right half-back was to crisscross with the left half-back; and on the third down the right-guard was to scoot round the left-end. the beauty of this old scheme was that it caught the enemy napping: while he was lounging and waiting for the loud signal, the ball was silently put in play before he was ready. on the fatal day tug found that the scheme was well worth the trouble it took. it has its disadvantages in the long run, but on its first appearance at kingston it fairly made the varsity team's eyes pop with amazement. tug did not put into play the whole strength of his eleven, but practised cautiously, and instructed his team in the few ruses clayton seemed to be fond of. he was looking forward to the occasion when a complete game was to be played before the townspeople between the varsity and the scrub; and clayton was looking forward to this same day, and promising himself a great triumph when the academy and the town should see what a rattling eleven he had made up. the day came. the whole academy and most of the town turned out and filled the grand stand and the space along the side lines. it was to be the first full game of the season on the academy grounds, and every one was eager to renew acquaintance with the excitements of the fall before. you have doubtless seen and read about more football games than enough, and you will be glad to skip the details of this contest. it will be unnecessary to do more than suggest how clayton was simply dumfounded when he saw his first long kick-off caught by the veteran full-back punk, and carried forward with express speed under the protection of tug's men, who were not satisfied with merely running in front of clayton's tacklers, but bunted into them and dumped them over with a spine-jolting vigor, and covered punk from attack on the rear, and carried him across the center line and well on into clayton's territory before clayton realized that several of his pets were mere straw men, and dashed violently and madly into and through punk's interference, and downed him on the 15-yard line; how the spectators looked on in silent amazement at this unexpected beginning; how promptly tug's men were lined up, a broad swath completely opened with one quick gash in clayton's line, and the ball shoved through and within five yards of the goal-posts, almost before clayton knew it was in play; how clayton called his men to one side, and rebuked them, and told them just what to do, and found, to his disgust, that when they had done it, it was just the wrong thing to do; how they could not hold the line against the fury of the scrub team; how the ball was jammed across the line right under the goal-posts, and clayton's head well whacked against one of those same posts as he was swept off his feet; how tug's men on the line were taught to avoid foolish attempts to worry their opponents, and taught to reserve their strength for the supreme moment when the call came to split the line; how sawed-off, though lighter than clayton's huge 200 pound center, had more than mere bulk to commend him, and tipped the huge baby over at just the right moment; how tug now and then followed a series of honest football maneuvers with some unexpected trick that carried the ball far down the field around one end, when clayton was scrambling after it in the wrong place; how tug had perfected his interference until the man carrying the ball seemed almost as safe as if clayton's men were spaniards, and he were in the turret of the u.s.s. _oregon_; how little time tug's men lost in getting away after the ball had been passed to them; how little they depended on "grand stand" plays by the individual, and how much on team-work; how tug's men went through clayton's interference as neatly as a fox through a hedge; how they resisted clayton's mass plays as firmly as harveyized steel; how clayton fumed and fretted and slugged and fouled, and threatened his men, and called them off to hold conferences that only served to give tug's men a chance to get their wind after some violent play; how tug was everywhere at once, and played for more than the pleasure of winning this one game--played as if he were a pair of twins, and only smiled back when clayton glared at him; how punk guarded the goal from the longest punts the varsity full-back could make, and how he kicked the goal after all but one of the many touch-downs the scrub team made; how little jumbo, as quarter-back, passed the ball with never a fumble and never a bad throw; how, when it came back to his hands, he skimmed almost as closely and as silently and as swiftly over the ground as the shadow of a flying bird, and made long run after long run that won the cheers of the crowd; how b.j., sawed-off, and pretty, as right-end, center, and left-end, responded at just the right moment, and how pretty dodged and ran with the alertness he had learned in many a championship tennis tournament; and how reddy, as left half-back, flew across the field like a firebrand, or hurled himself into the line with a fury that seemed to have no regard for the bones or flesh of himself or the claytonians; how-iv but did any one ever read such a string of "hows"? why, that sentence was getting to be longer and more complicated than the game it was pretending not to describe; so here's an end on't, with the plain statement that the game (like that sentence) came finally to an end. but the effects of the contest did not end with the dying out of the cheers with which the victory of the scrub was greeted. and tug's elevation did not cease when he had been caught up on the shoulders of the crowd and carried all over the field, amid the wild cheers of the whole academy. no more did captain clayton's chagrin end with his awakening from the stupor into which he had been sent by the surprisingly good form of the scrub. clayton felt bitter enough at the exposure of his bad captaincy, but a still greater bitterness awaited him, and a still greater triumph awaited tug, for the athletic association put their heads together and decided to have their little say. the result was published in the kingston weekly, and tug, after the overwhelming honor of being interviewed by a live reporter, read there the following screaming head-lines: scrub wipes the earth with varsity! * * * * * kingston football team meets with a crushing defeat at the hands of the second eleven. * * * * * score, 28 to 4. * * * * * varsity outplayed at every point. * * * * * popular opinion forces captain clayton to resign in favor of "tug" robinson. * * * * * kingston team to be completely reorganized. * * * * * mr. robinson declares that favoritism will have no part in the make-up of the new team, and magnanimously offers ex-captain clayton a position on the new eleven. there is no need telling here the wild emotions in the hearts of clayton and his faction at the end of the game, and no need of even hinting the wilder delight of the lakerimmers at the vindication of their cause. the whole eleven of them strolled home in one grand embrace, and used their jaws more for talking than for eating when they reached the long-delayed meal at the "slaughter-house"; and after supper they met again at the fence, and sang lakerim songs of rejoicing, and told and retold to each other the different features of the game, which they all knew without the telling. so much praise was heaped upon tug by the rest of the academy, and he was so fêted by the lakerimmers, that he finally slipped away and went to his room. and little history also bade them good night, on his old excuse of having to study. it was very dark before the lakerimmers had talked themselves tired. then they voted to go around and congratulate tug once more upon his victory, and give him three cheers for the sake of auld lang syne. when they went to his room, they were amazed to see the door swinging open and shut in the breeze; they noted that the lock was torn off. they hurried in, and found one of the windows broken, and books and chairs scattered about in confusion; the mantel and cloth and the photographs on it were all awry. it was evident that a fierce struggle had taken place in the room. the nine lakerimmers stood aghast, staring at each other in stupefaction. reddy was the first to find tongue, and he cried out: "i know what's up, fellows: that blamed gang of hazers has got him!" now there was an excitement indeed. punk suggested that perhaps he might be in history's room, and bobbles scaled the three flights, three steps at a time, only to return with a wild look, and declare that history's room was empty, his lock broken, and his student lamp smoking. plainly the hazing committee had lost no time in seizing its first opportunity. plainly the lakerimmers must lose no time in hurrying to the rescue. "up and after 'em, men!" cried b.j.; and, trying to remember what was the proper thing for an old indian scout to do under the circumstances, he started off on a dead run. and the others followed him into the night. v tug had stood the praise and applause of his fellow-students, and especially the wild flattery of the dozen, who were almost insanely joyful over his success in captaining the scrub football team and wiping the earth up with the varsity, until he was as sick as a boy that has overfed on candy. finally he had slunk away, rather like a guilty man than a hero, and started for his room. once he had left the crowd and was alone under the great trees, darkly beautiful with the moonlight, he felt again the delicious pride of his victory against the heavy odds, and the conspiracy of his deadly rival in football. he planned, in his imagination, the various steps he would take to reorganize the varsity eleven, to which it was evident that he would be elected captain; and he smacked his lips over the prospects of glorious battles and hard-won victories in the games in which he and his team would represent the kingston academy against the other academies of the tri-state interscholastic league. his waking dreams came true, in good season, too; for, under his inspiring leadership, the kingston men took up the game with a new zest, gave up the idea that individual grand-stand plays won games, and learned to sink their ambitions for themselves into a stronger ambition for the success of the whole team. and they played so brilliantly and so faithfully that academy after academy went down before them, and they were not even scored against until they met the most formidable rivals of all, the greenville academy. greenville was an old athletic enemy of the lakerim club, and tug looked forward to meeting it with particular delight, especially as the championship of the league football series lay between greenville and kingston. i have only time and room enough to tell you that when the final contest came, tug sent his men round the ends so scientifically, and led them into the scrimmages so furiously, that they won a glorious victory of 18 to 6. but this is getting a long way into the future, and away from tug on his walk to his room that beautiful evening, when all these triumphs were still in the clouds, and he had only one victory to look back upon. tug's responsibility had been great that afternoon, and the strain of coaxing and commanding his scrub players to assault and defeat the heavier eleven opposed to them had worn hard on his muscles and nerves. when he got to his room he was too tired to remember that he had forgotten to take the usual precautions of locking his door and windows, or even of drawing the curtains. he did not stop to think that hazing had been flourishing about the academy grounds for some time, and that threats had been made against any of the lakerim dozen if they were ever caught alone. he could just keep awake long enough to light his student lamp; then he dropped on his divan, and buried his head in a red-white-and-blue cushion his best lakerim girl had embroidered for him in a fearful and wonderful manner, and was soon dozing away into a dreamland where the whole world was one great football, and he was kicking it along the milky way, scoring a touch-down every fifty years. a little later history poked his head in at the door. he also had left the crowd seated on the fence, and had started for his room to study. he saw tug fast asleep, and let him lie undisturbed, though he was tempted to wake him up and say that tug reminded him of the sleeping beauty before taking the magic kiss; but he thought it might not be safe, and went on up to his room whistling, very much off the key. tug slept on as soundly as the mummy of rameses. but suddenly he woke with a start. he had a confused idea that he had heard some one fumbling at his window. his sleepy eyes seemed to make out a face just disappearing from sight outside. he dismissed his suspicions as the manufactures of sleep, and was about to fall back again on the comfortable divan when he heard footsteps outside, and the creak of his door-knob. he rose quickly to his feet. a masked face was thrust in at the door, and the lips smiled maliciously under the black mask, and a pair of blacker eyes gleamed through it. tug made a leap for the door to shut the intruder out, realizing in a flash that the hazers had truly caught him napping. but he was too late. the masked face was followed swiftly into the room by the body that belonged to it, and by other faces and other bodies--all the faces masked, and all the bodies hidden in long black robes. tug fell back a step, and said, with all the calmness he could muster: "i guess you fellows are in the wrong room." "nope; we've come for you," was the answer of the first masker, who spoke in a disguised voice. tug looked as resolutely as he could into the eyes behind the mask, and asked rather nervously a question whose answer he could have as easily given himself: "well, now that you're here, what do you want?" again the disguised voice came deeply from the somber-robed leader: "oh, we just want to have a little fun with you." "well, i don't want to have any fun with you," parleyed tug, trying to gain time. "oh, it doesn't make any difference whether you want to come or not; this isn't your picnic--it's ours," was the cheery response of the first ghost; and the other black crows fairly cawed with delight. still tug argued: "what right have you men got to come into my room without being invited?" "it's just a little surprise-party we've planned." "well, i'm not feeling like entertaining any surprise-party to-night." "oh, that doesn't make any difference to us." again the black flock flapped its wings and cawed. and now tug, as usual, lost his temper when he saw they were making a guy of him, and he blurted fiercely: "get out of here, all of you!" then the crowd laughed uproariously at him. and this made him still more furious, and though they were ten to one, tug flung himself at them without fear or hesitation. when five of them fell on him at once, he dragged them round the room as if they were football-players trying to down him; but the odds were too great, and before long they overpowered him and tied his wrists behind him; not without difficulty, for tug had the slipperiness of an eel, along with the strength of a young shark. when they had him well bound, and his legs tethered so that he could take only very short steps, they lifted him to his feet. "i think we'd better gag him," said the leader of the crows; and he, produced a stout handkerchief. but tug gave him one contemptuous look, and remarked: "do you suppose i'm a cry-baby? i'm not going to call for help." there was something in his tone that convinced the captain of the crows. vi a detachment was now sent to scurry through the dormitory and see if it could find any other lakerimmers. this squad finally came down the stairs, the biggest one of the crows carrying little history under his arm. history was waving his arms and legs about as if he were a tarantula, but the big black crow held him tight and kept one hand over the boy's mouth so that he could not scream. then tug began to struggle furiously again, and to resist their efforts to drag him out of the room. he could easily have raised a cry that would have brought a professor to his rescue and scattered his persecutors like sparrows; but his boyish idea of honor put that rescue out of his reach, and he fought like a dumb man, with only such occasional grunts as his struggle tore from him. he might have been fighting them yet, for all i know, had not history twisted his mouth from under the hand of his captor and threatened--he had not breath enough left to call for help: "if--you--don't let me go--i'll--_tell_ on you." the very thought of this smallness horrified tug so much that he stopped struggling, and turned his head to implore history not to disgrace lakerim by being a tattler. the crows saw their chance, and while tug's attention was occupied one of them threw a loosely woven sack over his head and drew it down about his neck. then they started once more on the march, history scratching and kicking in all directions and doing very little harm, while tug, with his hands tied behind him and his head first in a noose, used his only weapons, his shoulders, with the fury of a spanish bull. and before they got him through the door he had nearly disabled three of his assailants, making one of them bite his tongue in a manner most uncomfortable. and the room looked as if a young cyclone had been testing its muscles there! the crows hustled the lakerimmers out without any unnecessary tenderness, forgetting to close the door after them. out of the hall and across the board walk, on to the soft, frosty grass where the sound of their scuffling feet would not betray them, they jostled their way. tug soon decided that the best thing for him to do was to reserve his strength; so he ceased to resist, and followed meekly where they led. they whirled him round on his heel several times to confuse him as to the direction they took, then they hurried him through the dark woods of a neglected corner of the campus. history simply refused to go on his own feet, and they had to carry him most of the way, and found only partial revenge in pinching his spidery legs and bumping his head into occasional trees. the two boys knew when they left the campus by the fact that they were bundled and boosted over a stone wall and across a road. history, as he stumbled along at. tug's side, at length came to himself enough to be reminded of the way the ancient romans used to treat such captives as were brought back in triumph by their generals. but tug did not care to hear about the troubles of the gauls--he had troubles of his own. once they paused and heard a mysterious whispering among the crows, who left them standing alone and withdrew a little distance. history was afraid to move in the dark, for fear that he might step out of the frying-pan into the fire; but tug, always ready to take even the most desperate chance, thought, he would make a bolt for it. he put one foot forward as a starter, but found no ground in front of him. he felt about cautiously with his toe, and discovered that he was standing at the brink of a ledge. how deep the ravine in front of him was, he could only imagine, and in spite of his courage he shivered at the thought of what he might have done had he followed his first impulse and made a dash. there are pleasanter things on a dark night than standing with eyes blindfolded and hands bound on the edge of an unknown embankment. as he waited, the weakening effect of the struggle and the mysterious terrors of the darkness told on his nerves, and he shivered a bit in spite of his clenched teeth. then he overheard the voices of the crows, and one of them was saying: "aw, go on, shove him over." another protested: "but it might break his neck, and it's sure to fracture a bone or two." "well, what of it? he nearly broke my jaw." then tug heard more excited whispering and what sounded like a struggle, and suddenly he heard some one rushing toward him; he felt a sharp blow and a shove from behind, and was launched over the brink of the ledge. i'll not pretend that he wasn't about as badly scared as time would allow. but there was barely space for one lightning stroke of wild regret that his glad athletic days were over and he was to be at least a cripple, if he lived at all, when the ground rose up and smote him much quicker even than he had expected. as he sprawled awkwardly and realized that he had hardly been even bruised, he felt a sense of rage at himself for having been taken in by the old hazing joke, and a greater rage at the men who had brought on him what was to him the greatest disgrace of all--a feeling of fear. he had just time to make up his mind to take this joke out of the hides of some of his tormentors, if it took him all winter, when he heard above him the sound of a short, sharp scuffle with history, who was pleading for dear life, and who came flying over the ledge with a shrill scream of terror, and plumped on the ground half an inch from tug's head. it took history only half a second to realize that he was not dead yet, and he was so glad to be alive again--as he thought of it--that he began to sniffle from pure joy. the crows were not long in leaping over the ledge and getting tug and history to their feet. then they took up the march again, staggering under their laughter and howling with barbarous glee. after half a mile more of hard travel, the prisoners were brought through a dense woods into a clearing, where their party was greeted by the voices of others. the sack over tug's head was unbound and snatched away, and he looked about him to see a dozen more black crows, with two other hapless prisoners, seated like an indian war-council about a blazing lire, and, like an indian war-council, pondering tortures for their unlucky captives. in the fire were two or three iron pokers glowing red-hot. the sight of this gave the final blow to any hope that might have remained of history's conducting himself with dignity. when he and tug were led in, there was such an hilarious celebration over the two lakerim captives as the indian powwow indulged in on seeing a scouting party bring in daniel boone a prisoner. as tug was the most important spoil of war, they took counsel, and decided that he should be given the position of honor--and tortured last. then they went, enthusiastically to work making life miserable for the two captives brought in previously. the first was compelled to climb a tree, which he did with some little difficulty, seeing that, while half of them pretended to boost him, the other half amused themselves by grabbing his legs and pulling him back three inches for every one inch he climbed (like the frog and the well in the mathematical problem). he finally gained a point above their reach, however, and seated himself in the branches, looking about as happy as a lone wayfarer treed by a pack of wolves. then, they commanded him to bark at the moon, and threatened him with all sorts of penalties if he disobeyed. so he yelped and gnarled and bow-wowed till there was nothing left of his voice but a sickly wheeze. then they told him that the first course was over, and invited him to return to earth and rest up for the second. so he came sliddering down the rough bark with the speed of greased lightning. the second captive was a great fat boy who had been a promising candidate for center rush on the football team until sawed-off appeared on the scene. this behemoth was compelled to seat himself on a small inverted saucer and row for dear life with a pair of toothpicks. the crows howled with glee over the ludicrous antics of the fellow, and set him such a pace that he was soon a perfect waterfall of perspiration, and was crying for mercy. at length he caught a crab and went heels over head backward on the ground, and they left him to recover his breath and his temper. history had watched these proceedings with much amusement, but when he saw the hazers coming for him he lost sight of the fun of the situation immediately. the head crow now towered over the shivering little history, and said in his deepest chest-tones: "these lakerim cattle are too fresh. they must be branded and salted a little." then he fastened a handkerchief over history's eyes, and growled: "are those irons hot yet?" "red-hot, your majesty," came the answer from one of the other ravens, and history heard the clanking of the pokers as they were drawn from the fire. he had seen before that they were red-hot, and now they were brandished before his very nose, so close that he could see the red glow through the cloth over his eyes and could feel the heat in the air close to his cheek. "where shall we brand the wretch, your honor?" was the next question history heard. the poor pygmy was too much frightened to move, and he almost fainted when he heard the first crow answer gruffly: "thrust the branding-iron right down the back of his neck, and give him a good long mark that shall last him the rest of his life." instantly history felt a bitter, stinging pain at the back of his neck, a pain that ran like fire down along his spine, and he gave a great shriek of terror and almost swooned away. tug's eyes were not blindfolded, and he had seen that, though the crows had waved a red-hot poker before history's nose, they had quickly substituted a very cold rod to thrust down his back. the effect on the nerves of the blindfolded boy, however, was the same as if it had been red-hot, and he had dropped to earth like a flash. tug, though he knew it would heighten his own tortures, could not avoid expressing his opinion of such treatment of the sensitive history. he did not know whether he was more disgusted and enraged at the actual pain the crows had given their captives or at the ridiculous plights they had put them in, but he did know that he regarded the whole proceeding as a terrible outrage, a disgrace to the academy; and ever after he used all his influence against the barbarous idea of hazing. but now he commanded as though he were master of the situation: "throw some of that water on the boy's face and bring him to," and while they hastened to follow out his suggestion he poured out the rage in his soul: "shame on you, you big cowards, for torturing that poor little kid! you're a nice pack of heroes, you are! only twenty to one! but i'll pay you back for this some day, and don't you forget it! and if you'll untie my hands i'll take you one at a time now. i guess i could just about do up _two_ of you at a time, you big bullies, you!" and now one of the larger crows rushed up to tug, and drew off to strike him in the face. but tug only stared back into the fellow's eyes with a fiercer glare in his own, and cried: "hit me! my hands are tied now! it's a good chance for you, and you'll never get another, for i'll remember the cut of that jaw and the mole on your cheek in spite of your mask, and you'll wish you had never been born before i get through with you!" tug's rash bravado infuriated the crows until they were ready for any violence, but the head crow interposed and pushed aside the one who still threatened tug. he said laughingly: "let him alone, boys; we want him in prime condition for the grand final torture ceremonies. let's finish up the others." then they laughed and went back to the first two wretches, and made life miserable for them to the end of their short wits. they were afraid to try any more experiments on history, and left him lying by the fire, slowly recovering his nerves. all the while tug had remained so very quiet that the crows detailed to watch him had slightly relaxed their vigilance. he had been silently working at the cords with which his hands were tied behind his back, and by much straining and turning and torment of flesh he had at length worked his right hand almost out of the rope. soon he saw that the crows were about to begin on him. he thought the whole performance an outrage on the dignity of an american citizen, and he gave the cords one last fierce jerk that wrung his right hand loose, though it left not a little of the skin on the cords; and the first crow to lay a hand on his shoulder thought he must have touched a live wire, for tug's hand came flashing from behind his back, and struck home on the fellow's nose. then tug warmed up to the scrimmage, and his right and left arms flew about like don quixote's windmill for a few minutes, until two of the two dozen crows lighted on his back and pinioned his arms down and bore him gradually to his knees. just as the rest were closing in to crush tug,--into mincemeat, perhaps,--history, who had been lying neglected on the ground near the fire, rose to the occasion for once. it seemed as if he had, as it were, sat down suddenly upon the spur of the moment. he rolled over swiftly, caught up the two pokers which had been restored to the fire after they had been used to frighten him, and, before he could be prevented, thrust the handle of one of them into tug's grasp, and rose to his feet, brandishing the other like a sword. tug lost no time in adapting himself to the new weapon. he simply waved it gently about and described a bright circle in the air over his head. and his enemies fell off his back and scattered like grasshoppers. tug now got quickly to his feet, and he and history shook hands with their left hands very majestically. then they faced about and stood back to back, asking the crows why they had lost interest so suddenly, and cordially inviting them to return and finish the game. they stood thus, monarchs of all they surveyed, for a few moments. but dismay replaced their joy as they heard the words of the first crow: "they can't get back to their rooms before their pokers grow cold, and it is only a matter of a few minutes until they chill, anyway, so all that we have to do is to wait here a little while, and then go back and finish up our work--and perhaps add a little extra on account of this last piece of rambunctiousness." tug saw that they were prisoners indeed, but intended to hold the fort until the last possible moment. he told history to put his poker back in the fire and to heat it up again, while he stood guard with his own. to this stratagem the first crow responded with another,--he trumped tug's ace, as it were,--for though he saw that the fire was going out and would not heat the pokers much longer, he decided not to wait for this, but set his men to gathering stones and sticks to pelt the two luckless lakerimmers with. and now tug saw that the chances of escape were indeed small. he felt that he could make a dash for liberty and outrun any one in the crowd, or outfight any one who might overtake him; but he would sooner have died than leave history, who could neither run well nor fight well, to the mercies of the merciless gang that surrounded them. "let's give the lakerim yell together, history," he said; "perhaps the fellows have missed us and are out looking for us, and will come to our rescue." so he and history filled their lungs and hurled forth into the air the old lakerim yell, or as much of it as two could manage: {ray! {ri! {ro! "l`¨¡y-krim! l`¨¡y-krim! l`¨¡y-krim! hoo-{row! {roo! {rah!" the crows listened in amazement to the war-whoop of the two lakerimmers. then the first crow, who had irish blood in his veins, smiled and said: "oho! i see what they are up to; they're calling for help. well, now, we'll just drown out their yell with a little noise of our own." and so, when tug and history had regained breath enough to begin their club cry again, the whole two dozen of the crows broke forth into a horrible hullabaloo of shrieks and howls that drowned out tug's and history's voices completely, but raised far more noise than they could ever have hoped to make. after a few moments of thus caterwauling night hideous, like a pack of coyotes, the crows began to close in on the lakerim stronghold, and stones and sticks flew around the two in a shower that kept them busy dodging. "we've got to make a break for it, hist'ry," said tug, under his breath. "now, you hang on to me and i'll hang on to you, and don't mind how your lungs ache or whether you have any breath or not, but just leg it for home." he had locked his arm through history's, and made a leap toward the circle of crows just as a heavy stone lighted on the spot where they had made their stand so long. before the crows knew what was up, tug and history were upon them and had cut a path through the ring by merely brandishing their incandescent pokers, and had disappeared into the dark of the woods. there was dire confusion among the crows, and some of them ran every which way and lost the crowd entirely as history and tug vanished into the thick night. the glowing pokers, however, that were their only weapons of defense, were also their chiefest danger, and a pack of about a dozen crows soon discovered that they could follow the runaways by the gleam of the rods. tug realized this, too, very shortly, and he and history threw the pokers away. tug and history, however, had come pretty well to the edge of the wood, and were just rushing down a little glade that would lead them into the open, when the first crow yelled for some of his men to take a short cut and head them off. the lakerimmers, then, their breath all spent and their hearts burning with the flight, which tug would not let history give up, saw themselves headed off and escape no longer possible. tug knew that history would be useless in a scrimmage, so, in a low tone, he bade him drop under a deep bush they were just passing. history was too exhausted to object even to being left alone, and managed to sink into the friendly cover of the bush without being observed. and tug went right into a mob of them, crying with a fine defiance the old yell of the athletic club: "l`¨¡y-krim! l`¨¡y-krim! l`¨¡y-krim! hoo-ray!" vii the nine lakerimmers who had set forth to the rescue of tug and history had no more clue as to the whereabouts of the kidnapped twain than some broken furniture and an open door; and even one who was so well versed in detective stories as b.j., had to admit that this was very little for what he called a "slouch-hound" to begin work on. there had been no snow, and the frost had hardened the ground, so that there were no footprints to tell the way the crowd of hazers had gone. as jumbo said: "it's like looking for a needle in a haystack after dark; and it wouldn't do you any good to sit down in this haystack, either." the only thing to do, then, was to scour the campus in all its nooks and crannies, pausing now and then to look and listen hard for any sign or sound of the captives. but each man heard nothing except the pounding of his own heart and the wheezing of his own lungs. then they must up and away again into the dark. they had scurried hither and yon, and yonder and thither, until they were well-nigh discouraged, when, just as they were crashing through some thick underbrush, b.j. stopped suddenly short. sawed-off bumped into him, and jumbo tripped over sawed-off; but b.j. commanded them to be silent so sharply that they paused where they had fallen and listened violently. then they heard far and faint in the distance to the right of their course a little murmur of voices just barely audible. b.j.'s quick ear made out the difference between this far-off hubbub and the other quiet sounds of the night. that dim little noise his breathless fellows could just hear was the wild hullabaloo the foolish crows had set up to drown out the voices of tug and history, as they gave the lakerim yell. b.j.'s ear was correct enough not only to understand the noise but to decide the direction it came from, though to the other lakerimmers it came from nowhere in particular and everywhere in general. before they had made up their minds just how puzzled they were, b.j. was striking off in a new direction at the top of his speed, and was well over the stone wall before they could get up steam to follow him. across the road and through the barbed-wire fence he led them pell-mell. there was a little pause while jumbo helped the lubberly sawed-off through the strands that had laid hold of his big frame like fish-hooks. b.j. took this chance to vouchsafe his followers just one bit of information. "they're at roden's knoll," he puffed. roden's knoll was a little clearing in the woods that marked the highest point of land in the state, though it was approached very gradually, and nothing but a barometer could have told its elevation. it was a long run through the night, over many a treacherous bog and through many a cluster of bushes, which, as jumbo said, had finger-nails; and there was many a stumble and jolt, and many a short stop at the edge of a sudden embankment. one of these pauses that brought the whole nine up into a knot was the little step-off where tug and history had thought they were being shoved over the precipice of a grand cañon. at length roden's knoll was reached, but there the weary lakerimmers were discouraged to find nothing but a smoldering fire and the signs of a hard straggle. "we're too late; it's all over," sighed pretty, thinking sadly of the mud and the rips and tears that disfigured his usually perfect toilet. "i move we rest a bit," groaned sleepy, seconding his own motion by dropping to the ground. "shh!" commanded b.j.; "d'you hear that?" instantly they were all in motion again, for they heard the noise of many runners crashing through the thicket. soon they saw a shadowy form ahead of them and overtook it, and recognized one of the crows. they gave him a glance, and then shoved him to one side with little gentleness, and ran on. two or three of the crows they overtook in this manner, but spent little time upon them. they were bent upon a rescue, not upon the taking of prisoners. then, just as they were approaching the edge of the woods, they heard a cry that made their weary blood gallop. it was the "l`¨¡y-krim! l`¨¡y-krim!" of tug making his last charge on the flock of crows. in a moment they had reached the mass of humanity that was writhing over him, and they began to tear them off and fling them back upon the ground with fierce rudeness. man after man they peeled off and flung back till they got down to one fellow with his knee on somebody's nose. that nose was tug's, and they soon had the boy on his feet, and turned to continue the argument with the crows. but there were no crows to argue with. the dozen had made up in impetus and vim what it lacked in numbers, and the crows had fled as if from an army. a few black ghosts flying for their lives were all they could see of the band that had been so courageous with only history and tug to take care of. so the ten from lakerim gathered together, and while b.j. beat time they spent what little breath was left in them on the club yell. it sounded more like a chorus of bullfrogs than of young men, but it was gladsome enough to atone for its lack of music, and it was loud enough to convince history that it was safe to come out, of the bushes where he had been crouching in ghostly terror. the lakerimmers were inclined to laugh at history for his fears, but tug told them that if it had not been for his seizing the red-hot pokers there would have been a different story to tell; so they hugged him instead of laughing at him, and sawed-off clapped him on the back such a vigorous thump that history thought the hazers had hold of him again. now they took up their way back to the academy, and b.j. began to plot a dire revenge on the cowardly crows. but tug said: "i move we let the matter drop. they're the ones to talk now of getting even, for they have certainly had the worst of it. it'll be just as well to keep a sharp eye on them, though, and it is very important for us to stand together." when they had reached the dormitory they all joined in straightening up and rearranging tug's room before they went to their well-earned sleep. * * * * * i am afraid the lakerim eleven had the bad taste to do a little gloating over the crows. their wit was not always of the finest, but they enjoyed it themselves, though little the crows liked it, and it kept them all unusually happy for many days-all except reddy. he showed a strange inclination to "mulp"--a portmanteau word that jumbo coined out of "mope" and "sulk." viii to see the hilarious reddy mulping was very odd. about the only subject in or out of books that seemed to interest him in the slightest degree was the mention of the name of his twin brother, heady; and that, too, in spite of the fact that the two of them had quarreled and bickered so much that their despairing parents had finally sent them to different schools. but now reddy seemed to be inconsolable, grieving for the other half of his twin heart. finally the boy's blues grew so blue that no one was much surprised when he announced his desperate determination to journey to the town where heady was at school, and visit him. reddy got permission from the principal to leave on friday night and return on monday. he had been saving up his spending-money for many a dismal week, and now he went about borrowing the spending-money of all his friends. one friday evening, then, after class hours, all the lakerimmers went in a body down to the railroad-station to bid reddy a short good-by. jumbo felt inclined to crack a few jokes upon reddy's inconsistency in struggling so hard to get away from his brother, and then struggling so hard to go back to him, but tug told jumbo that the subject was too tender for any of his flippancy. on reaching the depot they found that reddy's train was half an hour late, and that a train from the opposite direction would get in first. so they all stood solemnly around and waited. when this train pulled into the station you can imagine the feelings of all when the first one to descend was-was-heady! the twins stood and stared at each other like tailors' dummies for a moment, while the strangers on the platform and on the train wondered if they were seeing double. then reddy and heady dropped each his valise, and made a spring. and each landed on the other's neck. now sawed-off seized heady's valise, and jumbo seized reddy's, and then they all set off together--the reunited twins, the completed dozen--for the campus. the whole twelve felt a new delight in the reunion, and realized for the first time how dear the dozen was. the twins, of course, were blissfulest of all, and marched at the head of the column with their arms about each other, exchanging news and olds, both talking at once, and each understanding perfectly what the other was trying to say. thus they proceeded, glowing with mutual affection, till they reached the edge of the campus, when the others saw the twins suddenly loose their hold on each other, and fall to, hammer and tongs, over some quarrel whose beginning the rest had not heard. jumbo grinned and murmured to sawed-off: "the twins are themselves again." but sawed-off hastened to separate and pacify them, and they set off again for reddy's room, arm in arm. later heady arranged with his parents to let him stay at kingston for the rest of the school-year. * * * * * heady had not been back among his old cronies long before they had him up in a corner in reddy's room, and were all trying at the same time to tell him of the atrocious behavior of the crows, their harsh treatment of tug and history, the magnificent resistance, and the glorious rescue. "it reminds me," said history, "of one of sir william scott's novels, with moats and castles, and swords and shields, and all sorts of beautiful things." but b.j. broke in scornfully: "aw, that old scott, he's a deader! it reminds me of one of those new detective stories with clues and hair-breadth escapes. and tug is like 'iron-armed ike,' who took four villyuns, two in each hand, and swung them around his head till they got so dizzy that they swounded away, and then he threw one of 'em through a winder, and used the other three like baseball bats to knock down a gang of desperate ruffians that was comin' to the rescue. oh, but i tell you, it was great!" "'strikes me," bobbles interrupted, "it's more like one of funnimore hooper's indian stories, with the captives tied to the stake and bein' tortured and scalluped, and all sorts of horrible things, when along comes old leather-boots and picks 'em all off with his trusty rifle." two or three others were evidently reminded of something else they were anxious to describe; but heady was growing impatient and very wrathful, and he broke in: "well, while you fellows are all being reminded of so many things, i'd like to ask just one thing, and that is, what are you going to do about it?" "nothing at all," said history. and thinking of his unexpected escape from his terrible adventure, he added quickly: "i think we did mighty well to get out of it alive." "pooh!" sniffed heady, getting madder every moment. "well, tug says the same thing," drawled sleepy. "he says that we got the best of it all around, and that if anybody's after revenge it ought to be the crows, because we wiped 'em off the earth." "bah!" snapped heady. "it isn't enough for the lakerim athletic club to get out of a thing even, and call quits. leastways, that wasn't the pollersy when i used to be with you." this spirit of revolt from the calm advice of tug seemed to be catching, and the other lakerimmers were becoming much excited. tug made a speech, trying to calm the growing rage, and he was supported by history, who tried to bring up some historical parallels, but was ordered off the floor by the others. tug's plan, which was seconded by history from motives of timidity, was thirded by sleepy from motives of laziness. but heady leaped to his foot and delivered a wild plea for war, such another harangue as he had delivered during the famous snow-battle at the hawk's nest. he favored a sharp and speedy retaliation. "well, how are you going to retaliate?" said tug, who saw his let-her-go policy losing all its force, and who began to grow just a bit eager himself to give the crows a good lesson. still, he repeated, when heady only looked puzzled and gave no answer: "how are you going to retaliate, i say?" "a chance will come," said heady, solemnly. and reddy, who had been burning up with patriotic zeal for the glory of lakerim, was so proud of his brother's success in stirring up a warlike spirit that he moved over, and sat down beside him on the window-seat, and put his arms around him, and they never quarreled again--till after supper. but the chance came--sooner than any of them expected. ix for quiz, whose curiosity threatened to be the death of him some day, and who was always snooping around, learned, not many days later, that the crows were planning to give a great banquet in a room over the only restaurant in the village. this feast had been intended as a grand finale to the season of hazing, and it was to be paid for by the poor wretches who had been given the pleasure of being hazed, and taxed a dollar apiece for the privilege. strange to say, the two lakerim men whom the crows had tried to haze were neither invited to pay the tax nor to be present at the banquet. in fact, the unkind behavior of the lakerimmers had hurt the feelings of the crows very badly, and cast a gloom over the whole idea of the banquet. as soon as quiz learned, in a roundabout way, where and when the feast was to be held, he came rushing into tug's room, where the dozen had gathered saturday evening after a long day spent in skating on the first heavy ice of the winter. quiz crashed through the door, and smashed it shut behind him, and yelled: "i've got it! i've got it!" with such zeal that sleepy, who was taking a little doze in a tilted chair, went over backward into a corner, and had to be pulled out by the heels. history spoke up, as usual, with one of his eternal school-book memories, and piped out: "you remind me, quiz, of the day when archimeter jumped out of his bath-tub and ran around yelling, 'euraker! euraker!" but heady shouted: "somebody stuff a sofa-cushion down history's mouth until we learn what it is that quiz has got." "or what it is that's got quiz," added jumbo. when history had been upset, and sleepy set up, quiz, who had run several blocks with his news, found breath to gasp: "the crows are going to have a banquet!" then he flopped over on the couch and proceeded to pant like a steam-roller. the rest of the dozen stared at quiz a moment, then passed a look around as if they thought that either quiz was out of his head or they were. then they all exclaimed in chorus: "well, what of it?" and jumbo added sarcastically: "it'll be a nice day to-morrow if it doesn't rain." quiz was a long time getting his breath and opening his eyes; then it was his turn to look around in amazement and to exclaim: "what of it? what of it? why, you numskulls, don't you see it's just the chance you wanted for revenge?" "what do you mean?" exclaimed the others. "do you mean that we should go down and eat the banquet for 'em?" queried sleepy, whose first thought was always either for a round sleep or a square meal. "i hadn't thought of that," said quiz. "that would be a good idea, too. what i had in my mind was doing what they do in the big colleges sometimes: kidnap the president of the crowd so that he can't go to the dinner." "great head! great scheme!" the others exclaimed; and they jumped to their feet and indulged in a war-dance that shook the whole building. when they had done with this jollification, tug, who objected to doing things by halves, asked: "why not kidnap the whole kit and boodle of them?" then there was another merry-go-round. but they all stopped suddenly, and quiz expressed the sentiment of all of them when he said: "but how are we going to do it?" then they all put their heads together for a long and serious debate, the result of which was a plan that seemed to promise success. the banquet was to be held on the next friday night at night o'clock, and the dozen had nearly a week for perfecting their plot. sawed-off suggested the first plan that looked feasible for taking care of the whole crowd of the crows, about two dozen in number. the chapel, over which sawed-off had his room, had a large bell-tower--as sawed-off well knew, since it was one of his duties to ring the bell on all the many occasions when it was to be rung. in this cupola there was a loft of good size; it was reached by a heavy ladder, which could be removed with some difficulty. under the chapel there was a large cellar, which seemed never to have been used for any particular purpose, though it was divided into a number of compartments separated by the stone walls of the foundation or by heavy boarding. a few hundred old books from the library were about its only contents. the only occupant of the chapel, except at morning prayers and on sundays, was sawed-off. the gymnasium on the ground floor was not lighted up after dark, and so the building was completely deserted every evening. some unusual scheme must be devised to enable twelve men to take care of twenty-four. fortunately it happened that half a dozen of the twenty-four took the six-o'clock train for their homes in neighboring towns, where they went to spend saturday and sunday with their parents. this reduced the number to eighteen. friday evening a number of the crows appeared at the "slaughterhouse," though there was to be a banquet at eight o'clock. with true boyhood appetite, they felt, that a bun in the hand is worth two in the future; and besides, what self-respecting boy would refuse to take care of two meals where he had been in the habit of only one? it would be flying in the face of providence. now, sawed-off, who, as you know, was paying his way through the academy, earned his board by waiting on the table. he had an excellent chance, therefore, for tucking under the plates of all the crows a note which read: the crows will meet at the gymnasium after dark and go to moore's resteront in a body. n.b. keep this conphedential. to half a dozen of the notes these words were added: you are wanted at the gymnasium at a 1/4 to 7 to serve on a cummitty. be there sharp. the crows naturally did not know the handwriting of every one of their number, and did not recognize that the notes were of history's manufacture. they were a little mystified, but suspected nothing. the dozen gathered in full force at the gymnasium as soon after supper as they could without attracting attention. sawed-off, who had the keys of the building, then posted a strong guard at the heavy door, and explained and rehearsed his plan in detail. at a quarter of seven the six who had been requested to serve on the "cummitty" came in a body, and finding the door of the gymnasium fastened, knocked gently. they heard a low voice from the inside ask: "who's there?" and they gave their names. "do you all belong to the crows?" of course they answered: "yes." they were then admitted in single file into the vestibule, which was absolutely dark. as each one stepped in, a hand was laid on each arm and he was requested in a whisper to "come this way." between his two escorts he stumbled along through the dark, until suddenly the door was heard to close, and the key to snap in the lock; then immediately his mouth was covered with a boxing-glove (borrowed from the gymnasium), his feet were kicked out from under him, and before he knew it his two courteous escorts had their knees in the small of his back and were tying him hand and foot. one or two of the crows put up a good fight, and managed to squirm away from the gagging boxing-gloves and let out a yelp; but the heavy door of the gymnasium kept the secret mum, and there was something so surprising about the ambuscade in the dark that the dozen soon had the half-dozen securely gagged and fettered. then they were toted like meal-bags up the stairs of the chapel, and on up and up into the loft, and into the bell-tower. there they were laid out on the floor, and their angry eyes discovered that they were left to the tender mercies of reddy and heady. the only light was a lantern, and reddy and heady each carried an indian club (also borrowed from the gymnasium), and with this they promised to tap any of the crows on the head if he made the slightest disturbance. the ten other lakerimmers hastened down to the ground floor again just in time to welcome the earliest of the crows to arrive. this was a fellow who had always believed up to this time in being punctual; but he was very much discouraged in this excellent habit by the reception he got at the gymnasium. for, on saying, in answer to the voice behind the door, that he had the honor of being a crow, he was ushered in and treated to the same knock-down hospitality that had been meted out to the committee of six. the wisdom of using the words "after dark" on the forged invitation was soon made evident, because the crows did not come all at once, but gradually, by ones and twos, every few minutes between seven and half-past. in this way eleven more of the crows were taken in. these were bundled down into the dark cellar, and stowed away in groups of three or four in three of the compartments of the cellar, each with a guard armed with a lantern and an indian club. by a quarter to eight the lakerimmers believed that they had accounted for all of the twenty-four crows except the president, macmanus. six had left town, six were stowed aloft in the cupola, and eleven were, as b.j., the sailor, expressed it, "below hatches." five of the dozen were posted as guards, and that left seven to go out upon the war-path and bring in the chief of the ravens. he had felt his dignity too great to permit him to take two meals in one evening; besides, he was very solemnly engaged in preparing a speech to deliver at the banquet; and his task was very difficult, since he had to make a great splurge about the glories of the campaign, without reminding every one of the inglorious result of the attempt to haze the dozen. no note had been sent to him, and it seemed necessary to concoct some scheme to decoy him from his room, because any attempt to drag him out would probably bring one of the professors down upon the scene. tug had an idea; and leaving three of the seven to guard the door, he took the other three and hurried to the dormitory where macmanus roomed, and threw pebbles against his window. the chief crow soon stuck his head out and peered down into the dark, asking what was the matter. a voice that he did not recognize--or suspect--came out of the blackness to inform him that some of the crows were in trouble at the gymnasium, and he must come at once. after waiting a moment they saw his light go out and heard his feet upon the stairs, for he had lost no time in stuffing into his pocket the notes for his address at the banquet, and flying to the rescue of the captive banqueters. as soon as he stepped out of the door of the dormitory, history's knit muffler was wrapped around his mouth, and he was seized and hustled along toward the gymnasium. tug felt a strong desire to inflict punishment then and there upon the man who had tortured him when he was helpless, but that was not according to the lakerim code. another idea, however, which was quite as cruel, but had the saving grace of fun, suggested itself to him, and he said to the others, when they had reached the gymnasium: "i'll tell you what, fellows--" "what?" said the reunited seven, in one breath. "instead of putting macmanus with the rest of 'em, let's take him along and make him look on while we eat the crows' banquet." "make him 'eat crow' himself, you mean," suggested jumbo. the idea appealed strongly to the lakerimmers, who, after all, were human, and couldn't help, now and then, enjoying the misery of those who had made them miserable. while macmanus was securely held by two of the dozen, sawed-off and tug went to the cupola to summon the twins. the knots with which the "cummitty" were tied were carefully looked to and strengthened, and then the lakerimmers withdrew from the cupola, taking the lantern with them, dragging a heavy trap-door over their heads as they descended the ladder, and then taking the ladder away and laying it on the floor. they hurried down the stairs then, and went to the cellar, looking alive again to the fetters of the crows, and closing and barring the heavy wooden doors between the compartments as securely as they could. they came up the stairs, and put down and bolted the cellar door, and moved upon it with great difficulty the parallel bars with their iron supports, from the gymnasium, and several 25-pound dumb-bells, as well as the heavy vaulting-horse. reddy and heady were in favor also of blocking up the narrow little windows set high in the walls of the cellar, well over the head of the tallest of the crows; but tug said that these windows were necessary for ventilation, and history was reminded of the black hole of calcutta, so it was decided to leave the windows open for the sake of the air, even if it did give the crows a loophole of possible escape. "there's no fun in an affair of this kind if the other side hasn't even a chance," said tug; and this appealed to the lakerim theory of sport. x so they all left the gymnasium with its prisoners, and sawed-off locked the door firmly behind him. then they went at a double-quick for moore's restaurant and the waiting banquet, which, they suspected, was by this time growing cold. when macmanus left his room he had thrown on a long ulster overcoat with a very high collar. when this was turned up about his ears it completely hid the gag around his mouth, and tug and sawed-off locked arms with him and hurried him along the poorly lighted streets of kingston without fear of detection from any passer-by. macmanus dragged his feet and refused to go for a time, till tug and sawed-off hauled him over such rough spots that he preferred to walk. then, without warning, when they were crossing a slippery place he pushed his feet in opposite directions and knocked sawed-off's and tug's feet out from under them. but inasmuch as all three of them fell in a heap, with him at the bottom, he decided that this was a poor policy. the dozen were soon at moore's restaurant; and there, at the door, they found waiting one of the crows whom they had forgotten to take into account. he was the fat boy whom tug and history had seen hazed just before their turn came, on the eventful night at roden's knoll. having been hazed, and having been taxed, this boy who was known as "fatty" warner, was entitled to banquet with the crows; but he had been invited out to a bigger supper than he could get at the "slaughter-house," and so he did not receive his note, and escaped the fate of the crows who had been put in cold storage in the gymnasium. b.j. and bobbles, however, took him to one side and told him that they were afraid they would have to tie him up and put him in a corner with macmanus. but the tears came into his eyes at the thought of sitting and looking at a feast in which he could not take part, and he reminded the lakerimmers that he had had no share in the attack on tug and history, and had done nothing to interfere with their escape from roden's knoll, and besides, he had been compelled to pay out his last cent of spending-money to the crows for this banquet: so the lakerimmers decided to invite him to join them in eating the feast of the enemy. mr. moore, the proprietor of the village restaurant, had a very bad memory for faces, and when the lakerimmers came into the room where the table was spread, and told him to hurry up with the banquet, it never occurred to him to ask for a certificate of character from the guests. he was surprised, however, that there were only twelve men where he had provided for eighteen or more; but jumbo said, with a twinkle in his eye: "the rest of them couldn't come; so we'll eat their share." the lakerimmers grinned at this. mr. moore suspected that there was some joke which he could not understand; but the ways of the academy boys were always past his comprehension, so he and the waiters came bustling in with the first course of just such a banquet as would please a crowd of academicians, and would give an older person a stomach-ache for six weeks. besides, the wise mr. moore knew the little habit students have of postponing the payment of their bills, and he had insisted upon being paid in advance. poor macmanus suddenly remembered how he had doled out the funds of the crows for this very spread, and he almost sobbed as he thought of the hard time he had spent in collecting the money and preparing the menu--and all for the enjoyment of the hated lakerimmers, who had already spoiled the final hazing of the year, and were now giggling and gobbling the precious banquet provided at such expense! mr. moore wondered at the presence of such a sad-looking guest at the feast, and wondered why he insisted on abstaining from the monstrous delicacies that made the tables groan; but he reasoned that it was none of his affair, and asked no questions. before they had eaten much the lakerimmers grew as uncomfortable over the torment they were inflicting on poor macmanus as the poor macmanus was himself. and tug explained to him in a low voice that if he would promise on his solemn honor not to make any disturbance they would be glad to have him as a guest instead of a prisoner. macmanus objected bitterly for a long time, but the enticing odor drove him almost crazy, and the sight of the renegade fat boy, who was fairly making a cupboard of himself, finally convinced the president that it was better to take his ill fortune with a good grace. so he nodded assent to the promises tug exacted of him, his muffler and overcoat were removed, and he was invited to make himself at home; and his misery was promptly forgotten in the rattle of dishes and the clatter of laughter and song with which the dozen reveled in the feast of its ancient enemies. the delight of the lakerimmers in the banquet was no greater than the misery of the crows whose wings had been clipped, and who had been left to flop about in the dark nooks of the chapel. the feast of the dozen had just begun when two of the crows in the cupola and two others in the cellar bethought themselves to roll close to each other, back to back, and untie the knots around each other's wrists. they were soon free, and quickly had their fellows liberated and the gags all removed. but the liberty of hands and feet and tongues, though it left them free to express their rage, still left them as far as ever from the banquet which, as they soon suspected, was disappearing rapidly under the teeth of the lakerimmers. they groped around in the pitch-black darkness, and finally one of the men in the cupola found a little round window through which he could put his head and yell for help. his cry was soon answered by another that seemed to come faintly from the depths of the earth. xi the far-off cry which the six crows in the cupola heard coming from the depths of the earth was raised by the eleven crows in the cellar. by dint of much yelling the two flocks made their misery known to each other. the trouble with the cellar party was that it could not get up. the trouble with the cupola crowd was that it could not get down. and they seemed to be too far apart to be of much help to each other, for the cupola crows had lost little time in lifting the trap-door of the belfry and finding that the ladder was gone, and none of them was hardy--or foolhardy--enough to risk the drop into the uncertain dark. so there they waited in mid-air. the cellar crows, when they had released each other's bonds, and groped around the jagged walls, and stumbled foolishly over each other and all the other tripping things in their dungeons, had succeeded in forcing apart the wooden doors between their three cells and joining forces--or joining weaknesses, rather, because, when they finally found the cellar stairs, they also found that, for all the strength they could throw into their backs and shoulders, they could not lift the door, with all the heavy weights put on it by the dozen. there were a few matches in the crowd, and they sufficed to reveal the little cellar windows. these they reached by forming a human ladder, as the gauls scaled the walls of rome (only to find that a flock of silly geese had foiled their plans). but there were no geese to disturb the crows, and the first of their number managed to worm through to the outer air and help up his fellows in misery. it seemed for a time, though, as if even this escape were to be cut off; for a very fat crow got himself stuck in a little window, and the crows outside could not pull him through, tug as they would. then the crows inside began to pull at his feet and to hang their whole weight on his legs. but still he stuck. then they all grew excited, and both the outsiders and the insiders pulled at once, until the luckless fat boy thought they were trying to make twins of him, and howled for mercy. he might have been there to this day had he not managed, by some mysterious and painful wriggle, to crawl through unaided. before long, then, the whole crowd of cellar crows was standing out in the cold air and asking the cupola crows why they didn't come down. one of the crows (irish by descent) suddenly started off on the run; the others called him back and asked what he was going for. "for a clothes-line," he said. "what are you going to do with it?" they asked. and he answered: "going to throw 'em a rope and pull 'em down." then he wondered why they all groaned. the word "rope," however, suggested an idea to the cupola prisoners, and after much groping they found the bell-rope, and one of them cut off a good length of it. they fastened it securely then, and slid down to the next floor, whence they made their way without much difficulty down the stairs to the ground. there they found the outer door firmly locked. then they felt sadder than over. but by this time the hubbub they had raised had brought on the scene several of the instructors, one of whom had a duplicate key of the gymnasium. and they suffered the terrible humiliation of being released by one of the faculty! on being questioned as to the cause of such a breach of the peace of the academy, all the seventeen crows attempted to explain the high-handed and inexcusable conduct of the wicked dozen which had picked on eighteen defenseless men and made them prisoners. the instructor had been a boy himself once, and he could not entirely conceal a little smile at the thought of the cruelty of the lakerim twelve. just then macmanus came by, and with one accord the crows exclaimed: "where did they tie you up?" "down at moore's restaurant," said macmanus, sheepishly. "well, what has happened to the banquet?" they exclaimed. "it's all eaten!" groaned macmanus. "who ate it?" cawed the crows. "the dozen!" moaned macmanus. and that was the last straw that broke the crows' backs. they threatened all sorts of revenge, and some of the smaller-minded of them went to the faculty and suggested that the best thing that could be done was to expel the lakerim men in a body. but, by a little questioning, the faculty learned of the attempted hazing that had been at the bottom of the whole matter, and decided that the best thing to do was to reprimand and warn both the crows and the dozen, and make them solemnly promise to bury the hatchet. which they did. and thus ended one of the bitterest feuds of modern times. xii now, heady, who had set the whole kidnapping scheme on foot as soon as he joined the dozen at kingston, had brought to the academy no particular love for study; but he had brought a great enthusiasm for basket-ball. and this enthusiasm was catching, and he soon had many of the kingstonians working hard in the gymnasium, and organizing scrub teams to play this most bewilderingly rapid of games. most of the lakerimmers went in for pure love of excitement; but when heady said that it was especially good as an indoor winter exercise to keep men in trim for football and baseball, tug and punk immediately went at it with great enthusiasm. but tug was so mixed up in the slight differences between this game and his beloved football, and so insisted upon running (which is against the rules of basket-ball), and upon tackling (which is against the rules), and upon kicking (which is against the rules), that he finally gave up in despair, and said that if he became a good basket-ball player he would be a poor football-player. and football was his earlier love. sleepy, however, who was the great baseball sharp, made this complaint, in his drawling fashion: "the rules say you can only hold the ball five seconds, and it takes me at least ten seconds to decide what to do with it; so i guess the blamed game isn't for me." out of the many candidates for the team the following regular five were chosen: for center, sawed-off, who was tall enough to do the "face-off" in excellent style, and who could, by spreading out his great arms, present in front of an ambitious enemy a surface as big as a windmill--almost. the right-forward was heady, and of course the left-forward had to be his other half, reddy. pretty managed by his skill in lawn-tennis to make the position of right-guard, and the left-guard was the chief of the crows, macmanus. the dozen treated him, if not as an equal, at least as one who had a right to be alive and move about upon the same earth with them. the kingston basket-ball team played many games, and grew in speed and team-play till they were looked upon as a terror by the rest of the interscholastic league. finally, indeed, they landed the championship of the various basket-ball teams of the academies. but just before they played their last triumphant game in the league, and when they were feeling their oats and acting as rambunctious and as bumptious as a crowd of almost undefeated boys sometimes chooses to be, they received a challenge that caused them to laugh long and loud. at first it looked like a huge joke for the high-and-mighty kingston basket-ball team to be challenged by a team from the palatine deaf-and-dumb institute; then it began to look like an insult, and they were angry at such treatment of such great men as they admitted themselves to be. it occurred to sawed-off, however, that before they sent back an indignant refusal to play, they might as well look up the record of the deaf-and-dumb basket-ball men. after a little investigation, to their surprise, they found that these men were astoundingly clever players, and had won game after game from the best teams. so they accepted the challenge in lordly manner, and in due time the palatiners appeared upon the floor of the kingston gymnasium. a large audience had gathered and was seated in the gallery where the running-track ran. among the spectators was that girl to whom both reddy and heady were devoted, the girl who could not decide between them, she liked both of them so immensely, especially as she herself was the champion basket-ball player among the girls at her seminary. each of the twins resolved that he would not only outdo all the rest of the players upon the gymnasium floor, but also his bitter rival, his brother. there was something uncanny, at first, in the playing of the palatines, all of whom were deaf-mutes, except the captain, who was neither deaf nor dumb, but understood and talked the sign language. the game opened with the usual face-off. the referee called the two centers to the middle of the floor, and then tossed the ball high in the air between them. they leaped as far as they could; but sawed-off's enormous height carried him far beyond the other man, and, giving the ball a smart slap, he sent it directly into the clutch of reddy, who had run on and was waiting to receive it half over his shoulder. finding himself "covered" by the opposing forward, he passed the ball quickly under the other man's arm across to heady, who had run down the other side of the floor. heady received the ball without obstruction, and by a quick overhead fling landed it in the high basket, and scored the first point, while applause and wonderment were loud in the gallery. the kingstonians played like one man--if you can imagine one man with twenty arms and legs. sawed-off made such high leaps, and covered so well, and sent the ball so well through the forwards, and supported them so well; the twin forwards dodged and ran and passed and dribbled the ball with such dash; and the guards were so alert in the protection of their goal and in obstructing the throwing of the other forwards, that three goals and the score of six were rolled up in an amazingly short time. sawed-off was in so many places at once, and kept all four limbs going so violently, that the spectators began to cheer him on as "granddaddy longlegs." a loud laugh was raised on one occasion, when the palatine captain got the ball, and, holding it high in the air to make a try for goal from the field, found himself covered by the towering sawed-off; he curved the ball downward, where one of the twins leaped for it in front; then he wriggled and writhed with it till it was between his legs. but there the other twin was, and with a quick, wringing clutch that nearly tied the opposing captain into a bow-knot, he had the ball away from him. at the end of the three goals the kingstonians began to whisper to themselves that they had what they were pleased to call a "cinch"; they alluded to the palatines as "easy fruit," and began to make a number of fresh and grand-stand plays. the inevitable and proper result of this funny business was that they began to grow careless. the deaf-mutes, unusually alert in other ways on account of the loss of hearing and speech, were quick to see the opportunity, and to play with unexpected carefulness and dash. the swelled heads of the kingstonians were reduced to normal size when the palatines quickly scored two goals. it began to look as if they would add a third score when the desperate reddy, seeing one of the palatine forwards about to make a try for goal, made a leaping tackle that destroyed the man's aim and almost upset him. reddy was just secretly congratulating himself upon his breach of etiquette when the shrill whistle of the referee brought dismay to his heart. his act was declared a foul, and the palatines were given a "free throw." their left-forward was allowed to take his stand fifteen feet from the basket and have an unobstructed try at it. the throw was successful, and the score now stood 6 to 5 in favor of kingston. the game went rapidly on, and at one stage the ball was declared "held" by the referee, and it was faced off well toward the palatine goal. sawed-off made a particularly high leap in the air and an unusually fierce whack at the ball. to his chagrin, it went up into the gallery and struck the girl to whom the twins were so devoted, smack upon her pretty snub nose. though the blow was hard enough to bring tears to her bright eyes, she smiled, and with a laugh and a blush picked up the ball and dropped it over the rail. the twins both made a dash to receive this gift from her pretty hands, and in consequence bumped into each other and fell apart. the ball which they had robbed each other of fell into the clutch of pretty, who made the girl a graceful bow that quite won her heart. pretty was, by the way, always cutting the other fellows out. this was the only grudge they ever had against him. the twins were now more rattled than ever; and heady determined to do or die. he saw one of the palatines running forward and looking backward to receive the ball on a long pass, and he gave him a vicious body-check. he knew it was a foul at the time, but he thought the referee was not looking. his punishment was fittingly double, for not only did the referee see and declare the foul, but the big palatine came with such impetus that he knocked heady galley-west. heady went scraping along a row of single sticks and wooden dumb-bells, making a noise like the rattle of a board along a picket fence. then he tumbled in a heap, with the palatine man on top of him. as the palatine man got up, he dislodged a number of indian clubs, which fairly pelted the prostrate heady. this foul gave the palatines another free throw, and made the score a tie. xiii the twins were now so angry and ashamed of themselves that they played worse than ever. everything seemed to go wrong with them. their passes were blocked; their tries for goal failed; the palatines would not even help them out with a foul. in their general disorder of plan, they could do nothing to prevent the palatines from making goal after goal till, when the referee's whistle announced that the first twenty-minute half was over, the score stood 12 to 6 against kingston. the twins were feeling sore enough as it was, but when they went to the dressing-room dripping with sweat and gasping for breath from their hard exertions, tug appeared to rub salt into their wounds by a little lecture upon their shortcomings and fargoings. "heady," he said, "i guess you have been away from us a little too long. the lakerim athletic club never approved of foul playing on the part of itself or any one else, and you got just what you deserved for forgetting your dignity. i suppose reddy got the disease from you. but i want to say right here that you have got to play like lakerim men or there is going to be trouble." the twins realized the depths of their disgrace before tug spoke, and they were too much humiliated in their own hearts to resent his lofty tone. they determined to wipe the disgrace out in the only way it could be effaced: by brilliant, clean playing in the second half of the game. when the intermission was over, they went in with such vim that they broke up all the plans of the palatines for gaining goal, and put them to a very fierce defensive game. heady soon scored a goal by passing the ball back to reddy and then running forward well into palatine territory, and receiving it on a long pass, and tossing it into the basket before he could be obstructed. but this ray of hope was immediately dimmed by the curious action of macmanus, who, forgetting that he was not on the football field, and receiving the ball unexpectedly, made a brilliant run down the field with it, carrying it firmly against his body. he was brought back with a hang-dog expression and the realization that he had unconsciously played foul and given the palatines another free throw, which made their score 13 to 8. a little later reddy, finding himself with his back to the palatine goal, and all chance of passing the ball to his brother foiled by the large overshadowing form of the palatine captain, determined to make a long shot at luck, and threw the ball backward over his head. a loud yell and a burst of applause announced that fortune had favored him: he had landed the ball exactly in the basket. but heady went him one better, for he made a similarly marvelous goal with a smaller element of luck. finding himself in a good position for a try, he was about to send the ball with the overhead throw that is usual, when he was confronted by a palatine guard, who completely covered all the space in front of the diminutive heady. like a flash heady dropped to the floor in a frog-like attitude, and gave the ball a quick upward throw between the man's outspread legs and up into the basket. and now the audience went wild indeed at seeing two such plays as have been seen only once or twice in the history of the game. with the score of 13 to 12 in their favor, the palatines made a strong rally, and prevented the kingstonians from scoring. they were tired, and evidently thought that their safety lay in sparring for time. and the referee seemed willing to aid them, for his watch was in his hand, and the game had only the life of a few seconds to live, when the ball fell into the hands of heady. the desperate boy realized that now he had the final chance to retrieve the day and wrest victory from defeat. he was far, far from the basket, but he did not dare to risk the precious moment in dribbling or passing the ball. the only hope lay in one perfect throw. he held the ball in his hands high over his head, and bent far back. he straightened himself like a bow when the arrow of the indian leaves its side. he gave a spring into the air, and launched the ball at the little basket. it soared on an arc as beautiful as a rainbow's. it landed full in the basket. but the force of the blow was so great that the ball choggled about and bounded out upon the rim. there it halted tantalizingly, rolled around the edge of the basket, trembled as if hesitating whether to give victory to the palatines or the kingstons. after what seemed an age of this dallying, it slowly dropped-to the floor. a deep, deep sigh came from the lips of all, even the palatines. and down into the hearts of the twins there went a solemn pain. they had lost the game--that was bad enough; but they knew that they deserved to lose it, that their own misplays had brought their own punishment. but they bore their ordeal pluckily, and when, the next week, they met another team, they played a clean, swift game that won them stainless laurels. xiv snow-time set quiz to wondering what he could do to occupy his spare moments; for the drifts were too deep for him to continue his beloved pastime of bicycling, and he had to put his wheel out of commission. so he went nosing about, trying a little of everything, and being satisfied with nothing. the academy hockey team, of which jumbo was the leader, was working out a fine game and making its prowess felt among the rival teams of the tri-state interscholastic league. but hockey did not interest quiz; for though he could almost sleep on a bicycle without falling over, when he put on a pair of skates you might have thought that he was trying to turn somersaults or describe interrogation-points in the air. it was a little cold for rowing,--though quiz pulled a very decent oar,--and the shell would hardly go through the ice at an interesting speed. indoor work in the gymnasium was also too slow for quiz, and he was asking every one what pastime there was to interest a young man who required speed in anything that was to hold his attention. at length he bethought him of a sport he had seen practised during a visit he paid once to some relatives in minnesota, where the many norwegian immigrants practised the art of running upon the skies. at first sight this statement looks as if it might have come out of the adventures of that trustworthy historian, baron münchhäusen. but the skies you are thinking of are not the skies i mean. the scandinavian skies are not blue, and they are not overhead, but underfoot. of course you know all about the norwegian ski, but perhaps your younger brother does not, so i will say for his benefit that the ski is a sort of norwegian snow-shoe, only it is almost as swift as the seven-league boots. when you put it on you look as if you had a toboggan on each foot; for it is a strip of ash half an inch thick, half a dozen inches wide, and some ten feet long; the front end of it pointed and turned up like that of a toboggan. when you first get the things on, or, rather, get on them, you learn that, however pleasant they may grow to be as servants, they are certainly pretty bad masters; and you will find that the groove which is run in the bottom of the skies to prevent their spreading is of very little assistance, for they seem to have a will of their own, and also a bitter grudge against each other: they step on each other one moment, and make a wild bolt in opposite directions the next, and behave generally like a pair of unbroken colts. quiz had once learned to walk on snow-shoes. he grew to be quite an adept, indeed, and could take a two-foot hurdle with little difficulty. but he soon found that so far from being a help, his familiarity with the snow-shoe was a great hindrance. the mode of walking on a canadian snow-shoe, which he had learned with such difficulty, had to be completely unlearned before he could begin to make progress with the scandinavian footgear. for in snow-shoe walking the feet must be lifted straight up and then carried forward before they are planted, and any attempt to slide them forward makes a woeful tangle; to try to lift the ski off the ground, however, is to invite ridiculous distress, and the whole art of scooting on the ski is in the long, sliding motion. it is a sort of skating on incredibly long skates that must not be lifted from the snow. quiz had the skies made by a kingston carpenter; and he was so proud of them that, when a crowd gathered to see what he was going to do with the mysterious slats, he proceeded to make his first attempt in an open space in the academy campus. he put the skies down on the snow, slipped his toes into the straps, and, sweeping a proud glance around among the wondering kingstonians, dashed forward in his old snow-shoe fashion. it took the kingstonians some seconds to decide which was quiz and which was ski. for the skittish skies skewed and skedaddled and skulked and skipped and scrubbed and screwed and screamed and scrawled and scooped and scrabbled and scrambled and scambled and scumbled and scraped and scrunched and scudded and scuttled and scuffled and skimped and scattered in such scandalous scampishness that the scornful scholars scoffed. quiz quit. the poor boy was so laughed at for days by the whole academy that his spunk was finally aroused. he got out again the skies he had hidden away in disgust, and practised upon them in the fields, at a distance from the campus, until he had finally broken the broncos and made a swift and delightful team of them. he soon grew strong enough to glide for hours at a high rate of speed without weariness, and the ski became a serious rival to the bicycle in his affections. he learned to shoot the hills at a breathless rate, climbing up swiftly to the top; then, with feet apart, but even, zipping like an express-train down the steep incline and far along the level below. he even risked his bones by attempting the rash deeds of old ski-runners. reaching an embankment, he would retire a little distance, and then rush forward to the brink and leap over into the air, lighting on the ground below far out, steadying himself quickly, and shooting on at terrific pace. but this rashness brought its own punishment--as fool-hardiness usually does. [illustration: "quiz learned to shoot the hills at a breathless rate."] xv at dinner, one saturday, quiz had broken out in exclamations of delight over his pet skies, and had begun to complain about the time when spring should drive away the blessed winter. "i can't get enough of the snow," he exclaimed. "oh, can't you?" said jumbo, ominously. quiz could hardly finish his dinner, so impatient was he to be up and off again, over the hills and far away. when he had gone, jumbo asked the other lakerimmers if they had not noticed how exclusive quiz was becoming, and how little they saw of him. he said, also, that he did not approve of quiz' rushing all over the country alone and taking foolish risks for the sake of a little solitary fun. the lakerimmers agreed that something should be done; and jumbo reminded them of quiz' remark that he could not get enough snow, and suggested a plan that, he thought, might work as a good medicine on him. that afternoon quiz seemed to have quite lost his head over his ski-running. he felt that there were signs of a thaw in the air, and he proposed that this snow should not fade away before he had indulged in one grand, farewell voyage. he struck off into the country by a new road, and at such a speed that he was soon among unfamiliar surroundings. as the day began to droop toward twilight he decided that it was high time to be turning back toward kingston. he looked about for one last embankment to shoot before he retraced his course. far in the distance he thought he saw a fine, high bluff, and he hurried toward it with delicious expectation. when he had reached the brink he looked down and saw that the bluff ended in a little body of water hardly big enough to be called a lake. after measuring the drop with his eye, and deciding that while it was higher than anything he had ever shot before, it was just risky enough to be exciting, he went back several steps, came forward with a good impetus, and launched himself fearlessly into the air like the aëronaughty darius green. he launched himself fearlessly enough, but he was no sooner in mid-air than he began to regret his rashness. it was rather late now, though, to be thinking of that, and he realized that nothing could save him from having a sudden meeting with the bottom of the hill. he lost his nerve in his excitement, and crossed his skies, so that when he struck, instead of sailing forward like the wind, he stuck and went headforemost. fortunately, one of his skies broke--instead of most of his bones; and a very kind-hearted snow-bank appeared like a feather-bed, and somewhat checked the force of his fall. but, for all that, he was soon rolling over and over down the hill, and he landed finally on a thin spot in the ice of the lake, and crashed through into the water up to his waist. now he was so panic-stricken that he scrambled frantically out. he cast one sorry glance up the hill, and saw there the pieces into which his ski had cracked, as well as the pathway he himself had cleared in the snow as he came tumbling down. then he looked for the other ski, and realised that it was far away under the ice. he was now so cold, that, dripping as he was, he would not have waded into the lake again to grope around for the other ski if that ski had been solid gold studded with diamonds. plainly, the only thing to do was to make for home, and that right quickly, before night came on and he lost his way, and the pneumonia got him. it was a very different story, trudging back through the snow-drifts in the twilight, from flitting like a butterfly on the ski. he realized now that his legs were tired from the long run he had enjoyed so much. he lost his way, too, time and again; and when he came to a cross-roads and had to guess for himself which path to take, somehow or other he seemed always to take the wrong one, and to plod along it until he met some farmer to put him on the right path to kingston. but though he met many a farmer, he seemed to find never a wagon going his way, or even a hospitable-looking farm-house. he was still miles away from kingston when lamp-lighting time came. a little gleam came cheerfully toward him out of the dark. he hurried to it, thinking of the fine supper the kind-hearted farmers would doubtless give him, when, just as he reached the gate of the door-yard, there was a most blood-curdling uproar, and two or three furious dogs came bounding shadowily toward him. he lost no time in deciding that supper, after all, was a rather useless invention, and kingston much preferable. previously to this, quiz had always understood that the dog was the most kind-hearted of animals, but it was months after that night before he could hear the mere name of a canine without shuddering. well, a boy can cover any distance imaginable,--even the path to the moon,--if he only has the strength and the time. so quiz finally reached the outskirts of kingston. his long walk had dried and warmed him somewhat; but he was miserably tired, and he felt that his stomach was as empty as the desert of sahara. at last, though, he reached the campus, and dragged heavily along the path to his dormitory. he stopped at tug's to see if tug had any remains left of the latest box of good things from home; but no answer came to his knock, and he went sadly up to the next lakerim room. but that was empty too, and all of the others of the dozen were away. for they had become alarmed at quiz' absence, and started out in search of him, as they had once before set forth on the trail of tug and history. [illustration: "jumbo saw a pair of flashing eyes glaring at him over the coverlet."] by the time quiz reached his room he was too tired to be very hungry, and he decided that his bed would be paradise enough. so, all cold and weary as he was, he hastily peeled off his clothes, and blew out the light. he shivered at the very thought of the coldness of the sheets, but he fairly flung himself between them. just one-tenth of a second he spent in his downy couch, and then leaped out on the floor with a howl. he remembered suddenly the look jumbo had given him at dinner when he had said he could not get snow enough. jumbo and the other fiends from lakerim had filled the lower half of his bed with it! * * * * * late that night, when the eleven lakerimmers came back, weary from their long search, and frightened at not finding quiz, jumbo went to his room with a sad heart. when he lighted his lamp and looked longingly toward his downy bed, he saw a pair of flashing eyes glaring at him over the coverlet. they were the eyes of quiz; and within easy reach lay a baseball bat and several large lumps of coal. but all quiz said was: "excuse me for getting into your bed, jumbo. you are perfectly welcome to mine." xvi but, speaking of cold, you ought to hear about the great fire company that was organized at the academy. the town of kingston was not large enough or rich enough to support a full-fledged fire department with paid firemen and trained horses. it had nothing but an old-fashioned engine, a hose-cart, and a ladder-truck, all of which had to be drawn by two-footed steeds, the volunteer firemen of the village. the lakerimmers had not been in kingston many weeks before they heard the fire-bell lift its voice. it was not more than twenty minutes before the kingston fire department appeared galloping along the rough road in front of the campus at a fearsome speed of about six miles an hour. several of the horses wore long white beards, and others of them were so fat that they added more weight than power to the team. such of the academicians as had no classes at that hour followed these champing chargers to the scene of the fire. it turned out to be a woodshed, which was as black and useless as a burnt biscuit by the time the fire department arrived. but the volunteers had the pleasure of dropping a hose down the well of the owner of the late lamented woodshed, and pumping the well dry. the volunteers thus bravely extinguished three fence-posts that had caught fire from the woodshed, and then turned for home, proud in the consciousness of duty performed. they felt sure that they had saved the village from a second chicago fire. jumbo said that the department ought not to be called the volunteers, but the crawfishes. b.j., who had a scientific turn of mind, said that he had an idea for a great invention. "the world revolves from west to east at the rate of a thousand miles an hour," he said. "i've heard so," broke in jumbo, "but you can't believe everything you see in print." b.j. brushed him aside, and went on: "now, all you've got to do is to invent a scheme for raising your fire-engine and your firemen up in the air a few feet, and holding them still while the earth revolves under them. then you turn a kind of a wheel, or something, when the place you want to get to comes around, and there you are in a jiffy. it would beat the empire state express all hollow. why, it would be faster even than an ice-boat!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "i guess i'll have to get that idea patented." "but say, b.j.," said bobbles, in a puzzled manner, "suppose your fire was in the other direction? you'd have to go clear around the world to get to the place." "i didn't think of that," said b.j., dejectedly. and thus one of the greatest inventions of the age was left uninvented. * * * * * but tug had also been set to thinking by the snail-like kingston firemen. "what this place really needs," he said, "is some firemen that can run. they want more speed and less rheumatism. now, if we fellows could only join the department we'd show 'em a few things." "why can't we?" said punk, always ready to carry out another's suggestion. "george washington was a volunteer fireman," was history's ever-present reminder from the books. the scheme took like wild-fire with the dozen, and after a conference in which the twelve heads got as close together as twenty-four large feet would permit, it was decided to ask permission of the academy faculty and of the town trustees. the kingston faculty was of the general opinion that it is ordinarily--though by no means always--the best plan to allow restless boys to carry out their own schemes. if the scheme is a bad one they will be more likely to be convinced of it by putting it into practice than by being told that it is bad, and forbidden to attempt it. so, after long deliberation, they consented to permit half a dozen of the larger lakerim fellows to join the volunteer department. fires were not frequent, and most of the buildings of the village were so small that little risk was to be feared. the trustees of the village saw little harm in allowing the academicians to drag their heavy trucks for them, and promised that they would not permit the boys to rush into any dangerous places. in a short while, then, the half-dozen were full-fledged firemen, with red flannel shirts, rubber boots, and regulation hats. the lakerimmers were so proud of their new honor that they wanted to wear their gorgeous uniforms in the class-rooms. but the heartless faculty put its foot down hard on this. the very minute the six--tug, punk, sleepy, b.j., and the twins--were safely installed as volunteers, it seemed that the whole town had suddenly become fire-proof. the boys could neither study their lessons nor recite them with more than half a mind, for they had always one ear raised for the sound of the delightful fire-bell. they always hoped that when the fire would come it would be in the midst of a recitation; and sleepy constantly failed to prepare himself at all, in the hope that at the critical moment he would be rescued from flunking by a call to higher duties. but fate was ironical, and after two or three weeks of this nerve-wearing existence the volunteers began to lose hope. one saturday afternoon, when the roads were frozen into ruts as hard and sharp as iron, and when the dozen had just started forth to take a number of pretty girls to see a promising hockey game, the villainous old fire-bell began to call for help. the half-dozen regretted for a moment that they had ever volunteered to be volunteers; but they would not shirk their duty, and instantly dashed toward the shed where the fire department was stored. they were there long before any of the older volunteers, and had a long, impatient wait. then there were all manner of delays; breakages had to be repaired and axles greased before a start could be properly made. but at last they were off, tearing down the rough roads at a speed that made the older firemen plead for mercy. the alarm had come from a man who had been painting a church steeple, and had seen a cloud of smoke in the direction of the "mitchell place," a large farm-house some little distance out of the village limits. there was a fine exhilaration about the run until they reached the edge of the town, and began to drag the bouncing, jouncing cart over the miserable country road. still they tugged on, going slower and slower, and the older volunteers letting go of the rope and falling by the wayside like the wounded at the hill of san juan. finally even the half-dozen had to slacken speed, too, and walk, for fear of losing the whole fire department--the chief had already given out in exhaustion, and insisted upon climbing on one of the trucks and riding the rest of the way. but at length, somehow or other, the kingston volunteers reached the farm-house at a slow walk, their tongues almost hanging out of their mouths, and their breath coming in gasps. strange to say, there were no signs of excitement at the mitchell place, though a great cloud of black smoke poured from a huge hollow sycamore-tree that had been cut off about ten feet from the ground, and was used as a primitive smoke-house. the volunteers looked at this tree, and then at one another, without a word. then mr. mitchell came slowly toward his gate, and asked why he had been honored with such a visit. the only one that had breath enough to say a word was the fire chief, who had ridden the latter part of the way. he explained the alarm, and asked the cause of the smoke. mr. mitchell drawled: "wawl, i'm jest a-curin' some hams." as they all pegged dismally homeward, the half-dozen thought that mr. mitchell had also just about cured six volunteers. and when the half-dozen took off their red flannel shirts that day, they no longer looked upon them as red badges of courage, but rather as a sort of penitentiary uniform. the fire department of kingston had such another long snooze that the half-dozen began now to rejoice in the hope that there would not be another fire before vacation-time. they had almost forgotten that they were volunteers, and went about their studies and pastimes with the fine care-freedom of glorious boyhood. * * * * * then came a cold wave suddenly out of the west--a tidal wave of bitter winds and blizzardy snow-storms, that sent the mercury down into the shoes of the thermometer. things froze up with a snap that you could almost hear. it seemed that it would be impossible even to put a nose out of the warm rooms without hearing a sudden crackle, and seeing it drop to the ground, and the ears after it. the very stoves had to be coaxed and coddled to keep warm. jumbo said: "why, i have to button my overcoat around my stove, and feed it with coal in a teaspoon, to keep it from freezing to death!" the academicians went to and from their classes on the dead run, and even the staid professors scampered along the slippery paths with more thought of speed than of dignity. that night was the coldest that the oldest inhabitant of kingston could remember. the very winds seemed to be tearing madly about, trying to keep warm, and screaming with pain, they were so cold! ugh! my ears tingle to think of it. the lakerimmers piled the coal high in their stoves, and piled their overcoats, and even the rugs from the floor, over their beds. sleepy, whose blood was so slow that he was never warm enough in winter and never very warm in summer, even spread all the newspapers he could find inside his bed, and crawled in between them, having heard that paper is one of the warmest of coverings. the journals crackled like, popcorn every time he moved; but he moved very little and it would have been a loud noise indeed that could have kept him awake. at a very early hour, then, the volunteers and the rest of the dozen were as snug as bugs in rugs. and then,--oh, merciless fate!--at the coldest and dismalest hour of the whole twenty-four, when the night is about over and the day is not begun, at about 3 a.m., what, oh, what! should sound, even above the howls of the wind and the rattlings of the windows and doors, but that fiend of a fire-bell! it clanged and banged and clamored and boomed and pounded its way even through the harveyized armor-plate of the lakerim ship of sleep. tug was the first to wake, and his heart almost stopped with horror of the time the old bell had chosen for making itself heard. tug was a brave boy, and he had a high sense of responsibility; but he had also a high sense of the comfort of a good warm bed on a bitter cold night, and he lay there, his heart torn up like a battle-field, where the two angels of duty and evil fought bitterly. and he was perfectly willing to give them plenty of time to fight it out to a finish. * * * * * in another room of the dormitory there was another struggle going on, though it would be rather flattering to say that they were angels who were struggling. the twins had wakened at the same moment, and each had pretended to be asleep at first. then each had remembered that misery loves company, and each had jabbed the other in the ribs, at the same time. "what bell is that?" reddy had asked heady, and heady had asked reddy, at the same instant. "it's that all-fired fire-bell!" both exclaimed, each answering the other's question and his own. "jee-minetly! but this is a pretty time for that old thing to break out!" wailed reddy. "it ought to be ashamed of itself," moaned heady. "it's too bad," said reddy; "but a fireman mustn't mind the wind or the weather." "that's so," sighed heady, "but i'm sorry for you." "what!" cried reddy, "you're sorry for _me_! what's the matter with yourself?" "why, i couldn't possibly think of going out such a night as this," explained heady; "you know i haven't been at all well for the last few days." "oh, haven't you!" complained reddy. "well, you're twice as well as i am, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself to shirk your duty this way." "duty! humph! there's nothing the matter with you! it would be criminal for me, though, to go out a night like this, feeling as i do. mother would never forgive me. but you had better hurry, or you'll be late," urged heady. "hurry nothing!" said reddy. "i'm surprised, though, to see you trying to pretend that you're sick, and trying to send me out on a terrible night like this when you _know_ i'm really sick." then the quarrel waxed fiercer and fiercer, until they quit using words and began to apply hands and feet. it was not many minutes before each had kicked the other out of bed, and each had carried half of the bedclothing with him. neither of them remained any longer than was necessary on the cold floor, but each grabbed up his half of the bedding, and rolled himself up in it, and lay down with great dignity as far away from the other as he could get, even though he hung far over the edge. but the covers had been none too warm all together, and now, divided into half, the twins were soon shivering in misery. they stood it as long as they could, and then, as if by a silent agreement, they decided to declare a peace, and each remarked: "i guess we're both too sick to go out such a night as this." and they were soon asleep again. * * * * * when punk heard the fire-bell, his heart grew bitter at the thought of the still bitterer night. he did not think it proper for one of his conservative nature to violate all the rules of health and self-respect by going out in such rowdy weather. he peeked over the edge of his coverlet, and saw that his stove was still glowing, and that his own room was not on fire. then he reached out one quick arm and pulled his slippers into bed with him, and when they were warm enough put them on his feet, wrapped himself up well, and, running to the window, raised it quickly, thrust his head out, and looked up and down the campus. this quick glance satisfied him of two things: first, that none of the beloved academy buildings were on fire; and second, that he was never much interested in the old village, anyway. so he toddled back to his cozy bed. b.j. was sleeping so soundly that the fire-bell could not wake him; it simply rang in his ears and mingled with his dreams. in the land of dreams he went to all sorts of fires, and saved thirty or forty lives, mainly of beautiful maidens in top stories of blazing palaces. his dreamland rescues were as heroic as any one could desire, but that was as near as he came to answering the call of the kingston alarm. * * * * * as for sleepy, it is doubtful if the bell would have awakened him if it had been suspended from his bed-post; but from where it was it never reached even to his dreams, if, indeed, even dreams could have wormed their way into his solid slumbers. * * * * * tug's conscience, however, was giving him a sharper pain than he suffered at the thought of the night outside. at length he could stand the thought of being found wanting in his duty, no longer. he flung himself out of bed and into his clothes, his teeth beating a tattoo, his knees fighting a boxing-match, and his hands all thumbs with the cold. then he put on two pairs of trousers, three coats, and an overcoat, two caps, several mufflers, and a pair of heavy mittens over a pair of gloves, and flew down the stairs and dived out into the storm like a russian taking a plunge-bath in an icy stream. fairly plowing through the freezing winds, along the cinder paths he hurried, and down the clattering board walks of the village to the building of the fire department. he met never a soul upon the arctic streets, and he found never a soul at the meeting-place of the all-faithful volunteers. what amazed him most was that he found not even a man there to ring the bell. the rope, however, was flouncing about in the wind, and the bell itself was still thundering alarums over the town. tug's first thought at this discovery was--spooks! as is usual with people who do not believe in ghosts, they were the first things he thought of as an explanation of a mysterious performance. his second thought was the right one. the hurricane had ripped off the boarding about the bell, and the wind itself was the bell-ringer. with a sigh of the utmost tragedy, tug turned back toward his room. he was colder now than ever, and by the time he reached the dormitory he was too nearly frozen to stop and upbraid punk and the other derelicts who had proved false at a crisis that also proved false. the next morning, however, he gathered them all in his room and read them a severe lecture. they had been a disgrace to the lakerim ideal, he insisted, and they had only luck, and not themselves, to credit for the fact that they were not made the laughing-stock of the town and the academy. and that day the half-dozen sent in its resignation from the volunteer fire department of the village of kingston. xvii it was not long after this that the christmas vacation hove in sight, and the dozen forgot the blot upon its escutcheon in the thought of the delight that awaited it in renewing acquaintance with its mothers and other best girls at lakerim, not to mention the cronies in the club-house. each had his plans for making fourteen red-letter days out of the two weeks they were to spend at home. peaceful thoughts filled the hearts of most of them, but b.j. dreamed chiefly of the furious conflicts that awaited him on the lake, which had been the scene of many an adventure in his mettlesome ice-boat. the last days crawled painfully by for all of them, and the dozen grew more and more meek as they became more and more homesick for their mothers. they were boys indeed now, and until they reached the old town; but there there was such a cordial reception for them from the whole village--fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, best girls, cronies, and even dogs--that by the time they had reached the club-house which had been built by their own efforts, and in which they were recorded on a beautiful panel as the charter members, they felt that they were aged, white-haired veterans returning to some battle-field where they were indeed famous. a reception was given in their honor at the club-house, and tug made a speech, and the others gave various more or less ridiculous and impressive exhibitions of their grandeur. after a day or two of this glory, however, they became fellow-citizens with the rest of the villagers, and were content to sit around the club-room and tell stories of the grand old days when the lakerim athletic club had no club-house to cover its head--the days when they fought so hard for admission to the tri-state interscholastic league of academies. they were, to tell the truth, though, just a little disappointed, in the inside of their hearts, that the successors left behind to carry on the club were doing prosperously, winning athletic victories, and paying off the debt in fine style--quite as well as if they themselves had been there. the most popular of the story-tellers was b.j., whose favorite and most successful yarn was the account of the great ice-boat adventure, when the hockey team was wrecked upon buzzard's rock, and spent the night in the snow-drifts, with the blizzard howling outside. the memory of that terrible escape made the blood run cold in the veins of the other members of the club; but it aroused in b.j. only a new and irresistible desire to be off again upon the same adventure-hunt. now, b.j.'s father was an enthusiastic sailor--fortunately, not so rash a sailor as his son, but quite as great a lover of a "flowing sail." wind-lover as he was, he could not spend a winter idly, and turned his attention to ice-boating. he owned a beautiful modern vessel made of basswood, butternut, and pine, with rigging all of steel, and a runner-plank as springy as an umbrella frame. she carried no more than four hundred square feet of sail; but when he gave her the whip, and let her take to her heels, she outran the fleetest wind that ever swept the lake. and she skipped and sported along near the railroad track, where the express-train raced in vain with her; for she could make her sixty miles an hour or more without gasping for breath. she was named _greased lightning_. now, b.j.'s father had ample cause to be suspicious of that young man's discretion, and he never permitted him to take the boat out alone, good sailor as he knew his son to be; so b.j. had to content himself with parties of boys and girls hilarious with the cold and speed, and wrapped up tamely in great blankets, under the charge of his father, who was a more than cautious sailor, being as wise as he was old, and seeing the foolishness of those pleasures which depend only on risking bone and body. but b.j. was wretched, and chafed under the restraint of such respectable amusement--with girls, too! and when, in the midst of the holidays, his father was called out of town, b.j. went to bed, and could hardly fall asleep under the conspiracies he began to form for eloping on one last escapade with the ice-boat. he woke soon after daybreak, the next morning, and hurried to his window. there he found a gale of wind blowing and lashing the earth with a furious rain. the wind he received with welcoming heart, but the rain sent terror there; for it told him that the ice would soon disappear, and he would be sent back to kingston academy, with never a chance to let loose the _greased lightning_. "it is now or never!" mumbled b.j., clenching his teeth after the manner of all well-regulated desperados. xviii he sneaked into his clothes, and descended the cold, creaking staircase in his stocking-feet. then he put on his rubber boots, and stole out of the house like a burglar. the wind would have wrecked any umbrella alive; but he cared naught for the rain, and hurried down the street where the twins were sleeping the sleep of the righteous. he threw pebbles at their windows till they were awakened; and after a proper amount of deliberation in which each requested the other to go to the window, both went hand in hand on their shivering toes. when they had leaned out and learned what b.j. invited them to, they reminded him that he was either crazy or walking in his sleep. but b.j. answered back that they were either talking in their sleep or were "cowardy calves." the worst of all fools is the one that is afraid to take a dare; and the twins were--well, let us say they were not yet wide enough awake to know what they were doing. at any rate, they could not stand the banter of b.j., and had soon joined him in the soaking storm outside. when the lake was reached the twins were more than ever convinced that b.j. was more than ever out of his head; for, instead of the smooth mirror they had been accustomed to gliding over in the boat, they found that the ice was covered with an inch of slush and water. the sky above was not promising and blue, nor did the wind have a merry whizz; but it laughed like a maniac, and shrieked and threatened them, warning them to go back home or take most dreadful consequences. b.j., however, would not listen to the advice they tendered him, but went busily about getting the sails up and preparing the boat for the voyage. the twins were still pleading with b.j. to have some regard for the dictates of common sense, when he began to haul in the sheet-rope and put the helm down; and they had barely time to leap aboard before the boat was away. they felt, indeed, that they were sailing in a regular sloop, and that, too, going "with lee rail awash"; for instead of the soft crooning sound the runners made usually, there was a slash and a swish of ripples cloven apart; and instead of the little fountains of ice-dust which rise from the heels of the sharp shoes when the boat is skimming the frozen surface, there rose long spurting sprays of water. the twins reproached each other bitterly for coming on such a wild venture. but they did not know how really sorry they were till they got well out on the lake, where the wind caught them with full force and proved to be a very gale of fury. the mast writhed and squealed, and the sails groaned and wrenched, as if they would fairly rip the boat apart. the world seemed one vast vortex of hurricane; and yet, for all the wind that was frightening them to death, the twins seemed to find it impossible to get enough to breathe. it was bitter, bitter cold, too, and reddy's hands and feet reminded him only of the bags of cracked ice they put on his forehead once when he had a severe fever. b.j., however, was as happy as the twins were miserable, and he yelled and shouted in ecstatic glee. now he was a gang of cow-boys at a round-up; now he was a band of apache indians circling fiendishly around a crew of those inland sailors who used to steer their prairie-schooners across the west. before the twins could imagine it, the boat had reached the opposite side of the lake, and it was necessary to come about. suddenly the skipper had thrown her head into, the wind, the jib and mainsail were clattering thunderously, and the boom went slashing over like a club in the hands of a giant. before the twins had dared to lift their heads again, there was a silence, and the sails began to fill and the boat to resume her speed quickly in a new direction. in a moment the _greased lightning_ was well under way along a new leg, and sailing as close as b.j. could hold her. and now, as the twins glared with icy eyeballs into the mist ahead, suddenly they both made out a thin black line drawn as if by a great pencil across the lake in front of them. "watch out, b.j.," they cried; "we are coming to an enormous crack." "hooray for the crack!" was all the answer they got from the intrepid b.j. and now, instead of their rushing toward the crack, it seemed to be flying at them, widening like the jaws of a terrible dragon. but the ice-boat was as fearless and as gaily jaunty as siegfried. straight at the black maw with bits of floating ice like the crunching white teeth of a monster, the boat held its way. neatly as the boy pretty ever skimmed a hurdle in a hurdle-race, the boat skimmed the gulf of water. the ice bent and cracked treacherously, and the water flew up in little jets where it broke; but _greased lightning_ was off and away before there was ever a chance to engulf her. and then the heart of the twins could beat again. the boat was just well over the crack when she struck a patch of rough ice and yawed suddenly. there was a severe wrench. b.j. and reddy were prepared for it; but heady, before he knew what was the matter, had slid off the boat on to the ice and on a long tangent into the crack they had just passed. he let out a yell, i can tell you, and clung to the edge of the brittle ice with desperate hands. he thought he had been cold before; but as he clung there now in the bitter water, and watched b.j. trying to bring the obstinate boat about and come alongside, he thought that the passengers on the ice-boat were warm as in any turkish bath. after what seemed to him at least a century of foolish zigzagging, b.j. finally got the boat somewhere near the miserable heady, brought the _greased lightning_ to a standstill, and threw the dripping twin the sheet-rope. then he hauled him out upon the strong ice. b.j. begged heady to get aboard and resume the journey, or at least ride back home; but heady vowed he would never even look at an ice-boat again, and could not be dissuaded from starting off at a dog-trot across the lake toward home. reddy wanted to get out and follow him; but b.j. insisted that he could not sail the boat without some ballast, and before reddy could step out upon the ice b.j. had flung the sail into the wind again, and was off with his kidnapped prisoner. reddy looked disconsolately after the wretched heady plowing through the slush homeward until his twin brother disappeared in the distance. then he began to implore b.j. to put back to lakerim. finally he began to threaten him with physical force if he did not. b.j. fairly giggled at the thought of at last seeing one of those mutinies he had read so much about. but he contented himself with having a great deal to say about tacking on this leg and on that, and about how many points he could sail into the wind, and a lot of other gibberish that kept reddy guessing, until the boat had gone far up the lake. at last, to reddy's infinite delight, b.j. announced that he was going to turn round and tack home. as they came about they gave the wind full sweep. the sail filled with a roar, and the boat leaped away like an athlete at a pistol-shot. and now their speed was so bird-like that reddy would have been reminded of the boy ganymede, whom jupiter's eagle stole and flew off to heaven with; but he had never heard of that unfortunate youth. he had the sense of flight plainly enough, though, and it terrified him beyond all the previous terrors of the morning. as i have said before, different persons have their different specialties in courage, as in everything else; and while reddy and heady were brave as lads could well be in some ways, their courage lay in other lines than in running dead before the wind in a madcap ice-boat on uncertain ice. the wind had increased, too, since they first started out, and now it was a young and hilarious gale. it began to wrench the windward runner clear of the ice and bang it down again with a stomach-turning thud. in fact, the wind began to batter the boat about so much that b.j. decided he must have some weight upon the windward runner, or it would be unmanageable. he told reddy that he must make his way out to the end of the see-saw. reddy gave b.j. one suspicious look, and then yelled at the top of his voice: "no, thank you!" the calm and joyful b.j. now proceeded to grow very much excited, and to insist. he told reddy that he must go out upon the end of the runner, or the boat would be wrecked, and both of them possibly killed. after many blood-curdling warnings of this sort, the disgusted reddy set forth upon his most unpleasant voyage. he crept tremblingly along the narrow backbone until he reached the crossing-point of the runner; there he grasped a hand-rope, and made his way, step by step, along the jouncing plank to the end, where he wrapped his legs around the wire stay, and held on for dear life. reddy's weight gave the runner steadiness enough to reassure b.j., though poor reddy thought it was the most unstable platform he had stood upon, as it flung and bucked and shook him hither and yon with a violence that knew no rest or regularity. but, uncomfortable as he was, and much as he felt like a seasick balloonist, he did not know in what a lucky position he was, nor how happy he should have been that it was not even riskier. there is some comfort, or there ought to be, in the fact that a situation is never so bad that it might not be worse. b.j. was now so well satisfied with his live ballast that he began once more to sing and make a mad hullabaloo of pure enjoyment. he finally grew careless, and forgot himself and the eternal alertness that is necessary for a good skipper. just one moment he let his mind wander, and that moment was enough. the boat, without warning to either b.j. or reddy, jibed! reddy, now more than ever astounded, suddenly found himself pitching forward in the air and slamming on the ice. he slid along it for a hundred feet or more on his stomach, like a rocket with a wake of spray and slush for a tail. reddy was soaked as completely as if he had fallen into a bath-tub, and his face and hands were cut and bruised in the bargain. but his feelings, his mental feelings, were hurt even worse than his flesh. as for the reckless b.j., though he was not so badly bruised as his unfortunate and unwilling guest, he was to suffer a still greater torment. he, too, was thrown from the boat into the slush; and by the time he had recovered himself the yacht was well away from the hope of capture. but that wilful boat, the _greased lightning_, seemed unwilling to let off her tormentor so easily. for the astounded b.j., glaring at her as she ran on riderless, saw her come upon some rough ice, and jolt and ditch her runner, and veer until she had actually made a half-circle, and was heading straight for him! all this remarkable change took place in a very short space of time; but a large part of that small time was spent by b.j. in absolute amazement at the curious and vicious action of his boat. then, as the yacht began to bear down on him with increasing speed, he made a dash to get out of its path; but his feet slipped on the wet ice, and he could make no headway. b.j. saw immediately that one of two things was very sure to happen; and he could not see how either of them would result in anything but terrible disaster to him. for if he should stand still the runner-plank would strike him below the knee and break both his legs like straws; besides, when he was knocked over he was likely to be struck by the tiller-runner, which would finish him completely. if, on the other hand, he tried to jump into the air and escape the runner, he stood a fine chance of being hit on the head by the boom, which would deal a blow like the guard of an express-engine. before these two sickening probabilities the boy paused motionless, helpless. it was the choice of frying-pan or fire. xix b.j. decided to take the chances of a battered skull rather than let both the windward runner and the tiller-runner have a slash at him. he gathered himself for a dive into the air. but, just as he was about to leap, a sudden gust of wind lifted the windward runner off the ice at least two feet. like lightning b.j. dropped face down on the ice, and the boat passed harmlessly over him, the runner just grazing his coat-sleeve. having inflicted what seemed to it to be punishment enough, the _greased lightning_ sailed coquettishly on down the lake, and finally banged into a dock at home, and stopped. b.j. and reddy made off after it as fast as they could on the slippery ice with the help of the wind at their backs; but they never overtook it, and the run served them only the good turn of warming them somewhat, and thus saving them from all the dire consequences they deserved for their foolhardiness. when reddy reached home, he found that heady had preceded him. both were put to bed and dosed with such bitter medicine that they almost forgot the miseries they had had upon the lake. but it was many a day before they would consent to speak to b.j. when they saw him coming they crossed the street with great dignity, and if he spoke to them they seemed stricken with a sudden deafness. b.j.'s troubles did not end with his return home; for, somehow or other, the escapade with the ice-boat reached his father's ears. and it is reported that b.j.'s father forgot for a few minutes the fact that his son was now a dignified academician. at any rate, b.j. took his meals standing for a day or two, and he could not explain this strange whim to the satisfaction of his friends. * * * * * every member of the dozen realized the necessity of keeping the body clean if he would be a successful athlete, and of keeping his linen and clothes comely if he would be a successful gentleman. taken altogether, the twelve were exactly what could be called "neat but not gaudy." but presentable as all of them were, there was none that took so much pains and pride in the elegances of dress as the boy pretty, who won his title from his fondness for being what the others sometimes called a dude. but he was such a whole-hearted, vigorous, athletic young fellow, with so little foolishness about his make-up, that the name did not carry with it the insult it usually conveys. the chief offense pretty gave to the less careful of the dozen was his fondness for carrying a cane, a practice which the rest of the boys, being boys, did not affect. but pretty was not to be dissuaded from this, nor from any of his other foibles, by ridicule, and the others finally gave him up in despair. when he went to kingston there was a new audience for his devotion to matters of dress. but at the academy it was considered a breach of respect to the upper-classmen for the lower-classmen to carry canes. pretty, however, simply sniffed at the tradition, and said it didn't interest him at all. finally a large senior vowed he would crack the cane in pieces over pretty's head, if necessary. pretty heard these threats, and was prepared for the man. when the fatal moment of their meeting arrived, though the senior was much bigger than pretty, the lakerim youth did not run--at least, he ran no farther than was necessary to clear a good space for the use of a little single-stick exercise. pretty was no boxer, but he was a firm believer in the value of a good stout cane. imagine his humiliation, then, when he found, in the first place, that the crook of his stick had caught in his coat-pocket and spoiled one good blow, and, in the second place, that the fine strong slash he meant to deliver overhead like a broad-sword stroke merely landed upon the upraised arm of the senior, and had its whole force broken. pretty then had the bitter misery of seeing his good sword wrenched from his hand and broken across the knee of the senior, who very magnificently told him that he must never appear on the campus again with a walking-stick. pretty was overcome with embarrassment at the outcome of his innocent foppery, and of his short, vain battle, and he was the laughing-stock of the seniors for a whole day. but, being of lakerim mettle and metal, he did not mean to let one defeat mean a final overthrow. he told the rest of the lakerimmers that he would carry a cane anyway, and carry it anywhere he pleased, and that the next man who attempted to take it from him would be likely to get "mussed up." about this time he found a magazine article that told the proper sort of cane to carry, and the proper way to use it in case of attack; and he proceeded to read and profit. now, inasmuch as sawed-off was working his way through the academy, and paying his own expenses, without assistance except from what small earnings he could make himself, it was only natural that he should always be the one who always had a little money to lend to the other fellows, though they had their funds from home. it was now pretty who came to him for the advance of cash enough to buy a walking-stick of the following superb description: a thoroughly even, straight-grained bit of hickory-wood, tapered like a billiard-cue, an inch and a half thick at the butt and three fourths of an inch thick at the point, the butt carrying a knob of silver, and the point heavily ferruled. pretty had managed to find such a stick in the small stores of lakerim. he bought it with sawed-off's money, and he practised his exercises with it so vigorously and so secretly that when he next appeared upon the campus and carried it, the senior who had attacked him before, let him go by without any hindrance. he was fairly stupefied at the impudence of this lakerimmer whom he thought he had thrashed so soundly. he did not know that the main characteristic of the lakerimmer is this: he does not know when he is whipped, or, if he does know it, he will not stay whipped. but once he had recovered his senses, the haughty senior did not lose much time in making another onslaught on pretty. when some of his friends were pouring cold water on this senior's bruised head a few minutes later, he poured cold water on their scheme to attempt to carry out what he had failed in, for he said: "don't you ever go up against that lakerim fellow; his cane works like a gatling gun." so pretty was permitted to carry his cane; and though he swaggered a little, perhaps, no further attempt was made by the seniors to take the stick away from him. they had to content themselves with trying to throw water on him from upper windows; but their aim was bad. xx pretty had not been home long on his christmas vacation before he called at the home of the beautiful girl enid, who had helped him win so many tennis games, and who was the best of all the best girls he devoted himself to, either in kingston, lakerim, or any other of the towns he blessed with his smiling presence. enid and pretty, being great lovers of fresh air, took many a long walk on the country roads about lakerim. one day, when the air was as exhilarating and as electric as the bubbles in a glass of ice-cream soda, they took a much longer stroll than usual. then they made a sudden decision to turn homeward; for, rounding a sharp bend in the road, they saw coming toward them three burly tramps. at the sight of these three graces both pretty and enid stopped short in some little uneasiness. the tramps also stopped short, and seemed to engage in a conversation about the two young people ahead of them on the road. pretty, on account of the extreme neatness of his costume, often got credit for being a much richer lad than he was. and enid also was as careful and as successful in her costumery as pretty. so the three tramps probably thought they had before them two children of wealth, who would be amply provided with pocket-money. but if they had only known how little the two really had in their possession, the adventure you are about to hear would never have happened. but while pretty was flicking the dirt at the end of his toe with his walking-stick, and wondering if he really cared to go any farther, the tramps moved toward him quickly. enid, being a girl, was frightened, and did not try to conceal it, but said: "oh, pretty, let's go home at once!" pretty, being a boy, thought he must make a display of courage, even if he didn't feel it; so, while his heart clattered away in his breast, and he could hardly find breath to speak, he said with some show of composure: "yes, enid; i think we have walked far enough for to-day." then they whirled about and started for home at a good gait. they had not gone far when enid, glancing back over her shoulder, noticed that the tramps were coming up at a still more rapid walk. one of them, indeed, called out in a suspiciously friendly tone: "hey, young feller, hold up a minute and tell us what time it is, will ye?" enid gasped: "let's run, pretty; come on." but pretty answered with much dignity: "run? what for?" and he turned and called back to the tramp: "i don't know what time it is." then the tramps insisted again that pretty wait for them to come up. but when he continued to walk without answering them, they began to hurl oaths and rocks, and to run toward him. now pretty thought that discretion was the better half of valor, and he seized enid's wrist and started off on a run, an act in which she was willing enough to follow his lead. but he had to explain, just to preserve his dignity: "they're three to one, you know." but while enid understood well enough the necessity for speed, she had no breath to expend expressing her appreciation of pretty's delicate position. she was too frightened to run even as well as she knew how, and she was going at a gait that was neither very fast nor very economical of muscle and breath. pretty, however, ran scientifically: on the balls of his feet, with his head erect, his chest out, and his lips tightly locked. but before long he was doing all the work for two, and laboring like a ship that drags its anchor in a storm. they came to a hill now, and here enid leaned her whole weight upon him. he barely managed, with the most tremendous determination and exertion, to get her to the top of this long incline. as they labored up he decided in his own mind, and told her, that she must leave him and run on for help. just one tenth of a second his terrified mind had been occupied with the thought that he might run on alone and leave her. the tempting idea of self-preservation had whispered to him that if he stayed behind, it would only result in disaster to two, while if he ran on alone, at least one would be saved. but this cowardly selfishness he put away after the tenth of a second of thought, and now he was insisting, even against enid's gasping objection, that she must run on alone and leave him to take care of the footpads. he did not know how he was going to do this, but he felt that upon him devolved the duty of being the zealous rear-guard to cover the retreat of a vanquished army. enid, however, was stubborn, and proposed to stay and fight with him, even drawing out a very sharp and very dangerous hat-pin to emphasize her courage. but pretty, while he blessed her for her bravery and her full-heartedness, still commanded her to run on and bring help, promising her that he would keep out of harm's way till help could come. with this assurance, the poor girl staggered on, gaining strength from the necessity of speed to save her beloved pretty. at the brow of the hill pretty found himself alone, and turned and looked at the on-coming trio with defiant sternness. after a moment, which gave him some much-needed rest and a chance to gain new breath, he realized that one half a battle is with the warrior that is wise enough to make the first onslaught. so, after a tremor of very natural hesitation, the boy dashed full at the three hulkish tramps. xxi the overgrown brutes were so much taken aback at the change of front on the part of the young fellow whom they had hoped to run down like a scared rabbit, that they stopped short in sheer surprise. but this was only for a moment. then the leader of the three rushed forward, with a large club. he carried it high in the air in the same indiscreet manner in which pretty had once attacked the senior. just before the tramp and the boy came to close quarters pretty made a diving sidelong dodge, and as the tramp's club whisked idly through the air past him, he dealt the fellow a furious blow across the left shin. now, as any one who was ever struck there knows, a man's shin is as tender as a bear's nose; and the surprised tramp was soon dancing about in the air, hugging his bruised leg and yowling like a wildcat. but pretty had run on past, leaving him to his misery. now he came up to the other two, who moved in single file toward him. the first man pretty received right upon the point of his cane, driving the hard metal ferrule straight at the man's solar plexus. the combination of the man's rush and pretty's powerful thrust was enough to lay the wretch upon the ground, writhing and almost unconscious. for the last thug pretty had prepared a beautiful back-handed slash across the face; but the villain, seeing what was in store for him, dropped down, and rushed at the boy low enough to evade the stick. pretty, however, had a check for this move also, and a quick step to one side saved him from the man's clutch. now he recovered himself quickly enough to deliver a vicious whack straight at the back of the man's head--a blow that would have settled the tramp's mind for some time to come, but the fellow was running so fast that pretty missed his aim, and his stout weapon only dealt a stinging blow upon the man's left shoulder. the thug ran on far enough to gain a good vantage-ground, and then, whirling, came at pretty again. now his uplifted hand held an ugly knife. the look of this was not pleasant to pretty's eyes; but the excitement of the situation was much increased when a glance out of the side of his eye showed him that the first thug had regained enough nerve to come limping forward in the endeavor to throttle him. the men were not coming at him in such a way that he could use the "point-and-butt thrust" that he had learned for such occasions, so he decided instantly to repeat upon the first thug the shin-shattering blow that had been so successful before. as the man came on, then, pretty gave a terrific backward slash that caught the tramp's uninjured shin. it was a beauteous shot, and sent the fellow to his hunkers, actually boohooing with agony. and now, with another fine long sweep, this time upward, pretty sent a smashing blow at the third tramp's upraised arm. the force of the stroke was alone strong enough to send the knife flying; but, by the addition of a bit of good luck, pretty caught the wretch on his crazy bone, and set him to such a caterwauling as cats sing of midnights on a back-yard fence. leaving the battered three graces to their different dances, pretty picked up the knife he had knocked from the hand of the third, and sauntered homeward, adjusting his somewhat ruffled collar and tie as he went, with magnificent self-possession. on his way he met the party of rescuers sent to him by enid, who had managed to reach town in rapid time. pretty calmly sent them back to pick up the three tramps he had left; and these gentlemen were stowed away in the lakerim jail, where they cracked rock and thought of their cracked bones till long after pretty's christmas vacation was over. as for enid, i will leave you to guess whether or no she thought pretty the greatest hero of his age,--or any age,--and whether or no she gossiped his bravery all around lakerim long after the dozen were away again in kingston. xxii the night before the lakerim contingent went back to the kingston academy, another grand reception was given in their honor at the club-house; and the dozen made more speeches and assumed an air of greater magnificence than ever. but, nevertheless, they were just a trifle sorry that they had to leave their old happy hunting-ground. but there was some consolation in the thought that the life at the academy would not be one glittering revel of studies and classes. for the dozen believed, as it believed nothing else, that all play and no work makes jack a dull boy. the general average of the dozen in the matter of studies was satisfactory enough; for, while sleepy was always at the bottom of his classes, and probably the laziest and stupidest of all the students at kingston, history was certainly at the head of his classes, and probably the most brilliant of all the students at kingston. with these two at the opposite poles, the rest of the dozen worked more or less hard and faithfully, and kept a very decent pace. but the average attainment of the dozen in the field of athletics was far more than satisfactory. it was brilliant. for, while there was one man (history) who was not quite the all-round athlete of the universe, and was not good at anything more muscular than chess and golf, the eleven others had each his specialty and his numerous interests. they believed, athletically, in knowing everything about something, and something about everything. * * * * * the winter went blustering along, piling up snows and melting them again, only to pile up more again. and the wind raved in very uncertain humors. but, snow or thaw, the dozen was never at a loss to know what to do. finally january was gone, and february, that sawed-off month, was dawdling along its way toward that great occasion which gives it its chief excuse for being on the calendar--washington's birthday. from time immemorial it had been the custom at kingston to celebrate the natal anniversary of the father of his country with all sorts of disgraceful rioting and un-washingtonian cavorting. the lakerim twelve were not the ones to throw the weight of their influence against any traditions that might add dignity to the excitements of school-book life. of the part they took in raising the flag on the tower of the chapel, and in defending that flag, and in tearing down a dummy raised in their colors by the crows in the public square of the village--of this and many other delightfully improper pranks there is no room to tell here; and you must rest content with hearing of the important athletic affair--the affair which more truly and fittingly celebrated the anniversary of the birth of this great man, who was himself one of the finest specimens of manhood and one of the best athletes our country has ever known. the athletic association from a neighboring school, known as the brownsville school for boys, had sent the kingstonians an offer to bring along a team of cross-country runners to scour the regions around kingston in competition with any team kingston would put forth. the challenge was cordially accepted at once, and the brownsville people sent over john orton, the best of their cross-country runners, to look over a course two days in advance, and decide upon the path along which he should lead his team. it was agreed that the course should be between six and eight miles long. the runners should start from the kingston gymnasium, and report successively at the macomb farm-house, which was some distance out of kingston, and was cut off by numerous ditches and gullies; then at the railway junction two miles out of kingston; then at a certain little red school-house, and then at the finish in front of the campus. it was agreed that the two teams should start in different directions and touch at these points in the reverse order. each captain was allowed to choose his own course, and take such short cuts as he would, the three points being especially chosen with a view to keeping the men off the road and giving them plenty of fence-jumping, ditch-taking, and obstacle-leaping of all sorts. the race was to have been run off in the afternoon; but the train was late, and the brownsvillers did not arrive until just before supper. it was decided, after a solemn conference, that the race should be run in spite of the delay, and as soon as the supper had had a ghost of a chance to digest. the rising of a full and resplendent moon was a promise that the runners should not be entirely in the dark. tug and the brownsville chief, orton, had made careful surveys of the course they were to run over. it was as new to tug as to the brownsville man. each of the two had planned his own short cuts, and even if they had been running over the course in the same direction they would have separated almost immediately. but when the signal-shot that sent them off in different directions rang out, they were standing back to back, and did not know anything of each other's whereabouts until they met again, face to face, at the end of the course. the teams consisted of five men each. the only lakerim men on the kingston team were tug, the chief, who had been a great runner of 440-yard races, and sawed-off, who had won the half-mile event on various field-days. the other three were stage, bloss, and macmanus. all of them were stocky runners and inured to hardship. they had come out of the gymnasium in their bathrobes; and when the signal to start was given, the spectators in their warm overcoats felt chills scampering up and down their ribs as they noticed that all the men of both teams, when they had thrown off their bath-robes, stood clad only in running-shoes, short gymnasium-trunks, and jerseys. but their heat was to come from within, and once they were started, cold was the least of their trials. the two teams broke away from each other at the gymnasium, and bolted at a wide angle straight across the campus. they all took the first fence in perfect form, as if they were thoroughbred hunters racing after a fox. quiz and one or two other of the bicycle enthusiasts attempted to follow one or the other of the two packs; but they avoided the road so completely that the bicyclists soon lost them from sight, and returned to watch the finish. the method of awarding the victory was this: the different runners were to be checked off as they passed the different stages of the course, and crossed off as they came across the finish-line. each man was thus given the number of his place in the finish, and the total of the numbers earned by each team decided the match, the team having the smaller number winning. thus the first man in added the number 1 to the total score of his side, while the last man in added 10 to his. tug had explained to his runners, before they started out, that team-work was what would count--that he wished his men to keep together, and that they were to take their orders all from him. after the first enthusiasm of a good brisk start to get steam and interest up, tug slowed his pace down to such a gait as he thought could be comfortably maintained through the course. the brownsville leader, orton, however, being a brilliant cross-country runner himself, set his men too fierce a pace, and soon had upon his hands a pack of breathless stragglers. tug vigorously silenced any attempt at conversation among his men, and advised them to save their breath for a time soon to come when they would need it badly. his path led into a heavy woods, very gloomy under the dim moonlight; and he had many an occasion to yell with pain and surprise as a low branch stung him across the head. but all he permitted himself to exclaim was a warning cry to the others: "low bridge!" the grove was so blind (save for the little clearing at roden's knoll, which tug and sawed-off recognized with a groan of pride) that the men's shins were barked and their ankles turned at almost every other step, it seemed. but tug would not permit any of them the luxury of complaint. in time they were out of the wood and into the open. but here it seemed that their troubles only increased; for, where the main difficulty in the forest was to avoid obstacles, the chief trouble in the plain was to conquer them. there were many barbed-wire fences to crawl through, the points clutching the bare skin and tearing it painfully at various spots. the huge sawed-off suffered most from these barbs, but he only gasped: "i'm punctured." there were long, steep hills to scramble up and to jolt down. there were little gullies to leap over, and brooks to cross on watery stepping-stones that frequently betrayed the feet into icy water. after vaulting gaily over one rail fence, and scooting jauntily along across a wide pasture, the kingstonians were surprised to hear the sound of other footsteps than theirs, and they turned and found a large and enthusiastic bull endeavoring to join their select circle. perhaps this bovine gentleman was, after all, their very best friend, for nowhere along the whole course did they attain such a burst of speed as then. indeed, none of the five could remember a time in his life when he made such a spurt. they reached and scaled a stone wall, however, in time to shake off the company of this inhospitable host. in the next field there were two or three skittish colts, which they scared into all manner of hysterical behavior as they sped across. down a country lane they turned for a short distance; and a farmer and his wife, returning home from a church sociable, on seeing these five white figures flit past in a minimum of clothing, thereafter always vowed that they had seen ghosts. as the runners trailed past a farm-house with never a light to show upon its front, there was a ferocious hullabaloo, something between the angry snorting of a buffalo and the puffing of a railroad engine going up a steep grade. it was the wolfish welcome of three canine brigands, the bloodthirsty watch-dogs that surrounded and guarded this lonely and poverty-stricken little farm-house from the approach of any one evilor well-intentioned. those dogs must have been very sorry they spoke; for when they came rushing forward cordially to take a few souvenir bites out of the lakerim team, tug and the others stopped short and turned toward them. "load!" cried tug. and every mother's son of the five picked up three or four large rocks from the road. "aim!" cried tug. and every father's son of the five drew back a strong and willing arm. "fire!" cried tug. and every grandfather's and grandmother's grandson of the five let fly with a will the rocks his hands had found upon the road. those dogs must have felt that they were caught out in the heaviest hail-storm of their whole experience. their blustering mood disappeared in an instant, and they turned for home, yelping like frightened puppies; nor did they forget, like bo-peep's sheep, to take their tails with them, neatly tucked between their legs. past as the cross-country dogs ran in one direction, the cross-country humans ran in the opposite. now that they were on a good pike road, some of them were disposed to sprint, particularly the fleet-footed stage, who could far outrun tug or any of the team. but tug thought that wisdom lay in keeping his team well in hand, and he did not approve of running on in advance any more than he approved of straggling. thus the enthusiastic stage, rejoicing in his airy heels, suddenly found himself deserted, tug having seen fit to leave the road for a short cut across the fields; and stage had to run back fifty yards or more and spend most of his surplus energy in catching up with the team. it was a merry chase tug led his weary crew: through one rough ravine where the hillside flowed out from under their feet and followed them down, and where they must climb the other side on slippery earth, grasping at a rock here and a root there; then through one little strip of forest that offered him an advantageous-short cut. here again he silenced the protests of his men at the thick underbrush and the frequent brambles they encountered. just at the edge of this little grove tug put on an extra burst of speed, and was running like the wind. the others, following to the best of their ability, saw him about to pass between two harmless posts. suddenly they also saw him throw up his hands and fall over backward. when they reached him they saw that he had run into a barbed-wire fence in the dark. xxiii they were doubly dismayed now, because they not only had lost their leader, but were themselves lost in some part of the country where they knew neither the landmarks nor the points of the compass. they helped tug cautiously to his feet, and, for lack of a better medicine, rubbed snow upon the ugly slashes in his breast and legs. "this ends the race, as far as we are concerned," moaned bloss. but tug had recovered enough from his dizziness to shake his head and mane lion-like, and cry: "not much! come on, boys!" and before the restraining hand of sawed-off could stop him, tug had somehow wormed himself through the barbed-wire fence and was off across the open; and they were sore put to it to catch up with him again. suddenly, as the devoted four followed their leader, the first station, the farm-house at which they were to report, loomed unexpectedly upon the horizon, approached in some unknown way by tug, who was threading his way through the wilderness with more regard for straight lines than for progress. they were named off, as they flew past, by a watcher stationed there, and without pause they made off toward the railroad junction. once they thought they saw a few fleeting forms in the distance, and they guessed that they must be orton and his brownsville team; but they could not feel sure, and no closer sight of their rivals was vouchsafed to them. when the last station, the little red school-house, had been passed, they began to feel that there was some hope of their reaching home. they began also to feel the effect of their long, hard journey. their sides hurt them sorely, their legs ached, and their breath came faster than they wished. macmanus now showed more serious signs of weakening than any of the rest. he straggled along the way with feet that seemed to get into each other's path, and with a head that wabbled uncertainly on his drooping shoulders. tug fell back and ran alongside him, trying to console and encourage him to better speed. macmanus responded to this plea with a spurt, and suddenly broke away from the four and ran wildly ahead with the speed of desperation. he came upon a little brook frozen across with a thin sheet of ice. here he found a log that seemed to have been placed, either providentially or by some human being, to serve as a foot-bridge. macmanus leaped gaily on it to cross the stream ahead of the rest. to his breathless dismay, the log turned under his foot; and wildly as he tried to get a good grip on the atmosphere, nothing could save him, and he went ker-smash and ker-splash through the thin ice into the water. now he was indeed willing to run without any more coaxing than the bitter air upon his wet skin. his only hope of getting warm was in his heels. and he ran like a maniac till tug and the rest must put on extra force also, or leave him completely. almost before they knew it, now, they were on the outskirts of kingston village. their arrival at the beginning of the home stretch was signaled in a very startling manner; for tug, who had regained the lead, saw ahead of him a bright, shining strip that looked for all the world like a little frozen stream under the moonlight. he did not care to risk stepping on any more thin ice, so he gave the quick command: "jump!" and he jumped, followed almost immediately by his devoted attendants. the next thing they all knew, they were in half-frozen mud up to their knees. the bright patch they had supposed to be a brook was a frost-covered sidewalk! and they had carefully jumped over the sidewalk into the mire beyond! tug was disgusted but not disheartened, and he had his crew under way again instantly. he kept up his system of short cuts even now that they were in town. he led them over back fences, through orchards and kitchen-gardens, scattering a noisy flock of low-roosting hens in one place, and stirring up a half-dozen more dogs in another. the true home stretch was a long downhill run straight to the goal. by the time they reached this macmanus was once more in bad shape, and going very unsteadily. as they cleared the brow of the hill, tug's anxious heart was pierced with the fear that he had lost the long, racking race, after all; for, just crossing the stake at the finish, he caught a sight of orton. the rest of the team saw the same disheartening spectacle. and macmanus, eager for any excuse to stop running, gasped: "they've beaten us. there's no use running any farther." but tug, having lakerim ideals in mind, would never say die. he squandered just breath enough to exclaim: "we're not beaten till the last man crosses the line!" and he added: "stage, run for your life." and stage ran. oh, but it was fine to see that lad run! he fled forward like a stag with the hounds in full cry after him. he wasted not an ounce of energy, but ran cleanly and straightly and splendidly. he had the high-stepping knee-action of a thoroughbred trotter, and his running was as beautiful as it was swift. "run, all of you, for your lives!" cried tug; and at that the weary little band sprang forward with a new lease on strength and determination. tug had no ambition, like orton, to leave his men to find their own way. rather, he herded them up and urged them on, as a scotch collie drives home the sheep at a canter. orton's runners were "tailed out" for more than half a mile behind him. he himself was easily the first man home; but stage beat his second man in, and bloss was a good third. orton ran back frantically, now, to coax his last three men. he hurried in his third runner at a fairly good gait, but before he could get him to the line, tug had brought forward his last three men, sawed-off well up, macmanus going doggedly and leaning mentally, if not physically, on tug, who ran at his side. by thus hurling in three men at once, tug made an enormous inroad upon the score of the single-man brownsvillers. besides, though orton got his next-to-the-last man in soon after tug, the last brownsviller did not come along for a minute afterward. he had been left to make his way along unaided and unguided, and he hardly deserved the laughter that greeted him as he came over the line. thus orton, too ambitious, had brought his team in with this score: 1, 3, 8, 9, 10--total, 31; while tug's men, well bunched at the finish, came in with this score: 2,4, 5, 6, 7-total, 24. tug richly deserved the cheers and enthusiasm that greeted his management; for, in spite of a team of individual inferiority to the crack brownsvillers; he had won by strict discipline and clever generalship. xxiv the victorious outcome of the cross-country run, as well as many other victories and defeats, had pretty well instilled it in the lakerim minds that team-play is an all-important factor of success. but the time came when there was no opportunity to use the hard-learned, easily forgot lesson of team-work, and it was each man for himself, and all for lakerim and kingston. when the ground was soggy and mushy with the first footsteps of spring, and it was not yet possible to practise to any extent out of doors, the kingston athletic association received from the athletic association of the troy latin school a letter that was a curious combination of blood-warming hospitality and blood-curdling challenge. the latin school, in other words, opened its heart and its gymnasium, and warmly invited the kingston athletes to come over and be eaten up in a grand indoor carnival. troy was not so far away that only a small delegation could go. almost every one from kingston, particularly those athletically inclined, took the train to troy. most surprising of all it was to see the diminutive and bespectacled history proudly joining the ranks of the strong ones. he was going to troy to display his microscopical muscles in that most wearing and violent of all exercises--chess. the tri-state interscholastic league, which encouraged the practice of all imaginable digressions from school-books, had arranged for a series of chess games between teams selected from the different academies. the winners of these preliminary heats, if one can use so calm a word for so exciting a game, were to meet at troy and play for the championship of the league. if i should describe the hair-raising excitement of that chess tournament, i am afraid that this book would be put down as entirely too lively for young readers. so i will simply say once for all that, owing to history's ability to look wiser than any one could possibly be, and to spend so much time thinking of each move that his deliberation affected his opponents' nerves, and owing to the fact that he could so thoroughly map out future moves on the inside of his large skull, and that there was something awe-inspiring about his general look of being a wizard in boys' clothes, he won the tournament--almost more by his looks than by his skill as a tactician. the whole academy, and especially the lakerimmers, overwhelmed this second paul morphy with congratulations, and felt proud of him; but when he attempted to explain how he had won his magnificent battle, and started off with such words as these: "you will observe that i used the zukertort opening"; and when he began to tell of his moves from vx to qz, or some such place, even his best friends took to tall timber. the kingston visitors found that the troy latin school was in possession of a finer and much larger gymnasium than their own. but, much as they envied their luckier neighbors, they determined that they would prove that fine feathers do not make fine birds, nor a fine gymnasium fine athletes. a large crowd had gathered, and was put in a good humor with a beautiful exhibition of team-work by the troy men on the triple and horizontal bars and the double trapeze. the trojans also gave a kaleidoscopic exhibition of tumbling and pyramid-building, none of which sports had been practised much by the kingstonians. after this the regular athletic contests of the evening began. in almost every event at least one of the lakerim men represented kingston. some of the dozen made a poor showing; but the majority, owing to their long devotion to the theory and the practice of athletics, stood out strongly, and were recognized by the strange audience, in their lakerim sweaters, as distinguished heroes of the occasion. the first event was a contest in horse-vaulting, in which no lakerim men were entered. kingston suffered a defeat. "ill begun is half done up," sighed jumbo. but in the next event the old reliable tug was entered, among others; and in the rope-climb he ran up the cord like a monkey on a stick, and touched the tambourine that hung twenty-five feet in the air before any of his rivals reached their goal, and in better form than any of them. the third event was the standing high jump; and b.j. and the other kingstonians were badly outclassed here. their efforts to clear the bar compared with that of the trojans as the soaring of an elephant compares with the flight of a butterfly. punk was the only lakerimmer on the team that attempted to win glory on the flying-rings, but he and his brother kingstonians suffered a like humiliation with the standing high-jumpers. the clerk of the course and the referees were now seen to be running hither and yon in great excitement. a long delay and much putting of heads together ensued, to the great mystification of the audience. at length, just as a number of small boys in the gallery had begun to stamp their feet in military time and whistle their indignation, the official announcer officially announced that there had been a slight hitch in the proceedings. "i have to explain," he yelled in his gentlest manner, "that two of the boxers have failed to turn up. both have excellent excuses and doctors' certificates to account for their absence, but we have unfortunately to confess that the kingston heavy-weight and the troy feather-weight are incapacitated for the present. the feather-weight from kingston, however, is a good enough sport to express a willingness to box, for points, with the heavy-weight from troy. while this match will look a little unusual owing to the difference in size of the two opponents, it will be scientific enough, we have no doubt, to make it interesting as well as picturesque." as usual, the audience, not knowing what else to say, applauded very cordially. and now the heavy-weight from troy, one jaynes, appeared upon the scene with his second. there was no roped-off space, but only an imaginary "ring," which was, as usual, a square--of about twenty-four feet each way. jaynes was just barely qualified as a heavy-weight, being only a trifle over one hundred and fifty-eight pounds. but he overshadowed little bobbles as the giants overshadowed jack the giant-killer. bobbles, while he was diminutive compared with jaynes, was yet rather tall and wiry for his light weight, and had an unusually long reach for one of his size. he regretted now the great pains he had taken to train down to feather-weight weight. for when he had stepped on the scales in the gymnasium, the day before he had started for troy, he found that he was three pounds over the necessary hundred and fifteen. so he had put on three sweaters, two pairs of trousers, and his football knickers, and run around the track for fully four miles, until he was in doubt as to whether he was a liquid or a solid body. then he had fallen into a hot bath, and jumped from that into a cold shower, and had then been rubbed down by some of his faithful lakerim friends with a pail of rock-salt to harden his muscles. at troy, too, he had continued these tactics, and found, to his delight, when he weighed in, that he just tipped the scales at one hundred and fifteen. and now he was matched to fight with a heavy-weight, and every pound he had sweat off would have been an advantage to him! yet, at any rate, it was not a fight to a finish, but only for points, and he counted upon his agility to save him from the rushes and the major tactics of the larger man. in order to make the scoring of points more vivid and visible to the audience, it was decided, after some hesitation, that the gloves should be coated with shoe-blacking. bobbles realized that his salvation lay in quick attack and the seizure of every possible opportunity, as well as in his ability to escape the onslaughts of the heavy-weight. he did not purpose turning it into a sprinting-match, but he felt that he was justified in making as much use of the art of evasion as possible. he began the series by what was almost sharp practice, but was justified by the rules. the referee sang out: "gentlemen, shake hands." then the long and the short of it quickly clasped boxing-gloves in the middle of the ring. "time!" cried the referee. [illustration: the boxing match.] immediately on the break-away, before jaynes had got his hands into position, bobbles had landed on him with a fine left upper cut that put a black mark on jaynes' jaw. jaynes looked surprised, and the audience laughed. bobbles also laughed, for he knew he would have few chances to place black spots on the upper works of the tall jaynes, and that he must make his scores mainly upon the zone just above jaynes' belt. jaynes was as much angered as surprised at receiving the first blow, and sailed in with a vengeance to pepper bobbles; but he began to think that he was boxing with a grasshopper before long, for, wherever he struck, there bobbles was not. in fact, most of his straight-arm blows were not only dodged by bobbles with the smallest necessary effort, but were effectively countered. bobbles proved himself an adept at that best of boxing tactics, the ability to dodge. he rarely moved more than would take him sufficiently out of harm's way. a little bending of the head from one side to the other, a quick side-step or an adroit duck, saved him from being the bull's-eye of most of jaynes' attacks. there were to be three rounds of three minutes each, with one minute's intermission between rounds. the first round was over before either of the men was much more than well warmed up to the work, and before either had scored any impressive amount of points. jaynes, however, realized that bobbles had landed oftener than he, and that the sympathy of the audience was with the little fellow. when time was called for the next round, therefore, he decided to rush things; and he charged on bobbles with such fury that side-stepping and back-stepping were of little avail, and there was nothing for bobbles to do but go into the mix-up and try to give as much as he received. before they knew just how, they were clinched, and the referee was cutting them apart like a cheese-knife. and now the big man realized that on the swift interchange of blows bobbles was quicker than he, and that he must keep him at a little distance. relying, then, on his greater reach, he went at bobbles in a most exasperating manner, holding one long arm out straight, and fanning bobbles with the other. bobbles ran into the outstretched fist with great enthusiasm at first, but after a moment's daze he dodged round and under that arm and devoted himself to playing a tattoo on jaynes' solar plexus. since his glove left a black mark wherever it struck, it was tattooing in two senses. both men welcomed the gong that announced a chance to breathe. the grateful rubbing down, fanning, and sponging of the lightning-like seconds between the rounds restored both men somewhat to their enthusiasm, though the furious rate at which they had taken the two previous rounds left them bodily weak. jaynes' second told him, during the pause, that bobbles had decidedly the best of it thus far on form, and jaynes' temper was aroused. bobbles, having been told by his second that he had the better of it, had grown a trifle rash and impudent, and dared to take the aggressive. he went straight into jaynes' zone of fire, and managed to plant several good hooks and upper cuts. while bobbles was playing in the upper regions for jaynes, jaynes made a reach for bobbles' body, several times; but bobbles was not there. when jaynes made a careless lead, bobbles countered and dodged with remarkable skill. all these things, while they increased bobbles' score and standing with the judges, increased jaynes' temper; and finally he gave a vicious right swing, which bobbles avoided unintentionally by slipping and falling. so he found himself on the floor, with jaynes standing over him in expectant anticipation of landing him another ebonizing blow. he heard, also, the referee beginning to count slowly the seconds. his first impulse was to rise to his feet and assail jaynes with all his might; then he realized that he had nine seconds for refreshment, and there he waited on one hand and one knee, while the seconds were slowly intoned, until the referee sang out: "nine!" then he made a sidelong scramble to his feet, and succeeded in dodging the blow with which jaynes welcomed him back. jaynes charged now after bobbles like a spanish bull; but the wiry lakerimmer dodged him, and smote back at him while he dodged; while jaynes, losing his head completely, wasted his strength in futile rushes and wild blows that bruised nothing except the atmosphere. before the end of the round both men were decidedly tired, because the pace had been very rapid. the blows they dealt at each other were now hardly more than velvety shoves, and the air seemed to be the chief obstacle in their way. when by some chance they clinched, they leaned lovingly upon each other till the referee had to pry them apart. there was a little revival of interest just before the gong sounded to end the third and last round; for bobbles, having regained some of his wind, began to pommel jaynes with surprising rapidity and accuracy. the end of the bout found them in a happy-go-lucky mix-up, each striking blindly. the judges now met to discuss the verdict they were to render; and, there being some dispute as to the number of blows landed by each, the two men were brought forward for inspection. bobbles' face and neck were as black as a piccaninny's, but there were few dark spots upon his chest. jaynes, however, was like a leopard, for the blacking on bobbles' gloves had mottled him all up and down and around. as jumbo remarked to sawed-off: "bobbles certainly had designs on that big fellow!" the judges had been agreed that on the points of defense, guarding, ducking, getting away, and counter-hitting, bobbles, considering his size, was plainly the more brainy and speedy of the two. they were also inclined to grant him the greater number of points on his form in general, and especially on account of the disparity in size and reach; and when they counted the tattoo-marks on each, they found that here also bobbles had made the highest score, and they did not hesitate to award him the prize. the next event was the high kick, which was won by a kingston hitch-and-kicker, who was a rank outsider from the dozen. quiz managed to be third and add one point to the academy's score. then came an exhibition of indian-club swinging. jumbo had formerly been the great indian-club swinger of the dozen, but he had recently gone in so enthusiastically for wrestling that he had given up his other interest. sleepy had taken up this discarded amusement with as much enthusiasm as was possible to him. there was something about it that appealed to sleepy. it was different from weight-lifting and dumb bell exercising in that when you once got the clubs started they seemed to do all the work themselves. but sleepy was too lazy to learn many of the new wrinkles, and the troy club-swingers set him some tasks that he could not repeat. in form, too, he was not their equal; and this event went to the kingston opponents. a novelty was introduced here in place of the usual parallel-bar exhibition. from the horizontal bar a light gate was hung, and the various contestants gave exhibitions of vaulting. the gate prevented the use of the kippie swing. there was no method of twisting and writhing up to the bar; it had to be clean vaulting; and kingston gradually raised the mark till the troy men could not go over it. at its last notch only one man made it, and that was a kingston athlete--but unfortunately not a lakerimmer, as punk remained behind with the others, and divided second place with a rival. a sack race was introduced to furnish a little diversion for the audience, which, in view of the length of the program, was beginning to believe that, after all, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. the kingstonians had put their hope in this event upon the twins. none but the dozen could tell them apart, but the kingstonians felt confident that one of the red-headed brotherhood would win out. and so it looked to the audience when the long row of men were tied up like dummies in sacks that reached to their necks; for, after the first muddle at the start, two small brick-top figures went bouncing along in the lead, like hot-water bags with red stoppers in them. the kingstonians, not knowing which of the twins was in the lead, if indeed either of them actually led, yelled violently: "the twins! the twins!" it was reddy that had got the first start and cleared the multitude, but heady, by a careful system of jumping, was soon alongside his brother. he made a kind-hearted effort to cut reddy off, with the result that they wabbled together and fell in a heap. they did not mind the fact that two or three other sack-runners were falling all over them; nor did they care what became of the race: the desire of each was to tear off that sack and get at the wretched brother that had caused the fall. not being able to work their hands loose, they rolled toward each other, and began violently to bunt heads. finding that this banner of battle hurt the giver of the blow as much as it did the receiver of it, they rolled apart again, and began to kick at each other in a most ludicrous and undignified manner. the lakerimmers were finally compelled to rush in on the track and separate the loving brothers. strange to say, the twins got no consolation for the loss of the race from the fact that the audience had laughed till the tears ran down its face. [illustration: "tied up like dummies in sacks."] when the running high jump went to troy on account of the inability of b.j. to reach even his own record, the kingstonians began to feel anxious of results. troy had won six events, and they had won only four. the points, too, had fallen in such a way that there was a bad discrepancy. sawed-off appeared upon the horizon as a temporary rescuer; and while he could not put the sixteen-pound bag of shot so far as he had in better days sent the sixteen-pound solid shot, still he threw it farther than any of the trojans could, and brought the kingston score up to within one of the events gone to troy. pretty added one more by a display of grace and skill in the fencing-match with foils, that surprised even his best friends from lakerim, and won the unanimous vote of the three judges, themselves skilful fencers. a wet blanket was thrown on the encouragement of the kingstonians by their inferiority at weight-lifting. sawed-off was many pounds from the power of a certain powerful trojan, who was a smaller man with bigger muscles. then all the members of the dozen had a special parlay with jumbo, imploring him to save the day and the honor of both kingston and lakerim by winning the wrestling-match. xxv when jumbo glanced across the floor and saw the man that was to be his opponent striding toward the mat in the center of the floor, he wished that some one else had been placed as the keystone in the kingston arch of success. for jumbo knew well the man's record as a wrestler. but jumbo himself, while small, was well put together; and though built, as he said, "close to the ground," he was built for business. since he had gone in for wrestling he had made it the specialty of all his athletic exercises. he had practised everything that had any bearing on the strengthening of particular muscles or general agility. he had practised cart-wheels, hand-springs, back and front flips. he had worked with his neck at the chest-weight machine. he would walk on his hands to strengthen his throat, and his collars had grown in a few weeks from thirteen and a half to fifteen, and he could no longer wear his old shirts without splitting them. he made the mats in the kingston gymnasium almost his home. his special studies were bridging and spinning. he spent hours on his back, rising to his two feet and his head and then rolling from one shoulder to the other and spinning to his front. when he had his bridge-building abilities fairly well started, he compelled his heavy chum sawed-off to act as a living meal-bag, and rolled around upon the top of his head and bridged, with sawed-off laying all his weight across his chest. when he went to bed he bridged there until the best of wrestlers, sleep, had downed him. when he woke in the morning, he fell out of bed to the floor, turning his head under him and rolling so as not to break his neck or any bones, and bridging rigidly upon his head and bare feet. jumbo knew that, whatever might be the ability of his rival, the trojan ware, at least he, jumbo, could have his conscience easy with the thought that he had made the most profitable use of the short time he had spent on wrestling, and that he would put up as good a fight as was in him. more than that no athlete can do. jumbo and ware met upon the mattress with their close-shaven heads looking like bulldogs' jowls; and they shook hands--if one can imagine bulldogs shaking hands. jumbo had two cardinal principles, but he could put neither of them into practice in the first maneuvers: the first was always to try to get out of one difficulty by dumping the opponent into another; the second was always to try for straight-arm leverages. ware being the larger of the two, jumbo was content to play a waiting game and find out something of the methods of his burly opponent. he dodged here and there, avoiding the reaching lobster-claws of ware by quick wriggles or by slapping his hands away as they thrust. suddenly ware made a quick rush, and, breaking through jumbo's interference, seized him around the body to bend him backward. but while the man was straining his hardest, jumbo brought his hands around and placed them together in front of the pit of his stomach, so that the harder ware squeezed the harder he pressed jumbo's fists into his abdomen. ware looked foolish at being foiled so neatly, and broke away, only to come at jumbo again, and clasp him so close that there was no room for his fists to press against ware's diaphragm. but now jumbo suddenly clasped his left arm back of ware's neck, and with his right hand bent the man's forehead back until he was glad enough to let go and spring away. ware continued to run around jumbo as a dog runs around a treed cat. but jumbo always evaded his quick rushes till ware, after many false moves, finally made a sudden and unforeseen dash, seized jumbo's right hand with both of his, whirled in close, and, with his back against jumbo's chest, carried the lakerimmer's right arm straight and stiff across his shoulder. bearing down with all his weight on this lever, and at the same time dropping to his knees, he shot jumbo over his shoulders, heels over head. "that flying mere was certainly a bird!" said bobbles. ware went down with jumbo, to land on his chest and break any bridge the boy might form. and the flying mere had been such a surprise, and the fall was so far and the floor so hard, that, while jumbo instinctively tried to bridge, his effort collapsed. his two shoulders touched. the bout was over. the first fall had been so quickly accomplished, and jumbo had offered so feeble a resistance, that the troy faction at once accepted the wrestling-match as theirs, and the kingstonians gave up the evening as hopelessly lost. jumbo was especially covered with chagrin, since he had practised so long, and had builded so many hopes on this victory; worst of all, the whole success of the contest between the two academies depended on his victory. when, then, after a rest, the referee called "time!" ware came stalking up jauntily and confidently; but jumbo, instead of skulking, was up, and at, and on him like a wildcat. ware had expected that the lakerim youngster would pursue the same elusive tactics as before, and he was all amaze while jumbo was seizing his left hand with his own left hand, and, darting round behind him, was bending ware's arm backward and upward into the hammerlock. the pain of this twist sent ware's body forward, so that jumbo could reach up under his right armpit and, placing the palm of his right hand on the back of ware's head, make use of that crowbar known as the right half-nelson. this pressure was gradually forcing ware forward on the top of his head; but he knew the proper break for the hammerlock, and simply threw himself face forward on the mat. as he rose to his knees again jumbo pounced on him like a hawk, and while ware waited patiently the little lakerimmer was reaching under ware's armpit again for another half-nelson; but ware simply dodged the grasping of jumbo's right hand, or, bringing his right arm vigorously back and down, so checked jumbo's arm that the boy could not reach his neck. jumbo now tried, by leaning his left forearm and all his weight upon ware's head, to bring it into reach; but ware's neck was too strong, and when he stiffened it jumbo could not force it down. ware waited in amused patience to learn just how much jumbo knew about wrestling. jumbo wandered around on his knees, feinting for another half-nelson, and making many false plays to throw ware off his guard. suddenly, while ware seemed to be all neck against a half-nelson, jumbo dropped to his knees near ware's right arm, and, shooting his left arm under ware's body and his right arm across beneath ware's chin, laid violent hold on the man's left arm near the shoulder with what is known as the farther-arm hold. jumbo's movement was so quick and unexpected that ware could not parry it by throwing his left leg out and forward for a brake. he realized at once that he would have to go, and when jumbo gave a quick yank he rolled over and bridged. but jumbo followed him quickly over, and clasping ware's left arm between his legs, he forced the right arm out straight also with both his hands so that ware could not roll. then he simply pressed with all his force upon ware's chest. and waited. also weighted. ware squirmed and wriggled and grunted and writhed, but there was no escape for him, and while he stuck it out manfully, with jumbo heavy upon him, he knew that he was a goner. and finally, with a sickly groan, london bridge came a-falling down. the bout was jumbo's, and he retired to his corner with a heart much lighter. the applause of the audience, the rip-roaring enthusiasm of the kingston academy yell, followed by the beloved club cry of lakerim, rejoiced him mightily. he had put down a man far heavier than he; and he felt that possibly, perchance, maybe, there was a probability of a contingency in which he might be able to have a chance of downing him once more--perhaps. it was a very cool and cautious young man that came forward to represent kingston when the referee exclaimed: "shake hands for the third and last bout!" jumbo, as soon as he had released ware's fingers, dropped to his hands and knees on the mat, squatting far back on his haunches, and manifested a cheerful willingness to go almost anywhere except on the back of his two shoulders. it was ware's turn to be aggressive now, for he had been laughed at not a little for being downed by so small an opponent. he spent some time and more strength in picking jumbo up bodily from the mat and dropping him all over the place. jumbo's practice at bridging stood him in excellent stead now, and he got out of many a tight corner by a quick, firm bridge or a sudden spin. ware time after time forced one of the boy's shoulders to the mat, and strove with all his vim to force the other shoulder down. and he generally succeeded; but the first always came up. jumbo went willingly from one shoulder to the other, but never from one to both. he frequently showed a most obliging disposition, and did what ware wanted him to, or, rather, he did just that and a little more--he always went too far; and ware was becoming convinced that he never could get those two obstinate shoulder-blades to the mat at the same time. after much puttering, he reached the goal of his ambition, and got the deadly full-nelson on jumbo's head, and forced it slowly and irresistibly down. just as he was congratulating himself that he had his fish landed, jumbo suddenly whirled his legs forward and assumed a sitting position. the whole problem was reversed. ware rose wearily to his feet, and jumbo returned to his hands and knees. once more ware strove for the nelson. he was jabbing jumbo's head and trying to shove it down within reach of his right hand. suddenly, with a surprising abruptness, jumbo's head was not there,--he had jerked it quickly to one side,--and ware's hand slipped down and almost touched the floor. but the watchful jumbo had seized ware's wrist with both hands, and returned to the big fellow the compliment of the straight-ann leverage and the flying mere which had been so fatal to himself in the first bout. ware's fall was not nearly so far as jumbo's had been, and he managed to bridge and save himself. before jumbo could settle on his chest, ware was out of danger. but he went to his hands and knees in a defensive attitude that showed he was nearly worn out. jumbo did not see just what right ware had to imitate his own position, and the two of them sprawled like frogs, eying each other jealously. jumbo soon saw that he was expected to take the aggressive or go to sleep; so, with a lazy sigh, he began snooping around for those nuggets of wrestling, the nelsons. after foiling many efforts, the trojan noted all at once that jumbo's head was not above ware's shoulders, but back of the right armpit. in a flash a thought of pity went through ware's brain. "poor fool!" he almost groaned aloud; and reaching back, he gathered jumbo's head into chancery. a sigh went up from all kingston, and sawed-off gasped: "poor jumbo 's gone!" but just as ware, chuckling with glee, started to roll jumbo over, the boy swung at right angles across ware's back, and brought the trojan's arm helplessly to the hammerlock. this was a new trick to ware, one he had never heard of, but one that he understood and respected immediately. he yielded to it judiciously, and managed to spin on his head before jumbo could land on his chest. ware had more respect now for jumbo, and decided to keep him on the defensive, especially as a bystander announced that the time was almost up. ware rushed the contest, and, after many failures, managed to secure a perfect full-nelson. jumbo's position was such that there was no way for him to squirm out. he resisted until it seemed that his neck would break. in vain. his head was slowly forced under. and now his shoulders began to follow, and he was rolling over on his back. one shoulder is down. the referee is on all fours, his cheek almost to the ground. he is watching for the meeting of those two shoulders upon the mat. the kingstonians have given up, and the trojans have their cheers all ready. and now the despairing jumbo feels that his last minute has come. but just for the fraction of a second he sees that the cautious ware is slightly changing his hold. with a sudden, a terrific effort, he throws all his soul into his muscles--closes his arms like a vise on ware's arms. the nelson is broken, or weakened into uselessness. he draws his head into his shoulders as a turtle's head is drawn into its shell, whirls like lightning on the top of his head to his other shoulder, and on over, carrying the horrified ware with him, plouncing the trojan flat on his back, and plumping down on top of him. and the excited referee went over on his back also, and kicked his heels foolishly in the air as he cried: "down!" jumbo had won the match. this brought the score of contests back to a tie, and the result of these olympic games now rested entirely on the victors of the tug of war. xxvi curiously enough, the trojans and the kingstonians had each won a series of firsts, seconds, and thirds that totaled up the same. so the tug of war, which had been intended only for an exhibition, became in a sense the deciding event of the whole contest. the captain of the kingston four was the large sawed-off, who was also the anchor of his team. he came out upon the floor, wearing around his waist a belt that was almost as graceful as a horse-collar, and quite as heavy, made, as it was, of padded leather. it was suspended from his shoulders like a life-belt, and carried a deep groove around the middle of it. the troy captain had a similar contrivance about him, and he looked somewhat contemptuously upon the kingstonians, who had not the beefy, brawny look of his own big four. the eight took their places on the long board, each man with his feet against a cleat. the rope was marked in its exact center with a white cord, and held there by a lever, which the umpire pressed down with his foot. the troy tuggers took a stout hold on the rope and faced the kingstonians gloweringly. the kingston men, however, faced to the rear and straddled the rope--all except sawed-off, who had wrapped it round his belt, and taken a hitch in it for security. he faced the trojans, and hoped that science would defeat beef once more in the history of athletics. when all were ready the umpire shouted "go!" and at the same instant released the lever and the cable. the trojans threw all their muscle into one terrific jerk; but each of sawed-off's men, gripping the cable in front of him at arm's-length, fell forward, face down. by the impact of their full weight, and by relying not merely upon their arms, but on the whole pull of back and legs, the kingstonians gave the rope a yank that would have annoyed an oak-tree, and certainly left the trojans no chance. after this first assault the teams found themselves thus: the kingstonians were stretched prone upon the board with their legs straight against the cleats; sawed-off was braced against his cleat and seated, facing troy. the rival team was seated, but with knees bent; and their captain glared amazed at sawed-off, who was busily taking in over a foot of captured cable. the trojan captain, winthrop by name, gave a signal grunt, to which his men responded with a fury, regaining about two of the lost inches. this lifted sawed-off slightly off the board, and in response to three or four bitter wrenches from troy, he was forced to let them have six inches more cable, lest they cut him in two like a cake of soap. but kingston had learned, by painful experience, the signals of the troy captain; and just as the trojans were reaching confidently forward for a new hold, the alert sawed-off murmured a quick hint, and his men gave a sudden hunch that took the enemy unawares, and brought back home three inches of beautiful rope. the same watchfulness won another three; and there they held the white string, a foot to their side, when the time was up and the lever was clamped down. after a short rest, the men resined their hands anew and prepared for the second pull. the trojan captain had been wise enough to see the advantage of the kingston forward fall, and he was not too modest to adopt it. when the lever was supped the second time both teams fell face downward. but now troy's greater bulk told to her advantage, and she carried the white cord six inches to her side. the kingstons lay with their knees bent. now sawed-off tried a preconcerted trick signal. with ominous tone he cried: "now, boys--all together--heave!" at the word "heave" the trojans braced like oxen against the expected jerk; but none came, and they relaxed a little, feeling that they had been fooled. but sawed-off's men were slowly and silently counting five, and then, with a mighty heave, they yearned forward, and catching the winthrop team unprepared, got back four inches. they tried it again, and made only about an inch. a third time sawed-off gave the signal, and the trojans, recognizing it, waited a bit before bracing for the shock. but for the third time sawed-off had arranged that the pull should immediately follow the command. again the trojans were fooled, and the white went two inches into kingston territory. the trojans now grew angry and panicky, and began to wrench and twist without regard for one another. the result of this was that kingston gradually gained three inches more before winthrop could coax his men back to reason and team-work. the time was almost gone now, and he got his men into a series of well-concerted, steady, deadly efforts, that threatened to bring the whole kingston four over with the snail-like white cord. but sawed-off pleaded with his men, and they buried their faces in the board and worked like mad. to the spectators they seemed hardly to move, but under their skins their muscles were crowding and shoving like a gang of slaves, and fairly squeezing streams of sweat out of them as if their gleaming hides were sponges. and then, after what seemed a whole night of agony, the white cord budged no more, though the trojans pulled themselves almost inside out; and suddenly the lever nipped the rope, and the contest was over. the trojans were all faint, and the head of winthrop fell forward limply. even sawed-off was so dizzy that he had to be helped across the floor by his friends. but they were glad enough to pay him this aid. all kingston had learned to love the sturdy giant, and the lakerimmers were prouder of him than ever, for it was through him that the fatal balance had been pulled down to kingston's side, so that the team could take another victory home with them to the academy. xxvii as the school year rolled on toward its finish in june, times became busier and busier for the students, especially for the lakerimmers, who felt a great responsibility upon their shoulders, the responsibility of keeping the lakerim athletic club pennant flying to the fore in all the different businesses of academic life--in the classroom, at the prize speaking, in the debating society, and, most of all, in the different athletic affairs. it was no longer necessary, as it had been at home in lakerim, for the same twelve men to play all the games known to humanity--to make a specialty of everything, so to speak. at kingston, while they were still one body and soul, and kept up their union with constant powwows in one another's rooms, but most often in tug's, they were divided variously among the athletic teams, where each one felt that his own honor was lakerim's. their motto was the motto of the three musketeers: "all for one, and one for all." the springtime athletics found the best of them choosing between the boat crew and the ball team. it was a hard choice for some of them who loved to be jacks-at-all-trades, but a choice was necessary. the kingston academy possessed so many good fellows that not all of the dozen found a place on the eight or the nine; still, there were enough of them successful to keep lakerim material still strongly in evidence. of the men that tried for the crew, all were sifted out, gradually, except b.j., quiz, and punk. the training was a severe one, under a coach who had graduated some years before from kingston, and had come back to bring his beloved academy first across the line, as it had gone the year he had captained the crew. as the training went on, the man who had been elected captain of the eight worked so faithfully--or overworked so faithfully--that he was trained up to the finest point some two or three weeks before the great regatta of academies. every day after that he lost in form, in spite of himself, and the coach had finally to make him abdicate the throne; and punk, who had worked in his usual slow and conservative fashion, seemed the fittest man to succeed him. so punk became captain of the crew, and found himself at the old post of stroke-oar. on the day of the great henley of the interscholastic league, when all the crews had got away in their best style, after two vexatious false starts, punk slowly, and without any impatience, urged his crew past all the others, till kingston led them all. from this place he could study his rivals well, and after some shifting of positions, he saw the troy latin school eight coming cleanly out of the parade and making swiftly after him. suddenly a great nervousness seized him, because he remembered the time, the year before, when the lakerim crew rowed troy, and when his oar had broken just before the finish, so that he had been compelled to jump out into the water, and had missed the joy of riding over the line with his winning lakerimmers. he wondered now if this oar would also play him false. but he had selected it with experienced care, and hard as he strained it, and pathetically as it groaned, it stood him in good stead, and carried him, and the seven who rowed with him, safely into the paradise of victory. xxviii of the lakerimmers who tried for the baseball team, four men were elevated to the glory of positions on the regular nine. sleepy had somehow proved that left-field was safer when he was seeming to take a nap there than it was under the guard of any of the more restless players. tug was a second baseman, whose cool head made him a good man at that pivot of the field; he was an able assistant to the right-field, a ready back-stop to the short-stop, and a perfect spider for taking into his web all the wild throws that came slashing from the home plate to cut off those who dared to try to steal his base. sawed-off was the nearest of all the kingstonians to resembling a telegraph-pole, so he had no real competitors for first base. he declined to play, however, unless jumbo were given the position of short-stop; and jumbo soon proved that he had some other rights to the position besides a powerful pull. reddy and heady had worked like beavers to be accepted as the battery, but the pitcher and catcher of the year before were so satisfactory that the twins could get no nearer to their ambitions than the substitute-list, and there it seemed they were pretty sure to remain upon the shelf, in spite of all the practice they had kept up, even through the winter. the kingston ball-team had found its only rival to the championship of the interscholastic league in the nine from the charleston preparatory school. the kingstonians all plucked up hope, however, when they found themselves at the end of the season one game ahead of charleston; or, at least, they called it one game ahead, for charleston had played off its schedule, and kingston had only one more nine to defeat, and that was the brownsville school for boys, the poorest team in the whole league, a pack of good-for-nothings with butter on their fingers and holes in their bats. so kingston counted the pennant as good as won. down the team went to brownsville, then, just to see how big a score they could roll up. back they came from brownsville so dazed they almost rode past the kingston station. for when they had reached the ballground, one of those curious moods that attacks a team as it attacks a single person seized them and took away the whole knack that had won them so many games. the brownsvillers, on the other hand, seemed to have been inspired by something in the air. they simply could not muff the ball or strike out. they found and pounded the curves of the kingston pitcher so badly that the substitute battery would have been put in had they not been left behind because it was not thought worth while to pay their fare down to brownsville. the upshot of the horrible afternoon was that brownsville sent kingston home with its feelings bruised black and blue, and its record done up in cotton. it was a good thing that kingston had prepared no bonfire for the victory they had thought would be so easy, because if the defeated nine had been met with such a mockery they would surely have perished of mortification. the loss of this game--think of it, the score was 14 to 2!--tied the kingstonians with the charlestonians, and another game was necessary to decide the contest for the pennant. that game was immediately arranged for commencement week on the kingston grounds. and now the twins, who had resigned themselves to having never a chance on the nine, found themselves suddenly called upon to pitch and catch in _the_ game of the year; for the drubbing the regular pitcher had received had destroyed the confidence of the team in his ability to pitch a second time successfully against the charlestonians. to make matters worse, the game was to come almost in the very midst of the final examinations of the year, and the twins became so mixed up in their efforts to cram into their heads all the knowledge in the world, and to pull out of their fingers all of the curves known to science, that one day reddy said to heady: "i half believe that when i get up for oral examination i'll be so rattled that, instead of answering the question, i'll try to throw the ink-bottle on an upshoot at the professor's head." and heady answered, even more glumly: "i wouldn't mind that so much; what i'm afraid of is that when you really need to use that out-curve you'll throw only a few dates at the batter. i will signal for an out-curve, and you'll stand in the box and tie yourself in a bow-knot, and throw at me something about columbus discovering america in 1776; or you'll reel off some problem about plastering the inside of a room, leaving room for four doors and six windows." when the day of the game arrived, however, reddy and heady took their positions with the proud satisfaction of knowing that they had passed all their school-book examinations. now they wondered what percentage they would make in their baseball examination. sleepy, however, went out to left-field not knowing where he stood. he knew so little about his books, indeed, that even after the examination was over he could tell none of the fellows what answers he had made to what questions, and so they could not tell him whether or no he had failed ignominiously or passed accidentally. this worry, however, sat very lightly on sleepy's nerves. the largest crowd of the year was gathered to witness the greatest game of the year, and charleston and kingston were tuned up to the highest pitch they could reach without breaking. the day was perfect, and in the preliminary practice the kingstonians showed that they were determined to wipe out the disgrace of the brownsville game, or at least to cover it up with the scalps of the charlestonians. at length the charlestonians were called in by their captain, for they were first at bat. the kingstonians dispread themselves over the field in their various positions. the umpire tossed to the nervous reddy what seemed to be a snowball, whose whiteness he immediately covered with dust from the box. the charlestonian batter came to the plate and tapped it smartly three or four times. the umpire sang out: "play-ball!" reddy cast a nervous look around the field, then went into a spasm in which he seemed to be trying to "skin the cat" on an invisible turning-pole. out of the mix-up he suddenly straightened himself. the first baseman saw a dusty white cannon-ball shoot past him, and heard the umpire's dulcet voice growl: "strike!" which pleased the kingston audience so mightily that they broke forth into cheers and applause that upset reddy so completely that the next ball slipped from his hand and came toward the first baseman so gently that he could hardly have missed it had he tried. the kingstonian cheer disappeared in a groan as everybody heard that unmistakable whack that resounds whenever the bat and the ball meet face to face. but the very sureness of the hit was its ruination, for it went soaring like a carrier-pigeon straight home to the hands of sleepy, who, without moving from his place, reached up and took it in. the kingston groan was now changed back again to a cheer, and the first batter of the first half of the first inning had scored the first "out." the charleston third baseman now came to the bat. three times in succession reddy failed to get the ball over the plate, and the man evidently had made up his mind that he was to get his base on balls, for at the fourth pitch he dropped his bat and started for first base, only to be called back by the umpire's voice declaring a strike. to his immense disgust, two other strikes followed it, and he went to the bench instead of to the base. the third charlestonian caught the first ball pitched by reddy, and sent it bounding toward jumbo, who ripped it off the ground and had it in the hands of his chum sawed-off before the charlestonian was half-way to first base. this retired the side, and the kingstonians came in to bat amid a pleasant april shower of applause. sawed-off was the first kingston man to take a club to the charlestonians. he waved his bat violently up and down, and stared fiercely at the charleston pitcher. his ferocity disappeared, however, when he saw the ball coming at a frightful speed straight at him, and threatening to take a large scoop out of his stomach. he stretched up and back and away from it with a ridiculous wiggle, that was the more ridiculous when he saw the ball curve harmlessly over the plate and heard the umpire cry: "strike--one!" he upbraided himself for his fear, and when the next ball was pitched, though he felt sure that it was going to strike him on the shoulder, he did not budge. but here he made mistake number two; for the ball did not curve as the pitcher had intended, but gave the batter a sharp nip just where it said it would. the only apology the pitcher made was the rueful look with which he watched sawed-off going down to first base. the kingston center-fielder was the next at the bat, and he sent a little roman candle of a fly that fell cozily into the third baseman's hands. jumbo now came to the plate, and swinged at the ball so violently that one might have thought he was trying to lift sawed-off bodily from first base to second. but he managed only to send a slow coach of a liner, that raced him to first base and beat him there. sawed-off, however, had managed to make second before the charleston first baseman could throw him out, and there he pined away, for the kingston third baseman struck out, possibly in compliment to the charleston third baseman, who had done the same thing. this complimentary spirit seemed to fill the short-stop also, for he sent down to his rival jumbo a considerately easy little fly, which stuck to jumbo's palms as firmly as if there had been fly-paper on them. the charleston catcher now found reddy for a clean base-hit between left and center field. he tried to stretch it into a two-base hit, and the kingston center fielded the ball in so slowly that he succeeded in his grasping attempt. the charlestonian second baseman made a sacrifice hit that advanced the catcher to third. and now the pitcher came to the bat, eager to bring home the wretch at whom he had hurled his swiftest curves. his anxiety led him into making two foolish jabs at curves that were out of his reach, and finally he caught one just on the tip of his bat, and it went neatly into tug's hand, leaving the catcher to perish on third base. sleepy now came to the bat for kingston, and, without making any undue exertion, deftly placed a fly between the short-stop and the left-fielder, and reached first base on a canter. he made no rash attempts to steal second, but waited to be assisted there. the kingston right-fielder, however, struck out and made way for reddy. reddy, though a pitcher, was, like most pitchers, unable to solve the mystery of a rival's curves for more than a little grounder, that lost him first base, and forced sleepy to a most uncomfortable exertion to keep from being headed off at second. tug now came to the bat; but, unfortunately, while the hit he knocked was a sturdy one, it went toward third base, and sleepy did not dare venture off second, though he made a feint at third which engaged the baseman's attention until tug reached first. heady now came to the bat, and some of the charlestonians insisted that he had batted before; but they were soon convinced of their error when the twins were placed side by side. heady puzzled them even more, however, by scratching off just such another measly bunt as his brother had failed with, and when he was put out at first sleepy and tug realized that their running had been in vain. sleepy thought of the terrific inconvenience the struggle for the three bases had caused him, and was almost sorry that he had not struck out in the first place. the charleston right-fielder opened the third inning with a graceful fly just this side the right-fielder's reach, in that field where base-hits seem to grow most plentifully. the kingston center-fielder was presented with a base on balls, which forced the right-fielder to second base. now reddy recovered sufficiently to strike out the next charleston batter, though the one after him sent into right field a long, low fly, which the kingston right-fielder caught on the first bound, and hurled furiously to third base to head off the charleston runner. the throw was wild, and a sickening sensation went through the hearts of all as they saw it hurtle past the third baseman. the charleston runner rejoiced, and giving the bag a mere touch with his foot, started gaily for home. a warning cry from his coach, however, checked him in full speed, and he whirled about to see that sleepy, foreseeing the throw from right-field as soon as the ball left the bat, had sauntered over behind the third baseman, had stopped the wild throw, and now stood waiting for the base-runner to declare his intention before he threw the ball. the charlestonian made a quick dash to get back to third; but sleepy had the ball in the third baseman's hands before him. now the third baseman saw that the second kingston runner had also been wavering uncertainly between second and third, ready to reach third if sleepy threw for home, and to return to second if he threw to third. the third baseman started toward the runner, making many pretenses of throwing the ball, and keeping the poor base-runner on such a razor-edge of uncertainty that he actually allowed himself to be touched out with barely a wriggle. this double play retired the side. it was credited to the third baseman; but the real glory belonged to sleepy, and the crowd gave him the applause. once more sawed-off towered at the bat. he was willing to take another bruise if he could be assured of getting to first base; but the pitcher was so wary of striking him this time that he gave him his base on balls, and sawed-off lifted his hat to him in gratitude for this second gift. the center-fielder knocked a fly into the hands of the first baseman, who stood on the bag. sawed-off barely escaped falling victim to a double play by beating the fly to first. again jumbo labored mightily to advance sawed-off, and did indeed get him to second on a well-situated base-hit. the next kingstonian, however, the third baseman, knocked to the second baseman a bee-liner that was so straight and hot that the second baseman could neither have dodged nor missed it had he tried; so he just held on to it, and set his foot on the bag, and caught sawed-off before he could get back to the base. the fourth inning was opened by a charlestonian, who sent a singing fly right over sawed-off's head. he seemed to double his length like a jack-knife. when he shut up again, however, the ball was not in his hand, but down in the right-field. it was a master stroke, but, worth only one base to charleston. the second man at the bat fell prey to reddy's bewildering curves, and reddy heard again that sweetest sound a pitcher can hear, the umpire's voice crying: "striker--out!" the charlestonian who had lined out the beautiful base-hit proved himself the possessor of a pair of heels as good as his pair of eyes, and just as reddy had declared by his motions such a readiness to pitch the ball that he could not have changed his mind without being declared guilty of a balk--just at that instant the charlestonian dashed madly for second base. heady snatched off his mask and threw the ball to second with all the speed and correctness he was master of; but the throw went just so far to the right that tug, leaning far out, could not recover himself in time to touch the runner. [illustration: "'striker--out!'"] these two now began to play a game of hide-and-seek about second base, much to reddy's discomfort. there is nothing so annoying to a pitcher as the presence of a courageous and speedy base-runner on the second base; for the pitcher has always the threefold terror that in whirling suddenly he may be found guilty of balking, or in facing about quickly he may make a wild throw; and yet if he does not keep a sharp eye in the back of his head, the base-runner can play off far enough to stand a good chance of stealing third safely. reddy engaged in this three-cornered duel so ardently that before he knew it he had given the man at the bat a base on balls. this added to his confusion, and seeing at the bat the charleston catcher who had in the second inning knocked out a perfect base-hit and made two bases on it, reddy left the wily fox at second base to his own devices, and paid no heed to tug's efforts to beat the man back to second. suddenly the fellow made a dart for third; though heady's throw was straight and swift, the fellow dived for the base, and slid into safety under the ball. in the shadow of this dash the other charleston base-runner took second base without protest. the charleston catcher was evidently determined to bring in at least one run, or die trying. he smashed at every ball that reddy pitched. he only succeeded, however, in making a number of fouls. but reddy shuddered for the score when he realized how well the charleston catcher was studying his best curves. suddenly the man struck up a sky-scraping foul. everybody yelled at once: "over your head!" and heady, ripping away his mask again, whirled round and round, trying to find the little globule in the dazzling sky. he gimleted all over the space back of the plate before he finally made out the ball coming to earth many feet in front of him. he made a desperate lunge for it and caught it. and reddy's groan of relief could be heard clear from the pitcher's box. the charleston catcher, in a great huff, threw his bat to the ground with such violence that it broke, and he gave way to the second baseman, who had made a sacrifice hit in the second inning--which advanced the catcher one base. the man realized, however, that a sacrifice in this inning, with two men already out, would not be so advantageous as before. he made an heroic attempt, resulting in a clean drive that hummed past reddy like a mauser bullet, and chose a path exactly between jumbo and tug. it was evident that no kingston man could stop it in time to throw either to first base or home ahead of a charleston man; but since kingston could not put the side out before a run was scored, the charlestonians cheerfully consented to put themselves out; that is, the base-runner on second, making a furious dash for third, ran ker-plunk into the ball, which recorded itself on his funny-bone. when he fell to the ground yelping with torment, i am afraid that the kingstonians showed little of the good samaritan spirit, for the ball-nine and the kingston sympathizers in the crowd indulged in a jubilation such as a roman throng gave vent to when a favorite gladiator had floored some new savage. the kingston men came in from the field arm in arm, but it was not long before they were once more sauntering out into the field, for not one of them reached first base. a game without runs is not usually half so interesting to the crowd as one in which there is free batting and a generous sprinkling of runs. the average spectator is not sport enough to feel sorry for the pitcher when a home run has been knocked over the fence, or to feel sorry for a fielder who lets a ball through his fingers and sends the base-runners on their way rejoicing. to your thorough sport, though, a scientific, well-balanced game is the most interesting. he likes to see runs earned, if scored at all, and has sympathy but no interest for a pitcher who permits himself to be knocked out of the box. a more nicely balanced game than this between kingston and charleston could hardly be imagined, and there was something in the air or in the game that made the young teams play like veterans. each worked together like a clock of nine cog-wheels. though the next four innings were altogether different from one another in batting and fielding, they were exactly alike in that they were all totaled at the bottom of the column, with a large blank goose-egg. at the opening of the ninth inning even the uncultured members of the crowd--those unscientific ingoramuses that had voted the game a dull one because no one had made the circuit of the bases--even these sat up and breathed fast, and wondered what was going to happen. they had not drawn many breaths before the kingston catcher rapped on the plate and threw back his bat to knock the stuffing out of any ball that reddy might hurl at him; and, indeed, his intentions were nearly realized, for the very first throw that reddy made hit the bull's-eye on the charleston bat, and then leaped away with a thwack. reddy leaped for it first, but it went far from his fingers. next after him tug went up into the air and fell back beautifully. and after him--just as if they had been jumping-jacks--the center-fielder bounded high and clutched at the ball, but past his finger-tips, too, it went, and he turned ignominiously after it. if he was running the charlestonian was flying. he shot across first base, and on, just grazing second base--unseen by tug, who had turned his back and was yelling vainly to the center-fielder to throw him the ball he had not yet caught up with. on the charlestonian sped in a blind hurry. he very much resembled a young man decidedly anxious to get home as soon as possible. he flew past third base and on down like an antelope to the plate. this he spurned with his toe as he ran on, unable to check his furious impetus, until he fell in the arms of the other charleston players on the bench. and then the charleston faction in the crowd raised crawled in at the back door and been ousted unceremoniously! the kingstonians had certainly played a beautiful game, but the charlestonians had played one quite as good. all that the kingston-lovers could do when they saw their nine come to the bat for the ninth time was to look uncomfortable, mop their brows, and remark: "whew!" the kingstonian center-fielder was the first to the bat, and he struck out. then jumbo appeared, and played a waiting game he was very fond of: while pretending to be willing to hit anything that was pitched, he almost always let the ball go by him; and since he was so short and stocky,--"built so close to the ground," as he expressed it,--the pitcher usually threw too high, and jumbo got his base on balls a dozen times where he earned it with a base-hit or lost it on a strike-out. and now he reached first base in his old pet way, and made ardent preparations to steal second; but his enterprise was short-lived, for the kingston third baseman knocked an easy grounder to the short-stop, who picked it from the ground and tossed it into the second baseman's hands almost with one motion; and the second baseman, just touching the base with his toe to put jumbo out on a forced run, made a clean throw to first that put out the batsman also, and with him the side. the scientists marked down upon the calendars of their memory the fact that they had seen two preparatory school teams play a nine-inning game without scoring a run. the others in the crowd only felt sick with hope deferred, and wondered if that home plate were going to be as difficult to reach as the north pole. the charleston third baseman came to the bat first for his side in the tenth inning, and he struck out. the left-fielder followed him, and by knocking a little bunt that buzzed like a top just in front of the plate, managed to agonize his way to first base before reddy and heady could field the ball, both of them having jumped for it and reached it at the same time. but this man, making a rash and foolish effort to steal second, was given the eighteenth-century punishment of death for theft, heady having made a perfect throw from the plate. the charleston short-stop reached second on a fly muffed by the kingston right-fielder--the first error made by this excellent player. and now once more the redoubtable charleston catcher appeared at the bat. once more he showed his understanding of reddy's science. this time he was evidently determined to wipe out the mistake he had made of too great haste on his previous home runs. after warming up with two strikes, and letting three balls pass, he found the ball where he wanted it, and drove out into left-field a magnificent fly. pretty saw it coming, and turning, ran to the best of his ability for the uttermost edge of his field, hoping only to delay the course of the ball. at length it overtook him, and even as he ran he sprang into the air and clutched upward for it, and struck it as if he would bat it back to the home plate. it did not stick to his fingers, but none of the scorers counted it as an error on the clean square beside his name under the letter e. he had not achieved the impossible of catching it, but he had done the next best thing: he had knocked it to the ground and run it down in two or three steps, and turned, and drawing backward till the ball almost touched the ground behind him, had strained every muscle with a furious lunge, and sent the ball flying for home in a desperate race with the charleston short-stop, who had passed third base and was sprinting for dear life homeward. at the plate stood heady, beckoning the carrier-pigeon home with frantic hope, sawed-off and reddy both rushing to get behind him and back him up, so that at least not more than one run should be scored. with a gasp of resolve the charleston runner, seeing by heady's eyes that the ball was just at hand, flung himself to the ground, hoping to lay at least a finger-tip on the plate; but there was a quick thwack as the ball struck heady's gloves, there was a stinging blow at the charlestonian's right shoulder-blade, and the shrill cry of the umpire: "out!" once more the spectators shifted in their seats and knit their brows, and observed: "whew!" and now sleepy opened the second half of the tenth inning. he had a little splutter of applause for his magnificent throw when he came to the plate; but he either was dreaming of base-hits and did not hear it, or was too lazy to lift his cap, for he made no sign of recognition. he made a sign of recognition of the charleston's pitcher's first upshoot, however, for he sent it spinning leisurely down into right-field--so leisurely that even he beat it to first base. the kingston right-fielder now atoned for his previous error by a ringing hit that took sleepy on a comfortable jog to second base and placed himself safely on first. then reddy came to the bat. he was saved the chagrin of striking out to his deadly rival, but the hit he knocked was only a little fly that the pitcher caught. the two base-runners, however, had not had great expectations of reddy's batting prowess, so they did not stray far from their bases, and were not caught napping. now tug came to the bat; and while he was gathering his strength for a death-dealing blow at the ball, the two base-runners made ready to take advantage of anything he should hit. the right-fielder played off too far, and, to tug's despair, was caught by a quick throw from the pitcher to the first baseman. tug's heart turned sick within him, for there were two men out, and the only man on base was sleepy, who could never be counted on to make a two-base run on a one-base hit. as tug stood bewailing his fate, the ball shot past him, and the umpire cried: "strike--one!" tug shook himself together with a jolt, and struck furiously at the next ball. "strike--two!" sang the umpire. and now the umpire had upon his lips the fatal words: "strike--three!" for as he looked down the line traced in the air by the ball, he saw that tug had misjudged it. but for once science meant suicide; for though tug struck wildly, the ball condescendingly curved down and fell full and fair upon the bat, and danced off again over the first baseman's head and toward the feet of the right-fielder. this worthy player ran swiftly for it and bent forward, but he could not reach it. it struck him a smarting whack on the instep, and bounded off outside the foul-line; and while he limped painfully after it, there was time even for the sleepy sleepy to reach the plate and score a run. and then the right-fielder, half blinded with pain, threw the ball at nobody in particular, and it went into the crowd back of third base, and tug came in unopposed. and since the game was now kingston's, no one waited to see whether heady would have knocked a home run or struck out. he was not given a chance to bat. conclusion there was great rejoicing in kingston that night, much croaking of tin horns, and much building of bonfires. the athletic year had been remarkably successful, and every one realized the vital part played in that success by the men from lakerim--the dozen, who had made some enemies, as all active people must, and had made many more friends, as all active people may. the rejoicing of the lakerimmers themselves had a faint tang of regret, for while they were all to go back to the same town together for their vacation, yet they knew that this would be the last year of school life they could ever spend together. next year history, punk, sawed-off, and jumbo were to go to college. the others had at least one more year of preparatory work. and they thought, too, that this first separation into two parts was only the beginning of many separations that should finally scatter them perhaps over the four quarters of the globe. there was bobbles, for instance, who had an uncle that was a great sugar magnate in the hawaiian islands, and had offered him a position there whenever he was ready for it. b.j. had been promised an appointment to annapolis, for he would be a sailor and an officer of uncle sam's navy. and tug had been offered a chance to try for west point, and there were no dangers for him in either the rigid mental or the physical examinations. pretty, who had shown a wonderful gift for modeling in clay, was going some day to paris to study sculpture. and quiz looked forward to being a lawyer. the twins would go into business, since their father's busy sawmill property would descend to both of them, and, as they thought it out, could not very well be divided. plainly they must make the best of life together. it promised to be a lively existence, but a pleasant one withal. history hoped to be a great writer some day, and punk would be a professor of something staid and quiet, latin most probably. sawed-off and jumbo had not made up their minds as to just what the future was to hold for them, but they agreed, that it must be something in partnership. sleepy had never a fancy of what coming years should bring him to do; he preferred to postpone the unpleasant task of making up his mind, and only took the trouble to hope that the future would give him something that offered plenty of time for sleeping and eating. late into the night the twelve sat around a waving bonfire, their eyes twinkling at the memory of old victories and defeats, of struggles that were pleasant, whatever their outcome, just because they were struggles. at length sleepy got himself to his feet with much difficulty. "going to bed?" jumbo sang out. "nope," drawled sleepy, and disappeared into the darkness. they all smiled at the thought of him, whom none of them respected and all of them loved. in a space of time quite short for him, sleepy returned with an arm-load of books--the text-books that had given him so much trouble, and would have given him more had they had the chance offered them. "fire's getting low," was all he said, and he dumped the school-books, every one, into the blaze. the other lakerimmers knew that they had passed every examination, either brilliantly or, at the worst, well enough to scrape through. sleepy did not even know whether he had failed or not; but the next morning he found out that he should sadly need next year those books that were charred ashes in a corner of the campus, and should have to replace them out of his spending-money. that night, however, he was blissful with ignorance, and having made a pyre of his bookish tormentors, he fell in with the jollity of the others. when it grew very late silence gradually fell on the gossipy twelve. the beauty of the night and the union of souls seemed to be speech enough. finally the fire fell asleep, and with one mind they all rose and, standing in a circle about glimmering ashes, clasped hands in eternal friendship, and said: "good night!" the home plate transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). home occupations for boys and girls by bertha johnston editor of the "kindergarten magazine" assisted by fanny chapin former kindergarten director of the chicago latin school [illustration] philadelphia george w. jacobs & co. publishers copyright, 1908 by george w. jacobs & co. published october, 1908 all rights reserved printed in u. s. a. teach him. he is naturally clever. from his earliest years, when he was a little fellow only so big, he would build mud houses, carve out boats, and make little wagons of leather, and frogs out of pomegranate rinds, you can't think how cleverly. _aristophanes_, 421 b. c. preface the plan of this book has special reference to the mother when comes the woful plaint, "i don't know what to do! mama, what can i do now?" is she busy in the kitchen? she has right there material for the little one's happy employment. is she mending the stockings? she can give him needle and thread and, with the aid of this book, a word of suggestion. in spare moments both mother and children can together prepare papers, cards, etc., for future occasions. it will be found upon examination that although some of the articles described herein require material peculiar to certain localities, very many more may be made of things to be found in every home, whether the city flat or the remote country homestead. usually a choice is possible. one may use the cardboard, paper, etc., saved from the scrap-basket or may send to supply houses for material partially prepared. it is an undoubted advantage for the child to be trained to see the possibilities in the raw material lying at hand. it stimulates his inventive imagination and makes for efficiency and the power to cope with emergencies. the child accustomed to looking upon odds and ends of wire, paper, weeds, seeds, and grasses as hiding delightful secrets which he may learn to unravel and utilize, may be readily trained to regard all nature as a vast storehouse open to his investigation, and a continual source of inspiration. the child, habituated to mastering the raw material of his immediate environment, will not be discomfited if thrown upon an unknown shore, whether arctic or tropical. he will recognize everywhere about him possibilities for shelter, food, clothing, and transportation and will know how to use them. but the child must be trained to perceive the beautiful and the ideal as well as the useful. into each article here described, even the simplest, enter the elements of beauty, proportion, harmony of line and color, and good, true workmanship, leading surely, even if unconsciously, to an appreciation of the best wherever found. in making an article as a gift for child or adult, thought for others is cultivated and the frequently needed help of older brother or sister encourages the spirit of goodwill and kindliness. the festival occasions are especially valuable in developing the sense of interdependence and large-mindedness. among a people proverbially wasteful it is certainly the part of wisdom to train the child to economy for the sake of future service. the contents of the city garbage barrel are found by business men to be worth sorting and classifying and everything proves to be of some use. why should not the child be taught, before throwing away the discarded picture book, to ask if there is not a use for it still? a nation so trained will preserve its forests and save its niagaras. it will see things material and things spiritual in their true relations. we would suggest that a little cupboard be placed within easy reach of the child. here he may keep his own scissors, paste, pencil and papers, ready for use when the propitious moment of inspiration seizes him. too much exactness must not be required of the very young child, but as fast as he is able to do good work insist upon the best of which _he_ is capable. train him always to try to surpass himself. above all, let him be happy in the doing. the ideas offered in this volume have been garnered from various sources. practical experience in the home has suggested many, and actual daily work in the kindergarten has given rise to others. a few, such as the thimble biscuit party and croquet with peas, are among the recollections of happy childhood. it is a pleasure to acknowledge the obligation to miss fanny chapin, of chicago, a kindergartner of long experience, for the comradeship of thought which made the book possible. miss chapin also contributed the directions for making feather flowers, many of the holiday suggestions, and other items scattered through the book. the conversion of corks into a set of furniture was learned from a german playmate twenty-five years ago. imagine the interest with which we discovered a set, almost identical, at the german exhibit of the recent international kindergarten union. the candlesticks of tin or cardboard, brightened with colored tissue-paper, varied to suit particular occasions, is a regular feature of the festival dinners at the gertrude house, chicago. to one and all to whom, consciously or unconsciously, we may be indebted for any suggestions, we express our thanks. a perusal of this little volume will show that it is far from exhaustive of the topics treated. it is largely a book of suggestion. if it stimulates the child to new investigations and experiments along similar lines; if it reinforces the spirit of brotherly kindness in the home; or if it helps to solve any of the problems of the mother, the hopes of the authors will be accomplished. bertha johnston. contents chapter page i. the secrets of the market basket 11 ii. mother nature's horn of plenty 39 iii. saved from the scrap basket 53 iv. the sewing-basket 69 v. the paint box 73 vi. dolls and doll-houses 80 vii. plays and games 92 viii. festival occasions 107 ix. the key basket 141 x. the child's library 149 xi. kindergarten materials--the gifts 155 xii. " " --the occupations 164 chapter i the secrets of the market basket the busy but thoughtful mother will find in the contents of the market basket many possibilities for happily employing the creative instinct of her child. we give a few suggestions which demand activity of both mind and body. strawberry-boxes =seed-markers= (_no tools needed but the fingers_) remove the rim of wood which binds the box into shape, that the little tacks may not injure the child. then let him tear the sides and bottom into little slats which can be used as seed-markers. older children can write upon them the names of seeds, and when planted put one of these slats into the ground to indicate where the seeds may be expected to come up. the little child enjoys the sense of power that he feels simply in being able to tear these boxes apart, but let there be a thought back of the action if it seem to degenerate into pure destructiveness. =toy-fences= (_employing fingers only_) split the boxes with the fingers into pieces wide or narrow, as desired, and the slats thus made can be turned into fences for the play farm in the sand-box, or for borders for small flower beds. (1) stick them into the sand or earth side by side, to suggest a plain board fence; or (2) put very narrow ones at short intervals apart to suggest a picket fence. =toy-fences= (_scissors_, _tacks_) if old enough to use scissors, let the child cut the boxes apart with long scissors and use for fences as before. (1) side by side for board fence. (2) cut into very narrow strips for picket fence. use the rim of the basket for the rail to unite the pickets, fastening them with the tiny tacks which are already in it. pickets might be one inch apart. cutting the tops of the pickets into points will complete the resemblance to a real fence. put the rails about one-half inch from top. =boxes for tacks, seeds, etc.= (_scissors_, _paste_, _paste-sticks_, _ribbon, 8-1/2 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide_, _wall-paper_, _pan with water_) take two pieces of a box, each measuring 2 × 5 inches. soak in water till soft. place one directly across the middle of the other, and bend the four projecting ends up perpendicularly into box form. (1) hold the sides in place by winding the ribbon around the four sides, till they meet, and paste the one overlapping end over the other. (2) cut a piece of wall-paper (obtainable often from a wall-hanger's shop) into a strip 1-1/2 × 8-1/2 inches and wind around, pasting one end over the other. if the child is inexperienced the paper may be cut of exactly the height of box. if skillful in so doing, let him cut the strip 1/2 inch wider and turn down over the top to give a little finish. this gives practice in neatness and skill. let the child observe how a swedish matchbox is made--the wood held together by strips of thin but tough paper--and then carry his thought to the far-distant land which sends us the magic wands that give us light with safety. and all carried in a tiny box made of wood and paper. decalcomanias might be used for decoration of the plain wooden box. let the child experiment in making boxes of different shapes and sizes for his collections of seeds, stones, etc. this cultivates his ingenuity and practical imagination. =picture frames= (_scissors_, _thumb-tacks_, _gold paint_, _water-colors_, _glue_) cut three slats, each 1 × 8 inches, to make triangular frame. unite with thumb-tacks, one at each of the three corners. to place them exactly the right way may take a little experimenting, which helps develop the child's sense of proportion and arrangement. when joined, cut off the projecting parts at the top to give pointed effect. good for pictures of indians, as wigwam is suggested. decorate by gilding or painting. can be painted with ivory paints or water-colors. =chicken-coops= (_scissors_, _glue_) remove the rim, bottom (in one piece) and two adjoining sides of a berry box. this leaves two sides remaining which are already bent into correct form for coop. cut the bottom of the box in half from corner to corner. this gives the triangular back of the coop which must be glued on. the slats must now be made and put into place. cut three slats each 3/8 inches wide. (1) in each of the two front edges of the coop cut three horizontal slits 3/8 inches deep; slip the slats into these and cut off the projecting ends. the slats at the top will necessarily be shorter than those at the bottom. (2) or an older child can cut in each of the two edges 3 notches 3/8 inches deep and 3/8 inches high and glue the slats into these, thus: [illustration: chicken-coop.] =paste-sticks= (_boxes_, _scissors_) cut sides of boxes into slender pieces which can be put aside and used for paste-sticks when pasting is the order of the day. they will prove to be better than brushes. =wagon= (_thumb-tacks_, _button-molds_, _skewers_, _glue_, _small, slender nails_) take two boxes. remove rims. bend down one side of each of the boxes so that it is horizontal. lap one of these exactly over the other and join with thumb-tacks. this makes the body of coal wagon. for wheels use (1) large wooden button-molds or (2) the cardboard circles round which ribbons come. make axles of skewers. glue axle to bottom of wagon, slip on the wheels and insert small, slender nail to keep wheel from coming off. if skewers are not at hand whittle a slender piece from a stick of kindling wood, whittling the ends until slender enough for the wheels to slip on. paint spokes on the wheels and paint the wagon, using any paint at hand. =candy-boxes= } (_fancy paper_, _crinkled-paper or_ =button-boxes= } _silk_, _glue_, _paint_) take a berry-box and dye with diamond dyes. line it with crinkled paper or dainty flowered wallpaper or silk. to do this, fold the paper or silk one inch over on itself from the top, for hem. gather or pleat the silk near the top with silk of same color and glue to the inner side of the basket near the top, leaving a little projecting edge for ruffle. leave the lower ends free. the silk should be two inches wider than the depth of the basket and one and one-third times as long as the four sides of the basket. now take a square of cardboard the size of the bottom of the basket and cover it smoothly with a square of silk, folding the silk neatly over the sides and catching it across so as to be smooth on the right side. put this silk square down in the bottom of the basket and it will hold the sides of the lining firm. a basket may be lined with paper in the same way, using glue to hold it in place. as paper can not very well be gathered, the top may be glued down smoothly or the paper may be pleated. =hanging-basket= (_lead from tea-box_, _ribbon or wire_, _earth_, _seeds_) line a berry box with the lead, fill with good earth and plant vines or flower-seeds. suspend by ribbon or wire. =dolls' furniture= (_spools_, _scissors_, _glue_) 1. table.--make a table by cutting a slat from a basket into an oblong 2 × 3 inches and glue to spool for dining-table. 2. bed.--soak a few moments and when flexible cut an oblong 2 × 6 inches and bend one end up 1-1/2 inches to form head of bed. bend the other end up 1/2 inch to form the foot. glue two spools to the bottom of this for legs, one at each end. 3. chair.--make chairs for the same set by cutting a piece of the box to measure 1 × 2 inches. bend across the middle so that a right angle is formed and glue one side to a spool. the other half forms the back of the chair. such furniture may be colored with dyes or ivory paints. peas =shelling peas= (_tin pans_) let the child help mother to shell the peas for dinner. children enjoy work of this kind when coöperating with the mother or father. they like to do what mother is doing when she is doing it too. this will be an excellent time to tell hans andersen's story of the "five peas that dwelt in a pod". as a reward let the child plant a few peas in a box or out-of-doors. =pea-pod boat= (_pan of water_, _peapods_) give a small child a dish-pan filled with water and a peapod for a boat, with peas for passengers and he will entertain himself for a long time. let the frequency with which he is allowed this privilege depend upon his care in keeping himself and his surroundings dry, thus leading to neatness and self-control. =pea furniture= (see chapter on kindergarten occupations) =numeral frame or abacus= (_hair-wire_, _cardboard stationery box_) get ten slender pieces of wire about six inches long. put one pea on the first, two on the second, three on the third, etc., until you reach the last, on which place ten. take an empty stationery box, and cut away the bottom leaving the four sides intact as a frame. into this frame insert the ten wires, the one with one pea at the top, then no. 2, 3, etc. the child can then practice counting the different combinations up to ten. instead of peas such a series of units could be made by stringing cranberries or rose-haws on a waxed thread. potatoes and squash =potato horse= (_three potatoes_, _slender sticks or tooth-picks_, _raveled string or coarse black thread_) take large potato for body of horse, a smaller one for the neck, and another for the head. join them with sticks broken to convenient length. four other sticks make the legs, two little ones the ears and the string or thread the flowing tail. the tail can be attached to a tack or pin and inserted. =squash or sweet potato animals= (_crooked-neck squash or sweet potato for each animal_, _slender sticks_) insert sticks for legs into crooked-neck squashes and convert into animals of various kinds, the kind depending upon the size of the neck and general shape. sweet potatoes by their queer shapes will often suggest animals: pigs, dogs, etc., or ducks, swans, ostriches, and birds. use tacks or shoe buttons for eyes. dolls can be made also. corn husks--green =mat= (_husks_, _needle_, _thread_) take four smooth husks and press between blotting paper for 24 hours. then tear into 1/4 inch strips. lay eight of these on the table. take eight more and weave these under and over the first eight, making mat for doll-house. put again between blotters. the next day, slide the strips together till they lie smooth and even, and close together. fasten by sewing the outside strips lightly to the interlacing ones. cut the extending parts off about one inch from outside strips. =feathers= (_husks_, _scissors_) take a dozen leaves of the husks; cut slits slant-wise down the edges about 1/4 inch apart. let dry 24 hours. then use as feathers for indian head dress, using design on copper cent as model. corn-cobs--dry =corn-crib= (_cobs_, _hammer_, _nails_, _cover of starch-box_) to a small piece of thin wood like the cover of a starch-box nail four short cobs of equal length for legs (half an inch or an inch long). around the four sides, on top, nail a row of slender cobs for the walls of the corn crib. make roof of cobs or lay a piece of cardboard across. nail from below, through the board. it will require a little thought to determine just where the nail must go in order to run through the board and into the cob above, but tell the child that he is a little carpenter and must make careful measurements. ask if he can think why the crib is raised thus from the ground. (to preserve the corn from the rats and mice.) =toy-raft= (_cobs_, _rim of berry-box_, _tacks_) lay six or more cobs of equal length side by side upon the table. take a piece of binding-rim of a berry-box as long as the row of cobs is wide. lay it across the row near one end and nail it fast to each cob. nail a similar piece across the other end. this will make a serviceable toy-raft. stick in a skewer for a mast and make a sail-boat. paste on the mast a triangular piece of paper or muslin for a sail. =zig-zag fence= (_cobs only_) lay down half a dozen cobs in zigzag fashion, with their ends not quite as far apart as the length of the cobs. then across every two ends lay another cob, and so build up the fence. =post-fence= (_cobs_, _tacks_, _skewers_, _slats_) lay several cobs in a row a few inches apart as posts. unite them by laying across them two rows of skewers or kindergarten slats. join with tiny tacks. use in the sand-table or dolls' farm. =house= (_cobs_, _nails_) (1) take two cobs and place them opposite to each other. place two others across the ends of the first two, at right angles to them. then two more directly over the first two and so on, building up alternately for log cabin. this is the first simple building experiment of the little child. two such cabins put together will make a two-roomed house. thus made it will be crude with wide interstices between the logs, but this forms no objection to the child. (2) when he does manifest the desire for something better made--a house which will not admit the rain and snow--a more solid house can be made thus: place three cobs end to end to form three sides of a square. directly upon these lay three more, and nail firmly to those beneath at the ends, with slender nails. build up in this way as high as desirable. one side has, however, been left open. now put in the fourth wall but leave place for the doorway. do this by making the lower part of the wall of cobs so short that they do not even go half way across the opening. take two such short cobs and nail each to the side of the house. a little space will be left between them, say of two inches. take two more of same length and place on top of the first two and nail in place. the third cob may be long enough to extend straight across the little house making the top of the doorway. put another and another on top until the last row is reached. roof with similar logs or with cardboard. the child can be trained a little in forethought when led to save anything like corncobs for possible use in the future. =furniture= (_4 short cobs_, _4 long slender ones_, _tacks_, _cheesecloth_, _fine cord_, _cotton batting_) take four short cobs for sturdy legs. nail to these four slender cobs for bed-frame. in the inner part of the long sides of the bed hammer small tacks about 3/4 inches apart. then string cord from one tack across to the opposite one and so on, to make springs. make mattress of cheesecloth stuffed with cotton. other furniture can easily be made in similar manner. in this work, as with other suggestions here given, older children will need to help younger ones and thus the spirit of helpfulness and sympathy is exercised. corn kernels--dry =portieres= (_kernels of corn_, _straws_, _needle_, _coarse thread_, _pan_) soak corn in pan of water over night or till soft. get inch-long pieces of straw at kindergarten supply store, or, if obtainable in the country, get the straws entire and let the children cut them into inch pieces. in all this work it is desirable to let the child do as much as possible himself. later, when familiar with materials and simple processes, let him use the prepared bought material. now, let him string the corn and straws alternately. he can then vary by stringing first one kernel and one straw; then two kernels and one straw; then three, etc. this gives practice in counting, and exercises also his sense of taste and proportion and his invention. a pretty effect can be secured by using kernels of the two colors, red and yellow. suspend a number of such strings in the doorway; they may be all of the same length or may be very short in the middle of the doorway and gradually get longer as the jamb is approached. =designing= (_red and yellow kernels_) on a rainy day let the child employ his inventive skill in making designs of the red and yellow kernels on a flat table. he can lay them in squares, oblongs, crosses, etc. pop-corn there are few american children who need to be told how to pop corn; they see it done before they are able to do it themselves. but this fascinating occupation is not known to many children outside of the united states. perhaps it is well that our children should appreciate their privilege in this respect. if a popper is unobtainable, corn can be quickly and deliciously popped by putting a tablespoonful of butter in a deep kettle and when it is hot dropping in a cupful of popcorn. shake or rather stir to keep from burning and in a short time the kettle will be full of the white popping fairy-like kernels. salt or sugar can be sprinkled in as desired. =balls= (_corn_, _popper_, _sugar_, _molasses or water_) make a thin syrup by boiling together equal quantities of sugar and water or two cupfuls sugar, one of molasses or syrup, one teaspoonful vinegar, and butter size of an egg. cook until it hardens when dropped in water, then pour it over 8 quarts of popped corn as quickly as possible and mold into balls, making about twenty. if made with strawberry syrup the color will be a beautiful red. =festoons= (_popped corn_, _needle_, _coarse thread_) thread the kernels to adorn walls or picture frames or christmas tree. nuts =boat= (_walnut shell_, _pan of water_, _toothpicks_, _candle-wax_) when busy with her baking the mother can give the three-year-old in his high chair a half walnut shell for a boat. an older child can elaborate into a sail-boat by cutting a triangular piece of paper for a sail, glueing it to a toothpick for mast, and then melting a drop of wax from a candle and inserting the mast while the wax is still warm. a burnt match can be shaped into a mast also. such a fleet of tiny vessels would prettily set a table for a farewell dinner to one going abroad. =surprise walnuts= (_english walnuts_, _baby-ribbon_, _tiny dolls or animals_, _glue_) open a number of walnuts carefully so as not to break the shell. remove the meats and fasten the two sides together with a tiny strip of ribbon, which serves as a hinge, glueing the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the half shells. ribbon need be only an inch long or less. put a tiny doll or a wee china rabbit or kitten inside the shell and tie around with ribbon. little china animals come in sets of five or six. a little verse of greeting or a conundrum can be written and put inside if the toys are not available. a group of little children could be kept busy and happy for an afternoon making some of these little souvenirs for a home dinner or for a fair. =nut-animals= (_peanuts_, _toothpicks_) the imagination of most children will quickly perceive resemblances to all kinds of creatures in the queer shapes of peanuts. take such a peanut and stick into it four bits of toothpicks for legs and two tiny ones for ears. if the toothpicks are not sharp or strong enough to penetrate of themselves, make incisions with a sharp pin. one common shape suggests a cat, seated. two vertical pieces would make the front legs and two horizontal pieces the back legs resting on the ground. eyes and mouth can be inked in. another shape hints at an owl with sharp, curved beak. another will make a hen. once started on this line of experiment, the child will discover likenesses for himself. these creatures can be used in the toy farm. =peanut party= (_see page 103_) apples =candlestick= (_apple_, _candle_) cut in the top of a rosy apple a hole of right size to hold a candle. appropriate for thanksgiving. a carrot can also be used thus, but a part must be cut away at the bottom so as to secure a firm base. oranges =baskets= (_orange_, _smaller fruits_) cut an orange horizontally partly through the middle from each side so as to leave a part in the centre which can be cut into a handle. hollow out the interior and put raisins, small nuts, etc., in it. red peppers =lantern= (_large red pepper_, _knife_) hollow out a large red pepper and cut into it eyes, nose and mouth, making a miniature jack-o'-lantern. this makes a pretty table decoration. let the child help as much as possible by making these little table decorations. if you want boy and girl to love home, give them a share in making it interesting and attractive. do not discourage them if their efforts are a little crude at times. it is the spirit of good-will which makes the blessed home. egg-shells =garden= (_shell_, _earth_, _birdseed_) cut an egg-shell in half horizontally, with a sharp pair of scissors, and three days before easter put into it a little earth, place in this a little canary seed, or a single pea or bean, and a little plant will delight the child. =doll's cradle= (_shell_, _ribbon half an inch wide_, _paste_, _cardboard_) take a smooth white egg and blow it. to do this make a tiny pin-hole in each end, and by blowing into one end steadily the contents can be emptied out of the other. draw lines lengthwise and crosswise around the shell, dividing it into four equal parts. then, following the line, cut away the upper quarter toward the small end. this leaves a cradle with a small canopy. paste the ribbon neatly around for a binding round the edge. rockers can be made by cutting curved pieces 1/4 inch wide out of thick cardboard, although such a cradle will rock without rockers. mattress for above. (_thin white ribbon_, _milkweed down_, _needle_, _sewing silk_) cut and sew the ribbon into a tiny mattress for this fairy cradle, and stuff with milkweed down. if the ribbon is just the width of the cradle the edges of the mattress can be neatly overcast. a tiny doll may then be placed within the cradle. =boat= (_goose-egg_, _leatherette paper_, _kindergarten slats_) blow the egg as described above. cut in half lengthwise. cut the paper into strips 1/2 inch wide. in each side of the shell cut an indentation 3/8 inches deep and 3/8 inches wide for oarlocks. then bind neatly with the paper strips. cut the slats (or a piece of berry box will do) into tiny oars and paste a seat across, which is also cut out of a slat. careful handling is required for these dainty toys, and if the child seems to get nervous let her do only a little at a time; but much neatness and skill is exercised in the making, and it is good practice for older children. the wise mother soon learns to detect the difference between the poor work which is the result of pure nervousness and that which is the consequence of carelessness. the latter should never be permitted to stand. see to it that what the child does is up to his best capacity. =humpty-dumpty eggs= (_shell_, _shot_, _water-color paints_, _a bit of cotton-batting_, _and a bit of tough paper_) take a shell and empty of contents as described above. enlarge the hole at one end sufficiently to drop in a dozen tiny shot obtainable at hardware store. paste over the opening the bit of paper, and on that a little cotton to simulate hair. paint upon the surface eyes, nose, and mouth. a comical little toy which always regains its balance, however placed, is the result. in playing with this the child unconsciously imbibes a few ideas about equilibrium, equipoise, etc. tell him you want him to be a man that, however placed, will always be able to get upon his feet again. =foot-ball=, or rather it might be called breath-ball (_egg-shell_, _water-color paints_) take an empty shell and paint to resemble a football or in some college or high school colors. see page 99 for directions for game. =toy lamp= (see under doll-houses) prunes and raisins =turtle= (_raisin and five cloves_) take a plump raisin and stick into it five cloves for head and legs. =man= (_raisins or prunes_, _toothpicks_) make a man by running a toothpick through three raisins for a body. into the top one stick two other toothpicks, with two raisins each for arms and two other toothpicks with raisins make the legs. each leg has a projecting raisin for a foot and another large raisin makes the head. these are fun-makers for a children's party, one at each plate. seeds =stringing= (_squash seeds--dried_, _strong thread_, _needle_) little children can be happily occupied making chains of squash, pumpkin, and water-melon seeds that have been saved and made soft by soaking awhile in water. the black seeds of the water-melon alternate prettily with the white seeds of the other gourds. variety can be introduced by stringing several of one color and then several of another, counting by twos, threes, etc. this gives exercise in counting, in pleasing grouping of colors, and so exercises both the invention and the taste of the very little child. =designing= (_black seeds_, _white seeds_) let the child make designs of the seeds upon the table. place a black one for a centre and a white one on each side. repeat this figure for a foot or more, placing the groups an inch apart and observe the effect. tell him thus to make a design for the frieze of the room. another effect is produced by placing a white seed as a centre and placing four or five around it. vary still further by placing a circle of black seeds around the whole. these few examples will serve to indicate the endless variety that can be secured, and is a training in invention and taste. let the child always have in mind a design for some particular purpose, as of wall-paper, oil-cloth, etc. lead him to observe similar effects in carpets, wall-paper, etc. the best of these attempts can be made comparatively permanent by pasting upon small sheets of tinted bristol-board. the chief value in preserving any such work is for purposes of comparison as the child improves. =counters= save out 24 white and 24 black seeds for counters in checkers, go-bang, etc. =squash-seed chicken= (_25 seeds_, _white thread_, _two quill toothpicks_, _bit of red flannel_, _feather from duster_) take 25 squash seeds and soak till soft. take five of these and place side by side with pointed ends up. above these place four, their wide ends coming between the points of the others. above these place three in the same relative position. above these put two, and above these and between them place the squash-seed which is to be the head of the chicken. now, beneath the original five, place four, pointed ends up; beneath these put three, then two, then one. if these are rightly placed, the pointed ends of one row come just at the sides of the wide end of the seeds above. [illustration: how to string the seeds.] run a thread through the lower end of the two and the upper end of the three; then through the lower end of three and the upper end of the four; continue thus till all have been united. the result thus far will be a double pyramid of the seeds. draw an eye in the middle of the head, paste or sew on a bit of quill for a bill and a bit of flannel for a comb. attach a few feathers from the duster for a tail. take two more seeds and sew to the _middle_ of the row of _five_ for the thigh of the legs, and to each sew a quill for the rest of the legs, cutting into points at one end for toes. [illustration: squash-seed chicken.] make another chicken like the above and suspend the two face to face upon a slender stick by running a thread through the head and one through the tail. when the stick is moved the chickens assume very realistic attitudes. a comical toy, made with no expense save that of time and patience. (see illustrations.) =pincushion or penwiper= (_five plump apple-seeds_, _sharp pen-knife_, _black thread_, _stiff card_, _square of muslin_, _emery or cotton batting_) save out five seeds, and cut the cuticle of the large end into two tiny points to simulate the ears of a mouse. knot the thread and run a tiny bit through for a tail. paste these upon a visiting card, and near them paste a tiny bag made of white muslin to simulate a flour-bag. it can be stuffed with cotton or with emery for needles or pins. or the card can be sewn upon several layers of cloth as decoration for a penwiper. =imitation water= muskmelon seeds placed in an undulating line in the sand-box suggest water. soap =hammering= (_old-fashioned bar soap_, _hammer_, _nails_) a wee child will entertain himself for a long time by hammering nails into a bar of soap if the proper tools be given him. in this simple activity he exercises both mind and body. it requires good coördination on the part of the little one to strike the nail just right, and he enjoys not only the exercise itself, but also the pleasure of imitating the carpenter who uses the hammer so skilfully. =drawing= (_white soap_, _window-pane_) on a day when he must stay indoors, give your child a piece of white soap and let him show you what he can draw upon the window-pane. ships and trees, houses and flowers have a fairy-like appearance when drawn with this commonplace material upon the impromptu background of glass. this allows the freedom of movement found in blackboard work. it gives scope to the child's imaginative powers and should add nothing to the housekeeper's cares, being readily removed with a damp cloth. it may reveal creative possibilities in some otherwise "mute, inglorious" artist. cereal boxes =moving-van= (_cereal-box_, _glue_, _two skewers_, _4 button-molds_, _4 nails or strong pins_) take a box (quaker oats or force, etc.). cut out doors and side openings for a moving-van. it may be well to draw these first. for a model, look at any van or grocer's wagon. it will be seen that models are numerous and various. if more explicit directions are required we give the following, although it is always well to have the child use his own mind as far as possible before going to others for ideas. remove the top of the box, which becomes the front of the wagon. the bottom of the box will be the back of the wagon. this bottom will be found to consist of two layers of cardboard. remove the outer one and cut the inner one once through the middle to make two doors. on each side of the wagon cut an oblong window 1/2 inch from the top, 1/2 inch from the bottom, and 1/2 inch from the front. let it be two inches wide. place a seat across from one window to the other; fasten with glue. it may be just a straight piece one inch wide, or may be two inches wide, folded once through the middle lengthwise to give a back. for wheels use wooden button-molds, two inches wide, or circles sawed from a broom handle. for axles use wooden skewers or cut a piece from a stick of kindling wood about 1/4 inch wide. whittle the ends till they are slender enough to hold the button-molds. then put on the wheels, inserting a slender nail or pin outside to keep them from coming off the axle. glue the axle to the box. if wheels are cut from broom-handle, a nail can be driven through the centre for an axle and then pushed into the side of the box, or a nail pushed through a button-mold directly into the box will hold. punch two holes into the front of the wagon, tie cord through and the wagon can be drawn along. it may be painted if desired. for horses, trace a picture of a horse from some book or advertisement on cardboard, cut out and harness to wagon. =lantern= (_box_, _scissors_, _candle_, _pencil_) draw on the box holes to represent eyes, nose and mouth. then cut these out. cut holes near the top of box to put wires through for carrying the box. use a wire about two feet long, put the ends through the holes and bend up. let a little of the wax drip from the end of the candle to the bottom of the inside of the box, and when a soft centre has been made push the candle down and it will stand firm. only older children should use these, lest harm result. but children do make them at election times for transparencies. the openings may be lined with colored tissue paper. =house= (_cereal box_, _paste_, _scissors_, _wall-paper_, _etc._) remove one broad side. stand box on one long narrow side as room of doll's house. cut an opening in the remaining broad side for a window. furnish with paper furniture. (see page 85.) edam cheese =lantern= (_cheese_, _knife_, _candle_) after the interior of one of these round, red cheeses has been scooped out and eaten by the family, the discarded red shell will make a fine jack-o'-lantern, if the proper holes for eyes, nose and mouth be cut into it and a candle inserted inside. the candle may be inserted in a socket cut into the bottom of the rind, or it may be made to stand firmly in a bed of wax or tallow melted from its own lower end. salt =play for baby= (_fine table salt_, _spoon_, _bottle_, _small box or pan_) if clean fine sand is not at the moment available, give the baby a box containing a heap of salt and a teaspoon and bottle, and he will be happy for a long time, passing the salt from one bottle or box to another. to the young mother this may seem akin to foolishness, but in thus playing simply with sand or with salt the baby is exercising faculties and working out baby problems which he should be given opportunity to try. he is becoming acquainted with his environment, his little world. tin cans =burnt-match safe= (_mustard box_, _oil paints_, _brush_, _ribbon_, _nail_, _hammer_) punch two holes near the upper edge of a discarded mustard box, the holes to be opposite each other. these may be made by hammering a nail through the tin, holding the box firmly against a block of wood or stone for pressure. with oil paints, one color, begin at the top to paint the box, graduating from light to darker tones as the bottom is approached. lighter tones may be secured by mixing the blue or red with chinese white. a flower design may be painted by one skilled in the use of the brush. tie ribbon through the holes by which to suspend the box, and the result is an article both useful and pretty. =flower-pot= (_can_, _ivory paints_, _brush_) paint an empty can with green or brown ivory paint and use as flower-pot for growing plant. children love to handle a paint-brush, and this offers a legitimate occasion for such occupation. a small hole should be punched in bottom of can for drainage. =hanging-basket= (_can_, _nail_, _hammer_, _cord_, _raffia_) punch holes for suspending as described above. then make a covering of raffia as explained on page 46 and hang up by the cord. =wheels= (_covers of baking-powder tins_, _nail_, _hammer_) with the nail, hammer a hole through the centre of the cover, placing upon a stone step or other brace. the little wheels may be used to complete toy wagons that the child is making. tin foil =toy dishes= (_tin foil from cream-cheese wrappers_, _etc_.) take the tin foil, and by simple squeezing and pressing and shaping, a little practice will enable one to make it into tiny pitchers, goblets, pans, etc., for dolly's table. =toy mirror= (_tin foil_, _scissors_) smooth carefully with the fingers and cut a piece of the tin foil into the shape and size to fit a little cardboard bureau. a larger piece will simulate water in the sandbox park. =toy money= (_tin foil_, _coin_, _scissors_) smooth the tin foil with the thumb nail, place a cent or a nickel beneath, and press and smooth again, making an impression of the coin that may be cut out and used in playing store. =toy cutlery= (_tin foil_, _scissors_) cut tiny knives, forks and spoons out of the tin foil for the paper-dolls' table. cork save all corks and they may be used in a variety of ways. =toy raft= (_cork_, _wire or hairpins_) run several corks on a piece of wire to resemble a log; make several such and then tie together to make a raft, tying between the corks. =toy boat= (_circular flat cork_, _tacks_, _wire_, _toothpick_, _paper_) insert a toothpick in one of the large flat corks that sometimes cover pickle glasses. paste a paper triangle upon this for a sail and set afloat in a dishpan sea. =flower-rack= (_flat cork_, _pencil_) take a flat piece of cork such as is used by entomologists upon which to impale insects, or any flat, _thin_ piece of cork will do if several inches in diameter. such cork may be easily perforated by a slender pencil. make a number of perforations several inches apart, and then the cork may rest upon a water-filled saucer or other deep dish, and the stalks of single flowers may be inserted into the holes so that they are supported by the cork. =furniture= (_circular corks_, _pins_, _worsted of pleasing color_, _cashmere or silk goods_) into the upper side of a round cork about one inch in diameter insert five to seven pins. twist and weave the worsted in and out, under and over those pins, so as to make a firm, solid back to a little chair. the ends of the worsted may be neatly disposed of by threading on a needle and running in and out for a few stitches till concealed. for legs, insert four strong pins, and wind these round and round with the worsted, finishing neatly by running with a needle in and out. if the seat seems too plain it may first, before the chair is made, be covered with silk or cashmere. to do this cut the cloth into a circle somewhat larger than the diameter of the cork. run a gathering thread around the circumference, and putting the cork in the centre draw the thread and so gather beneath the seat. to make a really neat finish the edge should be turned in before gathering. =swimming-float= (_dozens of corks_, _strong canvas cloth, measuring 20 × 36 inches_, _needle_, _thread_) make two strong canvas bags, measuring about 18 × 20 inches. fill these with corks to act as floats. unite the two bags by a strong band of canvas about 7 × 20 inches in size, and let the children use when in bathing. =cork in art= in making models of world-renowned buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, temples, etc., cork is used in large and small pieces. in germany it is used in making pictures. a sky background is painted in water-color, and the flat pieces of cork are cut into shape and glued on to represent walls and towers of buildings. the foliage of trees is represented by the more spongy pieces of cork, and the effects secured are interesting and beautiful. the children may like to experiment and see what they can do in this direction. =cork doll= (_see page 81_) chapter ii mother nature's horn of plenty many of the articles named under the market basket division of this book could be classified also under the above head. in addition we present the following: stones and pebbles =collections= (_stones_, _small boxes_) collect various pretty little stones and pebbles on river shore, coast or roadway, and classify in different ways--according to color, shape, size. this exercises the child's observing powers and trains him in detecting differences and resemblances. keep in small boxes. =bottled pebbles= (_pebbles_, _plain glass bottle_) put some pretty pebbles in a glass bottle filled with water which intensifies the color. send to some sick friend, especially some one from the prairies who may seldom see stones. it is always well for the child to have some definite object in view when he does anything. =toy path-markers= use pebbles in the sand-box for outlining the little paths in the wee park or farm. =jackstones= pebbles of right size and shape make good jackstones. =toy vegetables= (_small square of cheesecloth_, _needle_, _thread_, _pebbles_) make tiny cheesecloth bags and use pebbles as potatoes, apples, etc., in play with the little wagons made by the child. in playing store with them comes opportunity for counting and measuring. tiny boxes can be used for quart and pint measures, and the child may be shown that two pints make one quart, etc. =paper-weight= (_large, smooth stone_, _oil-paints_) if you find a large, smooth stone of pretty tone, let the older child decorate it with a little picture done in oil paints. shells =collections= (_shells_, _small boxes_) collect and classify according to color, shape, etc., and keep in separate boxes. =bottled shells= (_shells_, _bottle_) put little shells in bottle of water to bring out lovely colors. (see bottled pebbles above.) =border for sand-table= place small shells along little paths in sand-table, sometimes with concave side up and _vice versa_. larger shells, as clamshells, make fine borders for roads and paths in the country. they outline the road on a dark night. =water-color-cups= collect and save shells to give to some artist friend as extra cups for his water-color paints. =ramekin dishes= large shells make serviceable individual dishes for baked fish, etc. appropriate for fish dinner. =individual salt and butter dishes= these can be made of the smaller pink and yellow shells found on many coasts. let the children collect shells for this purpose, and use for fish dinner. =toy-boat= a small shell is often found which, with the little natural seat found at one end, at once suggests a little boat. have the children collect and save for those far from the shore. =pin-tray= (_scallop shell_, _oil-paints_) paint a marine view in oils inside a shell for pin-tray. =pin-cushion= (_small piece of satin or velvet_, _saw-dust_, _glue_, _two perfect scallop-shells_) make a small pin-cushion of satin or velvet, filled with saw-dust, and glue between a pair of scallop shells, so that it fits in between as they open out. =piano scarf= (_several dozen small, thin, yellow shells found on atlantic coast_, _one yard nile green india silk_, _strong sewing silk_) hem the silk an inch deep at each end. sew to one end a fringe of shells made as follows: the shells usually have a tiny hole in them when found. if not, one is easily pierced by a strong needle. take twelve lengths of strong sewing silk, white, each 20 inches long. to each of these tie twelve shells at intervals of an inch each. you will then have twelve strings of shells, which are to be sewed to the scarf as a fringe, putting them about three inches apart. sew two rows of shells directly on the scarf itself, putting them about four inches apart each way. if desired, in making the fringe some of the strings may be shorter than others, arranged so that the long and short ones alternate. birch bark =needle-case or penwiper= (_squares of chamois skin or flannel_, _sewing-silk_, _paint_) cut bark into circles, squares, oblongs, etc. decorate with gold lettering or borders of gold. make several leaves of flannel or chamois skin and sew the bark on to these as a cover. the flannel may be scalloped. an appropriate sentiment to write upon penwiper cover is "extracts from the pen of--" putting in the name of the recipient. the leaves and cover may be sewed together with a cross-stitch. =handkerchief-box= (_punch_, _several strands of raffia_) cut two pieces of bark 6 × 6 inches. cut four others 3 × 6 inches. along the edge of these punch (with a conductor's punch or one that can be bought at a kindergarten supply place) holes an inch apart and 1/4 inch from edge. sew the four narrow pieces to the square for bottom and sides of box. sew remaining square more loosely to one side as cover. sew with strands of raffia, sewing through the holes already made. if desired to give a more finished appearance punch more holes along edge of box and lid, making them 1/4 inch apart. then hold a fine basket reed or piece of raffia along the edges and overcast. if lavender or sweet grass is obtainable, that will be even better than reed or raffia for the edge, lending its fragrance to the gift. the box can be still further finished by lining with dainty silk. make glove box in same way, but longer in proportion to width. =pencil and paint-brush box= (_bark_, _raffia_, _needle or crochet hook_) this is cylindrical. cut a piece of bark 5 × 8 inches. punch in it a series of holes 3/4 of an inch apart, and 1/2 inch from edge of each short side. place these so that one edge overlaps the other and the holes coincide with one another. then sew together with raffia. use a short needle or none at all. raffia can be drawn through holes with a crochet-hook. punch holes in the lower end of this cylinder and cut a circle of same size as diameter of cylinder out of cardboard. punch corresponding holes in this and sew the bottom in. strengthen top by overcasting over a twist of raffia, sweet grass or sweet clover. =canoe= (_bark_, _pencil_, _thread_, _paper_, _paraffine_) fold strong piece of bark and cut an outline of a canoe, rounding the ends. sew the ends closely together with stout thread, overcasting the edges with same. make watertight by lining with paper dipped in melted paraffine. paraffine may be bought at grocer's. =fan=, modeled after east indian pattern (_bark_, _kindling wood_, _dye_, _gold paint_) cut two stiff pieces of bark into hatchet-shaped trapezoid. punch row of holes in the narrowest side, whittle a handle of pinewood, and sew it to the narrow edge of bark over and over through the holes. the handle may be stained with some natural dye and fan decorated with gold paint. =picture-frame= (_bark_, _punch_, _sweet grass_) cut two pieces of bark 4 × 5 inches, one of smooth bark, one of the outer bark with pleasing markings. punch holes around the edges of each 3/4 inches apart. in the rough outside piece cut an oval 2-1/2 × 3 inches. around this inner oval punch holes near together and bind this around with sweet grass overcast with fine raffia. now sew the two pieces of bark together, first cutting into the back piece a slit near the bottom into which to slide the photograph. in using sweet grass as binding it is well to wind the bunch first with thread to hold the pieces together, and after the grass is firmly sewed the temporary thread can be cut away. the bunch of grass thus used may be about as thick as half the little finger. punch may be bought at kindergarten store, or conductor's punch will do. gourds =darning-egg= a smooth well-shaped gourd (mock-orange) makes a serviceable darning egg. =hanging-basket= (_large gourd_, _soil_, _plant_) clear the gourd of fibre and seeds, after cutting off the top rim evenly. pierce the top with two holes through which to attach cord for hanging, fill with a light, loose soil, and plant in it a drooping, trailing plant. cut a hole in the lower end to allow for drainage. let the country child save gourds of good shape to present, thus filled, to city friends. vegetables =sweet-potato vine= put a sweet potato in sandy loam in a hanging basket and water occasionally. it will produce a beautiful, graceful vine. =carrot-top= cut off the top of a young carrot evenly and place it on top of a pot filled with sand. moisten well, and keep in the dark till it has begun to sprout; when the leaves appear take it out, and the word "carrot-top" will acquire a new meaning, the result is so pretty. =turnip= take a turnip and clean the outside, taking care not to injure the parts from which the leaves spring. cut a piece off the bottom and scoop out the inside, leaving the top intact. fasten string or wire to it so as to hang it upside down. fill and keep filled with water, and soon the leaves will sprout and curl up, forming a beautiful natural hanging basket. raffia this flexible fiber, long used by florists, is now also used a great deal in the schools for the educational hand-training it affords. it can be obtained at kindergarten supply places. =reins= take three to six strands and braid into reins for playing horse. as the ends of the strands are approached (each is about a yard long) begin to weave in a new strand, as inconspicuously as possible. do not have the strands all exactly the same length to begin with, because if you reach the end of all at the same time it makes it difficult to weave in new ones neatly. =mat= take such a long braid as described above, and holding one end flat, turn it round and round spirally but flat, and sew with thread to make a mat for the tea-pot. by bending up a little as you sew you can make a basket. =picture-frame= (_cardboard_, _raffia_, _thread and needle_) cut a circle of cardboard 5 × 5 inches in diameter. from the centre cut out a smaller circle three inches in diameter. this leaves a circular cardboard frame. wind this round and round smoothly with the raffia. paste another circle on the back to give a good finish, but in this second circle cut a slit up which to slide the photograph. =woven mat= (_loom_, _raffia_) thread a little loom with raffia warp as described on page 90. then weave the woof (also of raffia) back and forth to make a mat or a case for hanging basket. to make the latter the right size have the warp threads as _long_ as the can is _around the circumference_, and have the _width_ about the same as the _height_ of the can. the raffia can be colored with diamond dyes and wee rugs made for the doll-house on tiny looms. =grace hoops= (see under plays and games) leaves =festoons and wreaths= (_leaves, fresh or dried_, _thorns or needle and thread_) city children may need to be told what seems to be handed down to the country child from generation to generation, that leaves may be made into wreaths for the head or decoration for the room either by overlapping one upon another and fastening together with a thorn or sharp twig, or by stringing together on a stout thread. =to dry or press= (_blotting paper_, _two small smooth boards_, _strap_, _wax or linseed oil_) gather and press pretty autumn leaves thus: have ready two boards measuring about one by two feet. put the leaves between sheets of blotting paper and place these between the boards and then strap them tightly together, or if no straps are convenient, put the boards beneath a heavy weight (a book will do). change the paper every day or so till sure that they are quite dry. to preserve and brighten the colors after drying dip in melted wax and press a moment with a hot iron, or clear, boiled linseed oil will do in place of the wax, using, however, as little as possible. =decoration for curtains= pin to lace curtains in attractive arrangement. =transparency= (_leaves_, _bolting-cloth_, _1 yard white india silk_, _sewing silk_, _needle_) 1. take a piece of bolting-cloth twice the length of the largest leaf and fold over evenly. open again and place the leaves upon the bolting-cloth artistically in a row; fold the cloth over again and baste. bind the edges with white ribbon, and at the two upper corners sew the ends of a narrow ribbon with which to suspend the transparency in the window. 2. or, if preferred, sew the bolting-cloth transparency as a border to the end of a yard of india silk as a scarf for shelf or piano. =frieze of leaves= (_leaves_, _cartridge or other strong paper of good tone_, _glue_) a pretty frieze for a room can be made by pasting leaves on a long, foot-high strip of paper which forms a background. the effect will depend largely upon the harmony between the color of the leaves and the background, as well as upon the arrangement of the leaves. they may be arranged in an irregular line, or may be placed so as to form artistic groups of twos and threes or fours. =collections of leaves= when the collecting instinct is upon him, let the child collect and classify leaves according to shape. see if he can tell by the leaf what tree it came from, and if he recognizes the different varieties of leaves. =four-leaved clovers= look for four-leaved clovers when on your country walks, and save to press and afterwards use in writing letters of good-will as decoration for paper, pasting on at upper left hand corner; or use to decorate place cards for dinners. it will hardly be necessary to state that the four-leaved clover has for long years been the symbol of good-luck. =shadow game= (_see under sun and shadow_) feathers =feather flowers= (_a large goose with many white feathers_, _beeswax_, _spools of wire of different sizes_, _aniline dyes, though vegetable dyes are preferable if obtainable_, _strong scissors suitable for cutting wire_, _spools of strong white cotton thread_, _spool of milliner's green-covered wire_) pluck the breast of the goose. (feathers come out very easily.) the feathers, being very light, fly about and therefore it is best to do the plucking in an uncarpeted room or one in which the floor has been covered with a large sheet. classify the feathers according to size, and arrange in bundles of about thirty by winding a stout thread around the quills. thus they are ready for the dyeing process. dye according to directions on packages. for deep green of leaves and for calyx immerse for several minutes; for more delicate tints immersion for a second is sufficient. suppose we select for our first effort a carnation. choose a real one for a model. having selected about twenty feathers of the required sizes and colors, cut the ends to resemble the form of the petal and then pink the edge as in the real flower. the actual number of petals required will depend upon the size of the flower copied and must be left to the judgment of the maker. take the measure of the length of stem required on the wire and double it (wire must be twice as long as stem). wind tightly and evenly around it the green milliner's wire to make the stem. soften the beeswax by heating slightly in a pan till soft enough to mold between the fingers. shape it into the form of the calyx, inserting the stem at the lower end, and pushing it far enough to insure firmness. wrap this soft calyx form round with green feathers to represent the flower copied. upon accuracy at the beginning depends the success of the flower, therefore it is necessary to observe the natural one closely. the green feathers must entirely cover the calyx mold, the upper ones curving back a little as in the genuine calyx. take some colored petals and insert between the calyx and the wax mold, pushing the quill end of the feather firmly into the wax. arrange the petals spirally, beginning at the bottom and building gradually up to the top. the larger feathers are used first, growing smaller toward the top. complete the flower by inserting the stamens and pistil, which are made by tearing one small feather into narrow strips and curling these by drawing once over a scissors blade. the simplest flowers to make are: carnation pinks, violets, sweet peas, fuchsias, roses and easter lilies. with the proper amount of time, patience and perseverance, any flower can be successfully made. if leaves are desired, cut green feathers into the required shape and attach. =indian headdress= (_large turkey feathers_, _glue_, _cardboard_, _paint_) save large feathers from turkey or rooster and make indian headdress by glueing upon cardboard cut to proper shape. for model look at copper cent. flowers =pressed morning-glories= (_the flowers_, _white tissue-paper_, _scissors_, _book or pressing boards_) press the flowers between a fold of thin tissue-paper. the delicate flowers will adhere to the paper, which is sufficiently transparent however for the morning-glory to be visible through it. when dry, cut the paper from around the flower and pin to curtains, lambrequin, etc., as desired, or attach to letter paper. =soldier-flowers= (_milkweed blossoms_) the small blossoms of the milkweed may be made to stand in rows and columns like soldiers, two by two, four by four, etc., giving practice in counting. rose-haws =rosaries= (_haws_, _stout thread_, _needle_) when the beautiful red rose-haws ripen let the children string them, making rosaries to send to city friends. straws =stringing= (_scissors_, _needle_, _thread_, _cranberries_, _nuts_, _etc._) save the straw from rye and let the children cut it into one-inch lengths for stringing alternately with cranberries, nuts, beads, etc. use to decorate the room, to make portieres, and to decorate the child himself when dressing up. =blowing bubbles= (_straw_, _soapy water_) hollow straws several inches long may be used to blow tiny bubbles of soapy water in the absence of a clay pipe. sun and shadow =blue-prints= (_leaf_, _blue-print paper_, _running water_, _small oblong of glass_) a package of blue-print paper can be bought at any photographic supply place for from 15 cents up, or can be had in the sheet from an architect's supply store. it must be carefully protected from the light till ready for use. take a square of the paper and place upon it a leaf or flower or inconspicuous weed that makes a good shadow on the sidewalk or window sill. place this in pleasing position upon the paper and put quickly in the bright sunshine, holding it in place with the small pane of glass (common picture glass will do). leave exposed to the sun for about ten minutes, then pour cold water over it for a moment or so, and the "shadow" will be seen to be permanently "fixed" in light blue against a darker blue background. an artist acquaintance has a hundred or more such prints of leaves, plants and flowers beautifully mounted in a japanese blank-book, the paper of which makes an exquisite background. she finds these shadows of the flowers and commonest weeds suggestive in her designing. =shadow game= (_smooth fence in sunshine_; _branch with leaves_.) 1. several children sit in row, facing smooth board fence. another group of children form their opponents. of these one walks behind seated row in such a way that his profile is visible on fence. seated children guess opponent from shadow cast. 2. one child casts on wall shadow of leafy branch. opponents guess name of parent tree. chapter iii saved from the scrap basket or work with scissors and paste what is known as free-hand cutting has been for some time recognized as of genuine educational value and is a source of great pleasure to the child when once he learns his capacity in this direction. when he tries, by means of paper and scissors, to express an idea, to illustrate some story, or to indicate something that he has seen, his notions of form and proportion become more definite and precise, and he learns to express action with remarkable skill and power. he learns to appreciate beauty of outline as seen in mountains and trees against a clear sky, and to recognize such beauty as there may be in what artists know as the "sky line," when darkness deepens and the mammoth buildings of a city loom up black against the sunset heavens. the definiteness of observation and skill with the hand acquired in this free cutting serves the child in many ways when in the school grades. many an otherwise useless piece of paper may, with the help of scissors, give the child hours of pleasure. but before he is able to use the scissors the child may receive pleasure and benefit from the use of paper alone. paper =tearing paper= (_any bit of paper_) give the children small pieces of paper and let them try to tear these into simple definite shapes. make a shoe, stocking, snowman, tree, ladder, cat, etc. watch that they do not grow nervous in doing it. after a little practice they will become surprisingly expert. paste what they make on a good background to save and compare with later efforts. this is a really educational occupation which involves absolutely no expense, as any clean piece of paper may be so used. will employ the child happily when traveling. the very youngest children, if they want to tear the newspaper, may be asked to tear it into tiny pieces which brother and sister can use in playing "hare and hounds." =cutting paper= let the child begin the _cutting_ by making a snowball out of white paper, and then a snowman. these need only crude outlines, such as are within his capacity. then lead him on, little by little, to cut a picture of the cat and of the dog, and illustrations to his favorite stories, as the "three bears." this is beloved in the kindergarten, requiring, as it does, pictures of the chairs, the bowls, etc. those who have not seen children do this kind of work will be surprised at the capacity developed. if he is afraid to attempt the freehand work, give the child pictures to cut around, as simple outlines of a cat seated, or a piece of fruit. then encourage him to cut without the outline. both efforts may run along together. if a line be drawn, be sure that it is heavy and distinct enough to be readily seen and followed. =birthday candles=} (_red paper, blank card, colored_ =firecrackers= } _crayon_) out of red paper let the child cut six (or any number desired) narrow strips for red candles, to represent birthday candles. place in a row upon a white card, to serve as place cards at a child's party. draw a bit of yellow at end of each candle to hint at a flame. the same may be turned into firecrackers for a "fourth of july" festival, a line being drawn to suggest a fuse. =soldier-caps= (_newspaper_, _pins or paste_) take brown wrapping paper or newspaper and cut a square. place before you and fold from _back_ to _front_, making an oblong. _while still folded_ make another fold by turning the left edge so that it exactly meets the right edge. open this much out and there is a crease running from top to bottom. now take the upper left hand corner and make it touch the bottom of this crease; take the upper right hand corner and make it touch the lower end of this crease. this gives a pointed cap, still unfinished. to finish cut a slit, an inch deep, up from each lower end of the cap and then fold a kind of hem up from the bottom and paste the ends over neatly. turn the hat over and fold a similar hem on the other side. turn in the corner and finish by pasting neatly. =plume for hat= (_paper as above_, _scissors_, _paste or pin_) take a strip of paper 6 × 12 inches. make a fringe or series of cuts in this about four inches long and 1/2 inch wide, and then roll it up and attach to hat with paste or a pin. =epaulets= for shoulder may be cut in similar way. the cutting of these fringes gives practice in the use of scissors. * * * * * the articles whose making we will now describe do not come under the head of free-hand cutting, as they usually require cutting according to measurement, and really definite directions. they are given in general in the order of difficulty in the making. =chains= (_scissors_, _paper_, _paste_, _toothpick_) let the little child begin by cutting strips of some bright paper or smooth wrapping paper into lengths of 1/2 by 3 inches. make a ring of one of these, putting a wee bit of paste on the under part of one end and sticking it fast to the other end by overlapping. through this ring run another strip and paste into a similar ring, and so make a long chain of them wherewith to decorate the child's small person or the room. to make paste see page 169. it is well to have a small pomade box, obtainable at a druggist's, in which to keep the paste. it can then be covered and kept moist until the next time for using. but a little fresh mucilage or paste can at any time be put into a butter dish. a toothpick will make a good paste-stick, which the child can handle more easily than a brush. show him that a tiny bit of paste will suffice and that more makes the pretty ring mussy. if mother is sewing and the child restless and no bright colored paper convenient, let the child cut strips of newspaper right at hand and make the rings. his imagination will readily convert them into links of gold. =mask= (_paper of any color_, _scissors_, _chalk_, _cord_) cut an oval out of paper (or dress-lining) and in it cut holes for eyes, nose, and mouth, fitting first to the child's face to insure getting them in the right places. put a hole in the middle of each side through which to tie the string which fastens it around over the head. to add to the fun the mask may be colored with chalks. =newspaper wrappers= (_smooth brown wrapping paper_, _pencil_, _ruler_) take smooth pieces of brown wrapping paper. cut oblongs 8 × 12 inches. from one narrow edge then measure an inch down on each side and make a dot. make another dot at the middle of this same narrow side. then draw a curve from dot to dot and cut along the line. this makes the curved edge of the wrapper. the curve may be cut free hand by a skilful hand, or drawn with a compass. put some mucilage all along the edge of the curved side about 1/2 inch wide and let dry. make a dozen of these and give to father for a present, all ready for use when he wants to mail a paper. they can be made more complete by affixing a one-cent stamp on the right hand side where the curved edge begins. =papers for baking pans= (_brown paper_, _scissors_, _pencil_) give child paper and baking-pans, and let him cut papers ready for your use when making cake. let him do measuring. =book-mark= (_fine white or tinted paper_) take a piece of dainty paper and cut into an oblong 1 × 6 inches. fold lengthwise and cut a small triangle from each end so as to leave a point when opened out. now cut a circle in the middle of the paper (which is still folded) and cut other shaped openings, diamonds, triangles, etc., along the fold, 1/2 or 3/4 inches apart. open and you have a simple openwork bookmark the little child can give father for birthday. a little experiment will show how to secure variety and intricacy of design. =fringed bon-bon papers= (_white tissue paper_, _colored ink or water-color paints_, _candy_, _verse of poetry_) cut a sheet of tissue paper into little oblongs 4 × 5 inches. dip each narrow end 3/4 of an inch into ink, red, green, etc., or into water-color paints, and let dry. then cut this colored margin into narrow slits, making fringe. copy some appropriate couplet on a narrow slip of paper and place it with a piece of candy inside the paper, giving the fringed ends a final twist. the making of these at home for some future occasion, such as a birthday party, will afford a happy hour's amusement. =paper money= (_white paper_, _pencil_, _scissors_, _cent_) place the cent beneath the paper and then press on it with the bottom of the pencil, rubbing at the same time with a circular motion. soon the impression of the coin will appear on the paper. cut out and use in playing store. =snowflakes= (_white paper_, _mucilage_, _a ten-cent box of mica crystals or five cents' worth of alum powder_) a six-pointed star must first be made of white paper. to make this take piece of the paper from 3 to 6 inches square, according to the size of the star. fold the paper once and cut an approximate half circle. then fold this in thirds, pressing the folds to make creases. if opened out the circle would be marked by six equi-distant creases radiating from the centre. do not, however, open, for you are now ready to cut. before doing this, observe if possible some real snowflakes, with microscope or magnifying glass, or even with the naked eye. notice the form and hexagonal structure. this is seen best if the flake is caught on some woolen fabric. then look into an unabridged dictionary and study the picture of the magnified snowflake crystal. then cut tiny triangles, circles, etc., into your folded circle so that when opened out it will suggest an enlarged snowflake with its six varied points. a delicate appearance is secured by cutting delicate tapering points, or, if the points be broad, cut holes in them to give a lacey effect. we do not give more definite directions for cutting, as the great fascination of the occupation consists in the experiments with their many surprises. (1) now take the paper snowflake and brush it lightly over with a thin, transparent mucilage, and then sift over it some mica crystals obtainable at a toy-store, one box being sufficient for many flakes. after drying, cover the other side in the same way. suspended from the christmas tree, these are very effective. (2) the flakes can be made in another way, thus: make a solution of alum water, dissolving five cents' worth of alum in a pint of water. be sure it is all dissolved. then put the flakes in a shallow dish (granite ware or some material that the acid will not injure). cover with the solution and put in a place slightly warm, so that the gradual evaporation of the water will help in the slow formation of the crystals. when finally evaporated the lacey "cut-out" will be found covered with alum crystals. cover during evaporation with some light protection from the dust. =tailless kite= (_two sticks, 3-1/2 feet long and 1/2 inch wide_, _a ball of strong but thin twine_, _two pieces tissue paper_, _knife_, _flour paste_) get the sticks from the saw-mill. cut a notch in the two ends of each stick as a catch for the framework of twine which will be put on later. on one stick make a pencil mark about seven inches from the top. put the middle of the second stick across the first at this mark and bind the two together firmly at right angles to each other. you now have a skeleton in the form of a cross. number the ends of the sticks 1, 2, 3, 4, making the top 1, the right hand end 2, the bottom 3, and the left hand 4, and the place where they join 5. now bend the second stick (the cross piece) into a bow and tie a piece of twine from end to end like a bow-string. you must get the curve of the bow just right, so that the distance from the middle of the bow-string to the joinings of the sticks is the same as from the joinings of the sticks to the top of the main stick, _i. e._, seven inches. now carry twine all around, from end to end of the skeleton, to make a framework for the paper; put this twine through each notch and around the end of the stick several times to strengthen. now paste together, end to end, lengthwise, the two pieces of paper, to make one long piece (a single piece is not large enough). place the paper on the floor or broad table, and lay the frame upon it. the paper will not be as long or wide in all places as the framework, hence, fold it over the twine framework experimentally, and cut off in places where it is too wide. allow enough for secure pasting. use the cut-off corners to lengthen in other places where necessary, by pasting on. if two colors of paper are taken, the effect is very pretty, the corners being arranged to match each other. the best paste is made by a judicious mixture of ordinary flour and water. now the belly-band must be tied on, as the flying string is attached to the belly-band. the belly-band is attached on the outside or convex side of the kite, being attached at 5 where the two sticks join; and at 3. it must be just as long as the distance from 5 to 2 added to the distance from 2 to 3. when tied at both ends put your pencil through the loop and move it so that the pencil rests upon the figure 2. the cord will then make an angle coinciding with 5-2 and 2-3. at the angle 2, attach the belly-band. in flying the kite it is important to have a very long flying-string. cardboard or bristol board =go-bang board= (_bristol board_, _ruler_, _ink_, _pen_, _button-molds_, _water-color paints or colored inks_) get a piece of bristol board or clean cardboard at stationer's and cut it 18 inches square. divide by straight lines into small squares 3/4 inches each way. to draw the straight lines in ink turn the ruler upside down and run the penholder against the edge, which is a little raised from the paper. this keeps the ink from blotting. four is the smallest number that can play with much success, and each should have about a dozen counters. these can be made of the smallest sized button-molds, each set of 12 painted a different color, or distinguished by a ring of a particular color drawn upon its upper surface with ink or paint. small flat buttons may also be used. to win the game each player must succeed in getting a certain number of counters (number previously agreed upon), say four, five or six, in a straight row, either horizontally, vertically or obliquely. if he gets three in a row, then the next player should stop this opponent's progress at one end of the line by putting one of his own men there, and must depend upon his neighbor to close the other end of the line. one player must not give warning to another of the prospective success of a third. each must keep a lookout on his own account. =checker-board= (_bristol board or any stiff, smooth cardboard_, _smooth, glazed paper of two colors, red and black_, _paste_, _scissors_, _ruler_) cut from the cardboard a square of 15 inches. draw a line parallel to each side one inch from the edge for a border. from each colored sheet of paper cut 32 squares of 1-3/4 inches each. paste eight of these in a row, alternating colors, and arranging so that they just touch the top border line. make eight such rows, one beneath the other, and finally giving 64 squares. for checkers, button-molds of small size may be used. twelve will be needed of one color and twelve of another. paint these with water-colors. flat porcelain buttons may also be used. =toy screen= (_tinted cardboard_, _punch_, _worsted or ribbon_, _4 small pictures_) cut four pieces of pale blue bristol board 3 × 4 inches. punch two holes in the two long sides of two of these, and in one side of each of the remaining ones. tie the four panels together with the ribbon or worsted so as to make a tiny screen, first pasting on each panel a miniature picture of a madonna and child or some other similar subject. suitable for child to give as christmas gift. must be done neatly. =fan= (_bristol board_, _pencil_, _worsted_, _two slats_, _scrap picture_) cut two pieces of tinted bristol board into ovals, 6-3/4 × 8 inches. make a series of pencil dots 1/4 inch from edge of oval and one inch apart. through these, holding the ovals together, punch holes. sew together with worsted, using the overhand stitch. having gone around once, if cross-stitch effect is desired, go around again the other way, going thus through each hole a second time. for handles take two long slats and glue on to each side of the fan from the centre down to the point of the oval, and beyond. paste a pretty scrap picture over the centre to finish off. tie the worsted around the ends of slats in a pretty knot to hold them together. baby ribbon may be used instead of worsted. =cardboard animals= (_glue_, _blocks or spools_, _picture-books_, _cardboard_, _tissue paper_) find models in picture-books, or get from butterick fashion co. their animal pictures, or same may be had from kindergarten supply stores. trace outline upon tissue paper, using soft pencil. turn paper over on cardboard and trace firmly again around the outline. this leaves impression of picture. cut it out and glue it to block or spool, or attach a cardboard brace to one side to make stand. =candlesticks= (_squares of bright tissue paper_, _bristol board_, _rubber bands_) cut circle of stiff cardboard 5 inches in diameter. draw upon it two diameters at right angles to each other. from the _centre_ cut along each of these diameters for a little less than half an inch. bend up the corners thus made and insert a candle. cut pieces of tissue paper 12 inches square; place the circle holding the candle upon the tissue paper, fold the latter around the circle and the candle, and put a rubber band around to hold in place. the appearance is improved if two colors of tissue paper be used. the effect up and down a table of these simple candlesticks is most festive. colors may be changed to suit special occasions. =chinese toy= (_three thin pieces of cardboard 2 × 2-1/2 inches in measurement_ [_visiting cards will do_], _6 lengths of taffeta binding or baby ribbon, 1/4 inch wide × 3 inches long_) the following toy can be made with little expense and very little trouble if directions are followed explicitly. it may be well to have an older child read each statement as the less experienced one tries to follow. a child who enjoys attempting things that are a little difficult will enjoy working this out. place the three cards one beneath the other, narrow sides facing each other. letter the cards respectively a, b, c. [illustration: chinese toy.] as they lie on the table, write on upper side of each card "right," and on the under side write "wrong." then place each card so that the "right" side is up. take card a and on _right_ side at middle of top place figure 1 and at each lower corner place a figure 2. do the same with card b. turn b card over and on _wrong_ side of b put figure 3 at each upper corner and figure 4 at middle of lower edge. do same with card c on _wrong_ side. now we are ready to unite the cards by the ribbons. take one strip of ribbon and paste one end on right side of card a at figure 1. run it beneath the card and bring it out so as to paste the other end on the right side of card b at figure 1. take _two_ strips. paste one end of each at 2 on card a. run beneath card b and turn up over so as to paste on figure 2 of card b. a and b are thus loosely united and the toy may be considered finished, but it is more mysterious if made longer, as follows: turn over and at each figure 3 on card b paste the ends of two strips of ribbon. (as ribbons already placed are loose this can be readily done.) run beneath b and bring up so as to paste the ends on each figure 3 of card c. take another strip. paste the end on 4 of card b. run ribbon beneath card c and turn up so as to paste on figure 4 of card c. this completes set of three. others can be added _ad infinitum_ by ingenious children. to operate (if the word be not too pretentious a one in this connection) take hold of one of the cards at either end and keep turning it up and down so that first one narrow edge and then the other is uppermost. the remaining cards should fall in a continuous cascade. the rough sides may be finished by pasting on each a pretty paper lining cut just to fit. (see illustration.) miscellaneous =chinese kite= (_kindergarten slats_, _paper_, _glue_) take a firm, light paper (druggist's paper will do). cut two oblongs, 7 × 10 inches. cut off all the corners by an oblique line of three inches. fold each oblong lengthwise. place the folded edges back to back, still folded. take two slats and place one _under_ one oblong and _over_ the other, horizontally. do the same with the other slat, but reversing the _under_ and _over_ positions. take four strips of paper, which should be about one inch wide. paste two strips over the splints, one on each side, to hold them in place. place a third strip from top to bottom of the folded oblongs to hold them together. (they meanwhile lying back to back.) turn the oblongs over and place the remaining strip in corresponding position. the result is a four-winged kite. tie a cord around the slats and it is finished. =ash-tray= (_cigar bands_, _glass saucer_, _photographer's paste_, _square of felt_) for some time past children who are under the sway of the collecting instinct have acquired from friends or by purchase the bright colored bands that come around cigars and then have utilized them thus: make an ash receiver by getting at a stationer's a glass dish and its accompanying piece of felt. paste bands in pleasing positions upon the under side of the glass. (photographer's paste shows no discoloration.) meanwhile, the felt should have been thoroughly wet, stretched to fit the under side of the dish, and hung up to dry. when dry, paste upon the under side of the dish and trim off neatly the projecting corners. =pen-tray= (_materials same as above, except that stamps or embossed letter-heads are substituted for cigar bands_) there are many who do not wish to encourage smoking, and to such we suggest a pleasing modification of the above. buy the glass dish and felt above mentioned, and instead of the bands paste upon the dish canceled postage stamps or letter-head monograms, etc., for a pen-tray. a smooth glass saucer and any piece of bright-colored felt that may be in the house may of course be used. =scrap-book= (_colored paper-muslin_, _heavy sewing silk or worsted_, _paste_, _paste-stick_) cut paper-muslin of pretty colors, pink, blue or tan, into pieces 8 × 13 inches (six pieces in all). fold each one over once and fit together to make a book, the cover being of a color different from the body of the book. sew all together by overcasting the back with stitches 1/2 inch apart in one direction, and then going back in the opposite direction through the same holes, thus securing a cross-stitch effect. show the child how to paste scrap-pictures neatly in this book. he may keep it for himself or give it to the children's ward in a hospital or to some younger friend. a very little paste or glue will suffice; a bit in the centre and towards the corners of a picture. if the child has collected a large assortment of cards before beginning to make the book, let him classify them, putting together on one page animals, on another plants, on another pictures typical of the different seasons, etc. he may in this way suggest a house, putting on one page kitchen furniture arranged in some logical order; on another page the furnishings of bedroom, etc. pictures for this purpose may be cut from magazine advertisements, trade journals, etc. in the same fashion a store may be furnished with articles for sale, the counter, scales, and desk. this gives practice in selecting and arranging. good taste may be inculcated even from such small beginnings. chapter iv the sewing-basket while busy with thread and needle, the mother may find it necessary to suggest some happy employment for the little one who asks for something to do. what do the contents of the sewing-basket hint? buttons =spinning button= (_button_, _thread_) show the child a button strung upon a strong thread about 12 inches long. then hold the thread firmly between thumb and finger of each hand and twirl it rapidly, drawing it suddenly taut. the button whirls round, making a pretty spinning figure. =stringing buttons= (_buttons_, _waxed thread_) if baby is so old that he is not tempted to swallow a pretty button, give him a strong thread waxed at the end to make it stiff, and let him make a chain of buttons. they may be strung according to size or color or shape, giving practice in counting, in arrangement, and in choice. =buttons as counters= (_buttons_) save disused buttons of the same kind and let the child classify into two or more sets to be used as counters in games like checkers or go-bang. see page 62. =button-mold wheels= (_molds_, _brush_, _water-color paints_) give the child four wooden button-molds of the same size and let him paint spokes upon them so that they will be ready any time to use as wheels for a toy wagon. call him a little wheelwright. =button-mold tops= (_molds_, _match or toothpick_, _gilding or paint_) paint or gild a button-mold and then stick through the hole a toothpick or burnt match whittled to right size and show the child how to spin it. =button-mold counters= (see page 62) spools =toy furniture= (see page 15) =toy tree boxes= (_spools_, _green paint_, _matches_, _green paper_, _scissors_, _paste_) let the child paint an empty spool green, to be used as a tree box. insert a burnt match to which has been pasted some green paper, previously fringed, to represent foliage. the child can make a row of such trees as a little boulevard up which he can draw an empty match box for a carriage. =spool tower target= (_a number of spools_, _ball_) pile a number of spools one on top of another and let the child try to knock them down with his ball. =toy road roller= (_spool_, _cord_, _toy horse_) tie a cord through a spool and hitch it as a road roller to the noah's ark horse. =pulley elevator= (_narrow cardboard box, such as a corset box or shorter one_, _spool_, _cord_, _another small box, either saved or made, narrow enough to fit inside the larger one_, _skewer_) stand the large box on its narrow end and near the top punch a hole on each side so that the holes are opposite to each other. take a spool and run through it an axle made of a slender piece of wood like a skewer. then put the ends of the axle in the holes in the box. this makes the pulley. use the smaller box as an elevator. tie a string to this little box in such a way that you can hold it up evenly. to do this you must punch a hole in each of the opposite sides. then tie one end of a longer string to the middle of the first named, and put the other end over the pulley. revolve the spool by pulling one end of the string and the box will be raised. =matching colors= (_spools of silk or cotton of various colors_, _silk and cotton fabrics of different colors_) have a color game, asking the child to try to match the colors on the spools with those in the fabrics. needles =breastpins= (_broken needles_, _sealing wax_, _candle_) take a large broken needle, such that it is intact except for the eye. show the child how to make a pretty pin for dolly by melting the wax a little in the candle flame, inserting the head of the needle, and molding into shape the bit of wax that adheres. =threading needles= (_needles_, _thread_) if eager to do something, give the child a number of needles with thread of white and black, and let him thread them and put them into a cushion so that they will be all ready for your use some morning when you are in a hurry to sew on a button or take a stitch in tommy's little shirt. miscellaneous =thimble biscuits= (see page 104) =drawing scissors= (_scissors_, _paper_, _pencil_) give the child scissors and paper and let him place the scissors on the paper and draw the outline around them. then tell him to cut out this outline. make several such and play at keeping cutlery store. draw scissors open at different angles and tell names of angles; right, acute, obtuse. =guessing distances= (_ruler or tape measure_) let the children guess the height and length of various objects in the room. verify by measuring with the tape-measure. tell them of oliver wendell holmes, the great poet, who, whenever he drove into the country, carried a tape-measure with which to determine the girth of any large tree he saw. let children measure the size of the panes of glass, window-frames, etc.; have them tell how many feet it would take to carpet the floor. tell them to put father's hat on the floor, near the wall, and guess its height. such little exercises develop the powers of accurate observation in a way that may prove very helpful in an emergency. chapter v the paint box or expression with pencil or brush let the child early be given charcoal or colored chalks, and later the three pigments--red, blue and yellow--wherewith to express his ideas. allow him some choice in the medium he uses--as pencil, charcoal or brush--as one may be best suited to his purpose one time, and another one at another time. encourage the child to tell a story by painting or drawing. the earliest graphic method by which man conveyed messages to one at a distance was through picture-writing. learning to observe =painting from the real object= (_paints_, _chalk or charcoal_) place before the child an apple, banana or flower of simple form and let him copy directly from the object without previous drawing. encourage his efforts, however crude the results at first. it is more educative to draw from the real object than from a copy. give him at first three colors only, in paints, till he learns how to get other colors by mixing these. for this purpose point out beautiful sunsets and cloud effects in nature. =life stages of seedling= (_paper_, _paints_, _seedling_) place before the child a bean or pea. give him an oblong of paper 3 × 8 inches. fold it into four parts. in the first let him draw or paint the seed as he sees it. then let him plant the seed. in a day or so let him paint a picture of the seedling, after having grown so as to show the development of the seed leaves. draw two other pictures to show later stages of growth. this gives a picture history of the little plant and while so occupied the child is learning to observe and note that which he sees. acquiring skill =calendars= (_water-colors_, _brush_, _paper_, _calendar pad_) draw circles, squares, etc., and let the child fill in the outlines with color. a tiny calendar may be pasted in the center and ribbons put through wherewith to hang it up. in filling in these figures show the child how to hold the brush lightly so as to secure freedom of stroke. let him make long strokes beginning at the top of the paper and moving from side to side slowly downward, or rather as rapidly as is consistent with neatness. have enough water on the brush so that the color will not dry from one long stroke before you are able to go back and carry it on to the next stroke. practice making a clean, smooth surface. =nature pictures= let the child fill one sheet thus with blue, a picture of the sky. another sheet may be covered with green, a meadow. still another sheet may have the upper part blue and the lower green. experiments with color =prism= (_secure glass prism from kindergarten store or from some candelabra you may have at home_) place in sunlight and let child observe colors and the order in which they appear; always in the same order--the cold colors at one end, the warm ones at the other. let the little child try to catch and hold the lovely "light-bird." =pigments= (_water-color paints_, _glasses of water_) dissolve a little red, yellow and blue paint in three separate glasses. then, by mingling these--the primary colors--show how the secondary colors--orange, green and violet--may be obtained. =transparent papers= get at a kindergarten store the transparent papers and isinglass used in color work. by overlapping one upon another different hues may be obtained. this may be done also, though less effectively, with colored tissue papers; but these are not so pure in tone. =color-top= color tops may be procured at kindergarten stores. with the top come paper circles, of standard colors, with their tints and shades, giving a great variety. these are so slit that by placing two or more on the top according to directions and revolving the top, any tint or hue may be mathematically produced. if the child has made his own button-mold top, let him cut circles of white paper and slip them over the axis of the top. make a dab of color here or there on the paper with paint or chalk. whirl around and observe the effect. this will lead up to a better understanding of the above-mentioned color-top which is manufactured by the milton bradley co. applied art =toy wagons and houses= if the child has made wagons or houses of wood or cardboard, let him paint them in broad, free strokes. it is desirable that the little child be given work which involves the free movement of the larger muscles which such work demands. this may not appeal to one as belonging under the head of art, but we learn from mr. pennell that in sicily the wagons of the peasants are beautifully decorated with landscapes and other pictures, and that the artists are particular to make their names conspicuous. in any case a certain artistic feeling is required in choosing the colors and rightly applying them even in house-painting and wagon decoration. and meanwhile the child is learning how to wield his instruments. =place cards= take a clover leaf and practice painting from it until able to make a copy good enough to paint upon a place card for the table. if the drawing be correct, just a flat wash of color will do for the painting at first. an autumn leaf will do for a thanksgiving card. see festival occasions for other ideas. =tops= if a button-mold top has been made, it may be painted in concentric rings or the entire surface may be neatly colored. =match-safe= this has been described upon page 34. =designs for rugs= (_paper, brown or white_, _paints or chalk_) let child draw or paint design for toy rug he is making for doll-house. he may make an oblong of one color, and at each end draw lines across, which are to be woven in another color. there may be one line at each end, or two, or three, etc. the arrangement of these lines and their distance apart allow much scope for taste and judgment. =designs for wall-papers, oilcloths, etc.= (_parquetry papers_, _paste_, _etc._) 1. have child observe oilcloth designs and then with kindergarten parquetry papers try to make similar ones for doll-house. 2. having made pasted designs, let him copy same in water-colors. =design for stained glass window= (_transparent paper_, _scissors_, _white paper_, _paste_) cut a circle out of the white paper. fold it once, which gives a half-circle; fold again, which gives a quarter-circle. holding it folded, cut several ellipses, triangles, etc., into the folded edges. open out and you have framework of a rose-window. on the back of this paste a piece of transparent paper (see page 75), red or green or yellow, and let the light shine through. hang in window for transparency. suitable for easter gift. vary by cutting like cathedral windows. (see illustrations in dictionary under "tracery.") picture-story =chased by a goose= (_pencil_, _paper_) once some boys lived in a house (make a dot) surrounded by a strong fence (draw circle round the dot). a short distance off was a large pond (an oval, a little below and to the right of the circle). one day the boys ran down to the pond (draw curved line from house to pond) and began to splash in the water and to throw it at each other (a number of oblique lines from right hand end of pond). some distance off lived some indians in two wigwams (two oblique lines meeting at the top and next to them a similar pair, like two tents, just below the pond). when the indians saw the boys throwing the water out they began to chase the boys, running up a zigzag path (from each tent draw an oblique line to the right for a short distance and then turn to the left till it meets the pond). the boys ran as fast as they could up a winding path parallel to the one they ran down (draw curving line parallel to first one), and then ran to the left partly around the fence surrounding the house. they had to run around the barn, too (an oblique line to the left and then another to the right till it meets the circle again), and when they looked behind them they found they had been chased by a goose!!! [illustration: chased by a goose] a little practice will make this easy for the story teller. the original dot and circle form the head and eye of the goose. the curving path is the neck. the water splashing out makes the tail feathers. the wigwams and the zigzag path form the legs and feet, and the path around the barn makes the bill. chapter vi dolls and doll-houses what little girl does not love a doll? the more variety in their size and style the better pleased is she. below are a number of suggestions for simple home-made dollies that may be prepared as a birthday or other surprise by older brothers or sisters. a few dolls =1.= =clay-pipe doll= ink in the eyes, nose and mouth on the back of the bowl of a pipe; dress in calico gown and apron, and put on a sunbonnet to conceal the top of the pipe. =2.= =clothespin doll= ink features upon the head of the clothespin and clothe as either boy or girl. =3.= =wishbone doll= (_wishbone_, _sealing-wax_, _material for trousers_) clothe the two limbs in trousers and ink in the features upon the flat joining bone. feet may be made of sealing wax melted, pressed into shape and attached while still warm. =4.= =peanut doll= (_peanuts_, _sewing-silk_, _glue_, _thread and needle_, _silk for dress_) make into chinese doll. take one peanut and ink in the features, making the eyes slanting. glue on a queue of braided silk. string together several peanuts to make the body. to the upper one add on each side one or two as arms and string several together to make legs. dress in wide-sleeved jacket and wide-legged trousers of oriental design. =5.= =yarn doll= (_skein of white cotton yarn_) cut the skein into lengths of 12 inches. double the skein over in the middle and tie a string tight around about two inches from the top, forming a neck and so making the head. tie another string further down for a waist line, but leave out a few threads on each side, of which to make two arms. tie these near the ends to indicate wrists. before tying the wrists cut the threads to right lengths for arms. the features may be put in with ink. =6.= =cork doll= (_16 or more corks saved from olive bottles, etc._, _smooth wire or hairpins--three in number_) string several corks upon the wire or hairpin for head and body. through the second cork from the top run a hairpin sideways for arms, and fasten two corks upon each projecting end, cutting off any of the wire that may extend beyond the cork. through the lower cork of the body run another hairpin and fasten two corks upon it for legs. turn the end corks sideways to suggest feet. dress the doll as desired. =7.= =paper doll= (_fashion papers and catalogues_, _scissors_, _paint_, _paste_) most little girls find great pleasure in making their own paper dollies and the garments therefor. fashion papers and catalogues afford many dolls for cutting out, and tissue paper, crinkled paper, the lace paper found in candy boxes, etc., form the raw material for beautiful parisian gowns. dolls may of course be cut out of white paper and beautiful countenances painted upon them, or holes may be cut in the head for eyes, nose and mouth. =8.= =rag doll= (_white cotton cloth_, _cotton batting_, _paints_, _scissors_, _needle_, _thread_, _water-color paints or blueing and red ink_, _raveled rope_, _etc._) cut a large newspaper pattern of a doll. then double the cloth, pin the pattern upon it and cut the two sides for the doll. run neatly around with close stitches, beginning at the neck, and when nearly finished turn inside out, stuff with the cotton batting, and sew up the head. paint in the features or use blueing for eyes and red ink for mouth and cheeks. ravelings of rope will make silky hair, and fingers may be indicated by stitches. some doll-houses =1.= =cigar-box house= (_small cigar-box_, _paste_, _scissors_, _pictures_, _etc._) a cigar-box, small as it is, will give great delight to a child who is aided in furnishing a little room. stand the box up on the long side. paper with wall paper of a small design. then furnish with things made by the child himself; pictures cut from catalogues, and other accessories as described below. =2.= =pasteboard-box house= (_four pasteboard boxes_, _glue_, _paint_) select four strong pasteboard boxes of uniform size. boxes such as the "martha washington candles" are packed in will do. they measure 7 × 11 inches. lay aside the covers and remove any paper which may be attached to the inside of the box. spread a thick paste of spaulding's glue or furniture glue over the surface of one side of a box. fit one side of a second to this glued surface and put aside to dry. the third and fourth boxes are treated in the same manner. when securely glued in pairs place the boxes with open sides facing you. cover upper outside surface of one pair of boxes with a thick coating of glue and set the second pair on top of these in the same position. now, one has a pasteboard house of four rooms--two upstairs and two downstairs. when securely fastened together cut in the partition separating the two upper rooms a door four inches high and three wide. two windows measuring 3 × 4 inches, two inches from floor, may be cut in the back of the house. the same treatment may be given the rooms downstairs. one may arrange a kitchen and dining-room downstairs and a parlor and bedroom upstairs. oil paints, such as are used in painting furniture, which come already mixed in small cans, may be used for painting the exterior of the house. in using this paint it is well to remember always to put sufficient paint on the brush to cover the entire surface of the wall of the house, from edge to edge, without lifting the brush. a strict observance of this rule insures a neatly painted surface. if desired, one may use yellow, green, or any light color for the interior. remnants of cartridge paper or paper decorated in small designs can often be obtained of paper-hangers for a small sum. it may be fastened to the floor to serve as a large rug. =3.= =soap-box house= (_three wooden soap-boxes_, _nails_, _saw_, _paint_) take three soap-boxes, wooden. remove the covers from two and place one upon the other to make a two-story house. put in partitions thus: take a thin piece of board (from a smaller box), saw to needed height and depth and nail it in place by driving nails from above, below or the side, as the case may require. a stiff piece of cardboard (taken from a large box) may be made to serve as partition. if cut to the right size the pressure from top and bottom will hold in place. by taking _two small_ boxes for the upper floor instead of one large one the space which would be naturally left between can be made into a hallway. stairs may then be made of stiff cardboard, folded into steps, with a strip of obliquely-cut paper pasted along the edges of the steps to keep them in place. if windows and doorways are desired they must be cut or sawed in after being drawn where desired in pencil. the third box is for the gable roof. it is to be placed on top of the upper floor so that its sides slant for the roof. put in place and then mark off all that needs to be sawed away. when ready to be fixed permanently put in place and nail through. the furnishing of the little house gives much scope for ingenuity and invention as well as for the exercise of good sense and good taste. the exterior of the house can be painted with house paint, and this gives occasion for the broad use of the larger muscles, and physiologists tell us that the little child should exercise the larger muscles and nerves while the finer ones are still undeveloped. =tiling= (_corrugated packing cardboard_, _tacks_, _hammer_) the roof may be given a tiled effect by covering with corrugated packing cardboard saved from packages. tack this on. =papering= 1. paper with wall-paper. scraps of it may be saved when the home is being papered. 2. oil-cloth effects may be obtained by pasting on floors or walls designs made with the kindergarten parquetry papers. (see page 168.) 3. friezes may be made in the same way by using circles and squares in rows, alternately or successively. doll furniture =1.= =cork.= (see page 37.) =2.= =block= (_blocks of wood or kindergarten blocks, cubes and oblongs_) glue these blocks together, three cubes making a little chair, and cubes and oblongs making a bed or sofa. get the carpenter to saw a number of blocks of different shapes and sizes and let the child use his invention in putting them together. the furniture may be painted or gilded. =3.= =paper or cardboard= take a piece of paper 1 × 2 inches. fold crosswise. make a dot 1/4 inch from the folded edge and 1/8 inch from right hand edge. make dot 1/4 inch from fold and 1/8 inch from left hand edge. from open edges opposite fold make two parallel cuts to these dots. these cuts make the four legs. when opened out a table is seen with two extensions for drop-leaf. cut one of these extensions off and a chair is made. if the original paper is longer and wider it can be made into a bed, what were the leaves of the table being bent up into the head and foot of the bed. an ingenious child can vary and elaborate this furniture _ad infinitum_. the backs can be cut into fancy form and arms given to chairs and sofa. use one of these paper chairs for a model, place on cardboard and draw around the outline and so obtain a stiffer bit of furniture. rockers can be drawn, added to the feet, and cut out, thus making a rocking chair. special articles of furniture =pictures and clocks= (_trade journals_, _scissors_) cut from trade journals and attach to walls. =lamp= (_twist spool_, _toothpick_, _half egg-shell_, _wax_) paste a bit of paper on top and bottom of twist spool. through this stick a toothpick, which the paper should hold firmly. upon the top of the toothpick fasten a half egg-shell for a globe with bit of wax or glue. =stove= (_cardboard_, _black ink or paint_) make oblong box of cardboard. turn upside down and cut openings for top of stove. make a small hole in the back of the stove and insert in it a piece of paper rolled into a stove-pipe and pasted. cut openings in front for the grate and ovens, leaving a door for the latter. ink or paint black. =windows= (_thin white paper_, _oil_, _glue_) brush a piece of white paper over with ordinary machine oil, or olive oil, or dip it in the oil and when dry glue in for windows, telling the children that not very long ago that was the only way in which light was admitted to many houses before glass became so common. isinglass may also be put in for windows. =doll's bedstead= (_cigar-box_, _glue_, _gilt-headed tacks_) saw the _cover_ of box into two pieces, one for the head and one for the foot. fasten in place to the box with the decorative tacks. legs may be attached if desired. =curtains= (_cheesecloth or lace_, _needle_, _thread_) cut small squares of cheesecloth and let the child hem and put in windows for curtains. do not insist on very fine sewing for beginners. curtains may be edged with lace, or the entire curtain may be made of lace, tacked or glued to inside of window. =telephone= (_two spools_, _nail_, _tin mucilage top_, _string_, _small flat block_) take a flat piece of wood about two inches square. glue to it the flat end of small spool. that is the 'phone. another spool is the receiver hanging, when not in use, upon a nail driven into the wood. the mucilage top has the slot into which to drop the imaginary nickel. miscellaneous =grocery store= (_wooden soap-box_, _small cardboard box_, _scales_, _toy barrels_, _tiny pill boxes_, _sand_, _pebbles_, _etc._) a small wooden box makes the store. a smaller cardboard box turned upside down will make the counter, or small pieces of wood can be nailed together by the little amateur carpenter. buy toy scales or make some as described below. small barrels can be obtained at toy store or little bottles and boxes can be filled with small quantities of tea and sugar, with tiny bags of pebbles for potatoes, apples, etc. cranberries make acceptable play apples. corn and nuts also will find places. tacks can be hammered in on which to hang tiny brooms, and by hammering in two long nails and laying a narrow board upon them a shelf can be made for the canned vegetables. let the children make their own brown paper bags, looking at a real one for a model. =scales= (_two small square cardboard boxes, made or bought_, _twine_, _skewer or other slender stick of wood or metal_) in each of the four sides of a box make a small hole near the top. take two pieces of twine each four times the width of the box. tie one of these through two opposite holes of the box and the other piece through the two other holes, being sure that the strings when tied are of equal length. these two strings cross each other. in the middle, exactly where they cross, tie one end of a string three inches long. raise the box by this string and it should hang exactly true. arrange the other box in the same way. now take the skewer and exactly in the _middle_ tie a string of three inches. to the ends of the stick tie the ends of the twine already tied to the boxes. raise the skewer by this string and the boxes should hang evenly, like scales. if they do not, slide one or the other back and forth until they do balance. use in the toy grocery store. playing store is always a fine opportunity for indicating lessons of honesty in business. train the child to give fair weight and measure, even in play. =merry-go-round for dolls= (_cardboard_, _large ribbon spool_, _stiff paper or kindergarten folding paper_, _slender pencil_, _tiny flag_) cut two circles of cardboard, one five inches in diameter; the other, ten to twelve. using the smaller one as a base, stand on it a large ribbon spool (spool around which baby ribbon comes). glue the large circle to the other end of the spool, parallel to the other lower circle. make a hole in each circle. run a slender pencil through the upper cardboard, then through the spool, and then through the lower circle, making an axis round which the spool may revolve, carrying with it the upper circle. on the upper circle paste alternately animals cut from paper or cardboard, and benches also cut from cardboard. elegance may be added by gilding the spool and letting a tiny flag float from the point of the pencil. cut out paper dolls for a ride. =dolls' park= (_starch-box_, _earth_, _moss_, _twigs_, _tiny mirror_, _etc._) fill the box with earth and sand for a foundation, and then with moss, twigs, elder-berry sprigs, etc., fill in the fairy-like details. a toy swan or boat adds to the reality. =rugs for doll-house= 1. make the loom by taking a slate and knocking out the slate so as to leave the frame intact. hammer a row of small nails half an inch apart along the two narrow sides. then make the warp by stringing strong cord back and forth across the nails. tie first around one corner nail; carry _to_ and _around_ the two nails opposite, then back and around the next two, and so back and forth till it is all strung. the rows of cord should be parallel. 2. instead of a slate, looms of various sizes may be roughly made of four narrow pieces of wood measured, sawed, and nailed together at the corners. a curtain slat could be so used, or wooden boxes will furnish raw material for such. a loom 4 × 6 inches is a good size for a beginner. for woof, use coarse worsted or ribbon to begin with, or colored cheesecloth torn into narrow strips. use the fingers at first, later a bodkin, weaving under one cord of the warp and over one, back and forth, till a tiny rug is made. fasten ends by weaving in and out a short distance into body of rug. at first make rug all of one color, or a rag-carpet effect can be obtained by tying into a long string worsteds of various colors. if a plain color is used a border can be made by running in a strand or so of a different color. let the child employ his artistic and creative abilities in making designs for the rug with paints or crayons. draw an oblong of one color with stripes across the ends, one, two or three in number, at different distances apart. variety can be secured by taking up two threads at a time or running under _one_ and over _two_, etc. warn the child not to draw the threads too closely or the rug will have the shape of an hour-glass when finished. a washcloth can be made thus by weaving it of narrow pieces of cheesecloth. take the rug or cloth off the loom by raising carefully over the nails. 3. another simple kind of loom is made by taking a piece of cardboard measuring 6 × 8 inches. draw a row of eight dots half an inch apart. opposite these, and six inches away, draw another row. with strong cord sew through these a set of straight stitches, six inches long and half an inch apart. this makes the warp. run the worsted woof under and over these cords as in any weaving, and tear the cardboard away when finished. chapter vii plays and games in playing games children learn lessons of fair play, of mutual forbearance and patience, and of letting a playfellow "have a chance," which they learn in no other way. apart from the important bodily exercise and development gained in the active physical games, the demand upon mental and moral qualities is of immeasurable value. a child should never be permitted to cheat at a game, even "in fun." a game loses significance as a game when one person does not "play fair." the child to whom even the thought of so doing is impossible begins the race of life with an immense advantage, for we believe that the foundation for all real life is _character_. we give a few games which have been tried with success either in the home, the kindergarten, or the playground. some of these plays require materials; others do not. in some cases instructions are given for making the required materials. tag games =circle tag= one person stands in the center of a ring of children and each one in the ring holds out his right hand. the one in the middle tags one of the hands and the owner immediately gives chase till he catches the pursued. vary by having both tagged and tagger skip, hop, etc., instead of run. =racing tag= players form circle. one goes outside the ring and runs or walks around, suddenly quietly touching another player, who immediately races with him, going around the ring in opposite direction. vary by having contestants bow three times as they pass each other. =wood, iron or paper tag= one child chases another who touches for goal anything made of wood, or iron, or paper, etc., as has been decided upon beforehand. if the pursued is caught before he succeeds in touching such object, he becomes "it." the goal may be a wooden stick or tree, or an iron rake, or a paper book, etc. =japanese tag= form a long line of children, one following closely behind another in a march or run. one child outside the line is "it." he tries to tag some one in the line. the leader endeavors to prevent this by twisting his file rapidly in and out in a curving line, and, by so throwing out his arms, as to protect the threatened one, as the line twists and turns with him. if one is tagged, the leader becomes "it." the leader and his train of children must of course be alert in mind and active in body. =cross-tag= of a group of children the one who is "it" chases any one he chooses to begin with, but if another child runs in between the chased and the chaser, the chaser must follow the one who has thus run in between. if he shows signs of fatigue a third child may run across between the two, etc., he then being chased until the tagger succeeds in catching some one, who in turn becomes "it." races allied to the tag games are the racing games, of which we give only two. =potato race= (_twelve potatoes_, _two tablespoons_) place six potatoes in a row about three feet apart. place six others in a parallel row some distance away. give two players each a spoon, and at a signal they start to race. each player runs up his row, picking up the potatoes, one by one, carrying each in turn to a given point, then coming back for another potato, till all are thus carried. the left hand must not assist. the one who first gets his potatoes safely to the spot decided upon wins. =clothespin race= (_handful of clothespins_) arrange the children in two rows, equal in number. give the first child a handful of clothespins, laid straight. at a signal he passes them down the line. if one is dropped it must be picked up by the one dropping it and put as before with the others and then passed on. reaching the end of the line, they are at once passed back again to the starting point. the side wins which first get back all the pins. aiming games with bean-bags =kinds of bags= (1. _ticking or strong calico_, _strong thread_, _needle_, _baking-beans_. 2. _felt_, _sewing silk_) 1. make a strong bag of bright colored material, 6 × 8 inches in size. fill with the ordinary baking-beans and overhand the top. 2. take a piece of felt or any pretty strong material which will bear the wear and tear of the game. cut into two circles 5 or 6 inches in diameter. sew together on the wrong side, with a seam of one fourth inch. then cut in the center a small circle half an inch in diameter. turn the odd-shaped bag inside out, fill with beans and overhand the small circular opening with close stitches of silk. these bags can be more easily caught than balls by little hands. =kinds of games= children usually hand down familiar games from one generation to another. here are a few: 1. children stand in a circle with one in the center who throws the bag to each in turn all around the ring, or else tries to catch some one napping by throwing it unexpectedly. 2. vary by having children stand in a row and the leader throws to each in turn. or children stand in opposite rows and every one in one line has a bag which all throw in unison to the child opposite. these in turn throw back in perfect rythm. 3. vary again by tossing into the air in unison. the accompaniment of music is always a thing to be desired in such rythmic games. 4. one child stands in center of ring and tries to catch the bag as it is tossed across to some one on the other side of the ring. aiming games with balls the games just described may be played with balls as well as with bean-bags, and thus require more co-ordination on the part of the child's muscles. we give a few other games in addition. =counting-ball= let one child bounce the ball, striking it from above with the palm of his hand and counting one, two, etc., until he fails to hit it, when another child takes a turn. =guess-ball= a row of players number off from one end 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. the last number steps in front of the row a distance such as may be needed to secure certainty of aim and touch on the part of those who throw the ball. the player in front stands with his back to the others. those in the row now begin to pass the ball sideways from one to the other. the player in front having counted a given number, the one who happens to hold the ball at the time must at once throw it at the player in front. if struck, the latter turns quickly and tries to judge from the attitudes of the various players which one threw the ball. if he is right, places are exchanged. if he guesses wrong, the game continues as before. =cup and ball= (_cardboard_, _worsted_, _funnel_) make the ball by cutting from cardboard two circles about two inches in diameter. inside the large circles draw smaller ones about one-half inch in diameter. cut the smaller circles entirely out, thus leaving a hole in the middle of each large circle. keep these two large circles together. now, with a needle, wind worsted round and round through the opening in the two circles until it is completely filled, so that the needle cannot be pushed through. hold in the left hand, and with sharp pointed scissors cut the worsted at the edge of the circles, spread the circles a little apart, and tie a strong thread firmly around the worsted between the two cardboard circles. then tear the cardboard circles away and a pretty ball remains. tie this ball, with a string twelve inches long, to a kitchen funnel, and let the child try to catch the ball in the funnel. aiming games--miscellaneous =ring-toss= (_small wooden box_, _broom-handle or dowel_, _nail or glue_, _embroidery rings or hoops of small keg_) saw a foot from a broom-handle or dowel (a child's broom will best serve the purpose). glue or nail this to a box. let the child practice tossing over this post rings taken from a small keg; or embroidery rings may be used. these may be wound around with bright colored strips of lining or with ribbon. the rings should be graduated in size. =grace-hoops= (_basket reeds_, _raffia_) make a wand of three or four basket reeds cut into two foot lengths. wind these more or less loosely with string, just so as to hold them together. then wind around and around closely and smoothly with a strand of raffia so as to bind firmly together. if held smoothly, several strands of raffia may be used at one time. if reeds are not to be had lilac branches may be used instead. the result should be a wand firm and stiff. make the hoops by soaking the reeds first in water for an hour to make flexible. they should be cut into lengths of about 2-1/2 feet. curve several into a hoop and tie. then wind smoothly and firmly with the raffia. the ends of the latter may be disposed of by threading upon a large needle and running it a short distance in and out of the part already wound. two wands and one hoop are required for each player. one tosses a ring from her two wands to her opponent, who must catch it upon her own wands. this once popular game cultivates both alertness and grace. in the kindergarten the children use wand and ring in playing "knights." one child holds the ring while the little knight gallops around the circle on an imaginary steed and tries to capture the ring on his lance (wand), as at an old-time tournament. =croquet with peas= (_peas_, _hairpins or double-headed tacks_, _nail or match_, _toothpick_, _cork_, _cover of starch-box_) bend hairpins into shape or use double-headed tacks as wickets. insert into the cover of a wooden starch-box for ground. for a stake use a nail or a painted match-stick. sharpen this to a point and insert it in a hole previously made by hammering in a nail. make mallets by inserting matches or toothpicks into heads made of small pieces of cork. use peas for balls. put the whole outfit in a box and give to little sister for her doll's birthday. =egg-shell game= (_egg-shell_, _long table_, _four tumblers_) blow an egg-shell and paint with some college colors as a foot-ball. take four tumblers and place two at one end of a long table for goals and two at the opposite end for goals, the two which make a pair being four inches apart. divide the party into two competing groups. those on one side must try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. these must try to defend their end of the table and at the same time try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. this makes a merry game for young people. =cherry-stone game= (_save and dry a dozen or more cherry-stones_) scatter the stones lightly on the table. they will fall so that some lie closely together, others far apart. the first player selects any two stones and draws his finger between them so that he touches neither. if he succeeds thus far he must then try to snap one (with thumb and middle finger) so that it strikes the other. if this succeeds also the two stones belong to him and he has another turn, continuing until he either touches a stone in trying to draw a finger between two or fails to make one of the two hit the other. the second player will not fare so well, because the remaining pairs will lie closer together than those first chosen, so that great care will be needed in drawing the finger between two. sometimes it is necessary to use the little finger. at the end the player having most stones wins the game. the stones may be dyed or painted if desired. the game suggests tiddledy-winks and crokinole. =donkey game= (_picture of a donkey, minus a tail, and one dozen separate tails. these may be bought in large sheets for ten cents, but may be cut out of paper if drawn first by skilful hands_) pin the picture to the wall in some spot where it will not deface it. give each player a tail with a pin sticking through it. blindfold him. turn him around three times and send him in the direction of the picture to pin the tail on the donkey. the one who succeeds in fastening a tail nearest to the proper place wins the game. =blowing out the candle= (_candle in candlestick_) place a candle on the table. blindfold a player, turn him around three times about six feet from the candle. then let him try to find his way towards it and blow it out. he may have three trials. miscellaneous plays =the countess of the huggermuggers= (_two candles in candlesticks_) give two players each a candle. they take places about eight feet apart. then each takes a step forward at the same time and makes a solemn bow without smiling; then another step and bow; and then a third. then one says solemnly, "the countess of the huggermuggers is dead." the other one rejoins, "i am very sorry to hear it." the first one replies, "so am i." then each takes three steps backward, with a bow each time, and all without a smile. whoever smiles must give up his place to another player. =rope and sandbag= (_rope ten feet long, with handle at one end which may be made by knotting the rope, and a sandbag or other weight at the other. sandbag may be made of strong goods sewed into a bag and filled with sand. in a kindergarten a weight has been improvised out of a child's rubber shoe_) some one stands in the center of a circle of children and swings the rope so that the weight just grazes the ground. the children must be sufficiently attentive and agile to evade the rope by jumping over it as it passes them. do not begin until the rope has acquired momentum enough to move with a degree of regularity. =omnibus swing= (_strong rope or chain_, _staples_, _soapbox_, _wooden plank_, _nails_) if fortunate enough to have a barn or summer-house, or a playroom with a strong beam in the roof or ceiling, place a pair of strong staples in the beam (hammock hooks would serve the same purpose) a few inches apart. six feet from these place _another pair_ of staples in the beam. from each pair of staples or hooks suspend a loop of rope so that it comes about one foot from the floor. [illustration: omnibus swing.] take a plank about eight feet long and one foot wide and cut four notches in it, two on each side, about six inches from the ends. place the plank so that it hangs held by the two ropes, which slip into the notches in the plank, the notches keeping the ropes in place. upon this several children can swing back and forth lengthwise, and so play at rowing, riding, trolleying, etc., as imagination dictates. if a soapbox be nailed at one end the baby may be put into this for a safe ride. =anagrams= (_tinted bristol board_, _black ink or paint_, _heavy pen or brush_) cut the bristol board into 1-inch squares and let the child paint or draw upon these squares the letters of the alphabet, one letter to each square. there should be at least a dozen of each letter and many more a's, e's and s's, as these letters occur frequently in english words. two games may be played with these letters as follows: 1. give the child the four or five letters that compose a word and let him try to put them together in the right way as: _h-s-e-r-o_ (_horse_). 2. several players are needed for this game. the cards must be placed upside down in a box so that the letters are not seen. each player takes a letter in turn, the first time round, and places it in the centre of the table. at the second time round, each, as he takes a square from the box, tries to form a word with it, either by using a letter from the central pool or by taking away an opponent's word. if he takes from an opponent he must take an entire word. as he forms a word he places it before himself, the aim being to get five or ten words before any opponent does. if he can form no word he puts his letter in the pool. the number of words making the game must be agreed upon beforehand. for example: in the pool are placed in turn the letters _g, b, f, t_. player i, continuing, draws from the box the letter _a_ and with the letters in the pool can form _bat_, which he places in front of him, leaving _g_ and _f_ in the pool. player ii draws an _l_, and as he can form no word, he puts it in the pool. player iii draws an _e_ and takes away the _bat_ of no. i, turning it into _beat_. player ii draws an _o_, which with the _g_ from the pool, he turns into _go_. player i then draws again, and so the game continues until one player has, we will say, five words, the number agreed upon, and so wins. =weighing honey= one child crouches, clasping his hands beneath his knees tightly. two older persons then take the handles of the honey-jar (the child's arms) and swing him back and forth, counting one, two, three, etc., with each swing until the hands give way. the number of counts tells the number of pounds in the jar. suggestions for children's parties =peanut party= (_several quarts of peanuts, and a pretty little bag measuring 6 × 8 inches for each guest_) before the little guests arrive, hide the peanuts in corners, under cushions, and in all possible hiding-places, singly, or two or three together. at a signal all of the children begin to search for the peanuts. the one finding the most wins. give a reward of a peanut doll. (see page 80.) * * * * * in no such games of competition is it a good plan to have expensive prizes. that plan ministers to a weakness inherent perhaps in human nature, but one to be discouraged--the desire to win, not for the sake of success, but for the sake of the prize. the giving of a valuable prize engenders feelings of envy and caters too much to the gambling instinct. it tends to destroy the spirit of fun and play which is the real object of a social gathering. a part of such an entertainment would appropriately be the making of peanut taffy or of peanut animals. (see page 23.) =spider-web party= (_balls of pretty twine, one color for each guest_) take a ball of twine and to the end attach a card bearing the name of one guest. then unwind it, twisting it around different articles of furniture, chairs, table-legs, door-knob, chandelier, etc., till the thread is judged to be long enough. then cut, and to this end tie some trifling gift. arrange in this way one ball and gift for each child expected. when the time for playing the game arrives, give to each child the card bearing his name, to which twine is attached. at the signal for beginning, each one follows up his line, unwinding and disentangling it as he goes along, till the end of the cord bearing the gift is reached. as each little visitor receives something, there is no unwholesome spirit of rivalry. =thimble-biscuit party= (_dough_, _silver thimbles_) while making biscuits for supper give the little child a silver thimble to use as a biscuit cutter, first rolling the dough to a thickness one-third the height of the thimble. when he has made a good array put them into the oven. they will bake quickly and to the child will seem to surpass the best cake made. invite a group of little children to a thimble-biscuit party. a dough of flour, water or milk, a little salt and baking powder will be sufficient and the little workers will be very happy making the wee biscuits. only silver thimbles should be used. while the biscuits are baking a few games, notably "hide the thimble," will pass the time. served with a little jam or milk they will make a delicious repast, with dolls and teddy bears for company. =butterfly party= (_white paper_, _oil paints, in tubes_) uncovering the tube, make a dab of paint with it near middle of a sheet of paper. immediately beneath make a _long stroke_ of another color. now fold over lengthwise along the middle of the long line of paint. while folded press and smooth with finger over the first spot. this when opened will be the head of the butterfly. keep paper still folded, however, and press along the line of paint to make body and then make a side pressure to make the wings. open out, and there is the general suggestion of a beautiful butterfly, which, held up so that the light shines through, may be really very pretty. a little experiment will show how improvements can be made. any color may be used. invite your friends to an evening butterfly party and give a prize for the best one made; the prize may very suitably be something in butterfly form; a penwiper, or lamp-shade, or something similar. =autograph picture= (_ink_, _paper_, _coarse pen_) at the butterfly party, autograph portraits also may be made. with a coarse pen, filled with ink, each person writes his own name in turn. take the flowing autograph, fold it lengthwise through the middle and crease, making special pressure at the top and drawing out slightly at the side. open up and the result is a queer portrait of the owner of the autograph with suggestion of head and arms. enclose autograph on two sides by straight lines; when folded and then opened, the portrait will be framed. chapter viii festival occasions festivals have always held an important place in the life of home and community. the anniversary of the day of birth, or of marriage, the day of graduation, or of coming of age--what opportunities they offer for strengthening the ties of kinship, for creating hallowed associations that may often prove bulwarks of safety in later days of temptation and sorrow! christmas, easter, thanksgiving, are now national holidays with us, and our celebration of these beautiful festivals is one more link in the chain which binds us to all races and creeds; for the return of the sun at the winter solstice, the renewal of life in the spring, the ingathering of fruits in the autumn, have appealed to all peoples as fitting occasions for the expression of religious joy and for mutual congratulations upon dangers past and the results of work accomplished. in the joy of such occasions, we must not let them degenerate into the mere mercenary exchange of material gifts. christmas is preëminently the children's day, when we annually remind ourselves of the divinity inherent in all childhood, and desire to bring joy to all children and goodwill to all peoples. easter means most to the adult who has experienced sorrow and disappointment and has known something of the anguish and awe and deepening of life that comes with the message of death. the pleasure of the child in the hare and the easter egg must not be allowed altogether to overbalance the wondrous symbolism of the easter lily. the national holidays--washington's birthday, memorial day, independence day, etc.--take us outside the limits of the home and remind us that, as we thank the men and women of the past for the privileges of the present which we owe to their sacrifices and aspirations, so we should realize our obligations towards the future. in celebrating these different festivals, let the child bear his small part. we give a few ideas of things which he may do or make. it is these early impressions which are the lasting ones. the actual service demanded of the child counts much in the formation of character, though even more important is the spirit which radiates at such times from the parents and friends who celebrate or prepare to celebrate these recurrent holidays. it is the "spirit which giveth life," here, as everywhere. the suggestions will be given in the order in which the holidays come in the year. where an article is described in another part of the book, it will not be repeated, but the page number will be given for reference. new year's day =place cards at table= (_white card_, _pressed four-leaf clover, or paints_) 1. having found and pressed four-leaved clovers in the days of summer, paste one lightly to each place card as symbol of good-luck. 2. copy a clover-leaf with paints and write on card some appropriate quotation signifying good-will. =decorated note paper= (_writing paper_, _leaf_, _paste or paints_) paste a real clover leaf (or paint one) on the writing paper upon which you may be writing a new year's letter to your friend. =calendar= (_12 oblong blotters, white or colored_, _ribbon to match, 1 inch wide and about 3/4 yards long_, _tiny calendar pad_, _paste_) take the calendar pad apart and paste the leaf for each month upon one of the blotters. then tie the blotters together with the ribbon. this makes suitable new year's gift. (see also page 74.) =new year's bells= (_red cardboard_, _scissors_, _paste_, _ribbon_) cut out a bell and paste a calendar pad on it. or cut 12 small bells and paste one leaf of calendar pad on each, stringing all together with ribbon. =good-luck pigs= with our german population the pig signifies "good-luck," and at new year's pigs, big and little, made of various materials, are quite in order. a favorite candy, made of sugar and bitter-almond, is in the shape of a pig, and is used to present to friends at this holiday time. many suggestions already given may be carried out with the pig idea in mind. =midnight watching= if friends stay up to watch the old year out, any of the above-named articles may be made by the children for souvenirs. a poem which may suitably be read at this time is tennyson's "ring out, wild bells;" also, longfellow's "the poet's calendar." a timely topic for discussion is the never-answered question: when does the new century begin--with january 1, 1900, or 1901? timothy dwight, president of yale college, 1795-1817, wrote some clever verses apropos of the subject when he helped usher in the 19th century. st. valentine's day save lace papers from candy and soap boxes and they will prove useful when st. valentine's day comes in making valentines. with these papers and scissors, paste, scrap pictures of flowers, doves, etc., the children will spend happy hours in making these dainty souvenirs. we give a few directions for making some such. =single hearts= (_red cardboard_, _lace paper_, _scrap pictures_, _scissors_, _paste_) cut a heart out of the cardboard and around the edge paste a border of lace paper, fulling slightly and attaching it to the under side of the heart. in the centre of the upper side of the heart paste a pretty scrap picture. this makes a simple but effective valentine. =chain of hearts= (_red cardboard_, _scissors_, _scrap pictures_, _paste_, _red ribbon_) cut several hearts out of the cardboard, and, after punching holes in the top and bottom of each one, string them together, pasting a scrap picture on each one if that added touch is desired. =double hearts= (_red cardboard_, _scissors_, _paste_, _strip of red paper_) cut two hearts of different sizes. then take a narrow strip of red paper measuring 1/4 × 1 inch and fold it into thirds. while still folded attach one end of this paper to the _centre_ of the _upper side_ of the large heart and the other end to the _centre_ of the _lower side_ of the smaller heart. this unites the two, one resting on top of the other, the paper acting as a kind of spring to raise one above the other. instead of a small heart a scrap picture may be thus attached on the larger heart. in cutting out these hearts it may be necessary first to cut a pattern out of newspaper, making several trials before a satisfactory model is secured. =lacy valentine= (_gold or silver paper_, _white tissue paper_, _scrap pictures_, _paste_) cut from a sheet of gold or silver paper a piece measuring 5 × 7 inches. fold this once through the middle so as to make a book of 3-1/2 × 5 inches. cut a piece from the tissue paper of 3-1/2 × 5 inches. fold this two or three times and cut into it tiny perforations--oblongs, diamonds, circles, hearts, etc. then open out and observe the lacey effect. practice this until something pretty and dainty is secured. then upon the centre of the book paste a scrap picture and attach the tissue paper by its edges to the valentine in such a way that the picture shows a little between the perforations. a narrow strip of stiff paper folded in three, to give the effect of a spring as described above, may be used at each corner. inside of the booklet paste other pictures as fancy dictates. also write therein some appropriate lines. =spider-web design= (_gold or silver paper_, _bristol board_, _scrap picture_, _paste_, _scissors_) cut a circle of gold or silver paper, three or four inches in diameter. fold once, making a semi-circle; fold once more making a quarter-circle. beginning at the point of the folded paper, make a tiny cut from one edge _towards_ the other, but do not cut the point entirely off. turn the paper and make a second cut parallel to the first about 1/8 inch away, the cut being from the other edge of the paper. turn again and make a third cut. each time the cuts grow in length owing to the increasing width of the triangle or quarter-circle. continue thus until the circumference of the folded circle is reached. then open out and you have a silver spider-web effect. take a square or circle somewhat larger than the web, and in its centre paste a pretty bird, flower, or maiden. then paste the web upon this background, putting the paste along the edges of the web, but leaving the centre free, so that the child can raise it and peer through the slits at the picture beneath. let city children send to country cousins scrap pictures, colored papers, etc., and sample valentines, so that their friends may have the pleasure of making and giving. valentine dinner soup: put into the clear soup the noodle hearts, which may be purchased at a grocery store, or have a vegetable soup, slicing the vegetables and cutting them into little hearts with a knife. meat: make chicken or beef croquettes, molding them like hearts. vegetables: slice the boiled carrots and potatoes and cut into heart shapes. bread: cut into hearts. salad: upon green lettuce leaves place hearts cut from beets. dessert: ice cream may be obtained in the form of a cupid or something similar, and cake may be decorated with white icing having pink hearts outlined upon it. the peppermint candies in the shape of hearts, which have sentiments printed upon them, may be passed either at the beginning or the end of the meal. cut in half, placing the halves in separate dishes; then pass one dish to the girls and the other to the boys, and by matching halves partners may be found. let the children, however, remain unconscious of the distinction of sex as many years as possible. in making preparations for the dinner let the children help. =place cards for dinner= (_red paper_, _white cardboard_, _scissors_, _pencil_) cut a heart from the _red_ paper. from the _white_, cut an arrow, drawing it after a pattern found in some book. making two slits in the heart, run the arrow through it. on the reverse side of the heart write the name of the guest. =decorations for valentine dinner= (_red cardboard_, _red ribbon_) cut about two dozen hearts all of same size, or graduated in size. string these upon the red ribbon and suspend over the table. washington's birthday =luncheon card= (_1._ _picture hatchet_, _cardboard_, _scissors_, _paints_; _2._ _same_--_also white or reddish brown paper_) 1. find a picture of a hatchet and use it as a model from which to cut one about two inches long. paint this in colors resembling the real hatchet, and upon the reverse side write the name of the guest. 2. from a piece of white or reddish-brown paper cut a one-inch square. paint so as to resemble cherry wood. roll so that one edge overlaps the other a trifle, simulating the trunk of a tree. as they overlap cut a tiny slit through the two. cut out a tiny cardboard hatchet, paint as above, and insert in this slit so that it holds the two edges together. before fastening in this way, an appropriate quotation may be written inside, and the name of the guest on the outside. it should stand up if rightly made. =decorative cherries= (_paraffine_, _spool of wire, not too fine_, _green cloth or paper_, _carmine oil paint_, _brush_, _paste_) purchase at the grocer's cakes of paraffine such as is used for preserving purposes. heat a cake in a dish so that it is soft enough to model into balls the size of a cherry. while still pliable make a slight depression in its surface. having previously rolled the wire in the green tissue paper, and cut into inch strips for stems, insert this into the cherry at the depressed part of its surface. cut out cherry leaves of paper, or better dark green cloth, place a little paste on these leaves at the back and arrange a stem on each one. when the stem of the cherry is firmly fastened in the fruit, paint the surface with carmine oil paint. this gives a polished appearance to the surface like the natural cherry. the stems of the green leaves may be trimmed about the stems of the cherries in twos or threes or more, according to the number of cherries used. =paper chains= (_colored paper in sheets or cut into strips_, _paste_, _small brushes or sticks_) the making of paper chains, in contrasting or uniform colors, is a delightful pastime for children of all ages. very little children may easily learn to make one loop at a time, and, with assistance, are soon able to fasten several loops together. kindergarten supply stores furnish strips of colored paper already cut, and put up in packages. these strips measure 36 inches in length. it is very easy, however, to cut strips from large sheets of paper, and it is an excellent lesson in accurate cutting for children over ten years of age. these paper strips may measure one or two inches in width and the entire length of the sheet. cut the long strips into short strips measuring four inches in length. holding the four inch strip in the left hand, put a very little paste on the under surface of one end of the strip. overlap the pasted end of the strip to its unpasted end, and hold firmly until fastened. you now have one paper loop. through this loop is placed another four inch strip--the paste is added in the same manner. now you have two loops. continue doing this until you have the chain the required length. these chains are very effective when used in decorating. for washington's birthday, red, white and blue paper would be used for the chains. =bonbonnieres= (_white tissue paper_, _red and blue aniline dyes_) very attractive bonbonnieres may be made by cutting oblong shaped sheets of white tissue paper, measuring 6 inches in length and 5 inches in width. fringe the shorter edges of the paper, making fringe 1 inch deep. dissolve any good red and blue dyes in boiling water, and place in separate dishes. dip one fringed end of tissue paper into the red dye for one second, and dip the other fringed end into the blue dye. shake these ends gently in order to let the water drip from them. when they are dry, place a large sized candy in the centre of the paper, and gathering up the fringed ends, twist them close to the candy, thus forming a feathery effect in two colors. these are very pretty when arranged on the table either in quantity or singly. =tents= (_white shelf paper_, _paste_, _match stick_, _red, white and blue paper_) groups of white tents, made of white shelf paper, capped at the top with tiny american flags, may be placed at short distances from the centre piece of a luncheon or supper table with good effect. the large sheets of shelf paper may be bought at any grocer's. cut them into four-inch squares. place the paper before you on a flat surface, an edge nearest you. fold the front edge to the back edge of square; crease the paper at the fold, open the paper and fold the right edge to left edge of square; crease the fold again. open the paper and turn the square so that a corner points towards you. fold this front corner to the back corner, so that the two points exactly meet. crease on the fold, open the paper, and fold the left corner to the right corner of the square. crease on the fold. open the paper; before you you have a square of paper, with eight folds across its surface, a fold running front edge to back edge, from right edge to left edge, from right corner to left corner, from left corner to right corner. turn the square of paper over so that all the folds on the surface of the paper are on the upper side of the square. place the square with a corner toward you. you will now see eight folds running from the four edges and four corners to the centre of the square. crease with thumb and forefinger of right hand the fold running from lower right edge to centre of square. place this right hand fold of square forward so that it lies along the fold which extends from the corner directly in front of you to the centre of the square. follow the same directions in folding the crease that runs from the lower left edge to centre of square. these two folds touch now on the fold that runs from front corner to centre of square. you will see a small triangle extending below the two folds which thus meet in front of you. fold this small triangle back toward the centre, and underneath the two folds that meet in front of you. one half of your tent is folded. the same directions must be followed in folding the other side of the square. the two small triangles must be carefully folded so that the tent will stand evenly when finished. you will see when the front and back part of the tent is finished that you have the right and left corners to dispose of. fold these corners underneath the tent, so that when it is placed in an upright position it will stand firmly. to make the tent stand well, crease the edges that run from the four corners to top of tent, thus making an exact pyramid. the use of a little paste in securing the folds is of great assistance. to represent the tent pole, a wooden match, gilded, may be used. to this attach a tiny american flag made of pliable red, white and blue paper. =paper lanterns= (_scissors_, _red, white and blue paper_, _liquid gold paint_, _box of small candles_, _circular box covers_, _baby ribbon--red, white and blue_) lanterns made of red, white and blue paper, each of one color only, ornamented with gold paint and tied with the red, white and blue baby ribbon, are extremely pretty for supper decorations. when suspended from the chandelier above the centre of a supper table, a lighted candle in each little lantern, the effect is charming. in view of entertainments where decorations are called for, it would be well to lay aside all small circular box covers that find their way into the household. the small box covers that measure 2-1/2 inches in diameter may be taken as a standard size. these box covers form the bottom of the lanterns. cut from the colored paper an oblong piece measuring 8 inches in length and 5 inches in width. lay the oblong piece of paper before you with its long edges running right and left. draw a pencil line the length of the paper 3/4 of an inch from the upper edge; 3/4 of an inch from its lower edge draw another line which will be parallel to the first. from the upper pencil line to the lower pencil line draw 15 lines 1/2 inch apart. these upright lines will form 14 narrow oblongs. use very sharp pointed scissors, and cut away each alternate oblong. paste the two short edges of the oblong paper together, one end overlapping the other. the body of the lantern is now finished. let a little wax drip from a candle on the inside of the circular box cover at its centre. when a little bed of soft wax is formed, place an unlighted candle on it in an upright position. place a thick coating of spaulding's glue on the inner surface of circular rim of the box cover, and carefully fit the body of the lantern into it. when the paper lantern is securely fastened, gild heavily the outside rim of the box cover and the upper and lower circular bands which form top and bottom borders of the lanterns. in the top circular band punch four holes equal distances apart, through which the ribbons are run. st. patrick's day--march 17th =place cards= (_white cards_, _water-color or oil paints_, _brush_) paint a picture of shamrock upon the card. it may be copied from some picture, if not from the real plant. if not possible to find a picture, our wild-wood-sorrel (_oxalis acetosella_) is supposed to be the same as the shamrock and may be used for model. some authorities believe the white clover to be the original shamrock. =flags= (_irish flag_, _green paint_, _gold paint_, _brush_, _scissors_, _slender sticks_) if one irish flag is bought the children may copy it, painting a number, one for each guest, or for decorating table. glue flags to sticks. =ribbon flags= (_green satin ribbon, one inch wide_, _wooden toothpick_) cut the ribbon into oblongs to make wee flags. glue to tiny flagsticks and put at places at dinner table. =shamrock plants= the real shamrock is now brought over and may be purchased in march. a little plant makes an appropriate souvenir. or several weeks before the day, children may plant shamrock seed in tiny pots for use on the 17th. =potato race= a potato race is an appropriate game for st. patrick's day. (see page 94.) give cork doll for prize to winner of race (page 81), as souvenir from cork. =st. patrick's dinner= have as many green vegetables and side dishes as possible. spinach will color the soup. green vegetables and salads are easy to obtain and ice cream may be colored with pistache. irish flags may be suspended over the table. =dinner souvenir= (_blotting paper_, _souvenir postcards_, _green ribbon 1/2 inch wide_) give each guest a blotter made thus: buy souvenir postcards with pictures of killarney and other irish views. cut the blotting paper into sheets of same size as cards. place together. punch hole at one end and tie together with ribbon. easter =egg shell garden= (see page 25) =sponge garden= (_small, clean sponge_, _birdseed_) a few days before easter, sprinkle the sponge with birdseed. keep damp and the seeds will sprout and cover the sponge with growing blades of green. =easter eggs= (_1._ _diamond dyes_, _a dozen eggs_. _2._ _small figured calico_, _lye_, _boiling water_) 1. boil the eggs hard and dye with the colors according to directions on package, which may be had at drugstore, price five cents. 2. wind strips of the bright calico around the eggs and boil in water strongly saturated with lye. the lye extracts the color, which will be found printed upon the eggs. =place cards for easter breakfast= (_1._ _white paper_, _scissors_, _paints_. _2._ _plain white cards_, _paints_) 1. if possible secure a real easter lily for a model. if this cannot be obtained, a picture of one will answer. from the paper cut, freehand, if possible, the shape of the lily and paint it lightly; just a little shading and the golden center. place the guest's name upon the reverse side. it may be necessary to draw the lily first before cutting, but the freehand cutting is a good exercise. 2. decorate a white card with the picture of a lily, or a tulip, using water-color paints. below the flower write an appropriate flower motto. =celluloid place cards= (_white celluloid_, _scissors_, _pencil_) get from a dictionary or natural history a good picture of a butterfly with open wings. draw a pattern from this and then outline a number of these on the celluloid and cut out. these dainty, spirit-like butterflies will make suitable place-cards, having the name of guest on the reverse side. cut easter lily of celluloid in same way. =easter chicken= (_yellow worsted_, _black beads_, _quill toothpick_, _cardboard_, _wooden toothpicks_, _or picture-wire_.) make a yellow ball as described on pages 96-7 for the body of the chicken. a smaller ball makes the head. sew on the beads for the bright black eyes; cut the quill into shape of a bill and sew into place. let wooden toothpicks form the legs; or, better still, take picture-wire made of several strands. wind some of this around the body, letting the ends of the wire extend about 1-1/2 inches below the body; sew to the body to keep in place. then pick out the ends of the wire a little to suggest toes and wind the legs with worsted. sew chicken to a card. =easter card= (_parquetry circles used in kindergarten_, _paste_, _gray card_, _scissors_) the little child may make an easter card by pasting upon a neutral-tinted card pictures of tulips made of the kindergarten parquetry papers. cut in half either red or yellow circles. place so that the lower ends touch and the upper ones are a little apart, suggesting a tulip. a strip of green paper will represent the stem and an older child can cut leaves of the green paper and paste on. have a real tulip from which to copy. child may give this to father on easter morning. =toy screen= (see page 63) make dainty screen as described, and paste on each panel a tiny _easter_ picture (perry pictures may be had by addressing firm in n. y. city). give to mother on easter morning. =church window transparency= (see page 77) memorial day we give no special suggestions for the celebration of memorial or decoration day. the ideas given under the headings of the other patriotic holidays, as washington's birthday and fourth of july, may be used also for this holiday, but it is not a day for mere play. if the parents plan to go to the cemetery let the child accompany them and carry flowers, preferably those of his own raising or plucking. =reading= it would be well also on this day to read some great piece of patriotic literature, either prose or poetry, which will help the older children to realize the great debt which we owe to the preservers of our country, to whom we dedicate this day. lincoln's gettysburg address should be read. also lowell's "the present crisis." "bugle echoes," compiled by francis f. browne, contains 150 poems of the civil war, both northern and southern. =badge= (_sheets of red, white, and blue paper_, _scissors_, _paste_) a simple badge may be made for the children to wear in this fashion: 1. cut a circle 3/4 inches in diameter out of the red paper. cut also from the red, white and blue sheets strips of 2 × 5 inches. paste the three strips together at the upper end like ribbons, letting them spread a little apart at the lower end. paste the circle at the upper end to finish off. 2. another style may be made by placing the three colors so that one lies directly above the other. in this case the blue is 5 inches long, the white four inches, and the red three inches. fasten to dress or coat with a safety pin. independence day =firecrackers= (_red paper_, _hemp_ _string_, _paste_) get large sheets of red paper to be found at department stores or wholesale paper houses, measuring about 35 inches in length and 26 inches in width. from each one cut thirteen 2-inch strips, cutting the length of the sheet. fold each strip once across the width of the strip, and cut through the center at the fold. this gives twenty-six 2-inch strips of paper, the width of the small sized firecrackers. hold a strip of paper between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. moisten the thumb of the right hand a very little, and roll the end of the strip towards the left, as one does in rolling a paper taper. keep the strip rolled tightly until the other end of the strip is reached. if the cracker seems too loosely rolled unroll it a short distance, and gently pull the strip into form again. place a little paste on the under side of the loose end of the strip, and press the pasted end firmly on the rolled surface of the cracker. hold this until it adheres to the surface of the cracker. cut the hemp string into three-inch pieces. dip one end of the string into the paste, then insert this pasted end into one end of the cracker at the little opening which is found at the very center. hold this firmly for a moment, or until the string is securely fastened. tie six or eight firecrackers into bunches with red, white and blue ribbons, and lay them over the white surface of the luncheon or supper table. =firecracker card= (see page 55) =drums= (_small wooden boxes_, _liquid gold paint_, _spaulding's glue_, _red, white and blue baby ribbon_, _small sticks for drum sticks_) the market basket will, from time to time, furnish the housekeeper with small circular boxes labeled: electro-silicon silver polish. these wooden boxes, measuring 8 inches in circumference and 12 inches in height, make, when prettily ornamented, very attractive drums. remove the cover of box, and place on its inner rim a coating of spaulding's glue. place the cover on the box again, and put aside until it is fastened. place the box on a sheet of stiff white paper, and holding it firmly, draw a pencil line around its edge. now remove the box, and you will see that you have outlined a circle. using this circle as a model, draw a second circle. cut out these circles, following the pencil very accurately. these two circles form the two heads of the drum, and are to be pasted on the top and the bottom of the box. gild the circular surface of the box. cut strips of red or blue paper, measuring 8-1/2 inches in length and 1-1/2 inches in width. brush the under surface of these strips with paste, and place one strip at the top and one at the bottom of the drum, 3/4 of an inch above the rim of the drum. these strips answer to the wooden bands which hold the drum heads in place. red, white and blue baby ribbon may be carried from the upper to the lower edges of the drum if desired to represent the cords which hold the drum securely. little wooden sticks, gilded and tied at the side of the drum form the drumsticks. the smaller electro-silicon boxes, measuring 2-3/4 inches in circumference and 1-1/3 inches in height, may be used in the same way. =rosettes= (_red, white and blue tissue paper_, _a strong needle_, _white sewing silk_, _white library paste or well-made flour paste_) lay nine sheets of tissue paper one upon another, alternating the colors, red, white and blue. fold these sheets together very smoothly once, thus making 18 smaller sheets if they were cut apart, but do not cut. lay a silver dollar or fifty-cent piece (depending upon the size required) at the upper left-hand corner of paper. draw a pencil line around the rim of the silver piece. move the piece of money to the right and draw another circle. continue this drawing circles until you have covered the surface of the paper. thread a needle with the sewing silk, knot the end of the thread and take several firm stitches through the center of each circle in order to hold the sheets of paper together. with sharp scissors cut out each paper circle, and fringe by cutting, but not too finely, from the edge to within 1/8 of an inch of the center of the circle. hold the knot on the under side of the circle between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. slightly moisten the forefinger of the right hand and brush gently over the fringed surface toward the center of the rosette. at the back of each rosette put a bit of paste, then lay rosettes on strips of paper one inch in width. do not overlap the rosettes, but arrange to allow the edges to touch. these strips of rosettes may be used as festoons. as decorations for cakes or dishes of fruit they can be used most effectively. =shields for luncheon cards= (_cardboard_, _red and blue paper_, _baby ribbon--red, white and blue_, _gold paint_, _water-color paints--red and blue_) attractive luncheon or supper cards, suitable for patriotic occasions, may be made in the form of shields. turn to the fourth page of webster's unabridged dictionary, and find the shield used as the american coat-of-arms. this shield, enlarged to a size measuring 2-1/2 inches in length and 2-1/2 inches in width across the upper part, forms an excellent model. if one does not draw habitually, use tracing paper when tracing the pattern. if one uses watercolor paints successfully, paint the deep blue band across the upper part of the shield, and the twelve red stripes running from the band to the lower edge of the shield. for those who do not paint, dark red and blue paper may be substituted very successfully. a touch of gold paint on the edge of the shield adds greatly to the effect. write each guest's name on a card measuring 2-1/2 inches in length and 1-1/2 inches in width. attach a card by means of red, white and blue ribbon to upper corner of each shield. =rockets= (_red, white and blue paper_, _paste_, _gold paint_, _slender wooden sticks_) rockets are made in the same manner as firecrackers, excepting that the paper strips are cut wider, viz.: 3 or 4 inches in width, and more strips are required to give the proper size. this may be left to the maker's discretion. when the rockets are rolled and pasted after the manner of the firecrackers, insert the sharp point of a pencil into the center of one end of each roll, and gently push out this center to the distance of two inches. this will give the pointed end of the rocket. these pointed ends may be gilded, as well as the slender sticks which are inserted at the other ends. labor day the words "parade" and "procession" are associated in the minds of most american children with long lines of soldiers, and the small boy will play for hours putting his tin soldiers in rank and file, or marching with his comrades, with pans for drums. in these later days, when the spirit of the peace congress is in the air, it is well that the children should become interested in struggles and battles of a different and higher order and in the parades in which long lines of honorable workers take part. in this country all self-respecting people are workers in one way or another, and though in the course of progress of coöperative movements and combinations, among many kinds of workers, there may have been much of injustice, such movements have also been accompanied by self-sacrifice, courage and generosity of a high order. in time the good will far out-weigh the evil. as labor day approaches, the children, especially if the father expects to take part, will be readily interested in the day and what it should mean--the solving of the great problem of the twentieth century. meanwhile let the children feel the beauty of walt whitman's lines: "ah little recks the laborer how near his work is holding him to god, the loving laborer through space and time." the labor day parade is a revival, or survival in modern guise, of the mediæval processions of the guilds. such a procession is charmingly represented in wagner's delightful opera, "die meistersinger," wherein, on a festival day, we see the bakers enter, bearing the insignia of their trade, enormous pretzels and other cakes. the cobblers march in with gigantic boots and slippers suspended from tall poles; the butchers carry hams and festoons of sausages, etc. the child may imitate such a parade in his play. in talking with the child, emphasize the obligation to do good, true work and to take pride in such. let fidelity and trustworthiness be his watchwords. =parade= (_poles or broom handles_, _wrapping paper or newspaper_, _scissors_, _tacks_, _rakes_, _spades_, _etc._, _flags and banners_) let the children cut from the paper large outlines of shoes, boots, hams, saws, try-squares, clocks, watches, enormous pens, knives, forks, etc., and fasten with pins or tacks to the poles. then march to the tune of some stirring air. some may be able to secure small garden rakes, spades and toy brooms to carry. the american flag and banners should also be carried. =toy-processions= (_trade catalogues_, _toothpicks_, _paper dolls_, _etc._) cut out paper dolls and let each one carry a tiny toothpick upon which has been pasted a picture cut from some catalogue. these catalogues will furnish pictures of shoes, carriages, saws, hammers, watches, furniture, etc. be sure that little american flags are also carried. dolls may be glued to spools for standards. =place cards for dinner= 1. (_bristol board_, _scissors_, _paints_, _brush_) make place cards of bristol board, which may be cut into shape of shoes, watches, etc., and painted accordingly. the name of guest may be placed on reverse side. or, on plain white card, paint a picture emblematic of a trade and write upon it also some quotation from a writer of democratic spirit. 2. (_tiny cast-iron rakes, spades and hatchets--1 cent each._) as a souvenir, give each guest a tiny cast-iron spade, rake and hatchet tied together with cord. or, for a joke, these may be placed by each plate instead of knife, fork and spoon. 3. (_pen and ink or pencil_, _white card_.) draw on a plain, white card a picture of an ant, bee or beaver as emblematic of labor. use for place cards. 4. (_frances s. osgood's poem, "labor,"_ _white cards_, _pen and ink_.) on each card write one stanza of this beautiful poem, and after the close of the meal let each guest in turn read the lines on his card. it would be well for every child to commit this poem to memory. it is long, but sings itself easily into the mind. the word-pictures it calls up are exquisite and the learning of it, little by little, would not be an unhappy task. hallowe'en this is the festival which is given over to all kinds of merry pranks and is dearly loved by the children. it is an opportunity to teach them to discriminate between the fun which is kindly and that which is malicious and productive of needless pain. =ducking for apples and nuts= (_large pans or tubs_, _apples_, _nuts_, _pennies_) let the children, young and old, for once get themselves wet, if necessary, in ducking for the nuts and apples floating in the water. with a little suction some of the children will be able to get pennies from the bottom of the tub. =fortune-telling= 1. with needles. (_needles_, _pan of water_) name a needle for yourself and one for a friend, and put in the water, but not together. if they move safely across, it betokens good luck. two needles meeting indicate life partnership. 2. with toy ships. (_pan of water_, _nut ships as described on page 22_) name one little vessel for yourself and one for a friend and set them afloat. if they come to port on the other side all is well. 3. with apple rinds. (_apple_, _knife_) pare an apple so that the skin comes off in one long piece. toss over the head upon the floor, and the form it takes will give the initial letters of the name of one's future mate. 4. with cake. (_cake_, _thimble_, _ring_, _penny_, _etc._) bake a cake, hiding in the dough a thimble, a ring and a penny. when cut, the recipient of the ring is fore-doomed to marriage; the one getting the thimble will be a spinster; the one receiving the penny will have the pleasures and responsibilities of wealth. =apple-biting contest= (_apple suspended from a string_) 1. the apple is set swinging and two people, standing opposite each other, try as it passes to seize and hold it in the mouth. they must not touch it with the hands. 2. tie an apple by its stem to the middle of a string about a yard long. then two people, each taking one end of the string in the mouth, begin, at a signal, to gather it as fast as possible into the mouth, and so to reach the apple. this belongs to the one reaching it first. =refreshments= apples, nuts, popcorn, cider, gingerbread and doughnuts are suitable for lighter refreshments. baked beans and plain ice-cold rice pudding were once eaten with decided relish at a new york city hallowe'en party, the city people evidently enjoying the contrast between this feast and the usual caterer's service. serve fruit from a kettle suspended from three cross-sticks, _a la_ witch. =decorations= jack-o'-lanterns of pumpkins; strings of apples, popcorn and cranberries, and toy brooms hung here and there, as reminders of the witches who are said to be abroad, will add to the occasion. the pumpkins should be cut to resemble skulls. =reading= have some one read "tam o'shanter's mare" (burns); also some good ghost story. thomas kendrick bangs' "ghosts which i have met" contains some good stories, all absurd. choose a good reader for this. =place cards= 1. (_white or tinted cards_, _palmer cox brownies_, _ink_, _pen_) the brownies are delightfully funny little people without a suggestion of anything coarse or evil. the children love them. let the older ones copy and cut them out to use as invitation cards for the hallowe'en party or for place cards. 2. (see "pricking," page 165.) since witches are always associated with the pricking of pins, this is an appropriate occasion for using the kindergarten pricking. outline some of the brownies on tinted cards and prick as directed on page 165. 3. (see pumpkin jack-o'-lantern cards, page 135.) thanksgiving =place cards= (_white paper or cardboard_, _brush and paints or pen and ink_) 1. cut out a turkey, copying from some picture if necessary. (picture may be found in dictionary.) if skilful with brush or pen, indicate the feathers, eye, etc. 2. draw picture of a pumpkin. cut it out. paint in deep orange tones with shadings of brown. cut into it eyes, nose and mouth, suggesting jack-o'-lantern. 3. on white cards write stanzas from whittier's poem, "the pumpkin pie," and let each guest read his stanza in turn. 4. cut as many triangles as there are guests and paint each to resemble a slice of pie. one side of triangle should be curved. 5. find a simple figure of a puritan maiden and draw in outline; then cut out and paint or draw in black ink the important lines. use as place card. 6. make little walnut boats (see page 22), and on each sail write name of guest. 7. find picture of mayflower and copy on white card. on reverse side write a stanza of "the breaking waves dashed high." let each guest read his lines. (or parts of "hiawatha" about mondamin may be used.) =table souvenirs= (_tiny cast-iron gardening tools, 1 cent each_) as described under labor day, these tiny penny tools may be put at each place, the hatchet representing the knife, the rake the fork, and the spade the spoon. attach name of guest to set. =butter modeling= (_clay modeling tools_, _firm butter_) if any child has acquired a little skill in clay modeling, let him try his hand at modeling out of firm butter some form expressing a thanksgiving thought. it may be a piece of fruit, or some animal. get clay modeling tools at art store. =center piece= (_pumpkin_, _knife_, _fruits and vegetables_) hollow out a pumpkin in such a way that a part of the rind is left as a handle to the remaining part, which serves as a basket. into this basket put a variety of fruits and vegetables, emblematic of the bounties for which we are grateful. =jack-o'-lantern= (_pumpkin_, _knife_, _candle_) we doubt if any boy needs to be told how to cut a face in a pumpkin. a sharp knife will soon make the cuts for eyes, nose and mouth in the rind, the seedy contents having been previously removed. a hollow may be cut in the bottom of the interior to hold the candle, which can be made still steadier by melting a little from the bottom and letting it drip into this hollow, forming a waxy bed into which the candle may be inserted. =candlesticks= see pages 24 and 64 for those made of apples and of cardboard and colored papers. =room decorations= 1. corn stalks. (_strong cord and needle_, _hammer and tacks_.) stack cornstalks in the corners of the rooms in effective positions, two or three to a corner. those living in cities may find it well to secure these from farmer friends some time before the holiday. 2. unhusked ears of field corn. (_strong cord._) the corn husks must be turned back from the ears and cut off from them without loosening the separate leaves. then a number of these husks may be strung upon a strong thread or string alternating with the ears of corn. hang along the upper part of the wall as a frieze. the rich, warm tones of the brown and yellow are very effective. 3. cranberries and brussels sprouts. (_string_, _needle_.) run upon a string half a dozen cranberries, then a brussels sprout; then more cranberries, etc., and suspend this as a festoon along mantelshelf, in chandelier, or over window. 4. autumn leaves. (see page 47.) 5. autumn boughs. (_oak boughs._) oak boughs, with the rich red and russet leaves still upon them, are very handsome in the autumn. the beautiful branches may be gathered by the young people and hung in parts of the room where most effective. christmas =place cards= 1. (_sheet black paper_, _chinese white water-color paint_, _brush_.) cut a stocking from the black paper (obtainable at kindergarten supply store). with the paint, paint in white toes and heels. on the reverse side write some appropriate quotation and name of guest. stockings may be about four inches long. 2. (_white paper_, _black ink or crayon_.) cut a rough figure of a snowman out of white paper, put in features with black ink or crayon, and write name on reverse side. 3. (_water paper_, _water-colors_, _scissors_, _spray of holly_.) from real holly or a picture of same, paint a spray of green leaves and red berries. cut out around the edges and use as name card. 4. (_red cardboard_, _scissors_, _pen_, _ink_.) draw an outline of a bell on cardboard and cut out. an appropriate sentiment may be written upon one side and name of guest upon the other. =surprise nuts= (see page 23) =snowflakes for tree= (see page 59) =snowball= (_white cotton batting_, _snowflake crystals from toy store_, _white cotton cloth_, _sewing thread_, _mucilage_) cut two circles of cotton cloth, stuff with the batting, after sewing into shape of ball. cover lightly with snowflake crystals, first dipping ball lightly into thin mucilage. suspend from tree. =candles= (_paraffine or old candles_, _kettle_, _soft cotton string_, _small box of sand_, _pencil_) candles have sometimes been made in the kindergarten in either of the following ways: 1. heat a pound of paraffine (bought at grocer's), or melt up some old candle ends in a kettle. place in front of the child a cigar box containing about a quart of moist sand, smoothed level. then with his pencil let him press into the sand, making a deep, hollow mold just the width of the pencil. now let him hold a short piece of string so that it hangs down into this mold. an older person will then pour some of the melted wax into the mold. it will cling to the string, and in a moment or two will cool enough to be drawn out, making a little candle that can be used for the christmas tree, or put into a clay candlestick, also made by the child. (see below.) 2. put the kettle containing the melted wax before the child and let him dip into it a piece of string about four inches long. then let him take it out in a moment and lay it aside to cool. a very little wax will cling to it. meanwhile he dips in another string and puts aside to cool. when cool he takes up the first one and dips it in a second time, and a new coat of wax adheres. he proceeds thus until the candles are as large in diameter as desired (about 1/2 inch at base). the candles may be put into clay candlesticks, also made by the child. =candlesticks= (_clay_, _a tin or china candlestick to use as model_) let the child take a candlestick and copy in clay; it should be of simple form, a mere cylinder, with just enough of a base to make a firm standard. =candlesticks= (_cardboard_, _scissors_) cut small squares of cardboard. the candles may be made to stand temporarily upon these by melting the lower ends of the candles and letting some of the wax drip upon center of the cards, and then pressing the candle down upon the melted wax. these may be placed upon the table on christmas morning. =christmas carols= let the children learn some simple old carol, as a secret, and christmas morning have them sing it softly and sweetly to awaken father. a full program of songs suitable for this most beautiful of days will be found in the little book, "the children's messiah," compiled by mari ruef hofer, price 20 cents. it gives also the address of a firm publishing stereopticon views for illustrating the program suggested. =spider-web party= (see page 104) arrange the twines of several colors as described on page 104, and at the end place the gifts belonging to each child. =popcorn= (_popcorn_, _popper_, _thread_, _needle_) pop the corn and string into festoons with which to decorate the tree. =christmas bells= (_red cardboard_, _scissors_, _thread_, _needle_) make bells as described on page 109, only make them of various sizes. string, and use to decorate table or tree, or to festoon from the center of the ceiling to the corners and sides of the room. =kindergarten lanterns= (_red, gold, or silver paper_, _scissors_, _thread_, _paste_) take a kindergarten square of pretty paper or make a square of some attractive wrapping paper. fold once into an oblong. now cut a series of parallel lines from the fold toward the edge, stopping each about 1/2 inch from edge. open and paste one end so that it overlaps the other, the cuts running vertically. this makes the lantern bulge out a little at the fold, giving a japanese lantern effect. suspend by a thread tied to the upper edge or paste a narrow strip of paper on for a handle. use as decoration for christmas tree. =paper chains= (see pages 56 and 115) =reading= read a part or the whole of dickens' "christmas carol," "the chimes," or "the cricket on the hearth;" or "is there a santa claus," by jacob riis; or "the birds' christmas carol," by kate douglas wiggin. longfellow's "arsenal at springfield" and "a christmas hymn," by a. domett, are also appropriate. chapter ix the key basket or household duties and responsibilities train the children little by little to bear certain light responsibilities in the home. even in a home in which all the household tasks are done by trained servants let the girl and boy have some small duty to perform, if it be nothing more than to keep the match-safes filled. they will thus acquire an interest in the home which can be aroused in no other way. indeed, every child, boy and girl, should be trained to do easily and well the common household tasks upon which depend so much of the happiness and well-being of the home. such knowledge and skill often prove of use in unexpected emergencies and make for general efficiency. the ancient symbol of the housewife's office is her bunch of keys, hung at her waist or placed in the key-basket, so we have used this latter phrase as our chapter heading. home tasks here are a few brief directions for the usual home tasks in which both boys and girls may to some extent be trained. =table setting= (_usual dishes and cutlery_) different homes vary in unimportant particulars in the placing of the dishes. the following is a common arrangement for the dinner table: at each place lay the fork vertically at the left-hand side, the knife vertically at the right, and the soup-spoon to the right of the knife. this places each utensil so that it is ready for the hand which uses it most. put the teaspoons to the right of the soup-spoon, and the napkin to the left of the fork. place the glass just above the knife, the butterdish above the fork, and the individual salt-cellar, if used, between the two. father and mother sit at the ends of the table. put carving-knife and fork at father's place; also the soup ladle, as father serves the soup and carves. mother pours the coffee and tea and serves the vegetables. therefore the soup and dinner dishes must be placed before the carver, and the needed vegetable dishes and cups and saucers at the mother's place. here, too, must be placed the sugar bowl and cream pitcher. in the united states it is customary to serve most vegetables upon individual saucers. in england they are usually served upon the plate. if salad is to be served, oil and vinegar cruets may be put on. the dessert is usually served by the mother, and the necessary dishes must, therefore, be placed at her end of the table. if possible, always have flowers or a growing plant in the center of the table, but do not have it so high that it obscures the view of those persons sitting on opposite sides of the table. upon special occasions, particularly if the guests are many, it is convenient to indicate the place of each person by a "place card" bearing his name and decorated in some appropriate fashion. suggestions for such place cards will be found on other pages of this volume. =table-serving= (_tray_) train both boys and girls to wait on the table _quietly_ and _quickly_. then they can save mother many weary steps. remove soup-tureen first; then the individual dishes. after the meat-course, remove first the platter and vegetable dishes; then the plates, saucers, etc., from each individual place; then, if there is no salad course, the bread and butter dishes, cruets, etc., from center of table. next the table must be crumbed. do this by quietly removing crumbs from each place with crumb-knife and tray or by brushing with folded napkin. if salad is served, crumbing takes place after that course. hold all dishes to left of guest, so that he may easily help himself with his right hand. =dish-washing= (_hot water in quantity_, _dish pan_, _wire tray_, _drainer_, _washing-soda_, _soap_, _dish-mop_, _washcloth_, _towels in plenty, both coarse and fine_) if two people are to work together, let one collect the dishes and dispose of the left-over food, while the other washes the kettles and saucepans. get these heavy cooking utensils out of the way the first thing; then the drudgery part is over before the workers are tired out. dishes in which potatoes, cereals, or eggs have been cooked should be put to soak, not in hot, but in cold or tepid water; they are then readily cleaned. fill with water as soon as emptied. keep a little washing-soda on hand, dissolved in water in a canning-jar, for cleansing greasy dishes. have hot water in abundance, and, putting a little soda in with it, scrub the kettles briskly with the wire-brush that comes for the purpose, or with mop, dish-cloth or chain dish-cloth. wipe dry with a heavy towel. meanwhile the other worker is collecting, scraping and classifying the other dishes. before beginning to wash, have all the dishes assorted according to kind and size and placed convenient to hand. when putting away remnants of food it is well to have for the purpose a series of pitchers ranging from three inches to about nine in height. this gives sizes suited to any quantity which may be left over of soups, milk, liquid vegetables, etc. they take less room than bowls, and the graduated series ornaments the shelf. a wire strainer should be kept in the sink to prevent the larger particles of waste, indissoluble parings, coffee grains, etc., from going down the drain. this saves plumber's bills. when ready for the washing, begin with the glasses and wash quickly in hot water, either clear or soapy, as preferred. have at hand a second dish-pan in which is placed a wire rack. put the glasses in the rack, rinse with hot water, and dry rapidly while still wet and hot. it may be necessary to keep them in the water a moment or two to get them really heated through. in washing glass pitchers put a _silver_ spoon in them before placing in the hot water. this prevents breakage. treat canning-jars in the same way. next wash the silver, having the water soapy and piping hot, in order to get a good polish. keep spoons, knives and forks in separate groups and all pointing in the same direction. the smaller, less greasy dishes follow the silver, and then the heavy china. here, again, let dishes that have held eggs or starchy foods soak awhile in cold or tepid water. rinse greasy dishes well. conclude by scrubbing tables and sink with cloth, brush, soap and sapolio as needed. put the scrapings in the garbage pail and pour hot water and soda down the pipe to remove the last vestige of grease. hang up the shining dish-pans, after washing out the towels and dish-cloth in soap and water, if they require it. a can of babbitt's potash of lye may take the place of the washing-soda. =bed-making= (_two sheets_, _blanket_, _comforter_, _cover_) put the lower sheet on with the right side up. tuck it in neatly at the corners much as one would fold in the corners when wrapping up a box in paper. place the upper sheet upon this with the right side down. this brings the two right sides together. let the broad hem in each case be at the head of the bed. that of the upper sheet should just reach the head of the mattress. place the blanket with its upper end about six inches from the head of the bed. then comes the comforter, placed in the same way. fold the sheet down from the top just where the blanket ends. tuck all in neatly at the sides and the foot. now put the spread smoothly over all. it may be tucked in or may hang down as desired. place the pillows with the closed ends of the cases together. if an extra coverlet is to be placed at the foot of the bed, fold it in thirds so that the sleeper may reach down and draw it up over himself without rising to the floor. to put on a bolster-case easily, turn it wrong side out and then roll it up over the bolster. train children to air beds every morning by shaking up bed-clothing and extending it over footboard and chair. =washing= (_toy tub or tin basin_, _toy washboard_, _basin for boiler_, _soap_, _bit of blueing tied in bag_, _strong cord for line_) put dolls' clothes or a few dustcloths or handkerchiefs in tub of warm water after soaping well. let soak awhile, then rub out on the little washboard or between the hands, put into the boiler with cold water and just bring to a boil. rinse in warm water or wash vigorously in warm water if necessary; then rinse in warm and then in cold water; put the blueing in a basin of cold water till the water is slightly tinged; remove the blueing bag and rinse the clothes in the water. (the blueing is to counteract the tendency of white goods to grow yellow with time.) hang up to dry in the air and sunshine. tell the children that the clothes must always be sorted, white body clothes being in one class, bed-linen in another, table linen in another; woolens must be washed by themselves with care to keep the water of moderate temperature and the _rinsing_ water of the same degree of heat as the _washing_ water. flannels must be dried as rapidly as possible. colored garments must be washed by themselves. =ironing= (_two irons_, _holders_, _ironing blanket and sheet_, _iron-stand_, _cake of beeswax or candle_) before ironing the clothes must be sprinkled lightly with cold water, smoothed out and rolled up tightly for half an hour. meanwhile pin the blanket to the ironing board and cover smoothly with the sheet. the iron must not be so hot as to scorch the clothes. try it on a piece of paper. if it seems dirty or rough, rub it on the beeswax to make it clean and smooth. (in place of wax a candle will serve the purpose if wrapped around with a piece of clean cotton cloth.) if the garment seems too wet, put a piece of white cloth over it and iron till somewhat dry. then the iron may be placed directly upon the garment. starch is prepared by wetting and dissolving it in cold water and then pouring upon this boiling water and boiling until clear and smooth. the young child will not need to starch anything, however. =sweeping= (_broom_, _whisk-broom_, _hair-broom_, _sheet_, _sweeping-cap_) let the little worker don sweeping-cap and apron, and then proceed to dust carefully small articles and books, place them on the bed and cover with an old sheet. put furniture which is movable in the hall after dusting. open the window. then sweep the rugs on both sides and place outside. pin up the curtains. then dampen a newspaper and tear into small pieces; throw these on the floor to absorb the dust. wet tea-leaves may be used for the same purpose. sweep, holding the broom rather closely to the floor and taking short strokes, raising as little dust as possible. then leave the room for awhile, for the dust to settle. =dusting= (_dusters of cheesecloth_, _clean pieces of old silk_, _chamois-skin_) on returning to the room after sweeping, wipe off the baseboard, then the furniture, always working from the top down. to reach high corners where cobwebs may lurk, pin on the brush of the broom a cap of cheesecloth and sweep along the edges of the ceiling. for corners under heavy furniture, a small whisk brush or soft hair brush may be needed. rub off mirrors with a damp cloth, drying and polishing with chamois-skin or crumpled newspaper. highly polished furniture may be dusted with soft silk or chamois-skin. even small members of the family may be given a share in this work. little boys and girls can be shown how to dust chairs and furniture within reach of the little arms and hands. it may take more time at first on the mother's part than if she did the work herself; but in the end she is more than repaid. the little child need not be required to do much, but let that little be done thoroughly, if only the legs and rounds of one chair. chapter x the child's library every child should be encouraged to possess his own books even in this age of public libraries. birthdays and christmas afford occasions when the parent can increase the little library, and later the child may be trained how to choose wisely his own purchases. when he is limited in the books he possesses public libraries open up opportunities for a wide range of reading. we give a brief but varied list of books from which the parent may select such as suit her child's particular needs. the discriminating taste in reading must be cultivated from the earliest years if the child is to read with profit and pleasure in youth and maturity. all children should be allowed to read a few at least of the traditional fairy tales. they teach many important life lessons in an impersonal way; they develop the imagination and widen the sympathies. the successful business man, the progressive physician or lawyer, and the truly successful minister is he who understands human nature, who can put himself in the other person's place; and to do this he requires a cultivated imagination. the fairy tale also lifts the child from the restricted life of his environment into the region of boundless possibilities. it increases his sense of power over untoward circumstances. acquaintance with fairy lore also familiarizes one with many allusions to be met with in reading all great writers. a love of poetry should be the heritage of every child, because of the inspiration it gives amidst the sordid cares of life, and because of the innocent pleasure and refreshment it affords in hours of loneliness and weariness. the child's first book of verse should, of course, be mother goose. after this there are many valuable compilations of good poetry that may be used. a varied library to be found in one large volume is "the children's book" compiled by scudder. it includes selections from mother goose, from grimm's fairy tales, from old english fairy tales, the arabian nights, and hans andersen. there are also several of maria edgeworth's famous moral stories, a great many of æsop's fables, many of the old english ballads, etc. an excellent compilation of verse is roger ingpen's "one thousand poems for children," which contains all the old favorites of children as well as a large number of the best-known poems by standard authors. standard books on science and nature should be in the home, and the child's library should include a few books with stories from real life leading up to biography, history, and travel. the little one's sense of humor must be accorded recognition. mother goose supplies such a need in part, and lear's book of nonsense may be added. the sunday funny sheet should be censored before being put into the hands of the child. expurgate anything that expresses disrespect to old age; that makes light of honor and integrity; or that is coarse in drawing, color, or subtle suggestion. if the child when grown is to appreciate the delicate humor of a charles lamb, his taste must not be dulled when he is young. it is a pity for a child to grow up without knowing and loving the "pilgrim's progress." to give him this pleasure the book should be read to him or put into his hands when about ten years old. otherwise the psychologic moment has passed and he may never learn to care for the great english classic. the great mediæval legends should also be known to the child. they are interwoven with much of history and literature and give a glimpse into a rapidly receding past. we include in our list a charming wee volume, "the young folks' book of etiquette," by c. s. griffen, which the mother, wearied of repeating from day to day the same admonitions as to manners and morals, will find a great assistance in seconding her efforts. the child will enjoy both the text and the pictures. for the child's bible reading we recommend moulton's edition of the old and new testaments. the language is identical with that of the familiar old volume, but the text is condensed so that each story is given in the form of a continuous narrative, and objectionable passages are omitted. it may thus safely be put into the hands of very young children, who enjoy the simple, dignified style. music also must form a part of the child's library. the list appended covers a variety of needs. fairy tales, myths, and legends adventures of pinocchio, translated from cullodi by cramp (an italian classic loved by children). æsop's fables. alice in wonderland, lewis carroll. among the farmyard people, clara d. pierson. among the night people, clara d. pierson. (exceptionally good.) arabian nights entertainments. bimbi, ouida. (collection of beautiful tales.) book of saints and friendly beasts, abbie farwell brown. bow-wow and mew-mew, georgiana m. craik. boys' odyssey, w. c. perry. curious book of birds, abbie farwell brown. fairy tales, hans christian andersen. fifty famous stories retold, baldwin. folk tales from the russian, blumenthal. gods and heroes, francillon. (greek legends.) household stories, anna c. klingensmith. heroes every child should know, hamilton wright mabie. in the days of giants, abbie farwell brown. (norse legends.) japanese fairy tales, translated by williston. jungle book, kipling. king arthur and his court, frances nimmo greene. knights of the silver shield, r. m. alden. (includes "why the chimes rang.") little black sambo. (beloved by young children.) mother goose (altemus edition), including a few fairy tales. nights with uncle remus, joel chandler harris. norse gods and heroes, a. klingensmith. norse tales, hamilton w. mabie. peterkin papers, hale. (afford pure, wholesome humor.) peter rabbit, the tale of, beatrix potter. saints of italy legends, ella noyes. story of siegfried, baldwin. the boys' king arthur, edited by lanier. the red book of romance, edited by lang. the red fairy book and others of same series, edited by lang. tanglewood tales, hawthorne (greek legends). the oak tree fairy book, edited by clifton johnson. the pilgrim's progress, bunyan. the stars in song and legend, jermain g. porter. the wonder book, hawthorne. wagner story book, frost. wandering heroes, lillian j. price. water babies, charles kingsley. wizard of oz, baum. history and biography childhood of ji-shib the ojibwa, a. e. jenks. children of the cold, frederick schwatka. (life among esquimaux children.) cuore, de amicis, translated by mrs. lucas. (experiences of a school boy in italy.) each and all, jane andrews. five minute stories, laura e. richards. history of the ancient greeks, c. d. shaw. lolami, the little cliff-dweller, clara k. bayliss. ten boys of long ago, andrews. the chinese boy and girl, bishop headland. the snow baby, mrs. peary. seven little sisters, jane andrews. story of joan of arc for boys and girls. story of my life, helen keller. story of troy, m. clarke. nature a year in the fields, burroughs. everyday birds, bradford torrey. first book of forestry, filibert roth. friends in feathers and fur, johonnot. grasshopper land, margaret morley. how to attract birds, neltje blanchan. lady hollyhock and her friends, margaret c. walker. (tells how to make dolls out of flowers.) plant relations, coulter. pussy meow, s. louise patteson. the bee people, margaret morley. the hall of shells. the stars in song and legend, j. g. porter. the training of wild animals, frank c. bostock. trees in prose and poetry, stone and fickett. ways of the woodfolk, william j. long. wilderness ways, william j. long. wild animals i have known, seton thompson. poetry book of nursery rhymes, new collection of old mother goose, charles welsh. children's book, the, compilation by scudder. (prose and verse.) child's garden of verses, robert l. stevenson. the chinese mother goose, bishop headland. (charmingly illustrated with photographic pictures of chinese children with their parents.) golden numbers, kate douglas wiggin. (choice collection of miscellaneous poetry; beautifully bound.) little rhymes for little readers, wilhelmina seegmiller. lyrica heroica, edited by w. e. henley. one thousand poems for children, roger ingpen. (a very full collection.) the listening child, l. w. thacher. (compilation of short poems suitable for children over six.) the posy ring, kate douglas wiggin. (choice collection for young children.) the robin's christmas eve. (old english ballad.) picture books an apple pie, kate greenaway. at great aunt martha's (pictures), kathleen ainslie. (illustrations of wooden dolls.) book of nonsense, edward lear. (highly recommended by ruskin.) dean's rag books. (for very young children; will wash and iron.) jingleman jack (pictures and verses about the trades), o'dea and kennedy. four and twenty toilers, lucas. (hard to procure.) music children's messiah, mari ruef hofer. children's singing games, old and new, mari ruef hofer. christmas-time songs and carols, mrs. crosby adams. finger plays, emilie poulsson. holiday songs, emilie poulsson. merry songs and games for the use of the kindergarten, clara b. hubbard. music for the child world, mari ruef hofer. two vols. (music every child should know.) nature songs for children, fanny snow knowlton. primary and junior songs for the sunday-school, mari ruef hofer. small songs for small singers, illustrated, w. h. neidlinger. song stories for the kindergarten, mildred and patty hill. songs and games for little ones, walker and jenks. songs and games of the mother-play book, froebel. songs every child should know, dolores bacon. songs for little children, eleanor smith. two vols. songs of childhood, field de koven song book. songs of the open, seeboeck. songs of the child world, jessie l. gaynor. st. nicholas songs, the words from st. nicholas magazine. sunday-school helps a year of sunday-school work, florence u. palmer. beginnings, a. w. gould. pamphlet. tells of the beginnings of world, man, sin, language, death, law, etc., according to the bible, according to science, and according to old myths. bible for young people, century co. kindergarten sunday-school stories, laura a. cragin. (new testament.) old and new testament for children, edited by richard g. moulton. old testament bible stories, walter l. sheldon. stories from the lips of the teacher, o. b. frothingham. stories of the patriarchs, o. b. frothingham. wonder stories from the gospels, katherine beebe. chapter xi kindergarten materials the kindergarten gifts friedrich froebel, after observing and studying thoughtfully the play and playthings of little children, selected from among these, and arranged in logical order, a certain series which should help develop the little one in mind, body, and spirit through childlike play. this series of related playthings is known as the kindergarten "gifts." all children of all races play ball, and the first kindergarten gift to be given, even to a very little child, consists of six soft worsted balls in the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. the second gift is an oblong box containing a wooden ball or "sphere," a cube, and a cylinder, with several slender axles and beams to assist in the little plays. the third gift is a box containing a two-inch cube divided horizontally and vertically into eight one-inch cubes. the fourth gift is a similar cube divided horizontally into eight oblong blocks. the fifth gift is evolved from the preceding ones and is a five-inch cube divided into inch cubes, half cubes, and quarter cubes. the sixth gift is a cube of the same size divided so that it contains cubes, oblongs, and plinths. the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gifts are derived from the geometrical solids. the seventh gift is derived from the geometrical surfaces, and consists of wooden tablets in shapes of circles, squares, triangles, etc. the eighth gift represents the geometrical line and is made up of wooden sticks in lengths of one, two, three, four, five, and six inches. they may be had in two thicknesses and either colored or uncolored. the ninth gift, derived from the edge of the circle, consists of metal rings, half rings, and quarter rings, in several sizes. the tenth gift, derived from the geometric point, is the lentil. kindergartners differ as to the amount of emphasis to be placed upon the geometric side of the "gifts," and as to whether or not they should always be presented in a certain logical order. to appreciate their full value the mother must read her froebel or take a kindergarten course. we give below some simple methods of using them, from which the child will derive both pleasure and benefit. what follows should be entirely clear, especially if the mother has the "gifts" before her as she reads. =first gift balls= (_rubber ball 1-1/2 inches in diameter_, _wool in six primary colors_, _crochet-hook_) these balls can be made by taking a _rubber_ ball and crocheting around it a case of worsted; or a case can be crocheted and then stuffed with loose wool or cotton. in the latter case to insure a good shape it is well to crochet _over a ball_ till nearly finished; then take the rubber ball out and fill with the cotton or wool and then complete the ball. then crochet a string about eight inches long and attach to the ball, for suspending it. the ball can then be swung, raised, lowered, made to hop like a bird, swing like a pendulum, revolve rapidly like a wheel. the child may play that it is a bucket being raised or lowered. see how steadily he can raise it. the balls lend themselves to many color games. 1. place them in a row, let one child blind his eyes, another one removes one of the balls and the first one, opening his eyes, tries to think which one is missing. 2. let children observe the colors through a glass prism and try to arrange balls in similar order. ask child if he can tell which colors are uppermost in the rainbow, the cold or the warm ones. 3. if the mother is sewing on a colored dress, let the child try to pick out the ball resembling it in color. 4. play hiding the ball, as in hide the thimble. 5. play store, letting him tell you which ball will best represent a lemon, an orange, a red apple, etc. =second gift plays= throughout his life, froebel felt with keen pain all that was discordant or inharmonious in human society. beneath all differences and misunderstandings lay, he believed, the possibility of adjustment, or reconciliation. relations most strained might be brought into harmonious union. this great idea is typified by the second gift. the hard wooden sphere is _round, curved from all points of view_, with no _angles_ or _edges_, and is _easily moved_. the cube is a complete contrast to the sphere, inasmuch as it _stands firmly_, has _flat faces_, _angles_, and _edges_. the cylinder combines the characteristics and possibilities of the other two. it has flat faces as well as a curved one, and can both stand and roll. it forms a bond of connection between the other two which at first sight seem irreconcilable. three of these forms have small staples inserted in side, edge, and angle so that they may be suspended, swung, and revolved. there are also perforations through each one admitting the insertion of the axles, when needed for certain plays. if an axle be put through cube or cylinder and it be revolved rapidly, you can see, in the swift moving figure, the spirit, as it were, of the other forms--an experiment fascinating to young and old. a little imagination will turn the box in which these blocks come, into a boat, car, engine, etc., pins, matches, tacks, wire, etc., being called in as extras. the little wooden beam may be placed across, held up by the axles and upon this the blocks may be suspended as objects for sale in a store. the box with its cover may be used to illustrate the three primary mechanical principles, the pulley, or wheel, the inclined plane, and the lever. the pulley is made by placing the cylinder on an axle, tying a little weight to one end of a cord and drawing it up over the cylinder. let the child play the weight is a bucket of water being drawn up from a well. play loading a boat and use the cover for a plank, inclined from the deck to the ground, up which to roll a barrel (the cylinder). play that the cube is a heavy piano box and show how to raise it by using a stick as a lever. the students of a kindergarten training school made fine derrick cranes with this box of blocks, and no two were exactly alike. =games with second gift ball= 1. let children sit crossed-legged on the floor in a circle and let one child roll the ball across to another child. he in turn rolls it straight over to some other child and so on. 2. let one child sit in the center of a circle and roll the ball to each child in turn, who rolls it back to him. 3. let several children stand in the center of a ring and try to catch the ball as it rolls swiftly by. 4. let children stand in center and try to avoid being touched by the ball as it rolls along. 5. draw a circle on the floor and let the children try in turn to so roll the ball that it will stop inside of the ring. 6. place the cube in the center of the circle. put the cylinder on top of the cube and balance the sphere carefully upon the cylinder. then let the children try to hit this target with another ball. many are the lessons in self-control, fair play, patience and kindness which the children practice in playing these simple games, in addition to the physical exercise and training in alertness, in seeing correctly and in acting quickly. =second gift beads= mrs. hailmann, a kindergarten training teacher, some years ago added to the "gifts" the so-called "second gift beads," much loved by wee children. these are perforated wooden beads in shape of the sphere, cube and cylinder. they come in two sizes and may be had in colors or uncolored. a shoe lace comes with them for stringing. in delightful plays with these beads the child learns to distinguish form and color, and has practice in simple designing. at first let him have a number of different kinds and let him thread them as he pleases. observe him and see if, of his own initiative, he will distinguish either form or color. after a while he will probably, without suggestion, begin to string them in some sort of order--one sphere, one cube, one sphere, one cube, etc. two spheres, two cubes, two cylinders, etc. when he begins to see differences, give him two forms only and let him arrange. later give him others. too many at first will be confusing. besides the stringing, these beads may be used in other ways. make a fence by putting two cubes and a sphere, one on top of the other for a post, and then join these to similar posts by running toothpicks or burnt matches through the perforations. place cubes and cylinders, one on top of another, and use as tree box with tiny twig or elderberry branch for tree. if making a toy village of blocks or cardboard, these little beads will make good lampposts. =the pegboard= the pegboard, an additional gift devised by mrs. alice h. putnam, can also be had in two sizes, the large one to be preferred. the board is perforated with holes at regular intervals and is accompanied with colored pegs, which the child loves to insert in the openings. he may arrange them in ranks for soldiers, according to color, two and two, or four and four, learning thus to count. a flower-bed with red flowers in one corner and green bushes in another may be made. he may play that the pegs are kindergarten children playing follow the leader, some with red dresses, some with blue waists, etc. a birthday cake with candles may be represented, or a line of telegraph poles, if father has gone on a journey, and over the imaginary wires a message may be sent. the pegboard is also loved by very young children. =plays with the other gifts= the third gift cubes may be built by the little child into houses, furniture, wagons, etc. it is very simple, and yet when handling it the child learns something of form and number and gains skill with his tiny hands. the fourth gift expresses "proportion." each block is twice the length of those in the preceding gift and half as high. he can build with it objects impossible with the first divided cube. the two may often be used in conjunction. the fifth gift requires a decided increase in the child's powers of coördination. he can make with it a very great variety of objects. only a kindergartner can appreciate its many possibilities. the sixth gift lends itself peculiarly to buildings of a certain type. it expresses less strength and more grace than the preceding ones. in playing with these "gifts" under direction of a teacher, the child, if making the grocery store, proceeds to make the counter, the scales, the money desk, etc., in succession, and is not allowed to take the first structure apart in disorderly fashion and then make the next one, but is supposed to build the counter, or other article, by gradually transforming the thing already made, removing the blocks in ones, or twos, or threes in an orderly way. each block is supposed to have some relation to the whole. for instance if a shoe store has been made and one unused block remains, it may represent the footstool used in such a store. froebel thought in this way through simple play to help the child little by little to feel the relatedness of all life. =seventh gift plays= with the seventh gift tablets the child makes designs or "beauty forms," becoming familiar with certain geometrical forms and exercising his powers of invention in pleasing design. in using the tablets, which are in both light and dark stains, do not give too many at first. give him for instance one circle, representing a picture of a ball, and let him lay a row of such for a frieze design for a gymnasium. give a circle and four squares, and let him place one above, one below, one to the right and one to the left, touching the circle. this will suggest a unit for a tile for a playroom fireplace. tell him to change the top square so that its angle touches the circle; then change the lower one in the same way; then the right, then the left. this transformation gives an entirely new design. the other tablets may be employed in the same way, the different kinds of triangles offering opportunity for much variety. =eighth gift plays= the sticks may be used in representing designs in which the straight line prevails. the lines may be placed in vertical or horizontal position. sticks may be arranged as soldiers, standing two and two in straight vertical lines; or as fences in horizontal position. they may be classified as to length. let the child sort them as wood for the woodpile, putting together those of same length. or play he is in the store to buy a cane and sees those of different lengths, some for men, some for children. for designing give the child four sticks of one length and let him make a square. give him four of another length and let him make a larger square. then with these eight sticks let him make two oblongs of the same size. give him these exercises as puzzles, but do not let him play with the sticks until he gets nervous in trying to keep them in position. =play with lentils= these are necessarily few and simple. let the child make circles, squares, etc., by putting the lentils in rows. he can also represent the mass of a tree's foliage by placing a number of the lentils in a mass. chapter xii kindergarten materials the kindergarten occupations the kindergarten gifts proceed, as will have been observed, from the solid through other forms to the point. the objects made with these are but temporary, and the same material may be used again and again. parallel with these froebel devised what he calls the "occupations," which put into permanent shape the ideas expressed by the gifts. among the occupations (we will not name all) are: peaswork, pricking, sewing, weaving, parquetry, pasting, cardboard modeling, sand and clay modeling. these are arranged in reverse order to the gifts; that is, they proceed from the point to the solid. =peaswork= (_good well-dried peas_, _wooden toothpicks or hair-wire_) soak the peas for 10 or 12 hours till soft. then make a cane of one pea and one stick. two peas and one stick will make a dumb-bell. three of each will make a triangle. make a square in the same way, and then by adding to this other peas and sticks a skeleton chair can be made. all kinds of furniture and geometrical forms may be thus manufactured. the wire or toothpick must be inserted in the cheek of the pea. watch the child carefully to see that he does not get nervous over the work. assuming that the peas are in good condition, there should be little trouble if the forms made are simple. =pricking= (_thin white cardboard_, _long pin_, _several folds of cloth or a piece of felt_) froebel recognized the appeal this pastime makes to the mystery-loving child. as sometimes used it may be injurious to nerves or eyesight; but used judiciously the child of five or six will find it a source of harmless entertainment. let mother or older brother draw on cardboard a simple strong outline. provide a strong steel pin (hat-pin or mourning-pin will do) and a piece of folded cloth for a cushion. follow the outline by pricking in it a succession of holes. the rough side is the right side of the decorated card. the card may be hung up as a transparency, or may be made up into blotter or calendar; or, if the outline be that of a vegetable or a fruit, it will make up into a thanksgiving place card. very beautiful effects are produced by pricking the surface as well as the outline, a form of embossing, but this is a great strain on the nerves. let the child work for only a few moments at a time, and be sure that the light is good and the drawing is distinct. =sewing= (_cardboard_, _worsted_, _silk or chenille_, _needle_, _punch_) it is a disputed question now whether or not the cardboard sewing of the kindergarten, once considered so essential, should be used at all. some condemn it entirely; others use it sparingly. many replace it with sewing on cloth and other materials soft and flexible, which lend themselves to the kind of stitching required later in everyday sewing. we cannot now enter into the discussion, but common-sense rules here as elsewhere. cards with designs already drawn and perforated may be bought, but the mother need not feel that she must depend upon these. old visiting and invitation cards may be used for the purpose. we give a few examples of objects pretty and useful which may be made of this material. these will suggest others to the active-minded child. get punch at kindergarten supply store; from 50 cents up. 1. gift card. cut a square of cardboard 5 × 5 inches. with a needleful of red worsted let the child sew upon this card three straight candles in stitches one inch long. you may first punch in the bottom of the card three holes as guides. put them in a row equidistant from each other. make parallel to these a row of three dots in pencil. the child will push the needle through one hole _from below_ and put it through the dot above, making his own hole. so proceed till finished. a flame may be drawn with yellow chalk at the upper end of each candle, to make it more realistic. this card may be used to stand a candlestick upon, or to send as a birthday card. a similar card with the red stitches lying horizontally will picture firecrackers ready to be set off. use as a mat for a match safe. 2. cover for medicine glass. draw a circle five inches in diameter. cut this out. parallel to the edge draw a circle four inches in diameter. make dots about 1/2 inch apart along this second circle. punch holes through these dots. with worsted, ravelings or chenille let the child sew once around this circle. then go around the other way to fill up all the gaps left the first time. use as cover for glass of medicine. line the bottom with clean, white paper. vary by overcasting, or from a central hole take long radiating stitches to the holes in the circumference like the spokes of a wheel. 3. toy umbrella. the above circle with spokes may be made into a toy umbrella if a slender stick be run through for a handle. stick a pin about an inch from the top to keep the umbrella part from slipping down. 4. bookmark. cut an oblong card 2 × 6 inches. draw upon this a row of parallel oblique lines about one inch apart and one inch long. punch holes through the ends of the lines at the bottom, sew one slanting line to show the child, and let him finish the row. a similar oblong will make a napkin ring if the ends be brought together and tied with the ends of the worsted. squares, oblongs, crosses, etc., may thus be punched and sewed. if no punch is obtainable, make the holes with a coarse needle or strong pin. =paper tearing= (see page 54) =paper cutting= this is another froebelian occupation. some suggestions have been given elsewhere. (see page 54.) we will speak here of a more definite series of progressive steps. take a square of white paper. fold once to make an oblong. keep folded and fold once more, which gives a small square. from the corners of this square cut pieces, large or small. keep these. open the paper and lay it down. then arrange around it the cut-off corners to make a design. they may be arranged in a variety of ways. the pieces cut off the corners may be of various shapes. vary another square by cutting into it, after it has been folded, triangles or other figures. open and arrange around it these cut-off pieces. when a satisfactory design has thus been made, it may be pasted on a pleasing background of paper. in kindergarten training, checked paper is provided and the cuttings are made from lines drawn upon this according to a progressive system. =parquetry= (_colored papers_, _paste_, _kindergarten slat or match for paste-stick_) this occupation has its parallel in the tablets. the designs made temporarily with the circles, squares, etc., of wood may be put into more permanent form with the parquetry papers. these are circles, squares, triangles, etc., of colored papers, the unit of size being the inch. there are 1,000 in a package, embracing the six colors--red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, with two shades and two tints of each, besides neutral tones, and black and white. 1. easter card. give the child an oblong piece of gray cardboard, six inches long, and some yellow circles. let him paste a row of circles for dandelion heads and then chalk in the green stems. give to father for an easter card. red and yellow circles may be cut in half and so arranged as to suggest tulips. (see page 122.) 2. frieze. let the child make designs for a frieze for the doll-house parlor, arranging circles and squares successively or alternately on a strip of paper. or he can make a design for the doll-house kitchen oilcloth by pasting squares or circles (one square or circle surrounded by others) in a square unit. an inexpensive paste for this work may be made of gum tragacanth. buy five cents' worth of the powdered gum. put a tablespoonful into an empty mucilage bottle and fill with water. in a few moments it will dissolve and thicken. use more or less, according to thickness desired. =weaving= (_colored kindergarten weaving mats_, _weaving needle_) this is one of the most popular of kindergarten occupations. primitive man early learned to interlace the branches of trees to make for himself a shelter, and to weave together coarse fibres to make his crude garments. in course of ages great skill was acquired in thus using all kinds of flexible materials; artistic baskets were produced of raffia and reeds, and fine garments of linen, wool and cotton. beautiful effects in color and form were introduced, the designs usually having a symbolic meaning. froebel devised, for the expression of this natural tendency, a series of exercises with colored paper, which gave practice in selection of color harmonies, in designing, in counting, and which led to skill and neatness in work. loom-weaving has been described on another page. (90.) in many kindergartens it now entirely supersedes the paper-weaving, which we will here briefly describe. 1. if you do not care to buy the regular kindergarten weaving mats, you may use smooth gray or brown wrapping paper cut into four-inch squares. in such a square cut _two_ slits 1/2 inch apart and one inch long. from some pretty paper cut a strip one inch wide and two inches long and insert in the slit in the mat, pasting the ends of the strip to the under side of the mat. 2. cut _three_ or _four_ slits in similar mats and weave into them one-inch or half-inch strips, using narrower ones as the child gains skill. weave such a strip under one and over one; then weave another, under two and over two, etc.; thus a variety of effects may be produced and the child meanwhile has practice incidentally in simple counting. such a mat may be used to cover a glass of drinking water or medicine glass. 3. a larger mat may be made of pretty paper cut into comparatively fine slits. paste upon this mat a square of smooth paper as a kind of lining; fold cornerwise and paste two edges together, making a kind of cornucopia. 4. scent-bag. a scent-bag may be made by putting between the mat and the lining described above a thin piece of cotton-batting, sprinkled with scent. 5. oilcloth or felt. instead of paper, mats may be woven of plain oilcloth or of felt. have two colors of each material, one for the mat and one for the strips. on a 5-inch square of the material draw four parallel lines one inch apart and one inch from the top and bottom. then using these as guide lines, cut four slits and weave in and out as with the paper weaving. ribbon may be used for the woof if desired. such a mat may be used for a lamp-mat or for a flower-pot mat. among the reasons for discarding the paper-weaving are the following: the colors are somewhat intense, and it is not always easy to secure good harmonies; the care necessary to avoid tearing the delicate paper and soiling the delicate colors is often a trial to highly-strung children. therefore they should not work at it too long at a time. a weaving needle comes with the kindergarten weaving papers. =paper-folding= we give here _only a very few_ of the innumerable forms which may be made by folding paper according to exact directions. mother may conduct such a little play while she is sewing and the child is on the floor or at the table. but directions must be exact and explicit. after once having told what to do in quiet, distinct, clear language, do not repeat. train the child to hear accurately the first time. papers in many tones may be obtained from the kindergarten supply stores, but any exact square of white paper or of smooth brown wrapping paper will do. place the simple open square before the child, the edge directly in front of him. call it a tablecloth and ask where the different members of the family sit. if able to wield the scissors, let him fringe the edge all around. 1. book. give a second square and, showing him which are the front corners, tell him to take hold of these and fold the paper over so that the front edge is just on a line with the back edge. let him iron the table cloth (crease the fold with his thumb nail) so as to make a sharp line when opened. this makes a little book or tent. ask what he can read in the book; who camps out in the tent; etc. 2. window. make another tent. keep the tent in front of the child and tell him to open it and then to fold the left side over so that the left edge exactly meets the right edge. crease and open, and the result is a window with four panes. have the child tell what he plays he can see through it. 3. tunnel. fold a square once through the middle as before. open and notice the sharp line made by the crease. now fold the front edge to meet exactly _this line_. open and then fold the back edge to meet this line. open in such a way that the form when standing makes a little tunnel. roll a marble under it. [illustration: paper-folding.] 4. barn. fold a square into sixteen little squares by making a tunnel in one direction and then folding a tunnel in the other direction, so that the creases cross each other at right angles. open out and cut from the _left edge_ and from the _right edge_ three slits along the horizontal creases to the first intersecting vertical crease. (see illustration.) now fold no. 1 over no. 2 so that one little square exactly covers the other and paste or pin together. do the same at the other end. this draws the paper into shape of gable roof. place remaining flaps so that one overlaps the other a trifle, as shown in the illustration. then cut a door in the side. (see illustration.) this can be made of a large sheet of strong paper and will house very large paper animals. 5. sailboat. place a square of paper directly in front of you. fold the front edge backward to meet exactly the back edge and crease. open and fold the left edge over to meet exactly the right edge and crease. open. turn the paper over so that _the under side is uppermost_, and place so that a _corner_ is directly in front of you. fold the paper so that the front corner exactly meets the back corner and crease. open and fold so that the left corner exactly meets the right corner. you now have a square crossed by two diameters and by two diagonals. number the _corners_ thus: 1, 2, 3, 4, and the _center_ 0. take the corners and hold in one hand so that 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0 are back to back. then crease in that position. the form is a square. lay down so that the _folded corner_ faces you. fold the loose back corner down to meet the front corner. then turn over and again fold the remaining back corner down to meet the front corner, and two sails become visible. fold back one-half of the hull to make a base, and the little boat will stand and move if breathed upon. it can be made water-tight by dipping in melted paraffine. melt the paraffine by putting it in a double boiler with boiling water beneath. =cardboard modeling= (_cardboard_, _knife_, _pencil_, _scissors_) this is another of froebel's materials which is much used in the kindergarten. the regular kindergarten cardboard comes in large sheets measured off into inches, half inches and quarter inches by red and blue lines. these are to assist in the accurate cutting and folding of the stiff paper. the tinted bristol board obtainable at stationery stores is also much used. with this simple material older children acquire skill of both hand and eye. the higher school grades are now using it to a great extent in making geometrical figures, thus gaining practice in making objects after first making the working drawings for the same. a tinsmith who has had kindergarten training will find himself better equipped for his life work because of this early experience in cutting and measuring. the directions here given assume that the unruled cardboard is used. to _score_ is to make a long shallow cut or scratch in the cardboard with a knife, so that it will bend easily. we give a few simple objects in the order of their difficulty. 1. book-mark. draw an oblong 1 × 8 inches. cut it out and punch a series of holes down the middle, one inch apart. run a bit of baby ribbon in and out and thus make a simple book-mark. 2. toy wash-bench. draw and cut an oblong 1 × 6 inches. draw a line straight across this one inch from each end, and then score these lines lightly. bend and you have a wash-bench for doll's house. 3. sugar-scoop. draw and cut an oblong 2 × 4 inches. draw a line lengthwise through the middle. score this line, and _cut_ along the score _one inch from each end_. score again from each end at _right angles_ to the previous crease. bend up the scored ends and the side, and paste the flaps together. this may be used for the toy grocery store. 4. box. read these directions through once. then begin and work along as you read again, and all will be clear. cut out a square measuring 4 × 4 inches. place squarely before you, and then on the front edge, one inch from each side, make a dot. on the back edge, one inch from each side, make a dot. unite the dots at front and back by straight lines. this gives two vertical lines. now, on the right hand edge, one inch from each end make a dot, and do the same on the left hand edge. unite these dots by straight lines, which gives two horizontal lines crossing the ones previously made at right angles. with a sharp knife, and ruler to keep it straight, score along these lines so that they may be readily bent. now, from the right edge cut along each horizontal line a slit one inch long. from the left edge cut along each horizontal line a slit one inch long. these cuts will give four flaps. bend up the four oblong sides and fold each flap over inside the box and paste. a little experimentation on the part of older children will show how to elongate one side so as to make a cover. differences in the proportions of the original piece of cardboard will make boxes of different proportions. 5. work-box. draw a five-inch pentagon. look up in a geometry to find the rules for doing this. upon each side as a base erect another pentagon. score at the line of junction and bend the side pentagons till the edges meet. in these edges punch holes opposite each other, and through these tie baby ribbon to hold them together. =clay modeling= (_potter's clay_, _oilcloth or small smooth board_, _curtain pole_) clay is one of the important kindergarten materials, and if used with care need give but little trouble. buy at kindergarten supply store or art shop. take a yard of table oilcloth and sew tapes to the corners so long that the oilcloth may be tied to a table and thus held smooth and firm. when not in use keep rolled up on a curtain-pole, broom-handle or dowel. this preserves it from untimely cracking. upon this oilcloth the child can easily work with the clay, and the small pieces which may stick to it are readily wiped off with a damp cloth. if preferred, a small board about a foot square may be used instead of oilcloth. the child soon learns not to scatter the pieces. it is well for him to wear a little apron when making his small works of art. when finished with the clay, let him remove as much as possible from the hands as a rule, what remains may be rubbed away with a brisk clapping of the hands or is washed off very readily. 1. if his first impulse is to pound and thump the clay, show the child how pretty things may be made by gently pressing and molding the clay between thumb and fingers. if he is still interested in pounding, show him how to make a sphere by rolling the clay between the palms, and then by striking it four times hard against the table it is transformed into a rough sort of cube which further effort will improve. 2. if he inclines to make a number of balls, show him if possible one of the cheap clay marbles, and tell him to make some like it, though his will have no glazing. 3. if you see that he is rolling the clay into long lengths, suggest that he make a snake or links of a chain. 4. older children may be shown how to roll it with the palm into long slender cylinders. then coil these round and round spirally upon themselves and so build up a jar, as certain primitive races do. then smooth it outside and inside until well shaped. 5. bowls and crude vases are easily made, and these when dried may be painted and used to hold matches or pencils. 6. sometimes, to stir the imagination, break off a rough piece of clay and ask the child if it looks like anything to him. if it suggest a bird or fish or fruit, show him how the crude form may be made more nearly perfect. 7. take a bit of clay and upon it press another bit, and so little by little smooth and press and build up a plaque 1/2 inch high and four inches square. upon this as a background, build up in the same way, little by little, a raised leaf, or a geometrical figure, such as a square or a maltese cross. if a leaf is made, copy from a real leaf. when thus interested, let the older children read longfellow's beautiful poem, "keramis," and the work of the potter will have a meaning it never had before. the children who thus make crude efforts to express the beautiful gain in power little by little, and will have added capacity to appreciate the wonderful works of art to be seen in every gallery. they will gain in discrimination as to what is really beautiful, and will know how to choose those decorations and ornaments which will make their homes truly artistic. clay lends itself so readily to the slightest turn of thought, and is so easily employed by the smallest pair of hands, that it is one of the best materials to give to the little child. he soon learns to tell with it what he may be able to say in no other way. when ready to put away, break into small pieces, put the pieces together, knead a little till made into a mass, punch a few holes in the mass, fill these with water, put into a stone jar and cover with a damp cloth. or put the clay into a cloth, dampen, and then, twisting the four corners of the cloth together, drop the mass on the floor. do this several times and it will be found welded together. then put into the stone jar. disinfect clay by exposing to sunshine. =sand-table= (_kitchen table_, _saw_, _boards_, _nails_, _zinc_) from germany we have finally learned the value of the sand-table and the sand-pile as means of development to the child, not to speak of their virtues as pure givers of joy. sand-tables may be bought at kindergarten stores, or one may be made of a kitchen table by sawing off the legs to the size which brings the table top within reach of the child. then the top should be fenced in with boards, from three to six inches high, to keep the sand in. it is a good plan to line the table with zinc, since it is sometimes desirable to have the sand pretty wet, although it generally suffices to make it just damp enough to mold readily. it can be dampened with a sprinkling-can. 1. the child will play a long while without much suggestion. a little pail or bottle to be filled and emptied and refilled will furnish material for his embryonic experiments. 2. a tiny cast-iron spade (price one cent) will add materially to his happiness. 3. shells and patty-pans of different shapes and convolutions suggest bakery plays, and mother must sample the baby's cookery. when houses and forts and churches are the order of the day, paths must be laid and bordered with stones and shells; twigs and elderberry branches make tiny trees for tiny orchards; and a little pan of water or a bit of mirror makes a wee lake. the kindergarten building gifts make substantial structures, bridges, park-benches, etc. a winding river can be painted with blue paint on the zinc. when the child's imagination flags, a word from the mother or a timely story will start a new series of plays next time. 4. older children will enjoy reproducing in the sand the hills and valleys of their environment, the roads, woods and streams which they know, etc. 5. tell of the western plant which, when uprooted from its loose hold in the desert sand, is sent flying by the wind over the sand, and wherever it touches makes a perfect spiral. let the children make such spirals with a coiled piece of wire. 6. having noticed the impression made upon the sand by the patty-pans, the child can be led to make designs with them by making a row of impressions equal distances apart, arranging these in twos, in threes, etc. index page abacus, 17 acquiring skill with brush or pencil, 74 aiming games, 95, 96, 97 anagrams, 102 apple-biting contest, 132 apple candlestick, 24 apple-seed penwiper, 30 applied art, 76 ash tray, 67 autograph picture, 105 badge, 123 baking pan papers, 57 balls, 96, 156 barn, paper folding, 172 beads, second gift, 159 bean bag games, 95 bean bags, to make, 95 bed-making, 145 bedstead, dolls, 87 bells, 109, 139 berry baskets or boxes, 11 birchbark, 42 biscuit, thimble, 104 block furniture, 85 blowing bubbles, 51 blowing out candle, 100 boat, 22, 26, 36, 41 blue prints, 52 bon-bon papers, 58, 115 booklist, 151 bookmark, 58, 174 border for sand-table, 40 bottling shells, 40 bottling stones, 39 boxes, 12, 15, 174 breastpin, 71 bristol board, 61 brush, pencil or, 73 bubbles, 51 burnt match safe, 34 butter dishes, 41 butterflies, 105, 121 butterfly party, 105 butter modeling, 134 buttons, 69 button-box, 15 button mold tops, 70 button mold wheels, 70 calendar, 74, 109 candle, blowing out, 100 candle design, 55 candle making, 137 candle sticks, 24, 64, 138 canoe, 43 cardboard, 61 cardboard animals, 63 cardboard modeling, 173 cardboard sewing, 165 carols, 138 carrot top, 45 celluloid butterflies, 121 center piece, pumpkin, 135 cereal boxes, 32 chains, 56, 115 chased by a goose, 78 checkerboard, 62 cherry stone game, 99 chicken coop, 13 chicken, easter, 122 chicken, squash seed, 29 child's library, the, 149 chinese kite, 66 chinese toy, 64 christmas, 136 cigar-box bedstead, 87 cigar-box dollhouse, 82 circle tag, 92 classifying, 39, 40, 48 clay, 176 clay-pipe doll, 80 clock, paper, 86 clothespin doll, 80 clothespin race, 94 clover, four-leaf, 48 collecting, 39, 40, 48 color top, 75 colors, matching, 71 cork, 36 cork doll, 81 corn, 18 corncobs, 18 corncrib, 18 cornhusks, 18 cornstalks, 135 counters for games, 28, 62, 69 countess of the huggermuggers, 100 counting ball, 96 cover for medicine glass, 166, 170 cradle, egg shell, 25 cranberries, 136 croquet with peas, 98 cross tag, 93 cup and ball, 96 curtains for dollhouse, 87 cutlery, toy, 36 cutting paper, 54, 167 darning egg, 44 decorated note-paper, 109 decoration day, 123 decorative cherries, 114 decorative leaves, 47 designs, 21, 28, 77 dinner souvenirs, 120, 130, 134 dishes, tin-foil, 35 dish-washing, 143 distances, guessing, 72 doll furniture, 15, 37, 85 doll-houses, 82 doll park, 89 dolls, 80 donkey game, 100 drawing, 31, 72 drums, 125 ducking for apples, 131 dusting, 147 easter, 120 easter card, 122, 168 easter chicken, 122 east indian fan, 43 edam cheese lantern, 34 egg-shell boat, 26 egg-shell cradle, 25 egg-shell game, 99 egg-shell garden, 25 eggs, humpty dumpty, 26 egg-shell, to blow, 25 egg-shells, 25, 26, 99 eighth gift plays, 162 elevator, toy, 71 epaulettes, 56 experiments with color, 75 expression with pencil and brush, 73 fairy tales, myths, etc., 151 fan, 43, 63 feather, corn-husk, 18 feather flowers, 49 felt mats, 170 fence, 11, 19 festival occasions, 107 festoons, 47 firecracker designs, 55 firecracker, imitation, 124 first gift balls, 156 flags, 119 flower-pot, 35 flower rack, 37 flowers, feather, 49 flowers, pressing, 51 foot-ball, egg, 99 fortune telling, 131 fourth of july, 124 frieze, 48, 168 fringed bon-bon papers, 58, 115 furniture, 15, 20, 37, 85 games and plays, 92, 157, 158, 161 gift card, 166 gifts, kindergarten, 155 go-bang board, 61 good luck pigs, 109 gourds, 44 grace hoops, 97 grocery store, 88 guess ball, 96 guessing distances, 72 hallowe'en, 131 hammering soap, 31 handkerchief box, 42 hanging basket, 15, 35, 44 hearts, 110 history and biography books, 152 home tasks, 141 honey, weighing, 103 house, cob, 19 house, doll's, 33, 82 household duties, 141 humpty dumpty eggs, 26 imitation water, 31 independence day, 124 indian head-dress, 50 ironing, 146 jack o'lantern, 135 jackstones, 39 japanese tag, 93 key-basket, the, 141 kindergarten materials--gifts, 155 " " --occupations, 164 kite, 60, 66 labor day, 128 " " dinner, 130 " " parade, 129 lacy valentine, 111 lamp mats, 170 lamp, toy, 86 lantern, 33, 34, 139 " toy, 24 learning to observe, 73 leaves, to dry and press, 47 lentils, 163 library, the child's, 149 looms, 90 man, prunes, raisins, 27 masks, 57 matching colors, 71 matchsafe, 34, 177 mats, 18, 46, 170 medicine glass cover, 166, 170 memorial day, 123 merry-go-round, dolls', 89 midnight watching, 109 mirror, toy, 36 money, toy, 36, 58 morning glories, pressed, 51 moving van, 32 music books, 154 nature books, 153 needle case, 42 needles, 71 new year's bells, 109 " " day, 108 newspaper wrappers, 57 numeral frame, 17 nuts, 22 occupations, kindergarten, 164 oilcloth mats, 170 oiled paper, 87 omnibus swing, 101 orange basket, 24 paint-box, the, 73 paint-brush box, 43 painting from object, 73 " wagons or houses, 76 paper, 54 paper chains, 56, 115 paper cutting, 54, 167 paper doll, 81 paper folding, 171 paper furniture, 85 paper lanterns, 118 paper mats, 169 paper money, 58 paper-weight, 40 papering house, 85 papers for baking pans, 57 park for dolls, 89 parquetry, 168 parties, suggestions for, 103 paste, 169 pasteboard doll house, 82 paste stick, 14 path borders or markers, 39 pea furniture, 164 peanut animals, 23 " doll, 80 " party, 103 pea pod boat, 16 peas, 16 peaswork, 164 pebbles, 39 pegboard, 160 pencil box, 43 pen tray, 67 penwiper, 42 perforating or pricking, 133, 165 piano scarf, 41 picture books, 153 picture frames, 13, 44, 46 picture story, 78 pictures of seedling, 74 pigments, 75 pincushion, 41 pin tray, 41 place or luncheon cards, 76, 108, 113, 119, 121, 127, 130, 133 134, 136 plays or games, 92 plays with gifts, 161 plumes for hat, 55 poetry books, 123, 153 pop-corn balls, 22 pop-corn chains or festoons, 22, 139 portieres, 21 post fence, 19, 160 potato horse, 17 " race, 94 pressed leaves, 47 pressed morning glories, 51 pricking, 133, 165 prism, 75 prunes, 27 pulley, toy, 71 pumpkin basket or center piece, 135 races, 94 racing tag, 93 raffia, 45 rafts, 19, 36 rag doll, 82 raisins, 27 ramekin dishes, 41 reading, 123, 133, 140, 177 red pepper lantern, 24 reins, 46 ring toss, 97 road roller, spool, 71 rockets, imitation, 127 room decorations, 132, 135 rope and sandbag, 101 rose-haw chains or rosaries, 51 rosettes, 126 rug design, 77 rugs, 90 sailboat, 23, 36, 173 st. patrick's day, 119 " " " dinner, 120 st. valentine's day, 110 " " dinner, 112 salt, 34 salt dishes, 41 sand, 178 sand table, 178 saved from the scrap basket, 53 scales, toy, 88 scent bag, 170 scissors, drawing, 72 scrap books, 68 screen, toy or miniature, 63, 122 second gift plays, 157, 158 second gift beads, 159 seedling, drawing of, 74 seed-markers, 11 seeds, 27 seventh gift, tablets, 162 sewing, 165 sewing basket, the, 69 shadow game, 52 shamrock, 119 shells, 40 shields, 127 snowball, 137 snowflakes, 59 soap, 31 soap box doll house, 84 soldiers caps, etc., 55 soldier-flowers, milkweed, 51 spiderweb party, 104 " valentine, 111 spinning buttons, 69, 70 sponge garden, 120 spools, 70 squash animals, 17 squash seed chicken, 29 stained glass windows, 77 sticks, kindergarten, 156, 162 stones and pebbles, 39 stove, toy, 86 strawberry boxes, 11 straws, 51 stringing, 21, 27, 51, 69, 136 sugar scoop, 174 suggestions for parties, 103 sun and shadow, 52 sunday-school helps, 154 surprise walnuts, 23 sweeping, 147 sweet potato animals, 17 sweet potato vine, 45 swimming float, 37 swing, omnibus, 101 table serving, 143 table setting, 142 tablets, kindergarten, 162 tag, 92 tailless kite, 60 target, spool, 70 tearing paper, 54 telephone toy, for doll house, 87 tents, paper, 116 thanksgiving, 133 thimble biscuit party, 104 threading needles, 72 tiling, doll house, 85 tin cans, 34 tin-foil, 35 top, 70, 75, 77 tower target, spool, 70 toy vegetables, 40 transparency, 47 transparent papers, 75 tree-boxes, 70 tunnel, paper, 172 turnip basket, 45 turtle, 27 umbrella, toy, 167 valentine party dinner, 112 valentines, 110 vegetable animals, 17 vegetables, 45 " toy, 40 wagon, 14, 32 walnut boats, 23 " surprise, 23 washing, 146 washbench, cardboard, 174 washington's birthday, 113 water-color cups, 40 water, imitation, 31 waxed leaves, 47 weaving, 90, 169 weighing honey, 103 wheels, 14, 32, 35 windows, 77, 87 wishbone doll, 80 work box, 175 worsted mats, 90 yarn doll, 81 * * * * * transcriber's note: obvious printer's errors in the original publication have been corrected without comment. inconsistencies in the author's spelling, use of hyphens and other punctuation are retained as in the original work. pages 152-155 were originally printed in two columns. for the convenience of readers of this e-publication, the two columns are represented in this version in a single column. the extant odes of pindar translated into english with introduction and short notes by ernest myers, m.a. _sometime fellow of wadham college, oxford_ 1904 _first edition printed 1874._ _reprinted (with corrections) 1884, 1888, 1892, 1895, 1899, 1904_ son of the lightning, fair and fiery star, strong-winged imperial pindar, voice divine, let these deep draughts of thy enchanted wine lift me with thee in soarings high and far prouder than pegasean, or the car wherein apollo rapt the huntress maid. so let me range mine hour, too soon to fade into strange presence of the things that are. yet know that even amid this jarring noise of hates, loves, creeds, together heaped and hurled, some echo faint of grace and grandeur stirs from thy sweet hellas, home of noble joys. first fruit and best of all our western world; whate'er we hold of beauty, half is hers. introduction. probably no poet of importance equal or approaching to that of pindar finds so few and so infrequent readers. the causes are not far to seek: in the first and most obvious place comes the great difficulty of his language, in the second the frequent obscurity of his thought, resulting mainly from his exceeding allusiveness and his abrupt transitions, and in the third place that amount of monotony which must of necessity attach to a series of poems provided for a succession of similar occasions. it is as an attempt towards obviating the first of these hindrances to the study of pindar, the difficulty of his language, that this translation is of course especially intended. to whom and in what cases are translations of poets useful? to a perfect scholar in the original tongue they are superfluous, to one wholly ignorant of it they are apt to be (unless here and there to a keats) meaningless, flat, and puzzling. there remains the third class of those who have a certain amount of knowledge of a language, but not enough to enable them to read unassisted its more difficult books without an expenditure of time and trouble which is virtually prohibitive. it is to this class that a translation ought, it would seem, chiefly to address itself. an intelligent person of cultivated literary taste, and able to read the easier books in an acquired language, will feel himself indebted to a hand which unlocks for him the inner chambers of a temple in whose outer courts he had already delighted to wander. without therefore saying that the merely 'english reader' may never derive pleasure and instruction from a translation of a foreign poet, for to this rule our current version of the hebrew psalmists and prophets furnish one marked exception at least--still, it is probably to what may be called the half-learned class that the translator must preeminently look to find an audience. the other causes of pindar's unpopularity to which reference was made above, the obscurity of his thought and the monotony of his subjects, will in great measure disappear by means of attentive study of the poems themselves, and of other sources from which may be gathered an understanding of the region of thought and feeling in which they move. in proportion to our familiarity not only with hellenic mythology and history, but with hellenic life and habits of thought generally, will be our readiness and facility in seizing the drift and import of what pindar says, in divining what has passed through his mind: and in his case perhaps even more than in the case of other poets, this facility will increase indefinitely with our increasing acquaintance with his works and with the light thrown on each part of them by the rest[1]. the monotony of the odes, though to some extent unquestionably and unavoidably real, is to some extent also superficial and in appearance only. the family of the victor, or his country, some incident of his past, some possibility of his future life, suggest in each case some different legendary matter, some different way of treating it, some different application of it, general or particular, or both. out of such resources pindar is inexhaustible in building up in subtly varying forms the splendid structure of his song. yet doubtless the drawbacks in reading pindar, though they may be largely reduced, will always in some degree exist: we shall always wish that he was easier to construe, that his allusions to things unfamiliar and sometimes undiscoverable to us were less frequent, that family pride had not made it customary for him to spend so many lines on an enumeration of prizes won elsewhere and at other times by the victor of the occasion or by his kin. such drawbacks can only fall into insignificance when eclipsed by consideration of the far more than counterbalancing attractions of the poems, of their unique and surpassing interest, poetical, historical, and moral. of pindar as a poet it is hard indeed to speak adequately, and almost as hard to speak briefly, for a discussion of his poetical characteristics once begun may wander far before even a small part has been said of what might be. to say that to his poetry in supreme degree belong the qualities of force, of vividness, often of impressive weight, of a lofty style, seeming to be the expression of a like personality, of a mastery of rhythm and metre and imaginative diction, of a profoundly hellenic spirit modified by an unmistakable individuality, above all of a certain sweep and swiftness as of the flight of an eagle's wing--to say all this would be to suggest some of the most obvious features of these triumphal odes; and each of these qualities, and many more requiring exacter delineation, might be illustrated with numberless instances which even in the faint image of a translation would furnish ample testimony[2]. but as this introduction is intended for those who purpose reading pindar's poetry, or at any rate the present translation of it, for themselves, i will leave it to them to discover for themselves the qualities which have given pindar his high place among poets, and will pass on to suggest briefly his claims to interest us by reason of his place in the history of human action and human thought. we know very little of pindar's life. he was born in or about the year b.c. 522, at the village of kynoskephalai near thebes. he was thus a citizen of thebes and seems to have always had his home there. but he travelled among other states, many of which have been glorified by his art. for his praise of athens, 'bulwark of hellas,' the city which at artemision 'laid the foundation of freedom,' the thebans are said to have fined him; but the generous athenians paid the fine, made him their proxenos, and erected his statue at the public cost. for the magnificent sicilian princes, hieron of syracuse and theron of akragas, not unlike the medici in the position they held, pindar wrote five of the longest of his extant odes, and probably visited them in sicily. but he would not quit his home to be an ornament of their courts. when asked why he did not, like simonides, accept the invitations of these potentates to make his home with them, he answered that he had chosen to live his own life, and not to be the property of another. he died at the age of 79, that is, probably, in the year 443, twelve years before the peloponnesian war began. legend said that he died in the theatre of argos, in the arms of theoxenos, the boy in whose honour he wrote a skolion of which an immortal fragment remains to us. other myths gathered round his name. it was said that once when in childhood he had fallen asleep by the way 'a bee had settled on his lips and gathered honey,' and again that 'he saw in a dream that his mouth was filled with honey and the honeycomb;' that pan himself learnt a poem of his and rejoiced to sing it on the mountains; that finally, while he awaited an answer from the oracle of ammon, whence he had enquired what was best for man, persephone appeared to him in his sleep and said that she only of the gods had had no hymn from him, but that he should make her one shortly when he had come to her; and that he died within ten days of the vision. two several conquerors of thebes, pausanias of sparta and alexander of macedon, 'bade spare the house of pindarus, when temple and tower went to the ground.' at delphi they kept with reverence his iron chair, and the priest of apollo cried nightly as he closed the temple, 'let pindar the poet go in unto the supper of the god.' thus pindar was contemporary with an age of greek history which justifies the assertion of his consummate interest for the student of hellenic life in its prime. it was impossible that a man of his genius and temperament should have lived through these times without representing to us with breadth and intensity the spirit that was in them, and there are several points in pindar's circumstances which make his relation to his age peculiarly interesting. we may look on him as in some points supplementary to the great athenian dramatists, whose works are doubtless far the most valuable literary legacy of the time. perhaps however the surpassing brilliance of athenian literature and history has made us somewhat prone to forget the importance of non-athenian elements in the complex whole of hellenic life and thought. athens was the eye of hellas, nay, she had at marathon and salamis made good her claim to be called the saving arm, but there were other members not to be forgotten if we would picture to ourselves the national body in its completeness. pindar was a boeotian, of a country not rich in literary or indeed any kind of intellectual eminence, yet by no means to be ignored in an estimate of the hellenic race. politically indeed it only rises into pre-eminence under epameinondas; before and afterwards boeotian policy under the domination of thebes is seldom either beneficent or glorious: it must be remembered, however, that the gallant plataeans also were boeotians. the people of boeotia seem to have had generally an easy, rather sensually inclined nature, which accorded with their rich country and absence of nautical and commercial enterprise and excitement, but in their best men this disposition remains only in the form of a genial simplicity. pelopidas in political, and plutarch and pausanias in literary history, will be allowed to be instances of this. that the poetry which penetrated hellenic life was not wanting in boeotia we have proof enough in the existence of the sacred band, that goodly fellowship of friends which seems to have united what hallam has called the three strongest motives to enthusiastic action that have appeared in history, patriotism, chivalric honour, and religion. nor is there any nobler figure in history than that of epameinondas. one fact indeed there is which must always make the thought of pindar's theban citizenship painful to us, and that is the shameful part taken by thebes in the persian war, when compulsion of her exposed situation, and oligarchical cabal within her walls, drew her into unholy alliance with the barbarian invader. had it been otherwise how passionately pure would pindar's joy have uttered itself when the 'stone of tantalos' that hung over the head of hellas was smitten into dust in that greatest crisis of the fortunes of humanity. he exults nobly as it is, he does all honour to athens, 'bulwark of hellas,' but the shame of his own city, his 'mother' thebes, must have caused him a pang as bitter as a great soul has ever borne. for his very calling of song-writer to all hellenic states without discrimination, especially when the songs he had to write were of the class which we still possess, triumphal odes for victories in those great games which drew to them all men of hellenic blood at the feet of common deities, and which with each recurring festival could even hush the clamour of war in an imperious truce of god--such a calling and such associations must have cherished in him the passion for panhellenic brotherhood and unanimity, even had there not been much else both within and without him to join to the same generous end. it was the time when panhellenic feeling was probably stronger than ever before or after. before, the states had been occupied in building up their own polities independently; the hellenic activity had been dispersing itself centrifugally among the trans-marine colonies, and those of italy and sicily seemed at one time to make it doubtful whether the nucleus of civilization were to be there or in the mother-country. but by the time of the persian war the best energies of the race had concentrated themselves between the aegean and ionian seas; and the supreme danger of the war had bound the states together against the common enemy and taught them to forget smaller differences in the great strife between hellene and barbarian. yet again when that supreme danger was past the old quarrels arose anew more deadly and more complicated: instead of a persian there was a peloponnesian war, and the peloponnesian war in its latter stages came, by virtue of the political principles involved, to partake much of the character of a civil war. but the time of pindar, of aeschylus, of sophocles, of pheidias, of polygnotos, was that happy interval when hellas had beaten off the barbarian from her throat and had not yet murdered herself. and pindar's imagination and generosity were both kindled by the moment; there was no room in his mind for border squabbles, for commercial jealousies, for oligarchic or democratic envy: these things were overridden by a sentiment of nationality wanting indeed in many circumstances which modern nationalities deem essential to the existence of such sentiment, and many of which are really essential to its permanence--yet a sentiment which no other nation ever before or since can have possessed in the peculiar lustre which it then wore in hellas; for no other nation has ever before or since known what it was to stand alone immeasurably advanced at the head of the civilization of the world. pindar was of a noble family, of the house of the aigeidai, and it is probable that his kinsmen, or some of them, may have taken the side of oligarchy in the often recurring dissensions at thebes, but of this we know nothing certain. he himself seems to have taken no part in politics. when he speaks on the subject in his odes it is not with the voice of a partisan. an ochlocracy is hateful to him, but if he shows himself an 'aristocrat' it is in the literal and etymological meaning of the word. doubtless if pindar had been asked where the best servants of the state in public life were most likely to be found he would have answered that it would be among those ancient families in whose veins ran the blood of gods and demigods, who had spent blood and money for the city's honour, championing her in war or in the mimic strife of the games, who had honourable traditions to be guided by and an honourable name to lose or save. these things were seldom undervalued by hellenic feeling: even in athens, after it was already the headquarters of the democratic principle, the noble and wealthy families obtained, not probably without wisdom of their own in loyally accepting a democratic position, as fair a place and prospects as anywhere in hellas. but that, when the noble nature, the [greek: aretae], which traditions of nobility ought to have secured, was lacking, then wealth and birth were still entitled to power, this was a doctrine repugnant utterly to pindar's mind: nor would his indignation slumber when he saw the rich and highborn, however gifted, forgetting at any time that their power was a trust for the community and using it for their own selfish profit. an 'aristocrat' after pindar's mind would assuredly have a far keener eye to his duties than to his rights, would consider indeed that in his larger share of duties lay his infinitely most precious right. but he 'loved that beauty should go beautifully;' personal excellence of some kind was in his eyes essential; but on this he would fain shed outward radiance and majesty. his imagination rejoiced in splendour--splendour of stately palace--halls where the columns were of marble and the entablature of wrought gold, splendour of temples of gods where the sculptor's waxing art had brought the very deities to dwell with man, splendour of the white-pillared cities that glittered across the aegean and sicilian seas, splendour of the holy panhellenic games, of whirlwind chariots and the fiery grace of thoroughbreds, of the naked shapely limbs of the athlete man and boy. on this characteristic of pindar it is needless to dwell, for there are not many odes of those remaining which do not impress it on our minds. and it is more with him than a mere manner in poetical style. the same defect which we feel more or less present in all poets of antiquity--least of all perhaps in virgil and sophokles, but even in them somewhat--a certain want of widely sympathetic tenderness, this is unquestionably present in pindar. what of this quality may have found expression in his lost poems, especially the dirges, we can scarcely guess, but in his triumphal odes it hardly appears at all, unless in the touches of tender gracefulness into which he softens when speaking of the young. and we find this want in him mainly because objects of pity, such as especially elicit that quality of tenderness, are never or seldom present to pindar's mind. he sees evil only in the shape of some moral baseness, falsehood, envy, arrogance, and the like, to be scathed in passing by the good man's scorn, or else in the shape of a dark mystery of pain, to be endured by those on whom it causelessly falls in a proud though undefiant silence. it was not for him, as for the great tragedians, to 'purge the mind by pity and fear,' for those passions had scarcely a place in his own mind or in the minds of those of whom he in his high phantasy would fain have had the world consist. and as in this point somewhat, so still more in others, does pindar remind us, even more than might have been expected in a contemporary, of aeschylus. the latter by virtue of his athenian nurture as well as of his own greater natural gifts reveals to us a greater number of thoughts, and those more advanced and more interesting than we find in pindar, but the similarity in moral temper and tone is very striking, as also is the way in which we see this temper acting on their beliefs. both hold strongly, as is the wont of powerful minds in an age of stability as opposed to an age of transition, to the traditions and beliefs on which the society around them rests, but both modify these traditions and beliefs according to the light which arises in them, and which is as much moral as intellectual light. in so doing they are indeed in harmony with the best instincts of the society around them, but they lead and guide such instincts and give them shape and definiteness. in the oresteã¤n trilogy of aeschylus we have an ever-memorable assertion of the supreme claims of human morality to human allegiance, of the eternal truth that humanity can know no object of reverence and worship except itself idealised, its own virtues victorious over its own vices, and existing in the greatest perfection which it can at any given time conceive. somewhat the same lesson as that of the oresteia is taught later, with more of sweetness and harmony, but not with more force, in the oedipus coloneus of sophokles. and in pindar we see the same tendencies inchoate. like aeschylus he does by implication subordinate to morality both politics and religion. he ignores or flatly denies tales that bring discredit on the gods; he will only bow down to them when they have the virtues he respects in man. yet he, like aeschylus and sophokles, does so bow down, sincerely and without hesitation, and that poets of their temper could do so was well indeed for poetry. by rare and happy fortune they were inspired at once by the rich and varied presences of mythology, 'the fair humanities of old religion,' and also by the highest aspirations of an age of moral and intellectual advance. we do not of course always, or even often, find the moral principles clearly and consciously expressed or consistently supported, but we cannot but feel that they are present in the shape of instincts, and those instincts pervading and architectonic. and if we allow so much of ethical enlightenment to these great spokesmen of the hellenic people, we cannot deny something of like honour to the race among whom they were reared. let us apportion our debt of gratitude to our forerunners as it is justly due. there would seem to be much of fallacy and of the injustice of a shallow judgment in the contrast as popularly drawn between 'hellenism' and 'hebraism,' according to which the former is spoken of as exclusively proclaiming to the world the value of beauty, the latter the value of righteousness. in this there is surely much injustice done to hellas. because she taught the one, she did not therefore leave the other untaught. it may have been for a short time, as her other greatness was for a short time, though its effects are eternal, but for that short time the national life, of athens at any rate, is at least as full of high moral feeling as that of any other people in the world. will not the names of solon, of aristeides, of kallikratidas, of epameinondas, of timoleon and many more, remind us that life could be to the hellene something of deeper moral import than a brilliant game, or a garden of vivid and sweet sights and sounds where beauty and knowledge entered, but goodness was forgotten and shut out? for it is not merely that these men, and very many more endowed with ample portion of their spirit, were produced and reared among the race; they were honoured and valued in a way that surely postulated the existence of high ethical feeling in their countrymen. and even when the days of unselfish statesmen and magnanimous cities were over, there were philosophers whose schools were not the less filled because they claimed a high place for righteousness in human life. to solon and aristeides succeeded socrates and plato, to epameinondas and timoleon succeeded zeno and epictetus. that the morality of the hellenes was complete on all sides, it would of course be irrational to maintain. they had not, for instance, any more than the hebrews, or any other nation of antiquity, learnt to abhor slavery, though probably it existed in a milder form at athens than anywhere else in the old or new world: they were more implacable in revenge and laxer in sexual indulgence than the christian ethics would allow in theory, though not perhaps much more so than christendom has shown itself in practice. and though undoubtedly the greatest single impulse ever given to morality came from palestine, yet the ground which nurtured the seeds of christianity was as much hellenic as hebrew. it would be impossible here to enter on an exhaustive comparison of the ethical capacities of the two races, but before we pronounce hastily for the superiority of the hebrew there are surely some difficulties to surmount. we may well ask, for example, would hellas ever have accepted as her chief national hero such a man as david a man who in his life is conspicuous by his crimes not less than by his brilliant gifts, and who dies with the words of blood and perfidy on his lips, charging his son with the last slaughterous satisfaction of his hate which he had sworn before his god to forego? and though the great hebrew prophets teach often a far loftier morality than this, they cannot have been nearly so representative of the feeling of this nation as were aeschylus and sophocles and pindar of the feeling of theirs. the hebrews of the prophets' age 'slew the prophets,' and left it to the slayers' descendants to 'build their sepulchres,' and at the same time to show their inherited character still more unmistakeably by once more slaying the last prophet and the greatest.[3] in truth in the literature, the art, the life generally of hellas in her prime, the moral interest whenever it appears, and that is not seldom, claims for itself the grave and preponderant attention which it must claim if it is to appear with fit dignity. but it is not thrust forward unseasonably or in exaggeration, nor is it placed in a false opposition to the interests of the aesthetic instincts, which after all shade into the moral more imperceptibly than might be generally allowed. there must be a moral side to all societies, and the hellenic society, the choicest that the world has seen, the completest, that is, at once in sensibilities and in energies, could not but show the excellence of its sensibilities in receiving moral impressions, the excellence of its energies in achieving moral conduct. this, however, is no place to discuss at length questions in the history of ethics. yet it must be remembered that in the ancient world departments of thought, and the affairs of men generally, were far less specialized than in modern times. if the philosophy of hellas be the most explicit witness to her ethical development, her poetry is the most eloquent. and scarcely at any time, scarcely even in aristotle, did hellenic philosophy in any department lose most significant traces of its poetical ancestry. but enough here if i have succeeded in pointing out that in the great poet with whom we are concerned there is an ethical as well as a poetical and historical interest, supplying one more reason against neglect of his legacy of song. yet indeed even now there remains a further question which to the mind of any one who at present labours in this field of classical scholarship must recur persistently if not depressingly, and on which it is natural if not necessary to say a few words. if the selection of pindar in particular as a greek poet with claims to be further popularized among englishmen may be defended, there is still a more general count to which all who make endeavours to attract or retain attention to greek literature will in these times be called upon to plead by voices which command respect. to such pleas this is not the place to give large room, or to discriminate in detail between the reasonable and unreasonable elements in the attacks on a system of education in which a preeminent position is allotted to the literature of antiquity. while fully admitting that much time and labour are still wasted in efforts to plant the study of ancient and especially of greek literature in uncongenial soil, while admitting also most fully the claims, and the still imperfect recognition of the claims, of physical science to a rank among the foremost in modern education, i should yet be abundantly willing that this attempt to help in facilitating the study of a greek author should be looked on as implying adhesion to the protest still sometimes raised, that in the higher parts of a liberal education no study can claim a more important place than the study of the history and the literature of hellas. the interest which belongs to these is far wider and deeper than any mere literary interest. to the human mind the most interesting of phenomena are and ought to be the phenomena of the human mind, and this granted, can there be any knowledge more desirable than the knowledge of the most vigorous and sensitive and in some ways also the most fruitful action of human minds that the world has known hitherto? but again, we are told that the age we seek thus toilsomely to illustrate and realize is too remote to justify the attempt, that our civilisation is of too different a type from the hellenic, and that a gulf of three-and-twenty centuries is too much for our sight to strain across. but is not the hellenic life at least less remote now to western europe than it has ever been since the northern invasions? though the separation in time widens does not the separation in thought decrease? is not one civilisation more like another than it can be to any barbarism? and shall not this same physical science herself by accustoming us to look on men in large masses at once, and on the development of humanity as a process of infinite duration, as a sectional growth included in universal evolution--science, in whose eyes a thousand years are as a watch in the night--shall she not thereby quicken our sympathies with the most gifted race that has appeared in our short human history, and arouse the same feeling toward it as a family may cherish toward the memory of their best and choicest, who has died young? only let us take heed that such regret shall make us not more but less unworthy of those noble forerunners. one symptom of the renewed influence of antiquity on the modern world is doubtless and has been from time to time since the revival of letters a tendency to selfish and somewhat sickly theories so-called of life, where sensibility degenerates through self-consciousness into affectation, and efforts to appreciate fully the delightfulness of life and art are overstrained into a wearisome literary voluptuousness, where duty has already disappeared and the human sympathies on which duty is based scarcely linger in a faint aesthetic form, soon to leave the would-be exquisiteness to putrefy into the vulgarity of egoism. such tendencies have less in common with the hellenic prime than with the court of leo the tenth, though even that had perhaps an advantage over them as being in some ways a more real thing. but that the hellenic prime with all its exquisite sensibility was deficient in recognition of a high ideal of duty can never be believed among those who have studied it candidly and attentively; i have endeavoured above to suggest that in this point, take it all in all, it yields to no age or race. it would indeed be a mistaken following of those noble servants of humanity to draw from their memories an argument for selfish isolation or for despair of the commonwealth of man. he who has drunk deeply of that divine well and gazed long at the fair vision of what then was, will, if his nature be capable of true sympathy with the various elements of that wonderful age, turn again without bitterness to the confused modern world, saddened but not paralysed by the comparison, grieving, but with no querulous grief, for the certainty that those days are done. 1874. prefatory note. the few notes appended to this translation are not intended to supply the place of such reference to dictionaries of mythology, antiquities and geography, as is needful to the student of pindar who is not already somewhat accomplished in knowledge of the customs, history and legendary traditions of hellas. and although it may reasonably be supposed that the chief of these will be already known to most readers of pindar, yet so profusely allusive is this poet that to understand his allusions will very often require knowledge which would not have been derived from a study of the more commonly read hellenic writers. nor have i attempted to trace in detail the connection of the parts in each ode which binds them into one harmonious whole with many meanings--a connection so consummately contrived where we can trace it that we may suppose it no less exquisite where we cannot. study and thought will generally suggest explanations, though these will sometimes approve themselves differently to different minds. too often we must acknowledge, as elsewhere in ancient literature, that the key is lost beyond all certain hope of recovery. still less have i attempted to discuss questions of critical scholarship. sometimes where there are more than one plausible reading i have signified which i adopt; once only (ol. 2. 56.) i have ventured on an emendation of my own. for the most part i have, as was natural, followed the text of bã¶ckh and dissen. in the spelling of names i remain in that inconsistency which at present attaches to most modern writers who deal with them. olympus, athens, corinth, syracuse, and the like are naturalized among us by long familiarity; it seems at present at least pedantic to change them. in the case of other less familiar names i have concurred with the desire, which seems in the main a reasonable one, that the names of hellenic persons and places should be reproduced, as far as possible, without latin mediation. of the fragments i have translated six of the longest and most interesting. they are 289 in all, but the greater part are not longer than a line or two, and very many even shorter. the odes are unequal in poetical merit, and many readers may not unreasonably wish to have those pointed out which, in the judgement of one acquainted with all, are among the best worth reading; though of course the choice of individual readers will not always be the same. to those therefore who would wish to begin with a selection, the following may be recommended as at any rate among those of preeminent merit: pyth. 4, 9, 1, 10, 3; ol. 7, 6, 2, 3, 13, 8, 1; nem. 5, 10; isthm. 2, 7; all the fragments translated. in the arrangement of the odes i have adhered to the traditional order. i should much have liked to place them in what must always be the most interesting and rational arrangement of a poet's works, that is, in chronological order. this would have been approximately possible, as we know the dates of the greater part of them. but convenience of reference and of comparison with the greek text seems to supply a balance of reasons on the other side. subjoined however is a list of the odes in their probable chronological order so far as it can be obtained. pythian 10-------------b.c. 502. " 6------------ " 494. " 12------------ " 494 or 490. " 7------------ " 490. " 3------------ " 486 or 482. olympian 10 } --------- " 484. " 11 } --------- " 484. isthmian 5 nemean 5 isthmian 7 ----------- " 480. isthmian 3 pythian 8------------- " 478. " 9------------- " 478. " 11------------- " 478. " 2------------- " 477. olympian 14------------- " 476. " }---------------- " 476. " }---------------- " 476. pythian 1 nemean 1-------------- " 473. olympian 1-------------- " 472. " 12------------- " 472. nemean 9 isthmian 2 olympian 6------------- " 468. pythian 4 }------------ " 466. " 5 } olympian 7------------- " 464. " 13------------- " 464. nemean 7 " 3 " 4 " 6 " 8 olympian 9------------- " 456. isthmian 6 olympian 4 }----------- " 452. " 5 } the olympic games were held once in four years, in honour of zeus. the prize was a wreath of wild olive. the pythian games were held once in four years, in honour of apollo. the prize was a wreath of bay. the nemean games were held once in two years, in honour of zeus. the prize was a wreath of wild parsley. the isthmian games were held once in two years, in honour of poseidon. the prize was a wreath of wild parsley or of pine. [footnote 1: the importance and interest to a student in hellenic literature of a collateral study of whatever remains to us of hellenic plastic art--statues, vases, gems, and coins--can hardly be too strongly insisted on.] [footnote 2: in mr. j.a. symonds' 'studies of the greek poets' there is an essay on pindar which dwells with much appreciative eloquence upon the poets literary characteristics.] [footnote 3: in thus touching on the obligations of our morality to the hebrew and to the hellene respectively, i have insisted more exclusively on the weak points of the former than i should have done in a fuller discussion of the subject: here i am merely concerned to question in passing what seems to be a popular one-sided estimate.] * * * * * olympian odes. i. for hieron of syracuse, winner in the horse-race. * * * * * this ode seems to owe its position at the head of pindar's extant works to aristophanes the grammarian, who placed it there on account of its being specially occupied with the glorification of the olympic games in comparison with others, and with the story of pelops, who was their founder. hieron won this race b.c. 472, while at the height of his power at syracuse. probably the ode was sung at syracuse, perhaps, as has been suggested, at a banquet. * * * * * best is water of all, and gold as a flaming fire in the night shineth eminent amid lordly wealth; but if of prizes in the games thou art fain, o my soul, to tell, then, as for no bright star more quickening than the sun must thou search in the void firmament by day, so neither shall we find any games greater than the olympic whereof to utter our voice: for hence cometh the glorious hymn and entereth into the minds of the skilled in song, so that they celebrate the son[1] of kronos, when to the rich and happy hearth of hieron they are come; for he wieldeth the sceptre of justice in sicily of many flocks, culling the choice fruits of all kinds of excellence: and with the flower of music is he made splendid, even such strains as we sing blithely at the table of a friend. take from the peg the dorian lute, if in any wise the glory of pherenikos[2] at pisa hath swayed thy soul unto glad thoughts, when by the banks of alpheos he ran, and gave his body ungoaded in the course, and brought victory to his master, the syracusans' king, who delighteth in horses. bright is his fame in lydian pelops' colony[3], inhabited of a goodly race, whose founder mighty earth-enfolding poseidon loved, what time from the vessel of purifying[4] klotho took him with the bright ivory furnishment of his shoulder. verily many things are wondrous, and haply tales decked out with cunning fables beyond the truth make false men's speech concerning them. for charis[5], who maketh all sweet things for mortal men, by lending honour unto such maketh oft the unbelievable thing to be believed; but the days that follow after are the wisest witnesses. meet is it for a man that concerning gods he speak honourably; for the reproach is less. of thee, son of tantalos, i will speak contrariwise to them who have gone before me, and i will tell how when thy father had bidden thee to that most seemly feast at his beloved sipylos, repaying to the gods their banquet, then did he of the bright trident[6], his heart vanquished by love, snatch thee and bear thee behind his golden steeds to the house of august zeus in the highest, whither again on a like errand came ganymede in the after time. but when thou hadst vanished, and the men who sought thee long brought thee not to thy mother, some one of the envious neighbours said secretly that over water heated to boiling they had hewn asunder with a knife thy limbs, and at the tables had shared among them and eaten sodden fragments of thy flesh. but to me it is impossible to call one of the blessed gods cannibal; i keep aloof; in telling ill tales is often little gain. now if any man ever had honour of the guardians of olympus, tantalos was that man; but his high fortune he could not digest, and by excess thereof won him an overwhelming woe, in that the father hath hung above him a mighty stone that he would fain ward from his head, and therewithal he is fallen from joy. this hopeless life of endless misery he endureth with other three[7], for that he stole from the immortals and gave to his fellows at a feast the nectar and ambrosia, whereby the gods had made him incorruptible. but if a man thinketh that in doing aught he shall be hidden from god, he erreth. therefore also the immortals sent back again his son to be once more counted with the short-lived race of men. and he when toward the bloom of his sweet youth the down began to shade his darkening cheek, took counsel with himself speedily to take to him for his wife the noble hippodameia from her pisan father's hand. and he came and stood upon the margin of the hoary sea, alone in the darkness of the night, and called aloud on the deep-voiced wielder of the trident; and he appeared unto him nigh at his foot. then he said unto him: 'lo now, o poseidon, if the kind gifts of the cyprian goddess are anywise pleasant in thine eyes, restrain oinomaos' bronze spear, and send me unto elis upon a chariot exceeding swift, and give the victory to my hands. thirteen lovers already hath oinomaos slain, and still delayeth to give his daughter in marriage. now a great peril alloweth not of a coward: and forasmuch as men must die, wherefore should one sit vainly in the dark through a dull and nameless age, and without lot in noble deeds? not so, but i will dare this strife: do thou give the issue i desire.' thus spake he, nor were his words in vain: for the god made him a glorious gift of a golden car and winged untiring steeds: so he overcame oinomaos and won the maiden for his bride. and he begat six sons, chieftains, whose thoughts were ever of brave deeds: and now hath he part in honour of blood-offerings in his grave beside alpheos' stream, and hath a frequented tomb, whereto many strangers resort: and from afar off he beholdeth the glory of the olympian games in the courses called of pelops, where is striving of swift feet and of strong bodies brave to labour; but he that overcometh hath for the sake of those games a sweet tranquillity throughout his life for evermore. now the good that cometh of to-day is ever sovereign unto every man. my part it is to crown hieron with an equestrian strain in aeolian mood: and sure am i that no host among men that now are shall i ever glorify in sounding labyrinths of song more learned in the learning of honour and withal with more might to work thereto. a god hath guard over thy hopes, o hieron, and taketh care for them with a peculiar care: and if he fail thee not, i trust that i shall again proclaim in song a sweeter glory yet, and find thereto in words a ready way, when to the fair-shining hill of kronos i am come. her strongest-wingã«d dart my muse hath yet in store. of many kinds is the greatness of men; but the highest is to be achieved by kings. look not thou for more than this. may it be thine to walk loftily all thy life, and mine to be the friend of winners in the games, winning honour for my art among hellenes everywhere. [footnote 1: the olympic games were sacred to zeus.] [footnote 2: the horse that won this race for hieron.] [footnote 3: peloponnesos.] [footnote 4: i. e. immediately on his birth, for among the fates klotho was peculiarly concerned with the beginning of man's life. pindar refuses to accept the legend which made pelops' ivory shoulder a substitute for his fleshly one eaten at tantalos' table by the gods; for thus the gods would have been guilty of an infamous act.] [footnote 5: goddess of grace or beauty. often there are three charites or graces. pindar means here that men are prone to believe an untrue tale for the sake of the beauty of the form in which it is presented, but that such tales will not stand the test of time.] [footnote 6: poseidon.] [footnote 7: sisyphos, ixion, and tityos.] ii. for theron of akragas, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * theron's ancestors the emmenidai migrated from rhodes to sicily and first colonized gela and then akragas (the latin agrigentum and italian girgenti). his chariot won this victory b.c. 476. * * * * * lords of the lute[1], my songs, what god, what hero, or what man, are we to celebrate?[2] verily of zeus is pisa the abode, of herakles the olympian feast was founded from the chief spoils of war, and theron's name must we proclaim for his victory with the four-horse-car, a righteous and god-fearing host, the stay of akragas, of famous sires the flower, a saviour of the state. they after long toils bravely borne took by a river's side a sacred dwelling place, and became the eye of sicily, and a life of good luck clave to them, bringing them wealth and honour to crown their inborn worth. o son of kronos and of rhea, lord of olympus' seat, and of the chief of games and of alpheos' ford, for joy in these my songs guard ever graciously their native fields for their sons that shall come after them. now of deeds done whether they be right or wrong not even time the father of all can make undone the accomplishment, yet with happy fortune forgetfulness may come. for by high delights an alien pain is quelled and dieth, when the decree of god sendeth happiness to grow aloft and widely. and this word is true concerning kadmos' fair-throned daughters, whose calamities were great, yet their sore grief fell before greater good. amid the olympians long-haired semele still liveth, albeit she perished in the thunder's roar, and pallas cherisheth her ever, and father zeus exceedingly, and her son, the ivy-bearing god. and in the sea too they say that to ino, among the sea-maids of nereus, life incorruptible hath been ordained for evermore. ay but to mortals the day of death is certain never, neither at what time we shall see in calm the end of one of the sun's children, the days, with good thitherto unfailing; now this way and now that run currents bringing joys or toils to men. thus destiny which from their fathers holdeth the happy fortune of this race[3], together with prosperity heaven-sent bringeth ever at some other time better reverse: from the day when laã¯os was slain by his destined son[4] who met him on the road and made fulfilment of the oracle spoken of old at pytho. then swift erinys when she saw it slew by each other's hand his war-like sons: yet after that polyneikes fell thersander[5] lived after him and won honour in the second strife[6] and in the fights of war, a saviour scion to the adrastid house. from him they have beginning of their race: meet is it that ainesidamos receive our hymn of triumph, on the lyre. for at olympia he himself received a prize and at pytho, and at the isthmus to his brother of no less a lot did kindred graces bring crowns for the twelve rounds of the four-horse chariot-race. victory setteth free the essayer from the struggle's griefs, yea and the wealth that a noble nature hath made glorious bringeth power for this and that, putting into the heart of man a deep and eager mood, a star far seen, a light wherein a man shall trust if but[7] the holder thereof knoweth the things that shall be, how that of all who die the guilty souls pay penalty, for all the sins sinned in this realm of zeus one judgeth under earth, pronouncing sentence by unloved constraint. but evenly ever in sunlight night and day an unlaborious life the good receive, neither with violent hand vex they the earth nor the waters of the sea, in that new world; but with the honoured of the gods, whosoever had pleasure in keeping of oaths, they possess a tearless life: but the other part suffer pain too dire to look upon. then whosoever have been of good courage to the abiding steadfast thrice on either side of death and have refrained their souls from all iniquity, travel the road of zeus unto the tower of kronos: there round the islands of the blest the ocean-breezes blow, and golden flowers are glowing, some from the land on trees of splendour, and some the water feedeth, with wreaths whereof they entwine their hands: so ordereth rhadamanthos' just decree, whom at his own right hand hath ever the father kronos, husband of rhea, throned above all worlds[8]. peleus and kadmos are counted of that company; and the mother of achilles, when her prayer had moved the heart of zeus, bare thither her son, even him who overthrew hector, troy's unbending invincible pillar, even him who gave kyknos to death and the ethiop son[9] of the morning. many swift arrows have i beneath my bended arm within my quiver, arrows that have a voice for the wise, but for the multitude they need interpreters. his art is true who of his nature hath knowledge; they who have but learnt, strong in the multitude of words, are but as crows that chatter vain things in strife against the divine bird of zeus. come bend thy bow on the mark, o my soul--at whom again are we to launch our shafts of honour from a friendly mind? at akragas will i take aim, and will proclaim and swear it with a mind of truth, that for a hundred years no city hath brought forth a man of mind more prone to well-doing towards friends or of more liberal mood than theron. yet praise is overtaken of distaste, wherewith is no justice, but from covetous men it cometh, and is fain to babble against and darken the good man's noble deeds. the sea-sand none hath numbered; and the joys that theron hath given to others--who shall declare the tale thereof? [footnote 1: in hellenic music the accompaniment was deemed subordinate to the words.] [footnote 2: here are three questions and three answers.] [footnote 3: the emmenidai.] [footnote 4: oedipus.] [footnote 5: son of polyneikes. theron traced his descent from him.] [footnote 6: the war of the epigonoi against thebes.] [footnote 7: reading [greek: ei ge min echon]. the old readings were [greek: ei de min echon] and [greek: ei de min echei; eu de min echon] has also been suggested; but of these three none seems to me to be at all satisfactory. in the reading i suggest the change is very slight, and it makes good sense.] [footnote 8: for pindar's ideas as to a future life see especially the fragments of his dirges which remain to us. he seems to have been influenced by pythagoreanism.] [footnote 9: memnon.] iii. for theron of akragas, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this ode celebrates the same victory as the preceeding one. it was sung at the feast of the theoxenia, given by theron in the name of the dioskouroi (kastor and polydeukes) to the other gods. hence the epithet _hospitable_ ([greek: philoxeinois]) applied to the dioskouroi in the first line. the clan of the emmenidai to which theron belonged was especially devoted to the worship of the twins. * * * * * tyndareus' hospitable sons and lovely-haired helen shall i please assuredly in doing honour to renownã«d akragas by a hymn upraised for theron's olympian crown; for hereunto hath the muse been present with me that i should find out a fair new[1] device, fitting to feet that move in dorian time the komos-voices' splendid strain. for crowns entwined about his hair demand from me this god-appointed debt, that for ainesidamos' son i join in seemly sort the lyre of various tones with the flute's cry and ordering of words. and pisa bids me speak aloud, for from her come to men songs of divine assignment, when the just judge of games the aitolian[2] man, fulfilling herakles' behests of old, hath laid upon one's hair above his brows pale-gleaming glory of olive. that tree from ister's shadowy springs did the son of amphitryon bear to be a memorial most glorious of olympian triumphs, when that by his words he had won the hyperborean folk, who serve apollo. in loyal temper he besought for the precinct of zeus, whereto all men go up, a plant that should be a shadow of all folk in common, and withal a crown for valorous deeds. for already, when the altars had been sanctified to his sire, the midmonth moon riding her golden car lit full the counter-flame of the eye of even, and just judgment of great games did he ordain, and the fifth year's feast beside the holy steeps of alpheos[3]. but no fair trees were nursed upon that place in kronian pelops' glens; whereof being naked his garden seemed to him to be given over to the keen rays of the sun. then was it that his soul stirred to urge him into the land of ister; where leto's horse-loving daughter[4] received him erst when he was come from the ridged hills and winding dells of arcady, what time his father laid constraint upon him to go at eurystheus' bidding to fetch the golden-hornã«d hind, which once taã¿gete vowed to her[5] of orthion and made a sign thereon of consecration. for in that chase he saw also the land that lieth behind the blast of the cold north-wind: there he halted and marvelled at the trees: and sweet desire thereof possessed him that he might plant them at the end of the course which the race-horses should run twelve times round. so now to this feast cometh he in good-will in company with the twins divine, deep-girdled leto's children. for to them he gave charge when he ascended into olympus to order the spectacle of the games, both the struggle of man with man, and the driving of the nimble car. me anywise my soul stirreth to declare that to the emmenidai and to theron hath glory come by gift of the tyndaridai of goodly steeds, for that beyond all mortals they do honour to them with tables of hospitality, keeping with pious spirit the rite of blessed gods. now if water be the best[6], and of possessions gold be the most precious, so now to the furthest bound doth theron by his fair deeds attain, and from his own home touch the pillars of herakles. pathless the things beyond, pathless alike to the unwise and the wise. here i will search no more; the quest were vain. [footnote 1: i. e. probably a new combination of lyre and flute to accompany the singing.] [footnote 2: when the dorians invaded peloponnesos one of their leaders is said to have been oxylos, a man of elean descent but living in aitolia. as a result of the invasion he became king of elis; and the judge at the olympic games seems to have been considered a descendant of him or of some aitolian who came with him.] [footnote 3: the olympic games were held in the middle of the month hekatombaion, when the moon was full. it is here implied that herakles wished to institute them when the moon was full, as that was a season of good luck.] [footnote 4: artemis.] [footnote 5: artemis.] [footnote 6: see ol. i. 1.] iv. for psaumis of kamarina, winner in the mule-chariot-race. * * * * * psaumis won this race in the year 452; therefore this ode and its companion, the next following, are the latest work of pindar possessed by us to which we can assign a date. the mule-chariot-race was introduced at olympia b.c. 500 and abolished b.c. 444, according to pausanias. this ode seems to have been written immediately on psaumis' victory, to be sung the same night beneath the moon by the company of friends who escorted the winner to return thanks at the altar of zeus. * * * * * hurler of thunderbolts unfaltering, the most high zeus, for that thy chosen hour recurrent hath sent me with a song set to the music of the subtle lute for a witness to the greatest of all games--and when friends have good hap the good are glad forthwith at the sweet tidings--now therefore, o son of kronos, unto whom ã�tna belongeth, the wind-beaten burden that crusheth fierce typhon's hundred heads, receive thou this band of triumph for an olympian victory won by the graces' aid, a most enduring light of far-prevailing valorous deeds. for the sake of psaumis' mule-chariot it draweth nigh to thee--psaumis, who, crowned with pisan olive, hasteth to raise up glory for kamarina. may god be gracious to our prayers for what shall be! for i praise him as a man most zealous in the rearing of horses, and delighting in ever-open hospitality, and bent on peace and on the welfare of his city, with guileless soul. with no lie will i tinge my tale: trial is the test of men; this it was that delivered the son of klymenos from the lemnian women's slight. he, when he had won the foot-race in bronze armour[1], spake thus to hypsipyle as he went to receive his crown: 'for fleetness such am i: hands have i and a heart to match. so also on young men grow oftentimes grey hairs even before the natural season of man's life[2].' [footnote 1: see introduction to pythian ix.] [footnote 2: we may suppose that psaumis probably had grey hair.] v. for psaumis of kamarina, winner in the mule-chariot-race. * * * * * this ode is for the same victory as the foregoing one, but was to be sung after psaumis' return home, at kamarina, and probably at, or in procession to, a temple of either pallas, zeus, or the tutelary nymph kamarina, all of whom are invoked. the city is called 'new-peopled' ([greek: neoikos]) because it had been destroyed by gelo, and was only restored b.c. 461, nine years before this victory, the first which had been won by any citizen since its restoration. * * * * * of lofty deeds and crowns olympian this sweet delight, o daughter[1] of ocean, with glad heart receive, the gift of psaumis and his untiring car. he to make great thy city, kamarina, with its fostered folk, hath honoured six twin altars in great feasts of the gods with sacrifices of oxen and five-day contests of games, with chariots of horses and of mules and with the steed of single frontlet[2]. to thee hath the victor consecrated the proud token[3] of his fame, and hath glorified by the herald's voice his father akron and this new-peopled town. also, returning from the gracious dwelling place of oinomaos and pelops, thy sacred grove, o city-guarding pallas, doth he sing, and the river oanis, and the lake of his native land, and the sacred channels wherethrough doth hipparis give water to the people, and build[4] with speed a lofty forest of stedfast dwellings, bringing from perplexity to the light this commonwealth of citizens. now ever in fair deeds must toil and cost contend toward an accomplishment hidden in perilous chance: yet if men have good hap therein, even to their own townsfolk is their wisdom approved. o guardian zeus that sittest above the clouds, that inhabitest the kronian hill and honourest the broad river of alpheos and ida's holy cave, suppliant to thee i come, making my cry on lydian flutes, to pray thee that thou wilt glorify this city with brave men's renown. for thee also, olympian victor, i pray that, joying in the steeds poseidon[5] gave, thou mayest bear with thee to the end a serene old age, and may thy sons, o psaumis, be at thy side. if a man cherish his wealth to sound ends, having a sufficiency of goods and adding thereto fair repute, let him not seek to become a god. [footnote 1: kamarina.] [footnote 2: i. e. probably with horses ridden, not driven.] [footnote 3: his olympian crown of wild olive.] [footnote 4: this seems to mean that the new city was built with wood brought down the stream of the river hipparis.] [footnote 5: when poseidon and athene were contending for the protectorate of athens, poseidon brought the first horse up out of the earth, athene the first olive-tree.] vi. for agesias of syracuse, winner in the mule-chariot-race. * * * * * one of the iamid clan, to which belonged hereditary priestly functions in arcadia and at olympia, had come with the first colonists to syracuse, and from him the present victor agesias was descended. thus the ode is chiefly concerned with the story of his ancestor iamos. agesias was a citizen of stymphalos in arcadia, as well as of syracuse, where he lived, and the ode was sung by a chorus in stymphalos, b.c. 468. * * * * * golden pillars will we set up in the porch of the house of our song, as in a stately palace-hall; for it beseemeth that in the fore-front of the work the entablature shoot far its splendour. now if one be an olympian conqueror and treasurer to the prophetic altar of zeus at pisa, and joint founder[1] of glorious syracuse, shall such an one hide him from hymns of praise, if his lot be among citizens who hear without envy the desired sounds of song? for in a sandal of such sort let the son of sostratos know that his fortunate foot is set. deeds of no risk are honourless whether done among men or among hollow ships; but if a noble deed be wrought with labour, many make mention thereof. for thee, agesias, is that praise prepared which justly and openly adrastos spake of old concerning the seer amphiaraos the son of oikleus, when the earth had swallowed him and his shining steeds. for afterward, when on seven pyres dead men were burnt, the son[2] of talaos spake on this wise: 'i seek the eye of my host, him who was alike a good seer and a good fighter with the spear.' this praise also belongeth to the syracusan who is lord of this triumphal song. i who am no friend of strife or wrongful quarrel will bear him this witness even with a solemn oath, and the sweet voice of the muses shall not say me nay. o phintis[3] yoke me now with all speed the strength of thy mules that on the clear highway we may set our car, that i may go up to the far beginning of this race. for those mules know well to lead the way in this course as in others, who at olympia have won crowns: it behoveth them that we throw open to them the gates of song, for to pitane by eurotas' stream must i begone betimes to-day. now pitane[4], they say, lay with poseidon the son of kronos and bare the child euadne with tresses iris-dark. the fruit of her body unwedded she hid by her robe's folds, and in the month of her delivery she sent her handmaids and bade them give the child to the hero son[5] of elatos to rear, who was lord of the men of arcady who dwelt at phaisane, and had for his lot alpheos to dwell beside. there was the child euadne nurtured, and by apollo's side she first knew the joys of aphrodite. but she might not always hide from aipytos the seed of the god within her; and he in his heart struggling with bitter strain against a grief too great for speech betook him to pytho that he might ask of the oracle concerning the intolerable woe. but she beneath a thicket's shade put from her silver pitcher and her girdle of scarlet web, and she brought forth a boy in whom was the spirit of god. by her side the gold-haired god set kindly eleutho and the fates, and from her womb in easy travail came forth iamos to the light. him in her anguish she left upon the ground, but by the counsel of gods two bright-eyed serpents nursed and fed him with the harmless venom[6] of the bee. but when the king came back from rocky delphi in his chariot he asked all who were in the house concerning the child whom euadne had born; for he said that the sire whereof he was begotten was phoibos, and that he should be a prophet unto the people of the land excelling all mortal men, and that his seed should be for ever. such was his tale, but they answered that they had neither seen nor heard of him, though he was now born five days. for he was hidden among rushes in an impenetrable brake, his tender body all suffused with golden and deep purple gleams of iris flowers; wherefore his mother prophesied saying that by this holy name[7] of immortality he should be called throughout all time. but when he had come to the ripeness of golden-crowned sweet youth, he went down into the middle of alpheos and called on wide-ruling poseidon his grandsire, and on the guardian of god-built delos, the bearer of the bow[8], praying that honour might be upon his head for the rearing of a people; and he stood beneath the heavens, and it was night. then the infallible voice of his father answered and said unto him: arise, my son, and come hither, following my voice, into a place where all men shall meet together. so they came to the steep rock of lofty kronion; there the god gave him a twofold treasure of prophecy, that for the time then being he should hearken to his voice that cannot lie; but when herakles of valorous counsels, the sacred scion of the alkeidai, should have come, and should have founded a multitudinous feast and the chief ordinance of games[9], then again on the summit of the altar of zeus he bade him establish yet another oracle, that thenceforth the race of iamidai should be glorious among hellenes. good luck abode with them; for that they know the worth of valour they are entered on a glorious road. the matter proveth the man, but from the envious calumny ever threateneth them on whom, as they drive foremost in the twelfth[10] round of the course, charis sheddeth blushing beauty to win them fame more fair. now if in very truth, agesias, thy mother's ancestors dwelling by the borders of kyllene did piously and oft offer up prayer and sacrifice to hermes, herald of the gods, who hath to his keeping the strife and appointment of games, and doeth honour to arcadia the nurse of goodly men,--then surely he, o son of sostratos, with his loud-thundering sire, is the accomplisher of this thy bliss. methinks i have upon my tongue a whetstone of loud sounding speech, which to harmonious breath constraineth me nothing loth. mother of my mother was stymphalian metope[11] of fair flowers, for she bare thebe the charioteer, whose pleasant fountain i will drink, while i weave for warriors the changes of my song. now rouse thy fellows, ainã«as, first to proclaim the name of maiden[12] hera, and next to know for sure whether we are escaped from the ancient reproach that spake truly of boeotian swine. for thou art a true messenger, a writing-tally[13] of the muses goodly-haired, a bowl wherein to mix high-sounding songs. and bid them make mention of syracuse and of ortygia, which hieron ruleth with righteous sceptre devising true counsels, and doth honour to demeter whose footsteps make red the corn, and to the feast of her daughter with white steeds, and to the might of aetnaean zeus. also he is well known of the sweet voices of the song and lute. let not the on-coming time break his good fortune. and with joyful welcome may he receive this triumphal song, which travelleth from home to home, leaving stymphalos' walls, the mother-city of arcadia, rich in flocks. good in a stormy night are two anchors let fall from a swift ship. may friendly gods grant to both peoples[14] an illustrious lot: and thou o lord and ruler of the sea, husband of amphitrite of the golden distaff, grant this my friend straight voyage and unharmed, and bless the joyous flower of my song. [footnote 1: agesias is so called because an iamid ancestor of his had gone with archias when he planted the corinthian colony of syracuse.] [footnote 2: adrastos.] [footnote 3: phintis was agesias' charioteer.] [footnote 4: i. e. the nymph who gave her name to the place.] [footnote 5: aipytos.] [footnote 6: honey.] [footnote 7: iamos, from [greek: ion]: the iris was considered a symbol of immortality.] [footnote 8: his father, apollo.] [footnote 9: at olympia.] [footnote 10: the course in the chariot-race was twelve times round the hippodrome.] [footnote 11: the nymph of the lake metopã« near stymphalos.] [footnote 12: hera was worshipped in her prenuptial as well as her postnuptial state.] [footnote 13: it was a custom between correspondents who wished for secrecy to have duplicate [greek: skutalai], or letter-sticks. the writer wrote on a roll wrapt round his stick, and the receiver of the letter read it wrapt similarly on his. and thus aineas the bearer of this ode would teach the chorus of stymphalians how rightly to sing and understand it. see [greek: skutalae] in dict. ant.] [footnote 14: i. e. of stymphalos and syracuse. agesias was a citizen of both, and thus his two homes are compared to two anchors.] vii. for diagoras of rhodes, winner in the boxing-match. * * * * * rhodes is said to have been colonised at the time of the dorian migrations by argive dorians from epidauros, who were herakleidai of of the family of tlepolemos. they founded a confederacy of three cities, kameiros, lindos, and ialysos. ialysos was then ruled by the dynasty of the eratidai. their kingly power had now been extinct two hundred years, but the family was still pre-eminent in the state. of this family was diagoras, and probably the ode was sung at a family festival; but it commemorates the glories of the island generally. the rhodians caused it to be engraved in letters of gold in the temple of athene at lindos. there is a noteworthy incident of the peloponnesian war which should be remembered in connection with this ode. in the year 406, fifty-eight years after this victory of diagoras, during the final and most embittering agony of athens, one dorieus, a son of diagoras, and himself a famous athlete, was captured by the athenians in a sea-fight. it was then the custom either to release prisoners of war for a ransom or else to put them to death. the athenians asked no ransom of dorieus, but set him free on the spot. * * * * * as when from a wealthy hand one lifting a cup, made glad within with the dew of the vine, maketh gift thereof to a youth his daughter's spouse, a largess of the feast from home to home, an all-golden choicest treasure, that the banquet may have grace, and that he may glorify his kin; and therewith he maketh him envied in the eyes of the friends around him for a wedlock wherein hearts are wedded-so also i, my liquid nectar sending, the muses' gift, the sweet fruit of my soul, to men that are winners in the games at pytho or olympia make holy offering. happy is he whom good report encompasseth; now on one man, now on another doth the grace that quickeneth look favourably, and tune for him the lyre and the pipe's stops of music manifold. thus to the sound of the twain am i come with diagoras sailing home, to sing the sea-girt rhodes, child of aphrodite and bride of helios, that to a mighty and fair-fighting man, who by alpheos' stream and by kastalia's hath won him crowns, i may for his boxing make award of glory, and to his father demegetos in whom justice hath her delight, dwellers in the isle of three cities with an argive host, nigh to a promontory of spacious asia. fain would i truly tell from the beginning from tlepolemos the message of my word, the common right of this puissant seed of herakles. for on the father's side they claim from zeus, and on the mother's from astydameia, sons of amyntor. now round the minds of men hang follies unnumbered--this is the unachievable thing, to find what shall be best hap for a man both presently and also at the last. yea for the very founder[1] of this country once on a time struck with his staff of tough wild-olive-wood alkmene's bastard brother likymnios in tiryns as he came forth from midea's chamber, and slew him in the kindling of his wrath. so even the wise man's feet are turned astray by tumult of the soul. then he came to enquire of the oracle of god. and he of the golden hair from his sweet-incensed shrine spake unto him of a sailing of ships that should be from the shore of lerna unto a pasture ringed with sea, where sometime the great king of gods rained on the city golden snow, what time by hephaistos' handicraft beneath the bronze-wrought axe from the crown of her father's head athene leapt to light and cried aloud with an exceeding cry; and heaven trembled at her coming, and earth, the mother. then also the god who giveth light to men, hyperion, bade his beloved sons see that they guard the payment of the debt, that they should build first for the goddess an altar in the sight of all men, and laying thereon a holy offering they should make glad the hearts of the father and of his daughter of the sounding spear. now reverence, forethought's child, putteth valour and the joy of battle into the hearts of men; yet withal there cometh upon them bafflingly the cloud of forgetfulness and maketh the mind to swerve from the straight path of action. for they though they had brands burning yet kindled not the seed of flame, but with fireless rites they made a grove on the hill of the citadel. for them zeus brought a yellow cloud into the sky and rained much gold upon the land; and glaukopis herself gave them to excel the dwellers upon earth in every art of handicraft. for on their roads ran the semblances of beasts and creeping things: whereof they have great glory, for to him that hath knowledge the subtlety that is without deceit[2] is the greater altogether. now the ancient story of men saith that when zeus and the other gods made division of the earth among them, not yet was island rhodes apparent in the open sea, but in the briny depths lay hid. and for that helios was otherwhere, none drew a lot for him; so they left him portionless of land, that holy god. and when he spake thereof zeus would cast lots afresh; but he suffered him not, for that he said that beneath the hoary sea he saw a certain land waxing from its root in earth, that should bring forth food for many men, and rejoice in flocks. and straightway he bade her of the golden fillet, lachesis, to stretch her hands on high, nor violate the gods' great oath, but with the son of kronos promise him that the isle sent up to the light of heaven should be thenceforth a title of himself alone. and in the end of the matter his speech had fulfilment; there sprang up from the watery main an island, and the father who begetteth the keen rays of day hath the dominion thereof, even the lord of fire-breathing steeds. there sometime having lain with rhodos he begat seven sons, who had of him minds wiser than any among the men of old; and one begat kameiros, and ialysos his eldest, and lindos: and they held each apart their shares of cities, making threefold division of their father's land, and these men call their dwelling-places. there is a sweet amends for his piteous ill-hap ordained for tlepolemos leader of the tirynthians at the beginning, as for a god, even the leading thither of sheep for a savoury burnt-offering, and the award of honour in games[3]. of garlands from these games hath diagoras twice won him crowns, and four times he had good luck at famous isthmos and twice following at nemea, and twice at rocky athens. and at argos the bronze shield knoweth him, and the deeds of arcadia and of thebes and the yearly games boeotian, and pellene and aigina where six times he won; and the pillar of stone at megara hath the same tale to tell. but do thou, o father zeus, who holdest sway on the mountain-ridges of atabyrios glorify the accustomed olympian winner's hymn, and the man who hath done valiantly with his fists: give him honour at the hands of citizens and of strangers; for he walketh in the straight way that abhorreth insolence, having learnt well the lessons his true soul hath taught him, which hath come to him from his noble sires. darken not thou the light of one who springeth from the same stock of kallianax. surely with the joys of eratidai the whole city maketh mirth. but the varying breezes even at the same point of time speed each upon their various ways. [footnote 1: tlepolemos.] [footnote 2: that is, probably, without magic, or the pretence of being anything but machines. this is considered an allusion to the telchines who lived before the heliadai in rhodes, and were magicians as well as craftsmen. for illustrations of rhodian art at various times the british museum may be consulted, which is particularly rich in vases from kameiros and ialysos.] [footnote 3: that is, he presides over the celebration of games, as tutelar hero of the island.] viii. for alkimedon of aigina, winner in the wrestling-match of boys. * * * * * the date of this victory is b.c. 460. long as the ode is, it would seem however to have been written, like the fourth olympian, to be sung in the procession to the altar of zeus on the night of the victory. of the forty-four odes remaining to us no less than eleven are in honour of winners from aigina. * * * * * o mother of gold-crowned contests, olympia, queen of truth; where men that are diviners observing burnt-offerings make trial of zeus the wielder of white lightnings, whether he hath any word concerning men who seek in their hearts to attain unto great prowess and a breathing-space from toil; for it is given in answer to the reverent prayers of men--do thou, o tree-clad precinct of pisa by alpheos, receive this triumph and the carrying of the crown. great is his glory ever on whom the splendour of thy honour waiteth. yet this good cometh to one, that to another, and many are the roads to happy life by the grace of gods. thee, o timosthenes[1], and thy brother hath destiny assigned to zeus the guardian of your house, even to him who hath made thee glorious at nemea, and alkimedon by the hill of kronos a winner in olympic games. now the boy was fair to look upon, neither shamed he by his deeds his beauty, but in the wrestling match victorious made proclamation that his country was aigina of long oars, where saviour themis who sitteth in judgment by zeus the stranger's succour is honoured more than any elsewhere among men[2]. for in a matter mighty and bearing many ways to judge with unswayed mind and suitably, this is a hard essay, yet hath some ordinance of immortals given this sea-defended land to be to strangers out of every clime a pillar built of god. may coming time not weary of this work. to a dorian folk was the land given in trust from aiakos, even the man whom leto's son and far-ruling poseidon, when they would make a crown for ilion, called to work with them at the wall, for that it was destined that at the uprising of wars in city-wasting fights it should breathe forth fierce smoke. now when it was new-built three dragons fiery-eyed leapt at the rampart: two fell and perished in despair; but the third sprang in with a war-cry[3]. then apollo pondering, the sign spake straightway unto aiakos by his side: 'hero, where thy hands have wrought is pergamos taken: thus saith this sign, sent of the son of kronos, loud-thundering zeus. and that not without thy seed; but with the first and fourth it shall be subdued'[4]. thus plainly spoke the god, and away to xanthos and the amazons of goodly steeds and to ister urged his car. and the trident-wielder for isthmos over seas harnessed his swift chariot, and hither[5] first he bare with him aiakos behind the golden mares, and so on unto the mount of corinth, to behold his feast of fame. now shall there never among men be aught that pleaseth all alike. if i for melesias[6] raise up glory in my song of his boys, let not envy cast at me her cruel stone. nay but at nemea too will i tell of honour of like kind with this, and of another ensuing thereon, won in the pankration of men. verily to teach is easier to him that knoweth: it is folly if one hath not first learnt, for without trial the mind wavereth. and beyond all others can melesias declare all works on that wise, what method shall advance a man who from the sacred games may win the longed-for glory. now for the thirtieth time is honour gained for him by the victory of alkimedon, who by god's grace, nor failing himself in prowess, hath put off from him upon the bodies of four striplings the loathed return ungreeted of fair speech, and the path obscure[7]; and in his father's father he hath breathed new vigour to wrestle with old age. a man that hath done honourable deeds taketh no thought of death. but i must needs arouse memory, and tell of the glory of their hands that gave victory to the blepsiad clan, to whom this is now the sixth crown that hath come from the wreathed games to bind their brows. even the dead have their share when paid them with due rites, and the grace of kinsmen's honour the dust concealeth not. from hermes' daughter fame shall iphion[8] hear and tell to kallimachos this lustre of olympic glory, which zeus hath granted to this house. honour upon honour may he vouchsafe unto it, and shield it from sore disease[9]. i pray that for the share of glory fallen to them he raise against them no contrary discontent, but granting them a life unharmed may glorify them and their commonwealth. [footnote 1: alkimedon's brother. he had won a victory at the nemean games.] [footnote 2: aigina had a high commercial reputation, and strangers were equitably dealt with in her courts.] [footnote 3: the two first dragons typify the aiakids, aias and achilles, who failed to enter troy, the third typifies achilles' son, neoptolemos, who succeeded.] [footnote 4: aiakos' son, telamon, was with herakles when he took troy: his great-grandson neoptolemos was in the wooden horse.] [footnote 5: to aigina.] [footnote 6: alkimedon's trainer.] [footnote 7: i. e. alkimedon has escaped the disagreeable circumstances of defeat and transferred them to the four opponents against whom he was matched in four successive ties.] [footnote 8: iphion seems to have been the father and kallimachos the uncle of alkimedon.] [footnote 9: perhaps iphion and kallimachos died of some severe illness.] ix. for epharmostos of opous, winner in the wrestling-match. * * * * * the date of this ode is uncertain. its last line seems to imply that it was sung at a banquet at opous, after crowning the altar of aias oileus, tutelar hero of the lokrians. from the beginning we gather that on the night of the victory at olympia epharmostos' friends had sung in his honour the conventional triple strain of archilochos- [greek: (o kallinike chair' anax herakleaes autos te k' iolaos, aichmaeta duo. taenella kallinike)] to which perhaps some slight additions had been made, but not by pindar. * * * * * the strain of archilochos sung without music at olympia, the triple resonant psalm of victory, sufficed to lead to the hill of kronos epharmostos triumphing with his comrade friends: but now with darts of other sort, shot from the muses' far-delivering bow, praise zeus of the red lightning, and elis' holy headland, which on a time pelops the lydian hero chose to be hippodameia's goodly dower. and shoot a feathered arrow of sweet song pythoward, for thy words shall not fall to the ground when thou tunest the throbbing lyre to the praise of the wrestlings of a man from famous opous, and celebratest her and her son. for themis and her noble daughter eunomia the preserver have made her their own, and she flourisheth in excellent deeds both at kastalia and beside alpheos' stream: whence come the choicest of all crowns to glorify the mother city of lokrians, the city of beautiful trees. i, to illuminate the city of my friends with eager blaze of song, swifter than high-bred steed or winged ship will send everywhere these tidings, so be it that my hand is blessed at all in labouring in the choice garden of the graces; for they give all pleasant things to men. by fate divine receive men also valour and wisdom: how else[1] might the hands of herakles have wielded his club against the trident, when at pylos poseidon took his stand and prest hard on him, ay, and there prest him hard embattled phoibos with his silver bow, neither would hades keep his staff unraised, wherewith he leadeth down to ways beneath the hollow earth the bodies of men that die? o my mouth, fling this tale from thee, for to speak evil of gods is a hateful wisdom, and loud and unmeasured words strike a note that trembleth upon madness. of such things talk thou not; leave war of immortals and all strife aside; and bring thy words to the city of protogeneia, where by decree of zeus of the bickering lightning-flash pyrrha and deukalion coming down from parnassos first fixed their home, and without bed of marriage made out of stones a race to be one folk: and hence cometh the name of peoples[2]. awake for them the clear-toned gale of song, and if old wine be best, yet among songs prefer the newer flowers. truly men say that once a mighty water swept over the dark earth, but by the craft of zeus an ebb suddenly drew off the flood. from these first men came anciently your ancestors of the brazen shields, sons of the women of the stock of iapetos and of the mighty kronidai, kings that dwelt in the land continually; until the olympian lord caught up the daughter[3] of opã¶eis from the land of the epeians, and lay with her in a silent place among the ridges of mainalos; and afterward brought her unto lokros, that age might not bring him[4] low beneath the burden of childlessness. but the wife bare within her the seed of the mightiest, and the hero saw the bastard born and rejoiced, and called him by the name of his mother's father, and he became a man preeminent in beauty and great deeds: and his father gave unto him a city and a people to rule over. then there came unto him strangers, from argos and from thebes, and from arcadia others, and from pisa. but the son of aktor and aigina, menoitios, he honoured above all settlers, him whose son[5] went with the atreidai to the plain of teuthras and stood alone beside achilles, when telephos had turned the valiant danaoi to flight, and drove them into the sterns of their sea-ships; so proved he to them that had understanding that patroklos' soul was strong. and thenceforward the son of thetis persuaded him that he should never in murderous battle take his post far from his friend's conquering spear. fit speech may i find for my journey in the muses' car; and let me therewith have daring and powers of ample scope. to back the prowess of a friend i came, when lampromachos won his isthmian crown, when on the same day both he and his brother overcame. and afterward at the gates[6] of corinth two triumphs again befell epharmostos, and more in the valleys of nemea. at argos he triumphed over men, as over boys at athens. and i might tell how at marathon he stole from among the beardless and confronted the full-grown for the prize of silver vessels, how without a fall he threw his men with swift and cunning shock, and how loud the shouting pealed when round the ring he ran, in the beauty of his youth and his fair form and fresh from fairest deeds. also before the parrhasian host was he glorified, at the assembly of lykaian zeus, and again when at pellene he bare away a warm antidote of cold winds[7]. and the tomb of iolaos, and eleusis by the sea, are just witnesses to his honours. the natural is ever best: yet many men by learning of prowess essay to achieve fame. the thing done without god is better kept in silence. for some ways lead further than do others, but one practice will not train us all alike. skill of all kinds is hard to attain unto: but when thou bringest forth this prize, proclaim aloud with a good courage that by fate divine this man at least was born deft-handed, nimble-limbed, with the light of valour in his eyes, and that now being victorious he hath crowned at the feast oilean alas' altar. [footnote 1: this is the common interpretation, implying that herakles in contending with the gods here mentioned must have been helped by other gods. but perhaps it might also be translated 'therefore how could the hands, &c.,' meaning that since valour, as has just been said, comes from a divine source, it could not be used against gods, and that thus the story ought to be rejected.] [footnote 2: perhaps the story of the stones arose from the like sound of [greek: laos] and [greek: laas], words here regarded in the inverse relation to each other.] [footnote 3: protogeneia.] [footnote 4: lokros.] [footnote 5: patroklos.] [footnote 6: the isthmus, the gate between the two seas.] [footnote 7: a cloak, the prize.] x. for agesidamos of epizephyrian lokris, winner in the boys' boxing-match. * * * * * this ode bears somewhat the same relation to the next that the fourth does to the fifth. it was to be sung at olympia on the night after the victory, and pindar promises the boy to write a longer one for the celebration of his victory in his italian home. the date is b.c. 484. * * * * * sometimes have men most need of winds, sometimes of showered waters of the firmament, the children of the cloud. but when through his labour one fareth well, then are due honey-voiced songs, be they even a prelude to words that shall come after, a pledge confirmed by oath in honour of high excellence. ample is the glory stored for olympian winners: thereof my shepherd tongue is fain to keep some part in fold. but only by the help of god is wisdom[1] kept ever blooming in the soul. son of archestratos, agesidamos, know certainly that for thy boxing i will lay a glory of sweet strains upon thy crown of golden[2] olive, and will have in remembrance the race of the lokrians' colony in the west. there do ye, o muses, join in the song of triumph: i pledge my word that to no stranger-banishing folk shall ye come, nor unacquainted with things noble, but of the highest in arts and valiant with the spear. for neither tawny fox nor roaring lion may change his native temper. [footnote 1: perhaps [greek: sophos] (which means often rather clever or skilful than wise) has here the special reference to poetic skill, which it often has in pindar.] [footnote 2: golden here means supremely excellent, as in the first line of the eighth olympian.] xi. for agesidamos of epizephyrian lokris, winner in the boys' boxing-match. * * * * * it would seem by his own confession that pindar did not remember till long afterwards the promise he made to agesidamos in the last ode. we do not know how long afterwards this was written, but it must have been too late to greet the winner on his arrival in italy; probably it was to be sung at the anniversary or some memorial celebration of his victory. * * * * * read me the name of the olympic winner archestratos' son that i may know where it is written upon my heart: for i had forgotten that i owed him a sweet strain. but do thou, o muse, and thou truth, daughter of zeus, put forth your hands and keep from me the reproach of having wronged a friend by breaking my pledged word. for from afar hath overtaken me the time that was then yet to come, and hath shamed my deep debt. nevertheless from that sore reproach i may be delivered by payment with usury: behold how[1] the rushing wave sweepeth down the rolling shingle, and how we also will render for our friend's honour a tribute to him and to his people. truth inhabiteth the city of the lokrians of the west, and kalliope they hold in honour and mailã«d ares; yea even conquering herakles was foiled by that kykneã¤n combat[2]. now let agesidamos, winner in the boxing at olympia, so render thanks to ilas[3] as patroklos of old to achilles. if one be born with excellent gifts, then may another who sharpeneth his natural edge speed him, god helping, to an exceeding weight of glory. without toil there have triumphed a very few. of that light in the life of a man before all other deeds, that first of contests, the ordinances of zeus[4] have stirred me to sing, even the games which by the ancient tomb of pelops the mighty herakles founded, after that he slew kleatos, poseidon's goodly son, and slew also eurytos, that he might wrest from tyrannous augeas against his will reward for service done[5]. lying in ambush beneath kleonai did herakles overcome them on the road, for that formerly these same violent sons of molos made havoc of his own tirynthian folk by hiding in the valleys of elis. and not long after the guest-betraying king of the epeans saw his rich native land, his own city, beneath fierce fire and iron blows sink down into the deep moat of calamity. of strife against stronger powers it is hard to be rid. likewise augeas last of all in his perplexity fell into captivity and escaped not precipitate death. then the mighty son of zeus having gathered together all his host at pisa, and all the booty, measured a sacred grove for his sovereign father; and having fenced round the altis he marked the bounds thereof in a clear space, and the plain encompassing it he ordained for rest and feasting, and paid honour to the river alpheos together with the twelve greatest gods. and he named it by the name of the hill of kronos; for theretofore it was without name, when oinomaos was king, and it was sprinkled with much snow[6]. and at this first-born rite the fates stood hard at hand, and he who alone proveth sure truth, even time. he travelling onward hath told us the clear tale of how the founder set apart the choicest of the spoil for an offering from the war, and sacrificed, and how he ordained the fifth-year feast with the victories of that first olympiad. who then won to their lot the new-appointed crown by hands or feet or chariot, setting before them the prize of glory in the games, and winning it by their act? in the foot-race down the straight course of the stadion was likymnios' son oionos first, from nidea had he led his host: in the wrestling was tegea glorified by echemos: doryklos won the prize of boxing, a dweller in the city of tiryns, and with the four-horse chariot, samos of mantinea, halirrhothios' son: with the javelin phrastor hit the mark: in distance enikeus beyond all others hurled the stone with a circling sweep, and all the warrior company thundered a great applause. then on the evening the lovely shining of the fair-faced moon beamed forth, and all the precinct sounded with songs of festal glee, after the manner which is to this day for triumph. so following the first beginning of old time, we likewise in a song named of proud victory will celebrate the thunder and the flaming bolt of loud-pealing zeus, the fiery lightning that goeth with all victory[7]. and soft tones to the music of the flute shall meet and mingle with my verse, which beside famous dirke hath come to light after long time. but even as a son by his lawful wife is welcome to a father who hath now travelled to the other side of youth, and maketh his soul warm with love--for wealth that must fall to a strange owner from without is most hateful to a dying man--so also, agesidamos, when a man who hath done honourable deeds goeth unsung to the house of hades, this man hath spent vain breath, and won but brief gladness for his toil. on thee the pleasant lyre and the sweet pipe shed their grace, and the pierian daughters of zeus foster thy wide-spread fame. i with them, setting myself thereunto fervently, have embraced the lokrians' famous race, and have sprinkled my honey upon a city of goodly men: and i have told the praises of archestratos' comely son, whom i beheld victorious by the might of his hand beside the altar at olympia, and saw on that day how fair he was of form, how gifted with that spring-tide bloom, which erst with favour of the cyprian queen warded from ganymede unrelenting death. [footnote 1: reading [greek: horat on hopa].] [footnote 2: this kyknos seems to have been a lokrian freebooter, said to have fought with success against herakles.] [footnote 3: his trainer.] [footnote 4: probably because zeus was especially concerned, both with the fulfilment of promises and with the olympic games.] [footnote 5: for the story of these moliones see nestor's speech, hom. il. xi. 670-761.] [footnote 6: perhaps this implies a tradition of a colder climate anciently prevailing in peloponnesos: perhaps the mention of snow is merely picturesque, referring to the habitual appearance of the hill in winter, and the passage should then rather be rendered 'when oinomaos was king its snow-sprinkled top was without name.'] [footnote 7: the lokrians worshipped zeus especially as the thunderer, as certain coins of theirs, stamped with a thunderbolt, still testify.] xii. for ergoteles of himera, winner in the long foot-race. * * * * * ergoteles was a native of knosos in crete, but civil dissension had compelled him to leave his country. he came to sicily and was naturalized as a citizen of himera. had he stayed in crete he would not have won this victory; nor the pythian and isthmian victories, referred to at the end of the ode, for the cretans seem to have kept aloof, in an insular spirit, from the panhellenic games. the date of the ode is b.c. 472, the year after the himeraeans had expelled the tyrant thrasydaios of akragas. the prayer to fortune would seem to have reference specially to this event. the ode was probably sung in a temple either of zeus or of fortune. * * * * * i pray thee, daughter of zeus the deliverer, keep watch over wide-ruling himera, o saviour fortune. by thee upon the sea swift ships are piloted, and on dry land fierce wars and meetings of councils. up and down the hopes of men are tossed as they cleave the waves of baffling falsity: and a sure token of what shall come to pass hath never any man on the earth received from god: the divinations of things to come are blind. many the chances that fall to men when they look not for them, sometimes to thwart delight, yet others after battling with the surge of sorrowful pain have suddenly received for their affliction some happiness profound. son of philanor, verily even the glory of thy fleet feet would have fallen into the sere leaf unrenowned, abiding by the hearth of thy kin, as a cock that fighteth but at home, had not the strife of citizen against citizen driven thee from knosos thy native land. but now at olympia hast thou won a crown, o ergoteles, and at pytho twice, and at isthmos, whereby thou glorifiest the hot springs where the nymphs sicilian bathe, dwelling in a land that is become to thee as thine own. xiii. for xenophon of corinth, winner in the stadion race and in the pentathlon. * * * * * the date of this victory is b.c. 464, when xenophon won both the stadion, or short foot-race of about a furlong or 220 yards, and also the pentathlon, that is, probably, he won at least three out of the five contests which composed the pentathlon--the jump, throwing the disk, throwing the javelin, the foot-race, and wrestling, ([greek: alma podokeian diskon akonta palaen]). for details, see dict. antiq. and note on nem. vii 71-73. this ode and the speech of glaukos in the sixth book of the iliad are the most conspicuous passages in poetry which refer to the great corinthian hero bellerophon. it is thought that this ode was sung on the winner's public entrance into corinth. * * * * * thrice winner in olympic games, of citizens beloved, to strangers hospitable, the house in whose praise will i now celebrate happy corinth, portal of isthmian poseidon and nursery of splendid youth. for therein dwell order, and her sisters, sure foundation of states, justice and likeminded peace, dispensers of wealth to men, wise themis' golden daughters. and they are minded to keep far from them insolence the braggart mother of loathing. i have fair witness to bear of them, and a just boldness stirreth my tongue to speak. nature inborn none shall prevail to hide. unto you, sons[1] of aletes, ofttimes have the flowery hours given splendour of victory, as to men excelling in valour, pre-eminent at the sacred games, and ofttimes of old have they put subtleties into your men's hearts to devise; and of an inventor cometh every work. whence were revealed the new graces of dionysos with the dithyramb that winneth the ox[2]? who made new means of guidance to the harness of horses, or on the shrines of gods set the twin images of the king of birds [3]? among them thriveth the muse of dulcet breath, and ares in the young men's terrible spears. sovran lord of olympia, be not thou jealous of my words henceforth for ever, o father zeus; rule thou this folk unharmed, and keep unchanged the favourable gale of xenophon's good hap. welcome from him this customary escort of his crown, which from the plains of pisa he is bringing, having won with the five contests the stadion-race beside; the like whereof never yet did mortal man. also two parsley-wreaths shadowed his head before the people at the games of isthmos, nor doth nemea tell a different tale. and of his father thessalos' lightning feet is record by the streams of alpheos, and at pytho he hath renown for the single and for the double stadion gained both in a single day, and in the same month at rocky athens a day of swiftness crowned his hair for three illustrious deeds, and the hellotia[4] seven times, and at the games of poseidon between seas longer hymns followed his father ptoiodoros with terpsias and eritimos. and how often ye were first at delphi or in the pastures of the lion[5], though with full many do i match your crowd of honours, yet can i no more surely tell than the tale of pebbles on the sea-shore. but in everything is there due measure, and most excellent is it to have respect unto fitness of times. i with your fleet sailing a privateer will speak no lie concerning the valour of corinth's heroes, whether i proclaim the craft of her men of old or their might in war, whether of sisyphos of subtlest cunning even as a god, and medea who made for herself a marriage in her sire's despite, saviour of the ship argo and her crew: or whether how of old in the struggle before the walls of dardanos the sons of corinth were deemed to turn the issue of battle either way, these with atreus' son striving to win helen back, those to thrust them utterly away[6]. now when glaukos was come thither out of lydia the danaoi feared him. to them he proclaimed that in the city of peirene his sire bare rule and had rich heritage of land and palace, even he who once, when he longed to bridle the snaky gorgon's son, pegasos, at peirene's spring, suffered many things, until the time when maiden pallas brought to him a bit with head-band of gold, and from a dream behold it was very deed. for she said unto him 'sleepest thou o aiolid king? come, take this charmer of steeds, and show it to thy father[7] the tamer of horses, with the sacrifice of a white bull.' thus in the darkness as he slumbered spake the maiden wielder of the shadowy aegis--so it seemed unto him--and he leapt up and stood upright upon his feet. and he seized the wondrous bit that lay by his side, and found with joy the prophet of the land, and showed to him, the son of koiranos, the whole issue of the matter, how on the altar of the goddess he lay all night according to the word of his prophecy, and how with her own hands the child of zeus whose spear is the lightning brought unto him the soul-subduing gold. then the seer bade him with all speed obey the vision, and that when he should have sacrificed to the wide-ruling earth-enfolder the strong-foot beast[8], he should build an altar straightway to athene, queen of steeds. now the power of gods bringeth easily to pass such things as make forecast forsworn. surely with zealous haste did bold bellerophon bind round the winged steed's jaw the softening charm, and make him his: then straightway he flew up and disported him in his brazen arms. in company with that horse also on a time, from out of the bosom of the chill and desert air, he smote the archer host of amazons, and slew the solymoi, and chimaira breathing fire. i will keep silence touching the fate of him: howbeit pegasos hath in olympus found a home in the ancient stalls of zeus. but for me who am to hurl straight the whirling javelin it is not meet to spend beside the mark my store of darts with utmost force of hand: for to the muses throned in splendour and to the oligaithidai a willing ally came i, at the isthmos and again at nemea. in a brief word will i proclaim the host of them, and a witness sworn and true shall be to me in the sweet-tongued voice of the good herald[9], heard at both places sixty times. now have their acts at olympia, methinks, been told already: of those that shall be hereafter i will hereafter clearly speak. now i live in hope, but the end is in the hands of gods. but if the fortune of the house fail not, we will commit to zeus and enyalios the accomplishment thereof. yet other glories won they, by parnassos' brow, and at argos how many and at thebes, and such as nigh the arcadians[10] the lordly altar of zeus lykaios shall attest, and pallene, and sikyon, and megara, and the well-fenced grove of the aiakidai, and eleusis, and lusty marathon, and the fair rich cities beneath aetna's towering crest, and euboea. nay over all hellas if thou searchest, thou shalt find more than one sight can view. o king zeus the accomplisher, grant them with so light feet[11] to move through life, give them all honour, and sweet hap of their goodly things. [footnote 1: the clan of the oligaithidai, to which xenophon belonged.] [footnote 2: i. e. as a prize. but the passage may be taken differently as referring to the symbolical identification of dionysos with the bull. dithyrambic poetry was said to have been invented or improved by arion of corinth.] [footnote 3: this refers to the introduction into architecture by the corinthians of the pediment, within or above which were at that time constantly placed images of eagles.] [footnote 4: the feast of athene hellotis.] [footnote 5: nemea.] [footnote 6: the lykians who fought under glaukos on the trojan side were of corinthian descent.] [footnote 7: poseidon.] [footnote 8: a bull.] [footnote 9: proclaiming the name and city of the winner in the games.] [footnote 10: reading [greek: arkasin asson].] [footnote 11: as in their foot-races.] xiv. for asopichos of orchomenos, winner in the boys' short foot-race. * * * * * this ode was to be sung, probably by a chorus of boys, at the winner's city orchomenos, and most likely in the temple of the three or graces, aglaia, euphrosyne and thalia. the date of the victory is b.c. 476. * * * * * o ye who haunt the land of goodly steeds that drinketh of kephisos' waters, lusty orchomenos' queens renowned in song, o graces, guardians of the minyai's ancient race, hearken, for unto you i pray. for by your gift come unto men all pleasant things and sweet, and the wisdom of a man and his beauty, and the splendour of his fame. yea even gods without the graces' aid rule never at feast or dance; but these have charge of all things done in heaven, and beside pythian apollo of the golden bow they have set their thrones, and worship the eternal majesty of the olympian father. o lady aglaia, and thou euphrosyne, lover of song, children of the mightiest of the gods, listen and hear, and thou thalia delighting in sweet sounds, and look down upon this triumphal company, moving with light step under happy fate. in lydian mood of melody concerning asopichos am i come hither to sing, for that through thee, aglaia, in the olympic games the minyai's home is winner. fly, echo, to persephone's dark-walled home, and to his father bear the noble tidings, that seeing him thou mayest speak to him of his son, saying that for his father's honour in pisa's famous valley he hath crowned his boyish hair with garlands from the glorious games. the pythian odes. i. for hieron of aitna, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * the date of this victory is b.c. 474 in the year 480, the year of salamis, the syracusans under hieron had defeated the carthaginians in the great battle of himera. in 479 a great eruption of etna (aitna) began. in 476 hieron founded, near the mountain but we may suppose at a safe distance, the new city of aitna, in honour of which he had himself proclaimed as an aitnaian after this and other victories in the games. and in this same year, 474, he had defeated the etruscans, or tuscans, or tyrrhenians in a great sea-fight before cumae. pindar might well delight to honour those who had been waging so well against the barbarians of the south and west the same war which the hellenes of the mother-country waged against the barbarians of the east. * * * * * o golden lyre, thou common treasure of apollo and the muses violet-tressed, thou whom the dancer's step, prelude of festal mirth, obeyeth, and the singers heed thy bidding, what time with quivering strings thou utterest preamble of choir-leading overture--lo even the sworded lightning of immortal fire thou quenched, and on the sceptre of zeus his eagle sleepeth, slackening his swift wings either side, the king of birds, for a dark mist thou hast distilled on his arched head, a gentle seal upon his eyes, and he in slumber heaveth his supple back, spell-bound beneath thy throbs. yea also violent ares, leaving far off the fierce point of his spears, letteth his heart have joy in rest, for thy shafts soothe hearts divine by the cunning of leto's son and the deep-bosomed muses. but whatsoever things zeus loveth not fly frighted from the voice of the pierides, whether on earth or on the raging sea; whereof is he who lieth in dreadful tartaros, the foe of the gods, typhon of the hundred heads, whom erst the den kilikian of many names did breed, but now verily the sea-constraining cliffs beyond cumae, and sicily, lie heavy on his shaggy breast: and he is fast bound by a pillar of the sky, even by snowy etna, nursing the whole year's length her frozen snow. whereout pure springs of unapproachable fire are vomited from the inmost depths: in the daytime the lava-streams pour forth a lurid rush of smoke: but in the darkness a red rolling flame sweepeth rocks with uproar to the wide deep sea. that dragon-thing[1] it is that maketh issue from beneath the terrible fiery flood, a monster marvellous to look upon, yea a marvel to hear of from such as go thereby and tell what thing is prisoned between the dark-wooded tops of etna and the plain, where the back of him is galled and furrowed by the bed whereon he lieth. o zeus, be it ours to find favour in thy sight, who art defender of this mountain, the forehead of a fruitful land, whose namesake neighbour city hath been ennobled by her glorious founder, for that on the race-course at the pythian games the herald made proclamation of her name aloud, telling of hieron's fair victory in the chariot-race. now the first boon to men in ships is that a favourable breeze come to them as they set forth upon the sea; for this is promise that in the end also they shall come with good hap home. so after this good fortune doth reason show us hope of crowns to come for aitna's horses, and honour in the banquet-songs. o phoibos, lord of lykia and of delos, who lovest the spring of castaly on thy parnassos, be this the purpose of thy will, and grant the land fair issue of her men. for from gods come all means of mortal valour, hereby come bards and men of mighty hand and eloquent speech. this is the man i am fain to praise, and trust that not outside the ring shall i hurl the bronze-tipped javelin i brandish in my hand, but with far throw outdo my rivals in the match. would that his whole life may give him, even as now, good luck and wealth right onward, and of his pains forgetfulness. verily it shall remind him in what fightings of wars he stood up with steadfast soul, when the people found grace of glory at the hands of gods, such as none of the hellenes hath reaped, a proud crown of wealth. for after the ensample of philoktetes he went but now to war: and when necessity was upon them even they of proud spirit sought of him a boon. to lemnos once they say came godlike heroes to fetch thence the archer son of paian, vexed of an ulcerous wound; and he sacked the city of priam and made an end of the danaoi's labours, for the body wherewith he went was sick, but this was destined from the beginning. even thus to hieron may god be a guide for the time approaching, and give him to lay hold upon the things of his desire. also in the house of deinomenes do me grace, o muse, to sing, for sake of our four-horsed car: no alien joy to him is his sire's victory. come then and next for etna's king let us devise a friendly song, for whom with god-built freedom after the laws of hyllic pattern hath that city been founded of hieron's hand: for the desire of the sons of pamphylos and of the herakleidai dwelling beneath the heights of taã¿getos is to abide continually in the dorian laws of aigimios. at amyklai they dwelt prosperously, when they were come down out of pindos and drew near in honour to the tyndaridai who ride on white horses, and the glory of their spears waxed great. thou zeus, with whom are the issues of things, grant that the true speech of men ever bear no worse report of citizens and kings beside the water of amã«nas. by thine aid shall a man that is chief and that instructeth his son after him give due honour unto his people and move them to be of one voice peacefully. i pray thee, son of kronos, grant that the phenician and the tuscan war-cry be hushed at home, since they have beheld the calamity of their ships that befell them before cumae, even how they were smitten by the captain of the syracusans, who from their swift ships hurled their youth into the sea, to deliver hellas from the bondage of the oppressor. from salamis shall i of athenians take reward of thanks, at sparta when i shall tell[2] in a song to come of the battle[3] before kithairon, wherein the medes that bear crooked bows were overthrown, but by the fair-watered banks of himã«ras it shall be for the song i have rendered to the sons of deinomenes, which by their valour they have earned, since the men that warred against them are overthrown. if thou shalt speak in season, and comprehend in brief the ends of many matters, less impeachment followeth of men; for surfeit blunteth the eagerness of expectancy; and city-talk of others' praise grieveth hearts secretly. nevertheless, for that envy is preferred before pity[4], let slip not fair occasion: guide with just helm thy people and forge the sword of thy speech on an anvil whereof cometh no lie. even a word falling lightly is of import in that it proceedeth from thee. of many things art thou steward: many witnesses are there to thy deeds of either kind. but abiding in the fair flower of this spirit, if thou art fain to be continually of good report, be not too careful for the cost: loose free like a mariner thy sail unto the wind. friend, be not deceived by time-serving words of guile. the voice of the report that liveth after a man, this alone revealeth the lives of dead men to the singers and to the chroniclers: the loving-kindness of craesus fadeth not away; but him who burned men with fire within a brazen bull, phalaris that had no pity, men tell of everywhere with hate, neither will any lute in hall suffer him in the gentle fellowship of young boys' themes of songs. to be happy is the chiefest prize; to be glorious the next lot: if a man have lighted on both and taken them to be his, he hath attained unto the supreme crown. [footnote 1: typhon.] [footnote 2: reading [greek: erion].] [footnote 3: plataea.] [footnote 4: i. e. it is better to be envied than to be pitied.] ii. for hieron of syracuse, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * the classification of this ode as pythian is probably a mistake: perhaps the victory was won at the theban festival in honour of herakles, or of iolaos. anaxilaos, tyrant of rhegium and messana, had been deterred by hieron's threats from attacking the epizephyrian lokrians, and the ode is partly occupied with congratulations of hieron on this protective act. as anaxilaos died b.c. 476, and hieron was only placed at the head of the syracusan state two years before, this seems to fix the date somewhere in these two years. as pindar talks of sending his song across the sea, we may suppose that it was sung at syracuse. there is much obscurity about the significances of this ode. the poet's motive in telling the story of ixion's sins has been variously guessed at. some think it was meant to deter hieron from contriving the death of his brother polyzelos in battle in order to get possession of polyzelos' wife (and if hieron was to be suspected of such a thought it would be quite in pindar's manner to mingle warning and reproof with praise): some think that it refers to the ingratitude of anaxilaos toward hieron. and most probably the latter part of the ode, in which sincerity is approved, and flattery and calumny are condemned, had some special and personal reference, though we need not suppose, as the commentators are fond of doing here and elsewhere, that it was aimed at bacchylides or other rival poets. * * * * * great city of syracuse, precinct of warrior ares, of iron-armed men and steeds the nursing-place divine, to thee i come[1], bearing from my bright thebes this song, the tidings of earth-shaking racing of the four-horse car, wherein hath hieron with his goodly chariot overcome, and decked with far-seen splendour of crowns ortygia the dwelling-place of artemis of the river, her by whose help he tamed with soothing hand his colts of spangled rein. for the archer maiden with both hands fitteth the glittering trappings, and hermes, god of games, whensoever hieron to the polished car and bridle-guided wheels[2] yoketh the strength of his steeds, calling on the wide-ruling god, the trident-wielder. now unto various kings pay various men sweet song, their valour's meed. so the fair speech of cyprus echoeth around the name of kinyras, him whom apollo of the golden hair loved fervently, and who dwelt a priest in the house of aphrodite: for to such praise are men moved by the thankfulness that followeth the recompense of friendly acts. but of thee, o thou son of deinomenes, the maiden daughter of the lokrian in the west before the house-door telleth in her song, being out of bewildering woes of war by thy might delivered, so that her eyes are not afraid for anything. ixion, they say, by order of the gods, writhing on his winged wheel, proclaimeth this message unto men: _to him who doeth thee service make recompense of fair reward_. this lesson learned he plainly; for when that among the friendly kronidai he had gotten a life of pleasantness, his bliss became greater than he could bear, and with mad heart he lusted after hera, whose place was in the happy marriage-bed of zeus: yet insolence drove him to the exceeding folly; but quickly suffering his deserts the man gained to himself a misery most rare. two sins are the causes of his pain; one that he first among the heroes shed blood of kindred[3] craftily, the other that in the chambers of the ample heavens he attempted the wife of zeus--for in all things it behoveth to take measure by oneself[4]. yet a mocking love-bed hurried him as he approached the couch[5] into a sea of trouble; for he lay with a cloud, pursuing the sweet lie, fond man: for its form was as the form of the most highest among the daughters of heaven, even the child of kronos; and the hands of zeus had made it that it might be a snare unto him, a fair mischief. thus came he unto the four-spoked wheel, his own destruction; and having fallen into chains without escape he became proclaimer of that message[6] unto many. his mate[7], without favour of the graces, bare unto him a monstrous son, and like no other thing anywhere, even as its mother was, a thing with no place or honour, neither among men, neither in the society of gods. him she reared and called by the name kentauros, and he in the valleys of pelion lay with magnesian mares, and there were born thence a wondrous tribe, like unto both parents, their nether parts like unto the dams, and their upper parts like unto the sire. god achieveth all ends whereon he thinketh--god who overtaketh even the winged eagle, and outstrippeth the dolphin of the sea, and bringeth low many a man in his pride, while to others he giveth glory incorruptible. for me it is meet to eschew the sharp tooth of bitter words; for, though afar off, i have seen the fierce archilochos lacking most things and fattening but on cruel words of hate. of most worth are riches when joined to the happy gift of wisdom. and this lot hast thou, and mayest illustrate it with liberal soul, thou sovereign chief over many streets filled with goodly garlands, and much people. if any saith that ever yet was any man of old time throughout hellas who excelled thee in honour or in the multitude of possessions, such an one with vain purpose essayeth a fruitless task. upon the flower-crowned prow[8] will i go up to sing of brave deeds done. youth is approved by valour in dread wars; and hence say i that thou hast won boundless renown in thy battles, now with horsemen, now on foot: also the counsels of thine elder years give me sure ground of praising thee every way. all hail! this song like to phenician merchandize is sent across the hoary sea: do thou look favourably on the strain of kaster in aeolian mood[9], and greet it in honour of the seven-stringed lute. be what thou art, now i have told thee what that is: in the eyes of children the fawning ape is ever comely: but the good fortune of rhadamanthos hath come to him because the fruit that his soul bare was true, neither delighteth he in deceits within his heart, such as by whisperer's arts ever wait upon mortal man. an overpowering evil are the secret speakings of slander, to the slandered and to the listener thereto alike, and are as foxes in relentless temper. yet for the beast whose name is of gain[10] what great thing is gained thereby? for like the cork above the net, while the rest of the tackle laboureth deep in the sea, i am unmerged in the brine. impossible is it that a guileful citizen utter potent words among the good, nevertheless he fawneth on all and useth every subtlety. no part have i in that bold boast of his, 'let me be a friend to my friend, but toward an enemy i will be an enemy and as a wolf will cross his path, treading now here now there in crooked ways[11].' for every form of polity is a man of direct speech best, whether under a despotism, or whether the wild multitude, or the wisest, have the state in their keeping. against god it is not meet to strive, who now upholdeth these, and now again to those giveth great glory. but not even this cheereth the heart of the envious; for they measure by an unjust balance, and their own hearts they afflict with bitter pain, till such time as they attain to that which their hearts devise. to take the car's yoke on one's neck and run on lightly, this helpeth; but to kick against the goad is to make the course perilous. be it mine to dwell among the good, and to win their love. [footnote 1: pindar here identifies himself with his ode, which he sent, not took, to syracuse. compare ol. vii. 13, &c.] [footnote 2: properly [greek: harmata] would seem to include all except the body of the chariot ([greek: diphros]) in which the charioteer stood.] [footnote 3: his father-in-law deioneus.] [footnote 4: i. e. to estimate rightly one's capacities, circumstances, rights, duties.] [footnote 5: reading [greek: poti koiton ikont'].] [footnote 6: the message spoken of above, v. 24.] [footnote 7: the cloud, the phantom-hera.] [footnote 8: the prow of the ship carrying this ode, with which pindar, as has been said, identifies himself.] [footnote 9: it is supposed that another ode, more especially in honour of the chariot-victory, is here meant, which was to be sent later. from this point to the end the ode reads like a postscript of private import and reference.] [footnote 10: it is at least doubtful whether [greek: kerdo] a fox is really connected with [greek: kerdos] gain.] [footnote 11: it appears to me to be an absurdity to suppose that pindar means to express in this sentence his own rule of conduct, as the commentators have fancied. he is all through this passage condemning 'crooked ways.'] iii. for hieron of syracuse, winner in the horse-race. * * * * * the dates both of the victory and of the ode are uncertain. but as pherenikos, the horse that won this race at pytho, is the same that won at olympia b.c. 472, in honour of which event the first olympian was written, the victory cannot have been very long before that date, though the language of the ode implies that it was written a good deal later, probably for an anniversary of the victory. it must at least have been written before hieron's death in 467. it is much occupied with his illness. * * * * * fain were i (if meet it be to utter from my mouth the prayer conceived of all) that cheiron the son of philyra were alive and had not perished among men, even the wide-ruling seed of kronos the son of ouranos; and that there still lorded it in pelion's glens that beast untamed, whose soul was loving unto men, even such as when of old he trained the gentle deviser of limb-saving anodynes, asklepios, the hero that was a defence against all kind of bodily plague. of him was the daughter[1] of phlegyas of goodly steeds not yet delivered by eileithuia aid of mothers, ere by the golden bow she was slain at the hands of artemis, and from her child-bed chamber went down into the house of hades, by contriving of apollo. not idle is the wrath of sons of zeus. she in the folly of her heart had set apollo at nought, and taken another spouse without knowledge of her sire, albeit ere then she had lain with phoibos of the unshorn hair, and bare within her the seed of a very god. neither awaited she the marriage-tables nor the sound of many voices in hymeneal song, such as the bride's girl-mates are wont to sing at eventide with merry minstrelsy: but lo, she had longing for things otherwhere, even as many before and after. for a tribe there is most foolish among men, of such as scorn the things of home, and gaze on things that are afar off, and chase a cheating prey with hopes that shall never be fulfilled. of such sort was the frenzied strong desire fair-robed koronis harboured in her heart, for she lay in the couch of a stranger that was come from arcady. but one that watched beheld her: for albeit he was at sheep-gathering pytho, yet was the temple's king loxias aware thereof, beside his unerring partner[2], for he gave heed to his own wisdom, his mind that knoweth all things; in lies it hath no part, neither in act or thought may god or man deceive him. therefore when he was aware of how she lay with the stranger ischys son of elatos, and of her guile unrighteous, he sent his sister fierce with terrible wrath to go to lakereia--for by the steep shores of the boibian lake was the home of her virginity--and thus a doom adverse blasted her life and smote her down: and of her neighbours many fared ill therefore and perished with her: so doth a fire that from one spark has leapt upon a mountain lay waste wide space of wood. but when her kinsfolk had laid the damsel upon the pile of wood, and fierce brightness of hephaistos ran around it, then said apollo: 'not any longer may i endure in my soul to slay mine own seed by a most cruel death in company with its mother's grievous fate.' he said, and at the first stride he was there, and from the corpse caught up the child, and the blaze of the burning fiery pile was cloven before him asunder in the midst. then to the kentaur of magnes he bare the child, that he should teach him to be a healer of the many-plaguing maladies of men. and thus all that came unto him whether plagued with self-grown sores or with limbs wounded by the lustrous bronze or stone far-hurled, or marred by summer heat or winter cold--these he delivered, loosing each from his several infirmity, some with emollient spells and some by kindly potions, or else he hung their limbs with charms, or by surgery he raised them up to health. yet hath even wisdom been led captive of desire of gain. even him did gold in his hands glittering beguile for a great reward to bring back from death a man already prisoner thereto: wherefore the hands of the son of kronos smote the twain of them through the midst, and bereft their breasts of breath, and the bright lightning dealt them doom. it behoveth to seek from gods things meet for mortal souls, knowing the things that are in our path and to what portion we are born. desire not thou, dear my soul, a life immortal, but use the tools that are to thine hand. now were wise cheiron in his cavern dwelling yet, and had our sweet-voiced songs laid haply some fair magic on his soul, then had i won him to grant to worthy men some healer of hot plagues, some offspring of leto's son, or of her son's sire[3]. and then in a ship would i have sailed, cleaving the ionian sea, to the fountain of arethusa, to the home of my aitnaian friend, who ruleth at syracuse, a king of good will to the citizens, not envious of the good, to strangers wondrous fatherly. had i but landed there and brought unto him a twofold joy, first golden health and next this my song of triumph to be a splendour in his pythian crown, which of late pherenikos[4] won by his victory at kirrha--i say that then should i have come unto him, after that i had passed over the deep sea, a farther-shining light than any heavenly star. but i am minded to pray to the mother[5] for him, to the awful goddess unto whom, and unto pan, before my door nightly the maidens move in dance and song. yet, o hieron, if thou art skilled to apprehend the true meaning of sayings, thou hast learnt to know this from the men of old; _the immortals deal to men two ill things for one good._ the foolish cannot bear these with steadfastness but the good only, putting the fair side forward. but thee a lot of happiness attendeth, for if on any man hath mighty destiny looked favourably, surely it is on a chief and leader of a people. a life untroubled abode not either with peleus, son of aiakos, or with godlike kadmos: yet of all mortals these, they say, had highest bliss, who both erewhile listened to the singing of the muses golden-filleted, the one in seven-gated thebes, when he wedded large-eyed harmonia, the other on the mountainside, when he took to him thetis to be his wife, wise nereus' glorious daughter. and with both of them gods sate at meat, and they beheld the sons of kronos sitting as kings on thrones of gold, and they received from them gifts for their espousals; and by grace of zeus they escaped out of their former toils and raised up their hearts to gladness. yet again in the after time the bitter anguish of those daughters[6] robbed kadmos of a part of bliss: howbeit the father zeus came to white-armed thyone's[7] longed-for couch. and so did the son of peleus whom thetis bare at phthia, her only son, die by an arrow in war, and moved the danaoi to lament aloud, when his body was burning in fire. now if any by wisdom hath the way of truth he may yet lack good fortune, which cometh of the happy gods. the blasts of soaring winds blow various ways at various times. not for long cometh happiness to men, when it accompanieth them in exceeding weight. small will i be among the small, and great among the great. whatever fortune follow me, i will work therewith, and wield it as my power shall suffice. if god should offer me wealth and ease, i have hope that i should first have won high honour to be in the times afar off. nestor and lykian sarpedon, who live in the speech of men, we know from tales of sounding song, built up by cunning builders. by songs of glory hath virtue lasting life, but to achieve them is easy to but few. [footnote 1: koronis.] [footnote 2: his father, zeus.] [footnote 3: some asklepios or apollo.] [footnote 4: hieron's horse.] [footnote 5: rhea or kybele, the mother of the gods. 'next door to pindar's house was a temple of the mother of the gods and of pan, which he had built himself.' scholiast.] [footnote 6: ino, agaue, and autonoe.] [footnote 7: semele.] iv. for arkesilas of kyrene, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * pindar has made this victory of arkesilas, king of the hellenic colony of kyrene in africa, an occasion for telling the story of jason's expedition with the argonauts. the ostensible reason for introducing the story is that kyrene had been colonised from the island of thera by the descendants of the argonaut euphemos, according to the prophecy of medea related at the beginning of the ode. but pindar had another reason. he wished to suggest an analogy between the relation of the iolkian king pelias to jason and the relation of arkesilas to his exiled kinsman demophilos. demophilos had been staying at thebes, where pindar wrote this ode, to be afterwards recited at kyrene. it was written b.c. 466, when pindar was fifty-six years of age, and is unsurpassed in his extant works, or indeed by anything of this kind in all poetry. * * * * * this day o muse must thou tarry in a friend's house, the house of the king of kyrene of goodly horses, that with arkesilas at his triumph thou mayst swell the favourable gale of song, the due of leto's children, and of pytho. for at pytho of old she who sitteth beside the eagles of zeus--nor was apollo absent then--the priestess, spake this oracle, that battos should found a power in fruitful libya, that straightway departing from the holy isle he might lay the foundations of a city of goodly chariots upon a white breast of the swelling earth, and might fulfil in the seventeenth generation the word of medea spoken at thera, which of old the passionate child of aietes, queen of colchians, breathed from immortal lips. for on this wise spake she to the warrior jason's god-begotten crew: 'hearken o sons of high-hearted mortals and of gods. lo i say unto you that from this sea-lashed land the daughter[1] of epaphos shall sometime be planted with a root to bring forth cities that shall possess the minds of men, where zeus ammon's shrine is builded. and instead of short-finned dolphins they shall take to them fleet mares, and reins instead of oars shall they ply, and speed the whirlwind-footed car. by that augury shall it come to pass that thera shall be mother-city of mighty commonwealths, even the augury that once at the outpourings of the tritonian lake euphemos leaping from the prow took at the hands of a god who in the likeness of man tendered this present to the stranger of a clod of earth; and the father kronian zeus confirmed it with a peal of thunder. [2]what time he came suddenly upon them as they were hanging against the ship the bronze-fluked anchor, fleet argo's bridle; for now for twelve days had we borne from ocean over long backs of desert-land our sea-ship, after that by my counsel we drew it up upon the shore. then came to us the solitary god, having put on the splendid semblance of a noble man; and he began friendly speech, such as well-doers use when they bid new-comers to the feast. but the plea of the sweet hope of home suffered us not to stay. then he said that he was eurypylos son of the earth-embracer, immortal ennosides; and for that he was aware that we hasted to be gone, he straightway caught up of the chance earth at his feet a gift that he would fain bestow. nor was the hero unheeding, but leaping on the shore and striking hand in hand he took to him the fateful clod. but now i hear that it was washed down from the ship and departed into the sea with the salt spray of evening, following the watery deep. yet verily often did i charge the labour-lightening servants that they should keep it safe, but they forgat: and now upon this island[3] is the imperishable seed of spacious libya strown before the time appointed; for if the royal son[4] of poseidon, lord of horses, whom europa tityos' child bare him on kephisos' banks, had in his own home thrown it down beside the mouth of hades'[5] gulf, then in the fourth generation of his sons his seed would have taken that wide continent of libya, for then they would have gone forth from mighty lakedaimon, and from the argive gulf, and from mykenai. but now he shall in wedlock with a stranger-wife raise up a chosen seed, who coming to this island with worship of their gods shall beget one to be lord of the misty plains[6]. him sometime shall phoibos in his golden house admonish by oracles, when in the latter days he shall go down into the inner shrine at pytho, to bring a host in ships to the rich nile-garden of the son of kronos[7].' so ran medea's rhythmic utterance, and motionless in silence the godlike heroes bowed their heads as they hearkened to the counsels of wisdom. thee, happy son[8] of polymnestos, did the oracle of the delphian bee[9] approve with call unasked to be the man whereof the word was spoken, for thrice she bid thee hail and declared thee by decree of fate kyrene's king, what time thou enquiredst what help should be from heaven for thy labouring speech. and verily even now long afterward, as in the bloom of rosy-blossomed spring, in the eighth descent from battos the leaf of arkesilas is green. to him apollo and pytho have given glory in the chariot-race at the hands of the amphiktyons: him will i commend to the muses, and withal the tale of the all-golden fleece; for this it was the minyai sailed to seek when the god-given glories of their race began. what power first drave them in the beginning to the quest? what perilous enterprise clenched them with strong nails of adamant? there was an oracle of god which said that pelias should die by force or by stern counsels of the proud sons of aiolos, and there had come to him a prophecy that froze his cunning heart, spoken at the central stone of tree-clad mother earth, that by every means he should keep safe guard against the man of one sandal, whensoever from a homestead on the hills he shall have come to the sunny land of glorious iolkos, whether a stranger or a citizen he be. so in the fulness of time he came, wielding two spears, a wondrous man; and the vesture that was upon him was twofold, the garb of the magnetes' country close fitting to his splendid limbs, but above he wore a leopard-skin to turn the hissing showers; nor were the bright locks of his hair shorn from him but over all his back ran rippling down. swiftly he went straight on, and took his stand, making trial of his dauntless soul, in the marketplace when the multitude was full. him they knew not; howbeit some one looking reverently on him would speak on this wise: 'not apollo surely is this, nor yet aphrodite's lord of the brazen car; yea and in glistening naxos died ere now, they say, the children of iphimedeia, otos and thou, bold king ephialtes: moreover tityos was the quarry of artemis' swift arrow sped from her invincible quiver, warning men to touch only the loves within their power.' they answering each to each thus talked; but thereon with headlong haste of mules and polished car came pelias; and he was astonied when he gazed on the plain sign of the single sandal on the right foot. but he dissembled his fear within his heart and said unto him, 'what land, o stranger, dost thou claim to be thy country, and who of earth-born mortals bare thee of her womb out of due time[10]? tell me thy race and shame it not by hateful lies.' and him with gentle words the other answered undismayed, 'i say to thee that i bear with me the wisdom of cheiron, for from chariklo and philyra i come, from the cave where the centaur's pure daughters reared me up, and now have i fulfilled twenty years among them without deceitful word or deed, and i am come home to seek the ancient honour of my father, held now in rule unlawful, which of old zeus gave to the chief aiolos and his children. for i hear that pelias yielding lawlessly to evil thoughts hath robbed it from my fathers whose right it was from the beginning; for they, when first i looked upon the light, fearing the violence of an injurious lord, made counterfeit of a dark funeral in the house as though i were dead, and amid the wailing of women sent me forth secretly in purple swathing-bands, when none but night might know the way we went, and gave me to cheiron the son of kronos to be reared. but of these things the chief ye know. now therefore kind citizens show me plainly the house of my fathers who drave white horses; for it shall hardly be said that a son of aison, born in the land, is come hither to a strange and alien soil. and jason was the name whereby the divine beast[11] spake to me.' thus he said, and when he had entered in, the eyes of his father knew him; and from his aged eyelids gushed forth tears, for his soul was glad within him when he beheld his son, fairest of men and goodliest altogether. then came to him both brothers, when they heard that jason was come home, pheres from hard by, leaving the fountain hypereis, and out of messena amythaon, and quickly came admetos and melampos to welcome home their cousin. and at a common feast with gracious words jason received them and made them friendly cheer, culling for five long nights and days the sacred flower of joyous life. but on the sixth day he began grave speech, and set the whole matter before his kinsmen from the beginning, and they were of one mind with him. then quickly he rose up with them from their couches, and they came to pelias' hall, and they made haste and entered and stood within. and when he heard them the king himself came forth to them, even the son of tyro of the lovely hair. then jason with gentle voice opened on him the stream of his soft speech, and laid foundation of wise words: 'son of poseidon of the rock, too ready are the minds of mortal men to choose a guileful gain rather than righteousness, howbeit they travel ever to a stern reckoning. but thee and me it behoveth to give law to our desires, and to devise weal for the time to come. though thou knowest it yet will i tell thee, how that the same mother bare kretheus and rash salmoneus, and in the third generation we again were begotten and look upon the strength of the golden sun. now if there be enmity between kin, the fates stand aloof and would fain hide the shame. not with bronze-edged swords nor with javelins doth it beseem us twain to divide our forefathers' great honour, nor needeth it, for lo! all sheep and tawny herds of kine i yield, and all the lands whereon thou feedest them, the spoil of my sires wherewith thou makest fat thy wealth. that these things furnish forth thy house moveth me not greatly; but for the kingly sceptre and throne whereon the son of kretheus sate of old and dealt justice to his chivalry, these without wrath between us yield to me, lest some new evil arise up therefrom.' thus he spake, and mildly also did pelias make reply: 'i will be even as thou wilt, but now the sere of life alone remaineth to me, whereas the flower of thy youth is but just burgeoning; thou art able to take away the sin that maketh the powers beneath the earth wroth with us: for phrixos biddeth us lay his ghost, and that we go to the house of aietes, and bring thence the thick-fleeced hide of the ram, whereby of old he was delivered from the deep and from the impious weapons of his stepmother. this message cometh to me in the voice of a strange dream: also i have sent to ask of the oracle at kastalia whether it be worth the quest, and the oracle chargeth me straightway to send a ship on the sacred mission. this deed do thou offer me to do, and i swear to give thee up the sway and kingly rule. let zeus the ancestral god of thee and me be witness of my oath and stablish it surely in thine eyes.' so they made this covenant and parted; but jason straightway bade heralds to make known everywhere that a sailing was toward. and quickly came three sons of zeus, men unwearied in battle, whose mothers were alkmene and leto of the glancing eyes[12], and two tall-crested men of valour, children of the earth-shaker, whose honour was perfect as their might, from pylos and from farthest tainaros: hereby was the excellence of their fame established--even euphemos' fame, and thine, wide-ruling periklymenos. and at apollo's bidding came the minstrel father of song, orpheus of fair renown. and hermes of the golden staff sent two sons to the toilsome task, echion and eurytos in the joy of their youth; swiftly they came, even from their dwelling at the foot of pangaios: and willingly and with glad heart their father boreas, king of winds, harnessed zetes and kalaã¯s, men both with bright wings shooting from their backs. for hera kindled within those sons of gods the all-persuading sweet desire for the ship argo, that none should be left behind and stay by his mother's side in savourless and riskless life, but each, even were death the price, achieve in company with his peers a magic potency of his valour. now when that goodly crew were come to iolkos, jason mustered them with thanks to each, and the seer mopsos prophesied by omens and by sacred lots, and with good will sped the host on board. and when they had hung the anchors over the prow, then their chief taking in his hands a golden goblet stood up upon the stern and called on zeus whose spear is the lightning, and on the rush of waves and winds and the nights and paths of the deep, to speed them quickly over, and for days of cheer and friendly fortune of return. and from the clouds a favourable voice of thunder pealed in answer; and there came bright lightning flashes bursting through. then the heroes took heart in obedience to the heavenly signs; and the seer bade them strike into the water with their oars, while he spake to them of happy hopes; and in their rapid hands the rowing sped untiringly. and with breezes of the south they came wafted to the mouth of the axine sea; there they founded a shrine and sacred close of poseidon, god of seas, where was a red herd of thracian bulls, and a new-built altar of stone with hollow top[13]. then as they set forth toward an exceeding peril they prayed the lord of ships that they might shun the terrible shock of the clashing rocks: for they were twain that had life, and plunged along more swiftly than the legions of the bellowing winds; but that travel of the seed of gods made end of them at last[14]. after that they came to the phasis; there they fought with dark-faced kolchians even in the presence of aietes. and there the queen of keenest darts, the cyprus-born, first brought to men from olympus the frenzied bird, the speckled wry-neck[15], binding it to a four-spoked wheel without deliverance, and taught the son of aison to be wise in prayers and charms, that he might make medea take no thought to honour her parents, and longing for hellas might drive her by persuasion's lash, her heart afire with love. then speedily she showed him the accomplishment of the tasks her father set, and mixing drugs with oil gave him for his anointment antidotes of cruel pain, and they vowed to be joined together in sweet wedlock. but when aietes had set in the midst a plough of adamant, and oxen that from tawny jaws breathed flame of blazing fire, and with bronze hoofs smote the earth in alternate steps, and had led them and yoked them single-handed, he marked out in a line straight furrows, and for a fathom's length clave the back of the loamy earth; then he spake thus: 'this work let your king, whosoever he be that hath command of the ship, accomplish me, and then let him bear away with him the imperishable coverlet, the fleece glittering with tufts of gold.' he said, and jason flung off from him his saffron mantle, and putting his trust in god betook himself to the work; and the fire made him not to shrink, for that he had had heed to the bidding of the stranger maiden skilled in all pharmacy. so he drew to him the plough and made fast by force the bulls' necks in the harness, and plunged the wounding goad into the bulk of their huge sides, and with manful strain fulfilled the measure of his work. and a cry without speech came from aietes in his agony, at the marvel of the power he beheld. then to the strong man his comrades stretched forth their hands, and crowned him with green wreaths, and greeted him with gracious words. and thereupon the wondrous son[16] of helios told him in what place the knife of phrixos had stretched the shining fell; yet he trusted that this labour at least should never be accomplished by him. for it lay in a thick wood and grasped by a terrible dragon's jaws, and he in length and thickness was larger than their ship of fifty oars, which the iron's blows had welded. long were it for me to go by the beaten track, for the time is nigh out, and i know a certain short path, and many others look to me for skill. the glaring speckled dragon, o arkesilas, he slew by subtlety, and by her own aid he stole away medea, the murderess of pelias. and they went down into the deep of ocean and into the red sea, and to the lemnian race of husbandslaying wives; there also they had games and wrestled for a prize of vesture, and lay with the women of the land. and then it was that in a stranger womb, by night or day, the fateful seed was sown of the bright fortune of thy race. for there began the generations of euphemos, which should be thenceforth without end. and in time mingling among the homes of lakedaimonian men they made their dwelling in the isle that once was kalliste[17]: and thence the son of leto gave thy race the libyan plain to till it and to do honour therein to your gods, and to rule the divine city of golden-throned kyrene with devising of the counsels of truth. now hearken to a wise saying even as the wisdom of oedipus. if one with sharp axe lop the boughs of a great oak and mar the glorious form, even in the perishing of the fruit thereof it yet giveth token of that it was; whether at the last it come even to the winter fire, or whether with upright pillars in a master's house it stand, to serve drear service within alien walls, and the place thereof knoweth it no more[18]. but thou art a physician most timely, and the god of healing maketh thy light burn brightly. a gentle hand must thou set to a festering wound. it is a small thing even for a slight man to shake a city, but to set it firm again in its place this is hard struggle indeed, unless with sudden aid god guide the ruler's hand. for thee are prepared the thanks which these deeds win. be strong to serve with all thy might kyrene's goodly destiny. and of homer's words take this to ponder in thy heart: _of a good messenger_, he saith, _cometh great honour to every deed._ even to the muse is right messengership a gain. now good cause have kyrene and the glorious house of battos to know the righteous mind of demophilos. for he was a boy with boys, yet in counsels an old man of a hundred years: and the evil tongue he robbeth of its loud voice, and hath learnt to abhor the insolent, neither will he make strife against the good, nor tarry when he hath a deed in hand. for a brief span hath opportunity for men, but of him it is known surely when it cometh, and he waiteth thereon a servant but no slave. now this they say is of all griefs the sorest, that one knowing good should of necessity abide without lot therein. yea thus doth atlas struggle now against the burden of the firmament, far from his native land and his possessions. yet the titans were set free by immortal zeus. as time runneth on the breeze abateth and there are shiftings of the sails. and he hath hope that when he shall have endured to the end his grievous plague he shall see once more his home, and at apollo's fountain[19] joining in the feast give his soul to rejoice in her youth, and amid citizens who love his art, playing on his carven lute, shall enter upon peace, hurting and hurt of none. then shall he tell how fair a fountain of immortal verse he made to flow for arkesilas, when of late he was the guest of thebes. [footnote 1: libya. epaphos was son of zeus by io.] [footnote 2: this incident happened during the wanderings of the argonauts on their return with the golden fleece from kolchis to iolkos.] [footnote 3: thera.] [footnote 4: euphemos.] [footnote 5: at tainaros there was a cave supposed to be a mouth of hades.] [footnote 6: of libya.] [footnote 7: the purport of this is: if euphemos had taken the clod safely home to tainaros in lakonia, then his great-grandsons with emigrants from other peloponnesian powers would have planted a colony in libya. but since the clod had fallen into the sea and would be washed up on the shore of the island of thera, it was necessary that euphemos' descendants should first colonize thera, and then, but not till the seventeenth generation, proceed, under battos, to found the colony of kyrene in libya.] [footnote 8: battos.] [footnote 9: the priestess.] [footnote 10: the epithet [greek: polias] is impossible to explain satisfactorily. it has been suggested to me by professor s.h. butcher, that [greek: chamaigenaes] may have been equivalent to [greek: gaegenaes] and that pelias may thus mean, half ironically, to imply that jason's stature, garb and mien, as well as his mysteriously sudden appearance, argue him a son of one of the ancient giants who had been seen of old among men.] [footnote 11: the kentaur cheiron.] [footnote 12: i. e. one son of zeus and alkmene, herakles, and two sons of zeus and leto, kastor and polydeukes.] [footnote 13: for the blood of the victims.] [footnote 14: the symplegades having failed to crush the ship argo between them were themselves destroyed by the shock of their encounter with each other. probably a tradition of icebergs survived in this story.] [footnote 15: used as a love-charm.] [footnote 16: aietes.] [footnote 17: thera.] [footnote 18: in this parable the oak is the state, the boughs its best men, the fire and the alien house destruction and servitude.] [footnote 19: the fountain kyra in the heart of the city kyrene.] v. for arkesilas of kyrene, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this ode celebrates the same victory as the foregoing. it would seem that the chariot had been consecrated to apollo and left in the temple at delphi, but the horses were brought home to kyrene and led in procession through the sacred street of apollo, with their charioteer karrhotos, brother of arkesilas' wife. * * * * * wide-reaching is the power of wealth, whensoever a mortal man hath received it at the hands of fate with pure virtue mingled, and bringeth it to his home, a follower that winneth him many friends. arkesilas, thou favourite of the gods, thou verily seekest after it with good report from the first steps of thy glorious life, with aid of kastor of the golden car, who after the wintry storm hath shed bright calm about thy happy hearth[1]. now the wise bear better the power that is given of god. and thou walkest in righteousness amid thy prosperity which is now great; first, for that thou art king of mighty cities, thy inborn virtue hath brought this majestic honour to thy soul, and again thou art now blessed in that from the famous pythian games thou hast won glory by thy steeds, and hast received this triumphal song of men, apollo's joy. therefore forget not, while at kyrene round aphrodite's pleasant garden thy praise is sung, to set god above every other as the cause thereof: also love thou karrhotos[2] chiefest of thy friends; who hath not brought with him excuse the daughter of late-considering afterthought back to the house of the just-ruling sons of battos; but beside the waters of kastalia a welcomed guest he crowned thy hair with the crown of the conquering car, for the reins were safe[3] in his hands throughout the twelve swift turns along the sacred course. of the strong harness brake he no whit: but there is hung up[4] all that cunning work of the artificers that he brought with him when he passed over the krisaian hill to the plain within the valley of the god: therefore now the chamber of cypress-wood possesseth it, hard by the statue which the bow-bearing kretans dedicated in the parnassian shrine, the natural image in one block[5]. therefore with eager heart it behoveth thee to go forth to meet him who hath done thee this good service. thee also, son[6] of alexibios, the charites of lovely hair make glorious. blessed art thou for that after much toil thou hast a monument of noble words. among forty charioteers who fell[7] thou didst with soul undaunted bring thy car unhurt, and hast now come back from the glorious games unto the plain of libya and the city of thy sires. without lot in trouble hath there been never any yet, neither shall be: yet still the ancient bliss of battos followeth the race, albeit with various fortune; a bulwark is it to the city, and to strangers a most welcome light. from battos even deep-voiced lions[8] fled in fear when he uttered before them a voice from overseas: for the captain and founder apollo gave the beasts over to dire terror, that he might not be false to his oracles which he had delivered to the ruler of kyrene. apollo it is who imparteth unto men and women cures for sore maladies, and hath bestowed on them the lute, and giveth the muse to whomsoever he will, bringing into their hearts fair order of peace; and inhabiteth the secret place of his oracles; whereby at lakedaimon and at argos and at sacred pylos he made to dwell the valiant sons of herakles and aigimios[9]. from sparta they say came my own dear famous race[10]: thence sprang the sons of aigeus who came to thera, my ancestors, not without help of god; but a certain destiny brought thither a feast of much sacrifice[11], and thence receiving, o apollo, thy karneia we honour at the banquet the fair-built city of kyrene, which the spear-loving strangers haunt[12], the trojan seed of antenor. for with helen they came thither after they had seen their native city smoking in the fires of war. and now to that chivalrous race do the men whom aristoteles[13] brought, opening with swift ships a track through the deep sea, give greeting piously, and draw nigh to them with sacrifice and gifts. he also planted greater groves of gods, and made a paved road[14] cut straight over the plain, to be smitten with horsehoofs in processions that beseech apollo's guardianship for men; and there at the end of the market-place he lieth apart in death. blessed was he while he dwelt among men, and since his death the people worship him as their hero. and apart from him before their palace lie other sacred kings that have their lot with hades; and even now perchance they hear, with such heed as remaineth to the dead, of this great deed sprinkled with kindly dew of outpoured song triumphal, whence have they bliss in common with their son arkesilas unto whom it falleth due. him it behoveth by the song of the young men to celebrate phoibos of the golden sword, seeing that from pytho he hath won a recompense of his cost in this glad strain of glorious victory. of him the wise speak well: i but repeat their words saying that he cherisheth understanding above his years, that in eloquent speech and boldness he is as the wide-winged eagle among birds, and his strength in combat like a tower. and he hath wings to soar with the muses, as his mother before him, and now hath he proved him a cunning charioteer: and by all ways that lead to honour at home hath he adventured. as now the favour of god perfecteth his might, so for the time to come, blest children of kronos, grant him to keep it in counsel and in deed, that never at any time the wintry blast of the late autumn winds[15] sweep him away. surely the mighty mind of zeus guideth the destiny of the men he loveth. i pray that to the seed of battos he may at olympia grant a like renown. [footnote 1: kastor was not only a patron of charioteers, but also, with his twin-brother polydeukes, a protector of mariners and giver of fair weather.] [footnote 2: the charioteer.] [footnote 3: i. e. well-handled and un-broken in the sharp turns round the goal.] [footnote 4: i. e. in apollo's temple at delphi.] [footnote 5: this would seem to have been a piece of wood growing naturally in the form of a man.] [footnote 6: karrhotos.] [footnote 7: this seems great havoc among the starters. probably besides the forty who fell there were others who were not actually upset but yet did not win. no doubt the race must have been run in heats, but these must still have been crowded enough to make the crush at the turns exceedingly dangerous.] [footnote 8: pausanias says that battos, the founder of kyrene, was dumb when he went to africa, but that on suddenly meeting a lion the fright gave him utterance. according to pindar the lions seem to have been still more alarmed, being startled by battos' foreign accent.] [footnote 9: the dorians.] [footnote 10: there were aigidai at sparta and spartan colonies, of which kyrene was one, and also at thebes: to the latter branch of the family pindar belonged.] [footnote 11: the karneia, a dorian feast of which we hear often in history.] [footnote 12: these trojan refugees were supposed to have anciently settled on the site where kyrene was afterwards built. battos (or aristoteles) and his new settlers honoured the dead trojans as tutelar heroes of the spot.] [footnote 13: battos.] [footnote 14: the sacred street of apollo, along which the procession moved which sang this ode. the pavement, and the tombs cut in the rock on each side are still to be seen, or at least were in 1817, when the italian traveller della cella visited the place. bã¶ckh quotes from his viaggio da tripoli di barberia alle frontiere occedentali dell' egitto, p. 139: 'oggi ho passeggiato in una delle strade (di cirene) che serba ancora papparenza di essere stata fra le piã¹ cospicue. non solo ã¨ tutta intagliata nel vivo sasso, ma a due lati ã¨ fiancheggiata da lunga fila di tombe quadrate di dieci circa piedi di altezza, anch' esse tutte d'un pezzo scavate nella roccia.'] [footnote 15: i. e., probably, calamity in old age.] vi. for xenokrates of akragas, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this victory was won b.c. 494, when pindar was twenty-eight years old, and the ode was probably written to be sung at delphi immediately on the event. thus, next to the tenth pythian, written eight years before, this is the earliest of pindar's poems that remains to us. xenokrates was a son of ainesidamos and brother of theron. the second isthmian is also in his honour. * * * * * hearken! for once more we plough the field[1] of aphrodite of the glancing eyes, or of the graces call it if you will, in this our pilgrimage to the everlasting centre-stone of deep-murmuring[2] earth. for there for the blissful emmenidai, and for akragas by the riverside, and chiefliest for xenokrates, is builded a ready treasure of song within the valley of apollo rich in golden gifts. that treasure of his shall neither wind nor wintry rain-storm coming from strange lands, as a fierce host born of the thunderous cloud, carry into the hiding places of the sea, to be beaten by the all-sweeping drift: but in clear light its front shall give tidings of a victory won in krisa's dells, glorious in the speech of men to thy father thrasyboulos, and to all his kin with him. thou verily in that thou settest him ever at thy right hand cherishest the charge which once upon the mountains they say the son[3] of philyra gave to him of exceeding might, even to the son of peleas, when he had lost his sire: first that of all gods he most reverence kronos' son, the deep-voiced lord of lightnings and of thunders, and then that he never rob of like honour a parent's spell of life. also of old time had mighty antilochos this mind within him, who died for his father's sake, when he abode the murderous onset of memnon, the leader of the ethiop hosts. for nestor's chariot was stayed by a horse that was stricken of the arrows of paris, and memnon made at him with his mighty spear. then the heart of the old man of messene was troubled, and he cried unto his son; nor wasted he his words in vain; in his place stood up the godlike man and bought his father's flight by his own death. so by the young men of that ancient time he was deemed to have wrought a mighty deed, and in succouring of parents to be supreme. these things are of the past; but of men that now are thrasyboulos hath come nearest to our fathers' gauge. and following his uncle also he hath made glory to appear for him; and with wisdom doth he handle wealth, neither gathereth the fruit of an unrighteous or overweening youth, but rather of knowledge amid the secret places of the pierides. and to thee, earthshaker, who didst devise ventures of steeds, with right glad heart he draweth nigh. sweet is his spirit toward the company of his guests, yea sweeter than the honeycomb, the toil of bees. [footnote 1: the field of poesy.] [footnote 2: an epithet appropriate to volcanic soils.] [footnote 3: cheiron.] vii. for megakles of athens, winner in the four-horse chariot-race. * * * * * megakles won this victory b.c. 490, the year of the battle of marathon. he was a member of the great house of the alkmaionidai, to which kleisthenes and perikles belonged. megakles was a frequent name in the family: this megakles was probably the nephew, possibly the son, of kleisthenes. * * * * * fairest of preludes is the great name of athens to whosoever will lay foundation of songs for the mighty race of alkmaionidai and for their steeds. what country, what house among all lands shall i name more glorious throughout hellas? for unto all cities is the fame familiar of the citizens of erechtheus, who at divine pytho have wrought thee, o apollo, a glorious house[1]. and i hereto am led by victories, at isthmos five, and one pre-eminent, won at olympia at the feast of zeus, and two at kirrha, which thou, o megakles, and thy sire have won. now at this new good fortune i rejoice; yet somewhat also i grieve, even to behold how envy requiteth noble deeds[2]. yet thus ever, they say, must fair hap abiding with a man engender bad with good. [footnote 1: the alkmainodai had lately been spending large sums on the rebuilding of apollo's temple at delphi.] [footnote 2: megakles was twice ostracized.] viii. for aristomenes of aigina, winner in the wrestling-match. * * * * * the precise date of this ode is uncertain, but there is strong internal evidence of its having been written soon after the battle of salamis, after which, as is well known, the [greek: aristeia] or first honours for valour, were awarded to aigina. the insolence of the barbarian despot seems to be symbolized by that of the giants typhon and porphyrion. the ode was apparently to be sung on the winner's return to aigina. no less than eleven of the extant odes were written for winners from that island. * * * * * o kindly peace, daughter of righteousness, thou that makest cities great, and boldest the supreme keys of counsels and of wars, welcome thou this honour to aristomenes, won in the pythian games. thou knowest how alike to give and take gentleness in due season: thou also, if any have moved thy heart unto relentless wrath, dost terribly confront the enemy's might, and sinkest insolence in the sea. thus did porphyrion provoke thee unaware. now precious is the gain that one beareth away from the house of a willing giver. but violence shall ruin a man at the last, boast he never so loudly. he of kilikia, typhon of the hundred heads, escaped not this, neither yet the king of giants[1]: but by the thunderbolt they fell and by the bow of apollo, who with kind intent hath welcomed xenarches home from kirrha, crowned with parnassian wreaths and dorian song. not far from the graces' ken falleth the lot of this righteous island-commonwealth, that hath attained unto the glorious deeds of the sons of aiakos[2]: from the beginning is her fame perfect, for she is sung of as the nurse of heroes foremost in many games and in violent fights: and in her mortal men also is she pre-eminent. but my time faileth me to offer her all i might tell at length by lute and softer voice of man, so that satiety vex not. so let that which lieth in my path, my debt to thee, o boy, the youngest of thy country's glories, run on apace, winged by my art. for in wrestlings thou art following the footsteps of thy uncles, and shamest neither theognetos at olympia, nor the victory that at isthmos was won by kleitomachos' stalwart limbs. and in that thou makest great the clan of the midylidai thou attainest unto the very praise which on a time the son of oikleus spake in a riddle, when he saw at seven-gated thebes the sons of the seven standing to their spears, what time from argos came the second race on their new enterprise[3]. thus spake he while they fought: 'by nature, son, the noble temper of thy sires shineth forth in thee. i see clearly the speckled dragon that alkmaion weareth on his bright shield, foremost at the kadmean gates. and he who in the former fight fared ill, hero adrastos, is now endowed with tidings of a better omen. yet in his own house his fortune shall be contrariwise: for he alone of all the danaan host, after that he shall have gathered up the bones of his dead son, shall by favour of the gods come back with unharmed folk to the wide streets of abas[4].' on this wise spake amphiaraos. yea and with joy i too myself throw garlands on alkmaion's grave, and shower it withal with songs, for that being my neighbour and guardian of my possessions[5] he met me as i went up to the earth's centre-stone, renowned in song, and showed forth the gift of prophecy which belongeth unto his house[6]. but thou, far-darter, ruler of the glorious temple whereto all men go up, amid the glens of pytho didst there grant this the greatest of joys: and at home before didst thou bring to him at the season of thy feast the keen-sought prize of the pentathlon. my king, with willing heart i make avowal that through thee is harmony before mine eyes in all that i sing of every conqueror. by the side of our sweet-voiced song of triumph hath righteousness taken her stand, and i pray, o xenarches[7], that the favour of god be unfailing toward the fortune of thee and thine. for if one hath good things to his lot without long toil, to many he seemeth therefore to be wise among fools and to be crowning his life by right devising of the means. but these things lie not with men: it is god that ordereth them, who setteth up one and putteth down another, so that he is bound beneath the hands of the adversary. now at megara also hast thou won a prize, and in secluded marathon, and in the games of hera in thine own land, three times, aristomenes, hast thou overcome. and now on the bodies of four others[8] hast thou hurled thyself with fierce intent, to whom the pythian feast might not award, as unto thee, the glad return, nor the sweet smile that welcometh thee to thy mother's side; nay but by secret ways they shrink from meeting their enemies, stricken down by their evil hap. now he that hath lately won glory in the time of his sweet youth is lifted on the wings of his strong hope and soaring valour, for his thoughts are above riches. in a little moment groweth up the delight of men; yea and in like sort falleth it to the ground, when a doom adverse hath shaken it. things of a day--what are we, and what not? man is a dream of shadows. nevertheless when a glory from god hath shined on them, a clear light abideth upon men, and serene life. aigina[9], mother dear, this city in her march among the free, with zeus and lordly aiakos, with peleus and valiant telamon and with achilles, guard thou well. [footnote 1: porphyrion.] [footnote 2: aiakos and his descendants, especially aias, were the chief national heroes of aigina.] [footnote 3: it seems doubtful what this legend exactly was. either amphiaraos, during the attack of the first seven against thebes, saw by prophetic vision the future battle of the second seven, the epigonoi, among whom were his own son alkmaion, and adrastos, the sole survivor of the first seven; or else these are the words of his oracle after his death, spoken when the battle of the epigonoi had begun but was not yet ended.] [footnote 4: abas was an ancient king of argos.] [footnote 5: probably there was a shrine of alkmaion near pindar's house at thebes, so that he considered his household to be under the hero's protection: perhaps he had deposited money in the shrine, for temples were often used as treasuries.] [footnote 6: probably in some vision seen by pindar on his journey to delphi.] [footnote 7: father of aristomenes.] [footnote 8: his competitors in four ties of the wrestling-match.] [footnote 9: the nymph, protectress of the island.] ix. for telesikrates of kyrene, winner of the foot-race in full armour. * * * * * the hellenic heavy-armed soldier was often called upon to advance at a run, as for instance in the charge at marathon. with a view no doubt to such occasions this race in full armour had been instituted at pytho in 498, and in 478 it was won by telesikrates. the ode was probably sung in a procession at thebes, before telesikrates had gone back to kyrene, but the legends related are mainly connected with kyrene. probably the commentators are right in supposing that telesikrates was to take home with him a bride from the mother-country, a fact which makes the legends told specially appropriate. * * * * * i have desire to proclaim with aid of the deep-vested graces a victory at pytho of telesikrates bearing the shield of bronze, and to speak aloud his name, for his fair fortune and the glory wherewith he hath crowned kyrene, city of charioteers. kyrene[1] once from pelion's wind-echoing dells leto's son, the flowing-haired, caught up and in a golden car bore away the huntress-maiden to the place where he made her queen of a land rich in flocks, yea richest of all lands in the fruits of the field, that her home might be the third part[2] of the mainland of earth, a stock that should bear lovely bloom. and silver-foot aphrodite awaited the delian stranger issuing from his car divine, and lightly laid on him her hand: then over their sweet bridal-bed she cast the loveliness of maiden shame, and in a common wedlock joined the god and the daughter of wide-ruling hypseus, who then was king of the haughty lapithai, a hero whose father's father was the ocean-god--for amid the famous mountain-dells of pindos the naiad kreã¼sa bare him after she had delight in the bed of peneus, kreã¼sa, daughter of earth. now the child he reared was kyrene of the lovely arms: she was not one who loved the pacings to and fro before the loom, neither the delights of feastings with her fellows within the house, but with bronze javelins and a sword she fought against and slew wild beasts of prey; yea and much peace and sure she gave thereby to her father's herds, but for sleep, the sharer of her bed, short spent she it and sweet, descending on her eyelids as the dawn drew near. once as she struggled alone, without spear, with a terrible lion, he of the wide quiver, far-darting apollo, found her: and straightway he called cheiron from his hall and spake to him aloud: 'son of philyra, come forth from thy holy cave, and behold and wonder at the spirit of this woman, and her great might, what strife she wageth here with soul undaunted, a girl with heart too high for toil to quell; for her mind shaketh not in the storm of fear. what man begat her? from what tribe was she torn to dwell in the secret places of the shadowing hills? she hath assayed a struggle unachievable. is it lawful openly to put forth my hand to her, or rather on a bridal-bed pluck the sweet flower?' to him the centaur bold with a frank smile on his mild brow made answer straightway of his wisdom: 'secret are wise lovecraft's keys unto love's sanctities, o phoibos, and among gods and men alike all deem this shame, to have pleasure of marriage at the first openly. now even thee, who mayest have no part in lies, thy soft desire hath led to dissemble in this thy speech. the maiden's lineage dost thou, o king, enquire of me--thou who knowest the certain end of all things, and all ways? how many leaves the earth sendeth forth in spring, how many grains of sand in sea and river are rolled by waves and the winds' stress, what shall come to pass, and whence it shall be, thou discernest perfectly. but if even against wisdom i must match myself, i will speak on. to wed this damsel camest thou unto this glen, and thou art destined to bear her beyond the sea to a chosen garden of zeus, where thou shalt make her a city's queen, when thou hast gathered together an island-people to a hill in the plain's midst. and now shall queenly libya of broad meadow-lands well-pleased receive for thee within a golden house thy glorious bride, and there make gift to her of a portion in the land, to be an inhabiter thereof with herself, neither shall it be lacking in tribute of plants bearing fruit after all kinds, neither a stranger to the beasts of chase. there shall she bring forth a son, whom glorious hermes taking up from his mother's arms shall bear to the fair-throned hours and to earth: and they shall set the babe upon their knees, and nectar and ambrosia they shall distil upon his lips, and shall make him as an immortal, a zeus or a holy apollo, to men beloved of him a very present help, a tutelar of flocks, and to some agreus and nomios; but to others aristaios shall be his name.' by these words he made him ready for the bridal's sweet fulfilment. and swift the act and short the ways of gods who are eager to an end. that same day made accomplishment of the matter, and in a golden chamber of libya they lay together; where now she haunteth a city excellent in beauty and glorious in the games. and now at sacred pytho hath the son of karneadas wedded that city to the fair flower of good luck: for by his victory there he hath proclaimed kyrene's name, even her's who shall receive him with glad welcome home, to the country of fair women bringing precious honour out of delphi. great merits stir to many words: yet to be brief and skilful on long themes is a good hearing for bards: for fitness of times is in everything alike of chief import. that iolaos had respect thereto[3] seven-gated thebes knoweth well, for when he had stricken down the head of eurystheus beneath the edge of the sword, she buried the slayer beneath the earth in the tomb of amphitryon the charioteer, where his father's father was laid, a guest of the spartoi, who had left his home to dwell among the streets of the sons of kadmos who drave white horses. to him and to zeus at once did wise alkmene bear the strength of twin sons prevailing in battle. dull is that man who lendeth not his voice to herakles, nor hath in remembrance continually the waters of dirke that nurtured him and iphikles. to them will i raise a song of triumph for that i have received good at their hands, after that i had prayed to them that the pure light of the voiceful graces might not forsake me. for at aigma and on the hill of nisos twice ere now i say that i have sung kyrene's praise, and by my act have shunned the reproach of helpless dumbness. wherefore if any of the citizens be our friend, yea even if he be against us, let him not seek to hide the thing that hath been well done in the common cause, and so despise the word of the old god of the sea[4]. he biddeth one give praise with the whole heart to noble deeds, yea even to an enemy, so be it that justice be on his side. full many times at the yearly feast of pallas have the maidens seen thee winner, and silently they prayed each for herself that such an one as thou, o telesikrates, might be her beloved husband or her son; and thus also was it at the games of olympia and of ample-bosomed earth[5], and at all in thine own land. me anywise to slake my thirst for song the ancient glory of thy forefathers summoneth to pay its due and rouse it yet again--to tell how that for love of a libyan woman there went up suitors to the city of irasa to woo antaios' lovely-haired daughter of great renown; whom many chiefs of men, her kinsmen, sought to wed, and many strangers also; for the beauty of her was marvellous, and they were fain to cull the fruit whereto her gold-crowned youth had bloomed. but her father gained for his daughter a marriage more glorious still. now he had heard how sometime danaos at argos devised for his forty and eight maiden daughters, ere mid-day was upon them, a wedding of utmost speed--for he straightway set the whole company at the race-course end, and bade determine by a foot-race which maiden each hero should have, of all the suitors that had come. even on this wise gave the libyan a bridegroom to his daughter, and joined the twain. at the line he set the damsel, having arrayed her splendidly, to be the goal and prize, and proclaimed in the midst that he should lead her thence to be his bride who, dashing to the front, should first touch the robes she wore. thereon alexidamos, when that he had sped through the swift course, took by her hand the noble maiden, and led her through the troops of nomad horsemen. many the leaves and wreaths they showered on him; yea and of former days many plumes of victories had he won. [footnote 1: a thessalian maiden, from whom, according to this legend, the colony of kyrene in africa took its name.] [footnote 2: i. e. libya, the continent which we now call africa.] [footnote 3: i. e. by seizing the moment left to him before it should be too late to act. thebes and kyrene were connected by the fact that members of the aigid family lived at both places.] [footnote 4: nereus. powers of divination and wisdom generally are often attributed to sea-deities.] [footnote 5: i. e. at delphi or pytho. as being the supposed centre of the earth it was the place of the worship of the earth-goddess.] x. for hippokleas of thessaly, winner in the two-stadion foot-race of boys. * * * * * the only reason we know for the digression about perseus which occupies great part of this ode seems to be that thorax, who engaged pindar to write it for hippokleas, and perhaps hippokleas himself, belonged to the family of the aleuadai, who were descended through herakles from perseus. this ode is the earliest entire poem of pindar's which survives. he wrote it when he was twenty years old. the simplicity of the style and manner of composition are significant of this. but there can scarcely be said to be traces here of pindar's early tendency in dealing with mythological allusions to 'sow not with the hand but with the whole sack,' which korinna advised him to correct, and which is conspicuous in a fragment remaining to us of one of his hymns. * * * * * happy is lakedaimon, blessed is thessaly: in both there reigneth a race sprung from one sire, from herakles bravest in the fight. what vaunt is this unseasonable? nay, now, but pytho calleth me, and pelinnaion[1], and the sons of aleuas who would fain lead forth the loud voices of a choir of men in honour of hippokleas. for now hath he tasted the joy of games, and to the host of the dwellers round about hath the valley beneath parnassos proclaimed him best among the boys who ran the double race[2]. o apollo, sweet is the end when men attain thereto, and the beginning availed more when it is speeded of a god. surely of thy devising were his deeds: and this his inborn valour hath trodden in the footsteps of his father twice victor at olympia in panoply of war-affronting arms[3]: moreover the games in the deep meadow beneath kirrha's cliff gave victory to the fleet feet of phrikias[4]. may good luck follow them, so that even in after days the splendour of their wealth shall bloom. of the pleasant things of hellas they have no scanty portion to their lot; may they happen on no envious repentings of the gods. a god's heart, it may be, is painless ever; but happy and a theme of poet's song is that man who for his valiance of hands or feet the chiefest prizes hath by strength and courage won, and in his life-time seen his young son by good hap attaining to the pythian crown. never indeed shall he climb the brazen heaven, but whatsoever splendours we of mortal race may reach, through such he hath free course even to the utmost harbourage. but neither by taking ship, neither by any travel on foot, to the hyperborean folk shalt thou find the wondrous way. yet of old the chieftain perseus entered into their houses and feasted among them, when that he had lighted on them as they were sacrificing ample hecatombs of asses to their god. for ever in their feasts and hymns hath apollo especial joy, and laugheth to see the braying ramp of the strange beasts. nor is the muse a stranger to their lives, but everywhere are stirring to and fro dances of maidens and shrill noise of pipes: and binding golden bay-leaves in their hair they make them merry cheer. nor pestilence nor wasting eld approach that hallowed race: they toil not neither do they fight, and dwell unharmed of cruel nemesis. in the eagerness of his valiant heart went of old the son of danaã«, for that athene led him on his way, unto the company of that blessed folk. also he slew the gorgon and bare home her head with serpent tresses decked, to the island folk a stony death. i ween there is no marvel impossible if gods have wrought thereto. let go the oar, and quickly drive into the earth an anchor from the prow, to save us from the rocky reef, for the glory of my song of praise flitteth like a honey-bee from tale to tale. i have hope that when the folk of ephyra pour forth my sweet strains by peneus' side, yet more glorious shall i make their hippokleas for his crowns and by my songs among his fellows and his elders, and i will make him possess the minds of the young maidens. for various longings stir secretly the minds of various men; yet each if he attain to the thing he striveth for will hold his eager desire for the time present to him, but what a year shall bring forth, none shall foreknow by any sign. my trust is in the kindly courtesy of my host thorax, of him who to speed my fortune hath yoked this four-horse car of the pierides, as friend for friend, and willing guide for guide. as gold to him that trieth it by a touch-stone, so is a true soul known. his noble brethren also will we praise, for that they exalt and make great the thessalians' commonwealth. for in the hands of good men lieth the good piloting of the cities wherein their fathers ruled. [footnote 1: hippokleas' birth-place.] [footnote 2: down the stadion (220 yards) and back.] [footnote 3: i. e. in the race run in full armour, like that at pytho which telesikrates, of kyrene won, celebrated in the fore-going ode.] [footnote 4: probably a horse with which hippokleas' father won a race at pytho.] xi. for thrasydaios of thebes, winner in the boys' short foot-race. * * * * * the date of this victory was b.c. 478, nearly two years after the battle of plataea, and the deliverance of thebes from persian influence and the sway of a tyrannous oligarchy. but beyond this we have nothing certain to which we can refer the allusions to theban affairs, public and private, which we have reason to think present in the ode. * * * * * daughters of kadmos, thou semele whose goings are with the queens of olympus, and thou ino leukothea who housest with the nereids of the sea, come ye up with the mother[1] of a mighty son, even of herakles, unto the temple of m[)e]lia[2] and into the holy place of the golden tripods, which beyond all others loxias hath honoured, and named it the shrine ismenian, a truthful seat of seers; where now, o children of harmonia, he calleth the whole heroic sisterhood of the soil to assemble themselves together, that of holy themis and of pytho and the earth-navel of just judgments ye may sing at early evening, doing honour to seven-gated thebes, and to the games at kirrha, wherein thrasydaios hath made his father's house glorious by casting thereon a third wreath for his victory in the rich cornlands[3] of pylades, who was the host of lakonian orestes. orestes, on the murder of his father, arsinoã« his nurse saved from the violent hands of klytaimnestra and out of the ruinous treason, what time the daughter of dardanid priam, kassandra, was by the glittering bronze in company with agamemnon's soul sped to the shadowy shore of acheron by the woman who had no pity. did then the slaughter of iphigenia far from her own land on euripos' shore so sting her mother to the arousal of a wrath of grievous act? or had nocturnal loves misguided her, in thraldom to a paramour's embrace? a sin in new-wed brides most hateful, and that cannot be hidden for the talk of stranger tongues: for the citizens repeat the shame. for prosperity must sustain an envy equalling itself: but concerning the man of low place the rumour is obscure. thus died the hero himself[4], the son of atreus, when after long time he came unto famous amyklai, and drew down with him to death the maiden prophetess[5], after that he consumed with fire the trojans' habitations of softness. and thus orestes, in the tenderness of his youth, came and was the guest of the old man strophios, who dwelt at the foot of parnassos: but with long-tarrying sword he slew his mother, and left aigisthos' body in its blood. verily, my friends, by triple roads of interchanging ways i have wound about, though heretofore i had kept on a straight track. or hath some wind blown me out of my course, as when it bloweth a boat upon the sea? but thine it is, my muse, since thou for reward didst promise the loan thereof, to raise thy voice for silver now on this tale, now on that, so that for this time at least it is on behalf either of thrasydaios or of his sire who conquered at pytho: for of both are the joy and glory burning lights. of old for victories in the chariot-race they had bright glory at olympia in the famous games for the swiftness of their steeds: and now have they gone down among the naked runners in the stadion, and have put to rebuke the host of the hellenes by their speed. god grant me to desire things honourable, seeking things possible in my life's prime. the middle course i find to prosper most enduringly in the commonwealth, and a state of tyranny i condemn. on well-doing for the common good[6] i bestow my pains: so are the envious baffled, if one hath excelled in such acts to the uttermost, and bearing it modestly hath shunned the perilous reproach of insolence: so also at the end shall he find black death more gracious unto him, to his dear children leaving the best of possessions, even the glory of an honourable name. this it is that beareth abroad the name of iolaos in song, and the names of the mighty kastor and of thee, king polydeukes, ye sons of gods, who one day in therapnai and the next in olympus have your dwelling-place. [footnote 1: alkmene.] [footnote 2: mother of ismenios and teucros, by apollo.] [footnote 3: in phokis.] [footnote 4: agamemnon. it is a strange variety of the tale that he is spoken of as having been murdered at amyklai and not at argos or mykenai. so above orestes is called lakonian.] [footnote 5: kassandra.] [footnote 6: (not for a party.)] xii. for midas of akragas, winner in the flute-playing match. * * * * * this is an early ode: the victory was won either in 494 or 450. it was to be sung, it would seem, at akragas, and very probably in a procession to the shrine of the tutelar divinity of the city, with an address to whom it seemingly begins, though it is difficult to say what degree of personification is intended. * * * * * i pray thee, lover of splendour, most beautiful among the cities of men, haunt of persephone, thou who by the banks of akragas' stream that nourisheth thy flocks, inhabitest a citadel builded pleasantly--o queen, graciously and with goodwill of gods and men welcome this crown that is come forth from pytho for midas' fair renown; and him too welcome therewithal who hath overcome all hellas in the art which once on a time pallas athene devised, when she made music of the fierce gorgon's death-lament. that heard she pouring from the maiden heads and heads of serpents unapproachable amidst the anguish of their pains, when perseus had stricken the third sister, and to the isle seriphos and its folk bare thence their doom. yea also he struck with blindness the wondrous brood of phorkos[1], and to polydektes' bridal brought a grievous gift, and grievous eternally he made for that man his mother's slavery and ravished bed: for this he won the fair-faced medusa's head, he who was the son of danaã«, and sprung, they say, from a living stream of gold. but the maiden[2], when that she had delivered her well-beloved from these toils, contrived the manifold music of the flute, that with such instrument she might repeat the shrill lament that reached her from euryale's[3] ravening jaws. a goddess was the deviser thereof, but having created it for a possession of mortal men, she named that air she played the many-headed[4] air, that speaketh gloriously of folk-stirring games, as it issueth through the thin-beat bronze and the reeds which grow by the graces' city of goodly dancing-ground in the precinct of kephisos' nymph, the dancers' faithful witnesses. but if there be any bliss among mortal men, without labour it is not made manifest: it may be that god will accomplish it even to-day, yet the thing ordained is not avoidable: yea, there shall be a time that shall lay hold on a man unaware, and shall give him one thing beyond his hope, but another it shall bestow not yet. [footnote 1: the three grey sisters, whose one common eye perseus stole, [greek: daenaiai korai treis kyknomorphoi koinon omm' ektaemenai monodontes, has outh' haelios prosderketai aktisin, outh' hae nukteros maenae pote.] aesch. prom. 813. this must mean some kind of twilight, not total darkness, or they could hardly have missed their eye.] [footnote 2: athene.] [footnote 3: one of the gorgons.] [footnote 4: a certain [greek: nomos aulaetikos] was known by this name.] the nemean odes. i. for chromios of aitna, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this chromios was a son of agesidamos and brother-in-law of hieron, and the same man for whom the ninth nemean was written. he had become a citizen of hieron's new city of aitna, and won this victory b.c. 473. this ode seems to have been sung before his house in ortygia, a peninsula on which part of syracuse was built, and in which was the fountain arethusa. the legend of arethusa and alpheos explains the epithets of ortygia with which the ode opens. the greater part of the ode is occupied with the story of herakles, perhaps because chromios was of the hyllean tribe and thus traced his descent to herakles. * * * * * o resting-place august of alpheos, ortygia, scion of famous syracuse, thou that art a couch of artemis and a sister of delos[1], from thee goeth forth a song of sweet words, to set forth the great glory of whirlwind-footed steeds in honour of aitnaian zeus. for now the car of chromios, and nemea, stir me to yoke to his victorious deeds the melody of a triumphal song. and thus by that man's heaven-sped might i lay my foundations in the praise of gods. in good fortune men speak well of one altogether: and of great games the muse is fain to tell. sow then some seed of splendid words in honour of this isle, which zeus, the lord of olympus, gave unto persephone, and bowed his hair toward her in sign that this teeming sicily he would exalt to be the best land in the fruitful earth, with gorgeous crown of citadels. and the son of kronos gave unto her a people that wooeth mailed war, a people of the horse and of the spear, and knowing well the touch of olympia's golden olive-leaves. thus shoot i arrows many, and without falsehood i have hit the mark. and now at the doors of the hall of a hospitable man i stand to sing a goodly song, where is prepared for me a friendly feast, and not unwonted in that house are frequent stranger-guests: thus hath he found good friends to pour a quenching flood on the mouldering fire of reproach. each hath his several art: but in straight paths it behoveth him to walk, and to strive hard wherein his nature setteth him. thus worketh strength in act, and mind in counsels, when one is born to foresee what shall come after. in thy nature, son of agesidamos, are uses both for this and that. i love not to keep hidden in my house great wealth, but to have joy of that i have, and to have repute of liberality to my friends: for the hopes of much-labouring men seem to me even as mine. now i to herakles cleave right willingly, among high deeds of valour rousing an ancient tale; how that when from his mother's womb the son of zeus escaping the birth-pang came quickly into the glorious light with his twin-brother, not unobserved of hera did he put on the saffron swaddling bands; but the queen of gods in the kindling of her anger sent presently the two snakes, and they when the doors were opened went right on into the wide bedchamber, hasting to entwine the children, that they should be a prey to their fierce teeth. but the boy lifted up his head upright and was first to essay the fight, seizing with inevitable grasp of both his hands the two serpents by the necks, and time, as he strangled them, forced the breath out of their monstrous forms. but a shock unendurable startled the women about alkmene's bed, yea and herself too started to her feet from the couch half-robed, and would fain have beaten back the fierce beasts' violence. and quickly ran thronging thither with bronze arms the captains of the sons of kadmos; and brandishing in his hand his sword bare of its sheath came amphitryon smitten with sharp pain; for everyone alike is grieved by the ills of his own house, but the heart is soon quit of sorrow that careth but for another's care. and he stood in amazement, and gladness mingled with his fear; for he saw the marvellous courage and might of his son, since the immortals had turned to the contrary the saying of the messengers unto him. then he called a man that lived nigh to him, a chosen prophet of the most high zeus, teiresias the true seer: and he set forth to him and to all his company with what manner of fortune should the child have his lot cast, how many lawless monsters on the dry land, how many on the sea he should destroy. others moreover, of men the hatefullest, who walked in guile and insolence, he prophesied that he should deliver over unto death: saying that when on phlegra's plain the gods should meet the giants in battle, beneath the rush of his arrows their bright hair should be soiled with earth; but he in peace himself should obtain a reward of rest from his great toils throughout all time continually within the house of bliss, and after that he had received fair hebe to be his bride, and made his marriage-feast, should remain beside zeus, the son of kronos, well-pleased with his dwelling-place divine. [footnote 1: i. e. so honoured by artemis as to rank with her native delos.] ii. for timodemos of athens, winner in the pankration. * * * * the date of this ode is unknown. it would seem to have been sung at athens on the winner's return home. he belonged to the clan of the timodemidai of salamis, but to the deme of acharnai. as to the nature of the pankration see dict. ant. it was a combination of wrestling and boxing, probably with wide license of rules. the best extant illustration of it in sculpture is the famous group of the pankratiasts (commonly called the luttatori) in the tribune of the uffizi at florence. * * * * * from the self-same beginning whence the homerid bards draw out the linkã¨d story of their song, even a prelude calling upon zeus--so also nemeaian zeus it is in whose far-famous grove this man hath attained unto laying his first foundation of victory in the sacred games. and yet again must the son of timonoã¶s, if in the way of his fathers' guiding him straight this age hath given him to be a glory of great athens--yet again and often must he pluck the noble flower of isthmian games, and in the pythian conquer. like is it that not far from the mountain-brood of pleiads[1] shall be the rising of orion. well able verily is salamis to rear a man of battles: so at troy was hektor aware of aias; and so now, o timodemos, art thou glorified by thy stubborn prowess in the pankration. acharnai of old was famous for its men, and as touching games the timodemidai rank there pre-eminent. beneath parnassos' lordly height they won four victories in the games; moreover in the valleys of noble pelops they have obtained eight crowns at the hands of the men of corinth, and seven at nemea; and at home more than may be numbered, at the games of zeus: to whose glory, o citizens, sing for timodemos a song of triumph, and bring him in honour home, and chant our prelude tunefully. [footnote 1: the pleiads were daughters of atlas. one victory betokens another to come, as the rising of a constellation betokens the rising of its neighbour.] iii. for aristokleides of aigina, winner in the pankration. * * * * * the date of the victory is unknown: the ode seems to have been written long afterwards, probably for some anniversary celebration of the event. * * * * * o divine muse, our mother, i pray thee come unto this dorian isle aigina stranger-thronged, for the sacred festival of the nemean games[1]: for by the waters of asopos[2] young men await thee, skilled to sing sweet songs of triumph, and desiring to hear thy call. for various recompense are various acts athirst; but victory in the games above all loveth song, of crowns and valiant deeds the fittest follower. thereof grant us large store for our skill, and to the king of heaven with its thronging clouds do thou who art his daughter begin a noble lay; and i will marry the same to the voices of singers and to the lyre. a pleasant labour shall be mine in glorifying this land where of old the myrmidons dwelt, whose ancient meeting-place aristokleides through thy favour hath not sullied with reproach by any softness in the forceful strife of the pankration; but a healing remedy of wearying blows he hath won at least in this fair victory in the deep-lying plain of nemea. now if this son of aristophanes, being fair of form and achieving deeds as fair, hath thus attained unto the height of manly excellence, no further is it possible for him to sail untraversed sea beyond the pillars of herakles, which the hero-god set to be wide-famed witnesses of the end of voyaging: for he had overcome enormous wild-beasts on the seas, and tracked the streams through marshes to where he came to the goal that turned him to go back homeward, and there did he mark out the ends of the earth. but to what headland of a strange shore, o my soul, art thou carrying aside the course of my ship? to aiakos and to his race i charge thee bring the muse. herein is perfect justice, to speak the praise of good men: neither are desires for things alien the best for men to cherish: search first at home: a fitting glory for thy sweet song hast thou gotten there in deeds of ancient valour. glad was king peleus when he cut him his gigantic spear, he who took iolkos by his single arm without help of any host, he who held firm in the struggle thetis the daughter of the sea. also the city of laomedon did mighty telamon sack, when he fought with iolaos by his side, and again to the war of the amazons with brazen bows he followed him; neither at any time did man-subduing terror abate the vigour of his soul. by inborn worth doth one prevail mightily; but whoso hath but precepts is a vain man and is fain now for this thing and now again for that, but a sure step planteth he not at any time, but handleth countless enterprises with a purpose that achieveth naught. now achilles of the yellow hair, while he dwelt in the house of philyra[3], being yet a child made mighty deeds his play; and brandishing many a time his little javelin in his hands, swift as the wind he dealt death to wild lions in the fight, and boars he slew also and dragged their heaving bodies to the centaur, son of kronos, a six years' child when he began, and thenceforward continually. and artemis marvelled at him, and brave athene, when he slew deer without dogs or device of nets; for by fleetness of foot he overcame them. this story also of the men of old have i heard: how within his cavern of stone did deep-counselled cheiron rear jason, and next asklepios, whom he taught to apportion healing drugs with gentle hand: after this it was that he saw the espousals of nereus' daughter of the shining wrists, and fondling nursed her son, strongest of men, rearing his soul in a life of harmony; until by blowing of sea winds wafted to troy he should await the war-cry of the lykians and of the phrygians and of the dardanians, cried to the clashing of spears; and joining in battle with the lancer ethiops hand to hand should fix this purpose in his soul, that their chieftain memnon, helenos' fiery cousin, should go back again to his home no more. thenceforward burneth ever a far-shining light for the house of aiakos; for thine o zeus is their blood, even as thine also are the games whereat my song is aimed, by the voice of the young men of the land proclaiming aloud her joy. for victorious aristokleides hath well earned a cheer, in that he hath brought new renown to this island, and to the theoroi[4] of the pythian god, by striving for glory in the games. by trial is the issue manifest, wherein may one be more excellent than his fellows, whether among boys a boy, or among men a man, or in the third age among elders, according to the nature of our mortal race. four virtues doth a long life bring, and biddeth one fit his thought to the things about him[5]. from such virtues this man is not far. friend, fare thee well: i send to thee this honey mingled with white milk, and the dew of the mixing hangeth round about it, to be a drink of minstrelsy distilled in breathings of aiolian flutes; albeit it come full late. swift is the eagle among the birds of the air, who seizeth presently with his feet his speckled prey[6], seeking it from afar off; but in low places dwell[7] the chattering daws. to thee at least, by the will of throned kleio, for sake of thy zeal in the games, from nemea and from epidauros and from megara hath a great light shined. [footnote 1: i. e. commemorating the nemean games and the victories obtained by citizens of aigina there.] [footnote 2: there seems to have been a stream of this name in aigina, as well as in boeotia.] [footnote 3: cheiron's mother.] [footnote 4: sent from aigina to apollo's temple at delphi.] [footnote 5: this is very obscure: bã¶ckh said that the longer he considered it the more obscure it became to him. donaldson 'is inclined to think that pindar is speaking with reference to the pythagorean division of virtue into four species, and that he assigns one virtue to each of the four ages of human life (on the same principle as that which shakespeare has followed in his description of the seven ages) namely temperance as the virtue of youth, courage of early manhood, justice of mature age, and prudence of old age.'] [footnote 6: snakes.] [footnote 7: or 'on vile things feed.'] iv. for timasarchos of aigina, winner in the boys' wrestling-match. * * * * * the date of this ode is unknown: we can only infer, from the way in which athens is spoken of, that it was written before the war between that state and aigina. it seems to have been sung on the winner's return home, very likely in a procession through the streets. * * * * * best of physicians for a man's accomplished toil is festive joy: and the touch of songs, wise daughters of the muses, hath power of comforting. less doth warm water avail to bathe limbs for soothing than words of praise married to the music of the lyre. for speech is longer-lived than act, whensoever by favour of the graces the tongue hath drawn it forth out of the depth of the heart. be it the prelude of my hymn to dedicate it to zeus the son of kronos, and to nemea, and to the wrestling of timasarchos; and may it have welcome in the aiakids' stronghold of goodly towers, the common light of all, which aideth the stranger with justice[1]. now if thy sire timokritos were still cheered by the quickening sun, full oft with music manifold of the lute would he have bent him unto this my theme, and sounded a hymn for the fair triumphs that have brought thee a chain of wreaths, even from the games of the kleonaians[2] now, and erewhile from the bright and famous athens, and at seven-gated thebes: for beside amphitryon's splendid sepulchre the sons of kadmos nothing loth sprinkled the winner with flowers for aigina's sake. for thither as a friend to friends he came, though to a city not his own, and abode in the fortunate hall of herakles. with herakles on a time did mighty telamon destroy the city of troy, and the meropes, and the man of war, the great and terrible alkyoneus, yet not until by hurling of stones he had subdued twelve four-horse chariots, and horse-taming heroes twice so many thereupon. unversed in battles must he be who understandeth not this tale, for whoso will do aught is like to suffer also. but to tell the tale at length custom forbiddeth me, and the constraining hours: and a love-spell draweth me to put forth my hand to the feast of the new moon. albeit the deep brine of the sea hold thee even to thy waist, nevertheless bear bravely up against conspirings; assuredly shall we shine forth above our enemies as we sail home in open day; while another man of envious eye turneth about in darkness an empty purpose that falleth to the ground. for me i know certainly that whatsoever excellence fate that is our lord hath given me, time creeping onward will bring to its ordained fulfilment. weave then this woof too presently, sweet my lute, a strain with lydian harmony that shall be dear to oinone[3], and to cyprus, where teukros, son of telamon, holdeth rule in a new land. but aias hath the salamis of his father: and in the euxine sea achilles hath a shining isle, and at phthia hath thetis power, and neoptolemos in wide epeiros, where cattle-pasturing headlands, from dodona onwards, slope forward to the ionian sea. and beside the foot of pelion did peleus set his face against iolkos, and deliver it over to be a servant to the haimones, after that he had proved the guileful counsels of hippolyte, akastos' wife. for by (stealing) his sword of cunning workmanship the son[4] of pelias prepared death for him in an ambush; but cheiron delivered him out of his hand; and thus he fulfilled the destiny ordained him of zeus, and having escaped the violence of the fire and the dauntless lion's claws exceeding keen, and the bitings of teeth most terrible[5], he espoused one of the nereids high-enthroned, and beheld the circle of fair seats whereon were sitting the kings of heaven and of the sea, as they revealed unto him their gifts, and the kingdom that should be unto him and unto his seed. nightward[6] beyond gadeira none may pass. turn back again to the mainland of europe the tackle of our ship; for it were impossible for me to go through unto the end all the tale of the sons of aiakos. for the theandrid clan came i a ready herald of games that make men's limbs wax strong, to olympia and to isthmos, and to nemea according to my promise, where having put themselves to the proof they are returning homeward, not without wreaths whose fruitage is renown; and there report hath told us, o timasarchos, that thy clan's name is preeminent in songs of victory. or if further for thy mother's brother kallikles thou biddest me set up a pillar whiter than parian stone, lo as the refining of gold showeth forth all his splendours, so doth a song that singeth a man's rare deeds make him as the peer of kings. let kallikles in his dwelling beside acheron find in my tongue a minstrel of his praise, for that at the games[7] of the deep-voiced wielder of the trident his brows were green with parsley of corinth; of him, boy, did euphã¤nes, thy aged grandsire, rejoice erewhile to sing. each hath his own age-fellow; and what each hath seen for himself that may he hope to set forth best of all. how for melesias'[8] praise must such an one grapple in the strife, bending the words beneath his grasp, yielding not his ground as he wrestleth in speech, of gentle temper toward the good, but to the froward a stern adversary. [footnote 1: aigina. see ol viii. 21; pyth. viii. 22.] [footnote 2: kleonai was very near nemea, and the kleonaians were for a long time managers of the nemean games.] [footnote 3: seemingly the same personage as aigina.] [footnote 4: akastos.] [footnote 5: thetis, resisting her wooer peleus, changed herself into fire and wild beasts. see dict. myth.] [footnote 6: westward.] [footnote 7: the isthmian games.] [footnote 8: timasarchos' trainer in wrestling. he is here praised in terms borrowed from the wrestling-school.] v. for pytheas of aigina, winner in the boys' pankration. * * * * * the date of this ode is uncertain. the winner's brother phylakidas, gained the two victories, also in the pankration, which are celebrated in the fourth and fifth isthmians. * * * * * no statuary i, that i should fashion images to rest idly on their pedestals, nay but by every trading-ship and plying boat forth from aigina fare, sweet song of mine, and bear abroad the news, how that lampon's son, the strong-limbed pytheas, hath won at nemea the pankratiast's crown, while on his cheeks he showeth not as yet the vine-bloom's mother, mellowing midsummer. so to the warrior heroes sprung from kronos and zeus and from the golden nymphs, even to the aiakidai, hath he done honour, and to the mother-city, a friendly field to strangers. that she should have issue of goodly men and should be famous in her ships, this prayed they of old, standing beside the altar of their grandsire, zeus hellenios, and together stretched forth their hands toward heaven, even the glorious sons of endais[1] and the royal strength of phokos, the goddess-born, whom on the sea-beach psamatheia[2] bare. of their deed portentous and unjustly dared i am loth to tell, and how they left that famous isle, and of the fate that drove the valiant heroes from oinone. i will make pause: not for every perfect truth is it best that it discover its face: silence is oft man's wisest thought. but if the praise of good hap or of strength of hand or of steel-clad war be my resolve, let one mark me a line for a long leap hence: in my knees i have a nimble spring: even beyond the sea the eagles wing their way. with goodwill too for the aiakidai in pelion sang the muses' choir most fair, and in the midst apollo playing with golden quill upon his seven-toned lyre led them in ever-changing strains. they first of all from zeus beginning sang of holy thetis and of peleus, and how that kretheus' dainty daughter hippolyte would fain have caught him by her wile, and persuaded his friend the king of the magnetes her husband by counsels of deceit, for she forged a lying tale thereto devised, how that he essayed to go in unto her in akastos' bridal bed. but the truth was wholly contrary thereto, for often and with all her soul she had besought him with beguiling speech; but her bold words vexed his spirit; and forthwith he refused the bride, fearing the wrath of the father who guardeth host and guest. and he, the cloud-compelling zeus in heaven, the immortal's king, was aware thereof, and he promised him that with all speed he would find him a sea-bride from among the nereids of golden distaffs, having persuaded thereto poseidon, their kinsman by his marriage, who from aigai to the famous dorian isthmus cometh oftentimes, where happy troops with the reed-flute's noise welcome the god, and in bold strength of limb men strive. the fate that is born with a man is arbiter of all his acts. thou, euthymenes[3], at aigina falling into the goddess victory's arms didst win thee hymns of subtle strain: yea and now too to thee, o pytheas, who art his kinsman of the same stock and followest in his footsteps, doth thy mother's brother honour. nemea is favourable unto him, and the month[4] of his country that apollo loveth: the youth that came to strive with him he overcame, both at home and by nisos' hill of pleasant glades[5]. i have joy that the whole state striveth for glory. know that through menander's[6] aid thou hast attained unto sweet recompense of toils. and meet it is that from athens a fashioner of athletes come. but if thou comest to themistios[7], to sing of him, away with chill reserve, shout aloud, hoist to the top-yard of the mast the sail, and tell how in the boxing and the pankration at epidauros he won a double prize of valour, and to the portals of aiakos bare fresh wreaths of flowers, led by the graces of the yellow hair. [footnote 1: wife of aiakos and mother of peleus and telamon. they killed phokos.] [footnote 2: a sea-nymph, mother of phokos by aiakos.] [footnote 3: maternal uncle of pytheas.] [footnote 4: the month called in aigina delphinios (april-may) when the nemean games took place.] [footnote 5: at megara] [footnote 6: pytheas' trainer, an athenian.] [footnote 7: maternal grandfather of pytheas.] vi. for alkimidas of aigina, winner in the boys' wrestling-match. * * * * * the date of this ode is unknown, but from the mention of the trainer melesias it has been inferred that it was among pindar's later works. it would seem to have been sung at aigina, perhaps at some feast of the bassid clan given in honour of the victory. * * * * * one race there is of men and one of gods, but from one mother[1] draw we both our breath, yet is the strength of us diverse altogether, for the race of man is as nought, but the brazen heaven abideth, a habitation steadfast unto everlasting. yet withal have we somewhat in us like unto the immortals' bodily shape or mighty mind, albeit we know not what course hath destiny marked out for us to run, neither in the daytime, neither in the night. and now doth alkimidas give proof that it is with his kindred as with fruitful fields: for they in turn now yield to man his yearly bread upon the plains, and now again they pause, and gather back their strength[2]. from the pleasant meeting-places of nemea hath the athlete boy come back, who following the ordinance[3] of zeus hath now approved him no baffled hunter in his wrestling-quest, and hath guided his feet by the foot-prints of praxidamas, his father father, of whose blood he sprang. for praxidamas also by his olympian victory first won olive-wreath from alpheos for the aiakidai, and five times been crowned at isthmos, and at nemea thrice, he took away thereby the obscurity of sokleides, who was the eldest of the sons of agesimachos[4]. for these three-warriors attained unto the topmost height of prowess, of all who essayed the games, and by grace of god to no other house hath the boxing-match given keeping of so many crowns in this inmost place of all hellas. i deem that though my speech be of high sound i yet shall hit the mark, as it were an archer shooting from a bow. come, muse, direct thou upon this house a gale of glorious song: for after that men are vanished away, the minstrel's story taketh up their noble acts, whereof is no lack to the bassid clan; old in story is the race and they carry cargo of home-made renown, able to deliver into the muses' husbandmen rich matter of song in honour of their lofty deeds. for at sacred pytho in like wise did a scion of the same stock overcome, with the thong of the boxer bound about his hand, even kallias in whom were well-pleased the children of leto of the golden distaff, and beside kastaly in the evening his name burnt bright, when the glad sounds of the graces rose. also the bridge[5] of the untiring sea did honour unto kreontidas at the triennial sacrifice of bulls by the neighbour states in the holy place of poseidon; and once did the herb[6] of the lion shadow his brows for a victory won beneath the shadeless primal hills of phlious. wide avenues of glory are there on every side for chroniclers to draw nigh to do honour unto this isle: for supreme occasion have the children of aiakos given them by the showing forth of mighty feats. over land and beyond the sea is their name flown forth from afar: even unto the ethiopians it sprang forth, for that memnon came not home: for bitter was the battle that achilles made against him, having descended from his chariot upon the earth, what time by his fierce spear's point he slew the son of the bright morn. and herein found they of old time a way wherein to drive their car: and i too follow with my burden of song: and all men's minds, they say, are stirred the most by whatsoever wave at the instant rolleth nearest to the mainsheet of the ship. on willing shoulders bear i this double load, and am come a messenger to proclaim this honour won in the games that men call holy to be the five-and-twentieth that the noble house of alkimidas hath shown forth: yet were two wreaths in the olympian games beside the precinct of kronion denied to thee, boy, and to polytimidas, by the fall of the lot[7]. peer of the dolphin hurrying through the brine--such would i call melesias[8] by whom thy hands and strength were guided, as a chariot by the charioteer. [footnote 1: earth.] [footnote 2: the ancients understood little of the rotation of crops, and often let their fields lie fallow alternate years.] [footnote 3: of the celebrity of alternate generations.] [footnote 4: the order of descent was: agesimachos, sokleides, praxidamas, theon, alkimidas. of these the first, third, and fifth, were distinguished athletes, the others not.] [footnote 5: the isthmos.] [footnote 6: the parsley which grew near the lair of the nemean lion.] [footnote 7: this can hardly mean, as some commentators take it, the drawing of any particular tie; for if better men than any given competitor were entered for the match, his defeat would be inevitable whether they were encountered sooner or later.] [footnote 8: alkimidas' trainer.] vii. for sogenes of aigina, winner in the boys' pentathlon. * * * * * this victory was probably won b.c. 462. the ode would seem to be full of allusions, which however we cannot with any certainty explain. it is partly occupied with the celebration of achilles' son neoptolemos, and pindar seems anxious to repel the charge of having on some occasion depreciated that hero. * * * * * o eileithuia that sittest beside the deep-counselling moirai, child of the mighty hera, thou who bringest babes to the birth, hearken unto us! without thee looked we never on the light or on the darkness of the night, nor came ever unto her who is thy sister, even hebe of the comely limbs. but we receive our breath not all for a like life; each to his several lot is kept apart by the yoke of fate. now by thy grace hath sogenes the son of thearion been foremost in prowess, and his glory is sung aloud among the winners of the five-game prize. for he is a dweller in a city that loveth song, even this city of the spear-clashing sons of aiakos, and exceeding fain are they to cherish a spirit apt for the strife of the games. if a man have good hap in his attempt, he throweth into the muses' stream sweet cause of song: for even deeds of might for lack of song fall into deep darkness, and in but one way have we knowledge of a mirror for fair deeds, if by the grace of mnemosyne of the shining fillet they attain unto a recompense of toils by the sound of voice and verse. wise shipmates know that the wind which tarrieth shall come on the third day, nor throw away their goods through greed of more[1]: the rich and the poor alike fare on their way to death. now i have suspicion that the fame of odysseus is become greater than his toils, through the sweet lays that homer sang; for over the feigning of his winged craft something of majesty abideth, and the excellence of his skill persuadeth us to his fables unaware. blind hearts have the general folk of men; for could they have discovered the truth, never would stalwart aias in anger for the arms have struck through his midriff the sharp sword--even he who after achilles was best in battle of all men whom, to win back his bride for fair-haired menelaos, the fair breeze of straight-blowing zephyros wafted in swift ships toward ilos' town. but to all men equally cometh the wave of death, and falleth on the fameless and the famed: howbeit honour ariseth for them whose fair story god increaseth to befriend them even when dead, whoso have journeyed to the mighty centre-stone of wide-bosomed earth. there now beneath the floor of pytho lieth neoptolemos, dying there when he had sacked the city of priam where the danaoi toiled with him. he sailing thence missed skyros, and they wandered till they came to ephyra, and in molossia he was king for a little while: howbeit his race held this state[2] continually. then was he gone to the god's home[3], carrying an offering of the chief spoils from troy: and there in quarrel concerning meats a man smote him with a knife. thereat were the delphian entertainers of strangers grieved exceedingly: nevertheless he but paid a debt to destiny: for it was needful that in that most ancient grove someone of the lords the sons of aiakos should abide within thenceforward, beside the goodly walls of the god's house, and that when with plenteous sacrifice the processions do honour to the heroes, he should keep watch that fair right be done. three words shall be enough: when he presideth over the games there is no lie found in his testimony thereof. o thou aigina, of thy children that are of zeus i have good courage to proclaim that as of inheritance they claim the path to glory, through splendour of their valorous deeds: howbeit in every work a rest is sweet, yea even of honey cometh surfeit and of the lovely flowers of love. now each of us is in his nature diverse, and several are the lots of life we draw, one this and one another: but that one man receive perfect bliss, this is impossible to men. i cannot find to tell of any to whom fate hath given this award abidingly. to thee, thearion[4], she giveth fair measure of bliss, first daring in goodly deeds, and then understanding and sound mind. thy friend am i, and i will keep far from the man i love the secret slander, and bring nigh unto him praise and true glory, as it were streams of water: for meet is such recompense for the good. if there be near me now a man of the achaians who dwelleth far up the ionian sea, he shall not upbraid me: i have faith in my proxeny[5]: and among the folk of my own land i look forth with clear gaze, having done naught immoderate, and having put away all violence from before my feet. so let the life that remaineth unto me run cheerly on. he who knoweth shall say if indeed i come with slanderous speech upon my lips to strike a jarring note. to thee, sogenes of the house of the sons of euxenos, i swear that without overstepping the bound i have sent forth the swift speech of my tongue as it were a bronze-headed javelin, such as saveth from the wrestling the strong neck sweatless yet, or ever the limbs be plunged in the sun's fire[6]. if toil there were, delight more abundant followeth after. let be; if somewhat over far i soared when i cried aloud, yet am i not froward, that i should deny his glory unto one that conquereth. the weaving of wreaths is an easy thing: tarry a little: behold the muse fasteneth together gold and white ivory, and a lily flower withal, that she hath plucked from beneath the deep sea's dew[7]. of zeus be mindful when thou tellest of nemea, and guide the multitudinous voices of our song with a quiet mind: meet is it that with gentle voice we celebrate in this land the king of gods: for they tell how he begat aiakos of a mortal mother, to be for his own fortunate land a ruler of cities, and for thee, herakles, a loving friend and brother. and if man receiveth aught from man, then may we say that neighbour is to neighbour a joy worth all else, if he loveth him with steadfast soul: now if even a god will consent hereto, then in such bond with thee, o conqueror of the giants[8], is sogenes fain to dwell happily in the well-built sacred street of his ancestors, cherishing a mind of tenderness toward his sire: for as when four horses are yoked together in a car, so hath he his house in the midst of thy holy places, and goeth in unto them both on the right hand and on the left[9]. o blessed spirit, thine is it to win hereto the husband of hera, and the grey-eyed maid[10]; and thou art able to give to mortals strength ever and again against baffling perplexities. make thou to cleave to them[11] a life of steadfast strength, and wind the bliss thereof amid both youth and a serene old age, and may their children's children possess continually the honours that they now have, and greater in the time to come. never shall my heart confess that i have outraged neoptolemos with irreclaimable words. but thrice and four times to tell over the same tale is emptiness in the end thereof, even as he of the proverb that babbleth among children how that korinthos was the son of zeus[12]. [footnote 1: retaining the reading [greek: hupo kerdei balon]. i conjecture it to mean, 'do not in their eagerness for trade choose an unfavourable and dangerous time for their voyage, but wait for the [greek: kairos], the right opportunity.'] [footnote 2: the kingdom of epeiros. pyrrhos, the invader of italy, called himself a descendant of neoptolemos (who was also called pyrrhos).] [footnote 3: delphi.] [footnote 4: father of sogenes.] [footnote 5: pindar would seem to have been [greek: proxenos] at thebes for some state of epeiros, to which fact he appeals as a proof that he stood well with the epirot descendants of neoptolemos.] [footnote 6: the pentathlon was composed of five contests, namely, the jump, throwing the disk, throwing the javelin, the foot-race, and wrestling. the prize was for the best man in three contests out of the five. these came in the order in which they are enumerated above; thus if the best javelin-thrower had already won two of the other matches he would not be challenged to wrestle, as the prize of the pentathlon would be already his. very probably this had been the case with sogenes, so that it would naturally occur to pindar thus allusively to expand his not unfrequent comparison of his own art of poetry to that of a javelin-thrower or archer. on the pentathlon may be consulted an article by professor percy gardner in the _journal of hellenic studies_ for october, 1880; and also smith's _dictionary of antiquities_ (revised edition).] [footnote 7: coral.] [footnote 8: herakles.] [footnote 9: thearion's house seems to have had a shrine, or at least some sacred ground, of herakles at each side of it, so that he might regard that hero as his neighbour.] [footnote 10: athene.] [footnote 11: thearion and sogenes.] [footnote 12: a proverbial equivalent for vain and wearisome repetition.] viii. for deinis of aigina, winner in the short foot-race. * * * * * the date of this ode is unknown. it was probably sung before the shrine of aiakos at aigina. * * * * * spirit of beautiful youth, thou herald of aphrodite's loves ambrosial, who on the eyes of girl or boy alighting, with tenderly constraining hands dost handle one, but other otherwise--it is enough if one not swerving from the true aim, in his every act prevail to attain to the fulfilment of his worthier loves. such loves were they that waited on the bridal-bed of zeus and aigina, and were dispensers unto them of the cyprian's[1] gifts: and thence sprang there a son[2] to be king of oinone[3], in might of hand and in counsel excellent, and many a time did many pray that they might look on him: for the chosen among the heroes that dwelt around him were fain of their own will to submit them unto his sovereignty, both whoso in rocky athens were leaders of the host, and at sparta the children of pelops. so aiakos' holy knees clasp i a suppliant for a city well-beloved and for these citizens, and i bear a lydian crown wrought cunningly with the sound of song, a glory out of nemea for two races run, of deinis and of his father meges. behold, the happiness that is planted with the favour of god is most abiding among men; even such as once in the isle of cyprus loaded kinyras with riches. with poised feet i stand, and take breath for a little ere i speak. for much and in many ways hath been said ere now; and the contriving of new things and putting them to the touchstone to be tried is perilous altogether. in words find the envious their dainties: envy fasteneth ever on the good, and careth not to strive against the base. yea thus did envy slay the son of telamon, thrusting him through with his own sword. verily if one be of stout heart but without gift of speech, such an one is a prey unto forgetfulness in a bitter strife, and to the shiftiness of lies is proffered the prize of the greatest. for in the secret giving of their votes the danaoi courted odysseus, and thus did aias, robbed of the golden arms, wrestle in the grip of a bloody death. yet diverse verily were the strokes wherewith those twain had cloven the warm flesh of the foe, what time they bare up the war against the hedge of spears, whether about achilles newly slain, or in whatsoever labours else of those wide-ruining days. thus was there even of old the treacherous speech of hate, that walketh with the subtleties of tales, intent on guile, slander that breedeth ill: so doth it violence on the thing that shineth, and uplifteth the rottenness of dim men's fame. never in me be this mind, o our father zeus, but to the paths of simplicity let me cleave throughout my life, that being dead i may set upon my children a name that shall be of no ill report. for gold some pray, and some for limitless lands: mine be it amid my townsfolk's love to shroud my limbs in earth, still honouring where honour is due, and sowing rebuke on the evildoers. thus groweth virtue greater, uplifted of the wise and just, as when a tree watered by fresh dew shooteth toward the moist air on high. manifold are the uses of friends, chiefest truly amid the press of toil, yet doth joy also desire to behold his own assurance.[4] ah meges, to bring back thy spirit to earth is to me impossible, and of empty hopes the end is naught. yet for thy house and the clan of chariadai i can upraise a lofty column of song in honour of these two pairs of fortunate feet[5]. i have joy to utter praise meet for the act, for by such charms of song doth a man make even labour a painless thing. yet surely was there a komos-song even of old time, yea before strife began between adrastos and the sons of kadmos[6]. [footnote 1: aphrodite.] [footnote 2: aiakos.] [footnote 3: aigina.] [footnote 4: through celebration in song, which a friendly poet can give.] [footnote 5: of meges and deinis.] [footnote 6: the invention of encomiastic hymns was attributed by legend to the time of the expedition of adrastos and the other six against thebes.] ix. for chromios of aitna, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this ode is placed by usage among the nemeans, but the victory was not won at nemea, but at sikyon, in the local games called pythian. its date is unknown: it must have been after the founding of aitna, b.c. 476. probably the ode was sung in a procession at aitna, some length of time after the victory. the chromios is the chromios of the first nemean, hieron's brother-in-law. * * * * * from apollo at sikyon will we lead our triumph forth, ye muses, unto the new-made city of aitna, where doors are opened wide to greet the invading guests, even to the fortunate house of chromios. come claim for him a song of sweetness: for he goeth up into the chariot of his victory, and biddeth us sing aloud to the mother[1] and her twin children who keep watch over high pytho in fellowship. now there is a saying among men, that one hide not in silence on the ground a good deed done: and meet for such brave tales is divine song. therefore will we arouse the pealing lyre and rouse the flute, in honour of the very crown of all contests of steeds, which adrastos in honour of phoibos ordained beside asopos' stream. whereof when i make mention with voiceful honour i will celebrate withal the hero[2], who then being king in that place did by the founding of a new feast and struggles of the strength of men and of carven cars make his city known abroad and glorious. for he was flying before amphiaraos of bold counsels, and before a dangerous civil strife, from argos and his father's house: for no longer were the sons of talaos lords therein, for a sedition had thrust them forth. the stronger man endeth the contention that hath been before. but when they had given to the son of oikleus for his wife, as one should give surety of an oath, eriphyle, the slayer of her husband, they became the greatest of the fair-haired danaoi. so thereafter led they on a time against seven-gated thebes a host of men, but not by a road of signs propitious: nor would the son of kronos speed them on their mad journey from their homes, but by the quivering lightnings he darted forth he bade them hold from their road[3]. but unto a revealed calamity hasted that company to go forth with bronze shields and the gear of steeds; and on the banks of ismenos, stayed from their sweet return, they fed the white smoke with their bodies. for seven pyres devoured the young men's limbs, but for amphiaraos zeus by almighty thunderbolt clave the deep-breasted earth, and buried him with his steeds, or ever the warrior's soul should be shamed by the smiting of him in the back by periklymenos' spear. for when the terror cometh of heaven, then flee even the sons of gods. if it be possible, o son of kronos, this trial of valour against phenician spears[4] for life or death i would fain defer unto the utmost: and i beg of thee to grant unto the sons of the men of aitna for long time a portion in good laws, and to make their people to dwell among glories that the citizens have won. men are there here that love steeds and that have souls above desire of wealth. hard of credence is the word i have spoken; for the spirit of honour which bringeth glory is stolen secretly by lust of gain. hadst thou been shield-bearer to chromios among foot and horse and in fightings of ships, thou hadst judged concerning his jeopardy in the fierce fray, for in war did that divine honour stir his warrior-soul to ward off havoc of enyalios. few are there who may prevail by strength or valour to contrive a turning of the cloud of imminent death against the ranks of the enemy. howbeit they tell how hektor's glory flowered beside skamander's streams, and thus on the steep cliffs of heloros' banks[5], where men call the ford the fountain of ares, hath this light shined for agesidamos' son in the beginning of his praise. and other deeds on other days will i declare, many done amid the dust on the dry land, and yet others on the neighbouring sea. now out of toils which in youth have been done with righteousness there ripeneth toward old age a day of calm. let chromios know that he hath from the gods a lot of wondrous bliss. for if one together with much wealth have won him glorious renown, it is impossible that a mortal's feet touch any further mountain-top. the banquet loveth peace, and by a gentle song a victory flourisheth afresh, and beside the bowl the singer's voice waxeth brave. let one mix it now, that sweet proclaimer of the triumphal song, and in silver goblets hand the grapes' potent child, even the goblets which for chromios his mares erst won, and sent to him from sacred sikyon, entwined with well-earned crowns of leto's son. now claim i, father zeus, to have well sung this excellent deed by aid of the charites, and beyond many to do honour to this victory by my words, for the javelin that i throw falleth nearest to the muses' mark. [footnote 1: leto.] [footnote 2: adrastos.] [footnote 3: lightning and thunder were often an encouraging sign (there is an instance in the fourth pythian), but this would depend on the manner of them.] [footnote 4: war with the carthaginians, who were still threatening the hellenic colonists in sicily, in spite of their recent defeat.] [footnote 5: about b.c. 492 a battle was fought on the heloros between the syracusans and the army of hippokrates, tyrant of gela.] x. for theaios of argos, winner in the wrestling-match. * * * * * this ode, like the last, is improperly called nemean. it commemorates a victory won at the feast of the hekatombaia at argos. the date is unknown. * * * * * the city of danaos and of his fifty bright-throned daughters, argos the home of hera, meet abode of gods, sing graces! for by excellencies innumerable it is made glorious in the deeds of valiant men. long is the tale of perseus[1], that telleth of the gorgon medusa: many are the cities in egypt founded by the hands of epaphos[2]: neither went hypermnestra's choice astray when she kept sheathed her solitary sword[3]. also their diomedes did the grey-eyed goddess make incorruptible and a god: and at thebes, the earth blasted by the bolts of zeus received within her the prophet[4], the son of oikleus, the storm-cloud of war. moreover in women of beautiful hair doth the land excel. thereto in days of old zeus testified, when he followed after alkmene and after danaã«. and in the father of adrastos and in lynkeus did argos mingle ripe wisdom with upright justice: and she reared the warrior amphitryon. now he came to the height of honour in his descendants, for in bronze armour he slew the teleboai, and in his likeness the king of the immortals entered his hall, bearing the seed of fearless herakles, whose bride in olympos is hebe, who by the side of her mother, the queen of marriage, walketh of all divinities most fair. my tongue would fail to tell in full the honours wherein the sacred argive land hath part: also the distaste[5] of men is ill to meet. yet wake the well-strung lyre, and take thought of wrestlings; a strife for the bronze shield stirreth the folk to sacrifice of oxen unto hera and to the issue of games, wherein the son of oulias, theaios, having overcome twice, hath obtained forgetfulness of the toils he lightly bore. also on a time at pytho he was first of the hellenic host, and won crowns at isthmos and at nemea, led thither by fair hap, and gave work for the muses' plough by thrice winning at the gates[6] of the sea and thrice on the famous plains in the pastures of adrastos' home[7]. of that he longeth for, o father zeus, his mouth is silent, with thee are the issues of deeds: but with a spirit strong to labour and of a good courage he prayeth thy grace. both theaios, and whosoever struggleth in the perfect consummation of all games, know this, even the supremacy of the ordinance of herakles that is holden at pisa[8]: yet sweet preluding strains are those that twice have welcomed his triumph at the festival of the athenians: and in earthenware baked in the fire, within the closure of figured urns, there came among the goodly folk of hera[9] the prize of the olive fruit[10]. on the renowned race of thy mother's sires there waiteth glory of games by favour of the graces and the sons of tyndareus together. were i kinsman of thrasyklos and antias i would claim at argos not to hide mine eyes. for with how many victories hath this horse-breeding city of proitos flourished! even in the corinthian corner and from the men of kleonai[11] four times, and from sikyon they came laden with silver, even goblets for wine, and out of pellene clad in soft woof of wool[12]. but to tell over the multitude of their prizes of bronze is a thing impossible--to count them longer leisure were needed--which kleitor and tegea and the achaians' high-set cities and the lykaion set for a prize by the race-course of zeus for the conquerors by strength of hands or feet. and since kastor and his brother polydeukes came to be the guests of pamphaes[13], no marvel is it that to be good athletes should be inborn in the race. for they[14] it is who being guardians of the wide plains of sparta with hermes and herakles mete out fair hap in games, and to righteous men they have great regard. faithful is the race of gods. now, changing climes alternately, they dwell one day with their dear father zeus, and the next in the secret places under the earth, within the valleys of therapnai, fulfilling equal fate: because on this wise chose polydeukes to live his life rather than to be altogether god and abide continually in heaven, when that kastor had fallen in the fight. him did idas, wroth for his oxen, smite with a bronze spearhead, when from his watch upon taã¿getos lynkeus had seen them sitting within a hollow oak; for he of all men walking the earth had keenest eyes. so with swift feet they were straightway come to the place, and compassed speedily a dreadful deed[15]. but terrible also was the vengeance which by the devising of zeus those sons[16] of aphareus suffered: for on the instant came leto's son[17] in chase of them: and they stood up against him hard by the sepulchre of their father. thence wrenched they a carved headstone that was set to glorify the dead, and they hurled it at the breast of polydeukes. but they crushed him not, neither made him give back, but rushing onward with fierce spear he drave the bronze head into lynkeus' side. and against idas zeus hurled a thunderbolt of consuming fire. so were those brothers in one flame[18] burnt unbefriended: for a strife with the stronger is grievous for men to mix in. then quickly came back the son of tyndareus[19] to his great brother, and found him not quite dead, but the death-gasp rattled in his throat. then polydeukes wept hot tears, and groaned, and lifted up his voice, and cried: 'father kronion--ah! what shall make an end of woes? bid me, me also, o king, to die with him. the glory is departed from a man bereaved of friends. few are they who in a time of trouble are faithful in companionship of toil.' thus said he, and zeus came, and stood before his face, and spake these words: 'thou art my son: but thy brother afterward was by mortal seed begotten in thy mother of the hero that was her husband. but nevertheless, behold i give thee choice of these two lots: if, shunning death and hateful old age, thou desirest for thyself to dwell in olympus with athene and with ares of the shadowing spear, this lot is thine to take: but if in thy brother's cause thou art so hot, and art resolved in all to have equal share with him, then half thy time thou shalt be alive beneath the earth, and half in the golden house of heaven.' thus spake his father, and polydeukes doubted not which counsel he should choose. so zeus unsealed the eye, and presently the tongue also, of kastor of the brazen mail. [footnote 1: son of the argive danaã«.] [footnote 2: son of the argive io.] [footnote 3: or perhaps: 'neither were hypermnestra's story misplaced here, how she, &c.'] [footnote 4: amphiaraos.] [footnote 5: disgust at hearing anything profusely praised.] [footnote 6: at corinth, in the isthmian games.] [footnote 7: nemea.] [footnote 8: the olympic games.] [footnote 9: the argives.] [footnote 10: the athenian prize seems to have been an olive-bough in a vase of burnt clay.] [footnote 11: near nemea.] [footnote 12: i. e. with prizes of cloaks.] [footnote 13: an ancestor of theaios. probably he had given theoxenia. see ol. iii.] [footnote 14: kastor and polydeukes.] [footnote 15: they slew kastor.] [footnote 16: idas and lynkeus.] [footnote 17: polydeukes.] [footnote 18: either of the thunderbolt, or of a funeral-pile.] [footnote 19: both brothers were nominally sons of tyndareus, but really only kastor was: polydeukes was a son of zeus.] xi. for aristagoras of tenedos, on his election to the presidency of the senate. * * * * * this ode again was written neither for a nemean nor for any other athletic victory, but for the [greek: eisitaeria] or initiatory ceremonies at the election of a new [greek: prytanis] of tenedos. the prytanis would seem to have been a kind of president of the senate. the date is unknown. * * * * * daughter of rhea, who hast in thy keeping the city halls[1], o hestia! sister of highest zeus and of hera sharer of his throne, with good-will welcome aristagoras to thy sanctuary, with good-will also his fellows[2] who draw nigh to thy glorious sceptre, for they in paying honour unto thee keep tenedos in her place erect, by drink-offerings glorifying thee many times before the other gods, and many times by the savour of burnt sacrifice; and the sound of their lutes is loud, and of their songs: and at their tables never-failing are celebrated the rites of zeus, the stranger's friend. so with fair fame and unvexed heart may aristagoras fulfil his twelve-month term. blessed among men i count his father arkesilas, and himself for his splendid body and his heritage of a dauntless heart. but if any man shall possess wealth, and withal surpass his fellows in comely form, and in games have shown his strength to be the best, let such an one remember that his raiment is upon mortal limbs, and that the earth shall be his vesture at the end. yet in good words of his fellow-citizens is it meet that his praise be told, and that we make his name comely with notes of honey-sounding song. now among the neighbouring peoples sixteen illustrious victories have crowned aristagoras and his famous clan in the wrestling-match and in the pankration of weighty honour. but hopes too diffident of his parents kept back the might of their son from essaying the pythian or olympian strife: yet verily by the god of truth i am persuaded that both at castaly and at the tree-clad hill of kronos, had he gone thither, he should have turned back home with more honour than any of his rivals who had striven with him, when that he had kept the fifth year's feast[3] ordained of herakles with dance and song, and with the shining shoots had bound his hair. but thus among mortals is one cast down from weal by empty boasts, while another through overmuch mistrusting of his strength is robbed of his due honours, for that a spirit of little daring draggeth him backward by the hand. this were an easy thing to divine, that peisander's[4] stock was from sparta in the time of old (for from amyklai he came[5] with orestes, bringing hither an army of aiolians in bronze mail): and also that the blood of his mother's brother melanippos was blended with ismenos' stream[6]. the virtues of an old descent repeat their vigour uncertainly in the generations of men. neither doth the black-soiled tilth bring forth fruit continually, neither will the trees be persuaded to bear with every year's return a fragrant flower of equal wealth, but in their turns only. thus also doth destiny lead on the race of mortals. from zeus there cometh no clear sign to men: yet nevertheless we enter on high counsels, and meditate many acts: for by untameable hope our bodies are enthralled: but the tides of our affairs are hidden from our fore-knowledge. meet is it to pursue advantage moderately: fiercest is the madness that springeth from unappeasable desires. [footnote 1: the sacred fire of the state, over which hestia watched, was kept in the prytaneion.] [footnote 2: the other senators.] [footnote 3: the olympic.] [footnote 4: ancestor of aristagoras and head of his clan.] [footnote 5: 'in the loins of his father.'] [footnote 6: i. e. a theban alliance.] the isthmian odes. i. for herodotos of thebes. winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * the date of this ode is unknown. we gather from the first strophe that pindar was engaged at the time to write an ode in honour of the delian apollo to be sung at keos, but that he put this off in order first to write the present ode in honour of a victory won for his own native state of thebes. * * * * * o mother, thebe of the golden shield, thy service will i set even above the matter that was in my hand. may rocky delos, whereto i am vowed, be not therefore wroth with me. is there aught dearer to the good than noble parents? give place o apollonian isle: these twain fair offices, by the grace of god, will i join together in their end, and to phoibos of the unshorn hair in island keos with men of her sea-race will i make my choral song, and therewithal this other for the sea-prisoning cliffs of isthmos. for six crowns hath isthmos given from her games to the people of kadmos, a fair glory of triumph for my country, for the land wherein alkmene bare her dauntless son, before whom trembled aforetime the fierce hounds of geryon. but i for herodotos' praise am fain to do honour unto his four-horsed car, and to marry to the strain of kastoreian or iolaic song the fame that he hath earned, handling his reins in his own and no helping hand. for these kastor and iolaos were of all heroes the mightiest charioteers, the one to lakedaimon, the other born to thebes. and at the games they entered oftenest for the strife, and with tripods and caldrons and cups of gold they made fair their houses, attaining unto victorious crowns: clear shineth their prowess in the foot-race, run naked or with the heavy clattering shield; and when they hurled the javelin and the quoit: for then was there no five-fold game[1], but for each several feat there was a prize. oft did they bind about their hair a crowd of crowns, and showed themselves unto the waters of dirke or on eurotas' banks[2], the son of iphikles a fellow-townsman of the spartoi's race, the son of tyndareus inhabiting the upland dwelling-place of therapna[3] among the achaians. so hail ye and farewell: i on poseidon and holy isthmos, and on the lake-shores of onchestos will throw the mantle of my song, and will among the glories of this man make glorious also the story of his father asopodoros' fate, and his new country orchomenos, which, when he drave ashore on a wrecked ship, harboured him amid his dismal hap[4]. but now once more hath the fortune of his house raised him up to see the fair days of the old time: and he who hath suffered pain beareth forethought within his soul. if a man's desire be wholly after valour, and he give thereto both wealth and toil, meet is it that to such as attain unto it we offer with ungrudging heart high meed of praise. for an easy gift it is for a son of wisdom[5], by a good word spoken in recompense for labour manifold to set on high the public fame. for diverse meeds for diverse works are sweet to men, to the shepherd and to the ploughman, to the fowler and to him whom the sea feedeth--howbeit all those strive but to keep fierce famine from their bellies; but whoso in the games or in war hath won delightful fame, receiveth the highest of rewards in fair words of citizens and of strangers. us it beseemeth to requite the earth-shaking son of kronos, who is also neighbour unto us, and to sound his praise as our well-doer, who hath given speed to the horses of our car, and to call upon thy sons[6], amphitryon, and the inland dwelling[7] of minyas, and the famous grove of demeter, even eleusis, and euboia with her curving race-course. and thy holy place, protesilas, add i unto these, built thee at phylake by achaian men. but to tell over all that hermes lord of games hath given to herodotos by his horses, the short space of my hymn alloweth not. yea and full oft doth the keeping of silence bring forth a larger joy. now may herodotos, up-borne upon the sweet-voiced muse's shining wings, yet again with wreaths from pytho and choice wreaths from alpheos from the olympian games entwine his hand, and bring honour unto seven-gated thebes. now if one at home store hidden wealth, and fall upon other men to mock them, this man considereth not that he shall give up his soul to death having known no good report. [footnote 1: the pentathlon. see introduction to ol. xiii, and note on nem. vii, p. 129.] [footnote 2: rivers were [greek: kourotrophoi] (nurturers of youth), and thus young men who had achieved bodily feats were especially bound to return thanks to the streams of their native places.] [footnote 3: in lakonia.] [footnote 4: asopodoros seems to have been banished from thebes and kindly received in his banishment by orchomenos.] [footnote 5: here, as elsewhere probably in the special sense of a poet.] [footnote 6: herakles and iolaos.] [footnote 7: orchomenos.] ii. for xenokrates of akragas, winner in the chariot-race. * * * * * this is the same winner for whom the sixth pythian ode was written. its date would seem to be 476, while that of the sixth pythian was 494. yet the opening passage of this ode seems to imply that xenokiates' son thrasyboulos was still little more than a boy, whereas in 494 he had been old enough to be his father's charioteer, and this would be eighteen years later. but perhaps the passage is only an allusion to thrasyboulos' boyhood as a time past. and certainly both xenokrates and his brother theron seem to be spoken of in this ode as already dead, and we know that theron did not die till 473. perhaps therefore thrasyboulos was celebrating in 472 the anniversary of his deceased father's victory, four years after the victory itself. * * * * * the men of old, thrasyboulos, who went up into the muse's car to give welcome with the loud-voiced lyre, lightly for honour of boys shot forth their honey-sounding songs, whensoever in one fair of form was found that sweetest summer-bloom that turneth hearts to think on fair-throned aphrodite. for then the muse was not yet covetous nor a hireling, neither were sweet lays tender-voiced sold with silvered faces by terpsichore of honeyed speech. but now doth she bid heed the word of the argive man[1] which keepeth nigh to the paths of truth: 'money, money maketh man,' he said, when robbed of goods at once and friends. forasmuch as thou art wise it is nothing hidden to thee that i sing, while i do honour to the isthmian victory won by speed of horses, which to xenokrates did poseidon give, and sent to him a wreath of dorian parsley to bind about his hair, a man of goodly chariot, a light of the people of akragas. also at krisa did far-prevailing apollo look upon him, and gave him there too glory: and again when he attained unto the crowns of the erectheidai in shining athens he found no fault in the chariot-saving hand of the man nikomachos who drave his horses, the hand wherewith in the instant of need he bare on all the reins[2]. moreover the heralds of the seasons[3], the elean truce-bringers of zeus the son of kronos, recognized him, having met belike with hospitality from him, and in a voice of dulcet breath they gave him greeting for that he had fallen at the knees of golden victory in their land which men call the holy place of olympic zeus, where the sons[4] of ainesidamos attained unto honour everlasting. for no stranger is your house, o thrasyboulos, to pleasant shouts of triumph, neither to sweet-voiced songs. for not uphill neither steep-sloped is the path whereby one bringeth the glories of the helikonian maidens to dwell with famous men. by a far throw of the quoit may i hurl even so far as did xenokrates surpass all men in the sweetness of his spirit. in converse with citizens was he august, and upheld horse-racing after the hellenes' wont: also worshipped he at all festivals of the gods, nor ever did the breeze that breathed around his hospitable board give him cause to draw in his sail, but with the summer-gales he would fare unto phasis, and in his winter voyage unto the shores of nile[5]. let not thrasyboulos now, because that jealous hopes beset the mind of mortals, be silent concerning his father's prowess, nor from these hymns: for not to lie idle have i devised them. that message give him, nikesippos, when thou comest unto my honoured friend. [footnote 1: aristodemos.] [footnote 2: i. e. either tightened the near or slackened the off reins to the utmost in turning the goal, or perhaps, gave full rein to his horses between each turn or after the final one.] [footnote 3: the heralds who proclaimed throughout hellas the approach of the olympic games, and an universal solemn truce during their celebration.] [footnote 4: theron, the tyrant of akragas, and xenokrates.] [footnote 5: metaphorically, in the extent of his hospitality.] iii. for melissos of thebes, winner in the pankration. * * * * * the date of this ode is uncertain, though some on the hypothesis that the battle alluded to is the battle of plataiai, have dated it 478 or 474. in this battle, whatever it was, the kleonymid clan to which melissos belonged had lost four men. the celebrity of the clan in the games seems to have been eclipsed for some time, but melissos revived it by a chariot-victory at nemea and this pankration-victory at the isthmus, won in spite of his small stature which might have seemed to place him at a disadvantage. the ode compares his match against his antagonists with that of herakles against the african giant antaios. very probably this ode was sung at a night meeting of the clan, while the altars of herakles were blazing. * * * * * if any among men having good fortune and dwelling amid prizes of renown or the power of wealth restraineth in his heart besetting insolence, this man is worthy to have part in his citizens' good words. but from thee, o zeus, cometh all high excellence to mortals; and longer liveth their bliss who have thee in honour, but with minds perverse it consorteth never steadfastly, flourishing throughout all time. in recompense for glorious deeds it behoveth that we sing the valiant, and amid his triumphal company exalt him with fair honours. of two prizes is the lot fallen to melissos, to turn his heart unto sweet mirth, for in the glens of isthmos hath he won crowns, and again in the hollow vale of the deep-chested lion being winner in the chariot-race he made proclamation that his home was thebes. thus shameth he not the prowess of his kinsmen. ye know the ancient fame of kleonymos with the chariot: also on the mother's side being akin to the labdakidai his race hath been conversant with riches, and bestowed them on the labours of the four-horse car. but time with rolling days bringeth changes manifold: only the children of gods are free of wounds. by grace of god i have ways countless everywhere open unto me[1]: for thou hast shown forth to me, o melissos, in the isthmian games an ample means to follow in song the excellence of thy race: wherein the kleonymidai flourish continually, and in favour with god pass onward through the term of mortal life: howbeit changing gales drive all men with ever-changing drift. these men verily are spoken of as having honour at thebes from the beginning, for that they cherished the inhabitants round about, and had no part in loud insolence; if there be borne about by the winds among men aught of witness to the great honour of quick or dead, unto such have they attained altogether. by the brave deeds of their house they have touched the pillars of herakles, that are at the end of things. beyond that follow thou no excellence. horse-breeders moreover have they been, and found favour with mailed ares; but in one day the fierce snow-storm of war hath made a happy hearth to be desolate of four men. but now once more after that wintry gloom hath it blossomed, even as in the flowery months the earth blossometh with red roses, according to the counsels of gods. for the shaker of earth who inhabiteth onchestos and the bridge[2] between seas that lieth before the valley of corinth, now giveth to the house this hymn of wonder, and leadeth up out of her bed the ancient glory of the famous deeds thereof: for she was fallen on sleep; but she awaketh and her body shineth preeminent, as among stars the morning-star. for in the land of athens proclaiming a victory of the car, and at sikyon at the games of adrastos did she give like wreaths of song for the sons of kleonymos that then were. for neither did they refrain to contend with the curved chariot in the great meetings of the people, but they had delight to strive with the whole folk of hellas in spending their wealth on steeds. touching the unproven there is silence, and none knoweth them: yea and even from them that strive fortune hideth herself until they come unto the perfect end; for she giveth of this and of that. the better man hath been ere now overtaken and overthrown by the craft of worse. verily ye know the bloody deed of aias, that he wrought beneath the far-spent night, when he smote himself through with his own sword, whereby he upbraideth yet the children of the hellenes, as many as went forth to troy. but lo! homer hath done him honour among men, and by raising up his excellence in the fulness thereof hath through the rod[3] of his divine lays delivered it to bards after him to sing. for the thing that one hath well said goeth forth with a voice unto everlasting: over fruitful earth and beyond the sea hath the light of fair deeds shined, unquenchable for ever. may we find favour with the muses, that for melissos too we kindle such beacon-blaze of song, a worthy prize of the pankration for this scion of telesias' son. he being like unto the roaring lions in courage taketh unto him their spirit to be his own in the struggle: but in sleight he is as the fox that spreadeth out her feet[4] and preventeth the swoop of the eagle: for all means must be essayed by him that would prevail over his foe. for not of the stature of orion was this man, but his presence is contemptible, yet terrible is he to grapple with in his strength. and verily once to the house of antaios came a man to wrestle against him, of short stature but of unbending soul, from kadmean thebes even unto corn-bearing libya, that he might cause him to cease from roofing poseidon's temple with the skulls of strangers--even the son of alkmene, he who ascended up to olympus, after that he had searched out the surface of the whole earth and of the crag-walled hoary sea, and had made safe way for the sailing of ships. and now beside the aegis-bearer he dwelleth, possessing happiness most fair, and hath honour from the immortals as their friend, and hath hebe to wife, and is lord of a golden house, and husband of hera's child. unto his honour upon the heights elektrai we of this city prepare a feast and new-built altar-ring, where we offer burnt sacrifice in honour of the eight mail-clad men that are dead, whom megara, kreon's daughter, bore to be sons of herakles. to them at the going down of the day there ariseth a flame of fire and burneth all night continually, amid a savoury smoke hurling itself against the upper air: and on the second day is the award of the yearly games, a trial of strength. therein did this our man, his head with myrtle-wreaths made white, show forth a double victory, after another won already among the boys, for that he had regard unto the many counsels of him who was the pilot of his helm[5]. and with orseas' name i join him in my triumphal song, and shed over them a glory of delight. [footnote 1: 'many themes on which i can justly praise the clan.'] [footnote 2: the isthmus.] [footnote 3: the rod or staff carried anciently by poets and reciters of poems.] [footnote 4: i. e. throwing herself on her back with feet upward. if it is meant that she counterfeits death, then of course the parallel with the pankratiast will only hold good to the extent of the supine posture.] [footnote 5: his trainer, orseas.] iv. for phylakidas of aigina, winner in the pankration. * * * * * this phylakidas was a son of lampon, and a brother of the pytheas for whom the fifth nemean was written. this ode must have been written shortly after the battle of salamis, probably b.c. 478, and was to be sung at aigina, perhaps at a festival of the goddess theia who is invoked at the beginning. she, according to hesiod, was the mother of the sun, the moon, and the morning, and was also called [greek: euruphaessa] and [greek: chruse], from which latter name perhaps came her association with gold and wealth. * * * * * mother of the sun, theia of many names, through thee it is that men prize gold as mighty above all things else: for ships that strive upon the sea and horses that run in chariots, for the honour that is of thee, o queen, are glorified in swiftly circling struggle. and that man also hath won longed-for glory in the strife of games, for whose strong hand or fleet foot abundant wreaths have bound his hair. through god is the might of men approved. two things alone there are that cherish life's bloom to its utmost sweetness amidst the fair flowers of wealth--to have good success and to win therefore fair fame. seek not to be as zeus; if the portion of these honours fall to thee, thou hast already all. the things of mortals best befit mortality. for thee, phylakidas, a double glory of valour is at isthmos stored, and at nemea both for thee and for pytheas a pankratiast's crown. not without the sons of aiakos will my heart indite of song: and in company of the graces am i come for sake of lampon's sons to this commonwealth of equal laws[1]. if then on the clear high road of god-given deeds she hath set her feet, grudge not to mingle in song a seemly draught of glory for her toil. for even the great men of old that were good warriors have profited of the telling of their tale, and are glorified on the lute and in the pipe's strains manifold, through immeasurable time: and to the cunning in words[2] they give matter by the grace of zeus. thus by their worship with the blaze of burnt-offerings among aitolians have the mighty sons[3] of oineus honour, and at thebes iolaos the charioteer, and at argos perseus, and by the streams of eurotas polydeukes and kastor's spear: but in oinone the great souls of aiakos and his sons, who after much fighting twice sacked the trojans' town, first when they went with herakles, and again with the sons of atreus. now drive me upward still; say who slew kyknos, and who hektor, and the dauntless chief of ethiop hosts, bronze-mailed memnon. what man was he who with his spear smote noble telephos by kaã¯kos' banks? even they whose home my mouth proclaimeth to be aigina's glorious isle: a tower is she, builded from long ago, to tempt the climb of high-adventuring valour. many arrows hath my truthful tongue in store wherewith to sound the praises of her sons: and even but now in war might aias' city, salamis, bear witness thereto in her deliverance by aigina's seamen amid the destroying tempest of zeus, when death came thick as hail on the unnumbered hosts. yet let no boast be heard. zeus ordereth this or that, zeus, lord of all. now in pleasant song even these honours also of the games welcome the joy for a fair victory. let any strive his best in such, who hath learnt what kleonikos' house can do. undulled is the fame of their long toil, nor ever was their zeal abated by any counting of the cost. also have i praise for pytheas, for that he guided aright[4] the course of phylakidas' blows in the struggle of hands that bring limbs low, an adversary he of cunning soul. take for him a crown, and bring the fleecy fillet, and speed him on his way with this new winged hymn. [footnote 1: aigina.] [footnote 2: poets.] [footnote 3: meleager and his brothers.] [footnote 4: pytheas had given his brother example, and very probably precept also, in the pankration.] v. for phylakidas of aigina, winner in the pankration. * * * * * this ode seems to be of earlier date than the last, though placed after it in our order. the occasion is similar. probably it was sung at a banquet at lampon's house. * * * * * as one may do amid merry revel of men, so mingle we a second time the bowls of muses' melody in honour of lampon's athlete progeny. our first, o zeus, was unto thee, when at nemea we[1] won thy excellent crown, and now is this second unto the lord[2] of isthmos and unto the fifty daughters of nereus, for that phylakidas the youngest son is winner in the games. and be it ours to make ready yet a third for the saviour[3], the olympian one, and in honour of aigina make libation of our honey-speaking song. for if a man rejoice to suffer cost and toil, and achieve god-builded excellence, and therewithal fate plant for him fair renown, already at the farthest bounds of bliss hath such an one cast anchor, for the glory that he hath thereby from god. with such desires prayeth the son[4] of kleonikos that he may fulfil them ere he meet death or hoary eld. now i call on high-throned klotho and her sister fates to draw nigh unto the praying of the man i love. and upon you also, golden-charioted seed of aiakos, i say it is clear law to me to shed the dew of my good words, what time i set my foot[5] upon this isle. for innumerable hundred-foot[6] straight roads are cleft for your fair deeds to go forth, beyond the springs of nile, and through the hyperboreans' midst: neither is any town so barbarous and strange of speech that it knoweth not the fame of peleus, that blissful son-in-law of gods, or of aias son of telamon, and of aias' sire; whom unto brazen war an eager ally with tirynthian men alkmene's son took with him in his ships to troy, to the place of heroes' toil, to take vengeance for laomedon's untruth. there did herakles take the city of pergamos, and with help of telamon slew the nations of the meropes, and the herdsman whose stature was as a mountain, alkyoneus whom he found at phlegrai, and spared not of his hands the terrible twanging bowstring. but when he went to call the son of aiakos to the voyage he found the whole company at the feast. and as he stood there in his lion's skin, then did telamon their chief challenge amphitryon's son of the mighty spear to make initiative libation of nectar, and handed on unto him the wine-cup rough with gold. and herakles stretched forth to heaven his invincible hands and spake on this wise: 'if ever, o father zeus, thou hast heard my prayer with willing heart, now, even now, with strong entreaty i pray thee that thou give this man a brave child of eriboia's womb, that by award of fate my friend may gain a son of body as staunch[7] as this hide that hangeth about me, which was of the beast that i slew at nemea, first of all my labours; and let his soul be of like sort.' and when he had thus spoken, the god sent forth the king of birds, a mighty eagle, and sweet delight thrilled him within, and he spake aloud as a seer speaketh: 'behold, the son whom thou askest shall be born unto thee, o telamon:' also after the bird's name that had appeared unto them he said that the child's name should be the mighty aias[8], terrible in the strife of warring hosts: so he spake, and sate him down straightway. but for me it were long to tell all those valiant deeds. for for phylakidas am i come, o muse, a dispenser of thy triumphal songs, and for pytheas, and for euthymenes[9]; therefore in argive fashion my tale shall be of fewest words. three victories have they won in the pankration of isthmos, and others at leafy nemea, even these noble sons and their mother's brother: how fair a portion of song have they brought to light! yea and they water with the charites' delicious dew their clan of the psalychidai, and have raised up the house of themistios, and dwell here in a city which the gods love well. and lampon, in that he bestoweth practice on all he doth, holdeth in high honour the word of hesiod which speaketh thereof[10], and exhorteth thereunto his sons, whereby he bringeth unto his city a general fame: and for his kind entreating of strangers is he loved, to the just mean aspiring, to the just mean holding fast; and his tongue departeth not from his thoughts: and among athlete men he is as the bronze-grinding naxian whetstone amid stones[11]. now will i give him to drink of the holy water of dirke, which golden-robed mnemosyne's deep-girdled daughters made once to spring out of the earth, beside the well-walled gates of kadmos. [footnote 1: i. e. pytheas. see nem. v.] [footnote 2: poseidon.] [footnote 3: [greek: zeus sotaer], to whom the third cup at a feast was drunk. he is here invoked also to give a third victory to the family at the olympic games.] [footnote 4: lampon.] [footnote 5: figuratively said, as elsewhere.] [footnote 6: a hundred feet wide, seemingly.] [footnote 7: not 'invulnerable.' a magic invulnerability was only attributed to heroes by later legend.] [footnote 8: from [greek: aietos] an eagle.] [footnote 9: maternal uncle of pytheas and phylakidas.] [footnote 10: [greek: melete de ergon ophellei]. opp. 411.] [footnote 11: i. e. he stimulates their zeal and skill. the naxian whetstone seems to be emery.] vi. for strepsiades of thebes, winner in the pankration. * * * * * the date of this ode is not fixed, but it has been supposed that the battle referred to--apparently a defeat--in which the winner's uncle was killed was the battle of oinophyta, fought b.c. 457. but this, and the notion that the democratic revolution at thebes is referred to, are only conjectures. * * * * * wherewithal of the fair deeds done in thy land, o divine thebe, hath thy soul had most delight? whether when thou broughtest forth to the light dionysos of the flowing hair, who sitteth beside demeter to whom the cymbals clang? or when at midnight in a snow of gold thou didst receive the mightiest of the gods, what time he stood at amphitryon's doors and beguiled his wife, to the begetting of herakles? or when thou hadst honour in the wise counsels of teiresias, or in iolaos the cunning charioteer, or the unwearied spears of the spartoi? or when out of the noise of the strong battle-cry thou sentest adrastos home to horse-breeding argos, of his countless company forlorn? or when thou madest the dorian colony of the men of lakedaimon stand upright upon its feet[1], and the sons of aigeus thy progeny took amyklai, according to the oracles of pytho? nay, but the glory of the old time sleepeth, and mortals are unmindful thereof, save such as married to the sounding stream of song attaineth unto the perfect meed that wisdom[2] giveth. new triumph now lead for strepsiades with melodious hymn: for at isthmos hath he borne away the pankratiast's prize. wondrous in strength is he, and to look upon of goodly shape, and his valour is such as shameth not his stature. so shineth he forth by grace of the muses iris-haired, and to his uncle of like name hath he given to share his crown, for albeit bronze-shielded ares gave him over unto death, yet remaineth there for the valiant a recompense of renown. for let whoso amid the cloud of war from his beloved country wardeth the bloody shower, and maketh havoc in the enemy's host, know assuredly that for the race of his fellow-citizens he maketh their renown wax mightily, yea when he is dead even as while he was yet alive. so didst thou, son[3] of diodotos, following the praise of the warrior meleagros, and of hektor, and of amphiaraos, breathe forth the spirit of thy fair-flowering youth amid the company of fighters in the front, where the bravest on slenderest hopes bare up the struggle of war. then suffered i a pang unspeakable, but now hath the earth-grasper[4] granted unto me a calm after the storm: i will set chaplets on my hair and sing. now let no jealousy of immortals mar whatever sweet thing through a day's pursuit i follow, as it leadeth on up to old age, and unto the term of life appointed. for all we in like manner die, albeit our lots be diverse. if any lift up his eye to look upon things afar off, yet is he too weak to attain unto the bronze-paved dwelling of the gods. thus did winged pegasos throw his lord bellerophon, when he would fain enter into the heavenly habitations and mix among the company of zeus. unrighteous joyance a bitter end awaiteth. but to us, o loxias of the golden-flowing hair, give also at thy pythian games a new fair-flowering crown. [footnote 1: the theban aigidai helped the mythical 'return of the herakleidai.'] [footnote 2: wisdom of bards.] [footnote 3: strepsiades the uncle.] [footnote 4: poseidon.] vii. for kleandros of aigina, winner in the pankration. * * * * * all that we can be certain of as to the date of this ode is that it was written soon after the final expulsion of the persians. from the first strophe we learn that kleandros had won a nemean as well as an isthmian victory, and perhaps this ode really belongs to the former. it was to be sung, it seems, before the house of telesarchos the winner's father, at aigina. * * * * * for kleandros in his prime let some of you, ye young men, go stand before the shining portal of his father telesarchos, and rouse a song of triumph, to be a glorious recompense of his toils, for that he hath achieved reward of victory at isthmos, and hath showed his strength in the games of nemea. for him i also, albeit heavy at heart[1], am bidden to call upon the golden muse. yea since we are come forth from our sore troubles let us not fall into the desolation of crownlessness, neither nurse our griefs; but having ease from our ills that are past mending, we will set some pleasant thing before the people, though it follow hard on pain: inasmuch as some god hath put away from us the tantalos-stone that hung above our heads, a curse intolerable to hellas. but now hath the passing of this terror ended my sore disquietude, and ever it is better to look only on the thing hard by. for the guile of time hangeth above the heads of men, and maketh the way of their life crooked, yet if freedom abide with them, even such things may mortals cure. but it is meet that a man cherish good hope: and meet also that i, whom seven-gated thebes reared, proffer chiefly unto aigina the choicest of the graces' gifts, for that from one sire were two daughters[2] born, youngest of the children of asopos, and found favour in the eyes of the king zeus. one by the fair stream of dirke he set to be the queen of a city of charioteers, and thee the other he bare to the oinopian isle, and lay with thee, whence to the sire of great thunderings thou didst bear the godlike aiakos, best of men upon the earth. this man even among divinities became a decider of strife: and his godlike sons and his sons' sons delighting in battle were foremost in valour when they met in the ringing brazen melley: chaste also were they approved, and wise of heart. thereof was the god's council mindful, what time for the hand of thetis there was strife between zeus and glorious poseidon, each having desire that she should be his fair bride, for love had obtained dominion over them. yet did not the wisdom of the immortal gods fulfil for them such marriage, when they had heard a certain oracle. for themis of wise counsels spake in the midst of them of how it was pre-destined that the sea-goddess should bear a royal offspring mightier than his father, whose hand should wield a bolt more terrible than the lightning or the dread trident, if she came ever into the bed of zeus, or of brethren of zeus. 'cease ye herefrom: let her enter a mortal's couch and see her son fall in war, who shall be as ares in the might of his hands, and as the lightning in the swiftness of his feet. my counsel is that ye give her to be the heaven-sent prize of peleus son of aiakos, whom the speech of men showeth to be their most righteous, an offspring of iolkos' plain. thus straightway let the message go forth to cheiron's cave divine, neither let the daughter of nereus put a second time into your hands the ballot-leaves of strife. so on the evening of the mid-month moon shall she unbind for the hero the fair girdle of her virginity.' thus spake the goddess her word to the children of kronos, and they bowed their everlasting brows. nor failed her words of fruit, for they say that to thetis' bridals came those twain kings even with the rest. out of the mouths of the wise hath the young valour of achilles been declared to them that beheld it not. he it was who stained the vine-clad mysian plain with the dark blood of telephos that he shed thereon, and made for the sons of atreus a safe return across the sea, and delivered helen, when that he had cut asunder with his spear the sinews of troy, even the men who kept him back as he plied the work of slaughterous battle on the plain, the strength of memnon and high-hearted hektor, and other chiefs of pride. unto all these did achilles, champion of the aiakid race, point the way to the house of persephone, and thereby did he glorify aigina and the root whence he was sprung. neither in death was he of songs forsaken, for at his funeral pyre and beside his tomb stood the helikonian maiden-choir, and poured thereon a dirge of many melodies. for so the immortals willed, to give charge unto the songs of goddesses over that valorous man even in his death. and now also holdeth such charge good, and the muses' chariot speedeth to sound the glories of nikokles the boxer[3]. honour to him who in the isthmian vale hath won the dorian parsley: for he even as achilles overcame men in battle, turning them to confusion, with hand from which flight was vain. him shameth not this kinsman of his father's noble brother. wherefore let some one of the young men his fellows twine for kleandros a wreath of tender myrtle for his pankratiast victory. for the games whose name is of alkathoos[4], and the youth of epidauros[5], have ere now entertained him with good hap. to praise him is given unto the good: for in no hidden corner quenched he his youth, unproven in honourable deeds. [footnote 1: because, though the persians had been defeated, thebes, pindar's city, had not shared the glory.] [footnote 2: thebe and aigine.] [footnote 3: uncle of the winner.] [footnote 4: a son of pelops: he slew the lion of kithairon.] [footnote 5: the epidaurian games were in honour of asklepios.] fragments. nearly two-thirds of the fragments cannot be assigned to any distinct class: the rest are divided among (1) [greek: epinikia], or triumphal odes (such as are the odes remaining to us entire), (2) [greek: hymnoi], or hymns sung by a choir in honour of gods, (3) [greek: paianes], or hymns of a like kind but anciently addressed especially to apollo and artemis for their intervention against pestilence, (4) [greek: dithyramboi], or choral songs of more general compass, verging sometimes on the drama, (5) [greek: prosodia], or processional songs, (6) [greek: parthenia], or songs for a choir of maidens, (7) [greek: hyporchaemata], or songs with accompaniment of dance, (8) [greek: enkomia], or odes sung by a [greek: komos] in praise of some person but not necessarily on any special occasion, (9) [greek: skolia], or songs to be sung at banquets, (10) [greek: thraenoi], or dirges. fragment of a dithyramb, to be sung at athens. hither! olympian gods to our choice dance, and make your grace to descend thereon and to glorify it, ye who in sacred athens visit the city's incensed centre-stone, and her famed market-place of splendid ornament; receive ye violet-entwinã«d crowns and drink-offerings of spring-gathered herbs, and look on me who am come from the house of zeus with my bright song a second time unto the ivy-crownã«d god, whom we call bromios, even the god of clamorous shout. to sing the offspring[1] of the highest and of kadmeã¤n mothers am i come. in argive nemea the prophet of the god overlooketh not the branch of palm, what time with the opening of the chamber of the hours, the nectarous plants perceive the fragrant spring[2]. then, then are strown over the face of the eternal earth the lovely violet-tufts, then are roses twined in hair, then sound to the flute's accompaniment voices of song, then sound our choice hymns unto the honour of bright-filleted semele ... [footnote 1: dionysos, son of zeus and of semele, daughter of kadmos.] [footnote 2: bockh has suggested the following ingenious explanation of this passage. in the temple of zeus at nemea grew a sacred palm, and a branch of this was given, together with his crown, to a winner in the nemean games. pindar had been at those games in the winter, and means that he, like the priest of the temple, could foresee from the tokens of the branch that spring was approaching, and with spring the vernal dionysia at athens.] fragments of a procession-song ([greek: prosodion]), in honour of delos. hail! god-reared daughter of the sea, earth-shoot most dear to bright-haired leto's children, wide earth's immoveable marvel, who of mortals art called delos, but of the blessed gods in olympus the dark earth's far-seen star[1]... ... for of old time it[2] drifted before the waves and stress of winds from every side; but when she[3] of koios set foot thereon, as the swift pains of her travailing drew nigh, then verily from roots deep down in earth there sprang upright four pillars with adamantine base, and on their capitals they held up the rock: there was the goddess delivered, and looked upon her blessed brood........ [footnote 1: the old mythical name of delos was asteria.] [footnote 2: the island.] [footnote 3: leto.] * * * * * fragment of a song with accompaniment of dance ([greek: huporchaema]), written on occasion of an eclipse of the sun, probably that of april 30, b.c. 463. wherefore, o light of the sun, thou that seest all things and givest bounds unto the sight of mine eyes--wherefore o star supreme hast thou in the daytime hidden thyself, and made useless unto men the wings of their strength and the paths that wisdom findeth, and hastest along a way of darkness to bring on us some strange thing? now in the name of zeus i pray unto thee, o holy light, that by thy swift steeds thou turn this marvel in the sight of all men to be for the unimpaired good hap of thebes. yet if the sign which thou showest us be of some war, or destruction of harvest, or an exceeding storm of snow, or ruinous civil strife, or emptying of the sea upon the earth, or freezing of the soil, or summer rains pouring in vehement flood, or whether thou wilt drown the earth and make anew another race of men, then will i suffer it amid the common woe of all.... fragments. i fragments of dirges (thraenoi). .... for them shineth below the strength of the sun while in our world it is night, and the space of crimsonflowered meadows before their city is full of the shade of frankincense-trees, and of fruits of gold. and some in horses, and in bodily feats, and some in dice, and some in harp-playing have delight; and among them thriveth all fair-flowering bliss; and fragrance streameth ever through the lovely land, as they mingle incense of every kind upon the altars of the gods.... ii. .... by happy lot travel all unto an end that giveth them rest from toils. and the body indeed is subject unto the great power of death, but there remaineth yet alive a shadow of life; for this only is from the gods; and while the limbs stir, it sleepeth, but unto sleepers in dreams discovereth oftentimes the judgment that draweth nigh for sorrow or for joy.. iii but from whomsoever persephone accepteth atonement made for an ancient woe, their souls unto the light of the sun above she sendeth back again in the ninth year. and from those souls spring noble kings, and men swift and strong and in wisdom very great: and through the after-time they are called holy heroes among men...... the end. [transcriber's note: bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrounded by _underscores_.] recreations for girls [illustration] indoor and outdoor recreations for girls by lina beard and adelia b. beard new york charles scribner's sons 1914 copyright, 1904, 1906, by charles scribner's sons special notice the publishers hereby give warning that the unauthorized printing of any portion of the text of this book, and the reproduction of any of the illustrations or diagrams, are expressly forbidden. explanatory note to new edition since the publication of this volume two years ago as "handicraft and recreation for girls," it has occurred to us that "recreations" alone much more accurately defines the contents, for the handicrafts represented are only those that in effect are recreations. therefore we have thought it best to drop the word handicraft and issue the new edition under the more appropriate title, "recreations for girls." lina beard adelia b. beard. september, 1906. preface this book, like a girl's life, is divided into two parts: occupation and amusement, or handicraft and recreation. it is not equally divided, for handicraft is so much more like play than work, and is so entertaining in itself, we find difficulty in drawing a distinct line between that and recreation. the one insists upon blending with the other and the book, after all, is a book of entertainment. with the old handicrafts coming back into favor and new ones constantly being brought forward, a girl's life may be full of delightful employment. to work with joyous enthusiasm and self-reliant energy, as well as to play with light-hearted enjoyment, cannot fail to make her sensible, wholesome, and happy, and it is with this end in view that we have written and illustrated the book. our wish is to help our girl friends to make the most of their girlhood and to enjoy it to its fullest extent. we have had practical experience in the actual working out of all the various handicrafts and recreations, and therefore give only that which we know can be well and easily done by the average girl. thanks are due to the _delineator_, _harper's bazar_, _woman's home companion_, and _good housekeeping_, for their courtesy in promptly returning for this work the original drawings and material used in their respective magazines. the author. flushing, august 2, 1904. contents part i handicraft chapter i. page spinning 3 the spinning-wheel, 4; the spindle, 5; the distaff, 7; thoroughly cleaned, 8; the band, 8; to adjust the band, 9; the flax, 10; practice, 11; how to spin, 12; when the thread breaks, 12. chapter ii. weaving on a home-made loom 15 the pin loom, 16; the heddles, 17; the shuttle, 19; to adjust the warp, 19; the woof, 20; how to weave a miniature navajo blanket, 20; blankets for dolls' beds, 26. chapter iii. a ball of twine and what may be made of it 27 making a little hammock, 27; how to tie the twine, 29; a school-bag, 31; twine curtains, 34. chapter iv. an armful of shavings, and what to do with them 36 selecting the shavings, 36; a soft little basket, 36; how to prepare the shavings, 37; how to weave the shavings, 39; bind the edges, 40; the handle, 40; a handkerchief case, 41. chapter v. primitive reed curtains 43 the reeds, 43; raw material, 43; the twine-stick weave, 44; the finished curtain, 46; curtain-bee frolic, 48; door-way screens, 49. chapter vi. things to make of common grasses 53 a grasshopper house, 53; a doll's hammock, 56; a bouquet-holder, 58; weaving a napkin-ring, 59. chapter vii. possibilities of a clothes line 62 adapted to decoration, 62; rope wood-basket, 62; rope net fringe, 65; the tassels, 65. chapter viii. how to weave a splint basket 68 the material, 68; the spokes, 68; the weavers, 70; weaving the basket, 71; binding off, 71; trimming, 73. chapter ix. modelling in tissue-paper 75 modelling a chicken, 75; a turkey, 81; the sturdy little elephant, 83. chapter x. nature study with tissue-paper 86 all flowers from squares and circles, 86; the best models, 86; material, 87; the carnation, 87; how to cut a circle, 88; the morning-glory, 94; the daffodil, 99. chapter xi. a new race of dolls 103 dolls of substance and form, 103; the paper, 104; making the head, 104; the arms, 105; the body, 105; the legs, 106; the feet and shoes, 107; doll's hair, 106; the dress, 108; the cap, 110. chapter xii. an indian encampment on a pastry-board 111 the ground, 111; the wigwam, 112; decorating the wigwam, 114; the fire, 114; the doll indian, 115; the war head-dress, 116; a travois, 118; pipe of peace, 119; a perfect little tomahawk, 120; the chieftain's shield, 120; arrow-heads and arrows, 122; a bow that will shoot, 124; the doll squaw, 125; squaw's chamois gown, 125; primitive loom and navajo blanket, 125; papoose, 130; cradle for papoose, 130; indian money, 131; wampum necklace, 131. chapter xiii. a toy colonial kitchen with fac-simile colonial furnishings 133 the floor, 135; the fireplace, 138; a hair-pin crane, 138; little dutch oven, 139; two andirons, 141; the fire, 142; iron pot, 143; the peel, 144; the toaster, 144; pot-hooks, 145; the spinning-wheel, 147; the little spinner, 150; the costume, 150; flint-lock rifle, 151; the bellows, 153; colonial pewter dish, 154; grandfather's clock, 155; colonial churn, 160. chapter xiv. little paper houses of japan 162 how the people live, 162; the house, 162; the floors, 167; the fence, 168; the gateway, 169; birthday festivals, 169; the koi, 171; a kago, 172. chapter xv. some odd things in russia 175 the coronation cathedral, 175; door-way, 177; cupolas, 178; a russian peasant doll, 180; a little samovar, 182. chapter xvi. pottery without a potter's wheel 185 primitive pottery, 185; the clay, 187; moulded on baskets, 187; the table, 188; the roll, 189; to coil the clay, 189. chapter xvii. baby alligators and other things of clay 193 the head, 195; the body, 196; the tail, 196; coat of armor, 197; the legs and feet, 198; a banana, 201; a little bust of washington, 202. chapter xviii. funny little apple toys 206 the porcupine, 206; sally walker's head, 208; sally's curls, 208; the indian, 209; a comical little jap, 211; an apple tower, 214. chapter xix. marvel pictures 215 mary, 215; her dress, 217; sun-bonnet, 218; how to draw the lamb, 219; how to make the wool grow, 219; how to draw the goose, 221; how to feather the goose, 223. part ii recreation chapter xx. egg games for the easter holidays lifting for pasch eggs 227 how to prepare the egg-shells, 227; hanging the eggs, 228; the players, 228; the lifting, 229; the egg dance, 230; placing the eggs, 230; dividing the players, 230; the dance, 230; the reward, 231; easter angling, 231; materials for the game, 231; fish-poles, 231; eggs, 232; rules of the game, 234; table egg-rolling, 235. chapter xxi. may day amusements 237 how the may king and queen are chosen, 237; archery, 237; the bows, 238; arrows, 238; floral target, 240; keeping score, 243; may baskets and spring flowers, 246; how to erect the pole, 249; dressing the may-pole, 250; the balls, 252; the game, 252. chapter xxii. hallowe'en revels 254 gold nuggets, 254; the mine, 255; the miners, 255; the apple witch, 256; witch's hair, 257; hat, 257; broom, 258; ghost writing, 259; four-leaved clover, 260; apple-seed fortune telling; 261; fortune bags, 262. chapter xxiii. the magic cloth and what it will do 264 magic in india, 264; a jumping frog, 264; the hungry birds, 267; to make the children talk, 268; moving faces, 269; the high note, 270. chapter xxiv. finger plays for little folk 273 the teeter, 273; church, 275; steeple, 275; open door, 276; the people, 276; the preacher, 277; man chopping wood, 277; my mother's knives and forks, 279; my father's table, 280; my sister's looking-glass, 280; the little black birds, 280; the baby's cradle, 281; chin chopper chin, 282; build the tower, 282; the five little pigs, 285; little heads for little fingers, 285. chapter xxv. how to arrange fresh flowers 289 selecting the flowers, 289; a number of nasturtiums, 290; do not crowd the flowers, 290; green leaves with flowers, 291; color schemes, 291; the vases, 292; colorless transparent vases, 292; arrangement, 293; flower lifter, 294; symmetry, 295; wild flowers, 295. chapter xxvi. open air playhouses 298 a florida playhouse, 298; palm decorations, 298; other decorations, 298; an umbrella playhouse, 299; a real teepee, 302; an african hut, 306; the floral tent, 307. chapter xxvii. keeping store 308 the counter, 308; the scales, 309; groceries, 312; vegetables, 312; candy, 313; wrapping paper, 313; money, 314; paper pocket-books, 314; keeping accounts, 316; bars of soap, 319; butter clay, 319. chapter xxviii. a frolic with the roses 320 beauty of the rose, 320; rose petal fleet, 321; green leaf-boats, 322; the lake, 323; a little rose girl, 325; a garden, 325; a peachblow vase, 327; candied rose petals, 327; rose petal cap, 328; conventional designs, 330; a wreath of roses, 332; a rose book, 332. chapter xxix. a straw ride picnic 333 the season, 333; games for the wagon, 333; simon says, 335; bird wish, 337; lines to be recited rapidly, 337; at the grounds, 338; chasing the deer, 338; the swing, 338; teeter-tarter, 338; the dinner, 339; dishes, 339; camp-fire, 342; after luncheon, 342; telling stories, 343; game of menagerie, 343. chapter xxx. a paper chase 345 the hares and hounds, 345; the start, 347; false scents, 347; the finish, 348; how to dress, 348. part i handicraft [illustration: the spinning-wheel shall buzz and whirr.] chapter i spinning there is so much poetry, romance, and history associated with the distaff and spindle, and later with the old spinning-wheel, that we have looked upon them with a feeling almost of awe, certainly with a reverence for the gentle hands that spun so industriously generations ago. but it has now occurred to us that we too may set the wheel a-humming, taking up with enthusiastic eagerness the work laid down by our great-grandmothers so many years ago. the song of even the athletic girl will soon be like martha's when she sings in the market-place: "i can spin, sir," and the wheel will no longer be set aside as a relic of an industry past and gone. all the old handicrafts are coming back again, and ere long we shall be as proud as the maids in revolutionary times of our hand-spun and hand-woven fabrics. to be able to spin and weave is to be accomplished in the newest as well as the oldest of household arts. [illustration: fig. 1.--the slender rod tied at the lower end.] [illustration: fig. 2.--the looped upper end of the rod.] is the old spinning-wheel in the attic, neglected and covered with dust, or in the parlor, decked in all its bravery of blue ribbons and snowy flax? bring it out, wherever it may be, and for the first time in many years it shall buzz and whirr, while a girl's slender fingers part the flax and a girl's light foot rests upon the treadle. look well to the wheel and see that none of its parts are missing. there must be the bench, of course, with its treadle and wheel, then the slender rod which is tied loosely at the lower end to the cross-piece of the treadle (fig. 1), and caught at the looped upper end to the little, curved-metal crank that extends at right angles from one end of the wheel's axle (fig. 2). [illustration: fig. 3.--a little peg slipped through two holes.] the two slanting uprights which hold the wheel in place are slotted at the upper ends, and in these slots rests the axle. a little peg, slipped through two holes in one of the uprights, keeps the axle from slipping out of place (fig. 3). the frame that holds the spindle belongs in the position shown in the illustration of the spinning-wheel. by turning the handle that extends out from the upper end of the bench this frame may be moved slightly forward or backward when it is necessary to loosen or tighten the band on the wheel. [illustration: fig. 4.--the leather rings.] [illustration: fig. 5.--one ring in each upright.] [illustration: fig. 6.--the spindle.] in the two uprights of the spindle-frame there must be leather rings like fig. 4, one ring in each upright. the narrow strip extending outward from the ring is pushed through the hole in the upright, and the edge of the ring fitted into the little grooves just above and below one of the holes (fig. 5). these two leather rings hold the ends of the spindle, which can be easily taken out and put in by bending one of the rings backward or slightly turning one of the uprights. fig. 6 shows the spindle with the spool, or bobbin, and the small, double-grooved wheel. the spindle proper is simply the metal rod and horseshoe-shaped piece of wood with its two rows of little hooks or teeth. besides the wheel and spindle there must be the distaff and the arm that holds it. the arm is an upright with a rod extending out at right angles from the upper end. the lower end of the upright is slipped into a hole at one corner of the highest part of the bench. [illustration: fig. 7.--the tip of your christmas tree for a distaff.] [illustration: fig. 8.--bring the four branches up and tie at the top.] the distaff, which the mountaineers of kentucky call the "rock," is a thing you can make for yourself if your wheel happens to have lost its own. many are cut from the top points of pine-trees which grow like fig. 7, and dogwood also is sometimes used. the tip of your christmas tree will be just the thing. strip off the bark, bring the four branches up, and tie at the top to the middle stem (fig. 8). let the lower end of the stem extend about four inches below the branches and whittle it down to fit in the hole in the distaff-arm. these are all the parts of the spinning-wheel, but before you can "see the wheels go round" every piece of metal must be thoroughly cleaned and freed from rust. rub first with kerosene oil and then with the finest emery paper. be very careful in polishing the teeth that you do not bend or break them, as it will not be easy to have them replaced. in fact, it is difficult to replace any part of the wheel, and though it has lasted several generations, careless handling may put it past repair. [illustration: fig. 9.--proper size of cord for wheel band.] when the cleaning is finished, grease with lard the parts where there is any friction. the slots that hold the axle, the spindle-stem, and the metal arm, where the treadle-rod rests upon it, all need lubricating. the best band for the wheel is hand spun, but at present it is possible to obtain them only of old-fashioned spinners who make their own bands. you can, however, make a band of cotton cord, such as is used for cording dresses. fig. 9 gives the exact size. the length of cord for a wheel measuring eighteen and a half inches in diameter is about ten feet five inches. this allows for a lap of one inch at the joint. sew together with silk, wrapping and sewing until the joint is almost invisible. [illustration: fig. 10.--make a double loop.] [illustration: fig. 11.--the band will cross at the bottom.] to adjust the band loop it together, making it double (fig. 10), lift the wheel from the sockets, and slip the band over it. fit one part of the band into one of the grooves of the wheel, the other part into the other groove, allowing it to cross at the bottom (letter b, fig. 11). take the spindle from its frame and fit the bands into the groove in the end of the bobbin (letter c, fig. 6) and into the first groove in the small wheel (letter d, fig. 6). the flax may be obtained from any linen-thread factory and can be bought by the pound or half-pound. it is graded by color, the darkest being the cheapest and the whitest the most expensive. for practice-work the cheapest is as good as the more expensive. when you have learned to spin a fine, even thread you may choose the color in reference to the article you intend to make. [illustration: the spinning-wheel.] open your hank of flax, take part of it, and spread thinly over the distaff, wrapping it around and around. put on several layers, each almost as thin as a spider-web, extending it out widely and smoothly each time. you may think the ribbon tied on the distaff of your parlor wheel is merely for ornament, but it is not. the bands hold the flax in place while it is being spun, and a crisp, dainty, pretty-colored ribbon is just as useful for the purpose as one that is old and faded, and it is far prettier to look upon. wrap the ribbon around the flax on the distaff, beginning at the bottom, cross it, and tie as shown in illustration of the spinning-wheel. though everything is ready, before attempting to spin, practice, simply working the treadle until you can manage that part of the work mechanically and give your whole attention to your hands. it seems a simple thing to work the treadle, but you will find that without previous practice you will forget to make your foot go in the absorbing interest of getting the flax ready to run on the spindle. curb your impatience a little while therefore, and resolutely turn the distaff, with its pretty load, away from you. place one foot on the treadle, give the large wheel a turn to the right, or away from the spindle, and try to keep a steady, even motion with your foot. the jerks caused by uneven pedalling will always break the thread, so you must learn to make the wheel turn smoothly and easily, without hurry and without stopping. some spinners place only the toe of the foot on the treadle, others rest on it the heel also; it matters little which method you adopt so long as the wheel turns evenly. when you are quite satisfied that you can keep the wheel going without giving it a thought you may begin to spin. from the lowest ends of the flax draw down several strands and twist them with your fingers into a thread long enough to reach easily the bobbin on the spindle. pass the end of the thread through the hole in the end of the spindle nearest to you (letter a, fig. 6), carry it across and over the upper row of teeth and tie to the bobbin (fig. 6). start your wheel going, and, forgetting the action of your foot, give your undivided attention to drawing out the flax. hold the strands lightly with your left hand and with your right keep constantly pulling them down and at the same time twisting them slightly. see illustration on first page. all this time you must keep the flax from matting and tangling and the twist from running up into the mass of flax on the distaff. only practice will make perfect in this work, though the knack may come suddenly and you will wonder at your first clumsy attempts. the little fluster and excitement one feels in beginning and the hurry to get the flax into shape for the spindle is a drawback that practice will also overcome. when the thread breaks, as it will again and again at first, thread your spindle as before, tie the new thread to the broken end and begin once more. a better way to mend the thread when you are really doing good work is to unwind a little from the bobbin, thread it backward through the spindle, bring the end up to meet the end from the distaff, and let the two lap three or four inches; then moisten your fingers and twist the threads together, making one thread again. moistening the fingers occasionally is a good thing while twisting, as it makes a smoother thread. in the old days the spinner kept a cocoa-nut-shell, filled with water, tied to the lower part of the spindle-frame, into which she daintily dipped the tips of her fingers when necessary. a finger-bowl or cup of water near by will answer the same purpose. [illustration: the little girl and the little loom.] chapter ii weaving on a home-made loom [illustration] it is easier than sewing or knitting or crocheting, and comes so natural to many of us that one would almost think we should know how to weave without being taught. why, even some of the birds do a kind of weaving in their pretty, irregular fashion, and it was probably from the birds and other small, wild creatures that the earliest human mothers took their lessons in weaving, and learned to make the mats for their babies to sleep on and baskets for carrying their food. no one knows how long ago these first baskets and mats were woven, but in the beginning weaving was done without looms. afterward rude frames were tied together and hung from the limbs of trees, then softer and more flexible material was used and finer fabrics were woven. to this day almost the same kind of looms are used by the indians in our far western country, many miles away from the roar and clatter of machinery, and on them are woven the wonderfully beautiful navajo blankets for which eastern people are willing to pay such large sums. if it is natural to weave, it should also be natural to make one's own loom, and the pin loom is simple in both the making and the working, with material usually close at hand. the necessary wood you will find at the nearest carpenter-shop, if not in your own home, and for the rest, a paper of strong, large-size pins, a yard of colored cord, and one ordinary carpet-tack are all that is needed. make the frame for the loom of a smooth piece of soft pine-board, fifteen inches long by nine inches wide (fig. 12). make the heddles of two flat sticks, nine inches long, half an inch wide, and one-eighth of an inch thick (figs. 13 and 14). from another flat stick of the same thickness, nine inches long by one inch wide, make the shuttle (fig. 15). [illustration: fig. 12.--the frame for the loom.] [illustration: fig. 13.--heddle.] [illustration: fig. 14.--heddle.] with a pencil and ruler draw two straight lines across the board, the first one inch and a half from the top edge, the other two inches and a half from the bottom edge. this will make the lines just eleven inches apart. on these lines, beginning one inch from the side edge of the board, make a row of dots exactly one-quarter of an inch apart, twenty-nine dots on each line, as in fig. 12. at each corner of the board, one inch above the upper line and one inch below the lower line, draw a short line, and on each short line, three-quarters of an inch from the side edge, make one dot. [illustration: fig. 15.--the shuttle.] with a small tack-hammer drive a pin in each of the twenty-nine dots on each long line, and in each single dot on the four short lines (fig. 12). when driving in the pins let them all slant evenly outward, the ones on the top lines slanting toward the upper edge of the board, those on the lower lines slanting toward the bottom edge, as in fig. 16. now lay your board aside where nothing will be placed on top of it, and make your heddles. [illustration: fig. 16.--let the pins slant outward.] the heddles are for lifting the threads of the warp so that the shuttle may be passed through. one heddle is left perfectly plain, like fig. 13. the other is cut in notches on one edge like fig. 14. [illustration: fig. 17.--the marked-off notches in heddle.] along the entire length of one of the sticks rule a line dividing it exactly in the middle (fig. 17). on this line, beginning three-quarters of an inch from the end of the stick, mark off spaces one-quarter of an inch apart, making thirty-one dots. at the upper edge of the stick mark off the same number of spaces exactly opposite those on the line. then draw straight lines connecting the upper and lower dots, extending the first and last lines entirely across the stick (fig. 17.) at a point on the upper edge, exactly in the middle between the first two lines, start a slanting line and bring it down to meet the second line where it touches the long line. between the second and third lines draw another slanting line to meet the first at the bottom, forming a v. leave the third line, and make another v at the fourth, and so go the length of the heddle, drawing a v at every other short line. at the top between the v's make smaller v's, as in fig. 17. with a sharp knife cut out these notches, bringing the large ones quite down to the middle line (fig. 17). on the end lines just below the middle line bore a hole with a small gimlet or a hat-pin heated red-hot at letter a in fig. 17. indeed the notches, too, may be made with a hat-pin by laying the red-hot end across the edge of the stick at the top of the line, and pressing it down while rubbing it back and forth. if you are unused to handling a knife, burning the notches will be the easier way. you can shape and trim them off afterward with the knife. [illustration: the complete pin loom.] of the third flat stick make the shuttle. curve the corners at each end as in fig. 15. sharpen one end down to a thin edge and in the other end cut an eye two inches long and one-quarter of an inch wide (fig. 15). cut your yard of colored cord in half, pass the end of one piece through one of the holes in the notched heddle, the end of the other piece through the hole in the opposite end of the heddle, and tie each end of the cords to one of the pins at the four corners of the board, drawing the cords taut. this will fasten the heddle in its place across the loom (fig. 12). near the bottom of the board, directly below the last pin at the right on the long line, drive the carpet-tack to serve as a cleat for fastening the end of the warp. all that now remains to be done is to adjust the warp, and your loom will be ready for weaving. the threads which extend up and down, or from the top to the bottom of the loom, are called the warp. soft, rather coarse knitting-cotton makes a good warp for almost anything woven on a small loom. [illustration: fig. 18.--adjusting the warp.] tie the end of the warp securely to the first pin on the long line at the upper left-hand corner of the loom (fig. 18). bring the string down and around the first two pins on the lower line, up again and around the second and third pins on the upper line, and then down and around the third and fourth pins on the lower line. up again, down again, crossing two pins each time, back and forth until the last pin on the lower line has been reached. wrap the warp around this pin several times, and then around the tack, tying it here so that it cannot slip. the warp must lie flat on the board where it passes around the pins, and in stringing up it must be drawn rather tight, though not with sufficient force to pull the pins out of place. [illustration: fig. 19.--putting in the second heddle.] turn the heddle on edge, the notches up, and slip the threads of the warp into the notches, one thread in each notch. this, you will see, divides the warp into upper and lower threads, and forms what is called the shed. while the threads are separated take the other heddle and darn it in and out above the first heddle, taking up the lower threads and bringing the heddle over the upper ones as in fig. 19. the woof is the thread which crosses the warp and usually covers it entirely. the material to use for woof will depend upon what you are going to make. germantown wool is used for the woof of the miniature navajo blanket shown in the illustration. the warp is knitting-cotton. [illustration: a miniature navajo blanket.] this is the way to weave a navajo blanket; simpler things you can easily make after this first lesson: of germantown wool you will need three colors, which are the colors most frequently used by the indians--red (scarlet), white, and black, about half a hank of each. take five yards of white wool, fold one end over a two-yard length, fold again, and push the double end through the eye of the shuttle (fig. 20). [illustration: fig. 20.--the threaded shuttle.] tie the long end of the wool to the first pin at the lower left-hand corner of the loom, on the long line, making a tight knot and pushing it down close to the board (fig. 21). [illustration: fig. 21.--starting the woof.] with the notched heddle on edge push the shuttle through the shed--that is, between the upper and lower threads of the warp. draw it out on the other side, then turn the heddle down, notched edge toward you, and stand the plain heddle on edge. this will lift the lower threads of the warp above the others and make them the upper ones. push the shuttle back through the shed, lay the plain heddle flat, and stand up the notched heddle. weaving from the left, the notched heddle always stands, while the plain one lies flat. weaving from the right, the plain heddle stands, and the notched one is turned down. do not draw the woof tight across the warp. when you have passed the shuttle through, leave the thread like fig. 21, and then push it down firmly with your finger-tips until it lies close to the pins. a coarse comb with no fine teeth is very good to use for packing the woof, and takes the place of what is called the lay. while the woof is looped out like fig. 21, comb it down toward you with the comb, and it will fit in evenly between the threads of the warp. as the woof of the navajo blanket must be very tightly packed, use first the comb and then your fingers to push it down and make it compact. weave back and forth until all the wool in the shuttle is used. if the end of the woof extends beyond the last thread of the warp on either side, turn it back and weave it under and over several threads, and start a new piece with the end just lapping the old. the ends of the woof must never be allowed to extend beyond the warp at the sides. it is not necessary to tie the new piece of woof; the tight packing will hold it in place. in this case the new woof must be of the red wool. weave it across twice, or once over and back, making a very narrow red stripe, then cut it off and thread the shuttle with white. weave the white twice across, then change to black and weave a stripe one-quarter of an inch wide. above the black weave another narrow white stripe and another narrow red one. put a long thread of white wool in the shuttle, and weave a white stripe one inch wide. you will have to thread the shuttle twice for this, as too long a thread will make so large a bunch that it will be difficult to pass it through the shed. after the white stripe weave another black, white, and red stripe like the first, then another inch-wide white stripe. once more weave a black, a white, and a red stripe. begin with the narrow black, follow with the narrow white, and then weave a wider red stripe, taking the thread four times across. after the red the narrow white, and then the narrow black stripe. this last stripe is the lower border of the central pattern of the blanket, where your weaving will become more difficult, and at the same time more interesting. [illustration: figs. 22 and 23.--weaving the centre stripe.] thread the shuttle with a long piece of red wool and weave it once across from the left, turn back and weave through five threads of the warp, draw the shuttle out and weave back again to the edge; again weave through the five threads, then back as shown at b in fig. 22. turn here and do not take up the last thread of the warp; pass the shuttle under three threads, turn on the next thread, and bring it back under four threads (c, fig. 22), once more under the three threads, turning on the next as before, but passing back under two threads only. turn on the next thread (d), and pass under three. back under two threads (e), turn as before on the next thread under two, turn, back under two (f), turn, under one, turn on the next, under two (g), turn, under one, turn on the next, back under two, and unthread the shuttle, leaving the woof hanging. begin with a new piece of red wool, follow the same direction, and weave another red point on the next five threads, then a third one which will take in the last warp-thread on the left. you will notice in the diagram that the woof always turns twice on the same thread of warp. when the three red points are finished fill in the spaces between with black (fig. 23), then continue to weave the black up into points as you did the red, making two whole and two half black diamonds. leave the woof quite loose when you make a turn in weaving, and the space left between the red and black will fill up in packing. take up the end of the red wool left at the top of the first red point, and weave in the space between the half and first black diamond, then break off. take the next red end and fill in between the two whole diamonds, then the next, and fill in between the whole and the last half diamond. this will give you a pattern of black diamonds on a red ground. weave the last of the red woof once across, then break off and weave a black, white, and red stripe like the one forming the lower border of the pattern. finish the blanket with the wide white stripes and narrow colored ones like those first woven. to take the work from the loom, cut the threads between the pins at the top of the loom, and with quick but gentle jerks pull it off the lower row of pins. tie together the first and third loose ends of the warp close to the edge of the blanket, then the second and fourth threads, and so on across, then cut the ends off rather close to the knots. the little navajo blanket woven in this way will closely resemble the real indian blanket in texture, pattern, and colors. blankets for dolls' beds may also be woven of fine white wool and finished with a pretty pink or blue border at each end. a wash-cloth, soft and pleasant to the touch, you can weave in half an hour with candle-wick for woof. this should not be packed tightly, but woven with rather a loose mesh. then there are cunning little rag rugs to be made for the dolls' house, with colored rags for the woof. but so many materials may be woven on your home-made loom, that it will be a pleasure for you to discover them for yourself. chapter iii a ball of twine and what may be made of it run to the kitchen and ask the cook to lend you her pastry-board for a day or two, to use as a support for holding string from which to make a toy hammock (fig. 24). [illustration: fig. 24.--the hammock you can make.] drive twelve large tacks in a straight line across the top edge of the board; place the tacks one inch and a half apart (fig. 25), and with a pencil draw lightly a line across the board from side to side, one inch and a half below the tacks. this will guide you in keeping the knots even. be sure that the line is perfectly straight; then draw another line one inch and a half below the first and continue making lines until the board is covered with them, at equal distances apart and running across from side to side. over each tack on the top of the board hang a piece of string about two yards long (fig. 26). being doubled, each string makes two lengths of one yard each. [illustration: fig. 25.--tacks in top of board.] [illustration: fig. 26.--over each tack hang a piece of string.] bring the two ends of each strand down evenly together that all the strings may hang exactly the same in length. fig. 26 is intended only to show how to hang the strings and gives but a section of the work. [illustration: fig. 27.--with strong pins fasten the first and fourth strings to the board.] with strong pins fasten the first and fourth strings down tight to the board (see b and e, fig. 27); then tie the second and third strings together (c, d, fig. 27), making the knot h (fig. 27). to tie the knot, bring the two strings c and d (fig. 27) together; hold the upper portions with the thumb and first finger of the left hand and the lower parts in the right hand, bring the lower parts up above the left hand--across and over the portion of string held in the left hand--and turn them down a trifle, running them under the strings in the left hand just above the thumb and first finger; pull the lower portion of the strings through the loop out over the first finger of the left hand as shown in fig. 29, o. tighten the knot with the right hand while holding it in place on the line with the left. the secret of tying the knot properly is to hold the two strings together and tie them exactly as one would tie a knot in a single string. [illustration: fig. 28.--when knot _h_ is secure stick pin in string _g_.] [illustration: fig. 29.--tying the knot.] when the first knot (h, fig. 27) is tied, take the pin out of the string e and stick it in the string g, according to fig. 28. fasten down the knot h with another pin, and you will have the knot h and the string g firm and tight to the board while you tie the two loose strings f and e together, forming the knot k. pin this down to the board and remove the pin from the string g and place it in the string n, leaving m and g free to be knotted together. continue tying the strings in this way until you have made the first row of knots across the board, always using pins to hold the boundary-strings securely to the board on each side of the two you are tying. as each knot is formed, pin it to the board and allow the pins to remain in the first row until the second row of knots has been made. fig. 29 shows the beginning of the third row of knots in the knot p, the pin being taken from the first knot, h, ready to be placed in the knot p. form row after row of meshes by knotting the strings until the netting comes too near the bottom of the board to work comfortably, then slip the top loops off from the tacks and hang a portion of the net over the top of the board, allowing a lower row of meshes to hang on the tacks. fasten the last row of the knots carefully, binding with strong strings the short loose ends of the strands securely to the string forming the mesh each side of the knot. remove the net from the board and make a fringe of string on each side of the hammock. in fig. 30, t shows how to place a strand for the fringe under one side of the mesh on the edge of the net: and s gives the manner of bringing the ends of the strand down over the string forming the mesh and under the loop made by the centre of the fringe-strand. pull the two ends of the strand down evenly, and bring the knot up close and tight to the hammock-mesh as shown in the finished fringe in fig. 30. [illustration: fig. 30.--making the fringe.] when you have made the fringe, thread a separate heavy cord through the loops on each side of the hammock (fig. 31). tie the loops together (fig. 32) and fasten together the two ends of each cord, making these two extra last loops long enough to allow of a free swing for the little hammock, or you can thread a cord of the same as that used in the hammock through every loop, tying the ends of each piece together through a brass ring, and instead of one long loop a number will support the hammock. [illustration: fig. 31.--heavy cord through loops on end of hammock.] [illustration: fig. 32.--tie loops together.] [illustration: making a sash-curtain for her room.] [illustration: fig. 33--your school-bag made of string.] fig. 33 shows a strong, serviceable little school-bag which is easier to make than the hammock. take a piece of heavy cord twenty inches long, lap one end to the distance of an inch over the other and sew the two lapped ends firmly together; then bind them neatly around and around with string. bring the two edges or sides of the circle together, forming two ends (v v, fig. 34). tie a strong string on each end (fig. 34) and fasten each of the strings to the back of a chair; you will then have a circle of heavy cord securely suspended in mid-air. cut twenty-four lengths of twine, each twenty-five inches long; double each piece and fasten all the strands on the circle of heavy cord in the same way you made the fringe on the hammock (x x, fig. 34), except that this time the strands must be quite a distance apart. let all the spaces between the strands be equal. having fastened the lengths of twine on the circle, net them together exactly as you netted the hammock, but you must depend upon your eye to keep the meshes even and of the same size, as there will be no board with lines to guide you (fig. 34). tie the knots in circular rows, going around on both sides of the circle for each row. continue the meshes until within three and a half inches of the bottom, then tie the two sides together, closing the bottom of the bag and forming the fringe shown in fig. 33. having finished the bag, untie the strings attached to the two ends and make two handles of heavy cord or slender rope. fasten the handles on their respective sides of the bag. loop the ends of the handles under the cord forming the top of the bag, and bring each end up against its own side of the handle. sew each of the two ends of the two handles securely to the handle proper; then bind the sewed portions neatly together with fine cord as in fig. 33. [illustration: fig. 34--making the school-bag.] with some firm straws and more string we will make a sash-curtain for the window of your own room, as the little girl is doing in the illustration. loop about thirty strands on the same number of tacks, in the manner in which you hung those for the hammock (fig. 26). make one row of knots, and before forming the next row slide a piece of straw one inch long over the two strings which are to be knotted together; the ends of the string must be moistened and brought together in a point in order that they may more easily be threaded through the straw. the letter r in fig. 35 shows the straw with the ends of the string run through it, and u gives a straw higher up on the strings. after each straw is put into place, knot the strings immediately underneath to prevent the straw from sliding out of position. fig. 35 shows how to manage the work. it is almost exactly like that of the hammock, the only difference being the threading on of the straws which hold the strings in place without a knot at the top (see w in fig. 35). let the bottom of the net end in a fringe. take the loops off from the tacks when the curtain is finished, and slide them on a straight, slender stick, which you can fasten to the window by resting the ends of the stick through loops of tape tacked on the sides of the window-frame at the right distance up from the ledge of the window. [illustration: fig. 35.--sliding straws on strings for curtain.] if possible, let all the net-work be made of pliable, soft material; it is easier to handle, and the results are much prettier. make the curtains of any color you may fancy. chapter iv an armful of shavings and what to do with them do you love to go into a carpenter-shop, with its sweet-smelling woods and fascinating tangle of white and rose-tinted shavings, and to watch the carpenter guide his plane along the edge of a board, shaving off so evenly and smoothly the long curls which look almost as natural as the ringlets of a little girl? i am sure that many times you have tucked the ends of the shavings under your hat and scampered off with the curls streaming out behind or bobbing up and down delightfully at the sides. it is great fun, yet there is still more entertainment to be found in these pretty shavings. gather an armful, then, choosing the most perfect ones, not too thin, with firm, smooth edges, and you shall weave them into a pretty, soft little basket like the illustration. [illustration: the soft little basket made of shavings.] [illustration: fig. 36--directly across the centre draw a straight line.] [illustration: fig. 37--so that the upper edge of b will touch the dividing line of a.] pine-shavings are the best to use, as they are less brittle than those of harder woods. select a number and put them to soak in cold water to make them soft and pliable. then, lifting out those of an even width, place them before you on a lap-board or table, and after passing them between your fingers several times to take the curl out, cut eight pieces eleven inches long. directly across the centre of two of the strips draw a straight line, as in fig. 36. place one of these strips, a, flat on the table and lay the other, b, across it so that the upper edge of b will touch the dividing line of a and the mark on b will be on a line with right-hand edge of a, fig. 37. under a slide another strip, c, fig. 38. over b and under c slide the strip d, fig. 39. over d and under a pass the strip e, fig. 40. under e, over b and under c weave the strip f, fig. 41. under e, over b, and under c weave the strip g, fig. 42. over f, under d, over a, and under g weave the strip h, fig. 43. this forms a square for the bottom of the basket. [illustration: fig. 38.--under a slide the strip c.] [illustration: fig. 39.--over b and under c slip the strip d.] [illustration: fig. 40.--over d and under a pass e.] [illustration: fig. 41.--under e, over b and under c weave f.] bend up the ends and weave the sides with longer, narrower shavings which you can make by cutting lengthwise through the middle of several wide shavings. [illustration: fig. 42.--under e, over b and under c weave g.] [illustration: fig. 43.--this forms the bottom of the basket.] if you find any difficulty in keeping in place the part you have woven, pin it to the board or table with several pins, as in fig. 44. bring the sides up close to the edges of the bottom, then start your weaver at d, on the inside of the basket (fig. 44). [illustration: fig. 44.--bend up the ends now and weave the sides.] weave all the way around, turning the corners sharply, until the weaver meets the first end; lap it over this, cut it off and tuck the last end under h. start the next weaver at c, weave it around and tuck under e. weave five weavers around the sides of the basket, beginning each time in a new place that the joints may not all come together, then bend the upright shavings over the edge of the top weaver, tucking the ends of each under the third weaver, one inside, the next outside, as they may come inside or outside the basket (fig. 45). [illustration: fig. 45--bend the upright shavings over the top edge.] bind the edge with two binders the width of the side weavers. hold one inside, one outside, and whip them on over and over, taking the stitches with a narrow strip of shaving as shown in fig. 46. [illustration: fig. 46.--bind the edge with two binders.] cut two strips the width of your side weavers for the handle, making one twelve inches and the other eleven inches long. one inch from each end cut notches, as in fig. 47. slide the end of the short strip under the second weaver on one side of the basket and pull it up until the points catch on the weaver, then tuck the end under the lower weaver (see illustrations). [illustration: fig. 47.--notch the ends like this.] loop the handle diagonally over the basket and fasten the other end on the second weaver on the side. secure the ends of the long strip on the third weaver, allowing it to cross the other side of the handle at the top, then bind the two pieces together at the middle by wrapping with a shaving of the same width over and over. split this wrapper at the last end and tuck the two ends in at the sides. fig. 48 shows the under part of the handle with one end of the wrapper tucked in. [illustration: fig. 48.--tuck the two ends in at the sides.] you can make table-mats, charming little handkerchief-cases, and a number of other things of the dainty shavings, all on the same principle as that of the basket. [illustration: the handkerchief case.] to make the handkerchief-case, weave a square, measuring eight inches, of the narrow shavings, just as you did for the bottom of the basket. these shavings must be twelve inches long and you will probably need about thirty-two pieces. when the square is finished tuck in the ends, as around the edge of the basket, then bend in three of the corners to meet at the middle and catch with needle and thread. sew a quarter of a yard of bright ribbon where the corners join and another quarter of a yard on the loose corner. (see illustration.) put your handkerchiefs in the little pocket, bring up the loose point, and tie the ribbon in a pretty bow. chapter v primitive reed curtains these pretty rustic hangings can be made very easily and quickly. they are light in weight and the general tone of coloring, when the reeds have been carefully dried at home, is a pleasing soft gray green, with suggestions here and there of gray browns, reds, and yellows. the curtains may be either of these reeds or fresh green cat-tails, and even of the silvered gray stalks left standing from last season. the cost in actual outlay of money for several curtains need be only a few cents for cord, staple-tacks or nails, and screw-eyes, but, like the early savage whose method of work you are imitating, you must collect the raw material out in the open. so away to the spot where the finest cat-tails grow, gather a lot of them, cutting the stalks off clean and smooth at the base, that the cat-tails may not be bent or split, for as reeds in your curtain they must be as near perfect as possible. cut the velvety brown head off from each one, making all of the stalks the same in length; then, with several long leaves twisted together for string, tie the stalks into a bundle and march home with the treasure. [illustration: fig. 49.--beginning a primitive curtain.] [illustration: fig. 50.--centre of twine tied on long stick.] an old bamboo fishing-rod, a length of handle from a long-handled dusting or window brush, or any kind of a long, slender, smooth, round stick will do for the top curtain-pole from which to hang the reeds. lay the pole across a table in front of and parallel to you; then tie the centres of four pieces of cord of even lengths on it at equal distances from each other (fig. 49). detail of the work is given in fig. 50. place a cat-tail reed up against the four ties, allowing one string from each tie to come over and the other under the cat-tail (fig. 51). cross the two lengths of each cord over the last cat-tail, bringing the lower string up and the upper string down (fig. 52); then lay another reed up against the crossed strings, carrying the strings in turn over this reed (fig. 53). again bring the lower strings up and the upper down before placing in another cat-tail, and always alternate the large and small ends of the reeds as in fig. 54, in order to have them equally balanced and to avoid bringing all the small ends on one side and the large ones on the other side of the curtain. [illustration: fig. 51.--allow one string to come over and the other under the cat-tail.] [illustration: fig. 52.--cross the two lengths of twine.] [illustration: fig. 53.--lay another cat-tail up against the crossed strings.] [illustration: fig. 54.--alternate large and small ends of reeds.] [illustration: fig. 55--primitive curtain of reeds and twine stitch.] [illustration: fig. 56.--staple nail in top pole of curtain.] [illustration: fig. 57.--cord fastened on top pole for rolling up curtain.] continue crossing the cord and adding cat-tails until the curtain is of the desired length. tie the ends of the string on each line securely together and tuck them under the weave, hiding the ends on the wrong side of the curtain (fig. 55). at equal short distances from the tips of the head-pole fasten in a screw-eye large enough to pass readily over the two hooks immediately above the window where the curtain is to hang (fig. 55, a, a). on the centre of the space along the upper side of the top pole, between the first and second cord and the third and fourth cord, drive in a staple-nail (fig. 49, b, b), shown more plainly in fig. 56. these staple-nails are for holding in place the long cord used in rolling up the curtain (fig. 57, b, b, and fig. 58, b, b). thread one end of a long piece of cord from the back of the curtain through one staple-nail and the other end through the other staple-nail. bring both ends of the cord down over the front of the curtain around the bottom and up over the back; then tie the ends on the pole (fig. 57, c, c). dotted lines show how the cord runs along the back of the curtain. have the cord sufficiently long to allow of the stretch between the two staple-nails b and b (figs. 57 and 58), to hang down over the back and extend in a loop below the bottom edge of the curtain (fig. 57, d). when you wish to raise the curtain, pull the bottom loop and up will go the curtain (fig. 58). these primitive hangings are just the thing for outing cottages on the sea-shore or log-houses in the mountains. you can have fun weaving them while at your summer home and in place of the old-fashioned quilting-bee you might give a curtain-bee frolic. the girls and boys could readily make a number of hangings in one afternoon, and while weaving the reeds together they would weave into the work all sorts of bright speeches and gay laughter, so that ever after the curtains would be filled with delightful associations of the charming summer afternoon. reed curtains can be fashioned in any width. if very narrow hangings are in demand, cut your reeds to measure the length needed for the curtain-width and weave them together with the same twine cross-weave used in fig. 55. [illustration: fig. 58.--cat-tail curtain raised by loop from bottom.] [illustration: fig. 59.--small end of one cat-tail.] [illustration: fig. 60.--large end of another.] [illustration: fig. 61.--wide curtain, each reed of two cat-tails joined.] doorway-screens hung on a swinging, armlike rod extending, when open, at right angles with the doorway, and easily moved forward or backward, are attractive when of woven reeds, especially if dull, green-colored cord is used in the manufacture in place of ordinary twine. for very wide out-of-door veranda-shades, select the strongest cat-tails and dig out about two inches of pith from the large end of one cat-tail very cautiously to avoid breaking the sides; then push the small end of another cat-tail into the opening (figs. 59, 60, 61); weave these long pieces together as you wove the single reeds in the first curtain, using extra lines of weave. if you cannot obtain cat-tails, take other reeds; or cut some straight, slender poles from shrubs or trees, and weave them into curtains with colored cord of reds or browns. such pole-hangings would be excellent for the open front of your mountain shack or lean-to, and they could do service in screening the sunlight, when too strong, from the central open way of your saddle-bag log-house. [illustration: sitting in the orchard] chapter vi things to make of common grasses a grasshopper-house "mammy, make me a grasshopper-house." "go 'long, chile, i done got 'nough to do 'thout makin' no hoppergrass-houses." "please, mammy, only one, and then i can make them for myself. i'll watch you just as close. won't you, mammy?" "pick me some grasses, then; i 'low i has to, but don't yo' come pesterin' me no more after this time. "seed-top grasses, honey, seed-top grasses; don't git me none of them blade kind. ketch hol' near the top and pull 'em up slow like, then they'll come out nice and smooth, an' leave they ole rough skins behind, just like a eel does when you skins him. that's it, you got 'nough now; bring 'em 'long here an' we'll make the hoppergrass-house. "hol' your own hand, honey, you'll learn best that-a-way. can't forgit the feelin' of it once you build it on yo' fingers. [illustration: fig. 62.--put the grass around your middle finger with the end inside.] [illustration: fig. 63.--lay the next grass across the first.] [illustration: fig. 64.--bend back the ends of the first grass.] [illustration: fig. 65.--put the next grass across your hand.] "take one piece o' grass an' put it round yo' middle finger with the ends inside like this (fig. 62). now lay the next piece right across the first (fig. 63), an' bend back the ends of the first grass over the tother an' tuck 'em 'tween yo' fingers just like that (fig. 64). put the next grass across yo' hand (fig. 65), an' take up the second grass-ends, bendin' 'em back to keep company with first grass-ends. that makes another bar (fig. 66). now yo' do it an' let mammy see how yo' git along. that's right, lay the grass across an' put the under ends back ev'ry time. how many bars has yo' got now? six? that's 'nough fo' any hoppergrass, an' is as many as yo' little hand can hol' anyway. "now slip it offen yo' fingers, bring the ends together an' tie with a blade o' grass just above these here blossom ends (see illustration). there now, yo' done made a hoppergrass-house, an' don' yo' come askin' yo' ole mammy to stop her work no more." [illustration: fig. 66.--bend back the second grass ends like the first.] [illustration: fig. 67.--tie them together at the root ends.] [illustration: fig. 68.--lift two of the grasses and tie them together.] that is the way the little girls and boys in the south are taught to make the grasshopper-houses, by the old colored "mammies." they are funny little cages, and, of course, will not hold a grasshopper or any other insect, but we like to imagine they will. there are other things to make of grasses, any one of them requiring only a few moments' work, and it is a pretty, quiet occupation for restless little fingers. sitting in the orchard, nestling like little partridges amid the tall grasses, all your materials are close at hand. reach out and gather some of the long-bladed grass, and we will make a doll's hammock some of this grass measures twenty-five inches in length. it does not grow on stalks, but the blade appears to spring directly from the root, and it is smooth and pliable. you may find orchard-grass almost any where, generally in neglected corners and close to fences where the scythe does not reach. [illustration: fig. 69.--tie them all in pairs.] [illustration: the grasshopper-house.] take eight or ten of the blades of this grass and tie them together at the root-ends as in fig. 67, drawing the knot tight as in fig. 68. stick a pin through just below the knot and fasten to your knee; then lift two of the grasses at the right-hand side, and tie them together about one inch below the pin (fig. 68). tie the next two grasses together in the same manner, the next, and the next, until you have tied them all in pairs (fig. 69). make the second row by separating the pairs of the first and tying one grass of one pair to the neighboring grass of the next pair, making the knots one inch below the first row. this leaves the first and last grasses hanging loose (fig. 70). on the third row the first and last grasses are tied in once more (fig. 70). on the fourth they are left again, and so they alternate until the hammock is finished. keep the rows of knots at even distances apart, and make the hammock as long as the length of the grass will allow. leave about three inches of the grass below the last row of knots, and then tie the ends together as in the illustration. swing the little hammock between the low-hanging branches of a tree; put your dolly in it and let the summer breezes rock her to sleep while you sing: rock-a-by baby in the tree-top. [illustration: fig. 70.--make the knots of the second row one inch below the first row.] [illustration: the grass hammock.] a very pretty bouquet-holder can be made of seed-grasses and one long blade of grass. in this you may carry the most delicate wild flowers and ferns without wilting them by the warmth of your hand. [illustration: bouquet-holder made of seed-grass.] [illustration: fig. 71.--bunch together the seed-grass stalks.] bunch together seven fine, strong seed-grass stalks and tie just below the blossoms, with the root-end of your long-blade grass (fig. 71). the stems of the seed-grasses are the spokes, the long grass the weaver. turn the blossom-ends down, the stem-ends up, and close to where it is tied, begin to weave the long grass in and out, under one spoke, over the next, under the third, over the fourth, going around and around spirally until the end of the weaver is reached, then tie it to one of the spokes. keep forcing the spokes farther and farther apart as you weave until the holder is shaped like a cone. as you see in the illustration, the weaver never passes over one of the spokes twice in succession. in one row it goes over a spoke, in the next row under it, in the third over again, and so on. in order that it may always come this way you must have an uneven number of spokes. four will not do, nor six, nor eight, but five, seven, or nine spokes will bring the weave out all right. a grass napkin-ring is another thing that can be made by weaving or braiding the grasses. [illustration: grass napkin-ring.] [illustration: fig. 72.--take one blade from each bunch and cross them.] [illustration: fig. 73.--bring c over a and d under b and over c.] select ten fine long blades of grass, divide them into two bunches of five each, put the root-ends together, and tie them as when making the hammock. pin these two bunches to your knee about two inches apart, and taking one blade from each bunch, cross them as in fig. 72, the right-hand grass a on top of the left-hand grass b. now bring the left-hand grass c over a, and the right-hand grass d under b and over c (fig. 73). next weave the left-hand grass e under a and over d, then the right-hand grass f over b, under c, and over e. weave the remaining four grasses in the same way, taking first from one side, then from the other. when your work has reached the stage shown in fig. 74, take the grass a, turn it _under_ and weave it in and out as in fig. 76, then the grass b, turn it _over_ and weave until it crosses a (fig. 76). d comes next, to be woven until it crosses b, then c, which will cross d. on the left hand always turn the grasses under before beginning to weave, on the right hand turn them over before beginning to weave. [illustration: fig. 74--weave the remaining grasses in the same way.] [illustration: fig. 76.--turn the grass a under, and weave it in and out.] when you have woven or braided a strip about five inches long, untie the two knots at the top, form the braid into a ring and tie the opposite ends together in two knots. the groups g and g in fig. 77 form one knot, the groups h and h the other knot. trim the ends off neatly and the napkin-ring will look like the one in the illustration. do not use rough or saw-edged grasses for any of this work, for they sometimes cut the hands, and the seed-top grasses must not be old enough to shed their seeds into your eyes. when dry most grass is quite brittle and will break if you attempt to bend it. the fresh, green, soft and pliable grasses are the kind you need and these you may always find in season. [illustration: fig. 77.--tie the opposite ends together.] chapter vii the possibilities of a clothes-line you can form it into graceful patterns of curves and coils, loops and rings; you can weave it basket-fashion or net it together with brass curtain-rings, and you can fray it out into soft, pretty tassels. you can make it into a decorative wood-basket, a grille for an open doorway, fringe for curtains and portiã¨res, or decoration for the top of a wooden chest. one use will suggest another and you will probably find some way of adapting the rope that has never yet been thought of. hemp rope and cotton, large rope and small, down to the ordinary heavy twine, all lend themselves to this work. it requires a rather heavy clothes-line, one considerably lighter, called by some rope-cord, and a piece of strong twine for the wood-basket shown in the illustration. make the bottom of a board two feet long and sixteen inches wide, and on each end of the board nail securely one-half of a barrel-hoop (fig. 78). from an old broom-stick cut four rounds one inch thick for the feet (fig. 79), and fasten one round to each corner underneath the board with strong screws or wire nails (fig. 78, z z). this is all the wood you will need for the basket, the rest is to be made entirely of rope. [illustration: the wood-basket.] [illustration: fig. 78--on each end nail one-half of a barrel-hoop.] [illustration: fig. 79--for the feet.] take your small rope and nail one end of it to the edge of the bottom, close to one end of one of the barrel-hoops (fig. 80), then wrap the hoop with the rope, one row close to another until it is completely covered. cut off the rope when it reaches the end of the hoop and nail it down as you did the first end of the rope in beginning. fasten a piece of the heavy rope entirely around the edge of the board, nailing it at intervals along each side, but leaving loose that at the end edges until later. make the end pieces of the basket by looping and twisting the heavy rope into the pattern shown in fig. 81, forming as many loops as are required to reach across the end of the bottom. wrap and tie one row of the loops to the rope on the end edge of the board and the side loops to the hoops, using the twine for this purpose. [illustration: fig. 80.--nail one end of the small rope to the edge of the bottom.] eight inches from the end of the bottom, underneath but near the side edge, nail one end of your heavy rope; bring it up slantingly and wrap and tie it to the hoop just above and touching the top edge of the loops, stretch the rope tightly across the hoop and tie at the other side, then carry the end down and fasten underneath the bottom eight inches from the end of the board (see illustration). wrap and tie the top loops of the end piece to the top rope as shown in illustration. finish the other end of the basket in the same manner, not forgetting to nail in place the rope left loose at the end edges. give the completed wood-basket several coats of dark varnish. the varnish not only produces a nice finish, smoothing down both wood and rope, but also stiffens and helps to hold the rope in place. [illustration: fig. 81.--make the end pieces like this.] a rope netting at once simple and effective is made like fig. 82. this netting may be made of heavy rope for a grille in an open doorway, or of lighter rope for fringe. in either case the method is the same. [illustration: fig. 82.--a rope netting.] in a board, at regular distances apart, along a straight line, drive a row of wire nails. it depends upon the size of the rope how far apart the nails should be placed. for a heavy rope there must be at least four inches between, and this distance should lessen as the rope decreases in size. cut your rope into pieces four feet in length if it is heavy, not so long if it is light rope. loop one piece of rope over each nail and let it hang down evenly, then bring the first and fourth strands together and slip on them a small brass curtain or embroidery ring (letter a, fig. 83). push the ring up to within four inches of the line of nails if the nails are four inches apart. if the distance between the nails is three inches the ring must be three inches below the line. catch the ring to each strand of rope with needle and thread to hold it in place. bring the third and sixth strands together and slip on a ring (letter b, fig. 83). then the fifth and seventh, and so across the board. [illustration: fig. 83.--slip on a small brass curtain ring.] begin the next row by slipping a ring on the first and second strands, placing it the same distance below the first row of rings that the first row of rings is below the line of nails (letter c, fig. 83). bring the third and fourth strands together with a ring, the fifth and sixth, continuing the original pairing of the strands until the row is complete. the third row of rings brings together again the second and fourth strands, the third and sixth, as in the first row, and the fourth row of rings goes back to pairing the first and second, third and fourth strands. the tassels below the last row of rings wrap and tie the strands together, then untwist the ends of the rope up to where it is tied and fray it out until it becomes fluffy. make the head of the tassel by wrapping closely with twine a short distance below the ring, or you may slip on several of the brass rings as a finish. the board on which you make your netting need not be any longer than is convenient to handle, for when one part of the netting is finished it can be taken off the nails and new strands added to carry on the work. fig. 84 is an ornamental design suitable for decorating a wooden chest or, if sewed on cloth, for a hanging. by studying the design you can easily reproduce it without the aid of description or other diagram. [illustration: fig. 84.--ornamental design.] chapter viii how to weave a splint basket your enthusiasm will begin when you find how easily the splint can be cut and shaped after it has soaked for a while in water. it is delightful to work with, almost as soft and pliable as ribbon, while having more substance. although there is apparently such diversity in the material shown in the illustration, it all comes from one roll of splint, which is uniform in width and thickness. [illustration: weaving the sides of basket with long weaver.] a basket measuring about six inches in diameter and three inches in height is a convenient size on which to learn. open your roll of splint, put two pieces to soak in a bowlful of cold water, and let them remain twenty minutes. have ready a clean lap-board, a pair of large scissors, and an old towel. the lap-board not only serves for a work-table, but also keeps the water out of your lap. wipe the dripping water from the splint, and cut off six pieces nineteen inches long; then cut these into sixteen strips one-half inch wide, for the spokes of the basket. do not attempt to tear the splint, for it will not tear evenly. from the other piece of splint cut four strips for weavers, making the first one-half of an inch wide, the next one-fourth of an inch wide, another one-eighth of an inch wide, and the last one-sixteenth of an inch wide. place all the weavers in the water and leave them until you are ready to begin weaving. take up the spokes, one at a time, and pass them between your fingers until they are perfectly straight and flat; then number them all by writing the number with a pencil on each end of every spoke; see diagram (fig. 85). lay the spokes in front of you on the lap-board crossing the first four at the centre (fig. 85). place the next four spokes in the spaces between the ones you have just arranged in the order shown in fig. 86, then the remaining eight in the spaces left between these. [illustration: fig. 85.--the first four spokes.] for instance, the ninth spoke should come between no. 1 and no. 5, the tenth spoke between no. 5 and no. 3, the eleventh spoke between no. 3 and no. 6, and so on around the circle (fig. 87). be sure the lower end of a spoke fits between the same numbers as the upper end. when all the spokes are placed hammer a strong pin directly through the centre where they are crossed, to hold them together while you begin. [illustration: bottom of basket completed.] [illustration: material for weaving basket.] [illustration: small basket with two rows of trimming on different colored weaver between.] [illustration: lining the basket.] the weaving with the spokes lying in the position shown in diagram (fig. 87), take the eighth-inch weaver, and begin to weave it in and out of the spokes. start it under spoke no. 1 about two and one-half inches from the centre, bring it over no. 9, under no. 5, over no. 10, under no. 3, over, under, over, under, until it has crossed spoke no. 16; then skip no. 1, bring the weaver under no. 9, and weave another row. you will find it necessary to skip one spoke at the beginning of each row, in order to make a continuous under-and-over weave. weave five rows with the eighth-inch weaver, then slide the end under the last row, lapping it an inch or so and running it under several spokes, to hide the joint. slip the first end under a spoke also. during this part of the work your main endeavor must be to weave in a perfect circle. the illustration shows the bottom of the basket completed. [illustration: fig. 86.--eight spokes in place.] before bending the spokes for the sides of the basket, let them soak in the water a few minutes, then place the work on the lap-board, the same side up as when started, and carefully bend the spokes up at right-angles with the bottom (fig. 88). start a half-inch weaver inside the basket, close to the bottom, and weave under and over until the row is complete; then, allowing for a lap of about three inches, cut the weaver off and slide the end under the first end of the weaver, making the invisible joint by tucking each end under a spoke. start the next row a little beyond the joint of the first row, that the joining may not all come in one place. weave five rows of the half-inch weaver, then two rows of the fourth-inch weaver and then bind off (fig. 89). [illustration: fig. 87.--all of the spokes in place.] [illustration: fig. 88.--bend the spokes up.] binding off cut the spokes off evenly, leaving about two inches extending above the top of the basket, then put the basket in the water, spokes down, and soak until pliable. bend each spoke down snugly over the top weaver, and slip the end through the next weaver, pushing it down until its end is hidden under one of the weavers. bend one spoke inside, the next outside the basket, according as they come inside or outside of the top weaver (fig. 89). [illustration: fig. 89.--binding off.] this binding off holds the top weaver in place and makes the basket very firm; but the spokes must be protected from wear where they are bent, and it is necessary to put a double band around the edge. for this band cut two pieces of the fourth-inch weaver which will go around the basket and lap about an inch. place one piece along the inside edge, the other along the outside edge of the basket, and with the sixteenth-inch weaver bind them to the top weaver, as shown in diagram 90. fasten the end by taking several cross-stitches with the narrow weaver, passing it under the inside band only, and tucking the end under the same band. [illustration: fig. 90.--putting on the band.] the trimming many splint baskets are trimmed with twisted loops of the same material. for this trimming take one of the half-inch weavers and cut a thread's width off its edge, making it just a trifle narrower than the other weaver. insert the end of this weaver under a spoke at the top of the basket (letter a, diagram 91), give a twist to the left, and pass it beneath the next spoke, as shown in diagram 91, letter b. pull the loop down and flatten it a little with your thumb, then twist the weaver again, this time to the right, and slip the end under the next spoke, letter c. continue this around the basket, and make the joint of the trimming as you did the other joints, by lapping the ends and slipping them under the spokes, which makes the last loop of double thickness. [illustration: fig. 91.--making the trimming.] the small basket shown in the illustration has two rows of trimming, and between them is run a weaver of another color pulled out into loops at the sides. the illustration on the first page of this chapter shows a large basket with four rows of trimming and handles. the handles are made of the fourth-inch weaver, which is brought around twice, making a ring of double thickness. the ring is then wrapped with the eighth-inch weaver, and fastened to the basket with loops of the same. the weaving of this large basket differs from the smaller one, in that the weaver is not cut at the end of each row, but is continued around row after row. for a large basket the half-inch weaver can be used in this way, but in a small basket the slant of the weaver as it runs around is too apparent. if a long weaver is used in a small basket it must not be more than one-eighth of an inch in width. while baskets of the natural white splint are extremely dainty, color certainly gives variety and adds interest to the work, and the splints will take dye readily. you might also line your basket with silk of a color to harmonize with the splint. the white-ash splint one and one-half inches wide comes in rolls of twenty-five yards, and a roll will make several medium-sized baskets. the material may be obtained of almost any kindergarten supply firm. chapter ix modelling in tissue-paper a few cents will be sufficient to buy enough tissue-paper to model good-sized elephants, too large to stuff into the christmas stocking, for they measure six or seven inches in length and stand four or five inches high; and you can make chickens nearly life-size, and the queer little turkeys, too. you must select paper of the necessary color, and fold, roll, fold, squeeze, fold, tie, with here a little pull and there a little pat, a spreading out, a pinching in; that is all. there is no sewing, no pasting, no pinning, merely modelling and tying, using only tissue-paper and string. these animals are very substantial and unique. they are not at all thin or flat, but well rounded out and lifelike, with character and independence enough to stand alone--just the kind your little brother and sister will be delighted with, for they may play with the toys free from all danger of hurts or bruises. to make the chicken select a sheet of tissue-paper of a soft yellow color, cut it through the centre, fold into two pieces. take one of the halves and gather up the long edge where it has been cut (fig. 92), then gather the opposite edge (fig. 93). crease the paper as it is folded by holding one end with the right hand (fig. 92), and drawing the paper several times through the partially closed left hand. this will cause it to retain the creases, as seen in fig. 93. [illustration: fig. 92.--the beginning of the paper chicken.] [illustration: fig. 93--second step in modelling chicken.] [illustration: fig. 94.--third step in modelling chicken.] [illustration: fig. 95.--fourth step in modelling chicken.] [illustration: fig. 96.--fifth step in modelling chicken.] [illustration: fig. 97.--head and body of chicken.] [illustration: fig. 98.--modelling the chicken's legs.] roll a separate piece of paper into a little wad and lay it on the creased strip (fig. 93) about one-fourth of the distance from one end. bend the short end of the strip over the wad of paper, as in fig. 94; then fold up the strip where the end of the short fold lies, bend this over the first fold (fig. 95) and bring the loose end on the bottom of the three layers. fig. 96 shows a wad of paper inserted at one end of a strip of creased paper folded over and over three times, making four layers, two on top and two on the bottom of the paper wad. wind a string around the paper tight up to the wad and tie it securely to form the head (fig. 97). you now have the body and head of the chicken. make the legs and feet of a strip of paper about sixteen inches long and seven and one-half wide. gather up the two long sides with your fingers as you did the paper in fig. 93; crease the paper, then wind each leg with string, leaving one inch free at each end to form the feet (fig. 98). lift up the free end of the folded paper (fig. 97) and place the centre of the legs (fig. 98) midway under the last fold as in fig. 99. tie the end of the loose layer of the body securely on the body, and you will have the foundation ready for the beak, wings, and tail (fig. 100). [illustration: fig. 99.--modelling body and legs of chicken.] [illustration: fig. 100.--partially modelled ready for beak, wings and tail.] [illustration: fig. 101.--the beak of chicken.] [illustration: fig. 102.--modelling beak on chicken.] [illustration: fig. 103.--paper chicken nearly finished.] [illustration: fig. 104.--hungry little paper chicken.] cut a square of the same kind of tissue paper, measuring nine and one-half inches on all four sides; fold diagonally twice across the square as when making a paper pin-wheel. the centre of the square is exactly where the diagonal lines meet and cross; pinch the centre portion up into a beak and tie it with a string (fig. 101); then fit the beak over the centre of the chicken's head, bringing the paper entirely over the head on all sides; tie the square around the chicken's neck close up to the head (fig. 102). the two points a and b of the square must form the wings, while c is carried backward over the under portion of the body and d back over the upper part, the two ends c and d being brought together and tied tight up to the body to form the tail. in fig. 103 you will see exactly how to pinch up the wing if you notice particularly the upper part of the wing b, next to the body. the wing a on fig. 103 shows how the two wings must be tied close to, but not on, the body. when each wing is tied, make the tail of c and d by tying the extensions together as explained above; that done, bend down the legs, spread out the wings and tail, open out and flatten the feet, then stand the little chicken on a level surface (fig. 104). remember always to crease the tissue-paper with the grain of the paper; if you attempt to cross the grain the paper will be very apt to tear. the turkey [illustration: fig. 105.--the astonished paper turkey.] [illustration: fig. 106.--modelling turkey's body.] [illustration: fig. 107.--legs and feet of turkey.] [illustration: fig. 108.--head modelled on turkey.] (fig. 105) is also modelled from half a sheet of tissue-paper as near the general color of a turkey as can be found. make fig. 92 and fig. 93 of the paper; then fold fig. 93 five and three-quarter inches from one end (fig. 106, f). three inches from this end tie the two layers together (fig. 106, g). fold the strips back and tie a string through the lower loop up over the loose top layer (fig. 106, h). wind the extreme end of the paper (fig. 106, o), with string to form the beak (fig. 107), bend the beak down and tie it to the neck to form the top of the head (fig. 108, p). make the legs and feet as you did those for the chicken (fig. 98) and slide them through the body so that one fold of the body will be above and two beneath the legs (fig. 107). cut the wings from a separate piece of tissue-paper (fig. 109). let the paper measure seven inches on the widest side, five on the opposite side, and four and one-half on each of the other sides. pinch the paper together through the centre and tie (fig. 110). gather up one wing, so that it will not tear, and slip it through the body, immediately over the legs, with the widest side toward the front (fig. 105), leaving the other wing out free on the other side of the turkey. bend down the legs, spread the tail out fan shape and bend it up; open out the wings and drop them downward and forward (fig. 105). flatten out the feet and stand up the turkey (fig. 105). [illustration: fig. 109.--paper for turkey wings.] [illustration: fig. 110.--turkey wings.] [illustration: fig. 111.--elephant modelled of tissue-paper.] the elephant (fig. 111) will require two sheets of brown tissue-paper for its body, head, and trunk, which are all made of a single strip of paper. unfold, spread out and fit the two sheets of tissue-paper together; then gather up one side, as in fig. 92, crease and gather up the other side (fig. 93). bind one end with black thread to the distance of four and one-half inches to form the trunk; then fold the remainder of the strip into four layers, beginning with the free end of the paper; fold over and over three times. this gives the body and head. bind black thread around the folds next to the trunk to form the head. make four legs of two pieces of paper in the same way you formed those of the chicken (fig. 98), only the elephant's legs must be very much thicker. slide the legs through the body between the two layers of paper, shove the front legs forward and the hind legs backward. for the tail use a small strip of the brown tissue-paper. wrap it around and around with black thread to within an inch of the bottom and cut this end up into fringe. fasten the tail on the elephant with black thread, pass the thread between the first and second layers of paper forming the back of the body of the animal and tie the tail on the outside threads which cross from side to side of the elephant; bend the top of the tail over the thread, as you would hang a garment on a clothes-line, and tie the bent-over end down on to the tail proper. shape the ears like fig. 112, pinch together the end s and tuck it under the thread which separates the head from the body. allow the long side, m, to form the front of the ears. you can add white ivory tusks if desired. roll up two white writing-paper lighters and push an end of each up in the head under the trunk, forming one tusk on each side. [illustration: fig. 112.--elephant's ear.] in making these little creatures do not forget that you must do some modelling, bending and shaping them with your fingers, squeezing up the paper where it stands out too far, and gently pulling it out in places where it flattens too much. the heads can be turned to suit the fancy, the bodies inclined this or that way, or they may stand stiff and erect. you might model a number of chickens, of different-colored paper, some yellow, some white, and others black, like real chickens; or make several turkeys and two or three elephants, some of the latter with tusks and others without. the toys when finished will cause exclamations of delight and approval. they are simple and easy to put together, something which will not cost much and yet be worth many times the amount expended for the necessary material to manufacture. the little animals are attractive, substantial toys, entirely different from the common ones which any girl or boy with sufficient pocket money may purchase. chapter x nature study with tissue-paper a natural flower, some tissue-paper, a pair of scissors, a spool of thread, and nimble fingers are all you need. there are no patterns, only circles and squares and strips of paper which you gather here, spread out there, wrap and tie some place else and, with deft fingers, model into almost exact reproductions of the natural flower before you. with its unfamiliar terms to be committed to memory and the many parts of the flower to be distinguished, botany is apt to prove dry and tiresome to the little child, but to study nature by copying the flowers in this marvellously adaptable material is only a beautiful game which every child, and indeed many grown people, will delight in. the form of the flower, its name and color, may, by this means, be indelibly stamped upon the memory, and a good foundation laid for further study. the best models ordinary garden flowers and those most easily procured make the best models. the carnation-pink, the morning-glory, and the rarer blossoms of the hibiscus, are well adapted to the work, also the daffodil and some of the wonderful orchids. even holly with its sharp-spiked leaves and scarlet berries and the white-berried, pale-green mistletoe may be closely copied. all these and many more are made on the same principle and in so simple a manner even quite a little child may succeed in producing very good copies from nature. material buy a sheet of light pink tissue-paper, another of darker pink, and one of the darkest red you can find. then a sheet of light yellow-green and one of dark green. have a table "cleared for action" and place your paper on the right-hand side, adding a pair of scissors and a spool of coarse thread, or, better still, of soft darning-cotton. [illustration: carnations modelled from tissue-paper.] with all this you are to copy the carnation-pink which someone has given you or you have growing in your own garden. make one of your light pink paper, one of the darker pink, and another of the rich, deep red to have a variety. lay your natural flower down on the left-hand side of the table, away from your material but quite within easy reach, for it must be consulted frequently. seat yourself comfortably and don't work hurriedly. [illustration: fig. 113.--fold the square diagonally through the centre.] the first thing necessary in this system of squares and circles is to know how to cut a circle quickly, easily and accurately, and always without a pattern. here is a method which never fails: [illustration: fig. 114.--the first triangle.] cut a square the size you wish to make your circle. that is, if you want a circle with a diameter of four inches cut a four-inch square (fig. 113). fold the square diagonally through the centre according to the dotted line on fig. 113, and you have the triangle (fig. 114). fold this at the dotted line and it will make another triangle (fig. 115). again fold through the middle and you have the third triangle (fig. 116). fold once more and fig. 117 is the result. measure the distance from the edge, b, to the centre a in fig. 117 and mark the same distance on the other side of the angle shown by the dot, c (fig. 117). with your scissors cut across from c to b, curving the edge slightly, as shown by the dotted line from c to b (fig. 118). fig. 119 is the circle still in its folds. fig. 120 is the circle opened, the dotted lines indicating where it has been folded. [illustration: fig. 115.--second triangle.] [illustration: fig. 116.--third triangle.] your eye will soon become sufficiently accurate to enable you to gauge the distance from a to b, and you can then cut from c to b without measuring. [illustration: fig. 117.--fold once more.] [illustration: fig. 118.--cut from c to b, curving the edge.] [illustration: fig. 119.--the circle still in its folds.] before beginning your flower take up the natural one and examine it carefully. you will notice that it has a great many petals crowded closely together and that their edges are pointed like a saw. you will also see that the green calyx is wrapped snugly around the lower part of the flower and that it, too, has a pointed edge. [illustration: fig. 120.--the circle opened.] now hold the pink off at arm's length. the separateness of the petals disappears and you see them only as a mass; the points on the edges are not noticeable except as they give the flower a crimped appearance, and the edge of the calyx looks almost straight. it is this last appearance or the impression of the flower that you are to produce rather than its many and separate little parts. so now to work. [illustration: fig. 121.--the petals.] [illustration: fig. 122.--crimp the edge with your fingers.] [illustration: fig. 123.--draw these through your hand to bring them closely together.] [illustration: fig. 124.--make a slender lighter.] cut two squares for each pink, one measuring five and one-quarter inches, the other four and three-quarter inches, and turn them into circles (fig. 121) by the method just explained. take one of the circles at the centre, where the folding lines cross, with the tips of the fingers of your left hand and pinch it together; then, while still holding it, crimp the edge with the fingers of your right hand (fig. 122). do this always with every kind of flower, whether it is made of circles or squares. without loosening your hold of the centre, draw the paper lightly through your right hand several times, then crimp the edge again, this time with the blade of your scissors. treat all the circles alike, then place a small circle inside a larger one and draw them through your hand to bring them together, pinching them closely until within a little over an inch of the edge (fig. 123). make a slender lighter of ordinary writing-paper (fig. 124), snip off the point of the flower (d, fig. 123), open the other end a little and push the lighter through until its head is hidden. this forms the stem. wrap and tie with thread at the bottom of the flower (fig. 125), and again where the petals spread. this last is to be but temporary, as you will remove the thread when the flower is sufficiently pressed together to hold its shape. [illustration: fig. 126.--the calyx.] [illustration: fig. 125.--wrap and tie at the bottom and where the petals spread.] [illustration: fig. 127.--wrap the paper spirally around the stem.] from your light-green paper cut a circle measuring three and one-quarter inches through its diameter and cut it in two to make the half circle for the calyx (fig. 126). remove the thread that holds the flower just below its petals and wrap the calyx closely around the lower part, tying it at the bottom; then cut a narrow strip of dark-green paper and wrap it spirally around the stem, beginning at the top (fig. 127). let the wrapper extend a little below the lighter and twist the end to hold it in place. spread the petals of your flower as much like the natural blossom as possible. leaves [illustration: fig. 128.--the leaves.] for the leaves cut a strip of dark-green paper six inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide (fig. 128). find the centre by folding the paper end to end and making the crease shown by dotted line in fig. 128. gather it along this line, not with needle and thread--we use no needle in this work--but with your fingers, and pinch it together; then twist each end into a point (fig. 129). with the sharp point of your scissors punch a hole directly through the centre (e, fig. 129), and push the point of the stem through the hole, bringing the leaves as far up on the stem as you find them on the natural flower; then wrap and tie them in place. [illustration: fig. 129.--twist each end into a point.] the bud is made of a circle of dark-green paper the diameter of which is three and one-quarter inches (fig. 130). gather this circle between your fingers as you did the others and crimp the edge with the scissors. it will then form a little bag or cup like fig. 131. slip the bag over the head of a lighter and tie at the bottom as in fig. 132. if the bud does not take the proper shape at first, model it with your fingers until it is correct. start the wrapping of the stem just above where the bud is tied and finish as you did the stem of the pink. use small leaves on the bud stem, having the strip of paper just as wide, but considerably shorter than for the leaves on the stem of the open flower. [illustration: fig. 130.--the bud. fig. 131.] it is wonderful how very natural these blossoms appear. at a short distance no one would think they are not the real, old and familiar pinks. only the fragrance is missing, and that may also be supplied and a spicy odor given by enclosing a whole clove in the heart of each flower. the morning-glory from your pale-pink paper you can make the delicately beautiful morning-glory. have the natural flower with its stem and leaves to copy from, even if the blossom is not the color you want. as with the pink, it is the general form and appearance we strive for in the morning-glory, not the detail. [illustration: fig. 132.--slip the bag over the head of a lighter.] make your pink circles with a diameter of about seven inches. it is always better to have your flowers a trifle larger than the natural ones, rather than smaller. but one circle is required for each morning-glory. crimp this in your fingers and draw through your hand as you did the circles for the pinks; then, pinching it together to within one and one-half inches of the edge, hold it in your left hand and flatten out the top as in fig. 133. see that the fulness is evenly distributed, and pull and straighten out the edges until you are satisfied with its appearance. [illustration: morning-glory modelled from tissue-paper.] [illustration: fig. 133.--flatten out the top of the flower.] a piece of bonnet-wire makes the best stem if you wish to give the true viney effect of the growth. if it is only the blossom you are making, a paper lighter will answer. when you use the wire bend one end over to form a small loop; this is to keep the stem from slipping through the flower. pass the straight end of the wire through the centre of the flower and draw it down until the loop is hidden. [illustration: fig. 134.--green square for calyx.] [illustration: fig. 135.--draw the edges down.] [illustration: fig. 136.--form a leaf-shaped point.] make the calyx of a square of light-green paper measuring about four and one-half inches. fold the square four times through the centre to form the creases shown by the dotted lines in fig. 134. hold the square at the centre and draw the edges down as in fig. 135; then bring the two edges together in gathers, just below one of the corners, to form a leaf-shaped point as in fig. 136. gather below each corner, tie as in fig. 137, and twist each corner into a sharp point like f, fig. 137. draw the calyx through your hand, bringing the points together (fig. 138). push the calyx up on the stem and tie just at the base of the flower, then tie again about three-quarters of an inch below and wrap the remainder of the calyx close to the stem. wind the stem with light-green tissue-paper and bend it as the natural one is bent and curved. [illustration: fig. 137.--twist each corner into a point.] make several buds of the pink paper, following the directions given for the green bud of the pink; then twist each bud at the point and add a calyx. the wilted flower shown in the illustration is made by taking one of the morning-glories you have just finished and actually wilting it by drawing the flower together and creasing and pressing it to resemble the partially closed and drooping natural blossom. only a piece of dark-green paper six inches square is required to model two almost perfectly shaped morning-glory leaves. [illustration: fig. 138.--bring the points together.] [illustration: fig. 139.--gather along one of the creases.] [illustration: fig. 140.--the morning-glory leaves.] fold the square twice diagonally across from corner to corner to find its centre; then begin at one corner and gather along one of the creases until you reach the centre (fig. 139). start again at the opposite corner, gather along the crease to the centre, then wrap and tie (fig. 140). pinch each leaf from underneath along the crease in the middle, to give the depression at the midrib. straighten the leaf out a little at its widest part and you will find you have made a pair of leaves which are surprisingly natural. wrap and tie these to the stem and make as many more as you think are needed. the daffodil is of such a different nature it hardly seems possible that it can be made on the same principle as the other flowers, yet the work is practically the same. [illustration: daffodils modelled from tissue-paper.] [illustration: fig. 141.--for the two extra petals.] [illustration: fig. 142.--pinch and tie in place.] [illustration: fig. 144.--cut off the ragged end.] [illustration: fig. 145.--fit each loose petal between two of the others.] [illustration: fig. 143.--bring together the fan of paper below the petal.] match the tint of your natural daffodil in yellow tissue-paper as nearly as possible, and then cut two squares for each flower measuring about five and one-half inches. fold the squares crosswise and diagonally through the centre as you did for the calyx of the morning-glory (fig. 134), and cut one square in half along one of its diagonal folds (fig. 141). gather the square two and a quarter inches below each corner and tie as in fig. 137, but do not twist the points. this gives you four petals, but as the daffodil has six, you must make two more from the triangular halves of the square you have just cut. gather each triangle across from side to side, according to the dotted line in fig. 141, and pinch and tie in place as in fig. 142, making sure the petal is of exactly the same size as those on the square. bring together the fan of paper left below the petal and wrap and tie as in fig. 143, then cut off the ragged end (fig. 144). draw the petals of the square together as you did the calyx, and insert the stem made of a paper lighter. put in place the two extra petals, pushing the wrapped ends down into the heart of the flower; fit each loose petal between two of the others and tie (fig. 145). [illustration: fig. 146.--pinch the cup together.] [illustration: fig. 147.--slip the cup on your finger like a thimble.] [illustration: fig. 148.--insert the stem of the cup into the centre of the flower.] turn back to the bud of the pink (fig. 130), and from a circle of the yellow paper, with a diameter of four inches, make the cup (fig. 131), using the scissors to give a fine crimp to the edges. pinch the cup together at the bottom almost half-way up and tie (fig. 146); slip it on your finger like a thimble and press it into shape like fig. 147. insert the point or stem of the cup into the centre of the flower and tie in place just below the petals (fig. 148). cut a two and three-quarter-inch square from light-brown paper and divide it diagonally in half for the calyx. examine your natural daffodil and notice how loosely the calyx seems to be wrapped around the flower. imitate this by leaving the point loose at the top, while you wrap the bottom of the calyx closely around the stem. allow the wrapping for the stem to cover the lower part of the brown calyx. make several long, narrow leaves from strips of dark-green paper, two inches wide and of varying lengths. twist one end of each leaf into a point and, gathering the other end, draw it through your hands until it stands up stiffly. wrap each leaf partly around the stem and tie in place, following as closely as possible the natural growth of the leaf on the stem. bend the stem just below each flower, being careful not to break the paper lighter which forms it. if you use thread the color of the flowers for tying and green for the stems the effect will be almost perfect. chapter xi a new race of dolls like the little animals, these dolls are modelled of tissue-paper and they are equally substantial and durable. the dolls, as well as their dresses, shoes, and bonnets, are made without taking a stitch or using glue or paste. nothing could be prettier or more suitable to hang on the christmas-tree than these little ladies decked out in their fluffy tissue-paper skirts, and nothing will give greater delight to the children. [illustration: here she comes. little miss muffett.] to make little miss muffett you will need eight sheets of white tissue-paper, two sheets of flesh pink, not too deep in color, a quarter of a sheet of light-brown or yellow, and a small piece of black. her underclothes will require one sheet of white and her dress and bonnet one sheet of any color you consider most becoming. [illustration: fig. 149.--creased tissue-paper for making doll.] [illustration: fig. 150.--six sheets of tissue-paper folded together for making doll.] [illustration: fig. 151.--head of doll.] [illustration: fig. 152.--head tied on body.] take one sheet of the white paper at a time and draw it lengthwise through your hands, creasing or crimping it as in fig. 149. do this to all the eight sheets. then, pulling six of them partly open, place them evenly one on top of another and fold through the middle (fig. 150). take another sheet of the crimped paper and roll it into a ball like fig. 151. open the folded paper, place the ball in the middle, bring the paper down over the ball and wrap and tie just below with coarse linen thread or white darning-cotton (fig. 152). this is the head, which you must model into shape with your fingers, squeezing it out to make it fuller and rounder at the back and pinching it to give a chin to the face. fold another crimped sheet like fig. 153 for the arms. you will notice the ends do not quite reach the folds. the space left should measure a little over one inch. crimp half a sheet of the pink paper and with it cover the arms; allow the pink to extend equally at each end beyond the white and fold over the ends, tying them as in fig. 154. then tie the loose ends down as in fig. 155. open the paper just below the head, slip the arms in place and tie below (fig. 156). [illustration: fig. 153.--beginning the arms.] [illustration: fig. 154.--pink paper over arms.] [illustration: fig. 155.--outside of arms tied over inside.] spread out your smooth sheet of pink paper, place the doll's head directly in the centre and draw the paper down over head and body; keep it as smooth as possible over the face and wrap and tie at the neck (fig. 157). push the pink paper up on the shoulders and cut a slit about six inches long lengthwise through the middle of the entire mass of paper, as shown in fig. 157. wrap and tie each of the legs (fig. 158) and tie once more under the arms (fig. 161). fold the bottom edges under and model the feet in shape (fig. 158). the wrappings at the thighs and knees take slanting lines, which give a more natural shape to the legs than if the thread were simply wrapped round and round as at the ankles. [illustration: fig. 156.--arms in place.] paint the face of little miss muffett with water-colors, placing the features low on the head to give a babyish look, and make the eyes large and mouth small. color the cheeks and chin a deeper pink, and put little touches of red just above the eyes near the inner corners and little streaks of blue just below the eyes. [illustration: fig. 157.--the pink skin of tissue-paper over doll.] [illustration: fig. 158.--modelling legs of doll.] miss muffett's curls are furnished by the wig, which you are to make of brown or yellow paper, or black if you want a little brunette. cut a circle seven and one-half inches in diameter, and on the edge cut a fringe one inch in depth (fig. 159). this is the hair, which you must curl by drawing it lightly over the blade of a penknife or scissors (fig. 159). fit the wig on miss muffett's head, holding it in place with pins until you can tie it on just back of the curls (fig. 161). [illustration: fig. 159.--the wig.] now for the little lady's clothes. to make the shoes, which will be her first article of dress, cut out of the black tissue-paper two circles measuring four and one-half inches in diameter (fig. 160); place one foot in the middle of a circle, draw the paper up around the ankle and wrap a number of times before tying. put the other shoe on the other foot in the same manner, and your doll will look like fig. 161. [illustration: the shoe.] [illustration: fig. 160.--pattern of shoe.] miss muffett's lingerie consists of a union garment (fig. 162) and a white skirt (fig. 163). from one end of your remaining sheet of white paper cut a strip about seven inches wide, and at the middle cut a slit half-way up (fig. 162). draw this through your hands to crimp it, the creases to run lengthwise, that is, from top to bottom. fit the little garment to the body, tying it just below the arms and again above the knees, where it will form ruffles. cut the white skirt in a circle seventeen inches in diameter with a circular opening in the centre (fig. 163). crimp the skirt and put it on over the feet, not the head, of the doll, wrapping and tying it in place around the waist. not only may tissue-paper be purchased in all colors, with their various shades and tints, but in pretty little checks, plaids, and figures as well, so miss muffett may have a dress equal in appearance to the cotton or silk gown of her china sisters. [illustration: fig. 161.--ready to be dressed.] cut the skirt of the dress after the white skirt pattern (fig. 163), and the waist like the smaller circle (fig. 164), which has one slit, from outer to inner edge, added to the opening at the centre. [illustration: fig. 162.--union garment.] [illustration: fig. 163.--white skirt.] [illustration: fig. 164.--waist pattern.] [illustration: fig. 165.--pattern for sun-bonnet.] [illustration: fig. 166.--bonnet folded.] this waist circle should measure ten inches in diameter. do not crimp the dress skirt, but put it on in all its crisp freshness, and tie in place at the waist-line. adjust the waist on miss muffett, bringing the slit opening at the back. it looks very much like a cape now, doesn't it? but draw the fulness in at the bottom and around the arms at the shoulders, and you have a little waist with full short sleeves. tie the waist rather high, and bring it down to bag slightly over the skirt as shown in the illustration of miss muffett. cut the sun-bonnet of the same paper as the dress. fig. 165 shows the pattern, which is ten inches long and nine inches wide. fold the straight edge over three times, according to the dotted lines in fig. 165, making the folds one and one-quarter inches wide. fig. 166 shows the bonnet folded, and the dotted line around the curve indicates where it is to be gathered in at the neck. [illustration: the sun-bonnet.] fit fig. 166 on miss muffett's head, allowing the folded edge to extend slightly beyond her face, then draw the bonnet down at the back and gather it in with your fingers until it sits snugly to the neck. through the middle of the fold, one inch from each end, puncture a hole, and through these two holes pass the thread that goes around the back of the bonnet and ties under miss muffett's chin. see illustration of sun-bonnet. chapter xii an indian encampment an indian encampment for your very own! a wigwam, camp-fire, indian travois, blanket-weaving loom, gorgeous feathered head-dress, bow, arrows and shield, tomahawk, wampum, and a little copper-colored papoose in its funny stiff cradle, hanging on a tree entirely alone! does not all that sound delightful? the complete scene can actually be made to appear in your room at home. take for the ground a common pastry-board or any kind of board of the desired size--about nineteen by twenty-six inches--and for grass cover one side and the four edges of the board with a piece of light-green cotton flannel stretched tight, fleece side up, and tacked to the under side of the board. sprinkle sand and small stones on the grass at one side of the wigwam, to show where the grass has been worn off by the tramping of the indians, the bronco pony, and the dog, for all indians possess dogs of some description. if you have a toy dog of suitable size, stand him by the fire where he will be comfortable. before the red men owned horses, a dog was always used to drag the travois, and to this day the braves care as much for a dog as does any pale-faced boy--which is saying much, for a white boy and any kind of a dog make devoted friends and comrades. [illustration: fig. 167.--home-made compass.] now that we have our camping-ground, the first thing we must do is to put up the wigwam for shelter. draw an eight-inch diameter circle on the grass near one end of the ground. fold a strip of paper lengthwise, stick a pin through one end of the paper and drive it down into the board where you wish the centre of the circle, push the point of a lead pencil through the other end of the paper four inches from the pin; keep the pin steady while you move the pencil around many times until a circle appears plainly on the grass (fig. 167). [illustration: fig. 168.--pole sharpened to flat point.] cut twelve slender sticks eleven inches long and sharpen the heavy end of each into a flat point (fig. 168). the sticks must be straight, for they are wigwam-poles. tie three poles together two inches from their tops and spread out the sharpened ends at nearly equal distances apart on the circle line; mark the spots where they rest and bore gimlet-holes in each place through the cloth into the wood. enlarge each hole with a penknife and insert the poles, pushing the sharpened points down firmly into the holes (fig. 169). add seven more poles around the circle, keeping the spaces between all about even. sink these last poles in the ground as you did the first three; then tie the tops together around the first three poles, and you will have the wigwam framework of ten poles standing strong and firm. [illustration: fig. 169.--first three poles planted firmly in edge of circle for wigwam.] [illustration: fig. 170.--cover for wigwam.] make the cover of unbleached or brown-tinted cotton cloth cut like fig. 170. mark the curved lower edge with the home-made compass used for the grass circle. fasten the pin and pencil in the paper strip nine and one-half inches apart; draw almost a half circle, then an inch and a half from the spot a (fig. 170), where the pin is stationed, begin to cut the opening for the top of the wigwam poles, b (fig. 170). slash the point c in as far as d, sew pieces of cloth over the points e and e, leaving the opening at dotted lines to form pockets for the smoke-poles. cut two rows of little holes on each side of the upper part of the wigwam to run the pinsticks through when fastening the wigwam together (fig. 171). now comes the fun of decorating the cover. pin the cloth out flat and smooth, and paint in brilliant red, yellow, black, green, white, and blue the designs given in fig. 170. when finished, fit the cover over the wigwam-poles and with short, slender sticks pin the fronts together. peg the lower edge down to the ground with short black pins and slide a pole in each pocket of the smoke-flaps e and e (fig. 170). bring the poles around and cross them at the back of the wigwam. as you do this you will exclaim with delight at the result, for the little wigwam will be very realistic. in front of your wigwam or tepee build a make-believe fire of bits of orange and scarlet tissue-paper mixed in with short twigs, and then you must manufacture something to cook in. bore a hole in the ground near the fire and fit in the fire-pole, making it slant over to one side and hang directly above the fire. place a stone over the embedded end of the pole to keep it firm. suspend an acorn kettle or any little kettle of the right size for the indians to use on the pole and the camp will begin to look cosey for the red men to enjoy. hunt up a jointed doll about five inches high, paint it copper color, ink its hair, and the doll will be a fairly good indian. if you can find a zulu doll of the required size, with long, straight black hair, and give him a wash of dull red paint, you can turn him into a fine indian. failing these dolls, make an indian doll of dull red raffia or cloth. this you can do if you try, and remember to have your red man a little more slender than store dolls; most of these are rather too stout to make good indians. [illustration: fig. 171.--wigwam with make-believe camp-fire.] real chiefs like turning eagle, swift dog, crazy bull, and others, wore gorgeous feather headdresses, and gloried in the strange war bonnets, not because they were gay and startling, but for the reason that each separate feather in the head-band meant that the owner had performed a brave deed of which the tribe was proud, and the greater the number of brave deeds the greater the number of feathers; consequently the longer the bonnet-trail. this explains the real meaning of the common expression, "a feather in your cap." [illustration: fig. 172.--pattern for war bonnet.] your indian must be a mighty chief and will need a very long-trailing war bonnet. cut the head-dress like fig. 172 of white paper. paint all the paper horse-hair tips on the paper eagle feathers red, the tops of the feathers black, and the band in which they are fastened yellow, red, and green, leaving white spaces between the colors (fig. 173). cut out, then turn the end of the band f (fig. 172) until the loop fits the indian's head, and glue the end of the loop on the strip (fig. 173). paste fringed yellow paper around each of the chieftain's feet, fringed edge uppermost, to serve as moccasins. part the indian's hair at the back, bring the two divisions in front, one on each side of the head, and wind each with scarlet worsted as the real indian wears his hair, then wrap around your red man a soft, dull-colored cloth extending from the waist to the knees. pin the drapery in place and the chief will be ready to take charge of his bronco pony, which may be any toy horse you happen to possess. the horse in the illustration is an ordinary cloth toy. [illustration: fig. 173.--indian war bonnet.] [illustration: fig. 174.--tie the four poles together and tie thongs across centre for your travois.] red men are not fond of remaining long in one place, and naturally your indian will soon want to break camp and carry his belongings elsewhere. help him prepare by making a travois. you will need four slender poles, two fifteen and one-half inches long, one five and one-half and another six and one-half inches long. bind the six-and-a-half-inch pole across the two long poles four inches from their heavy ends; fasten the five-and-a-half-inch pole across the long poles two and one-half inches above the first cross-piece. instead of thongs of buffalo hide, such as the real red man would use, take narrow strips of light-brown cloth to form the rude net-work over the space bounded by the four poles. tie the top ends of the long poles together (fig. 174), then tie the travois to the horse, as in fig. 175. in most of these conveyances the thongs are tied across one way only, from short pole to short pole, forming a ladder-like arrangement. [illustration: fig. 175.--travois ready for camping outfit.] [illustration: fig. 176.--different parts of straw calumet.] [illustration: fig. 177.--calumet finished.] a chief must always have his calumet, or "pipe of peace," to smoke and pass around the council circle, when all the leaders of the different tribes meet to talk over important matters concerning the welfare of their people. real calumets are generally large and of goodly length, some of them being four feet long. they are made of dull-red stone, which, when first cut from the large mass, is soft enough to be carved out with a knife; later the pipe becomes hard and capable of receiving a polish. but as the red stone is not within our reach, we must use dull red-colored straw for the calumet. soak the straw in hot water to render it less brittle. then cut a three-inch length piece; make a hole in it a short distance from one end (fig. 176, g) and insert a three-quarter inch length of straw for the pipe bowl (fig. 176, h). for the mouthpiece take a half-inch length of white straw (fig. 176, i), and slide it in the other end of the pipe. glue both bowl and mouthpiece in place and decorate the calumet with red, green, and white silk floss tied on the pipe stem (fig. 177). the tomahawk must not be forgotten. soak a stick two and one-half inches long in hot water; when it is pliable, split an end down one inch, no more (fig. 178, j), and in true indian fashion bind a stone hatchet (fig. 178, k) between the split sides of the stick handle with thongs of hide. whittle the little hatchet from a piece of wood, cover it with glue, then with sand. when dry it will be difficult for others to believe that the implement is not of real stone. instead of thongs use thread (fig. 179). [illustration: fig. 178.--handle and hatchet for tomahawk.] [illustration: fig. 179.--tomahawk ready for use.] the chieftain's shield is of hide taken from the neck of the bull bison; the piece must be twice the required size for a finished shield to allow for the necessary shrinkage. over a fire built in a hole in the ground the skin is stretched and pegged down. when heated, it is covered with a strong glue made from the hoofs and joints of the bison, which causes the hide to contract and thicken. as this process goes on the pegs are loosened and again adjusted until the skin ceases to contract and absorb the glue. then the hide is much smaller and thicker than at first. when it has slowly cooled, the skin is cut into a circle and decorated. though pliable, the shield is strong enough to ward off blows from arrows or spears. [illustration: fig. 180.--diagram for shield.] [illustration: fig. 181. eagle feather of paper.] [illustration: fig. 182.--decorated indian shield.] bison hide is something you cannot obtain, so take writing paper for the shield. cut it into a circle an inch and a half in diameter, with an extension for the handle (fig. 180). glue the free end of the handle on the opposite side of the back of the shield. make ten paper eagle feathers (fig. 181), hang seven on the bottom of the shield with red thread, after first decorating the centre of the shield with given designs and the edge with colored bands, using any or all of the following colors, but no others: positive red, blue for the sky, green for the grass, yellow for the sun, white for the clouds and snow, and black. to the indian color is a part of religion. purple, pinks, and some other colors, the red man, loyal to his beliefs, can never bring himself to use. attach two of the remaining feathers at the top and another on the centre of the shield, as shown in fig. 182. the indian makes his arrow-heads of triangular flakes of flint chipped from a stone held between his knees and struck with a rude stone hammer. the pieces knocked off are carefully examined, and only those without flaws are kept. stones for arrow-heads must be very hard. when found, the red men bury them in wet ground and build fires over them, causing the stones to show all cracks and checks. this enables the arrow-maker to discard those unfitted for his work. [illustration: fig. 183.--paper flint arrow-head.] though you cannot make a real flint arrow-head, you can manufacture a toy one. take a piece of stiff pasteboard and cut it like fig. 183. let the length be a trifle over half an inch. cover the arrow-head all over with a light coat of glue, then dip it in sand, and the arrow-head will come out as if made of stone. were it actually hard stone and large size you would be obliged, as the indians do, to trim and shape more perfectly the point and edges of the arrow-head. you would hold a pad of buckskin in your left hand to protect it from the sharp flint, and on your right hand would be a piece of dressed hide to guard it from the straight piece of bone, pointed on the end, which you would use to strike off little bits of stone along both edges, working cautiously as you neared the point in order not to break it. but such work will not be needed on your arrow-head. [illustration: fig. 184.--insert arrow-head in shaft.] [illustration: fig. 185.--arrow-head and shaft bound together.] for the shaft hunt up a piece of wood strong and straight. cut it three inches in length, remove the bark and scrape the wood until it is about the thickness of an ordinary match. notch one end and split the other end down one-quarter of an inch, insert the arrow-head (fig. 184), then bind the shaft and head together with thread (fig. 185), in place of the wet sinew an indian would use for a real arrow, after he had first fastened the head in the shaft with glue from buffalo hoofs. [illustration: fig. 186.--paper feather for arrow.] [illustration: fig. 187.] cut three paper feather strips (fig. 186), each an inch in length, paint black bands on them, bend at dotted line and glue the feathers on the shaft one-quarter of an inch from the notch, allowing them to stand out at angles equally distant from each other (fig. 187). bind the extensions l and m (fig. 186) to the shaft, and tie tufts of white and red worsted on immediately above the feathers to help in finding the arrow (fig. 188). paint the shaft in brilliant colors. almost any kind of wood that has a spring will make a good bow for your little indian. cut the piece of wood four inches long and an eighth of an inch wide. scrape it flat on one side and slightly rounded on the other, notch the stick at each end, wind the centre with red worsted and paint the bow in bright hues (fig. 189). tie a strong thread in one notch and bring it across to the other notch; tighten until it bends the bow centre half an inch from the straight thread; tie the thread around the notch (fig. 190). now try the wee weapon; hold it vertically and shoot the little arrow into the air. it will fly very swiftly away, landing many yards from where you stand. [illustration: fig. 188.--finished arrow.] [illustration: fig. 189.--bow ready for string.] [illustration: fig. 190. bow string.] make the bow case (fig. 192) of ordinary wrapping paper cut like fig. 191, three and a half inches long and two and a half inches wide. fold the paper lengthwise through the centre and glue the sides together along the dotted lines; then fringe the edge up to the dotted line and decorate with gay paint. [illustration: fig. 191.--cut bow case like this] [illustration: fig. 192.--bow case finished.] dress the jointed doll squaw in a fringed chamois-skin gown; fold the skin and let one half form the front, the other half the back. cut the garment like the half n, in fig. 193, stitch the sides together, stitch the under part of the sleeves together and fringe both sleeves and bottom of the dress (o, fig. 193). belt the gown in with scarlet worsted and load the squaw down with strands of colored beads; then seat her on the grass (fig. 194) while you make the primitive loom for her to use in weaving one of the famous navajo blankets. [illustration: fig. 193.--squaw's chamois dress.] paint a two by four inch piece of white cotton cloth with a blanket design in red and black, with white between the markings, and pin it securely on a board (fig. 195). tie stones to a pole six inches in length (fig. 196); with long stitches fasten the stone-weighted pole to the bottom edge of the painted cloth blanket (fig. 197). [illustration: fig. 194.--squaw doll make-believe weaving navajo blanket on primitive loom.] two inches above the blanket attach a six-inch pole to the board with pins and use a coarse needle and heavy thread to make the warp. run the thread through the wrong side of the blanket and up around the pole. cross it on the under side of the long thread (p, fig. 197) which extends from blanket to pole. [illustration: fig. 195.--indian blanket pinned on board.] [illustration: fig. 196.--stones tied to pole for bottom of loom.] [illustration: fig. 197.--building primitive loom.] carry the thread along the pole a short distance, loop it over (q, fig. 197) and bring the thread down through the right side of the blanket. take a long stitch and again carry the thread up over the pole. continue until the warp is entirely across the blanket. pin another pole six and a half inches long, three-quarters of an inch above the top pole, and fasten the two poles together by tying loops of string across from one to the other (fig. 198). [illustration: fig. 198.--primitive loom ready for frame.] make the loom frame of two seven-inch poles four and a half inches apart and crossed at the top by another seven-inch pole, the three firmly tied together and made to stand erect on the grass by planting the two upright poles in holes bored through the cloth grass into the board ground. hang the loom on this frame by winding a narrow strip of cloth loosely around the top of the frame and top of loom (fig. 194). [illustration: fig. 199.--natural twig and tissue-paper tree.] find a stout, short-branched twig for the tree (fig. 199). sharpen the bottom and drive it into a hole in the ground. for the foliage cut a fringe of soft green and olive-brown tissue-paper folded lengthwise in strips. crimp the strips with a blade of the scissors, then open out the fringe; gather each one through the centre, give the paper a twist, and the two ends will form bunches of foliage. work the twisted centre of one piece down into a crack at the top of the tree. over across this at right angles in another opening, fit in the second twist of paper foliage and crown all with a bunch standing upright as shown at fig. 199. [illustration: fig. 200.--the little papoose you can make.] [illustration: cradle for papoose.] a solemn little papoose bound in its stiff cradle is one of the drollest things imaginable. paint a small doll copper color, make its hair black, and bind the baby in a cradle cut from brown pasteboard (fig. 200). cut along heavy line and bend forward the tongue r along the dotted line, bring the strap s across and glue the end on the under side of the cradle; then line the cradle with white tissue-paper and place the indian child on it; spread a piece of vivid red tissue-paper over the infant, bringing the sides of the cover on the under side of the cradle, where you must glue them. fold over the lower end of the paper and glue that also on the back of the cradle. paint the cradle and portions of the cover white, green, black, and yellow (fig. 200); then hang the cradle and baby on the limb of the tree (fig. 199), where the little papoose will be safe while his squaw-mother works at her weaving. the red men use queer money which they call wampum. it is made of shells found usually along the borders of rivers and lakes. the indians cut the thick part of the shell into cylinders about an inch long, bore holes lengthwise through the centres and string them like beads on fine, strong sinews (fig. 201), but this money is not as pretty as glass beads, for it resembles pieces of common clay pipe stems. a certain number of hand-breadths of wampum will buy a gun, a skin, a robe, or a horse, and when presented by one chief to another the wampum means good-will and peace. of course, you will want to supply your indians with their own kind of money. you can string the wampum into a necklace and decorate the strand with eagle claws, bright beads, and tufts of gay worsted. [illustration: fig. 201. wampum, indian money.] [illustration: fig. 202. buffalo claw cut from wood.] find some beads much smaller, but as near as possible in color and form to real wampum, and string them with tiny eagle claws made of wood cut like fig. 202, only smaller. paint the claws very dark gray, almost black, and bore a hole through the heavy end with a hat-pin heated red hot. the claws will then string easily and give quite a savage appearance to the necklace (fig. 203). let the colored worsted tufts, which must take the place of hair, be bright-red, and the strands of round beads on each side of the necklace of various colors (fig. 203). [illustration: fig. 203.--indian necklace of wampum, eagle claws, tufts of hair, and bone beads.] indians when they cannot obtain beads use gayly colored porcupine quills for their embroidery. you need not try the embroidery, but be sure to make the entire indian encampment with everything pertaining to it. chapter xiii a toy colonial kitchen with fac-simile colonial furnishings. would it not be fun to see a yoke of real live oxen come slowly walking into the kitchen dragging a load of logs? that is what many of the colonial boys and girls saw every day, and frequently the boys helped their fathers cut the logs which were for the big kitchen fireplace. and such a fireplace! large enough for the huge, roaring fire and the chimney-seats also. these were placed close against the sides of the opening, making fine places for the boys and girls to sit and listen to thrilling tales of adventure or delightful fairy stories. [illustration: a little colonial kitchen, drawn from one made by the author. fig. 204.] the kitchen in those days was the chief apartment and the most interesting room in the house. who would want to go into the stiff, prim "best room" when they could be so much more comfortable in the spacious kitchen where everyone was busy and happy, and where apples could be hung by a string in front of the fire to roast and made to spin cheerily when the string was twisted, that all sides might be equally heated? any girl or boy to-day would be only too glad of a chance to sit on a log in front of such a fire and watch red apples turn and sputter as the heat broke the apple skin, setting free the luscious juice to trickle down the sides. as the indian's first thought was for shelter, and he put up his wigwam, so the early settler's first thought was for shelter, and he built, not a wigwam, but a log-house with a kitchen large enough to serve as a general utility room. it was filled with various things, and all articles in it were used constantly. everything not brought from the mother country the settlers made by hand. the colonial kitchen you can build may be of gray or white cardboard. old boxes, if large enough, will answer the purpose. [illustration: fig. 205.--kitchen floor.] i will tell you exactly how i built the colonial kitchen seen in fig. 204. i made the floor (fig. 205), the two side walls both alike (fig. 206), the back wall (fig. 207), and the interior of the fireplace (fig. 208) of light-gray cardboard. i cut all the heavy lines, scored and then bent all the dotted lines. [illustration: fig. 206.--side wall.] [illustration: fig. 207.--back wall.] now you do the same thing. get your measurements correct and be careful to make the lines perfectly straight. before putting the kitchen together, fasten the rustic brackets, cut from a branching twig (fig. 209), on the wall above the mantel-piece to support the flintlock gun. take two stitches through the wall around each twig, as shown in fig. 210, at the dots a and a and b and b (fig. 207). [illustration: fig. 208.--interior of fireplace.] every colonial fireplace boasted of a strong crane upon which to hang the pots and kettles over the fire. one end of the crane was bent down and attached to the side chimney wall by iron rings. these rings allowed the crane to turn so that the extending iron rod could be swung forward to receive the hanging cooking utensils and then pushed back, carrying the pot and kettles over the fire for the contents to cook. the crane was black and of iron. a hair-pin (fig. 211) makes a fine crane. bend yours, as shown in fig. 212, then with two socket-rings made with stitches of black darning-cotton fasten the crane to the side of the chimney at the dots c and c (fig. 207), and tie a piece of the darning-cotton on the little crane immediately below the lower socket-ring; bring the thread diagonally across to the top arm of the crane an inch and a quarter from the free end and again tie it securely (fig. 213). [illustration: fig. 209.--a forked twig for the bracket.] [illustration: fig. 210.--put the brackets up in this way.] [illustration: fig. 211.--the crane is made of a hair-pin.] [illustration: fig. 212.--the crane.] bend the two sides of the fireplace f and f (fig. 207) as in fig. 213. bend forward the interior of the fireplace (fig. 208) at dotted lines, and fit fig. 208 on the back of fig. 207 to form the inside of the fireplace and the mantel-piece. slide the slashed top strips of the sides of the fireplace d,d,d,d (fig. 207), back of the slashed strips d,d,d,d (fig. 208), which will bring the two centres e and e of the sides in fig. 208 behind f and f in fig. 207, and will thus form two layers on the sides of the chimney. push the edge g and g of fig. 208 through the slit g and g in fig. 207 to form the mantel-piece, then bend down the edge of mantel-piece along dotted line. [illustration: fig. 213.--back wall, showing crane hung and oven door open.] you must have an oven at one side of the great fireplace for baking the wholesome "rye and indian" bread, and the delicious home-made apple, pumpkin, rice and cranberry pies. in colonial days thirty large loaves of bread or forty pies would often be baked at one time, so spacious were the ovens. these side-ovens used to be heated by roaring wood fires built inside of them and kept burning for hours. when the oven was thoroughly hot the cinders and ashes were brushed out and in went the pies with a lot of little ones called "patties," for the children. when these were cooked to a golden brown each child was given his own piping hot "patty." make your box-like oven according to fig. 214, cut the heavy lines, score and bend the dotted lines. bring the side h to the side i; lap i over h so that the two slits, j and j, will exactly fit one over the other; then bend the back down and run the flap j on the back through the two slits j on the side, and the flap k through the slit k. [illustration: fig. 214.--the oven.] adjust the oven back of the oven door l (fig. 207), and fasten it tight on the wall by sliding the flap m of the oven (fig. 214) through the slit m (fig. 207) above the oven door; bend it down flat against the wall. bring the bottom oven-flap n in through and over the lower edge of the oven door-way n (fig. 207) and bend that also flat against the wall (fig. 213). the two side oven flaps will rest against the back of the wall on each side of the oven door-way. now that is finished firm and strong, and you can put the kitchen together in a few moments. lay the floor (fig. 205) down flat on a table; bend up the two diagonal sides o and o, and slide the slit p in the side wall (fig. 206) down into the slit p of the floor (fig. 205), bringing the wall (fig. 206) in front of the upturned floor-piece o (fig. 205). in the same way fasten the other side wall on the floor. slip the two slits q and q of the back wall (fig. 207) down across the top slits (q, fig. 206) of the side walls. while bringing the back wall (fig. 207) down to the floor, slide its outside strips s and s over and outside of the upturned pieces of the floor, s and s (fig. 205), to hold them in place. [illustration: fig. 215.--pattern for andiron.] as soon as the indian's wigwam was up, he had a brisk fire to cook by, for after shelter came food. the white man did likewise after his house was built. though he had andirons to help with his fire, even then to lay the fire in the immense fireplace required some skill. cut two andirons of cardboard (fig. 215), bend at dotted lines, paint black, and the andirons will stand alone and look like real ones (fig. 216). [illustration: fig. 216.--the andiron.] [illustration: fig. 217.--the flames.] cut from red, orange, yellow, and black tissue-paper flames like fig. 217; bend at dotted line and paste the mingled flames one at a time and turned in varying directions on a piece of cardboard made to fit the bottom of the fireplace. adjust the little black andirons to the fire and glue them in place; select a large log for the "back-log," and a more slender one to lay across the front of the andirons. place smaller wood in between with the flames, and scatter a few bits of black paper on the hearth underneath to appear like fallen charred wood. when finished the fire should look as if it were actually sparkling, roaring, and blazing (fig. 218). [illustration: fig. 218.--the flames leap up the chimney.] [illustration: fig. 219.--cut the shell in half.] your fire is ready, so you must hurry and get the great iron pot to hang over the flames. break an egg in halves as indicated by dotted lines in fig. 219; even off the edge of the larger half shell with a pair of scissors, paste a strip of tissue-paper over the edge and glue on a stiff paper handle (fig. 220). cut three pieces of heavy, stiff paper like fig. 221, bend at dotted line and pinch the two lower corners on part t together to form the pot legs (fig. 222). turn the egg-shell upside down and fasten the legs on by gluing the flap u (fig. 221) on the bottom of the shell; the legs should enable the pot to stand upright. turn the egg-shell into iron by painting the handle and outside of the pot jet black (fig. 223). swing the crane forward, hang on the pot, pretend you have something to cook in it, then move the crane back over the fire. [illustration: fig. 220.--a strip of paper for the handle.] [illustration: fig. 221.--cut the pot leg like this.] [illustration: fig. 222.--bend the pot leg like this.] [illustration: fig. 223.--paint the pot black.] remember all the time you are playing, that this is the way your colonial ancestors cooked. in days of long ago, they had many other odd utensils one of the easiest for you to make is the long-handled iron shovel called a "peel" (fig. 224), used to place bread and pie in the great oven. cut the peel from stiff cardboard, paint it black and stand it up by the side of the chimney (fig. 204). trace the toaster (fig. 225) on cardboard, paint it black, bend up the four semicircular rings and bend down the two feet, one on each side (fig. 226). [illustration: fig. 224.--a queer shovel called the "peel."] [illustration: fig. 225.--make the toaster by this pattern.] chicken and other eatables were placed between the front and back rings on the toaster and broiled before the fire, which was so hot that it was necessary to have long handles on all cooking utensils. [illustration: fig. 226.--the toaster.] [illustration: fig. 227.--make a pot-hook like this.] several pieces of iron of varying lengths, generally made into the shape of the letter s, were called "pot-hooks"; they hung on the crane. make two or three pot-hooks of cardboard and paint them black (fig. 227). when you are not using the little toaster, bend up the handle and hang it on a pin stuck in the wall (fig. 204). [illustration: fig. 228.--the spinning-wheel and jointed doll spinning.] [illustration: fig. 229.--spokes.] just look at your little colonial friend, thankful parker! (fig. 228). the tiny maid seems almost to be stepping lightly forward and backward as she spins out long threads of the soft, warm yarn, singing softly all the while a little old-fashioned song. how busily she works, and listen! you can all but hear the wheel's cheery hum, hum, hum! that's the way the real colonial dames used to spin. such a spinning-wheel belonged to every family, for all had to do their own spinning or go without the yarn, as they could obtain no assistance from others. [illustration: fig. 231.--small wheel.] [illustration: fig. 232.--stand.] [illustration: fig. 233.--wheel brace.] cut from cardboard the spokes (fig. 229) for your miniature colonial spinning-wheel, the tire (fig. 230), and the two small wheels (fig. 231). bend forward the fan-shaped ends of each spoke (fig. 229) and glue the tire (fig. 230) around on them; let one edge of tire lie flush on the edges of the bent ends of the spokes. [illustration: fig. 230.--tire of wheel.] with the exception of the square spaces aa and bb on the stand (fig. 232) cut the heavy lines and the little holes; score, then bend the dotted lines. bend down the long sides and the ends fitting the corners against and on the inside of the same letters on the sides, glue these in place and you have a long, narrow box with two extensions on one side (hh and gg). bend these extensions, also their ends ii and jj, and glue the ends on the inside of the opposite side of the box against the places marked ii and jj. turn the box over, bringing the level smooth side uppermost. cut out the wheel brace (fig. 233), turn it over on the other side, then bend aa backward and bb forward, and glue the brace on the box-like stand (fig. 232) on the squares aa and bb. see fig. 228. [illustration: fig. 234.--upright.] make the upright (fig. 234) of wood; shave both sides of the end, kk, until it is flat and thin, then glue a small wheel (fig. 231) on each side, raising the wheels above the wood that the flat end of the upright may reach only to their centres. glue the wheels together to within a short distance of their edges. with the red-hot end of a hat-pin bore the hole ll through the front of the upright, and below bore another hole, mm, through the side. make the screw (fig. 238) and the block (fig. 239) of wood. run the screw through the side hole mm in the upright (fig. 234), and push the screw on through the hole in the top of the block (fig. 239). break off more than half of a wooden toothpick for the spindle (fig. 236) and pass it through the hole ll (fig. 234). [illustration: fig. 235.--hub.] make the hub (fig. 235) of wood and thread it in through the wheel and brace (fig. 233), to hold the wheel in place. use two wooden toothpicks, with the ends broken off (fig. 237), for legs; insert these slantingly into the holes, gg (fig. 232), on the under part of the stand, allowing the top ends to reach up and rest against the under side of the top of the stand. spread out the bottom ends of the legs. [illustration: fig. 236.--spindle.] [illustration: fig. 237.--leg.] [illustration: fig. 238.--screw.] [illustration: fig. 239.--block.] run the upright (fig. 234) through the single hole near one end of the stand (fig. 232) and pass it down through the under hole on hh. the lower part of the upright forms the third leg. see that all three legs set evenly when the wheel stands, and that the box part is raised slightly higher at the upright end, slanting downward toward the other end (fig. 228). glue the three legs firmly in place. connect the two small wheels (fig. 231) and the large wheel together by passing a string between the small wheels and over around the outside of the tire of the large wheel, fastening it on here and there with a little glue (fig. 228). twist a piece of raw cotton on the spindle and tie a length of white darning-cotton to the end of the cotton (fig. 228). [illustration: fig. 241.--hair-pin.] [illustration: fig. 240.--do her hair up in this fashion.] stretch the thread across to the hand of your colonial-dressed doll, glue it in place, and the next time your mother attends a meeting of the society of colonial dames tell her to show your little maid thankful parker and her spinning-wheel. when you dress the doll coil her hair up on top of her head (fig. 240) and fasten it in place with common pins (fig. 241). make the straight bang look as nearly as possible as though the hair were drawn up into a pompadour such as was worn in colonial times. [illustration: fig. 242.--pattern of cap.] [illustration: fig. 243.--the cap.] [illustration: fig. 244.--cap band.] [illustration: fig. 245.--pattern of kerchief.] make the cap (fig. 243) of thin white material cut like fig. 242, and the band (fig. 244) of the same color as the dress. cut the thin white kerchief like fig. 245, and fold it as in fig. 246. fig. 247 gives the design for the dress waist, and fig. 248 the sleeve. the skirt is a straight piece gathered into a waistband. the apron (fig. 249) is white. when the doll is dressed it should resemble little thankful parker (fig. 228). an old-fashioned flintlock rifle with its long, slender barrel was used almost daily by our forefathers for securing game as food. [illustration: fig. 246.--fold the kerchief like this.] [illustration: fig. 247.--pattern of waist.] [illustration: fig. 248.--pattern of sleeve.] [illustration: fig. 249.--the apron.] the gun was kept hanging in plain sight over the kitchen mantel-piece, ready for defence at a moment's notice, for in those early days wolves and other wild animals were numerous and dangerous, and enemies were also likely to appear at any time. [illustration: fig. 250.--lock and band of tinfoil.] [illustration: fig. 251.--make this part of pasteboard.] you should have one of those queer old guns to adorn your kitchen wall. get some heavy tinfoil off the top of a bottle, or take a collapsible tube and from it cut a wide strip like fig. 250, one narrow, straight strip and two medium-wide straight strips, four in all. cut the butt end of the gun (fig. 251) of stiff cardboard. break a piece measuring four and one-half inches from a common coarse steel knitting-needle for your gun-barrel and use a slender, round stick, or the small holder of a draughtsman's pen, cutting it a trifle more than three and one-half inches in length for the ramrod groove. [illustration: fig. 252.--a pin for a ramrod.] [illustration: fig. 253.--slide the paper end in the wood like this.] in the centre of one end of the stick bore a deep hole with the red-hot point of a hat-pin and insert the pointed end of an ordinary pin for a ramrod (fig. 252). split the other end of the stick up through the centre not quite half an inch and work the butt end of the gun in the opening (fig. 253). [illustration: fig. 254.--ready for the tinfoil bands.] lay the gun-barrel above the wooden part (fig. 254) and fasten the two together with the four bands of tinfoil (fig. 255), allowing the top part of fig. 250 to stand up free to represent the flintlock. we must be content without a trigger unless you can manage to make one by bending down and cutting a part of fig. 250. paint the butt and wooden portion of the gun brown before binding on the barrel, and you will find that you have made a very real-looking little rifle to hang upon the rustic brackets over the mantel-piece. [illustration: fig. 255.--colonial flintlock made of knitting-needle and small pen-holder.] when the fire in your big kitchen fireplace needs brightening, use the little bellows to send fresh air circulating through the smouldering embers. the bellows are easy to make. cut two pieces of pasteboard like fig. 256, and cut two short strips of thin paper. paste one edge of each strip to each side of one piece of cardboard bellows, fold the strips across the centre (fig. 256), and attach the free ends of the folded strips to the other piece of pasteboard bellows, forming a hinge-like connection on each side between the two pasteboard sides. paste the points of the two sides together up as far as the dotted line (fig. 256). when thoroughly dry you can work the bellows by bringing the handles together and opening them as you would real bellows (fig. 257). [illustration: fig. 257.--the finished bellows.] [illustration: fig. 256.--cut the bellows by this pattern.] heavy tinfoil must furnish material for your pewter ware; much of it has the same dull, leaden color and the peculiar look of old pewter. should the pieces of tinfoil you find be twisted and uneven, lay them on a table and smooth out the creases with scissors or the dull edge of a knife-blade; then cut out round, flat pieces and holding one at a time in the palm of your left hand, round up the edges by rolling the ball of a hat-pin around and around the plate; press rather hard and soon the edges will begin to crinkle and turn upward (fig. 258). you may mould some deeper than others and have a row of different-sized pewter plates on the kitchen mantel-piece, and you can make a wee pie in the deepest plate, open the oven-door and shove the pastry into the oven with the little iron peel. try it. [illustration: fig. 258.--colonial pewter dish made of tinfoil.] [illustration: fig. 259.--the warp.] the colonial kitchen would be incomplete without a bright, home-like rag rug to place over the bare board floor, and it will be fun for you to weave it. take a piece of smooth brown wrapping-paper the size you want your mat, fold it crosswise through the centre and cut across the fold (fig. 259), making a fringe of double pieces which we will call the warp. unfold the paper and weave various colored tissue-strips in and out through the brown foundations (fig. 260), until the paper warp is all filled in with pretty, bright colors. you can weave the rug "hit or miss" or in stripes wide or narrow as you choose, only make the rugs as pretty as possible. [illustration: fig. 260.--weave the rug in this way.] now we must manufacture a fine old colonial clock [illustration: fig. 261.--colonial clock with movable weights.] [illustration: fig. 262.--the clock is cut in one piece.] (fig. 261). it would never do to forget the clock, for poor little thankful would not know how long her many loaves of bread were baking in the big oven, and the bread might burn. cut fig. 262 of cardboard and score all dotted lines, except nn-oo, which forms the hinge of the door. mark this with a pinhole at top and bottom, turn the cardboard over and draw a line from pinhole to pinhole; then score it on this line that the door may open properly outward. try to draw the face of the clock correctly. make it in pencil first so that any mistake may be erased and corrected. when you have the face drawn as it should be, go over the pencil lines with pen and ink. begin the face with a circle (fig. 263). make it as you made the circle for the wigwam, only, of course, very much smaller. above the circle, at the distance of half the diameter of the circle, draw a curve with your home-made compass (fig. 264). lengthen the compass a little and make another curve a trifle above the first (fig. 265). connect the lower curve with the circle by two straight lines (fig. 266), draw a small circle above the large one (fig. 267), connect the two circles by two scallops (fig. 268), and bring the upper curve down into a square (fig. 269). the small top circle stands for the moon; draw a simple face on it like fig. 270, then make the numbers on the large circle (fig. 271) and also the hands (fig. 272). both numbers and hands must be on the same circle on the clock. they are on two different circles in the diagrams that you may see exactly how to draw them. [illustration: fig. 263.--draw the circle.] [illustration: fig. 264.--then a curve above the circle.] [illustration: fig. 265.--another curve above the first one.] [illustration: fig. 266.--connect the lower curve with the circle by two lines.] leave fig. 269 white, but paint the other portions of the clock a light reddish brown with black lines above and below the door, and a black band almost entirely across the bottom edge of the front of the clock that the clock may appear to be standing on feet. gild the three points on the top to make them look as if made of brass. be sure that the four holes in the top (fig. 262) are fully large enough to allow a coarse darning-needle to be passed readily through them; then bend the clock into shape, fitting the extension pp over the extension qq; the two holes in pp must lie exactly over those in qq. glue the clock together, using the blunt end of a lead-pencil, or any kind of a stick, to assist in holding the sides and tops together until the glue is perfectly dry. [illustration: fig. 267.--draw a small circle above the large one.] [illustration: fig. 268.--connect the two circles by two scallops.] [illustration: fig. 269.--extend line of upper circle down to form a square.] [illustration: fig. 270.--make this face in the small circle.] [illustration: fig. 271.--put the numbers on the clock face in this way.] [illustration: fig. 272.--make the hands of the clock like these.] thread a piece of heavy black darning-cotton in the largest-sized long darning-needle you can find; on one end of the thread mould a cylinder-shaped piece of beeswax, cover it with thin tinfoil, then open the clock-door and hold the clock with its head bent outward and downward from you. look through the open door and see the holes on the inside of the top; run your needle through one of these holes and across the top on the outside, bringing it down through the other hole into the clock. slip the needle off the thread and mould another piece of beeswax on the free end of the thread, make it the same size and shape as the first weight, cover this also with tinfoil and you will have clock-weights (fig. 273) for winding up the old-fashioned timepiece. gently pull down one weight and the other will go up, just as your colonial forefathers wound their clocks. when the weight is pulled down in the real clock it winds up the machinery, and the clock continues its tick, tack, tick, like the ancient timepiece longfellow tells us of, stationed in the hall of the old-fashioned country-seat. [illustration: fig. 273.--weights for winding the clock.] [illustration: fig. 274.--pattern of the churn.] [illustration: fig. 275.--the churn.] do you like real country buttermilk, and have you ever helped churn? if you live in the city or for some other reason are not able to make the butter, you can still enjoy manufacturing a little colonial churn that will look capable of producing the best sweet country butter (fig. 275). [illustration: fig. 276--cork lid to the churn.] [illustration: fig. 278.--dasher.] [illustration: fig. 279.--push the end of the handle through the dasher.] [illustration: fig. 280.--cut end of handle pasted on the dasher.] [illustration: fig. 277.--handle of the dasher.] [illustration: fig. 281.--put the handle of the dasher through the lid.] cut fig. 274 of heavy paper or light-weight cardboard; mark three bands on it (fig. 275). make your churn much larger than pattern, have it deep enough to stand as high as fig. 275. glue the sides together along the dotted lines, turn up the circular bottom and glue the extensions up around the bottom of the churn. fit a cork in the top for the churn-lid and make a hole through the centre of the cork for the handle of the dasher (fig. 276). make the handle by rolling up a strip of paper as you would roll a paper lighter. glue the loose top end of the handle on its roll; then cut the large end of the handle up a short distance through its centre (fig. 277). cut the dasher (fig. 278) from cardboard, slide it over the divided end of handle (fig. 279), bend the two halves of the handle-end in opposite directions, and glue them on the dasher as shown in fig. 280. slip the handle of dasher through the cork lid (fig. 281), and fit the lid in the churn (fig. 275). paint the churn and handle of dasher a light-yellow-brown wood color, the bands black, and when dry you can work the dasher up and down the same as if the churn were a real one. stand the churn in your kitchen not far from the fire so that little thankful may attend to the cooking while she is churning. chapter xiv little paper houses of japan fragile, quaint and full of sunshine and color are the typical houses of japan. they are so simple in construction a child might almost build them, generally only one story in height and always without a cellar, chimneys, fireplaces, windows, and even without a door. yet the dainty abodes are flooded with light and fresh air. how is it managed? simply by sliding the entire front of the house to one side, leaving the building wide open. often the back walls, too, are opened, and in some houses the sides also. these cottages are usually part wood and part paper. it seems strange to think of people actually living in paper dwellings, but the japanese understand how to manufacture strong, durable paper. they delight in making all sorts of paper, from the tough, well-nigh indestructible kind to the delicate, filmy variety, and it is adapted to innumerable uses. in japan people not only build paper walls, but the very poor wear paper clothing. we will make our japanese house entirely of paper (fig. 282). take medium-weight water-color paper, or any kind that is stiff enough and not too brittle, cut a piece sixteen inches long and seventeen inches wide and on it mark the plan of the large room (fig. 283). this should measure sixteen inches across the back from a to a, seventeen inches along the side from a to b, and thirteen inches across the front from b to c. the back division forms the foliage and the back of the room, the centre division the roof, and the front division the front and sides of the room. [illustration: fig. 282.--the little paper house.] [illustration: fig. 283.--plan of large room.] no paste is used in making the building; the design is merely cut out, bent into shape, and fastened together with projecting tongues run through slits. cut all the heavy lines, lightly score, then bend all the dotted lines, except the two immediately across the front of the room at top and bottom. this front is five inches wide and four and a half inches high, with two openings in it and a portion extending down in front to form the little porch. make a pinhole at each end of the two lines forming top and bottom of the front of the room a and b, then turn the paper over and draw a top line and a bottom line across on the wrong side of the paper from pin-point to pin-point. score these on the wrong side of the paper, for they must bend from that side in order to extend inward from the right side to form the projection of the roof and the top landing of the veranda. fasten the room together, then cut out the floor (fig. 284), slide it in place and also the steps (fig. 285), marking straight lines across the diagram to indicate steps. [illustration: fig. 284.--floor of large room.] build the small room (fig. 286) in the same way that you made the large one. cut it from a piece of paper nine and one-half inches wide and thirteen and one-half inches long. this room has no floor. when finished run the tongues extending out on the back of the room through the remaining four slits at the side of the foliage on the back of the large room (fig. 283). work carefully and you will be fully repaid. [illustration: fig. 285.--the steps.] paint the roof of each room in little black squares with white markings between to represent black tiling. paint the outside of the house yellow, the back wall of the large room pale blue, the floor light brown. paint the back of the small room mottled green and pink. make a band of light blue edged with black across the outside top of the front opening and a red band across the bottom. let the projecting veranda be yellow, with vines across the lower part. edge the openings of the large room with two narrow bands, one purple the other black, and mark black lines from side to side crossed with lines running from top to bottom to form a lattice-like work on the side of the smaller opening (fig. 282). [illustration: fig. 286.--plan of small room.] the sides of the house are supposed to be formed of paper-covered screens which slide in grooves and may be removed entirely when desired. the interior of a real japanese house is divided into rooms merely by the use of sliding paper screens, and the entire floor may readily be thrown into one large apartment, there being no solid partitions as in our houses. cut out flat round paper lanterns, paint them with the gayest of colors and make the small top and bottom bands black; then with needle and thread fasten the lanterns along the top front of the large opening of the small room (fig. 282). you need not be concerned in the least about furnishing the little house: it does not need any furniture, for the japanese have no stoves, chairs, tables, knives or forks, carpets, bedsteads, washstands, bookcases, desks, framed pictures, nor any comforts like ours. the floors are covered with clean, thick, soft matting rugs and are just the place for girls and boys to play, and have a good time running about in their stocking feet, for in japan people always take off their shoes before entering a house and everyone goes either stocking-footed or barefooted when indoors, so the floor-mats are kept free from dust. of course, men, women, and children all sit on the floor; and when breakfast is ready the floor is set instead of a table, and each person receives his own little lacquer tray placed on the floor, or on a low wooden stool, with the individual portion of rice in a delicate china bowl, pale tea in dainty teacups and shredded or diced raw fish in china a queen might envy. on the tray are also a pair of ivory chopsticks, which even a little child can manage skilfully, in place of the spoon, knife, or fork that our girls or boys would use. the japanese do not have bread, butter, milk, or coffee, and never any meat, but they cultivate a mammoth radish which is cut up, pickled and eaten with relish. for dinner they take pale tea, rice, and fish, and for supper fish, pale tea, and rice. often the fish is cooked, sweetmeats are served and pickled radish also, but frequently the breakfast consists of merely a bowl of cold rice. these unique people do not seem to think or care much about their food; many times they deny themselves a meal that they may spend the money on a feast of flowers in some garden where they can enjoy gazing upon masses of exquisite cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, or other flowers. no nation in the world loves flowers more than the japanese, and none can rival them in the beautiful arrangement of their blossoms. when night comes the natives never go to bed, for there are no beds. soft silk or cotton comforts are brought to each person, and the people roll themselves up in the comforts and sleep any place they wish on the floor, using little wooden or lacquer benches for pillows; usually these have a roll of soft paper on the top, making them a little more comfortable. take a comfort and try sleeping on the floor with some books under your head and you will know how it feels to sleep in japanese style. every japanese house should have its fenced-in garden. make your fence of paper cut according to fig. 287, and mark the pattern (fig. 288) on it with two tones of yellow paint. paint the convex top of the gate-way a bright red with narrow black border, and mark the white gate-posts with black japanese lettering like fig. 289. paint the remaining portions of the gate-way yellow, the edges black. fig. 282 will help you to grasp the idea of the fence and gate-way. the names of the streets are not on the corners as in our cities, so a panel of white wood is nailed to the gate-posts with both the name of the street and householder on it, and often a charm sign is added. [illustration: fig. 287.--fence and gate-way.] [illustration: fig. 288.--draw this pattern on the fence.] put up the fence by slipping the upper tongues on each end through the slit on the outside front edge of each room, then sliding the lower tongues of the fence through the lower outside edges of rooms and porches (fig. 282). [illustration: fig. 289.--signs for gate-posts.] both boys and girls have fine times in japan, and they are as happy as the day is long. on the fifth day of the fifth month the boys reign supreme, and their relatives and friends vie with each other in their endeavors to render the day a happy one for the little fellows. all japan is alive and anxious to celebrate the occasion. quaint flags in the shape of enormous fish swim in the air and float over the towns, forming bright masses of color. every home that is blessed with one or more boys displays a fish banner for each son, the younger the child the larger the fish, and the proudest house is the one that can boast of the greatest number of fish flying from its bamboo pole. every japanese boy's birthday is celebrated on this day with great rejoicing, no matter at what time of the year he was born. [illustration: fig. 290.--upper half of koi.] [illustration: fig. 291.--under half of koi.] [illustration: fig. 292.--the koi--emblem of undaunted determination.] [illustration: fig. 293.--boy's birthday pole.] make several fish for the pole to be placed in front of the little paper house; they look very comical, bobbing and swinging high in air with their wide-open mouths. cut fig. 290 of white tissue-paper, also fig. 291, which is a trifle larger than the first and is slashed along three edges. lay fig. 290 on top of fig. 291; bend the flaps over and paste them on fig. 290. form a little hoop of a strip of stiff paper with the ends pasted together; blow the fish open, then paste the hoop on the inside of the open edge of the head to form its immense mouth. when dry mark the fish with red paint like fig. 292. tie a thread on the two opposite sides of the mouth and with another thread attach the loop to a slender stick on the end of which you have fastened a gold disk made of two pieces of gilt paper. this is intended to represent the rice ball with which the real fish are fed. the fish banners are hollow so that the wind may fill them, causing the fish to rise and fall as the breeze comes and goes. push the end of your fish-pole through the centre of a small box-lid or button mould (fig. 293) and stand the decoration outside the gate-way of the little house. the fish used on this eventful day are the famous carp, which the natives call _koi_, the unconquerable. the japanese carp stands for good cheer, indomitable will, perseverance and fortitude, and it is used to impress these virtues upon the boys, but all the good qualities named are fully as necessary for girls even though the japanese do not mention the fact, but girls are not forgotten. the nation gives them the third day of the third month for their festival. it is called the "feast of dolls," and is a gala day for little girls. dolls and gorgeously dressed images, representing the mikado, nobles, and ladies, are brought out and placed on exhibition, along with beautiful jars containing queer little trees and rare vases filled with flowers. the day is made a joyous one and a day long to be remembered by the little girls. [illustration: fig. 294. pattern of kago.] there are no sidewalks in japan, the pavements being laid lengthwise through the centre of the streets, and on this path people stroll or hurry along. mingled with the others are the japanese laboring men, called coolies, carrying between them the kago, which swings from a pole the ends of which rest on the men's shoulders. the _kago_ is a sort of canopied hammock chair. you can easily fashion a tiny one from paper and straw. cut fig. 294 of stiff paper, make it three inches long and at the broadest part an inch and a quarter wide. paint the _kago_ yellow, and to form the framework sew on each end a piece of heavy broom straw, jointed grass, or straw which has been limbered by soaking, and cut a piece six and three-quarter inches long for each side. bring the side straws together beyond each end and bind them (fig. 295). then hunt up a slender round stick six inches long and sew the _kago_ on it by means of thread loops at each end (fig. 296). make the canopy of a piece of stiff paper three and one-half inches long and two and one-quarter inches wide, paint it yellow, and with stitches only at each end sew it firmly on the pole over the seat of the _kago_ (fig. 297). [illustration: fig. 295.--bind the edges of the kago with grass or straw like this to make the frame.] [illustration: fig. 296.--tie the kago to the pole.] [illustration: fig. 297.--sew the top on over the pole.] [illustration: fig. 298.--the little lady rides in her kago.] either buy a little japanese umbrella or make one of a disk of green tissue-paper folded and crimped from centre to edge. use a heavy broom straw for the handle and lighter ones for the ribs; stick them in, gluing them only to the centre, which is now the top of the umbrella; wind the top of the umbrella, the ribs, and the handle firmly together with black thread. the umbrella will not open but looks well closed. place a tied bundle of red tissue-paper and the green umbrella on top of the yellow _kago_ and fasten them securely in place with black thread (fig. 298). fold a piece of soft, lavender-colored material on the seat of the _kago_ as a comfort for the doll to sit on; then fit in a little japanese doll or any kind of doll dressed and painted to resemble a little jap. the doll's head should reach up, or almost up, to the canopy. pull part of the comfort over the doll and fasten her snugly up in a sitting position. make a gay paper fan and attach it to one of the doll's hands, and the little lady will be ready to go on her journey. chapter xv some odd things in russia in his own country the czar is almost worshipped by the people, and when his coronation takes place, crowds of loyal russians flock to moscow, the former in hopes of obtaining a glimpse of their beloved ruler, or at least of seeing portions of the grand procession, the beautiful decorations and the gay festivities which always form part of the jubilant occasion. for centuries the great white czars have been crowned in the cathedral of the assumption, which, though not large, is magnificent, and is the most important building in all russia. the structure stands, surrounded by many other sacred edifices, in an enclosure known as the kremlin, situated in the centre of the city of moscow. its white walls support a vaulted roof of soft, dull green crowned with golden cupolas, each cupola surmounted by a shining golden cross. the interior is resplendent almost beyond description with its rich coloring, its jewel-framed paintings, its sculptures, its gold, silver, and precious stones, its priceless robes and holy relics. [illustration: fig. 299.--miniature cathedral of the assumption.] to give a true conception of the wonderful interior of the sacred cathedral to one who has never seen it, is impossible, but we can gain an idea of the general appearance of the exterior by making a miniature cathedral of the assumption (fig. 299). find, or make, a firm white pasteboard box seven inches long, five and one-quarter inches wide, and four and one-half inches high; this is for the body of the building. fold a strip of paper seven inches in length, crosswise, through the centre, and bring the ends together, making another fold crosswise through the centre of the doubled strip, which will give four layers of paper of equal length. cut this into a scallop three-quarters of an inch deep, open out the strip and you will have four scallops, each one and three-quarters inch wide, at its base. lay the strip in turn along each of the top edges of the sides of the box, and mark the box around the edges of the scallops, drawing four scallops on the two long sides of the box, and three on each of the short sides. cut out the scallops on top of the box; then take the cover of the box, which must form the roof of the structure, and remove the bent-down sides; trim off with scissors the extreme edge of one long side and one short side, until the cover forms a tight fit in the top of the box, but may, with gentle pressure, be made to slide down one inch. fasten the roof in place at each corner by running a strong pin from the outside wall through into the roof, until the pin is embedded its full length in the roof. [illustration: fig. 300.--the door-way.] [illustration: fig. 301. the door.] [illustration: fig. 302.--door window.] [illustration: fig. 303.--upper window.] [illustration: fig. 304.--lower front windows.] [illustration: fig. 305.--lower side windows] now cut the door-way (fig. 300) of light reddish-brown paper; make it three inches high and one and one-half inch wide. let the door proper (fig. 301) be of inked paper an inch and a half high by an inch and a quarter wide, the door-window (fig. 302) one inch and a quarter high by three-quarters of an inch wide. cut the upper row of windows like fig. 303 and the lower front windows according to fig. 304. make the lower side windows double (fig. 305). the door-arch (fig. 306) must be a trifle over two and one-quarter inches long. curve the arch by drawing it across a blade of the scissors, paint it green on both sides, bend down the slashed portion, and paste the arch over the door-way, as in fig. 299. [illustration: fig. 306.--the door-arch.] [illustration: fig. 307.--the paper cross.] [illustration: fig. 308.--a cross on the top of each cupola.] make five cupolas of white writing-paper. for each cupola, cut a piece of paper five inches long. let the first be three inches wide and the remaining four two and one-quarter inches wide; slash up the bottom edge of each cupola one-quarter of an inch; then half an inch below the top edge of each cupola paste a row of narrow, three-quarter-inch high windows cut from inked paper (fig. 303). when the windows are on, paste the two ends of each cupola together, lapping them one-quarter of an inch. bend out the lower slashed edge and glue the highest cupola on top of the centre of the roof; fasten the other four on the roof near the corners and at equal distances from the centre (fig. 299). have ready five half egg-shells and glue one on the top of each cupola. then cut five paper crosses (fig. 307), each measuring about two inches in height, including the lower slashed portion. fasten a cross on top of each egg-shell (fig. 308). gild all the crosses and shells, bringing the gilt down into a narrow band on the paper below the shells. on the edge of each shell paste a narrow black-painted paper strip (fig. 309), adjusting it so that the gilt on the white paper will show below the points. [illustration: fig. 309.--a narrow black strip.] to make the roof fasten a five-eighths-inch wide strip of paper along and over the scalloped top edge of the four sides of the building, using strong paste or glue for the purpose (fig. 310); be sure that the strip is on even and firm; then let it dry. paint the entire flat roof and flat top surface of the scallops green, using the same paint selected for the door-arch. oil paint is best. be careful not to spatter green on the white and gold cupolas. [illustration: fig. 310.--fasten a strip of paper along the edge.] when finished, place your little cathedral up high on a level with your eyes, turn it until you have the view which is given in fig. 299, and you can very easily imagine just how the real cathedral of the assumption appears. thousands of girls, boys, and grown-up men and women in freezing, snowy russia, sleep on their stoves every night during the long winter months. how strange it would seem to be away up on top of a great warm stove, built of brick and nearly as high as the ceiling! the russians do not bother about making the bed, or rather the stove, for they have no sheets, blankets, or bedspreads. when it is time to retire, the inmates climb up on top of the great whitewashed stove and sleep just as they are, in the clothing they wear during the day. [illustration: fig. 311.--dress a doll like a russian.] [illustration: fig. 312.--half of cap.] if you would know how the average russian looks, dress a doll like a russian (fig. 311). cut two halves of a muslin cap (fig. 312) and sew them together (fig. 313). sew in strands of tan-colored darning cotton on a line around the cap, midway from top and bottom (a-b, fig. 312), and also sew a line of tan-colored strands on each side of the middle stitching of the white cap, until the lower fringe is reached. fig. 314 shows the fringe of hair partially sewed on the cap. glue this cap on the doll's head, smooth down the hair and cut it off straight around, making the hair a trifle shorter at the back than the front. [illustration: fig. 313.--the cap.] [illustration: fig. 314.--the fringe of hair partially sewed on.] cut another piece of cloth (fig. 315), and sew in a fringe of the tan-colored cotton (fig. 316); glue this on the doll to form the beard, and trim off the edges. paint the moustache on the face, making it the color of the hair. russians, as a rule, are blonds, having either red or lighter-colored hair. [illustration: fig. 315.--another piece of cloth.] [illustration: fig. 316.--the beard.] make the trousers loose and bind them to the doll below the knees. the russian leather boots which the natives wear always reach up over the trousers, and you can make such boots by painting the doll's feet black and sewing straight pieces of black material on the doll for boot-legs, allowing the cloth to be long enough to wrinkle around the ankle. try to make the boots appear as if laced up the front, for many wear them so in russia. the blouse should be loose and belted in at the waist, hanging straight and square around the bottom. in case your doll has real hair, omit the wig and cut the real hair in russian style. these people never use their immense stove for heating a teakettle, though they drink tea upon all occasions. to make tea they resort to a samovar, which is a curious brass or copper vessel, shaped something like an urn. when the tea is ready, it is poured into tall glasses, a slice of lemon is put in each glass, and the tea drunk scalding hot. the beverage is called _chai_, and the russians enjoy it so much that they often take twenty glasses in succession. when one desires sugar, it is not put in the tea, but held in one hand, and a portion bitten off from time to time between the swallows of tea. [illustration: fig. 317.--a little russian samovar.] if you will empty an egg-shell of its contents and get a sheet of white writing-paper, a small square box, a piece of yellow sealing-wax, some liquid gilt, and five gilt beads, four about the size of large peas, and the fifth a trifle larger, we can manufacture a little russian samovar like fig. 317. should you have no box, make one of pasteboard one inch square and half an inch high; if you cannot get the beads, use small, round buttons. the four beads or buttons are feet for the samovar. fasten one on each corner of the bottom of the box with sealing-wax, then glue the broken centre of the large end of the egg-shell on the middle of the top of the box. cut the handles from paper according to fig. 318, making each handle one inch and a half long and half an inch wide. run the half of one handle over the edge of a blade of the scissors; this will cause the paper to curl. turn the handle over and curl the other half in the opposite direction; bend the handle at the dotted line, one-quarter of an inch from the lower edge, and paste it on one side of the samovar, midway between top and bottom. make the other handle in the same way, and fasten it on the opposite side. [illustration: fig. 318. the handle.] [illustration: fig. 319.--the faucet.] [illustration: fig. 320.--the different parts of the samovar.] cut the faucet (fig. 319) of paper one inch wide; roll the paper up from the bottom, bringing the handle on top; bend the handle straight up, and bend the spout down in front of the handle. glue the other end of the faucet to the front of the samovar with sealing-wax, placing it near the bottom, half-way between the two handles. make the top chimney of a roll of paper a generous inch in width. paste the loose edge of the paper down on the roll, and pierce a hole in the roll one-quarter inch from the bottom, making it large enough to admit the end of a match. glue a burned match in this hole, allowing the main part to extend out one-quarter of an inch from the chimney. fasten a small, round, flat button on the end, and attach a round paper disk three-quarters of an inch in diameter to the top of the chimney, crowning the disk with the large bead. fig. 320 gives all the different parts of the samovar and shows as nearly as possible how they should be put together. when the samovar is finished, gild it all over, and you will have a unique little creation that would delight the heart of a russian. chapter xvi pottery without a potter's wheel almost every girl at one time in her life has loved dearly to make mud-pies, and it is not strange, for her mother, grandmother, and many, many times great-great-grandmother before her delighted in making mud-pies. the last, the primitive women of our race, made them to some purpose, for they were the inventors of pottery. the home-making, house-keeping instinct was strong even in these women, who had no houses to keep, and they did their best with the material at hand. first they wove rude baskets for holding and carrying food; then they learned that cooked food was better than uncooked and could be preserved much longer, so they made baskets of a closer weave and cooked in them by means of water heated by hot stones; finally, they tried cooking over the fire in shallow baskets lined with clay. the clay came out of the basket baked and hard, and behold, they had a new kind of vessel--fire-proof and water-proof. we may imagine with what joy they welcomed this addition to their meagre store of home-making utensils and with what patient industry they strove to improve upon this discovery. [illustration: making coiled pottery] they used their baskets as moulds to hold the soft clay, and they fashioned the clay without moulds into shapes suggested by natural objects. the sea-shells furnished inspiration and many vessels were made in their beautiful forms. the first potter was a woman, even as the first basket-maker was a woman, and, coming down to our own times, the important discovery of the production of exquisite colors and blending of colors in the rookwood pottery was made by a woman. discovered, developed, and still, in many cases, carried on by women, surely pottery is a woman's art, and as a girl inheriting the old instincts, you may find it the simplest and most natural means of expressing your individuality and love of the beautiful. beginning as these gentle savages began, using their primitive method, you may be inspired to study deeper into the art, and perhaps become the discoverer of some new process that will give to the world a still more beautiful pottery. even the smallest girls may do something in coiled pottery, for it is very simple and easy at first, growing more difficult only as one grows ambitious to attempt more intricate forms. the clay ready for use you will find at any pottery. if it is dry break into small pieces, put it in a large stone jar, and cover with cold water; let it stand until thoroughly soaked through and then stir with a stick until well mixed, and work with your hands--squeezing and kneading until free from lumps and perfectly smooth. when it is dry enough not to be muddy, and is of the consistency of dough, it is in good working condition. keep the clay always in the jar and closely covered that it may not again become too dry. besides the clay you will need a table to work on, a pastry-board, a thin block of wood about twelve inches square, a wet sponge for cleaning and moistening your fingers, and several simple tools. the table. if you stand at your work, a tall office stool with rotating seat will be just the thing you want, for by turning the seat this way and that you may look at your work from all sides without disturbing its position. any kind of ordinary table will answer the purpose, however. on top of the table or stool place your pastry-board, and at the right-hand side the sponge, which must be kept quite damp. [illustration: fig. 321.--a short, flat stick.] [illustration: fig. 322.--the tools. piece of round stick sharpened at each end.] you will want but few tools as most of the work is done by the fingers alone. a short, flat stick, sharpened on one side like the blade of a knife (fig. 321), an old penknife, a piece of round stick sharpened at each end like fig. 322, and some emery-paper are all you will need at first. on the pastry-board place a large lump of clay, then take a handful of the clay and begin to make the roll by turning it lightly between your hands (fig. 323). when the clay lengthens out lay it on the board, and roll under your hands, as perhaps you have done when making dough snakes. keep your clay snake of an even size its entire length, be careful not to flatten any part, and continue to roll it with a light touch until it is about the thickness of your little finger. place your square block on the stand before you, and in the centre begin to coil the clay (fig. 324). when you have made a disk about two and one-half inches in diameter, lift the roll and build up the sides, coiling slowly round and round, pinching it slightly as you go, with the last row always resting on the one just beneath (fig. 325). [illustration: fig. 323.--turn it lightly between your hands.] [illustration: fig. 324.--begin to coil the clay.] unless you have made a very long roll, which is not easy to handle at first, you will soon have to stop coiling for lack of material. do not use all of the first roll, but allow the end to rest on the table, where it can be joined to the new roll you are to make. pinch the end of the new roll to that of the old and round the joint between your hands. [illustration: fig. 325.--lift the roll and build up the sides.] continue coiling until you have made a cup-shaped vessel three inches high, then break off the roll and flatten the end to meet the surface of the brim. moisten your fingers on the sponge, and smooth the inside of the cup, holding the walls in place with your left hand curved around the outside (fig. 326). do not press too hard with either hand, but slide your fingers gently round and round over the inner surface. when the coils on the inside have become well flattened mix a little clay and water into a paste, and spread it on, filling any cracks that may still be left between the coils, constantly smoothing all the time. [illustration: fig. 326.--smooth the inside of the cup.] you will find that this process has, at first, the effect of broadening the base and lowering the sides of the cup, and until you have quite mastered the method you must allow for the broadening and flattening of your work. your cup, with a base of two and one-half inches and sides three inches in height, will now probably be a saucer measuring about four inches across the bottom, and not more than one inch and a half in height. it matters little, though, at this stage what shapes you turn out. do your best with each piece, and if the work flattens turn it into a pretty dish by pinching the edge to form a little lip, and adding a handle like fig. 327. [illustration: fig. 327.--turn it into a pretty dish.] as you are working without a wheel the symmetry of your pottery must depend entirely upon your eye and hand, therefore keep turning the block upon which it stands that no irregularity may be overlooked. when you add ornaments or handles see that the roll of clay from which you make them adheres closely to the vessel. add soft clay to the joints and smooth until the whole seems to be of one piece. [illustration: fig. 328.--the outside corrugated by the coil.] in your first attempts leave the outside of the pottery corrugated by the coils (fig. 328); later work you may smooth, making a surface equal to that turned on a wheel. do not try to finish a piece in one day; it is much better to allow it to harden a little and become set, then make it as smooth as you can with your tools, levelling the edges and taking away extra thicknesses. if this cannot be done at one time, set the work away once more covered with a damp cloth and it will keep in good working condition for any length of time, but remember, the cloth must be kept damp, otherwise the clay will harden. when you have perfected your piece of pottery to your satisfaction put it away to dry, _not_ in the sun. several days later, after it has become quite hard, go over the surface again with knife and emery-paper, scraping and rubbing down until it is entirely smooth and free from flaws. the work will then be ready to take to the potter for firing. the color of clay changes in firing, and your little piece of pottery will probably come back to you almost the color of old ivory. one cannot be very positive about the color, however, for clays vary, and perhaps yours may be of a kind that will fire another color. the potter will glaze your work for you if you wish, or leave it in the bisque. nothing has been said about what shapes to make the pottery, for that will depend much upon your own taste and ability. rather low, flat, dish shapes are most easily handled and variations in the cup or flower-pot shape. after these may come the jars and vases. set a well-shaped piece of pottery before you as a model to copy, until you have ideas of your own to carry out, and learn to handle your clay before attempting too ambitious a subject. chapter xvii baby alligators and other things of clay the first chance you have go to florida; you will be charmed with all you see. go where the sky is bluest, where winter is changed to summer, where the wild mocking-bird, the kentucky cardinal, the scarlet tanager, the blue jay and a host of other birds are on most friendly terms with girls and boys. go where the wild squirrels live unmolested in the beautiful great live-oaks, whose branches are hung with long, soft gray moss which swings and sways with the slightest breeze. there you will find the home of many baby alligators, queer little things whose eyes are provided with three eyelids; one is transparent and slides across sidewise like a window-glass to keep the water out of the eyes when the little fellows want to see what is going on beneath the surface. a number of baby alligators in a dry, sunny spot, will delight in piling upon each other four and five deep. the young owner of twenty of these pets declares that on such occasions all the alligators sleep except one who, wide-awake, acts as sentinel. at the approach of anyone he will swing his long tail over all his companions to awaken them and warn them of the danger that may be near. fig. 329 was modelled from a baby alligator who conducted himself in a most dignified and exemplary manner when placed flat down on a shingle lying on a table; but first he had to be held in position for a moment in order to recover from the excitement caused by being taken from his out-of-door home and brought into strange quarters. [illustration: fig. 329.--alligator modelled from life.] it is not difficult to model a baby alligator of clay. [illustration: fig. 330.--clay for modelling alligator.] [illustration: fig. 331.--clay rolled between the hands.] [illustration: fig. 332.--beginning the head.] [illustration: fig. 333.--extra pieces on for eyes and nose.] [illustration: fig. 334.--head almost in shape.] [illustration: fig. 335.--head finished.] all you need for the work is a lump of soft clay, a hat-pin, your fingers, and determination to succeed. take a piece of clay (fig. 330) and roll it between your hands until it resembles fig. 331. push the two ends together, causing the roll to hump up slightly near the centre, lay it down on a board or any hard, flat surface, and with the fingers carefully pat, squeeze, and push it into the form of fig. 332. gently smooth out all roughness; then nip off little pieces of clay from the big lump for the nose and two eyes; stick them on as in fig. 333. again smooth the rough edges until the clay looks like fig. 334. with a little careful modelling you can make the head exactly like fig. 335. mark the eyes, mouth, and nose with the flat point of the pin. if portions of the head become too thick, take off some of the clay, and if at any time the head is worked down too thin fill in the hollow spots with clay. in modelling one can always pinch off pieces here and there when necessary; or add little bits, smooth it all down, and the places altered will never show the marks of the change. when the head is finished cover it with a wet cloth to keep the clay moist, and begin to make the body. [illustration: fig. 336.--clay for body of alligator.] [illustration: fig. 337.--body of alligator.] mould another piece of clay like fig. 336. run the ball of your thumb along the sides, making the body the form of fig. 337, broader and thicker through the centre than at the two ends. for the tail pull from the large lump a smaller amount of clay, roll it and model it like fig. 338, larger at one end than at the other. the last portion (fig. 339), like the others, is flat on the bottom, and with the exception of a small triangle at the heavy end of the tail the two sides meet at the top, forming a sharp ridge which decreases in height as it tapers down to a point at the extreme end. as each part is finished keep it moist with a wet cloth, and when the four sections are made place them in a row (fig. 340), then join them together, rounding all the edges slightly. fig. 341 shows how to mark the back of the alligator. [illustration: fig. 338.--section of tail.] [illustration: fig. 339.--tail of alligator.] [illustration: fig. 340.--ready to be put together.] [illustration: fig. 341.--marking the back.] [illustration: fig. 342.--roll a small piece of clay.] live alligators, you know, are encased in a natural coat of armor formed of small plates or shields, and in the clay one must imitate the real. use the hat-pin for marking the lines on the head, and trace stripes sidewise across the entire length of the body in the manner shown by fig. 341 from c to d, continuing the stripes down each side of the first section of the tail (fig. 329). next run a line lengthwise through the entire centre. d to e (fig. 341) shows how to begin, only you must commence the central lengthwise line at c. mark the plates on one side starting at c, as indicated from e to f (fig. 341); then make them on the other side, which will cause a pointed scallop to stand out and up on both sides of the space from g to h (fig. 341). on the last section the top ridge will be scalloped h to k (fig. 341). the nostrils are distinctly marked by two round holes; make these with the point of the pin. cover the alligator over with a wet cloth while you model his legs. [illustration: fig. 343.--break off a part.] [illustration: fig. 344.--turn back the end.] [illustration: fig. 345.--add another piece.] [illustration: fig. 346.--press end of leg out flat.] roll a small piece of clay (fig. 342), break off a part (fig. 343) and turn back the broken end (fig. 344). add another piece to it (fig. 345), smooth the edges together, forming a bend like an elbow (fig. 346), and press the end of the leg out flat (fig. 346). roll five small pieces (fig. 347) and fasten them on the flattened portion of the leg in the positions shown by fig. 348. the foot suggests a human hand, the toes taking the places of thumb and fingers. rub the toes into the foot and spread out the extended, flattened part of the leg, making it appear web-like between the toes (fig. 349). the foot of the real animal has nails or claws on three of the toes (fig. 350), but you need not attempt this detail. if the foot is correct in form and proportion you have made it well. fig. 350 is given merely to show how the natural foot looks. [illustration: fig. 347.--ready to begin the foot.] [illustration: fig. 348.--modelling the foot.] [illustration: fig. 349.--fore-foot and leg of alligator.] [illustration: fig. 350.--fore-foot of alligator.] model two front and two hind legs and feet; see that the hind feet and legs are larger and differently formed from the front ones. the hind feet have only four toes (fig. 351). the line a (fig. 340) designates the place where the front legs should be joined to the body, and the line b (fig. 340) shows where to fasten on the hind legs. that you may have a thorough understanding of the manner and direction in which the joints of the legs bend, we will suppose that you rest on the floor on your knees and elbows. you will then find that your knees bend forward and your elbows backward, with your arms corresponding to the front legs and your legs to the hind legs. now, when you draw or model hereafter, you will not make any mistake in regard to it. look again at fig. 349. the foot, v, corresponds to or rudely resembles your hand; t, your wrist; p, your elbow; o, your shoulder. examine fig. 329. on the hind leg are the foot, ankle, knee and hip joint. while the alligator is in a plastic state make him open his mouth, by cutting a slit in the head from the front along the waved line up back beyond the eye; carefully pull apart the jaws (fig. 352). have your alligator measure at least fourteen inches from tip to tip, for it will be more difficult to model a smaller one. once having made the little creature, you will find it easy to model similar animals; select something else in the same line and try to make it. [illustration: fig. 351.--alligator's hind-foot.] [illustration: fig. 352.--cut open the mouth.] most fruits are readily reproduced in clay. the banana is very simple to copy. roll a piece of clay, making the ends bluntly pointed; bend it slightly as in fig. 353 and, paying strict attention to proportion, carefully form the work like the original, adding, taking from, smoothing and flattening as may be required (fig. 354). [illustration: fig. 353.--clay ready for modelling banana.] [illustration: fig. 354.--banana modelled in clay.] the "father of his country" always commands admiration, and everything pertaining to him is interesting. [illustration: fig. 355.--egg-shaped clay for head.] a head of washington modelled with your own hands would have a double value. you could show the head to your friends and tell them how you made it, and should they wish to become amateur sculptors, you might help them with their work. make a thick cake of clay for the bust. on the back part of the top lay a small, round cake to form the neck, and push a stick down the centre of the neck through the bust to the board beneath, allowing a portion of the stick to extend up beyond the neck; then roll a piece of clay into the form of an egg for the head--three times the size of a hen's egg--and push it down on the stick (fig. 355). the stick enters the head near the centre of one side, so do not push the clay egg on through one end. continue to push the head down until it meets the neck. the stick is necessary to give firmness and support to the work. model the head, neck, and bust until it looks like fig. 356. while modelling you must not neglect any part of the head; the work should go on at the sides and back as well as the front; every now and then turn the stand on which your work is placed that you may model other portions of the head. in sculpture it is essential that objects be made as they are; therein lies the difference between sculpture and painting; in painting and drawing objects are not made as they actually exist but as they appear. [illustration: fig. 356.--head blocked in.] [illustration: fig. 357.--modelling features.] [illustration: fig. 358.--george washington.] be sure to have the head of correct proportions before beginning the features; then take away a little of the clay where the nose joins the forehead and cut away more clay under the nose straight down to the chin, according to the dotted lines which appear in fig. 357. hollow out places for the eyes and indicate the mouth with a straight line. add more clay for the hair, forming it into a queue at the back. [illustration: fig. 359.--washington's profile. finished head.] [illustration: fig. 360.--back of washington's head.] be careful to study well the character of washington's face before going on with the work. notice that it is strong, the chin firm and square, the lips tightly closed and the mouth almost a straight line, the nose not perfectly straight but inclined to be aquiline, the eyes rather heavy-lidded; and the hair, following the line of the head on the top, is puffed out on the sides, covering both ears. fig. 358 gives the front view, fig. 359 the profile, and fig. 360 the back view of the head. make the neck full and large. you can keep the clay moist with a wet cloth and work on the head a little each day. persevere until you make so good a likeness of george washington that it will be recognized at a glance, and ever afterward you will enjoy and appreciate much more all portraits of him. chapter xviii funny little apple toys such a funny little porcupine! see how his pointed spears bristle out in every direction, forming a fine coat of mail (fig. 362). if he was only alive, he could coil himself up into a prickly ball--not a ball, though, that one could handle without being hurt. this little fellows differs from the _hystrix cristata_, or real porcupine, in that he did not wait until his quills grew to turn into a ball, but was a ball to begin with, for he commenced life as an apple, and an apple is one of the nicest kinds of balls, as it may be tossed back and forth and then eaten later. [illustration: fig. 361.--bent toothpick.] [illustration: fig. 362.--the apple porcupine.] if you can find an apple with a bump on one side, you may make a porcupine in less than five minutes, for all that is necessary is to stick the apple full of wooden toothpicks, and that work will be as easy as putting pins into a cushion. let the bump on the apple form the head of the animal. bend four toothpicks like fig. 361 and push them up into the apple to serve as legs and feet. make the bent toothpicks balance the apple perfectly, so that the porcupine will stand firmly on its feet without other support. use black pins for eyes and broom straws for the whiskers. stick them into the head of the animal as shown in fig. 362. begin at the extreme back of the porcupine to insert the wooden toothpicks that are to serve as quills; although they are not hollow it makes very little difference, as this wee creature cannot shake them, causing the quills to knock against each other, as does the real animal when he wants to produce a rustling sound to warn off an enemy. continue pushing in the toothpicks until the apple resembles fig. 362. keep the quills inclined backward and be careful not to have them stand out too far; slant the quills as much as possible, as the length of the porcupine must appear greater than the breadth. now, if you could endow the animal with life, you would find that he was a vegetarian; that is, he could not eat meat, and you would be obliged to feed him on fruit, roots, and certain kinds of bark. you may be glad, though, that this porcupine is only a "make-believe one," for, if he lived, he would sleep all day and want to run about and take his exercise during the night; and, more than that, you would feel very sorry for the poor little fellow, because he would be extremely lonesome so far away from his native land of india, africa, or some part of southern europe. so of the two, all things considered, the apple porcupine makes a better pet for the small members of the household. [illustration: fig. 364.--shape of eye.] [illustration: fig. 365.--apple seed in centre of eye.] [illustration: fig. 366.--the nose.] [illustration: fig. 367.--sally's open mouth.] [illustration: fig. 368.--strip of paper rolled up tight.] [illustration: fig. 363.--sally walker's head.] a round, delicately pink-tinted apple is best for little sally walker's head (fig. 363). with the small blade of a pocket-knife cut the eyes near the centre of the apple, placing them far apart to give an innocent expression to the face (fig. 363). cut the lower line of the eyes straight and the upper curved, as in fig. 364; then push the small, pointed end of an apple-seed in the centre of each eye; run the seed in so far that only a small portion of the blunt end stands out (fig. 365). cut away a small, half-moon-shaped piece of the skin (fig. 366) to indicate the nose. the mouth must be open and made the shape of fig. 367. cut it into the apple a trifle more than an eighth of an inch in depth. make the curls of two narrow strips of paper rolled up tight like fig. 368; then pulled out as in fig. 369. pin one curl on each side of the head (fig. 363). cut a round piece of white paper for sally's collar. make a small hole in its centre and slip the collar on the end of a stick; then push the stick well up into the lower part of the head (fig. 363). keep the collar in place by two pins stuck through it into the apple. [illustration: fig. 369.--sally's curl.] [illustration: fig. 370.--the apple indian.] [illustration: fig. 371.--indian's nose.] [illustration: fig. 372.--paper feather for apple indian.] [illustration: fig. 373.--the apple jap.] the indian is very different in coloring and expression from sally (fig. 370). notice how near together his eyes are; and see how long and narrow his nose is. if you examine the face of the next red man you see, or the picture of one, you will probably find that he has two deep, decided lines from his nose to his mouth, and that the mouth itself is firm and straight. remember these hints when making the indian's head. select a dark-red apple, one that is rather long and narrow, if possible, for the red man seldom has a round face. cut two eyes of white paper and pin them on the apple with black-headed pins pierced through the centre of each eye. make the long nose of paper (fig. 371). cut two slits close together on the face and slide the sides of the nose (aa, fig. 371) into the slits (fig. 370). cut two more slits, one on each side of the nose, down to the corners of the mouth, and insert in each a piece of narrow white paper to form the lines; then cut one more slit for the mouth and push in a strip of white paper, which may be bent down to show a wider portion (fig. 370). last, but not least, come the ornamental feathers. if you can obtain natural ones so much the better; if not, make paper feathers of bright, differently colored paper. fig. 372 shows how to cut them. roll the bottom portion to make a stiff stem and after punching holes in the top of the apple, forming them in a row around the crown of the head, push each feather in place, having the tallest in the centre, as in fig. 370. run a slender stick up into the bottom of the head and you will have something better than taffy-on-a-stick. [illustration: fig. 374.--apple jap's eye.] [illustration: fig. 375.--for apple jap's hair.] [illustration: fig. 376.--apple jap's hair.] [illustration: fig. 377.--stick frame for apple jap.] the jap's (fig. 373) features are formed very differently from those of either sally or the indian. his eyes are shaped like narrow almonds, rather bluntly rounded at the inner corners and pointed at the outer corners. cut the eyes like fig. 374 of black paper and stick them on the head with white-headed pins driven through the centre of each. let the eyes slant up at the outer corners, for that is the way real japanese eyes grow. they never have eyes like sally's. [illustration: fig. 379.--foundation of apple tower.] [illustration: fig. 380.--second floor of apple tower.] [illustration: fig. 381.--ready for third floor.] [illustration: fig. 378.--apple tower.] make the nose crescent-shaped, and pin it on with two white pins. the mouth must be much larger than the nose, though cut in similar shape. hold the mouth in position by running a row of white pins through it into the head. the pins will also form the jap's teeth. cut the hair of black paper (fig. 375); if you have no black paper, make some with ink. fringe the hair as in fig. 376; then fasten the circle of stiff black hair on top of the head with black pins. use a russet apple or a yellow one for the jap, because, you know, these people do not have red cheeks or fair skins. when the head is finished, push it down on the top of a stick across which has been fastened another shorter stick near the top (fig. 377). make a simple kimono-like gown of paper and hang it on over the jap's arms. if you wish, you can paste the edges or seams of the garment together (fig. 373). find a firm, sound, round apple, and we can build a tower (fig. 378). cut the fruit into rather thick slices, select the middle slice, that being the largest, and stick four toothpicks into it (fig. 379). take the slice next in size and push it down tight on top of the four toothpicks (fig. 380). stick four more toothpicks into the second slice (fig. 381), placing the toothpicks in the spaces on the second slice between the lower first four toothpicks (fig. 381). on the tops of the last toothpicks fasten another slice of apple, then stick in more toothpicks and so on, always remembering to place the top toothpicks in the spaces on the apple slice left between the lower toothpicks. build up the tower at least seven slices high and do the work carefully, keeping the toothpicks straight and even, that the apple tower may stand erect and not resemble the famous leaning tower of pisa; for if your building should incline to one side, as does the pisa tower, it would not long retain that position, but the entire structure would come tumbling down, obliging you to try building again with another apple. a fine dutch windmill can be made of one apple and a paper pin-wheel, and there are lots of other interesting things you may manufacture from the same fruit. chapter xix marvel pictures here are mary, mary's lamb, and mother goose's goose all waiting for you to dress them and make them into marvel pictures. mary must be attired in her clothes, the lamb in his wool, and mother goose's goose in its feathers, and you can do it every bit yourself. then when all are nicely finished you can tack them up in your room for everyone to admire and wonder over. we will begin with mary, because a little girl is vastly more important than a lamb or a goose, however much the others may be petted and loved. [illustration: mary.] take a smooth piece of white tissue-paper, lay it over the drawing of mary given here, and with a moderately soft pencil make a careful tracing of the little figure. turn the paper the other side up and go over the lines again with a very soft pencil; then lay the paper right side up on a piece of white cardboard, a little larger than the page of this book. see that the figure is exactly in the middle and again go over the lines with your pencil. remove the tissue-paper and strengthen the lines of your drawing with your hardest pencil. if you have a box of water-color paints, tint mary's face, her neck and arms flesh-pink. redden her cheeks a little, and paint her lips a darker red. make her eyes blue and her hair a light brown and she will be quite ready for her dress. fig. 382 is the pattern, which you must make by tracing it on tissue-paper and then cutting it out. choose any material you like--wool, cotton, or silk, for her dress and any color, only let it be quite smooth. lay the tissue-paper pattern down on the goods, pin it in place and cut around close to the edges. try the dress on mary to see that it fits perfectly; then cover the wrong side thinly with paste, adjust it to the little figure and press down firmly, smoothing out any wrinkles that may appear. cut a white lawn apron like the pattern (fig. 383), and paste it over the dress bringing the upper edge up to the waist line. [illustration: fig. 382.--mary's dress.] [illustration: fig. 383.--mary's apron.] [illustration: fig. 384.--the brim of sun-bonnet.] [illustration: fig. 385.--crown of sun-bonnet.] [illustration: fig. 386.--plait like this.] [illustration: fig. 387.--cut like this.] [illustration: fig. 388.--mary's sun-bonnet.] make a cunning little sun-bonnet of the white lawn also. fig. 384 is the brim, fig. 385 the crown of the bonnet. cut out fig. 384 first and fold back the flap according to the dotted lines, then fig. 385, which you must plait fan-shape like fig. 386, and then cut the shape of fig. 387. put a little paste along the lower edge of fig. 387, and over it lay the top edge of the brim (fig. 384), pasting them together like fig. 388. fit the bonnet on mary's head and paste it in place, but leave the side-flaps to stand out loosely from her face. mary's lamb can be traced and then drawn on cardboard in exactly the same manner as mary, or it may be drawn on white writing-paper, cut out carefully and pasted on black or colored cardboard. this last is perhaps the better plan as the white lamb will show more plainly on a colored background. [illustration: fig. 389.--pattern of lamb's coat.] fig. 389 is the pattern for master lamb's coat, which you are to cut from a sheet of white cotton wadding, opened through the centre to give the wooliness of the raw cotton. a sheep's wool does not grow long on its legs, so you need not wonder that the lamb is not provided with leggings. [illustration: fig. 390.--lamb's cap.] [illustration: fig. 390.--lamb's cap.] paste the coat on the lamb's back and the little cap (fig. 390) on top of his head and he will have all the clothing to which he is entitled. the dotted line below the lamb's ear shows how far the wool is to reach on his face, and that on the top of his head gives the limit for the edge of the cap. [illustration: mary's lamb.] when you have traced mother goose's goose and transferred it to a sheet of cardboard, you must collect a number of small feathers as much as possible like the shapes given in the page of diagrams. perhaps you can get those plucked from the chicken for to-day's dinner, or you may be allowed to take a few from mother's feather pillows or cushions. if you do not find feathers of just the right shapes take a pair of sharp scissors and trim them down to suit. [illustration: fig. 391.--tail feather.] [illustration: fig. 392.--how to paste on the tail feathers.] [illustration: fig. 393.--body feather.] [illustration: fig. 395.--wing feather.] [illustration: fig. 394.--how to paste on the body feathers.] [illustration: fig. 396.--wing feather.] [illustration: fig. 398.--neck and breast feather.] [illustration: fig. 397.--how to paste on the wing feathers.] [illustration: caption of figures 391-397: how to put the feathers on mother goose's goose.] [illustration: mother goose's goose.] select three feathers for the tail like the tail feather fig. 391, and fit them in place on the goose to see just where they are to go; then take them off, cover the tail with glue and carefully put the feathers back in place, pressing them down until they stick fast (fig. 392). find body feathers like fig. 393 and, beginning near the tail, cover part of the body with glue, then stick the feathers on, overlapping them as in fig. 394. the under part of the body must be entirely covered with these feathers, but before going on to the breast and neck the wing must be attended to. [illustration: fig. 399.] there are two kinds of wing feathers--some long and narrow (fig. 395), and others much shorter (fig. 396). begin at the lower edge of the wing and glue a row of the long feathers in place, allowing the lower edge of one feather to overlap the upper edge of another, as in fig. 397. along the top edge of the wing glue a row of the small feathers (fig. 397), and then, beginning again at the lower edge of the wing, cover the remainder with the small feathers. the short, broad feather (fig. 398), is the kind to use on breast and neck. begin at the wing and fasten them on, going upward until the head is reached, then trim off the stems of the feathers to fit the space shown by the dotted line on the goose's head (fig. 399). do not put too much glue on the goose at one time, only enough for one row of feathers, and spread it very thinly, for it takes but little to catch and hold the light feathers in place. part ii recreation [illustration: lifting for pasch eggs.] chapter xx egg games for the easter holidays lifting for pasch eggs "lifting" was one of the many curious and interesting easter customs of the "good old days" in merry england, and we introduce it here in the form of a very jolly easter game. first you must prepare the pasch, or easter eggs in this way: select three large white eggs, make a minute hole in the small end of each, and another hole the size of a silver dime in the large end. place the hole at the small end of each shell to your lips and blow steadily until all the egg has run out. then set the shells in a warm place to dry while you make ready "something bitter and something sweet" with which to fill them. soft, creamy candies of a small size are the best for this. select several pieces for each egg, and pour on each of these one drop of a weak solution of wormwood or quinine. mix the bitter candy with the sweet, and fill the egg-shells. cut from gilt or colored paper three scalloped disks four inches in diameter (fig. 400). through the centre of each disk pass a needle threaded with doubled black linen thread, cover the under side of the disk with paste, separate the two ends of the thread and hold them down on each side of the large end of a shell, as shown in fig. 401; then draw the disk down and paste it upon the shell over the threads. if the ends of the thread extend below the disk, clip them off with sharp scissors. wait until the paste is quite dry and the paper firmly attached to the shells, then hang the eggs by their threads in a door-way so that they will be just one foot higher than you can reach. [illustration: fig. 400.--cut three scalloped disks like this.] the game there must be at least two girls and two boys to play the game. fold a shawl or wide scarf until it forms a narrow band. wrap it around the waist of one of the girls, fasten it securely, and blindfold her with a handkerchief. let a boy stand on either side of her, grasp the band firmly, and then march her up to the door-way where the eggs are suspended, chanting these words: "tid, mid and mi-se-ra, carling, palm, and pasch-egg day. lift you now off your feet, take your bitter with your sweet." reaching the door-way they must halt just before it, and when the girl says "ready" she must jump, the boys at the same time lifting her by the band around her waist. as she jumps she must try to catch one of the eggs. she can have but one trial, and if she succeeds in bringing down an egg it is hers; failing, she must wait until her turn comes again for the chance of securing a prize. one of the boys must have the next trial, while the two girls become the "lifters." the same ceremony must be gone through with for each player, a girl and a boy alternately, and the same verse repeated. [illustration: fig. 401.--paste the disk on the shell.] it is not necessary to expend any strength in the "lifting," for the players should jump, and not depend upon the helpers to be lifted up within reach of the eggs. when the eggs have been pulled down, the fun consists in eating the candy, with always the certainty of finding some bitter drops among the sweet, and the uncertainty of how soon and how often the bitter will be found. the egg dance the egg dance is very old, so old that it is a novelty to young people of this generation. it is said that this dance formerly created much mirth, and no doubt it will afford our modern girls and boys an equal amount of merriment. the eggs to prepare for it, take thirteen eggs, blow the contents from the shells, color eight red, gild four, and leave one white. the object in removing the egg from the shell is to save the carpet from being soiled should the eggs be trampled on. if the carpet is protected by a linen cover hard-boiled eggs may be used. place the eggs on the floor in two circles, one within the other. the outer circle, formed of the red eggs placed at equal distances apart, should measure about eight feet in diameter; the inner circle, formed of the gilded eggs, should be four feet in diameter, and the white egg must be placed directly in the centre of the inner circle. the dance the eggs being arranged the company is divided into couples, each in turn to try the dance. the first couple takes position within the outer circle--that is, between the red eggs and the gilded ones--and, to waltz music, they dance around the circle three times, keeping within the space between the two circles. entering the inner circle they waltz three times around the central egg, and all this must be done without breaking or greatly disturbing any of the eggs. when an egg is broken or knocked more than twelve inches from its position, the dancers retire and give place to the next couple. the broken eggs are not replaced, but those out of position are set in order before the succeeding couple commence the dance. when each couple has had a turn and none have accomplished the feat, all change partners and the trial begins again. the first couple to go through the mazes of the dance without breaking or disturbing any of the eggs win each a first prize; the next successful couple receive second prizes, and the third are rewarded with one colored hard-boiled egg which they may divide between them. [illustration: angling for easter eggs.] easter angling the appliances for this game are manufactured at home, and consist of three toy hoops, such as children use for rolling, eight bamboo walking-canes, and eight hooks made of wire like fig. 402. a piece of twine three-quarters of a yard long is tied to the small end of each stick, and to the other end of the twine is fastened a hook. [illustration: fig. 402.--eight hooks made of wire.] smooth, stiff, light-brown paper is pasted or tacked over each hoop like a drum-head, and in this paper covering of each hoop six round holes are cut, just large enough to admit the small end of an egg, or about the size of a silver quarter of a dollar. four of the holes are made at equal distances apart, twelve inches from the edge of the paper, and the other two are near the centre (fig. 403). eighteen eggs to be angled for are provided. they are not boiled, but the shells are emptied and prepared for decoration in the manner previously described. [illustration: fig. 403.--cut six holes in the paper like these.] they may be painted with water-colors, with designs of spring flowers and butterflies, gilded or silvered, or colored with dyes. a circle of gilt paper is folded twice, which forms fig. 404, and an eight-pointed star is cut by following the dotted lines in fig. 404. in the centre of this is cut a round hole, and when opened, the star (fig. 405) is the result. [illustration: fig. 404.--cut the star by following dotted lines.] [illustration: fig. 405.--the gilt star.] a piece of narrow white satin ribbon, three inches long, is folded and pushed through the hole in the centre of the star, forming a loop; the ends are then pasted to the point on either side of the star. when the egg-shell has received its decoration, this star and loop are glued to the large end of each shell, as shown in fig. 406. in twelve of the egg-shells are hidden trifling gifts of candy, a tiny penknife, silver thimble, or a trinket of any kind; in four are slips of paper on which are written "prize ring," and in the other two are also slips of paper; on one is written "first prize," and on the other "second prize." every shell being supplied with its gift the holes at the small end of the egg are covered by pasting over each a small round of white paper, the edge of which is cut in points to make it fit more easily to the shell. rules of the game. 1st. eight players only can take part in the game. 2d. the three hoops are placed on the floor, paper side up, at some distance apart. in each of the two ordinary rings are placed six eggs standing upright in the holes, small end down; four eggs contain presents and two the papers bearing the words "prize ring." in the third, or prize ring, are four eggs containing presents, and the two which hold the papers with the words "first prize" and "second prize." [illustration: fig. 406.--glue the star and loop to the shell.] 3d. there must be no distinguishing mark upon any of the prize eggs. 4th. four players stand around each of the ordinary rings. having once chosen their places they must keep them until all the eggs have been taken from the ring. 5th. every player is provided with a fishing-rod which is held by one end, _not_ in the middle. 6th. the endeavor of each player is to insert his hook through the ribbon loop on one of the eggs and lift it out of the ring, doing this as quickly as possible and catching as many as he can. as each egg is taken from the ring its contents are examined and the player who first gets a prize-ring egg ceases angling until the other prize-ring egg has been caught. 7th. when the eggs have all been taken out of both ordinary rings, the two players in each ring who have the prize-ring eggs move to the prize ring and angle for the eggs which it contains. 8th. two prizes, the first and second, fall to the lot of the two players who are fortunate enough to secure the prize eggs in the prize ring. the prizes given for the prize eggs at the prize ring should be of a little more importance than those contained in the eggs. instead of trinkets these eggs may contain only candy, which will give more prominence to the two real prizes given at the end of the game. table egg-rolling. everyone knows about the egg-rolling where the eggs are started at the top of a hill and rolled to the bottom, for it has become almost a national game, being played annually on the white house grounds in washington on easter monday; but there is a new game of egg-rolling to be played in the house, in which any person in any place may take part. this is played, not with cooked eggs, as in the washington game, but with empty egg-shells, which have been blown and left as nearly perfect as possible; and the field for the game is a table with a chalked line across either end about eight inches from the edge and another line directly across the centre. the players are divided into two equal forces which take their places at opposite ends of the table. each player is provided with a fan and the egg-shell is placed directly in the centre of the table on the dividing line. at the word "ready" all begin to fan, the object of each side being to send the egg to its goal across the line at the opposite end of the table, and to prevent its being rolled into the goal at its own end. on no account must the egg be touched except in placing and replacing it on the centre line, which is done whenever a score is made, and when the egg rolls off the table; in all other cases it may be moved only by fanning. each time the egg enters a goal it counts one for the side at the opposite end of the table, and when the score is marked the egg must be replaced in the centre; then, at the given signal, the fanning is renewed. the winning score may be ten, fifteen, or twenty-five, but it is best not to make it too large, for several short games are more enjoyable than one long one. chapter xxi may day amusements mingling with the festivities of may day in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were certain games intended to represent the adventures of robin hood, that bold forest chieftain who with his band of merry men, all clad in lincoln green, held many a contest with bow and arrows; and though most of them were masters of the sport, none could quite equal the leader, robin hood. from certain customs of these bygone days we can evolve a delightful entertainment and call it the twentieth century may day. the most important personage on this occasion is the may queen, who must win her crown by skill in archery. the next in importance is the king who wins his title in the same way. of course, bows and arrows will be needed for the sport, and these we will make at home. they will be quite small and easy to manufacture, but the bows, though tiny, will work to a charm and send the home-made arrows flying with swiftness and precision to their goal. look up a piece of flat rattan, from which to form the bow, such as is often used to stiffen stays and dress waists; cut it eleven and one-half inches in length and burn a hole in each end by boring through the rattan with a hair-pin heated red hot at one end (fig. 407). holes made in this way will not split or break the rattan. pass a strong linen thread through the hole in one end of the bow and tie it firmly (fig. 408); then bring the thread across to the other end, pass it through the hole, leaving a stretch of eight and one-quarter inches from end to end of the bow, and tie the end securely (fig. 410). [illustration: fig. 407.--the bow of rattan.] [illustration: fig. 408.--fastening on the bow-string.] make the arrows of slender sticks ten inches in length and sharpened to a point at the heavier end (fig. 409). whittle the arrows as round as possible. if you happen to have old, slender, long-handled paint brushes, they will make fine arrows with the brush taken off and the large end pointed. [illustration: fig. 410.--bow strung ready for arrow.] [illustration: fig. 409.--arrow of paint brush handle.] [illustration: fig. 411.--paper cover for target.] [illustration: fig. 412.--cowslip for target.] the target may also be home-made; for this use a small hoop--a barrel hoop will do--and cover it with paper. take any kind of paper strong enough to hold, but not too stiff, and cut it three or four inches larger in circumference than the hoop. lay the hoop down flat on the paper and draw a line around its edge; then slash the paper around the edge, cutting deep enough to almost reach the circle marked by the hoop (fig. 411). cut silhouettes of spring flowers from various bright-colored tissue-paper. lay a piece of tissue-paper over each flower pattern here given, and trace the outline directly on the tissue-paper. make a cowslip (fig. 412) of yellow paper for the centre of the target, and above it place (fig. 413) a violet of violet tissue-paper, and under the centre fasten a jack-in-the-pulpit of green tissue-paper (fig. 414); at the right attach a pink azalia (fig. 415) and at the left a scarlet tulip (fig. 416). over the remaining blank portion scatter bright silhouettes of other flowers. each wild blossom has its own value: the yellow centre cowslip counts 10; violet, 9; jack-in-the-pulpit, 8; pink azalia, 7; scarlet tulip, 6, etc. when the paper flowers are ready, lay the large target paper on a perfectly flat, hard surface; then, using paste only around the edges of the flowers, fasten each one in position on the target paper, beginning with the central cowslip. when finished turn the paper over on the wrong side and lay the hoop on it over the circular line previously drawn. the hoop must first have a strong staple driven in its top (fig. 417). turn up the slashed edge of the paper and paste it down over the hoop. fig. 418 shows a portion of the flaps glued over it. be sure when covering the hoop to keep the paper perfectly smooth and free from all wrinkles or fulness, as shown in the target (fig. 419). [illustration: fig. 413.--violet for target.] [illustration: fig. 414.--jack-in-the-pulpit for target.] [illustration: fig. 415.--azalia for target.] [illustration: fig. 416.--tulip for target.] [illustration: fig. 417.--staple in hoop.] [illustration: may queen and king and loyal subjects.] select a good position on a tree or fence. drive in a nail at the proper height and hang the target by the staple in its rim; then with a stick or stone mark a line on the ground about three yards from and directly in front of the target. let each player in turn stand with toes touching the mark and shoot one arrow at the target. someone must keep tally, and as each arrow strikes or misses make a record of the shot. when all have had one trial the second round may be played; then the third, which finishes the game of archery and decides the relative places of all the company. [illustration: fig. 418.--portion of flaps glued over hoop.] [illustration: fig. 419.--target with silhouettes of flowers.] the girl and boy with highest records are queen and king, the next highest maids-of-honor and gentlemen-of-the-court; the others fall in line according to their records on the target, and the entire party strikes out for the nearest stretch of land where wild flowers are to be found. out from the shade they go into the sunshine, where the new springing grass is tender and green, and a little beyond under the trees where a mysterious perfume, the breath of awakening nature, pervades the air, where grow the modest blue-eyed violets, the fragrant trailing arbutus, spicy and sweet, the funny jack-in-the-pulpit, without which no collection of wild flowers would be complete, and where also may be found the rare and beautiful bloodroot, whose stay is so short one can scarce catch a glimpse of its pure, white blossoms ere they vanish. the queen rules, and the king shares her honors. all the subjects must yield implicit obedience; but, on the other hand, the queen should issue only unselfish and kind commands, such as are sure to render her people happy, for the thought of their comfort and pleasure should ever be uppermost. [illustration: fig. 420.--take the flowers up roots and all.] the delicate little blossoms of early spring need very careful handling, and it would be well for the king and his gentlemen to be provided with old kitchen knives or trowels, that they may be able to dig around and under the little plants in order to take the flowers up root and all, with the earth clinging to them (fig. 420); each one can then be carefully placed upright in a flat-bottomed basket or box and carried home in safety. better still would be a number of tiny water-proof paper flower-pots, which may be purchased per dozen for a trifling sum. in each pot place one plant with plenty of damp earth surrounding it, and upon reaching home tie a gay narrow ribbon through holes pierced on each side; the little receptacle will then make a charming may-basket, and the wild flowers will keep fresh and blooming for a long time (fig. 421). [illustration: fig. 421.--water-proof paper flower-pot may-basket.] while the king and his men are at work digging up the plants the queen and her ladies can gather the buds and blossoms, picking them with as long stems as possible and remembering to have a few green leaves of each plant with its blossoms. to keep the flowers from wilting, as they would if held in the hand, let each girl be provided with a clean, perfectly dry baking-powder can which has a lid that fits tightly; the blossoms must be without moisture and very carefully placed within the can as soon as they are plucked. when the tin box is filled the cover can be fitted on securely to exclude all the air. the green leaves may be carried in the hand, and when they droop they can be revived by being placed in fresh water. the bit of wildwood brought home in the form of dainty cut flowers could be put in water until dark, when the little may-baskets are ready for their reception. these baskets should always be small and must never be crowded with flowers; it is better to have only one variety of blossom with its foliage for each basket. [illustration: fig. 422.--beginning wire may-basket.] [illustration: fig. 423.--basket ready for handle.] manufacture the may-baskets of paper boxes, colored straws, wire, and cardboard. those of wire can be made to resemble coral and are pretty when shaped like that shown at fig. 425. make a ring of wire about the size of the top of a very large teacup by twisting the two ends of the wire together, then pull it into an oblong shape curved downward at the two ends. form another smaller ring, connect the two by a length of wire fastened on one end (fig. 422); twist the wire on the bottom loop and bring it across the bottom and up on the other side end (fig. 423). proceed the same way with the broad sides, extending the wire up and across the top to form the handle (fig. 424); if more braces are needed, add them, and tie bits of string in knots of various sizes at intervals all over the basket frame to form projections for the branches of coral. [illustration: fig. 424.--wire basket to be turned into coral.] transform the wire into coral by melting some white wax and mixing with it powdered vermilion. while the wax is in a liquid state hang the basket on the end of a poker or stick and, holding it over the hot wax, carefully cover the frame with the red mixture by pouring the wax over the basket with a long-handled spoon. the wax cools rapidly and forms a coating closely resembling coral; the little lumps and projections that form give the basket the appearance of real coral, which is branching and uneven. [illustration: fig. 425.--coral may-basket.] as soon as the wax has hardened (fig. 425) insert in the basket a pasteboard bottom cut to fit; and when filling this basket with flowers place the foliage around the sides first. the fresh green contrasting with the red coral gives a pretty effect, and the leaves filling the spaces between the wires prevent the flowers from falling through. the "old oaken, moss-covered bucket" is very appropriate for woodland blossoms. make the bucket of a strip of cardboard ten by four inches; sew the two ends together and cut a circular piece for the bottom; fit it in and fasten with long stitches. cut the handle of cardboard one-quarter of an inch wide and sew it in place. cover the bucket with strips of olive-green tissue-paper an inch and a half wide which have previously been crimped by being folded backward and forward. cut the strips in very fine fringe, unfold and gum them on the bucket in closely overlapping rows, as the cardboard must be entirely concealed to have the appearance of being covered with natural moss (fig. 426). [illustration: fig. 426.--old oaken bucket may-basket.] a may-basket which can be made in a moment is simply a bright-colored paper six inches long and three inches wide, with one of its long sides brought together at the two corners from the middle and fastened securely. a narrow ribbon forms the handle (fig. 427). just at dusk the flowers may be arranged in the baskets with as little handling as possible. then, when twilight comes, the may day party can steal cautiously to the door of the house fortunate enough to be favored by a may-token, hang one of the little baskets of flowers on the door-knob, ring the bell and scamper away before they are seen, for no one of the party must be present when the door opens. [illustration: fig. 427.--colored paper may-basket.] bell and ball may-pole game for country or city if you live in the country erect your may pole on the lawn or in an open field; if in the city put it up in the back-yard, or if it rains or is cold hold your may day games in the house. in any case the pole should be planted in a tub as in fig. 428, and decorated as shown in the illustration. the pole must be round and smooth and stout enough to support the weight of the hoops at the top. for an out-of-doors pole from ten to twelve feet is a good height, but an indoor pole must be adapted to the height of the ceiling of the room it will occupy. before placing the pole in the tub nail securely to its base a piece of board eighteen inches square, as shown in fig. 428. erect the pole in the middle of the tub, put in cross-pieces (fig. 428), nailing them at the ends and fill in all around with stones or bricks, as in fig. 429. [illustration: fig. 428.--the pole is planted in a tub.] [illustration: fig. 429.--fill in with stones.] [illustration: the first player throws the ball.] how to dress the may-pole cover the tub with green crimped tissue-paper and bank up with flowers--paper flowers if no others can be obtained. beginning at the top, wrap the pole with ribbon or strips of pink and white cambric in alternate stripes. this can best be done before the pole is erected. buy two toy hoops, the smallest measuring about three feet, the largest four feet in diameter. wrap these hoops with greens of some kind--evergreens if you can find no others--adding sprays of tree blossoms and all the flowers you can manage to get. [illustration: fig. 430.--on the end of each ribbon fasten a small bell.] besides the two large hoops you will need fourteen small ones about nine inches in diameter. these you can make of wire for yourself. wrap eight of the small hoops with pink, and six with white cambric, then decorate with flowers and green leaves. keep the decoration quite narrow, in order to leave as large an opening as possible in the centre. get two and two-thirds yards of narrow pink ribbon and two yards of narrow white ribbon; divide the pink into eight and the white into six pieces. on the end of each ribbon fasten a small toy bell; tie the ribbon on the small hoops, the white ones on the white hoops, the pink on the pink hoops, as shown in fig. 430. space the largest hoop off into eight equal parts and tie the small pink hoops to it at these points by their ribbons. divide the other hoops into six equal parts and attach the small white hoops in the same manner. with wire or ribbon suspend the hoops from the top of the pole as in the illustration. decorate the top of the pole with small flags and flowers. the balls make four paper balls in this way: take a piece of newspaper and, placing a small weight of some kind in the middle, crush it and roll it into a ball four inches in diameter; place the ball in the centre of a square of tissue-paper and bring the four corners of the paper together over the top; overlap the corners and fold and smooth down the fulness at the sides. wrap the ball with fine cord, making six melon-like divisions, as in fig. 431. make two of the balls of pink tissue-paper and two of white. have ready on a tray a number of small favors consisting of two or three flowers tied together, some with pink, some with white ribbon. [illustration: fig. 431.--wrap the ball with fine cord.] the decorations of the pole may be added to or curtailed as circumstances permit, and if flowers are scarce paper flowers may be mingled with the natural ones, and the difference will hardly be noticed. when the game is held in the house the room is cleared of as much furniture as possible. the prettily decorated may-pole stands in the middle of the floor, and the children join hands and dance around it to the accompaniment of the piano or an appropriate song sung by all. beginning with slow time, the music grows faster; faster and faster the wheel of children spins around the pole until some hand slips from the one clasping it and the wheel parts. when this happens the circle opens at the break and the children, still keeping their places, back up against the wall. to the first four children at the right end of the line the four paper balls are given, one to each. the first child, or number one, takes three steps forward and, aiming at the bell in one of the hoops, throws the ball with the purpose of sending it through the hoop and at the same time striking the bell hard enough to make it ring. if successful, number one is given a favor, to be pinned to the front of the coat or dress, as the case may be, the color of the ribbon attached to the favor being in accordance with the color of the hoop through which the ball passed. as it is more difficult to send the ball through the hoops in the second row, the white-ribboned favors confer the most honor. as soon as number one has played he or she gives the ball to number five and returns to his or her place; then number two takes a turn, giving his ball afterward to number six, and so on down the line, thus always keeping the children about to play supplied with balls. the game goes on until the players are tired or the favors give out, and the object of the players is to win as many favors as possible. chapter xxii hallowe'en revels on hallowe'en you will not be obliged to travel way off to shivery, cold klondike to dig for your fortune, because the fairies bring the gold nuggets nearer home; possibly you may have to work a little for the precious metal, but the exertion will be only fun. ten little fairies--your ten fingers--will cheerfully supply the gold as well as the mine from which the nuggets must come on the eventful night. the fairies should make a number of small gold parcels which when finished form the nuggets (fig. 432). inside of each package is a piece of candy and a strip of paper with a fortune written upon it, so whatever may be the fate sent by the gnomes in the mine, it is sure to be sweet. have enough lumps of gold to furnish each player with equal portions of one or more nuggets. let the little fairies secure a tub, half-fill it with sand or saw-dust and hide the gold nuggets well in this home-made gold mine, scattering the little parcels through the sand like plums through a pudding. the fairies must stand a small shovel by the side of the mine, then all will be ready and the miners can dig for their fortunes (fig. 433). [illustration: fig. 432.--the gold nugget.] [illustration: fig. 433.--hallowe'en miners at work.] each player in turn must take the shovel and dig in the mine until one gold nugget is found. he must then open the package carefully and read aloud the fortune fate has given him, while the other players look on and listen. the fairies can readily whittle or saw out a wooden mining shovel from a shingle or thin box-lid. tell them to make it about four inches long and three wide, with a handle eleven inches in length. try to think of original ideas to write on the slips of fortune paper, or, failing these, look up apt quotations for the prophecies. if you can have the lines bright and witty, writing something that will cause a laugh when read aloud, without hurting anyone's feelings, your hallowe'en mining will be a great success. [illustration: fig. 434.--stick for apple witch.] [illustration: fig. 435.--tissue-paper for making witch.] the apple witch understands well the art of fortune-telling. she is a funny little creature made of a stick (fig. 434), some yellow tissue-paper and an apple. a strip of the tissue-paper is gathered (fig. 435), drawn tight together at the top and placed over the stick with a thread wound around a short distance from the top to form the head (fig. 436). the arms are pieces of tissue-paper (fig. 437) folded lengthwise (fig. 438) and run through a hole punched in the body (fig. 439). the face is marked with ink on the head (fig. 439). small strips of tissue-paper gathered like fig. 440 are sewed on each arm to form the sleeves. hair of black thread or darning cotton tied in the centre (fig. 441) is sewed on the yellow paper head. [illustration: fig. 436.--head formed for witch.] [illustration: fig. 437.--tissue-paper for witch arms.] [illustration: fig. 438.--paper folded for arms.] the witch's hat is a triangular piece of paper (fig. 442) with edges pasted together and a circular piece of paper slightly slashed around the small hole in the centre (fig. 443). the circular piece is slid down over the peak to form the brim (fig. 444), glued on, and the entire hat is inked all over, dried and fitted on the little woman's head. a broom made of a strip of folded tissue-paper (fig. 445) with a fringed piece of the same paper bound on for the broom part (fig. 446) is sewed in the folded-over end of the witch's arm. when finished the point of the stick is pushed into an apple, and the apple placed upon a piece of paper divided into squares in which different fortunes are written (fig. 447). when you want the witch to tell your fortune, spin the apple on the blank centre of the paper and wait until the witch is again quiet, and she will point with her broom to some spot where the fortune is written especially for you. each girl and boy must be allowed three trials with this apple witch (fig. 448). [illustration: fig. 439.--arms run through hole in body of witch.] [illustration: fig. 440.--sleeves for witch.] [illustration: fig. 441.--black hair for witch.] [illustration: fig. 442.--crown of witch hat.] [illustration: fig. 443.--brim of witch hat.] [illustration: fig. 444.--witch hat.] [illustration: fig. 445.--witch broom handle.] [illustration: fig. 446.--witch broom.] ghost writing is very mysterious and exciting. dip a new clean pen in pure lemon juice and with this queer ink write mottoes or charms on a number of pieces of writing-paper. allow the ink to become perfectly dry, when it will fade out completely; then place the charms in a box and let each girl and boy in turn draw what appears to be a blank slip of paper. after examining it, the paper should be handed to some grown person present who is in the secret and who has provided a lighted candle by means of which he may read the ghost writing. all the young people will cluster around and with bated breath watch the magical developing of the words on the blank paper as the reader moves the message back and forth over the lighted candle. the heat brings out the writing in distinct letters that all may see. a second charm must not be taken from the pile until the first has been read aloud. +------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+------------+---------------+---------------+ | you will | you will | you will | you will be | you will |you will always| you will | | pass your | be a | write a | a comfort to | learn to | be kind and | paint a | |examination.| favorite. | book. | your family. | sing well. | considerate. | picture. | +------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+------------+---------------+---------------+ | you will | you will | you will | you will have | you will | you will | you will | | go on a | have a | compose | beautiful | have a | go to | earn a | | journey. | horse. | music. | garden. |candy pull. | a fair. | fortune. | +------------+-------------+-----------+ _____ +------------+---------------+---------------+ | you will | you will | you will / \ you will be | you will | you will | | always be | meet new | go to a | | a champion | go to a | always be | | happy. | friends. | dance. \ / golf player.| circus. |bright & sunny.| +------------+-------------+-----------+ ---- +------------+---------------+---------------+ | you will | you will | you will | you will | you will | you will | you will | | live in a | be wise | be an | have lots | help | write | paddle | | castle. | when grown. | inventor. | of pets. | others. | poetry. | a canoe. | +------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+------------+---------------+---------------+ | you will | you will | you will |you will be the| you will | you will | you will | | be | live in a | visit the | best scholar | walk on | sail a | run a | | famous. |foreign land.|whitehouse.| in the class. | stilts. | boat. | race. | +------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+------------+---------------+---------------+ [illustration: fig. 447.--fortune chart.] if you have a four-leaved clover, even though it be a pressed one, you can put it in your shoe on the morning of october 31 and wear it until you retire at night. the clover is a charm which will bring good luck and will insure at least one hearty laugh before the next day. [illustration: fig. 448.--apple witch.] a glimpse into the future showing the disposition of your sweetheart may be had by tasting apple-seeds which have previously been dampened and each dipped into a separate flavoring. the moisture will cause the spices, etc., to cling to the seed, giving various flavors. those dipped in liquids must, of course, be afterward dried. if to your lot falls a seed which has been powdered with pulverized cloves, your life companion will never be dull and uninteresting; pepper denotes quick temper; sugar, affection and kindness; cinnamon is lively, buoyant and bright; vinegar, sour and cross; gall, bitter and morose; molasses, loving but stupid; lemon, refreshing and interesting. add as many more flavors as you wish. when the seeds have been prepared and dried wrap each one in a small piece of white tissue-paper and pass them around to the young people, allowing each girl and boy to take two of the prophecies; then all the children must be quiet while each in turn tastes first one, then the other seed, telling aloud as he does so the particular flavor he has received. should a player find the first seed sweet and the other sour, it would mean that the disposition of the future wife or husband will vary, partaking more of the stronger flavoring. if the taste of the first apple seed is pleasant, the married life of the player will be reasonably happy. if the flavor is very agreeable, the married life will be very happy; if the flavor proves unpleasant, it is best to remain single. a very jolly time may be had with fortune bags. purchase or make a number of brown paper bags of medium size. in each place a simple little gift such as a tiny home-made doll, a paper toy you have manufactured or a picture of a young woman or man cut from a newspaper and pasted neatly on a half sheet of fresh writing-paper, drop a nut in the fifth bag and add other home-made gifts for other bags, and label each appropriately. pin a piece of paper on the doll with these words written on it, "dorothy's new doll" (if none of the girls happens to have that name use another in its place). under the young woman's picture write, "marie when she is grown," and under the young man's write, "this is malcolm when he is a man." change the names if they do not represent any of the party. after a gift has been dropped in, take the bags one at a time and blow them full of air, do not allow the air to escape while you wind a string around the openings and tie them securely. the bags, being puffed out with air, will appear much the same, rendering it impossible to tell, by merely looking at them, which contain the largest gifts. all the bags should be tied on a strong string, forming a fringe of bags stretched across the room. the young people should draw lots for first choice of the fortune bags, then each player in turn must point to the bag selected, no one being allowed to touch a bag until the leader has clipped it from the string. only one bag can be given out and opened at a time, in order that all may see and enjoy the contents of each separate fortune. all young people enjoy the fun of trying their fortunes. even when convalescent and not yet quite strong enough to join in the general frolic, they may, in a quiet way test many old-time and some new prophecies. the three saucers is one as in the illustration. the apple seeds charm commencing with "one i love" is another and for new ideas there is the feather test, witch writing, etc. [illustration: a convalescent witch.] chapter xxiii the magic cloth and what it will do in india there live wonderful men who can perform the most startling feats, such as making small plants grow up tall and large in a few moments, and who, by repeating certain magic words, cause water to mysteriously spring from the dry earth and fill a hollow, producing a tiny lake on which little boats can sail. of course, we do not understand how such things can be done, never having seen them; but there are certain amazing and astonishing feats that we do comprehend and which we can perform. our jumping frog is so lively and funny that even the most grave and serious person would smile to see the little animal actually move and suddenly leap up in the air. [illustration: fig. 449.--one for the money, two for the show,] [illustration: fig. 450.--three to make ready] make the frog jump with a soft lead-pencil trace the frog (fig. 449) on tracing-paper; then transfer it to a very soft, pliable piece of _white cotton mull_ or any white cloth that will stretch readily when pulled, for stretch it must, or the frog will not jump. turn the square of cloth so that it will resemble the ace of diamonds in a pack of playing-cards, having one point up, one down, one at the right and one at the left hand. fasten the cloth over a piece of white paper on a smooth board or table with thumb-tacks or strong pins. very carefully place the tracing-paper, on which you have drawn the frog (fig. 449), over the cloth, allowing the head to come under the top point of the square and the feet to extend toward the lower point. mr. frog may then be drawn exactly on the bias weave of the cloth. when you have finished the tracing, go over the lines again with a soft lead-pencil to make the markings clear and distinct. [illustration: fig. 451.--and four to go.] look at the frog to be sure he is correctly drawn; then remove the pins and, allowing the cloth to remain on the table over the piece of smooth white paper, spread both of your hands out on the cloth, one at each side of the frog, and, keeping your eyes on the drawing, move your hands gradually outward, at the same time moving the mull with them. the stretching of the bias material will cause the frog to flatten out until he crouches for a spring (fig. 450). cautiously raise your hands up and off the cloth and place them down again in a different way; put one above and the other below his frogship, and, still keeping your eyes on the figure, suddenly move your hands, stretching the square up and down, when the frog will give a quick leap and spring straight upward in the most unexpected manner (fig. 451). [illustration: fig. 452.--"we are hungry."] cut the squares of material large enough to be easily handled; if made too small your hands will slip off the edges. feed the birds have you ever seen little young birds in their nest? how they huddle together with their large yellow mouths open wide watching for their mother to return with their dinner! trace the drawing (fig. 452) on bias cloth and you can make these little birds move and really stretch up their heads for their dinner as you slowly pull the cloth upward and downward (fig. 453). watch them. then stretch the cloth out sidewise and see the birdlings quietly settle down in their nests with a "thank you" and "good-by." (fig. 454). [illustration: fig. 453--"here comes our dinner."] [illustration: fig. 454.--"thank you" and "good-by."] see the children talk trace the girl and boy (fig. 455) on bias cloth as you did the frog. fig. 455 shows how the children appear when they meet. pull the cloth sidewise and their faces change expression (fig. 456); they do not seem to enjoy their chat. now pull the cloth in the opposite direction, and in an instant their faces show surprise and dismay (fig. 457). [illustration: fig. 455.--"i can beat you spelling."] [illustration: fig. 456.--"you can't, either." "i can, too."] [illustration: fig. 457.--"oh! oh! we are both at the foot of the class."] make the tenor sing [illustration: fig. 458.--d o.] i wonder if you ever attended a concert where the tenor had difficulty in reaching his high notes, where he fairly seemed to rise up on his toes in his efforts to attain the notes as his voice ran up the scale, and everyone in the audience sympathized to such an extent that they, too, felt like rising and stretching up their heads in search of the difficult note. such a tenor is shown at fig. 459. trace him on bias cloth and pull the cloth out sidewise (fig. 458); then, beginning with the lower note, _do_, slowly sing the scale as you leisurely pull the cloth upward and downward at the same time. when you come to _sol_ the face should be like fig. 459, and as you continue singing and stretching the cloth, the tenor should resemble fig. 460 when you reach your highest _do_. though not a very high note it is the best he can do, and he looks very comical while his face is changing, his eyes and mouth opening wider and wider and his hair rising up straight on the top of his head. [illustration: fig. 459.--s o l.] the objects which are here illustrated may be replaced by others with equally amusing results; any animals, such as goats, rabbits, camels, hounds, may be drawn on the cloth and then manipulated so as to afford the greatest amusement. [illustration: fig. 460.--d o.] you can have any amount of fun with the moving figures on your magic cloth if you will remember the important points, which we will repeat to be sure you understand. have the squares of cloth for all the drawings sufficiently large to be easily manipulated. draw the design clearly and distinctly. draw it on the exact bias of the cloth; move the two sides of the cloth at precisely the same time. move the cloth always with both hands spread out flat on top of the cloth. place the cloth over a large piece of white paper that the picture may be plainly seen. care should be taken to obtain soft cloth that will stretch readily. these diversions will afford fine sport for a quiet evening and will be enjoyed by the entire family. if painted the designs will be still more comical. chapter xxiv finger-plays for little folks now we must play in-doors, and if you will spread out your little hands and slide them together, back to back, with the palms outward, so that the longest finger of the left hand rests on the back of the right hand and the longest finger of the right hand lies on the back of the left hand, you will have a queer little teeter-tarter which will move when and how you wish. the two longest fingers form the teeter-tarter; half of the teeter is on one side and half on the opposite side of the fence. the fence is made by the other parts of the hands, which, crossing each other, fit snugly and tightly, leaving the teeter free to swing back and forth at will. fig. 461 shows how your hands should be placed together: the long finger marked a is half of the teeter; the other half is on the opposite side. move the long fingers and watch the teeter go up and down, first one end then the other, just like a real teeter made of a board across a fence. if you bend back both of your wrists, the right wrist will drop while the left wrist will be raised above it. this will bring one edge of the fence or hands toward you, and looking down, you can see both ends of the little teeter. [illustration: fig. 461.--the queer little teeter.] you might cut out of writing-paper two small dolls and bend them so that they will sit on the teeter. the least bit of paste on the ball of the teeter finger of your left hand and some more on the nail of the teeter finger of your right hand will fix the paper children securely on the teeter, and you can make it go as fast as you please without danger of the dolls' falling off. fig. 462 gives the pattern for the dolls; fig. 463 shows how to bend them, and fig. 464 gives a little paper girl seated on one end of the teeter. [illustration: fig. 462.--pattern of doll.] [illustration: fig. 463.--doll ready for teeter.] take the dollies off the teeter and let them rest for a while and watch you build a church. place your two hands back to back, with the ends of the fingers of the right loosely crossing those of the left hand; then, bring the palms of the hands together, fingers inside and thumbs outside and lo! [illustration: fig. 464.--doll on teeter.] [illustration: fig. 465.--"here is the church,"] [illustration: fig. 466.--"and here is the steeple,"] here is the church (fig. 465). but it is without a steeple. build one by raising the two first fingers, without disturbing the remainder of the hands; bring the raised finger-tips together and, "here is the steeple" (fig. 466). a church, like any other building, to be of use, must have people in it, and if we could only look inside this building we might find them; move your thumbs apart, or "open the doors and see all the people" (fig. 467). there they are sitting in rows; don't you see them? now let the people go up-stairs. cross your two smallest fingers on the inside, which will bring the backs of the hands toward each other; keeping the little fingers together, cross the third fingers, next the second, then the first fingers. the fingers on the left hand form the stairs for the people or fingers of the right hand to climb. try it again, allowing the people to ascend slowly one by one: "here are the people climbing up-stairs" (fig. 468). keep your hands loosely in the last position and raise your right elbow; while holding that up, twist your left hand around forward until the left thumb rests on the inside of the right hand. both hands will now be turned downward with the wrists uppermost. [illustration: fig. 467.--"open the door and see all the people."] [illustration: fig. 468.--"here are the people climbing up-stairs,"] leaving the hands in this position, turn your two elbows outward and down, which will bring your hands up; slide your right thumb outside and around your left thumb, the left thumb will then be the minister and, though you cannot see them, the fingers clasped inside the hands are the people, but you can see the thumb, preacher, standing up ready to talk to the people, and you may say, "here is the preacher who for them cares" (fig. 469). if you want to form a bird's head of your hand, lift up the second finger of the left hand with your right hand, and cross the lifted finger well over the back of the first finger of the left hand. again, use your right hand to lift the third finger of the left hand and twist it over the second left-hand finger. the last finger is the little one of the left hand; lap this over the left third finger and you will have all the left-hand fingers crossed, one on top of the other. bring the top of the left thumb up to meet the tip of the second left-hand finger, which will finish the bird's head. the head does not greatly resemble that of a real bird, but we will pretend it does, for the fun of seeing who can build the head first. [illustration: fig. 469.--"here is the preacher who for them cares."] [illustration: fig. 470.--preparing for man chopping wood.] [illustration: fig. 471.--man chopping wood.] to make a man chopping wood, place the inside of the little finger of the right hand on the inside of the little finger of the left hand, and the inside of the third finger of the right hand over the inside of the third finger of the left hand; then bring the second and third fingers of the right hand up and over the inside of the palm of the left hand, as in fig. 470. rest the tip of the second finger of the right hand on the tip of the thumb of the left hand. the second finger is the stick of wood. strike the wood with the first finger of the left hand (c, fig. 471); raising that, bring down the second finger of the left hand (b, fig. 471). keep them moving, first one, then the other, and you will have "the man chopping wood" (fig. 471). it is a pity to waste the chips which always fall when wood is being cut, so let two children, the thumb and first finger of the right hand, pick them up. do this by tapping the palm of the left hand with the thumb and first finger of the right hand, while the man cuts the wood. the four fingers working at the same time make it quite lively, but you will find that if the man chops fast, the children will pick the chips very quickly, and if the man works slowly the children will not hurry about gathering the chips. it will be very difficult for you to have the man chop slowly when the children are eager and quick at their task. the feat will be almost as hard as patting your chest with the left hand while you rub the right hand back and forth over the top of your little head. you will laugh to see the left hand rub, when you told it to pat; the poor little left hand tries to mind, but just as soon as its twin brother, the right hand, begins rubbing, the left hand has to stop patting and rub too. [illustration: fig. 472.--"here are my mother's knives and forks,"] lay your two hands down showing the palms; lace the fingers together and say, "here are my mother's knives and forks" (fig. 472). of course, the fingers are the knives and forks. turn your hands over while the fingers remain in place, bring the wrists down and say, "here is my father's table" (fig. 473). raise the two first fingers, bringing their tips together, and say, "here is my sister's looking-glass" (fig. 474). then raise your two little fingers and, rocking the hands from side to side, say, "and here is the baby's cradle" (fig. 475). [illustration: fig. 473.--"here is my father's table,"] there is another little finger game, which we will call "the blackbirds." [illustration: fig. 474.--"here is my sister's looking-glass,"] [illustration: fig. 475.--"and here is the baby's cradle."] dampen two bits of paper and press one down tight on the nail of the first finger of your right hand and the other on the nail of the first finger of your left hand. the two pieces of paper are the two blackbirds. now hold your first fingers, on which the birds are resting, out stiff and double up the remaining fingers; then let your father see how well you have taught these little pet birds to mind, for they will do exactly as you say, going and coming at your command. place the tips of your two first fingers on a chair, which you must pretend is a hill, and raising first one finger to make the bird fly, then the other, keep the pets flying up and down while you repeat these lines: "two little blackbirds sitting on a hill; one named jack and the other named jill. fly away, jack!--" as you say the last line raise the right finger up and back over your right shoulder; while there, quickly bend down the right finger with jack on it and stiffen out the second finger in its place. bring your right hand down with jack hidden and put the empty second finger on the chair instead of the first. the bird will be gone and lonesome little jill will perch on the hill with no playmate, so you must let her go too. repeat these words, "fly away, jill," and make her disappear as you did jack, bringing down the empty second finger of your left hand and your father will find that both birds have gone; but you may make them return by saying, "come back, jack," as you raise your right hand and close down the second finger while you straighten out the first and bring it again to the chair with jack upon it. call jill also that jack may have some one to sing to, and as you say, "come back, jill," bend down the second finger and straighten out the first one with jill on it, and let her fly down to jack. you may repeat the lines again and again, making the pets come and go. you can play "chin chopper chin" with your sister, but you must be careful and touch her face very lightly. as you say "knock at the door," softly tap her forehead, and at "peep in," gently raise the outside of her eyelid by pushing the top of your finger upward on her temple near the eye, but not too near, as you might accidentally strike the eye. "lift up the latch" by slightly raising the tip of her nose with the end of your finger. at "walk in" gently place your finger between her lips; end the play by saying "chin chopper chin" as you lightly tap several times under her chin. were i with you now we would play "build the tower." [illustration: fig. 476.--the famous five little pigs.] i would place my right hand down flat on my lap with the back of the hand uppermost, and say to you, "lay your right hand out flat on top of mine;" then i would place my left hand over yours, and you would cover mine with your left hand. that would make four hands all piled up in a tower; but the moment your left hand came down on top of mine i would pull my right hand out from under the tower and lay it on top, covering your left hand; then you would hurry to take your right hand from under the pile and place it on top. so we would continue to play, always drawing the hand out from the bottom of the pile and placing it on top until we were able to build the tower very rapidly, and, when either of us took too long a time to draw her hand out from under the pile, a forfeit would have to be given to the other. [illustration: fig. 477.--"this little pig went to market,"] [illustration: fig. 479.--"this little pig had roast beef,"] [illustration: fig. 478.--"this little pig stayed at home,"] [illustration: fig. 480.--"this little pig had none,"] [illustration: fig. 481.--"this little pig said wee, wee, all the way home."] [illustration: fig. 482.--ring of paper on pig.] ask your older sister or brother to trace the famous five little pigs (figs. 477, 478, 479, 480, 481) on unruled white writing-paper and cut them out. the strip of paper extending from one side of each little pig must be made into a ring (fig. 482) to fit the end of one of the five fingers on your right hand (fig. 476). begin with "this little pig went to market" (fig. 477) for the thumb, next, "this little pig stayed at home" (fig. 478) for the first finger, then "this little pig had roast beef" (fig. 479) for the second finger, and "this little pig had none" (fig. 480) for the third finger; to the little finger belongs (fig. 481) "this little pig said wee, wee, all the way home." adjust the bands until they fit perfectly, then paste the end of each band under the free side of the attached pig. if the bands are too long they can be cut to proper length. fig. 482 gives the wrong side of a pig with band curled around and pasted on back of pig, and fig. 476 shows how the five little pigs will look when on your fingers. if you can give each little pig a flat wash of pink water-color paint, and when dry ink the outlines, they will appear more real. after you have played with the wee pigs, try the children's heads (figs. 483, 484, 485, 486, 487), and ask some one to fold paper into hats for your finger-heads, as shown in figs. 488, 489, 490, 491, 492. you might ask to have the various children's heads painted, giving each girl and boy different colored hair--black, brown, red, deep yellow, and pale yellow. if the hats are of colored tissue-paper the effect will be fine, especially if a bit of gay cloth be wound around each finger for clothing. then the five alive little dolls can bow to each other and dance. [illustration: fig. 483.--"i am sleepy."] [illustration: fig. 488.--sleepy boy's hat.] [illustration: fig. 484.--"where is my hat?"] [illustration: fig. 489.--crying boy's hat.] [illustration: fig. 485.--"i think you are funny."] [illustration: fig. 490.--hat for little girl who wants to play.] [illustration: fig. 486.--"will you play with me?"] [illustration: fig. 491.--laughing boy's hat.] [illustration: fig. 487.--"i'll give you a good time."] [illustration: fig. 492.--little girl's hat.] [illustration: arranging the flowers.] chapter xxv how to arrange fresh flowers i think one must really love the flowers in order to arrange them perfectly. if you love them you will feel in sympathy with them, and that alone will help you to understand what is needed to bring out and emphasize their exquisite beauty. yet some knowledge of the rules that govern the best arrangement of flowers is necessary also, for it saves many experiments and makes the pretty task much more enjoyable and satisfactory. you may crowd a room with the rarest and most expensive flowers, but so arrange them that more than half of the effect of their beauty is lost; and you may have only one flower, but if it be the right kind of flower in the right kind of vase, and placed in just the right spot, your room will appear abundantly decorated and be filled with the beauty and sweetness of the one blossom. in a house where good taste always prevailed there stood, one day, on the uncovered top of a grand piano a tall, colorless, transparent vase which held just one long-stemmed american beauty rose. the queenly flower with its stem showing through the glass and the few green leaves attached were all reflected in the highly polished piano, and the effect of the colors reproduced in deepened, darkened tones by the rich rosewood was indescribably lovely. there were no other flowers and, though the room was a large one, none were needed. one's eyes fell immediately upon the rose when entering, and lingered there with no wish to be drawn away by lesser attractions. it was not merely a happy accident that placed the one flower in its prominent and effective position, but the experience and unerring taste of the daughter of the house. imagine a number of nasturtiums, with no green leaves to relieve them, packed tightly into the neck of a brightly colored porcelain vase, and set primly on a stiff mantel-piece amid other prim ornaments. then think of a clear glass rose-bowl standing on a table, where lie the newest magazines or books, filled and running over in riotous beauty with the same nasturtiums in their free, untrammelled state. the viney stems with leaf, bud, and blossom drooping to the table or hanging over its edge, and the other blossoms standing up in sweet liberty with room to move about if they will. can you hesitate between the two arrangements? yet i found the first in a flower-lover's home. do not crowd the flowers few flowers look well packed tightly together and all are better for loosening up a trifle. purple violets are almost the only flowers that will bear crowding, though many think wild daisies adapted to this arrangement, and spoil their beauty by making them into hard, tight bunches. a good rule is to follow nature as far as possible in this direction. flowers that grow singly and far apart, should not be crowded, but those which grow thickly clustered may be more closely massed. it is almost always well to combine green leaves with the flowers although there are some that do not need this relief. closely packed flowers should have no foliage; chrysanthemums, one species of the brilliant poppy and the sweet-pea need none, but there are few others that do not show better amid green leaves. while flowers of different varieties seldom look well together, you may sometimes add much to its beauty by giving a flower the foliage of another plant, and a trailing green vine will often be just the touch needed to soften a stiff arrangement. asparagus fern is an airy and feathery green, but you must use it with discretion, as it is suitable only for fragile, delicate flowers in very loose arrangements. other ferns, though often used, do not really combine well with any flowers, they are too distinctly another species of plant and hold themselves aloof in their separateness. the wild oxalis, wood-sorrel, or, as the children call it, sour grass, has pretty delicate leaves that look well with sweet-peas and other small flowers. as a rule, a flower's own foliage suits it best, however, and you may be certain not to offend good taste by keeping to it. do not combine flowers that are different in kind or color, it can seldom be done successfully. to be sure, a mass of sweet-peas in all their variety of color is very lovely, but even they are more effective when separated into bunches each of one color. white flowers sometimes are the better for a touch of color, and white and yellow roses make a pretty combination, or white and delicate pink, but the strong contrast of white and dark red is not pleasing. lilies should always have a vase to themselves, and the ascension lily must under all circumstances stand alone. neither the quality of the flower nor the associations connected with it permit of its being grouped with any other. vases in the careful arrangement of flowers your object should always be to bring out their whole beauty, and let all else be secondary to that. one vase, though beautiful in itself, may not be at all suitable for holding flowers, while another, of no value as an ornament, will display them to their best advantage. colorless transparent vases are always safe and in many cases absolutely necessary. give your roses transparent vases or bowls whenever possible. if they have long stems, tall, slender vases, if their stems are short the clear glass rose-bowls are more suitable. short-stemmed flowers do not look well in tall vases, and a flower should always stand some distance above the top of the vase. someone gives as a rule that the height of long-stemmed flowers should be one and one-half times the height of the vase, but when the vase contains several, of course the height must vary. the vases and bowls need not be expensive, for they are now in the market at extremely low prices. knowing what to choose you can find for a very moderate sum tall, slender vases with almost no markings, that will show the long stem and so display the entire loveliness of the rose. fig. 493 is one of the least expensive of these vases. even the colorless glass olive-bottle, shaped like fig. 494, makes a pretty and suitable vase, and an ordinary fish-globe displays the rose-stems to far greater advantage than a cut-glass rose-bowl. a clear glass water-pitcher without tracing of any kind is another appropriate receptacle for these lovely blossoms. when the stems of any flowers have beauty of their own, they should never be hidden in opaque vases. so it is not for roses alone these transparent vases are suitable. [illustration: fig. 493.--an inexpensive clear glass vase.] [illustration: fig. 494.--the olive bottle.] colored vases and jars will sometimes enhance the brilliancy of flowers of contrasting or complementary colors. a pale-yellow jar will intensify the richness of the purple of the violet, and a soft green will harmonize with it most delightfully. the neutral gray often found in japanese ware will not clash with any color, and is especially suited to brilliant red flowers; yellow flowers in a dark-blue jar are quite effective. do not use ornate or highly decorated vases. no design should conflict with the natural flowers, and the shape of the vase should also be simple. cylindrical jars, like fig. 495, are suited to heavy clustering flowers like the lilac and also to the large chrysanthemums. fig. 496 is another good shape; but avoid vases like fig. 497 with a neck so small it will admit only one or two stems, while the bowl is much too large for the few flowers standing stiffly erect. [illustration: fig. 495.--a cylindrical jar.] [illustration: fig. 496.--another good shape.] [illustration: fig. 497.--avoid vases like this.] place short-stemmed flowers, like the pansy and violet, in low jars or bowls, and it is not necessary to have them lie flat on the water. a friend of mine has invented for her own use this little flower lifter which holds the flowers above the water while allowing nearly the whole of their short stems to be immersed. with an old pair of shears, or a wire-cutter, snip off a dozen or more pieces of copper wire of varying lengths between ten inches for the longest and five for the shortest piece. at each end of every wire make a loop like fig. 498; bend the loops over (fig. 499), then fasten all the pieces to a brass curtain-ring by twisting each piece once around the ring at the centre of the wire (fig. 500). bunch the wires together and stand the lifter in a bowl of water; put your flower-stems through the wire loops, as in fig. 501, and the wires under water will look like the flower-stems, the loops being hidden by the blossoms. [illustration: fig. 498.--at each end of the wire make a loop.] [illustration: fig. 499.--bend the loops over.] symmetry is pleasing and necessary in many things, but not in the grouping of flowers. you must strive for apparent carelessness in effect while taking the utmost care, and for irregularity and naturalness rather than stiff, formal arrangement. a bowl of flowers need not look, as it sometimes does, like a dish for the table, served with the confectioner's symmetrical decorations; it should rather seem as if the sweet blossoms were growing in a bed of their own. if you can take wild flowers up in a clump, roots and all; they will look far better than the cut flowers arranged in vases, and the roots may afterward be planted in your wild-flower garden. [illustration: fig. 500.--fasten the pieces to a brass curtain-ring.] bloodroot will keep a long while if the roots are not disturbed, and one of the loveliest flower-pieces we ever had in the house was a gray-green japanese bowl filled with the growing bloodroot. the blossoms stand closely together and a small bowl will hold quite a number. [illustration: fig. 501.--put the flower stems through the wire loops.] wood anemones, hepaticas, and wild violets are all adapted to this temporary transplanting. i have kept ferns in this way for several weeks and the centre-piece for the table in our mountain camp was at one time a clump of maiden-hair fern in a small china bowl, which lasted fresh and perfect many days. as there can be comparatively little soil with the roots of these wild flowers, they must be kept very damp all the while, and ferns, especially, will do best when set in a pan or bowl of water. chapter xxvi open-air playhouses in many places in the south the children have most beautiful material with which to build out-of-door playhouses. large green palm-leaves grow close to the ground and point their slender fingers out in many directions as though holding up their outstretched hands, asking the girls and boys to come and take them. these palms, together with small, full-leaved live-oak twigs, cherokee roses, trailing vines, and long gray moss, are fashioned into bouquets and tied in great bunches to the trees with strings made of strips of palms. four trees growing near together are usually selected as the boundary lines of the florida playhouse, their branches overhead serving as a roof. the walls are open, allowing a free passage of air and plenty of light (fig. 502). similar playhouses may be built by children in any spot where trees grow within a short distance of each other. in place of tropical decorations the young builders can use the most ornamental bouquets within reach, selecting foliage and flowers which will keep fresh at least for a few hours. if trees are not available, make the open-air [illustration: fig. 502.--florida playhouse.] [illustration: fig. 503.--framework for umbrella playhouse.] playhouse of a large umbrella. tie a strong piece of twine securely to the end of each of the ribs and tie the loose end of each piece of twine around the notch cut in a pointed wooden peg a short distance from its top. this will give an umbrella with a fringe of dangling pegs. open the umbrella and fasten the handle securely to a long, sharp-pointed stick, binding the two together with strong twine. first run one end of the twine down the length you intend binding, allowing enough to tie at the bottom; then commence binding at the top over all three--the umbrella handle, the twine, and the stick. wind the string around very tight, and when you reach the bottom, tie the twine you hold to the loose end of the length under the wrappings. examine carefully and be sure the handle does not slide or twist on the stick; then push the point of the stick down into the ground at the place decided upon for the playhouse. if you are not strong enough to erect the house by yourself, ask some companions to lend a hand and help sink the stick firmly in the earth. when this is accomplished stretch out each length of twine in turn and drive the peg in the ground (fig. 503). you will need a wide ruffle on the edge of the umbrella of some kind of material full enough to reach around the outer circle of pegs on the ground beneath its lower edge. the stretched twine will hold the ruffle out, forming an odd little playhouse with a smooth, round roof and drapery walls. plait the ruffle and pin it on the umbrella with safety-pins; also fasten it at the bottom to each peg (fig. 504). newspapers pasted together and made of double thickness may be used for the ruffle, if more convenient, but be careful in handling the paper, as it tears readily. the longer the pole the higher and larger will be your house, for the strings also must be longer. [illustration: fig. 504.--umbrella playhouse.] [illustration: fig. 505.--frame for wigwam.] when you want to play indian and pretend you live in the wild west, your home must be a wigwam get a dozen slender poles about as large around as a broom-stick, and twice and one-half as tall as yourself. tie three poles securely together near the tops and stack the others around the first three as a foundation or framework for the house. settle each pole firmly in the ground, forming a circle, and bring the tops together at the centre, where each pole should form a support for the others, and all should lean against and across each other; then bind all the poles together at the top of the framework (fig. 505). covers of real wigwams are usually cut to fit the framework and often decorated in savage fashion. sometimes they are composed of skins of wild beasts. if you can make yours in indian style, it will be very realistic and lots of fun. find some inexpensive dull-brown or gray outing cloth or canton flannel and sew several lengths together. fig. 506 gives the pattern of a wigwam covering, and the dotted lines enclosing b-b-b-b show how the breadths are sewed together. c is the chimney-opening where the poles come through at the top. o is one of the flaps held back with an extra pole; d, one of the lower front sides folded over for the door-way. the dotted line a indicates the slit to be cut for the chimney-flap. the two chimney-flaps can be brought together for protection when necessary. along the curved edge of the blank side of the diagram (fig. 506) holes are shown for the wooden stakes to be used in pinning the wigwam to the ground. the holes must be continued along the entire edge of the covering. [illustration: fig. 506.--cover for playhouse wigwam.] cut your wigwam similar to diagram (fig. 506), making an immense cape-like affair. try the covering over the framework of poles; if it fits fairly well, hem the raw edges and bind the small, round holes cut at intervals in the lower edge, to prevent them from tearing. when finished tie each of the two top points to a separate pole. ask someone to assist you and let the two poles be raised at the same time to the top of the wigwam framework; in this way the entire upper part of the covering may be hoisted in place; then the sides can be spread out and adjusted. indians, having no chimneys, always leave quite a large opening at the top of their wigwams to serve this purpose; the space also admits light into their houses. commence near the top at the place where the flaps are cut, and pin the fronts together with large thorns or sharp-pointed slender sticks. fasten the fronts to within a few feet of the ground. the opening left at the bottom takes the place of a door. sharpen as many wooden pegs as there are holes in the bottom of the covering and push a peg through each hole into the ground, bending the pegs outward a little in order to keep the tent-like covering from slipping off the tops of the pegs. the two poles attached to the chimney points must now be carried backward on each side of the wigwam, to be brought forward again when desired (fig. 507). when other material is lacking, shawls, bedspreads, or sheets pinned together may be used for your wigwam-cover. [illustration: fig. 507.--your wigwam playhouse.] [illustration: fig. 508.--african hut playhouse.] [illustration: fig. 510.--framework ready for floral tent.] [illustration: fig. 509.--binding branch on forked stick.] [illustration: fig. 511.--building the floral tent playhouse.] with a large-sized japanese umbrella, a breadth of cloth, a stick, and some straw you can make an african hut take the straw or hay and divide some of it into bunches twelve inches in length. tie these all together in a long row, forming a straw fringe. sew the fringe around the edge of the umbrella with a coarse needle and thread, allowing it to hang over and down. overlap the first row with another straw fringe and continue to sew on row after row until the top is reached and the umbrella entirely covered; then fasten the handle securely to a sharp-pointed stick and plant it firmly in the ground. measure the distance around the outer edge of the umbrella, not including the straw thatch, and cut the cloth long enough to reach around, leaving an open space for the door-way. use more straw to cover the cloth completely and sew the straw on in overlapping layers lengthwise of the material. with safety-pins fasten the wall around the inner edge of the umbrella, pinning the cloth to little loops of tape you have tied at intervals over the ribs of the umbrella (fig. 508). [illustration: fig. 512.--floral tent playhouse.] the floral tent is easy to erect. push two forked sticks into the ground and on one bind an upright slender branch (fig. 509); then lay a pole across from one crotch to another (figs. 510 and 511). on the upright branch tie flowers and grasses, twisting a wreath of the same around the forked stick. procure some bright-colored flowered material, or cloth of any kind and hang it over the central pole. stretch out the four corners and peg them to the ground (fig. 512). chapter xxvii keeping store the best place for keeping store is out-of-doors, where there will be plenty of room and no fear of disturbing the grown people. select a shady spot by the side of a house, fence, or tree, carry your supplies there and set up the store. build the counter by placing a board across from one empty barrel to another (fig. 513). turn the barrels upside down, bringing the covered side uppermost that there may be no possibility of losing articles down through the open barrel heads. large, strong wooden boxes or two chairs may serve to support the ends of the counter if barrels are not at hand. [illustration: fig. 513.--the counter for your store.] on each end of the counter nail an empty wooden box. stand the box on one end and let the open part face backward; put your hand inside and drive a few nails through box and counter to fasten the box securely in place. do the same with the second box and your counter will be ready for the scales. [illustration: fig. 514.--tin cover for scale.] [illustration: fig. 515.--tin cover pierced with three holes.] [illustration: fig. 516.--band for measuring holes.] [illustration: fig. 517.--folded paper for measuring.] [illustration: fig. 518.--strings tied on tin lid.] these are very necessary in weighing different articles. they can be made of the round covers of two large-sized baking-powder or cracker cans (fig. 514). have the covers exactly the same size, and punch three holes in the rim of each at equal distances apart (fig. 515). to obtain the exact measurements for placing the holes, take a strip of paper and wrap it smoothly and tightly around the outside of the rim of the cover. let the paper be a trifle narrower than the rim of the lid, and be sure to fold over the long end exactly where it meets the first end (fig. 516, a). remove the paper, cut off the fold, and again try the strip on the cover. see that the measurement is perfectly correct, then take the paper off and fold it into three equal sections, making two folds and two ends (fig. 517), and for the third time wrap the strip of paper around the cover rim. mark the tin at the point where the ends meet, and where the two creases in the paper strike the tin; this will give three marks on the rim equally distant from each other. drive a wire nail through the tin rim at the three marked places to make the necessary holes (fig. 515); then tie knots in the ends of six pieces of string of equal length, and thread a string through each of the three holes in each of the lids. fasten the three strings on each lid together at the top (fig. 518). cut a notch at each end of a stick and tie the scales in place (fig. 519). make two notches in the centre of the stick, one on the top, the other on the bottom, and tie a string around the stick at the centre notches by which to suspend the scales. this centre string may be fastened to an overhanging tree-branch, or you can make a support for it. nail an upright stick to the end of the counter and box, allowing it to come a little below the board; then nail another upright stick in the same way to the other end of the counter. notch the tops of the uprights, lay a long, slender stick across from one to the other and tie the centre string of the scales on the cross-stick (fig. 520). fig. 521 gives an end view and shows exactly how to nail the upright on the box and end of board. use different-sized stones as weights; a small one for a quarter of a pound, one twice as large for a half pound, and another twice the size of the last for a whole pound. [illustration: fig. 519.--scales of tin can lids.] [illustration: fig. 521.--nail upright on box and end of board this way.] [illustration: fig. 520.--take your place behind the counter and keep store.] find a number of empty boxes in which to keep your supplies, and stand them in a row on another counter back of the first (fig. 522). fill each box a little more than half full of sand, earth, pebbles, or dried leaves, which you must pretend is flour, sugar, coffee, tea, or other things in stock. find a large shell, a piece of shingle, or anything else that will answer the purpose, for a scoop to use in handling many of the groceries. label each box with the name of the article you intend it to contain; then look up your vegetables and nuts. [illustration: fig. 522.--supplies for your store.] acorns make fine nuts. gather a quantity of them, and for cabbage tie a number of corn-husks together, or grape-vine or hollyhock leaves; any kind of large leaves will answer the purpose. take a small, short stick and with a string wind the ends of the leaves, one leaf at a time, on the stick, folding the first leaf opposite to and inside the second, the second in the third, and so on, always allowing each succeeding leaf to overlap the last until the cabbage-head is large enough; the resemblance to the real cabbage will be remarkable. spinach may be made of small leaves. for asparagus pick a number of long, slender seed stems of the plantain. short, slender sticks placed in a glass jar may serve as sticks of candy, licorice, or licorice root. you can utilize various grasses, leaves, roots, and seeds in many ways. when selling groceries you will need wrapping paper in which the customers may carry away their goods. cut newspaper into uniform sheets of two or three sizes and lay them conveniently near for use. string will not be necessary if you twist the paper into cornucopias. hold the lower right-hand corner of a sheet of paper with your right hand and the other lower corner on the same edge with your left hand; pull the corner in your right hand forward, continue to bring it toward you until it stretches out and up from the corner in your left hand and covers well within the upper corner diagonally from it. hold these two corners together with the right hand while with the left you roll the bottom corner, held in that hand, outside, forming the lower point of the cornucopia. fold up the bottom point to keep the cornucopia from unrolling (fig. 523), and it will be ready for whatever it is to hold. the top point, b, can be turned down as a cover. [illustration: fig. 523.--newspaper cornucopia.] flower-pots or tin cans, large and small, may serve for pint and quart measures. always give _generous measure_ and _full weight_ when selling your supplies. this item is very important; remember it every time you make a sale, for the act will help to build up true ideas of justice and honesty. now make the money necessary to use in the store. take ordinary white writing-paper not too heavy and lay it over a coin; hold the paper down securely with the thumb and first finger of your left hand while you rub an old spoon or smooth metal of some kind over and over the paper-covered coin. the metal end of the handle of a penknife is convenient to use for this purpose. after one or two rubs you will see indications of the print of the coin; a few more rubs will bring out the lines distinctly. make as many coins as you will need, of different denominations. money of any country may be coined in this manner. [illustration: fig. 524.--paper for your pocket-book.] after printing all money necessary, cut it out ready for use and put the change into paper pocket-books. [illustration: fig. 525.--fold down the two top corners until they meet.] [illustration: fig. 526.--fold the other two corners in the same way.] [illustration: fig. 527.--fold top point to meet centre of folded edge.] [illustration: fig. 528.--fold bottom point to meet centre of folded edge.] it requires only a few moments to make them. cut a piece of smooth paper eleven and one-half inches long and seven wide (fig. 524). fold down diagonally the two top corners until they meet (fig. 525); fold the other two corners in the same way (fig. 526). fold the top point down to meet centre of folded edge (fig. 527); do likewise with the bottom point (fig. 528). turn the top over and fold to centre (fig. 529); bring the bottom up to meet the edge of the folded top (fig. 530). now fold back and under one of the sides (fig. 531), fold under the other side (fig. 532), and bend back lengthwise through the centre until top and bottom meet (fig. 533). lay the pocket-book down on one side and the lower part will resemble fig. 534. the lower portion of the sides o and p, fig. 534, must be fastened together that the bottom may be tight and secure. cut a strip of paper a trifle shorter than the length of (fig. 534), and insert it at the bottom by first folding the strip through the centre lengthwise, then sliding one edge in at o and the other in at p. push the two sides of the strip well up in the pocket-book, and the bottom will be tightly bound (fig. 535). turn the pocket-book right side up, and you will find two nice, firm little pockets. slip your finger in one pocket and pull out the point to serve as a cover (fig. 536). cut a short slit through one layer of the front of the pocket-book for securing the point of the cover when the pocket-book is closed (fig. 537). [illustration: fig. 529.--turn the top over and fold to centre] [illustration: fig. 530.--bring the bottom up to meet edge of folded top.] divide the money among those taking part in the sport; then take your place behind the counter and let your little friends call and purchase whatever they choose. [illustration: fig. 531.--fold back and under one of the sides.] be careful in making change that there are no mistakes, and insist that each customer count the money received in change before leaving the store. if you wish to be very business-like, take account of all goods sold. write down the articles with the measure or weight and the price received, as nearly as possible as accounts are kept in real stores. should customers keep you too busy to put down the items yourself, let another person act as bookkeeper and cashier, and when you make a sale call out to your assistant the item with amount sold and money received; for instance, should a boy purchase a pound of sugar, call to the bookkeeper: "one pound of sugar, ten cents;" then turn your attention to the next customer while your comrade writes down the amount. if the weather continues fine, you can leave your store undisturbed for several days in succession and conduct it after school hours. [illustration: fig. 532.--fold under the other side.] [illustration: fig. 533.--bend backward until top and bottom meet.] [illustration: fig. 534.--showing under part of pocket-book.] [illustration: fig. 535.--bottom of pocket-book tightly bound.] [illustration: fig. 536.--pointed cover of pocket-book.] [illustration: fig. 537.--pocket-book closed.] if you find that you need more and a greater variety of candy manufacture it of strips of bright-colored paper rolled into the form of paper lighters about the length and thickness of ordinary stick candy. these mingled together in a separate glass jar or piled upon the counter add to the attractiveness of the store. hard lump candy of various-sized pebbles will probably sell well, but if upon trial the demand is not as great as desired, you might wrap each pebble in a bit of bright paper to enhance its appearance; then the customers will doubtless invest more liberally in the gay-colored sweetmeats. small candy balls, red and white, may be made of the red and white clover-heads picked close to the blossom, leaving no sign of the green stem visible. keep the different colors separate, placing all of the red clover candy flat down in one layer on the inside of a box-lid, where it will look bright and pretty. the upturned edges of the lid prevent the clover from rolling out. white-clover candy will appear to better advantage if you place a piece of colored tissue-paper in a box-lid, allowing the edges of the paper to stand up a trifle beyond the sides before arranging the white clover in the lid. gather a variety of grasses, roots, and leaves, tie them up in little bunches with strings formed of several pieces of long grass twisted or braided together, and sell them as soup-seasoning herbs. large bouquets of white clover-blossoms with long stems and no leaves when bunched together, forming a white mass on the top, and then surrounded by large green leaves tied in place with braided grass, make excellent imitations of cauliflowers. use the round, flat hollyhock-seed for crackers; peel off the outside green cover and the crackers will be white. you can pretend large-sized poppy-seed vessels are green tomatoes, which your customers will be glad to buy for making pickles. have everything connected with your store neat and orderly, and conduct it in a business-like manner. do not forget to make bars of soap of moist clay or earth. have the clay only soft enough to mould and cut with an old knife; when of the right consistency form the cakes, making them all the same size. cut the edges smooth and even and lay the soap on a board in the sun to harden sufficiently to handle with ease. you might also use moist clay for butter, and cut off portions as customers call for it, weighing the butter in your scales to obtain the exact quantity desired by each purchaser. now try and think of other supplies you can make of the moist clay. chapter xxviii a frolic with the roses select one rose from the many you have gathered and hold the blossom tenderly while you look down into its heart and breathe in its beauty and fragrance; then gently turn the rose over and find how wonderfully all the petals fit in and are held together in their pretty green cup with its long green streamers, which we call the calyx. is there any flower more beautiful? see how daintily it is formed, how exquisite the coloring and how wonderful the texture! could a manufacturer furnish you with such enchanting material from which to make your toys? boats of rose petals carefully detach the rose petals one by one, beginning with the outermost and largest. be cautious not to bruise or injure the fragile little things. cut the sail and mast all in one piece from tissue-paper (fig. 538). fold the mast over twice, according to the dotted lines, that it may be stiff and able to stand erect. bend the lower portion of the mast as in fig. 539. paste the inner sides of the fold together, and it will form a flat piece extending out on each side of the mast (fig. 540). over the bottom of this spread the least bit of strong paste or glue and place the mast well forward on one of the largest rose petals. the portion of the petal which grew inside the calyx forms the front part or bow of the boat. have the mast stand perfectly erect; if it is inclined to bend toward either side, straighten it and keep it upright. before launching the vessel allow a few moments for the glue to dry, then lift the boat very carefully by the top of the mast with your thumb and first finger and set it down on the water, which must be without even a ripple. when once the boat is well launched the waves may come with slight risk of damage to the craft. [illustration: fig. 538.--tissue-paper sail and mast cut in one piece.] [illustration: fig. 539.--bend lower portion of mast.] let the first boat be of a large pink rose petal and have its sail of the same color. make two vessels of white rose petals with white sails and join the boats with a strip of white tissue-paper. paste one end of the paper strip on the inner part of the right-hand side of one boat and fasten the other end of the paper strip on the inner part of the left-hand side of the other boat, allowing sufficient space between the two boats to keep them from touching. the twins will then sail together like two beautiful white sea-gulls floating on the crest of a wave. [illustration: fig. 540.--form a flat stand.] [illustration: fig. 541.--green tissue-paper sail and mast.] take one of the green leaves and fasten on it a green sail different in shape from the white (fig. 541). place this boat with the other pretty craft on the miniature lake in the large glass dish or basin. though not so fragile and delicate, the green bark is charming. agitate and move the water as the boats lie at anchor, and watch the effect. drifting, floating, and dancing, the fleet of tiny boats will begin to move: the mingling of the different tints and colors, the various beautiful reflections cast in the clear water by the little vessels with their spreading sails, form a delightful fairy-like spectacle. fig. 542 gives only a faint idea of the actual scene, which is all color, life, fragrance, and beauty. when you keep the dainty fleet on the water in-doors, it ought to remain in good condition for several days. if you wish to have the lake in the open air, dig a hole in the ground sufficiently large and deep to hold the pan you intend to use as a lake. sink the tin in the hole, fit it in perfectly steady and firm, then pour clear water into the pan, and when it is quiet launch the fleet. [illustration: fig. 542.--fairy fleet of rose-petal boats.] you will need a little rose girl like fig. 544, to help you enjoy the boats, a girl who can stand by the water and watch the sailing-vessels; you can make such a one of a rose turned upside down. choose the largest and most fully blown rose for the rose girl. cut the stem off about two inches from the blossom, and push a common wooden toothpick through the stem midway between the rose and the end of the stem. the toothpick forms the girl's two arms (fig. 543). [illustration: fig. 543.--how to make the rose girl.] fashion the head from an old seed-vessel, which you will probably find still clinging to one of the rose-bushes. first make a small hole quite deep in the top of the seed-vessel; then push the end of the stem of the rose up into the head (fig. 543). run each toothpick arm through a green leaf and use a white or pale-pink rose petal for the girl's face (fig. 544). pin the petal to the head with four rose thorns, using two for the eyes, one for the nose, and one for the mouth. pin a rose petal on the top of the head for a hat. turn backward two petals, without breaking them from the rose, to form the dress waist; pin or gum one petal to the arms and neck in front and the other to the arms and neck at the back. then stick three wooden toothpicks in the top of the rose (fig. 544); place the toothpicks so they will form a tripod, two on a line across the front and the third a trifle back of and midway between the front ones. these three toothpicks will enable the rose girl to stand alone; the two foremost serve as legs and the other as a support. you can make feet of two green leaves stuck on the ends of the two front toothpicks (fig. 544). [illustration: fig. 544.--the wide-awake rose girl.] perhaps the little rose girl would like a garden of her own, enclosed by a fence made of green leaves, thorns, short slender sticks and a pliable rose stem. bend the stem into an arch and pin it down to a board with ordinary pins, each end over a green leaf (fig. 545). begin at the bottom and attach the leaves to the arch with thorns, allowing all leaves to point upward. decorate one side, then begin again at the bottom and fasten leaves on the other side; finish the arch by pinning a leaf upright in the centre. build the fence of green leaves pinned together at their sides with slender sticks or broom straws; stand the fence upright in a circular form, and fasten one end leaf on each side of the arch (fig. 546). [illustration: fig. 545.--bent rose-stem for arch.] [illustration: fig. 546.--the rose-girl's garden fence.] of course you must give the rose girl a party; you might call it "the feast of roses," and decorate the four corners of a wee table with vases which would rival in color and beauty the famous "peachblow vase" for which such a fabulous price was paid. make the little vases of large pink rosebuds; those beginning to unfold are the best. peel off the outside petals and, grasping each bud, in turn, near its base with the thumb and first two fingers, gently work it back and forth until it is loosened and can be removed entire without damage. stand each vase on a level surface and gather spears of grass to place in them. push some of the grass ends down into the vases, but do not crowd them; have only two or three in each vase (fig. 547). the pink color of the vase will contrast pleasingly with the green of the grass, and the feast will be laden with the delicate perfume of roses. you might candy different colored rose petals by dipping them in hot sugar syrup boiled until it spins like a thread, and then drying the petals separately on oiled paper; they will be appropriate for the party. [illustration: fig. 547.--peachblow vase of rosebud.] [illustration: fig. 548.--green rose-leaf for part of turtle.] [illustration: fig. 549.--rose petal and green leaf turtle.] in addition to these things the rose girl must have a little pet turtle to take out walking in her garden. cut a green leaf of a rose like fig. 548. cover the top with a rose petal gummed on around its edges, and the turtle will be ready for a stroll (fig. 549). draw a face with ink on your finger, and make a rose-petal cap for the finger-head by lapping two petals over each other, leaving the outer edges for the sides and bottom of the cap. gum one petal upon the other and put the cap on your finger (fig. 550). [illustration: fig. 550.--rose-petal cap for finger-head.] [illustration: fig. 551.--two cream-colored rose-petals for part of pansy.] [illustration: fig. 552.--pink rose petals partially over light ones.] [illustration: fig. 553.--pansy ready for last rose petal.] [illustration: fig. 554.--pansy ready for green leaves.] [illustration: fig. 555.--pansy green leaf cut from rose leaf.] we have not enough rose petals to serve for a shower, as had a roman emperor long ago when he made bushels of them rain down upon his guests from the ceiling of his banquet-hall, but we can collect sufficient rose petals to use in painting some pretty designs. you will need neither paints nor brushes, for the roses are the colors and deft little fingers the brushes. you must take the paints as you find them and work this way: place two cream-colored petals on a smooth blank paper laid over a flat surface (fig. 551); arrange two pink petals partially over the light ones (fig. 552); lay down a stem from which you have taken the thorns (fig. 553); add to the flower a fifth petal, which should be pink, and you will have painted a pansy (fig. 554). cut two of the green leaves of the rose according to fig. 555, and place them as if growing at different distances on opposite sides of the stem (fig. 556). glue or strong paste dropped sparingly on the paper where you intend to put the centre of the flower will hold the petals in position, and, if necessary, you may use a trifle more glue as the work proceeds. [illustration: fig. 556.--painting of pansy made with rose petals.] rose butterflies do not look exactly like real ones, but they are very pretty, and you can readily paint one. arrange two large red rose petals for the front wings (fig. 557); slightly over-lapping the lower edges of these lay two smaller white petals, and make the body of a green leaf cut like fig. 558. gum it down over the lengthwise centre of the group of petals. [illustration: fig. 557.--red rose-petal wings and green rose-leaf body.] [illustration: fig. 558.--body of butterfly.] conventional designs are very easy to paint. take the rose calyx, cut off its lower half and place the calyx flat down on smooth blank white paper; it resembles a five-pointed star. under the tip of each point slide the inner end of a rose petal, any color you choose. between each two rose petals gum a green leaf (fig. 559). now take away the star centre and use rose petals in its place, and you will have a "rose window" design. try alternating red and dark-red velvet petals, or use all yellow petals. in this way you may form a variety of patterns painted with roses. [illustration: fig. 559.--conventional design painted with roses.] [illustration: fig. 560.--rose petals pinned together for wreath.] to make dainty wreaths of rose petals, pin them together in a long row with slender sticks or broom straws (fig. 560). you can weave larger and more substantial wreaths, strong enough to place on your mother's head when crowning her "queen of beauty and kindness." use the entire blossom mingled with buds and green leaves, all short stemmed, not longer than three or four inches. bind the stems with string on a circle made of a piece of willow or some other pliable material, and be sure to remove the thorns from all the stems before weaving the wreath (fig. 561). [illustration: fig. 561.--wreath of roses.] try to find some new beauty in every rose you see this summer. write it all down, and the following june you will discover still other beauties to jot in your rose book. chapter xxix a straw-ride picnic there is a charm in the very word picnic, for it brings with it a breezy, wholesome, out-of-door atmosphere, quickening the pulse and causing the lips to smile with delight and the eyes to sparkle with merriment. a genuine american picnic means a jolly little party in the open air with plenty of space for all sorts of games and amusements; and then the dinner! its equal could not be enjoyed in an ordinary dining-room. there is no need of chairs when the party is gathered around the feast, for the novelty and fascination of sitting on the ground while dining are thoroughly enjoyed, and everyone knows how delicious a mere bit of bread and butter may taste when eaten from the low, green table, the general enchantment of place and scene giving an added flavor. [illustration: going on a straw-ride picnic.] june is the ideal time for picnics; in this month there are so many perfect days, when none should work, but all should play, that one is prompted to plan for a little fun and frolic, including an informal straw ride, which shall form part of the programme of the entertainment. choose for the ride a large, roomy wagon, remove all the seats except the one reserved for the driver, and fill the bottom of the vehicle with plenty of fresh, clean straw. let all the party be seated on this, have within reach warm wraps for protection in case of cooler weather or a shower; and stow the luncheon away under the seat of the driver. the horse should not be too spirited for such an occasion, and the driver must be a strong, reliable man who understands perfectly the management of the reins. thus equipped, with two or three grown persons in charge, the girls and boys may throw care to the winds and enjoy their ride over hill and dale, through sweet meadows and along leafy lanes dappled with golden sunshine; again on the highway, past field and wood, driving gayly along until the picnic ground is reached. should the ride be more than a mile or two, the way may be beguiled with gay songs and choruses, or games in which all may join while sitting quietly in their places. such a game is the old one "simon says." [illustration: fig. 562.--simon says "thumbs up."] it is played with the hands only; each person doubles up his right hand, resting it on his lap and allowing his thumb to stand erect (fig. 562). when all are in position the leader calls out: "simon says 'thumbs down,'" at the same time turning his thumb downward (fig. 563). all follow his example; then comes the bidding "thumbs up," and many will resume the first position before they realize that the leader omitted to prefix the order with "simon says." therein lies the catch, for no command must be obeyed unless it comes from simon. [illustration: fig. 563.--simon says "thumbs down."] [illustration: fig. 564.--simon says "wiggle waggle."] the leader proceeds with "simon says, 'thumbs up,'" then up must go all thumbs, and when "simon says 'wiggle waggle,'" all move their thumbs from side to side while the hand rests in position (fig. 564)--dotted lines show the swing of the thumb. if any neglect to do so it counts one against him; next comes the order "stop"; the thumbs continuing to wag, the leader calls "simon says 'thumbs stop.'" the leader may command a change in the position and movement of the hand and thumb according to his fancy, but the hand cannot be unclasped nor the thumb folded down during the game. three failures count the player out, and he must then content himself with watching the others until the play ends. the leader, being privileged, follows all directions in order to confuse the others. the game is short, consisting of ten commands from the leader. it may be played with sides, the group dividing into two parties; the young people at one end of the wagon form one side, while those at the other end constitute the other side. the party losing fewest players wins the game. another interesting amusement, easily played as the wagon rolls along, is the "bird wish." at a given signal each boy and girl must close both eyes tight and make a wish, not opening the eyes until the leader calls out "look," when all may scan the blue heavens and the surrounding country in search of birds. the first to discover one cries out "bird," which insures the fulfilment of the wish. the other players are obliged to try again. there being but three chances in this game, only three of the company can be sure of successful wishes. if more diversions are needed during the drive, try the following word tangle. ask each boy and girl to repeat in turn these lines: "she says she sells sea-shells; shall she sell sea-shells?" the words must not be recited too slowly, as that would spoil the sport. let the verse be said a trifle faster than ordinary speech. the tongues of most of the players will probably become twisted, causing the words to sound unintelligible to the rest of the company, and a hearty laugh will follow the effort. only one trial is accorded each player. when the line has gone the rounds, repeat in the same manner: "fred fetched freshly fried flying fish." these little trials of skill in speech not only give you much fun, but at the same time they cure hesitancy of speech and brighten the mind; but do not let that frighten you and deter you from profiting by the sport. never be afraid of advantageous learning; let it come in what guise it may, it will surely add to your pleasure as well as your worth. when the picnic grounds are reached and all have had time to look about, everyone will be ready for exercise. so prepare for a grand rush after one of the group chosen as the "deer," who, stepping directly in front of the others, calls "ready," when the group standing still immediately sings to the air of "yankee doodle," "my heart is in the highlands, my heart isn't here. my heart is in the highlands, chasing the deer." at the word "ready" the "deer" starts to run, and as the pursuers cannot follow until the song is ended, the "deer" has time to get a certain distance ahead before the others give chase; this they do as they sing the last word in the verse. the "deer" runs a short distance, circles around and returns to the starting-point, or "home" as it is called, the followers endeavoring to catch him before he reaches his goal. after resting from this game bring the rope from its hiding-place in the wagon, also the long board stowed away flat against the side of the vehicle, and in less time than you imagine the rope can be securely fastened on a strong branch of a tree to serve as a swing, while the board may be used for a "teeter-tarter"; balance the plank across a log or the lower bars of a fence; then when two players take their seats at the ends of the board, if it is properly adjusted, they will rise and sink alternately as the ends move up and down, keeping time as the players sing: "teeter-tarter, bread and water, come and see the pretty daughter." "see-saw, margery daw, came to town to study law." if the players are of unequal weight, the heavier one shortens his half of the plank by shoving it along farther across the fence or log, preserving in this way the equilibrium. to start the "teeter-tarter" one of the players should give a slight spring upward with the feet while retaining his sitting posture on the board. prepare the dinner early, as the brisk drive in the morning air tends to stimulate the appetite. bring the lunch-boxes to the place selected for the meal; let one person take full charge and give directions, while the others unpack, build the fire, and go to the spring for water. the lunch should have been packed in paper boxes, to avoid the care of baskets. in the first box might be the loaves of fresh uncut bread and a tin baking-powder can of sweet butter, the bread to be cut into thin slices, buttered and prepared for sandwiches of various kinds. these can be easily made by adding either the chopped nuts that have been packed in a separate small box, or crisp lettuce leaves which have been detached from the stalk, well cleaned and sprinkled with fresh water, then carefully placed by themselves in a box lined with waxed or oiled paper such as is used by confectioners for sweetmeats. or the sandwiches may be of sliced ham, tongue, roast-beef or lamb, each kind of meat being folded in waxed paper and packed in its own box. when the different articles of food are managed in this way they are much more attractive and palatable, each retaining its own flavor, and there is no danger of their being mashed and jumbled together, as happens too often when the dinner is indifferently arranged and put together in a thoughtless manner. [illustration: fig. 565.--picnic salt-box.] the best way to carry salt, pepper, etc., is to put each into a small paper box, the salt in one of cylindrical form, the lid of which has previously been punched full of holes with the aid of a tack or a slender wire nail (fig. 565). the pepper can be in a smaller and differently shaped box, and sugar in a box of still another size and shape, that there may be no chance of mistaking one for the other and covering the meat with sugar or trying to sweeten the lemonade with salt. the perforations in the lid of the pepper-box must be quite small; punch them with a large-sized needle. after the boxes are filled the lids can be fastened securely with strong paste and, before they are packed, may have paper tied down over the tops (fig. 566), to preclude all chance of the contents sprinkling out during the journey. if mustard is needed, it should be prepared at home and carried in a small, wide-mouthed bottle. mayonnaise dressing is best conveyed corked up in a small stone china jar, such as is often used for jam. [illustration: fig. 566.--paper over the top.] boiled, fried, or broiled chicken is always acceptable at a picnic dinner; the chicken must be well cooked, cut into pieces and each portion wrapped in a separate piece of waxed paper, then packed together in a box. cold-boiled asparagus or string beans, with fresh lettuce and mayonnaise dressing, may take the place of a meat salad if desired. fruit is very refreshing and always welcome if consisting of fresh berries, cherries, etc.; pack it in the same manner as lettuce, omitting the sprinkling and washing. [illustration: fig. 567.--picnic wooden-spoon.] [illustration: fig. 568.--flat sticks to use as spoons.] of course, young people do not care for coffee, but the grown ones would like it, and they must be remembered. grind the coffee and mix with raw egg; it may then be carried in the tin coffee-pot, the coffee to be made after the grounds are reached. if cake is taken, do not let it be rich; sponge or plain cup-cake, made in layers with apple-sauce between, is best. as far as possible have the table equipment of paper, that it may not be necessary to carry it back home. a tablecloth composed of large sheets of smooth white wrapping-paper will answer the purpose very well. paper plates such as are used by bakers, make excellent substitutes for china ones and are the very thing for outing parties. spoons may be home-made, whittled of wood; should the bowls of the spoons prove too difficult to manage, make them like small shovels (fig. 567). if time will not allow of this, flat, smooth sticks larger at one end than the other (fig. 568) may take their place. knives are not absolutely necessary. only one need be taken, but that must be of good size and sharp, to be used for cutting bread. it is a mistake to carry fine table linen or silver, they always prove a great care and are apt to be injured or lost, but not being skilled in the art of eating with chopsticks, like the chinese, you will have to be supplied with forks. take barely enough for the purpose and have them of the most inexpensive quality; then it will not matter if one or two happen to be lost. only a few cups will be required and no saucers; the company can take turns using the cups. one item more--a pail for the water. a small camp-fire is very important. build it on a spot where there is not the slightest danger of its spreading, and into the embers and ashes roll small raw potatoes. they will be delicious baked--velvety black on the outside and, when broken open while steaming hot, soft, mealy, and snowy white on the inside. before boiling the coffee, pile a layer of flat stones on two sides of the fire and set the coffee-pot on them, bridging across the open space over the fire. water can be heated in this way for tea or chocolate. after luncheon gather all the boxes and paper and burn them in the camp-fire, being careful not to put too much on the fire at a time and waiting until one portion is burned before adding more. the paper should be rolled in small, tight balls to prevent a possible breeze from wafting it in the air. all can join in feeding the fire and enjoy the game which accompanies it. when each one has secured his contribution of box or paper, all must stand around the fire and in turn cast the fuel on the flames. the first to do so begins telling any kind of an original tale which imagination may suggest, such as, "the prince, arrayed in gorgeous and rich apparel, was about to enter his crystal palace when----" there he stops, because the rules of the game do not allow one person to speak longer than his paper burns, but until it is consumed he must not cease talking. the next in turn drops her paper on the flame and continuing the story, says, "he was startled by a peculiar noise from the grove near by. rushing to discover the cause, he saw something dark moving among the trees, it turned and slowly approached----" her paper having completely burned, the third player takes up the plot, and tossing his box on the glowing coals, says, "nearer and nearer the something came, when, lo! it proved to be a baby bear walking erect and carrying in his paws----" so it goes on, and everyone adding a little, the story grows. each player being at liberty to turn the romance to suit his mind, the story is apt to assume sudden and comical changes, giving it a peculiar charm both to those who take part and to those who listen. a short, quiet time with jack-stones, played with small stones found on the ground, will allow of sufficient rest before participating in the exhilarating sport of "menagerie." in this choose a keeper, whose duty it is to give the name of a different animal to each player. then all must form in line for the grand march. headed by the keeper, the procession twists and winds through the trees, this way and that, returning soon to the starting-point, when all join hands, forming a circle around the keeper who is then blindfolded. the circle spins merrily around until the keeper calls out "jungle," the signal for all the players to shout in chorus, each one giving the cry of the animal he represents. after that they stand perfectly still. the keeper next calls to one of the animals to enter the cage. the player named must break from the circle and, standing within the ring, gently give the cry peculiar to the animal represented, at the same time changing his position so that the keeper may not be able to catch him, as the latter tries to do, guided by the cry. if the keeper succeeds at the first trial, the two change places, and the game commences over again, but without the march. should the keeper not be able to catch the animal in his first attempt, the bandage must be removed from his eyes, and the circle standing clasping hands and elevating them high in air, give space for the animal to dart out of the cage, followed by the keeper. in and out of the circle they run, going not more than three times around the ring; if in that time the keeper does not succeed in capturing his game, he must again be blindfolded and stand in the middle of the ring while the game continues. if captured, the animal becomes the keeper and the keeper the animal. only a short while will remain before it will be time for returning home, a few moments more for tumbling about close to nature; then comes the ride back home in the big wagon filled with gay and happy girls and boys. chapter xxx a paper chase fun! why what can compare with it? the clear frosty air is full of life, the blood is rushing tumultuously through your veins and your feet are tingling to be off on the chase. it is healthful, it is inspiring, it is glorious fun. you must think, too, in order to be successful either as hare or hound, for the object of each is to outwit the other, and paper chase is a game that requires the use of brains as well as muscle. the hares and hounds compose the party. two hares and as many hounds as you will, the more the merrier. each hare must carry a bag filled with paper cut into small strips. the hounds carry only the weight of their responsibility to entrap and catch the hares. [illustration: over fences.] the game is a country game, of course. who would think of the hares and hounds dashing in a mad run through the streets of town or village. and it is a noisy game with the kee-ooi! kee-ooi! of the fleeing hares, and answering la-ha-hoo, la-ha-hoo! of the pursuing hounds. select a convenient club-house or residence for the meet and let there be two hares and at least six hounds. the first thing to be decided upon is the distance of the run, which should not be too great, especially for beginners. the next is the agreement between the hares upon a general plan to be pursued in their tactics, which must be kept secret from the hounds. the morning hours are best for the game, and a hearty appetite for lunch, or the hunt-breakfast, it might be called, is the result. at a given time let the hares start off together, scattering their bits of paper as they go, to be followed ten or fifteen minutes later by the hounds, who are led by the paper on the tracks of the hares. the object of the hares is so to scatter the paper in their cross-country run as to lead the hounds on a false scent. this is sometimes done by the hares making a detour into a field, doubling back on their tracks and running in quite another direction. or they may provide a number of false scents leading from one point. to be sure all this uses up much precious time, but the compensation lies in mystifying and delaying the hounds, each of whom must decide for herself which trail is the most likely to prove the one the hares have really taken. when the hares are off and the fifteen minutes up, the hounds must start in pursuit. their object is to head off and catch the hares before they can cover the given distance and again reach the place of meeting. a hound must not only come in sight of a hare but must touch her in order to make a catch. each player in the paper chase acts for herself, and if she succeeds in catching a hare she wins the honors. and a hare reaching home without being caught wins great honor. the hares keep together, but the hounds may scatter at will, though no girl should risk going too far alone. from time to time the hares must give their cry kee-ooi! kee-ooi! that the hounds may not go too far astray, and the hounds reply with their la-ha-hoo! to let the hares know they are on their tracks. over fences, across brooks, taking to the cover of the woods, or speeding along the roads, it matters little how you get there, the object is to reach the point you have decided upon over the shortest route and in the least possible time. this is the fun of it, the wild scramble over all obstacles and the exultant moment when, if a hound, you have run down the hares or, if a hare, you outwit the hounds and make the home-run in safety. the game requires good generalship on both sides, quick thought and ready decision. how to dress. a short skirt, loose, stout walking shoes, and a sweater make the most comfortable costume. wraps will be found in the way and uncomfortably warm, and you cannot run very well in overshoes. if your feet get wet keep on running and you will not take cold, but have a change of foot-wear ready that you may replace wet shoes and stockings with dry ones as soon as you reach the house. also throw a wrap over you upon your return so that you may not cool off too suddenly after your long run. light bags for the hares to carry may be made of cotton cloth with straps of the same to throw over the shoulder. good health, good-fellowship, good-nature, and fair play are the requisites for the complete enjoyment of this most exhilarating of all games. index a adjusting warp, 19 african hut, 306 alligators, clay, 193 amusements, mayday, 237 andirons, 142 anemones, 296 angling, easter, 231 animals, tissue-paper, 75 apple, indian, 209 apple, jap, 211 apple-seeds, 261 apple tower, 214 apple toys, 206 arch, door, 177 armor, alligator, 197 arrow-heads, 122 arrow-shaft, 123 arrows for mayday, 238 assumption, cathedral of, 175 b baby alligators, 193 bag, school, 31 bags, fortune, 262 ball game, may, 251 ball of twine, 27 banana, clay, 201 band, spinning-wheel, 8 to adjust, 9 banners, japanese fish, 171 barrel-hoop, 62 basket of shavings, 36 basket, to make wood, 62 basket, to weave splint, 68 baskets as moulds, 187 baskets, may, 248 beads, 182 bed, japanese, 168 beds, blankets for dolls', 26 bell and ball game, 251 bellows, 153 binding basket edges, 40 binding off, 71 "bird wish," 337 birds, tissue-paper, 75, 93 birds, to feed, 267 bird's head, finger, 277 birthday festivals, 170 blackbirds, finger, 280 blanket, navajo, 20, 125 doll's bed, 26 blood root, 296 blouse, russian, 181 boats, rose petals, 320 body, alligator, 196 bonnet, war, 116 bonnet-wire stem, 95 boots, russian, 182 bouquet-holder, 58 bow, 124 bow case, 124 bowls, 292 bows for mayday amusements, 237 breakfast, japan, 168 broom, show, 172 "build the tower," 282 butt, rifle, 152 button-mould, 171 c calumet, 119 calyx, tissue-paper, 96 camp-fire, 342 cap, rose petal, 328 card-board, pot hooks of, 145 carnation-pink, 86, 87 case, handkerchief, 41 cathedral of assumption, 176 "chai," russian, 181 chamois skin gown, 125 chase, paper, 345 chicken, tissue-paper, 75 chieftain's shield, 120 children, talking, 268 chimney samovar, 184 "chin chopper chin," 282 churn, 160 circle, to cut a, 88 clay, 187 clay alligators, 193 cleaning for spinning-wheel, 8 cloak, old colonial, 155 cloth, magic, 264 clothes-line, possibilities of, 162 clover, four-leaved, 260 coat of armor, alligator, 197 coiled pottery, 187 colonial kitchen, toy, 133 colorless vases, 292 combinations, flower, 291 common grasses, 53 conventional designs, 330 cork churn lid, 160 counter, store, 308 cradle, papoose, 130 crane, 137 crazy bull, 116 crosses, paper, 178 crowding, flower, 290 cupola, russian cathedral, 178 curtain-bee frolic, 48 curtain, sash, 34 curtains, primitive reed, 43 d daffodil, tissue-paper, 99 dance, egg, 230 dasher, churn, 160 "deer," 338 design, ornamental, 67 designs, conventional, 330 dinner, straw ride, 339 distaff, 7 doll, japanese, 174 doll, russian, 180 dolls' beds, blankets for, 26 dolls, feast of, 172 dolls' hammock, 56 dolls, new race of, 103 door-way, russian cathedral, 177 door-way screens, 149 dress, mary's, 217 dress, may-pole to, 252 dress, miss muffet's, 108 dress, paper-chase, 348 dutch windmill, 214 e eagle feather of paper, 121 easter egg games, 227 edges, basket, 40 egg games, 227 elephant, tissue-paper, 83 encampment, indian, 111 end-pieces, 63 f face, miss muffet's, 106 false scent, 347 faucet, samovar, 182 feast of dolls, 172 feather, eagle paper, 121 feathers, for goose, 221 fence, paper, 168 fenced in garden, 168 ferns, 297 festivals, japanese, 169 finger church, 275 finger plays, 273 finger steeple, 275 fire, tissue-paper, 114 fireplace, 138 fish, japanese paper, 170 five little pigs, 285 flax, 10 flintlock rifle, 151 floors, japan paper house, 167 floral tent, 307 florida playhouse, 298 floor, colonial kitchen, 136 flower lifter, 294 flowers, to arrange, 289 folks, finger plays for little, 273 food, alligator, 198 fortune bags, 262 four-leaved clover, 260 fresh flowers, to arrange, 289 fringe, to make hammock, 30 frog, jumping, 264 frolic, curtain-bee, 48 frolic with roses, 320 funny little apple toys, 206 g games, egg, 227 garden, fenced in, 168 garden, rose girls, 325 germantown wool for navajo blanket, 20 ghost writing, 259 girl, rose, 323 gold nuggets, 254 good indian, 115 goose, mother goose's, 220 gown, chamois skin, 125 grass, napkin ring, 59 grasses, common, 53 grasshopper house, 53 green leaf boat, 322 green leaves, 291 groceries, 312 gun, flintlock, 151 h hallowe'en revels, 259 hammock, dolls', 56 handkerchief case, 41 handle, basket, 40 handle, churn, 160 hares, 345 hut, african, 306 hat, witch's, 257 head, washington, 202 headdress, indian, 116 heddles, how to make loom, 17 hepaticas, 296 hibiscus, 86 holder, bouquet, 58 home-like rag rug, 154 home-made loom, weaving on, 15 hooks, pot, 145 hounds, 345 houses, japan paper, 162 house, grasshopper, 53 hub, spinning-wheel, 149 i indian apple, 209 indian encampment, 111 indian pot, 143 indian travois, 118 j jap apple, 210 japan, paper houses of, 162 japanese doll, 174 japanese paper, 162 japanese umbrella, 173 jars, flower, 293 jumping frog, 264 k kago, 172 keeping store, 308 king, may, 245 kitchen, toy colonial, 133 kneading clay, 187 knitting needle, gun-barrel, 152 "knives and forks," "here are my mother's," 279 koi, japanese, 171 kremlin, 175 l lake, open air, 323 lamb, mary's, 219 lanterns, paper, 167 leather boots, 181 leaves, green, 291 leaves, tissue-paper, 193 legs, alligator, 198 lifter, flower, 294 lifting for pasch eggs, 227 line, clothes, 62 lingerie, miss muffet's, 107 little apple toys, 206 little bellows, 153 little miss muffet, 103 little paper houses, 162 little pigs, famous five, 285 loom, weaving on home-made, 15 m magic cloth, 264 marvel pictures, 215 mary, 215 material, reed curtain, 43 mats, table, 41 may baskets, 248 mayday amusements, 237 may-pole, 252 menagerie, game of, 343 miniature cathedral, 176 miss muffet, tissue-paper, 103 moccasins, 117 modelling in tissue-paper, 75 money, store, 314 morning glory, tissue-paper, 86, 94 mother goose's goose, 220 mother's knives and forks, 280 n navajo blanket, 20 navajo blankets, 125 nail, staple, 46 napkin-ring, grass, 59 nasturtiums, 290 nature study, tissue-paper, 86 netting, rope, 65 nuggets, gold, 254 o odd things in russia, 175 odd utensils, 144 odd colonial clock, 155 old-fashioned flintlock rifle, 151 old oaken bucket, 250 open air lake, 323 open air play houses, 298 ornamental design, 67 oven, 139 p paint, for japan houses, 165 painting, rose petals for, 328 paper chase, 345 paper houses of japan, 162 paper lanterns, 167 paper modelling, in tissue, 75 paper, store wrapping, 313 papoose, 130 parker, thankful, 146 party, rose girls, 326 pasch eggs, 227 pattern, blanket, 24 "peel," 144 pet turtle, 327 pewter ware, 154 picnic, straw ride, 333 pictures, marvel, 215 pigs, five little, 285 pin loom, how to make, 16 pine-shavings, 36 pipe of peace, 119 play house, open air, 298 plays, finger, 273 pocket-books, store, 314 pole, may, 252 possibilities of a clothes-line, 62 pot hooks, 145 pot, iron, 143 pottery, 185 practice on spinning-wheel, 11 primitive reed curtains, 43 q queen may, 245 queer little teeter-tarter, 273 r race of dolls, new, 103 rag rug, home-like, 154 rare frolic, 320 reed curtains, primitive, 43 revels, hallowe'en, 254 rice ball, 171 rifle, 151 ring, grass napkin, 59 "rock," 7 roll, clay, 189 roll of splint, 68 rolling, egg, 235 roof, russian cathedral, 177 rookwood pottery, 187 rope netting, 65 rose girl, 323 rose petal boats, 320 rug, 154 rules, pasch game, 234 russia, odd things in, 175 russian doll, 180 s sally walker's hood, 208 samovar, 182 sash-curtain, 34 scales, store, 309 scent, false, 347 school-boy, 31 screens, doorway, 49 seed-top grasses, 61 shafts, arrow, 123 shapes, pottery, 192 shavings, armful of, 36 shield, indian, 120 shoes, miss muffet's, 107 shovel, 144 shuttle, 19 sides, to weave basket, 39 "simon says," 335 spindle, 5 spindle-frame, 5 spinning, 3 spinning wheel, 3 spinning wheel, colonial kitchen, 147 splint basket, to weave, 68 splint, roll of, 68 spokes, splint basket, 69 staple-nail, 46 straw, bonnet wire, 95 store, keeping, 308 stories, telling, 343 stoves, russian, 180 straw ride, 333 straw ride picnic, 333 study, tissue-paper, nature, 86 sun-bonnet, mary's, 218 sun-bonnet, miss muffet's, 110 supplies, store, 312 supplies, straw ride picnic, 341 swift dog, 116 swing, 338 symmetry, 295 t table egg rolling, 235 table mats, 41 table, moulding, 188 talking children, 268 tangle, word, 337 targets, mayday, 240 tassels, 66 tea, how russians make, 188 teeter tarter, 273 tenor, singing, 269 tent, floral, 317 thankful parker, 146 things to make of common grasses, 53 thread, when broken, 12 time-piece, old fashioned, 159 tinfoil, 153 tissue paper, moulding in, 75 toaster, 144 tomahawk, 120 tools, moulding, 188 tower, apple, 214 tower, finger, 282 toy colonial kitchen, 133 toys, apples, 206 toys, tissue-paper, 75 transparent vases, 292 travois, to make, 118 tree, indian encampment, 129 trimming, 73 trousers, russian, 181 turkey, tissue-paper, 81 turning eagle, 116 turtle, pet, 327 twine, what may be made of ball of, 27 u umbrella, japanese, 173 umbrella play house, 299 uprights, spindle-frame, 5 utensils, colonial kitchen, 144 v variety of candy, 317 vases, 292 vases, colorless, 292 violets, 296 w walker, sally, 208 wampum, 131 war bonnet, 116 ware, pewter, 154 warp, to adjust, 19 washington, clay head of, 202 weavers, 68 weaving on home-made loom, 15 weaving splint basket, 70 weights, clock, 159 wheel, spinning, 3 white-ash splint, 74 wig, miss muffet's, 106 wigwam, playhouse, 301 wigwam, to make, 112 wild flowers, 295 wild violets 296 windmill, dutch, 214 windows, russian cathedral, 177 wing feathers, 222 wish, bird, 337 witch apple, 256 wood-basket, 62 wood chopper, finger, 277 word tangle, 337 woof, 20 wool, germantown, 20 wrapping paper, 313 wreaths, rose petal, 331 z zulu doll, 115 the beard books for girls by lina and adelia b. beard handicraft and recreation for girls =with over 700 illustrations by the authors= =8vo. $1.50 net= an elaborate book for girls, by lina and adelia beard whose former books on girls' sports have become classic, which contains a mass of practical instruction on handicrafts and recreations. so many and so various are the things it tells how to do and make that it will give occupation to any sort of girl in all seasons and all weathers. "the girl who gets this book will not lack for occupation and pleasure."--_chicago evening post._ what a girl can make and do new ideas for work and play =with more than 300 illustrations by the authors= =square 8vo. $1.50 net= this book is the result of the authors' earnest desire to encourage in their young friends the wish to do things for themselves. its aim is to give suggestions that will help them to satisfy this wish. within its covers are described a great variety of things useful, instructive, and entertaining, suited for both indoors and out. "it would be a dull girl who could not make herself busy and happy following its precepts."--_chicago record-herald._ the american girl's handy book how to amuse yourself and others =with nearly 500 illustrations= =8vo. $1.50 net= in this book lina and adelia beard, the authors, tell everything the girls of to-day want to know about sports, games, and winter afternoon and evening amusements and work, in a clear, simple, entertaining way. eight new chapters have been added to the original forty-two that made the book famous. "it is a treasure which, once possessed, no practical girl would willingly part with."--_grace greenwood._ things worth doing and how to do them with some 600 drawings by the authors that show exactly how they should be done =8vo. $1.50 net= this book by lina and adelia beard comprises an infinite variety of amusing things that are worth doing. some of these things are:--"a wonderful circus at home," "the wild west on a table," "how to weave without a loom," "how to make friends with the stars," "a living christmas tree," etc. "everything is so plainly set forth and so fully illustrated with drawings that the happy owners of the book should find it easy to follow its suggestions."--_new york tribune._ the beard books for boys by dan c. beard shelters, shacks, and shanties =illustrated by the author= =$1.25 net (postage extra)= he gives easily workable directions, accompanied by very full illustration, for over fifty shelters, shacks, and shanties, ranging from the most primitive shelter to a fully equipped log cabin. boys will find it an invaluable guide in constructing temporary or permanent shelters in their hikes or encampments. boat-building and boating a handy book for beginners =illustrated by the author= =$1.00 net= the directions for making boats are practical and illustrated by simple diagrams, and the work is full of new and suggestive ideas for all kinds of craft. the boy pioneers sons of daniel boone =illustrated by the author= =$1.50 net= "a book that is truly fine and will probably have a wider influence on the lives of boys into whose hands it falls than almost any other book that comes their way."--_the interior._ the field and forest handy book or, new ideas for out of doors =illustrated by the author= =$1.50 net= "instructions as to ways to build boats and fire-engines, make aquariums, rafts and sleds, to camp in a back-yard, etc. no better book of the kind exists."--_chicago record-herald._ the jack of all trades or, new ideas for american boys =illustrated by the author= =$1.50 net= "every boy who is handy with tools of any sort will enjoy this book."--_youth's companion._ "full of new ideas for active boys who like to use tools and see interesting things growing under their hands."--_new york tribune._ "a perfect treasure-house of things that delight the soul of a boy."--_the interior._ the outdoor handy book for playground, field and forest =illustrated by the author= =$1.50 net= "it tells how to play all sorts of games with marbles, how to make and spin more kinds of tops than most boys ever heard of, how to make the latest things in plain and fancy kites, where to dig bait and how to fish, all about boats and sailing, and a host of other things which can be done out of doors. the volume is profusely illustrated and will be an unmixed delight to any boy."--_new york tribune._ the american boys handy book or, what to do and how to do it =illustrated by the author= =$1.50 net= "it tells boys how to make all kinds of things-boats, traps, toys, puzzles, aquariums, fishing tackle; how to tie knots, splice ropes, make bird calls, sleds, blow guns, balloons; how to rear wild birds, to train dogs, and do a thousand and one things that boys take delight in. the book is illustrated in such a way that no mistake can be made; and the boy who gets a copy of this book will consider himself set up in business."--_the indianapolis journal._ charles scribner's sons * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. there is no figure 75. page xi, "witche's" changed to "witch's" (witch's hair) page xii, chapter xxvi, "play-house" and "play-houses" changed to "playhouse" and "playhouses" to match usage in text. page 193, "tanger" changed to "tanager" (cardinal, the scarlet tanager) page 206, "fellows" changed to "fellow" (little fellow differs) page 273, chapter xxiv came after the chapter title, finger-plays for little folks, in the original text. these were switched to follow the form of the rest of the book. page 308, "flay" changed to "fly" ("fly away, jill,") page 337, "payed" changed to "played" (easily played as the) page 353, "face, miss muffet's" was moved from the last place in the "e" section to the first place of the "f" section. page 354, the section titles for "i" and "j" were added to the text. page 355, since the text capitalizes all uses of pasch, the index was changed to reflect this (lifting for pasch eggs) and also on page 355 (rules, pasch game) page 355, "pocketbooks" changed to "pocket-books" to match usage in text (pocket-books, store) page 357, "play-house" changed to "playhouse" to match usage in text (wigwam, playhouse) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see 16316-h.htm or 16316-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/6/3/1/16316/16316-h/16316-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/6/3/1/16316/16316-h.zip) the library of work and play outdoor sports and games by claude h. miller, ph.b. garden city new york doubleday, page & company 1911 [illustration: a boys' camp] [illustration: title page] contents i. introductory the human body a perfect machine--how to keep well--outdoor sleeping--exercise and play--smoking--walking. ii. the boy scouts of america headquarters--purpose--scout law--how to form a patrol of scouts--organization of a troop--practical activities for scouts--a scout camp--model programme of sir r.s.s. baden-powell scout camp. iii. camps and camping how to select the best place to pitch a tent--a brush bed--the best kind of a tent--how to make the camp fire--what to do when it rains--fresh air and good food--the brush leanto and how to make it. iv. camp cooking how to make the camp fire range--bread bakers--cooking utensils--the grub list--simple camp recipes. v. woodcraft the use of an axe and hatchet--best woods for special purposes--what to do when you are lost--nature's compasses. vi. use of fire-arms importance of early training--why a gun is better than a rifle--how to become a good shot. vii. fishing proper tackle for all purposes--how to catch bait--the fly fisherman--general fishing rules. viii. nature study what is a true naturalist?--how to start a collection--moth collecting--the herbarium. ix. water life the water telescope--how to manage an aquarium--our insect friends and enemies--the observation beehive. x. the care of pets cats--boxes for song birds--how to attract the birds--tame crows--the pigeon fancier--ornamental land and water fowl--rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice--how to build coops--general rules for the care of pets--the dog. xi. the care of chickens the best breed--good and bad points of incubators--what to feed small chicks--a model chicken house. xii. winter sports what to wear--skating--skiing--snowshoeing--hockey. xiii. horsemanship how to become a good rider--the care of horses--saddles. xiv. how to swim and to canoe the racing strokes--paddling and sailing canoes. xv. baseball how to organize a team and to select the players--the various positions--curve pitching. xvi. how to play football the various positions and how to select men for them--team work and signals--the rules. xvii. lawn tennis how to make and mark a court--clay and sod courts--the proper grip of the racket--golf--the strokes and equipment. xviii. photography the selection of a camera--snapshots vs. real pictures--how to make a photograph from start to finish. xix. outdoor sports for girls what to wear--confidence--horseback riding--tennis--golf--camping. xx. one hundred outdoor games illustrations a boy's camp a child's may-day party fishing is the one sport of our childhood that holds our interest through life the moth collector and his outfit the exciting sport of ski-running swimming is one of the best outdoor sports in canoeing against the current in swift streams a pole is used in place of the paddle photographs of tennis strokes taken in actual play how an expert plays golf i introductory the human body a perfect machine--how to keep well--outdoor sleeping--exercise and play--smoking--walking suppose you should wake up christmas morning and find yourself to be the owner of a bicycle. it is a brand-new wheel and everything is in perfect working order. the bearings are well oiled, the nickel is bright and shiny and it is all tuned up and ready for use. if you are a careful, sensible boy you can have fun with it for a long time until finally, like the "one hoss shay" in the poem, it wears out and goes to pieces all at once. on the other hand, if you are careless or indifferent or lazy you may allow the machine to get out of order or to become rusty from disuse, or perhaps when a nut works loose you neglect it and have a breakdown on the road, or you may forget to oil the bearings and in a short time they begin to squeak and wear. if you are another kind of a boy, you may be careful enough about oiling and cleaning the wheel, but you may also be reckless and head--strong and will jump over curbstones and gutters or ride it over rough roads at a dangerous rate of speed, and in this way shorten its life by abuse just as the careless boy may by neglect. it is just so with the human body which, after all, is a machine too, and, more than that, it is the most wonderful and perfect machine in the world. with care it should last many years. with abuse or neglect it may very soon wear out. the boy who neglects his health is like the boy who allows the bearings on his wheel to become dry or the metal parts rusty. the chief difference is that when the bicycle wears out or breaks down we may replace the parts or even buy another machine, but when our health is injured, money will not restore it. in order to keep well we must observe certain rules of health. by exercise we keep the working parts in good order. if we are lazy or indolent we are like the bicycle that is allowed to go to pieces from lack of use. if we are reckless and foolhardy we may injure some part of the delicate machinery from excessive exercise or strain. play is the most natural thing in the world but we must use judgment in our play. a boy or girl who is not allowed to play or who is restrained by too anxious parents is unhappy indeed. nearly all animals play. we know, for instance, that puppies, kittens, and lambs are playful. it is a perfectly natural instinct. by proper play we build up our bodies and train our minds. the healthy man never gets too old to play. he may not care to play marbles or roll hoops, but he will find his pleasure in some game or sport like tennis, golf, horseback riding, camping, fishing or hunting. in this book we shall talk about some forms of play and recreation that are not strictly confined to children, but which we may still enjoy even after we have become grown men and women. we shall also talk about some children's games that some of the older readers may have outgrown. while we play we keep our minds occupied by the sport, and at the same time we exercise our muscles and feed our lungs and our bodies with oxygen. it is unfortunate that in school or college athletics those who need exercise the most are often those who are physically unfitted to play on the school teams. in other words, we select our runners and jumpers and football players from among the stronger boys, while the weaker ones really need the benefit of the sport. every boy should take part in school games when possible even if he is not as swift or as strong as some other boys. it is very unmanly of one boy to make fun of another because he is weak or clumsy or unskilful. after all, the thing that counts and the thing that is most creditable is to make the most of our opportunities whatever they may be. if an undersized or timid boy becomes stronger or more brave because he joins in games and sports, he deserves a hundred times more credit than the big, strong boy whom nature has given a sturdy frame and good lungs and who makes a place on the school team without any real effort. if we live a natural, open-air life we shall have but little need of doctors or medicine. many of our grandmothers' notions on how to keep well have changed in recent years. old-fashioned remedies made from roots and herbs have been almost completely replaced by better habits of life and common-sense ideas. we used to believe that night air was largely responsible for fevers and colds. doctors now say that one of the surest ways to keep well is to live and sleep in the open air. in many modern houses the whole family is provided with outside sleeping porches with absolutely no protection from the outside air but the roof. i have followed the practice of sleeping in the open air for some time, and in midwinter without discomfort have had the temperature of my sleeping porch fall to six degrees below zero. of course it is foolish for any one to sleep exposed to rain or snow or to think that there is any benefit to be derived from being cold or uncomfortable. the whole idea of open-air sleeping is to breathe pure, fresh air in place of the atmosphere of a house which, under the best conditions, is full of dust and germs. if we become outdoor sleepers, coughs and colds will be almost unknown. general sherman once wrote a letter in which he said that he did not have a case of cold in his entire army and he attributed it to the fact that his soldiers slept and lived in the open air. [illustration: a child's may day party (photograph by mary h. northend)] one can almost tell a man who sleeps in the open by looking at him. his eye is clear and his cheek ruddy. there is no surer way to become well and strong than to become accustomed to this practice. then you can laugh at the doctor and throw the medicine bottles away. in stating this i know that many parents will not agree with me, and will feel that to advise a boy to sleep in the open when the weather is stormy or extremely cold is almost like inviting him to his death. it is a fact just the same that every one would be healthier and happier if they followed this practice. in a few years i expect to see outdoor sleeping the rule rather than the exception. progressive doctors are already agreed on this method of sleeping for sick people. in some hospitals even delicate babies are given open-air treatment in midwinter as a cure for pneumonia. my own experience is that in the two years that i have been an outdoor sleeper, with the snow drifts sometimes covering the foot of the bed, with the wintry winds howling about my head in a northeaster, i have been absolutely free from any trace of coughs or colds. thousands of others will give the same testimony. according to old-fashioned ideas such things would give me my "death of cold." it rarely happens that one begins the practice of sleeping out without becoming a firm believer in it. one of the children of a friend in connecticut who had just built a beautiful home was taken ill, and the doctor recommended that the child's bed be moved out on the porch. this was in december. the father also had his own bed moved out to keep the baby company. my friend told me that after the first night he felt like a changed man. he awoke after a refreshing sleep and felt better than he had in years. the whole family soon followed and all the beautiful bedrooms in the house were deserted. the baby got well and stayed well and the doctor's visits are few and far between in that household. by all means sleep in the open if you can. of course one must have ample protection from the weather, such as a porch or piazza with a screen or shelter to the north and west. a warm room in which to dress and undress is also absolutely necessary. if your rest is disturbed by cold, as it will probably be until you become accustomed to it and learn the tricks of the outdoor sleeper, you simply need more covers. in winter, the bed should be made up with light summer blankets in place of sheets, which would become very cold. use, as a night cap, an old sweater or skating cap. a good costume consists of a flannel shirt, woollen drawers, and heavy, lumberman's stockings. with such an outfit and plenty of covers, one can sleep out on the coldest night and never awaken until the winter's sun comes peeping over the hill to tell him that it is time to get up. besides fresh air, another important thing in keeping well is to eat slowly and to chew your food thoroughly. boys and girls often develop a habit of rapid eating because they are anxious to get back to play or to school. slow eating is largely a matter of habit as well, and while it may seem hard at first it will soon become second nature to us. remember to chew your food thoroughly. the stomach has no teeth. we have all heard of mr. horace fletcher, that wonderful old man who made himself young again by chewing his food. there is no fun in life unless we are well, and a sensible boy should realize that his parents' interest in him is for his own benefit. it may seem hard sometimes to be obliged to do without things that we want, but as a rule the judgment of the older people is better than our own. a growing boy will often eat too much candy or too many sweet things and then suffer from his lack of judgment. to fill our stomachs with indigestible food is just as foolish as it would be to put sand in the bearings of our wheel, or to interfere with the delicate adjustment of our watch until it refuses to keep time. while we play, our muscles are developed, our lungs filled with fresh air and the whole body is made stronger and more vigorous. some boys play too hard. over-exertion will sometimes cause a strain on the delicate machinery of the body that will be very serious in after life. the heart is especially subject to the dangers of overstrain in growing boys. we are not all equally strong, and it is no discredit to a boy that he cannot run as far or lift as much as some of his playmates or companions. you all remember the fable of the frog who tried to make himself as big as the ox and finally burst. the idea of exercise is not to try to excel every one in what you do, but to do your best without over-exertion. if a boy has a rugged frame and well developed muscles, it is perfectly natural that he should be superior in most sports to a boy that is delicate or undersized. to be in good physical condition and to laugh at the doctor we must keep out of doors as much as possible. gymnasium work of course will help us to build up our strength and develop our muscles, but skill in various acrobatics and gymnastic tricks does not give the clear eye and ruddy cheek of the person whose life is in the open air. outdoor sports, like tennis, baseball, and horseback riding are far superior to chestweights or indian clubs as a means of obtaining normal permanent development. parents who criticize school or college athletics often forget that the observance of the strict rules of training required from every member of a team is the very best way to keep a boy healthy in mind and body. tobacco and alcohol are absolutely prohibited, the kind of food eaten and the hours for retiring are compulsory, and a boy is taught not only to train his muscles but to discipline his mind. before a candidate is allowed to take active part in the sport for which he is training he must be "in condition," as it is called. there are a great many rules of health that will help any one to keep well, but the best rule of all is to live a common-sense life and not to think too much about ourselves. systematic exercises taken daily with setting up motions are very good unless we allow them to become irksome. all indoor exercise should be practised with as much fresh air in the room as possible. it is an excellent plan to face an open window if we practise morning and evening gymnastics. there are many exercises that can be performed with no apparatus whatever. in all exercises we should practise deep regular breathing until it becomes a habit with us. most people acquire a faulty habit of breathing and only use a small part of their total lung capacity. learn to take deep breaths while in the fresh air. after a while it will become a habit. just how much muscle a boy should have will depend upon his physical make-up. the gymnasium director in one of our largest colleges, who has spent his whole life in exercise, is a small, slender man whose muscles are not at all prominent and yet they are like steel wires. he has made a life-long study of himself and has developed every muscle in his body. from his appearance he would not be considered a strong man and yet some of the younger athletes weighing fifty pounds more than he, have, in wrestling and feats of strength, found that the man with the largest muscles is not always the best man. there is one question that every growing boy will have to look squarely in the face and to decide for himself. it is the question of smoking. there is absolutely no question but that smoking is injurious for any one, and in the case of boys who are not yet fully grown positively dangerous. ask any cigarette smoker you know and he will tell you _not to smoke_. if you ask him why he does not take his own advice he will possibly explain how the habit has fastened its grip on him, just as the slimy tentacles of some devil fish will wind themselves about a victim struggling in the water, until he is no longer able to escape. a boy may begin to smoke in a spirit of fun or possibly because he thinks it is manly, but more often it is because the "other fellers" are trying it too. my teacher once gave our school an object lesson in habits which is worth repeating. he called one of the boys to the platform and wound a tiny piece of thread around the boy's wrists. he then told him to break it, which the boy did very easily. the teacher continued to wind more thread until he had so many strands that the boy could break them only with a great effort and finally he could not break them at all. his hands were tied. just so it is with a habit. the first, second, or tenth time may be easy to break, but we shall finally get so many tiny threads that our hands are tied. we have acquired a habit. don't be a fool. don't smoke cigarettes. walking is one of the most healthful forms of exercise. it may seem unnecessary to devote much space to a subject that every one thinks they know all about, but the fact is that, with trolley cars, automobiles, and horses, a great many persons have almost lost the ability to walk any distance. an excellent rule to follow if you are going anywhere is this: if you have the time, and the distance is not too great, walk. in recent years it has been the practice of a number of prominent business and professional men who get but little outdoor exercise to walk to and from their offices every day, rain or shine. in this way elderly men will average from seven to ten miles a day and thus keep in good condition with no other exercise. it is very easy to cultivate the street car habit, and some boys feel that they must ride to and from school even if it is only a few blocks or squares. we have all read of the old men who are walking across the country from new york to california and back again and maintaining an average of forty miles a day. there is not a horse in the world that would have the endurance to go half the distance in the same time and keep it up day after day. for the first week or ten days the horse would be far ahead but, like the fable of the hare and the tortoise, after a while the tortoise would pass the hare and get in first. in walking for pleasure, avoid a rambling, purposeless style. decide where you are going and go. walk out in the country if possible and on roads where the automobiles will not endanger your life or blow clouds of dust in your face. never mind the weather. one rarely takes cold while in motion. to walk comfortably we should wear loose clothing and old shoes. walking just for the sake of exercise can easily become a tiresome occupation, but the active mind can always see something of interest, such as wild flowers, gardens, and all the various sides of nature study in the country, and people, houses and life in the city. a tramping vacation of several days furnishes a fine opportunity to see new scenes and to live economically, but near a city you may have difficulty in persuading the farm-wife where you stop that you are not a tramp who will burn the house in the night. if you intend to live by the wayside, the surest way to inspire confidence is to show in advance that you have money to pay for your accommodations. also try to avoid looking like a tramp, which is quite different from looking like a tramper. there seems to be a great difference of opinion on the question of how fast one can walk. the popular idea is "four miles an hour" but any one who has tried to cover a mile every fifteen minutes will testify that such a rate of speed is more like a race than a walk and that it will require great physical exertion to maintain it for any considerable distance. an eighteen or twenty-mile walk is about all the average boy should attempt in a day, and this is allowing the full day for the task from early morning until sunset. short and frequent rests are much better than long stops, which have a tendency to stiffen the muscles. the walker on a long tramp must pay especial attention to the care of his feet. they should be bathed frequently in cold water to which a little alum has been added. a rough place or crease in the stocking will sometimes cause a very painful blister. mountain climbing is a very interesting branch of walking. it is sometimes very dangerous as well and in such cases should only be attempted under the guidance of some one familiar with the neighbourhood. for rough climbing our shoes should be provided with iron hob nails. steel nails often become very slippery and will cause a bad fall on rocks. cross-country running and hare and hound chases are much more common in england than in america. our runners as a rule excel in the sprints and short dashes, although in the recent olympic sports we have shown that our trained athletes are the equal of the world in nearly all branches of sport. in many of the english schools it is a regular part of the school work for the teacher to organize hare and hound chases. the hares are given a start of several minutes and leave a trail by means of bits of paper or confetti, which they carry in a bag. in this kind of running the object to be sought is not so much speed as endurance. an easy dog trot with deep regular breathing will soon give us our second wind, when we can keep on for a long distance. after any kind of physical exertion, especially when we are in a perspiration, care must be exercised not to become chilled suddenly. a rub down with a rough towel will help to prevent soreness and stiff muscles. the lameness that follows any kind of unusual exercise is an indication that certain muscles have been brought into use that are out of condition. a trained athlete does not experience this soreness unless he has unduly exerted himself, and the easiest way to get over it is to do more of the same kind of work until we are in condition. ii the boy scouts of america headquarters--purpose--scout law--how to form a patrol of scouts--organization of a troop--practical activities for scouts--a scout camp--model programme of a sir r.s.s. baden-powell scout camp the boy scout movement that has recently been introduced both in england and america with such wonderful success is so closely related to nearly all branches of outdoor recreation and to the things that boys are interested in that this book would be incomplete without mention of the object and purposes of this organization. it is a splendid movement for the making of better citizens, and it cannot be too highly recommended. the boy scouts of america is a permanent organization, and it has its headquarters at 200 fifth avenue, new york city. from the central office, patrols and troops are being formed all over the united states. any information with reference to the movement may be obtained by applying to this office. through the courtesy of the managing secretary, mr. john l. alexander, certain facts are presented concerning the organization, which are obtained from their published literature, for which due credit is hereby given. the boy scouts is an organization the purpose of which is character-building for boys between the ages of twelve and eighteen. it is an effort to get boys to appreciate the things about them and to train them in self-reliance, manhood, and good citizenship. it is "peace-scouting" these boys engage in, living as much as possible out of doors; camping, hiking and learning the secrets of the woods and fields. the movement is not essentially military, but the military virtues of discipline, obedience, neatness and order are scout virtues. endurance, self-reliance, self-control and an effort to help some one else are scout objectives. every activity that lends itself to these aims is good scoutcraft. the boy scouts were started in england by gen. sir robert baden-powell. he was impressed with the fact that 46 per cent. of the boys of england were growing up without any knowledge of useful occupations, and wanted to do something that would help the boy to become a useful citizen. he emphatically stated that his intention was not the making of soldiers. in his work. general baden-powell has touched the boy's life in all its interests and broadened a boy's outlook by the widest sort of activities. in two and a half years over half a million boy scouts have been enrolled, and twenty thousand of these have been in parade at one time in london. the scout idea has sprung up spontaneously all over america. in canadian cities the boy scouts number thousands. in the united states, towns and cities are being swept by the idea. gangs of boys are to be seen on every hand, doing their best at scoutcraft, "doing a good turn every day to some one," and getting fun out of it. prominent business men and educators are behind the movement. the aim of the boy scouts is to supplement the various existing educational agencies, and to promote the ability in boys to do things for themselves and others. the method is summed up in the term "scoutcraft" and is a combination of observation, deduction and handiness--or the ability to do. scoutcraft consists of "first aid," life saving, tracking, signalling, cycling, nature study, seamanship and other instruction. this is accomplished in games and team play and in pleasure, not work, for the boy. the only equipment it needs is the out-of-doors, a group of boys and a leader. before he becomes a scout, a boy must take the scouts' oath thus: "on my honour, i promise that i will do my best, 1. to do my duty to god and my country. 2. to help other people at all times. 3. to obey the scout law." when taking this oath the scout will stand holding his right hand raised level with his shoulder, palm to the front, thumb resting on the nail of the little finger, and the other three fingers upright pointing upward. this the scouts' salute and secret sign. when the hand is raised shoulder high it is called "the half salute." when raised to the forehead it is called "the full salute." the three fingers held up (like the three points on the scouts' badge) remind him of his three promises in the scouts' oath. there are three classes of scouts. a boy on joining the boy scouts must pass a test in the following points before taking the oath: know the scouts' laws and signs and the salute. know the composition of the national flag and the right way to fly it. tie four of the following knots: reef, sheet bend, clove hitch, bowline, middleman's, fisherman's, sheep-shank. he then takes the scouts' oath and is enrolled as a tenderfoot and is entitled to wear the buttonhole badge. a second-class scout before being awarded a second-class scout's badge, a boy must pass the following tests: 1. have at least one month's service as a tenderfoot. 2. elementary first aid bandaging. 3. signalling. elementary knowledge of semaphore or morse alphabet. 4. track half a mile in twenty-five minutes, or if in a town describe satisfactorily the contents of one store window out of four, observed for one minute each. 5. go a mile in twelve minutes at "scouts' pace." 6. lay and light a fire using not more than two matches. 7. cook a quarter of a pound of meat and two potatoes without cooking utensils other than the regulation billy. 8. have at least twenty-five cents in the savings bank. 9. know the sixteen principal points of the compass. first-class scout before being awarded a first-class scout's badge, a scout must pass the following test in addition to the tests laid down for a second-class scout: 1. swim fifty yards. (this may be omitted where the doctor certifies that bathing is dangerous to the boy's health). 2. must have at least fifty cents in the savings bank. 3. signalling. send and receive a message either in semaphore or morse, sixteen letters per minute. 4. go on foot or row a boat alone to a point seven miles away and return again, or if conveyed by any vehicle or animal go a distance of fifteen miles and back and write a short report on it. it is preferable that he should take two days over it. 5. describe or show the proper means for saving life in case of two of the following accidents: fire, drowning, runaway carriage, sewer gas, ice breaking, or bandage an injured patient or revive an apparently drowned person. 6. cook satisfactorily two of the following dishes as may be directed: porridge, bacon, hunter's stew; or skin and cook a rabbit or pluck and cook a bird. also "make a damper" of half a pound of flour or a "twist" baked on a thick stick. 7. read a map correctly and draw an intelligent rough sketch map. point out a compass direction without the help of a compass. 8. use an axe for felling or trimming light timber: or as an alternative produce an article of carpentry or joinery or metal work, made by himself satisfactorily. 9. judge distance, size, numbers and height within 25 per cent. error. 10. bring a tenderfoot trained by himself in the points required of a tenderfoot. the scouts' law 1. a scout's honour is to be trusted. if a scout were to break his honour by telling a lie, or by not carrying out an order exactly, when trusted on his honour to do so, he may be directed to hand over his scouts' badge and never to wear it again. he may also be directed to cease to be a scout. 2. a scout is loyal to his country, his officers, his parents and his employers. he must stick to them through thick and thin against any one who is their enemy or who even talks badly about them. 3. a scout's duty is to be useful and to help others. he must be prepared at any time to save life or to help injured persons, and he must try his best to do a good turn to somebody every day. 4. a scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other scout, no matter to what social class the other belongs. 5. a scout is courteous, especially to women, children, old people, invalids, and cripples. and he must never take a reward for being courteous. 6. a scout is a friend to animals. killing an animal for food is allowable. 7. a scout obeys orders of his parents, patrol leader, or scout master without question. 8. a scout smiles and whistles under all circumstances. 9. a scout is thrifty and saves every penny he can and puts it into the bank. the scout master is the adult leader of a troop. a troop consists of three or more patrols. the scout master may begin with one patrol. he must have a deep interest in boys, be genuine in his own life, have the ability to lead and command the boys' respect and obedience, and possess some knowledge of a boy's ways. he need not be an expert on scoutcraft. the good scout master will discover experts for the various activities. to organize a patrol, get together seven or more boys, explain to them the aims of the boy scouts, have them elect a leader and corporal from their own number and take the scout oath as tenderfeet. to organize a local committee, call together the leading men of a town or city, teachers, business men, professional men, and all who are interested in the proper training of boys, for a committee to superintend the development of the scout movement. there are a number of divisions to scouting depending upon the place where the boys live and upon their opportunities. for instance, to obtain: _an ambulance badge_: a scout must know: the fireman's lift. how to drag an insensible man with ropes. how to improvise a stretcher. how to fling a life-line. the position of main arteries. how to stop bleeding from vein or artery, internal or external. how to improvise splints and to diagnose and bind fractured limb. the schafer method of artificial respiration. how to deal with choking, burning, poison, grit in eye, sprains and bruises, as the examiners may require. generally the laws of health and sanitation as given in "scouting for boys," including dangers of smoking, in continence, want of ventilation, and lack of cleanliness. _aviator_: a scout must have a knowledge of the theory of ã¦roplanes, ball balloons and dirigibles, and must have made a working model of an ã¦roplane or dirigible that will fly at least twenty-five yards. he must also have a knowledge of the engines used for ã¦roplanes and dirigibles. _bee-farmer_: a scout must have a practical knowledge of swarming, hiving, hives, and general apiculture, including a knowledge of the use of artificial combs, etc. _blacksmith_: a scout must be able to upset and weld a one-inch iron rod, make a horseshoe, know how to tire a wheel, use a sledge hammer and forge, shoe a horse correctly, and rough-shod a horse. _bugler_: a scout must be able to sound properly on the bugle the scouts' rally and the following army calls: alarm, charge, orderlies (ord. corpls.), orders, warning for parade, quarter bugle, fall in, dismiss, rations, first and second dinner calls (men's), reveille, last post, lights out. _carpenter_: a scout must be able to shoot and glue a four-foot straight joint, make a housing, tenon and mortise, and halved joint, grind and set a chisel and plane iron, make a 3 ft. by 1 ft. 6 in., by 1 ft. by 6 ft. dovetailed locked box, or a table or chair. _clerk_: a scout must have the following qualifications: good handwriting and hand printing. ability to use typewriting machine. ability to write a letter from memory on the subject given verbally five minutes previously. knowledge of simple bookkeeping. or, as alternative to typewriting, write in shorthand from dictation at twenty words a minute as minimum. _cook_: a scout must be able to light a fire and make a cook-place with a few bricks or logs; cook the following dishes: irish stew, vegetables, omelet, rice pudding, or any dishes which the examiner may consider equivalent; make tea, coffee, or cocoa; mix dough and bake bread in oven; or a "damper" or "twist" (round steak) at a camp fire; carve properly, and hand plates and dishes correctly to people at table. _cyclist_: a scout must sign a certificate that he owns a bicycle in good working order, which he is willing to use in the scouts' service if called upon at any time in case of emergency. he must be able to ride his bicycle satisfactorily, and repair punctures, etc. he must be able to read a map, and repeat correctly a verbal message. on ceasing to own a bicycle the scout must be required to hand back his badge. _dairyman_: a scout must understand: management of dairy cattle; be able to milk, make butter and cheese; understand sterilization of milk, safe use of preservatives, care of dairy utensils and appliances. _electrician_: a scout must have a knowledge of method of rescue and resuscitation of persons insensible from shock. be able to make a simple electro-magnet, have elementary knowledge of action of simple battery cells, and the working of electric bells and telephone. understand and be able to remedy fused wire, and to repair broken electric connections. _engineer_: a scout must have a general idea of the working of motor cars and steam locomotives, marines, internal combustion and electric engines. he must also know the names of the principal parts and their functions; how to start, drive, feed, stop, and lubricate any one of them chosen by the candidate. _farmer_: a scout must have a practical knowledge of ploughing, cultivating, drilling, hedging and draining. he must also have a working knowledge of farm machinery, hay-making, reaping, heading and stacking, and a general acquaintance with the routine seasonal work on a farm, including the care of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. _fireman_: a scout must know how to give the alarm to inhabitants, police, etc. how to enter burning buildings. how to prevent spread of fire. use of hose, unrolling, joining up, hydrants, use of nozzle, etc. the use of escape, ladders, and shutes; improvising ropes, jumping sheets, etc. the fireman's lift, how to drag patient, how to work in fumes, etc. the use of fire extinguishers. how to rescue animals. how to salve property, climb and pass buckets. "scrum" to keep back crowd. _first aid to animals_: a scout must have a general knowledge of the anatomy of domestic and farm animals, and be able to describe treatment and symptoms of the following: wounds, fractures and sprains, exhaustion, choking, lameness. he must understand shoeing and shoes, and must be able to give a drench for colic. _gardener_: a scout must dig a piece of ground not less than twelve feet square, know the names of a dozen plants pointed out in an ordinary garden, understand what is meant by pruning, grafting and manuring, plant and grow successfully six kinds of vegetables or flowers from seeds or cuttings, cut and make a walking stick, or cut grass with scythe under supervision. _handyman_: a scout must be able to paint a door or bath, whitewash a ceiling, repair gas fittings, tap washers, sash lines, window and door fastenings, replace gas mantles and electric light bulbs, hang pictures and curtains, repair blinds, fix curtain and portiere rods, blind fixtures, lay carpets, mend clothing and upholstery, do small furniture and china repairs, and sharpen knives. _horseman_: a scout must know how to ride at all paces, and to jump an ordinary fence on horseback. how to saddle and bridle a horse correctly. how to harness a horse correctly in single or double harness, and to drive. how to water and feed, and to what amount. how to groom his horse properly. the evil of bearing and hame reins and ill-fitting saddlery. principal causes and remedies of lameness. _interpreter_: a scout must be able to carry on a simple conversation, write a simple letter on subject given by examiner, read and translate a passage from a book or newspaper, in either esperanto or any language that is not that of his own country. _leather worker_: a scout must have a knowledge of tanning and curing, and either (a) be able to sole and heel a pair of boots, sewn or nailed, and generally repair boots and shoes: or (b) be able to dress a saddle, repair traces, stirrup leathers, etc., and know the various parts of harness. _marksman_: a scout must pass the following tests for miniature rifle shooting from any position: n.r.a. standard target to be used. twenty rounds to be fired at 15 or 25 yards. highest possible, 100 points. a scout gaining 60 points or over to be classified as marksman. scoring: bull's-eye, 5 points; inner, 4 points; magpie, 3 points; outer 2 points. also: judge distance on unknown ground: five distances under 300 yards, 5 between 300 and 600 yards, with not more than an error of 25 per cent. on the average. _master-at-arms_: a scout must attain proficiency in two out of the following subjects: single-stick, quarter-staff, fencing, boxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling. _missioner_: the qualifications are: a general elementary knowledge of sick-nursing; invalid cookery, sick-room attendance, bed-making, and ventilation. ability to help aged and infirm. _musician_: a scout must be able to play a musical instrument correctly other than triangle, and to read simple music. or to play properly any kind of musical toy, such as a penny whistle, mouth-organ, etc., and sing a song. _pathfinder_: it is necessary to know every lane, by-path, and short cut for a distance of at least two miles in every direction around the local scouts' headquarters in the country, or for one mile if in a town, and to have a general knowledge of the district within a five-mile radius of his local headquarters, so as to be able to guide people at any time, by day or night. to know the general direction of the principal neighbouring towns for a distance of twenty-five miles, and to be able to give strangers clear directions how to get to them. to know, in the country, in the two-mile radius, generally, how many hayricks, strawricks, wagons, horses, cattle, sheep and pigs there are on the different neighbouring farms; or, in a town, to know in a half-mile radius what livery stabling, corn chandlers, forage merchants, bakers, butchers, there are. in town or country to know where are the police stations, hospitals, doctors, telegraph, telephone offices, fire engines, turncocks, blacksmiths and job-masters or factories, where over a dozen horses are kept. to know something of the history of the place, or of any old buildings, such as the church, or other edifice. as much as possible of the above information is to be entered on a large scale map. _photographer_: a scout must have a knowledge of the theory and use of lenses, and the construction of cameras, action of developers. he must take, develop and print twelve separate subjects, three interiors, three portraits, three landscapes and three instantaneous photographs. _pioneer_: a scout must have extra efficiency in pioneering in the following tests, or suitable equivalents: fell a nine-inch tree or scaffolding pole neatly and quickly. tie eight kinds of knots quickly in the dark or blindfolded. lash spars properly together for scaffolding. build model bridge or derrick. make a camp kitchen. build a hut of one kind or another suitable for three occupants. _piper_: a scout must be able to play a march and a reel on the pipes, to dance the sword-dance, and must wear kilt and highland dress. _plumber_: a scout must be able to make wiped and brazed joints, to cut and fix a window pane, repair a burst pipe, mend a ball or faucet tap, and understand the ordinary hot and cold water system of a house. _poultry farmer_: a scout must have a good knowledge of incubators, brooders, sanitary fowl-houses and coops and runs; also of rearing, feeding, killing, and dressing birds for market; also he must be able to pack birds and eggs for market. _printer_: a scout must know the names of different types and paper sizes. be able to compose by hand or machine, understand the use of hand or power printing machines. he must also print a handbill set up by himself. _seaman_: a scout must be able to tie eight knots rapidly in the dark or blindfolded. splice ropes, fling a rope coil. row and punt a boat single-handed, and punt with pole, or scull it over the stern. steer a boat rowed by others. bring the boat properly alongside and make it fast. box the compass. read a chart. state direction by the stars and sun. swim fifty yards with trousers, socks, and shirt on. climb a rope or pole of fifteen feet, or, as alternative, dance the hornpipe correctly. sew and darn a shirt and trousers. understand the general working of steam and hydraulic winches, and have a knowledge of weather wisdom and knowledge of tides. _signaller_: a scout must pass tests in both sending and receiving in semaphore and morse signalling by flag, not fewer than twenty-four letters per minute. he must be able to give and read signals by sound. to make correct smoke and flame signals with fires. to show the proper method of signalling with the staff. _stalker_: a scout must take a series of twenty photographs of wild animals or birds from life, and develop and print them. or, alternately, he must make a collection of sixty species of wild flowers, ferns, or grasses, dried and mounted in a book and correctly named. or, alternately, he must make coloured drawings of twenty flowers, ferns or grasses, or twelve sketches from life of animals and birds. original sketches, as well as the finished pictures, to be submitted. or, alternately he must be able to name sixty different kinds of animals, insects, reptiles, or birds in a museum or zoological garden, or from unnamed coloured plates, and give particulars of the lives, habits, appearance and markings of twenty of them. _starman_: a scout must have a general knowledge of the nature and movements of the stars. he must be able to point out and name six principal constellations. find the north by means of other stars than the pole star in case of that star being obscured by clouds, etc., and tell the hour of the night by the stars or moon. he must have a general knowledge of the positions and movements of the earth, sun and moon, and of tides, eclipses, meteors, comets, sun spots, planets. _surveyor_: a scout must map correctly, from the country itself, the main features of a half a mile of road, with 440 yards each side, to a scale of two feet to the mile, and afterward re-draw same map from memory. measure the heights of a tree, telegraph pole and church steeple, describing method adopted. measure width of a river, and distance apart of two objects a known distance away and unapproachable. be able to measure a gradient, contours, conventional signs of ordnance survey and scales. _swimming and life saving_: a scout must be able to dive and swim fifty yards with clothes on (shirt, trousers, socks as minimum). able to fling and use life-line or life-buoy. able to demonstrate two ways of rescue of drowning person, and revival of apparently drowned. the patrol the simplest way to form a patrol of scouts is to call together a small group of boys over twelve years of age. a simple recital of the things that scouts do, with perhaps an opportunity to look over the manual, will be enough to launch the organization. the selection of a patrol leader will then follow, and the scouting can begin. it is well not to attempt too much at the start. get the boys to start work to pass the requirements for the tenderfoot. _the patrol leader_: each patrol should have a patrol leader--preferably a boy. the choice of this leader has much to do with the success of the patrol. he should be a recognized leader among the boys in the group. do not hesitate to entrust him with details. let him feel that he is your right-hand man. ask his opinion on matters pertaining to the patrol. make him feel that the success of the organization depends largely upon him, being careful, of course, not to overdo it. you will find that this attitude will enlist the hearty cooperation of the boy and you will find him an untiring worker, with the ability to bind the boys closer together than you could ever hope to do alone. points of interest 1. scouting does not consist in wearing a khaki suit or a lot of decorations. it is in doing the things that are required for the tenderfoot, second-class and first-class scout badges and the badges of merit. 2. scouts do not wish any one to buy things for them. they buy their own equipment and pay their own way. 3. scouts do their best to keep the scout oath and law. 4. the glory of scouting is "_to do a good turn to some one every day without reward_." 5. scouts regard the rights of others, and do not trespass on the property or feelings of others. 6. scouting means obedience and discipline. the boy who can't obey will never command. 7. scouts are always busy and getting fun out of it--at work, at school, at home, at play. _be a good scout._ how to organize a troop _first_: write to headquarters, which is at 200 fifth avenue, new york city, for a scout master's certificate. _second_: either combine three or more patrols or having one patrol, appoint several patrol leaders and enlist boys for the new patrols. _third_: the minimum number of patrols in a troop is three, and the maximum the number a scout master can _rightly_ handle. care should be taken not to organize for the sake of a big showing. _hints on starting_: in actually starting a troop, it has been found better to start in a small way. begin by one or two leader-men making a careful study of "scouting for boys" and as soon as the main ideas have been grasped, get together a small number of boys, and go through with them the initial stages step by step, until the boys bubble over with scouting ideals, and until the notion of a fancy uniform and games in the country have given place to a definite desire to qualify for manhood and citizenship. these boys will make the nucleus round which to form a troop, and should pass on their training and enthusiasm to the boys who are enlisting under them. it has been found better to obtain _distinctly older fellows for patrol leaders_: the scout masters should invariably be men who feel the great responsibility of having boys under their charge, and the possibility of leading the boys from the moment when they enlist in the scouts to the time they pass out again to be fully fledged men. _finances_: the finances necessary to run a troop of scouts should be met by the scouts themselves. it is a main principle of scouting to teach the boys to be self-reliant, and anything which will militate against the constant sending round of the hat will be a national good. _the scout master_: the scout master is the adult leader of a troop. the scout master may begin with one patrol. he must have a deep interest in boys, be genuine in his own life, have the ability to lead and command the boys' respect and obedience and possess some knowledge of a boy's ways. he need not be an expert on scoutcraft. the good scout master will discover experts for the various activities. applications for scout masters' certificates may be made at the headquarters, 200 fifth avenue, new york city. from the outset, the scout master must have the interest of each boy at heart. he must not play favourites with any of the boys in his patrol or troop. while there are sure to be boys in the group who will develop more rapidly than others, and whose keenness will be sure to call forth the admiration of the scout master, he should not permit himself to be "carried away" by the achievements of these "star boys" to such an extent that he will neglect the less aggressive boy. the latter boy is the one who needs your attention most, and your interest in him must be genuine. every effort he makes, no matter how poor it may be, should be commended just as heartily as the better accomplishments of the more handy boy. practical activities for scouts 1. _scoutcraft_: boy scouts' organization, scout laws, discipline, scouts' secret signs, badges, etc. 2. _campaigning_: camp life and resourcefulness. hut and mat making. knots. fire lighting. cooking. boat management. judging distances, heights and numbers. swimming. cycling. finding the way. sign posts 1. do not have in the same patrol boys of great disparity in ages. for instance, the boy of twelve should not be in the same group with the sixteen-year-old boy, if it can possibly be avoided. you must remember that in most cases the things that appeal to the younger boy will have no attraction for the older boy. 2. do not enroll boys under twelve. if you do you are certain to lose your older boy. the movement is distinctly for boys of the adolescent period and is designed to help them to rightly catch the spirit of helpfulness. 3. do not try to do everything yourself. try to remember that the boys are always willing and anxious to take hold. let the boys understand that the whole proposition is theirs. it is what they make it. your contract with them should be largely of a big brother nature. 4. do not burden nor weary the boys with excessive military drills and tactics. the movement is not a military one. the military virtues of obedience, neatness, order, endurance and erect, alert bearing, however, are scout virtues. use everything that develops boys. this is good scoutcraft. 5. do not confine the activities of the patrols to things of one character. touch every activity as far as possible. do not omit anything. get the proper agencies to cooperate with you for these ends--a military man for signalling; a naturalist for woodcraft; a physician for first aid, etc. 6. do not permit the boys to fail in the proper keeping of the scout oath and law. 7. never fail to keep an engagement with your patrol or troop. if something should delay your coming or should you find yourself unable to keep an appointment with them, be sure to notify the patrol leaders beforehand. it might be well to require the same of the boys. 8. a real danger point is the failure of a scout master to visit the boys in their homes. knowing the boys' parents means much, and their cooperation will be much heartier when they know the man to whose care they entrust their boy, after he has discussed with them the real purpose of the scout movement. 9. do not hesitate to give a boy a hard task, but not an impossible one. a boy likes to do hard things. 10. do not attempt right at the start to give the boy every bit of detail regarding the activities of the troop. work out the plans with the boys from time to time, always reserving some things of interest for the next meeting. your attempt to give them everything at one time will cause the whole proposition to assume the nature of a task instead of pleasurable education, as was originally intended. 11. hold frequent tests for advancement to the classes of scouthood. get your fellows to really win their badges. 12. as a scout master use good judgment. if there are other scout masters in your town, or a scout council or local committee, cooperate with these. to be a scout master, you must have the spirit of '76, but be sure to work with others. the boys will benefit by the lesson. the scouts' camp to go camping should mean more than merely living under canvas away from the piles of brick and stone that make up our cities. to be in the open air, to breathe pure oxygen, to sleep upon "a bed of boughs beside the trail," to look at the camp fire and the stars, and to hear the whisper of the trees--all of this is good. but the camp offers a better opportunity than this. it offers the finest method for a boy's education. between twelve and eighteen years the interests of a boy are general ones, and reach from the catching of tadpoles and minnows to finding god in the stars. his interests are the general mass interests that are so abundant in nature, the activities that give the country boy such an advantage for the real enjoyment of life over the city lad. two weeks or two months in camp, they are too valuable to be wasted in loafing, cigarette smoking, card playing or shooting craps. to make a camp a profitable thing there must needs be instruction; not formal but _informal_ instruction. scouting, nature study, scout law, camp cooking, signalling, pioneering, path finding, sign reading, stalking for camera purposes, knowledge of animals and plants, first aid, life saving, manual work (making things), hygiene, sex instruction, star gazing, discipline, knowing the rocks and trees, and the ability to do for one's self, in order that a boy may grow strong, self-reliant, and helpful. this is a partial list of the subject in the camp curricula. a model scout camp programme is given here. it takes eight days to carry it out, but there is material enough to run ten times the number of days specified. a sir r.s.s. baden-powell scout camp model programme _first day_: preliminary work: settling into camp, formation of patrols, distribution of duties, orders, etc. _second day_: campaigning: camp resourcefulness, hut and mat making, knots, fire lighting, cooking, health and sanitation, endurance, finding way in strange country, and boat management. _third day_: observation: noticing and memorizing details far and near, landmarks, tracking, deducing meaning from tracks and signs, and training the eyesight. _fourth day_: woodcraft: study of animals, birds, plants and stars; stalking animals, noticing people, reading their character and condition, and thereby gaining their sympathy. _fifth day_: chivalry: honour, code of knights, unselfishness, courage, charity and thrift; loyalty to god, country, parents and employers, or officers; practical chivalry to women; the obligation to do a "good turn" daily, and how to do it. _sixth day_: saving life: from fire, drowning, sewer gas, runaway horses, panic, street accidents, improvised apparatus, and first aid. _seventh day_: patriotism: national geography, the history and deeds that won our world power, the navy and army, flags, medals, duties of a citizen, marksmanship, helping the police. _eighth day_: a summary of the whole course: sports comprising games and competitive practices in all subjects of the course. camp routines 6.30 a.m. turn out, bathe, etc. 7.00 " breakfast 8.00 " air bedding in sun if possible 9.00 " scouting games and practice 11.00 " swimming 12.00 m. dinner 1.00 p.m. talk by leader 2.00 " water games, etc. 6.00 " supper 7.30 " evening council around camp fire order of business: opening council roll-call record of last council report of scouts left-over business complaints honours new scouts new business challenges social doings, songs, dances, stories closing council (devotional services when desired) 10.00 p.m. lights out. the father of scouting for boys in america, and in fact the inspiration for the movement in england under lieut-gen. sir robert s.s. baden-powell, k.c.b., is mr. ernest thompson seton, the distinguished naturalist and nature student. the official handbook of the organization may be obtained from doubleday, page and company, garden city, n.y., the publishers of this book, or from the national headquarters of the boy scouts of america. iii camps and camping how to select the best place and to pitch the tent--a brush bed--the best kind of a tent--how to make the camp fire--what to do when it rains--fresh air and good food--the brush leanto and how to make it going camping is the best fun in the world if we know how to do it. every healthy boy and girl if given an opportunity should enjoy living outdoors for a week or two and playing at being an indian. there is more to camping however than "roughing it" or seeing how much hardship we can bear. a good camper always makes himself just as comfortable as he can under the circumstances. the saying that "an army travels on its stomach" means that a soldier can not make long marches or fight hard unless he has good food. the surest sign of a "tenderfoot" is the boy who makes fun of you because you try to have a soft dry bed while he prefers to sleep on the ground under the mistaken idea that it is manly or brave. he will usually spoil a trip in the woods for every one in the party. another poor kind of a camper pitches his tent so that his bed gets wet and his food spoiled on the first rainy day, and then sits around cold and hungry trying hard to think that he is having fun, to keep from getting homesick. this kind of a boy "locks the door after the horse is stolen." if we go camping we must know how to prevent the unpleasant things from happening. we must always be ready for wind and rain, heat and cold. a camping party should make their plans a long time ahead in order to get their equipment ready. careful lists should be made of what we think we shall need. after we are out in the woods, there will be no chance to run around the corner to the grocer's to supply what we have forgotten. if it is forgotten, we must simply make the best of it and not allow it to spoil our trip. it is surprising how many things that we think are almost necessary to life we can get along without if we are obliged to. the true woodsman knows how to turn to his use a thousand of nature's gifts and to make himself comfortable, while you and i might stand terrified and miserable under the same conditions. daniel boone, the great wilderness traveller, could go out alone in the untracked forest with nothing but his rifle, his axe and a small pack on his back and by a knowledge of the stars, the rivers, the trees and the wild animals, he could go for weeks travelling hundreds of miles, building his bed and his leanto out of the evergreen boughs, lighting his fire with his flint and steel, shooting game for his food and dressing and curing their skins for his clothing and in a thousand ways supplying his needs from nature's storehouse. the school of the woods never sends out graduates. we may learn something new every day. [illustration: with a head shelter and a sleeping bag he can keep dry and warm] the average city boy or girl does not have an opportunity to become a skilled master of woodcraft, but because we cannot learn it all is no reason why we should not learn something. the best way to learn it is in the woods themselves and not out of books. a party of four boys makes a good number for a camping trip. they will probably agree better than two or three. they can do much of the camp work in pairs. no one need to be left alone to look after the camp while the others go fishing or hunting or to some nearby town for the mail or for supplies. there is no reason why four boys of fifteen who are resourceful and careful cannot spend a week or two in the woods in perfect safety and come back home sounder in mind and body than when they left. it is always better to take along some one who has "camped out" before. if he cannot be found, then make your plans, decide what you will do and how you will do it, take a few cooking lessons from mother or the cook--if the latter is good-natured--and go anyway. first elect a leader, not because he is any more important than the rest but because if some one goes ahead and gives directions, the life in camp will run much more smoothly and every one will have a better time. if it is your first experience in camping, you had better go somewhere near home. the best place is one that can be reached by wagon. if we have to carry our supplies on our backs or in a canoe, the amount we can take will be much less. after you have had some experience near home you can safely try the other way. where you go is of comparatively little importance. near every large city there is some lake or river where you can find a good camping site. campers always have more fun if they are near some water, but if such a place is not easily found near where you live, go into the woods. try to get away from towns or villages. the wilder the place is, the better. you had better make sure of your camping ground before you go by writing a letter to the owner of the land. it isn't much fun after we have pitched the tent and made everything shipshape to have some angry landowner come along and order us off because we are trespassers. in selecting a place to camp, there are several very important things to look out for. 1. be sure you are near a supply of drinking water. a spring or a brook is best, but even the lake or river will do if the water is pure and clean. the water at the bottom of a lake is always much colder and cleaner than the surface water. when i was a boy, i used a simple device for getting cold water which some of you may like to copy. i took an old-fashioned jug and fastened a strong string to the handle and also fastened this string to the cork of the jug as the drawing shows. the jug was weighted so that it would sink, by means of a piece of stone tied to the handle. we used to go out to the middle of the lake where the water was the deepest and lower the jug over the side of a boat. when it reached bottom we would give the string a sharp tug and thus pull out the cork. the bubbles coming to the surface showed us when the jug was full. we then hauled it on board and had clear, cold, drinking water from a lake that on the surface was warm enough for swimming. [illustration: the jug by which we obtained pure, cold water] 2. the next important thing in selecting a camp is being near a supply of firewood. a week in camp will consume an amazing amount of wood, especially if we have a camp fire at night to sit around and sing and tell stories before turning in. in most sections there is plenty of dead wood that we can use for camp fires. this does not mean a lot of twigs and brush. there is no use trying to go camping unless some one knows how to use an axe. in another chapter i will tell you something about the proper use of axes and hatchets. for the present it is sufficient to say that an excellent place to practise handling an axe is on the family woodpile. you will thus combine business and pleasure, and your efforts will be appreciated by your family, which would not be the case if, like george washington, you began your lessons in woodcraft on the favourite cherry tree. almost any kind of wood will burn when it is dry, but it takes experience to know the kinds of trees that will burn when they are green. if there is no dry wood in the neighbourhood, and we are obliged to cut a tree down to get our supply, it is very important to pitch our camp somewhere near the right kind of a tree and not be obliged to carry our firewood a long distance. the best "green wood" for the campers' fire is hickory, although birch is excellent. hickory is also the best dry wood. other trees that will burn well when green are cedar, white ash, locust or white oak. there are comparatively few places, however, where dry wood is not available and of course it is always best to avoid such a place. 3. the camp site should be in a fairly open spot. thick woods and underbrush are either hot or "damp" cool. if you can find a site that is shaded during the heat of the day so much the better. it is unwise to pitch the tent under a tree that stands alone on account of possible danger from lightning. if your tent is shaded by a tree be sure there are no dead limbs to blow off and wreck it during a storm. be sure that the drainage is good, so that in case of heavy rains, the water will run off and not flood the camp. it is very important if your camp is along some river or stream to be high enough to avoid the danger of sudden floods. this can usually be determined by talking to some one who knows the country. you can also tell it by studying the previous high water marks in the trees. in case of floods there are always some wisps of straw, pieces of brush, etc., caught and held by the limbs of trees after the water settles back to its former level. it is a good chance to practise your woodcraft by trying to find them. damp locations are very bad. the higher we can get, the drier it will be. we avoid both fogs and mosquitoes. usually there is some prominent place that will give us a good outlook and where the breezes can reach us. there are both good and bad points in pitching our tent on the site of a former camp. as long as the former campers have not scoured the surrounding neighbourhood for firewood nor have left a place littered up with all sorts of rubbish and garbage to draw flies and vermin, they may have fixed up things around the camp site to save us work and to add to our comfort and pleasure. each case will have to be decided on its own merits. [illustration: a wall tent] the three important things then are the water supply, the firewood supply, and good drainage. next in importance to the camp site is the outfit, and the most important thing is the tent. for a party of four boys on their first camping trip, the best kind will be a wall tent. a tent, 11 x 14 feet will be large enough to provide sleeping quarters and to have every one comfortable. a simple shelter of canvas outside can be provided as a dining-room but this is more of a luxury than a real necessity. canvas or duck is the common material from which tents are made. the standard eight-ounce khaki duck used in the united states army will, for this size tent, cost about twenty dollars. this will include a fly, which is merely a second roof to the tent. the best material for tents is balloon silk. it is much more waterproof than canvas and only weighs a quarter as much. it is also much more expensive. a tent can be made at home, which is of course the cheaper way. they can also be hired from previous campers or from some awning maker who is also usually a tent maker. a canvas tent without a fly will leak in a rain storm if the roof is touched on the inside either by our hands or our clothing. it may be made partially waterproof by a coating of paraffine which has been previously dissolved in turpentine. the simplest and at the same time the warmest tent for an experienced camper who knows the tricks of the trade is a leanto tent, one with one side entirely open, in front of which a blazing fire may be kept burning. this is hardly adapted for boys on their first trip, however. another very good and very simple tent is the "a" tent used in the army. this looks like a "v" turned upside down. we can pitch it without the aid of tent poles by simply hanging it be ween two trees to which a rope has been stretched. [illustration: an "a" tent] the hudson bay tent, trapper's tent, forester's tent, canoe tent, and a dozen others, including an indian tepee and wigwam, are all good tents for special purposes. the pictures show the different styles and all of them are designed for special uses, either for warmth or lightness in carrying or ease in pitching. if we go camping in summer and can have our equipment or "duffle," as the woodsmen call it, carried by team, the wall tent will be the best one to take. tent pegs can always be cut in the woods, but it is far more satisfactory to get them ready at home before we leave. if you do cut your own pegs, select hardwood saplings to make them from and to further harden the points, char them slightly in a fire. if you spend a few winter evenings at home making the pegs, it will save you a lot of time and trouble when you reach the camping ground. the best pegs are made of iron or steel. this is especially true when the ground where they are to be driven is hard or rocky, which is usually the case. steel tent pins may be bought for six cents apiece or possibly the local blacksmith will make them for less. they should be a foot long. a sod cloth is a strip of canvas eight or ten inches wide fastened to the bottom of the tent wall. its purpose is to keep the wind and rain from blowing under the tent. after the tent is pitched a ditch should be dug all around it to catch the rain and carry it away. the earth that is dug from this trench may be thrown on the sod cloth to hold it down. it is an excellent idea, if you are a beginner, to practise pitching the tent at home so that you will understand it better when you are in the woods. besides this, you can try sleeping out a night or two to see how you are going to like it. [illustration: a trapper's tent] when you reach your camping place, the first step is to clear the ground of all rubbish, loose stones, sticks and brush to have a clean floor. then unpack the tent and fit the pegs of the two upright poles through the two holes in the ridge pole. next raise the tent and peg the guy ropes on the four corners first. a little practice will show you how to do this. after all the ropes are pegged at a proper distance from the tent, they should be tightened and the tent made secure. always plan to have a full four hours of daylight to make your camp ready. if the drive is a long one and you are obliged to get up very early in the morning, you will have to do it, that is all. i made my first camping trip when i was twelve years old. we had just reached the camping ground, unloaded our kit and sent the team home that brought us when--bang! over the mountain across the lake from where we were going to camp, a terrific thunder shower came up and in a few minutes it was pouring. there was our whole outfit--tent, bedding and food--getting soaked because, instead of hurrying along during the day, we had fooled away our time trying to catch fish in wayside brooks that had never seen a fish and not realizing how important it is to make haste as well as hay while the sun shines. [illustration: an indian tepee] we quickly pitched the tent, not as it should have been pitched, but in a heap over the rest of our goods to keep out as much water as possible and then ran for a nearby barn where we spent a cold hungry night, wetter but wiser. the next day, out came the sun and dried our things, but if the rain had continued we certainly should have been obliged to go home or at least to a farmhouse to stay until the weather cleared. we soon forgot our unpleasant experience but we have not forgotten the lesson it taught--and that is not to waste time along the road when there is work to be done at the journey's end. next to a good tent, the most important thing for the camper is a good bed. it is even more important than good food because if we sleep well, hunger will furnish the sauce for our grub, but if we spend the night trying to dodge some root or rock that is boring into our back and that we hardly felt when we turned in but which grew to an enormous size in our imagination before morning, we will be half sick and soon get enough of being an indian. a canvas cot makes the best camp bed if it can be taken along conveniently. there is one important thing to look out for in sleeping on a cot. in my first experience of the kind, i nearly froze. i kept piling things on me until all my clothing, and even the camp towels and table-cloth were pressed into service and was thinking about pulling some dry grass to pile on the rest of the stuff. still i shivered until i discovered that the cold was coming up from underneath because there was nothing to keep it out but the single thickness of canvas. when i put one of my blankets under me, i was as warm as toast. very often it is impossible to carry cots on a trip, and that is where a knowledge of woodcraft comes in. the softest, sweetest, downiest bed in the world can be made with no other materials but those which grow in the forest--if we know how. at least the tired camper will think it is soft and will sleep on it like a top and wake up refreshed in the morning. perhaps if we had our choice we would prefer our own bed at home, but in the woods we do not have this choice. most people call this a bed of "pine boughs." [illustration: how the bough bed is made] why i do not know as it never should be made of pine under any circumstances. the best wood for the bough bed is balsam. if this does not grow in the neighbourhood, hemlock, spruce, or even cedar will do. to make a bough bed properly means a lot of work. the first step is to cut four straight sticks. the side pieces should be six feet and a half long and the end pieces three feet and a half. they should be notched on the ends with an axe and either nailed or tied together from saplings or from a tree that you have felled. small balsam boughs should be broken off with the fingers and laid one on the other until the whole bed is filled with them. on this, the rubber blanket or poncho should be spread and the blankets over all. all the boughs should be shingled with the stems down to keep them in the best condition. this kind of a bed will require remaking every day. a better bed for the boy camper is made as follows: take a piece of heavy bed ticking and sew it into a bag about three feet by six feet. when you reach camp you can make a regular mattress by filling it with whatever material is most easily found. dry leaves? grass, hay, even moss or wet filler can be used if nothing dry can be found, but in this case the rubber blanket will be an absolute necessity. of course it is much better to use some dry material. be sure to have a comfortable bed. no matter what ideas you may have about cowboys and soldiers rolling up in their blankets and snatching a few hours' sleep under the stars by lying on the bare ground, a boy who is used to a good bed at home will never have much fun out of a camping trip if he tries to sleep on the ground with a rock for his pillow. for a summer camping trip, one blanket is enough. you must learn to roll up in it. lie flat on your back and cover the blanket over you. then raise up your legs and tuck it under first on one side and then the other. the rest is easy. this beats trying to "roll up" in it, actually. the common summer blankets used at home are not much use for the camper. these are usually all cotton. a camper's blanket should be all wool. you can buy a standard u.s. army blanket, size 66 x 84 inches, for five dollars. they can often be purchased in stores that deal in second hand army supplies for much less and are just as good as new except for some slight stain or defect. a sleeping bag is expensive but is excellent for cold weather camping. it is much too hot for the boy camper in summer. do not sleep in your clothing. unless it is too cold, undress, about as you do at home. if the blanket feels tickly, it would not be a great crime, no matter what the tenderfoot says who wanted you to sleep on the ground, to take along a sheet. i have never done this, however. at the end of this chapter, you will find a list of things to take with you. the camp fire and the cooking fire should be separate. almost any one can kindle a fire with dry materials. it takes a woodman to build a fire when it has been raining and everything is wet. the boy's method of taking a few newspapers, and a handful of brush or leaves will not do. first look around for an old dead top of a pine or cedar. if you cannot find one, chop down a cedar tree. whittle a handful of splinters and shavings from the dry heart. try to find the lee side of a rock or log where the wind and rain do not beat in. first put down the shavings or some dry birch bark if you can find it, and shelter it as well as you can from the rain. pile up some larger splinters of wood over the kindling material like an indian's wigwam. then light it and give it a chance to get into a good blaze before you pile on any larger wood and put the whole fire out. it sounds easy but before you try it in the woods i advise you to select the first rainy day and go out near home and experiment. to make a fire that will burn in front of the tent all night, first drive two green stakes into the ground at a slant and about five feet apart. then lay two big logs one on each side of a stake to serve as andirons. build a fire between these logs and pile up a row of logs above the fire and leaning against the stakes. you may have to brace the stakes with two others which should have a forked end. when the lower log burns out the next one will drop down in its place and unless you have soft, poor wood the fire should burn for ten hours. with this kind of a fire and with a leanto, it is possible to keep warm in the woods, on the coldest, night in winter. [illustration: the frame for a brush leanto] this is the way to build a brush leanto: first cut two sticks and drive them into the ground. they should have a point on one end and a fork on the other. lay a stout pole across the two forks like a gypsy fire rig. then lean poles against the crosspiece and finally thatch the roof with spruce, hemlock or other boughs and pile up boughs for the sides. a brush camp is only a makeshift arrangement and is never weather proof. it is simply a temporary shelter which with the all-night fire burning in front will keep a man from freezing to death in the woods. any kind of a tent is better or even a piece of canvas or a blanket for the roof of the leanto will be better than the roof of boughs. be careful not to set the leanto on fire with the sparks from your camp fire. mosquitoes have probably spoiled more camping trips that any other one thing. the best tents have mosquito net or cheese cloth fronts which may be held close to the ground by a stick on the bottom. perhaps the easiest way to secure protection is for each boy to take along a few yards of cotton mosquito netting and by means of curved sticks build a canopy over his bed. a smoky fire called a "smudge" will sometimes keep the pests away from the neighbourhood of the tent or if we build it in the tent will drive them out, but the remedy is almost as bad as the disease. as a rule they will only be troublesome at night and the net over our bed will enable us to sleep in peace. the most common "dope" used in the woods to keep off mosquitoes is called oil of citronella. it has a very pungent odour that the mosquitoes do not like and the chances are that you will not like it either. at the same time it may be a good plan to take a small bottle along. you may safely count on finding mosquitoes, no matter where you go or what the people tell you who live there. perhaps they have never tried sleeping in the woods and do not know. be sure therefore to take along some netting or cheese cloth to protect yourself against them. everything that you can do at home to get ready for your camping trip will add to your pleasure when you get out in the woods. if any part of your kit needs fixing, fishing rods wound or varnished, your jackknife ground, your camera fixed, or if your clothing needs any patches or buttons, do it at home. no one ever does half that he plans to on a trip like this unless he does not plan to do anything. take along a few books to read for the rainy days and have them covered with muslin if you ever expect to put them back into your library. if you have been putting off a visit to the dentist, by all means do it before you get out where there are no dentists. an aching tooth can spoil a vacation in the woods about as easily as anything i know of. as a final word of advice to the beginner in camping, let me tell you a few things that my own experience has taught me. a felt hat is better than a cap as it is sun and rain proof. wear a flannel shirt and take one extra one. you can wash one and wear the other. be sure to have a new shirt plenty loose in the neck as camp washing in cold water will make it shrink. do not go around in gymnasium shirts or sleeveless jerseys. one of my companions did this once and was so terribly sunburned that his whole trip was spoiled. two sets of underwear are plenty, including the one you wear. take along a silk handkerchief to wear around your neck. wear comfortable shoes. a camping trip is a poor place to break in new hunting boots or shoes. take bandanna handkerchiefs and leave your linen ones at home. if you have to choose between a coat and a sweater take the sweater and leave the coat at home. a coat is out of place in the woods. khaki or canvas trousers are excellent. so are corduroy. an old pair of woollen trousers are just as good as either. a poncho is almost necessary to your comfort. it is merely a rubber or oilskin piece with a slit in it to put your head through. the right size is 66 x 90 inches. with it you can keep dry day or night, either using it as a garment or as a cover. when you are not using it you can cover it over your bed or food supply. take along a good pocket knife and compass. better leave the revolver home. also always carry a waterproof box of matches. you will require some kind of a waterproof "duffle" bag to carry your personal things--tooth brush, extra clothing, mirror, fishing tackle, towel, soap, medicine, in fact whatever you think you will need. if it is your first camping trip you will come home without having had any use whatever for more than half the things you take. that is the experience of every one, so do not become discouraged. if you camp within reach of a post-office, address some stamped envelopes to your home in ink before you leave. then you will have no excuse for not writing a letter home. you can make an excellent pillow by rolling up your trousers. be sure to take everything out of the pockets first, including your knife, and roll them with the top inside so that the buttons or your belt buckle will not bore into your ear. if you fall overboard and come ashore to dry out, stuff your shoes full of dry grass or old paper to keep them from shrinking. when they are dry, soften them with tallow or oil. every one who goes camping at some time or other gets wet. the only advice i can give you is to get dry again as soon as possible. as long as you keep moving it will probably not injure you. waterproof garments are of little use in the woods. they are always too warm for summer wear and by holding the perspiration, are more of an injury than a benefit. never wear rubber boots in the woods or you will surely take cold. better have wet feet. the best foot wear is moccasins. if you wear them see that they are several sizes too large and wear at least two pairs of heavy woollen stockings with them. iv camp cooking how to make the camp fire range--bread bakers--cooking utensils--the grub list--simple camp recipes most boys, and i regret to say a few girls too, nowadays, seem to regard a knowledge of cooking as something to be ashamed of. the boy who expects to do much camping or who ever expects to take care of himself out in the woods had better get this idea out of his head just as soon as possible. cooking in a modern kitchen has been reduced to a science, but the boy or man who can prepare a good meal with little but nature's storehouse to draw on and who can make an oven that will bake bread that is fit to eat, with the nearest range fifty miles away, has learned something that his mother or sister cannot do and something that he should be very proud of. camp cooking is an art and to become an expert is the principal thing in woodcraft--nothing else is so important. we often hear how good the things taste that have been cooked over the camp fire. perhaps a good healthy appetite has something to do with it, but it is pretty hard even for a hungry boy to relish half-baked, soggy bread or biscuits that are more suitable for fishing sinkers than for human food. a party without a good cook is usually ready to break camp long before the time is up, and they are lucky if the doctor is not called in as soon as they get home. there is really no need for poor food in the woods. very few woodsmen are good cooks simply because they will not learn. the camp cook always has the best fun. every one is ready to wait on him _"if he will only, please get dinner ready"_ one year when i was camping at the head of moosehead lake in maine, i had a guide to whom i paid three dollars a day. he cooked and i got the firewood, cleaned the fish and did the chores around camp. his cooking was so poor that the food i was forced to eat was really spoiling my trip. one day i suggested that we take turns cooking, and in place of the black muddy coffee, greasy fish and soggy biscuit, i made some johnny cake, boiled a little rice and raisins and baked a fish for a change instead of frying it. his turn to cook never came again. he suggested himself that he would be woodchopper and scullion and let me do the cooking. i readily agreed and found that it was only half as much work as being the handy man. the basis of camp cooking is the fire. it is the surest way to tell whether the cook knows his business or not. the beginner always starts with a fire hot enough to roast an ox and just before he begins cooking piles on more wood. then when everything is sizzling and red-hot, including the handles of all his cooking utensils, he is ready to begin the preparation of the meal. a cloud of smoke follows him around the fire with every shift of the wind. occasionally he will rush in through the smoke to turn the meat or stir the porridge and rush out again puffing and gasping for breath, his eyes watery and blinded and his fingers scorched almost like a fireman coming out of a burning building where he has gone to rescue some child. the chances are, if this kind of a cook takes hold of the handle of a hot frying pan, pan and contents will be dumped in a heap into the fire to further add to the smoke and blaze. when the old hand begins to cook, he first takes out of the fire the unburned pieces and blazing sticks, leaving a bed of glowing coals to which he can easily add a little wood, if the fire gets low and a watched pot refuses to boil to his satisfaction. when the fire is simply a mass of red coals he quietly goes to cooking, and if his fire has been well made and of the right kind of wood, the embers will continue to glow and give out heat for an hour. of course, if the cooking consists in boiling water for some purpose, there is no particular objection to a hot fire, the fire above described is for broiling, frying and working around generally. [illustration: a type of camp fire that will burn all night] there are all sorts of camp fireplaces. the quickest one to build and one of the best as well, is the "hunter's fire," all you need is an axe. take two green logs about six to eight inches thick and five feet long and lay them six inches apart at one end and about fourteen inches at the other. be sure that the logs are straight. it is a good plan to flatten the surface slightly on one side with the axe to furnish a better resting place for the pots and pans. if the logs roll or seem insecure, make a shallow trench to hold them or wedge them with flat stones. the surest way to hold them in place is to drive stakes at each end. build your fire between the logs and build up a cob house of firewood. split wood will burn much more quickly than round sticks. as the blazing embers fall between the logs, keep adding more wood. do not get the fire outside of the logs. the object is to get a bed of glowing coals between them. when you are ready to begin cooking, take out the smoky, burning pieces and leave a bed of red-hot coals. if you have no axe and can find no logs, a somewhat similar fireplace can be built up of flat stones, but be sure that your stone fireplace will not topple over just at the critical time. if you only have your jack-knife, the best fire is a "gypsy rig". cut two crotched sticks, drive them into the ground and lay a crosspiece on them just as you would begin to build the leanto described in the preceding chapter, but of course not so high above the ground. the kettles and pots can be hung from the crossbar by means of pot hooks, which are pieces of wood or wire shaped like a letter "s." even straight sticks will do with two nails driven into them. these should be of different lengths to adjust the pots at various heights above the fire, depending on whether you wish to boil something furiously or merely to let it simmer. do not suspend the kettles by running the bar through them. this is very amateurish. with a gypsy fire, the frying pan, coffee pot and gridiron will have to be set right on the bed of coals. an arrangement for camp fires that is better and less work than the logs is obtained by using fire irons, which are two flat pieces of iron a yard or so long resting on stones and with the fire built underneath. the whole object of either logs or irons is to furnish a secure resting place for cooking utensils above the fire. there are several kinds of ovens used for baking bread and roasting meat in outdoor life. the simplest way is to prop a frying pan up in front of the fire. this is not the best way but you will have to do it if you are travelling light. a reflector, when made of sheet iron or aluminum is the best camp oven. tin is not so satisfactory because it will not reflect the heat equally. both the top and bottom of the reflector oven are on a slope and midway between is a steel baking pan held in place by grooves. this oven can be moved about at will to regulate the amount of heat and furthermore it can be used in front of a blazing fire without waiting for a bed of coals. such a rig can easily be made by any tinsmith. a very convenient folding reflector oven can be bought in aluminum for three or four dollars. when not used for baking, it makes an excellent dishpan. [illustration: a reflector camp oven] the standard camp oven that has been used by generations of pioneers and campers is the dutch oven. it is simply an iron pot on short legs and is provided with a heavy cover. to use it, dig a hole in the ground large enough to hold it, build a fire and fill the hole with embers. then scoop out a place for the pot, cover it over with more embers and ashes and let the contents bake. for the boy who wants to go to the limit in depending on his own resources, the clay oven is the nearest to real woodcraft. this is made in the side of a bank by burrowing out a hole, with a smoke outlet in the rear. a hot fire built inside will bake the clay and hold it together. to use this oven, build a fire in it and when the oven is hot, rake out the coals and put in your bread or meat on flat stones. close the opening with another stone and keep it closed long enough to give the oven a chance. this method is not recommended to beginners who are obliged to eat what they cook, but in the hands of a real cook, will give splendid results. the reflector oven is the best for most cases if you can carry it conveniently. the kind of a cooking equipment that we take with us on a camping trip will depend on what we can carry conveniently, how much we are willing to rough it and what our stock of provisions will be. one thing is sure--the things that we borrow from home will rarely be fit to return. in making a raid on the family kitchen, better warn the folks that they are _giving_ us the pots and pans instead of merely _lending_ them. very compact cooking outfits can be bought if one cares to go to the expense. an aluminum cook kit for four people, so made that the various articles nest one into the other, can be bought for fifteen dollars. it weighs only ten pounds and takes up a space of 10 x 12 inches. such a kit is very convenient if we move camp frequently or have to carry our outfit with us, but for the party of boys going out by team it is not worth the expense. you will need several tin pails, two iron pots, a miner's coffee pot--all in one piece including the lip--two frying pans, possibly a double boiler for oatmeal and other cooked cereals, iron spoon, large knife, vegetable knife, iron fork and broiler. a number of odds and ends will come in handy, especially tin plates to put things on. take no crockery or glassware. it will be sure to be broken. do not forget a can opener. camp fire utensils should never be soldered. either seamless ware or riveted joints are the only safe kind. solder is sure to melt over a hot open fire. the personal equipment for each boy should be tin cup, knife, fork, and spoons, deep tin plate, extra plate and perhaps one extra set of everything for company if they should happen to drop in. a lot of dish washing can be avoided if we use paper or wooden plates and burn them up after the meal. the main question is "what shall we take to eat." a list of food or as it is commonly known "the grub list" is a subject that will have to be decided by the party themselves. i will give you a list that will keep four hungry boys from staying hungry for a trip of two weeks and leave something over to bring home. if the list does not suit you exactly you can substitute or add other things. it is an excellent plan for the party to take a few home cooked things to get started on, a piece of roasted meat, a dish of baked beans, some crullers, cookies or ginger snaps. we must also consider whether we shall get any fish or game. if fishing is good, the amount of meat we take can be greatly cut down. this list has been calculated to supply a party who are willing to eat camp fare and who do not expect to be able to buy bread, milk, eggs or butter. if you can get these things nearby, then camping is but little different from eating at home. grub list ten lbs. bacon, half a ham, 4 cans corned beef, 2 lbs. cheese, 3 lbs. lard, 8 cans condensed milk, 8 lbs. hard tack, 10 packages soda crackers, 6 packages sweet crackers, 12-1/2 lbs. of wheat flour, 12-1/2 lbs. of yellow cornmeal, can baking powder, 1/2 bushel potatoes, 1 peck onions, 3 lbs. ground coffee, 1/2 lb. tea, sack salt, 7 lbs. granulated sugar, 3 packages prepared griddle cake flour, 4 packages assorted cereals, including oatmeal, 4 lbs. rice, dried fruits, canned corn, peas, beans, canned baked beans, salmon, tomatoes, sweetmeats and whatever else you like. be sure to take along plenty of tin boxes or tight wooden boxes to keep rain and vermin away from the food. tell your grocer to pack the stuff for a camping trip and to put the perishable things in tight boxes as far as possible. if you are going to move camp, have some waterproof bags for the flour. if you can carry eggs and butter, so much the better. a tin cracker box buried in the mud along some cold brook or spring makes an excellent camper's refrigerator especially if it is in the shade. never leave the food exposed around camp. as soon as the cook is through with it let some one put it away in its proper place where the flies, ants, birds, sun, dust, and rain cannot get at it. always examine food before you cook it. take nothing for granted. once when camping the camp cook for breakfast made a huge pot of a certain brand of breakfast food. we were all tucking it away as only hungry boys can, when some one complained that caterpillars were dropping from the tree into his bowl. we shifted our seats--and ate some more, and then made the astonishing discovery that the breakfast food was full of worms. we looked at the package and found that the grocers had palmed off some stale goods on us and that the box was fairly alive. we all enjoy the recollection of it more than we did the actual experience. it is impossible in a book of this kind to say very much about how to cook. that subject alone has filled some very large books. we can learn some things at home provided that we can duplicate the conditions in the woods. so many home recipes contain eggs, milk and butter that they are not much use when we have none of the three. there is a book in my library entitled "one hundred ways to cook eggs" but it would not do a boy much good in the woods unless he had the eggs. if you ask your mother or the cook to tell you how to raise bread or make pies and cakes, be sure that you will have the same ingredients and tools to work with that she has. it might be well to learn a few simple things about frying and boiling, as both of these things can be done even by a beginner over the camp fire. there are a few general cooking rules that i will attempt to give you and leave the rest for you to learn from experience. you use bacon in the woods to furnish grease in the frying pan for the things that are not fat enough themselves to furnish their own grease. condensed milk if thinned with water makes a good substitute for sweet milk, after you get used to it. to make coffee, allow a tablespoonful of ground coffee to each cup of water. better measure both things until you learn just how full of water to fill the pot to satisfy the wants of your party. do not boil coffee furiously. the best way is not to boil it at all but that would be almost like telling a boy not to go swimming. better let it simmer and when you are ready for it, pour in a dash of cold water to settle the grounds and see that no one shakes the pot afterward to stir up grounds--and trouble. a teaspoonful of tea is enough for two people. this you must not boil unless you want to tan your stomach. pour boiling water on the tea and let it steep. good camp bread can be made from white flour, one cup; salt, one teaspoonful; sugar, one teaspoonful and baking powder, one teaspoonful. wet with water or better with diluted condensed milk. pour in a greased pan and bake in the reflector oven until when you test it by sticking a wooden splinter into it, the splinter will come out clean without any dough adhering to it. if you want to make the kind of bread that has been the standard ration for campers for hundreds of years you must eat johnny-cake or pone. it is really plain corn bread. personally i like it better than any of the raised breads or prepared flours that are used in the woods. it should always be eaten hot and always broken by the hands. to cut it with a knife will make it heavy. the ingredients are simply one quart of yellow meal, one teaspoonful of salt and three cups--one and one-half pints--of warm water. stir until the batter is light and bake for a short hour. test it with the wooden splinter the same as wheat bread. it may be baked in an open fire on a piece of flat wood or by rolling up balls of it, you can even roast it in the ashes. a teaspoonful of sugar improves it somewhat and it can be converted into cake by adding raisins or huckleberries. for your butter, you will use bacon grease or gravy. indian meal, next to bacon, is the camper's stand-by. in addition to the johnny-cake, you can boil it up as mush and eat with syrup or condensed milk and by slicing up the cold mush, if there is any left, you can fry it next day in a spider. the beginner at cooking always makes the mistake of thinking that to cook properly you must cook fast. the more the grease sputters or the harder the pot boils, the better. as a rule, rapid boiling of meat makes it tough. game and fish should be put on in cold water and after the water has boiled, be set back and allowed to simmer. do not throw away the water you boil meat in. it will make good soup--unless every one in camp has taken a hand at salting the meat, as is often the case. all green vegetables should be crisp and firm when they are cooked. if they have been around camp for several days and have lost their freshness, first soak them in cold water. a piece of pork cooked with beans and peas will give them a richer flavour. the water that is on canned vegetables should be poured off before cooking. canned tomatoes are an exception to this rule, however. save all the leftovers. if you do not know what else to do with them, make a stew or soup. you can make soup of almost anything. the chinese use birds' nests and the eskimos can make soup of old shoes. a very palatable soup can be made from various kinds of vegetables with a few bones or extract of beef added for body. the length of time to cook things is the most troublesome thing to the beginner. nearly everything will take longer than you think. oatmeal is one of the things that every beginner is apt to burn, hence the value of the double boiler. rice is one of the best camp foods if well cooked. it can be used in a great variety of ways like cornmeal. but beware! there is nothing in the whole list of human food that has quite the swelling power of rice. half a teacupful will soon swell up to fill the pot. a tablespoonful to a person will be an ample allowance and then, unless you have a good size pot to boil it in, have some one standing by ready with an extra pan to catch the surplus when it begins to swell. there are certain general rules for cooking which may help the beginner although they are not absolute. mutton, beef, lamb, venison, chicken, and large birds or fish will require from ten to twenty minutes' cooking for each pound of weight. the principal value of this is to at least be sure that you need not test a five-pound chicken after it has been cooking fifteen minutes to see if it is done. peas, beans, potatoes, corn, onions, rice, turnips, beets, cabbage, and macaroni should, when boiled, be done in from twenty to thirty minutes. the surest test is to taste them. they will be burned in that many seconds, if you allow the water to boil off or put them in the middle of a smoky fire where they cannot be watched. fried things are the easiest to cook because you can tell when they are done more easily. fried food however is always objectionable and as little of it should be eaten as possible. you are not much of a camp cook if a frying pan is your only tool. a bottle of catsup or some pickles will often give just the right taste to things that otherwise seem to be lacking in flavour. in frying fish, always have the pan piping hot. test the grease by dropping in a bread crumb. it should quickly turn brown. "piping hot" does not mean smoking or grease on fire. dry the fish thoroughly with a towel before putting them into the pan. then they will be crisp and flaky instead of grease-soaked. the same rule is true of potatoes. if you put the latter on brown butcher's paper when they are done, they will be greatly improved. nearly every camper will start to do things away from home that he would never think of doing under his own roof. one of these is to drink great quantities of strong coffee three times a day. if you find that after you turn in for the night, you are lying awake for a long time watching the stars and listening to the fish splashing in the lake or the hoot owl mournfully "too-hooing" far off in the woods, do not blame your bed or commence to wonder if you are not getting sick. just cut out the coffee, that's all. v woodcraft the use of an axe and hatchet--best woods for special purposes--what to do when you are lost--nature's compasses the word "woodcraft" simply means skill in anything which pertains to the woods. the boy who can read and understand nature's signboards, who knows the names of the various trees and can tell which are best adapted to certain purposes, what berries and roots are edible, the habits of game and the best way to trap or capture them, in short the boy that knows how to get along without the conveniences of civilization and is self-reliant and manly, is a student of woodcraft. no one can hope to become a master woodsman. what he learns in one section may be of little value in some other part of the country. a guide from maine or canada might be comparatively helpless in florida or the tropics, where the vegetation, wild animal life, and customs of the woods are entirely different. most of us are hopeless tenderfeet anywhere, just like landlubbers on shipboard. the real masters of woodcraft--indians, trappers, and guides--are, as a rule, men who do not even know the meaning of the word "woodcraft." some people think that to know woodcraft, we must take it up with a teacher, just as we might learn to play golf or tennis. it is quite different from learning a game. most of what we learn, we shall have to teach ourselves. of course we must profit from the experience and observation of others, but no man's opinion can take the place of the evidence of our own eyes. a naturalist once told me that chipmunks never climb trees. i have seen a chipmunk on a tree so i know that he is mistaken. as a rule the natives in any section only know enough woods-lore or natural history to meet their absolute needs. accurate observation is, as a rule, rare among country people unless they are obliged to learn from necessity. plenty of boys born and raised in the country are ignorant of the very simplest facts of their daily experience. they could not give you the names of a dozen local birds or wildflowers or tell you the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool to save their lives. [illustration: the wilderness traveller] on the other hand, some country boys who have kept their ears and eyes open will know more about the wild life of the woods than people who attempt to write books about it; myself, for example. i have a boy friend up in maine who can fell a tree as big around as his body in ten minutes, and furthermore he can drop it in any direction that he wants to without leaving it hanging up in the branches of some other tree or dropping it in a soft place where the logging team cannot possibly haul it out without miring the horses. the stump will be almost as clean and flat as a saw-cut. this boy can also build a log cabin, chink up the cracks with clay and moss and furnish it with benches and tables that he has made, with no other tools than an axe and a jackknife. he can make a rope out of a grape-vine or patch a hole in his birch bark canoe with a piece of bark and a little spruce gum. he can take you out in the woods and go for miles with never a thought of getting lost, tell you the names of the different birds and their calls, what berries are good to eat, where the partridge nests or the moose feeds, and so on. if you could go around with him for a month, you would learn more real woodcraft than books could tell you in a lifetime. and this boy cannot even read or write and probably never heard the word "woodcraft." his school has been the school of hard knocks. he knows these things as a matter of course just as you know your way home from school. his father is a woodchopper and has taught him to take care of himself. if you desire to become a good woodsman, the first and most important thing is to learn to use an axe. patent folding hatchets are well enough in their way, but for real woodchopping an axe is the only thing. one of four pounds is about the right weight for a beginner. as it comes from the store, the edge will be far too thick and clumsy to do good work. first have it carefully ground by an expert and watch how he does it. if i were a country boy i should be more proud of skilful axemanship than to be pitcher on the village nine. with a good axe, a good rifle, and a good knife, a man can take care of himself in the woods for days, and the axe is more important even than the rifle. the easiest way to learn to be an axeman is to make the acquaintance of some woodchopper in your neighbourhood. but let me warn you. never ask him to lend you his axe. you would not be friends very long if you did. you must have one of your own, and let it be like your watch or your toothbrush, your own personal property. a cheap axe is poor economy. the brightest paint and the gaudiest labels do not always mean the best steel. your friend the woodchopper will tell you what kind to buy in your neighbourhood. the handle should be straight-grained hickory and before buying it you will run your eye along it to see that the helve is not warped or twisted and that there are no knots or bad places in it. the hang of an axe is the way the handle or helve is fitted to the head. an expert woodchopper is rarely satisfied with the heft of an axe as it comes from the store. he prefers to hang his own. in fact, most woodchoppers prefer to make their own axe handles. you will need a stone to keep a keen edge on the axe. no one can do good work with a dull blade, and an edge that has been nicked by chopping into the ground or hitting a stone is absolutely inexcusable. to chop a tree, first be sure that the owner is willing to have it chopped. then decide in which direction you wish it to fall. this will be determined by the kind of ground, closeness of other trees, and the presence of brush or undergrowth. when a tree has fallen the woodchopper's work has only begun. he must chop off the branches, cut and split the main trunk, and either make sawlogs or cordwood lengths. hence the importance of obtaining a good lie for the tree. before beginning to chop the tree, cut away all the brush, vines, and undergrowth around its butt as far as you will swing the axe. this is very important as many of the accidents with an axe result from neglect of this precaution. as we swing the axe it may catch on a bush or branch over our head, which causes a glancing blow and a possible accident. be careful not to dull the axe in cutting brush. you can often do more damage to its edge with undergrowth no thicker than one's finger than in chopping a tree a foot through. if the brush is very light, it will often be better to use your jack-knife. in cutting a tree, first make two nicks or notches in the bark on the side to which you wish it to fall and as far apart as half the diameter of the tree. then begin to swing the axe slowly and without trying to bury its head at every blow and prying it loose again, but with regular strokes first across the grain at the bottom and then in a slanting direction at the top. the size of the chips you make will be a measure of your degree of skill. hold the handle rather loosely and keep your eye on the place you wish to hit and not on the axe. do not work around the tree or girdle it but keep right at the notch you are making until it is half way through the tree. do not shift your feet at every blow or rise up on your toes. this would tire even an old woodchopper in a short time. see that you do not set yourself too fast a pace at first. a beginner always starts with too small a notch. see to it that yours is wide enough in the start. [illustration: the right way to chop a tree--make two notches on opposite sides] [illustration: the wrong way--this looks like the work of a beaver] when you have cut about half way through, go to the other side of the tree and start another notch a little higher than the first one. a skilled man can chop either right-or left-handed but this is very difficult for a beginner. if you are naturally right-handed, the quickest way to learn left-handed wood chopping is to study your usual position and note where you naturally place your feet and hands. then reverse all this and keep at it from the left-handed position until it becomes second nature to you and you can chop equally well from either position. this you may learn in a week or you may never learn it. it is a lot easier to write about than it is to do. when the tree begins to creak and show signs of toppling over, give it a few sharp blows and as it falls jump sideways. never jump or run backward. this is one way that men get killed in the woods. a falling tree will often kick backward like a shot. it will rarely go far to either side. of course a falling tree is a source of danger anyway, so you must always be on your guard. if you wish to cut the fallen tree into logs, for a cabin, for instance, you will often have to jump on top of it and cut between your feet. this requires skill and for that reason i place a knowledge of axemanship ahead of anything else in woodcraft except cooking. with a crosscut saw, we can make better looking logs and with less work. next to knowing how to chop a tree is knowing what kind of a tree to chop. different varieties possess entirely different qualities. the amateur woodchopper will note a great difference between chopping a second growth chestnut and a tough old apple tree. we must learn that some trees, like oak, sugar maple, dogwood, ash, cherry, walnut, beech, and elm are very hard and that most of the evergreens are soft, such as spruce, pine, arbor vitae, as well as the poplars and birches. it is easy to remember that lignum vitae is one of the hardest woods and arbor vitae one of the softest. some woods, like cedar, chestnut, white birch, ash, and white oak, are easy to split, and wild cherry, sugar maple, hemlock, and sycamore are all but unsplitable. we decide the kind of a tree to cut by the use to which it is to be put. for the bottom course of a log cabin, we place logs like cedar, chestnut, or white oak because we know that they do not rot quickly in contact with the ground. we always try to get straight logs because we know that it is all but impossible to build a log house of twisted or crooked ones. it is a very common custom for beginners to make camp furniture, posts, and fences of white birch. this is due to the fact that the wood is easily worked and gives us very pretty effects. birch however is not at all durable and if we expect to use our camp for more than one season we must expect to replace the birch every year or two. rustic furniture made of cedar will last for years and is far superior to birch. getting lost in the woods may be a very serious thing. if you are a city boy used to signboards, street corners, and familiar buildings you may laugh at the country boy who is afraid to go to a big city because he may get lost, but he knows what being lost means at home and he fails to realize when he is in a city how easy it is to ask the nearest policeman or passer-by the way home. most city boys will be lost in the woods within five minutes after they leave their camp or tent. if you have no confidence in yourself and if you are in a wilderness like the north woods, do not venture very far from home alone until you are more expert. it is difficult to say when we are really lost in the woods. as long as we think we know the way home we are not lost even if we may be absolutely wrong in our opinion of the proper direction. in such a case we may soon find our mistake and get on the right track again. when we are really lost is when suddenly a haunting fear comes over us that we do not know the way home. then we lose our heads as well as our way and often become like crazy people. a sense of direction is a gift or instinct. it is the thing that enables a carrier pigeon that has been taken, shut up in a basket say from new york to chicago, to make a few circles in the air when liberated and start out for home, and by this sense to fly a thousand miles without a single familiar landmark to guide him and finally land at his home loft tired and hungry. no human being ever had this power to the same extent as a pigeon, but some people seem to keep a sense of direction and a knowledge of the points of compass in a strange place without really making an effort to do it. one thing is sure. if we are travelling in a strange country we must always keep our eyes and ears open if we expect to find our way alone. we must never trust too implicitly in any "sense of direction." forest travellers are always on the lookout for peculiar landmarks that they will recognize if they see them again. oddly shaped trees, rocks, or stumps, the direction of watercourses and trails, the position of the sun, all these things will help us to find our way out of the woods when a less observing traveller who simply tries to remember the direction he has travelled may become terrified. rules which tell people what to do when they are lost are rarely of much use, because the act of losing our way brings with it such a confusion of mind that it would be like printing directions for terror stricken people who are drowning. suppose, for example, a boy goes camping for a week or two in the adirondacks or maine woods. if he expects to go about alone, his first step should be to become familiar with the general lay of the land, the direction of cities, towns, settlements, mountain ranges, lakes, and rivers in the section where he is going, and especially with the location of other camps, railroads, lumber camps, and so on in his immediate neighbourhood, say within a five-mile radius. it is an excellent plan to take along a sectional map which can usually be bought of the state geologist. one can by asking questions also learn many things from the natives. such a boy may start out from his camp, which is on the shore of a lake, for example, on an afternoon's fishing or hunting trip. if he is careful he will always consult his compass to keep in mind the general direction in which he travels. he will also tell his friends at camp where he expects to go. if he has no compass, he at least knows that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west and he can easily remember whether he has travelled toward the setting sun or away from it. rules for telling the points of compass by the thickness of the bark or moss on trees are well enough for story books. they are not of much value to a man lost in the woods. suddenly, say at four o'clock, this boy decides to "turn around" and go back to camp. and then the awful feeling comes to him that he doesn't know which way to turn. the woods take on a strange and unfamiliar look. he is lost. the harder he tries to decide which way the camp lies, the worse his confusion becomes. if he would only collect his thoughts and like the indian say "ugh! indian not lost, indian here. wigwam lost," he probably would soon get his bearings. it is one thing to lose your way and another to lose your head. when you are lost, you are confused, and the only rule to remember is to sit down on the nearest rock or stump and wait until you get over being "rattled." then ask yourself, "how far have i gone since i was not sure of my way?" and also, "how far am i from camp?" if you have been out three hours and have walked pretty steadily, you may have gone five miles. unless you have travelled in a straight line and at a rapid pace, the chances are that you are not more than half that distance. but even two or three miles in strange woods is a long distance. you may at least be sure that you must not expect to find camp by rushing about here and there for ten minutes. we have all heard how lost people will travel in circles and keep passing the same place time after time without knowing it. this is true and many explanations have been attempted. one man says that we naturally take longer steps with our right leg because it is the stronger; another thinks that our heart has something to do with it, and so on. why we do this no one really knows, but it seems to be a fact. therefore, before a lost person starts to hunt for camp, he should blaze a tree that he can see from any direction. blazing simply means cutting the bark and stripping it on all four sides. if you have no hatchet a knife will do, but be sure to make a blaze that will show at some distance, not only for your own benefit but to guide a searching party that may come out to look for you. you can mark an arrow to point the direction that you are going, or if you have pencil and notebook even leave a note for your friends telling them your predicament. this may all seem unnecessary at the time but if you are really lost, nothing is unnecessary that will help you to find yourself. as you go along give an occasional whack at a tree with your hatchet to mark the bark or bend over the twigs and underbrush in the direction of your course. the thicker the undergrowth the more blaze marks you must make. haste is not so important as caution. you may go a number of miles and at the end be deeper in the woods than ever, but your friends who are looking for you, if they can run across one of your blazes, will soon find you. when you are certain that you will not be able to find your way out before dark, there is not much use of going any farther. the thing to do then is to stop and prepare for passing the night in the woods while it is still daylight. go up on the highest point of ground, build a leanto and make your camp-fire. if you have no matches, you can sometimes start a fire by striking your knife blade with a piece of flint or quartz, a hard white stone that is common nearly everywhere. the sparks should fall in some dry tinder or punk and the little fire coaxed along until you get a blaze. there are many kinds of tinder used in the woods, dried puff balls, "dotey" or rotten wood that is not damp, charred cotton cloth, dry moss, and so on. in the pitch pine country, the best kindlings after we have caught a tiny blaze are splinters taken from the heart of a decayed pine log. they are full of resin and will burn like fireworks. the southerners call it "light-wood." dry birch bark also makes excellent kindlings. a universal signal of distress in the woods that is almost like the flag upside down on shipboard is to build two smoky fires a hundred yards or more apart. one fire means a camp, two fires means trouble. another signal is two gunshots fired quickly, a pause to count ten and then a third. always listen after you have given this signal to see if it is answered. give your friends time enough to get the gun loaded at camp. always have a signal code arranged and understood by your party before you attempt to go it alone. you may never need it but if you do you will need it badly. sometimes we can get our bearings by climbing a tree. another aid to determine our direction is this: usually all the brooks and water courses near a large lake or river flow into it. if you are sure that you haven't crossed a ridge or divide, the surest way back home if camp is on a lake is to follow down the first brook or spring you come across. it will probably bring you up at the lake, sooner or later. on a clear night you can tell the points of compass from the stars. whether a boy or girl is a camper or not, they surely ought to know how to do this. have some one point out to you the constellation called the "dipper." it is very conspicuous and when you have once learned to know it you will always recognize it as an old friend. the value of the dipper is this: the two stars that form the lower corners of its imaginary bowl are sometimes called the "north star pointers." the north star or polaris, because of its position with reference to the earth, never seems to move. if you draw an imaginary line through the two pointers up into the heavens, the first bright star you come to, which is just a little to the right of this line, is the north star. it is not very bright or conspicuous like venus or mars but it has pointed the north to sailors over the uncharted seas for hundreds of years. by all means make the acquaintance of polaris. vi the use of fire-arms importance of early training--why a gun is better than a rifle--how to become a good shot whether a boy of fifteen should have a gun or a rifle is a question that parents will have to settle for themselves. there is no question but that a careful boy who has been taught by some older person how to handle a gun is more to be trusted than a man who has never learned the proper use of fire-arms and who takes up the sport of hunting after he is grown up. most of the shooting accidents are caused by inexperienced men who have never been accustomed to guns in their younger days. once or twice i have just missed being shot by friends who had never been hunting before, and who became so excited when they unexpectedly kicked up a rabbit or walked into a flock of quail that they fired the gun without knowing whether any of their friends were in range or not. when a boy is allowed to have a gun it should be a real one. air rifles and small calibre guns are all the more dangerous, because they are often looked upon as toys. in handling a gun, always treat it as though it were loaded, no matter if you _know_ it is empty. by this means it will soon become second nature to you never to point the gun at any one even carelessly or in fun. a guide once said to me, "a gun is a dangerous critter without lock, stock, or barrel, and if a feller ever points one at me i think he means business." [illustration: a double barrelled hammerless shot-gun] a gun can never be trusted. accidents happen so quickly that it is over before we know it and the terrible damage is done. sometimes the trigger will catch on a coat button or a twig, and, bang! an unexpected discharge takes place and if you were careless just for an instant, it may cost some one his life. especial care must be taken in loading and unloading a gun. it is at this time that a gun is most likely to go off unexpectedly. the best way to learn how to handle a gun is to watch the methods of an old hand. never fire a gun when you are standing behind another person. you may know that you are not aiming at him, but the concussion of the air near the end of the barrel is terrific, and your friend may have a split ear drum as a result. a shot-gun is better for a boy than a rifle, for the reason that most real shooting except for big game is done with a shot-gun, and besides, it takes a lot of practice to shoot well with it. a shot-gun is not a weapon for play but a real tool. in almost every section of the country there is some small game to be hunted and there is usually also an opportunity to practise at clay pigeons. no one would think of hunting quail, ducks, or rabbits with a rifle, and even if you were an excellent rifle shot at a still mark you might not be able to hit moving game at all. a shot-gun is less dangerous for the reason that its range is limited to a little over a hundred yards, while a rifle may carry a mile. a cheap shot-gun is far more dangerous than a cheap rifle. until it is possible to buy a good one it is better to have none at all. a good american-made gun can be bought for about twenty-five dollars. a gun suitable for its owner should fit just as his clothing fits him. when a gun is quickly brought to the shoulder in firing position, there is no time in actual hunting to shift it around. when you buy a gun, remember that your canvas or corduroy hunting coat makes more of a bulge at the shoulder than an ordinary suit and accordingly see that the stock is the proper length. the "drop" of a gun is the number of inches that the stock falls below the line of the barrel. if the stock is bent too much you will shoot under your game. if it is too straight the tendency will be to shoot over game. the average stock is made to fit most people and will probably answer most purposes unless you can afford to have a stock made especially. the principal thing is to do all your practising with your own gun until it becomes second nature to bring it up quickly and have the eye find the barrel instantly. a shot-gun is not aimed in the same way as a rifle. the method of good shots is rather to keep their eye on the game and when they "feel" that the gun is pointed right to fire. a skilful shot can tell whether he is shooting too high or too low just as he pulls the trigger. the brain, head, and eyes and trigger-finger must all work in harmony or you will never be a good shot. never flinch as you shoot. this is a very common fault of beginners and it is fatal to becoming a marksman. the first lesson in handling a gun is to understand perfectly how it works. if it is a hammerless gun, remember that it is always cocked. when you open the barrels you cock the gun automatically. for this reason there is some kind of a safety device provided, which should always be left at "safe" except at the actual instant of firing. it is just as easy to learn to push the safety off when you fire as it is to learn to pull the trigger, if one starts right. never carry your gun with your finger on the trigger. wait until you put the gun up as you are ready to shoot. don't forget the safety. a great many shots are missed because the hunter forgets whether he has left it on or off and in his anxiety to hit the game will tug and pull on the trigger until, just as the game disappears out of range, he will remember that he did not release it. this shows the importance of acquiring the proper habit at first. it is harder to correct bad habits in handling a gun than to teach the beginner the proper way at first. on your first lesson in the field, walk on the left side of your teacher so that your gun will be pointing away from him. if you come across any game, try to take your time before you fire. nearly every one shoots too quickly. as most shot-gun shooting is what is called snap shooting, there isn't much time at best, but a good shot will be sure that he has covered his game before he fires, while a beginner will trust to luck. this will be the hardest fault to correct. consequently a beginner should if possible hunt alone for a while, as the presence of another gun alongside of him makes him too anxious to get in the first shot, and gets him into bad habits. if your teacher also has a gun, he must assure you that he does not intend to shoot and then you will try harder to get the game and run less chance of missing. always unload a gun before going into a house, under or over a fence, or in or out of a boat or carriage. if you leave your gun, even for a minute, unload it. never rest a loaded gun against a tree or building. never pull a gun loaded or empty toward you by the muzzle. in unloading always point it toward the ground. a jar will sometimes discharge a gun and very often a discharge will take place when closing the breech on a tight shell. always be ready for game. in hunting, we never can tell at what instant it will rise up in front of us. "be ready" does not mean having the muscles and nerves constantly on a tension. it is simply to carry your gun in such a position that you can quickly bring it to the shoulder at any time. it is a good plan to practise aiming at various objects as you go along until you gradually overcome your awkwardness. it is difficult to say what makes a good shot with a gun. there is no question but that practice will make any one a better shot than he would be without it, but some people are better shots with very little practice than others with a great deal. one very important thing is to do your practising under conditions similar to the actual hunting. if the cover is thick where you hunt, a swamp or brush lot for example, you will not derive much benefit from practising entirely in the open. a pigeon trap is an inexpensive way to learn to shoot. some experienced hunters will say that practice at clay pigeons does not help in the field, but at the same time a good brush shot is almost always a good trap shot and if you can become skilful enough to break an average of eighteen to twenty clay pigeons out of twenty-five at sixteen yards rise, you may be sure that you will get your share of game under actual hunting conditions. the most difficult part of bird hunting is to learn to give the game a start. the average shot-gun will kill quail at sixty yards and duck at forty. the farther the game is away from us, provided it is within range, the more the shot will spread. i once saw a half-dozen hunters fire at a covey of quail that rose in an open field before they had gone thirty yards and every hunter scored a clean miss. any one of these men could bring down his bird under the same conditions nine times out of ten if he had taken his time. on this occasion when their guns were empty another hunter who had withheld his fire said, "are you all done, boys?" and shot a bird with each barrel at a measured fifty-eight yards. to kill a bird that another man has shot at is called "wiping his eye," and it is the chief joy of an old hunter to do this with a beginner. if you do not want to let the old hunter wipe your eye, take your time. learn to shoot with your head well up and with both eyes open. when the game rises, keep your eye on it and at the instant that you see it on the end of your gun barrel, fire. the greatest joy of hunting is to see the game appear to tumble off the end of your gun barrel when it is hit. if there is a doubt as to whose bird it is, and this happens constantly as two people often shoot at the same time at the same bird, do not rush in and claim it. remember you are a gentleman, but if you are sure that you hit it, at least stand for your rights. so much of the pleasure of hunting depends on our companions that we must be considerate of the feelings of others as well as our own. always hunt if possible with experienced hunters. you will not only have more fun, but you will run much less risk. in rabbit hunting, one is especially at the mercy of the beginner who fires wildly without any thought as to whose life he may be endangering, so long as he gets the rabbit. if you hunt with some one who owns the dogs, be very careful not to interfere with them by giving commands. as a rule the owner of a well-trained dog prefers to handle him without any help, and, while he may not tell you, you may be sure that he will resent it if you try to make the dog do your bidding when his master is around. the pattern of a gun, as it is called, is the number of shot it will put within a circle at a given distance. as a rule the factory test pattern will be found on a tag attached to the gun. if not, you can easily get the pattern yourself. the usual distance for targeting a new gun is thirty yards, and the standard circle is thirty inches. make a circle on the barn door with a piece of chalk and string fifteen inches long. first drive a nail into the wood and fasten the string to it with the chalk on the loose end. then describe and measure ninety feet from the target. fire as nearly as you can at the centre of the circle and count the shot that are inside the chalk mark. in order not to count the same shot twice mark them off with a pencil. perhaps a surer way would be to fire at the door first and in the centre of the load of shot drive the nail and describe a circle afterward. the chief advantage of studying the pattern of your gun is to know just how much it scatters and how far it may be depended upon to shoot and kill. in a choke-bore gun, the end of the barrel is drawn in slightly and made smaller to keep the shot together. guns that are used in duck and goose hunting are usually full choked as most of the shots are long ones, but for ordinary brush and field shooting a gun that has a full cylinder right barrel and a modified choke on the left will be the best for general purposes. the best size is 12-bore or gauge. ten gauge guns are entirely too heavy for general use and the smaller bores, such as sixteen or even twenty gauge, while they are very light and dainty, are not a typical all around gun for a boy who can only afford to have one size. the smaller bores, however, have become very popular in recent years and much may be said in their favour. the standard length of barrels is either twenty-eight or thirty inches. the shorter length will probably be just as satisfactory and makes a much better proportion between the stock and barrels. you can easily test the amount of choke in a 12-gauge gun. a new ten-cent piece will just go inside the end of the barrel of a full cylinder gun and just fail to go into one that has been slightly choked. while it is impossible to give any written directions for shooting that are as valuable as actual practice, the important thing for a beginner is to get his form right at first, just as in golf or horseback riding, and then to make up his mind that every shot has got to count. rifle shooting is entirely different from shot-gun shooting and skill in one branch of the sport of marksmanship does not mean much in the other. a boy may be an excellent rifle shot at a stationary target and still not be able to hit "a flock of barns," as the country boys say, with a shot-gun. skill with a rifle is chiefly of value to those who are interested in military affairs and more rarely to those who are fortunate enough to have an opportunity for hunting big game. in settled communities there is a strong feeling against allowing boys to have rifles. practically the only game that can be hunted will be our little friends, the song birds, and no self-respecting boy will shoot them. a small calibre rifle such as a 22-calibre flobert will afford considerable pastime at target practice and is also excellent to hunt snakes and frogs along some brook or creek, but generally a boy with a rifle is a public nuisance, and as a rule is liable to arrest in possessing it. if we fix up a rifle range where there are no dangers of damage from spent bullets or badly aimed shots it is well enough to practise with a small rifle. a real sporting rifle, such as is used for big game, is a very dangerous fire-arm and cannot be used with safety anywhere but in an absolute wilderness or on a target range. such guns will kill at a mile and go through a tree a foot or two in diameter; to use such a weapon in even a sparsely settled section is very dangerous indeed. if a boy has any chance of going hunting for deer or moose, he will surely need practice and for this purpose a range will have to be selected where there is absolutely no danger to any one within a mile or two. a good practice range is across a lake or river with a bank of earth or clay to stop the bullets. big game hunting is done so frequently from canoes that it is well to get practice from a boat, both moving and stationary. to shoot successfully from a sitting position in a canoe is a very difficult feat. just as with a shot-gun the universal tendency is to shoot too quickly, with a rifle it is to shoot too high. the reason is that we hold our head so high up in looking at our game that we fail to see the rear sight at all. be sure your head is low enough to see both sights. [illustration: the modern sporting rifle that will kill at a mile. an unsafe weapon for boys] always hold your breath while you are taking aim. learn to shoot from all sorts of positions, lying, sitting, kneeling, and standing. if the shot is a long one, be sure that your rear sight is properly elevated for the distance. most of the shots at big game are stationary shots and within a hundred yards; consequently accuracy counts for more than quickness. with a magazine or repeating rifle be sure that you have emptied your magazine before you leave the gun. with a shot-gun there is a possibility that the "person who didn't know it was loaded" may not kill his victim outright. with a sporting rifle it is practically sure death. the general rules of care apply to both rifles and shot-guns. always clean the gun after you have taken it into the field. this is necessary whether you have fired the gun or not, as a gun barrel will always collect a certain amount of dampness. it is an excellent practice to keep a gun covered with oil or vaseline except when it is in use. it not only prevents rust, but the grease also discourages visitors and friends from handling the gun, snapping the trigger, or otherwise damaging it. in this chapter, i have not said anything about revolvers or pistols, because i do not believe that any sensible boy will care to own one. a revolver is a constant source of danger owing to its short barrel, and as it has no practical value except as a weapon of defence, and as there is a severe penalty for carrying a concealed weapon, i should not care to recommend any boy to own a revolver. the final question whether we may have a gun and what kind it should be, will depend very largely on the place we live. any kind of a gun is very much out of place in cities or towns. the boy who does not really have an opportunity to use a gun should be too sensible to ask for one, for surely if we own it we shall constantly want to use it even at some risk. it will be far better to ask for something we can use and leave the gun question until the time when we have a real opportunity. finally we must remember that the one who has the gun in his possession is rarely the one that is accidentally shot. we should therefore avoid companions who do own guns and who are careless with them. no amount of care on our part will prevent some careless boy friend from risking our lives. the safer way is to stay home. vii fishing proper tackle for all purposes--how to catch bait--the fly fisherman--general fishing rules fishing is one sport of boyhood that we never outgrow our love for. some of the most enthusiastic fishermen are gray-haired men. we often hear about the boy with the bent pin and the piece of thread who catches more fish than the expert fisherman with modern, up-to-date tackle, but i doubt if it is so. as a rule the better our tackle the more fish we shall catch. if the country boy catches the most fish, it is simply because he is better acquainted with the places where the fish hide or feed. he knows their habits better and the best kind of bait to use. a lover of fishing should take a personal interest in his equipment and should desire to have the best he can afford. the chief requirement of a successful fisherman is patience. next to that is a knowledge of the waters fished in and the habits of the fish and how to attract them. a man or a boy who will sit all day in the hot sun waiting for a bite is not always a good fisherman. he must use common sense as well as patience. a game fish may be defined as one that will make a good fight for its life and that is caught by scientific methods of angling. almost any fish will struggle to escape the hook, but generally by game fish we understand that in fresh water the salmon, bass, or trout family is referred to. pickerel and pike are also game fish, but in some sections they are considered undesirable because they rarely rise to the fly, which is the most scientific method of fishing. a fisherman who is a real sportsman always uses tackle as light as he can with safety and still have a chance of landing the fish. if the angler will take his time he can, with skill, tire out and land fish of almost any size. tunas and tarpon weighing over a hundred pounds are caught with a line that is but little thicker than a grocer's twine, and even sharks and jewfish weighing over five hundred pounds have been caught in the same way. sometimes the fight will last all day, and then it is a question whether the fisherman or the fish will be exhausted first. [illustration: fishing is the one sport of our childhood that holds our interest through life] in selecting our tackle, we must always keep in mind the kind of fish we expect to catch. for general, fresh-water use, except fly casting, an eight-foot rod weighing seven or eight ounces will fill most purposes. a fly rod should be a foot longer and at least two ounces lighter. the best rods are made of split bamboo, but cheap rods of this material are not worth having. the best cheap rods (i.e., costing five dollars or less) are either lancewood or steel. see that your rod has "standing guides" and not movable rings. most of the wear comes on the tip, therefore it should if possible be agate lined. a soft metal tip will have a groove worn in it in a very short time which will cut the line. the poorest ferrules are nickel-plated. the best ones are either german silver or brass. to care for a rod properly, we must keep the windings varnished to prevent them from becoming unwound. spar varnish is the best for this purpose but shellac will answer. in taking a rod apart, never twist it. give a sharp pull, and if it refuses to budge, it can sometimes be loosened by slightly heating the ferrule with a candle. if a ferrule is kept clean inside, and if the rod is taken apart frequently, there is no reason why it should stick. a multiplying reel holding sixty yards is large enough for most fishing. the raised pillar reels are the best, one of good quality costing about four dollars. a cheap reel soon goes to pieces. silk lines are better than linen because greater strength is obtained with the same thickness. always dry a line every time it is used, or it will soon rot and be worthless. the back of a chair is excellent for this purpose. never tie a knot in a line that you expect to use with rod and reel. the knot will always catch in one of the guides just at the time when you are landing your "biggest" fish. [illustration: actual sizes of hooks] hooks come in a great variety of shapes and models but there are none better than the standard "sproat." it is the general favourite of fishermen everywhere, although of course the other leading models, carlisle, limerick, pennell, aberdeen, sneck and a number of others all have their friends. a great many fishermen make the mistake of using hooks that are too large. the hook sizes that are commonly used are numbered from 6/0, which is the largest, to no. 12, which is a tiny thing about right to catch minnows. where we expect to catch fish a pound or two in weight, the no. 1 size is about right. such a hook will catch much larger fish if they happen to come along. i have caught a twelve-pound lake trout on a no. 4 sproat hook and the hook did not show that it had bent in the least. our tackle box should contain an assortment of sizes however. snelled hooks are better than ringed hooks and those of blued steel better than black enamel. no matter how inexpensive the rest of the equipment is, be sure that your hooks are of good quality. keep the points sharp. a tiny bit of oil stone, a file, or a piece of emery cloth are all good for this purpose. it takes a sharp point to penetrate the bony jaw of a fish. always inspect your hook after you have caught it on a rock or snag. fishing is generally divided into four classes: fly casting, bait casting, trolling, and still fishing. the average boy is a still fisherman, which means not only that he must keep still, but that his bait remains in one place instead of being trolled or cast about. the usual strings of fish that boys catch, such as perch, sunfish, bullheads, catfish, and whitefish, are called pan fish. this is not entirely a correct name as i have seen some catfish that it would take a pretty big pan to hold. one caught in the mississippi river weighed over a hundred pounds. fly casting is the most scientific method of fishing and gives the greatest pleasure to the fisherman after he has once become an expert. no matter what method we follow in fishing, we must never try to catch fish by any method which the laws may prohibit, such as spearing, set lines, or nets. each state has its own laws which the fisherman must learn and obey. worms are the best all around bait for fishing. they are as a rule easily obtained and may be kept for a long time. the boy's method of placing them in a tin can with a mixture of mud will soon kill them, however, especially if the worms are exposed to the sun for a time. a half-buried soap box makes a very good place to keep a supply of worms which will be ready for use at any time without the necessity of digging them. worms may be fed on the white of a hard-boiled egg, but if given plenty of room they will usually find enough food in the soil. by placing worms in sand they will soon scour and turn pink when they are far more attractive as bait. the large worms, or "night walkers," can be caught at night with a lantern. these large worms are best obtained after a rain or on lawns that are sprinkled frequently, when they will be found moving about on top of the ground but always with one end in the hole from which they have emerged and into which they can dart if they are disturbed. for big fish, the best bait is minnows. in trolling with them it will make but little difference whether dead or alive, but for still fishing the minnows must not only be alive, but, to attract the fish, lively as well. the regulation minnow bucket consists of one pail fitted inside of another, the inner one being made of wire mesh to permit the free circulation of the water. this enables us to change the water frequently without handling the fish. when we reach a place where fresh water is obtainable, we simply remove the inner pail, pour out the stale water from the other pail, and fill it as quickly as possible. to keep bait alive in warm weather we must change the water frequently. another method where fresh water is not available, as on a long drive, is to aerate it by pouring from one pail to another. it is an excellent plan to place a piece of ice on top of the minnow pail. with this arrangement, it will not be necessary to give them fresh water for a long time. [illustration: an excellent device for catching minnows] the simplest way to catch minnows is with a drop net. take an iron ring or hoop such as children use and sew to it a bag of cotton mosquito netting, half as deep as the diameter of the ring. sew a weight in the bottom of the net to make it sink readily and fasten it to a pole. when we reach the place which the minnows frequent, such as the cove of a lake, we must proceed very cautiously, lowering the net into the water and then baiting it with bits of bread or meat, a very little at a time, until we see a school of bait darting here and there over the net. we must then give a quick lift without any hesitation and try to catch as many as possible from escaping over the sides. the minnow bucket should be close at hand to transfer them to and care must be used not to injure them or allow them to scale themselves in their efforts to escape. the common method of capturing minnows is to use a sweep net, but it takes several people to handle one properly and for our own use the drop net method will probably supply us with all the bait that we need. fish are very fickle in their tastes. what will be good bait one day will absolutely fail the next and sometimes even in an hour this same thing will take place. why this is so no one has been able to explain satisfactorily, but that it is a fact no fisherman will deny. we should therefore have as great a variety of bait in our equipment as possible. worms, crawfish, minnows, frogs, grasshoppers, grubs and helgramites are all good at times in fresh water, as well as various kinds of artificial baits, spoons, spinners, and rubber lures. [illustration: a trolling spoon] sometimes fish will take very unusual baits. black bass have been caught on young bats. the famous old trout in the beaverkill river in new york state, which had refused all the ordinary baits and flies that were offered him for years and that on bright days could be seen in a pool lying deep down in the water, finally fell a victim to a young mouse that was tied to the hook with pink silk. fly fishing is the most expert and scientific method of angling. it is the poetry of fishing. the fly fisherman usually wades in the brook or stream where he is fishing, although it is sometimes possible to cast a fly from the bank or a boat. it is useless to go fly fishing while there is snow water in the brooks but just as soon as the first warm days of spring come, then fishing is at its best. the whole idea of casting a fly is to drop it in the most likely-looking places and to strike the fish just as soon as he seizes the hook. to do this we must always have the line under perfect control, therefore do not attempt to cast a line too great a distance. if we do not fix the hook into the fish's mouth at the instant that he seizes the fly, he will very soon find that what he thought was a nice fat bug or juicy caterpillar is nothing but a bit of wool and some feathers with a sting in its tail, and he will spit it out before we can recover our slack line. it is a common mistake to use flies that are too large. ordinary trout flies are the proper size for bass and the smallest size trout flies are plenty large enough for trout. there are hundreds of kinds of flies of various combinations of colours and no one can say which is the best. this question has been argued by fishermen ever since the days of izaak walton. the universal rule of trout and bass fishermen who use a fly is to select small dark flies for bright days or when the water is very clear or low and the more brightly coloured ones when the day is dark or the water dark or turbid. the fly book should contain a varied assortment to meet these conditions. the best lines for fly fishing are made of braided enamelled silk. some fly lines are tapered but this is not necessary and is a needless expense. twisted lines are much cheaper but very unsatisfactory. fly fishing is not only the most scientific and sportsmanlike method of fishing but it is also the most difficult to acquire skill in. it is of course possible to catch trout and salmon on other bait than flies. in fact, there is really no better bait for brook trout than common fish worms that have been scoured in sand. the use of a fly, however, is more satisfactory where the pleasure derived in fishing is more important than the size of the string. [illustration: an artificial fly; used for salmon] in learning to cast a fly, you can practise at home, either in an open space or wherever there is room to work the line. it is not necessary to practise with the actual hooks or flies on the line. simply tie a knot in it. hold the rod lightly but firmly in the right hand. point your thumb along the line of the rod and start by pulling out a little line from the reel with the left hand. with a steady sweep, cast the end of the line toward some near-by object and with each cast pull out a little more line until you reach a point when you are handling all the line you can take care of without effort or without too much of a sweep on the back cast. you must not allow the line to become entangled in trees or other obstacles. the wrist does most of the work in casting. the elbow should be close to the side. if you find that the line snaps like a whip on the back cast, it is because you start the forward cast before the line straightens out behind. when you can handle twenty-five or thirty feet accurately, you can safely get ready to go fishing. the most successful fly fishermen use a short line, but they use it with the utmost accuracy and can make the flies land within a foot of the place they are aiming at almost every time. when a trout strikes your fly, you must snub him quickly or he will surely get away. if the flies you are using do not cause the fish to rise, and if you are certain that it is not due to your lack of skill, it will be well to change to some other combination of colours; but give your first selection a fair trial. bait casting is much easier than fly casting as the weight of the bait will help to carry out the line. it is the common method of fishing with minnows, frogs, small spoons and spinners, and other artificial lures. some fishermen practise the method of allowing the line to run from the reel. the principal point in this way of fishing is to stop the reel by using the thumb as a brake at the instant that the bait strikes the water. this prevents the reel from spinning and causing the line to overrun. neglect of this precaution will cause a very annoying tangle that is sometimes call a "backlash" but more often characterized by much harsher names by the impatient fisherman who has the misfortune to experience it. in live bait casting, start with the line reeled to within fifteen inches of the end of the rod, holding the thumb on the reel spool. with a rather strong overhead sweep, bring the rod forward. at the proper instant, which is just as the point of the rod goes over your head, release the pressure of your thumb and the bait will go forward as the line runs out rapidly. when the bait lands, reel in slowly and with various motions try to give to the bait as life-like an appearance as possible. if you have a strike, allow the fish sufficient time to obtain a secure hold of the bait and by a sudden jerk fix the hook in his mouth. bait casting is as a rule a very effective method of catching fish, especially in shallow lakes and where fly fishing is not practised. in deep water, trolling or still fishing are usually the best methods of catching fish and often the only methods that will be successful. trolling consists simply in rowing or paddling slowly with the bait or spoon trailing behind. it is not a scientific way of fishing and requires but little skill. when the fish strikes, it usually hooks itself and all that remains is to reel it into the boat and land it. the conditions on large lakes often make it necessary to follow one of these methods of trolling or still fishing, especially during the warm weather when the big fish have left the spawning grounds and are in deep water. there are trolling devices called spinners that have several gangs of hooks, sometimes as many as fifteen. no real fisherman would use such a murderous arrangement which gives the fish practically no chance at all and in many states their use is properly prohibited by law. a single hook, or at most a single gang of three hooks, is all that any one should ever use. [illustration: a raised pillar multiplying reel] every boy knows what still fishing is. it is the common method of baiting our hook, casting it from the shore or from a boat and waiting for a bite. in still fishing it is customary to use a light sinker to keep the bait near the bottom and a float or "cork" which serves the double purpose of keeping the bait away from snags, stones, or weeds on the bottom and also of showing us when we have a bite. the more expert still fishermen never use a float, as they prefer to tell by the pull on the line when a fish has taken the bait. a fishing boat should be thoroughly seaworthy and also have plenty of room. flat-bottom boats make the best type for fishing, provided that we do not have to row them far or if the place where we use them is not subject to sudden squalls or rough water. the middle seat should contain both a fish well and a minnow box with a dividing partition and with two hinged lids fitted into the seat. such a boat can be built by an ordinary carpenter and should not cost over ten or twelve dollars. it should be painted every year to keep it in good condition. use clear white pine or cedar for the sides. the bottom boards should not be fitted tightly together but left with cracks fully a half-inch wide to allow for the swelling of the wood when the boat is launched. the best oarlocks are fastened to the oars and fit in the sockets with a long pin. this arrangement permits one to fish alone, and if trolling to drop the oars quickly and take up the rod without danger of losing them. [illustration: a landing net should be a part of every fisherman's outfit] a landing net should be a part of every fishing outfit. more fish are lost just as they are about to be lifted from the water than at any other time. a gaff is used for this same purpose with fish too large to go into a landing net. a gaff is a large hook without a barb fastened into a short pole. if you have no net or gaff and have succeeded in bringing a large fish up alongside the boat, try to reach under him and get a firm grip in his gills before you lift him on board. if it is a pickerel, look out for his needle-like teeth. the best time to fish is either in the early morning or just before sundown. during the heated part of the day most game fish stop feeding and seek the cool, deep places in the lake or river. in many states, fishing is prohibited by law until after the fish are through the spawning season. in all kinds of fishing, the rule is to keep as quiet as possible. talking does not make so much difference, but any sudden noises in the water or on the bottom of the boat are especially likely to frighten the fish. never fish in your own shadow or that of your boat. try to have the sun in front of you or at your side. never be in a hurry to land a big fish. remember that some of the so-called "big game fish" of the ocean will take all day to land. you must use skill to tire your fish out or by keeping his gills open to drown him. the rod and line are not intended as a lever to force the fish to the landing net but merely as a guide to lead him about and by his struggles to force him to become exhausted. a very interesting experiment has demonstrated that a skilful fisherman can with a fly rod and light line in a very short time tire out a strong swimmer to which the line has been attached and force him to give up the struggle and come to the side of a boat. methods of fishing differ so much in different localities that aside from the ordinary equipment of rods, reels, lines, leaders, and hooks, the fisherman going to a new locality had better first ascertain what the general methods of fishing are, or else, if possible, secure his equipment after he reaches his fishing grounds. viii nature study what is a true naturalist?--how to start a collection--moth collecting--the herbarium there is nothing in the world that will bring more pleasure into the life of a boy or girl than to cultivate a love for nature. it is one of the joys of life that is as free as the air we breathe. a nature student need never be lonely or at a loss for friends or companions. the birds and the bugs are his acquaintances. whenever he goes afield there is something new or interesting to see and to observe. he finds-"----_tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything_." to love nature and her mysteries does not necessarily mean to be some kind of a queer creature running around with a butterfly net or an insect box. a true naturalist is simply a man or boy who keeps his eyes and ears open. he will soon find that nature is ready to tell him many secrets. after a time, the smell of the woods, the chirp of a cricket and the rustling of the wind in the pines become his pleasures. the reason that people do not as a rule know more about nature is simply because their minds are too full of other things. they fail to cultivate the power of accurate observation, which is the most important thing of all. a practical start in nature study is to go out some dewy morning and study the first spider web you come across, noting how wonderfully this little creature makes a net to catch its food just as we make nets to catch fish, how the web is braced with tiny guy ropes to keep the wind from blowing it away in a way similar to the method an engineer would use in securing a derrick or a tall chimney. when a fly or bug happens to become entangled in its meshes, the spider will dart out quickly from its hiding place and if the fly is making a violent struggle for life will soon spin a ribbon-like web around it which will hold it secure, just as we might attempt to secure a prisoner or wild animal that was trying to make its escape, by binding it with ropes. a spider makes a very interesting pet and the surest way to overcome the fear that many people have of spiders is to know more about them. there is no need to read big books or listen to dry lectures to study nature. in any square foot that you may pick out at random in your lawn you will find something interesting if you will look for it. some tiny bug will be crawling around in its little world, not aimlessly but with some definite purpose in view. to this insect the blades of grass are almost like mighty trees and the imprint of your heel in the ground may seem like a valley between mountains. to get an adequate idea of the myriads of insects that people the fields, we should select a summer day just as the sun is about to set. the reflection of its waning rays on their wings will show countless thousands of flying creatures in places where, if we did not take the trouble to observe, we might think there were none. there is one very important side to nature that must not be overlooked. it consists in knowing that we shall find a thousand things that we cannot explain to one that we fully understand. education of any kind consists more in knowing when to say "i don't know and no one else knows either" than to attempt a foolish explanation of an unexplainable thing. if you ask "why a cat has whiskers," or why and how they make a purring noise when they are pleased and wag their tails when they are angry, while a dog wags his to show pleasure, the wisest man cannot answer your question. a teacher once asked a boy about a cat's whiskers and he said they were to keep her from trying to get her body through a hole that would not admit her head without touching her whiskers. no one can explain satisfactorily why the sap runs up in a tree and by some chemical process carries from the earth the right elements to make leaves, blossoms or fruit. nature study is not "why?" it is "how." we all learn in everyday life how a hen will take care of a brood of chicks or how a bee will go from blossom to blossom to sip honey. would it not also be interesting to see how a little bug the size of a pin head will burrow into the stem of an oak leaf and how the tree will grow a house around him that will be totally unlike the rest of the branches or leaves. that is an "oak gall." if you carefully cut a green one open you will find the bug in the centre or in the case of a dried one that we often find on the ground, we can see the tiny hole where he has crawled out. did you ever know that some kinds of ants will wage war on other kinds and make slaves of the prisoners just as our ancestors did in the olden times with human beings? did you ever see a play-ground where the ants have their recreation just as we have ball fields and dancing halls? did you ever hear of a colony of ants keeping a cow? it is a well-known fact that they do, and they will take their cow out to pasture and bring it in and milk it and then lock it up for the night just as you might do if you were a farm boy. the "ants' cow" is a species of insect called "aphis" that secretes from its food a sweet kind of fluid called "honey dew." the ten thousand things that we can learn in nature could no more be covered in a chapter in this book than the same space could cover a history of the world. i have two large books devoted to the discussion of a single kind of flower, the "orchid." it is estimated that there are about two hundred thousand kinds of flowers, so for this subject alone, we should need a bookshelf over a mile long. this is not stated to discourage any one for of course no one can learn all there is to know about any subject. most people are content not to learn anything or even see anything that is not a part of their daily life. the only kind of nature study worth while is systematic. it is not safe to trust too much to the memory. keep a diary and record in it even the most simple things for future reference. all sorts of items can be written in such a book. as it is your own personal affair, you need not try to make it a work of literary merit. have entries such as these: first frost--oct. 3rd first snow--3 inches thanksgiving day skating--december 3rd weather clear and bright on candlemas day, feb. 2nd and therefore ground-hog saw his shadow heard crows cawing--feb. 18th. last year--jan. 26th saw first robin--march 14th last snow--april 28th there is scarcely anything in nature that is not interesting and in some way useful. perhaps you will say "how about a bat?" as a matter of fact a bat is one of our best friends because he will spend the whole night catching mosquitoes. but some one will say "he flies into your hair and is covered with a certain kind of disgusting vermin." did you ever know of a bat flying into any one's hair? and as for the vermin science tells us that they are really his favourite food so it is unlikely that he would harbour a colony of them very long. the subject of snakes is one in which there is more misinformation than any other common thing. there are only three venomous kinds of snakes in america. they are the rattlesnake, copperhead and moccasin. all of them can be distinguished by a deep pit behind the eye, which gives them the name of "pit vipers." the general impression that puff adders, pilots, green snakes or water snakes are poisonous is absolutely wrong, and as for hoop snakes and the snake with a sting in his tail that all boys have heard about, they are absolutely fairy tales like "jack and the bean stalk" or "alice in wonderland." we have all heard about black snakes eight or ten feet long that will chase you and wind themselves around your neck, but of the many hundreds of black snakes that a well known naturalist has seen he states that he never saw one that did not do its best to escape if given half a chance. why so much misinformation about snakes exists is a mystery. nature study has recently been introduced into schools and it is a very excellent way to have the interesting things pointed out to us until our eyes are trained to see for ourselves. the usual methods of nature study may be roughly divided into, 1. keeping pets. 2. bird study. 3. insect study. 4. systematic study of flowers and plants. 5. wild animal life. the basis of nature study consists in making collections. a collection that we have made for ourselves of moths or flowers, for instance, is far more interesting than a stamp or coin collection where we buy our specimens. if we go afield and collect for ourselves, the cost is practically nothing and we have the benefit of being in the air and sunshine. one kind of collecting is absolutely wrong--that of birds' eggs, nests or even the birds themselves. our little feathered songsters are too few now and most states have very severe penalties for killing or molesting them. a nature student must not be a lawbreaker. the outfit for a butterfly or moth collection is very simple and inexpensive. we shall need an insect net to capture our specimens. this can be made at home from a piece of stiff wire bent into the shape of a flattened circle about a foot across. fasten the ring securely to a broom handle and make a cheesecloth net the same diameter as the ring and about two feet deep. [illustration: the cyanide bottle] it is very cruel to run a pin through insects and to allow them slowly to torture to death. an insect killer that is generally used is called "the cyanide bottle." its principle ingredient, cyanide of potassium is a harmless looking white powder but it is the _most deadly poison in the world_. unless a boy or girl knows fully its terrible danger, they should never touch it or even breathe its fumes. one of your parents or the druggist should prepare the cyanide bottle for you and as long as you do not look into the bottle to watch the struggles of a dying bug or in any way get any of the contents of the bottle on your fingers, you are safe. take a wide-mouthed bottle made of clear glass and fit a cork or rubber stopper to it. then wash the bottle thoroughly and dry it, finally polishing the inside with a piece of soft cloth or tissue paper. place one ounce of cyanide of potassium into the bottle and pour in enough dry sawdust to cover the lumps of poison. then wet some plaster of paris until it is the consistency of thick cream and quickly pour it over the sawdust, taking care that it does not run down the sides or splash against the bottle. place the bottle on a level table and very soon the plaster of paris will set and harden into a solid cake. sufficient fumes from the cyanide will come up through the plaster to poison the air in the bottle and to kill any living thing that attempts to breathe it. as you capture your specimens of moths, bugs or butterflies afield you place them into the bottle, and as soon as they are dead, you remove them; fold them carefully in stiff paper and store them in a paper box or a carrying case until you get home. they should then be mounted on boards or cork sheets, labelled carefully with the name of the specimen, date and place of capture and any other facts that you may wish to keep. [illustration: how insects are spread to dry them in a natural position] considerable skill is required to mount insects properly and in a life-like position. if they are out of shape you must "spread" them before they dry out. spreading consists in holding them in the proper position by means of tiny bits of glass and pins until they are dry. as moths are, as a rule, night-flying creatures the collector will either obtain them in a larval stage, or will adopt the method of "sugaring," one of the most fascinating branches of nature study. a favourable locality is selected, a comparatively open space in preference to a dense growth, and several trees are baited or sugared to attract the moths when in search of food. the sugar or bait is made as follows: take four pounds of dark brown sugar, one quart of molasses, a bottle of stale ale or beer, four ounces of santa cruz rum. mix and heat gradually. after it is cooked for five minutes allow it to cool and place in mason jars. the bait will be about the consistency of thick varnish. just before twilight the bait should be painted on a dozen or more trees with a strip about three inches wide and three feet long. you will need a bull's-eye lantern or bicycle lamp and after dark, make the rounds of your bait and cautiously flash the light on the baited tree. if you see a moth feeding there, carefully bring the cyanide bottle up and drop him into it. under no circumstances, clap the bottle over the specimen. if you do the neck of the bottle will become smeared with the bait and the moth would be daubed over and ruined. you will soon have all the specimens that you can care for at one time and will be ready to go home and take care of them. the moths are among the most beautiful creatures in nature and a reasonably complete collection of the specimens in your neighbourhood will be something to be proud of. [illustration: the moth collector and his outfit (photograph by f.w. stack)] the plant and flower collector should combine his field work with a study of botany. like most subjects in school books, botany may seem dry and uninteresting but when we learn it for some definite purpose such as knowing the wild flowers and calling them our friends, we must accept the few strange words and dry things in the school work as a little bitter that goes with a great deal of sweet. a collection of dried plants is called an herbarium. it is customary to take the entire plant as a specimen including the roots. separate specimens of buds, leaves, flowers and fruit taken at different seasons of the year will make the collection more complete. specimens should be first pressed or flattened between sheets of blotting paper and then mounted on sheets of white paper either by glue or by strips of gummed paper. after a flower is properly identified, these sheets should be carefully numbered and labelled and a record kept in a book so that we can readily find a specimen without unnecessarily handling the specimen sheets. the sheets should be kept in heavy envelopes of manila paper and placed in a box just the size to hold them. the standard or museum size of herbarium sheets is 11-1/2 x 16-1/2 inches. specimens of seaweed or leaves can be kept in blank books. a typical label for plants or flowers should be as follows: common names yellow adder's tongue date collected, may 16th, 1908 dog tooth violet botanical name erythronium americanum remarks: john burroughs family lilies suggests that the name where found rockaway valley near be changed either to beaver brook fawn lily because its leaves look like a spotted fawn or trout lily because they always appear at trout fishing season. a boy or girl living in a section where minerals are plentiful, can make a very interesting collection of stones and mineral substances, especially crystals. this should be taken up in connection with school work in chemistry and mineralogy. to determine the names of minerals is by no means as easy as that of flowers or animals. we shall need to understand something of blow-pipe analysis. as a rule a high school pupil can receive a great deal of valuable instruction and aid from one of his teachers in this work. mineral specimens should be mounted on small blocks or spindles using sealing wax to hold them in place. there are unlimited possibilities in nature for making collections. shells, mosses, ferns, leaves, grasses, seeds, are all interesting and of value. an observation beehive with a glass front which may be darkened will show us the wonderful intelligence of these little creatures. the true spirit of nature study is to learn as much as we can of her in all of her branches, not to make a specialty of one thing to the neglect of the rest and above all not to make work of anything. we see some new side to our most common things when we once learn to look for it. not one person in ten thousand knows that bean vines and morning glories will twine around a pole to the right while hop vines and honeysuckle will go to the left and yet who is there who has not seen these common vines hundreds of times? no one can give as an excuse that he is too busy to study nature. the busiest men in national affairs have had time for it and surely we with our little responsibilities and cares can do so too. i once went fishing with a clergyman and i noticed that he stood for a long time looking at a pure white water lily with beautiful fragrance that grew from the blackest and most uninviting looking mud that one could find. the next sunday he used this as an illustration for his text. how many of us ever saw the possibility of a sermon in this common everyday sight? ix water life the water telescope--how to manage an aquarium--our insect friends and enemies--the observation beehive the eggs of so many insects, toads, frogs and other interesting creatures are laid and hatched in water that a close study of pools, brooks and small bodies of water will disclose to the nature student some wonderful stories of animal life. to obtain water specimens for our collection, we shall need a net somewhat similar to the butterfly net described in the previous chapter but with a much stronger frame. one that i have used for several years was made by the village blacksmith. the ring or hoop is of quarter-inch round iron, securely fastened to a stout handle and bent to a shape as shown in the drawing. to this ring is fastened a regular landing net such as fishermen use, with an extra bag of cheesecloth to fit inside to capture insects too small to be held by the meshes of the outside net. for frogs, turtles, and minnows, the single net is all that is necessary. this device is almost strong enough to use as a shovel. it will scoop up a netful of mud without bending. this is important as muddy ditches and sluggish ponds will yield us more specimens than swiftly running brooks. in addition to the net, the collector will require a small pail to hold his trophies. a fisherman's minnow bucket is excellent for this purpose and the water can easily be freshened and the contents of the pail reached by simply lifting out the inside pail from the water, which will drain out. [illustration: a heavy net is useful to capture aquarium specimens] to study the animal life under the surface of a clear and shallow lake, a water telescope is a great aid. it is simply a wooden box a foot or so long and open at both ends. the inside should be painted black to prevent cross reflection of light. a square of clear glass should be fitted into one end and puttied tight to keep out the water. to use the water telescope, we simply shove the glass end under water and look into the box. a cloth hood or eye piece to keep out the outside light will make it more effective. the best way to use a water telescope is to lie in the bottom of a boat which is drifting about, and to look through the telescope over the side. as you study the marvellous animal and plant life that passes along under you like a panorama, see to it that in your excitement you do not fall overboard as a boy friend of mine once did. the care of an aquarium is a never ending source of interest to the nature student. if a boy is handy with tools he can build one himself. it is by no means an easy task however to make a satisfactory water-tight box with glass sides, and my advice is not to attempt it. glass aquaria may be bought so cheaply that it is doubtful if you can save any money by making one at home. if you care to try it, this is the way it is usually done: use a piece of seasoned white wood 1-1/4 inches thick for the bottom. if you wish your aquarium to be, say, 16 inches wide and 30 inches long, this bottom board should be 20 x 34 to give a margin at the edge. the size of a home-made aquarium can be anything that you desire. it is customary to allow a gallon of water to each three-inch gold fish that will inhabit it. by multiplying the three dimensions, length, width and height of your box and by dividing your result, which will be in cubic inches, by 231 (the number of cubic inches in a gallon) you can tell how many gallons of water it will hold. of course the rule for gold fish is not absolute. the nature student will probably have no gold fish at all. they are not nearly so interesting as our native kinds. besides nearly all varieties of fresh water fish will either kill gold fish or if they are too large to kill will at least make life so miserable for them that to keep them together is cruelty to animals. if we keep in our aquarium the specimens that we collect in our neighbourhood, beetles, newts, crawfish, snails, and tiny sunfish the number may be greatly increased. overcrowding however is very bad. the ideal we should strive for is not "how many specimens" but "how many kinds" we can have in our collection. the white wood board should have three or four hardwood cleats screwed to the bottom to prevent warping. the corner pieces of our glass box may either be made of sheet copper or heavy tin, or of wood, if we cannot work in metals. the wooden strips and the bottom board should have grooves ploughed in them to hold the glass. all the woodwork should be given several coats of asphalt varnish and to further waterproof it and as a final coat use some kind of marine copper paint that is used to coat the bottoms of vessels. never use the common white lead and linseed oil paint for an aquarium. you can sometimes buy aquarium cement or prepared putty at a "gold fish" store. this you will need to putty in the glass. if you cannot buy it, make it yourself from the asphalt varnish and whiting. be sure that the paint and putty of an aquarium is thoroughly dry before you fill it with water. perhaps the most satisfactory way to study fish and insect life in water is to use all glass boxes and globes. so many kinds of fish and insects are natural enemies, even though they inhabit the same streams, that they must be kept separate anyway. to put them in the same aquarium would be like caging up two game roosters. if we were studying the development of mosquitoes, for instance, from the larvae or eggs to the fully developed insect, we should not get very far in our nature study if we put them in an aquarium with fish. a fish will soon make short work of a hundred mosquito wigglers just as a large frog will eat the fish, a snake will eat the frog and so on. rectangular glass boxes such as are commonly used for aquaria cost less than a dollar per gallon capacity. goldfish globes cost about the same. white glass round aquaria are much cheaper and those made of greenish domestic glass are the cheapest of all, a glass tank holding eight gallons costing but two dollars. [illustration: a self-sustaining or balanced aquarium] any transparent vessel capable of holding water, even a mason jar will make an aquarium from which a great deal of pleasure may be derived. the old way of maintaining aquaria in good condition required a great deal of care and attention. the water had to be changed at least once a day if running water was not available, and altogether they were so much trouble that as a rule owners soon tired of them. modern aquaria are totally different. by a proper combination of fish and growing plants we can almost duplicate the conditions of nature and strike a balance so that the water need never be changed except when it becomes foul or to clean the glass. these are called "self-sustaining" aquaria and they are the only kind to have unless we can furnish running water from a public water supply. self-sustaining aquaria are very simple and any boy or girl living near a brook can stock one at no expense whatever. the method is as follows: first cover the bottom of the aquarium with a layer of sand and pebbles to a depth of about two inches. then plant in the bottom some aquatic or water plants that you have collected from a near-by lake. any kind of water plants will do--the kind of plants boys always call seaweed, even a thousand miles from the sea. in collecting the plants, choose small specimens and obtain roots and all. if you can find it, the best plant is fanwort. other good kinds are hornwort, water starwort, tape grass, water poppy, milfoil, willow moss, and floating plants like duckweed. even if you do not know these by name they are probably common in your neighbourhood. fill the tank with clean water. that taken from a spring or well is better than cistern water. after two or three days, when the plants seem to be well rooted, put in your fish. you may keep your aquarium in a light place, but always keep it out of the sun in summer and away from the heat of a stove or radiator in winter. the nature student will not attempt to stock up his aquarium immediately. he should always leave room for one more fish or bug. one year i started with a lone newt and before the summer was over i had thirteen sunfish, pickerel, bass, minnows, catfish, carp, trout, more newts, pollywogs or tadpoles, five kinds of frogs, an eel and all sorts of bugs, waterbeetles and insects. i soon found that one kind of insect would kill another and that sometimes my specimens would grow wings over night and fly away. but to learn these things, even at our own disappointment is "nature study." if we knew it all in advance, we would not have much use for our experimental aquarium. always keep a few snails and tadpoles, for they are the scavengers and will eat the refuse stuff and keep the glass free from greenish scum. boys and girls are almost sure to overfeed fish. this is a great mistake. the best standard feed is dried ants' eggs that can be bought for a few cents a box at any bird and fish store. do not feed pieces of bread and meat. study what their natural food is and if possible get that for them. if your fish seem sickly, give them a five-minute bath in salt water every day for a week. the kind of an aquarium above described is intended to fill an entirely different purpose from the usual gold fish globe. in your excursions you will find all sorts of queer looking eggs and specimens. some of the eggs are so tiny that they look almost like black or white dust on the water. another kind will be a mass like a jellyfish with brown dots in it, still others will be fastened in masses to the under side of a leaf in the water or perhaps on the bottom. what are they? that is just the question and that is why you will carefully collect them and take them home to await developments. always keep an accurate note-book with dates and facts. also keep a close watch on your specimens. sometimes they will hatch and be eaten by the other bugs before you could read this chapter. a nature student will need some part of the house that he may call his very own. here he can keep his specimens, his aquarium, his herbarium and what not. around the wall he can hang the twigs with their cocoons, oak galls, last year's wasp and bird nests and other treasures. he should also have a work table that a little glue or ink will not injure and a carpet that has no further use in the household. usually one corner of the attic or cellar is just the place. see to it that you do not make other people uncomfortable in the pursuit of your hobby. you will find that almost every one is afraid of bugs and toads and that most people live in a world full of wonderful things and only see a little beyond the end of their noses. there is a very practical side to nature study and the principal way that we can make it really pay, is to know our friends from our enemies in the animal and insect world. there are insects that chew, suck and bore to ruin our orchards and grain crops. they are our enemies. if we know their life story, where they hide and how they breed, we can fight them better. for every dollar's worth of crops that a farmer grows, it is estimated that his insect enemies eat another dollar's worth. a little bug called the "san josã©" scale has nearly ruined the orchards of some of the eastern states. to fight him, we must know how he lives. that is nature study. by study we learn that the hop-toad is our best garden friend. he will spend the whole night watching for the cutworms that are after our tomato plants. when we see a woodpecker industriously pecking at the bark of our apple trees, we know that he is after the larvae of the terrible codling moth and we call him our friend. after we learn that a ladybug lives almost entirely on plant lice and scale insects, we never kill one again except perhaps to place a specimen in our collection. naturalists say that without ladybugs, our orchards would soon be entirely killed off. the dragon fly or mosquito hawk as well as "water tigers," water striders and many kinds of beetles are the natural enemies of mosquitoes and as they never harm our crops we should never harm them. nearly every living creature has some enemies. you have perhaps heard the famous verse of dean swift: "so naturalists observe, a flea has smaller that upon them prey and these have smaller still to bite 'em and so proceed _ad infinitum_." [illustration: an observation beehive] among our insect friends the leading place belongs either to the honey bee or the silkworm. as silkworms are not especially successful in this country and as their principal food, mulberry trees, are not common, the nature student who cares to study our beneficial insects had better devote his attention to honey bees. an observation beehive is simply a glass box or hive instead of a wooden one. when we are not engaged in studying our bee city, the hive must be covered with a blanket as bees prefer to work in the dark. a boy or girl living in the country can also keep bees profitably and thus combine business with pleasure. a single hive will in a few years produce enough swarms to give us a good start as "bee farmers." x the care of pets cats--boxes for song birds--how to attract the birds--tame crows--the pigeon fancier--ornamental land and water fowl--rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice--how to build coops--general rules for pets--the dog in this chapter on pets, i regret exceedingly that i cannot say much in favour of the family cat. like nearly all children, i was brought up to love kittens and to admire their playful, cunning ways. when a kitten becomes a cat my love for it ceases. cats will do so many mean, dishonourable things, and will catch so many song birds and so few rats and mice that it simply has become a question whether we shall like the song birds or the cat. so many people do like cats that it is unfair perhaps to condemn the whole race for the misdeeds of a few. if a cat is carefully watched or if we put a bell on its neck, these precautions will to a certain extent keep the cat from catching birds, but most people have something better to do than to act as guardian for a cat. the fact is that a cat is a stupid animal seldom showing any real affection or loyalty for its owner and possessing but little intelligence. it is very difficult to teach a cat even the simplest tricks. we never know when a cat will turn on its best friend. they have the "tiger" instinct of treachery. a cat which one minute is contentedly purring on our lap may sink its claws into us the next. the only way to force a cat to catch mice is to keep it half starved. then instead of catching mice, it will probably go after birds if there are any in the neighbourhood. i have shut a cat up in a room with a mouse and it is doubtful whether the cat or the mouse were the more frightened. the cat does more damage to the song birds of this country than any other enemy they have. if kept at home and well fed, cats sometimes become so fat and stupid that they will not molest birds but this is due to laziness and not to any good qualities in the cat. in normal condition they are natural hunters. the habits of a cat are unclean, its unearthly cries at night are extremely disagreeable and altogether it is a nuisance. a famous naturalist, shaler, once said "a cat is the only animal that has been tolerated, esteemed and at times worshipped without having a single distinctly valuable quality." a few years ago a quail had a nest under a rock opposite my house. quail raise their young like poultry rather than like robins or wrens or the other song birds. as soon as the tiny quail chicks are hatched, the mother takes them around like a hen with a brood of chickens. this mother quail was my especial care and study. she became so tame that i could feed her. finally she hatched out ten tiny brown balls of feathers. our cat had been watching her, too, but not from the same motives and one day the cat came home with the mother quail in her mouth. she ran under the porch just out of reach and calmly ate it. the little brood were too small to look out for themselves so of course they all died or fell an easy victim to other cats. the mother was probably an easy prey because in guarding the young, a quail will pretend to have a broken wing and struggle along to attract attention to her and away from her little ones, who scurry to high grass for safety. i have never been very friendly to cats since i witnessed this episode. it has been estimated that the average domestic cat kills an average of one song bird a day during the season when the birds are with us. in certain sections a cat has been known to destroy six nests of orioles, thrushes and bobolinks in a single day. the worst offenders are cats that live around barns and old houses in a half wild condition. many people who say they "haven't the heart to kill a cat" will take it away from home and drop it along the road. a thoughtless act like this may mean the death of a hundred birds in that neighbourhood. it takes less heart to kill the cat than to kill the birds. so much for the cat. [illustration: a bird house] birds make splendid pets, but in keeping them in captivity, we must be sure that we are not violating the game laws of the state we live in. nearly everywhere it is unlawful to keep in cages any native song birds or those that destroy harmful insects--the so-called "insectivorous birds." this includes thrushes, wrens, robins, bluebirds, orioles or, in fact, practically all birds but crows, blackbirds and kingfishers. it does not cover canaries, parrots, or any birds that are not native. it is an excellent law and every boy or girl should act as a special policeman to see that his friends and companions do not molest either birds or their nests. it is cruel to cage a wild bird anyway for a cage is nothing but a prison. there is no law against taming the birds or making friends of them and after all this is the most satisfactory way. if we build houses for the birds to nest in, provide feed for them and in other ways do what we can to attract them, they will soon learn that we are their friends. we must study their habits and always avoid frightening them. next to a cat, the worst enemies of our song birds are the english sparrows. a sparrow is always fair game for the boy with a slingshot or rifle. in many places these sparrows have driven practically all the other birds out of the neighbourhood, have robbed their nests and in other ways have shown themselves to be a public nuisance. until 1869 there were no sparrows in this country and now they are more numerous than any other variety of birds, and sooner or later, the government will have to take steps to exterminate them or we shall have no song birds at all. the usual size of a bird house is six inches square and about eight inches high. it should always be made of old weather-beaten boards in order not to frighten away its prospective tenants by looking like a trap of some kind. the chances are that the sparrows will be the first birds to claim a house unless we keep a close watch and drive them away. one way to keep them out is to make the entrance doorway too small for them to enter. a hole an inch in diameter will admit a wren or chickadee and bar out a sparrow, but it will also keep out most of the other birds. the usual doorway should be two inches in diameter. it is surprising how soon after we build our bird house we find a tiny pair making their plans to occupy it and to take up housekeeping. sometimes this will happen the same day the bird house is set up. always provide some nesting material near at hand; linen or cotton thread, ravellings, tow, hair and excelsior are all good. of course we must not attempt to build the nest. no one is skillful enough for that. nearly all of our native birds are migratory, that is they go south for the winter. the date that we may look for them to return is almost the same year after year. some few birds--bluebirds, robins, cedar birds and song sparrows will stay all winter if it is mild but as a rule we must not expect the arrival of the feathered songsters until march. the phoebe bird is about the first one we shall see. in april look for the brown thrasher, catbird, wren, barn, eave and tree swallows, martins, king birds and chipping sparrows. in may the principal birds of our neighbourhood will return--thrushes, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks, bobolinks, orioles. the game birds--quail, partridge, meadowlarks and pheasants do not migrate as a rule. at least they do not disappear for a time and then return. when they leave a neighbourhood, they rarely come back to it. all the song birds begin nesting in may. consequently we should have our bird houses "ready for occupancy" may 1st. it will take about twelve days for most birds to hatch their eggs. some varieties will hatch three broods in a season, but two is the usual rule. we shall require a great deal of patience to tame the wild birds. some bird lovers have succeeded in teaching birds to feed from their hands. a wild bird that is once thoroughly frightened can probably never be tamed again. a crow is a very interesting pet. crows are especially tamable and may be allowed full liberty around the dooryard. we must get a young one from the nest just before it is ready to fly. crows are great thieves and are attracted by bright objects. if you have a tame crow, and if any member of your household misses jewellery or thimbles you had better look in the crows' nest before you think that burglars have been around. the chief difference between tamed wild animals, such as squirrels, birds, owls, foxes, crows and so on, and the domesticated animals and birds, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeons and chickens, lies in the possibility with the latter of modifying nature and breeding for certain special markings, colours or size. all breeds of chickens from the little bantams to the enormous brahmas have been bred from a wild species of chicken found in india and called the jungle fowl. all the great poultry shows held throughout the country annually are for the purpose of exhibiting the most perfectly marked specimens of the breeders' skill. this is decided by judges who award prizes. the competition is sometimes very keen. in barred plymouth rock chickens, for example, there are sometimes a hundred birds entered to compete for a single prize. the breeders are called fanciers. the principal breeders of certain animals such as rabbits, pigeons or poultry, form an association or club and agree to an imaginary type of the animal called the ideal or "standard of perfection." for example, the breeders of white fantail pigeons agree that perfect birds shall be of certain shape and size, with the head resting on the back just at the base of the tail; the tail should be spread out like a fan and contain at least twenty-eight feathers. these feathers should be laced on the ends. the model fantail should have a nervous jerky motion and never be at rest. each of these points is given a certain value on a scale of marking and in judging the birds they are marked just as you may be in your lessons at school. the fancier tries to breed a bird that comes the nearest to this model. the prizes are sometimes of great value. there is an enormous list of breeds in nearly all varieties of animals and poultry. in pigeons alone there are carriers, pouters, tumblers, baldheads, beards, dragoons, barbs, jacobins, antwerps, turbits, owls, orientals, damoscenes, capuchins, fantails, trumpeters, swifts, lahores, burmese, scandaroons, magpies, nuns, archangels, runts and so on. these birds are very different in appearance, the pouter, for example, has the power of inflating his crop until it puffs out in front as large as a baseball. jacobins or as they are commonly called, "ruffle-necks," have an immense ruffle of feathers like a feather boa. dragoons have a huge wart on the bill as large as an almond. the tumblers are so named from their habit of turning backward somersaults during flight. almost every one who starts keeping domestic pets either soon tires of the sport or becomes a fancier. the care of common pigeons is a very simple matter. the principal thing is a good loft or cote for them in the top of a barn or house. they will practically take care of themselves and after a few years greatly increase in numbers. a model pigeon house for breeding fancy pigeons requires separate mating boxes, nests and other appliances. it would be impossible to make much of a success with fancy pigeons if they are allowed their liberty to fly about and mate at will. the best nest boxes for pigeons are rough earthenware pans, eight inches across, which may be bought cheaply at a bird store. the floor of the cote should be covered with sawdust or gravel to the depth of half an inch. pigeons that are confined should be fed regularly on a mixture of small grains and cracked corn. they should also be given cracked oyster shells, grit and charcoal occasionally. a pigeon loft should be rat proof and clean. it is very doubtful whether there is any money in raising pigeons or squabs for market. fanciers never sell their output for market purposes unless it is to get rid of surplus or undesirable stock. a breeder who is successful in winning prizes with birds of his "strain" as it is called will find a ready market with other breeders for all the birds he cares to sell. prize winning birds sometimes bring a hundred dollars a pair. it is by no means easy to breed prizewinners and the chances are that the beginner will be a buyer of stock rather than a seller. homing pigeons or as they are commonly called, carriers, are not bred for special markings like fancy pigeons but because of their power and speed in flight. a carrier has the "homing" instinct more fully developed than any other animal. in some homing pigeon races, the birds have made speed records of over a mile a minute for many hours and have flown over a thousand miles. if a well-bred homing pigeon fails to return to his home loft it is almost a certainty that he is either forcibly detained or that he has been killed by hunters or hawks. never try to capture a pigeon that may stop for a rest at your loft. he may be in a race and his owner may be waiting for his return five hundred miles away when every minute counts in winning a prize. another large class of birds that make fine pets although they are not strictly in the class of birds bred by the fancier are the ornamental land and water fowl. the chief objection to these birds as pets is the expense of buying them. the list of birds in this class is very large. in swans the leading varieties are mute, american whistling, black australian, white berwick and black-necked swans. the largest class are the pheasants. they are exceedingly beautiful, especially the golden, silver, lady amherst, elliott, reeves, green japanese, swinhoe, english ring neck, melanotis, and torquatis pheasants. the common wild geese are egyptian, canadian, white-fronted, sebastopol, snow, brant, bar-headed, spin-winged and many others. in ducks, there are mallards, black, wood, mandarin, blue and green winged teal, widgeon, redhead, pin-tail, bluebill, gadwell, call and many others. beside pheasants, ducks and geese there are also the various storks, cranes, pea-fowl and herons in the "ornamental fowl" list. these are all wild fowl. the commoner varieties will cost from six to fifteen dollars a pair and the rare ones several hundred. to keep the semi-wild birds from flying away they are usually pinioned, a process of taking off the end joint of one wing. the colours of some of the ornamental fowl are more beautiful than any birds in nature. pheasants especially are easily cared for and make interesting pets. they can be tamed and if kept outdoors they will seldom be subject to disease. most of these birds are as easily cared for as chickens. [illustration: a home-made rabbit house] rabbits make fine pets for boys and girls. they are clean in their habits, hardy and gentle. the common kinds are white rabbits with pink eyes or albinos, and brown rabbits or belgian hares. with rabbits also there is a "fancy." the fur fanciers' association recognizes the following distinct breeds: belgians, flemish giants, dutch marked, english, himalayan, silvers, tans, polish, lops, and angoras. a rabbit hutch or coop is easily built from old packing boxes. one third of the coop should be darkened and made into a nest, with an entrance door outside and the rest simply covered with a wire front, also with a door for cleaning and feeding. the hutch should stand on legs above ground as rabbits do not thrive well in dampness. they will, however, live out all winter in a dry place. a box four feet long and two feet wide will hold a pair of rabbits nicely. rabbits will become very tame and may often be allowed full liberty about the place if there are no dogs to molest them. the drawing shows a standard type of rabbit hutch. a boy who is handy with tools can easily build one. we can always dispose of the increase in our rabbit family to friends or to dealers. guinea pigs or cavies are similar to rabbits in their requirements. the chief difference is that guinea pigs cannot stand excessive cold and will not do well if kept outside in severe winter weather. rabbits and cavies will eat almost anything and eat constantly. the usual feed is hay, clover, wheat, corn, carrots, turnips, cabbage, lettuce, celery, potato parings, or any green food or grains. cavies are especially fond of bread and milk. the three classes of cavies are peruvians or angoras, with long silky hair; abyssinians, with coarse hair in tufts or rosettes, and the common guinea pig or smooth, cavy. a pair of cavies will cost about two dollars. a dry airy cellar is a good place to keep them as they are cleanly in their habits. neither cavies nor rabbits are especially intelligent but they do learn to know their master or at least the one who feeds them. pet rats and mice are in the same class as rabbits but they should always have a coop that they will not gnaw out of. there is even a mouse club. it is in europe and has over a thousand members. an interesting example of skill in breeding is seen in dutch belted varieties of cattle, in hogs, rabbits, cavies and mice. in all of these animals the same markings have been bred by careful crossing and selection. in all lines of "fancy" it is important to stick to a few varieties. we shall never make much of a success if we have half a dozen kinds of chickens, pigeons or rabbits. by far the most important "fancy" is with chickens, but this subject will be considered in the chapter on the care of poultry. among other pets are tame squirrels, turtles, snakes, lizards and toads. a tame gray squirrel makes a splendid pet. after a while we can give our squirrel full liberty and find him back in his nest at night. i once had a tame owl but i found that because of his habit of flying and feeding at night he was a very stupid pet. besides that his powerful beak and sharp claws or talons were dangerous. i also once had a pair of flying squirrels but they also only appear at night and were consequently uninteresting in the daytime. we must always study the natural habits of our pets and try to give them coops and food as much like nature as possible. my flying squirrels were given soft feed in place of the usual hard-shelled nuts. consequently their teeth grew so long that they were a positive deformity. we finally liberated them but before they could get to a place of safety one of them was caught and killed by a chicken. the poor little creature was so fat from overfeeding and lack of exercise that he had all but lost the power of using his legs. coops for pets may be as elaborate as our pocketbook will allow. the important things to remember are to construct a coop so that it may be cleaned easily, and to provide plenty of ventilation. it must also be dry. fresh air is as important for animals as for people. the larger we can make a coop, the better it will be. be careful not to overfeed pets. regular and frequent meals of just what they will eat up clean is better than an occasional big meal. rabbits require very little water. usually they will obtain enough moisture from the green food they eat. it is a mistake, however, to think that water will kill rabbits. change the straw in the nest boxes frequently. when they make fur nests do not disturb them. for squirrels and other small animals, the coop may be made entirely of wire except the baseboard, which should be a piece of seasoned wood. be sure that there are no sharp wire points or projecting nails in a coop to injure the animals. the whole secret of taming wild creatures is patience. we must try to show them that we are their friends. the most direct way to an animal's heart is through his stomach, which is another way of saying that the owner should personally feed his own pets if he wishes them to know him. there is really no reason why a country boy or girl should have any caged pets at all. in the city it is different. perhaps the best pet for the unnatural conditions of city life is a canary. the real spirit to develop a love for the little creatures that inhabit our woods and fields is to feel that they are our friends rather than that they are prisoners. by all means cultivate the acquaintance of your "small country neighbours." the dog every boy should own a dog. he is the friend and companion of our youth. for a boy to grow up without a dog is to be denied one of the real joys of life. senator vest once said: "the one absolute, unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world; the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. he will sleep on the cold ground where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely if only he can be near his master's side. he will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will guard the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. when all other friends desert he remains." the breed makes but little difference so long as the dog is intelligent and kind. mixed breeds and mongrel dogs are often the most intelligent. a thoroughbred dog will give us more satisfaction possibly than a mongrel because he will make a better appearance. but at the same time, he is far more likely to be stolen. there are so many breeds to select from that it is almost impossible to give much advice. as a rule, the dog we shall like is the one we can get. the very heavy dogs such as saint bernards, mastiffs and great danes are clumsy and will require outside quarters, as they are too bulky to have in the house. on the other hand the small toy breeds such as pomeranians, black and tans and king charles spaniels and pugs, are too delicate to be a real boy's dog. a list from which you may safely select a dog would be bull terriers, airedale terriers, scotch terriers, irish terriers, cocker spaniels, pointers and setters, either irish or english. this is by no means a complete list. i prefer a setter because my first dog, "old ben," was a setter, and he shared in most of my fun from the earliest recollections that i have. when he died i lost a true friend. it was the first real sorrow i ever had. a dog should not sleep in the same room with his owner, but should have a warm dry kennel and be taught to regard it as his home. do not make the mistake of overfeeding a dog. he does not need three meals a day. one is sufficient, about nine in the morning, when he should have all he wants to eat. if you insist on a second meal give him a dog biscuit or a bone to gnaw on in the evening. keep your dog free from fleas, in spite of what david harum says that "a reasonable amount of fleas is good for a dog, because it keeps him from brooding over being a dog." a thorough bath with carbolic soap and water will rid a dog of fleas, but this treatment should be repeated at weekly intervals to kill the eggs which hatch in the meantime. fresh insect powder or scotch snuff if dusted thoroughly in a dog's coat will cause fleas to leave. this treatment should be done out of doors. a good plan is to place the dog on a sheet or piece of white paper and work the powder well into the hair, especially around his neck and behind the ears. be careful not to injure his eyes. a dog will soon recognize his master, and there is no quicker way to show that you are his master than to enforce obedience when you attempt to make him mind. whether a whipping is necessary depends on the dog. with most dogs a good scolding will be sufficient. never whip a dog when you are angry and never overdo the matter. it is possible to "break a dog's spirit," which simply means to make him afraid of you. a dog so frightened is ruined until you regain his confidence, a very difficult thing to do. never cuff a dog with your hand. always use a whip or switch. let the whipping be a definite ceremony with a plain object in view. some dogs will prove to be headstrong and others will try to do whatever their master wants. there is an amazing difference in dogs and their intelligence seems to have no limits. a dog must never be allowed to annoy our neighbours or friends. one of the most annoying habits that a dog cultivates is that of running out and barking at passing carriages or people. a few lessons in discipline early in life will break him of this habit, but once acquired it is practically unbreakable. another very annoying habit is that of allowing a dog to put his paws on us. we may not mind it when we are dressed in old clothes but friends or callers are possibly not so considerate. nearly every bad habit that a dog learns is usually the fault of the owner rather than of the dog. the training of a dog should be done as a puppy. therefore we must secure our dog as young as possible. in training hunting dogs the first step is called "yard-breaking." with ordinary dogs a thorough course in yard-breaking by teaching the simple command is all that will be necessary. first of all, teach your dog to lie down and come to you at call. the usual word for the former is "charge." a dog can be taught this in a very short time. take him by the neck and back, and at the word, force him to lie down. do not use any other words, or even pet him. simply impress on his mind that when he hears "charge" it means lie down. as a rule a puppy is taught to come by snapping the fingers or by making a noise with the lips similar to that by which we urge a horse. it is almost natural to say "come here." after a puppy learns to follow us at the command "heel in" and to run ahead when we say "go on," we must also teach him to come when we whistle. most boys can make a whistle with the fingers sufficiently penetrating to call a dog for a long distance but a small metal whistle to carry in the pocket is the best way. after a dog has acquired the simple lessons of training we shall find that he learns to understand us and to do our wishes very quickly. there should be a complete understanding between a dog and his owner. he will know our ways and we shall know his. i have hunted in virginia with a dog so intelligent that merely by watching him his master could tell whether he was on the trail of a rabbit, wild turkey, or deer. for each kind of game he had a different manner of barking and what is more remarkable, he was a thoroughly broken quail dog with the best "nose" or scent i have ever known and of course did not bark under these circumstances. such a dog would be a mystery to any one who did not know his ways. this dog "old doc" would hunt with any one on quail, but if the hunter did not succeed in killing game the dog would soon show his disapproval in every way, sulk along behind, and if the poor shooting continued, finally leave for home. a friend who took him out told me, "first i missed the birds and then i missed the dog." he had left in disgust. no matter what breed our dog is we shall surely become greatly attached to him and almost look upon him as a friend rather than as an animal. a boy should never encourage a dog to fight. it is a cruel, unmanly thing and one that a real dog lover will never do. dog fighting is a form of brutality second only to tying tin cans and other things to a dog's tail for the "fun" of seeing him run. i once saw a poor beast lose his tail as a result of this brutal joke. some one had tied a string tightly around his tail and the dog ran until completely exhausted. he then kept out of sight for a few days. in the meantime the string caused his tail to become fearfully sore and finally to fall off. can any one see a joke in this? xi the care of chickens the best breed--good and bad points of incubators--what to feed small chicks--a model chicken house a pen of chickens gives a boy or girl an opportunity for keeping pets that have some real value. whether there is much profit in poultry is a question, but it is at least certain that the more care you give them the better they pay. there is but little difference in the results obtained from the various breeds of chickens, but there is a great difference in the people who take care of them. it is very difficult to make poultry pay on a large scale. nearly every poultry farm that has started as a business has failed to make a success. the surest way to make chickens pay is to have only a few. then the table scraps and the worms and weed seeds they can pick up will supply them with practically all their feed and the time you give them need not be counted as expense. there are sixty or seventy distinct breeds of poultry recognized by expert fanciers and from three to ten colours or varieties in many of these breeds. new ones are being added constantly. for example, a breed called orpingtons was recently introduced from england and now has ten varieties or colours that are "standard." at the new york poultry show a record price of $2,500 was paid for the prize-winning hen of this breed. there is a style in chickens as well as in anything else. a new breed will always have a great many admirers at first, and great claims will be made for its superior qualities. the poultrymen who have stock and eggs to sell will secure high prices for their output. very soon, however, the real value of a new breed will be known and it will be on the same basis as the older breeds. a beginner had better start with some standard recognized breed and leave the experimenting to some one else. one thing is certain: thoroughbreds will pay better than mongrels. their eggs are of more uniform size and colour, the stock will be healthy and as a rule weigh a pound or two more than birds of uncertain breeding. thoroughbreds do not cost any more to feed or care for than the mongrels and in every way are superior. breeds of poultry are usually divided into three separate classes, depending on the place where the breed originated. they are the american, asiatic, and mediterranean strains. the leading american breed is the barred plymouth rock and for a beginner will probably be the best to start with. another very excellent american or general purpose breed is the white wyandotte. they are especially valuable as broilers, as they make rapid growth while young. the leghorns are the leading breed for eggs. they are "non-sitters" and, being very active, do not become overfat. their small size, however, makes them poor table fowls and for this reason they are not adapted to general use. the asiatic type, which includes brahmas, langshans, and cochins, are all clumsy, heavy birds, which make excellent table fowl but are poor layers and poor foragers. brahma roosters will frequently weigh fifteen pounds and can eat corn from the top of a barrel. a beginner should never attempt to keep more than one kind of chickens. to get a start, we must either buy a pen of birds or buy the eggs and raise our own stock. the latter method will take a year more than the former, as the chicks we hatch this year will be our layers a year later. sometimes a pen of eight or ten fowls can be bought reasonably from some one who is selling out. if we buy from a breeder who is in the business they will cost about five dollars a trio of two hens and a rooster. the cheapest way is to buy eggs and hatch your own stock. the usual price for hatching-eggs is one dollar for fifteen eggs. we can safely count on hatching eight chicks from a setting, of which four may be pullets. therefore we must allow fifteen eggs for each four pullets we intend to keep the next year. the surplus cockerels can be sold for enough to pay for the cost of the eggs. if we have good luck we may hatch every egg in a setting and ten of them may be pullets. on the other hand, we may have only two or three chicks, which may all prove to be cockerels; so the above calculation is a fair average. if we start with eggs, we shall have to buy or rent some broody hens to put on the eggs. a good plan is to arrange with some farmer in the neighbourhood to take charge of the eggs and to set his own hens on them. i once made such an arrangement and agreed to give him all but one of the cockerels that hatched. i was to take all the pullets. the arrangement was mutually satisfactory and he kept and fed the chicks until they were able to leave the mother hen--about eight weeks. it is also possible to buy one-day-old chicks for about ten or fifteen cents apiece from a poultry dealer, but the safest way is to hatch your own stock. the easiest way to make a large hatch all at one time is with an incubator. there are a number of very excellent makes advertised in the farm papers and other magazines and the prices are quite reasonable. an incubator holding about a hundred eggs will cost ten or twelve dollars. there are many objections to incubators which we can learn only from practical experience. we shall not average more than 50 per cent. hatches as a rule. that is to say, for every hundred eggs we set we must not count on hatching more than fifty chicks. incubators are a constant care. the most important objection to an incubator is that it is against the rules of most fire insurance companies to allow it to be operated in any building that the insurance policy covers. if the automatic heat regulator fails to work and the heat in our incubator runs up too high we may have a fire. at any rate, we shall lose our entire hatch. the latter is also true if the lamp goes out and the eggs become too cool. i have made a great many hatches with incubators of different makes and my experience has been that we must watch an incubator almost constantly to have success with it. the sure way to hatch chickens is with a broody hen, but at the same time incubators are perfectly satisfactory if run in a room where the temperature does not vary much (a cellar is the best place). with an incubator there is always a temptation to attempt to raise more chickens than we can care for properly. overcrowding causes more trouble than any other one thing. it is better to have a dozen chickens well cared for than a hundred that are neglected. eggs for incubators will cost about five dollars a hundred. of course if they are from prize-winning stock the cost will be several times this amount. before placing any eggs in an incubator it should be run for two days to be sure that the heat regulator is in working order. the usual temperature for hatching is 103 degrees and the machine should be regulated for this temperature as it comes from the factory. full directions for operating, as well as a thermometer, will come with the machine and should be studied and understood before we begin to operate it. as the hatch progresses, the heat will "run up," as it is called, and we shall need to understand how to regulate the thermostat to correct this tendency toward an increased temperature. the eggs in an incubator must be turned twice a day. to be sure that we do this thoroughly it is customary to mark the eggs before we place them in the machine. the usual mark is an "x" on one side of the egg and an "o" on the other written in lead pencil. in placing the eggs in the trays we start with all the "o" marks up, for instance, and at the time of the first turning leave all the "x's" visible, alternating this twice every day. in order to operate an incubator successfully, we shall also need a brooder, which is really an artificial mother. there is a standard make of brooder costing five dollars that will accommodate fifty chicks. brooders are very simple in construction and can be made at home. a tinsmith will have to make the heating drum. the rest of it is simply a wooden box with a curtain partition to separate the hot room from the feeding space. ventilating holes must be provided for a supply of fresh air and a box placed at the bottom to prevent a draught from blowing out the lamp. in a very few days after we place the chicks in a brooder they should be allowed to go in and out at will. in a week or two we shall be able to teach them the way in, and then by lowering the platform to the ground for a runway we can permit them to run on the ground in an enclosed runway. on rainy days we must shut them in. there is always a temptation to feed chicks too soon after they are hatched. we should always wait at least twenty-four hours to give them a chance to become thoroughly dry. the general custom of giving wet cornmeal for the first feed is wrong. always feed chicks on dry food and you will avoid a great deal of sickness. an excellent first food is hard-boiled egg and corn bread made from cornmeal and water without salt and thoroughly baked until it may be crumbled. only feed a little at a time, but feed often. five times a day is none too much for two-week-old chicks. one successful poultryman i am acquainted with gives, as the first feed, dog biscuit crushed. all the small grains are good if they are cracked so that the chicks can eat them. the standard mixture sold by poultry men under the name "chick food" is probably the best. it consists of cracked wheat, rye, and corn, millet seed, pinhead oatmeal, grit, and oyster shells. do not feed meat to chicks until their pin feathers begin to show, when they may have some well-cooked lean meat, three times a week. there is quite an art in setting a hen properly. they always prefer a dry, dark place. if we are sure that there are no rats around, there is no better place to set a hen than on the ground. this is as they sit in nature and it usually seems to be the case that a hen that steals her nest will bring out more chicks than one that we have coddled. eggs that we are saving for hatching should be kept in a cool place but never allowed to freeze. they should be turned every day until they are set. hens' eggs will hatch in about twenty-one days. the eggs that have failed to hatch at this time may be discarded. when we move a broody hen we must be sure that she will stay on her new nest before we give her any eggs. test her with a china egg or a doorknob. if she stays on for two nights we may safely give her the setting. it is always better when convenient to set a hen where she first makes her nest. if she must be moved, do it at night with as little disturbance as possible. it is always a good plan to shut in a sitting hen and let her out once a day for feed and exercise. do not worry if in your judgment she remains off the nest too long. the eggs require cooling to develop the air chamber properly, and as a rule the hen knows best. young chickens are subject to a great many diseases, but if they are kept dry and warm, and if they have dry food, most of the troubles may be avoided. with all poultry, lice are a great pest. old fowls can dust themselves and in a measure keep the pest in check, but little chicks are comparatively helpless. the big gray lice will be found on a chick's neck near the head. the remedy for this is to grease the feathers with vaseline on the head and neck. the small white lice can be controlled by dusting the chicks with insect powder and by keeping the brooder absolutely clean. a weekly coat of whitewash to which some carbolic acid has been added will keep lice in check in poultry houses and is an excellent plan. hen-hatched chicks are usually more subject to lice than those hatched in incubators and raised in brooders, as they become infected from the mother. some people say that chicks have lice on them when they are hatched, but this is not so. the first two weeks of a chick's life are the important time. if they are chilled or neglected they never get over it, but will develop into weaklings. there are many rules and remedies for doctoring sick chickens, but the best way is to kill them. this is especially so in cases of roup or colds. the former is a very contagious disease and unless checked may kill an entire pen of chickens. a man who raises 25,000 chickens annually once told me that "the best medicine for a sick chicken is the axe." a very low fence will hold small chicks from straying away, but it must be absolutely tight at the bottom, as a very small opening will allow them to get through. avoid all corners or places where they can be caught fast. the mesh of a wire fence must be fine. ordinary chicken wire will not do. [illustration: a home-made chicken coop built on the "scratching-shed" plan] a brooder that will accommodate fifty chicks comfortably for eight weeks will be entirely too small even for half that number after they begin to grow. as soon as they can get along without artificial heat, the chickens should be moved to a colony house and given free range. they will soon learn to roost and to find their way in and out of their new home, especially if we move away the old one where they cannot find it. a chicken coop for grown fowls can be of almost any shape, size, or material, providing that we do not crowd it to more than its proper capacity. the important thing is to have a coop that is dry, easily cleaned and with good ventilation, but without cracks to admit draughts. a roost made of two by four timbers set on edge with the sharp corners rounded off is better than a round perch. no matter how many roosts we provide, our chickens will always fight and quarrel to occupy the top one. under the roost build a movable board or shelf which may easily be taken out and cleaned. place the nest boxes under this board, close to the ground. one nest for four hens is a fair allowance. hens prefer to nest in a dark place if possible. a modern, up-to-date coop should have a warm, windproof sleeping room and an outside scratching shed. a sleeping room should be provided with a window on the south side and reaching nearly to the floor. a hotbed sash is excellent for this purpose. the runway or yard should be as large as our purse will permit. in this yard plant a plum tree for shade. the chickens will keep the plum trees free from the "curculio," a small beetle which is the principal insect pest of this fruit. this beetle is sometimes called "the little turk" because he makes a mark on a plum that resembles the "star and crescent" of the turkish flag. whether we can make our poultry pay for the trouble and expense of keeping them will depend on the question of winter eggs. it is contrary to the natural habits of chickens to lay in winter, and if left to themselves they will practically stop laying when they begin to moult or shed their feathers in the fall, and will not begin again until the warm days of spring. when eggs are scarce it will be a great treat to be able to have our own supply instead of paying a high price at the grocer's. the fact that it is possible to get really fresh eggs in midwinter shows that with the proper care hens will lay. the average farm hen does not lay more than eighty eggs a year, which is hardly enough to pay for her feed. on the other hand, at an egg-laying contest held in pennsylvania, the prize-winning pen made a record of 290 eggs per year for each hen. this was all due to better care and proper feed. the birds were healthy pullets to begin with, they had warm food and warm drinking water throughout the winter, their coop was a bright, clean, dry place with an outside scratching shed. the grain was fed in a deep litter of straw to make them work to get it and thus to obtain the necessary exercise to keep down fat. the birds in this contest were all hatched early in march and were all through the moult before the cold weather came. most of the advertised poultry feeds for winter eggs are a swindle. if we give the birds proper care we shall not require any drugs. it is an excellent plan to give unthreshed straw to poultry in winter. they will work to obtain the grain and be kept busy. the usual quantity of grain for poultry is at the rate of a quart of corn or wheat to each fifteen hens. a standard winter ration is the so-called hot bran mash. this is made from wheat bran, clover meal, and either cut bone or meat scraps. it will be necessary to feed this in a hopper to avoid waste and it should be given at night just before the birds go to roost, with the grain ration in the morning, which will keep them scratching all day. always keep some grit and oyster shells where the chickens can get it; also feed a little charcoal occasionally. a dust bath for the hens will be appreciated in winter when the ground is frozen. sink a soap box in a corner of the pen and sheltered from rain or snow and fill it with dry road dust. have an extra supply to fill up the box from time to time. the best place for a chicken house is on a sandy hillside with a southern slope. a heavy clay soil with poor drainage is very bad. six-foot chicken wire will be high enough to enclose the run. if any of the chickens persist in flying out we must clip the flight feathers of their wings (one wing, not both). do not put a top board on the run. if a chicken does not see something to fly to, it will seldom attempt to go over a fence, even if it is quite low. it is much better to allow chickens full liberty if they do not ruin our garden or flower beds or persist in laying in out of the way places where the eggs cannot be found. xii winter sports what to wear--skating--skiing--snowshoeing--hockey if one is fortunate enough to live in a part of the country where they have old-fashioned winters, the possibilities for outdoor sports are very great and the cold weather may be made the best part of the year for healthful outdoor exercise. to enjoy winter recreations properly we must have proper clothing. an ordinary overcoat is very much out of place, except possibly for sleighing. the regulation costume for almost any outdoor sport in winter is a warm coat, a heavy sweater, woollen trousers and stockings, and stout leather shoes. if in addition we have woollen gloves or mittens and a woollen skating cap or toque, we shall be enabled to brave the coldest kind of weather, provided of course that we have warm woollen underwear. various modifications in this costume such as high hunting boots, or leggings and a flannel shirt worn under the sweater are possible. in the far north, the universal winter footwear is moccasins. we must be careful not to dress too warmly when we expect to indulge in violent exercise. excessive clothing will render us more liable to a sudden check of perspiration, a consequent closing of the pores and a resulting cold. rubber boots or overshoes are very bad if worn constantly. the rubber, being waterproof, holds in the perspiration and we often find our stockings damp even when the walking is dry. rubber boots also make our feet tender and cause cold feet. tight shoes are also bad for the reason that they check circulation. the best footwear for a boy who lives in the country will be indian moccasins or shoepacs worn with several pairs of lumbermen's woollen stockings. such footwear would not do for skating, as they have no soles, but for outdoor tramping in the snow they are just the thing. no leather is thoroughly waterproof against snow water, but by frequent greasing with mutton tallow, neatsfoot oil or vaseline, shoes can be kept soft and practically waterproof as long as the soles and uppers are in good condition. [illustration: a shoepac] in all winter sports, especially in canada, the custom is to wear gaily coloured goods. a mackinaw jacket made from the same material as a blanket, with very prominent stripes or plaids, is often worn. closely woven goods are better than a thicker loose weave as they are lighter, warmer, and more waterproof. chief among winter sports is skating. there is no healthier recreation, provided that the ice is safe. even in the coldest weather with the ice a foot thick or more we must always be sure to be on the lookout for air-holes or thin places over springs. it is said that ice an inch thick will hold the weight of a man, but it is better to be sure than to be sorry, and three or four inches are much safer. [illustration: the club skate model] a few years ago the height of the skater's art was so called "fancy or figure" skating, but recently the tendency has been for speed rather than for grace and the old-fashioned club skates have been replaced by racing or hockey skates with much longer runners. fancy skating for prizes is governed by rules just as any other game or sport. the contestants do not attempt figures of their own invention but strive to excel in the so-called "compulsory" figures. a fancy skater can practise from diagrams and directions just as one might practise moves in a game of chess. in printed directions for fancy skating the following abbreviations are used for the strokes: r--right l--left f--forward b--backward o--outside i--inside t--three lp--loop b--bracket rc--rocker c--counter supposing the figure to be executed to be the well-known "figure eight." it would be described as follows: r-f-o l-f-o. r-f-i l-f-i. r-b-o l-b-o. r-b-i l-b-i. by referring to the above table the skater can easily determine just what strokes are necessary to produce the figure properly. racing skates should be attached to shoes of special design either by screws or rivets. the most important thing is to have the blades carefully ground by an expert. they should be keen enough to cut a hair. to become a fast skater, practise if possible with an expert. have him skate ahead of you and measure your stroke with his. by keeping your hands clasped behind your back your balance will not only be greatly improved but your endurance will be doubled. the sprinting stroke is a direct glide ahead with the foot straight. a trained skater can go very long distances with very little fatigue but one must carefully measure his speed to the distance to be travelled. when you can cover a measured mile in three and one-half minutes you may consider yourself in the class of fast skaters. [illustration: a hockey skate] hockey skates are somewhat shorter than racing skates although built on the same general lines, the standard length being from nine and one-half to eleven and one-half inches. hockey is one of the best winter games either outdoors or in a rink. the game of shinney or "bandy" as it is called in england has been modified in this country by substituting a flat piece of rubber weighing a pound called a "puck" for the india rubber lacrosse ball, which weighs but four ounces. the best hockey sticks are made of canadian rock elm. the whole idea of hockey is to shoot the puck through your opponents' goal and to prevent them from shooting it through yours. in practice almost any number can play hockey and have plenty of exercise. the less experienced players should when securing the puck always shoot it as quickly as possible to a more experienced player on their own side to attempt shooting the goal. skilful passing is the most important branch of hockey and consequently good team work is absolutely essential to success. [illustration: the hockey player's costume] a regulation hockey team consist of seven players called goal, point, cover point, right centre, left centre, right wing, left wing. the position of goal tender is the most difficult to acquire skill in. he stands directly in front of the goal and is expected to stop the puck with hands, feet, and body. while the position of goal does not involve much skating, a goal tender should also be a good skater. his position requires more nerve and cool-headedness than any other position on the team because the final responsibility of all goals scored against his team is up to him. his position is largely a defensive one and his work at times very severe. the goal keeper must very rarely leave his position but must depend upon the two other defensive men the "point" and "cover point" to stop the puck when it away from the direct line of the goal. the defensive men on a hockey team should not by any strategy or coaxing on the part of their opponents allow themselves to leave their own goal unprotected. the forwards have most of the work of shooting goals and advancing the puck. of course such a man must be very active and a good all round player. hockey is a poor game in which to display grand-stand playing. the player's whole idea should be to shoot the puck so that either he or some member of his team may score a goal. the rules of hockey are comparatively few and simple. the game consists of two twenty-minute halves with a ten-minute intermission between. in case of a tie at the end of a game it is customary to continue until one side secures a majority of the points. a standard rink must be at least one hundred and twelve feet long by fifty-eight feet wide. nets are six feet wide and four feet high. one of the most exciting of winter sports is skate sailing. the same principles that are applied to sailing a boat are brought into play in sailing with skates. while considerable skill is necessary to handle a skate sail well, any one who is a good skater will soon acquire it. the direction that you go is determined by the angle at which the sail is held. when you wish to turn around or stop you simply shift its position until you run dead into the wind. a skate sail should be light and strong. a limit of five pounds' weight is all that is necessary. the sail is a very simple device. there are a great many kinds but one of the simplest is made from a t-shaped frame of bamboo with a v-shaped piece of canvas or balloon silk sewed or wired to the frame. the best skate sails are made with a jointed frame like a fishing rod so that they may be taken apart and easily carried. while an expert can handle a sail eight or ten feet wide and twelve feet high it is better for the beginner to start with one much smaller. the construction of the sail and the method of holding it are shown in the diagram. [illustration: a skate sail] snowshoeing is another winter sport that will furnish a great deal of pleasure and will enable us to be outdoors when our less fortunate friends may be cooped up in the house. there are a number of standard shapes in snowshoes, but probably the "canadian" model will be found to be the most satisfactory generally. snowshoes should be from twenty-four to forty-four inches long depending on the weight to be carried. in order to enjoy snowshoeing we must use moccasins. the proper method of attaching the snowshoes is clearly shown in the diagrams. the beginner will find that snowshoeing is a very simple art to acquire, being far less difficult than skating and with far less danger of having a bad fall. [illustration: four types of snowshoes] the sport of "ski-running" or skiing is practised more generally abroad than in this country. a number of winter resorts owe their popularity largely to this sport. skis are simply long flat pieces of wood fastened or strapped to the shoes. the best type are the so called "norway" pattern. various lengths are used from four to eight or nine feet long, but for a beginner the shorter ones will be better. [illustration: to throw the lumberman's hitch, start this way] [illustration: then across the toe with both ends and under the loop] ski-running is simply coasting down steep inclines on the snow with the skis used in much the same way as a sled. the longer they are the greater the speed obtained, but the longer ones are also correspondingly hard to manage. [illustration: draw the ends tightly forward to fasten down the toe] [illustration: then tie the ends together in a bow knot back of the heel] in norway and sweden skis are made to order just as we might be measured for suits of clothes. the theory is that the proper length of ski will be such that the user, can, when standing erect and reaching above his head, just crook his forefinger over it as it stands upright. ski shoes should be strong, with well blocked toes. a pair of heavy school shoes are just the thing if well made. [illustration: the straps over the toe remain buckled] [illustration: this is the "thong" hitch but it is not as good as the lumberman's hitch] to learn skiing we should select the slope of a hill not very steep and with no dangerous rocks or snags to run foul of. the best snow conditions are usually found two or three days after it has fallen. fresh snow is too light to offer good skiing and snow with a crust is also bad. in running with skis on the level ground a long, sweeping stride is used somewhat after the fashion of skating. the strokes should be made just as long as possible, and the skis kept close together. in going up an incline the tendency to slip backward is overcome by raising the toe of the ski slightly and bringing the heel down sharply. one foot should be firmly implanted before the other is moved. in going up a steep hill a zigzag course will be necessary. [illustration: front and side view of a ski] as an aid in ski-running it is customary to employ a pair of ski poles, which are fastened to the wrist by leather thongs. they are usually made of bamboo or other light material with a wicker disk near the end to keep the pole from sinking into the soft snow. ski poles should never be used in attempting a jump, as under these circumstances they might be very dangerous. ski coasting is the sport that most boys will be interested in. to make a descent, begin at the top of a hill as one would in coasting with a sled and lean well forward with the skis parallel and with one foot slightly ahead of the other. the knees should be bent and the body rigid. the weight should be borne by the ball of the foot that is behind. as the start forward begins, the impulse will be to lean back, but this impulse must be overcome or you will take a tumble in the snow as you gain speed. [illustration: a ski pole] in jumping with skis an abrupt drop is necessary. for the beginner a few inches is sufficient. the start is made by coasting down an incline, and just before the take-off is reached, the runner assumes a crouching attitude and then straightens up quickly, maintaining an erect attitude until he is about to land, when, as in jumping, the knees are bent slightly to break the force of landing. during the flight the skis should be kept perfectly parallel but drooping slightly behind. [illustration: the exciting sport of ski running] the various forms of coasting with toboggan sleds and bobsleds are all well known to boys who live where there are snow and hills. a sled can be steered either by dragging the foot or by shifting the sled with the hands. sleds with flexible runners have recently been introduced and are a great improvement on the old type. one branch of carpenter work that nearly all boys attempt at some time in their lives is to make a bobsled or double runner, which is a pair of sleds fastened on either end of a board long enough to hold from three to twenty or thirty people. [illustration: a bobsled or double runner] coasting, especially with a bob, is somewhat dangerous sport, especially in cities or where the turns are sharp and there is danger of upsetting. a good bob is broad between the runners and low to the ground. the drawing shows one that almost any boy can make at little cost. various devices are used as brakes on a bob. most of them are found to be out of order or frozen when the time comes to use them. a brake that is made from a piece of iron bent in an angle and fastened to the side of the runners on the rear sled is the best arrangement to have. a bobsled should not cost over ten dollars complete with steering wheel, bell, and necessary iron work, which should be made at the blacksmith's. xiii horsemanship how to become a good rider--the care of a horse--saddles so many branches of outdoor sport depend on a knowledge of horsemanship that every boy or girl who has the opportunity should learn to ride horseback. when once acquired, we shall never forget it. the first few lessons will make us feel discouraged, because the jolting and jarring every one receives in learning to ride almost make it appear that we can never acquire the knack, but remember that even the cowboy has had to go through the same experience. a beginner should only ride a gentle horse. in case we do take a tumble, it is well to take our first lesson on soft ground or in a tanbark ring. there are three types of saddles generally used: the english saddle is simply a leather seat with stirrups, and while it is the most refined type and the one used for fox hunting and all expert riding in england, it is not the best kind to learn on. the army saddle and the mexican or cowboy saddle with a pommel or box-stirrups are far safer and less expensive. if you know of a dealer in second-hand army equipments you can buy a saddle and bridle of excellent material at less than half the retail price of the stores. [illustration: mexican saddle, army saddle, english saddle] before mounting your horse always examine carefully your saddle and bridle to see that the girths are tight, that the bridle is properly buckled, and the stirrups are the proper length. the latter is sometimes determined by placing the stirrup under the armpits and touching the saddle with the finger tips. a more accurate way is to have the straps adjusted after you are in the saddle. a beginner will prefer a short stirrup, but it is a bad habit to acquire. in mounting, stand on the left side and place the left foot in the stirrup. swing the right leg over the horse and find the right stirrup with the toe just as quickly as possible. do not jerk a restless horse or otherwise betray your excitement if he starts. let him see by your calmness that he too should be calm. so much depends on the kind of horse you are riding that it will be difficult to say just how to handle him. a horse that is "bridle wise" is not guided in the customary way; that is, by pulling on the rein on the side you wish him to turn as one does in driving. a bridle-wise horse is guided by pressing the opposite rein against his neck. such a horse is much easier to handle on horseback and we should try to teach our horse this method as soon as possible. there is very close understanding between a horse and rider that does not exist when a horse is driven to a carriage. a horse can be guided simply by the leg pressure or spur. the proper seat is well back in the saddle with the toe pointing almost straight ahead. in order to learn to ride quickly we must overcome any strain or tension of our muscles and try to be flexible above the waist. in this way we soon accommodate our own motion to that of the horse. the most difficult gait to ride is the trot. there are two distinct styles of riding--to trot in english style of treading the stirrups, which necessitates rising from the saddle at every step of the horse, and the army style of simply sitting back in the saddle and taking the jouncing. either method will prove very difficult for the beginner. a partial treading or easing up but not as extreme as the english style will probably be the best to acquire. so much depends upon the gait of a horse that we learn to ride some horses in a very few days, and would be several times as long with some others. [illustration: the wrong way to mount a horse--facing forward] a horse that habitually stumbles is very dangerous. we must be sure our saddle horse is sure footed. in using english stirrups never permit the foot to go through the stirrup and rest on the ball. the toes should be in such a position that the stirrups can be kicked off at an instant's notice in case the horse falls with us. [illustration: the right way to mount--facing toward his tail] in tying a saddle horse in the stable for feeding or rest always loosen the girth and throw the stirrups over the saddle. a saddle horse should always be spoken to gently but firmly. the horse can tell by your voice when you are afraid of him. the canter is the ideal gait. after we once learn it, the motion of a good saddle horse is almost like a rocking chair and riding becomes one of the most delightful of outdoor pastimes. the boy who expects to go on an extended trip in the saddle should learn to care for a horse himself. a horse should never be fed or watered when he is warm unless we continue to drive him immediately afterward. neglect of this precaution may cause "foundering," which has ruined many a fine horse. the art of packing a horse is one which every one in mountain countries away from railroads should understand. packing a horse simply means tying a load over his back. there are a great many hitches used for this purpose by western mountaineers, but the celebrated diamond hitch will answer most purposes. hunting and steeplechasing, leaping fences and ditches, are the highest art of horsemanship. it is difficult to teach an old horse to be a hunter, but with a young one you can soon get him to take a low obstacle or narrow ditch, and by gradually increasing the distance make a jumper of him. [illustration: jumping fences is the highest art of horsemanship] the popularity of automobiles has caused the present generation partially to lose interest in horseflesh, but no automobile ever made will furnish the real bond of friendship which exists between a boy and his horse, or will be a substitute for the pleasure that comes from a stiff canter on the back of our friend and companion. we do not really need an expensive horse. a typical western or polo pony is just the thing for a boy or girl provided that it has no vicious or undesirable traits such as kicking, bucking, or stumbling, or is unsound or lame. it is always better if possible to buy a horse from a reliable dealer or a private owner. there is a great deal of dishonesty in horse trading and an honest seller who has nothing to conceal should be willing to grant a fair trial of a week or more. to enjoy our horse to the fullest extent we should take entire care of him ourselves. he should be fed and watered regularly and groomed every morning until his coat shines. if we neglect a horse and allow his coat to become rough it is almost as bad as to neglect feeding him. never trust the care of your horse too much to another. even if you keep him in a public stable or have a man of your own to care for him, it is well to let them see that you are interested in giving your horse close personal attention. xiv how to swim and to canoe the racing strokes--paddling and sailing canoes it has been said that the human being is the only animal that does not know instinctively how to swim without the necessity of being taught. if we take a dog or a horse or even a mouse and suddenly place it in the water it will immediately begin to swim, even though it has never seen a body of water larger than the source from which it obtains its drink. with a man or boy it is different, for the reason that with all the other animals the motions necessary to swim are those by which they walk or run; with a human being it is entirely an acquired stroke. after one becomes an expert swimmer he will find that he can keep afloat or at least keep his head above water, which is all there is to swimming anyway, by almost any kind of a motion. by a little practice we can learn to swim "no hands," "no feet," "one hand and one foot," by all sorts of twists and squirms and in fact to propel ourselves by a simple motion of the toes. the first stroke that a self-taught small boy learns is what is called "dog fashioned." this name accurately describes the stroke, as it is in reality very similar to the motions by which a dog swims. no amount of book instruction can teach a person to swim, but a clear idea of the best general strokes will be of great assistance. swimming is probably the best general exercise among athletic sports. practically every important muscle in the body is brought into play, and measurements show that swimmers have the most uniform muscular development of any class of athletes. after we learn to swim, the distance that we are capable of going is largely dependent upon our physical strength. almost any man can swim a mile if he begins slowly and with the same regard for conserving his strength that a runner would have in attempting a mile run. [illustration: swimming is one of the best outdoor sports (photograph by a.r. dugmore)] however skillful one is as a swimmer, a proper respect for the dangers of the sport should always be present. to take unnecessary risks, such as swimming alone far beyond reach of help or jumping and diving from high places into water of uncertain depth is not bravery; it is simply foolhardiness. a good swimmer is a careful swimmer always. the beginner must first of all try to overcome his natural fear of the water. this is much harder to do than to learn the simple motions of hands or feet that makes us keep afloat and swim. nothing will help to give us this confidence more quickly than to take a few lessons from some one in whom we have confidence and who will above all things not frighten us and so get us into danger. with a good teacher, a boy should be able to learn how to swim in two or three lessons. of course he will take only a few strokes at first, but those few strokes, which carry with them self-confidence and which make us feel that swimming is not so hard an art after all, is really half the battle. after we are at least sure that we can get to shore somehow, we can take up all the finished strokes which make a fancy swimmer. there are a number of strokes used in swimming and especially in racing. the common breast stroke is the first one to learn. in this the swimmer should lie flat on his breast in the water and either be supported by the hand of his teacher or by an inflated air cushion. the hands are principally used to maintain the balance and to keep afloat. the real work should be done with the legs. we learn to use the hands properly in a very short time, but the beginner always shows a tendency to forget to kick properly. for this reason swimming teachers lay great stress on the leg motion and in a measure let the hands take care of themselves. in swimming the important thing is to keep our heads above the water, a simple statement, but one that beginners may take a long time to learn. the impulse is not only to keep our heads but our shoulders out of the water also, and this is a feat that even an expert can not accomplish for very long. if we can allow ourselves to sink low in the water without fear, and if we can also remember to kick and, above all, to make our strokes slowly and evenly, we shall very soon learn to swim. i have frequently seen boys learn to swim in a single afternoon. another tendency of the beginner is to hold his breath while swimming. of course we cannot swim very far or exert ourselves unless we can breathe. we should take a breath at each stroke, inhaling though the mouth and exhaling through the nose, which is just the opposite to the hygienic method of land breathing. whatever may be our methods, however, the main thing is not to forget to breathe, which always results in finishing our five or ten strokes out of breath and terrified. a great deal may be learned about swimming strokes by practice on land. in fact some swimming teachers always follow the practice of teaching the pupil ashore how to make the stroke and how to breathe correctly. a small camp stool or a box will give us the support we need. the three things to keep in mind are the leg motion and the taking in of the breath through the mouth as the arms are being drawn in and exhaling as they are pushed forward. it is better to learn to swim in salt water, for the reason that it will support the body better. an additional advantage is that we always feel more refreshed after a salt-water bath. if we take up fast swimming, we must learn one of the various overhand or overarm strokes. the chief difference between these strokes and the simple breast stroke is that the arms as well as the legs are used to propel the body through the water, and this power is applied so steadily and uniformly that instead of moving by jerks we move with a continuous motion and at a greater speed. the single overarm is easier to learn than the double overarm or "trudgeon" stroke. this latter stroke is very tiring and while undoubtedly faster than any other when once mastered, it is only used for short sprints. most of the great swimmers have developed peculiar strokes of their own, but nearly all of them have adopted a general style which may be called the "crawl." there are many fancy strokes in swimming that one may acquire by practice, all of which require close attention to form rather than speed, just as fancy skating is distinguished from racing. one of the simplest tricks to learn is called "the rolling log." we take a position just as we would in floating and then exerting the muscles first of one side and then the other we shall find that we can roll over and over just as a log might roll. the idea in performing this trick successfully is not to show any apparent motion of the muscles. swimming on the back is easily learned and is not only a pretty trick but is very useful in giving us an opportunity to rest on a long swim. diving is also a branch of swimming that requires confidence rather than lessons. a dive is simply a plunge head first into the water. a graceful diver plunges with as little splash as possible. it is very bad form either to bend the knees or to strike on the stomach, the latter being a kind of dive for which boys have a very expressive though not elegant name. somersaults and back dives from a stationary take-off or from a spring-board are very easily learned. we shall probably have a few hard splashes until we learn to turn fully over, but there is not much danger of injury if we are sure of landing in the water. [illustration: a perfect dive] water wings and other artificial supports are very useful for the beginner until he has mastered the strokes, but all such artificial devices should be given up just as soon as possible, and, furthermore, as soon as we can really swim, in order to gain confidence, we should go beyond our depth, where it will be necessary to swim or drown. a swimmer should always know how to assist another to shore in case of accident. it is not nearly so easy as one who has never tried it might think. a drowning person will for the time being be panic-stricken and the first impulse will be to seize us about the neck. always approach a drowning person from the rear and support him under an armpit, meanwhile talking to him and trying to reassure him. every year we hear of terrible drowning accidents which might have been avoided if some one in the party had kept his head and had been able to tell the others what to do. i have placed canoeing and swimming in the same chapter because the first word in canoeing is never go until you can swim. there is practically no difference between the shape of the modern canoe and the shape of the indian birch bark canoes which were developed by the savages in america hundreds of years ago. all the ingenuity of white men has failed to improve on this model. a canoe is one of the most graceful of water craft and, while it is regarded more in the light of a plaything by people in cities, it is just as much a necessity to the guides and trappers of the great northern country as a pony is to the cowboy and the plainsman. the canoe is the horse and wagon of the maine woodsman and in it he carries his provisions and his family. [illustration: a typical indian model canoe] while a canoe is generally propelled by paddles, a pole is sometimes necessary to force it upstream, especially in swift water. in many places the sportsman is forced to carry his canoe around waterfalls and shallows for several miles. for this reason a canoe must be as light as possible without too great a sacrifice of strength. the old styles of canoes made of birch bark, hollow logs, the skins of animals and so on have practically given way to the canvas-covered cedar or basswood canoes of the canadian type. [illustration: a sailing canoe in action] it will scarcely pay the boy to attempt to make his own canoe, as the cost of a well-made eighteen-foot canoe of the type used by professional hunters and trappers is but thirty dollars. with care a canoe should last its owner ten years. it will be necessary to protect it from the weather when not in use and frequently give it a coat of paint or spar varnish. sailing canoes are built after a different model from paddling canoes. they usually are decked over and simply have a cockpit. they are also stronger and much heavier. their use is limited to more open water than most of the rivers and lakes of maine and canada. cruising canoes are made safer if watertight air chambers are built in the ends. even if a canoe turns over it does not sink. some experts can right a capsized canoe and clamber in over the side even while swimming in deep water. the seaworthiness of a canoe depends largely upon its lines. some canoes are very cranky and others can stand a lot of careless usage without capsizing. one thing is true of all, that accidents occur far more often in getting in and out of a canoe than in the act of sailing it. it is always unsafe to stand in a canoe or to lean far out of it to pick lilies or to reach for floating objects. canoes may be propelled by either single or double paddles, but the former is the sportman's type. it is possible to keep a canoe on a straight course entirely by paddling on one side and merely shifting to rest, but the beginner may have some difficulty in acquiring the knack of doing this, which consists of turning the paddles at the end of the stroke to make up the amount that the forward stroke deflects the canoe from a straight course. [illustration: in canoeing against the current in swift steams a pole is used in place of the paddle (photographs by a.r. dugmore)] [illustration: a type of sailing canoe] an open canoe for paddling does not require a rudder. a sailing canoe, however, will require a rudder, a keel, and a centreboard as well. canoe sailing is an exciting and dangerous sport. in order to keep the canoe from capsizing, a sliding seat or outrigger is used, upon which the sailor shifts his position to keep the boat on an even keel. the centreboard is so arranged that it can be raised or lowered by means of a line. xv baseball how to organize a team and to select the players--the various positions--curve pitching baseball is called the national game of america just as cricket is regarded as the national game in england. the game received its wide popularity directly after the civil war by the soldiers who returned to all parts of the country and introduced the game that they had learned in camp. almost every village and town has its ball team, in which the interest is general. it is not a game for middle-aged men to play, like golf, but if one has been a ball player in youth the chances are that he will keep his interest in the game through life. baseball is largely a game of skill. it does not afford nearly as much opportunity for physical exercise as tennis or football, and because of the professional games it is not always conducted with as high a regard for sportsmanlike conduct, but it has a firm hold on the american public, and the winning of a championship series in the professional leagues is almost a national event. every boy knows that a baseball team consists of nine players, the positions being pitcher, catcher, first base, second base, third base, and shortstop, which are called the in-field, and right-field, centre-field, and left-field, which positions are called the out-field. the umpire has a very important position in baseball, as his decisions in a close game may result either in defeat or victory for a team. an umpire should always be some one who knows the rules thoroughly and who is not too greatly interested in either team. he should always try to be fair, and having once made a decision be sure enough of himself to hold to it even if the whole opposing team may try by "kicking" to cause him to change. much of the rowdyism in baseball can be attributed to this cause. a good ball player is first of all a boy or man who shows himself to be a gentleman under, all circumstances. in baseball, like many games where winning is sometimes the important thing rather than fair play, the real benefits of the game are lost sight of in the desire to have a higher score than one's opponents. probably the most clean-cut games are played by school and college teams, which should always be strictly amateur. the pitcher has the most important position on the team. if by his skill he is able to deceive the opposing batsmen and cause them to strike out or to make feeble hits, the rest of the team will have but little to do except of course to bat when their turn comes and try to score runs. baseball has become a very scientific game in recent years and the sustained interest in it year after year is largely due to the fact that the regular attendants at a game have learned to understand and to appreciate the finer points of the game almost as well as the players themselves. while it might appear to a beginner that the battery does all the work in a game, as a matter of fact every man on the nine is supposed to do his part in backing up every play and to be in the right place at the right time. [illustration: the in-curve] [illustration: the out-curve] a good pitcher must be able to pitch a curved ball. this art will only come with constant practice. until about forty years ago a curve was unknown. in the old days the number of runs scored in a game was very high, it being a common thing for a winning team to make twenty to thirty runs. the rules of baseball are changed frequently and almost every change has been made with a view to restricting the batsman. as a consequence, in modern games the scores are very low and sometimes neither side will score a single run in a tie game of ten or twelve innings. [illustration: the drop] [illustration: the out-drop] in modern baseball a team that plays together frequently has a prearranged code of signals that are understood by each member of the team. it is very important for every player on a side to know whether the pitcher intends to deliver a high or a low ball or one that may either be batted well into the out-field or probably be a grounder that will be taken care of by some one on the in-field. of course these things do not always work out as is planned. the pitcher may not have good control of the ball or pitch wild, the catcher may make a bad "muff" and let the ball get by him, or what we expect to be a bunted ball may be a home run, but all of this is part of the sport and helps to make baseball one of the most interesting and exciting of games. in any case there is no question that nine boys who are accustomed to play together and who understand each other's methods of play and signals will have a better chance of winning a close game than nine other players who may have a shade the better of it in individual work but who do not play together. most games are won or lost in a single instant at a crucial moment when some one fails to make good, or who, usually in the case of a pitcher, lets up on his speed or accuracy just at the critical time. the national championship of 1908 was decided in favour of chicago because one of new york's players in the deciding game of the season failed to touch second base when the last man was out. the game had been won by new york except for this mistake, and the result was that another game was played, which chicago won before the largest crowd that probably ever assembled to witness a game of baseball. when a baseball team is organized, the first thing to do is to elect a captain from one of the players, and after this is decided every boy on the team should give him absolute support and obedience. a team should also have a manager whose duties are to arrange games with other teams of the same class, to arrange for the transportation of players and, in fact, to attend to all the business duties of games that come outside of actual playing. usually a boy is chosen for manager who is not a ball player himself, but who has shown an interest in the team. the captain should be a boy who first of all knows the game and who has the respect and cooperation of the other players. the position that he may play on the team is not so important, but usually it is better to have some one from the in-field as captain, as he will be in a better position to keep close watch on the progress of the game and to give directions to the other players. in case of a disputed point it is better to allow your captain to make a protest if such is necessary. observance of this rule will prevent much of the rowdyism that has characterized the game of baseball. no boy should ever attempt to win games by unfair tactics. the day of tripping, spiking, and holding is gone. if you are not able by your playing to hold up your end on a ball team you had better give up the game and devote your attention to something that you can do without being guilty of rowdyism. strict rules of training are not as necessary for baseball players as for some other branches of sport, because the game is not so strenuous nor does it involve such sustained physical exertion, but any boy will make a better ball player as well as a better man if he observes the rules of training, such as early hours for retiring, simple food, and regular systematic exercise. the battery of a team is an exception to the rule regarding strict training. both the pitcher and catcher should be in the best physical condition. a pitcher who stands up for nine innings is obliged to do a tremendous amount of work and if he becomes tired or stiff toward the end of the game he will probably be at the mercy of the opposing batsmen. usually the pitcher of a team is a boy who is physically strong and who can stand hard work. the other positions, however, are usually assigned because of the build of the individual player. the pitcher, however, may be tall or short, fat or thin, so long as he can pitch. the pitcher is the most important member of a ball team. most of the work falls to him, and a good pitcher, even with a comparatively weak team behind him, can sometimes win games where a good team with a weak pitcher would lose. a good pitcher must first of all have a cool head and keep his nerve even under the most trying circumstances. he must also have good control of the ball and be able to pitch it where he wants it to go. after that he must have a knowledge of curves and know how by causing the ball to spin in a certain way to cause it to change its course and thus to deceive the batsman. the art of curving a ball was discovered in 1867. before that time all that a pitcher needed was a straight, swift delivery. the three general classes of curved balls used to-day are the out-curve, the in-curve, and the drop. there are also other modifications called "the fade away," "the spitball," and others. curve pitching will only come with the hardest kind of practice. in general the spin is given to the ball by a certain use of the fingers and the method of releasing it. it is necessary to conceal your intentions from the batsman in preparing to deliver a curve or he will divine your intention and the effort may be wasted. all curves are produced by a snap of the wrist at the instant of releasing the ball. excellent practice may be had in curving by pitching at a post from a sixty-foot mark and watching to see the effect of various twists and snaps. pitching is extremely hard on the arm and practice should be very light at first until the muscles become hardened. even the best professional pitchers are not worked as a rule oftener than two or three games a week. a good baseball captain always tries to develop several pitchers from his team. it is of course very desirable to have a "star pitcher" who can be depended on, but if the star should happen to be ill or to injure his fingers on a hot liner or for some reason cannot play, unless there is a substitute, the effect of his absence on his team will be to demoralize it. for that reason every encouragement should be given to any boy who wants to try his hand at pitching. if a game is well in hand it is usually safe to put in a substitute pitcher to finish it. this is done in college teams for the reason that no amount of practice is quite like playing in an actual game. it may be said to guide the beginner that the method of producing curves varies greatly with different pitchers, but that in general the out-curve is produced by grasping the ball with the first and second fingers and the thumb. the grip for this curve should be tight and the back of the hand turned downward. the out-curve can be produced either with a fast ball or a slow one. for the in-curve a swinging sidearm motion is used, the ball being released over the tips of the first two fingers with a snap to set it spinning. it may also be produced by releasing the ball over all four fingers. the grip of the ball for the drop is very similar to the out-curve, but in delivery the hand is brought almost directly over the shoulder. in all curves the pitcher must have extremely sensitive fingers and be able to control them with almost as much skill as one requires in playing a piano. we must keep in mind which way we desire the ball to spin to produce the required curve and then to give it just as much of this spin as we can without interfering with our accuracy. no two pitchers will have the same form or manner of delivery. in learning to pitch, the main thing is to adopt the delivery that seems most natural to you without especial regard to form, and with no unnecessary motions. a pitcher must always be on the alert and keep a close watch on the bases when they are occupied. he must not, however, allow the remarks of coacher or spectators to cause him to become rattled or confused. baseball at best is a noisy game, and a pitcher who is sensitive to outside remarks or joshing will never be a real success. the catcher is usually a short, stocky player with a good reach and a quick, accurate throw. he is usually the acting general in a game and signals to the whole team. the principal test of a good catcher is to be able to make a quick, swift throw to second base without being obliged to draw his arm fully back. such a ball is snapped from the wrist and should be aimed to catch the base runner who is attempting to steal the base. this play is very common in ball games, and as there is only a difference of an instant in the time that it takes a runner to go from first base to second, who starts just as the pitcher delivers the ball, and the time it takes a pitched ball to be caught by the catcher and snapped to second, a game may be won or lost just on this play alone. if the opposing team finds that it can make second in safety by going down with the pitcher's arm, it will surely take full advantage of the knowledge. to have a man on second is disconcerting to the pitcher as well as a difficult man to handle. it therefore follows that a catcher who cannot throw accurately to the bases becomes a serious disadvantage to his team. in the old days a catcher had to be able to catch either with bare hand or with a light glove, but the modern catcher's mitt, mask, chest-protector, and shin-guards make the position far safer, and almost any boy who is quick and has nerve can be trained to become a fairly good catcher so long as he has a good throw and is a good general. the first baseman is usually a tall boy who is active and who can cover his position both in reaching for high balls and in picking up grounders. of course in a baseball score the first baseman will score the largest number of "put outs," because practically all he is obliged to do is to cover the base and to catch the ball before the runner gets there. it is in fielding his position and in pulling down balls that are thrown wildly that the first baseman can show his chief skill. the positions of second base and shortstop are practically the same, and these two players should understand each other perfectly and know just when to cover the base and when to back up the other. neglect of this precaution often results in the most stupid errors, which are discouraging alike to the team and the spectators. both players should be quick and active, with an ability to throw both over and under handed as well as to toss the ball after picking it up on the run. the shortstop is often the smallest man on a team, due no doubt to the theory that his work is largely in picking up grounders. the shortstop is often led into habits which are commonly known as "grand-stand plays"; that is, he attempts to make difficult plays or one-handed stops with an unnecessary display of motions, to bring the applause of the spectators. no ball player was ever made by playing to the audience. good form is not only very desirable but very necessary, but the main thing in ball playing is to play your part and to forget that there is such a thing as an audience or applause. if your form is good so much the better, but if by paying too much attention to it you miss the ball and score an error, your team may suffer defeat on account of your pride. the main thing is to get the ball and after that to to do it as gracefully as possible. one-handed stops are well enough when you cannot get both hands on the ball, but an error made in this way is not only the most humiliating kind but also the most inexcusable. it must not be inferred that grand-stand playing is confined to the shortstop. any member of the team can be guilty of it. no player, no matter how good he may be, should be allowed to hold his position on a team unless he is willing to do his best at all times and unless he feels that the game is not lost nor won until the last man is out. many experienced players consider that the most difficult position to play well is third base. this player has to be ready for slow bunts as well as hard drives; he must cover a lot of ground and try to get every ball that comes near him. at the same time he must cover his base to stop the base runner from advancing home. he will be obliged to stop hot liners with one hand and often while on the run to make an accurate throw to first base. out-fielders are usually chosen because of their ability to bat as well as to be quick on their feet and catch fly balls on the run. fielders should practise if possible to catch the ball in a throwing position, so that no unnecessary time may be lost in getting the ball back to the in-field. of the three fielding positions, right-field is by far the most important. he must be sure of ground balls as well as flies and also, in common with all the fielders, be a good judge of the batsmen and try to be where the batted ball is going. the centre-fielder must be especially quick on his feet, as he is expected to back up both shortstop and second base as well as to run in for line hits that just go over the in-fielders' heads. the ability to start quickly when running for a ball can be greatly developed by practice and will greatly improve the player's game. very often a fly ball will fall in such a position that the out-fielders will be in doubt who is to take it. the result is usually a collision, a missed ball and a chorus of groans from the spectators. the remedy for this is to arrange beforehand for the second baseman to call out who in the case of a doubtful ball is to take it. all of these things are part of the finer points of the game and will only come from practice. a boy who really desires to become proficient in his position will try to avoid changing from one position to another, but decide which position he likes to play best or is best fitted for and try to get all the practice possible. an excellent opportunity will come from studying the methods of a good player in the same position, noting carefully what he does on each play, how he backs up the other players and how he fits in the general plan of team work. it is a great advantage to any player to learn as much as he can about the skill and methods of his opponents. some men cannot hit a low ball or a high one, some will flinch when the ball comes close to them, giving the pitcher a chance to deliver a straight, swift ball over the inside of the plate, which the umpire will call a strike even though the batsman devotes all of his energy to getting out of the way. a left-handed thrower will seldom make a success as a ball player except as pitcher or on first base. left-handed batsmen, however, are a distinct advantage to a team, as nothing will so disconcert a green pitcher as to have batsmen standing first on one side of the plate and then on the other. every boy who plays baseball must know the rules thoroughly to be a success. it is in this way that advantage of every fair opportunity can be taken. nothing is so disheartening to a team as to lose a closely contested game on a technicality of rules. batting and base running are two departments of the game where one member of the team is as important as another. a good batsman must have a quick eye and a quick brain. when he decides to strike at a ball he must not change his mind and simply swing at it feebly after it is in the catcher's hands. the best batters are not those who hit the ball the hardest. judgment in placing hits is far more important than trying to knock out a home run every time you are at the bat. you must remember that the pitcher is studying your batting methods and you must try just as hard to deceive him as he is trying to deceive you. many a game has been won by a man who knew how to wait at the bat instead of swinging wildly at everything just for fear of having strikes called. when you hit the ball there is only one rule--run. you will very soon find out whether the ball is fair or foul or whether there is any chance of making first base. a base runner should never stop trying to make a base until the ball is in the hands of the baseman. one never can tell when a ball may be fumbled or muffed. a baseball diamond should be a part of a town just as is the public square or a town hall. the distance between the bases should be ninety feet and the four base-lines should form a square and all the angles should be right angles. the three bases should be canvas bags filled with sawdust and fastened to their positions by pegs that are driven into the ground. the home plate should if possible be a piece of whitened rubber. a board securely fastened will do. [illustration: how to lay out a baseball field] the pitcher's box should be denoted by a strip of wood or rubber 24 inches long and 6 inches wide. this and home plate should be buried so that they are flush with the surface of the field. the pitcher's box on a full-sized field is exactly 60-1/2 feet from home plate. the standard baseball is the kind used by professional players. it is covered with horsehide, and is warranted to last an entire game without ripping or getting out of shape. baseball bats are made of a variety of woods, the common materials being ash, willow, and hickory. a bat must not exceed 2-3/4 inches in thickness at its thickest part. there are a great many shapes and models named after the professional players who use them. the shape of a bat does not make as much difference as some poor batters are inclined to think. the manufacturers of sporting goods make all the accessories for playing baseball both in men's and boys' sizes. every ball player should own his own mitt or glove and become accustomed to it. the same is true of his bat. the art of becoming a good ball player depends largely on the boy himself. no one plays ball naturally. it all comes with practice, and it follows that the more practice we can get the better ball players we shall become. it is a game where a loss of nerve is absolutely fatal to good work. a player must keep his head no matter how trying the circumstances may be. cool-headedness is especially important and the surest way to develop it is to be just as indifferent to the criticism of the crowd or your fellow-players, so long as you know that you have done your best, as you should be to their applause. just play the game for all there is in it, and you will be sure to become a moderately good player even though you may not be a star. in field practice, when some one is batting out balls to you, try just as hard to stop and field each ball that comes within reach as you would if the result of the game depended on it. it is only by this means that you can hope to become a finished ball player. you can never learn by lying around in the shade and telling your friends how good you are going to be in the coming match game. a regularly organized ball team should always adopt some club colours and be provided with uniforms. very good ones complete with shirt, pants, stockings, belt, and cap can be purchased of sporting goods outfitters for two or three dollars a suit (when ordered in lots of nine or more). they can also sometimes be made more cheaply at home if mothers and sisters are willing. the shirt should always be lettered with the name or initials of the team. baseball shoes are usually provided with steel plates or leather knobs. spikes are very dangerous and should not be permitted. the regulation baseball shoe reaches just under the instep. the rules of baseball are too long and complicated to be published here. almost every year many important changes are made to improve the sport and to make it harder for the batsmen to make runs. all of this tends to make the game more interesting and to develop it from a scientific side. when a team is playing away from its home grounds the choice of innings--i.e., who is to bat first--goes to the home team. a game consists of nine full innings unless called by rain, darkness or for some other cause. if five complete innings have been played when the game stops, the score always stands and the team ahead is declared the winner. in case of a tie at the end of the game the play continues until at the completion of a full inning one team is ahead. that ends the game and the team ahead is the winner. in arranging games with visiting teams it is customary to make some arrangement as to expenses, share of gate receipts or other guarantee. it is very important in order to avoid unpleasant disputes to have this matter fully understood and agreed upon by the managers of each team before the game starts. on account of fences, houses, and other obstacles that some baseball fields have it is customary for the umpire to decide what are called "ground rules" before the game starts. the principal thing that mars a good game of ball next to kicking and wrangling is the tendency of the crowd to get on the field and to interfere with the players. an easy remedy for this is simply to call the game until the spectators take their proper places. baseball is a good game if it is properly played. it is unfortunate that so many amateur games are spoiled because some of the players lose their tempers in their anxiety to have their wrongs righted. no matter how good a ball player a boy is he will never get the real benefit of the game unless he remembers that it is not the one who loses his temper but "he who ruleth his spirit" that is really entitled to the respect of his fellows. make up your mind to abide by the decision of the umpire just as a soldier obeys the orders of his superior officer. it is the easiest thing in the world for an umpire to make a mistake, but he will be far less likely to correct his errors if nine angry boys are all talking to him at once than if your captain quietly goes to him with the rules or the facts behind him and states the case. it is an old saying but none the less true that "oil catches more flies than vinegar." a boy who has developed a healthy interest in baseball while young will probably never lose it in after life even though his opportunities to play or even to see a game are few. i once met a mining man in the interior of mexico, a hundred miles from a railroad and in a town where only three people spoke the english language, and this man had not been to his home town in ten years, but he had followed his baseball team through the papers all those years and could tell you more about the players than many a man living in the town where the team played. such a man is what the newspapers call a "fan," which is an abbreviation of the word "fanatic." there is no harm in being a baseball enthusiast, provided that we do not allow it to interfere with our work or allow our desire to witness games to take the place of systematic exercise for ourselves. xvi how to play football the various positions and how to select men for them--team, work and signals--the rules football is usually played in the fall of the year because the exercise that it involves is so violent that to attempt it at any other time would probably result in injury to the players. the cool, frosty days of october and november make baseball out of season, and such weather is ideal for football. so much has been said and written about the dangers of football as a sport that many parents have strong objections to permitting their sons to play. there is no question that it is a hard game and not suited to weaklings, but a strong, healthy boy can play football under proper conditions and with proper training quite as safely as he can do many other things to which parents raise no objections, such as wrestling, climbing trees, playing hockey, or even performing difficult feats of gymnastics or acrobatics in a gymnasium. every year there are a number of serious accidents from football, but there are also injuries from other games, and people are injured who play no games at all, so it simply is a question whether we are willing to take the chances of a sprained ankle or broken bone for the love of one of the best of outdoor sports. [illustration: the lineup] the recent changes in rules have made football a much safer game than it was in the early nineties, when such plays as the "flying wedge" and line bucking were practically all there was to the game. to any one who does not understand football it seems as though it were played with practically no science and with but few rules. as a matter of fact a well-coached college team will sometimes have sixty or seventy separate plays each of which has been carefully practised and which requires each man on the team to do something to help make the play successful, while on the other hand each man on the opposing team is doing his best to cause the play to fail. the result to any one not understanding the game is simply a confused mass of struggling men and a final tumble with a pile of legs and arms flying about. the american game of football called rugby is a development of the english game, but the present game is very different from the english game of soccer or association football, in which kicking predominates and where a round ball is used instead of the oval-shaped american football. numerous efforts have been made to introduce the game of soccer into this country, but the long popularity of the american game and the strong support that has been given to it by the colleges have prevented soccer from gaining much of a foothold. football is played by two opposing teams of eleven men each. the positions are right and left end, right and left tackle, right and left guard, centre rush, quarter-back, right and left half-backs and full-back. the manner in which they line up is shown in the accompanying diagram. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 l.e. l.t. l.g. c. r.g. r.t. r.e. 0 q. 0 0 l.h.-b. r.h.-b. 0 f-b. the weight and size of the men on a football team largely govern the positions where they play. the centre rush and the two guards are usually the heaviest men on the team, as extra weight in the centre of the line is important to prevent what is called "bucking the centre." the two tackles should be strong, stocky players, not too tall, but still with sufficient weight to enable them to keep their feet in a mass play and to offer strong resistance to a united attack on their position. they should also be quick and agile and be able to advance the ball by rushing when called upon. the two ends must be fleet of foot and quick, sure tacklers. with the constant changes in football rules the position of end has become more and more important, until now a team with weak, slow ends is almost like a baseball team with a poor pitcher. many people regard the position of quarter-back as the most important on the team. he is virtually the field captain. a good quarter-back must be an all around player of the highest order. he must first of all have a good head and be able to run off the plays of his team without confusion. he must keep his head under the most trying circumstances. he must watch for weak places in the opposing team and direct the play of his men against them. he must offer encouragement to his own team and be always on the alert to capture a fumbled ball, stop a runner who has eluded the tacklers or to catch a punt that may come within his reach. in nearly all the big college games the quarter-back is one of the star players. the nature of his many duties is such that he is forced to be a grand-stand player and to be conspicuous even though he may not desire to. in running back punts the quarter-back will often be used because he is sure in catching them, which is a matter of the greatest importance. and all of this work is required of a man who is usually the smallest, lightest man on the team and who alongside of the giant guards and centre sometimes looks like a pigmy. there is no higher honour in football than to be a good all around quarter-back. the half-backs are chosen because of their speed and their ability to advance the ball and to elude the tackling of the opposing team. they come in for a very large share of the work and must be boys of superior strength and agility. next to the quarter-back the player of the greatest importance is full-back. his duty first of all is to attend to the kicking end of the game. for that reason he must practise constantly both with punts and drop kicks and be able to put the ball between the goal-posts from all angles and distances within reason. a great many games are won by a good drop kicker making a field goal at a critical time, and such a man is of the highest value to a team. as drop kicking, like pitching in baseball, comes largely from practice, the captain or manager of a team should see to it that any member of his team who shows any ability at all in this department should be given every opportunity and encouragement to develop his skill. a good drop kicker can be used temporarily from almost any position in the line, whether he be guard, tackle or end. as a rule, however, the full-back is the player who does most of the kicking. he must also be a good line bucker and be able to gain the required distance when called upon. in general, then, we choose the three centre men because of their weight, the tackles and ends for speed and ability in tackling, the quarter-back for his all around ability and his generalship, the half-backs because of their skill in rushing the ball, and the full-back for the kicking department. any man on the team may be chosen captain. as his work is largely done in practice and in perfecting plays, unless a team is in the hands of a coach it is better not to add the duties of captain to the already overburdened quarter-back. otherwise he is the logical and ideal man for the position. [illustration: a football gridiron] there is no game in which team work is more important than in football. eleven boys of moderate ability and comparative light weight who can execute their plays with skill and precision can beat a team of heavier boys or superior players who may lack their skill and organization. in the case of a school team it is almost always possible to secure the services of a coach from among the graduates. if such a one has had experience on a college team so much the better. a football field is 330 feet long by 160 feet wide. at each end are goal posts set 18 feet 6 inches apart, with a crossbar 10 feet above the ground. the field is marked off in chalk lines similar to a tennis court, these lines being 5 yards apart. the centre of the field where the play starts is 55 yards from either end. it is usually customary to run lines parallel to the sides of the field, also 5 yards apart, but as a field is but 160 feet wide the first and last of these lines are but 5 feet from the side lines instead of 5 yards. the lines on a football field make a checkerboard effect and have given to the field the name of "gridiron." football is a game where eleven men try to force the ball back of the opposing players' goal line by various efforts in running with it or in kicking, while the opposing team meanwhile, by throwing the runner or by pushing him back, try to prevent any gain being made. each team is allowed a certain number of attempts to make a certain distance and, if they fail to do this the ball becomes the property of the other team to make a similar attempt. each of these attempts is called a "down," and, according to the rules, after three attempts, if the runners have failed to gain the required distance, the ball is given to their opponents. in practice it is customary for a team to kick the ball on its last down and thus to surrender it just as far from its own goal line as possible. the distance that must be made in three downs according to the present rules is ten yards. sometimes a team will not kick on its last down because the distance remaining to be gained is so little that the quarter-back feels sure that one of his men can make it, but this is an exception. when ten or more yards are gained the ball becomes at first down again and the team has three more attempts to make another ten yards figured from where the ball was finally downed. the ultimate object of "rushing the ball," as this play is called, is to place it on the ground behind the enemy's goal line, which is called a "touchdown." sometimes a team will succeed in getting the ball almost over the goal line and then because of the superior resistance of its opponents will find that it can advance it no further. it is then customary for one of the players who has had practice in drop kicking to attempt to kick what is called a "goal from the field" or "field goal." this play counts less than a touchdown in the score, counting but three points, while a touchdown counts five, but many a game has been won by a field goal. football scores between evenly matched teams who play scientifically are usually low, one or two scores in a game being all that are made. it frequently happens that neither side will score, but, unlike baseball, the game does not continue after the time limit has expired, but simply becomes a tie game. the game is divided into four periods of fifteen minutes each. there are resting periods of three minutes each between the first and second and third and fourth periods, and fifteen minutes between the second and third periods. at the beginning of the game the two opposing captains toss up a coin and the winner of the toss has the choice of goals or of the ball. his decision will be governed by the position of the sun and the wind conditions, two very important things in football. after each score the sides change goals, however; so the choice is not so important unless the game happens to be scoreless. at the first play the ball is placed in the centre of the field and is kicked off, a man on the opposing team trying to catch it and to run back as far as possible before he is tackled and the ball "downed." the next lineup takes place at this point and the game proceeds until a score is made. after each score the ball is put in play just as at the beginning of the game. the quarter-back calls out a series of numbers and letters called "signals" before the ball is put into play. these signals will tell his team what the play is to be, whether a run around end, a kick, or a mass play on centre, for example. the matter of thorough coaching in signals is very important and must be practised by the team until it can tell in an instant just what the play is to be when the play starts. the centre stoops low and holds the ball in an upright position on the ground between his feet. the quarter-back is directly behind him with outstretched hands ready to receive it. after the signal is given the team must be ready to execute the play, but must not by look or motion permit its opponents know what the play is to be. at a touch or word from the quarter-back, the full-back snaps the ball back and the play starts. the position of the men on a team is generally as the diagram shows but for various plays other formations are used, provided that they do not violate the rules, which specify just how many men must be in the lineup and how many are permitted behind the line. the first requirement of signals is to have them simple. in the heat and stress of a game the players will have but little time to figure out what the play is to be, even though it may all have seemed very simple on paper. to begin a code of signals each position on the team is given a letter. the eleven positions will require eleven letters and no two must be alike. it would be possible of course to simply start with the letter "a" and go to "k," but this system would be too simple and easily understood by your opponents. a better way is to take a word easily remembered in which no letter occurs twice, such as "b-l-a-c-k-h-o-r-s-e-x" or any other combination. "buy and trade" "importance," "formidable," and many others are used. the same principle is used by tradesmen in putting private price marks on their goods. take the words "buy and trade" for example. their positions right and left end, abbreviated (r.e. and l.e.), right and left tackle (r.t. and l.t.), right and left guard (r.g. and l.g.), centre (c.), quarter-back (q.), right and left half-backs (r.h. and l.h.), and full-back (f.b.), would be assigned letters as follows: l.e. l.t. l.g. c. r.g. r.t. r.e. q. l.h. f.b. r.h. _b u y a n d t r a d e_ the letters denote not only players but holes in the line, as the spaces between the players are called. the quarter-back always adds to his signal a number of other letters or figures which have no meaning, simply to confuse the opposing players. for example the signal given is "24-e-n-72-x." the figures 24 and 72 mean nothing, nor does the "x." the signal says "e will take the ball and go through n," or right half-back through right guard. any number of other plays can be denoted by letters or numbers, for example all punts by figures which are a multiple of ten, as 10-20, 150-300, and so on. the beginner in football should first of all be provided with a suitable uniform; there is no game in which this is more important. the game is rough and many and harsh are the jolts we receive; consequently we must use whatever padding and guards we can to provide against injury. the custom is to wear a tight jersey with elbow pads, a tight-fitting canvas jacket and well-padded canvas khaki or moleskin trousers. the appearance of our uniform is of little consequence, as football players are not noted for the beauty of their costumes. heavy woollen stockings and football shoes complete the outfit. the shoes are the most important part of the uniform. they should lace with eyelets and be well provided with leather cleats to prevent slipping. [illustration: football shoes] a beginner at football can gain a lot of valuable points by carefully watching the practice of his team from the side lines. he is then in a position when called upon to fill a given position which he may be trying for, without obliging the coach or captain to give him instruction in many rudiments which he can just as well learn from observation. he must also be thoroughly familiar with the rules and their interpretation. a violation of the rules in football carries with it a severe penalty for the team, provided of course that the referee sees it, consequently, a beginner must be especially careful not to permit his anxiety to make a good showing to result in being offside when the ball is put in play, interfering with a man about to make a fair catch or in doing many other things which the excitement of the game may occasion. the moment of putting the ball into play is called a "scrimmage" and the scrimmage continues until the ball is downed. a ball is "down" when the runner is brought to a standstill or when he touches the ground with any part of his body except his hands or feet. at this point the referee will blow his whistle and a lineup for a new scrimmage will take place. [illustration: the football uniform] when the ball is kicked, a member of the opposing team who raises his hand and stands in one spot is entitled to make a catch without interference, which if successful gives his team a free kick. in a free kick his opponents may not come within ten yards of where the ball was caught and some member of his team may kick either a drop kick, punt or place kick as he sees fit. after a touchdown, which counts five, a place kick for goal is attempted. if the ball goes between the goal-posts and above the crossbar it counts one point additional for the team making the touchdown, or six in all. a score of one alone cannot be made in football, as the attempt for goal cannot be made until after a touchdown. this of course does not apply to a field goal, which may be attempted at any time while the ball is in possession of the team and which counts three. the smallest score is from a "safety," which results when a member of a team is forced to touch the ball down behind his own goal or is downed there by the opposing team. this play counts two for his opponents and is an evidence of weakness of the team. it has the advantage, however, of permitting the ball to be brought out twenty-five yards to be put into play. the rules of football were practically unchanged for a number of years, but the game developed so many dangerous features that nearly all the colleges recently agreed to certain important changes especially directed to abolishing mass play and line bucking. for that reason the rules for the present game may be changed considerably within a few years. a boy taking up football should therefore acquaint himself with the latest rules governing the sport. football requires careful training, but the best training will come from actual play itself. in the beginning of the season a period of ten minutes' hard play is all that a boy should be called upon to do, unless he is in excellent physical shape. after that the time of practice should be lengthened until a candidate can go through a game of two full halves without being exhausted. one reason for many football injuries is that the players become so completely winded that the ordinary power of resistance is lost. besides actual play the best training is in taking long runs to improve the wind, one of the most essential things in football. in the colleges training for nearly all athletic events is done in this way and a candidate who cannot go out with his squad and run four or five miles at a stiff dog trot will have but little chance of making his team. xvii lawn tennis how to make and mark a tennis court--clay and sod courts--the proper grip of the racket--golf--the strokes and equipment the steady growth in popularity of lawn tennis as well as the splendid exercise that results from playing this game has given it a sure place in the field of athletic sports. it is a game that requires a great deal of skill, and as no one realizes this fact more than those who are experts, a beginner should not be deterred from playing tennis simply because he may fear the criticism of the more experienced. the only way to learn the various strokes and to be able to play a good game is to practise at every opportunity. it is better to play against some one who is more skilful than ourselves and who will keep us on our mettle to make a good showing. the eye and the muscles must work automatically and with precision. no amount of written instructions can give us this skill. the personal outfit for playing tennis is of course very simple. every player should own his racket and become accustomed to it. they cost almost any price up to eight dollars, which will buy the very best rackets made. the weight and size of the racket will depend on our strength. the average weight for a man is about fourteen ounces and for a boy an ounce or two lighter. a skilful player becomes so accustomed to the feeling and weight of his own racket that often he will play an indifferent game if he is forced to use any other. the game of lawn tennis was first played on a lawn or grass court, and many players still prefer this kind of a court, but the difficulty of obtaining a good sod, and after having obtained it the greater difficulty of keeping it in good condition, have increased the popularity of a skinned or clay court, which is always in fair condition except immediately after a heavy rain. the expense of maintaining a tennis court is more than most boys or most families would care to undertake. as a rule, tennis courts fall in the same general class with golf links in that they lend themselves readily to the joint ownership of a club or school, where the expense falls on a number rather than on an individual. in a great many places the boys of a town or village have clubbed together and have obtained permission from some one owning a piece of vacant ground that is not likely to be sold or improved within a few years and have built a tennis court on it. this arrangement helps the appearance of the land, that should be secured at a very low rental, or none at all if the owner is public spirited and prefers to see the boys of his town grow up as healthy, athletic men rather than weaklings who have no place for recreation but in the village streets, where passing trucks and automobiles will endanger their lives, or at least cause them to be a nuisance to the public. [illustration: the dimensions of a tennis court] to build a tennis court properly means a lot of work and it should only be attempted under the direction of some one who understands it. the things most important are good drainage, good light, and sufficient room. a double court is 36 feet wide by 72 feet long, but in tournament games or on courts where experts play it is customary to have an open space about 60 feet wide by 110 to 120 feet long, to give the players plenty of room to run back and otherwise to play a fast game. a court should always be laid out north and south or as near these points of the compass as possible. in courts running east and west the sun is sure to be in the eyes of one of the players nearly all day; this is of course a very serious objection. while it is very pleasant to play tennis in the shade of a tree or building, a court should never be located under these conditions if it is possible to avoid it. a properly placed court should be fully exposed to the sun all day. first of all it will be necessary to decide whether a grass or "dirt" court is to be built. if the grass is fine and the place where the court is to be happens to be level, there is little to do but to cut the sod very short with a lawn-mower and to mark out the court. if, on the contrary, there is much grading or levelling to be done, a dirt court will be much cheaper and better in the end, as constant playing on turf soon wears bare spots. the upkeep of a grass court will be expensive unless it is feasible to move its position from time to time. whatever the court is to be, the first question to consider is proper drainage. if the subsoil is sandy the chances are that the natural soakage will take care of the surplus water, but on the contrary, if the court is at the bottom of a hill or in a low place where clay predominates, it is necessary to provide some means of getting rid of the surplus water from rainfalls or our court may be a sea of mud just when it would be most useful to us. to level a court properly we shall need the services of some one expert with a levelling instrument of some kind. it is not safe to depend on what seems to be level to our eye, as our judgment is often influenced by leaning trees, the horizon, and other natural objects. with a few stakes driven into the ground, the tops of which are level, we are enabled to stretch lines which will give us our levels accurately. a court should have a slope of a few inches from one end to the other to carry off water. after the level is determined, all there is to making a court is to fill in or cut away soil and earth until the proper level space is obtained. as a rule it is better to dig away for a court rather than to fill in, as we thus obtain a better bottom and one that will require but little rolling. in the case of a slope, it is well so to locate the court that the amount of earth excavated from one end will be just about sufficient to fill in the other. the final surfacing of a court is done by means of clay and sand in the proportion of about four or five to one, the clay of course being in excess. to mix clay and sand thoroughly, the former should first be pulverized thoroughly when dry and the mixture sifted over the court carefully and evenly. the next step is rolling and wetting, and more rolling and wetting until finally the whole is allowed to dry and is ready for play. the slight irregularities and roller ridges that often appear in a court will soon be worn off by the players' feet, but playing of course will not change the grade. a new court will be greatly improved by use, but no one should be allowed on a court except with rubber-soled shoes. heeled shoes will soon ruin a court, and it is bad practice even to allow any one to walk over a court unless with proper footwear. the preliminary levelling of a court can be accomplished with a rake and a straight-edged board, but after the clay has become packed and hard it will be necessary to use considerable force in scraping off the inequalities. a metal cutting edge, such as a hoe or scraper, will be found useful. a court should be swept with a coarse broom to distribute the fine material evenly. another very good sweeper can be made from a piece of wood about six or eight feet long to which several thicknesses of bagging have been tacked or fastened. the final step in making a court consists in marking it out. most courts are marked so that they will be suitable either for singles or doubles or so that either two or four people can play at a time. where tape markers are to be used, the proper distances will appear on the tape without measuring, but if lime is used for marking a careful plotting will be necessary to secure the proper distances, after which the corners should be indicated by angle irons, so that the court may be re-marked at any time without re-measuring. [illustration: a game of doubles in lawn tennis] considerable difficulty is often experienced by beginners in marking out a court, and, in fact, it is not a simple matter. the first thing of importance is to determine generally one corner of the court and to get a base line and a side line at a true right angle of ninety degrees. the same principle may be employed that is used by builders and surveyors in "squaring a building," as it is called. you will need a ten-foot pole with marks for the feet indicated on it in lead pencil, and in addition to this a few 20-penny spikes and a ball of stout twine. drive a nail into the ground where you want one corner of the court and fasten the line to it; then stretch the line to another nail to mark either a side line or back line. you will then have one side and the corner fixed, and the problem is to get another line at right angles to it. boys who have studied geometry know that "in a right-angle triangle the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides." it isn't necessary to understand this, but it is the principle employed in "squaring." you next stretch another line and have some one hold it. on the fixed side line you measure eight feet from the corner nail and mark it with a piece of twine tied around the line. you also make a six-foot mark on the line to be at right angles to it, the exact direction of which is yet to be determined. both of these measurements must be accurate. the boy on the end of the loose line moves it until the distance between the two pieces of twine is exactly the length of your ten-foot pole. the angle thus formed is exactly ninety degrees, or a right angle. having obtained one side and one end, to finish marking is simply a matter of making the necessary measurements of a court as shown on the diagram and marking each intersecting point with a nail driven into the ground. [illustration: how to mark out a tennis court] another way to lay out a court is to drive two stakes or nails into the ground 27 feet apart. (the line of these stakes should be the position of the net.) then take two pieces of twine, one 47 feet 5 inches long, and the other 39 feet. fasten one line to each of the spikes that you have placed 27 feet apart. where the two lines meet as they are pulled taut are the true corners of the court, as there are only four points where they can meet. the various measurements can then be marked as above by referring to the diagram. it is customary to mark a double court and to indicate the lines for singles afterward. the game of tennis may be played either by two or four persons, or sometimes an expert player will stand two beginners. the ball used is rubber filled with air and covered with white felt and is 2-1/2 inches in diameter. it is necessary to play with two balls, and to save time in chasing those that go wild it is customary to play with three or four. one of the players begins by serving. the selection of the court is usually chosen by lot or by tossing up a racket in a way similar to tossing a cent. the side of the racket where the woven gut appears is called "rough," and the other side "smooth." this practice is not to be recommended, as it injures the racket. it is better to toss a coin. the game of tennis consists in knocking the ball over the net and into the court of your opponent, keeping up this volley until one side or player fails to make the return properly or at all, which scores his opponent a point. while a game in tennis consists of four points, the simple numbers from one to four are not used. the points run 15,30, 40, game, when one side makes them all. or it may be "15-30," "15 all," and so on, the score of the server being mentioned first. where one side has nothing their score is called "love." when one side has scored four points the game is won--with this exception: when both sides are tied at 40, or "deuce," as it is called, the winners must make two points more than their opponents to win. in this way the game may be continued for a long time as the points are won first by one side and then by the other. the score at deuce, or "40 all," will be denoted as "vantage in" or "vantage out," depending upon whether the server's side or the other wins one of the two points necessary to win from "deuce." if first one side, then the other, obtains one of these points the score will be "vantage in" or "out," as the case may be, and then "deuce" again, until finally when two points clear are made it is "game." a set of tennis consists in winning six games, but in this case also there is a peculiar condition. where each side wins five games it is necessary in order to win the set to obtain a lead of two games. the score in games is then denoted just as in a single game, "deuce" and "vantage" games being played until a majority of two is won. [illustration: photographs of tennis strokes taken in actual play] [illustration: (a) the right and (b) the wrong way to hold a tennis racket] to learn the game of tennis, first obtain a proper grip of the racket. it should always be held firmly and as near the end as possible, the leather butt being inside the hand. a loose grip will absolutely prevent a player from becoming expert, as the accuracy and quickness that are a part of tennis can never be obtained unless we have the racket under perfect control. the various backhand, high and low strokes will only come from constant practice. the most important stroke to master as well as the most difficult is a swift, accurate service. a player who is otherwise a fair player can easily lose game after game by not having mastered his service stroke, and thus he beats himself without any effort on the part of his opponent. the various "twist" services have almost passed out of use. even the best players employ a straight, swift overhand ball. to fail to serve the ball over the net and in the proper place is called a "fault." the player has two chances and to fail in both is called "a double fault." a common mistake is to attempt a swift smash on the first ball, which may fail half the time, and then to make sure of the second ball by an easy stroke which a skilful opponent can return almost at will and thus either extend us to the utmost to return it or else make us fail altogether. it is better to make sure of the first serve than to attempt a more difficult serve than our skill will permit. golf the game of golf, while of comparatively recent introduction in this country, has sprung rapidly into popularity. it is hard to say just why it should be such a popular game except that it combines a certain amount of healthful outdoor exercise with an unlimited opportunity for skill, and in addition to this, unlike the more violent games, it can be joined in by old as well as young. the proper construction and maintenance of a golf course is an expensive proposition. a private course is altogether out of the question except for the very wealthy. a club in starting with a limited amount of money will find it more satisfactory to begin with the construction of a nine-hole or even a six-hole course rather than to attempt a full course of eighteen holes which will be indifferently constructed or kept up. the average eighteen-hole course is about three miles long and is built according to the general lay of the land. a hole in golf consists in the stretch between the "tee," from which the ball is knocked off, and the "putting green," where the player "putts" the ball into the "hole"--a can sunk into the ground which has about the same diameter as a tomato can. the score consists in the number of strokes required to make the hole, and of course the player making the fewest number of strokes is the winner of the hole or match. [illustration: addressing] [illustration: at the top of the swing] [illustration: just before the ball is struck] golf has but few rules. the secret of playing well consists in being able to swing the clubs with accuracy and precision. there is no game where proper form counts for more and none in which more careful preliminary instruction by an expert is so important. if one can at the very outset obtain the services of a professional or a skilful player for a few lessons, it will do far more good than ten times as many lessons after we have contracted bad habits which will have to be unlearned. [illustration: how an expert plays golf] the surest way to be a poor golfer is first to think that it is a sort of "old man's game," or, as one boy said, "a game of knocking a pill around a ten-acre lot"; then when the chance to play our first game comes along to do it indifferently, only to learn later that there is a lot more to the skill of a good player than we ever realized. another very common mistake is to buy a complete outfit of clubs, which a beginner always improperly calls "sticks," before we really know just what shape and weight of club is best adapted to our needs. [illustration: a good outfit of clubs for golf] the common clubs in most players' outfits consist of a driver, brassie, cleek, iron, and putter. we can add to this list almost indefinitely if we wish, as there are all sorts of clubs made for various shots and with various angles. the game of golf consists in covering a certain fixed course in the fewest number of shots. we shall have to practise both for distance and accuracy. the first few shots on a hole of average length will give us an opportunity for distance. this is especially true of the first shot, or drive, but after that we make what are known as approach shots--that is to say, we are approaching the putting green where we complete the hole by "putting" the ball into the tin cup sunk into the ground. on the green we shall need to be very careful, as a stroke wasted or poorly played counts just as much against our score if the ball goes only a few feet as if we sliced or "foozled" our drive. in scoring for golf there are two methods: either the score of each hole is taken and the winner of a majority of holes wins the match, or the total score in counted as in "medal" or "tournament play." "bogie score" is a fictitious score for the course that is supposed to denote perfect playing without flukes or luck. the mysterious "colonel bogie" is an imaginary player who always makes this score. xviii photography the selection of a camera--snapshots vs. real pictures--how to make a photograph from start to finish aside from our own pleasant recollections, an album of photographs can be the most satisfactory reminder of the good times we have had on some vacation or outdoor trip. photography has been made so easy and so inexpensive by modern methods that every one should have some kind of a camera. small instruments capable of taking really excellent pictures within their limits can be bought for five dollars or even less. of course we cannot hope often to obtain pictures that will be really artistic with such a small outfit, but sometimes the inexpensive cameras will give remarkably good results. snapshot pictures seem to fill such an important place in our outdoor life that no vacation or excursion trip seems to be complete unless some one takes along a camera. the modern way of taking pictures, which is simply pressing a button and sending a film to the professional to "do the rest," including developing, printing and mounting, is really not photography. almost any one can take pictures with a small hand camera. the manufacturers have perfected instruments so complete for this kind of work that there is very little for us to do beyond being sure that we have an unexposed section of film in place and that we have sufficient light to obtain a picture. of course we must have the focus right and must be sure we are pointing at what we wish to take. real photography is quite different from snapshot work. it is a hobby so fascinating and with such great possibilities that there is scarcely anything that will give a boy or girl more real pleasure in life and a better opportunity to be outdoors than to become an expert outdoor photographer. unfortunately it is a rather expensive pastime, but even with a moderate priced instrument we can obtain excellent results under the right conditions. i have seen a prize-winning picture in an exhibition that was made with a cigar box, with a pinhole in one end for a lens. even though one does not care to become an expert photographer, by all means get a camera and make snapshots. it is quite a common idea for an amateur to attribute his failures to defects in his material or outfit. you may be sure when you fail it is your own fault. dealers in photographic supplies constantly have complaints from customers about defective materials, and certainly nine out of every ten of these cases are simply due to the carelessness of the operator with perfectly good material. it is well for a beginner in photography to start with a simple snapshot camera. they can be bought for three or four dollars up to twenty-five. such cameras are used with films, and simply require the operator to expose his film in plenty of light and with the proper attention to the distance that the object to be photographed may be from the camera. until we can accurately estimate distances, such as 8, 15, 25 or more feet, it will be far safer to pace off the distance, remembering that a long step for a boy is about equivalent to three feet. some cameras have a universal focus and require no adjusting, but an adjustable camera will usually give better results. some cameras are so constructed that they may be used either as a hand machine or on a tripod for view work. they can also be adapted either to films or plates and be operated with the ground glass for focussing, or if desired, the focussing scale and view finder may be used. the size of our camera will depend largely upon our purse. the cost of the camera itself is not the only thing to consider. all the plates and supplies increase in proportion to the size of our instrument. a good all around size is 4x5, or if we really wish to become photographers the 5x7 is a standard. a number of new sizes have recently been introduced and have proven very satisfactory. perhaps the best size for a snapshot camera is 3-1/4 x 5-1/2. there are a great many makes of cameras on the market, but even at the risk of advertising one firm more than another it is only fair to say that there is really nothing better in pocket snapshot machines than the kodaks. in view cameras it is different. there are instruments of a dozen makes any of which will produce excellent results. the tests to apply in selecting a view camera are its workmanship, compactness, and the various attachments and conveniences it has. the salesman from whom you purchase will explain fully just what its possibilities are, especially if you take some experienced person with you who can ask questions. suppose you begin photographing with a simple "snapshot" outfit. the first thing to remember is that there is absolutely no excuse for the large percentages of failures that beginners have in making pictures, and which are due solely to their own carelessness and inattention to simple details. first of all, immediately after making an exposure, be sure to form the habit of turning the key until a fresh film comes into place; then you will never be troubled with the question whether you have exposed the film or not. every professional photographer who develops for amateurs handles many films in which some of the negatives are blank and some are double negatives with two pictures on one film. this is solely the fault of the photographer, who was never quite sure and would first make the mistake of exposing a film twice, then turning the roll without exposing it at all. if you are really in doubt, it is better to turn the roll to the next number, as you thus simply lose a film but preserve both negatives; if, on the other hand, you make a double exposure, you will lose both pictures. the snapshot photographer should never take a picture unless he really wants it and unless he is pretty certain of making a picture. snapping here and there without a proper condition of light, focus, or subject is a very bad habit to contract. until you can make at least eight good pictures out of ten you are not a photographer. no average lower than this should satisfy you. do not blame the lens for your failures. in recent years the art of making lenses has advanced wonderfully, and while the one in your camera may not be an expensive one or capable of a wide range of use, it is at least adapted to the purpose of your instrument or you may be sure that the manufacturers would never have used it. we should not consider the snapshot expert who merely presses the button as a real photographer, even though he obtains fine pictures. no one deserves this name who does not understand the operations of the dark room. one who has experienced the wonderful sensation of working in a faint yellow-ruby light and by the application of certain mysterious chemicals of seeing a picture gradually come into view on the creamy surface of a dry plate will never again be satisfied to push the button and allow some one else "to do the rest." however, if you do not wish to go into photography extensively you may at least learn just what limits your hand camera has, and at the end of the season in place of a lot of ill-timed pictures you can have an album full of creditable prints for which no apology will be necessary. it is quite beyond the limits of this chapter to go into photography fully, but some of the simple principles may be of use to the boy or girl who has taken up the subject. the modern snapshot camera even of small size has great possibilities. with a clear negative we can have an enlargement made on bromide paper that will be a source of great satisfaction. the actual making of enlargements is usually beyond the limits of an amateur's outfit. in this part of photographic work it will be better to patronize a professional. to become an expert photographer and one whose work will be worth while, we must really make a study of the subject. the modern outfits and chemicals make it very easy for us if we do our part. the basis of successful work is a good lens, which is really the eye of the camera. in selecting it we should get just as good a one as we can afford. there are a great many excellent makes of lenses on the market and even the stock types that are supplied with moderate-priced cameras are of very good quality. the two distinct types of lenses are the "rapid rectilinear" and the "anastigmatic," which names refer to their optical properties in distributing the light. for our purpose all we need to know is that the higher price we pay the better our lenses will be, and in addition to this the further fact that the best kind of results can be obtained by any lens provided that we do not try to force it to do work for which it is not adapted. to understand photography we must first of all get a clear notion of the use and purpose of the stops, as the various openings or apertures are called that the lens is provided with. a "fast" lens is one that will give a sharp picture at a maximum opening, and such lenses are both the most expensive and the most universal in their application. lenses of this class are used in making instantaneous pictures with very rapid exposures, and for ordinary view or portrait work will produce no better results than much slower and less expensive types. perhaps the best way to understand photography as an art rather than a "push the button" pastime is to take up the process of making a picture step by step. to begin with, the real photographer will use plates instead of films, as much better pictures usually are possible by their use. dry plates come a dozen in a box, usually packed face to face--that is, with the film or sensitive sides facing. the plate-holder must be loaded in a dark room or dark closet, with absolutely no exposure to daylight or any artificial light whatever except a very faint light from a dark-room lantern, a combination of ruby and yellow glass or paper. we should always test our dark room and light by means of a plate before we trust them to actual working conditions. take a fresh plate and cover it half with a piece of cardboard, or if it is in a holder draw the slide half way out and allow the dark-room light to strike it for five minutes, then develop the plate just as you would an exposed negative, and if the test plate shows the effect of the exposure and darkens, we shall need to make our light safer either by adding a sheet or two of yellow or ruby paper or we must examine our room carefully to stop up any cracks where rays of white light may enter. we must remember that a plate sensitive enough to record instantaneous exposures of 1-500 of a second must be sensitive to any tiny ray of outside light also. almost any room will make a dark room, especially if it is used at night. by drawing the shades and by doing our work in a far corner of the room away from outside light we are comparatively safe. of course an electric street lamp or other bright light would have to be shut out, but this can easily be done by pinning up a blanket over the window. when we have loaded our plate-holders we are ready to make a picture. suppose, for example, it is to be a house or a vista of some kind such as a group of trees or a bit of water: the first thing of importance is to obtain a point of view that will not only give us the picture we desire but that will leave out any undesirable features that we do not care to take. some cameras are provided with a small view finder for snapshot work, and this may often be used to get a general idea of what the picture will be. successful photography consists largely in knowing just what to take and what to omit. sometimes an ugly piece of fence or a post will spoil an otherwise excellent picture. we must also remember that in a photograph our colours are expressed in black and white, and therefore a picture that depends on its colour contrast for its beauty, such as autumn foliage or a sunset, may be disappointing as a photograph. when we have decided upon our subject, the next step is to set our camera in the proper position to permit the plate to take in what we wish. usually it will be necessary to shift our position several times until we find the proper position. the tripod should be firmly set on the ground and the camera made as level as possible. the camera should then be focussed with the stop or diaphragm wide open. the fact that the image is inverted as it appears on the ground glass will at first be confusing to a beginner, but we soon become accustomed to it and never give it a thought. our focussing cloth should be tightly drawn about the head to keep out as much outside light as possible. at first we have some difficulty in seeing the image on the ground glass, but after we learn to look at the glass and not through it we should have no further trouble in this respect. by moving the lens backward and forward we finally strike a position where the principal image to be photographed will appear sharp and clear. the camera is then in focus, but we shall discover that other objects more in the background or foreground will appear blurred and confused. often it is desirable to have a blurred or "fuzzy" background, but if we desire to bring the indistinct objects in focus we must "stop down" our lens first by trying the no. 8 stop, and if this does not accomplish the results the no. 16, and so on until we get what we wish. as we look at the image on the ground glass, it will be evident that as we stop down our lens, the more remote objects are gradually brought into view with a sharp outline, we shall discover that the image on the ground glass becomes less and less distinct, which shows very clearly that we are admitting less light, and the lesson to be learned is that when we make the exposure we must give a corresponding increase in time as the amount of light admitted decreases. an exposure that would give a perfect picture at no. 8 may be very much under-exposed at no. 32 diaphragm. having focussed our camera and set the stop, we then close the shutter, insert the plate-holder in the back of the camera and carefully draw the slide. omitting to pull the slide is a common mistake with beginners. we are now ready to decide just what exposure to give our plate. rules for exposure are almost useless, but in general it may be said that the modern plates are lightning fast and that in bright sunlight at midday the average exposures will not be over 1-25 of a second. an "exposure meter" will prove to be of great assistance to a beginner, but such arrangements are not often used by experts except in doubtful cases. we soon find that we can guess at average exposures with considerable accuracy, especially if we adopt a certain brand of plate and become accustomed to its working qualities. of course all of these speeds must be indicated on the shutter, and all we can do is to set our shutter at this point and squeeze the bulb. correct judgment in exposure will only come after experience. in taking interior views or making pictures on dark days we shall be less likely to make a mistake than in bright sunlight. i have made two interior views, to one of which i gave ten minutes and the other an hour, with practically the same result in the negative. an over-exposed plate is flat, which means that the print will lack contrast and be unsatisfactory as a photograph. after the bulb is squeezed and the exposure made we are ready to develop our plate and to see what result we have obtained. of course in practice we make a number of exposures before we begin to develop. some photographers use numbered plate-holders and keep a record of the pictures, time of day and of exposure, stop and any other items of interest. we now take the plate-holder in our dark room and prepare our developer. there are a great many developers on the market and we can scarcely make a mistake with any of them. probably the best of all is "pyro," but the fact that it stains the fingers is a serious objection to it for amateur use, and almost any other developer, such as metol, eikonogen or hydroquinon will be better. these stock developers usually come in dry salts, which must be dissolved and mixed. all of this work must be done in the light so we can see that we are getting the proper proportions and that the chemicals are thoroughly in solution. the developing trays should be washed thoroughly and placed conveniently at hand so that we can find them in the dark. in addition to developers we must have what is called the "hypo" fixing bath. this is a solution of hyposulphite of soda, a chemical which is used in development and which renders the plate no longer sensitive to light, but dissolves that part which has not been acted upon by the developer. the hypo should be in a tray or box placed conveniently at hand but not so located that it will be liable to become mixed with the developer or in any way to splash or spot the plate. we must always wash the hands thoroughly after immersing a plate in the hypo before handling a fresh plate, as a very few drops will ruin a negative. after we have prepared the hypo and the developer we are ready to develop the plate. place it face side up in the tray and quickly pour the developer over it, being sure that the solution covers the surface immediately, to avoid unequal development. while we should not develop in a strong red or yellow light we can at least place our tray in such a position that we may watch the process of bringing up the image out of the creamy surface of the plate. this is the most fascinating part of photography. first the high lights will appear and then the shadows, and then after an instant the whole image will come into view and then begin to fade away. to know at what point development should stop will only come by experience with negatives of all sorts of classes. generally speaking, when the image fades from view and begins to appear through the film on the glass side we should wash it quickly and immerse it in the hypo. the "fixing" in hypo will take probably five minutes and should be continued until the white coating is thoroughly dissolved. the plate may then be brought safely to the light and should be washed thoroughly either in running water for half an hour or in at least twelve changes of fresh water. care must be taken not to touch the film side of the plate during development or fixing, as the gelatine coating becomes very soft and will show the slightest scratch or abrasion. we must dry the plate away from dust, sunlight, or artificial heat. after it is dry we are ready to make a print. photographic printing papers are of two classes--those which are used in direct sunlight and upon which the image gradually appears, and those which are similar to plates and which are given a very short time exposure in artificial light and the picture developed just as we should a plate. the beginner will probably have more uniform success with sunlight paper after the simple process of toning and fixing is learned, although the developing papers are extremely simple to handle and give better results. the final step of trimming and mounting the print is too simple to require explanation. there are a great many things that might be said about photography, but in a book of this kind only the most simple facts are stated. if you become a photographer you will soon learn many of the fine points. our negatives should all be kept carefully in labelled envelopes and a record kept in a book of some kind. when we really become expert as a photographer, there are many opportunities to make our hobby pay. the publishers of nearly all the magazines experience the greatest difficulty in securing the kind of pictures they wish to reproduce. this is remarkable when so many people are taking pictures. if one wishes to sell pictures, it is important to study the class of materials that the magazines use. then, if we can secure good results, we can be almost sure of disposing of some of our work and, in addition to the money, have the satisfaction of seeing our pictures published. xix outdoor sports for girls what to wear--confidence--horseback riding--tennis--golf--camping a generation ago the girl who joined her brother in his sports would have been considered a "tom boy," but in recent years girls have discovered that with comparatively few exceptions they can join in the sports and recreations of their brothers and in some cases attain a remarkable degree of skill. girls' schools have done much to spread this idea. a rational outdoor costume and a desire to be physically well also has helped "the outdoor girl" to be regarded as the highest type of womanhood. only her grandmother sighs over tanned cheeks and muscular arms. the girl who is not a good sport is the exception rather than the rule. besides, our grandmothers worked at their gardening, which is out-of-door exercise, and a preventive, as kipling tells, of the "hump" we get from having too little to do. he says: _"the cure for this ill is not to sit still, or frowst with a book by the fire, but to take a large hoe and a shovel also, and dig till you gently perspire."_ from a feminine standpoint the first question must be, "what shall i wear?" there is no need to be handicapped by skirts, at least when one's exercise is taken in company with a crowd of girls. the bicycle introduced the bloomer girl and this costume is now generally regarded as proper for outdoor girls. in camp one should in addition wear a sailor blouse, and a pair of sneakers, which though rather heating for the feet are very comfortable and very satisfactory for long tramps through the woods. the rubber soles give a firm footing on slippery moss and dead leaves, while high heels might cause a wrenched ankle or a bad fall. it is perfectly allowable for a girl to wear a broad-brimmed hat to avoid sunburn, which might be so serious as to spoil a vacation. a gradually acquired coat of tan is much more desirable. the hat prevents headaches or sunstroke, neither of which may be dared with impunity by a delicate girl, unless she wears her hair on top of her head. in regard to hair, which is of great importance to its owner, though very much of a nuisance after the age when it may be worn boyishly short, the one word is that it must be fixed to stay without re-pinning or tucking back at frequent intervals. for bathing, a girl must either be willing to have her hair well soaked or else to put a cap on so tightly that it cannot be loosened. to hesitate to try a dive for fear of getting wet hair spoils much of the sport of swimming. each moment of hesitation makes her more convinced that perhaps, after all, she had better not try that dive, because she probably would not be able to do it anyway. the lack of confidence is disastrous. i have known girls who could swim perfectly well in the shallows but could not keep up at all in water out of their depth. and yet they have not been touching the bottom in the shallow water, but they _could_ if they wished. learning to swim in water that is over your head is really better, though it is more "scary" at first. if you do learn in that way you can thereafter look upon the deepest water with confident scorn. confidence is a necessary possession for the beginner in almost any sport. it is so much easier to do anything if we are quite positive that we can. probably, because you are a girl and are modest, you will have to assume this attitude, but in horseback riding, for example, an instant of fear while on the horse's back will "give you away" to the beast. since he is as keen as a dog to know when you fear and dislike him, he will undoubtedly take advantage of it. if you are quite positive that you can learn to ride and that the horse under you is harmless, you will keep a firm hold on the reins instead of clinging to the saddle horn in a panic. the trying part of learning to ride is that the first day's experience is painfully stiffening. this applies to almost any unusual exercise. but to withdraw on account of that you may as well resign yourself to taking exercise no more severe than that afforded by a rocking chair. it does not pay to stop when you are stiff. sticking to it is the only way that will train those hitherto unused muscles to perform their duties with no creaking of the hinges. a good night's rest is the utmost limit of time that should intervene between each trial. a girl has the physical disadvantage of less endurance than a boy, and she does have to care for herself in that respect, and leave untried some forms of exercise that would be overexertion for her. a girl may "paddle her own canoe," of course, without risk of overstraining herself, but when it comes to moving it from place to place out of the water, the feather-light canoe of poetry becomes heavy reality. two girls can carry a canoe between them for a short distance without much difficulty, but if one is alone it is far better to drag the canoe over the ground, which is not particularly hard on it, unless the ground is rough. the boy's way of carrying it balanced upside down on his shoulders requires considerable strength. devotees of tennis will claim first place for that among girls' sports. the amount of practice and quickness of thought and motion that maybe acquired in a game of tennis is remarkable; the fascination of the game itself rather than the benefits to be derived from it will hold the attention. the main trouble is in the learning, which requires unflagging energy and constant practice. an overmodest beginner will make the mistake of playing only against her likewise beginning friends; the result is that she takes a discouragingly long time finding out how to use her racket properly and never gets a chance to return a really good serve. it is really just as well at some point in your practising to see some well-trained athlete do the thing you are trying to learn. a girl can accomplish a great deal with her brain as well as with her muscles in athletics. some one once remarked that he learned to swim in winter and to skate in summer. he meant that after he had in its proper season practised skill in the winter sport, his brain, during the warm months, kept repeating to the muscles those directions until by the next winter they had a very fair idea of what they had to do, and responded more quickly and easily. it is rather consoling to think you do not lose time, but rather progress, between seasons. the girl who goes camping with a crowd of boys and girls realizes how much depends on the mere strength of the boys; at the same time she herself has an opportunity of showing not only her athletic proficiency and nerve, but also her superior common sense. she will really have to leave the heavy work of pitching the tents and chopping the wood to the boys, but she cannot sit down and fold her hands meanwhile. she can be collecting materials for the beds of balsam on which they hope to sleep in comfort, or she may gather chips for the fire, or she may be helping to unload the wagon or canoes in which they have come. when the tents are pitched she has a woman's prerogative of "putting the house in order," and during the time of camping keeping it so. if there is actually a case of nothing for her to do, far better for her to sit down and keep quiet than to get in the way of the boys and bother them. a young man who in his first season as a guide in the canadian woods took out a party of girls from a summer school on a camping trip told me that he would never do it again, because they gave him no relief from a continual rain of questions. a case where zeal for knowledge outruns discretion. after the tents are pitched and the fire made by the boys, it is plainly up to the girls to get supper. let us hope they have practised cooking for some time before they went camping. every one gets so desperately hungry in the outdoor life that meals are of first importance, as tempers are apt to develop unexpectedly if many failures are turned out. if the girls are good cooks, however, and wash the dishes after each meal the division of labour will be fair to all concerned. a girl is more or less dependent on her boy friends for instruction in sports and considerably anxious for their approval. even if she has a woman instructor, in nine cases out of ten she requires some kind of praise from some man before she is satisfied with her performance. sister may tell her that she steers her canoe with beautiful precision, but unless brother remarks carelessly that "the kid paddles pretty well" she will hesitate to take her canoe in places where expert paddling is required. when you know that you can do some things as well as any boy you still have to rest content with the grudging assurance that "you do pretty well for a girl." xx one hundred outdoor games the following games are described in this chapter: all-around athletic championship archery association football badminton balli-callie bandy baseball basket ball bean bag best college athletic records blind man's buff boulder on bull in the ring call ball cane rush canoe tilting cat, or cattie counting-out rhymes court tennis cricket croquet curling dixie's land duck on the rock equestrian polo fat feather race foot-and-a-half football garden hockey golf golf-croquet hab-enihan haley over hand ball hand polo hand tennis hat ball hide and seek high kick hockey hop over hop scotch hunkety hunt the sheep intercollegiate amateur athletic association of america i spy jack fagots jai-a-li japanese fan ball kick the stick king of the castle knuckle there lacrosse lawn bowls lawn bowling lawn hockey lawn skittles lawn tennis last tag luge-ing marathon race marbles mumblety peg names of marbles nigger baby olympic games one old cat over the barn pass it pelota plug in the ring polo potato race prisoner's base push ball quoits racquets or rackets red line red lion roley boley roque rowing record rubicon sack racing scotland's burning skiing soccer spanish fly squash stump master suckers tether ball tether tennis three-legged racing tub racing volley ball warning washington polo water water race wicket polo wolf and sheep wood tag yank while all the games and sports described in this chapter are not absolutely confined to outdoors, almost any game in which violent physical exercise results is better if played in the open air rather than in a house or gymnasium. in fact, we should only play indoors when the weather makes it impossible for us to be outside. there are very few indoor games that cannot be played in the open air with proper apparatus or rules. it is also equally true that many of our outside sports may be played indoors with certain modifications. all-around athletic championship this contest was instituted in america in 1884 to give athletes an opportunity to demonstrate their ability in all-around work. the contest is rapidly becoming the blue ribbon championship event in america for track athletes. the following ten events are contested for: 100-yard dash high jump long jump vault throwing 16-pound hammer putting a 16-pound shot throwing 56-pound weight 120-yard hurdle race half-mile walk one-mile run the system of scoring in the all-around championship is complicated. each contestant has his score made up independently. the world's best amateur record is taken as a basis and 1,000 points are allowed for it. for example, the best record (amateur) for the 100-yard dash is 9-4/5 seconds and for each 1/5 of a second more than this that the runner in the all-around championship contest makes in his trial 42 points are deducted from this score. the same method is used in all the events. in the ten events the maximum score where the contestant equalled every world's record would be 10,000 points. the contest was won in 1909 by the remarkable score of 7,385 points. archery archery is the art of shooting with a bow and arrow. it is especially adapted as a lawn game for ladies and gentlemen, but boys and girls can practise archery and become proficient with bows and arrows just as the indians were or the boys in england in the days of robin hood. of course the invention of gunpowder has practically done away with the bow and arrow either as a means of warfare or as a weapon to be used in the chase, but it is still used by savages. the modern bow used in archery is made of lancewood or yew and for men's use is usually 6 feet long and for women and children 6 inches shorter. the strength or pull necessary to bend the bow, given in pounds, determines its classification. the arrows for men's use should be 28 inches long and for women 24 to 25 inches. the target is a straw-filled canvas disk painted in bright colours. there are usually five circles and the object in archery, as in shooting with firearms, is to hit either the centre ring or "bull's-eye" or as near to it as possible. in scoring, a shot in the inner gold centre counts nine; red ring, seven; inner white ring, five; black ring, three, and outer white ring, one. targets are of various sizes from 18 inches in diameter to 4 feet, depending on the distance of the range. a common distance will be from 50 to 100 yards. each archer should have some distinguishing mark or colour on his arrows. standard lancewood bows will cost two or three dollars, arrows from one to two dollars a dozen, and targets from two to five dollars each, with three dollars extra for the target stand. in championship matches in archery the customary range for men is 60 yards with 96 arrows, and the same number of arrows at 50 yards for women. a recent match championship was decided for men with 90 hits and a total score of 458, and for women with 85 hits and a total score of 441. association football or soccer a game similar to rugby football except that it more closely resembles what its name implies and kicking predominates. a round, leather-covered ball is used and the game is considered to be much safer than our college football. efforts consequently have been made to introduce the game into american colleges because of its less dangerous character. as there is practically no tackling or falling, the "soccer" uniform does not require the same amount of padding as a rugby player's uniform. the game is ordinarily played in running trousers with a full sleeved shirt and special shoes with leather pegs or cleats. the stockings are rolled down just below the knee. the association football goal net into which the ball is kicked is fastened to the ground and is made of tarred rope. thus far, the game has not been very popular in america, although a number of exhibition match games have recently been played by visiting english teams which attracted considerable attention. as a game, soccer is fast and exciting, and splendid opportunities are given for team work; but for some reason it has not succeeded in displacing our american game of rugby, although possibly it is more interesting for the spectator. badminton an english outdoor game similar to lawn tennis but played with shuttlecocks. the net is five feet above the ground. the shuttlecock is a cork in which feathers have been inserted. the shuttlecock is served and returned as in tennis and either two or four may play. a badminton court is 30 feet wide and 44 feet long. bandy a game very similar to hockey, except that it is played out of doors instead of in a covered rink and a ball is used in place of a puck or rubber disk. the name "bandy" is sometimes applied also to shinney or shinty and in england it is also applied to our american game of ice hockey. baseball the national game of america. (see chapter on baseball.) the game is played by eighteen persons, nine on a side, called "nines." the positions are pitcher, catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, right-field, left-field, centre-field. the first six positions are called the in-field, and the last three, the out-field. the diamond or field where the game is played is a square plot of ground with sides ninety feet long. at each corner of the square are bases called first, second, third and home plate. a game consists of nine innings, in each of which both teams have an opportunity to bat the ball and to score runs. the players bat in turn and attempt to reach the various bases without being put out by their opponents. each year the rules are changed in some slight particulars, consequently a beginner in baseball must be thoroughly familiar with the rules of the game before attempting to play. the pitcher attempts to pitch the ball over the home plate to the catcher and the batsman endeavours to hit it. if the ball after being hit is caught by one of the opposing players, or if it is thrown to the base to which the batsman is running before he reaches the base, he is "out." otherwise he is "safe" and will try to make the next base. if he completes the circuit of the four bases without being put out, he scores a run for his team or nine. when a player makes the entire circuit without being forced to stop for safety he makes a "home run." a hit which gains him a single base only is called a "base hit." similarly if he reaches second base it is a "two-bagger," and third base, a "three-bagger." after three players are put out, the other side has its "innings," and at the completion of nine full innings the side having scored the greatest number of runs is the winner. the game of baseball has become very scientific and the salaries of professional players are almost as high as those of the highest salaried men in business life. the ball used in the game is made of the best all wool yarn with a horsehide cover and a rubber centre. baseball bats are usually made of ash. basket ball a game of ball which may be played either indoors or out, but which is especially adapted to in-door play when weather conditions make out-door sports impossible. two baskets suspended on wire rings are placed at the two opposite ends of a room or gymnasium and the players strive to knock or pass the ball from one to another on their own side and to throw it so that it will fall into the basket. it is not permissible to run with the ball as in rugby football. the ball used is round, but in other respects resembles the ball used in football. it is made in four sections of grained english leather and is inflated by means of a rubber bladder. the players use rubber-soled shoes with peculiar knobs, ridges, or depressions to prevent slipping. the conventional uniform is simply a gymnasium shirt, running trousers, and stockings which are rolled down just below the knees. the game of basket ball is especially adapted to women and girls and consequently it is played very largely in girls' schools and colleges. any level space may be used for basket ball. a convenient size is 40 by 60 feet. the baskets used for goals are 18 inches in diameter and are fixed 10 feet above the ground or floor. the official ball weighs about 18 ounces and is 31 inches in circumference. five players constitute a team. the halves are usually twenty minutes, with a ten-minute intermission for rest. it is not permissible to kick, carry or hold the ball. violation of a rule constitutes a foul and gives the opponents a free throw for the basket from a point fifteen feet away. a goal made in play counts two points and a goal from a foul one point. bean bags this game is known to every one by name and yet its simple rules are often forgotten. a couple of dozen bean bags are made in two colours of muslin. the players stand in two lines opposite each other and evenly divided. at the end of the line is a clothes basket. the bags are placed on two chairs at the opposite end of the line and next to the two captains. at a signal the captains select a bag and pass it to the next player, who passes it along until finally it is dropped into the basket. when all the bags are passed they are then taken out and passed rapidly back to the starting point. the side whose bags have gone up and down the line first scores a point. if a bag is dropped in transit it must be passed back to the captain, who starts it again. five points usually constitute a game. best college athletic records these records have been made in the intercollegiate contests which are held annually under the intercollegiate amateur athletic association of america. 100-yard dash 9-4/5 seconds made in 1896 220-yard dash 21-1/5 seconds made in 1896 440-yard dash 48-4/5 seconds made in 1907 half-mile run 1 min. 56 seconds made in 1905 one-mile run 4 min. 17-4/5 seconds made in 1909 two-mile run 9 min. 27-3/5 seconds made in 1909 running broad jump 24 feet 4-1/2 in. made in 1899 running high jump 6 feet 3-1/4 in. made in 1907 putting 16-pound shot 46 feet 5-1/2 in. made in 1907 throwing the hammer 164 feet 10 in. made in 1902 pole vault 12 feet 3-1/4 in. made in 1909 120-yard high hurdle 15-1/5 seconds made in 1908 220-yard hurdle 23-3/5 seconds made in 1898 one-mile walk 6 min. 45-2/5 seconds made in 1898 blind man's buff this game is played in two ways. in each case one player is blindfolded and attempts to catch one of the others and to identify him by feeling. in regular blind man's buff, the players are allowed to run about at will and sometimes the game is dangerous to the one blindfolded, but in the game of "still pon" the one who is "it" is turned several times and then announces, "still pon no more moving," and awards a certain number of steps, which may be taken when in danger of capture. after this number is exhausted the player must stand perfectly still even though he is caught. bull in the ring in this game the players form a circle with clasped hands. to be "bull" is the position of honour. the bull is supposed to be locked in by various locks of brass, iron, lead, steel, and so on. he endeavours to break through the ring by catching some of the players off their guard. he will then run until captured, and the one who catches him has the position of bull for the next game. in playing, it is customary for the bull to engage one pair of players in conversation by asking some question such as "what is your lock made of?" at the answer, brass, lead, etc., he will then make a sudden rush at some other part of the ring and try to break through. call ball in this game a rubber ball is used. one of the players throws it against a wall and as it strikes calls out the name of another player, who must catch it on its first bounce. if he does so he in turn then throws the ball against the wall, but if he misses he recovers it as quickly as possible while the rest scatter, and calls "stand," at which signal all the players must stop. he then throws it at whoever he pleases. if he misses he must place himself against the wall and each of the others in turn has a free shot at him with the ball. cane rush this contest is usually held in colleges between the rival freshman and sophomore classes. a cane is held by some non-contestant and the two classes endeavour by pulling and pushing and hauling to reach the cane and to hold their hands on it. at the end of a stated time, the class or side having the most hands on the cane is declared the winner. it is a very rough and sometimes dangerous game and in many colleges has been abolished on account of serious injuries resulting to some of the contestants. canoe tilting this is a revival of the ancient game of tilting as described in "ivanhoe," except that the tilters use canoes instead of horses and blunt sticks in place of spears and lances. the object is for the tilter to shove his opponent out of his canoe, meanwhile seeing to it that the same undesirable fate does not fall to his own lot. in singles each contestant paddles his own canoe with one end of his pike pole, but the sport is much greater if each canoe has two occupants, one to paddle and the other to do the "tilting". cat a small block of wood pointed at both ends is used in this game. the batter strikes it with a light stick and as it flies into the air attempts to bat it with the stick. if the cat is caught the batter is out. otherwise he is entitled to a score equal to the number of jumps it will take him to reach the place where the cat has fallen. he then returns to bat again and continues until he is caught out. counting-out rhymes almost every section has some favourite counting-out rhyme of its own. probably the two most generally used are: "_my mother told me to take this one_," and that old classic- "_eeny, meeny, miny, mo._ _catch a nigger by the toe;_ _if he hollers, let him go._ _eeny, meeny, miny, mo._" this is also varied into "_ena, mena, mona, mite._ _pasca, laura, bona, bite._ _eggs, butter, cheese, bread._ _stick, stock, stone dead._" the object of a counting-out rhyme is to determine who is to be "it" for a game. as each word is pronounced by the counter some one is pointed at, and at the end of the verse the one last pointed at is "it." court tennis this game, though very similar to rackets and squash, is more scientific than either. the court is enclosed by four walls. a net midway down the court divides the "service" side from the "hazard" side. the rackets used in court tennis have long handles and a large face. the balls used are the same size as tennis balls, but are heavier and stronger. in play, the ball rebounds over the court and many shots are made against the roof. while somewhat similar to lawn tennis, the rules of court tennis are extremely complicated. the game is scored just as in lawn tennis, except that instead of calling the server's score first the marker always announces the score of the winner of the last stroke. cricket a game of ball which is generally played in england and the british provinces, but which is not very popular in the united states. there are two opposite sides or sets of players of eleven men each. at two points 22 yards apart are placed two wickets 27 inches high and consisting of three sticks called stumps. as in baseball, one side takes the field and the other side is at the bat. two men are at bat at a time and it is their object to prevent the balls from being bowled so that they will strike the wickets. to do this a broad bat is used made of willow with a cane handle, through which are inserted strips of rubber to give greater spring and driving power. the batsman will either merely stop the ball with his bat or will attempt to drive it. when the ball is being fielded the two batsmen exchange wickets, and each exchange is counted as a run, and is marked to the credit of the batsman or striker. the batsman is allowed to bat until he is out. this occurs when the ball strikes the wicket and carries away either a bail, the top piece, or a stump, one of the three sticks. he is also out if he knocks down any part of his own wicket or allows the ball to do it while he is running, or if he interferes with the ball by any part of his person as it is being thrown, or if one of the opposing players catches a batted ball before it touches the ground, as in baseball. when ten of the eleven men on a side have been put out it constitutes an inning, and the side in the field takes its turn at the bat. the game usually consists of two innings, and at its completion the side having scored the greater number of runs is the winner. the eleven positions on a cricket team are called bowler, wicket-keeper, long stop, slip, point cover-slip, cover-point, mid-off, long-leg, square-leg, mid-on. the one at bat is, as in baseball, called the batsman. the two lines between which the batsmen stand while batting are called "popping creases" and "bowling creases." croquet a game played with wooden balls and mallets, on a flat piece of ground. the game consists in driving the ball around a circuitous course through various wire rings called "wickets" and, after striking a wooden peg or post, returning to the starting place. any number may play croquet either independently or on sides. each player may continue making shots as long as he either goes through a wicket, hits the peg or post, or hits the ball of an opponent. in this latter case he may place his ball against that of his opponent and, holding the former with his foot, drive his opponent's ball as far as possible from the croquet ground. he then also has another shot at his wicket. a croquet set consists of mallets, balls, wickets, and stakes and may be bought for two or three dollars. experts use mallets with much shorter handles than those in common sets. they are made of either maple, dogwood, or persimmon. in place of wooden balls, championship and expert games are often played with balls made of a patented composition. all croquet implements are usually painted in bright colours. the game of "roque" is very similar to croquet. croquet can be made more difficult by using narrow arches or wickets. hard rubber balls are more satisfactory than wood and also much more expensive. as a rule the colours played in order are red, white, blue and black. according to the rules any kind of a mallet may be used, depending upon the individual preference of the player. curling an ancient scotch game played on the ice, in which the contestants slide large flat stones, called curling stones, from one point to another. these points or marks are called "tees." in playing, an opportunity for skill is shown in knocking an opponent out of the way, and also in using a broom ahead of the stone as it slides along to influence its rate of speed. at the present time the greatest curling country is canada. curling is one of the few outdoor games that are played without a ball of some kind. dixie's land this game is also called "tommy tiddler's land." it is a game of tag in which a certain portion of the playground is marked off as the "land." the one who is "it" endeavours to catch the others as they invade his land. when a player is tagged he also becomes "it," and so on until the game ends because all the invaders are captured. the game is especially interesting because of the variety of verses and rhymes used in various parts of the country to taunt the one who is "it" as they come on his land. duck on a rock this game is also called "boulder up." it is not customary to "count out" to decide it. for this game usually some one suggests, "let's play duck on a rock," and then every one scurries around to find an appropriate stone, or "duck." as fast as they are found the fact is announced by the cry, "my one duck," "my two duck," etc. the last boy to find a stone is "drake," or "it." the drake is larger than the ducks and is placed on an elevated position such as a boulder. then from a specified distance ducks attempt to hit the drake and to knock him from his position. if they miss they are in danger of being tagged by the drake, as it is his privilege to tag any player who is not in possession of his duck. if, however, the drake is knocked from his perch, the ducks have the privilege of rushing in and recovering their stones, but unless they do so before the drake replaces his stone on the rock they may be tagged. the first one tagged becomes "it" and the drake becomes a duck. fat this is the universal game of marbles. it is sometimes called "yank," or "knuckle there." a ring is scratched in the ground a foot or two in diameter. it is then divided into four parts by two lines drawn through the diameter. the first step is for each player to "lay a duck," which in simple language means to enter a marble to be played for. this is his entrance fee and may be either a "dub," an "alley," a "crystal," or sometimes a "real," although this is very rare as well as extravagant. about ten feet from this ring a line is made called a "taw line." the first player, usually determined as soon as school is out by his having shouted, "first shot, fat!" stands behind the taw line and shoots to knock out a marble. if he is successful he continues shooting; if not he loses his turn and number 2 shoots. number 1 after his first shot from the taw line must then shoot from wherever his marble lies. if number 2 can hit number 1 he has a right to claim all the marbles that number 1 has knocked out of the ring. in this way it is very much to the advantage of each player to leave himself as far from the taw line as possible. feather race the contestants endeavour to blow a feather over a certain course in the shortest time. the rule is that the feather must not be touched with the hands. out of doors this game is only possible on a very still day. foot and a half this is a game of "leap frog" also called "par" or "paw." one of the boys is chosen "down," who leans over and gives a "back" to the rest, who follow leader, usually the boy who suggests the game. he will start making an easy jump at first and over "down's" back, then gradually increase the distance of the point at which he lands, and each of those following must clear this line or become "it" themselves. the leader must also surpass his previous jumps each time or he becomes "down" himself. in this way the smaller or less agile boys have a more equal chance with the stronger ones. football the present game of football as played in american schools and colleges is a development of the english game of rugby. there are twenty-two players, eleven on a side or team. the game is played on a level field, at each end of which are goal posts through which the team having the ball in its possession attempts to force or "rush" it, while their opponents by various means, such as tackling, shoving or blocking, strive to prevent the ball from being successfully forced behind the goal line or from being kicked over the crossbar between the goal-posts. a football field is 330 feet long by 160 feet wide. it is usually marked out with white lines five yards apart, which gives the field the name of "gridiron." the various positions on a football team are centre rush, right and left guards, right and left tackles, right and left ends, quarter-back, right and left half-back, and full-back. as in baseball, the rules of football are constantly being changed and the game as played ten or fifteen years ago is very different from the modern game. the various changes in rules have been made with a view to making the game less dangerous to the players and more interesting to the spectator. the principal scores in football are the "touchdown" and the "field goal." in a touchdown the ball is carried by one of the players and touched on the ground behind the opponents' goal line. in a field goal, or, as it is often called, "a goal from the field," the ball is kicked over the crossbar between the goal posts. in a field goal the player executing it must not kick the ball until after it has touched the ground. such a kick is called a "drop kick" as distinguished from a "punt" where the ball is released from the hands and immediately kicked before touching the ground. a team in possession of the ball is allowed a certain number of attempts to advance it the required distance. each of these attempts is called a "down." if they fail to gain the necessary distance, the ball goes to their opponents. it is customary on the last attempt, or down, to kick the ball so that when the opposing team obtains possession of it it will be as far as possible from the goal line toward which they are rushing. in this play a "punt" is allowed. there are also other scores. a safety is made when a team is forced to touch the ball down behind its own goal line. the ball used in american football is a long oval case made of leather and inflated by means of a rubber bag or envelope. the football player's uniform consists of a heavily padded pair of trousers made of canvas, moleskin, khaki or other material, a jacket made of the same material, a tight-fitting jersey with elbow and shoulder pads, heavy stockings, and cleated shoes. players will often use other pads, braces and guards to protect them from injury. football is usually played in the fall months after baseball has been discontinued on account of the cold weather. a full game consists of four fifteen-minute periods. garden hockey this game is played between two parallel straight lines, 3 feet 6 inches apart and marked on the lawn with two strips of tape. at the opposite two ends of the tape are two goal posts 14 inches apart with a crossbar. the length of the tapes should be 36 feet when two or four players engage in the game, and may be extended for a greater number. the game is played with balls and hockey sticks. the game is started by placing the ball in the centre of the field. the two captains then face each other and at a signal strike off. if the ball is driven outside the tape boundaries it must be returned to the centre of the field opposite the place where it crossed the line. the object of the game is to score a goal through your opponents' goal posts as in ice hockey. if a player steps over the tape into the playing space he commits a foul. the penalty for a foul is a free hit for his opponents. golf a game played over an extensive piece of ground which is divided into certain arbitrary divisions called holes. a golf course is usually undulating with the holes laid out to afford the greatest possible variety of play. the ordinary course consists of either nine or eighteen holes from 100 to 500 yards apart. an ideal course is about 6000 yards long. the holes which mark the termination of a playing section consist of tin cans 4 inches in diameter sunk into and flush with the level of the surrounding turf, which is called "the putting green." the game is played with a gutta-percha ball weighing about 1-3/4 ounces and with a set of "clubs" of various odd shapes and for making shots under various conditions. usually a boy accompanies each player to carry his clubs. such boys are called "caddies." the clubs are peculiarly named and it is optional with each player to have as many clubs as he desires. some of the more common ones are called "driver," "brassie," "cleek," "iron," "mashie," "niblick," "putter," and "lofting iron." the game, which may be played by either two or four players, consists in endeavouring to drive the ball over the entire course from hole to hole in the fewest possible number of strokes. at the start a player takes his position on what is called the "teeing ground" and drives the ball in the direction of the first hole, the position of which is shown in the distance by a flag or tin sign with a number. before driving he is privileged to place the ball on a tiny mound of earth or sand which is called a "tee." the players drive in order and then continue making shots toward the hole until finally they have all "holed out" by "putting" their balls into the hole, and the lowest score wins the hole. golf is a game in which form is more essential than physical strength and which is adapted for elderly people as well as the young. the wooden clubs are usually made with either dogwood or persimmon heads and with split hickory handles or shafts. the handles are usually wound with a leather grip. golf clubs of good quality will cost from two to three dollars apiece and a set for most purposes will consist of four to six clubs. the caddy bag to carry the clubs is made of canvas or leather and will cost from two dollars up. standard quality golf balls will cost about nine dollars a dozen. almost any loose-fitting outdoor costume is suitable for playing golf and the tendency in recent years is to wear long trousers in preference to what are known as "golf trousers." a golf course--sometimes called a "links," from a scotch word meaning a flat stretch of ground near the seashore--should be kept in good condition in order to enjoy the game properly. the leading golf clubs maintain a large force of men who are constantly cutting the grass, repairing damages to the turf, and rolling the greens. for this reason it is a game only adapted to club control unless one is very wealthy and can afford to maintain private links. golf-croquet this game may be played either by two or four persons. wickets are placed at irregular distances, and the object of the game is to drive a wooden ball 2-3/4 inches in diameter through these wickets. it may be played either as "all strokes," in which the total number of strokes to get through all the wickets is the final score, or as in golf, "all wickets," in which the score for each wicket is taken separately, as each hole in golf is played. the mallet used is somewhat different from a croquet mallet. the handle is longer and a bevel is made on one end to raise or "loft" the ball as in golf. the size of a golf-croquet course will depend upon the field available. a field 200 yards long will make a good six-wicket course. hab-enihan this game is played with smooth stones about the size of a butter dish. a target is marked on the sand or on any smooth piece of ground, or if played on the grass the target must be marked with lime similar to marks on a tennis court. the outside circle of the target should be six feet in diameter, and every six inches another circle described with a piece of string and two pegs for a compass. the object of the game is to stand at a stated distance from the "enihan," or target, and to toss the "habs" as in the game of quoits. the player getting the best score counting from the inside ring or bull's-eye wins the game. haley over the players, equally divided, take positions on opposite sides of a building such as a barn, so that they can not be seen by their opponents. a player on one side then throws the ball over the roof and one of his opponents attempts to catch it and to rush around the corner of the building and throw it at one of the opposing side. if he succeeds, the one hit is a prisoner of war and must go over to the other side. the game continues until all of one side are captured. hand ball a game of ancient irish origin which is much played by baseball players and other athletes to keep in good condition during the winter when most outdoor sports are impossible. a regulation hand ball court has a back wall 30 feet high and 50 feet wide. each game consists of twenty-one "aces." the ball is 1-7/8 inches in diameter and weighs 1-5/8 ounces. the ball is served and returned against the playing wall just as in many of the other indoor games and is similar in principle to squash and rackets. hand polo a game played with a tennis ball in which two opposing sides of six players each endeavour to score goals by striking the ball with the hands. the ball must be struck with the open hand. in play, the contestants oppose each other by shouldering and bucking and in this way the game can be made a dangerous one. the goal is made into a cage form 3 feet 6 inches square. at the beginning of the game the ball is placed in the centre of the playing surface and the players rush for it. the umpire in hand polo is a very important official and calls all fouls, such as tripping, catching, holding, kicking, pushing, or throwing an opponent. three fouls will count as a goal for the opponents. hand tennis a game of lawn tennis in which the hand is used in place of a racket. a hand tennis court is smaller than a regulation tennis court. its dimensions are 40 feet long and 16 feet wide. the net is 2 feet high. the server is called the "hand in" and his opponent the "hand out." a player first scoring twenty-five points wins the game. a player can only score when he is the server. a foul line is drawn 3 feet on each side of the net, inside of which play is not allowed. in all essential particulars of the rules the game is similar to lawn tennis. hat ball this game is very similar to roley boley or nigger baby except that hats are used instead of hollows in the ground. the ball is tossed to the hats and the first boy to get five stones, or "babies," in his hat has to crawl through the legs of his opponents and submit to the punishment of being paddled. high kick a tin pan or wooden disk is suspended from a frame by means of a string and the contestants in turn kick it as it is drawn higher and higher until finally, as in high jumping, it reaches a point where the survivor alone succeeds in touching it with his toe. hockey hockey is usually played on the ice by players on skates, although, like the old game of shinney, it may be played on any level piece of ground. the hockey stick is a curved piece of canadian rock elm with a flat blade. instead of a ball the modern game of ice hockey is played with a rubber disk called a "puck." in hockey, as in many other games, the whole object is to drive the puck into your opponents' goal and to prevent them from driving it into yours. almost any number of boys can play hockey, but a modern team consists of five players. hockey skates are of special construction with long flat blades attached to the shoes. the standard length of blade is from 14-1/2 to 15-1/2 inches. they cost from three to six dollars. the hockey player's uniform is a jersey, either padded trousers or tights, depending upon his position, and padded shin guards for the goal tenders. hop over all but one of the players, form a ring standing about two feet apart. then by some "counting out" rhyme some one is made "it." he then takes his place in the centre of the circle, holding a piece of stout string on the end of which is tied a small weight or a book. he whirls the string about and tries to strike the feet or ankles of some one in the circle, who must hop quickly as the string comes near him. if he fails to "hop over" he becomes "it." hop scotch hop scotch is a game that is played by children all over the world. a court about 20 feet long and 4 or 5 feet wide is drawn with chalk, coal, or a piece of soft brick on the sidewalk or scratched with a pointed stick on a piece of level ground. a line called the "taw line" is drawn a short distance from the court. the court is divided into various rectangles, usually eleven divisions, although this varies in different sections. at the end of the court a half circle is drawn, variously called the "cat's cradle," "pot," or "plum pudding." the players decide who is to be first, second, etc., and a flat stone or piece of broken crockery or sometimes a folded piece of tin is placed in division no. 1. the stone is called "potsherd." the object of the game is to hop on one foot and to shoot the potsherd in and out of the court through the various divisions until they are all played. he then hops and straddles through the court. whenever he fails to do the required thing the next player takes his turn. hunt the sheep two captains are chosen and the players divided into equal sides. one side stays in the home goal and the other side finds a hiding place. the captain of the side that is hidden or "out" then goes back to the other side and they march in a straight line to find the hidden sheep. when they approach the hiding place their own captain shouts, "apple!" which is a warning that danger is near. when he is sure of their capture or discovery he shouts, "run, sheep, run!" and all the party make a dash for the goal. intercollegiate amateur athletic association of america this association controls the field athletic contests between the colleges known as the "intercollegiates." it is generally known as the i.c.a.a.a.a. to win a point for one's college in this contest is the highest honour that a track athlete may obtain. in these games, which take place annually, the following thirteen events are contested for: mile run shotput 440-yard run 120-yard hurdles 100-yard dash running high jump two-mile run 880-yard run 220-yard low hurdles pole vault broad jump 220-yard dash hammer throw i spy this game is sometimes called "hide and seek," one of the players is made "it" by any of the familiar counting-out rhymes. the rest then secure a hiding place while he counts fifty or one hundred. a certain tree or fence corner is considered "home." "it" then attempts to spy his hidden playmates in their hiding places and to run "home" shouting, "i spy" and their names. if the one discovered can get home before "it," he does so, shouting, "in free!" with all the breath that is left in him. the game is especially interesting just at dusk, when the uncertain light makes the "outs" brave in approaching home without detection. if "it" succeeds in capturing all the players the first one caught is "it" for the next game. jack fagots this game is the same in principle as jackstraws except that fagots or sticks of wood two feet long are used in place of jackstraws. they are removed from a pile with a crooked stick and must be taken out one at a time without disturbing the rest. the number of sticks removed constitutes a player's score. when any stick other than the one he is trying for is moved he loses his turn. the next player must attempt to remove the same stick that the other failed on. the game is won by the player having the greatest number of sticks to his credit. japanese fan ball this game is especially adapted for a lawn party for girls. either japanese fans or the ordinary palm-leaf fans will do for rackets. the balls are made of paper and should be six or eight inches in diameter and in various colours. at opposite ends of a space about the size of a tennis court are erected goal-posts similar to those used in football, but only six feet above ground. these may be made of light strips of wood. there is also a similar pair of posts and a crossbar midway between the goals. the game is played by two contestants at a time. each takes an opposite end of the court and tosses the ball into the air. then by vigorous fanning she endeavours to keep it aloft and to drive it over the opponent's goal-post. at the middle posts the ball must be "fanned" under the crossbar. if the ball falls to the ground it may be picked up on the fan and tossed aloft again, but it must not be touched by the hands. the winner is the one who first drives the ball the length of the court and over the crossbar. kick the stick one player is chosen to be "it" and the rest are given a count of twenty-five or fifty to hide. a stick is leaned against a tree or wall and this is the home goal. as soon as the goal keeper can spy one of the players he runs in and touches the stick and makes a prisoner, who must come in and stand behind the stick. if one of the free players can run in and kick the stick before the goal tender touches it, he frees all the rest and they scurry to a place of hiding before the stick can again be set up and the count of twenty-five made. as the object of the game is to free your fellow-prisoners, the free players will attempt all sorts of ruses to approach the stick without being seen or to make a dash for it in hope of kicking it ahead of the goal keeper. the game is over when all the players are captured, and the first prisoner is "it" for the next game. king of the castle this can be made a very rough game, as it simply consists in a player taking a position on a mound or hillock and defying any one to dislodge him from his position by the taunting words: "_i'm the king of the castle,_ _get down you cowardly rascal._" the rest try to shove him from his position and to hold it successfully against all comers themselves. the game, if played fairly, simply consists in fair pulls and pushes without grasping clothing, but if played roughly it is almost a "free-for-all" fight. lacrosse a game of ball played by two opposing teams of twelve players each. the lacrosse field is a level piece of ground with net or wire goals at each end. the players strive to hurl the ball into their opponents' goal by means of a lacrosse stick or "crosse." this is a peculiar bent stick with a shallow gut net at one end. it somewhat resembles a tennis racket, but is more like a snowshoe with a handle. the game originated with the indians and is much played in canada. in playing, the ball must not be touched with the hands, but is hurled from one player to another by the "lacrosses" until it is possible to attempt for a goal. it is also passed when a player is in danger of losing the ball. lacrosse sticks cost from two to five dollars each and are made of hickory with rawhide strings. the players wear specially padded gloves to protect the knuckles. the usual uniform for lacrosse is a tight-fitting jersey and running trousers. lawn bowls this is a very old game and of great historic importance. the famous bowling green in new york city was named from a small park where the game was played by new yorkers before the revolution. the game is played with wooden balls five inches in diameter and painted in various gay colours. usually lignum vitae is the material used. they are not perfectly round but either slightly flattened at the poles into an "oblate spheroid" or made into an oval something like a modern football. each player uses two balls, which are numbered. a white ball, called a "jack ball," is then thrown or placed at the end of the bowling green or lawn and the players in turn deliver their balls or "bowl" toward the jack. the whole game consists in placing your ball as near to the jack as possible and of knocking away the balls of your opponents. it is also possible to strike the jack and to drive it nearer to where the balls of your side are lying. when all the players have bowled, the two balls nearest the jack each count a point for the side owning it. the game if played by sides is somewhat different from a two-handed contest. the main point first is to deliver the ball as near to the jack as possible and then to form a barrier or "guard" behind it with succeeding balls to block those of your adversaries. sometimes the jack is placed in the middle of the green and the teams face each other and bowl from opposite ends. a green is about seventy feet square with closely cropped grass. four players form a "rink" and are named "leader," "second," "third," and "skip" or captain. the position from which the balls are delivered is called the "footer." it is usually a piece of cloth or canvas three feet square. lawn bowling this game is similar in every respect to indoor bowling except that no regular alley is used. a net for a backstop is necessary. the pins are set upon a flat surface on a lawn and the players endeavour to knock down as many pins as possible in three attempts. the scoring is the same as in indoor bowling. to knock down all ten pins with one ball is called a "strike," in two attempts it is a "spare." in the score, the strike counts ten for the player and in addition also whatever he gets on the next two balls. likewise he will count ten for a spare, but only what he gets on one ball for a bonus. as a consequence the maximum or perfect score in bowling is 300, which is a series of ten strikes and two more attempts in which he knocks down all the pins. in lawn bowling the scores are very low as compared with the indoor game, where good players will often average close to 200 on alleys where they are accustomed to bowl. lawn bowling is a different game from lawn bowls, which is described in a preceding paragraph. lawn hockey this game is played on a field a little smaller than a football field, being 110 yards long and from 50 to 60 yards wide. the ball used is an ordinary cricket ball. the goals are two upright posts 12 feet apart and with a crossbar 7 feet from the ground. eleven men on a side constitute a full team, but the game may be played with a fewer number. the positions are known as three forwards, five rushes, two backs or guards, and the goal tender. the object of the game is very simple, being to drive the ball between your opponents' goals. the ordinary ice hockey stick will be satisfactory to play with. the principal thing to remember in lawn hockey is not to commit a "foul," the penalty for which is a "free hit" at the ball by your opponents. it is a foul to raise the stick above the shoulders in making a stroke, to kick the ball (except for the goal tender), to play with the back of the stick, to hit the ball other than from right to left, and any form of rough play such as tripping, pushing, kicking, or striking. lawn hockey is an excellent game and is really the old game of "shinney" or "shinty" played scientifically and with definite rules. lawn skittles from a stout pole which is firmly fixed in the ground a heavy ball is suspended by means of a rope fastened to the top of the pole. two flat pieces of stone or concrete are placed on opposite sides of the pole. the game is played with nine-pins, which are set up on one stone, the player standing on the other and endeavouring by hurling the ball to strike down a maximum number of pins. usually he has three chances and the number of pins knocked down constitutes his score. lawn tennis (see chapter on tennis) a game of ball played on a level piece of ground, called a court, by two, three, or four persons. when two play the game is called "singles," and when four play it is called "doubles." the game is played with a rubber ball, and rackets made by stringing gut on a wooden frame. the dimensions of a tennis court are 36 by 78 feet. in addition to this, space must be allowed for the players to run back, and it is customary to lay out a court at least 50 by 100 feet to give plenty of playing space. the court is divided into various lines, either by means of lime applied with a brush or by tapes. midway between the two rear lines and in the centre of the court a net is stretched, supported by posts. in playing one of the players has the serve--that is, he attempts to strike the ball so that it will go over the net and into a specified space on the opposite side of the net. his opponent then attempts to return the serve--that is, to strike the ball either on the fly or the first bound and knock it back over the net somewhere within the playing space as determined by the lines. in this way the ball is volleyed or knocked back and forth until one of the players fails either to return it over the net or into the required space. to fail in this counts his opponents a point. four points constitute a game except where both sides have obtained three points, in which case one side to win must secure two points in succession. the score is not counted as 1, 2, 3, and 4, but 15, 30, 40, game. when both sides are at 40 it is called "deuce." at this point a lead of two is necessary to win. the side winning one of the two points at this stage is said to have the "advantage," or, as it is expressed, "vantage in" or "vantage out," depending upon whether it is the side of the server or his opponents, the server's score always being called first. a set of tennis consists of enough games to permit one side to win six, or if both are at five games won, to win two games over their opponents. last tag there are a great many games of "tag" that are familiar to boys and girls. one of the common games is "last tag," which simply means that a boy tags another and makes him "it" before leaving the party on his way home. it is the common boys' method of saying "good-bye" when leaving school for home. the principal rule of last tag is that there is "no tagging back." the boy who is "it" must not attempt to tag the one who tagged him, but must run after some one else. it is a point of honour with a boy not to be left with "last tag" against him, but he must try to run some one else down, when he is then immune and can watch the game in safety, or can leave for home with no blot on his escutcheon. luge-ing a form of coasting very much practised in switzerland at the winter resorts where the sled used is similar to our american child's sled with open framework instead of a toboggan or the more modern flexible flyer which is generally used by boys in america. marathon race a long distance race, held in connection with the olympic games and named from a famous event in greek history. the accepted marathon distance is 26 miles, 385 yards. the race was won at the olympic games held in england in 1908 by john hayes, an american, in 2 hours 44 minutes 20 2-5 seconds. olympic games the olympic games are open to the athletes of the world. the following events are contested for: 60-metre run 100-metre run 200-metre run 400-metre run 800-metre run 1500-metre run 110-metre hurdles 200-metre hurdles 400-metre hurdles 3200-metre steeplechase 2500-metre steeplechase 4000-metre steeplechase running long jump running high jump running triple jump standing broad jump standing high jump standing triple jump pole vault shot put discus throwing throwing 16-pound hammer throwing 56-pound weight marathon race weight lifting, one hand weight lifting, two hands dumb-bell competition tug-of-war team race team race 3 miles five-mile run throwing stone throwing javelin throwing javelin held in middle penthathlon 1500-metre walk 3500-metre walk 10-mile walk throwing discus greek style marbles there is a large variety of games with marbles and the expressions used are universal. boys usually have one shooter made from agate which they call a "real." to change the position of the shooter is called "roundings," and to object to this or to any other play is expressed by the word "fen." the common game of marbles is to make a rectangular ring and to shoot from a line and endeavour to knock the marbles or "mibs" of one's opponents out of the square. a similar game is to place all the mibs in a line in an oval and to roll the shooter from a distance. the one coming nearest to the oval has "first shot" and continues to shoot as long as he drives out a marble and "sticks" in the oval himself. reals are often supposed to have superior sticking qualities. playing marbles "for keeps" is really gambling and should be discouraged. the knuckle dabster is a small piece of cloth or leather that boys use to rest the hand on when in the act of shooting. the best kind of a "dabster" is made from a mole's skin. names of marbles the common marbles used by boys everywhere are called mibs, fivers, commies, migs, megs, alleys, and dubs. a very large marble is a bumbo and a very small one a peawee. glass marbles are called crystals and those made of agate are called reals. the choicest real is supposed to be green and is called a "mossic" or "moss real." mumblety peg this game is played with a penknife. a piece of turf is usually the best place to play. various positions for throwing the knife are tried by each player, following a regular order of procedure, until he misses, when the knife is surrendered to the next in turn. when he receives the knife each player tries the feat at which he failed before. the last player to accomplish all the feats has the pleasure of "pulling the peg," the peg consists of a wedge-shaped piece of wood the length of the knife blade which is driven into the ground by the back of the knife and must be pulled by the teeth of the unfortunate one who was last to complete the necessary feats. the winner has the honour of driving the peg, usually three blows with his eyes open and three with them closed. if he succeeds in driving it out of sight the feat is considered especially creditable and the loser is greeted with the cry, "root! root!" which means that he must remove the sod and earth with his teeth before he can get a grip on the peg top. there are about twenty-four feats or "figures" to be gone through in a game of mumblety peg, throwing the knife from various positions both right and left handed. in each feat the successful result is measured by having the knife stick into the ground at such an angle so that there is room for two fingers to be inserted under the end of the handle without disturbing the knife. one old cat this is a modified game of baseball that may be played by three or four. generally there is only one base to run to, and besides the batter, pitcher, and catcher the rest of the players are fielders. any one catching a fly ball puts the batter out and takes his turn at bat, or in another modification of the game, when one is put out each player advances a step nearer to batsman's position, the pitcher going in to bat, the catcher becoming pitcher, first fielder becoming catcher, and so on, the batsman becoming "last fielder." pass it this game may be played on a lawn. four clothes baskets are required as well as a variety of objects of various sizes and kinds, such as spools of thread, pillows, books, matches, balls, pencils, umbrellas, pins, and so on. two captains are chosen and each selects a team, which stands in line facing each other. two of the baskets are filled with the various articles and these two baskets are placed at the right hand of the two captains. the empty baskets are on the opposite ends of the line. at a signal the captains select an object and pass it to the next in line. he in turn passes it to his left and finally it is dropped into the empty basket. if the object should be dropped in transit it must go back to the captain and be passed down the line again. two umpires are desirable, who can report the progress of the game to their own side as well as keep an eye on their opponents. pelota a game similar to racquets, sometimes called "jai-a-li," that is much played in spain and in mexico. the game is played with a narrow scoop-like wicker basket or racket which is fastened to the wrist. the players catch the ball in this device and hurl it with terrific force against the wall of the court. pelota is a hard, fast game, and sometimes serious injuries result from playing it. plug in the ring this is the universal game that boys play with tops. a ring six feet in diameter is described on the ground and each player puts a top called a "bait" in the centre. the baits are usually tops of little value. the "plugger," however, is the top used to shoot with and as a rule is the boy's choicest one. as soon as the players can wind their tops they stand with their toes on the line and endeavour to strike one of the baits in such a way as to knock it out of the circle and still leave their own tops within the circle and spinning. if they miss, the top must be left spinning until it "dies." if it fails to roll out of the ring, the owner must place another bait top in the ring, but if it leaves the circle he may continue shooting. it is possible to play tops for "keeps," but, like marbles for "keeps," it should be discouraged, as it is gambling. polo or equestrian polo a game played on horseback, which originated in eastern countries and was first played by the english in india. it has been introduced both into england and america. polo is a rich man's game and requires a great deal of skill in horsemanship as well as nerve. a polo team consists of four men, each of whom must have a stable of several horses. these horses, or "polo ponies," are trained carefully, and a well-trained pony is as essential to good playing as a skilful rider. the game is played with a mallet, the head of which is usually ash, dogwood, or persimmon, and has a handle about 50 inches long. the ball is either willow or basswood. the principle of the game is similar to nearly all of the outdoor games played with a ball: that of driving it into the opponents' goal, meanwhile preventing them from making a score on one's own goal. potato race in this game as many rows of potatoes are laid as there are players. they should be placed about five feet apart. the race consists in picking up all of the potatoes, one at a time, and carrying them to the starting point, making a separate trip for each potato. at the end of the line there should be a basket or butter tub to drop them into. the game is sometimes made more difficult by forcing the contestants to carry the potatoes on a teaspoon. prisoner's base two captains select sides. they then mark out on the ground two bases, or homes. they also mark out two "prisons" near each home base. then each side stands in its own home and a player runs out and advances toward the enemy's home. one of the enemy will then run out and endeavour to tag him before he can run back to his own base, and one of his side will try to tag the enemy, the rule being that each in turn must have left his home after his opponent. if a player is tagged, he becomes a prisoner of the other side and is put into the prison. the successful tagger may then return to ids home without danger of being tagged. a prisoner may be rescued at any time if one of his side can elude the opponents and tag him free from prison. the game ends when all of one side are made prisoners. push ball a game usually played on foot but sometimes on horseback, in which the object is to push or force a huge ball over the opponents' goal line. a regulation "push ball" is six feet in diameter and costs three hundred dollars. in push ball almost any number may play, but as weight counts, the sides should be divided as evenly as possible. quoits a game played with flattish malleable iron or rubber rings about nine inches in diameter and convex on the upper side, which the players endeavour to loss or pitch so that they will encircle a pin or peg driven into the ground, or to come nearer to this peg than their opponents. the peg is called a "hob." a certain form of quoits is played with horseshoes throughout the country districts of america. a quoit player endeavours to give the quoit such a position in mid-air that it will not roll but will cut into the ground at the point where it lands. the game is remotely similar to the ancient greek game of throwing the discus. iron quoits may be purchased for a dollar a set. the average weight of the quoits used by experts is from seven to nine pounds each. sixty-one points constitute a game. the distance from the peg shall be either 10, 15 or 18 yards. for a space three feet around the pin or peg the ground should be clay. in match games, all quoits that fall outside a radius of 18 inches from the centre of the pin are "foul," and do not count in the score. racquets or rackets one of the numerous court games similar to lawn tennis that is now finding public favour, but played in a semi-indoor court. a racquet court is 31 feet 6 inches wide and about 63 feet long. the front wall, against which the ball is served, has a line 8 or 10 feet from the floor, above which the ball must strike. the server, as in tennis, takes his position in a service box with a racket similar to a lawn tennis racket except that it has a smaller head and a longer handle. either two or four players may play racquets. a game consists of fifteen "aces," or points. red line in this game, also called red lion, the goal must be a straight line, such as the crack in a sidewalk or the edge of a road. the one who is "it" runs after the rest as in tag, and when he has captured a prisoner he brings him into the "red line," and the two start out again hand in hand and another is captured, then three together, and two pair, and so on until all are prisoners. the first prisoner is "it" for the next game. roley boley this game is also called roll ball and nigger baby, and is played by children all over the civilized world. a number of depressions are hollowed in the ground corresponding to the number of players and a hole is chosen by each one. a rubber ball is then rolled toward the holes, and if it lodges in one of them the boy who has claimed that hole must run in and pick up the ball while the rest scatter. he then attempts to hit one of the other players with the ball. if he succeeds a small stone called a "baby" is placed in the hole belonging to the boy struck. otherwise the thrower is penalized with a "baby." when any boy has five babies he must stand against the wall and be a free target for the rest to throw the ball at. roque this game may be called scientific croquet. a roque mallet has a dogwood head 9-1/2 inches long, with heavy nickel ferrules. roque balls are made of a special composition that is both resilient and practically unbreakable. a skilful roque player is able to make shots similar to billiard shots. the standard roque court is 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, with corner pieces 6 feet long. the playing ground is of clay and should be as smooth as it is possible to make it. a very light top dressing of sand is used on the clay. the wickets, or "arches," are driven into blocks of wood to secure firmness and buried into the ground with the top of the arch 8 inches above the surface. the roque balls are 3-1/4 inches in diameter and the arches only 3-1/2 wide, which gives an idea of the difficulty of playing this game. to be an expert requires an accurate eye and a great deal of practice. there is a national roque association, and an annual championship tournament is held to determine the champion. the home of roque is in the new england states. rowing record the best amateur intercollegiate record for the eight-oared race of four miles is 18 minutes 53-1/5 seconds, made by cornell, july 2, 1901. rubicon this game may be played with any number of players, and is especially adapted for a school or lawn game. two players are chosen as pursuers and the rest are divided equally and stand two by two facing each other in two columns. the two pursuers stand at the head of each column and face each other. when ready they say, "cross the rubicon," and at this signal the rear couple from each line must run forward and try to reach the rear of the other line. the pursuers must not look back, but as soon as the runners are abreast of them must try to tag them before they reach the place of safety. the captured runners become pursuers, and the one who was "it" takes his or her place at the rear of the other line. sack racing a form of sport where the contestants are fastened in sacks with the hands and feet confined and where they race for a goal by jumping or hopping along at the greatest possible speed under this handicap. a sack race should not be considered one of the scientific branches of sport, but is rather to afford amusement for the spectators. scotland's burning this game is based upon the song of the same name. the players form a ring, with three judges in the centre. each player with appropriate gestures in turn begins the song, "_scotland's burning. scotland's burning,_ _look out! look out!_ _fire! fire! fire! fire!_ _pour on water! pour on water!_" the whole party are soon singing, but each four are singing different words. the object of the judges is to detect some one in the circle either making gestures that are not appropriate to the words or to be singing out of order. the penalty is to turn around and sing with the back to the circle. the three who are facing in last then become judges. skiing this sport has recently received wide popularity in sections of the country where the winters make it possible. skis--or, as they are sometimes spelled, skee,--are a pair of flat runners from five to ten feet long which are attached to the feet in such a way as to be easily cast off in case of accident. by means of skis a ski-runner may either make rapid progress over level snow or may coast down sharp declivities and make jumps of great extent. skis are usually made of ash and the standard lengths are from six to eight feet. they cost from five to seven dollars a pair. in skiing it is customary to use a pair of steel-shod poles with leather wrist straps, but in ski-running or coasting the use of poles is very dangerous. spanish fly in this game of leap frog various tricks are attempted by the leader, as in the game of "stump master." each of the boys following is expected to do as the leader or to drop out and become "down" himself. "torchlight" is to jump with one hand only, using the other to wave his cap as if it were a torch. in "hats on deck" each jumper in turn is supposed to leave his cap on "down's" back. naturally the last one over may have a large pile of hats to clear. if he disturbs any of them or knocks them off, he is "it." "hats off" means for each jumper in turn to take his own hat without knocking off any of the others. in all games of leap frog it is considered proper for the jumper to direct "down" to give him the kind of a "back" he desires. consequently he will say high or low back, depending upon whether he wishes "down" to stand almost upright or to bend close to the ground. squash this game is similar to racquets, but is less violent or severe on a player. it is played in a court 31 feet 6 inches wide. the front wall must be 16 feet high. the service line above which the ball must strike on the serve is 6 feet from the floor. below this line and 2 feet from the floor is the "tell tale," above which the ball must strike in play. a squash racket is similar to a tennis racket, but slightly smaller. in squash, a game is "fifteen up." at the score of 13 a player may "set the score" back to 3 or 5, after which the player first winning either 3 or 5 points, or aces, as they are called, is the winner. the object of this is to endeavour to overcome the advantage that the server may have. in a regulation squash court the spectators' gallery is above the walls of the court, and the game is played in the pit below the gallery. stump master in this game one of the players is chosen master. it is usually the one who first suggests the game by saying. "let's play stump master." he then leads the line of players, going through various "stumps," or, as we should call them now, "stunts," such as climbing fences and trees, turning somersaults, crawling through narrow places, or whatever will be difficult for the rest to copy. the game is capable of all sorts of variations. suckers this can scarcely be called a game, but the use of the sucker is so familiar to most boys that a description of it is surely not out of place in this chapter. a piece of sole leather is used, three or four inches square. it is cut into a circle and the edges carefully pared thin. a hole is made in the centre and a piece of string or top twine is knotted and run through the hole. the sucker is then soaked in water until it is soft and pliable. the object of the sucker is to lift stones or bricks with it. this, too, is of especial interest in new england towns, where there are brick sidewalks. the sucker is pressed firmly on a brick by means of the foot, and it will be found to adhere to it with sufficient force to lift it clear of the ground. tether ball the same as tether tennis, which see. tether tennis this game has been developed out of lawn tennis. a wooden pole extending 10 feet above the surface is placed in a vertical position and firmly imbedded in the ground. the pole must be 7-1/2 inches in circumference at the ground and may taper to the top. six feet above the ground a black band 2 inches wide is painted around the pole. the court is a smooth piece of sod or clay similar to a tennis court, but a piece of ground 20 feet square is sufficient. at the base of the pole a circle is described with a 3-foot radius. a line 20 feet long bisects this circle, and 6 feet from the pole on each side are two crosses, which are known as service crosses. an ordinary tennis ball is used which has been fitted with a tight-fitting linen cover. the ball is fastened to the pole by means of a piece of heavy braided line. ordinary heavy fish line will do. the ball should hang 7-1/2 feet from the top of the pole or 2-1/2 feet from the ground. regulation tennis rackets are used. the game consists in endeavouring to wind the ball and string around the pole above the black mark in a direction previously determined. the opponent meanwhile tries to prevent this and to wind the ball in the opposite direction by striking it as one would volley in tennis. each player must keep in his own court. the points are scored as "fouls." eleven games constitute a set. a game is won when the string is completely wound around the pole above the black mark. the penalty for a foul, such as stepping outside of one's court, allowing the string to wind around the handle of the racket or around the pole below the black mark, provides for a free hit by one's opponent. three-legged racing a race in which the contestants are paired off by being strapped together at the ankles and thighs. remarkable speed can be obtained by practice under this handicap. there are definite rules to govern three-legged races, and official harness may be bought from sporting goods outfitters. as a race, however, it is like sack racing, to be classed among the sports designed to afford amusement rather than as a display of skill. tub racing these races are often held in shallow lakes. each contestant sits in a wash tub, and by using his hands as paddles endeavours to paddle the course first. as a wash tub is not a particularly seaworthy craft, and spills are of frequent occurrence, it is well for the tub racers also to know how to swim. volley ball this game is extremely simple and may be played by any number of players, provided that there is space and that the sides are evenly divided. the best dimensions for a volley ball court are 25 feet wide and 50 feet long, but any square space evenly divided into two courts will do. the game consists of twenty-one points. the ball is made of white leather and inflated with a rubber bladder. a net divides the two courts and is 7 feet high. the standard volley ball is 27 inches in circumference and weighs between 9 and 12 ounces. the whole object of the game is to pass the ball back and forth over the net without permitting it to touch the floor or to bound. in this way it somewhat resembles both tennis and hand ball. volley ball is an excellent game for gymnasiums and has the decided advantage of permitting almost any number to play. warning the "warner" takes his position at a space called "home" and the rest of the players stand some distance from him. he then clasps his hands and runs out, trying to tag an opponent with his clasped hands. this would be practically impossible except that the players endeavour to make him unclasp his hands by pulling at his arms and drawing temptingly near him. as soon as he has tagged a victim he runs for home as fast as possible. if he himself is tagged before he reaches home he is out, and the tagger becomes "warner." if both the warner and the one tagged reach home safely they clasp hands, and finally the line contains all the players but one, who has the honour of being warner for the next game. the game receives its name from the call, "warning!" which the warner gives three times before leaving home. washington in this game a player stands blindfolded and another player comes up and taps him. the one who is "it" then gives a penalty, such as "climb a tree or run to the corner and back," and then tries to guess who it was that tapped him. the one tapped must answer some question so that he may be recognized by his voice or laugh. if "it" is correct in his guess, the player must do as directed, but if his guess is wrong he must do it himself. the result of this game is that the blindfolded player will measure the severity of his "forfeits," or "penalties," to his certainty of guessing correctly the name of the player. water polo this game is played in a swimming pool. a white ball made of rubber fabric is used. the ball must be between 7 and 8 inches in diameter. the goals are spaces 4 feet long and 12 inches wide at each end of the tank and placed 18 inches above the water line. six men on a side constitute a team. it is a game in which skill in swimming is absolutely essential. it is also a very rough game. the player endeavours to score goals by swimming with the ball, and his opponents are privileged to tackle him and to force him under water or in other ways to attempt to secure the ball from him. meanwhile the other players are blocking off opponents, and in general the game resembles a football game in its rudiments. water race in this game the contestants run a race carrying a glass or tin cup full of water on top of the head, which must not be touched by the hands. the one finishing first with a minimum loss of water from his cup is the winner. wicket polo a game played by two teams of four players each. the ball used is a regulation polo ball. a wicket polo surface is 44 feet square, in which sticks or wickets are set up. the object of the game is to knock down the wickets of one's opponents by a batted ball and to prevent them from displacing our own. a crooked stick 4 feet in length and a little over an inch in diameter is used. each player has a fixed position on the field or surface. wolf and sheep in this game "it" is the wolf. the sheep choose a shepherd to guard them. the wolf then secures a hiding place and the sheep and shepherd leave the fold and endeavour to locate him. when this is done the shepherd cries, "i spy a wolf!" and every one stands while he counts ten. then the sheep and shepherd scatter for the fold, and if tagged before they reach it the first becomes wolf for the next game. wood tag in this class are also "iron tag," "stone tag," and "tree tag." they are all simply the game of tag with the additional rule that when a player is in contact with iron, stone, trees, wood, and so on he is safe from being tagged by the one who is "it." the game of "squat tag" is similar, except that to be safe the one pursued must squat quickly on the ground before "it" catches him. in cross tag, "it" must select a victim and continue to run after him until some one runs ahead and crosses his path, when "it," who may be breathless by this time, must abandon his victim for a fresh one, who may soon be relieved and so on until some one is tagged, or "it" is exhausted. the country life press, garden city, n.y. what shall we do now? [illustration: a pueblo settlement (_frontispiece_)] what shall we do now? _five hundred games and pastimes_ a book of suggestions for children's games and employments by dorothy canfield and others new york frederick a. stokes company publishers copyright, 1907, by frederick a. stokes company _october_, 1907 _all rights reserved_ preface this book has been made in the hope that the question which forms its title, "what shall we do now?" may come to be put less frequently. it is so easy for children to ask it, so hard for grown-up persons with many other matters to think about to reply to it satisfactorily. in the following pages, which have something to say concerning most of the situations in which children find themselves, at home or in the country, out of doors or in, alone or in company, a variety of answers will be found. no subject can be said to be exhausted; but the book is perhaps large enough. everything which it contains has been indexed so clearly that a reader ought to be able to find what he wants in a moment. moreover, by way both of supplying any deficiencies and of giving each copy of the book a personal character, an appendix of blank and numbered leaves (with a few spaces in the index) has been added, in which the owner may record such omitted games and employments as he has found good. there are, of course, many fortunate girls and boys who do not require any help whatever, who always know what to do now, and do it. for them some sections of this book may have little value. it is for that greater number of less resourceful children who whenever time is before them really are in need of counsel and hints, that it has been prepared. illustrations full page illustrations a pueblo settlement _frontispiece_ facing page outdoor games for girls 128 outdoor games for boys 138 playing alone 184 in the country 202 the library and furniture from "the house that glue built" 244 a dutch house 264 an esquimau sled 266 indian costumes 266 pets 338 reading 368 illustrations in text page a trussed fowl 37 five dots 48 outlines 49 drawing tricks 51 picture-writing 52-53 the last man surveying the ruins of the crystal palace 56 patience card 76 the dancing dwarf 106 bean-bag board 114 rope ring 115 the overhand knot 117 half-hitch 118 figure of eight 118 common bend 118 sailor's knot 118 running noose 119 crossed running noose 119 bowline knot 119 dogshank 120 shuffle-board 121 balancing tricks 123 the glass maker 125 electric dancers 126 daisy chain 135 ivy chain 135 hop-scotch 144 prisoner's base 156 tit-tat-toe 176-177 hanging 179-180 chinese gambling 181 spanish cup 186 cardboard box beds 223 bead chair 223 a doll's apartments 227 cork arm-chair 228 chestnut chair 229 fancy table 230 match-box bedstead 231 match-box washstand 233 towel rack 233 clothes basket 234 cardboard dolls' house 239 appearance of house when complete 240 dog kennel 241 kitchen table 246 kitchen range 247 kitchen chair 247 screen 248 various pots and pans 248 dining-room table and cloth 249 sideboard 250 sofa 251 arm-chair 251 wooden bedstead 252 wardrobe 253 dressing table 254 washstand 255 rocking-chair 256 towel rack 256 chair 256 child's high chair 257 child's cot 257 walking paper dolls 259 paper mother and child, with clothes for each 260 a paper girl with six changes 261 shadows on the wall 280 a cocked hat 284 paper boats 285 paper darts 286 paper mats 286 paper boxes 287 a dancing man 289 hand dragons 290 a kite 293 flying a kite 294 toy boats 296-297 a skipjack 300 a water-cutter 300 games for a party blind man's buff "blind man's buff" is one of the best, oldest, and simplest of games. one player is blindfolded, is turned round two or three times to confuse his ideas as to his position in the room, and is then told to catch whom he can. if he catches some one, yet cannot tell who it is, he must go on again as blind man; but if he can tell who it is, that person is blindfolded instead. where there is a fireplace, or where the furniture has sharp corners, it is rather a good thing for some one not playing to be on the lookout to protect the blind man. sometimes there are two blind men, who add to the fun by occasionally catching each other. but this is rather dangerous. there is also a game called "jinglers" where every one is blind except one player with a bell, whom it is their object to catch. but this is more dangerous still. a good variety of "blind man's buff" is the silent one. directly the man is blindfolded, and before he begins to seek, all the players take up positions in corners, on chairs, or wherever they think most prudent, and there they must stop without making a sound. the task for the blind man is thus not catching the others, but, on finding them, deciding upon who they are. as chuckling or giggling is more likely to tell him than his sense of touch, it is tremendously important to make no noise if you can help it. sometimes this game is played (without any standing on chairs) by a blind man armed with two spoons, with which he feels the features of those whom he runs against. in this case it is practically impossible to avoid laughing. the sensation produced by the bowls of two spoons being passed over the face in the attempt to recognize its owner is overwhelming. french blind man's buff in french "blind man's buff" the hands of the blind man are tied behind his back and his eyes are left uncovered. he has therefore to back on to the players before he can catch them, which increases his difficulties. blind man's wand here the blind man has a stick, one end of which is grasped by the other players in turn. the blind man puts three questions to each player, and his aim is to recognize by the voice who it is that replies. the aim of the players, therefore, is to disguise their voices as much as possible. sometimes, instead of merely asking questions, the blind man instructs the holder of the wand to imitate some animal--a cock or a donkey, for example. steps the player who is blindfolded is first placed in the middle. the others walk from him to various positions all around, carefully measuring the number of steps (long or short) which take them there. the blind man is then told how many steps will bring him to a certain player, and he has to guess the direction toward him, and the length of step. this player, if found, becomes blind man. still pond! no more moving the player who is blindfolded is placed in the middle and all the other players touch him. he counts out loud as rapidly as possible up to ten, during which time the players rush as far away from him as possible. directly he reaches ten he cries out "still pond! no more moving!" and the players must stand perfectly still. he then says "you may have three steps," or any number beyond three which he wishes to give. the players save these steps until he comes dangerously near them and then try and use them to the best possible advantage, to escape. it is not a step if one foot remains in the same place. after a player is caught and identified by the one who is "it" he in turn is blindfolded. shadow buff a sheet is stretched across the room. one player stands on one side, and the rest, who remain on the other, pass one by one between the sheet and the candle which throws their shadows upon it. the aim of the single player is to put right names to the shadows on the sheet, and the aim of the others is, by performing antics, to keep him from recognizing them. if it is not convenient to use both sides of a sheet, the single player may sit on a hassock close to it with his back to the others, while they pass between his hassock and the candle. the donkey's tail a good-sized donkey without a tail is cut out of brown paper and fixed on a screen or on a sheet hung across the room. the tail is cut out separately and a hat-pin is put through that end of it which comes nearest the body. each player in turn then holds the tail by the pin, shuts his eyes honestly, and, advancing to the donkey, pins the tail in what he believes to be the right place. the fun lies in his mistake. the blind feeding the blind this is boisterous and rather messy, but it has many supporters. two players are blindfolded and seated on the floor opposite one another. they are each given a dessert-spoonful of sugar or flour and are told to feed each other. it is well to put a sheet on the floor and to tie a towel or apron round the necks of the players. the fun belongs chiefly to the spectators. deer stalking this is a game in which only two players take part, but it is exciting to watch. both "deer" and "stalker" are blindfolded. they are then placed at opposite ends of a large table, and at a given moment begin to move round it. the stalker's business is, of course, to catch the deer, and the deer's to avoid it; but neither must run out into the room. absolute silence should be kept both by the audience and players, and if felt slippers can be worn by the deer and its stalker, so much the better. blowing out the candle a very funny blind game. a candle is lighted and placed in position about the height of a person's head. a player is then placed a few feet from it, facing it, and, after being blindfolded and turned round three times, is told to take so many paces (however many it may be) and blow the candle out. apple-snapping another amusing blind game to watch is apple-snapping. an apple is hung from a string in the middle of the room about the height of the blind man's head. the blind man's hands are then tied, or he holds them strictly behind him, and he has to bite the apple. the same game can be played without blindfolding, but in that case it requires two players with their hands fixed behind them, each trying to bite the apple. bag and stick a good blind game for a christmas party is "bag and stick." a fair-sized paper bag is filled with candy and hung from a string in the middle of the room. a player is then blindfolded, turned round three times, given a stick, and told he may have one, two, or three shots at the bag, whichever it may be. if he misses it, another one tries, and so on; but if he hits it the bag breaks, the candy covers the floor, and the party scramble for it. puss in the corner each player save one takes a corner. the other, who is the puss, stands in the middle. the game begins by one corner player beckoning to another to change places. their object is to get safely into each other's corner before the cat can. puss's aim is to find a corner unprotected. if she does so, the player who has just left it, or the player who was hoping to be in it, becomes puss, according to whether or not they have crossed on their journey. hunt the slipper the players sit in a circle on the floor, with their knees a little gathered up. one stands in the middle with a slipper, and the game is begun by this one handing the slipper to a player in the circle, with the remark- cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe, get it done by half-past two, and then retiring from the circle for a few moments. the player to whom it was handed at once passes it on, so that when the owner of the slipper returns and demands her property again it cannot be found. with the hunt that then sets in the fun begins; the object of every player in the circle being to keep the player in the middle from seeing the slipper, from getting hold of it, or from knowing where it is, as it rapidly travels under the knees of the players here and there in the circle. now and then, if the seeker is badly mystified, the slipper may be tossed across the circle. the player in whose possession it is when at last secured changes place with the one in the middle. other handy things will do quite as well as a slipper, but something fairly large should be chosen, or discovery may take too long; and it ought to be soft in texture, or there may be bruises. the whistle this is partly a trick. a player who does not know the game is put in the middle of the ring, round which a whistle is moving in the way that the slipper moves in "hunt the slipper." the object of the player in the middle is to discover the person who blew the whistle last. meanwhile some one skilfully fixes another whistle on a string to the player's back, and that is the whistle which is really blown. as it must always be behind him when it is blown, nothing but the twitching of the string is likely to help him to discover the blower (and the trick); and in a small circle where every one is moving and laughing it takes some time to notice the twitching at all. he can do little who can't do this this is partly a trick. the leader takes a cane in his left hand, thumps on the floor several times, and passes it to a player saying, "he can do little who can't do this." the player tries to imitate him exactly, but if he takes the cane in his right hand he is wrong, the leader says, "you can do little, you can't do this," and hands the cane to the next player. the game goes on until every one has guessed that it is not the thumps which are to be imitated, but the holding the cane in the left hand. thimble this is a very good game. all the company leave the room save one. he stays behind with a thimble, which he has to place in some position, where, _though it is in sight_, it will be difficult to discover. it may be high or low, on the floor or on the mantelpiece, but it must be visible. the company then return and begin to look for it. as the players find it they sit down, but it is more fun to do this very craftily and not at once, lest a hint be given as to the article's whereabouts. when every one has found it, or when a long enough time has been passed in looking for it, the thimble is hidden again, this time by the player who found it first. the game sounds easy, but it can be very difficult and very exciting, every one at the beginning of each search wishing to be first, and at the end wishing not to be last. players often stand right over the thimble, staring directly at it, and still do not see it. magic music one player goes out. the others then hide something for him to find, or decide upon some simple action for him to perform, such as standing on a chair. when he is called in, one of the company seats herself at the piano and directs his movements by the tone of the music. if he is far from the object hidden the music is very low; as he gets nearer and nearer it becomes louder and louder. hot and cold the same game is played under the name of "hot and cold." in this case the player is directed by words; as he gets nearer and nearer the object he becomes "warm," "hot," "very hot," "burning"; when quite off the scent he is "cold." the jolly miller the one who shall be "it" is decided upon by counting out (see page 134), and he takes his place in the middle of the room. the others, arm in arm, walk around him in couples, singing, there was a jolly miller who lived by himself. as the wheel went around he made his wealth; one hand on the hopper and the other on the bag: as the wheel went around he made his grab. at "grab," every one must change partners, and the one in the middle tries to be quick enough to get one himself. if he does, the one left alone must take his place in the middle and be the "jolly miller." going to jerusalem some one sits at the piano, and a long row of chairs is made down the middle of the room, either back to back, or back and front alternately. there must be one chair fewer than the number of players. when all is ready the music begins and the players march round the chairs in a long line. suddenly the music stops, and directly it does so every one tries to sit down. as there is one player too many some one must necessarily be left without a chair. that player has therefore to leave the game, another chair is taken away, and the music begins again. so on to the end, a chair and a player going after each round. the winner of the game is the one who, when only one chair is left, gets it. it is against the rules to move the chairs. a piano, it ought to be pointed out, is not absolutely necessary. any form of music will do; or if there is no instrument some one may sing, or read aloud. but a piano is best, and the pianist ought now and then to pretend to stop, because this makes it more exciting for the players. stir the mash this is another variety of "going to jerusalem." the chairs are placed against the wall in a row, one fewer than the players. one of the players sits down in the middle of the room with a stick and pretends to be stirring a bowl of mash with it, while the others march round crying, "stir the mash, stir the mash." suddenly the player with the stick knocks three times on the floor, which is the signal for running for the chairs, and, leaping up, runs for them too. the one who does not get a chair has to stir the mash next. caterpillar a circle of chairs is made, and all the players but one sit on them. this player stands in the middle and his chair is left empty. the game consists in his efforts to sit down in the empty chair and the others' attempts to stop him by continually moving one way or the other, so that the empty chair may this moment be on one side of the ring and the next on the other. honey-pots this is a game for several little players and two stronger ones. the little ones are the honey-pots, and the others the honey-seller and honey-buyer. the honey-pots sit in a row with their knees gathered up and their hands locked together under them. the honey-buyer comes to look at them, asking the honey-seller how much they are and how much they weigh; and these two take hold of the pots by the arms, one on each side, and weigh them by swinging them up and down (that is why the hands have to be tightly locked under the knees). then the buyer says he will have them, and the seller and he carry them to the other end of the room together. once there the seller returns, but quickly comes running back in alarm because he has missed his own little girl (or boy), and he fancies she must be in one of the honey-pots. the buyer assures him that he is mistaken, and tells him to taste them and see for himself that they are only honey. so the seller goes from one to the other, placing his hand on their heads and pretending to taste honey, until at last, coming to the one he has marked down, he exclaims, "dear me, this tastes just like my little girl." at these words the little girl in question jumps up and runs away, and all the other honey-pots run away too. nuts in may the players stand in two rows, facing each other and holding hands. a line is drawn on the carpet (or ground) between them. one row then step toward the other, singing- here we come gathering nuts in may, nuts in may, nuts in may, here we come gathering nuts in may, on a cold and frosty morning. they then fall back and the other row advance to them singing in reply- pray, who will you gather for nuts in may, nuts in may, nuts in may? pray, who will you gather for nuts in may, on a cold and frosty morning? the first row, after settling on the particular player on the opposite side that they want, reply thus- we'll gather phyllis for nuts in may, nuts in may, nuts in may, we'll gather phyllis for nuts in may, on a cold and frosty morning. the other row then ask- pray, who will you send to fetch her away, fetch her away, fetch her away? pray, who will you send to fetch her away, on a cold and frosty morning? the answer perhaps is- we're sending arthur to fetch her away, fetch her away, fetch her away, we're sending arthur to fetch her away, on a cold and frosty morning. arthur then steps up to the line on one side and phyllis on the other, and each tries to pull the other over it. the one that loses has to join the other row, and the singing begins again. old soldier all the players, except one, stand in a line. the other, who is the old soldier, then totters up to the end player, saying- here comes an old soldier from botany bay; pray, what have you got to give him to-day? the player must then say what she will give him, but in doing so must not use the words "yes," "no," "black," "white" or "scarlet." the old soldier's object is to try and coax one of these words out of her, and he may ask any question he likes in order to do so. a mistake usually means a forfeit. my lady's clothes a color-barred game for girls is "my lady's clothes" or "dressing the lady." the players first decide on what colors shall be forbidden, perhaps blue, black, and pink. the first one then asks the next, "how shall my lady be dressed for the ball?" and the answer must contain no mention of these colors. this question goes round the ring, no article being allowed to be mentioned twice. here i bake one player stands in the middle. the others join hands and surround her, their aim being to prevent her from getting out of the ring. she then passes round the ring touching the hands, at the first hands saying "here i bake," at the second "here i brew," at the third "here i make my wedding-cake," and at the next "and here i mean to break through." with these last words she makes a dash to carry out the threat. if she succeeds, the player whose hand gave way first takes her place in the middle. otherwise she must persevere until the ring is broken. the cobbler the cobbler sits in the middle on a stool or hassock, and the others join hands and dance round him. "now then, customers," says the cobbler, "let me try on your shoes," and at the same time--but without leaving his seat--makes a dash for some one's feet. the aim of the others is to avoid being caught. whoever is caught becomes cobbler. cushion the name of this game dates from the period when stiff cylinder-shaped horsehair sofa-cushions were commoner than they are now. one of these is placed in the middle of the room and the players join hands and dance round it, the object of each one being to make one of his neighbors knock the cushion over and to avoid knocking it over himself. whoever does knock it down leaves the ring, until at last there are only two striving with each other. a hearth-brush, if it can be persuaded to stand up, makes a good substitute for a cushion. it also makes the game more difficult, being so very sensitive to touch. the day's shopping the players sit in a ring, and the game is begun by one saying to the next, "i've just come back from shopping." "yes," is the reply, "and what have you bought?" the first speaker has then to name some article which, without leaving her seat, she can touch, such as a pair of boots, a necktie, a watch-chain, a bracelet. having done so, the next player takes up the character of the shopper, and so on round the ring. no article must, however, be named twice, which means that when the game has gone on for a round or two the answers become very difficult to find. clap in, clap out half the players go out, and the others stay in and arrange the chairs in a line so that there is an empty one next to every person. each then chooses which of the others he will have to occupy the adjoining chair, and when this is settled some one tells the outside party that they can begin. one of them then comes in and takes the chair for which he thinks it most likely that he has been chosen. if he is right, everybody claps and he stays there. but if wrong, everybody hisses and he has to go out again. another player then comes in, and so on until all the chairs are filled. neighbors an extension of this game is "neighbors." in "neighbors" half the company are blindfolded, and are seated with an empty chair on the right hand of each. at a given signal all the other players occupy these empty chairs, as mysteriously as they can, and straightway begin to sing, either all to a tune played on the piano or independently. the object of the blind players is to find out, entirely by the use of the ear, who it is that is seated on their right. those that guess correctly are unbandaged, and their places are taken by the players whose names they guessed. the others continue blindfolded until they guess rightly. one guess only is allowed each time. oranges and lemons, or london bridge is falling down this pleasant old game begins by two of the older or taller players--one being oranges and the other lemons--taking places opposite each other and joining their hands high, thus making an arch for the rest to pass under in a long line. the procession then starts, each one holding the one in front by the coat or dress. as the procession moves along, the two players forming the arch repeat or chant these lines:- "oranges and lemons," say the bells of st. clement's. "you owe me five farthings," say the bells of st. martin's. "when will you pay me?" say the bells of old bailey. "when i grow rich," say the bells of shoreditch. "when will that be?" say the bells of stepney. "i do not know," says the great bell of bow. here comes a candle to light you to bed, and here comes a chopper to chop off the last man's head. with these final words the arch-players lower their arms and catch the head of the last of the procession. in order that the arrival of the end of the procession and the end of the verses shall come together, the last line can be lengthened like this- and here comes a chopper to chop off the last--last--last--last man's head. another shorter verse which is often sung is, london bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, london bridge is falling down. my fair lady. in this case the two players who make the arch with their arms can choose any eatables they like--"ice cream" and "oysters." the players who are caught are asked which they prefer and their places are back of the one representing their choice. the captured player is then asked in a whisper which he will be, oranges or lemons? and if he says oranges, is placed accordingly behind that one of his capturers who is to have the oranges on his side. the procession and the rhyme begin again, and so on until all are caught and are ranged on their respective sides. then a handkerchief is placed on the floor between the captains of the oranges and the lemons, and both sides pull, as in the "tug of war" (page 38), until one side is pulled over the handkerchief. general post the players sit round the room in a large circle, and, after appointing a postmaster to write down their names and call out the changes, choose each a town. one player is then blindfolded and placed in the middle. the game begins when the postmaster calls out the first journey, thus, "the post is going from putney to hongkong." the player who has chosen putney and the player who has chosen hongkong must then change places without being caught by the blind man, or without letting him get into either of their chairs first. otherwise the player who is caught, or who ought to be in that chair, becomes the blind man. every now and then "general post" is called, when all the players have to change seats at the same time; and this gives the blind man an excellent chance. spin the platter a tin plate, to serve as platter, is placed in the middle of the room. the players sit round it in a large circle, each choosing either a number by which to be known, or the name of a town. the game is begun by one player taking up the plate, spinning it, calling out a number or town belonging to another, and hurrying back to his place. the one called has to spring up and reach the plate before it falls, and, giving it a fresh spin, call some one else. so it goes on. on paper there seems to be little in it, but in actual play the game is good on account of the difficulty of quite realizing that it is one's own borrowed name that has been called. kitchen utensils this is a variety of "spin the platter." the players sit in a ring and choose each the name of some kitchen utensil or something used in cooking, such as meat-chopper or raisins. one player then goes in the middle with a bunched-up handkerchief, and this he throws at some one, at the same time trying to say the name of that some one's kitchen utensil three times before that some one can say it once. if, as very often happens, the player at whom the handkerchief is thrown is so completely bewildered as to have lost the power of speech or memory until it is too late, he must change places with the one in the middle. up jenkins the players sit on opposite sides of a table, or in two opposite rows of chairs with a cloth spread over their laps. a quarter or dime or other small object is then passed about among the hands of one of the sides under the table or cloth. at the word "up jenkins!" called by the other side all these hands tightly clenched must be at once placed in view on the table or the cloth. the first player on the other side then carefully scans the faces of his opponents to see if any one bears an expression which seems to betray his possession of the quarter, and, having made up his mind, reaches over and touches the hand in which he hopes the quarter is, saying, "tip it." the hand is then opened. if the guess is right the guessing side take the quarter and hide it. if wrong, the same side hide it again, and the second player on the guessing side tries his luck at discovering its whereabouts. a score is decided on before the game begins, and the winning side is that which make the fewest number of wrong guesses. another way to play "up jenkins" is to have the players, equally divided, sit opposite each other at a table. a quarter is then passed along under the table by one side or team. at the command "up jenkins," given by the captain of the other side, chosen beforehand, all the players on the side having the coin must lift their hands above the table; and at the command "down jenkins," also given by the captain, all the hands must be brought down flat on the table. the greater the bang with which this is done, the less chance of detecting the sound of the metal striking the table. the captain then orders the players to raise their hands one by one, his object being to leave the coin in the last hand. if he succeeds, his side takes the coin; if he fails, the other side score the number of hands still left on the table, and again hide the coin. another person then becomes captain. if the coin can be "spotted" in a certain hand, either by sight or sound, before a hand has been removed, it has to be forfeited, and the side that wins it adds double the number of hands of the other side to their score. if it is "spotted" and is not in that hand, the side still retains the coin, and also score double the number of hands. if anybody obeys any one else but the captain, in raising, lowering or removing his hands, his side loses the coin, no matter who holds it, but neither side scores. hunt the ring all the players but one form a circle, with their hands on a piece of string on which a ring has been threaded. the other player stands in the middle of the circle. the ring is then hurried up and down the string from end to end, the object being to keep its whereabouts hidden from the other player. lady queen anne in this game, which is usually played by girls, one player hides her eyes, while the others, who are sitting in a row, pass a ball from one to another until it is settled who shall keep it. this done, they all hide their hands in their laps, as if each one had it; and the other player is called, her aim being to discover in whose hands the ball is hidden. she examines the faces of the others very closely until she makes up her mind which one probably has the ball, and then addresses that one thus- lady queen anne, she sits in the sun, as fair as a lily, as brown as a bun, she sends you three letters and prays you'll read one. to this the player replies- i cannot read one unless i read all; and the seeker answers- then pray, miss [whatever the name is], deliver the ball. if the ball really is with this player, the seeker and she change places, but otherwise the seeker hides her eyes again and the ball changes hands (or not). and so on until it is found. another way is for sides to be taken, one consisting of queen anne and her maids and the other of gipsies. the gipsies have the ball first, and, having hidden it, they advance in a line toward queen anne, each holding up her skirts as if the ball were there, singing- lady queen anne, she sits in the sun, as fair as a lily, as brown as a bun. king john has sent you letters three, and begs you'll read one unto me. lady queen anne and her maids reply- we cannot read one unless we read all, so pray, miss [whatever the name of the player chosen may be], deliver the ball. if they have hit upon the right player she goes over to queen anne's side. but if not, the gipsies sing- the ball is mine, it is not thine, so you, proud queen, sit still on your throne, while we poor gipsies go and come. they then turn round and hide the ball again. the feather a very exhausting game. the players sit round a table and form sides, one half against the other, and a little fluffy feather is placed in the middle. the aim of each side is to blow the feather so that it settles in the other camp, and to keep it from settling in their own. the same game can be played with a marble on a table from which the table-cloth has been removed. in this case you all sink your faces to the level of the table. russian scandal, or "gossip" the players sit in a long line or ring. the first, turning to the second, whispers very rapidly some remark or a brief story. the second, who may hear it distinctly, but probably does not, then whispers it as exactly as he can to the third player; and so on until the line is finished. the last player then whispers it to the first player; and the first player repeats his original remark to the company, and follows it with the form in which it has just reached him. advertisements all the players sit in a ring, except one, who stands in the middle holding a soft cushion. this he throws at any one of the players and begins to count ten. the person at whom the cushion was thrown must call out the words of a well-known advertisement before ten is reached. if he fails he must pay a forfeit. judge and jury the players, or jury, form up in two rows facing each other. the judge sits at one end, or passes between the two lines, and asks his questions. these may be of any description. perhaps he will say, "miss a, do you think it will rain to-morrow?" now although the judge addresses miss a and looks at her, it is not she who must answer but the player opposite to her. and he in his answer is not allowed to say either "yes," "no," "black," "white," or "gray." if the player who was addressed answers she becomes judge and the judge takes her seat; or if the opposite player does not answer before the judge has counted ten he becomes judge and the judge takes his seat. cross questions the players sit in a circle, and the game begins by one player turning to the next and asking a question. perhaps it will be, "did you get very wet this evening?" the answer may be, "fortunately i had a mackintosh." the second player then asks the third, and so on round the circle until it comes to the first player's turn to be asked a question by the last one. perhaps this question will be, "i hope your cousin is better?" all these questions and answers have to be very carefully remembered, because on the circle being complete each player in turn has to repeat the question which was put to her and the answer which she received to the question which she herself put. thus in the present instance the first player would announce that the question was, "i hope your cousin is better?" and the answer, "fortunately i had a mackintosh." another variety of cross question is played as follows. the company is divided into two parts, and stand facing each other. a leader is chosen for each side, one to give the questions and one to give the answers. one goes down his side giving to each player in a whisper some serious question which he must ask of his opposite in the other line. the other leader whispers to each of his players an absurd answer. then the play begins. the first in line asks his opponent his question and receives the absurd answer three times. if either of them smile he is put out of the game. the person who can keep a straight face to the last, wins the prize. after the whole line has asked and answered the first set of questions, the first couple become the leaders, and propound two other sets of questions and answers. and so on until only two are left. ruth and jacob one player has his eyes blinded and stands in a circle made by the other players. they dance silently around him until he points at one, who must then enter the circle and try to avoid being caught by the blind man. the pursuer calls out from time to time "ruth!" to which the pursued must always answer at once "jacob!" at the same time trying to dodge quickly enough to escape the other's immediate rush to the spot. after the "ruth" is caught, the "jacob" must guess who it is and if he guesses right, the "ruth" is blindfolded and becomes the "jacob," and the game begins anew. fly away! the player who is chosen as leader sits down and places the first finger of her right hand on her knee. the others crowd round her and also place the first finger of their right hands on her knee, close to hers. the game is for the leader to raise her finger suddenly, saying, "fly away [something]." if that something is not capable of flight the other fingers must not move, but if it can fly they must rise also. thus, "fly away, thrush!" "fly away, pigeon!" "fly away, butterfly!" should cause all the fingers to spring up. but of "fly away, omnibus!" "fly away, cat!" "fly away, pig!" no notice should be taken. the game is, of course, to catch players napping. hold fast! let go! this is a very confusing game of contraries for five players. four of them hold each the corner of a handkerchief. the other, who stands by to give orders, then shouts either "let go!" or "hold fast!" when "let go!" is called, the handkerchief must be held as firmly as ever; but when "hold fast!" it must be dropped. the commands should be given quickly and now and then repeated to add to the anxiety of the other players. the sergeant in this game one player represents a sergeant and the others are soldiers whom he is drilling. when he makes an action and says "do this" the others have to imitate him; but if he says "do that" they must take no notice. simon says thumbs up the players sit about on the floor or on chairs, each holding out on his knee his clenched fist with the thumb sticking straight up. one player calls out "simon says thumbs down." all the thumbs must be instantly reversed. then he tries to confuse them by alternating between up and down for some time until they all get into the way of expecting the change, and then he gives the same order twice in succession. those who make a mistake pay a forfeit. if he calls out simply "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" no attention must be paid to this order as a forfeit is taken. the orders are sometimes varied by the command "simon says wig-wag!" when all the thumbs must be waggled to and fro. the grand mufti a somewhat similar game of contraries is "the grand mufti." the player personating the grand mufti stands in the middle or on a chair, and performs whatever action he likes with his hands, arms, head, and legs. with each movement he says, "thus does the grand mufti," or, "so does the grand mufti." when it is "thus does the grand mufti" the other players must imitate his movement; but when it is "so does the grand mufti" they must take no notice. any mistakes may lead to forfeits. the mandarins there is no contrariness about "the mandarins." the players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them remarking to the next, "my ship has come home from china." the answer is "yes, and what has it brought?" the first player replies, "a fan," and begins to fan herself with her right hand. all the players must copy her. the second player then turns to the third (all still fanning) and remarks, "my ship has come home from china." "yes, and what has it brought?" "two fans." all the players then fan themselves with both hands. the third player, to the fourth (all still fanning), "my ship has come home from china." "yes, and what has it brought?" "three fans." all the players then add a nodding head to their other movements. and so on, until when "nine fans" is reached, heads, eyes, mouth, hands, feet and body are all moving. the answers and movements of this game may be varied. thus the second answer to the question "and what has it brought" might be "a bicycle," when the feet of all the players would have to move as if working pedals; the third answer could be a "snuff-box," which should set all the players sneezing; and so on. a typewriter, a piano, a barrel-organ, a football, would vary the game. buff this test of self-control is rather a favorite; but it is not so much a game as a means of distributing forfeits. the players sit in a circle. one then stands up and, holding out a stick, repeats these lines- buff says buff to all his men, and i say buff to you again. buff never laughs, buff never smiles, in spite of all your cunning wiles, but carries his face with a very good grace, and passes his stick to the very next place. this must be said without laughing or smiling. each player in turn holds the stick and repeats the verses, those that laugh or smile having, when it is over, to pay a forfeit. the ditto game this is another game in which laughter is forbidden. the players sit close together in a silent circle. whatever the leader does the others have to do, but without smile or sound. perhaps the leader will begin by pulling the next player's hair, and pass on to pat her cheek, or prod her sides, or pinch her nose. statues another trial of composure. the players choose what positions they will and become as still and as silent as statues. one player is judge. it is his business to try and make the statues laugh. all who laugh pay forfeits; but the one who keeps his face grave longest becomes "judge." laughter "laughter" is just the opposite. the company sit in a circle and the game is begun by one throwing a handkerchief into the air. immediately this is done every one must begin to laugh and continue to laugh until the handkerchief touches the ground. they must then stop or leave the circle. gradually all will leave but one, who must then perform by himself, if he is willing. the concerted sneeze one third of the company agree to say "hish" all together at a given signal, another third agree to say "hash," and the rest agree to say "hosh." the word of command is then given, and the result is the sound as of a tremendous sneeze. bingo in "bingo" the players begin by joining hands and marching round, singing- there was a farmer had a dog his name was bobby bingo o. b, i, n, g, o, b, i, n, g, o, b, i, n, g, o, and bingo was his name o! the players then loose hands, the girls go inside the ring and stand there, and the boys run round them singing the rhyme again. then the boys go inside and the girls run round them and sing it. and then hands are taken once more and all go round in the original circle singing it a fourth time. if no boys are playing, the girls should arrange, before the game begins, which shall personate them. robin's alive a good game for the fireside is "robin's alive." there are so few children nowadays who have fireplaces that this can be modified so that it is a good evening game for any quiet group of children. some one lights a piece of twisted paper or a stick of wood, twirls it rapidly in the air to keep it burning and says, as fast as he can, robin's alive, and alive he shall be if he dies in my hand you may back-saddle me, and at once passes the paper on to the next player who in turn recites the verse. the one in whose hand it finally goes out is "back-saddled" in this way. he lies down on the floor and the others pile cushions and chairs and books on him while he repeats, rocks and stones and the old horse's bones all this and more you may pile upon me. the mulberry bush the players join hands and go round and round in a ring, singing- here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, here we go round the mulberry bush on a fine and frosty morning. they then let go hands and sing- this is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes, this is the way we wash our clothes on a fine and frosty morning, and as they sing they pretend to be washing. after the verse is done they join hands again and dance round to the singing of the mulberry bush chorus again, and so on after each verse. the other verses are- (2) this is the way we iron our clothes. (3) this is the way we wash our face. (4) this is the way we comb our hair. (5) this is the way we go to school (_very sadly_). (6) this is the way we learn our book. (7) this is the way we sew our seams. and lastly and very gaily- (8) this is the way we come from school, and then the chorus comes again, and the game is done. looby, looby this is another of the old country games in which the players all have to do the same things. they first join hands and dance round, singing- here we dance looby, looby, here we dance looby light, here we dance looby, looby, all on a saturday night. then, letting go of hands and standing still, they sing- put your right hands in, put your right hands out, shake them and shake them a little, and turn yourselves about, and at the same time they do what the song directs. then the dance and chorus again, and then the next verse, and so on. this is the order- (2) put your left hands in. (3) put your right feet in. (4) put your left feet in. (5) put your noddles in. and finally- put your bodies in, put your bodies out, shake them and shake them a little, and turn yourselves about. orchestra an ear-splitting game that is always great fun. the players stand in rows before the leader or "conductor," who sings a verse from any well-known nonsense or other song. then he says, pointing to one of the players, "and the first violin played this simple melody," whereupon the two sing the verse over again, the player imitating with his arms the movements of a violin player, and with his voice the sound of a squeaking fiddle. then the conductor says, pointing to another player, "and the big trombone played this simple melody." then the three sing together, the second player imitating the sound of a trombone and the appearance of a trombone player. this is continued until every one is playing on an imaginary instrument, the conductor, of course, being the only one who sings the words of the song. a good fat hen a nonsensical game, useful in leading to forfeits. the company sit in a row, and one of the end players begins by saying, "a good fat hen." each of the others in turn must then say, "a good fat hen." the first player then says, "two ducks and a good fat hen," and the words pass down the line. then "three squawking wild geese, two ducks, and a good fat hen." and so on until the end is reached, in the following order- fourth round.--prefix: four plump partridges. fifth round.- " five pouting pigeons. sixth round.- " six long-legged cranes. seventh round.- " seven green parrots. eighth round.- " eight screeching owls. ninth round.- " nine ugly turkey-buzzards. tenth round.- " ten bald eagles. the sentence has now reached a very difficult length:--"ten bald eagles, nine ugly turkey-buzzards, eight screeching owls, seven green parrots, six long-legged cranes, five pouting pigeons, four plump partridges, three squawking wild geese, two ducks and a good fat hen." any one making a mistake may be made to pay a forfeit. john ball the same game may be played also with "the house that jack built," and there are other stories of a similar kind. among these the most amusing for a large party would perhaps be the old rhyme of "john ball." first round.- john ball shot them all. second round.- john block made the stock, but john ball shot them all. third round.- john brammer made the rammer, john block made the stock, but john ball shot them all. fourth round.- john wyming made the priming, john brammer made the rammer, john block made the stock, but john ball shot them all. fifth round.- john scott made the shot.... sixth round.- john crowder made the powder.... seventh round.- john puzzle made the muzzle.... eighth round.- john farrell made the barrel.... ninth round.- john clint made the flint.... tenth round.- john patch made the match.... in the tenth round, then, each player has to say- john patch made the match, john clint made the flint, john farrell made the barrel, john puzzle made the muzzle, john crowder made the powder, john scott made the shot, john wyming made the priming, john brammer made the rammer, john block made the stock, but john ball shot them all. chitterbob there is also the old rhyme of "chitterbob," but it is usual in repeating this to say it all at once, in one round, and not prolong the task. this is the rhyme:- there was a man and his name was cob he had a wife and her name was mob, he had a dog and his name was bob, she had a cat and her name was chitterbob. "bob," says cob; "chitterbob," says mob. bob was cob's dog, mob's cat was chitterbob, cob, mob, bob, and chitterbob. in the old way of playing "chitterbob" a paper horn used to be twisted into the player's hair for each mistake made in the recitation, and at the end these horns could be got rid of only by paying forfeits. the muffin man "the muffin man" is another variety. the players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them turning to the next and asking, either in speech or in song- oh, do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man? oh, do you know the muffin man who lives in drury lane? the reply is- oh, yes i know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, oh, yes i know the muffin man who lives in drury lane. both players then repeat together- then two of us know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, then two of us know the muffin man who lives in drury lane. this done, the second player turns to the third and the same question and answer are given; but when it comes to the comment- then three of us know the muffin man,... the first player also joins in. at the end therefore, if there are eight people playing, the whole company is singing- then eight of us know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man, then eight of us know the muffin man who lives in drury lane. family coach in "family coach" each player takes the name of a part of a coach, as the axle, the door, the box, the reins, the whip, the wheels, the horn; or of some one connected with it, as the driver, the guard, the ostlers, the landlord, the bad-tempered passenger, the cheerful passenger, the passenger who made puns, the old lady with the bundle, and the horses--wheelers and leaders. one player then tells a story about the coach, bringing in as many of these people and things as he can, and as often. whenever a person or thing represented by a player is mentioned, that player must stand up and turn round. but whenever the coach is mentioned the whole company must stand up and turn round. otherwise, forfeits. a specimen story is here given as a hint as to the kind of thing needed:- "there's the railway, of course," said _mr. burly_, "and there's the motor wagonette, and you've all got bicycles; but let's go to london in the old-fashioned way for once; let's go in the _family coach_." these words delighted everybody. "oh, yes," they all cried, "let's go in the _family coach_." it was therefore arranged, and _john the coachman_ had orders to get everything ready. this was no light matter, for the _family coach_ had not been used for many years, and it would need to be taken to the coachbuilder's at once and be overhauled. so the next morning it lumbered off, and it did not come back for a week; but when it did there was a change indeed. the _wheels_ had been painted red, the _axles_ had been tested, the _springs_ renewed, the inside re-lined, the _roof_ freshly upholstered, and the whole made bright and gay. at last the morning came, a clear, sunny day, and punctually at nine _john_ rattled up to the door. the _horses_ stood there pawing the ground, as if ready to gallop all the way. _john_ had a new coat and hat, and tim and peter, the _grooms_, were also in new livery. every one was ready. first came _mr. burly_ in a wonderful great overcoat, and then _mrs. burly_ in furs. then _uncle joshua_, then _aunt penelope_, and then the three girls and two boys. how they all found room i don't know, but they did. "are we all ready?" said _mr. burly_. "all ready," said _uncle joshua_. so _tim_ and _peter_ sprang away from the _horses'_ heads, crack went the _whip_, round went the _wheels_, _uncle joshua_ blew the _horn_, and the old _family coach_ was fairly on its journey. it was a splendid ride. _john_ kept his _horses_ going at a grand pace and hardly used the _whip_ at all, the _wheels_ ran smoothly over the road, and whenever we passed through a village _uncle joshua_ blew the _horn_. we stopped at thornminster for lunch. _john_ brought us up to the inn door in style, and the _landlord_ came out rubbing his hands and helped _mrs. burly_ and _aunt penelope_ down with a flourish. "proud to see you, sir," he said to _mr. burly_. "it is seldom enough that folks travel nowadays in an old _family coach_. i wish there were more of them." after lunch we went along in the same splendid way until suddenly round a corner came a donkey-cart with the donkey braying at the top of his voice. _john_ pulled the _horses_ well over to the side, but the braying was too much for them, and they rolled into the ditch. in a moment the old _family coach_ was overturned. _mr. burly_ was shot into the field across the hedge, _uncle joshua_, grasping the _horn_, landed in a pond, _john_ and _aunt penelope_, _mrs. burly_ and the _grooms_ all stuck in the hedge. no one was hurt, but two of the _wheels_ were broken to pieces and one _axle_ was bent, and that was therefore the last of the old _family coach_. so we never got to london in the old way after all. if this story is not long enough, it can be lengthened. the words in italics are those to be distributed among the company, each player taking more than one if necessary. when the accident comes they might all fall down as they are mentioned. in the case of the wheels and the horses, these may either be taken all four by one player, or eight players may share them. thus, when the wheels are mentioned, all four players who have taken the wheels would stand up and turn round, and four others when the horses were alluded to. the traveler, and the bicyclist "the traveler" is a favorite variety of the "family coach." in this game a player with a ready tongue is chosen as traveler, and the others are given such names as landlord, bell-boy, clerk, waiter, chambermaid, electric light, elevator, bed, supper, paper, sitting-room, bedroom, steam-radiator, slippers, and so on. the traveler is then supposed to arrive and give his orders. "can i have a room to-night? good. and how soon will _supper_ be ready? ask the _bell-boy_ to take my _satchels_ up to my _room_. show me to my _room_ and send up the _papers_." and so on, each person named having to stand up or be booked for a forfeit. this game lends itself to various new forms. one might be called "the bicyclist" and run thus:--a player having been chosen as the bicyclist, the others take as many bicycling names (or two names each might add to the fun) as there are players. thus--lamp, wick, oil, handle-bars, spokes, tires, chain, pump, nuts, bell, hedges, fields, sheep, roads, hill, dog. this settled, the bicyclist will begin his story, something in this style:- it looked so fine this morning that i determined to go for a long ride. so i got out the _pump_ and blew up the _tires_, put the _monkey-wrench_ to a few _nuts_, filled the _lamp_, trimmed the _wick_, polished up the _bell_ and the _handle-bars_, and started off. the _roads_ were perfect. the _fields_ were shining with dew, the _hedges_ were sweet with honey-suckle, and i skimmed along like the wind until suddenly, at the turn at the foot of claymore _hill_, i rode bang into a flock of _sheep_ and came down with a smash. you never saw such a ruin. the _lamp_ and _bell_ were lost completely, the _handle-bars_ were twisted into corkscrews, the _tires_ were cut to ribbons, the _spokes_ looked like part of a spider's web, my hands and my knees were cut, and the worst of it was that the shepherd's _dog_ mistook me for an enemy and i had to beat him off with the _monkey-wrench_, until the farmer heard the noise and came to the rescue. during this story all the players named would, in the ordinary way, stand up for a moment when their adopted names were mentioned, except at the point when the accident occurs, and then every player bearing the name of a part of the bicycle--the handle-bars, spokes, tires, chain, air-pump, lamp, wick, bell, monkey-wrench, pump, nuts--should fall to the ground. drawing-room acrobatics there are various feats which can be performed in a small room without injury to furniture. to lie flat on the floor on one's back and be lifted into an upright position by a pair of hands under the back of the head, keeping stiff all the time, is a favorite accomplishment. another is to bend over and touch the floor with the tips of the fingers without bending the knees. another is, keeping your feet behind a line, to see who, by stretching along the ground supported on the left hand only, can place a penny with the right hand the farthest distance and get back again to an upright position behind the line without moving the feet or using the right hand for a support. this done, the penny must be recovered in the same way. another feat is, keeping your feet together and one arm behind you, to see how far back from the wall it is possible to place your feet (remembering that you have to get into an upright position again) while you lean forward supported by the other hand laid flat against the wall. another is to keep the toes to a line, and kneel down and get up again without using the hands. another is to make a bridge of your body from chair to chair, resting the back of your neck on one and your heels on the other. this is done by beginning with three chairs, one under the back, and then when you are rigid enough having the third one removed. acrobatic impossibilities if you hold your hands across your chest in a straight line with the tips of the forefingers pressed together, it will be impossible for any one else, however strong, to hold by your arms and pull those finger-tips apart. it is quite safe to stand a person against the wall with his heels touching it, and, laying a shilling on the floor a foot or so is front of him, to say it will be his if he can pick it up without moving his heels from the wall. another impossible thing is to stand sideways against the wall with your left cheek, left heel, and left leg touching it, and then raise the right leg. the trussed fowls in this contest two boys are first trussed. trussing consists of firmly tying wrists and ankles, bringing the elbows down below the knees and slipping a stick along over one elbow, under both knees and over the other elbow, as in the picture. the game is, for the two fowls to be placed opposite each other with their feet just touching, and for each then to strive to roll the other over with his toes. [illustration: a trussed fowl] the candle-lighters another balancing game. two boys face each other, each with a candle, one of which is lighted and the other not. kneeling on the right knee only and keeping the left leg entirely off the ground, they have to make one candle light the other. hat and cards a tall hat is placed in the middle of the room and a pack of cards is dealt out to the players seated round it. the game is to throw the cards one by one into the hat. tug of war this is properly an outdoor game, but in a big room indoors it is all right. the two sides should be even in numbers, at any rate in the first pull. in the middle of the rope a handkerchief is tied, and three chalk lines a yard apart are made on the floor. the sides then grasp the rope, the captain of each side, whose duty it is to encourage his men by cheering cries, having his hands about a yard and a half from the handkerchief. the rope is then trimmed by the umpire until the handkerchief comes exactly over the middle one of the three lines. on the word being given, each side has to try and pull the rope so that the handkerchief passes over the chalk line nearest it. the best of three decides the victory. for the sake of sport it is better, if one side is much weaker than the other, to add to it until the balance of strength is pretty even. high skip the players stand in as wide a circle as the size of the room allows, with one player in the middle. he has a rope or heavy cord in his hand with some object, rather heavy but not hard, tied to it, such as a small cushion or a large bunch of rags. stooping down, he begins swinging this around the circle. as it comes to them the players must jump over the cord. as the cushion is swung faster and faster it goes higher and is more difficult to jump over. the first one to miss takes the place of the person swinging the rope, who is not allowed to raise his hand higher than his knee. parlor football in this game goals are set up at each end of the room, the players are provided with fans, and the football is a blown hen's egg, which is wafted backward and forward along the floor. balloon a string is stretched across the room at a height of about three or four feet. the players divide into sides and line up on each side of the string. the balloon is then thrown up, the game being to keep it in the air backward and forward over the string, so that if it falls it will fall in the other side's camp. it ought to be tapped with the back of the fingers and not hit hard. tissue-paper race in this game tissue-paper is cut into pieces three or four inches square. as many squares as there are players are placed in a line at one end of the room, and at the other are placed two books, or other objects, a foot or so apart. at the word of command each competitor, who is armed with a japanese fire-screen or fan, starts to fan his square through the goal-posts. for the sake of distinguishing them it is better to mark the papers or have them of different colors. a competitor may not fan any other square except by accident. walking spanish this game should not be played unless there are some older, stronger players to prevent possible accidents, but it is very amusing. each player in turn goes to the end of the room, takes a cane or umbrella, puts his head down on the handle, closes his eyes and, stooping over thus, whirls rapidly about six times, not moving the point of the cane from its original position. then instantly he straightens up and tries to walk steadily the length of the room along a string laid down or line marked. the one who steps nearest to the line all the time is the winner. potato race this is a good game for a hall or landing. two baskets are needed, which are placed at one end of the hall about two yards apart, and then in a line from each basket are placed potatoes, at intervals of a yard or so all down the floor, an equal number to each line. any even number of competitors can play, the race being run in heats. each competitor is armed with a long spoon, and his task is to pick up all the potatoes on his line and return them to the basket before his opponent can. each potato must be carried to the basket in turn, and if dropped on the way must be picked up again before another can be touched, and the spoon only must be used. any help from the other hand or from the foot disqualifies. fire-buckets at a fire in the country, where there is no hose, a line of men extends from the burning house to the nearest pond, and buckets are continually being passed along this line. hence the name by which this excellent game is called here. it is played thus. a large number of miscellaneous and unbreakable articles--balls, boots, potatoes, books, and so on--are divided into two exactly equal groups, and each group is placed in a clothes basket. the company then forms into two equal lines, and each chooses a captain. each captain stands by the basket at one end of his line, at the other end being a chair and another player standing by that. at the word "start," the articles are handed one by one by the captain to the first player in the line, and passed as quickly as possible without dropping to the player by the chair. as they come to him he piles them on the chair (without dropping any) until all are there, and then returns them with equal speed until the basket is filled again. the side which finishes first is the winner. if an article is dropped it must be picked up before any other of the articles can pass the player who dropped it. forfeits in many of the games already described mention has been made of "forfeits." they do not now play quite so important a part in an evening's entertainment as once they did, but they can still add to the interest of games. "paying a forfeit" means giving up to the player who is collecting forfeits some personal article or other--a knife, a pencil, a handkerchief--which, at the end of the game, or later in the evening, has to be recovered by performing whatever penance is ordered. when the times comes for "crying the forfeits," as it is called, the player who has them sits in a chair, while another player, either blindfolded or hiding her eyes, kneels before her, the remaining players standing all around. the first player then holds up a forfeit, remarking, "i have a thing, and a very pretty thing. pray what shall be done to the owner of this pretty thing?" to which the blindfolded one replies by asking, "is it fine or superfine?" meaning, does it belong to a boy (fine) or a girl (superfine)? the answer is either "it is fine," or "it is superfine," and the blindfolded one then announces what its owner must do to get possession of it again. of stock penances there are a great number, most of which are tricks which, once known, are necessarily very tame afterward. in the case of those that follow, therefore, something definite and practical is required. frown for a minute. dance for a minute. see how many you can count in a minute. say the alphabet backward. do the exact opposite of three things ordered by the company. crow like a cock. say "gig whip" ten times very rapidly. say "mixed biscuits" ten times very rapidly. say rapidly: "she stood on the steps of burgess's fish sauce shop selling shell fish." say rapidly: "peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper. a peck of pickled pepper peter piper picked. if peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper, where is the peck of pickled pepper peter piper picked?" count fifty backward. repeat a nursery rhyme. hold your hands behind you, and, keeping them there, lie down and get up again. hold your hands together and put them under your feet and over your head. walk round the room balancing three books on your head without using your hands. smile to the prettiest, bow to the wittiest, and kiss the one you love the best. yawn until you make some one else yawn. push your friend's head through a ring. (put your finger through a ring and push your friend's head with the tip.) place a straw on the floor so that you can't jump over it. (very close to the wall.) put a chair on a table, take off your shoes and jump over them. (over your shoes.) leave the room with two legs and come in with six. (bring in a chair.) repeat five times without mistake, "a rat ran over the roof of the house with a lump of raw liver in his mouth." repeat ten times rapidly, "troy boat." ask a question to which "no" cannot be answered. (what does y-e-s spell?) shake a dime off your forehead. (the coin is wet and some one presses it firmly to the forehead of the one to pay the forfeit, who must keep his eyes closed. the dime is taken away, but the forfeit player still feels it there and tries to shake it off.) repeat a verse of poetry, counting the words aloud. mary (one) had (two) a (three) little (four) lamb (five). dance in one corner, cry in another, sing in another, and fall dead in the fourth. two forfeits may be redeemed at once by blindfolding two players, handing them each a glass of water, and bidding them give the other a drink. this, however, can be a very damp business. the old way of getting rid of a large number of forfeits was to tell their owners to hold a cats' concert, in which each sings a different song at the same time. perhaps it would be less noisy and more interesting if they were told to personate a farm-yard. auctioning prizes a novel way of awarding prizes is to auction them. each guest on arrival is given a small bag instead of a tally card. these bags are used to hold beans, five of which are given to all the players that progress at the end of each game. after the playing stops the prizes are auctioned. of course the person who has the greatest number of beans can buy the best prizes; so that besides making a great deal of fun, the distribution is entirely fair. drawing games many persons, when a drawing game is suggested, ask to be excused on the ground of an inability to draw. but in none of the games that are described in this chapter is any real drawing power necessary. the object of each game being not to produce good drawings but to produce good fun, a bad drawing is much more likely to lead to laughter than a good one. five dots all children who like drawing like this game; but it is particularly good to play with a real artist, if you have one among your friends. you take a piece of paper and make five dots on it, wherever you like--scattered about far apart, close together (but not too close), or even in a straight line. the other player's task is to fit in a drawing of a person with one of these dots at his head, two at his hands, and two at his feet, as in the examples on page 48. outlines or wiggles another form of "five dots" is "outlines." instead of dots a line, straight, zigzag, or curved, is made at random on the paper. papers are then exchanged and this line must be fitted naturally into a picture, as in the examples on page 49. a good way to play wiggles when there are a number of people to play, is to mark the same line for all the players, either by pressing down very hard with a hard pencil so that the line can be traced from one piece of paper to another, or with carbon copy paper between the sheets. thus each person has the same line, and the one who uses his in the most fantastic and unexpected way is the winner. the only rule about making the line is that a circle shall not be made. the two ends must be left ready to add the rest of the design. it is well sometimes to limit the pictures to human faces, as this makes the grotesque unlikeness of the drawings all the more absurd. [illustration: five dots] [illustration: outlines] eyes-shut drawings the usual thing to draw with shut eyes is a pig, but any animal will do as well (or almost as well, for perhaps the pig's curly tail just puts him in the first place). why it should be so funny a game it is difficult quite to explain, but people laugh more loudly over it than over anything else. there is one lady at least who keeps a visitor's book in which every one that stays at her house has to draw an eyes-shut pig. the drawings are signed, and the date is added. such a guest book is now manufactured, bound in pig skin, or in cloth. "ghosts of my friends" while on the subject of novel albums the "ghost of my friends" might be mentioned. the "ghost" is the effect produced by writing one's signature with plenty of ink, and while the ink is still very wet, folding the paper down the middle of the name, lengthwise, and pressing the two sides firmly together. the result is a curious symmetrically-shaped figure. some people prefer "ghosts" to ordinary signatures in a visitors' book. the "book of butterflies" is on the same order. with the book come four tubes of paint. the paint is squeezed on the page, which is doubled and flattened. the effects are very beautiful, and surprisingly lifelike. another guest book is the "hand-o-graph," in which the outline of the hand of each guest is kept. the "thumb-o-graph" is on the same principle, except that in this case the imprint of the guest's thumb is preserved, made from an ink pad supplied with the book. a remarkable collection can be made of ink-blot pictures. a drop of ink, either round as it naturally falls, or slightly lengthened with a pen, is dropped on paper which is then folded smartly together and rubbed flat. the most surprising designs are the result, some of which, aided a little by the pen, look like landscapes, figures and complicated geometric designs. drawing tricks six drawing tricks are illustrated on this page. one (1) is the picture of a soldier and a dog leaving a room, drawn with three strokes of the pencil. another (3) is a sailor, drawn with two squares, two circles, and two triangles. another (5), henry viii, drawn with a square and nine straight lines. another (6), invented for this book, an esquimaux waiting to harpoon a seal, drawn with eleven circles and a straight line. the remaining figures are a cheerful pig and a despondent pig (4), and a cat (2), drawn with the utmost possible simplicity. [illustration: drawing tricks] composite animals in this game the first player writes the name of an animal at the top of the paper and folds it over. the next writes another, and so on until you have four, or even five. you then unfold the papers and draw animals containing some feature of each of those named. [illustration] [illustration] invented animals a variation of this game is for the players to draw and describe a new creature. on one occasion when this game was played every one went for names to the commoner advertisements. the best animal produced was the hairy coco, the description of which stated, among other things, that it was fourteen feet long and had fourteen long feet. a good guessing contest is to supply every person with a slip of paper on which is written the name of an animal. he draws a picture of it and these pictures are all exhibited signed with the artist's name. the person who guesses correctly the subjects of the greatest number of them wins. heads, bodies, and tails for this game sheets of paper are handed round and each player draws at the top of his sheet a head. it does not matter in the least whether it is a human being's or a fish's head, a quadruped's, a bird's, or an insect's. the paper is then turned down, two little marks are made to show where the neck and body should join, and the paper is passed on for the body to be supplied. here again it does not matter what kind of body is chosen. the paper is then folded again, marks are made to show where the legs (or tail) ought to begin, and the paper is passed on again. after the legs are drawn the picture is finished. pictures to order each player sits, pencil in hand, before a blank sheet of paper, his object being to make a picture containing things chosen by the company in turn. the first player then names the thing that he wants in the picture. perhaps it is a tree. he therefore says, "draw a tree," when all the players, himself included, draw a tree. perhaps the next says, "draw a boy climbing the tree"; the next, "draw a balloon caught in the top branches"; the next, "draw two little girls looking up at the balloon"; and so on, until the picture is full enough. the chief interest of this game resides in the difficulty of finding a place for everything that has to be put in the picture. a comparison of the drawings afterward is usually amusing. hieroglyphics, or picture-writing as a change from ordinary letter-writing, "hieroglyphics" are amusing and interesting to make. the best explanation is an example, such as is given on pages 52 and 53, the subject being two verses from a favorite nursery song. pictures and titles each player draws on the upper half of the paper an historical scene, whether from history proper or from family history, and appends the title, writing it along the bottom of the paper and folding it over. the drawings are then passed on and each player writes above the artist's fold (or on another sheet of paper) what he thinks they are meant to represent, and folds the paper over what he has written. in the accompanying example the title at the bottom of the paper is what the draughtsman himself wrote; the others are the other players' guesses. [illustration: various descriptions by the players the abbot of christchurch, near bournemouth, surveys the scaffolding of the abbey. the end of the paris exhibition. an old man coming back to the home of his childhood, looks across the river, where a duck is swimming, to the dilapidated cathedral and town which represent the stately piles he remembered. the building of the ark. the artist's description the last man surveying the ruins of the crystal palace.] writing games many of the games under this heading look harder than they really are. but the mere suggestion of a writing game is often enough to frighten away timid players who mistrust their powers of composition--although the result can be as funny when these powers are small as when they are considerable. the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. simple acrostics there are "simple acrostics" and "double acrostics." the simple ones are very simple. when the players are all ready a word is chosen by one of them, either from thought or by looking at a book and taking the first promising one that occurs. perhaps it is "govern." each player then puts the letters forming "govern" in a line down the paper, and the object of the game is to find, in a given time, words beginning with each of those letters. thus, at the end of time, one player might have- g ravy o range v iolet e sther r obin n umbskull the players then describe their words in turn, one letter going the round before the next is reached, and from these descriptions the words have to be guessed, either by any player who likes or by the players in turn. the player whose paper we have quoted might describe his words like this: g---"something that makes hot beef nice"; o---"a fruit"; v---"a flower"; e---"a girl's name"; r---"a bird"; and n---"a name for a silly person." if any one else has the same word neither of you can score it, and it is therefore important to seek for the most unlikely words. another way of playing "simple acrostics" is to insist on each word being the same length. thus "govern" might be filled in by one player thus:- g rave o ddly v erse e arth r ebel n inth double acrostics in "double acrostics" the game is played in precisely the same way, except that the letters of the word, after having been arranged in a line down the paper, are then arranged again in a line up the paper, so that the first letter is opposite the last, and the last opposite the first. thus:- g n o r v e e v r o n g the players have then to fill in words beginning and ending with the letters as thus arranged. one paper might come out thus:- g rai n o rde r v ersatil e e ... v r apall o n othin g this word is rather a hard one on account of the e and v. as a rule, words of only three letters are not allowed in "acrostics," nor are plurals. that is to say, if the word has to end in "s," one must not simply add "s" to an ordinary word, such as "grooms" for g----s, but find a word ending naturally in "s," such as "genesis." it is not necessary to invert the same word in order to get letters for the ends of the words. two words of equal length can be chosen and arranged side by side. thus (but this is almost too difficult an example):- d k i i c p k l e i n n s g "acrostics" may be made more difficult and interesting by giving them a distinct character. thus, it may be decided that all the words that are filled in must be geographical, or literary, or relating to flowers. fives "fives" is a game which is a test also of one's store of information. a letter is chosen, say t, and for a given time, ten minutes perhaps, the players write down as many names of animals beginning with t as they can think of. the first player then reads his list, marking those words that no one else has and crossing off all that are also on other players' papers. then the names of vegetables (including flowers, trees, and fruit) are taken; then minerals; then persons; and then places. the player who has most marks wins the game. a variety of this game is to take a long word, say "extraordinary," and within a given time to see how many smaller words can be made from it, such as tax, tin, tea, tear, tare, tray, din, dray, dairy, road, rat, raid, and so on. lists "lists" is a variety of "fives." paper is provided, and each player in turn calls out something which the whole company write down. thus, suppose there are five players and you decide to go round three times: the first may say a river; the second, a doctor; the third, a complaint; the fourth, a play; the fifth, a state in the union; the first again, a musical instrument; the second again, a poet; and so on, until the fifteen things are all written down. each paper will then have the same list of fifteen things upon it. one of the company then opens a book at random, and chooses, say, the first letter of the third word in the first line. perhaps it is t. for a given time each player has to supply his list with answers beginning with t. at the call of time one of the papers may present this appearance:- a river tees a doctor. mr. treves a complaint tic doloreux a play timon of athens a state in the union tennessee a musical instrument trombone a poet tennyson a flower trefoil a mineral tin a lake tanganyika a tree tulip a country turkey an author trollope an artist tadema a preacher talmage each player in turn reads his list aloud, strikes off those words that others also have, and puts a mark against the rest. the specimen list here given is too simple to be called a good one. players should reject the first thing that comes into their thoughts, in favor of something less natural. buried names the first thing for the players to do is to decide what kind of name they will bury. the best way is to call out something in turn. thus, if there are four players they may decide to bury the name of an author, a girl, a town, and a river. each player writes these down and a fixed time is given for burial, which consists in writing a sentence that shall contain the name somewhere spelled rightly but spread over two words, or three if possible. at the end of the time the sentences are read aloud in turn, while the others guess. of course, the whole game may be given up to burying only one kind of name, but variety is perhaps better. examples are given:- an author: i like to keep the y_ew in g_ood order. a girl: the boy was cru_el, laz_y and obstinate. a town: clothes that are _new have n_o need of brushing. a river: to see spoil_t ham es_pecially annoys me. it is permissible to bury the name in the middle of one longer word, but it is better to spread it over two or three. perhaps the best example of a buried english town is this: "the queen of she_ba sings to ke_ep her spirits up." this is good, because the sentence is natural, because of the unusual number of words that are made use of in the burial, and because in reading it aloud the sound of the buried town is not suggested. letters and telegrams in this game you begin with the letter. the first thing to write is the address and "my dear ----," choosing whomever you like, but usually, as in "consequences," either a public person or some one known, if possible, to every one present. the paper is then folded over and passed on. the next thing to write is the letter itself, which should be limited to two minutes or some short period, and should be the kind of letter that requires a reply. the paper is folded and passed on again, and the subscription, "believe me yours sincerely," or whatever adverb you choose, and the signature are then added. (these may be divided into two separate writings if you like.) the signature should be that of another public person, or friend, relation or acquaintance of the family. the paper is then passed on once more, and a reply to the letter, in the form of a telegram, is written. that is to say, you must say as much as you can in ten words. example:- the letter _the first player writes_:--my dear buffalo bill. _the second player writes_:--can you give me any information about suitable songs for our village choir? _the third player writes_:--believe me yours slavishly. _the fourth player writes_:--kitchener of khartoum. the reply telegram _the fifth player writes_:--be with you to-morrow. have sheets aired. am bringing everything. telegrams there is also the game of "telegrams." in this the first thing to write is the name of the person sending the telegram. the paper is then passed on, and the name of the person to whom it is sent is written. the papers are then passed on again and opened, and the players in turn each say a letter of the alphabet, chosen at random, until there are ten. as these are spoken, each player writes them on the paper before him, leaving a space after it; so that when the ten are all written down his paper may look like this:- from the duke of york to barnum and bailey. h ... a ... p ... n ... w ... e ... k ... s ... f ... t ... a period of five minutes or more is then allowed in which to complete the telegram, the message having to be ten words long, and each word to begin, in the same order, with these letters. the players should, as far as possible, make the telegrams reasonable, if not possible. thus, the form given above might, when finished, read like this:- from the duke of york to barnum and bailey. have awning prepared next wednesday evening kindly send five tickets in calling out the ten letters which are to be used in the telegram, it is well to avoid the unusual consonants and to have a vowel here and there. an amusing variety is for all the players to compose telegrams on the same subject; the subject being given beforehand. thus it might be decided that all the telegrams should be sent from president roosevelt to alice in wonderland asking for her views on the tariff. then having completed these messages, the answers may also be prepared, using the same letters. but, of course, as in all games, family matters work out more amusingly than public ones. initials paper is handed round, and each player thinks of some public person, or friend or acquaintance of the company, and writes in full his or her christian name (or names) and surname. then, for, say, five minutes, a character sketch of the person chosen has to be composed, each word of which begins with the initial letter of each of the person's names, repeated in their right order until the supply of thought gives out or time is up. thus, suppose the person chosen is frank richard stockton, the story writer. the character sketch might run:- f ancifully r ecounts s trange f reakish r omantic s tories. f inds r isibility s urely. f requently r aises s miles. an occasional "and" and "of" may be dropped in if necessary. where one of the names begins with a vowel (such as william _e_wart gladstone) the character sketch can be made to run more easily. it is sometimes more amusing to give every one the same names to work on; and in some houses the players are not allowed to choose names for themselves, but must pass the paper on. the characters of towns and nations may be written in the same way, using all the letters of the word as the initials. riddles a more difficult game is "riddles." at the top of the paper is written anything that you can think of: "a soldier," "a new dress," "a fit of the blues," "a railway accident"--anything that suggests itself. the paper is passed on and anything else is written, no matter what. it is passed on again and opened. suppose that the two things written on it are, first, "a school-teacher," and second, "a pair of skates." the duty of the player is to treat them as a riddle, and, asking the question either as "why is a school-teacher like a pair of skates?" or "what is the difference between a school-teacher and a pair of skates?" (whichever way one prefers), to supply a reasonable answer. this game, it will be seen, is suited particularly to clever people. rhymed replies this is a game that needs a certain amount of readiness and some skill with words. each of the party writes at the top of a piece of paper a question of any kind whatever, such as "how old was cã¦sar when he died?" or "what is your favorite color?" the paper is folded over and passed on, and the next player writes a word--any word--such as "electricity," "potato," "courageously," "milk." the papers are then passed on once more and opened, and the task of each player is to write a rhyme in which the question on his paper is answered and the word on his paper is introduced. missing information every one is supplied with a piece of paper and pencils and tries to write down correct answers to questions about everyday things which we none of us know. a suggestive list is given but any one can add to it indefinitely. 1. how big do you think a postage-stamp is, in inches--a five dollar bill? 2. draw a picture of a clock's face with the hands pointing to five minutes of twelve. 3. how tall do you think a man's silk hat is, a derby? 4. draw the design in panels of the door to the room you are in. (of course without looking at it.) 5. how many holes are there in a high laced shoe--your own? 6. how many toes has a cat, a dog? 7. how many legs has a fly? 8. how does a cow lie down? a horse? 9. about how many petals has a common daisy? a wild rose? a sun flower? 10. how high from the ground is a street-car?--a railway car? the person who can answer most correctly the greatest number of questions is the winner. consequences "consequences" is always a favorite game when a party has reached its frivolous mood. the method of playing is this: sheets of paper and pencils are handed round, and every one writes at the head (1) an adjective suitable to be applied to a man, such as "handsome." this word is then folded over so that it cannot be read, and each paper is passed on to the next person. the name of a man (2) is then written, either some one you know, or a public person, such as the president or mr. carnegie. this in turn is folded over and the papers are passed on. the word "met" is understood to be inserted at this point. that is to say, the completed story will tell how handsome mr. carnegie met some one. the next thing (3) is to put down an adjective suitable to apply to the woman whom he met, such as "buxom," and then (4) the woman's name, again either some one you know, or a public person,--the papers being folded and passed on after every writing. the remaining items are these:--(5) the place where they met--say, on the pier. (6) what he said to her--say, "i hope your neuralgia is better." (7) what she said to him--say, "there's nothing like rain for the crops." (8) what the consequence was--say, "they were married." (9) what the world said--"all's well that ends well." it must be remembered that unless there are very few players, when it is less fun, you do not get the chance of writing more than once, or at most twice, on the same sheet of paper, so that it is of no use to have a reasonable series of remarks in your mind. the specimen given above is an average one. in print nothing could be much less funny, but when the company has the spirit of "consequences," even so tame a story as this might keep the room merry. the game is always full of the unexpected, and the people who meet each other are almost sure to be laughing-stocks. the results are often better if all the papers are handed to one player to read. consequences extended the form of "consequences" above given is the ordinary one and the simplest. but in certain families the game has been altered and improved by other clauses. we give the fullest form of "consequences" with which we are acquainted. as it stands it is rather too long; but players may like to add to the fun of the ordinary game by adopting a few of these additions:- adjective for a man. the man. what he was wearing. what he was doing. (met) adjective for a woman. the woman. what she was wearing. what she was doing. the person he would much rather have met. where they met. what he thought. what he said. what she thought. what she said. what he gave her. what she did with it. where they went. what they did. what the consequence was. what the world said. example:- the honorable theodore roosevelt, who was dressed in a moirã© antique bath-towel and was eating walnuts, met coy aunt priscilla in a khaki tea-gown playing with her noah's ark, when he would much rather have met madame tussaud. they met at south hampton. what he thought was, "here's this woman again," but he merely said, "that's a very chic costume of yours." what she thought was, "i wonder if he's seen peter pan," but she only said, "that's wet paint you're leaning against." he gave her a piercing glance, and she swallowed it. so they went to prison together and learned to ride the bicycle, and the consequence was they caught influenza, and the world said, "it's an ill wind that blows nobody good." composite stories another folding-over and passing-on game is "composite stories." paper is passed round, and for five minutes each player writes the opening of a story with a title prefixed. the papers are passed on, and each player reads through as much of the story as has been written and for five minutes adds to it. and so on, until each player has written once on each paper. the papers are then passed on once more, with the result that each paper will be found to be lying before the player who began it. the next and last five minutes are then spent by each person in reading through the story and bringing it to an end, sometimes a difficult enough task. if six persons are playing and allowances of five minutes have been given, there will be at the end of thirty-five minutes six complete stories to read aloud. another story game a variety of the story game is for each player to write the name of a well-known person or friend of the family on the top of the paper, fold it over, and pass it on. this happens, say, five times, which means that when the papers are opened the names of five persons will be found on each. a story has then to be written introducing these people. improbable stories another story game is one in which each player attempts to tell the most improbable or impossible story. in this case the papers are not passed on, but a certain amount of time is given for the stories to be written in. the newspaper this is a rather elaborate but really very easy game to play. one player, who acts as editor, takes as many sheets of paper as there are players and writes at the head of each the title of a section of a newspaper. thus on one he will write, paris correspondence; on another, english correspondence; on another, berlin correspondence; on a fourth, political news; on a fifth, our fashion page; on a sixth, reviews; on a seventh, weather report; and so on. each player then, for a given time, writes on the subject allotted to him, more or less in the manner of the daily press, and at the end the result is read aloud by the editor. the plan is easily adapted to family or village life. the heading may refer to domestic matters, such as nursery correspondence, kitchen gossip, fashions for gentlemen (an account of father's new suit), garden news, village chatter, and so on. or, instead of a newspaper, a popular magazine may be contributed, with illustrations. predicaments this is a good game for a company of ingenious people, and it will be found that almost every one is ingenious when confronted with a difficult situation and given time to think out a solution. every one is given paper and pencil (or this is not necessary since the solutions may be oral). then one player starts the game by suggesting some predicament and asking the company "what would you do in such a case?" five minutes are given for reflection, and fifteen if the answers are to be written. then each in turn must say how he would have extricated himself from the scrape. a few suitable subjects are given here. if you found yourself in a strange city, where you didn't know a soul, with no money and nothing you could pawn, what would you do? if you should wake up in the night and see a burglar just entering the room, what would you do? if you should look out of your school-room door and see smoke and fire in the hall, what would you do? if you should be in a foreign country, not able to speak the language and wanted to order a room and breakfast, what would you do? table and card games card games and others card games proper, such as bezique and cribbage and whist, do not come into the scope of this book. nor do games such as chess, draughts, halma and backgammon. it is not that they are not good games, but that, having to be bought, their rules do not need enumerating again. the description of a few very old and favorite games with cards, and one or two new ones, is, however, given, because they can be made at home. letter games on page 178 will be found the simplest letter game. letters can be used for a round game by one player making a word, shuffling it, and throwing it face upward into the middle of the table. the winner is the player who first sees what it spells. distribute a box of letters among the players, dealing them face downward. in turn each player takes up a letter at random and puts it face upward in the middle of the table. the object of the game is to make words out of these letters. directly a player sees a word he calls it out, and taking the letters places them in front of him, where they remain until the end of the game, when each player counts his words and the owner of the greatest number is the winner. if, however, a word has been chosen which, by the addition of another letter or so from the middle of the table, can be transformed into a longer word, the player who thinks of this longer word takes the shorter word from the other player and places it before himself. thus, a might see the word "seat" among the letters, and calling it out, place it before him; and then b, noticing another "t," might call out "state," and adding it to a's word, take that to himself. if, however, a then detected an "e" in the middle and called out "estate" the word would be his again. these losses and reconquests form the chief fun of the game. an "s" at the end of a word, forming a plural, is not allowed. patience, or thirteens many games of "patience" can be played as well with numbered cards as with ordinary playing cards. it does not matter much what size they are, but for convenience, in playing on a small table, they may as well be about an inch wide and two inches long, with the number at the top. thus:- +------------+ | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +------------+ a "patience" set consists of four packs of cards each containing four sets of thirteen cards numbered from 1 to 13. these can be made at home perfectly well, and a little bag to hold each pack should also be made. the simplest game is to arrange the four sets in their right order. one player empties her four bags into a basket, shakes them up, and calls them out as she picks them out (at random). the others, who have the cards spread before them, then arrange them in four rows as well as may be, until a 1 is called and there is a chance to begin packing the others upon it. with inexperienced players five rows are sometimes allowed. we do not give other games of "patience," for two reasons. one is that it is not exactly a children's game, and the other, that it is one of the games which can be properly taught only by personal instruction. varieties of "patience" are very numerous, and good books can be had on the subject. snap there can be no real need to describe "snap," but perhaps it may be useful to have the rules in print here in case of any dispute. a pack of "snap" cards is dealt round, any number being able to play; and the game begins by the players taking their cards one by one from their hands and in turn laying them face upward on the table before them. if a card is turned up similar to a card already on view on the table, the player who turns it up or the player who owns the similar card cries "snap," and the cards go to the player who says "snap" first. as it is sometimes difficult for the players to distinguish which says "snap" first, it is well to have an umpire. in the case of an undoubted dead-heat the game should go on as if nothing had happened. the player who won the cards gathers up also into his hand all the cards which were before him and continues the game. when a player has transferred all his cards from his hand to the table he waits until his turn comes and then takes them into his hand again. this is a very exciting moment, because, if his top card were snapped, then he would lose everything. in good "snap" packs there are several sets of cards which are intentionally made nearly but not absolutely alike, and it is very common to say "snap" by mistake when one of these turns up. in that case the cards of the player who cried "snap" are placed in the middle of the table, where they stay until some one turns up a card exactly like the top one and "snap centre" is called, when both the centre pack and the pack in front of the turner-up belong to the player who cried "snap centre." it may of course be the turner-up himself, but is very likely somebody else, because whereas under ordinary conditions only the owners of similar cards may cry "snap," when there are cards is the middle too any one may cry "snap centre." (in some houses any one may cry "snap" all through the game, but that is not the best way.) when a player has lost all his cards he is out of the game until there are cards in the middle again, when an opportunity comes of snap-centring them and getting into play again. the game goes on until one player has all the cards. grab in "grab," a very rowdy variety of "snap," a cork is placed in the middle of the table. the rules are the same as in "snap," except that, instead of saying "snap," you snatch for the cork; in the case of "snap centre," snatching and saying "centre" too. snap cards "snap" cards may just as well be home-made as bought. they either can be painted, in which case you must be careful that the sets of four articles are just alike, or you can cut out shapes of different colored paper and stick them on. a bundle of wall-paper patterns is splendid material for a pack. the only advantage that bought "snap" cards have over home-made ones is that they slip better. old maid this game can be played by any number, either with a home-made pack or with ordinary playing cards from which three of the queens have been taken away; the remaining queen being the old maid. the cards are then dealt and each player first weeds out all pairs, such as two knaves, two aces, two fives, and so on. all having done this, the player who begins offers her hand, with the cards face downward, to her neighbor, and her neighbor takes one. she then looks through her cards to see if it pairs with any that she already has, and, if it does, throws the pair on the table. having finished her examination she offers her cards in the same way to the next player, and so it goes on. as the possessor of the old maid card is, at the end, the loser of the game, each one who gets it does all in her power to induce the next player to take it. as the cards get fewer and fewer the excitement grows and grows. "old bachelor" is played in the same way, except that three of the kings are then thrown out. pig "pig" is a very noisy game. it is played with ordinary cards, unless you like to make a "pig" set, which would be very easy. having discovered how many persons want to play, you treat the pack accordingly. for instance, if five want to play you throw out all cards except five sets of four; if six, or three, you throw out all cards except six sets of four or three sets of four. thus, if five were playing, the cards might consist of four aces, four twos, four threes, four fours, and four fives; or, if you began at the other end, four kings, four queens, four knaves, four tens and four nines. the cards are shuffled and dealt round, four each, and the game is for each player to complete a set of four. you do not, as in "old maid," select one from the cards that are offered, face downward, but each player hands whatever card he likes to the next player, who is bound to accept it. directly a player has a set of four complete he lays the cards on the table, either very stealthily or with a bang, whichever he likes. immediately a set is laid on the table (or directly the other players notice it) all other cards have to be laid there, too. the player who is last in laying them down is pig. the game is played for as many rounds as you like, the player who was last the fewest times being the winner. the word pig alters with each round. the last player to lay down his cards in the second round is not merely pig, but little pig; in the third, big pig; in the fourth, mother (or father) pig; in the fifth, grandmother (or grandfather) pig; in the sixth, ancestral pig; in the seventh, venerable pig; in the eighth, primeval pig; in the ninth, crackling. prophecies and characteristics this is a memory game and a very amusing one. it is played with two packs of cards of any sort. one pack is laid in a heap, face down, in the middle of the table. the other pack is distributed to the players, who lay them face upward in rows; each person should not have more than twelve cards since it is practically impossible to remember more than that number. any one can begin by giving either a prophecy or a characteristic--thus: "who will inherit a fortune inside a year?" or "who will be the first in the room to wear false teeth?" at the same time turning up a card from the centre pile. whoever has the card matching this, takes it, lays it face down on his card repeating the prophecy, "i will be the first to wear false teeth." the next in turn gives a characteristic, "who has the worst temper?" or "who has the most unselfish disposition?" this process continues around, until all the centre cards are matched. then the memory test comes in. every player in turn tries to remember and repeat all the prophecies and characteristics which have fallen to his share, giving them aloud in rapid succession. he is allowed for deliberation on any one only the time while ten is being counted. the one who remembers the greatest number is the winner. the old maid's birthday this game is utterly foolish, but it can lead to shouts of laughter. it has been founded on an old-fashioned card game called "mr. punch." the first thing required is a pack of plain cards on which should be written the names of articles of food and clothing, household utensils, and other domestic and much advertised things: such, for example, as a frock-coat, a round of beef, a foot-warmer, a box of pills. a story, somewhat on the lines of that which follows, must then be prepared and copied into a note-book. the company take their places and the cards are handed round. these should be held face downward. when all is ready one of the players reads the story, pausing at each blank for the player whose turn comes next to fill it in by calling out whatever is on his uppermost card. no matter how often the game is played (provided the cards are re-shuffled) the unexpected always happens, and it is usually so absurd as to be quite too much for a room all ready for laughter. the number of blanks in the story should be equal to the number of cards, and in order that the story may run on smoothly it is well for the next player always to glance at his top card just before his turn, so as to bring it out readily and naturally. the following story, which makes provision for nearly fifty cards, should be found serviceable until a better and more personal one is written. it will add to the amusement if the player who reads it substitutes the names of real shops and, if he likes, real people: attention. it was miss flitters's birthday, and she woke with a start and hurried down to see what the postman had brought. there were five parcels and a letter. the letter was from miss bitters. "dear miss flitters," it ran, "i am so sorry to hear of your cold, and in the hope that it will do you good, i am sending you a ----. i always find it excellent, although mother prefers ----. we both wish you many happy returns of the day." the other presents were, from miss ditters a handsome ----, from miss glitters a delicate ----, and from miss hitters a particularly refined ----. "dear me!" said miss flitters, "what a useful gift! just exactly what i wanted." she then sat down to breakfast, which, this being a special day, consisted of ----. "i did my best to do it to a turn," said the cook, as she laid it on the table with her own hands. "mary said as how you'd prefer a ----, but, bless your 'eart, miss flitters, i know your tastes best." "you do, indeed," said miss flitters. "the thing is perfectly cooked. it's delicious. it reminds me of ----. to-day," she added, "i am giving a party, and i want you to let us have a very charming meal. i will get the things directly after breakfast. what do you think we shall need?" "well, ma'am," said the cook, "you may please yourself about everything else, but we've done without a ---for so long, that i must have one." "quite right," said her mistress. she then prepared for going out; and seeing that it looked like rain, took a ---from the cupboard and on her head tied a ----. "bless your 'eart, mum," cried the cook, "you've forgot your smelling salts. suppose you was to feel faint--what then? never mind," she added, "this'll do just as well"--handing her a ----. miss flitters hurried off at such a pace that she ran right into the minister. "i beg your pardon," she exclaimed, "i mistook you for a ----." "may i come with you?" asked the minister. "most certainly," said miss flitters. they went first to buszard's for a ----, and selected two particularly juicy ones. then to marshall and snelgrove's for a ----. "is this for the complexion?" asked the minister, picking up a ---from the counter. "la, sir," said miss flitters, "how little you know of domestic life!" then they went to fuller's for a ----, and to jay's for a ----. "it's too dear," said miss flitters. "give me a ----instead." at the stores they inspected ----. "haven't you anything fresher?" asked miss flitters: "i'd as soon buy a ----." none the less she bought two and slipped them into her reticule, adding as a little gift for the cook a ----. the party began at six o'clock. the first to come was miss kitters. "you don't mind my bringing my work, i know, dear," she exclaimed; "i'm embroidering a ---for the natives of madagascar, and it must be done soon." miss litters came next, and being rather short-sighted, sat down on a ----. "never mind," said miss flitters. "oh, i don't," she replied, "but it would have been more comfortable if it had been a ----." miss mitters came just as the clock struck. she was wearing a charming ---trimmed with ----. "what perfect taste she has!" the others murmured. miss nitters followed. miss nitters was the exact opposite of miss mitters in all matters relating to dress. she had no taste at all, and was wearing merely a ---with pompons attached, and in place of earrings a couple of ----. "so fast!" whispered miss litters. miss pitters, miss ritters, and miss titters each brought a present. miss pitters's present was a silver-plated ----. "so useful for the toilet table," she said. miss ritters's was a japanese ----, a piece of exquisite workmanship; while miss titters produced from her pocket a brown paper parcel which turned out to contain a very choice ----, an heirloom in the titters family for centuries. "i didn't know whether to bring this or a ----," she said; "but father decided me. father always knows best." when all were assembled, the guests sat down to supper. but here an awkward thing happened. "if you please, mum," the cook was heard to whisper in a loud voice, "the ---hasn't come. shall i get a ---instead?" "yes," said miss flitters, "that will do very well. don't you think so, miss pitters?" "i think," was the reply, "i should prefer ----." it was none the less an excellent and generous repast. opposite miss flitters was a noble ----, flanked by a ---and a ----. at the foot of the table was a dish of ----. "i never tasted anything so delicious in my life," said miss mitters, taking a large helping of ----. "oh!" said miss glitters, "you should try the ----. it's yumps." the first course was followed by sweets, the most imposing of which was a wonderful frosted ---with miss flitters's name in pink sugar. "you must all have a piece," said the hostess, "but i'm afraid it's rather rich." after supper came games, "blind man's buff" and "hunt the slipper," but as no one cared to lend a slipper, they used instead a ----, and it did very well. at midnight the party broke up, the guests saying that they never had spent a pleasanter evening. as a protection against the cold miss flitters gave them each a hot ----. she then hurried to bed and dreamed all night of ----. thinking, guessing, and acting games the ship alphabet the players sit in a long row, as if in a class at school. the one that acts as schoolmaster asks sharply, beginning at one end, "the name of the letter?" "a," says the player. the schoolmaster turns to the next player, "the name of the ship?" and straightway begins to count ten very quickly and sternly. "andromeda," is perhaps rapped out before he reaches that number. "the name of the captain?" "alfred." "the name of the cargo?" "armor." "the port she comes from?" "amsterdam." "the place she is bound for?" "antananarivo." "the next letter?" "b," and so on. if the schoolmaster is very strict and abrupt with his questions and counting, he can drive every idea from the mind of the person he points at. if he counts ten before an answer comes, he passes on to the next, and the next, and the next, until the answer is given. the one who gives it moves up above those that failed. the game should be played rapidly. a variation on this is "when my ship comes in." this is played with a handkerchief knotted into a ball. any letter of the alphabet is chosen; say b. one player throws the handkerchief to another, crying out, "when my ship comes in it will be laden with ----." the player who catches the handkerchief must supply a cargo, beginning with b before ten is counted, bees, butterflies, belts, etc. if he fails to do this he gives a forfeit. when one letter is exhausted another is chosen and the game starts over. i love my love this is not played now as once it was. in the old way the players sat in a line and went steadily through the alphabet, each one taking a letter in order. this was the form:--"i love my love with an a, because he is [a favorable adjective beginning with a]. i hate him with an a because he is [an unfavorable adjective beginning with a]. he took me to the sign of the [an inn sign beginning with a], and treated me to [two eatables or an eatable and drinkable beginning with a]. his name is [a man's name beginning with a], and he comes from [a town or country beginning with a]." then b, and so on. a and b might run thus:- i love my love with an a because he is adorable. i hate him with an a because he is apish. he took me to the sign of the alderman and treated me to arrowroot and ale. his name is arnold, and he comes from ayrshire. i love my love with a b because he is brisk. i hate him with a b because he is bookish. he took me to the sign of the beetle and treated me to biscuits and bovril. his name is brian, and he comes from boston. there is no reason why men should always be chosen. for the sake of variety the love may as well have a woman's name and a woman's qualities. in that case the inn might perhaps go and some such sentence as this take its place:- i love my love with an a because she is amiable. i hate her with an a because she is awesome. we went to uncle alexander's, and had apricots and apollinaris. her name is audrey, and she comes from annapolis. as finding seven words beginning with one letter is rather a heavy task for each player, the words might be taken in turn, as in the case of the "ship" game mentioned above. for a shorter way of playing "i love my love" the following form is used:--"i love my love with an a because he--or she--is [favorable adjective]. i will send him--or her--to [some place] and feed him--or her--on [something to eat]. i will give him--or her--an [some article, the use for which must be mentioned after it], and a bunch of [some flower] for a nosegay." thus:- i love my love with an a because he is artistic. i will send him to australia, and feed him on asparagus. i will give him an alpenstock to climb with, and a bunch of asters for a nosegay. my thought the players sit in a row or circle, and one, having thought of something--of any description whatever--asks them in turn, "what is my thought like?" not having the faintest idea what the thought is they reply at random. one may say, "like a dog"; another, "like a saucepan"; a third, "like a wet day"; a fourth, "like a comic opera." after collecting all the answers the player announces what the thought was, and then goes along the row again calling upon the players to explain why it is like the thing named by them. the merit of the game lies in these explanations. thus, perhaps the thing thought of was a concertina. the first player, asked to show why a concertina is like a dog, may reply, "because when it is squeezed it howls." the next may say, "it is like a heavy saucepan because it is held in both hands." the third, "it is like a wet day because one soon has enough of it"; and the fourth, "it is like a comic opera because it is full of tunes." p's and q's another old game of this kind is "p's and q's." the players sit in a circle and one stands up and asks them each a question in turn. the question takes this form, "the king of england [or france, or germany, or africa, or russia, or india, whatever country it may be] has gone forth with all his men. tell me where he has gone, but mind your p's and q's." the player who is addressed must then reply, naming, in whatever country is mentioned, some town that does not begin with p or q or with any letter before p in the alphabet. thus, if the question refers to england, he may say "salisbury" but not "bristol," "redruth" but not "oxford"; or to france, "toulon" but not "lyons," "versailles" but not "dieppe." the game is capable of improvement or, at least, of variety. for instance, instead of p's and q's, the questioner may say, "mind your k's and l's," or instead of ruling out all letters before p, all letters after q may be stopped. and one need not confine the game to geography, but may adapt it to include animals, or eatables, or books. the elements the players sit in a circle, and the game is begun by one of them throwing a rolled-up handkerchief to another and at the same time calling out the name of one of the four elements--air, water, earth, or fire. if "air" is called, the player to whom the handkerchief is thrown must at once mention some creature that flies. having done so she throws the handkerchief to some one else, calling perhaps "earth," whereupon that player must mention an animal that inhabits the earth. and so on. the same animal must not be mentioned twice, and when "fire" is called, the player to whom the handkerchief is thrown must keep silence until she throws it on again. sometimes each player, after throwing the handkerchief and calling the element, counts ten as the limit of time in which the answer must be given. if it is longer in coming, or if something is mentioned which has been mentioned before, then a forfeit follows. suggestions this is a game which people either dislike or like very much. the players sit round the fire or table, and one of them begins by naming an article of any kind whatever, such as watering-pot. the word "watering-pot" will immediately suggest something to the next player--say "gardener." he therefore says "gardener." the next is perhaps reminded by the word "gardener" of a bunch of violets she saw the gardener carrying that morning, and she therefore says "violets"; the next at once recollects finding violets when she was in the country last spring, and she therefore says "vermont." thus the game goes on for, say, ten rounds, by which time, as we have seen already, the minds of the players have been carried miles away from the original watering-pot which set them at work. it is now necessary to trace the series of suggestions back to watering-pot again. this is done by the last player mentioning, not the last thing that he thought of, but the thing which suggested that to him. (thus, the player next him may have said, in the last round, "an apple-core," which may have suggested to him "tom sawyer." he would not, however, when the task of retracing begins, say "tom sawyer," because to repeat your own words is too easy, but "an apple-core" and the next player, going backward, in his turn would repeat the word which suggested "an apple-core" to him.) the second part of the game, retracing the suggestions, is naturally more difficult than the first. in this game two things are very important. one is, that silence should be maintained; the other, that the word you give should be suggested to you only by the previous player's remark. also it is more fun to be quite honest about it, and really say what was first suggested, instead of making a choice. quotation games this is a game which requires some poetical knowledge. the players sit in a circle and one begins by repeating a line of poetry. the next caps it by repeating whatever line comes next to it in the poem from which it is taken. the poem may either be continued or the game may deal only in couplets or four-lined stanzas. in another quotation game the first player repeats a line of poetry and the next follows it with another line of poetry which begins with the last letter of the previous quotation. thus, if the first player says- it was the schooner _hesperus_ that sailed the wintry sea, the next might cap it with- a man's a man for a' that, and the next with- the quality of mercy is not strained. two rhyming games rhyming games require more taxing of brains than most players care for. the ordinary rhyming game, without using paper, is for one player to make a remark in an easy metre, and for the next to add a line completing the couplet. thus in one game that was played one player said- it is a sin to steal a pin, much more to steal an apple. and the next finished it by adding- and people who are tempted to, with satan ought to grapple. but this was showing more skill than there is real need for. an easier rhyming game is that in which the rhyme has to come at the beginning of the line. the players are seated in a circle and one begins by asking the next a question of any nature whatever, or by making any casual remark, the first word of the answer to which must rhyme with the last word of the question. the game is then started, each player in turn adding a remark to that made by the one before him, always observing the rhyming rule. thus, the original question may be, "do you like mince _pies_?" the next player may reply, "_wise_ people always _do_." the next, "_you_, i suppose, agree with _that_?" the next, "_flat_ you may knock me if i _don't_." the next, "_won't_ you change the subject, _please_?" and the next: "_eas_-ily; let's talk of books." telling stories this is another of those fireside games that need more readiness of mind than many persons think a game should ask for. the first player begins an original story, stopping immediately (even in the middle of a sentence) when the player who is appointed time-keeper says "next." the next player takes it up; and so forth until the end comes, either at the end of the first round or whatever round seems best. another way is for each player to contribute only a single word; but this is rarely successful, because every one is not at the same pitch of attention. except on the part of the person who is narrating there ought to be absolute silence. clumps the company, according to the number of persons, divides up into two or three or even four groups, or clumps, in different parts of the room, seated closely in circles. as many players as there are clumps then go out and decide on some extremely out-of-the-way thing which the clumps have to guess. in one game, for example, the mine was thought of from which the iron was taken to lay the first railroad rails in america. that is the kind of far-fetched and ingenious thing. when it is decided upon, the players return to the room and take their places, one in the midst of each clump. questions are then put to them the answers to which must be either "yes" or "no," and the clump that discovers the thing first is the winner. other yes and no games the same game can be played without such keen rivalry, one player sitting in the midst of a great circle and answering questions in turn. there is also a game called "man and object," in which two players go out and decide upon a man (or woman) and something inanimate or not human with which he is associated or which he is known to have used, such as "washington and his hatchet," "whittington and his cat," "a druid and his mistletoe-knife." they then return and each player asks them each a question in turn until the problem is solved. the same game is sometimes turned inside out, the players that remain in the room deciding upon some one whom the player that has gone out has to personate and discover. in this case it is he who puts the questions. as he is supposed for the time being actually to be the thing thought of, he ought to frame his questions accordingly: "am i living?" "have i been dead long?" "am i a man?" and so forth. my right-hand neighbor this is a catch game and useless except when one of the company knows nothing about it. that player is sent out of the room, and after a due interval is called in again and told to guess what the other players have thought of. he may ask any questions he pleases that can be answered by "yes" or "no." the thing thought of is each player's right-hand neighbor, who is of course so different in every case as to lead in time to the total bewilderment of the guesser. how, when, and where one player leaves the room, while the others decide on some word, the name of a thing for choice (such as tale, tail), which has one pronunciation but two or three different meanings and perhaps spellings. they then sit in a circle or line and the other player is called in, his object being, by means of questions put in turn to each player, to discover what the word is. his questions must take the form, "how do you like it?" "when do you like it?" and "where do you like it?" let us suppose that "tale" is the word thought of. "how do you like it?" he will ask the first of the circle. the answer may be, "i like it amusing" (tale). "how do you like it?" he may ask the next. "i like it active" (tail). to the next, "when do you like it?" "i like it at night" (tale). to the next, "where do you like it?" "at the end" (tail). to the next, "where do you like it?" "in an armchair" (tale). and so on until he guesses the word. coffee-pot a similar game is called "coffee-pot" or "tea-pot." in this case also the company think of a word with more than one meaning, but instead of answering questions about it they make a pretense of introducing it into their answers by putting the word "coffee-pot" in its place. as the player who is guessing is at liberty to put any kind of question he likes it is well to choose a word that will go easily into ordinary conversation. let us suppose, for instance, that the word is rain, reign, rein. the questions and answers may run something like this:--"are you feeling pretty well to-day?" "i always feel well when there is no coffee-pot" (rain). "have you been reading anything interesting lately?" "yes, a very interesting book on the present coffee-pot" (reign). "i hope your toothache is better." "thank you, i hope its coffee-pot will soon be over" (reign). "did you walk here this evening?" "no; we came with the assistance of the coffee-pot" (rein). the guesser is allowed to make three guesses aloud, but after that he must meditate on the word in silence or put questions to test his theories. if the word is a verb and a past tense or present tense has to be used in an answer, the player says "coffee-potted" or "coffee-potting." throwing light this is much like "how, when, and where," except that instead of asking questions the player, or players, that went out sit still and listen to the others talking to each other concerning the selected word's various meanings. thus, if it is "spring," the first may remark, "it makes our drives so much more comfortable"; the next, "i am always happier then than at any other time"; the next, "to drink there is to know what drinking really is"; and so on. animal, vegetable, and mineral. this is also a similar game to "how, when, and where," except that the player who goes out of the room has, on his return, to guess something belonging to one of these three groups. his first question therefore is, "is it animal?" perhaps it is not. "is it vegetable?" "no." he knows then that it is mineral, and after that to find out what it is is only a matter of time. proverbs one or two players go out. the others sit in line and choose a proverb having as many words as there are players. thus, if there were eight players, "they love too much who die for love" would do; or if more than eight, two short proverbs might be chosen. each player having made certain what his word is, the others are called in. it is their duty to find out what proverb has been fixed upon, and the means of doing so is to ask each player in turn a question on any subject whatever, the answer to which must contain that player's word in the proverb. if the first round of questions does not reveal the proverb, they go round again and again. shouting proverbs in this game, instead of answering questions one by one, when the guesser or guessers come in the players at a given signal shout the words which belong to them at the top of their voice and all together. the guessers have to separate the proverb from the din. acting proverbs this is a very simple acting game. the players should divide themselves into actors and audience. the actors decide upon a proverb, and in silence represent it to the audience as dramatically as possible. such proverbs as "too many cooks spoil the broth," and "a bad workman quarrels with his tools," would be very easy--almost too easy if any stress is laid upon guessing. but, of course, although the guessing is understood to be part of the fun, the acting is the thing. acting initials two players go out. the others choose the name of a well-known person, public or private, the letters of whose name are the same in number as the players left in the room. thus, supposing there are seven persons in the room, the name might be dickens. the letters are then distributed; each player, as soon as he knows which letter is his, selecting some well-known living or historical character beginning with the same letter, whom he has to describe or personate. to personate is more fun than to describe. the players seat themselves in the right order to spell the name, and the other two are called in. when they are ready the first player, d, is called on to describe or impersonate his letter; and so on in the right order. acting verbs, or dumb crambo in this game the company divides into two. one half goes out, and the one that remains decides upon a verb which the others shall act in dumb show. a messenger is then despatched to tell the actors what the chosen word rhymes to. thus, if "weigh" were the verb fixed upon, the messenger might announce that it rhymes to "day." it is then well for the actors to go through the alphabet for verbs--bay, bray, lay, neigh, pay, prey, pray, play, stay, say; and act them in order. when the word is wrong the spectators hiss, but when right they clap. if the word chosen has two syllables, as "obey," notice ought to be given. guessing employments a very simple game. one player goes out. the others decide on some workman to represent, each pretending to do some different task belonging to his employment. thus, if they choose a carpenter, one will plane, one will saw, one will hammer, one will chisel, and so on. their occupation has then to be guessed. it is perhaps more interesting if each player chooses a separate trade. stool of repentance one player goes out. the others then say in turn something personal about him--such as, "he has a pleasant voice"; "his eye is piercing"; "he would look better if he wore a lower collar." those remarks are written down by one of the party, and the player is called in and placed on a chair in the middle. the recorder then reads the remarks that he has collected, and the player in the middle has to name the persons who made them. eyes a sheet, or a screen made of newspapers, is hung up, and two holes, a little larger than eyes and the same distance apart, are made in it. half the players retire to one side of it, and half stay on the other. they then look through the holes in turn, while those on the opposite side try to name the owner of the eyes. the game sounds tame, but the difficulty of recognition and the false guesses made soon lead to laughter. making obeisance this is a trick. those in the company who have never played the game go out of the room. one of the inside players, who is to represent the potentate, then mounts a chair and is covered with a sheet which reaches to the ground. at the point where it touches a shoe is placed, the toe of which is just visible. in the potentate's hand is a sponge full of water. one of the players outside is then invited in; he is told to kneel down and kiss the toe; the potentate on the chair leans forward a little to bring his sponge immediately over the subject's head; and a shower-bath follows. then another subject is admitted, but after a while there is enough water on the floor to make them suspicious. mesmerism another trick. the players who are to be mesmerized--among them being the one or two who do not know the game--stand in a row, each holding a dinner-plate in the left hand. the mesmerizer, who also has a dinner-plate, faces them, and impresses on them very seriously the importance, if they really want to be mesmerized, of doing exactly what he does and not moving their eyes from him in any direction. he then holds the plate flat, rubs the first finger of his right hand on the bottom of it, and makes an invisible cross on his forehead, on each cheek, and on the tip of his nose. that is all. the trick lies in the fact that the plates of the players who do not know the game have been held in the flame of a candle until they are well blacked. this means that when the mesmerism is over they each have black marks on their faces, and know nothing about it until they are led to a looking-glass. thought-reading tricks in all thought-reading games it is best that only the two performers should know the secret. of these two, one goes out of the room and the other stays in, after having first arranged on the particular trick which will be used. perhaps the company will then be asked to settle on a trade. let us say that they decide on a chemist. the other player is then called in, and his companion puts questions to him in this way:--"you have to name the trade which we have thought of. is it a grocer?" "no." "is it a draper?" "no." "is it a goldsmith?" "no." "is it a fruiterer?" "no." "is it a lawyer?" "no." "is it a chemist?" "yes." this will look rather mysterious to some of the company; but the thing is really simple enough. the questioner merely arranged with his companion that the trade thought of should follow a profession. perhaps on the next occasion the company will be asked to think of an article in the room. let us say that they fix on the clock. the questions will then run something like this:--"you have to name the article in this room which has been thought of. is it the piano?" "no." "is it the curtain-rod?" "no." "is it the carpet?" "no." "is it the fireplace?" "no." "is it the sideboard?" "no." "is it the armchair?" "no." "is it the clock?" "yes." this again is bewildering; but again the trick is very simple, the questioner having arranged that the article shall follow something that has four legs. a third way is for an article to be touched and for the thought-reader to be asked to name it. "is it this?" "is it this?" "is it this?" is asked of one thing after another, the answer always being "no." "is it that?" "yes." the secret is that the article touched is always signified by "is it that?" but in this case, and in that of the others already described, the effect of mystification can be increased by arranging beforehand that the article in question shall not follow the key phrase immediately, but, say, two questions later. a fourth way is for the questioner to begin each question in due order with a letter of the french word for the article touched. thus, if it were the bell, he might say, "_c_ome now, was it the table?" "_l_ook, was it the armchair?" "_o_r the piano?" "_c_ome now, was it this book?" "_h_ow about this hearth-rug?" "_e_ndeavor to be quick, please. was it the clock?" by this time "cloche" has been spelled, so that the next question is, "was it the bell?" "yes." in another form of "thought-reading" the two players who know the secret remain in the room long enough for the trick to be made sure. one stands in a corner and the other calls loudly, "ebenezer, do you hear?" (ebenezer is the usual name, but a more attractive one would do.) ebenezer says nothing, but listens attentively to hear who among the company speaks first. the other player repeats the question and still there is no answer. soon after that some one will perhaps make a remark, and then ebenezer, having got what he was waiting for, says, "yes, i hear." "then leave the room," says the other player, and ebenezer goes out. the other player then makes a great show of choosing some one to touch, but ends by touching the person who spoke first after the game began. this done, ebenezer is called in to say who was touched, and every one is puzzled by his knowledge. to guess any number thought of with these thought-reading tricks may be put one or two arithmetical puzzles. here is a way to find out the number that a person has thought of. tell him to think of any number, odd or even. (let us suppose that he thinks of 7.) then tell him to double it (14), add 6 to it (20), halve it (10), and multiply it by 4 (40). then ask him how many that makes. he will say 40. you divide this in your mind by 2 (20), subtract 6 (14), divide by 2 again (7), and astonish him by saying that the number of which he thought was 7. to guess any even number thought of in this case you insist on the number chosen being an even number. let us suppose it is 8. tell him to multiply by 3 (24), halve it (12), multiply by 3 again (36), and then to tell you how many times 9 will go into the result. he will say 4. double this in your mind and tell him that he thought of 8. to guess the result of a sum another trick. tell the person to think of a number, to double it, add 6 to it, halve it and take away the number first thought of. when this has been done you tell him that 3 remains. if these directions are followed 3 must always remain. let us take 7 and 1 as examples. thus 7 doubled is 14; add 6 and it is 20; halved, it is 10; and if the number first thought of--7--is subtracted, 3 remains. again, 1 doubled is 2; 6 added makes 8; 8 halved is 4, and 1 from 4 leaves 3. a more bewildering puzzle is this. tell as many persons as like to, to think of some number less than 1,000, in which the last figure is smaller than the first. thus 998 might be thought of, but not 999, and not 347. the amount being chosen and written down, you tell each person to reverse the digits; so that the units come under the hundreds, the tens under the tens, and the hundreds under the units. then tell them to subtract, to reverse again, and add; remarking to each one that you know what the answer will be. it will always be 1089. let us suppose that three players choose numbers, one being 998, one 500, and one 321. each sets them on paper, reverses the figures, and subtracts. thus:- 998 500 321 899 005 123 -- -- -- 099 495 198 the figures are then reversed and added. thus:- 099 495 198 990 594 891 --- --- --- 1089 1089 1089 guessing competitions guessing competitions, which are of american invention, can be an interesting change from ordinary games. in some the company are all asked to contribute, as in "book teas," where a punning symbolic title of a book is worn by each guest, and a prize is given to the person who guesses most, and to the person whose title is considered the best. thus, a person wearing a card having the letter r represented _middlemarch_, and a person with catkins in his buttonhole, _hazell's annual_. but simpler devices are just as interesting. in other guessing competitions the preparations are the affair of the household which gives the party. it is with these that we are concerned here. giving prizes certainly adds to the interest of them. guessing quantities several articles of number are placed on a table, say a box of matches, a bag of beans, a reel of cotton or ball of string, a large stone, a stick, a photograph, and various coins with the date side turned down. each of the company is provided with a card on which these articles are written, and the object is to guess as nearly as possible something about each; for instance, how many matches there are in the box, how many beans in the bag, the length of the string, the weight of the stone, the length of the stick, the age of the person in the photograph, and the date of each coin. the right answers are, of course, ascertained beforehand and written on a card in the hostess's possession. observation the real name of this game may be something else, but "observation" explains it. a small table is covered with a variety of articles, to the extent of some twenty or thirty. it is then covered with a cloth and placed in the middle of the room. the players stand round it and the cloth is removed for a minute (or longer). during that time the aim of each player is to note and remember as many of the things as possible. the cloth is then put on again and the players have five minutes in which to write the fullest list they can of the objects seen. scents a more puzzling competition is to place a row of large bottles on the table, all numbered, at the bottom of each of which is a small amount of liquid bearing a noticeable scent. some may be toilet scents, and others medicines or essences used in cooking. a card numbered according to the bottles is given to each player, and the game is to guess as many of the scents as possible. the topsy-turvy concert the performers in this concert, who should be of nearly the same size, take their places behind a sheet stretched across the room at the height of their chins. they then put stockings on their arms and boots on their hands (or this may be done before they come into the room), and stand looking over the sheet at the company, with their hands and arms carefully hidden. the concert begins by the singing of the first verse of a song. immediately the verse is finished, the singers, stooping down so that their heads disappear from view, thrust up their arms and wave them about, the effect being that of a row of people standing on their heads. the chorus is thus sung. then they pull down their arms and put up their heads again and sing the next verse. the dancing dwarf this is a very amusing illusion and easy to arrange. all the players but two are sent out of the room and these stand behind a table. one stands close to the table, his arms in front of him so that the fingers rest on the table. boots, or stockings and shoes, are put on their arms and a long dark cloak is thrown over the shoulders of the first player covering the one behind him. the one behind furnishes the arms by thrusting his out in front. the little feet resting on the table show from the folds of the cloak and give the appearance of a dwarf. the players are then called back and the dwarf, whose face should be disguised, performs any feat that they ask for--he sings a song, or makes a speech or prophesies the future of any one who desires it, always ending with a wild dance performed by the arms and hands of the other person. the light should be turned down somewhat and the audience should be straight in front of the table to keep the illusion at its best. [illustration: the dancing dwarf] charades "charades" can be written in advance and carefully rehearsed, but in this book we are concerned more nearly with those that are arranged a few minutes (the fewer the better) before they are performed. as a rule a word of two or three syllables is chosen, the syllables are first acted, then the whole word, and then the audience guess what it was. sometimes the word is brought in, both in its complete form and in its syllables; and sometimes--and this is perhaps the better way--it is acted. thus, if the word were "treason," one way would be to make the acts themselves anything that occurred to you, merely saying "tree" with some distinctness in the first; "son" or "sun" in the second; and "treason" in the third. the other and more interesting way would be to make the first act relate to tree-felling or tree planting, or, say, a performance by mr. tree; the second to a son or the sun; and the third to some treasonable situation, such as, for example, the gunpowder plot. on account of the time which is occupied in preparing and acting it is better to choose two-syllabled words--which, with the whole word, make three scenes--than threeor four-syllabled ones; although there are certain four-syllabled words which split naturally into two halves of two syllables each. "parsimony," for example, could be performed: parsee, money, parsimony. as a general rule the charades that are arranged during the evening are better performed in dumb show, with plenty of action, than with any talking at all. under the circumstances gestures are so much easier than words and not any less amusing. dumb performances very good fun can be had also from impromptu pantomimes, where the performers enact some story which every one knows, such as "aladdin" or "red riding hood" or "cinderella"; or a scene from history proper, or from village or family history. the contrast between the splendor of cinderella's carriage in the story and the old perambulator which has to serve in the charade only adds to the fun. every one, being dumb, acts to the utmost. it is sometimes more amusing if all the parts are turned upside down and a boy plays the heroine and a girl the hero. where the scene is too tremendous for any representation to be given, it is best to meet the case frankly and use, as they did in shakespeare's day, written labels, such as "this is aladdin's palace." dressing up it is, of course, much more fun to dress up; but dressing up is not so important that a charade is spoiled without it. if, on the day of your party, you know that charades will play a part in it, it is wise to put in a convenient room a number of things suitable to dress up in. then at the last minute there need be no furious running up-stairs to pull things out of closets and boxes, and the unpleasantness will be avoided which sometimes follows when you have taken somebody's best clothes for a rather violent performance. almost the best garment there is for dressing-up purposes is a fur coat. while priceless for red riding hood's wolf it will make also most of the other animals in the zoo. a soldier's uniform is a great possession, and a real policeman's helmet has made the success of many charades. most kinds of hat can, however, easily be made on the morning of a party out of brown paper. epaulettes and cockades are also easily made of the same material. powder or flour for white hair, some corks for moustaches and beards (you hold them in the candle for a minute and wait till they are cool enough to use), and a packet of safety-pins should be in handy places. cherry tooth-paste makes serviceable rouge. tableaux vivants "tableaux vivants" are a change from acting, but they need, if done at all well, a great deal of preparation and rehearsal, and are therefore perhaps better left to older people. but quickly-arranged groups representing (not too seriously) scenes in american history might be good fun. remarks on acting the drawback to all charades and dressing up at a party is that they make away with so much valuable time of the players who are out of the room, and unsettle those who are left in. it should be the first duty of every one taking part in acting at parties to decide quickly on the subject or word, and to perform it quickly. many and many a party has been spoiled by the slowness of the actors outside. historical or family scenes with no dressing up and some action are perhaps better than much dressing up and absolute stillness. in "canute and the waves," for example, it is better that the incoming tide should be represented by a boy rolling slowly over the carpet than that there should be nothing but fixed eyes and stern faces. rainy-day games this is a chapter written to meet the needs of several children shut up together in bad weather. the chapter on "indoor occupation and things to make" gives suggestions for a single child, but here are a few suggestions for several occupations for a group of children, which do not mean the destruction of the furniture. any one of the games given in the chapter "in the train" is suitable for rainy days. there are of course many games treated elsewhere in this book which can be played on rainy days indoors. many of the parlor and outdoor games are equally suitable for indoors. all the card games and back-gammon, checkers, etc., are invaluable resorts in case of a long dreary day, but there are a few other recreations which, in some families are saved for such occasions. bean-bags one of these is the old fashioned game of bean-bag. one rainy morning can be spent in making the outfit. the girls can be occupied in making the cloth bags, from six to ten inches square, partly filled with beans: and the boys in making the board which is shown in the illustration. it should be about three feet square of any sort of boards and propped up at one side so that it forms an inclined plane. five holes are cut in it, about seven inches square, all but the centre one which is only five inches square. the players stand off from six to twelve feet according as their skill increases with practice and try to throw the bags through the holes. there are various rules for playing the game which you can arrange to suit yourself, or to make a change. one way is have the bags in sets of six, each six being of one color, different from the others. the players stand in a line and all throw at once, trying to get their six bags in the holes as soon as possible. when they have thrown their bags they rush up to the board, gather up those which have gone wild and run back to the firing line. the one who gets his six bags in first wins the game. a bag thrown through the small centre hole counts as two. [illustration: bean-bag board] another way to play it is to throw in turn, each throwing all his six bags one after another. the one who gets most in is the winner. ring-toss ring-toss is another game in which skill can be acquired only through practice and it is very good for rainy-days. it is really indoor quoits, and is a favorite game for shipboard. any one with a little patience and care can make the rings which are of rope fastened together with slanting seam, wound with string so that there is no bulging, overlapping hump at one side. [illustration: rope ring] a stake is nailed upright to a board (the stake can be a section of an old broom handle, or a smooth, small, straight peeled branch of a tree) and the outfit for the game is complete. it is played with the same rules as quoits (see "outdoor games for boys"), and a very considerable degree of skill can be obtained by practice. as in pitching quoits, the rings should be thrown with a little level twist to make them whirl about. ring-the-nail a variation of this can be played with common large nails and brass curtain rings. eight nails are driven into a board in a circle, leaving about an inch sticking up. in the centre, one is driven, standing about three inches tall. small rings, curtain rings, for instance, are thrown toward this. each time they encircle one of the lower nails is counted five, and the centre nail ten. soap-bubbles a soap-bubble race is easy to arrange and very good fun. an old shawl or blanket is laid on a table or the floor, goals are made at each end of it with piles of books, leaving an opening between, and each person is provided with a pipe for blowing bubbles. one bowl of soap-bubbles is enough for the company (see page 279 on the best way to make lasting soap-bubbles). the game is to see who can most quickly blow a bubble, deposit it on the woolen cloth at one end and blow it through the goal at the other. of course you try to direct your puffs so that you will not only blow your own bubble along but will force your opponent's back. another way is to stretch a cord across the room and divide into two sides, standing three feet from the cord. at a given signal dip your pipes in the bowl of soap-suds, blow a bubble, and try to blow it over the cord. the side which succeeds in landing most bubbles in the enemy's territory wins. jack-stones a game which is good, quiet fun for a rainy day is jack-stones. although not played much nowadays it is very interesting and is to indoors what "mumble-the-peg" is to outdoors. it is played usually with small pieces of iron with six little feet: but it can also be played with small pebbles all of a size. all kinds of exercises can be used, many of which you can invent yourself but a few of the commonest are given below. 1. the five stones are thrown up and caught on the back of the hand. 2. four of the stones are held in the hand while one is thrown up. they must then be laid on the table, or floor, in time to catch the stone before it comes down. it is then thrown up again, and the four stones are picked up either one at a time or all together, and the stone caught again. nearly all the exercises are variations of this. one stone is thrown up and different things must be done quickly with the others before it falls again. tying knots another occupation for rainy days that will interest several children (as well as one) is puzzling out the construction of some of the simplest sailor's knots. this is a useful and a very desirable accomplishment. often several together can solve a difficult knot better than one, and after some proficiency is acquired it is interesting to have a competition to see who can tie them most quickly and perfectly. every one is supplied with a piece of clothes-line (the best rope for this purpose) and some one calls out "running noose," or "figure of eight." every one must then make this as quickly as possible. it is impossible to give directions in words about tying knots. the best way is to get clear illustrations and then work over them until you have mastered the intricacies. a few simple knots are shown here, but there are many books which give an almost endless variety. [illustration: fig. 1. overhand knot] [illustration: fig. 2. half-hitch] [illustration: fig. 3. figure of eight] [illustration: fig. 4. common bend] [illustration: fig. 5. sailor's knot] [illustration: fig. 6. running noose] [illustration: fig. 7. crossed running noose] [illustration: fig. 8. bowline knot] [illustration: fig. 9. dogshank] illustrating a competitive game which is easy to manage is hit-or-miss illustrating. any old magazine (the more the better) will furnish the material. figures, furniture, landscape, machines--anything and everything--is cut out from the advertisement or illustrations, and put in a box or basket in the middle of the table. every one is given a piece of paper and a proverb is selected for illustrating. twenty minutes is allowed to choose suitable pictures, to paste them on to sheets of paper and to add, with pencil, accessories that are necessary: and then results are compared. the variety and excellence of these patchwork pictures are surprising. this can be played during convalescence. it is not necessary to select a proverb for illustrating. any suggestive title will do. a few that have been found fruitful of varied and spirited pictures are given here. a trying moment. companions in misery. this is my busy day. "i didn't know it was loaded." his proudest moment. the unhappy experimenter. the best of friends. a great scare. fine weather for ducks. "won't you have some?" "don't we make a pretty picture?" too busy to stop. no harm done. "i didn't mean to do it." stage-struck. a great success. "see you later." a temporary quarrel. a narrow escape. a happy family. the peace-maker. a happy mother. shuffle-board a game which is often played on shipboard can be modified for an indoor, rainy day game very easily. this is shuffle-board, all the outfit for which you can easily make yourself. if you can have a long table that scratching will not injure your board is all ready, but you can easily procure a common, smooth-finished piece of plank, two feet wide, if possible, and four feet long. on one end mark a diagram like the preceding, about ten inches by eight inches. mark a line at the other end of the board about four inches from the edge, put your counters on the line and you are ready to play. the counters may be checkers (or any round pieces of wood) or twenty-five cent pieces, or large flat buttons, although discs of lead are the best because the heaviest. your pusher should be a little tool made especially, like the illustration, about a foot long, and anybody with a jack-knife can whittle a satisfactory "shovel" as it is called. [illustration] but if an impromptu game is desired, your counters may be pushed off with a common ruler, with a long lead-pencil, or even snapped with the finger nail, though this is apt to hurt. each player has six counters which he plays by three's, thus one person begins by shoving off three of his counters toward the board on the end, trying to make them fall on the places that count the highest. the next player then shoots three of his counters, trying not only to place his own men well but to dislodge his adversary's men if they are in good places. after all have played in turn, the first player shoots his other three counters and so on till all have played again. at the close of each round the board is inspected and each person is credited with the sum of the numbers on which his men rest. the game is continued thus, until some one has reached the limit set, which may be a hundred, or fifty, or any other number according to the skill of the players. the counters of each player may be distinguished from the others by any distinctive sign marked on them. they must not be pushed along but struck a sharp blow with your shovel. the head of your shovel must not pass the line marked for the counters. counters which rest on, or touch a line do not count. a very considerable degree of skill can be attained in this game and it is a never failing resource on dull days. a rainy day is a good time to practice various tricks and puzzles so as to perfect yourself in performing them. balancing tricks there are a number of balancing tricks which are easy and ingenious. the secret of most such tricks is in keeping the centre of gravity low, and when this idea is once mastered you can invent tricks to suit yourself. for instance a tea-cup can be balanced on the point of a pencil thus: put a cork through the handle of the cup (it should be just large enough to be pushed in firmly) and stick a fork into it, with two prongs on each side of the handle, and with the handle under the bottom of the cup. (fig. 1.) the centre of gravity is thus made low, and if you experiment a little and have a little skill, and a steady hand you can balance the whole on a pencil's point. [illustration: fig. 1] [illustration: fig. 2] [illustration: fig. 3] [illustration: fig. 4] or you can balance a coin edgeway on a needle's point. the needle is stuck firmly into the cork of a bottle, and the coin is fixed in a slit cut in a cork, in which two forks are stuck. (fig. 2.) the simplest of these tricks is to balance a pencil on the tip of your finger by sticking two pen-knives in it, one on each side. (fig. 3.) a cork with two forks stuck in it can be made to balance almost anywhere--on the neck of a bottle from which the contents are being poured for instance. (see fig. 4.) amusing toys can be constructed on this principle. tumbling dolls are made of light wood or cork, glued to the flat side of a half bullet. no matter how often they are knocked flat, they rise again at once. the dancing egg another good trick that needs a little practice is to make an egg dance. boil an egg hard, keeping it in an upright position (between cups set in the water or in some other way). then turn a plate bottom side up and put the egg on it. turn the plate around, more and more quickly, always holding it flat and level, and the egg will rise on its end and stand quite straight while it spins about. the dancing pea a pea can be made to dance on a column of air as you sometimes see a rubber ball rising and falling in a fountain of water. take a piece of a clay pipe about three inches long, and make one end into a little rounded cup, by cutting the clay carefully with a knife or file. then run two small pins cross-wise through a big, round pea, put the end of one pin in the pipe and hold the pipe in an upright position over your mouth. blow gently through the pipe and the pea will dance up and down. the glass-maker another trick to play with pins is the glass-making pin. cut an ordinary rubber band in two, and stick a bent pin through the middle of this. now hold an end of the elastic in each hand and whirl it rapidly around, stretching it a little. the revolving pin will at once assume the appearance of a tiny glass vase, or tumbler, and the shape can be varied at will. it is best to have a strong ray of light on the pin and the rest of the room darkened. [illustration: the glass-maker] electricity various tricks can be played by means of the electricity in paper. ordinary sealing wax, rubbed briskly on a coat-sleeve until it is warm will attract bits of tissue paper, or any other soft paper. a variation on jack-straws can be played by means of this trick. tiny scraps of tissue paper, each numbered, are piled in the centre of the table and each player by means of a piece of sealing wax tries to draw out the greatest number in the shortest time. this is a fascinating game and arranged impromptu in a very short time. the pieces of paper need not be of tissue paper, as any very thin paper will do. they should be about a quarter of an inch wide by an inch long and numbered up to twenty. they must be removed from the centre pile and put in piles before the players without touching with the fingers. it will be found that shaking them off the sealing wax is often harder than making them stick to it. of course an effort should be made to secure those pieces of paper which have the largest numbers on them, as a few of these count more than many of the others. electric dancers are easy to make. cut little figures out of tissue paper and lay them on the table. put on each side of them two books and lay a sheet of glass over them about an inch and a half above them. rub the glass briskly with a flannel cloth and they will jump up and down. [illustration: electric dancers] a rubber comb rubbed with a silk handkerchief will attract small bits of paper, feathers or wool. various games and tricks can be devised by this means, such as "bringing the dead to life," _i. e._, raising paper figures to an upright position from a grave made of books, or a box. outdoor games for girls outdoor games for girls and outdoor games for boys are very often the same, although they are separated here for the sake of convenience. battledore and shuttlecock "battledore and shuttlecock" is equally good for one player or for two. the only game to be played is to see how long the shuttlecock can be kept in the air. if you are alone the best way is to set yourself a number, say a hundred, and persevere until you reach it. this can be varied by striving to reach, say, thirty, by first hitting the ball each time as hard as possible, and then hitting it very gently so that it hardly rises at all. jumping rope ordinary skipping is good enough fun for most of us, but for those who are not satisfied with it there is skipping extraordinary, one feat of which is now and then to send the rope round twice before you touch the ground again. to do this, as it cannot be done with a mere rope, you must make a new rope of whipcord, in the middle of which you place a small chain about a foot long. this chain gives the weight necessary for whirling the rope very swiftly through the air. tom tiddler's ground the player who is first going to be tom tiddler stands or sits inside the part of the garden (or room) marked off for him, pretending to be asleep. the others venture on his ground, crying, "here we are on tom tiddler's ground, picking up gold and silver." as tom still sleeps they grow bolder and bolder until he suddenly awakens and dashes for them. the one that is caught becomes tom tiddler. tom may not cross the boundary-line. old stone another "tom tiddler's ground." one player crouches down pretending to be a stone. the others run round about her, gradually, as she shows no sign of life, getting nearer and more bold. the stone suddenly leaps up and begins to chase them, and the one caught is the old stone. hen and chickens even more exciting than "tom tiddler's ground" is "hen and chickens." in this game one player represents a fox and sits on the ground looking sly and hungry. the others, who are the hen and chickens, form a procession, holding each other's skirts or coats by both hands, and march past the fox, saying in turn- chickany, chickany, crany crow, i went to the well to wash my toe, and when i came back a chicken was dead. then they leave go of each other and stand round the fox, and the leader, the hen, says, "what are you doing, old fox?" the fox replies, "making a fire"; and the conversation goes on like this:- the hen: what for? the fox: to boil some water. the hen: what is the water for? the fox: to scald a chicken. the hen: where will you get it? the fox: out of your flock. with these words the fox springs up and the hen and chickens run in all directions. the chicken that is caught becomes the new fox, and the old fox is the new hen, the leader of the procession. the same game is played by essex children with an old woman in place of the fox, and with different words. in this case the hen and chickens make a procession in front of a player who personates an old weeping woman. as they march by, the hen sings- chickens, come clock, come clock, come clock, chickens, come clock, come clock, come clock, the hawks are away and the crows are asleep, it's time that my chickens had something to eat. then they leave go of each other and stand round the old weeping woman, and between her and the hen the following conversation is held: the hen: what are you crying for, my poor old woman? the old woman: because i've lost my needle. the hen: what do you want a needle for? the old woman: to sew a bag with. the hen: what do you want a bag for? the old woman: to put salt in. the hen: what do you want salt for? the old woman: to scour a saucepan. the hen: what do you want a saucepan for? the old woman: to boil one of your chickens in. the old woman then leaps up and tries to catch a chicken, and the hen tries to stop her. other garden games many of the games described in other parts of this book are good also for the garden; such as "still pond! no more moving!" (p. 4), "puss in the corner" (p. 7), "honey-pots" (p. 11), "nuts in may" (p. 12), "here i bake" (p. 13), "lady queen anne" (p. 20), "the mulberry bush" (p. 28), and "looby, looby" (p. 29). witches "witches" is a home-made game played thus, according to the description of e. h.--"one player is made witch. a good spot is chosen for home, and here the others wait until the witch has had time to hide. the idea is that the country round is preyed upon by the witch, home being the only place where she has no power. the rest of the children have to explore the witch's country without being caught by her. it must be a point of honor to leave no suspicious place unexamined. the child chosen for witch need not be a particularly fast runner, but she must be clever and a good dodger. any one that the witch succeeds in touching is at once turned to stone and may not stir except as she is moved about by the witch, who chooses a spot to stand her victim in as far removed from home as possible. the stone can be released only by some other child finding her and dragging her safely home, where the spell ceases to act. but until actually home the victim remains stone, so that if the rescuer is surprised by the witch and lets go her hold, the stone has to stand where she is left and is so recovered by the witch. the witch must not, of course, guard her prisoners too closely. she ought to try and intercept the rescuers on their way home, rather than spring upon them in the act of finding the stone. but each time the stone is recovered the witch may place her in a more inaccessible spot, so that it becomes more and more dangerous to release her. sometimes at the end of the game all the children are turned to stone in different parts of the garden, but sometimes, of course, a swift runner will outstrip the witch and drag the victim safely home. a clever witch acts the part too--appearing and disappearing suddenly, prowling about in a crouching attitude, making gestures of hate and rage, and so on." the ballad game another home-made game is described by e. h. thus:--"the game is taken from the player's favorite ballads. in our play the eldest of the four players, who was also the best organizer, represented the cruel father. the youngest little girl was the fair damsel. the other two represented the wicked lover and the faithful knight, the part of the faithful knight being taken by the fleetest of the party to balance the combination of the father and the wicked lover. the game begins by the fair damsel being imprisoned in the coach-house because she refuses to marry the wicked lover. (of course any shed would do.) here she waits until her knight comes to rescue her, and they escape together, pursued by the other two. if the lovers succeed in getting away the story has a happy ending; but the more dramatic ending is the tragic one, when the faithful knight is overtaken, and after killing the cruel father and the wicked lover, himself dies of his wounds, the fair damsel slaying herself with his sword over his dead body. "the interest of this game is greatly increased by having retainers. these are armies of sticks which are planted at particular corners. there must be some mark by which your own retainers can be distinguished from the enemy's. for instance, the faithful knight may have peeled sticks and the others unpeeled. if, when charging round the house, you come across a troop of the enemy's retainers, you cannot go on until you have thrown them all down, as they are set to guard the pass. so, if the lovers are escaping and they find their way blocked by the father's retainers (the father and the wicked lover may have separate sets of retainers, in which case the war is always bitterest between the two rivals, as the father's retainers are sometimes spared for the damsel's sake), they have to lose time by first overcoming the retainers and that gives time to their pursuers to come up. but if they are so far in advance that they can stop to set up their own retainers in the place of the enemy, it serves to give them further time to make good their escape, as the others have to wait to overthrow the knight's sticks in their turn. in no case are you allowed to take away your enemy's sticks. if the lovers are overtaken, the rivals have to fight, and meanwhile the father once more carries off and imprisons the damsel." counting-out rhymes to decide who is to begin a game there are various counting-out rhymes. all the players stand in a circle, surrounding the one who counts. at each pause in the rhyme (which occurs wherever a stroke has been placed in the versions which follow) this one touches the players in turn until the end is reached. the player to whom the last number comes is to begin. this is one rhyme:- eena-a, | deen-a, | dine-a, | dust, | cat'll-a, | ween-a, | wine-a, | wust, | spin, | spon, | must | be | done, | twiddlum, | twaddlum, | twenty-one. | o| u| t | spells | out. | others:- intery, | mintery, | cutery | corn, | apple | seed | and | apple | thorn; | wine, | brier, | limber | lock, | five | geese |in | a | flock; | sit and sing | by a spring | o| u| t | and | in | again. | one-ery, | two-ery, | ziccary | zan; | hollowbone, | crack-a-bone, | ninery, | ten; | spittery | spot, | must | be | done, | twiddledum, | twaddledum, twenty-one. ring | around | a ring-pot, | one spot | two spot | three spot | san | bob-tailed | winnie-wack | tittero | tan | ham | scram | fortune | man | singum | sangum | buck! | daisy chains the old way of making a daisy chain is to split one stalk and thread the next through it up to the head, as in this drawing. that is for out-of-doors. if you are using the chain for decorations indoors, it is perhaps better to cut off the stalks and thread the heads on cotton; but there seems to be no great need to use daisies in this way at all. [illustration: daisy chain] an ivy chain is made by passing the stalk of one leaf through the point of another and then bending it round and putting it through the point of its own leaf, the hole thus made being used for the stalk of the next, and so on, as in this drawing. [illustration: ivy chain] flower show a flower-show competition is an excellent garden game. a handkerchief on sticks forms the tent. underneath this is a bed of sand in which the flowers, singly or in groups, can be fixed. some one can easily be persuaded to come out of the house to act as judge. garden shop shop in the garden or out-of-doors is played with various things that resemble articles of food. thus you can get excellent coffee from sorrel, and capital little bundles of rhubarb can be made by taking a rhubarb leaf and cutting the ribs into stalks. small stones make very good imitation potatoes, and the heads of marguerite daisies on a plate will easily pass for poached eggs. flower symbols in this place a word might be said about some of the curious things to be found in flowers and plants. if you cut the stalk of a brake fern low down, in september, you find a spreading oak tree. the pansy contains a picture of a man in a pulpit. a poppy is easily transformed into an old woman in a red gown. the snap-dragon, when its sides are pinched, can be made to yawn. the mallow contains a minute cheese. by blowing the fluff on a dandelion that has run to seed you can tell (more or less correctly) the time of day. an ear of barley will run up your sleeve if the pointed end is laid just within it; and an apple's seeds make exquisite little mice. summer houses if the garden has no summer-house or tent a very good one can be made with a clothes-horse and a rug. outdoor games for boys this book is written for children who need help in amusing themselves. it is natural that there should be some difficulty about thinking of games for indoors, or when there is a problem of a large company to amuse; but it is hard to imagine any healthy boy, turned loose out of doors, who cannot take care of his own entertainment. the number of things to do is without limit and the boy so uninventive as to be at a loss with all outdoors before him must be in a sad way. hence there has been no effort made in this chapter to make an exhaustive list of outdoor games, only those being given which are suggestive, that is, which can be infinitely varied according to your ingenuity; which are, so to speak, the first of a series. also, the rules of regular games are not given here (such as baseball, football, hockey, etc.). there are plenty of small manuals, given away with the outfits for these games, which print in much more detail than would be possible here, their principles. more than that, most boys absorb a general knowledge of these games through their pores, and need a book only to settle some small, knotty, disputed point of ruling. one of the best things to have when out of doors is a ball. there is no end to the uses one can make of it. ball games the simplest thing to do with a ball is to catch it; and the quicker one is in learning to catch well the better baseball player one will become. ordinary catching in a ring is good, but the practice is better if you try to throw the ball each time so that the player to whom you throw it shall not need to move his feet in order to catch it. this teaches straight throwing too. long and high throwing and catching, and hard throwing and catching (standing as close together as you dare), are important. there is also dodge-catching, where you pretend to throw to one player and really throw to another and thus take him unawares. all these games can be varied and made more difficult by using only one hand, right or left, for catching. ball games alone a boy with a ball need never be very lonely. when tired of catching it in the ordinary way he can practice throwing the ball straight into the air until, without his moving from his place, it falls absolutely on him each time. he can throw it up and catch it behind him, and if he has two others (or stones will do) he can strive for the juggler's accomplishment of keeping three things in the air at once. every boy should practice throwing with his left hand (or, if he is already left-handed, with his right): a very useful accomplishment. if it is a solid india-rubber ball and there is a blank wall, he can make it rebound at different angles, one good way being, in throwing it, to let it first hit the ground close to the wall's foot. he may also pledge himself to catch it first with the right hand and then with the left for a hundred times; or to bat it up a hundred times with a tennis racket or a flat bit of board. an interesting game for one is to mark out a golf course round the garden, making a little hole at intervals of half a dozen yards or so, and see how many strokes are needed in going round and getting into each hole on the way. races all kinds of races are easy to arrange and these can be repeated from day to day as your proficiency increases. here are a few. the spanish race, sometimes called the wheelbarrow race, is played by forming the boys into two lines, one standing back of the other, and the front row on their hands and knees. at a signal to begin, each boy on the back row takes hold of the ankles of the boy is front of him and lifts his knees off the ground. the boy in front walking on his hands, and the boy behind trundling him along, make the greatest haste possible. the pair who first reach the goal are the winners. races may be run, hopping on the right foot, or on the left, or with both together, or with first a hop and then a jump. it is well to appoint one of the boys umpire during these odd races, to see that they are run fairly and none of the rules agreed upon are broken. a sack race is fun. each boy is tied into a gunny sack and shuffles his way to the goal. a substitute for this is the three-legged race, run by two boys. they stand side by side, and the right leg of one is tied to the left leg of the other and so with three legs between them they must somehow get to the goal. hands and knees races, backward races (run with your back to the goal), races with burdens on your back, or balancing a pole across your hand or on the tip of your finger--there is no limit to the ones you can invent. but the best ones, after all, are the plain old trials of speed. there is no more fun than a good running race, and a walking race is next to it. bicycle races are apt to be dangerous and a course that is very wide should always be selected. quoits quoits is a game not played as much as it should be by american boys. it is easy to arrange, for although there is an outfit sold in the toy shops, a home-made one is just as good. it consists of a collection of horseshoes and a stake driven in the ground--certainly not a difficult apparatus to assemble. the stake should not project more than an inch above the ground and the players, according to the grown-up rules, should stand about fifteen yards away from the stake (which is usually called "the hub"). but for boys the distance from the hub can be determined by your skill. you may increase it as you improve with practice. every player has a certain number of quoits (horseshoes) and standing at a fixed distance from the hub he tries to pitch them so that they will go as near as possible to the hub. some very good players can cast a quoit so that it falls about the hub. this is called a "ringer" and counts ten, but it is a rare shot. every one pitches his quoits and then all go to the hub and reckon up the score. the one whose quoits lie nearest to the hub counts one point for each quoit, but each quoit entitled to count must be nearer the hub than any of the opponents' quoits. this continues until the score is complete. people usually play for eleven. this game can be played with flat stones instead of horseshoes and with any rules that you choose to make. duck on a rock duck on a rock is a variation of quoits which is excellent fun. one of the players, chosen by counting out, puts a stone (called in this game the "duck") about as big as his fist, on the top of a smooth rock and stands near it. all the other players have similar "ducks" and try to dislodge the one on the rock by throwing their stones, or ducks at it. as soon as each has thrown his duck he tries to watch his chance to run up to it and carry it back before the player standing by the rock can touch him. when some one knocks off the duck from the rock the "it" (the player by the rock) must put it back before he can tag any of the players. this is therefore, of course, the great time for a rush of all the players to recover their ducks and get back to their own territory before the "it" can tag them. if any player is touched by the "it" while attempting to rescue his duck he must become "it" and put his duck on the rock. bowling bowling is the best of sports but this usually needs too much apparatus for the average boy to have. nine pins, however, can be arranged in a rough sort of a way, by setting up sticks and bowling at them with round apples. your own ingenuity will devise ways to use the materials you find about you. hop-scotch hop-scotch is a great favorite which scarcely needs a description, although there are various ways of marking the boards. the game is played by any number of persons, each of whom kicks a small stone from one part to another of the diagram by hopping about on one foot. the diagram is drawn on a smooth piece of ground with a pointed stick or on a pavement with a bit of chalk. the most usual figure is given here. to begin, a player puts a pebble or bit of wood into the place marked 1, and then, hopping into it with his right foot, he kicks the counter outside the diagram. then hopping out himself, he kicks it (with the foot on which he is hopping) into the part marked 2. he hops through 1 to 2, kicks the counter out again, and follows it out. this continues until he has kicked the counter in and out of every space in the diagram, without stepping on a line, or so casting the counter that it rests on a line. if this occurs he is put back a space, and it is the turn of the next player. each one plays until he has made a fault, and when it is his turn again, he takes up the game where he left off. the one who first gets through the required figures is the winner. [illustration] there is literally no end to the variations of this game, either in the diagram used or in the rules. sometimes when people become very skilful they play it backward, and sometimes at the end the player is required to place the pebble on his toe and kick it in the air, catching it in his hand. strength tests various trials of strength are good for boys out of doors, provided rules are fixed and adhered to. cane-spreeing is good sport, but should only be tried by boys pretty well matched in size and strength. a cane (or broom-stick) about three feet long is held by two boys facing each other, each with a hand on each end of the cane, the respective right hands being outside the lefts, that is, nearest to the end. then one tries to get the cane away from the other. it sounds simple, but there are a great variety of strategic tricks to be learned by practice. no struggle should last more than two minutes by the watch, when the boys should stop and get breath. the feet are not used, but it is quite allowable to use your body, if you get down on the ground in a sort of wrestling. hare and hounds hare and hounds can be played either in the country or the city and is fine fun, although it should be begun with a short run. in the excitement of the chase boys are apt to forget, and over-strain themselves. the "hares" are two players who have a bag of small paper pieces which they scatter after them from time to time as they run. they are given a start of five or ten minutes and then all the others, who are the "hounds," start after them, tracing their course by the bits of paper. in the city the hares take a piece of chalk and mark an arrow on the wall thus ----> showing in which direction they have gone. good stout shoes should be worn to run in, or you will blister your feet. dog-stick a game for city pavements or for smooth country roads has so many names that it is difficult to say which is its right one, but a common one is "dog-stick." it is played something like hockey, the aim being to get a ball or counter over your opponent's goal line. the ball in this case is not a ball but a piece of wood which you can make yourself, of an odd shape. it is like a flattened ball with a tail to it. with a club or stick you strike the tail so that the ball springs up in the air and then before it falls you strike it with your club toward your enemy's goal line. the players are divided into sides who try to defend their goal lines and to send back the ball to the other side. make your own rules as experience teaches you is fair. other games the endless variations of leap-frog should not be forgotten in devising outdoor games: and tournaments of long or broad jumping and high jumping are good. stilts and the games to be arranged with them are also another great resource. and the seasons bring, as regularly as flowers and snow, the round of tops, and kites and marbles. of these last a very summary account is given here as most boys and regions have their own rules. marbles the first thing to learn in "marbles" is the way that the marble should be held. of course one can have very good games by bowling the marble, as if it were a ball, or holding it between the thumb-nail and the second joint of the first finger and shooting it with the thumb from there; but these ways are wrong. the correct way is to hold it between the tip of the forefinger and the first joint of the thumb. marbles are divided into "taws," or well-made strong marbles with which you shoot, and "clays," or the ordinary cheap colored marbles at which you aim and with which you pay your losses. ring taw two or three boys with marbles could never have difficulty in hitting on a game to play with them, but the best regular game for several players is "ring taw." a chalk ring is made on as level a piece of ground as there is, and each player puts a clay on it at regular distances from each other. a line from which to shoot during the first round is then drawn two yards or so from the ring, and the game begins by the player who has won the right of leading off (a real advantage) knuckling down on the line and shooting at one of the marbles in the ring. if a player knocks a marble out of the ring, that marble is his and he has the right to shoot again from the place where his taw comes to a stand; but if in knocking a marble out of the ring his taw remains in it (or if his taw remains in it under any condition whatever), he has to put all the marbles he has won into the ring, in addition to one for a fine, and take up his taw and play no more till the next game. there is one exception to this rule: if only one marble is left in the ring, and if, in knocking it out, a player's taw remains in the ring, he does not suffer, because the game is then over. the other two rules are these: if a player succeeds in hitting the taw of another the owner of that taw not only must leave the game but hand over any marbles he has won. (in no case are taws parted with.) also, if it happens that only two players are left, and one of these has his taw hit, that ends the game, for the player who hit it not only has the marble of the taw's owner but all the marbles left in the ring too. "ring taw" can be played by as few as two players; but in this case they must each put several marbles in the ring. to decide which player is to begin, it is customary for them all to aim at the ring from the knuckling-down line, and whichever one places his taw nearest to the middle of the ring has the right to lead. other games other garden games for boys will be found in the picnic section. we might mention also "steps" (p. 4), "tug of war" (p. 38), and "potato races" (p. 40). picnic games a picnic may be either a complicated affair which has occupied you all the day before, or the most impromptu expedition which you arrange on the spur of the minute; and the last kind are often more fun. any place out of doors will answer for a picnic, but if possible it should be near water. anything will answer for a picnic lunch, but it is pleasant, if older people are with you, if you are allowed to have fires to do some outdoor cooking. this is always easier than it sounds and adds infinitely to the fun of the lunch. bacon is one of the easiest things to cook outdoors, all that is needed being a forked stick which you can cut for yourselves. the strip of bacon is impaled on the forks and toasted over the fire, each person cooking his own slice and eating it on bread. or with two larger forked sticks a steak can be deliciously broiled for the whole company, or chops can be cooked. it is the easiest and most delightful task to arrange a sort of cooking-hole of stones over which the coffee pot may be set and potatoes may be boiled over another similar hole. you will find that it is far better to have a number of very tiny little fires entirely separated from each other, than one big bonfire which is almost sure to grow unmanageable. it will be seen that it is far easier to take a big piece of bacon (to be sliced after reaching the picnic grounds) a loaf or two of bread and raw potatoes than to spend hours in making sandwiches and packing cake. beside the things cooked out of doors always taste so much better. great care should be taken to put out every spark of fire before going home, and to leave no scraps of paper, or egg-shells lying about. these should be burned or buried. it, touch last, or tag for a short time "it" is a good warming game. it is the simplest of all games. the "it" runs after the others until he touches one. the one touched then becomes "it." touchwood the name explains the game, which is played as "it" is played, except that you can be caught only when you are not touching wood. it is a good game where there are trees. it is, of course, not fair to carry a piece of wood. cross tag this is the ordinary "tag," save that if, while the "it" is chasing one player, another runs across the trail between him and the pursued, the "it" has to abandon the player he was at first after and give chase to the one who has crossed. a good variety of tag is "french tag." the first one caught must join hands with the "it," the next one with him, etc., and so on in a long line all running together. any one can catch an opponent, but the original "it" must touch him before he can take his place in the line. the little dog the players form a ring, leaving one outside, who passes round it singing, "i have a little dog and he won't bite you," and as he does so, touching each player in turn with a knotted pocket-handkerchief. "and he won't bite you," "and he won't bite you," he calls to one after the other, and then suddenly changes this to "but he will bite _you_." the player touched when this is said has to run after the toucher with all his might. when caught they change places. hunt the squirrel all the players except one join a ring. this one, with a knotted handkerchief in his hand, walks round the outside of the ring for a while, and then, dropping the handkerchief behind one of the players, runs off crying- hunt the squirrel through the wood. now i've lost him--now i've found him! hunt the squirrel through the wood. the player behind whom the handkerchief was dropped must catch the squirrel before he can take up the empty place in the ring left by the pursuer. it is more fun if, in dropping the handkerchief, it can be done without the player discovering it for a little while. the way in which old-fashioned country children play this game (called usually "drop the handkerchief"), is a little different. as the one with the handkerchief walks around and around the outside of the ring all join in singing, "a tisket! a tasket! a green and yellow basket! i sent a letter to my love and now i find i've lost it. i've lost it! i've lost it! and where do you think i found it? up in the sky, ever so high with angels gathered 'round it." as the words "i've lost it!" are repeated, the player outside must drop the handkerchief, but no one must look behind him until the verse is ended. then the one who finds the handkerchief behind him must try to catch the first one, who in turn tries to slip into the empty place. gaps the players form a ring: all except one, who is "it." this one runs round the ring and touches one of the players in the circle. they both set off running immediately in opposite directions, the object of each being to get first to the gap made in the circle by the player who was touched. the one who gets to the gap first remains in the circle, while the other becomes "it." twos and threes, or terza a very good picnic game. all the players except two form a large ring, standing in twos, one behind another. of the two who are over, one is the pursuer and the other the pursued; and the game is begun by the pursued taking up his position (if he can do so before the pursuer catches him) in front of one of the couples in the ring, thus making three. directly he does this he is safe, and the last player in the little group at the back of him has to run. whoever is caught becomes the pursuer, while the one that caught him becomes the pursued until, by standing in front of one of the couples, he transfers that office to another. hide and seek "hide and seek," which is perhaps the best out-of-door game without implements, needs no explanation. it is usual to give the player who hides a start of as much time as it takes the others to count a hundred in. some boys, instead of counting from one to a hundred, divide the sum into ten tens, which are counted thus: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1; 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1; and so on. these can be rattled through so quickly that your 100 is done and you have started out before, in the ordinary way, seventy would have been reached. a customary arrangement to avoid taking the hiders too much by surprise is for the boy who stays at the base and counts a hundred to call out when he finishes "bushel of wheat! bushel of rye! all that aren't ready call out 'i'!" or simply "one! two! three! look out for me!" i spy "i spy" combines "hide and seek" and "tag." one player stays in the base, covers his eyes and counts a hundred, while the others run off and hide. on finishing the hundred the player shouts "coming!" and runs out to look for the others. directly he catches sight of one of them (and they are not hidden so carefully as in "hide and seek"), he calls out his name and the place where he has seen him; as, for instance, "harry! behind the summer-house!" if there is no mistake and the name is right (it is very often wrong, in which case the player does not move), harry has to run out and try and catch the other before he reaches the base. another way is for as many players to seek as to hide. in this case it is agreed beforehand as to how many of the seekers must be caught by the hiders for the game to be won. if the number is given at four and four are caught, the same side have the privilege of hiding again; but if only three or a smaller number, then the seekers have won and it is they who hide next time. chevy, or prisoner's base there is no better running game than this. you first pick sides and then mark off the two camps and take up your station there. the field is arranged thus:- place for | | place for a's | | b's prisoners. | | prisoners. ------------+ +----------- ---------------------------+------------------------- | a's camp. | b's camp. | | the game is opened by several of the a side running out to some point immediately in front of the two camps. when ready they call "chevy." as many of the b side then start out to pursue them, each calling his particular quarry by name. the object of each a man is either to get back before the b man who is after him can catch him, or to tempt the b man into ground so near the a camp that he may be caught. in this aim he is helped by the fact that directly his b pursuer called his name and started out another a man probably called out the name of the b man and started to cut him off. no one is allowed to be pursued by two players at once. if caught, the a man has to go to the place reserved for b's prisoners. directly he gets there he calls "rescue"; an a man will then call "prisoner," and rush out to relieve him; while a b runner is all ready to intercept this a rescuer if he can. the game is good both for runners who can keep it up a long time and for those who can make short, sharp dashes. the first named decoy the enemy out in pursuit, and the others hold themselves ready to dash across in front of the enemy's camp and cut off any one who is across the line. the rule as to shouting the name of the man you have marked down should be kept. if there is more than one prisoner they stand just touching hands, in a line which reaches as far as possible toward their own camp, so that the distance between the first prisoner and the rescuer may be shortened. each new prisoner takes up his place at the back of this line, farthest from the camp. a prisoner is rescued by being touched. if one side is much weaker than the other a time comes when it is nearly all taken prisoner, with none to rescue except by leaving the camp undefended. directly a camp is left undefended one of the enemy steps in and "crowns" it and claims the game. more often than not, however, a game of "chevy" is left undecided. it does not matter in the least, for in this game the fun is more in playing than in winning. french and english for this game the ground must be divided by a path or line into two territories--french and english. at the further side of each territory a number of flags--handkerchiefs will do--must be placed at intervals. the players are then divided into the two nations, and the game consists in each side trying to get the flags from the other side, to guard its own, and to catch the enemy when he is off his own ground. once a player sets foot upon the enemy's territory he must go on, but he cannot be caught if he has a flag in his hands. if he is caught he becomes a prisoner (as in chevy), and is only released by being touched by one of his own party. a player cannot redeem a prisoner and take a flag at the same time. the game ends when all the flags of one side have been taken. black man this is rather rough. a line is drawn at each end of the playing place and one player is told off to stand between these lines. the object of the others is to run across, from base to base, without being caught by him: being caught meaning not merely being touched, as in "it," but being really held and stopped. each one that is caught has to stay in the middle to help catch the others, until no one is left to run across at all. the player in the middle calls out to the crowd of players, "what'll you do when the black man comes?" and they answer, "run right through and never mind you." this is the signal to begin each rush across from one line to the other. stagarino "stagarino" is similar to "black man," except that all the players who are caught, and whose business it is to catch the others, join hands. those that run across have therefore to avoid them or to try and break through the wall of arms. red rover "red rover" is also similar to "black man," except that instead of all running at the same time, the "rover" calls out:- "red rover! red rover! let (mentioning name) come over!" at which the one named has to run from one base to the other. if he is caught, he must assist the "rover" in catching the others. hop, step, and jump this is a change from ordinary racing. the competitors, instead of running against each other, see which can cover the most distance in a hop, a step, and a jump, or, say, three hops, three steps, and three jumps. it needs an umpire to watch very carefully that the step begins exactly where the hop left off and the jump where the step finished. follow-my-leader this needs no explaining. it is nearly always good fun for a while, and particularly so if the leader has original ideas. out for a walk on country walks, where there is much to see, one should not be in need of ways to make the time seem shorter. and new walks in the town, or walks where there are interesting shop-windows, are not dull. but the same walks again and again can be very tiring; and it is to help these that the methods which follow have been collected. a good walking pastime for two is for one to drive the other. hoops are a great help (see p. 169) and so are dolls' perambulators. but on many walks nothing of this kind is allowed, and one has to fall back on conversation. telling stories in turns, or making up stories about passers-by, is useful, but it is not every one that is able to do this. roadside whist in the channel islands visitors riding about in large wagonettes pass the time by playing a game called "roadside whist." the people on the left seat of the carriage take the right side of the road, and those on the right seat take the left. the conductor teaches them the rules at the beginning of the drive. in our case it is better perhaps to make them for ourselves, to suit our own particular country. let us suppose that- if you see a baby in arms you score 1 a baby in a perambulator " 3 a white horse " 5 a ladder against a house " 2 a woman in a white apron " 1 a butcher's cart " 1 a street gate " 2 a postman " 5 then there should be a few things for which marks have to be taken off. let us suppose that- if you see a pug dog you lose 2 a piebald horse " 4 an open gate " 2 a flock of sheep " 3 a soldier " 10 no matter what the score is, whichever side sees a cat on a window-ledge wins the game. counting dogs in a town there are other varieties of roadside whist for two players or sides. counting dogs is one. in this game one takes all the streets leading from the left, the other all from the right. guessing horses' tails a good game (writes e. r.) while out for a walk is "when you see a horse coming, guess what color his tail is before he can reach you, and then, whoever guesses right, the horse belongs to him." shop-windows except in very dull streets shop-windows can be always entertaining. it is interesting to suppose you have so much money--say five dollars--to spend, or, if you like, an unlimited sum, and choose what you would buy as you pass each shop, e. h. writes:--"one little girl used to suppose that she was the eldest of a large family whom she had to provide for, and was always on the lookout for things in the shops that would do for her younger brothers and sisters. for instance, if she decided that the family must have new winter clothes, she would first make up her mind how much she could afford and then price the things in the shop-windows. sometimes she would set her heart on a particular cloak for the baby, but could not pretend to buy it till she had seen whether it would leave her enough money for the other children. if she could get all the children dressed fairly nicely for the sum at her disposal she had all the satisfaction of a successful day's shopping. sometimes the clothes she wanted were too dear, and then she had to decide what was most necessary, what she could make at home, and so on." making sentences it is rather exciting for each player to take a side of the road where there are shops and see which can first complete a given sentence or word from the initial letters of the shopkeepers' names, christian or surname. in fixing upon a sentence it is well to be careful not to have unusual letters, such as q, or u, or j in it. if this is too difficult all the letters in the shopkeepers' names may be taken, or those in every other name. collecting jones's in mrs. meynell's book, _the children_, one little girl on her walks collected jones's--that is, shops with the name of jones over them. if any one else cared for this amusement there would be no need to stick to jones. the love alphabet in this game you go through the alphabet, applying adjectives to your love. "i love my love with an a because he [or she] is so admirable"; "i love my love with a b because she is so beautiful," and so on, keeping to each letter as long as possible. on pages 88 and 89 will be found more difficult varieties, less suitable, perhaps, to be played when walking. the cat alphabet another alphabet game requires adjectives to be put before the word cat. you begin with a. "an artful cat," one player may say; and the next, "an avaricious cat." perhaps "an awful cat," "an adhesive cat," "an arrogant cat," and "an attractive cat," will follow. a is kept up until no one can think of any more; or--if you play in that way--until no one can think of any more while ten is being counted. then b: "a bushy cat," "a bruised cat," "a bellicose cat," "a bumptious cat," and so on. spelling in this game the players each contribute a letter toward the spelling of a word, their object being never to be the one to complete it, but to force the next player to do so. thus (with four players) the first player may say "p," and the next, thinking of "prim," may say "r," and the next, also thinking of "prim," may say "i." but the fourth player, running his thoughts quickly over possible words beginning with "pri," may light upon "prism" and say "s." this saves her, but puts the first player in danger, which is only averted by her thinking of "prison" and saying "o," in which case the next one is bound to be the loser. the grand mogul a favorite old game which can be played as well on a walk as indoors is "the grand mogul." "the grand mogul does not like e's," says one player; "what will you give him for dinner?" each player answers in turn, but none of the dishes named must contain the letter e, or the player either stands out, or (indoors) pays a forfeit. thus, the answers to the question may be "apricots," "mutton," or "soup," but not "apples," "beef," or "porridge." on a walk the letter e might be persevered with until every one failed, and then the other vowels might be tried. buz this is a counting game in which, whenever the number 7 comes, or a multiple of 7, such as 14, 21, 28, 35, or a number with 7 in it, such as 17, 27, 37, the player whose turn it is must say "buz." otherwise, out-of-doors, he loses a round or two, or, indoors, he must pay a forfeit. when 70 comes you say "buz" in the ordinary way, but for 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78, and 79 you say "buz 1," "buz 2," and so on. for 77 you say "buz buz." rhyming lights in this game one player thinks of a word and gives the others a rhyme to it. thus, she may think of "coal," and she would then say, "i've thought of a word that rhymes to pole." the others have to guess what the word is, yet not bluntly, as, "is it mole?" but like this: "is it a little animal that burrows?" "no," says the first player (who thus has a little guessing to do herself), "no, it is not mole." "is it a small loaf of bread?" "no, it is not roll." "is it something you eat bread and milk from?" "no, it is not bowl." "is it something you burn?" "yes, it is coal." the player who thought of "coal" then finds a word for the others to guess. the apprentice the "apprentice" is an old game for two or any number. one says, "i apprenticed my son to a [mentioning a tradesman or craftsman], and the first thing be sold [or made] was a [mentioning, by its initial only, something peculiar to the trade or craft]." the player who first guesses what the initial stands for then makes a similar remark. thus, one player may say, "i apprenticed my son to a blacksmith, and the first thing he made was a d. k." (door knocker). another, "i apprenticed my son to a grocer, and the first thing he sold was s. s." (soft soap). another, "i apprenticed my son to a gardener, and the first thing he grew was a c. b." (canterbury bell). another, "i apprenticed my son to a firework manufacturer, and the first thing he made was a g. r." (golden rain). towns and products this is a somewhat similar game bearing on geography. suppose there are three players. one chooses a well-known place, say boston, and begins, "i know a place where they sell boots," or whatever it may be beginning with b. the next player then knows what letter the place begins with and at once starts thinking of what place it is likely to be. perhaps she settles on birmingham, in which case she would say, to indicate that the second letter of the word was "i," "i know a place where they sell isinglass" (or icicles, or inglenooks). "no," says the first player, and the third therefore has to try. perhaps she decides that the place is brighton, in which case she will say, "i know a place where they sell rockets" (or rump-steak or raisins). "no," says the first player again, and then it being her turn she gives them another light on the right word by saying, "i know a place where they sell oranges" (or oil, or ocarinas), and so on, until the place is spelled through. other games other games suitable to be played when walking are "p's and q's" (p. 89), "suggestions" (p. 91), "clumps" (p. 93), "how, when, and where" (p. 95), "coffee-pot" (p. 95), "throwing light" (p. 96), and "animal, vegetable, and mineral" (p. 96). hoops iron hoops are the best, but it is a matter of taste whether a stick or a hook is used for them. if the stick is a stout one you get rid of the skidding noise made by the hook, and there is more satisfaction in beating a thing along than in, as it were, pushing it. it should be every one's aim to make the hoop do as much as possible with as little treatment as possible. after a very fast run it is equally interesting to see how slowly a hoop can be made to travel. to make it keep as straight a course as may be is very absorbing. bought hoops can be strong, but to get exactly what one wants it is necessary to go to a blacksmith. a hoop standing as high as its owner, through which he can run to and fro as it rolls, is a possession which only a blacksmith or working-ironmonger can supply. two in hoop games hoop games are few in number, and, with the exception of "posting," not very exciting. with a large hoop and a small hoop two players can learn to time the pace of a hoop very exactly and then bowl the little one through the big one as it rolls. there is also a game called "turnpikes," in which several players and one hoop take part. the turnpikes, of which there are as many as the players, less the one who begins with the hoop, are two stones an inch or so apart, through which the hoop has to be bowled without touching, the faster the better. if it touches, or misses, the player who has been bowling it gives the hoop to the turnpike holder, who then tries his fortune with it, keeping it until he fails at any of the stones. hoop posting a very good hoop game for several players is "posting." the idea is that a distance is to be covered (as in the old posting days) as quickly as possible by relays of riders, and the first thing to do is to station four posts at various points along the route. then, when they are ready, each with hoop-stick or hook, the player with the hoop starts and bowls it as fast as he can to the first post. immediately it reaches him that post takes it on, without stopping the hoop for an instant, to the next, while the first one takes the place left by him; and so on, as often round the ring as you like. when there is a time-keeper and you post against time it is even better fun. the advantage of standing in a large circle is that the hoop need never be checked; but if the circle is impossible, you can go up and down a long line, with checks only at each end. in the train or during a wait at a railway station a long journey in a train--say from new york to chicago--can, even if you have a window seat, be very tiring; but without a window it is sometimes almost unendurable. the hints which follow are mostly adapted for two players, but one or two will be found useful if you are alone with no one to play with. the value of a map a map of the country which the train passes through is an interesting thing to have on a long journey. it tells you the names of the hills and villages you see from the windows and you can very likely fix the exact moment that you cross from one county or state into another. railway competitions two persons can have good competitions. they can agree beforehand that the game is to go to whichever of them sees the more horses, or cows, or sheep, or men driving, or bicyclists, or rabbits, between two given points, say one station and the next. it is not necessary to be at different windows; in fact a new kind of excitement comes in if both are at the same window or at windows on the same side, because then in addition to seeing the things there is the fun of not letting the other think you have seen them. railway whist this is a kind of "roadside whist," the rules for which will be found on page 163. as has been said there, most players will prefer to draw up their own scoring table; but the following things and figures may be found useful as a foundation:- if you see- a church it counts 3 a field with sheep " 3 a field with cows " 2 a field with horses " 4 a field with rabbits " 3 a man " 1 a woman " 2 a stile " 4 an open gate " 5 a shut gate " 2 an ordinary dog " 2 a sheep dog " 6 a horse and cart " 5 a hay-wagon " 2 a pond " 4 if you see- a waving handkerchief you lose 6 a hay-stack " 1 a red barn " 5 a grocer's wagon " 1 children on a gate " 10 whichever side first sees a black sheep wins, no matter what the score is. otherwise the scorer of the greatest number of marks is the winner. in "railway whist" it is necessary for the players to be on different sides of the train. station observation a variety of "observation" (see page 104) can be played on journeys. while the train is stopping at a station every one looks out of the window and notices as many things as possible. when the train starts again each writes as many of these things as he can remember, and the one with the best list wins. games with a watch if you have a watch it is rather interesting to guess the exact time at which the train will reach the next station. the one who guesses nearest becomes the holder of the watch until the next guess is decided. other things can be done with a watch, particularly if it has a second hand. guessing the length of a minute is rather interesting, or timing the speed of the train by noting how long it takes to go between the telegraph-poles at the side of the line. hot-hand this is a primitive game, capital for cold weather, for it is well named. it is played by two people, one of whom spreads out his hands flat, palms up. the other puts his, palms down, within about three inches of the other's, and tries to strike them a smart blow. if the first player can withdraw his hands quickly enough so that they are not touched it is his turn to try and strike. as long as the player whose hands are palms down can strike the other's hands he can go on. this is an excellent game for cultivating quickness. the player whose hands are to be struck will find that he can succeed better in escaping the other's blows, if he watches his eyes rather than his hands. this can be arranged among many players as a sort of tournament, trying out the players by couples until finally the two best contestants are left to struggle for the championship. this is a good game to play while getting your breath after skating--or at any time out of doors when you are obliged to be quiet, and there is danger of getting chilled. pencils and paper it is well to take a pencil and paper when you go on a long journey. if the train rocks a good deal it is interesting to see which can write a sentence most clearly. there is a way of balancing oneself on the edge of the seat and holding the paper on one's knees which makes for steadiness. it is never too shaky for "noughts and crosses." noughts and crosses or tit-tat-toe "noughts and crosses" is playable anywhere; all that is needed is a piece of paper--a newspaper will do--and a pencil. the framework is first made. thus:- | | | | | | -----+-----+---- | | | | | | -----+-----+---- | | | | | | one player chooses crosses and the other noughts, and the one who is to begin puts his mark--say, a cross--in one of the nine squares. the other puts a nought in another of the squares, and so it goes on until either three noughts or three crosses are in a straight line in any direction. thus, this is the end of a game in which noughts played first and crosses won: | | x | | | | -----+-----+---- | | x | o | o | | -----+-----+---- | | x | | o | | but it often happens that the game is drawn, as in this example, in which noughts played first:- | | x | o | | | -----+-----+---- | | o | o | x | | -----+-----+---- | | x | x | o | | a blank book for "noughts and crosses," with the framework all ready, can now be obtained. it has places for the names of the players, and the date. paper french and english "french and english," another game for two, belongs to the family of "noughts and crosses," and can be played anywhere and on any scrap of paper. you first decide which will be english and which french. each player then takes one-half of the paper and covers it with, say, sixty dots. it does not matter how many, but there must be the same number on each side. then in a corner each draws a cannon, or draws something that can be called a cannon for the purposes of the game. you then decide how many turns you will have. the game is played by placing the pencil on the cannon, shutting your eyes, and dashing the pencil across your enemy's side of the paper, straight or crooked, in any direction you like. then you open your eyes, count how many dots the pencil line has passed through, and score them down. the player who, at the end of the number of turns settled upon, has gone through the greatest number of dots is the winner. "letters" and words a box of letters is an unfailing help to pass the time. a word will sometimes keep a player puzzling for hours, which is, of course, too long. "pomegranate," "orchestra," and "scythe" are good examples of difficult words. you can also take words and sentences seen on the journey, such as "wait till the train stops," and "pears' soap," and see how many words they will make. a more difficult task is to make anagrams of advertisements. "lipton's teas," for instance, makes "taste on, lips." "letters" with a pencil the word-making game has been adapted into a writing competition. each of the company is handed a card which has been prepared for the purpose beforehand by having names of a dozen animals, or towns, or flowers, or birds, or whatever it may be, written on it in what might be called twisted spelling. for instance, "butterfly" might be spelled thus, "trelbyfut," and "manchester" thus, "tramschene." a certain amount of time is given, and the winner is the player who has found out most words therein. a version of this game is to dot out all the letters of the word except the first and the last. you would put "elephant" on the paper thus, e......t, and tell your companion it was the name of an animal. or you might write "peppermint" thus, p........t, and tell him it was the name of a sweet. hanging this is a more difficult game, very suitable for a tiring journey. the two players sit side by side, and one of them dots out on a piece of paper the words of a proverb or well-known line of poetry. thus, "i met a little cottage girl" would be set down in this way:- . ... . ...... ....... .... underneath this line a small gallows is erected. thus:- +---------+ | / | |/ | | | | | | | | | the game is for the other player to discover the line. in order to do this he is permitted to ask his opponent for letters. perhaps he will begin by asking, "may i have an 'a,'" because there are few sentences that do not contain an "a." his opponent will then put the first "a" in. thus:- . ... a ...... ....... .... then perhaps another "a" will be asked for, and the line will come out thus:- . ... a ...... ....a.. .... then perhaps an "e":- . .e. a ...... ....a.. .... so far all has gone favorably with the guesser, and the gallows is still untouched. but perhaps he will now venture to ask for a consonant (which is much more risky than a vowel), and will say, "may i have an 's'?" as there is no "s" in the line the reply will be against it, and the opponent will at once append to the rope of the gallows a small head. thus:- +---------+ | / | |/ | | | | o | | | | | this means that the guesser has lost one out of a possible six points, the others being his body, his two arms and two legs. for each letter he asks for in vain he loses one of these, and when all have gone he has lost the game too. sometimes, however, the quotation can be detected very quickly. other games many games usually kept for the house can be played in the train. "old maid" (see p. 79) is a good train game; so is "buz" (see p. 167). a "fox and geese" board, or a draughtboard, will help to pass the time. food food is a great help toward shortening a long journey. a little picnic every hour, if it is permitted, is something not too distant to look forward to, and it may take up ten minutes each time. a larger meal all at once may, of course, be more convenient, but, if not, the hourly picnic is worth trying. chinese gambling this is the simplest game possible but will while away endless hours. it is played with nothing but your hands, which are made to assume three positions: one with clenched fist; one spread out flat; and one with first and second finger spread apart like the blades of scissors. the first is called "the stone," the second "the paper" and the third "the scissors." very rapidly both players strike their right hand (clenched) into the left palm three times, and then both at the same instant bring up the right hand in one of the three positions. the winner is determined by this formula: "scissors cut paper. stone breaks scissors. paper wraps stone." that is if you have made your hand "the stone" and your companion "the paper," he wins. but if you had chosen "the scissors" you would have won. the winner must call out the formula that fits the case, "scissors cut paper" for instance, and count is kept of the number of losses and gains. the one who comes out ahead after a half-hour's contest is the winner of that bout. [illustration: chinese gambling] playing alone, and games in bed bricks among the best toys with which to play alone are bricks, soldiers, balls, battledore and shuttlecock, and dolls. no one needs any hints as how to play with them; but it might be remarked that ordinary bought bricks being rarely what they should be, it is better, if possible, to get a carpenter to make some of a more useful size, say four inches long, one and a half inches wide, and an inch thick. with a hundred of these you can do almost anything in the way of building, and if made of tough wood they ought to last forever. soldiers a good game of soldiers is to see how many shots are required from a cannon to kill the whole regiment. the cannon can either be a spring cannon or a pop-gun, or a pea-shooter. just at first it is almost impossible not to clear off two or three men with each shot, but later it becomes more difficult and exciting. ninepins with a box of ninepins very much the same game can be played. in wet weather, in the hall, a box of large ninepins is invaluable. spanish cup and ball a good quiet game to play alone is "spanish cup and ball." a long stick has fastened to it a loop of wire standing out at right angles, thus. to this is attached by a long string a worsted, or a very light rubber ball. the game is to see how many times you can throw the ball up to the ceiling and catch it in the loop of wire as it falls. [illustration: spanish cup] balancing all kinds of balancing games are excellent when you are alone and tired of toys. there is no way to acquire proficiency in these but by practice, but practice is fascinating work. try balancing at first a long pole (an old broom-stick handle will do) on the palm of your hand, then on your finger, then on your chin and forehead. the longer the pole, the easier to balance it. remember one golden rule. _keep your eyes on the top of the pole._ then try balancing a whole broom, or a chair. the practice of balancing is excellent for training yourself in quickness of eye and muscle. of course bricks and soldiers and ninepins, as well as balls (see p. 139), are more interesting when more than one person plays; but one can pass the time very well with them. bruce's heart where toys become tedious, games have to be made up; and in making up games no outside help is needed. at the same time, some games which e. h. describes may perhaps supply a hint or two. "one little girl," she writes, "used to find endless joy in pretending to be douglas bearing the heart of bruce to the holy land. a long stick in the right hand represented his spear; a stone in the left hand was the casket containing bruce's heart. if the grown-ups stopped to talk with some one they met, or if there was any other excuse for running on ahead, the little girl would rush forward waving her stick and encouraging her men (represented by a big dog), and, after hurling her stone as far forward as possible, and exclaiming, 'lead on, brave heart,' she would cast her spear in the same direction in a last effort against the moors, and then pretend to fall dead to the ground." this little girl had found the story of bruce in _tales of a grandfather_, by sir walter scott. almost every book will yield people and events to play at. the hotel camps another little girl whom e. h. knew "once spent a short time in a hotel, and while there divided the other people into camps according to the floor on which they had rooms. the designs in the windows on the various floors represented the badges or heraldic signs of each camp. for instance, one window (they were of colored glass) had a border with eagles, another had gryphons, another lions, and so on. if she met some one of another floor coming in or going out of the hotel, it represented the meeting of two rival bands. if she actually found herself in the elevator with them, it was a dangerous encounter, in which, if they got out first, she had driven them off the field, but if she got out first it was she who was in retreat. if two people of different floors were seen talking together, a truce had been declared, and so on." block city the little book called _a child's garden of verses_, by r. l. stevenson, has several poems which describe how a lonely little boy used to play. thus (in "block city"):- let the sofa be mountains, the carpet a sea, there i'll establish a city for me, a kirk and a mill, and a palace beside, and a harbor as well where my vessels may ride. story-books and (in "the land of story-books"):- now, with my little gun, i crawl all in the dark along the wall, and follow round the forest track away behind the sofa back. there, in the night, where none can spy, all in my hunter's camp i lie, and play at books that i have read till it is time to go to bed. the bed boat that is ordinary play. there is also a poem describing play in bed:- my bed is like a little boat; nurse helps me in when i embark; she girds me in my sailor's coat and starts me in the dark. thinking games for bed when more than one sleep in the same room, the time before sleep can be very interesting. many games which have already been described are suitable for bed, such as "telling stories" (p. 99), "i love my love" (p. 88), "spelling" (p. 166), "the grand mogul" (p. 166), "rhyming lights" (p. 167), "the apprentice" (p. 167), "towns and products" (p. 168), "suggestions" (p. 91), and "clumps," adapted (p. 93). games by rote on this subject b. r. l. writes:--"we made a list, which was stuck on the wall with a different game for each night. one was 'i love my love with an a' (see p. 88), which we steadily made up all through the alphabet. another was 'initials,' in which you take turns in saying the initials of people you know, while the other guesses the names. another was 'twenty questions,' in which one thinks of something that has to be guessed as quickly as possible, only 'yes' and 'no' being given as answers. one very girlish game was like this: suppose you had a little girl with golden hair and blue eyes, and she was going on a visit to london, what sort of frocks would you buy her?" the imaginary family e. h. recommends for girls the "imaginary family" game. this is her description of it:--"first you have to settle the names, ages, and characters of your family, and then you can carry on their adventures every night. one little girl who was devoted to books of travel, and who loved to pore over maps and charts, used to travel with her family every night in whatever country she happened to be interested in at the time. thus she and a favorite son, pharaoh, traveled for a long time in california, crossing every mountain-range by the proper passes, exploring every valley, tracing each river to its source, and so on. in the same way she traveled with her family is central and south america, the malay peninsula, and the south sea islands. another little girl who was very fond of adventure stories carried her family through all sorts of perils by land and sea. at one time they were shipwrecked and lived like the swiss family robinson. at another time they were exploring central africa, and traveled about with three years' supplies in a gigantic caravan with fifty elephants. yet another little girl had for her family any characters out of books that particularly fascinated her. thus, when she was reading _the heroes_, her family was reduced to one daughter, medea, a rather terrible daughter, who needed a great deal of propitiating, and for whose sake all other children had to be given up. later on, when the same child was reading _tales of a grandfather_, her family consisted of three sons, wallace, bruce, and douglas. (it is rather a good thing, by the way, to have a very heroic family, especially if you are at all inclined to be afraid in the dark, as they help to keep one's courage up.) two little girls, who lived in a clergyman's household, had an imaginary poor family they were interested in, and they planned about them every night,--how much the father earned, what their rent was, whether the mother oughtn't to take in washing, whether the eldest girl could be spared to go into service, and so on. when they weren't allowed to talk at night they carried the family history on independently and compared notes in the morning." making plans making plans is always interesting, but particularly so just before christmas, when presents have to be arranged for. for getting to sleep the favorite way is to imagine that you see a flock of sheep scrambling through a gap in the hedge, and to count them. a variety of this is a desert with a long train of camels very far off, coming slowly near, and then passing and gradually disappearing in the far distance. counting a million is also a good way. games for convalescents a good thing to do in bed when getting better from an illness is to cut out pictures for scrapbooks. any kind of cutting out can be done, as the scissors and paper are very light and do not, therefore, tire the arms. "patience" (see page 76) is also a good bed game, because it needs very little thought. bed soldiers in _a child's garden of verses_ there is a poem called "the land of counterpane," which tells what a little boy did when he was ill, lying among the pillows with his toys: and sometimes for an hour or so i watched my leaden soldiers go, with different uniforms and drills, among the bed-clothes, through the hills; and sometimes sent my ships in fleets all up and down among the sheets, or brought my trees and houses out and planted cities all about. china animals dolls are, of course, perfectly at home in bed when you are ill, but there is even more interest in a menagerie. on this subject it would be difficult to do better than quote from a letter from e. m. r., who has 590 china animals, mostly in families and all named. she began this magnificent collection with a family of monkeys. the mother was called sally, her eldest son mungo, the next pin-ceri, another, eating a nut, jock, and the youngest, a sweet little girl monkey, ness. i was soon given a family of three foxes, reynard, brushtail, and whitepad, and from that time to the present my collection has been growing. i soon had enough to fill a shelf in a cabinet, and i turned my doll's-house into a boarding-school for the little animals with a big pig as headmaster. but when my collection rose to 400 animals, i had too many children to be all boarders at the school, so some had to be day-scholars, and the headmaster was changed to a green frog who swam beautifully, and who was assisted by two swans, a duck, a fish, two crocodiles, and a seal, who all swam. another frog taught the children swimming by tying a piece of string round their bodies, and dangling them in the water from the edge of a basin. the animals' abode was now changed, and they were put into a large cabinet containing six small shelves and one big one. i called the big shelf a town, and the rest villages. the town was called weybridge: the village where the birds lived, airsbury; and that where the dogs were, canistown. the rest had various other names. at this time an important addition was made to the collection, for a big lion was given me, which i immediately created king; then came a queen and four princesses, and shortly after a crown prince, another prince, and three more little princesses. the royal family was allowed a village all to itself, which was called kingston, and was given five servants, two nurses, a footman, a housemaid, and a cook. as i had now two families of several of the kinds of animals, i determined that they should be married, so, nominating sally's husband rector, i had several weddings. i built a church with some bricks i had, and formed a procession up the aisle, to the wedding march, played on an american organ. first came the bride and bridegroom, then the best man and the bridesmaids, and last the children of the animals who were to be married, two and two. when the ceremony was over, i marched them all back to their places on the shelf. i now made eight laws, and copied them out in an exercise-book, together with the names of all the animals, the number of men, women, boys, and girls, and the number of married and single families. i had had several little separate china animals given me, belonging to none of my families, so i made a law that if any family of their kind came to the collection they must adopt these little orphans. i also made two acting companies, one of big animals, and one for the children, with a boar-hound called sir philip of ravenswood for the manager of the first, and a little black and white kid, named tim, for manager of the second, and at the christmas of the same year that i formed the two companies i had two plays, the children acting "hansel and gretel," and the big animals "the yeomen of the guard." being now unable to get any fresh families of small animals, i started a collection of big china animals, and soon had thirty-five, among whom were a jersey bull and cow, another brown bull and a brown and white cow, two beautiful horses, several dogs, two donkeys, and two goats. these i kept apart from the small animals, in another cupboard; but i still kept the lion king over them as well, and gave them two big animals, a bloodhound and a st. bernard, as governors over them. among the small animals i had a very learned-looking pig called orsino, whom i made doctor, while an old bulldog, dimboona, to whom i had been obliged to give two wooden legs, was prime minister. i also had a treasurer, a rent collector, a steward, and an under-steward. i also made a young boar-hound, called panther, the son of sir philip, keeper of the stables, which consisted of ninety-two horses which i had made. and this brings the narrative of the growth of my china animal collection up to the present time, when i have 555 small animals and 35 big ones, 590 in all. at the seaside low tide the first thing to do on reaching the seaside is to find out when it is low tide. in each twelve hours low tide comes twenty minutes later, and knowing this you can arrange your days accordingly. nothing is so saddening as to run down the beach in the belief that the tide is going out and to find that it is coming in. paddling to boys who wear knickerbockers the preparations for paddling are very simple; but girls are not so fortunate. lewis carroll (who wrote _alice in wonderland_) took their difficulties so seriously that whenever he went to the seaside to stay he used to have with him a packet of safety-pins for the use of any children that seemed to be in need of them. this piece of thoughtfulness on his part might determine you to carry them for yourselves. a cork ship sailing a good boat in the sea is not the best fun, but there is a kind of boat which is very easily made as you sit on the beach, and which is useful to play with when wading, and afterward to throw stones at. you take a piece of cork for the hull. cut a line down the middle underneath and wedge a strip of slate in for a keel to keep her steady. fix a piece of driftwood for a mast, and thread a piece of paper on that for a sail. wet clothes when wading it is just as well not to get your clothes wet if you can help it. clothes that are made wet with seawater, which probably has a little sand in it, are as uncomfortable as crumbs in bed. there is no reason why you should get them wet if you wade wisely. sitting among the rocks, running through the water, and jumping the little crisping waves are the best ways to get soaked. rocks seaside places where there are rocks and a great stretch of sand are the best. rocks make paddling twice as exciting, because of the interesting things in the little pools--the anemones, and seaweeds, and shells, and crabs, and shrimps, and perhaps little fish. sometimes these pools are quite hot. to enjoy the rocks properly you want a net. sand castles, and other sand games to make full use of the sands a spade is necessary and a pail important. the favorite thing to make is a castle and a moat, and although the water rarely is willing to stay in the moat it is well to pour some in. the castle may also have a wall round it and all kinds of other buildings within the wall. abbeys are also made, and great houses with carefully arranged gardens, and villages, and churches. railways with towns and stations here and there along the line are easily made, and there is the fun of being the train when the line is finished. the train is a good thing to be, because the same person is usually engineer and conductor as well. collisions are interesting now and then. the disadvantage of a railway on crowded sands is that passers-by injure the line and sometimes destroy, by a movement of the foot, a whole terminus; it is therefore better at small watering-places that few people have yet discovered. if an active game is wanted as well as mere digging and building, a sand fort is the best thing to make, because then it has to be held and besieged, and perhaps captured. in all sand operations stones are useful to mark boundaries. burying one another in the sand is good at the time, but gritty afterward. seaweed seaweed and shells make good collections, but there is no use in carrying live fish home in pails. the fun is in catching the fish, not is keeping it; and some landladies dislike having the bath-room used as an aquarium. on wet days seaweed can be stuck on cards or in a book. the best way to get it to spread out and not crease on a card, is to float the little pieces in a basin and slip the card underneath them in the water. when the seaweed has settled on it, take the card out and leave it to dry. the seaweed will then be found to be stuck, except perhaps in places here and there, which can be made sure by inserting a little touch of gum. it is the smaller, colored kinds of seaweed that one treats in this way; and it is well to leave them for a day in the sun before washing and preparing, as this brings out their color. the ordinary large kind of seaweed is useful as a barometer. a piece hung by the door will tell when rain is coming by growing moist and soft. shell work a good use for little shells is to cover small boxes with them. the shells are arranged in a simple pattern and fastened on with glue. if the shells are not empty and clean, boil them, and scrub them with an old tooth-brush. good seaside friends so many interesting things are to be seen at the seaside that there is no need to be always at play. fishermen will come in with their boats, which need pulling up; or a net that has been dropped near the shore will be drawn in from the beach, and you can perhaps help. if the town is not merely a watering-place but also a seaport, it is, of course, better, because then there will be the life of the harbor to watch. to be friends with a lighthouse man is almost as good a thing as can happen; and if there is both a lighthouse and a shipbuilder's you could hardly be more fortunate. in the country this chapter has been written more for readers who live in a town and visit the country only during the holidays than for those whose home is always there. regular country dwellers do not need to be told many of the things that follow; but none the less there may be a few to find them useful. the principal special attractions of the country are- in the spring birds' nests. " june bee-swarming and hay-making. " july sheep-washing and shearing. " august early windfalls and harvest. " september blackberries, nuts, hops, mushrooms, and squirrels. making friends the most important thing to do when staying at a farmhouse is to make friends with the principal people. the principal people are those in charge of the chickens and ducks, the cows and the horses. the way to make friends is to be as little trouble as possible. exploration on reaching the farm, it is well to make a journey of discovery, in order to learn where everything is. the more one knows about the things in store--the size of the barn, the height of the haystacks, the number of horses, the name of the watch-dog, the position and character of the pond, and so forth--the simpler will it be, on going to bed, to make plans for the visit. finding hens' eggs the farmer's wife usually has charge of the chickens and ducks, but very often it is her daughter or a servant. no matter who it is, as soon as she is convinced that you will be careful and thorough she will let you hunt for eggs. this is very exciting, because hens have a way of laying in nests in the wood and all kinds of odd places, hoping that no one will find them and they will thus be able to sit and hatch out their chickens. the hay in the stable is a favorite spot, and under the wood-pile, and among the long grass. sometimes one overlooks a nest for nearly a week and then finds three or four eggs in it, one of them quite warm. this is a great discovery. just at first it is easy to be taken in by the china nest-eggs, and to run indoors in triumph with one in your hand. but the farmer's wife will laugh and send you back with it, and the mistake is not likely to be made again. after a while one gets to know the hens personally, and to know the noise which means that they have just laid. sometimes, if a hen is going to lay just as you come to her nest, she will run off clucking and screaming and lay the egg on the ground. ducks' eggs ducks' eggs, which are rather larger than hens' eggs, and pale green in color, are often more difficult to find. they have to be hunted for in the grass by the pond. feeding the chickens the farmer's wife also lets her visitors feed the chickens if they are gentle with them and thoughtful. it needs quite a little thought, because if you throw down the grain without thinking, many of the weaker and less greedy ones will get nothing, and many of the stronger and greedier ones will get too much. after a few handfuls you can see which are the weaklings, and after that you can favor them accordingly. a greedy hen is so very greedy that she will always, whatever you do, get more than her share; but it is possible to snub her a little. the very little chickens and ducklings do not have grain, but soft food, which is put in a saucer and placed inside the coop. it is after they have finished eating that they can most easily be picked up, but one must be very careful not to squeeze them. the dairy if the farmer's wife makes her own butter there will be an opportunity to help her. perhaps she will let you use the skimmer. turning the churn is not much fun except just when the butter forms. bee-swarming bees swarm on hot days in the early summer, usually in a tree, but sometimes in a room, if the window is open, and often in a bush, quite close to the ground. when they swarm in a tree you would think a black snow-storm was raging all around it. every moment the cluster of bees grows larger and larger, until, after half an hour or so, it is quiet. then the swarm has to be taken. this is the most interesting part, but you must be careful not to be too near in case an accident occurs and the bees become enraged and sting you. if the farmer has the new wooden hives with a glass covering he will very likely let you peep in and see the bees at work. before doing this you certainly ought to read something about their exceedingly wonderful ways. one of the best books is sir john lubbock's (lord avebury's) _ants, bees, and wasps_, but most encyclopã¦dias contain very interesting articles on the subject. the cows the man who looks after the cows is a very valuable friend. he may even let you try to milk, which only specially gifted children ever succeed in doing at all well; and he will teach you the cows' names (in some farms these are painted up over each stall--primrose, lightfoot, sweetlips, clover, and so on); and perhaps he will give you the task of fetching them from the meadow at milking time. sheep in a general way sheep are not very interesting, especially in low-lying farms. but though sheep, as a rule, are dull, there are two occasions when they are not--at sheep-washing and sheep-shearing. the washers stand up to their knees, or even their waists, in the brook, in oilskin clothes, and seizing the struggling sheep one by one by the wool, plunge them into the water. shearing is a finer art; but the sheep is hardly less uncomfortable. he has to be thrown into various positions (on his back for one, and with his head between the shearer's knees for another), while the shears clip-clop all over him. the wool is not taken off in scraps, as our hair is at the barber's, but the whole fleece is removed in one huge piece. the blacksmith it may be that while you are at the farm the day will come for having the horses shod, and you may go with them to the blacksmith. the blacksmith is of course a very important person to be friends with; and people are very fortunate if their lodgings in the country are close to a smithy. some blacksmiths permit their friends to stand right inside the smithy, instead of just at the door, where strangers have to stay. perhaps the blacksmith will ask you to blow his bellows while he is making a horseshoe, and it may happen that if he has not much work on hand he will make you a hoop that will be far cheaper and stronger than a bought one (see p. 169). in hot weather the flies are so troublesome to horses which are being shod, and make them so restless, that some one has to stand beside them and brush the flies away with a green branch. this job might fall to you. birds'-nesting one of the advantages of being in the country in spring is that that is the time when birds build. in may the weather is not yet sufficiently warm to make sitting about out-of-doors very comfortable, but birds'-nesting can make up for that. it is of no use to say in this book, "don't take the eggs," because it is possible only for one person here and there to be satisfied with merely finding a nest and then passing on to find another. but it is a pity for any one who is not a serious collector to take more than one egg. for your purposes one is enough, and the loss of a single egg rarely causes a bird to desert her nest. of course if you know for certain that the nest is deserted, it is right to take all. you can find out by visiting it two or three times, and if the eggs remain cold or wet and there is no sign of the bird you may safely feel that she has abandoned them. birds have so many natural enemies to fear that it is hard that we should harm them too. blowing eggs for blowing eggs a brass or glass blow-pipe is the proper thing, using only one hole, which is made at the side with a little drill. but for your purpose a hole at each end made with a pin is simpler and equally good. in blowing you must be careful not to hold the egg so tightly in the fingers that its sides crush in. before making the holes it is well to put the egg in a basin of water. if it sinks it is fresh and can be blown easily; but if it floats it is set--that is to say, the young bird has begun to form--and blowing will be difficult. in such cases it is wise, if you are using a blow-pipe, to make a largish hole and put a little water in and leave the egg to lie for a day or so; then blowing it will be not much trouble. but if you have no blow-pipe the best thing to do is to make one good-sized hole in the less interesting side of the egg, and empty it with a bent pin. then, when it is empty, you can put it in the egg box with the broken side underneath. country boys often thread birds' eggs on a string which hangs from the ceiling, but the ordinary way is to put them in cotton-wool in a box with cardboard compartments. making this box is a good country occupation for wet weather. butterflies butterfly-hunting begins when birds'-nesting is done and the weather is hot. here again it is not the purpose of this book to go into particulars: the subject is too large. it is enough to say that the needful things are a large net of soft green gauze, a killing-bottle with a glass stopper, a cork-lined box with a supply of pins in which to carry the butterflies after they are dead, and setting boards for use at home. the good collector is very careful in transferring the butterfly from the net to the bottle, lest its wings are rubbed or broken; and before taking it out of the bottle and putting it in the box you should be quite certain that it is dead. the way to get the butterfly into the bottle is to drive it into a corner of the net and hold it there, and then slip the bottle inside, remove the stopper, and shake the butterfly into it. the stopper should be off as short a time as possible. for handbooks for a butterfly collector see the "reading" section. collecting flowers a quieter pastime, but a very interesting one, and also one that, unlike egg-collecting and butterfly-collecting, goes on all the year round, is collecting flowers. for this purpose tin cases are made, with straps to hold them from the shoulders, in which to keep the plants cool and fresh; but there is no need to wait for the possession of one of these. an ordinary box or basket will, if you have not very far to walk, serve equally well. you will also need a press, which can be simply a couple of boards about a foot long and six inches wide, with a good supply of blotting-paper between. the flowers are pressed by spreading them very carefully, to show their beauty to best advantage, between the blotting-paper, and then piling a few books on the boards. the weight need not be very heavy and the blotting-paper should frequently be renewed. you will soon learn how long the pressing need continue, but it is of the highest importance that the flowers are thoroughly dried before you mount them in your album or on separate sheets of paper. the simplest form of mounting is to glue little strips of paper here and there across the stems. a botanical collection is more valuable if the roots of the plants are also included; and this will make it necessary for you to have a long trowel. for the collector of flowers a handbook is compulsory. such a book as alice lounsberry's _the wild flower book for young people_ gives many details of the growth and nature of plants, told with a story that makes the book unusually interesting, and will arouse your enthusiasm to gather wild flowers and see how large a collection of them you can make. it is interesting, if you have any skill in painting, to make water-color copies of all the flowers that you find; another good occupation for wet days in the country. nuts and blackberries in nutting you want a hooked stick with which to pull down the branches. for blackberries a hooked stick is not so important, but it is well to have leather gloves. the blackberries ought to be dry when they are picked. rain takes their flavor away; so you should wait until the sun comes again and restores it. one thing that you quickly notice is that all blackberries are not after the same pattern. there are different kinds, just as there are different kinds of strawberry and raspberry. some are hard and very closely built; some are loosely built, with large cells which squash between the fingers; some come between these two varieties; and there are still others. for eating on the spot the softer ones are the best, but for cooking and for jam the harder ones are equally good. in picking blackberries you soon find that it is better to have the sun at your back, because if it shines through the bush into your eyes you cannot distinguish clearly between the shades of blackness. an open basket full of blackberries is a radiant sight. each of the little cells has a point of light, and thousands of these together are as gay as jewels. no one need starve on the open road in september, for there is food on every hedge--two good courses. nuts are there as the standby, the backbone of the meal, and after come blackberries, as pudding or dessert. to pick the two for an hour, and then, resting beneath a tree, to eat until all are gone--that is no bad way to have lunch. if you take advice in this matter, you will not crack the nuts with your teeth but between stones. ponds and sailing boats near the farm is certain to be either a pond or a stream. if it is a clean and high pond, not in a hollow surrounded by trees, it will be good to sail boats on. sailing boats on inland water is much better than on the sea, because, with a pond, directly the boat is fairly started on its voyage you can run round the other side and meet it. even with a very poor pond it is still possible to have a very good time. in buying or making a boat, be sure that the lead along the keel is heavy enough. so little do toy-shop people think of these things that they very often put no lead at all on their boats, and more often than not put too little. once a boat is properly weighted in this way you are certain to have fun in sailing her, but otherwise it will be useless to try. in boat-sailing it is well to have a long stick with a hook at the end with which to draw the ship to land. for suggestions as to making a useful and simple sailing-boat see p. 295. little boats on a stream sailing boats in a stream is little good, because there is no steadiness of wind, but ordinary boats will float along in the current splendidly. it is interesting to launch one and follow its adventures from the bank. sometimes it will be caught in a weed; sometimes an eddy will sweep it into a back water; sometimes, in shooting the rapids, it will be overturned. but a long stick can always put things right. or one of you will go down the stream to a given point and the other will send down messengers--pieces of wood, walnut boats (see p. 298), paper boats (see p. 285), or whatever it may be. a stream's fascination but there is no absolute need for you to have boats in order to enjoy a stream. there are so many other things to do, not the least interesting being to make a dam and stop or divert the course of the water. and when tired of playing it is very good to sit quite still on the bank and watch things happening: perhaps a water-rat will swim along suspecting nothing, and then, seeing you make a movement, will dive and disappear, and suddenly come into view ever so far away on the other bank. perhaps a kingfisher will flash by or settle on a branch overhanging the water. kingfishers grow more rare every year, owing to the merciless and unthinking zeal with which they are shot; and maybe before long there will be no more to be seen anywhere. solitary watchfulness indeed, to keep absolutely quiet and watch things happening is for many people one of the most delightful occupations which the country holds. when there is no one else to play with it is as good a way of spending the time as can be found. mice and moles in a wood or in any place where there are old leaves, as in a dry ditch, you will usually get through the ear the first tidings of any moving thing. for instance, you will hear a field-mouse rustling long before you can see its queer pointed nose pushing its way through the dead leaves. or it may be a mole blundering blindly along. if by any chance a mole is caught in a trap while you are in the country, be sure to examine its little hands and feel the softness of its fur. perhaps the farm boy will skin it for you. snakes sometimes the rustling is a snake on his way to a sunny spot where he can bask and sleep. very slender brown speckled snakes, or blind-worms, are quite harmless, and so are the large grass-snakes, which are something like a mackerel in lines and markings. the adder, however, which is yellowish brown in color with brown markings and a "v" on his head, is dangerous and should be avoided. ants on p. 205 is given the title of a book about bees. hardly less wonderful are ants, concerning whom there is much curious information in the same work, the reading of which makes it ten times more interesting to watch an ant-hill than it was before. one sometimes has to remember that it is as serious for ants to have their camp stirred up by a walking-stick as it would be for new york if vesuvius were tossed on top of it. swallows and hawks in the flight of birds there is nothing to compare for beauty and speed with the swift, or for power and cleverness with the hawk. on moist evenings, when the swifts fly low and level, backward and forward, with a quaint little musical squeak, like a mouse's, they remind one of fish that dart through the water of clear streams under bridges. the hawk, even in a high wind, can remain, by tilting his body at the needed angle, perfectly still in the air, while his steady wide eyes search the ground far below him for mice or little birds. then, when he sees something, his body suddenly seems to be made of lead and he drops like a stone on his prey. a hawk can climb the sky by leaning with outspread wings against the breeze and cork-screwing up in a beautiful spiral. squirrels the time to see squirrels is september and october, when the beech nuts and hazel nuts are ripe. in the pictures he sits up, with his tail resting on his back, holding nuts in his little forepaws; but one does not often see him like this in real life. he is either scampering over the ground with his tail spread out behind him or chattering among the branches and scrambling from one to another. the squirrel is not seen at his best when he goes nutting. his beautiful swift movements are checked by the thickness of the hazels. in a beech grove he has more liberty to run and leap. sometimes you will see twenty at once all nibbling the beech nuts on the ground. on hearing you they make for a tree trunk, and, rushing up it for a yard or two, stop suddenly, absolutely still, with fearful eyes, and ears intently and intensely cocked. if you stand equally still the squirrel will stay there, motionless, like a piece of the tree, for a minute or so, and then, in a very bad temper, disappear from view on the other side of the trunk, and probably, though you run round the tree quickly several times and search every branch with your eyes, never come into sight again. it is a good thing to sit under a tree some distance from the beech trees, making as little movement as possible; and by and by you will cease to be considered as anything but a regular part of the landscape and the squirrels may come quite close to you. a country diary if you are fond of writing you might find a good deal of interest in keeping a country diary: that is to say, a small note-book in which you set down evening by evening all things seen during the day that seemed to be sufficiently out of the way to be worth recording. a camera in the country nothing is said in this book about amateur photography, because to own a camera is still the exception rather than the rule, and if once we began to say anything practical about photography we should have to say very much more than the scheme of the volume permits. but we might urge any reader who has a camera to use it in the country in taking pictures of animal life and old buildings. old-fashioned farmhouses and cottages are disappearing so rapidly that we ought to keep as many records of them as possible, and well-chosen photographs of animals are not only beautiful pictures, but are also very useful. mr. kearton's work in this way, which may be studied in _with nature and a camera_, is extremely valuable. country books in the "reading" chapter will be found the titles of several books which describe life in the country, and tell you all about the habits of animals, birds, and insects. dolls' houses the most magnificent ready-made dolls' house in the world, with gables and windows, stairs, front garden, and the best furniture, cannot quite make up to its owner for all the delight she has missed by not making it herself. of course some things, such as cups and saucers, glasses and bottles, saucepans and kitchen utensils, must be bought; but almost all the really necessary things for house-keeping can be made at home. dolls' gardens one advantage of making the dolls' house yourself is that you can arrange for it to have a garden, a provision rarely made by toy-shops. grass plots can be made of green baize or other cloth of the right color; garden paths of sand sprinkled over glue, or of strips of sand-paper; flower-beds of brown paper, and the flowers of tissue-paper and wire. a summer-house, and a dog-kennel to hold a china dog, might also be added (see p. 241), and, if you have room, stables. garden chairs and tables garden seats and tables can be made of cardboard and cork. for a seat, take a card two or three inches long and not quite as broad. mark it right across, lengthwise, in the middle with a sharp knife, and then half fold it. this will make the back and seat. glue the seat to four slender corks for legs and paint the whole green. to make a table, glue four cork legs to a strong piece of cardboard. the house a dolls' house can be made of almost any kind of box. for the simplest and smallest kind cigar boxes can be used and the furniture made of cork, for which directions are given later; or a couple of low shelves in a bookcase or cupboard will do. much better, however, is a large well-made packing-case divided by wooden and strong cardboard partitions into two, four, or six rooms, according to its size. a specially made box is, of course, best of all; this should be divided into four or six rooms, and should have a sloping roof to give attic room for boxes and odd furniture. the house can be stained outside or papered a plain dark color. one or two windows should be cut out of the walls of each room by the carpenter who made the box, and there must be doors between the rooms. a piece of thin glass cut to the right size can be fixed on the windows at home. but before this is done the house must be papered. the best kind of paper is that used by bookbinders for the insides of the covers, because the patterns used are so dainty and small; but this is not always easy to get. any small-patterned paper will do, or what is called lining paper, which can be got in every color. the paper must be very smoothly put on with paste. always start at the top when pressing it to the wall, and smooth it downward gently. dadoes or friezes can be divided off with the tiny beading which frame-makers use, or with a painted line, which must be straight and evenly done. fireplaces fireplaces, which can be bought or made at home, should be put in next. to make one yourself, take a strong cardboard-box lid about four inches long and two wide (though the size must depend on the size of the room). very neatly cut off a quarter of it. this smaller part, covered with gold or silver paper, will make the fender. then cut off both sides of the remaining piece, leaving the strip at the top to form the mantelpiece. glue the back of the cover to the wall, hang little curtains from the shelf, put some ornaments on it, arrange the fender in front, and the fireplace is complete. a grate can be imitated in cardboard painted black and red. a furnishing game a splendid game of shop can be played while the furnishing is going on: in fact, from the moment you have the bare house a board or sign with "_to let or for sale_" will quickly attract house-hunting dolls, and when a couple have taken it they will have their days full of shopping before it is ready for them. you will, of course, yourself be the manufacturers and shopkeepers. it is well to make out careful bills for everything sold, and the more things you can display in your show-rooms the better. all house-hunting dolls require plenty of money. curtains windows have been mentioned, but they are not by any means a necessity. yet even if you cannot have windows, you should put up curtains, for they make the rooms prettier. shades can be made of linen, edged at the bottom with a piece of lace, and nailed on the wall just above the window. during the day these are rolled up and tied. white curtains should be bordered with lace and run on a piece of tape, which can be nailed or pinned on both sides of the window. they will then draw. the heavy inside curtains can be hung on a pencil (which may be gilded or left its own color) supported by two picture screws. fasten these curtains back with narrow ribbons. some dolls' houses, of course, are fitted with real doors. but if you do not have these, it is perhaps well to hang the doorway with curtains, also on pencils. floors the floors can be stained or painted either all over or round the edges. carpets are better not made of ordinary carpet, for it is much too thick, but of colored canvas, or chintz, or thin felt, or serge. a rug made of a plain colored material with a cross-stitch or embroidered pattern around it is very pretty. fine matting can also be used, and oil-cloth is excellent for the kitchen. general remarks on furnishing in another place in this book (pp. 228-233) will be found instructions for making furniture for very small and simple dolls' houses; but for a good dolls' house with several good-sized rooms you would probably prefer, for the most part, to use bought things. square tables are of course easy to make (a cardboard-box lid on four legs is practically the whole thing), and there are other articles which, if you see your way to devise, are better made at home, instructions for which will be found as you read on; but chairs and round tables and so forth are perhaps most satisfactory when they come from the toy-shop. both in buying furniture and in making it, it is necessary always to remember the size of the rooms and of the dolls, and the size of whatever furniture you may already have, so as to keep everything in proportion. beds beds can be made of cardboard-boxes of different sizes. the box turned upside down makes the bed itself, and the cover should be fixed upright behind it for curtains to hang from. these curtains and the frill round the bed should be made of any thin material, such as muslin. the mattress, bolster, and pillows are best made of cotton-wool covered with muslin or calico. sheets may be made also out of muslin; pillow-cases should be edged with lace; for blankets you use flannel, button-hole-stitched round with colored silk or wool, and the quilt will look best if made of a dainty piece of silk, or muslin over a colored sateen to match the curtains. a tiny nightdress case should not be forgotten. beds for doll children can be made in the same way out of match-boxes; and for cozy little cots for babies there are walnut shells. [illustration: cardboard box beds] bead furniture [illustration: bead chair] chairs can be made with wire, beads, a little silk or cotton material, some cardboard and cotton-wool. to make a chair in this way, cut a piece of cardboard the size that you want the seat to be. lay a good wad of cotton-wool over it, and then cover it neatly. on a piece of strong wire thread enough beads to go round the seat of the chair. sew this firmly to the seat. then thread beads on four pieces of wire the right length for the legs, and leave a little piece of wire with which to fasten them to the wire round the seat. then make the back from a longer piece of wire, bent into shape and attached to the seat in the same way, and put a short row of beads across the middle. you will need a pair of tweezers to cut the wire and to finish the fastening securely. pictures pictures for the walls can be made very easily. the picture itself will be a scrap or tiny photograph. this is pasted on a piece of cardboard larger than itself, and round the edge of that you place a strip of whatever colored paper you want for the frame. the picture cord, a piece of cotton, can be glued on the back. more elaborate frames are cut out of cardboard and bound round with colored silk and covered with gold paint. the picture is then stuck into it. bookshelves and books the simplest bookshelves are those that hang from a nail on the wall. they are made by cutting two or three strips of cardboard of the size of the shelves and boring holes at the corners of each. these are then threaded one by one on four lengths of silk or fine string, knots being tied to keep the shelves the right distance apart. care has to be taken to get the knots exactly even, or the shelf will be crooked. books can be made by sewing together a number of tiny sheets of paper, with a colored cover and a real or invented title. sometimes these books contain real stories. other articles a dolls' house ought to be as complete as possible, and though this will take a long time it is absorbingly interesting work from start to finish. it should be the ambition of the mistress of a dolls' house to have it as well furnished as the house of a grown-up person, and if she looks round the rooms in her own home carefully she will see how many things can be copied. there will be cushions to make, fancy table-cloths for different tables, toilet-covers and towels for the bedroom, splashers to go behind wash-stands, mats in front of them, and roll-towels and kitchen cloths for the kitchen. everything should be made of the thinnest and finest material, cut with the greatest care and sewn with the tiniest stitches. light and dainty colors are best for a dolls' house. if you have several rooms, it is a good plan to have a pink room, a blue room, a yellow room, and in each room to have everything of different shades of that color and white. perhaps no material is so useful to the owner of a dolls' house as art muslin. it is soft, cheap, and very pretty. coming to other furniture which can be made at home, we find screens (made of cardboard and scraps), music for the piano, walking-sticks, flowers (made of colored tissue-paper and wire), flower-pots (made of corks covered with red paper), cupboards to keep linen and glass in (made out of small cardboard boxes, fitted with shelves), and many other little things which, if you look round your own home carefully, will be suggested to you. even bicycles can be imitated in cardboard and placed in the hall. the inhabitants as to dolls, the more the merrier. they are so cheap and can be dressed so easily that it seems a great pity not to have a large family and a larger circle of friends who will occasionally visit them. there must be a father and a mother, a baby and some children, servants (in stiff print dresses with caps and aprons), and certainly a bride, who, if her dress can not be changed for an ordinary one, ought to be kept carefully hidden, except when there is a wedding. dressing dolls it is rather difficult to dress these tiny dolls so that their clothes will take off and on, but it is much better to do so if possible. in any case they can have capes and hats which take off. the thinnest materials make the best underclothes, but stiff material for dresses makes it possible to stand the dolls up. glove buttons, and the narrowest ribbons, tapes, and laces, are useful things to have when you are dressing dolls'-house dolls. dolls' dinner parties dolls occasionally require parties. the food may be real or imitation. if real,--such as currants and raisins, sugar and candied peel,--it is more amusing at the moment; but if imitation, you have a longer time of interest in making it. get a little flour, and mix it with salt and water into a stiff paste, like clay. then mould it to resemble a round of beef, a chicken, a leg of mutton, potatoes, pies, or whatever you want, and stand it in front of the fire to dry. when dry, paint (in water-color) to resemble these things still more. if there is clay in the garden, you can make all these things from that, and many others too. dolls' flats just as people live not only in houses but in flats, so may there be dolls' flats as well as dolls' houses. a dolls' flat consists of a board on which the outline of the rooms is made with single bricks. for example, a four-roomed flat might be arranged like this-[illustration: a doll's apartments] to lay the bricks on a board is not necessary. they can be laid on the floor equally well, except that when you have done playing you will have then to put them away again, whereas if placed on a board they can be left till next time. nor is there any reason why the walls should not be higher than a single brick; that is merely a matter of taste. once the walls are ready the furniture and dolls can be put in in the ordinary way. smaller dolls' houses so far we have been considering larger dolls' houses. but there are also smaller ones, which naturally require much smaller furniture. these dolls' houses can be made of cardboard (as described on p. 237 and on), or they can be merely small boxes--even cigar boxes; and the dolls and furniture in them can be, if you like, all paper, or made of materials in ways that are now suggested. cork and match-box furniture this furniture, if very neatly made, can be very successful, and it costs almost nothing. plain pins will do quite well, although the fancy ones are much prettier. velvet or thin cloth is best for the dining-room furniture; silk for the drawing room; and some light-colored cotton material for the bedrooms. materials you will need- several good-sized corks, or pickle corks, for the larger things. some pieces of fancy silk or velvet. a number of strong pins of different sizes. (the fancy pins with large white, black, and colored heads are best.) some wool, silk, or tinsel which will go well with the silk or velvet. a strong needle and a spool of cotton. chairs [illustration: cork arm-chair] cut a round or square piece of cork about quarter of an inch thick and one inch across. cover it with a piece of silk or velvet, making all the stitches on that side of the cork which will be the under side of the seat. for the legs put a pin firmly into each corner. wind a little wool or silk firmly round each leg, finishing it off as neatly as possible. the back of the seat is made by sticking four pins rather closely together and winding the wool or silk in and out of them. fasten the wool with a tiny knot both when you begin winding and when you finish. armchairs are made in the same way, except that they are rather larger, and arms--made of small pins--are added. chestnut chairs [illustration: chestnut chair] an be made of chestnuts. the flatter side of the nut is the seat, and in this are stuck pins for the back (and arms if necessary), which may be bound together with gold or silver tinsel. other pins are stuck in underneath for legs. sofas for a sofa a piece of cork about two inches long and half an inch thick is needed. this must be covered, and then quite short pins stuck in for legs. put a row of short pins along one side and the two ends, and wind the wool neatly in and out of them. tables [illustration: fancy table] round tables can be made best of different-sized pieces of cork, with very strong pins for legs; and square ones of the outside of a wooden match-box, with four little medicine-bottle corks glued under it for legs. in either case it is most important to have the legs well fixed on and of exactly the same length. it is not necessary to cover a table, but a table-cloth of silk, either fringed, or hemmed with tiny stitches, and a white table-cloth for meals, should be made. fancy tables can be made by taking a flat round cork and sticking pins into it at regular intervals all round. weave silk or tinsel in and out of the pins until they are covered. (see above.) foot-stools several small pieces of cork may be covered to make foot-stools. standard lamp a serviceable standard lamp can be made by taking a small empty cotton spool, gilding or painting it, and fixing the wooden part of a thin penholder firmly into it. on the top of it glue a round piece of cork, on which a lamp-shade, made of one of the little red paper caps that chemists put on bottles, can be placed. bedroom furniture--materials you will need- two large wooden match-boxes. several corks of different sizes. some pieces of chintz, of cotton material, flannel, linen, oil-cloth, and a little cotton-wool. an empty walnut shell. several wooden matches with the heads taken off. pins of different sizes. wool, silk or tinsel, for the backs of the chairs. a tube of glue. beds [illustration: match-box bedstead] to make a bed, take the inside of a match-box and cut away the bottom of it. then take two matches and glue them to the two corners at the head of the bed so that a portion sticks out below the bed for legs and above the bed for a railing. cut two more matches to the same length as these others, less the part of them that serves for legs, and fasten these at equal distances from each other and from the two others already glued in position. along the top of these place another match for a rail, and the head of the bed is done. for the foot of the bed repeat these operations exactly, except that all the upright matches must be a little shorter. then cut off one end of the bottom of the box and fit it in to form the part of the bed that takes the mattress. the bedstead, when made, should be like the one in the accompanying picture. a little mattress must now be made to fit the bed exactly; it can be stuffed with cotton-wool or bran. a pillow, blankets, sheets, and a fancy coverlet may also be made, and a very thin and tiny frill should be put right round the bed to hide the box. a very pretty baby's cradle can be made out of half a walnut shell. it should be lined, and curtains should be hung from a match fastened upright at one end of the shell. dressing-tables the outside of the same match-box that was used for the bed will make a dressing-table. stand it up on either side of its striking sides, and glue or sew a piece of light-colored thin material all round it, and then over this put a muslin frill. make a little white cloth to lay on the top of the table. the looking-glass is made by fixing a square of silver paper in a cardboard frame. washstands take the inside of another match-box and stand it up on one of its sides. then take five or six matches and cut them to that length which, when they are glued in an upright row at equal distances apart to the back of the match-box, will cause them to stand up above the top of it about a third of an inch. on the tops of them then lay another match to make a little railing. cover the box as you did the dressing-table. put a little mat of oil-cloth on the top of the box, and make another large one to lay in front of it. proper jugs and basins will, of course, have to be bought, but an acorn cup or small shell makes a very good toy basin. [illustration: match-box washstand] wardrobes the wardrobe is made by standing the inside of a match-box on end, fixing inside several little pegs made of small pieces of match stuck in with glue, and hanging two little curtains in front of it. if, when done, it seems too low, it may be raised on four little corks. towel-rack a towel-horse can easily be made with six long pins and two small pieces of cork. [illustration: towel rack] clothes-basket [illustration: clothes basket] to make a clothes-basket, take a round piece of cork about a quarter of an inch thick and stick pins closely together all round it, as in the above picture. then weave wool in and out of them. dolls' houses and dolls of cardboard and paper a cardboard house, furnished with paper furniture and occupied by paper dolls, is a very good substitute for an ordinary dolls' house, and the making of it is hardly less interesting. the simplest way to make a cardboard house is to cut it all (with the exception of the partition and the roof) in one piece. the plan given here is for a two-roomed cottage, the measurements for which can be multiplied to whatever size you like (or whatever is the utmost that your sheet of cardboard will permit). the actual model from which this plan was made (the house was built from a royal sheet of bristol board) had a total floor measurement of 8 inches by 14. the end walls were 5 inches high, the side walls 5 inches, sloping up to 7 in the middle, and the partition was 7 inches. the roof was slightly wider than the floor, in order to make wide eaves, and as much longer as was needful not only for the eaves but also to allow for the angle. the first thing to do is to rule the outline of the cottage. all the measurements must be most accurately made, as the slightest incorrectness will keep the house from fitting together properly. then cut it out. when this is done, draw the windows and doors. then lay your cardboard on a board, and run your knife along each side of the windows and the three free sides of the doors until the card is cut through. a ruler held close to the penciled line will make your knife cut straight. the bars across the windows can be made of strips of paper glued on afterward. if the doors have a tiny piece shaved off each of the cut sides, they will open and shut easily. to make the front door open well, outward, the hinge line of the door (kk) should be half cut through on the inside. the hinge can be strengthened by gluing a narrow strip of paper or linen along it. at the three points marked h make small slits through which to put the tags, marked g, of the partition wall. all drawing and painting must be done on both sides while the house is still flat. the doors inside will need handles and keyholes. small pieces of mica can be glued over the windows instead of glass. little curtains of crinkly tissue-paper can also be made, and, if you like, the walls can easily be papered with colored paper pasted on. this will cause some delay, however, for it must be well pressed. instead, wall-paper patterns could be painted on. outside--that is, on the underside of the cardboard--there is a great deal to do. both walls and roof can be painted, and tiles, bricks, and creepers imitated. the front door should have a knocker and a letterbox, and around both the door and the windows should be imitation framework. as the upright joints of the four walls will be made of linen painted to imitate brick-work or stone-work, you need not carry the painting of the walls quite to the edges, because these will be covered by the joints. it is best to paint the joints before you stick them on. before turning the card over again, run your knife along the four sides of the floor to assist the bending up of the walls. do not on any account cut through; merely make a half cut. [illustraton: cardboard doll's house] when you have drawn and painted all you can think of to make the house complete and pretty, take your strips of linen, for the fastening of the walls, crease them in half, lengthwise, and glue one half to the outside of the edge of the walls marked cb and de in the plan. when this is quite dry, bend the back wall and the two side walls up, and glue the free sides of the strips to the wall marked ab and ef, holding the walls firmly together until well stuck. strengthen the fold lm, which has to serve as a hinge for the front of the house, with a strip of linen glued underneath. the sides of the front wall must remain unattached, as that forms the opening. it can be kept closed by a strong pin slipped through the roof. [illustration: appearance of house when complete] the partition now for the partition. put the three tags g g g through the slits h h h and glue them firmly down on the outside. (these will have to be touched up with paint.) the roof must then be put on. cut out a slit n an inch long to fit the tag on the partition, also marked n. run your knife along the dotted line underneath, and fold it to the necessary angle to fit the sloping walls. where the roof touches the end walls it must be fastened on with strips of linen or paper, which have been folded in the same way as before and one half fastened securely to the walls. it is important to let it get quite dry before gluing the other half to the roof. [illustration: dog kennel (fig. 1) and roof (fig. 2)] the chimney the chimney, of which the illustration is the actual size, is the last thing to be made. first paint, and then fold the two side pieces downward, cut out the three little holes and put into them three chimneys, made by folding small pieces of paper, painted red, round a penholder, and gluing their edges together. the chimney is fixed to the sloping roof with very small pieces of glued paper. remember that all the pieces of paper used as fastening ought to be touched up with paint. the chimney in the drawing of the complete house on page 240 is put at the side of the roof, but it may even better go in the middle. the garden the cottage can then be fixed to a piece of wood or paste-board, to form its garden and add to convenience in moving it about. a cardboard fence and gate can be cut out and painted green. a path to the front door is made by covering a narrow space of the cardboard with very thin glue over which, while it is wet, sand is sprinkled to imitate gravel. moss will do for evergreens, and grass plots can be made of green cloth. a summer-house, garden chairs and tables are easily cut out of cardboard. so also are a rabbit-hutch, pump, dove-cot, and dog-kennel. a plan of a dog-kennel, actual size, is given. another way it is, of course, possible to make a house of several pieces instead of one. the walls and floors can be made separately and joined with linen strips; but this adds to the difficulty of the work and causes the houses to be less steady. cardboard houses can also be made with two floors. "the house that glue built" a novel kind of paper house has been gotten out in book form. it is called _the house that glue built_, and consists of pictures of rooms, without furniture, which is shown on separate sheets. the object is to cut out the furniture, arrange it and paste it in its proper place. the illustration shows the library, and the furniture for it. there is also a sheet of dolls to be cut out, who represent the owners of the house. two other books on the same order are _the fun that glue made_ and _stories that glue told_. they are all easily put together, and are lots of fun. paper furniture everything required for the furnishing and peopling of a cardboard dolls' house can be made of paper; and if colored at all cleverly the furniture will appear to be as solid as that of wood. after cutting out and joining together one or two of the models given in the pages that follow, and thus learning the principle on which paper furniture is made, you will be able to add all kinds of things to those mentioned here or to devise new patterns for old articles, such as chairs and desks. glue and adhesive tape two recent inventions of the greatest possible use to the maker of paper furniture are fish-glue which gets dry very quickly and is more than ordinarily strong, and adhesive tape. glue can be bought for very little, and adhesive tape, which is sold principally for mending music and the torn pages of books, is put up in inexpensive spools. home-made compasses a pair of compasses is a good thing to have; but you can make a perfectly serviceable tool by cutting out a narrow strip of cardboard about four inches long and boring holes at intervals, of a quarter of an inch, through which the point of a pencil can be placed. if one end of the strip is fastened to the paper with a pin you can draw a circle of what size you want, up to eight inches across. materials these are the materials needed when making paper furniture:- a few sheets of stiff note-paper or drawing-paper. scissors. a penknife. a ruler (a flat one). a mapping-pen. a box of paints. a board to cut out on. adhesive tape or stamp-paper. glue. tracing if the drawings are to be traced, tracing-paper, or transparent note-paper, and a sheet of carbon-paper, will also be needed. to trace a drawing, cover it with paper and draw it exactly. then cover the paper or cardboard from which you wish to cut out the furniture with a piece of carbon-paper, black side down, and over that place your tracing. draw over this again with a very sharply pointed pencil or pointed stick, and the lines will be repeated by the carbon-paper on the under sheet of paper. the furniture, for which designs are given in this chapter, can be made of stiff note-paper, whatman's drawing-paper, or thin bristol board. the drawings can be copied or traced. in either case the greatest care must be taken that the measurements are minutely correct and the lines perfectly straight. a slip of paper is a very good thing to measure with. enough designs have been given to show how most different kinds of furniture can be made. these can, of course, be varied and increased by copying from good furniture lists; while many little things such as saucepans, dishes, clocks, and so forth, can be copied from stores lists and added to the few that are given on p. 248. [illustration: the library and furniture from "the house that glue built" (_facing page 244_)] these small articles are cut out flat, but an extra piece of paper is left under each, which, when bent back, makes a stand. general instructions the front legs of chairs, the legs of tables, and the backs of furniture must be neatly joined together by narrow strips of stamp-paper or adhesive tape. to do this, cut a strip of the right size, crease it down the middle, and stick one side. allow this to dry, before you fix the other. wherever in the pictures there is a dotted line, it means that the paper is to be folded there. it will be easily seen whether it is to be folded up or down. before the furniture is folded it should be painted. wood, iron, brass, and silk can all be imitated in color. in cutting out small spaces of cardboard--as between the bars of a chair--lay the card on a board, and keeping your knife, which should be sharp at the point, against a flat ruler, run it again and again along the lines you want to cut, until you have cut through. if your furniture is made of paper, the spaces can be cut out with finely pointed scissors, taking care to start in the middle of the space, for the first incision is seldom a clean one. [illustration: kitchen table (cut out the oblong parts marked aa.)] [illustration: kitchen range and kitchen chair (a is turned up to form a shelf for saucepans; b is glued down over the back.)] [illustration: screen (to be made of one piece of paper folded into three equal parts and cut out in accordance with the illustration.)] [illustration: various pots and pans (under part to be folded back for a stand.)] [illustration: dining-room table and cloth] [illustration: sideboard] [illustration: sofa and arm-chair (the corners must be fastened to the sheet by very narrow strips of paper.)] [ilustration: wooden bedstead] [illustration: wardrobe (join the sides ab and ab, and then bend the top down, glueing the flap c to the back of the wardrobe.)] [illustration: dressing table] [illustration: washstand] [illustration: rocking-chair, towel rack, and chair] [illustration: child's high chair and cot (in the chair the lines ab and ba must be cut. in the cot the four pieces marked a are cut out on their sides and bent down to form legs.)] paper dolls paper dolls are not as good to play with as proper dolls. one can do much less with them because they cannot be washed, have no hair to be brushed, and should not sit down. but they can be exceedingly pretty, and the keeping of their wardrobes in touch with the fashion is an absorbing occupation. paper dolls are more interesting to those who like painting than to others. the pleasure of coloring them and their dresses is to many of us quite as interesting as cutting out and sewing the clothes of ordinary dolls. making paper dolls the first thing to do is to draw the doll in pencil on the cardboard or paper which it is to be cut from. if you are not good at drawing, the best way is to trace a figure in a book or newspaper, and then, slipping a piece of carbon-paper (which can be bought for a penny or less at any stationer's) between your tracing-paper and the cardboard, to go over the outline again with a pencil or a pointed stick. on uncovering the cardboard you will find the doll there all ready to cut out. it should then be colored on both sides, partly flesh color and partly underclothes. the dresses the dresses are made of sheets of note-paper, the fold of which forms the shoulder pieces. the doll is laid on the paper, with head and neck lapping over the fold, and the line of the dress is then drawn a little larger than the doll. a small round nick to form the collar is cut between the shoulders of the dress, and a slit is made down the back through which the doll's head can be passed. after the head is through it is turned round. (of course, if the dress is for evening the place which you cut for the neck must be larger, and in this case no slit will be needed.) all the details of the dresses, which can be of original design, or copied from advertisements and fashion plates, must be drawn in in pencil and afterward painted. hats, trimmed with tissue-paper feathers or ribbons, are made of round pieces of note-paper with a slit in them just big enough for the tip of the doll's head to go through. the illustrations on pp. 260 and 261 should make everything clear. other paper dolls simpler and absolutely symmetrical paper dolls are made by cutting them out of folded paper, so that the fold runs right down the middle of the doll. by folding many pieces of paper together, one can cut out many dolls at once. walking dolls walking ladies are made in that way; but they must have long skirts and no feet, and when finished a cut is made in the skirt--as in the picture--and the framework thus produced is bent back. when the doll is placed on the table and gently blown it will move gracefully along. [illustration: walking paper dolls] [illustration: paper mother and child, with clothes for each] [illustration: a paper girl with six changes] tissue-paper dresses dresses can also be made of crinkly tissue-paper glued to a foundation of plain note-paper. frills, flounces, and sashes are easily imitated in this material, and if the colors are well chosen the result is very pretty. rows of paper dolls to make a row of paper dolls, take a piece of paper the height that the dolls are to be, and fold it alternately backward and forward (first one side and then the other) leaving about an inch between each fold. press the folds together tightly and cut out the half of a doll, being careful that the arms are continued to the edge of the fold and are not cut off. open out and you will have a string of paper dolls. other articles to be made from paper and cardboard will be found on pp. 284-291. playhouses of other peoples it is not in the least necessary to confine yourself to making playhouses that are like the houses you live in or see about you, for with a little ingenuity you can construct bits of all sorts of strange countries right in your play-room. in one of the schools in new york city the children study geography and history of certain kinds by making with their own hands scenes from the places about which they study. one of the most valuable materials for making these playhouses is ordinary modeling clay. you can buy fifty pounds for from fifty cents to a dollar, and with this you are equipped to make almost anything you can see in pictures. put the clay (if bought dry) into a jar, pour over it clear water, and stir it up with a stick until perfectly smooth and about the consistency of hard butter. the first thing to do is to make a supply of bricks for building. this should be shaped like real bricks and about two inches long. smaller ones are also possible if you wish to have your settlement on a very small scale. these should be made as regularly as possible and as nearly of the same size. after a little practice one becomes very expert in this simple art. they should then be dried in the sun and are ready to use, though they must be handled carefully. if you can obtain terra-cotta clay, and have it baked hard you will have real bricks that will outlast your play-time. a pueblo settlement suppose now that you have been reading about the life of the pueblo indians in our southwest, and you have a picture of one of their singular settlements. the accompanying picture shows what was done in the way of constructing such a settlement by a class of school children, none of whom were over eight years old. you can model little clay indian inhabitants and paint them as you please, to represent their brown skins and bright-colored clothes. if you can have a box with a little earth in it to set before your pueblo village you can sow wheat seed, or mustard, and model indians working in the fields with their crude plows. anything of which you can find a picture can be reproduced. indian villages and camps are easy to make and interesting. and once you are started on indian life it may be fun to make yourselves indian costumes. the costumes in the picture shown were made by the boys who wear them. by looking closely at them you can copy them. an esquimau village another class in the same school painted their bricks white to represent blocks of snow and made an esquimau village. this is fascinating and easy to do. or, the rounded huts can be modeled all in one piece directly from the clay. any book describing the life of dwellers in the arctic region will tell you how they make their houses and you can make tiny imitations of them that will be infinite fun to construct and the admiration of all your friends when finished. cotton-wool can be used for snow (powdered isinglass also is pretty), and bits of broken mirror for ice-ponds. little sleds can be made on which to put your esquimau hunter, who may be one of the white-fur-clad dolls so cheaply bought in toy-stores. or you can model a little doll just the right size to be entering the door of your tiny rounded white hut. [illustration: an esquimau sled] [illustration: indian costumes (_facing page 266_)] a filipino village or if you get tired of living near the arctic circle you can sweep your table clean of esquimau dwellings and construct a filipino village. for these you do not need bricks (which can be given a rest and put away in a box) but little splints of wood the same size and length which you can make yourself with a knife. make a little thin floor of damp clay (but drier than you use it to model with) and stick your upright pieces in this in the shape of the house you wish to make. when the clay has hardened they are held quite firm and you can make a wattled hut by weaving long straws or grasses in and out to form your walls. a thatched roof can also be made of long grasses, tied in little bunches and laid close together all sloping down from the ridge-pole. almost every magazine of a few years back has in it pictures of filipino villages which will furnish you with models to copy. according to the size of the table or board on which you make your settlements you can have more or less extensive tropical country, surrounding your village. mountains can be made of the clay, covered with moss or grasses to represent the jungle and a river with overhanging trees arranged with bits of broken looking-glass, and twigs with tiny scraps of green tissue paper glued to them for leaves. the exercise of your own ingenuity in using all sorts of unlikely materials which you will find all about you is the best part of this game. after you have decided to change the climate and character of your village, the clay used may be broken up and put back in your jar, wet again, stirred smooth and is all ready to begin again. great care should be taken that it is kept clean, that bits of wood or glass be not left in it, or you may cut or prick your fingers in handling it. a dutch street you cannot only wander from one climate and from one nationality to another, but from one century to another. if you are studying early american history nothing is more fun than to make a street in an old dutch settlement. your bricks are painted red for this. almost any history-book will have pictures of one or two old dutch houses which will show you the general look of them. they are harder to construct than the ruder huts of savages and may need to be held together with a little use of damp clay. it is interesting to try and reconstruct old dutch manhattan, from the maps and pictures, showing the bay and the walk on the battery. or if you are interested in colonial new england, make a settlement of log-houses with the upper story overhanging the first. on any walk you can pick up enough small sticks to use as logs after trimming and measuring. other possibilities in this line are suggested below. you will have more fun in working them out yourself than if you are told just how to proceed. a roman arena with gladiators fighting and a curtain which may be drawn to keep off the sun. a little fishing-village beside the sea (a large pan of water) with tiny nets spread out to dry and little walnut shell boats drawn up on the sandy beach. a farmhouse, barn, pig-pen, dog-kennel, carriage-house and the like. a very pretty settlement can be made of this with fields of growing grain, brooks, water-wheels, etc. all the animals of a farm can be modeled and painted. when they are skilfully made they are very pretty and add much to the picture and when they are done unskilfully it is fun to have people guess what they were meant for. however, with a little practice very presentable animals can be modeled. it is easier to make them in clay than to draw them. a gypsy camp, with tents and open fires (bits of yellow and red tissue-paper), under a black kettle (made of clay and painted) swung on a forked stick, can easily be made. of course with tin or lead soldiers the number of games one can invent with these tiny settlements is innumerable. one favorite with some children is the attack and capture of the filipino village by american troops. sometimes it is burned, and this is always a stirring spectacle. indeed with tin soldiers (which are just now unjustly out of favor) one's range of subjects is unlimited, and one always has plenty of inhabitants for any settlement. an army post can be made, with a fort and barracks and a wide green parade ground with the regiment drawn up in line for dress-parade. a tiny american flag flutters from the flag-pole and after the sunset gun booms (a fire-cracker exploded or only some one striking a blow on a tin pan) it can be lowered to the ground while the best whistler of the company executes "the star-spangled banner." indoor occupations and things to make painting painting is an occupation which is within almost everybody's power, and of which one tires very slowly or perhaps not at all. by painting we mean coloring old pictures rather than making new ones, since making new ones--from nature or imagination--require separate gifts. on a wet afternoon--or, if it is permitted, on sunday afternoon--coloring the pictures in a scrapbook is a very pleasant and useful employment. after dark, painting is not a very wise occupation, because, in an artificial light, colors cannot be properly distinguished. all shops that sell artists' materials keep painting-books. but old illustrated papers do very well. flags an even more interesting thing to do with a paint-box is to make a collection of the flags of all nations. and when those are all done, you will find colored pages of them in any large dictionary, and elsewhere too,--you might get possession of an old shipping guide, and copy lloyd's signal code from it. maps coloring maps is interesting, but is more difficult than you might perhaps think, owing to the skill required in laying an even surface of paint on an irregular space. the middle of the country does not cause much trouble, but when it comes to the jagged frontier line the brush has to be very carefully handled. to wet the whole map with a wet brush at the outset is a help. perhaps before starting in earnest on a map it would be best to practice a little with irregular-shaped spaces on another piece of paper. magic-lantern slides if you have a magic lantern in the house you can paint some home-made slides. the colors should be as gay as possible. the best home-made slides are those which illustrate a home-made story; and the fact that you cannot draw or paint really well should not discourage you at all. a simpler way of making slides is to hold the glass over a candle until one side is covered with lamp black and then with a sharp stick to draw outline pictures on it. another way is to cut out silhouettes in black paper, or colored tracing-paper, and stick them to the glass. in copying a picture on a slide put the glass over the picture and draw the outline with a fine brush dipped in indian ink. then paint. all painting on slides should be covered with fixing varnish, or it will rub off. illuminating as a change from painting there is illuminating, for which smaller brushes and gold and silver paint are needed. illuminating texts is a favorite sunday afternoon employment. pen and ink work there is also pen and ink drawing, mistakenly called "etching," for which you require a tiny pen, known as a mapping pen, and a cake of indian ink. if the library contains a volume of old wood-cuts, particularly _bewick's birds_ or _bewick's quadrupeds_, you will have no lack of pictures to copy. chalks in place of paints a box of chalks will serve very well. tracing smaller children, who have not yet learned to paint properly, often like to trace pictures either on tracing paper held over the picture, or on ordinary thin paper held over the picture against the window pane. pricking pictures pictures can also be pricked with a pin, but in this case some one must draw it first. you follow the outline with little pin pricks close together, holding the paper on a cushion while you prick it. then the picture is held up to the window for the light to shine through the holes. easter eggs home-made easter eggs are made by painting pictures or messages on eggs that have been hard-boiled, or by merely boiling them in water containing cochineal or some other coloring material. in germany it is the custom for easter eggs to be hidden about in the house and garden, and for the family to hunt for them before breakfast--a plan that might very well be taken up by us. spatter-work paper and cardboard articles can be prettily decorated by spatter-work. ferns are the favorite shapes to use. you first pin them on whatever it is that is to be ornamented in this way, arranging them as prettily as possible. then rub some indian ink in water on a saucer until it is quite thick. dip an old tooth-brush lightly into the ink, and, holding it over the cardboard, rub the bristles gently across a fine tooth comb. this will send a spray of ink over the cardboard. do this again and again until the tone is deep enough, and try also to graduate it. it must be remembered that the ink when dry is much darker than when wet. then remove the ferns, when under each there will be a white space exactly reproducing their beautiful shape. if you like you can paint in their veins and shade them; but this is not really necessary. colored paints can be used instead of indian ink. scrapbooks making scrapbooks is always a pleasant and useful employment, whether for yourself or for children in hospitals or districts, and there was never so good an opportunity as now of getting interesting pictures. these you select from odd numbers of magazines, christmas numbers, illustrated papers, and advertisements. scraps are very useful to fill up odd corners. in choosing pictures for your own scrapbook it is better to select only those that you really believe in and can find a reason for using, than to take everything that seems likely to fit. by choosing the pictures with this care you make the work more interesting and the book peculiarly your own. but in making a scrapbook as a present for some one that you know, you will, of course, in choosing pictures, try to put yourself in his place and choose as you think that he would. empty scrapbooks can be bought; or you can make one by taking (for a large one) an old business ledger, which some one whom you know is certain to be able to give you, or (for a small one) an ordinary old exercise-book, and then cutting out every other page about half an inch from the stitching. this is to allow room for the extra thickness which the pictures will give to the book. or you can sew sheets of brown paper together. for sticking on the pictures, use paste rather than gum; and when it is done, press the book under quite a light weight, with sheets of paper between the pages. scrapbooks for hospitals children that are ill are often too weak to hold up a large book and turn over the leaves. there are two ways of saving them this exertion and yet giving them pleasure from pictures. one is to get several large sheets of cardboard and cover them with pictures and scraps on both sides, and bind them round with ribbon. these can be enclosed in a box and sent to the matron. she will distribute the cards among the children, and when they have looked at each thoroughly they can exchange it for another. another way is to use folding books which are more easy to hold than ordinary turning-over ones, and you can make them at home very simply by covering half a dozen or more cards of the same size (post-cards make capital _little_ books) with red linen, and then sewing them edge to edge so as to get them all in a row. in covering the cards with the linen--red is not compulsory, but it is a good color to choose--it is better to paste it on as well as to sew it round the three edges (a fold will come on one side), because then when you stick on the pictures they will not cockle up. pictures for hospital scrapbooks should be bright and gay. colored ones are best, but if you cannot get them already colored you can paint them. painting a scrapbook is one of the best of employments. composite scrapbooks sometimes it happens that you get very tired of one of the pictures in your scrapbook. a good way to make it fresh and interesting again is to introduce new people or things. you will easily find among your store of loose pictures a horse and cart, or a dog, or a man, or a giraffe, which, when cut out, will fit in amusingly somewhere in the old picture. if you like, a whole book can be altered reasonably in this way, or made ridiculous throughout. scrap-covered screens a screen is an even more interesting thing to make than a scrapbook. the first thing to get is the framework of the screen, which will either be an old one the covering of which needs renewing, or a new one made by the carpenter. the next thing is to cover it with canvas, which you must stretch on tightly and fasten with small tacks; and over this should be pasted another covering of stout paper, of whatever color you want for a background to the pictures. paste mixed with size should be used in sticking it. after the pictures are all arranged they should be stuck with the same material, and a coat of paper varnish given to the whole, so that it can be cleaned occasionally. collecting stamps stamp-collecting is more interesting if money is kept out of it and you get your stamps by gift or exchange. the best way to begin is to know some one who has plenty of foreign correspondence and to ask for all his old envelopes. nothing but time and patience can make a good collection. to buy it, is to have little of the collector's joy. postage-stamp snakes old american stamps can be used for making snakes. there is no need to soak the stamps off the envelope paper: they must merely be cut out cleanly and threaded together. a big snake takes about 4,000 stamps. the head is made of black velvet stuffed with cotton wool, and beads serve for eyes. a tongue of red flannel can be added. puzzles if you have a fret saw, and can use it cleverly, you can make at home as good a puzzle as any that can be bought. the first thing to do is to select a good colored picture, and then to procure from a carpenter a thin mahogany board of the same size. mahogany is not absolutely necessary, but it must be some wood that is both soft and tough. deal, for instance, is useless because it is not tough, and oak is useless because it is not soft. on this wood you stick the picture very firmly, using weak glue in preference to paste or gum. when it is quite dry you cut it up into the most difficult fragments that you can. it is best to cut out the border so that each piece locks into the next. this will then be put together first by the player and will serve to hold the picture together. after the puzzle is cut up it is well to varnish each piece with paper varnish, which keeps it clean and preserves it. a simple puzzle can be made by pasting the picture on cardboard and cutting it up with scissors or a sharp knife. soap bubbles for blowing bubbles the long clay pipes are best. before using them, the end of the mouthpiece ought to be covered with sealing-wax for about an inch, or it may tear your lips. common yellow soap is better than scented soap, and rainwater than ordinary water. a little glycerine added to the soap-suds helps to make the bubbles more lasting. on a still summer day, bubble-blowing out-of-doors is a fascinating and very pretty occupation. shadows on the wall shadowgraphy nowadays has progressed a long way from the rabbit on the wall; but in the house, ambition in this accomplishment does not often extend further than that and one or two other animals, and this is why only the rabbit, dog, and swan are given here. the swan can be made more interesting by moving the arm which forms his neck as if he were prinking and pluming, an effect which is much heightened by ruffling up and smoothing down the hair with the fingers forming his beak. to get a clear shadow it is necessary to have only one light, and that fairly close to the hands. [illustration: shadows on the wall] skeleton leaves leaves which are to be skeletonized should be picked from the trees at the end of june. they should be perfect ones of full growth. it is best to have several of each kind, as some are sure to be failures. put the leaves in a big earthenware dish or pan, fill it with rain-water, and stand it in a warm and sunny place--the purpose of this being to soak off the green pulpy part. there is a great difference in the time which this takes: some fine leaves will be ready in a week, while others may need several months. look at the leaves every day, and when one seems to be ready slip a piece of cardboard under it and shake it about gently in fresh cold water. if any green stuff remains, dab it with a soft brush and then put it into another basin of clean water. a fine needle can be used to take away any small and obstinate pieces of green. it is now a skeleton and must be bleached according to the following directions:--pour into a large earthenware jar a pint of water on half a pound of chloride of lime. mix thoroughly, breaking up any lumps with the hand. add two and a half quarts of water, cover over, and leave for twenty-four hours. then pour off the solution, leaving the sediment behind. dissolve two pounds of soda in one quart of boiling water, and pour it, while on the boil, over the chloride solution. cover it, and leave for forty-eight hours; then decant into bottles, being careful to leave all sediment behind. fill an earthenware dish with this solution, lay the leaves in it, and cover tightly. the leaves will be bleached in six to twelve hours. they should be taken out directly they are white, as the lime makes them very brittle. after bleaching, rinse the leaves in cold water, float them on to cards, and dry between blotting-paper, under a heavy weight. ferns it should be noted that if you intend to skeletonize ferns, they should not be picked before august, and they must be pressed and dried before they are put into the bleaching solution, in which they ought to stay for three or four days. the solution should be changed on the second day, and again on the fourth. after bleaching they can be treated just as the leaves are. wool balls cut out two rings of cardboard, of whatever size you like, from one inch in diameter up to about four inches. a four-inch ring would make as large a ball as one usually needs, and a one-inch ring as small a one as could be conveniently made. the rim of the largest rings should not be wider than half an inch. take a ball of wool and, placing the cardboard rings together, tie the end of it firmly round them. then wind the wool over the rings, moving them round and round to keep it even. at first you will be able to push the ball through the rings easily, but as the wool is wound the hole will grow smaller and smaller, until you have to thread the wool through with a needle. to do this it is necessary to cut the wool into lengths, which you must be careful to join securely. go on until the hole is completely filled and you cannot squeeze another needle through. then slip a pair of scissors between the two rings and cut the wool all round them; and follow this up quickly by slipping a piece of string also between them and tying it tightly round the wool that is in their midst. this is to keep the loose ends, which were made directly you cut the wool with the scissors, from coming out. all that is now necessary is to pull out the cardboard rings and shape the ball a little in your hands. the tighter the wool was bound round the cards, the smaller and harder the ball will be and the more difficult will it be to cut the wool neatly and tie it. therefore, and especially as the whole purpose of a wool ball is softness and harmlessness, it is better to wind the wool loosely and to use thick wool rather than thin. wool demons to make a "wool demon," take a piece of cardboard as wide as you want the demon to be tall, say three inches, and wind very evenly over it wool of the color you want the demon to be. scarlet wool is perhaps best. wind it about eighty times, and then remove carefully and tie a piece round about half an inch from the top to make the neck. this also secures the wool, the lower looped ends of which can now be cut. when cut, gather up about twenty pieces each side for the arms, and, holding them firmly, bind them round with other wool, and cut off neatly at the proper length. then tie more wool round to form the body. the legs and tail are made in the same way as the arms, except that wool is wound round the legs, beginning from the feet and working upward, only to the knees, leaving a suggestion of knickerbockers. eyes and other features can be sewn on in silk. bead-work among other occupations which are not in need of careful description, but which ought to be mentioned, bead-work is important. it was once more popular than it now is; but beads in many beautiful colors are still made, and it is a pity that their advantages should be neglected. bead-work lasts longer and is cleaner and brighter than any other form of embroidery. perhaps the favorite use to which beads are now put is in the making of napkin-rings. bead-flowers are made by threading beads on wire and bending them to the required shapes. boxes of materials are sold in toy-shops. post-office "post-office" is a device for providing the family with a sure supply of letters. the first thing to do is to appoint a postmaster and fix upon the positions for the letter-boxes. you then write letters to each other and to any one in the house, and post them where you like; and at regular times the postmaster collects them and delivers them. the home newspaper in "the home newspaper," the first thing to do is to decide on which of you will edit it. as the editor usually has to copy all the contributions into the exercise-book, it is well that a good writer should be chosen. then you want a good title. it is better if the contributors are given each a department, because that will make the work more simple. each number should have a story and some poetry. home newspapers, as a rule, come out once a month. once a week is too often to keep up. there is a good description of one in a book by e. nesbit, called _the treasure-seekers_. paper and cardboard toys--a cocked hat [illustration: fig. 1] to make a cocked hat, take a sheet of stiff paper and double it. then fold over each of the doubled corners until they meet in the middle. the paper will then resemble fig. 1. then fold ab ab over the doubled corners; fold the corresponding strip of paper at the back to balance it, and the cocked hat is ready to be worn. if it is to be used in charades, it is well to pin it here and there to make it secure. paper boats [illustration: fig. 2] if the cocked hat is held in the middle of each side and pulled out into a square, and the two sides are then bent back to make another cocked hat (but of course much smaller); and then, if this cocked hat is also pulled out into a square, it will look like fig. 2. if the sides a and a are held between the finger and thumb and pulled out, a paper boat will be the result, as in fig. 3. [illustration: fig 3.] paper darts [illustration: paper darts] take a sheet of stiffish paper about the size of this page and fold it longways, exactly double. then fold the corners of one end back to the main fold, one each side. the paper sideways will then look as in fig. 1. then double these folded points, one each side, back to the main fold. the paper will then look as in fig. 2. repeat this process once more. the paper will then look as in fig. 3. compress the folds very tightly, and open out the top ones, so that in looking down on the dart it will have the appearance of fig. 4. the dart is then ready for use. paper mats [illustration: paper mats] take a square piece of thin paper (fig. 1), white or colored. fold it in half (fig. 2), and then again in half (fig. 3), and then again from the centre to the outside corner, when it will be shaped as in fig. 4. if you want a round mat, cut it as marked by the dotted line in fig. 4; if square, leave it as it is. remember that when you cut folded paper the cuts are repeated in the whole piece as many times as there are folds in the paper. the purpose of folding is to make the cuts symmetrical. bearing this in mind cut fig. 4 as much as you like, as suggested by fig. 5. perhaps it would be well to practice first of all on a rough piece. the more delicate the cuts the prettier will be the completed mat. paper boxes [illustration: paper boxes] take an exactly square piece of paper (cream-laid note-paper is best in texture), and fold it across to each corner and press down the folds. unfold it and then fold each corner exactly into the middle, and press down and unfold again. the lines of fold on the paper will now be seen to run from corner to corner, crossing in the middle, and also forming a square pattern. the next thing is to fold over each corner exactly to the line of this square on the opposite half of the paper. when this is done, and the paper is again straightened out, the lines of fold will be as in fig. 1. cut out the triangles marked x in fig. 1, and the paper will be as in fig. 2. then cut along all the dotted lines in fig. 2, and stand the opposite corners up to form the sides and lid of the box: first a and b, which are fastened by folding back the little flaps at the tip of a, slipping through the slit at the tip of b, and then unfolding them again; and then c and d, which are secured in the same way. cardboard boxes cardboard boxes, of a more useful nature than paper boxes, are made on the same principle as the house described on p. 239, and the furniture to go in it, as described later in the same chapter. the whole box can be cut in the flat, out of one piece of cardboard, and the sides afterward bent up and the lid down. measurements must of course be exact. the prettiest way to join the sides is to use thin silk instead of paper, and the lid may be made to fasten by a little bow of the same material. scraps and transfers paper boxes, when finished, can be made more attractive by painting on them, gluing scraps to them, putting transfers here and there, or covering them with spatter-work (see p. 275). scraps can be bought at most stationers' in a very great variety. transfers, which are taken off by moistening in water, pressing on the paper with the slithery clouded surface downward, and being gently slipped along, used to be more common than they now are. directions how to make many other paper things will be found on pp. 243-262. ink sea-serpents dissolve a teaspoonful of salt in a glass of water, dip a pen in ink and touch the point to the water. the ink descends in strange serpent-like coils. a dancing man [illustration: a dancing man] the accompanying picture will show how a dancing man is made to dance. you hold him between the finger and thumb, one on each side of his waist, and pull the string. the hinges for the arms and legs, which are made of cardboard, can be made of bent pins or little pieces of string knotted on each side. velvet animals the fashioning of people and animals from scraps of velvet glued on cardboard was a pleasant occupation which interested our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers when they were children many years ago. a favorite picture was of a boy and a st. bernard, in which the boy's head, hands, collar, and pantaloons, and the dog, were made of white velvet painted. the boy's tunic was black velvet, and its belt a strip of red paper. the dog's eye was a black pin-head. the whole was mounted on a wooden stand with wooden supports at the back, one running up to the boy's head and the other to the tip of the dog's tail. with some scraps of white and black velvet, and a little patience and ingenuity, one could make all the animals on a farm and many in the zoo. hand dragons all the apparatus needed for a "hand dragon" consists of a little cardboard thimble or finger-stall, on which the features of a dragon have been drawn in pen and ink or color. this is then slipped over the top of the middle finger, so that the hand becomes its body and the other fingers and thumb its legs. with the exercise of very little ingenuity in the movement of the fingers, the dragon can be made to seem very much alive. the accompanying picture should explain everything. [illustration: hand dragons] various games can be played with the fingers. tiny caps and hats can be made, features drawn with ink on the fingers and little tissue paper dresses made. a whole play can be acted or sung by these tiny finger marionettes. other uses for cardboard once you have begun to make things out of cardboard, you will find no end to its possibilities and should be in no more need of any hints. after building, furnishing, and peopling a dolls' house, a farm or a menagerie would be an interesting enterprise to start upon. e. m. r. has a stud of ninety-two horses, each named, and each provided with a horse-cloth, a groom, and harness. she has also several regiments of soldiers and a staff of nurses, all cut from cardboard and painted. she chooses her horses from _country life_, or some such paper, and copies them. another enthusiast has a cardboard theatre in which plays and pantomimes are performed. it might be added that cardboard figures can be made to stand up either by leaving a strip of cardboard at the bottom, in which teeth can be cut and bent alternately one way or the other, or by slipping the feet into grooves cut in little blocks of wood. cardboard cut-outs there are a great many cut-outs issued nowadays, which may be bought for a small sum at any toy shop. perhaps the best among these are "the mirthful menagerie," "the agile acrobats" and "the magic changelings." "the mirthful menagerie" when properly cut out and pasted together, make a lot of animals that have _thickness_ as well as length and height; "the agile acrobats" can be made to assume almost any position, and in "the magic changelings," little red riding hood, for instance, can be changed into the wolf, and then back again! books of cut-outs are also made, in which the books are intact after the cut-outs have been removed. "the new mother goose" gives illustrations of many of the mother goose rhymes to be cut out and pasted together, and has a story and other pictures besides. "the electric fire fighters" is on the same order, only in this case the pictures to be put together are of the electric fire-engine, the electric water-tower, etc. they are all easily made, and are fascinating games for stormy weather, or for indoor games at any time. particulars of "snap" cards and other home-made cards will be found on pp. 77 and 78. kites in china, and to some extent in holland, kite-flying is not the pastime only of boys, but of grave men. and certainly grave men might do many more foolish things. to feel a kite pulling at your hands, to let out string and see it climb higher and higher and higher into the sky--this is a real joy. for good kite-flying you want plenty of room and a steady wind; hence a big field is the best place, unless you are at the seaside when there is a wind off the land, in which case you can fly your kite from the beach. to make an ordinary, serviceable kite, take two laths (which can be bought for a penny from any builder), one three feet long (aa in the picture) and the other two feet (bb). screw bb with two screws exactly in the middle, at right angles to aa, at c, a foot from the top. then take some stout twine of good quality and make the outline of the kite by tying it securely to the ends of each of the laths. next take the thinnest unbleached calico you can find, stretch it fairly tightly, and sew it over the strings. (or strong but light paper will do, pasted over the string.) make a hole (d) through the upright lath and calico, midway between the cross-piece and the top, and another hole (e) about fifteen inches below the cross-piece, and tie a strong string, two and a half feet long, to these holes, with a loop (f) in it a foot from the top hole. to this loop you will tie the string of the kite. the tail (g) is made of pieces of paper about six inches long, rolled tightly and tied at distances of a foot. its exact length will depend on the strength of the wind and can be determined only by experience, but, roughly speaking, it should be five times the height of the kite, or, with the kite which we are making, fifteen feet long. it is best to have the tail in two or three pieces, and then it can be lengthened or shortened at will. for instance, if the kite plunges in the air and will not keep steady, the tail is not long enough; but if it will go up only a little way, the tail is probably too long. be sure to have plenty of string, carefully wound, so that there will be no hitches in paying it out. when starting a kite you need the help of some one who will stand about thirty yards away, holding the kite against the wind, and throw it straight up when you have the line tight and give the signal. if it does not rise it may be well for you to run a few yards against the wind. at first you must not pay out line very rapidly, but when the kite is flying steadily you may give it, also steadily, all the string it wants. [illustration: a kite] [illustration: "to feel a kite pulling at your hands--this is real joy"] kite messengers a messenger is a piece of cardboard or paper with a good-sized hole in it, which you slip over the string when the kite is steady, and which is carried right up to the kite by the wind. a simple toy boat the following directions, with exact measurements, apply to one of the simplest home-made sailing-boats. take a piece of soft straight-grained pine, which any carpenter or builder will let you have, one foot long, four inches wide, and two inches deep. on the top of the four-inch side draw an outline as in fig. 1, in which you will be helped by first dividing the wood by the pencil line ab, exactly in the middle. then turn the block over and divide the under four-inch side with a similar line, and placing the saw an eighth of an inch each side of this line, cut two incisions right along the wood about a quarter of an inch deep. the portion between these two incisions forms the keel. then carry the line up the middle of the end a, and repeat the incisions as along the bottom, these making the boat's stem-post. next turn to the top again, and make a line, similar to the dotted line cc in fig. 1, about three-eighths of an inch inside the outline of the boat, and then carefully hollow out with a gouge everything inside this dotted line. it must be very carefully done; it is better, indeed, to err on the side of not hollowing her out enough, and then a little more can be removed afterward. next shape the outside, first with a saw and then with a chisel, again using the utmost care. try to give her a fine bow, or "entry," and a good clean stern, or "run." if the boat were cut in two crossways in the middle, the section ought to resemble that in fig. 2. this flat "floor" will be graduated away to nothing at bow and stern. next fix on the lead keel (see k in fig. 3), which should be a quarter of an inch thick, a quarter of an inch deep at the bow, and three-quarters at the stern, fastened on with four long thin screws. next make the deck, which should not be more than an eighth of an inch thick and should fit very closely at the edges. [illustration: a toy boat] the mast (c), which should be about three-eighths of an inch in diameter at the foot, and should taper slightly, must stand one foot above the deck, and pass through the deck four and a half inches from the bow. first pass it through the hole in the deck and place it in position, leaning a little back from the bows; then slip up the deck and mark the place in the bottom of the boat where the mast rests, and there fix, with four small brass screws, a block of wood with a hole in it, into which the mast can be firmly "stepped." then on the upper side of the deck, just in front of the mast-hole, screw a small eyelet. this is to hold the line called the foresail sheet (l), but as the deck is only an eighth of an inch thick you must place a little block of wood under the deck, into which the eyelet can be screwed. directly this is done, the deck is ready to be screwed firmly to the boat with brass screws. if you are in any doubt as to its being water-tight, you had better bore a hole in it and put a cork in, so that you can tip it up and empty it after each voyage. [illustration: a toy boat] the bowsprit (j), a quarter of an inch in diameter, should be three and a half inches long, two inches of which project beyond the bow. screw it firmly to the boat. you have now to shape the boom (f) and gaff (d), which must have a fork at the end, as in fig. 4, to embrace the mast, the ends of this fork being joined by string. the boom should be eight and a half inches long and three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and the gaff five inches long and a quarter of an inch in diameter. the gaff is kept in position, about three inches from the mast-head, by the throat halyards and peak halyards, to which we now come. the peak halyards (h), throat halyards (g), and foresail halyards (f) should be of very fine fishing-line. after being tied respectively to the gaff and foresail, they pass through small holes in the mast, down to eyelets screwed into the bulwarks on each side of the mast. the foresail sheet (l) and main sheet (m), which are some four inches long, are hitched to eyelets screwed into the deck amidships, one just in front of the mast, as already explained, and the other about two inches from the stern. the sails must be of thin calico, neatly hemmed round. both sails should come to about three inches of the head of the mast. the foresail is fastened only to the tip of the bowsprit, the foresail halyards, and foresail sheet; the mainsail to the gaff, all along, and to each end of the boom. nothing has been said about a rudder, because a boat built and rigged in the manner described would balance herself, and so keep on any course on which she was laid. with a very little wind she ought to cross and recross a pond without any hitch, all that will be necessary being to let the sails have plenty of play, by loosening the foresail sheet and main sheet, and to give her a steady push. walnut shell boats to make a boat from a walnut shell, you scoop out the half shell and cut a piece of cardboard of a size to cover the top. through the middle of this piece of cardboard you thrust a match, and then, dropping a little sealing-wax into the bottom of the shell, and putting some round the edge, you fix the match and the cardboard to it. a sail is made by cutting out a square of paper and fastening it to the match by means of two holes; but the boat will swim much better without it. walnut fights here it might be remarked that capital contests can be had with the empty halves of walnut shells. a plate is turned upside down, and the two fighters place their walnuts point to point is the middle. at the given word they begin to push, one against the other, by steady pressure of finger and thumb on the stern of the shell. the battle is over when the prow of one shell crashes through the prow of the other. this always happens sooner or later, but sometimes the battles are long and severe. at the end of each contest the number of shells defeated by the victor should be marked on it, and it should be carefully kept for the next conflict. at school we used to have tremendous excitement when two champions met, a walnut with a record of 520, for instance, and another with 700. the winner in such a battle as this would, of course, be numbered 1,221, because you always add not only your defeated adversary to your score, but all his victims too. suckers a sucker is a round piece of strong leather. thread a piece of string through the middle, and knot the string at the end to prevent it being pulled through. soak the sucker in water until it is soft, and then press it carefully over a big smooth stone, or anything else that is smooth, so that no air can get in. if you and the string are strong enough, the sucker will lift great weights. skipjacks the wish-bone of a goose makes a good skipjack. it should be cleaned and left for a day or two before using. then take a piece of strong thin string, double it, and tie it firmly to the two ends of the wish-bone, about an inch from the end on each side. take a strip of wood a little shorter than the bone, and cut a notch round it about half an inch from one end. then slip it half way between the double string, and twist the string round and round until the resistance becomes really strong. then pull the stick through to the notch, into which the string will settle, and tie it at each side, so that it is not likely to slip either way. a little piece of cobblers' wax must be put on the bone on the other side to that where the stick naturally touches. pull the stick right over to stick on the wax, and lay the skipjack, stick downward, on the ground. in a little while the wax will give way, and the wish-bone will spring high into the air. [illustration: a skipjack] a water-cutter [illustration: a water-cutter] the cut-water is best made of tin or lead, but stout cardboard or wood will serve the purpose. first cut the material into a round, and then make teeth in it like a saw. thus:--then bore two holes in it, as in the drawing, and thread strings through them, tying the strings at each end. hold the strings firmly, and twist them a little. then, by pulling at them to untwist them, the cut-water will be put in motion, first one way, while they are being untwisted, and then the other, while they twist up again. if held just over a basin of water, the notches will send spray a great distance, but you must be careful to dip them only when the cut-water is revolving away from you, or you will be soaked. whistles with a sharp knife a very good whistle can be made of hazel or willow, cut in the spring or early summer. a piece of wood about three inches long should be used. remember what an ordinary tin whistle is like, and cut the mouthpiece at a similar angle, and also cut a little nick out of the bark, in the place of the hole immediately beyond the mouthpiece in the metal instrument. then cut all round the bark about an inch from the other end of the stick, hold the bark firmly with one hand clasped round it, and hold the inch at the opposite end firmly with the fingers of the other, and pull. the greater portion of bark should slide off quite easily. you will then have a tube of bark about two inches long, and a white stick about three inches long, with an inch of bark remaining on it. cut from the mouthpiece end of this stick as much as exactly fits between the end and the little nick in the bark which you have already made. shave the top until it is flat (just as in an ordinary whistle), and place it inside the bark again. then cut off from the white part of the stick all but a quarter of an inch: fit this into the other end of the bark tube, and you ought to get a good shrill whistle. it will be better if you keep a pea inside. christmas--evergreen decorations getting ready for christmas is almost as good as christmas itself. the decorations can be either natural or artificial or a mixture of both. in using evergreens for ropes, it is best to have a foundation of real cord of the required length, and tie the pieces of shrub and ivy to it, either with string or floral wire. this prevents any chance of its breaking. for a garland or any device of a definite shape, the foundation could be a stiffer wire, or laths of wood. ivy chains are described on page 135. paper decorations the simplest form of paper chain is made of colored tissue paper and glue. you merely cut strips the size of the links and join them one by one. for paper flowers, paper and tools are especially made. but for the purposes of home decoration ordinary tissue paper, wire, glue, and scissors will serve well enough. mottoes mottoes and good wishes can be lettered in cotton wool on a background of scarlet or other colored linen or lining paper. scarlet is perhaps the most cheery. or you can make more delicate letters by sewing holly berries on to a white background; and small green letters can be made by sewing box leaves on a white background. for larger green letters and also for bordering, holly leaves and laurel leaves are good. cotton-wool makes the best snow. christmas trees. in hanging things on the christmas tree you have to be careful that nothing is placed immediately over a candle, nor should a branch of the tree itself be near enough to a candle to catch fire. after all the things are taken off the tree there is no harm in its burning a little, because the smell of a burning christmas tree is one of the best smells there is. to put presents of any value on the tree is perhaps a mistake, partly because they run a chance of being injured by fire or grease, and partly because they are heavy. the best things of all are candles, as many as possible, and silver balls which reflect. on the top there should, of course, be either a father christmas, or a christ child, as the germans, who understand christmas trees even better than we do, always have. for lighting the candles a long taper is useful, and for putting them out, an extinguisher tied to a stick. bran-tubs or jack horner pies bran-tubs or jack horner pies are not so common as they used to be, but there is no better way of giving your guests presents at random. as many presents as there are children are wrapped up in paper and hidden in a tub filled with bran. this is placed on a dust-sheet, and the visitors dip their bands in and pull out each a parcel. the objection to the bran-tub is that boys sometimes draw out things more suitable for girls. this difficulty could be got over by having two tubs, one for girls and one for boys. sometimes the ribbon of each parcel is long and falls over the edge of the dish. the boys take one color ribbon, and the girls the other, and all pull at the same time. philopenas two games with nuts and cherries may as well go at the end of this section as anywhere else. almonds sometimes contain double kernels. these are called philopenas, and you must never waste them by eating both yourself, but find some one to share them with. there are several ways of playing. one is "yes or no," in which the one who first says either "yes" or "no" must pay a forfeit to the other. another is "give and take," in which the one that first takes something that the other hands him is the loser. or whichever of you first says to the other "good morning, philopena," on the following day, or the next time you meet, wins a present. or this is sometimes played that whoever first answers a question put to him by the other must pay a forfeit. of course this makes great fun in trying to invent and evade plausible questions. cherry contests cherry-eating races can be very exciting. the players stand in a row with their hands behind them, and a number of long-stalked cherries are chosen from the basket and placed by the tip of the stalk between their teeth. at the word of command the players begin their efforts to draw the cherry up by the stalk into their mouths. all heads must be held down. candy-making utensils for making candy you will need an enamel or earthenware saucepan; a long wooden spoon; one or two old soup-plates or dishes; a bowl, if there is any mixing to be done; a cup of cold water for testing; a silver knife; and, if you are not cooking in the kitchen, a piece of oil-cloth or several thicknesses of brown paper to lay on the table. general directions butter the dish into which the candy is to be poured before you begin to cook. to do this put a little piece of butter on a piece of clean soft paper and rub it all over the dish. always stir round the edge as well as the middle of the saucepan. stir slowly but continually, for candy burns very quickly if left alone. the flavoring should be added just before taking the saucepan off the fire. to find out if your taffy or candy has boiled long enough, drop a little in the cup of cold water. if it at once becomes crisp and hard, it is done. before your candy is quite cold, mark it with a silver knife into squares. this will make it break up more easily and neatly when cold. barley sugar 1 lb. powdered sugar. the white of an egg. 1/2 a pint of water. 1/2 a lemon. dissolve the sugar in the water, and add the well-beaten white of an egg (this must be done before the mixture is heated). then put on the fire in a strong saucepan. remove all scum as it rises, and when the syrup begins to look clear, take off the fire and strain through muslin. put the syrup back into the saucepan and let it boil quickly until you find by testing it that it is done. then add the juice of the lemon and pour on to a buttered dish. before the mixture sets cut it into strips and twist. chocolate caramels 1 tea-cup golden syrup. 1 tea-cup brown sugar. 1 tea-cup milk. 2 oz. butter. 4 oz. powdered chocolate. a pinch of salt. 16 drops vanilla. boil all together for half an hour, stirring continually. cocoanut caramels are made in the same way, except that 1 oz. of grated or desiccated cocoanut is used instead of the chocolate. cocoanut cream 1-1/2 lb. granulated sugar. 4 oz. grated cocoanut. melt the sugar with as little water as possible. continue to let it boil gently until the syrup begins to return to sugar again. directly this happens put in the cocoanut and mix thoroughly. pour the mixture into a flat dish or tin. cocoanut cream (_another way_) 1 cocoanut, grated. 1 lb. granulated sugar. 1/2 a cup of cocoanut-milk. 1 oz. butter. put the sugar, cocoanut-milk, and butter into a saucepan. when they boil, add the cocoanut gradually. boil for ten minutes, stirring all the time. pour the mixture into a basin and beat till nearly cold, then turn out into a dish. cocoanut drops 1/2 lb. cocoanut, grated. 1/2 lb. white sugar. the whites of 2 eggs, well beaten. mix well together and bake in drops on buttered paper for fifteen minutes. cream caramels 1 tin nestlã©'s milk. 1 lb. soft white sugar. 2 oz. butter. vanilla. melt the sugar with a very little water, and when boiling add the butter and nestlã©'s milk. stir continually, as the mixture burns very easily, for fifteen minutes. try in water to see if it will set. add the vanilla, pour into a dish, and beat until nearly cold. one ounce of cocoanut or 2 of grated chocolate can be used instead of vanilla to flavor the above. fruit cream 1 cocoanut, grated. 1-1/2 lb. granulated sugar, moistened with a little cocoanut-milk. put the sugar in a saucepan and let it heat slowly. then boil rapidly five minutes; add grated cocoanut, and boil ten minutes. stir constantly. put a little on a cold plate, and if it makes a firm paste, take from fire. pour part of it into a large tin lined with greased paper; and add to what remains in the saucepan, chopped blanched almonds, candied cherries, nuts, etc. pour this over the other cream, and cut in bars. pop-corn the corn has to be "popped" over a clear fire in a little iron basket with a long handle. the corn is put in the basket and shaken continually, and in time each grain pops suddenly and becomes a little irregular white ball. these can be eaten with salt, or rolled in a sweet syrup (colored and flavored as you like it best) made of 1/2 lb. of white sugar boiled for ten minutes with a very little water. the plainest toffee 3 oz. butter. 1 lb. brown sugar. stir until done. another toffee 1 lb. raw sugar. 1/2 lb. butter. 2 small tablespoonfuls of syrup. the juice of half a lemon. half a teaspoonful of powdered ginger. melt the butter in a saucepan, and then add the sugar, syrup, and ginger. stir continually, adding a little lemon juice every now and then. boil for ten minutes, and then test in cold water. two ounces of blanched and split almonds can be added to the above. the almonds should either be mixed with the toffee just before taking it off the fire, or else a well-buttered dish should be lined with them and the toffee poured over. to blanch almonds, put them in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. put a saucer over the bowl to keep the steam in, and leave for about three minutes. then take out the almonds one by one and rub off their brown skins between your fingers. everton toffee 1 lb. brown sugar. 1 small cup of water. 1/2 lb. of butter. boil the water and sugar together very gently until the sugar is melted. then add the butter and boil all together for half an hour. molasses candy 1/2 lb. molasses. 1/2 lb. brown sugar. 2 oz. butter. boil all together for half an hour. nut candy 1 pint of chopped nuts. 1/2 lb. brown sugar. 3 oz. butter. juice of one lemon. tablespoonful of water. boil everything, except the nuts, for twenty minutes, stirring all the time. test, and if done, add the nuts. stir them in thoroughly and pour off into a dish. nut candy (_another way_) 1 lb. brown sugar. 6 oz. butter. 3 oz. chopped nuts. melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the sugar. boil from ten to fifteen minutes and then add the nuts. walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, or peanuts (which have been baked) may be used. peppermint candy 1 lb. syrup. 2 oz. butter. 1 small teaspoonful of essence of peppermint. boil the butter and syrup very gently until the mixture hardens when tested in water. add the peppermint and pour into well-buttered dishes. stuffed dates, etc. very dainty and good sweets can be made without cooking at all. all that is necessary is to have a certain amount of cream with which to stuff or surround stoned dates, cherries, and french plums, or walnuts and almonds. the cream is made in this way. put the white of an egg and one tablespoonful of water into a bowl, and into this stir gradually 1 lb. of confectioner's sugar (confectioner's sugar or "icing" is the only kind that will do), working it very smooth with a spoon. this will make a stiff paste, which can be moulded into whatever shape you please. the cream can then be divided into different portions, and each portion flavored as you like best. a few drops of vanilla or lemon juice, a little grated cocoanut or chocolate, or some pounded almonds, make excellent flavorings. part of it can be colored pink with cochineal, or green with spinach-coloring. when this is done, stone some dates, french plums, or raisins, or blanch some almonds and slit them in two, or have ready a number of the dried walnuts which can be bought at any grocer's. only the perfect halves must be used. form some of the cream into little balls and put it between two walnut halves or two almond halves, or stuff the other fruit with it. trim all the sweets very neatly with a knife and roll them in granulated sugar. this is prettier when it has been colored pink or green, but there is no necessity to do so. to color the sugar, mix about 1 oz. with a few drops of green or pink coloring; dry it thoroughly, and, if the grains are not quite free, put the sugar between some paper and roll it, or crush with an iron. another richer mixture for filling dates, etc., can be made as follows:--mix 1/2 lb. of ground almonds with 1 oz. of ground pistachios. beat the whites of 3 eggs to a stiff froth and add the almonds and 1/2 lb. of confectioner's sugar. color with green. almonds can be bought already ground. gardening introductory although young america is growing more and more fond of out of doors, the lovely old occupation of gardening is less a favorite than formerly: and this is a great pity, for if one loves flowers, nothing so repays labor as gardening. nor is it necessary to have a large tract of ground to cultivate. indeed a tiny piece, well tended, is both more interesting and more successful. a corner of a city back-yard--even a window-box can be a source of never-failing entertainment; although of course a little plot of rich earth in one part of a lawn or country garden, lends itself to greater and more extensive plans. the important thing about growing plants is to like to do it. if you are impatient of routine and neglectful you should not be intrusted with plants any more than with animal pets, for they are both entirely dependent on your care. it is your business, as a gardener, to know everything you can about your flowers. a gardener should be able to recognize seeds as well as seedlings; to know what treatment each flower likes best; and to exercise a special care for tender plants which need protection until there is no longer any danger of frost. the beauty of a flower depends very much upon its content. many flowers need particular soils; some need dry soil, some moisture, some shade, and some sun; and the gardener, who is a kind of mother to the flowers, will have to remember all those things. in return, the flowers, which have a real sense of gratitude to those who care for them tenderly, will do their best to grow beautiful. it is best to begin with a few flowers and to learn all that one can about these. annuals will scarcely ever fail if carefully sown in good soil. in making your choice, choose so that you will have flowers from spring to autumn. perennial plants are the most satisfactory of all to grow; for once planted they need only a very little attention and increase in size each year. bulbs produce some of the most beautiful flowers and are very easy to grow. but great care must be taken not to dig into them after their blossoms have died down. besides those flowers for the growing of which directions are hereafter given there are many tender ones which must be raised in frames. this is a part of gardening which can well be left until later and upon which instructions can be found in any more advanced book on horticulture. color in the garden in arranging a garden, select flowers which will keep it full of blossom from may to october, and remember when planting and sowing that some colors are more beautiful together than others. the color arrangement of a garden is always difficult, but one must learn by experience. scarlet and crimson, crimson and blue, should not be put together, and magenta-colored flowers are never satisfactory. whites and yellows, and whites and blues, are always suitable together, and for the rest you must please yourself. the use of catalogues a good catalogue gives illustrations of most flowers, and in many cases its cultural directions are very helpful. as an extension of the notes that follow nothing could be more useful than two or three catalogues issued by good growers. gardening diaries it is a good thing for a gardener to keep a diary. at the beginning of the book he would make a plan of the garden, to scale: that is to say, allowing one inch, or more, in the plan for every foot of bed. in this plan would be marked the position of the bulbs and perennial plants. the diary would take note of everything that happened in the garden. the sowing of seeds would be recorded; also when the seedlings first appear; when they are thinned out, and when they blossom: in fact, everything to do with the life of the plants. a little collection of drawings of seedlings would be of great use in helping to distinguish them another year. at the end of the book might be written the names of any plants that the owner would like to have, or any special information about the culture of a plant, or the description of some arrangement which had been admired in another garden. flower-shows where several children have gardens in the same big garden, or the same neighborhood, a flower-show is very interesting to hold now and then. to do this it is needful first to find some one willing to act as judge, and--if agreeable--to give several small prizes in addition to certificates of merit. the different things for which prizes are offered will depend, of course, upon what the competitors can grow. there might be prizes for different flowers, for collections of flowers, and for lettuces or radishes, if there are enough competitors who grow such things. but the most important prize would go perhaps to the owner of the best-kept garden. another for the best arrangement of bunches of flowers, garden and wild, might lead to some very pretty bouquets. tools for simple gardening the following tools are needed:--spade, trowel, hoe, rake, watering-can with a fine rose, syringe. they should all be strong and good. besides these tools you will need either wooden labels or other home-made means of marking seeds, some strong sticks to use as supports for tall-growing plants, and tape to tie them up with. a pair of gloves--any old ones will do--is very necessary. watering plants should never be watered when the sun is shining on them. early morning in spring, and late afternoon or early evening in summer, is the best time. it is best to water with water which has had the chill taken from it by standing in the sun or in the house. in watering seedlings and tiny plants, keep the rose on your watering-can; but with big plants it is better to take off the rose and pour the water gently, waiting every now and then for it to sink in round their roots. if the ground is very dry and baked, break up the surface of it round the plants with a rake, or push a fork carefully into the earth. this will help the water to sink in. water very regularly during hot and dry weather. it is very hard on your plants to give them a splendid drink one day and to forget all about them for a week. ferns should have a gentle spray bath every afternoon if you want to keep them fresh and green, and all leaves look the brighter for a shower from your watering-can. perennial plants, annuals, and rose-trees will greatly benefit if watered with slop-water while they are flowering. wall pockets if your garden is very small, but is against a sunny wall, the growing room can be increased by fixing a number of pockets, made of wood or of flower-pots, against the wall. these should be filled with good soil, and in them wallflowers, pinks, bulbs of different kinds, wandering jew, and some varieties of wild-flowers, etc., can be planted. borders the first thing to do when a plot has been given to you, is to mark it off clearly with a border. there are several ways of doing this. gardens are sometimes bordered with escallop shells, which are neat enough but seem rather out of place among flowers. tiles make another tidy artificial border; but the best is made of natural rough stones from six to twelve inches long. these stones, which should be sunk into a groove, are soon covered with patches of green moss, and if between their irregular ends you drop a few seeds of low growing annuals, such as candytuft; or plant little pieces of thyme, blue forget-me-not, or any kind of rockfoil or stonecrop, the border will become one of the prettiest things in the garden. if you prefer a growing boundary, a very nice stiff little hedge can be made by sowing endive in a line all round the garden, and, after allowing it to run to seed, cutting and trimming it. but of course there is no natural border to compare with box; but to get a good box hedge is a tedious matter. annuals the seeds of all annuals can be sown from march until june according to the locality. any one in the neighborhood who has gardened for some years can tell you when to plant better than any catalogue. the seeds of favorite flowers should be sown several times at intervals of a fortnight, so that you may have a succession of them through summer and autumn. preparations for sowing before sowing any seeds, see that the soil is nicely broken up, and remove any stones. when you have decided where to sow the different seeds, take away a little earth from each place and sow the seeds very thinly--remembering that each plant must be from four inches to twelve inches apart; cover lightly with the earth you took out and press it down firmly with your trowel. then mark the place with little pieces of white wood, on which the names of the seeds have been written with an indelible pencil. it is much easier to sow the tiny seeds thinly if you first mix them with a little sand. these must be only just covered by a very fine sprinkling of earth; but sweet-pea and nasturtium must be sown deeper. thinning out and transplanting begin to thin out the seedlings very soon after they appear, and be very careful not to pull up too many. it is easiest to thin out when the soil is wet. when the seedlings are two inches high only those which you wish to keep should be left in. it is not very easy to say exactly how much room to leave the different plants, but plants which will be six inches high should be about three inches apart; those which will be one foot high about six inches, and so on. godetia, nasturtium, love-in-a-mist, sweet-pea, cornflower, and larkspur seedlings can be transplanted when about two inches high, if you find you want them where they have not been sown. to do this water the ground well first, and then pull the seedlings out so gently that none of their tiny fibrous roots are snapped; and, if possible, bring away a little earth with each. re-plant them as quickly as you can, making for each a little hole big enough for the roots to spread out in. hold the seedling in position, and fill in with very moist earth; or else, after you have made the hole, fill it up with water, then put back some of the earth and stir it up into a sort of paste, and put the seedling in this, filling up the hole with the rest of the earth. seedlings that have been transplanted must be kept moist until they have taken a good start, and if possible they should be shaded with a branch of evergreen, for they droop very quickly in the heat. all seedlings must be watered gently and often. if you notice how quickly the sun dries the surface of the ground, you will see how necessary it is to keep the ground moist until the roots get bigger and go down deep into the earth. weeds and seedlings it is most important to know what the baby-plants will look like when they come up, because one has to weed hard in the warm showery weather, and if one is not careful, mignonette, sweet-peas, and poppies may go on the rubbish heap, and chickweed and purseley be left on the flower-bed; which, although it is what the birds like, will, later, be very disheartening to you. of course, if your seeds are well marked, there will be less difficulty, but even then weeds will come up amongst them. the only safe way is to get to know the appearance of all the seedlings, and to help you to remember it is a good thing to make little drawings of them in your garden note-book. autumn sowing some seeds, such as cornflowers, godetias, and poppies, can be sown in the autumn. they will stand the winter as a rule and will make finer plants and blossom earlier than if sown in spring. they should be sown thinly in open ground. any good catalogue will give you a list of annuals suitable for your purposes and with a little advice from an older gardener you will have no difficulty in selecting wisely. biennials these are best sown in may. if the garden is full they may be sown in an ordinary wooden box filled with several inches of good earth. transplant them to their permanent places later on. remember that all plants will flower for a much longer time if the flowers are kept cut and any faded ones taken off. saving seed the best seed is saved from plants set apart for that purpose; for good seed comes from the first and finest flowers and not from those left over at the end of the flowering season. these plants should be sown in a little patch by themselves, should be allowed to run to seed, and carefully tended until the seed-pods are ripe enough to be gathered. if, therefore, you have not a large garden, it is best to buy most of your seed each year, using a little of your own, from which, however, you must not always expect the finest flowers. if you have no wish to keep any of your flowers merely for seeding purposes but still want, while getting flowers from them, also to save a few seeds, the thing to do is to mark one or two of the finest blossoms with a tiny piece of wool or silk (it is better when it is the color of the flower) and let it go to seed. take special care of the plant, and cut off all other flowers as you wish to gather them. watch the seed-pods when they are formed, and when they are ripe--that is, brown and dry--cut them off, break them open, and spread the seeds out. look them over very carefully to see that there are no maggots amongst them, and if they are at all damp leave them in a warm place until they are dry. then make them up in little packets, clearly labeled with their names, colors, and the date, and put them away in a dry place until next spring. in saving sunflower seeds choose your best sunflower, and when the petals have fallen tie it up in muslin, or else the birds will steal a march on you. in gathering sweet-pea pods one has to be rather clever, because when they are quite ripe they burst open and the seeds fly out suddenly, sometimes just as one is going to cut them. in one poppy pod there are hundreds of seeds, enough to stock a garden, and the same is the case with the pretty pods of love-in-a-mist. nasturtium seeds should be picked up when they fall on the ground, and spread out until quite brown and dry. cornflowers, which have little seeds like shaving-brushes, generally sow themselves, and marigolds do too, but they are both easy to save. in choosing a place in which to keep seeds through the winter remember that damp is not the only danger. mice enjoy them thoroughly. perennials perennials are plants which, although they die down in winter, come up again and blossom every following spring or summer. they can be grown from seed, but, with a few exceptions, this is a long and troublesome part of gardening, and it is best to get them from friends or from a nurseryman. planting perennials the best months for planting perennials are november, february, and march. dig a hole large enough to take the roots when well spread out, hold your plant in position, with the junction of stem and root just below the level of the earth, and fill in gently with fine soil, pressing it down firmly all round the plant, and if there is danger of frost protect the plants with straw, bracken, or a mulching of manure. never water if there is any likelihood of frost. here follow some general remarks concerning the treatment of perennials through the spring, summer, and autumn:-slugs in the spring, slugs, which eat the tender new leaves of many plants, can be kept away by sprinkling coal-ash around them. watering in hot weather, water perennials regularly and well, breaking up earth around them so that the water sinks in easily. supports all tall-growing perennials will need stakes to support them. care must be taken not to injure the roots when putting these in. the stalks can be tied with twine. dividing perennials can be divided if they grow too large. with summer-flowering plants this should be done in october or november, and with spring-flowering plants in june. in dividing you simply dig up the plant and break off as much of it as you want, being careful not to injure the roots. as, however, there are many plants which, to be divided, must be cut, and as this is an operation which requires some skill and knowledge, it would perhaps be better to take advice. perennials from seed snapdragon, wallflower, pansies, and hollyhocks are very easily grown from seed. they can be sown in june (wallflowers are best sown in april) in boxes, and thinned out and transplanted to permanent places as soon as they are large enough. they will blossom the following year. seedlings seedlings of most perennials can be bought for a few cents a dozen. they should be planted as quickly as possible and watered well, and they will flower the following year. consult a good nurseryman's catalogue for a list of hardy perennials, as for the annuals. bulbs--general remarks a garden that is planted only with bulbs, or with bulbs and a few ferns, can be kept beautiful all the year round. many of our loveliest flowers come from bulbs, and they are easy to grow and interesting to watch from the moment that the first leaf-tips push through the earth until they die down. the position of all bulbs should be very carefully marked on the beds and in your garden-plan, so that you will not cut or injure them when digging your garden over. the first bulbs to come--through the snow sometimes--are the snowdrops, single and double, crocuses--yellow, purple, lilac, and striped--and then the tiny bright blue squills; and a little later the yellow daffodil and white narcissus, hyacinths, and tulips of every kind. then white, red, and purple anemones, ranunculi, and wax-like stars of bethlehem. in june there are wonderful irises and tall spikes of summer-flowering gladiolus--red and white--and later still the tall garden lilies. there are many of these lilies, and all of them are exceedingly beautiful. two kinds should be in all gardens--the white madonna lily, and the orange tiger lily. all the bulbs that have been mentioned cost very little and can be grown very simply. and all bulbs that have been mentioned can remain untouched for many years unless they exhaust the soil around them (when, instead of increasing as they should each year, the plants become poorer and smaller). never move a bulb when it is in active growth: after the leaves have died down is the right time. leaf-mould mixed with your garden soil will help to give you fine flowers. if the leaves of the bulbs are attacked by slugs, as they often are, sprinkle a little wood-ash all around them. planting bulbs for planting bulbs choose a day when the earth is dry, and make your holes with a trowel. if you want to make a clump of bulb-plants, take away the earth to the right depth from the whole area you wish to fill, place your bulbs in position, points upward, and cover over, pressing the earth firmly down. in planting a bulb in a hole made for it by a trowel, be very careful to see that it is resting on earth, and is not "hung," that is to say, kept from touching the earth underneath because of the narrowness of the hole. all bulbs may be protected during the winter by laying hay or straw over them. this must be neatly pegged down, and removed in march. cutting leaves never cut all the leaves of plants growing from bulbs, but allow those that are unpicked to die down naturally. if they look very untidy, as the leaves of the star of bethlehem always do, tie them up tightly. seeds of annuals can always be sown among bulbs, and they will hide dying leaves and fill up the places that are left vacant. shades "shades" are subterranean gardens: holes in the ground, some eighteen inches deep and about a foot square (or larger), the sides of which are covered with moss and little ferns. at the bottom you can sink a pot or a tin, which must always be kept filled with water. it is more interesting if a toad or a frog lives there. over the hole stands a shade made of glass and wood, which, together with the water, keeps it cool and moist. kitchen gardens if you want to grow other things besides flowers, lettuces, radishes, and mustard and cress are interesting to raise. strawberries, too, are easy to cultivate, but they need some patience, as the first year's growth brings very few berries. in sowing the seeds of lettuce, radish, and mustard and cress, follow directions given for sowing flower seeds on page 320. if you want to grow even the few things mentioned, which need only very simple culture, the soil of the garden must be good. lettuce sow a few seeds of lettuce very thinly in a line once every three weeks. when the seedlings, which should be protected from birds by netting, are three inches high, thin them out, leaving one foot between each plant. the seedlings that are pulled up can be transplanted or eaten. transplanted lettuces should be shaded during hot weather and given plenty of water. during dry and hot weather you may water lettuces every day. radishes sow a few radish seeds thinly once every three weeks, and cover very lightly with earth. these seedlings also must be protected by netting from birds, and must have plenty of water, or the radishes will become stringy and poor. in summer sow in a shady place. mustard and cress mustard and cress seed can be sown at any time and is almost sure to be successful. in very hot weather sow in the shade, or protect from the sun in the middle of the day. the cress should always be sown three days before the mustard. it is a favorite device to sow one's name in mustard and cress. for other ways of treating it, see page 332. strawberries plant strawberries carefully in august or september. dig a hole for each plant and spread the roots well out. hold the plant while filling in the earth, so that that part of it where root and stem join comes just below the soil. each plant should be eighteen inches from its neighbor. cut off all runners--that is, the long weedy stems which the plants throw out in spring, and water well if the weather is dry. protect the strawberries from birds, and watch very carefully for slugs, which are greedy strawberry-eaters. when the fruit begins to form, lay some straw on the earth under and between the plants. this will keep the berries clean. town gardens so far, we have been speaking of gardens in the country, or, at any rate, not among houses. there are many more difficulties to contend with in town gardening; there is more uncertainty, and often less reward for the greatest care, than in country gardening; but the flowers that do grow seem so sweet between dull walls and under smoky chimneys, that one can forget how much more luxuriant they could be in other circumstances. flowers for towns the following list of annuals, perennials, and bulbs which grow well in the heart of towns, though it is not complete, contains enough plants to fill a garden:- annuals. perennials. bulbs. alyssum. jap. anemones crocuses. candytuft. campanulas. daffodils. collinsia. delphiniums. hyacinths. coreopsis. flags. madonna lillies. mignonette. gaillardias. squills. nasturtiums. pinks. spanish irises. poppies. sunflowers. tulips. sunflowers. wallflowers. winter aconite. in addition to the plants mentioned above, hardy ferns grow well, and so do lilies of the valley, and stonecrops and saxifrages. wandering jew will also thrive, and the canary creeper grows as well in town as in the country. in summer, geraniums, fuchsias, heliotrope--which must be well watered--pansies, lemon verbena, and scented geraniums, can be planted out. roses do not do very well in towns; but hardy ones will grow quite enough flowers to make the possession of them a great delight. indoor gardening and window boxes--precautions a window full of flowers and green plants makes all the difference to a room. there are always certain difficulties about growing plants in a room; but these may, however, be partly overcome. one is the great change of temperature between day and night in winter; another is the very evil effect of gas on plants; and a third is the presence of dust. the difference of temperature is met to a great extent by taking the flowers away from the window at night and putting them in the middle of the room. this is specially necessary when there is any danger of frost. if gas is burned in the room where plants are all day, it is wise at evening to take the trouble to move them into another room, for nothing injures them more. as to dust, ferns and plants which have smooth leaves should be gently sponged with warm water once a week, or else the pores will be so choked that the plants will not be able to breathe. those plants which cannot be sponged, such as fine-leafed ferns, geraniums, etc., should be gently sprayed occasionally, or, in warm weather, placed out-of-doors during a soft shower. when a room is being cleaned, the plants should either be taken away or covered with soft paper. the window chosen for your plants should be a sunny one and as draughtless as may be. it should not be opened unless the day is very mild. one thing to remember is that wherever the plants are they should have as much sun, as equal a temperature, and as little draught as possible. watering no exact rule can be given for watering; but it should be noted that water ought never to be allowed to stand in the saucers. in winter, one good watering a week with lukewarm water, applied in the morning, will be sufficient. in spring, when the plant is more active, more water will be needed, and in summer constant attention must be given to watering. remember, that not only the surface but the whole soil needs moistening. flower-pots in spring time, if the plants seem to have outgrown their pots, or if they are not thriving well, re-pot them in larger pots with the best earth you can get. water well after re-potting. turn the plants round every day, as the sun always draws them toward it. indoor plants a list follows of suitable plants to be grown indoors. green plants are mentioned first. _aspidistra._--of all green plants the aspidistra is the best to grow indoors. (this plant indeed is so hardy that it will stand not only draught but even a certain amount of gas.) its smooth, beautiful leaves should be carefully sponged every week. _india-rubber plant._--the india-rubber plant is a very handsome, smooth, bright-leaved plant. it should not be given too much water. _ferns._--several hardy ferns grow well in a window. the maidenhair is very beautiful while it lasts, but it is a poor thing the second year unless it can be put into a greenhouse and cared for. _ivy._--small-leaved variegated ivy will grow under almost any conditions. its leaves should be kept clean. if grown up a small trellis it is very pretty. _japanese fern balls._--in february and march one can buy japanese fern balls. the balls have to be soaked for two or three hours in water (rainwater if possible) and then drained and hung up in a window where there is not too much sun. they should be watered three times a week. gradually the delicate ferns will grow and unfold until the whole ball is a mass of green. in november they should be put away in a cool dark place until the following february, when they can be started again. _miniature trees._--fine little trees can be grown from chestnuts, beechnuts, acorns, and hazel-nuts. collect the nuts as they fall and leave them in a dark place, until about two weeks before christmas, when you lay them in bowls full of wet moss or in pots filled with earth, and put them in a warm dark place near hot pipes, or in a warm cupboard. this warmth will start the root growth. when the root is two inches long, fill a bowl with moss or pebbles, lay the nuts on the top so that they are only half covered, with the roots downward, and keep in a room where they will have plenty of light. water frequently but do not let much water stand in the bowl. _wheat or canary seed._--wheat or canary seed can be sown in any kind of dish, the bottom of which is covered with wet moss. sow the seed thickly and then keep the dish in a dark cupboard until the seedlings are about two inches high. then place it in a sunny window. the seed, which will take about three weeks to grow, makes a beautiful patch of clear light green in a room. keep the moss wet. _mustard and cress_ can be sown in pots or on pieces of wet flannel. _campanulas._--blue and white campanulas are grown in almost every cottage window, and they are very beautiful and graceful. they can be grown in pots, but are prettiest in baskets from which to hang down. _fuchsias and geraniums._--both fuchsias and geraniums are gay and delightful plants for a room. good kinds should be bought in early summer and well watered. in winter the plants should be kept in a cool dark place, until with the coming of spring they begin to grow again. both can very easily be increased by cuttings. to do this take off a shoot of about four inches long, cutting it off just below a joint. then pull off the leaves just above the joint and put it into some earth in a sunny corner and water it well. in about a month roots will have formed and it can then be potted. _bulbs._--bulbs, such as tulips, iris, daffodils, crocuses, scillas, and snowdrops, can be grown in pots or deep earthenware saucers that have been filled with cocoanut fibre. this can be bought at any florist's. a little shell, shingle, or sand, can be mixed with the fibre, and a piece of charcoal should be put at the bottom of the pot to keep it sweet. the bulbs need only to be covered with a thin layer of damp fibre. water regularly, as they must never get dry. if your pot has no drainage hole it is a good thing a little while after watering to turn it gently on one side so that any water which has not been soaked up by the fibre can run off. bulbs can also be grown indoors in earth. plant them in october just below the soil, and keep them in a cool dark place until they have made a little growth. then bring to a sunny window. horsfieldii narcissus, polyanthus-flowered narcissus, and yellow jonquils, grow well, and so do tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses. in a sunny window the scarborough lily (_vallota purpurea_) can be grown. it is a very gorgeous and imposing red flower which blossoms in august and september. it should be planted in autumn and plenty of room allowed for its roots. the good-luck lily, which is a strong and beautiful polyanthus narcissus, can be grown in bowls filled with pebbles and water. fill the bowl almost to the top with clean pebbles (which can be brought from the seashore), and among them plant the bulbs and fill up with water which must be added to as it evaporates. among the pebbles put two or three pieces of charcoal. bulbs in glasses hyacinths and daffodils can also be grown in glasses filled with water, either glasses sold for the purpose, or any kind into the necks of which the bulbs will fit. the bulb should be placed in the glass in october, and should not quite touch the water. use good fresh water and put a little piece of charcoal in the glass. change the water once a week. in warm sunny weather the hyacinths can be put out of doors for a little while every day. window boxes one cannot grow very many things in a window box, but it is most interesting to grow a few. in a town it is often all the garden that many people possess. the length of a window-box will depend on the size of the window. its depth should be ten inches at least. at the bottom of the box some cinders or other rough material should be put, and then it should be filled up with the best earth you can get. and because of the difference it makes to the growth of your flowers it is worth while to take a great deal of trouble in getting good, rich mould. the earth may be kept level, or heaped up at one or both ends, and a few stones added to make a tiny rockery, in which you can grow small saxifrages and other rock plants. flowers for window-boxes nasturtiums and canary creeper can climb up a little trellis made of sticks at each end of the box, or they can cling to strings fixed to the box and nailed high up at the side of the window. wandering jew or ivy-leaved geranium will fall over the front of the box and make it look very gay. bulbs, such as winter aconite, squills, snowdrops, a few daffodils, tulips and irises, will grow well in boxes. these should be planted rather deep. then primroses and forget-me-nots can be planted, and in may a border of lobelia, one or two geraniums, pansies, fuchsias, a plant of lemon verbena, and some musk. mignonette, virginia stock, collinsia, should be sown in spring in little patches or lines. keep the leaves of all the plants as clean as possible by gentle watering with a rose. never let the earth get dry from neglect, or sodden from too much watering; yet water well, for driblets only affect the surface, and it is the roots far down in the box that need moisture. cutting flowers and packing them--flowers for post it is best, if possible, to pick flowers the day before you want to send them off. pick them in the afternoon, sort them and bunch them up, and then stand them in water right up to their heads, and keep them there over night. a basin is the best thing to put the flowers in, unless the stalks are very long, and a jam-pot or two in the water will help to keep them from tumbling over and drifting about. be very careful that the blooms do not touch the water. keep the flowers in water until you are ready to pack them. tin boxes are best to send flowers away in; but generally one has to use cardboard ones. choose the strongest you can find and line it with two sheets of paper, one across and one long ways, and each long enough to fold over when it is full. then line again with some big cool leaves or moss. dry the flowers and pack them as tightly as possible, taking great care not to crush the petals. cover them with a few more leaves and fold the paper over. then wrap up the box, remembering to write the address on a label tied at one end of the box, so that the postmark will not be stamped on the box itself and perhaps break it. picking flowers when you are picking flowers to send away, never pick old ones. buds are best generally, especially in the case of poppies; but they should be buds just on the point of opening. always use scissors to cut flowers with. a very slight tug at a little plant in dry weather pulls its roots out of the ground. cut the flowers with long stems and with some of their green leaves, and at the top of the box that you are sending away it is pleasant always to put something which smells very sweetly--lemon verbena, or mignonette--for that first sweet scent is one of the very best things about receiving a present of this kind. the reception of flowers when flowers are sent to you, each stem should be cut with a slanting cut before you put it in water. flowers with very thick or milky stems should be slit up about half an inch, and woody stems are best peeled for an inch or two. put the flowers deep into water that has had the chill taken off it. always put flowers in water as quickly as possible after they are picked. change the water every day, and recut the stems if they look at all brown or dry. pets in no case do the following hints as to the care and character of pets go so far as they might. but they lay down broadly the most useful rules. in cases where a dog or bird is really ill, and ordinary remedies and treatment do not help, the advice of some one who knows should be asked. it is because all children are in touch with some one who knows, that this chapter is not longer. the aim of the writer of most of the notes which follow has been to describe those creatures which are most commonly kept as pets, with a few suggestions as to their care in ordinary health. dogs: their care and food all dogs need plenty of exercise; indeed it is scarcely possible to give them too much when once they are over six months of age. after twelve months they can follow a horse, but a bicycle as a rule is too fast for a dog, and the excessive exertion is likely to make them ill. plenty of fresh air and freedom are necessary, and your dog should never be chained except at night, when he should have a snug bed away from any draught. the house is the best place for a dog to sleep, but should he live in a kennel it must be a roomy one, filled two or three times a week with clean straw and raised from the ground about six inches so that it will keep dry. kennels with runs in front are the best, as then the dog need never be chained. in these there should be a wooden bench for him to lie on, sheltered by a sloping roof. an earthenware trough of clean water he must always have, and most dogs will do best if they are fed twice a day: a light breakfast of biscuit or brown bread and a good dinner of scraps or dog-biscuit soaked in gravy with vegetables and plenty of rice. a rounded leather collar is best for dogs with long hair, as it does not show so much or spoil the coat, but for smooth-coated dogs a flat plain collar is best. washing dogs dogs should not be washed very often, nor will this be necessary if they are well brushed every day. a stable dandy-brush is best for short-coated dogs, and a hard hair-brush, or one of those with metal bristles, which can be bought in most saddlers' shops, for long-coated ones. common yellow soap and soft thick towels should be used when your dog really needs a bath. have a pailful of warm water, a pitcher to dip it up with, a piece of mild yellow soap, and a pail of cold water. pour a little warm water over the dog, beginning with his back, shoulders, and sides, and finish with his head, rubbing the soap into a lather all over him at the same time. be careful not to let any water into his ears, or soap into his eyes. next rinse the soap well out of his coat with the warm water, beginning with the head. then pour the cold water all over him and let him shake himself well. rub him dry with towels and give him a run on grass. big dogs must be washed in a yard, but you can put a little one in the tub indoors. all dogs are better for something to eat after a bath. to swimmers a plunge in a pond or river is good exercise and a tonic; but dogs should not be thrown in. feeding puppies puppies at first need feeding five times a day. at four months old four meals will do. at twelve months they settle down into grown-up dogs, and the two meals are sufficient. do not feed them later than six o'clock, and always give them a walk after their last meal. a few dry dog-biscuits when they go to bed will do no harm, and a large mutton or beef bone now and then will do them good, but small bones are very dangerous, as they splinter and may kill or seriously injure the dog. distemper young dogs are almost sure to have distemper, and if a puppy about six or eight months old is depressed and quiet, and his eyes look inflamed, you should put him away by himself at once, sew him up in thick warm flannel, bathe his eyes with cold tea, and attend very carefully to his diet. it will be difficult to make him eat, but you must coax him and even pour strong beef-tea or milk down his throat, for if he does not eat he will have no strength to fight the disease. tripe is the best food for him if he will take it, but try everything to tempt him, and give him as much as he will take. when you take your patient for a walk (and he will need exercise) do not take him where he may meet other dogs, for distemper is very infectious. put an extra coat over him, wrapping it well round his throat and chest. distemper is a fever, and the risk of chill is very great; it means inflammation of some sort from which the dog being weak is not likely to recover. it is always best to call in a veterinary surgeon when a dog shows symptoms of distemper. tricks for dogs if your dog is a terrier there is no end to the tricks you can teach him. always begin by teaching him to "trust," for it is the foundation of his training, and he will learn it before he is two months old. do not keep him "on trust" for more than a second or two at first, but gradually make the time longer, until he will let you leave the room and not touch the biscuit until you return. then you can teach him to die, and waltz, sing, ask, box, and beg. treat him always with patience and firmness; be quick to reward but never give in to him. you will, of course, bear in mind the character of the dog in teaching him tricks. dogs of dignified nature, such as st. bernards, mastiffs, great danes, and deer-hounds, for example, you would not labor to transform into performers. the best dogs of all for teaching elaborately are poodles. what is due to dogs do not overdo your mastership. remember that a dog needs much liberty and independence to develop his individuality, and an enterprising puppy learns more by observation and experience in a week than a pampered lap-dog does in his whole life; he learns self-reliance, but he will always run to his master or mistress in any real difficulty, and you who are his master or mistress must be wary not to misunderstand or disregard him, for he needs sympathy and love, and if he does not get them he either becomes cowed and stupid or a ne'er-do-weel. buying dogs if you wish to buy a dog, the best way is to get the catalogue of some big dog show, and find the address of a well-known breeder of the kind of dog you wish to have. if you write to him and tell him exactly what you want he will probably send you a suitable puppy at a fair price. if you think of buying through an advertisement, have the dog on approval first. another objection to buying a dog at all casually is that you will not know either his temper, which is generally inherited, or his age. in all cases it is best to buy puppies and train them yourself. this means a good deal of trouble at first, and takes time and patience, but the younger the puppy the easier he is to train. the best age is about five weeks old. with constant attention day and night for a few weeks you will have a perfectly trained dog who will be a perfect companion to you for years. brief descriptions of some of the best known dogs are here given, beginning with terriers:-the bull-terrier the bull-terrier is very discriminating in his attachments and does not easily lose his temper, or, as a rule, fight, unless he is unduly excited. he is such a nervous dog that if he is roughly treated he is apt to become a coward, but there is no truer, more faithful friend than a properly trained terrier of this breed. the fox-terrier the fox-terrier is often a restless fidgety dog in a house; indeed, to keep him much in the house seems to affect his intelligence. he fights readily, but a strong master can alter that. in sharpness and brightness and hardiness he is not to be beaten, and no dog is more inquisitive and full of spirits. perhaps of little dogs he is the best. the irish terrier the greatest fault of the irish terrier is his fondness for barking unnecessarily; but he is particularly intelligent, active, and vigorous, and will learn any trick your ingenuity can devise for him. other terriers there are many other terriers--the skye, with coat nearly sweeping the ground; the black and tan, the welsh terrier, and others less well known; but for pluck, brains, and fidelity, it is impossible to beat bull-terriers. spaniels of all spaniels the clumber is the most intelligent and beautiful; he is also, although not a very demonstrative dog, very sincere in his devotion to his master. the cocker is a small spaniel: an active, merry little fellow who can be taught to retrieve. the black spaniel and the liver-colored sussex are, like the clumber, of the oldest and best breeds, and the sussex variety makes an excellent house dog. he is quiet and dignified and has very good manners. the common norfolk spaniel is intelligent, a good water dog, and a faithful companion. a satisfactory puppy should not cost more than five dollars. he and the cocker are the best of the spaniels as pets, although these two breeds are also capable of good work in the field if carefully trained. the retriever retrievers occasionally make good companions, but for the most part they are dogs of one idea--retrieving--and have little interest in using their intelligence in any other direction. setters the setter is a wise and affectionate animal. he is full of spirit and needs careful training, but train him well as a puppy and you will be able to take him everywhere with you, for he is a very gallant and courteous gentleman. in color the english setter varies with the different breeds. the gordon setter is black and tan, and the irish is red. the collie the reputation for uncertain temper which collies have is not well grounded. they are excitable, it is true, and apt to snap if you romp too long and wildly with them, and they do not take correction kindly; but people who have owned many specimens of this beautiful breed testify to having found them always loving and sagacious. a collie should always belong to one person; many masters make him too universal in his affections, and under these circumstances he does not develop intelligently. the collie at work is the wisest of dogs, he knows each individual sheep in his care, and in snow or mist will bring every one to the fold before he rests. collies may be taught to play hide-and-seek--a game they are very fond of. first hide a ball in the room and help the dog to find it, and by degrees he will find anything by himself and will seek all over the house and garden. among bad habits many collies have the serious one of running round and barking at horses. this should be checked by keeping the dog strictly to heel where he is likely to meet any traffic. the sheep dog the old english bob-tailed sheep dog is a bouncing, rough-and-ready fellow. he is not suitable for a house dog, but he is honest and true and a good worker, and one can get extremely fond of him. the newfoundland the newfoundland is one of the grandest of beasts. the true newfoundland is black all over, except for a white star on the chest, and he stands at least twenty-seven inches at the shoulder. the black-and-white specimens are called landseer newfoundlands, on account of the famous painter's fondness for them. in character these dogs are dignified and magnanimous, and they are particularly good with children. many stories are told of their gallant efforts in saving life from drowning. the newfoundland is used for draught in the island from which he takes his name. the mastiff the mastiff is the best of all guards; it is more pure instinct with him to guard his master's property than it is with any other breed. he is honest through and through, and as a rule he is gentle and a good companion. the bull-dog the bull-dog is stupid and not particularly affectionate. although excitable he is not quarrelsome or savage, and if reasonably treated no doubt would make a quiet, faithful pet. a not too highly bred bull-dog is likely to be more intelligent than his very blue-blooded relations. the st. bernard the most majestic of dogs is the st. bernard. he is high-couraged and sagacious and very discriminating in his devotion. once your friend, he is always your friend. although with you he never makes a mistake, he is apt to growl at strangers, and is not to be relied on to be polite to visitors. if you have one of the rough-coated variety you must groom him regularly and take great care of him, as he is a delicate dog and subject to weakness in the back and hind legs if he is allowed to get wet or lie on damp ground. the great dane the great dane, or boarhound, is a powerful and active dog. his appearance is suggestive almost of a wild beast, and he is particularly well fitted to act as guard. he is gentle and manageable with those he knows, and his great courage, intelligence, and strength make him a most desirable companion. hounds of hounds that hunt by sight we have the english greyhound, swiftest of dogs, but neither very intelligent nor affectionate; the scotch deerhound, dignified and very devoted to his master, and a wonderful jumper over gates and walking-sticks; and the irish wolf-hound, bigger and less graceful than either of the others, but with a great big heart and noble courage. gelert was of this breed. there is also the borzoi, whose appearance is a combination of greyhound and setter, a very beautiful but rather stupid animal. finally, there is the bloodhound, remarkable for great intelligence, good temper, and fidelity. he is one of the finest of dogs, wise and self-reliant and capable of the truest devotion to his master. he seldom or never fights, but is full of courage in spite of his naturally nervous disposition. toy dogs toy dogs are fairly intelligent, but noisy and wayward. they cannot be recommended as interesting pets, since they have little originality; but they can be taught tricks, and if treated sensibly and not pampered, no doubt they would develop more intelligence. the best of the toy dogs are pugs, toy pomeranians, the king charles' spaniel (black and tan in color), and the blenheim spaniel (white and chestnut). the pomeranian the pomeranian is a sharp and rather snappy dog, not remarkable for either great intelligence or amiability; but, as with all breeds, there are individual exceptions to this rule. poodles poodles are intelligent and the best of all dogs for learning tricks. they are also very expensive. mongrels mongrels can be the best of friends. they are often more original and enterprising than their too highly-bred cousins, and they are very self-reliant; but as a rule they are not so courageous nor so steadfast as a well-bred dog. the chief advantage of possessing a mongrel is that dog-stealers are less likely to be tempted by him, and you can give him more freedom, which will make him more interesting and intelligent than a dog you need to shut up and look after carefully. cats there is very little to say about cats, except that they need much petting and plenty of milk and tit-bits. they should always have a warm bed in a basket or chair. they should never be allowed to stay out-of-doors at night. wild rabbits of all rabbits the brightest and most intelligent, as a pet, is the wild rabbit. if you can get two or three baby wild rabbits and feed them on milk, they will grow up very tame. we heard recently of two small wild rabbits that were taken out of the nest and brought up by hand. they and their mistress and a collie pup would play together, and they ran about the room, racing over the floor and furniture. in the summer one escaped from the coop on the lawn in which they were shut up, so the other was turned loose too. they would both come out of the bushes when called, run about over one's dress, and hunt pockets for oats or bits of apple, and would still play with their old friend the collie. it is sad to tell of their death, which they met at the jaws of a strange dog who came marauding. they did not recognize in him an enemy, and easily fell his victims. tame rabbits the long-haired angora variety of rabbit is intelligent and very handsome. these need regular grooming and great care, or their long coat gets matted and frowsy. belgian hares are big, powerful animals, rather apt to be uncertain in temper, but they have beautiful glossy coats and are enterprising and amusing. the lop-eared rabbit is a stately beast and less brisk than his prick-eared relations. the himalayan rabbit has no connection with the mountain chain from which it has its name, is white, with all its extremities--nose, ears, tail, and feet--black or very dark in color. the dutch rabbits are small. the body is colored, but the neck, forelegs, and jaws are white. but to the ordinary owner of a rabbit in a hutch, particular variety does not matter very much. rabbits' hutches a good hutch can be made of a grocer's box, by covering the open front partly with bars or wire netting and making a door. the hutch should stand on legs, or at any rate should be raised from the ground, and holes should be bored in the bottom for drainage. then put in clean straw, and it is ready for the rabbit. in cold or wet weather and at night, it is well to throw a cloth over the hutch for warmth. the hutch must be well ventilated, and it should be made in two compartments, one to admit plenty of light, and the other dark. it should be made so that the animal may be confined in either compartment while the other is cleaned out. food and exercise bran, grain, and vegetables--such as peas, parsley, carrots, turnip-tops, but not much cabbage--serve for rabbits' food. it is advisable to vary it occasionally. the leaves should not be wet, but a dish of clean water may always stand in the hutch. the animal should be allowed at least half an hour's run every day, precautions being taken against its burrowing habits, and against its finding anything poisonous to eat. more than one family should not be allowed out at the same time, as they are very pugnacious. most diseases are the result of neglect in cleaning out the hutch regularly and thoroughly. rabbits which most nearly approach the wild in color are hardiest. teaching rabbits if you find you have an intelligent rabbit who quickly learns to come to you when you call him by name, you will find, with patience, you can teach him that when you say "on trust," he must not touch the dainty you offer him, and that "paid for" means he may have it. he will also learn to "die," and shake hands when you tell him to do so. guinea-pigs guinea-pigs need treatment and housing similar to rabbits. squirrels in buying a squirrel make sure it is a young one, because whereas a young one is difficult enough to tame, an old one is not to be tamed at all. unless you can give him a really large cage, with room for a branch on which he may leap about, it is cruel to keep a squirrel at all, so beautifully free is his nature. a little side compartment containing a revolving wheel should be added. your only chance of taming him is to be extremely quiet and gentle in all your visits to the cage and in giving him his food--nuts, acorns, grain, cold boiled potatoes, dry bread, and now and then a small piece of cooked meat. a very charming account of what it is possible to do with tame squirrels will be found in a little book called _billy and hans_, by mr. w. j. stillman. mice mice should have a cage with two compartments, one of which should have a door in the woodwork but no wires. in this room should be a bed of hay. the natural food of mice is grain, but in captivity they are generally fed on bread and milk and slices of apple. they can be tamed to a small extent, but for the most part they do no more than run round a wheel, although if other gymnastic contrivances are offered them they will probably do something with them. dormice (to whose food you may add nuts) sleep through the winter months, and are therefore not very interesting for more than half the year. turtles a turtle is rather an interesting animal to keep, although he will not do much in return. even in summer they have a curious way of disappearing for weeks together, and in winter, of course, you see nothing of them. an ordinary mud turtle is often seen moving slowly along the roads after a rain. he can be carried home by turning him over on his back--but be careful to keep your fingers away from his snapping mouth. as a rule they can feed themselves, and they also have the happy knack of doing without food altogether for long periods, so that you need not be anxious. fish bowls of goldfish are not uncommon, but few people seem to care for fish of other kinds. and yet a little aquarium can be stocked for a small sum and is a most interesting possession. one small tank of young bream, for example, can be a perpetual and continually fresh delight. let the tank have cloisters of rockwork and jungles of weed, so that hiding may be possible, and then watch the smaller fish at their frolics. young trout are hardly less beautiful, and very easy to keep healthy, in spite of general opinion to the contrary. the important thing is to maintain a current of water through the tank. the old way was to carry the overflow down a pipe in the centre through its surface opening, but an improvement on this system is for the leakage to be at the bottom of the tank and the inflow at the top. young perch are beautiful too,--and tench, and dace, and roach,--and all are hardy. feeding them is very simple. the shop from which you buy the fish will keep you supplied with the proper food. the american catfish, with its curious antennã¦ or whiskers, and its gleaming eyes, set as by a jeweler, is more wonderful, and not a whit more difficult to keep. but to be amused by such unfamiliar neighbors as a tankful of fish there is no real need either to stray abroad or to spend any money. the ordinary minnow, which you can catch in any stream and pop into a jar, will serve to introduce you to a new world--a world of silent progressions, of incredible celerities, of amazing respirations. silkworms silkworms, if kept at all, ought to be taken seriously and used for their true purpose. that is to say, you really ought to wind their silk carefully. few owners of silkworms in this country seem to trouble to do this. silkworms' eggs can be bought of any naturalist, or some one who keeps silkworms will willingly give you some. the time is about the end of april. they are usually laid on scraps of paper, and these you put in shallow paper and cardboard trays covered with gauze, and place them in the room where the sun can reach them. as the worms hatch out you must move them--it is done best with a small paint brush--to another tray or trays and keep them supplied with fresh mulberry leaves or lettuce. the worms continue to grow for about a month, and then, when full-sized, they prepare to spin. you may know that this time is reached by their refusal to eat, and you must then make a little paper toilet, about two inches deep, for each worm, and drop it in. you have now nothing to do (except to watch the worms regularly) for some weeks, in which time the cocoon has been finished and the worm has become a chrysalis. when the chrysalis inside the cocoon rattles the time has come to wind the silk, or the moth will shortly emerge and eat it. the outside of the cocoon is useless and can be removed by placing the cocoon in warm water. once that is out of the way, the silk can be wound on a card. the moth soon afterward appears and, after growing to its full size, lays its eggs--some two hundred--and dies. it must be remembered that with silkworms a little practical demonstration from any one who has kept them is worth much more than many pages of hints. one thing is of the highest importance, and that is constant attention. silkworms must never be neglected. other caterpillars silkworms are more useful but not more interesting than many other caterpillars which can be hatched from eggs. the privet hawk moth, for example, is very easily bred, and a very beautiful creature it is when in full plumage. but for information on this subject you must go to more scientific books. pigeons pigeons are not exactly pets, for they rarely do more than come to you for their food, just as chickens do, but they are beautiful creatures and no country roof is quite complete without them, and a dove-cot is a very pretty and homely old-fashioned object. usually, however, the birds are given a portion of a loft. whatever the nature of their home, it must have separate compartments for each pair of pigeons and must be warm. if a loft is used there should be sand or gravel on the floor, with a little lime to assist the formation of the shells of the pigeons' eggs. the place should be kept clean, and you must guard against rats and cats. pigeons eat peas and pigeons'-beans and most kinds of grain. if they fly loose they will find out other food, such as green meat, for themselves. but if you keep them at home you ought to give them some. they should have a dish of water in a regular place. new pigeons should be shut up by wiring in their house for a fortnight before you give them their liberty, or they will fly away. they do not care for hay or straw in their boxes, but will make a nest in their own way when they need one. pigeons are of many kinds, the commonest of which is perhaps the runt, and the prettiest a white fantail. any one who takes up pigeons except merely for the pleasure of owning one or two should read up the subject carefully. doves doves, which are happier when kept in pairs, require the same food as pigeons. as a rule they are kept in wicker cages. they are not very interesting. parrots parrots are most companionable pets, and, next to a dog, quite the most interesting and intelligent. they are always cheerful: whistling, singing, and talking. the gray parrot is the best talker, and speaks much more distinctly than any other kind, but the blue-fronted amazon is more amusing and far better-tempered as a rule. these birds are very beautiful, with bright green plumage and touches of yellow and red, and a blue patch on the forehead. the best food for parrots is parrot seed, on which they may be fed entirely, and they should never be allowed dainties except nuts, fruit, and a little piece of sugar. in the summer time sprinkle your parrot with water through a fine hose every morning, but in the winter do so only when he asks for a bath by trying to get into the water basin. as to talking, parrots will pick up far more readily any words they hear by accident than any that you set yourself to teach them. they will also get by heart in this way a few bars of a whistled tune. when parrots are apparently spiteful it often proceeds much more from nervousness than from vice. if frightened they will peck anything near them. it is important to have a thick baize cover for your parrot's cage, and to put this over it directly the lamps are lit. smaller cage birds before coming to the different kinds of birds which you can keep, a few general words about their care ought to be said. remember that with them, as with all pets, the most important of all rules is perfect cleanliness. the best cages are wooden ones with unpainted wires, and the perches should be of different thicknesses, as, if they are all one size, the bird is likely to get cramp in his feet. once in a week at least the perches and tray should be scrubbed with very hot water with soda in it, but they must be dried thoroughly before they are put back into the cage; therefore if possible it is best to have two sets of perches and to use them alternately. a thick layer of red sand or shell gravel should be sprinkled on the tray, and occasionally a pinch of maw-seed thrown on it. baths all birds should have a bath given them. they like best a shallow glass dish, which should be put in the cage when the tray is out. it is a good plan to put a biscuit-tin lid on the floor of the cage to prevent the bird from making the woodwork wet. other rules in the care of all birds are--never let them be in a draught, but do not keep them in a very warm place. cover them with a white cloth at night, and in cold weather put a shawl over that. food seed-eating birds do best if they are fed on canary seed and a little summer rape, with now and then a few hemp-seeds, some hartz mountain bread, and a bit of groundsel or water-cress that has been well washed. if they look dull and sit in a puffed-up little heap, a drop of brandy in their water often does good; and, should they show signs of asthma, try chopped, hard-boiled egg, with a few grains of cayenne pepper, and a bit of saffron or a rusty nail in the water. these are also good when the bird is moulting. for insect-eating birds you must buy meal-worms and ants' eggs, and thrushes and blackbirds need earth-worms as well. tricks some birds are easily taught tricks. we remember a red-poll who would draw his water up from a well in the cage in a little bucket; but if you teach your bird to do this you must be careful to watch him, in case the string gets twisted and the bucket does not reach the water, when your pet will suffer terribly from thirst. he will also learn to pull his seed-box up an inclined board if you put it day by day a little farther from him, so that he must draw the string to get his food. it is better to take a long time in training birds, and tempt them with any dainty they care most for, such as water-cress, groundsel, chickweed, or hemp-seed, as otherwise you must starve the bird first, or he will not trouble to get the seed. this means a certain amount of cruelty and cannot be right. canaries the favorite cage-bird is the canary, which, though a foreign bird, is kept in this country in greater numbers than any other bird, and is also bred here. one has to be very well posted up in the nature of the bird to be protected against deception when buying it; and you ought therefore, in getting a canary, to find some one competent to buy what you want. canaries must be kept carefully. they cannot stand much air. be particular that the cage does not hang in a draught, and let it be large enough for comfort. when evening comes it is kinder to take the cage out of a room in which there will be much light and noise, and put it somewhere dark and quiet, as the air of a room where gas is burned is not good for it. but if moving the cage is not convenient, lower it to a position below the level of the burners and cover it up with a thick cloth. by day the cage should be hung in the sunshine if possible, but if the sun is very hot a green gauze cover ought to protect the bird a little. if the bird's singing is too lusty--as sometimes happens--a handkerchief thrown over the cage will check it; but this seems rather hard treatment. in feeding canaries follow the rules on p. 356, but you may put a lump of sugar between the bars now and then, or a sprig of groundsel or water-cress. do not give them cake; it is no real kindness. when they are moulting, canaries (and other birds too) need rather more attention. give them a little richer food, such as chopped-up eggs, and put some saffron in the water. there is a kind of insect called the red mite which often attacks canaries. it is not the rule by any means that canaries should be thus troubled--many escape--but it may happen. if you cannot account for the bird's despondency in any other way, catch it and look at its skin under the feathers of the breast and the under part of the wings. if there are little red spots, it means that the red mites have found out the cage, and you must wash the bird every day with a weak solution of white precipitate powder--about twelve grains to a small glass of warm water--and either wash the cage too with a stronger solution, or, if it is a wooden one, destroy it. now and then you ought to clip their claws, if they seem too long. the love-birds the love-birds feed almost entirely on millet or canary seed, and they like a sod of grass in their cage. they are bright little birds, but are naturally very wild and need much petting if you wish to tame them. once tamed, however, they are very confiding and amusing. the cardinal one of the most beautiful of cage-birds is the red-crested cardinal. he is quite hardy and eats seeds and insects impartially, thriving on canary, millet, and a little hemp-seed, with meal-worms now and then. he should always have a very large cage, or he will spoil his plumage. his song is sweet and strong. wax-bills wax-bills eat millet-seed, canary seed, and a little soaked bread and sponge-cake. other foreign birds java sparrows are pretty creatures, although they do very little for you. perhaps the most attractive of small foreign birds is the avadavat, a tiny, perky little soldier. these live quite comfortably together; and indeed, if it is permitted, you should certainly, for the non-singing birds, have a large cage and keep many such birds in it rather than put them in small cages. they will be far happier. the chaffinch the chaffinch has to re-learn his song every spring, and for a fortnight or more you will hear him trying his voice very sweetly and softly, but as soon as he has acquired his song in perfection, it will be so strong and piercing that on fine days he often has to be banished from the sitting-room. he should not, however, be exposed too much to sun and wind; a cloth thrown over half the cage will make a shelter. the chaffinch is another bird that should never be put in a bell-shaped cage. he should occasionally have flies and other insects given him. he is lively and hardy and a very gay companion. the goldfinch we remember a goldfinch that became very tame, perching on his owner's hands and taking seed from her lips. goldfinches should never be kept in bell-shaped cages--which make them giddy--but should have one with a square flat top. along this they will run head downward. they are such active birds that they need plenty of space. they chatter all day long and are very cheery, and they are very beautiful in their brown, gold, and scarlet coats. in a wild state the goldfinch feeds chiefly on the seeds of weeds and thistles, groundsel, and dandelion, and he is therefore a friend to the farmer, but in captivity be will thrive on canary and german rape with several hemp-seeds daily, and now and then lettuce, thistle-seed, and fruit. the bullfinch the bullfinch is squarely built, with a black head and pink breast. no bird can be more affectionate and intelligent. he will learn to pipe tunes if you put him in the dark and whistle a few bars of some easy melody to him over and over again; and he soon gets a number of fascinating tricks. after a while you will be able to let him out of the cage at meal-times, when he will hop about from plate to plate and steal little tit-bits. no bird is so fond of sitting on its owner's shoulder as the bullfinch can be. also, unhappily, few birds are so liable to fatal illness. a bullfinch can be apparently quite well one minute and the next you find him lying at the bottom of the cage. over-eating is often the cause of his death, so that one must be careful. hemp-seed and apple-pips, for instance, which he loves, should be given in moderation. rape and millet, lettuce and ripe fruit suit him best. gardeners are great enemies of this sturdy little bird on account of the damage he does amongst fruit-trees, but he probably does a great deal more good than he does harm by eating insects which are fatal to plants. the yellow bunting the yellow bunting (or yellow hammer) can be a pet; and he has the sweetest little whispering song. if you have a caged bunting, his seed should be soaked in cold water for some hours before it is given to him, and he must have the yoke of a hard-boiled egg, meal-worms, ants' eggs, and any insects you can catch for him. he must also have plenty of opportunities for bathing, and as much fresh air without draughts as possible. the blackbird the blackbird is delicate when caged and must have plenty of nutritious food, bread and milk, boiled vegetables, ripe fruit, insects, and snails. he is a thirsty bird and needs plenty of water. birds of all kinds especially like cocoanut (though they will come to the window-sill simply for bread crumbs). the cocoanut should be sawn in two, and a hole bored through each half, about an inch from the edge. a strong string is then threaded in and they are hung from the bough of a tree. they should be hung rather high up, on a bough reaching as far out from the trunk as possible, so as to avoid all risk from the cat. the birds frequent elm-trees more than any others, because the rough bark contains many insects, but you may choose any kind of tree, as close to your windows as you like. the birds will keep pecking at the cocoanut all day long and will soon want a new one. if you have no tree near the house you might fasten a cord across the outer frame of your window and tie the pieces of nut to that. the birds would soon find out the cocoa-nut and come to it, and bread crumbs could also be put on the window-sill to attract them. or, if you have a veranda, they could be hung up there, if you could make them safe from the cat. mrs. earle, in her book _more pot-pourri from a surrey garden_, gives elaborate directions for an arrangement in a veranda or balcony of cocoanuts, etc., for the birds. lumps of fat will do as well as cocoanut. some birds also greatly love a bone to pick at--an uncooked one with plenty of fat on it, which the butcher will probably be glad to give you if you ask him and explain its purpose. it can be hung up in a tree or merely laid on the window-sill. the robin in the ordinary way one would not keep robins at all. they are so tame and fond of the company of human beings that they will come regularly to the door for crumbs every morning and never be far off at any time. but if a wounded robin is found or a nest is abandoned (probably owing to the death of the mother at the cat's hands) just before the young birds are ready to fly, you might pop them in a cage. they do not often thrive long in captivity, even if the confinement does not seem irksome, but to keep one until it was strong enough to be let loose would be a kindness. still there have been many cases of happy tame robins. the best food for them is bread crumbs, grated carrot, yoke of egg and sponge-cake mixed together, the carrot making the mixture moist enough. a few insects daily are advisable. robins are such quarrelsome birds that it is impossible to keep two of them in an aviary, or even to keep one robin with birds weaker than himself. perhaps the best way to treat a pet robin is to let him fly all over the house in the winter. he may one day fly away altogether in the spring, but if he is alive he is almost certain to come back again when the cold weather begins. garden robins robins in the garden are so pretty, so cheeky, so sweetly musical, and are so friendly to man (in spite of their arrogance and selfishness among birds) that they ought to be encouraged. as the only way of encouraging wild birds is to feed them, we have to try and give them what they like best. robins are quite content with bread crumbs only. they will eat sop if they can get nothing else; but they prefer crumbs, and not too dry. for an especial treat they like fat bacon beyond everything: cooked bacon, that has been boiled, not fried. it should be mixed up very small, and the bread also crumbled into tiny morsels, for robins like to eat very nicely and daintily. robins are pleased to have crumbs given them all the seasons through, though in the autumn they can very well take care of themselves. each robin has his own special domain, which any other robin invades at his peril. the robins that come to the window for food are those that belong to that particular side of the house and no other. this means that there are other robins is different parts of the garden which will have to be fed in their own special localities. you will soon find out where these are, even if you have not already been guided to them by their songs. robins like their food scattered always in the same place, or under the same tree, and, as nearly as you can, at the same time. then you will find them on the lookout for you, and if you take always the same basket (a rather shallow flat one which stands firmly) and, putting it on the ground, go a few steps away, you will see them hop into it. after a few days they will probably get tame enough to come into the basket while it is in your hand; only you must have a little patience at first, and hold it very still, and of course you must not have previously scattered any food on the ground. birds in the garden this brings us to the other garden birds which we have no wish to put in cages, but which it is well to be as kind to as possible. in winter, when there is a frost, to feed them is absolutely necessary; but at all times it is well that they should know that you are not enemies (of which they have so many), but their friends. the following notes, together with the foregoing passage on feeding robins, on birds in the garden have been prepared far this book:-"birds are grateful all the year through for a shallow pan of water, which they can drink from and use also as a bath. and the bees, too, will be glad to come and get a sip of water, for they also are thirsty things. a small round yellow earthenware pan is excellent for the thrushes and blackbirds, but it is as well to provide a smaller one, say an ordinary shallow pie-dish, for the robins and little birds. these should be refilled twice a day, at least, in summer time. you can place the pans on the grass or path, where you can see them comfortably from the house, but not nearer than you can help, because the blackbirds are rather shy, and it would be a pity to make drinking too great an adventure for them. "birds are thankful for a little feeding right through the spring, both when the mother bird is sitting on the nest and the father has to forage for two, and when the young ones are hatched and there are at once many more mouths to fill. in the summer too, if it should be unduly wet and cold, or unduly hot and dry, and grubs and insects scarce, the young birds are pleased to find a meal ready for them. but in the winter it is a positive duty to feed the birds; for remember that when the ground is covered with snow, or frozen hard, they can get no insects, and thus, after all the berries have gone, they will starve unless they are helped with other food. "almost every household has enough waste scraps, if they are collected carefully, to give the birds a good meal once a day. bread, of course, will form the chief part, but nothing comes amiss to them, however tiny. morsels of suet, dripping, shreds of fat, meat, and fish, and cheese rind also, all mixed up together, are an especial treat. the mince should be well mixed with the bread crumbs, or all may not get a fair share. crusts, or any hard, dry bits of bread, can be scalded into sop (though, unlike chickens, wild birds do not seem to like it hot), and a little piece of dripping or fat, soaked with the sop, makes it more tasty for them. if the supply of bread be short, the birds will be very pleased with chickens' rice. it should be the 'second quality' kind, in the brown husk, which can be procured from most corn-dealers. but this is hardly necessary excepting in a long hard frost. starlings are especially fond of bones, and they will esteem it a favor if any which have been used in making soup, and are not required for the dog, are thrown out to them on the ground. their joyous chattering over them is quite cheering, even on the dreariest winter's day. they are also grateful for the rind of a ham or piece of bacon, after it has been boiled. this should be thrown out to them whole, not cut up in little pieces. they are equally fond of the bones and skin remains of a 'dried' haddock. "for the bolder birds, such as robins, you will like to put some food on the window-sills, and also on the path or grass close to the house. but remember the more timid ones, and scatter it in other parts of the garden as well. "sparrows, of course, deserve their food as well as any of the others; but it is rather hard to see them taking every morning much more than their share, while the less courageous or impudent birds (who also sing to you) get none. it seems impossible to prevent this, though mr. phil. robinson, in his book _garden, orchard, and spinney_ (in the chapter entitled 'the famine is my garden'), recommends scattering some oatmeal mixed with a few bread crumbs on one side of the house, to keep the sparrows occupied, whilst you feed the other birds elsewhere. sparrows, however, have a way of being on every side of the house at once. still, if you feed your birds daily, and as nearly at the same time as possible (they like it as soon as may be after your own breakfast), you will find them on the lookout for you, and they will manage to get a good share, if they all start fair, in spite of the sparrows. in a hard frost they are thankful for a second meal, but it should not be later than two o'clock, because birds go to bed very early in cold weather, and the food would be frozen too hard for them to be able to eat it next morning. "one word more. there is great danger of birds being caught by a cat while they are busy with their food, especially if near the bushes. the only possible protection against this which you can take is to see that your own cat is indoors and is therefore not the offender." reading all persons who care very much for reading will find their way naturally to the books most likely to please them; left alone in a library they are never disappointed. for them no advice is necessary. nor is advice important to those who have opportunities to compare notes on reading with friends who have similar tastes. for instance, two boys may fall to talking of books. "have you read _david balfour_?" one will say. "no; who's it by?" "stevenson." "what else did he write?" "well, he wrote _treasure island_." "i've read that. if _david balfour_ is anything like that, i must get it." he gets it; and thus, either by asking others whose taste he can trust, or by going steadily on through each author who satisfies him, he will always have as much good reading as he needs. but there are still other readers--who have no real instinct for books, or no memory for authors' names, or few opportunities of comparing notes--for whom a list of books that are worth trying, books which have been tested and found all right by thousands of readers, ought to be very useful. in the following pages a list of this kind has been drawn up. it is very far indeed from anything like completeness--many good authors are not mentioned at all, and others have written many more books than are here placed under their names--but those chosen are in most cases their best, and it will be very easy for readers who want more to find out other titles. the books named are for the most part not new. but before children read new books they read old; the new ones come later. what is suggested here is a ground-work. moreover, there are so many ways for new books to suggest themselves that to attempt the impossible task of keeping pace with them here was unnecessary. girls are such steady readers of what are called boys' books, and boys are occasionally so much interested in what are called girls' books, that the two groups have not been separated. all that has been done is to describe the nature of each division of stories. fairy tales nearly all the best old fairy tales are to be found in mr. andrew lang's collections, of which six are mentioned:- the blue fairy book. the red fairy book. the pink fairy book. the green fairy book. the yellow fairy book. the orange fairy book. many families do very well with merely grimm's fairy tales. the arabian nights. andersen's fairy tales. ã�sop's fables. these are traditional. first favorites among english whimsical tales are, of course, alice's adventures in wonderland by lewis carroll. through the looking-glass " " " of which there is no need to speak, nor of the water-babies by charles kingsley. the king of the golden river " john ruskin. the rose and the ring " w. m. thackeray. and among other good stories are- fairy tales by alexandre dumas. mopsa the fairy " jean ingelow. prince prigio " andrew lang. the gold of fairnilee " " " twenty best fairy tales " lucy perkins. the bee-man of orn " frank r. stockton. the clocks of rondaine " " " old-fashioned fairy tales " mrs. ewing. lewis carroll's "bruno's revenge," the story which was the beginning of _sylvie and bruno_, is perfect in its way. legendary tales classical the heroes by charles kingsley. a wonder book " nathaniel hawthorne. tanglewood tales " " " the story of the odyssey " rev. a. j. church. the story of the iliad " " " stories from homer " " " romantic the morte d'arthur by sir t. malory. tales from shakespeare " charles and mary lamb. puck of pook's hill " rudyard kipling. stories from the faerie queen " mary macleod. heroes of chivalry and romance " rev. a. j. church. stories of the magicians " " " olaf the glorious " robert leighton. robin hood " howard pyle. men of iron " " " canterbury tales " chaucer. robin hood: his deeds and adventures " lucy perkins. ballads in prose " mary macleod. forgotten tales of long ago " e. v. lucas. old fashioned tales " " " tales from maria edgeworth. introduction " austin dobson. tales from the canterbury pilgrims. retold " j. h. darton. the book of king arthur " mary macleod. midsummer night's dream for young people " lucy perkins. the wonder book of old romance. here also we might place _gulliver's travels_. verse and poetry our first acquaintance with poetry is made through nursery rhymes. many collections of nursery rhymes may be had. and there are also a number of very charming picture books of simple verse, suitable for small readers, such as miss kate greenaway's mother goose. marigold garden. under the window. a. apple pie. mr. walter crane's baby's opera, baby's bouquet, and various toy books. four favorite books of comic verse are edward lear's book of nonsense. more nonsense. nonsense, songs and stories. four books, more recent, which come nearer to poetry than anything already mentioned, are- verses for children by mrs. ewing. sing song " christina g. rossetti. lilliput lyrics " w. b. rands. a child's garden of verses " r. l. stevenson. a large collection of verse of the kind already described, with the addition of ballads, open-air rhymes, animal verses and other matter--intended to pave the way to real poetry--exists in a book of verses for children, another book of verses for children, compiled by e. v. lucas. after these, we come to collections containing real poetry, two excellent ones being the blue poetry book by andrew lang. a first [second and third] poetry book " m. a. woods. there is also lyra heroica by w. e. henley, a collection for boys. selections from tennyson, browning, and other poets, intended for children, have been made, but most young explorers of poetry like to have the complete works and hunt for themselves. other popular books of poetry are- the golden treasury of songs and lyrics. poems every child should know. mr. c. r. d. patmore's children's garland from the best poets. miss agnes repplier's book of famous verse. h. e. scudder's american poems. the "original poems," and others by jane and ann taylor. national rhymes for the nursery " george saintsbury. the ballad book " w. allingham. lays of ancient rome " lord macaulay. lays of the scottish cavaliers " w. e. aytoun. the percy reliques. a thousand and one gems of poetry. scott. longfellow. hood. many boys also like the humorous stories in _barham's ingoldsby legends_. books about children to this section, which is suited more particularly for girls, belong a large number of stories of a very popular kind: stories describing the ordinary life of children of to-day, with such adventures as any of us can have near home. years ago the favorites were- the fairchild family by mrs. sherwood. sandford and merton " thomas day. but these are not read as they used to be, partly because taste has changed, and partly because so many other books can now be procured. but fifty and more years ago they were in every nursery library. the swiss family robinson, the most famous family book of all, will be found in the adventure section, to which perhaps really belong feats on the fiord, the settlers at home, by harriet martineau, although these two, and the crofton boys may be included here. here also belong maria edgeworth's moral tales for young people. the parent's assistant, which, although their flavor is old-fashioned, are yet as interesting as ever they were. another writer whose popularity is no longer what it was is jacob abbott, the author of a number of fascinating stories of home life (on farms and in the country) in america in the middle of last century. the franconia stories are these:- beechnut. wallace. madeline. caroline. mary erskine. mary bell. stuyvesant. agnes. and this is the rollo series, intended by mr. abbott for rather younger readers:- the little scholar learning to talk. rollo learning to read. rollo at play. rollo at work. rollo at school. rollo's vacation. a list of other books, which come more or less rightly under the head of "stories about children" follows, the earlier ones being better suited to younger readers, and the later ones to older, the age aimed at in this chapter (and indeed in the whole book), ranging from five to fifteen. by kate douglas wiggin:- polly oliver's problem. timothy's quest. by louisa m. alcott:- little women. good wives. eight cousins. rose in bloom. spinning-wheel stories. little men. jo's boys. an old-fashioned girl. aunt jo's scrap bag. comic tragedies. the little pepper series, and the elsie books. by mrs. frances hodgson burnett:- little lord fauntleroy. editha's burglar. the captain's youngest. sara crew. by mrs. whitney:- we girls. faith gartney's girlhood. the gayworthys. leslie goldthwaite. by gelett burgess:- goops, and how to be them. more goops, and how not to be them. goop tales. the lively city o'ligg. the burgess nonsense book. this section is necessarily more incomplete than any of the others, since it is impossible to keep pace with the great number of stories of this kind which are published every christmas. but a few more may be added:- stories told to a child by jean ingelow. the lost child " henry kingsley. helen's babies " john habberton. the treasure-seekers " e. nesbit. holiday house " catherine sinclair. deeds of daring done by girls " n. hudson moore. children of other days " " " paleface and redskin " f. anstey. the silver skates " m. m. dodge. molly and olly " mrs. humphry ward. sweetheart travelers " s. r. crockett. sir toady crusoe " " " sir toady lion " " " no relations " hector malot. jogging 'round the world " edith dunham. a little daughter of the revolution " agnes sage. a little colonial dame " " " the house of the red fox " miriam byrne. the would-be witch " " " little barefoot from the german of auerbach. indian boys and girls by alice haines. japanese child life " " " little japs at home " " " jap boys and girls " " " according to grandma " " " when grandma was little " " " what grandma says " " " here also belong many of the stories of miss yonge, and we might perhaps place _uncle tom's cabin_ here too. boy and schoolboy stories in this section are placed stories of modern boys, either at home or at school, and their ordinary home or school adventures. among the best are- tom sawyer by mark twain. and bevis by richard jefferies. others are- the story of a bad boy by t. b. aldrich. my boyhood " h. c. barkley. the swan and her crew " g. c. davies. captain chap " frank r. stockton. the tinkham brothers' tidemill " j. t. trowbridge. the best school story will probable always be tom brown's school days by t. hughes. among the books of this kind meant rather for grownup readers, but read also by boys, are- huckleberry finn by mark twain. frank fairlegh " f. e. smedley. the interpreter " whyte melville. the human boy " eden phillpots. vice versã¢ " f. anstey. adventure stories this is the largest group of books usually described as "for boys," although girls often read them too with hardly less interest. the first place in this class will probably always be held by defoe's robinson crusoe, and it is likely that most votes for second place would go to the swiss family robinson. after these we come to modern authors whose books have been written especially for boys, first among whom is the late mr. r. m. ballantyne, the author of, among numerous other books, the coral island. the gorilla hunters. the dog crusoe. the pirate city. ungava. the wild man of the west. the iron horse. fighting the flames. erling the bold. martin rattler. the fur traders. the red man's revenge. many of ballantyne's readers make a point of going through the whole series of his books. the other titles can be collected from the advertisement pages at the end of these volumes. with r. m. ballantyne is usually associated the name of the late w. h. g. kingston ("kingston and ballantyne the brave," stevenson called them in the verses at the beginning of _treasure island_, another book which comes high in this section). kingston's stories were also very numerous, but it will serve our purpose here to mention only the following six:- peter the whaler. the three midshipmen. the three lieutenants. the three commanders. the three admirals. from powder-monkey to admiral. several authors have carried on ballantyne and kingston's work. chief among these are mr. g. a. henty and mr. g. manville fenn. here are six of mr. g. a. henty's stories:- out on the pampas. the young colonists. the young franc-tireurs. in the heart of the rockies. maori and settler. redskin and cowboy. and here are eight of mr. g. manville fenn's:- brownsmith's boy. bunyip land. bevon boys. dick o' the fens. the golden magnet. fix bay'nets. jungle and stream. menhardoc. mr. max pemberton, author of the iron pirate. the impregnable city. "q." (mr. quiller couch), author of dead man's rock. the silver spur. and mr. david kerr, author of the boy slave in bokhara. lost among the white africans. the wild horseman of the pampas. cossack and czar. old tartar deserts. prisoner among pirates. jules verne is a french writer, but his stories have always quickly been translated into english, many of them by mr. henry frith. their titles are a good guide to their subject, for jules verne goes to science for some wonderful invention, such as a submarine boat or a flying machine, and then surrounds it with extraordinary adventures. among his best books are- twenty thousand leagues under the sea. round the world in eighty days. five weeks in a balloon. the english at the north pole. the clipper of the clouds. from the earth to the moon. the mysterious island. a journey to the centre of the earth. first of english inventors of fantastic stories of adventure is mr. rider haggard. his three most popular books are- king solomon's mines. she. allan quatermain. the books already named, with the exception of _robinson crusoe_, were written especially for boys. other books which were not so intended, but have come to be read more by boys than any one else, include fenimore cooper's indian stories, of which these are four:- the last of the mohicans. the pathfinder. the deerslayer. the bee hunters. other indian stories are those of gustave aimard, translated from the french, among which are these:- the last of the incas. the trail hunter. the indian scout. the gold-seekers. the red river half-speed. the border rifles. the trappers of arkansas. these are, of course, north american tales. other north american tales are those of captain mayne reid, which include- the boy hunters. the boy slaves. bruin, or the grand bear hunter. the bush boys. the castaways. the white chief. the desert home. the forest exiles. the giraffe hunters. the headless horseman. the rifle rangers. the scalp hunters. in this section belong the books of mr. george bird grinnell, author of jack in the rockies. jack, the young ranchman. jack among the indians. jack, the young canoeman. jack, the young trapper. also harold bindloss' the young traders. and to this section belong also stories of the sea, several of which have already been mentioned. high among these are captain marryat's poor jack, masterman ready, together with many of his tales intended originally for older readers, such as jacob faithful. mr. midshipman easy. peter simple. snarleyyow. mr. clark russell's stories:- the wreck of the "grosvenor." the golden hope. an ocean free-lance. the frozen pirate. here also belong mr. kipling's captains courageous, and an old sea favorite- two years before the mast by r. h. dana. other good sea books, not fiction:- my first voyage by w. stones. the voyage of the "sunbeam" " lady brassey. the cruise of the "cachalot" " f. t. bullen. the cruise of the "falcon" " e. f. knight. historical stories for boys new historical stories are published in great numbers every year. the most popular author of this kind of book for boys is mr. g. a. henty, among whose very numerous historical tales, all good, are- at aboukir and acre. at agincourt. bonnie prince charlie. by right of conquest. the dash for khartoum. in the reign of terror. with moore at corunna. the lion of st. mark. maori and settler. st. bartholomew's eve. under drake's flag. with clive in india. with frederick the great. with lee in virginia. by rev. a. j. church- the chantry priest of barnet. the count of the saxon shore. stories from english history. with the king at oxford. other historical tales:- stories from froissart by henry newbolt. the scottish chiefs " jane porter. the children of the new forest " captain marryat. a monk of fife " andrew lang. grettir the outlaw " baring gould. the story of burnt njal " sir george dasent. lorna doone " r. d. blackmore. in old egypt " h. p. mendes. an island story " h. e. marshall. scotland's story " " " by r. l. stevenson- the black arrow. kidnapped. david balfour. by charles kingsley- hereward the wake. westward ho! by conan doyle- micah clarke the white company. the refugees. by stanley j. weyman- the house of the wolf. under the red robe. the man in black. a gentleman of france. by mr. andrew balfour- by stroke of sword. to arms! by mark twain the prince and the pauper. personal recollections of joan of arc. there are also historical stories more particularly intended by their authors for grown-up readers, but which boys and girls can, however, find quite interesting enough, even if much has to be skipped. first among these are sir walter scott's novels:- ivanhoe. kenilworth. woodstock. quentin durward. rob roy. the abbott. the monastery. the talisman. other writers and books follow. by alexandre dumas- the three musketeers. twenty years after. the vicomte de brageleonne. marguerite de valois. chicot the jester. the forty-five guardsmen. by charles dickens- barnaby rudge. a tale of two cities. by lord lytton- rienzi. harold. the last of the barons. the last days of pompeii. animal books first among the animal books are mr. kipling's two _jungle books_. two other beast stories by mr. kipling are "moti guj, mutineer," the tale of a truant elephant, which is in _life's handicap_ and "the maltese cat," a splendid tale of a polo pony, which is in _the day's work_. next to these comes mr. e. thompson-seton's _wild animals i have known._ the lives of animals by themselves, or by some one who knows everything about them, are always favorite books with small readers. among the best are these:- black beauty (the story of a horse) by mrs. sewell. conrad the squirrel " the author of _wandering willie_. the story of the red deer " j. w. fortescue. every inch a king (the story of a dog) " anon. the lives of the hunted " e. thompson-seton. the trail of the sandhill stag " " " the adventures of a siberian cub " leon golschmann. the autobiography of a grizzly. " e. thompson-seton. the best tale of a bear is perhaps bret harte's "baby sylvester," which will be found in one of his volumes of short stories. good animal stories are scattered about other collections of short stories. in mr. anstey's _paleface and redskin_ are stories of dogs. mr. lang's red book of animal stories has both dogs and cats in it, and many other creatures too. here also should be placed mr. warde fowler's tales of the birds. other very popular animal books are mr. joel chandler harris's nights with uncle remus, uncle remus and brer rabbit (largely illustrations), mr. rabbit at home, and the same author has written also the story of aaron, aaron in the wild woods, which are stories not only of animals, but of people too; and here, perhaps, may be placed _ã�sop's fables_. wood magic by richard jefferies is an attempt to do for english wild life somewhat the same service that mr. kipling performed for india. other open air and animal books are:-by the rev. j. g. wood- by back-yard zoo. pet land revisited. pet land a tour round my garden. also curiosities of natural history by frank buckland. white's selborne edited by frank buckland. wanderings in south america by charles waterton. wild traits in domestic animals " louis robinson. the voyage of the "beagle" " charles darwin. ants, bees, and wasps " sir john lubbock. (lord avebury). on the senses, instincts, and intelligence of animals " " " bob, son of battle " " " a series of very interesting scientific books, under the general title "the romance of science," is published by the society for promoting christian knowledge. among these volumes are- the making of flowers by professor henslow. the birth and growth of worlds " professor green. spinning tops " professor perry. time and tide " sir robert ball. the same publishers also issue a series of "natural history rambles," including- in search of minerals by d. t. ansted. lane and field " the rev j. g. wood. ponds and ditches " m. c. cooke. underground " j. e. taylor. the woodlands " m. c. cooke. the sea-shore " professor duncan. there is also a new series, called "the wonder books of science," of which the wonder book of volcanoes and earthquakes, and the wonder book of the atmosphere are the first. other good scientific yet very entertaining books:- the fairyland of science by a. b. buckley. through magic glasses " " " life and her children " " " the romance of the insect world " miss l. badenoch. the ocean " " " glaucus " charles kingsley. madam how and lady why " " " the old red sandstone " hugh miller. the testimony of the rocks " " " homes without hands " rev. j. g. wood. sun, moon, and stars " a. giberne. the story of the heavens " sir robert ball. other worlds than ours " r. a. proctor. the orbs around us " " " the boys book of inventions " r. s. baker. extinct animals " e. ray lankester. electricity for young people " tudor jenks. history a good deal of more or less truthful history will be found in the section given to historical tales (see page 380). here follows a small list of more serious historical books which also are good reading:- tales of a grandfather by sir walter scott. stories from english history " rev. a. j. church. lives of the queens of england " agnes strickland. cameos from english history (several series)" c. m. younge. stories from roman history " mrs. beesley. deeds that won the empire " w. h. fitchett. fights for the flag " " " books of travel it is not important that travel books should be written especially for young readers. almost all records of travel contain some pages of interest, whatever the remainder may be like. the fact that a book describes wanderings in a far country is enough. but the books by commander robert e. peary and his wife deserve mention. snowland folk. the snow baby. children of the arctic. the treatment of library books on this page is given a copy of the book mark which a clergyman, mr. henry maxson, prepared for the use of the readers in the children's section of a library in wisconsin. book mark once upon a time a library book was overheard talking to a little boy who had just borrowed it. the words seemed worth recording, and here they are:- "please don't handle me with dirty hands. i should feel ashamed to be seen when the next little boy borrowed me. "or leave me out in the rain. books can catch cold as well as children. "or make marks on me with your pen or pencil. it would spoil my looks. "or lean on me with your elbows when you are reading me. it hurts. "or open me and lay me face down on the table. you wouldn't like to be treated so. "or put in between my leaves a pencil or anything thicker than a single sheet of thin paper. it would strain my back. "whenever you have finished reading me, if you are afraid of losing your place, don't turn down the corner of one of my leaves, but have a neat little book mark to put in where you stopped, and then close me and lay me down on my side, so that i can have a good, comfortable rest. "remember that i want to visit a great many other little boys after you have done with me. besides, i may meet you again some day, and you would be sorry to see me looking old and torn and soiled. help me to keep fresh and clean, and i will help you to be happy." appendix _in making a book of this kind, it is impossible to think of all the things that ought to be mentioned. every reader is certain to know of some game or pastime that has been left out. in order that you may yourself bring this collection nearer completeness, the following appendix of blank pages has been added. some reference to everything that is written in the appendix ought to be made, if only in pencil, in both the body of the book and in the index._ index a acrobatic impossibilities, 36 acrobatics, drawing-room, 35-41 acrostics, 59 acting initials, 97 games, 97-109 proverbs, 97 verbs (dumb crambo), 98 adders, 212 adhesive tape, 243 adventure, stories of, 376 advertisements, 21 almonds, how to blanch, 310 alphabet, the cat, 166 alphabet, the love, 88, 165 alphabet, the ship, 87 anemone, 325 angora rabbits, 348 animal, vegetable and mineral, 96 animals, books about, 382 china, 192 composite (drawing game), 51 invented (drawing game), 54 velvet, 289 annuals, treatment of, 319-323 ants, 213 apple-snapping, 6 apprentice, the, 167 arm-chair (model), 251 aspidistra, 331 auctioning prizes, 43 autumn sowing of seedlings, 321 avadavats, 358 b bag and stick, 7 balancing, 187 balancing tricks, 122 ball games, 139 wool, 282 ballad game, the, 132 balloon, 39 barley sugar, 307 baths for birds, 355 battledoor and shuttlecock, 129 bead furniture for dolls' houses, 223 bead-work, 283 bean bags, 113 bed boat, the, 189 games, 185-193 soldiers, 191 thinking games for, 189 beds for dolls' houses, 222 matchbox, 231 bedstead (model), 252 bees, 205 belgian hares, 349 bicyclist, the, 34 biennials, treatment of, 322 bingo, 27 birds, large and cage, 355-366 in the garden, 363-366 birds'-nesting, 207 birthday, the old maid's, 81 blackberrying, 209 blackbird, the, 360 black man, 158 blacksmith, the, 206 blenheim spaniels, 347 blind feeding the blind, the, 5 blind games, 3-5 blind man's buff, 3 played with spoons, 3 blind man's wand, 4 blind worms, 212 block city, 188 bloodhound, the, 347 blowing eggs, 207 blowing out the candle, 6 boat, a simple toy, 295 boats, paper, 285 on a stream, 211 sailing, 210 walnut shell, 298 book mark, 385 books- and bookshelves for a doll's house, 224 about animals, 382 about boys, 376 of adventure, 376 about children, 373 of fairy tales, 370 historical, 380-382, 384 of poetry, 371 about the sea, 379 of travel, 385 of legendary tales, 371 borders for a garden, 319 borzoi, the, 347 bowling, 143 boxes, cardboard, 288 for collections of eggs, 208 for dolls' houses, 220 paper, 287 boy and schoolboy stories, 376 boys' toys, 292-301 bran-tubs, 303 bream, 351 bricks, 185 bruce's heart, 187 bubbles, soap, 116, 279 buff, 26 buff, blind man's, 3 buff, shadow, 5 bulbs, treatment of, 325-326 in cocoanut fibre, 333 in glasses, 333 in pots, 332 bull dog, the, 346 bullfinch, the, 359 bull terrier, the, 343 bunting, the yellow, 360 buried names, 63 butterfly hunting, 208 butter-making, 205 buying dogs, 342 buz, 167 c cage birds, 355-366 cages for birds, 355 campanulas, 332 canaries, 357 seed, 332 candle-blowing, 6 candle lighters, the, 38 candy-making, 307-312 candy, molasses, 310 nut, 310 peppermint, 311 caramels, 308 cream, 309 cardboard and paper furniture:- drawings of, 241-257 arm-chair, 251 bedstead, 252 chair, 256 cot, 257 cut-outs, 291 dining-room table, 249 dressing-table, 254 high chair, 257 kitchen chair, 247 range, 247 table, 246 pots and pans, 248 rocking-chair 256 screen, 248 sideboard, 250 sofa, 251 towel-rack, 256 wardrobe, 253 washstand, 255 cardboard and paper toys, 284-292 cardboard boxes, 288 dolls' houses, 237-243 uses for, 290 card games, 77-83 cardinal, the, 358 cards for patience, 76 for snap, 77 cards, hat and, 38 catalogues, gardening, 316 cat alphabet, the, 166 catching balls, 140 caterpillar game, 11 caterpillars, 353 cat-fish, the american, 352 cats, 348 chaffinch, the, 359 chair (model), 256 chairs, chestnut, 229 cork, 228 chalks, 275 characteristics, prophecies and, 80 charades, 106 cherry contests, 304 chevy, 156 chickens, feeding the, 204 _child's garden of verses, a_, 188 children, books about, 373 china animals, 192 nest-eggs, 204 chinese gambling, 181 chitterbob, 31 christmas, 302-303 trees, 302 clap in, clap out, 15 clothes-basket, a doll's house, 234 clothes-horse, summer house, 136 clumber spaniel, the, 344 clumps, 93 coach, family, 33 cobbler, the, 14 cocked hat, paper, 284 cocker spaniel, the, 344 cocoanut cream, 308 drops, 308 fibre for bulbs, 332 coffee-pot, 95 collars for dogs, 340 collecting jones's, 165 collections of china animals, 192 of flags, 273 of flowers, 208 of stamps, 278 collie, the, 344 color in a garden, 316 coloring maps, 273 pictures, 273 compasses, home-made, 243 competitions, guessing, 103 railway, 173 composite animals (drawing game), 51 scrap books, 277 stories, 70 concerted sneeze, the, 27 concerts, the topsy-turvy, 105 consequences, 68 an extended form of, 69 contests, cherry, 304 convalescents, games for, 191 copying woodcuts, 274 cork and matchbox furniture, 228-234 ships, 197 cot (model), 257 counting dogs, 164 a million, 191 counting imaginary flocks of sheep, 191 counting-out rhymes, 134 country books, 215 country, employment in the, 203-215 cows, 206 cradle, a walnut, 232 cream caramels, 309 cocoanut, 308 stuffing for dates, 311 cress, mustard and, 327, 332 crocuses, 325 crosses, noughts and, 176 cross questions, 22 cross-tag, 152 cumulative games, 29-31 curtains for cardboard dolls' houses, 238 dolls' house, 221 cushion, 14 cutting flowers, 335-336 cutting out pictures, 191 cutting leaves, 326 d daffodils, 325, 333 dairy, the, 205 daisy chains, 135 dancing dwarf, the, 105 dancing egg, the, 124 dancing man, a, 289 dancing pea, the, 124 darts, paper, 286 dates, stuffed, 311 day's shopping, the, 14 decorations, evergreen, 302 paper, 302 deerhound, the scotch, 347 deer stalking, 6 demons, wool, 282 diaries, country, 214 gardening, 317 dining-room table (model), 249 dinner parties, dolls', 226 distemper, treatment of, 341 ditto game, the, 26 dividing perennials, 324 dog-stick, 145 dogs, counting, 164 exercising, 339 food for, 339 how to buy, 342 how to teach tricks, 341 the various kinds of, 343-348 treatment of, 339-343 washing, 340 dogs' collars, 340 kennel (cardboard), 241 dolls for dolls' houses, 225 dressing, 226 paper, 258-262 rows of paper, 262 walking, 259 dolls' dinner parties, 226 flats, 226 garden seats and tables, 219 houses, 220 cardboard, 237-243 chimney, 242 partition, 240 small, 227 house beds, 222 bookshelves, 224 cupboards, 225 curtains, 221 fireplaces, 220 floors, 221 gardens, 220, 242 pictures, 224 screens, 225 wall papers, 220 donkey's tail, the, 5 dots, five, 47, 48 double acrostics, 60 doves, 354 dragons, hand, 290 drawing games, 47-56 drawing-room acrobatics, 35-41 drawings, eyes-shut, 50 drawing tricks, 51 dresses for paper dolls, 258 dressing dolls, 226 dressing the lady, 13 dressing-table (model), 254 table, matchbox, 232 up for charades, 108 duck on a rock, 142 ducks' eggs, 204 dumb crambo, 98 performances, 107 dutch rabbits, 349 dutch street, a, 267 dwarf, the dancing, 105 e easter eggs, 275 eggs, blowing, 207 ducks', 204 easter, 275 hens', 204 electricity, 125 elements, the, 90 employments, guessing, 98 esquimau village, a, 266 evergreen decorations, 302 everton toffee, 310 exercising dogs, 339 exploration, 203 eyes, 99 eyes-shut drawings, 50 f fairy-tale books, 370 family coach, 33 specimen story, 33 family, the imaginary, 190 fantail pigeons, 354 farmyards, 203 feather, the, 21 feeding chickens, 204 fern halls, 331 ferns, 331 skeleton, 281 fights, walnut shell, 299 filipino village, a, 266 fire-buckets, 40 fireplaces for dolls' houses, 220 fish, 351 five dots, 47-48 fives, 61 flags, collection of, 273 floors in dolls' houses, 222 flower pots, 330 flower shows, 136, 317 flower symbols, 136 flowers, collecting, 208 cutting, 335 for a doll's house, 225 packing, 335 painting, 209 for town gardens, 328 for window boxes, 334 fly away, 23 follow my leader, 159 food for birds, 356 for chickens and ducks, 204 for dogs, 339 for puppies, 340 for rabbits, 349 for wild birds, 359, 361, 365 on a railway journey, 180 football, parlor, 39 foot-stools, cork, 230 forfeits, 41 fowls, trussed, 37 fox-terrier, the, 343 french and english, 158 (paper), 177 french tag, 152 french blind man's buff, 4 fruit cream, 309 fuchsias, 332 furnishing dolls' houses, 222 furnishing game, a, 221 g games with a ball, 139 by rote, 189 drawing, 47-56 in bed, 185-193 with cards, 75-83 for convalescents, 191 for a journey, 173-181 for a party, 3-43 for a picnic, 151-159 quotation, 92 rainy-day, 113-126 table, 75-83 thinking, guessing, and acting, 87-109 for a walk, 163-170 with a watch, 175 writing, 59-72 yes and no, 94-96 gambling, chinese, 181 gaps, 154 garden, dolls' house, 219, 242 kitchen, 327 shop, 136 town, 328 gardening catalogues, 316 diaries, 317 tools, 318 general post, 17 geraniums, 332 ghosts of my friends, 50 glasses, bulbs in, 333 glass-maker, the, 125 going to jerusalem, 10 goldfinch, the, 359 gold fish, 351 good fat hen, a, 30 good luck lily, 333 gordon setter, 344 gossip, 21 grab, 78 grand mogul, the, 166 grand mufti, the, 25 grass snakes, 212 great dane, the, 346 greyhound, the, 347 guessing competitions, 103 employments, 98 games, 93-104 numbers, 102 quantities, 104 results, 102 scents, 104 the color of horses' tails, 164 guinea pigs, 350 gypsy camp, 268 h hand dragons, 290 hanging, 179 hare and hounds, 145 hat and cards, 38 hats, cocked, 284 hawks, 213 heads, bodies and tails, 54 he can do little who can't do this, 8 hen and chickens, 130 hen, a good fat, 30 hens' eggs, where to look for, 204 here i bake, 13 hide and seek, 154 hieroglyphics, or picture-writing, 52, 53, 55 high chair (model), 257 high skip, 38 himalayan rabbits, 349 hish! hash! hosh! 27 historical stories, 380-382 history books, 385 hives, bee, 205 hold fast! let go! 24 home newspaper, the, 284 honey-pots, 11 hoop games for two, 169 posting, 169 hoops, 169 hop-scotch, 143 hop, step, and jump, 159 hospitals, scrap books for, 277 hot and cold, 9 hot hand, 175 hotel game, an, 188 hounds, 346 houses, cardboard, 237-242 dolls', 220 house that glue built, the, 243 how, when, and where, 95 hunting for eggs, 204 hunt the ring, 19 hunt the slipper, 7 hunt the squirrel, 153 hunt the thimble, 9 hutches, rabbit, 349 hyacinths, 325, 333 i illuminating, 274 illustrated papers, painting, 273 illustrating, 120 i love my love, 88, 165 imaginary family, the, 190 improbable stories, 70 india-rubber plant, 331 indoor gardening, 329-334 occupations and things to make, 273 painting, 273 plants, 331 initials, 65, 189 acting, 97 ink sea-serpents, 288 invented animals (drawing game), 54 irises, 325 irish setter, 344 terrier, 343 i spy, 155 it, 152 ivy, 331 chains, 135 j jack horner pies, 303 jack-stones, 116 japanese fern balls, 331 java sparrows, 358 john ball, 31 jinglers, 3 jolly miller, the, 10 jones's, collecting, 165 journeys, games to play on, 173-181 judge and jury, 22 jumping rope, 129 k killing butterflies, 208 king charles spaniel, 347 kingfishers, 212 kitchen gardens, 327 table (model), 246 chair " 247 range " 247 pots and pans, 248 kitchen utensils, 18 kite messengers, 295 kites, 292 knots, 117-120 l lady queen anne, 20 lamp for small dolls' house, 230 land of counterpane, the, 191 _land of story-books, the_, 188 laughter, 26 leaves, skeleton, 280 legendary tales, 371 letter games, 75 letters and telegrams, 63 and words, 178 with a pencil, 178 lettuce, 327 lights, rhyming, 167 lists, 62 little dog, the, 152 looby, looby, 29 log houses, 268 london bridge is falling down, 15 love alphabet, the, 88, 165 love-birds, 358 low-tide, 197 lubbock, sir john, on bees, 205 m madonna lilies, 325 magic-lantern slides, 274 magic music, 9 making friends, 203 making plans, 191 making obeisance, 99 making sentences, 165 man, a dancing, 289 mandarins, the, 25 maps, coloring, 273 on a journey, 173 marbles, 146 mastiff, the, 346 mats, paper 286 menageries, 192 mesmerism, 99 messengers, kite, 295 mice, 212 pet, 351 milking cows, 206 million, counting a, 191 miniature trees, 331 minnows, 352 missing information, 67 mogul, the grand, 166 molasses candy, 310 moles, 212 mongrels, 347 mottoes for christmas, 302 moulting, 357 mounting pressed flowers, 209 muffin man, the, 32 mufti, the grand, 25 mulberry bush, the, 28 music, dolls', 225 music, magic, 9 mustard and cress, 327, 332 my lady's clothes, 13 my right-hand neighbor, 94 my thought, 89 n narcissus, 325, 333 natural history books, 382 neighbor, my right-hand, 94 neighbors, 15 newfoundland dogs, 345 newspaper, the, 71 newspaper, the home, 284 ninepins, 185 norfolk spaniel, 344 noughts and crosses, 176 numbers, guessing, 102 nut candy, 310, 311 nuts in may, 12 nutting, 209 o observation, 104 for railway journeys, 174 occupations, indoor, 273-304 old bachelor, 79 old maid, 79 old maid's birthday, the, 81 old soldier, 13 old stone, 130 oranges and lemons, 13 orchestra, 29 outdoor games for boys, 139-147 outdoor games for girls, 129-136 outlines, 47, 49 p p's and q's, 89 packing flowers, 335 paddling, 197 painting, 273 cardboard dolls' houses, 238 cardboard furniture, 245 dolls' house food, 229 eggs for easter, 275 flags, 273 flowers, 209 magic-lantern slides, 274 maps, 273 paper boats, 285 boxes, 287 and cardboard toys, 284-292 darts, 286 decorations, 302 dolls, 258-262 french and english, 177 furniture, 243-257 mats, 286 papers for dolls' houses, 220 parlor football, 39 parrots, 354 party, games for a, 3-43 patience or thirteens, 76 pen and ink work, 276 peppermint candy, 311 perch, 352 perennials, treatment of, 323 pets, 339-366 philopenas, 303 photography, 214 picking flowers, 335 picnic games, 151-159 pictures and titles, 55 pictures, coloring, 273 for dolls' houses, 224 pricking, 275 tracing, 275 pictures to order, 54 picture-writing, or hieroglyphics, 52, 53, 55 pig, 79 pigeons, 353 ping-pong, 75 plain toffee, 309 plans, making, 191 planting bulbs, 326 perennials, 323 seedlings, 320 plants, window, 329 indoor, 331 playhouses of other peoples, 265-269 poetry books, 371 pomeranian, the, 347 ponds, 210 poodles, 347 pop-corn, 309 pop-guns, 185 postage-stamp collections, 278 snakes, 278 post office, the, 283 potato races, 40 pots and pans (models), 248 predicaments, 71 pressing flowers, 209 pricking pictures, 275 prisoner's base, 156 prize, auctioning, 43 products, towns and, 168 prophecies and characteristics, 80 proverbs, 96 acting, 97 shouting, 97 pueblo settlement, a, 265 pugs, 347 puppies, how to feed, 340 puss in the corner, 7 puzzles, 279 q quantities, guessing, 104 queen anne, lady, 20 quoits, 141 quotation games, 92 r rabbits, wild, 348 tame, 348 races, 140 races, potato, 40 soap-bubble, 116 spanish, or wheelbarrow, 141 tissue-paper, 39 radishes, 327 railway competitions, 173 railway whist, 174 rainy-day games, 113-126 reading, 369-385 red rover, 159 remarks on acting, 109 retriever, the, 344 rhymed replies, 67 rhymes, counting out, 134 rhyming games, 92 rhyming lights, 167 riddles, 66 ring, hunt the, 19 ring taw, 146 ring-the-nail, 115 ring-toss, 114 roadside whist, 163 robin's alive, 27 robin, the, 361 rocking-chair (model), 256 rocks, 198 rows of paper dolls, 262 runt pigeons, 354 russian scandal, 21 ruth and jacob, 23 s sailing boats, 197, 210 saint bernard, the, 346 sand castles, 198 games, 198 saving seed, 322 scandal, russian, 21 scarborough lily, 333 scents, guessing, 104 schoolboy stories, 376 science, books about, 383 scrap-books, 191, 276 covered screens, 278 scraps and transfers, 288 screen (model), 248 screens covered with scraps, 278 for dolls' houses, 225 sea-serpents, ink, 288 seaside friends, good, 199 seaside employments, 197-200 seaweed, 199 seedlings, perennials, 325 general remarks on, 321 seed, sowing, 322 sentences, making, 165 sergeant, the, 24 setters, 344 setting-boards for butterflies, 208 shades, 326 shadow buff, 5 shadows on the wall, 279 shearing sheep, 206 sheep, 206 counting imaginary flocks of, 191 dog, the, 345 shearing, 206 washing, 206 shell work, 199 ship alphabet, the, 87 ships, cork, 197 shop, game of, 221 in the garden, 136 shopping, the day's, 14 shop windows, 164 shouting proverbs, 97 shuffle board, 121 sideboard (model), 250 silkworms, 352 simon says thumbs up, 24 simple acrostics, 59 skeleton ferns, 281 leaves, 280 skipjacks, 299 skye terrier, the, 343 sleep, ways of getting to, 191 slugs, 324 small dolls' houses, 227 snakes, 212 postage stamp, 228 snap, 77 snap cards, 78 sneeze, the concerted, 27 snowdrops, 325 soap-bubbles, 116, 279 sofa (model), 251 sofas, cork, 229 soldiers, 185, 191 solitary watchfulness, 212 sowing seeds, 320 spaniels, 344 spanish cup and ball, 186 sparrows, 365 spatter-work, 275 spelling game, 166 spin the platter, 17 spoons, blind man's buff played with, 3 squills, 325 squirrels, wild, 213 tame, 350 stagarino, 159 stamps, collecting, 278 star of bethlehem, 325 starlings, 365 station observation, 174 statues, 26 steps, 4 stevenson, r. l., 188 still pond! no more moving, 4 stir the mash, 11 stool of repentance, 98 stories, composite, 70 improbable, 70 about schoolboys, 376 telling, 93, 163 story books, 188 story for family coach, 33 for old maid's birthday, 82 story game, 70 strawberries, 328 streams, 211 strength tests, 144 stuffed dates, 311 suckers, 299 sugar, barley, how to make, 307 sugar, how to color, 312 suggestions, 91 summer-houses, 136 sussex spaniel, the, 344 swallows, 213 swarming of bees, 205 sweet-making, 307-312 t tableaux vivants, 108 table games, 75-83 tables, cork, 230 tag, 152 teapot, 95 telegrams, 64 telling stories, 93 during walks, 163 terriers, 343 terza, 154 thimble, 9 thinking games, 87-93 for bed, 189 thirteens, or patience, 76 thought, my, 89 thought-reading tricks, 100 throwing light, 96 tides, 197 tiger-lilies, 325 tissue-paper dresses for dolls, 262 races, 39 titles, pictures and, 55 tit-tat-toe, 176 toffee, almond, 310 everton, 310 plain, 309 tom tiddler's ground, 129 tools for gardening, 318 topsy-turvy concert, the, 105 touch last, 152 touchwood, 152 towel-rack, cork, 233 (model), 256 town gardens, 328 towns and products, 168 toy boats, 295 dogs, 347 toys for boys, 292-301 tracing, 244 tracing pictures, 275 train, games to play in the, 173-181 transfers, 288 transplanting flowers, 320 travel, books of, 385 traveller, the, 34 trees, miniature, 331 christmas, 302 tricks, how to teach birds, 356 balancing, 122 how to teach dogs, 341 drawing, 51 thought-reading, 100 trout, 351 trussed fowls, 37 tug of war, 38 tulips, 325 turtles, 351 twenty questions, 189 twos and threes, or terza, 154 tying knots, 117 u unison games, 26 up jenkins, 18 utensils, kitchen, 18 kitchen (models), 248 for sweet-making, 307 v velvet animals, 289 verse and poetry books, 371 w walking dolls, 259 games to play when out, 163-170 walking spanish, 39 wall-pockets, 318 walnut fights, 299 shell boats, 298 wand, blind man's, 4 wardrobe, matchbox, 233 (model), 253 washing dogs, 340 sheep, 206 washstand, 232 (model), 255 watch, games to be played with a, 175 water-cutters, 300 watering flowers, 318 perennials, 324 seedlings, 320 window boxes, 334 window plants, 330 wax-bills, 358 weeds, 321 welsh terrier, the, 343 wet clothes, 197 wheat, 332 when my ship comes in, 87 whist, railway, 174 whist, roadside, 163 whistle, the, 8 whistles, 301 wiggles, 49 wild birds, feeding the, 361 rabbits, 348 window boxes, 329, 354 plants, 329 windows, shop, 164 witches, 131 wool balls, 282 demons, 282 word-making, 178 writing games, 59-72 y yellow bunting, 360 yes and no games, 94-96 a list of standard books for children published by frederick a. stokes company _books for older children_ bindloss, harold the young traders. illustrated, 12mo, cloth $1.50 a capital story of two boys in west africa. crockett, s. r. the surprising adventures of sir toady lion. illustrated, 12mo, cloth. 1.00 sir toady crusoe. illustrated. large 12mo, cloth 1.25 the adventures of two boys and a girl on the scottish coast. sweetheart travellers. illustrated, 12mo, cloth 1.00 fine art juveniles children's classics in artistic form. beautifully illustrated. each 8vo, cloth 1.50 1. old fashioned tales. e. v. lucas. 2. the "original poems" and others. ann and jane taylor. 3. tales from maria edgeworth. 4. tales of the canterbury pilgrims. f. j. h. darton. 5. fairy tales from grimm. 6. fairy tales from hans andersen. 7. stories from the faerie queen. mary macleod. 8. the book of king arthur, mary macleod. 9. the fairchild family. mrs. sherwood. 10. national rhymes of the nursery. 11. forgotten stories of long ago. e. y. lucas. 12. ballads in prose. mary macleod. 13. another book of verses for children. e. v. lucas. 14. the wonder book of old romance. f. j. h. darton. grinell, george bird the "jack" books. illustrated. each 12mo, cloth 1.25 good books for boys, full of hunting, adventure and natural history. jack the young ranchman. jack among the indians. jack in the rockies. jack the young canoeman. jack the young trapper. grinnell morton neighbors of field, wood, and stream. illustrated, 12mo, cloth 1.25 an account of wild creatures not far from civilization. houston, edwin j. the wonder books of science. illustrated. each 12mo, cloth 1.50 the wonders of nature described and simply explained by a scientist. the wonder book of volcanoes and earthquakes. the wonder book of the atmosphere. jenks, tudor electricity for young people. illustrated, 12mo, cloth _net_, 1.50 the story of the progress of electricity from the earliest times. lounsberry, alice the wild flower book for young people. illustrated, 12mo, cloth _net_, 1.50 a story of the lives of wild flowers. marshall, h. e. an island story. illustrated in color. large 8vo, cloth _net_, 2.50 a child's history of england. scotland's story. illustrated in color. large 8vo, cloth _net_, 2.50 stirring events in scottish history. moore, n. hudson deeds of daring done by girls. illustrated in color, 12mo, cloth 1.50 examples of heroism of girls under twenty. nesbit, e. the treasure seekers. illustrated, 12mo, cloth 1.50 by the author of the wouldbegoods. the new treasure seekers. illustrated, 12mo, cloth 1.50 further adventures of the fascinating bastable children. perkins, lucy f. the dandelion classics for children. illustrated in color. each 4to, cloth 1.50 a uniform edition of children's classics, splendidly illustrated. robin hood. midsummer night's dream for young-people. the twenty best fairy tales. sage, agnes c. a little colonial dame. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 same, boards 1.00 the story of a girl in old new york. a little daughter of the revolution. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 same, boards 1.00 child-life during the exciting period of the war for independence. steedman, c. m. a child's life of jesus. illustrated in color, 8vo, cloth, 3.00 thumb-o-graph series thumb-o-graphs. 16mo, cloth, _net_, .50; leather, boxed, _net_, 1.00; gilt, leather, boxed _net_, 1.50 ghosts of my friends. 16mo, cloth, _net_, .50; leather, boxed _net_, 1.00 the book of butterflies. 12mo, cloth, boxed _net_, 1.00 noughts and crosses. 16mo, cloth _net_, .50 hand-o-graphs. 4to, cloth _net_, 1.00 _books for children from ten to fifteen years of age_ ault, lena and norman the podgy book of tales. illustrated in color, 16mo, cloth 1.00 full of jolly stories about happenings in the nursery and garden. bedford, francis d. a night of wonders. illustrated in color. oblong, 16mo, cloth 1.00 the story of a hunt for father christmas. carroll, lewis alice in wonderland. illustrated in color, 8vo, cloth, 1.50 contains the original tenniel drawings, beside twelve new ones in color by maria l. kirk. through the looking glass. illustrated in color, 8vo, cloth 1.50 also has illustrations by miss kirk as well as the tenniel drawings. children's library, the illustrated. each 16mo, cloth .50 stories of all kinds interesting to children. the would-be witch. miriam byrne. two are company. e. m. field. the old oak chest. mary jane papers. a. g. plympton. courage. ruth ogden. little homespun. ruth ogden. tommy's tiny tales. lady leigh. the house of the red fox. miriam byrne. cooke, grace macgowan son riley rabbit and little girl. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 the adventures of a little girl and a rabbit, with excellent photographs. dumas, alexandre fairy tales. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.00 dunham, edith jogging round the world. 4to, cloth 1.50 with photographs of curious methods of transportation. glen, m. a. twelve magic changelings. cut-outs in color, 4to, boards, .75; paper .50 magic changelings. cut-outs in color, 4to, boards .50 mirthful menagerie. cut-outs in color, 4to, boards .50 agile acrobats. cut-outs in color. 4to, boards .35 harris, joel chandler uncle remus and bre'r rabbit. illustrations in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.00 some of bre'r rabbit's most amusing adventures told in stories, verses and pictures. jewett, j. h. bunny stories. illustrated, 4to, boards 1.00 same, cloth 1.50 more bunny stories. illustrated, 4to, boards 1.00 same, cloth 1.50 mendes, h. p. in old egypt. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.00 moore, n. hudson children of other days. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 an art book for children, giving reproductions of famous paintings of children. ogden, ruth a little queen of hearts. illustrated, 4to, boards 1.00 same, cloth 1.50 the account of the visit of a little american girl to england. a loyal little red coat. illustrated, 4to, boards 1.00 same, cloth 1.50 a story of a child in new york one hundred years ago. loyal hearts and true. illustrated, 12mo, cloth 1.00 how "the dry dock club" showed its patriotic spirit during the war with spain. outcault, r. f. buster brown's autobiography. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.50 with many new adventures. buster's and mary jane's painting book. oblong, 4to, boards .75 pictures to be colored, some with colored models. tige: his story. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.00 tige's adventures, with some of buster's. buster brown abroad. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.00 what buster did in foreign lands. peary, josephine d. the snow baby. illustrated, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.20 the birth and infancy of marie ahnighito peary, illustrated by photographs taken by her parents in the far north. peary, marie ahnighito and josephine d. children of the arctic. illustrated, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.20 the snow baby's second trip to the arctic. peary, robert e. snowland folk. illustrated, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.20 true stories about the fascinating land of eternal snow. randolph, h. s. f. the new mother goose. with cut-out illustrations in color, 4to, boards 1.00 an illustrated story remains after removal of the cut-outs. the fire fighters. with cut-out illustrations in color, 4to, boards 1.00 story with models of fire engine, hook and ladder, etc., in drawings and cut-outs. selous, edmund tommy smith's animals. illustrated, 16mo, cloth 1.00 tommy smith's other animals. illustrated, 16mo, cloth 1.00 conversations of a little boy with the common country animals. williams, clara andrew the house that glue built. cut-out pictures in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.00 pictures of the rooms of a house with separate sheets giving the furniture, to be pasted into place. the fun that glue made. cut-out pictures in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.00 scenes in bright colors of children at play, to be pasted together. the stories that glue told. cut-out pictures in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.00 pictures of well-known stories to be cut out and pasted together. _books for very young children_ betts, ethel franklin favorite nursery rhymes. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.50 the most popular nursery rhymes beautifully illustrated. burgess, gelett goops and how to be them. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 the primary rules of good manners in clever rhymes. more goops and how not to be them. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 with many more of mr. burgess's whimsical pictures. goop tales, alphabetically told. illustrated, 4to, cloth 1.50 two alphabets--one of boys and one of girls. the lively city o' ligg. illustrated in color, 4to, boards 1.00 modern fables--a hans andersen up to date. the burgess nonsense book. illustrated. small 4to, cloth 2.00 a collection of mr. burgess's nonsense verses and stories. deming, e. w. red folk and wild folk. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.50 little indian people in the forest, with their animal playfellows. children of the wild. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.00 little brothers of the west. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth _net_, 1.00 each of these books contains just half the pictures and text of "red folk and wild folk." indian child life. illustrated in color. oblong, 4to, boards 2.00 stories about indian children. little red people. illustrated in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.25 little indian folk. illustrated in color. oblong, 4to, boards 1.25 each containing just half the illustrations and text in the preceding volume. dumpy books for children illustrated in color. each 32mo, boards .50 simple stories for very young children. the story of the teasing monkey. helen bannerman. billy mouse. arthur layard. pat and the spider. helen bannerman. the story of little kettle head. helen bannerman. the story of little black quibba. helen bannerman. the story of little black sambo. helen bannerman. the bad mrs. ginger. honor c. appleton. the alphabet book. henry mayer. a cat book. e. v. lucas and h. c. smith. haines, alice calhoun little folk of brittany. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.50 delightful stories and verses about this remarkable land. indian boys and girls. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.50 indian children in characteristic occupations. when grandma was little. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.00 what grandma says. illustrated in color, 4to, cloth 1.00 stories and verses in which things happen as grandma says they used to. boys. illustrated in color. large 4to, boards 1.00 girls. illustrated in color. large 4to, boards 1.00 distinctive and beautiful stories and verses of child life. little japs at play. illustrated in color. large 4to, boards 1.00 transcriber's notes 1. passages in italics are surrounded by _underscores_. 2. images have been moved from the middle of a paragraph to the closest paragraph break. 3. some of the full-page illustrations listed in the illustrations are missing. 4. the use of periods is not consistent in the original text. obvious errors have been silently corrected. 5. the following misprints have been corrected: comma added at end of verse line "the powder" (page 31) period removed in sentence "three's, thus. one" (page 122) "hocky" corrected to "hockey" (page 139) "payments" corrected to "pavements" (page 145) "hankerchief" corrected to "handkerchief" (img 174) "train" corrected to "twain" (img 381) "eoy" corrected to "roy" (img 381) "thomson-seton" corrected to "thompson-seton" (img 382) "fin" corrected to "finn" (img 392) missing page no. 204 added for "feeding chickens" entry (page 401) 6. other than the corrections listed above, printer's inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, hyphenation, and ligature usage have been retained. three hundred things a bright boy can do by many hands fully illustrated london sampson low, marston & co., ltd. 1914 contents chapter page i. in training 1 ii. how to become a gymnast 7 iii. walking, running, and jumping 22 iv. hockey and indian clubs 26 v. swimming, rowing, and water polo 42 vi. paperchasing, football, golf, and boxing 48 vii. on the ice 57 viii. angling 67 ix. canoes and yachts 84 x. cooking in camp 112 xi. butterflies and moths 117 xii. hints on aquariums 131 xiii. in the playing fields 138 xiv. the garden 150 xv. the boy as artist 157 xvi. ventriloquism and polyphony 191 xvii. the boy as magician 208 xviii. pets 228 xix. things boys can make 255 xx. fireside amusements 273 xxi. work and play at the bench 350 xxii. science for the play-hour 365 xxiii. home-made toys 389 xxiv. concerning many things 416 preface the editor hopes that this volume will be the means of inspiring boys to adopt some hobby and to follow it diligently. at any rate he has arranged that they shall be able to have a wide choice of occupations, and shall begin with expert assistance. too many youths fall into mere aimless dawdling, and waste the golden years of their life loafing about smoking cigarettes, watching others play, chattering endlessly about games, but never engaging in them. though this book is written for the boy's play hour, it will not be without value in aiding him upon the sterner side of his career, if it shows him how to train hand and eye, how to strengthen his will and muscles, and if it inculcates patience, exactitude, and perseverance. three hundred things a bright boy can do chapter i in training there are few things about which so many mistaken notions exist as about training. there are several reasons for this, but most of the erroneous ideas may be traced back to the days when professional pugilists and runners were the only men who ever entered on any athletic exercise with any sort of organised preparation. for them a severe course of training was possibly a necessity. they were for the most part men well advanced in years and naturally fleshy; and to achieve the feats which they accomplished they no doubt found it necessary to reduce their weight, and for this purpose to take a great deal of exercise and to avoid all food tending to the formation of flesh; but for the average school-boy who plays football or fives, or goes paper-chasing, or, in fact, takes the ordinary amount of boy's exercise, training, as it is generally misunderstood, is quite unnecessary, even if not harmful. he has no superfluous fat of which to rid himself, so any sweating which he may do only weakens him and renders him liable to cold. his lungs are in proper order and therefore his wind is good, and so there is no need for him to deprive himself of vegetables or his favourite pies or puddings. all he wants is to lead a healthy active life, and to do a fair amount of practice in the particular branch of athletics in which he hopes to excel. if a boy be accustomed to walk to and from school, or even a part of the way, or to take his place regularly in the school games, he will already be in proper condition of wind and limb. he will now only require to develop the muscles which, in his contests, he will find it most necessary to use. these vary in nearly every branch of athletics; so his practice must be specially directed to the races or events in which he intends to take part. now this practice is often as much overdone as in the old days the dieting and sweating used to be. i remember that when i was at school and training for a mile race, i was seldom content unless i had run two or three miles each day. since then i have found out the error of my ways. the result of my long practice run was that when the day came for the sports i was much over-trained, and in the state usually described as "stale." i could have pounded along for miles, but i was as slow as the proverbial cart-horse, and when it came to hard racing i was beaten by boys who had practised less persistently than i had, and whose limbs and muscles were therefore lissom and pliant. the exact amount of practice required depends a good deal on the stamina and build of each particular boy. big, muscular boys can undergo far more work than lightly-strung ones of less robust constitution; but it may be taken for granted as a general rule that it is better to do too little than too much. practice should never be continued after one begins to feel tired; and if one is still feeling the effects of the previous day's practice, it is always a good thing to rest for a day from active work, and instead to take a good sharp walk of four or five miles. when your muscles are stiff, as they are bound to be at the beginning, never force them. get them gradually into working order, and never hesitate to rest entirely if you feel disinclined for exercise. rest, in moderation, is always good, and for this reason i advise boys of all ages who may be training, to make a point of going to bed early. to get up early is another aid to leading a healthy life, but i would especially warn my readers against taking any violent exercise before breakfast. have your bath, followed by a brisk rub down with a rough towel; dress quickly, and then, if you like and can manage it, go out into the open air for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. put on plenty of clothes, and eat either a biscuit or a piece of bread and walk quietly about, breathing freely. in the same way never do any practising immediately after a heavy meal. an interval of at least two hours should elapse to allow of the digestion of food. remember that your one object in training is not to force your powers, but to so increase and nurse them, that when the day for the sports comes you will be able to do your very best without fear of hurting or over-straining yourself. before entering for his school sports a boy must realise the important fact that it is given only to a few to excel at everything. the majority must be content to discover the branch of sport for which, by their natural abilities, they are most suited, and then to practise quietly and persistently so as to gain the best possible results. school games and odd trials of skill will probably give the aspiring athlete some idea of the direction in which he is better than, or as good as, his fellows. in running races it is generally found that the heavily and powerfully-built boy is best suited by short-distance races, that is from a hundred yards to a quarter of a mile; but a long, loosely-knit lad usually excels at distances from half a mile to a mile. a short, sturdy boy, as a rule, develops into a long-distance runner, but as events above a mile are generally excluded, and very wisely too from the programmes of school sports, he has very little chance of distinguishing himself until later years, when his frame is set, and his heart and lungs are in a fit condition to withstand the strain caused by prolonged contests. the prime object of the boy who desires to train for short-distance running should be to improve his speed. with this purpose in view, he should practise running from thirty to fifty yards at a time--running hard from the very beginning, and going at his fastest possible pace the whole of the way. he should do this three or four times each day, occasionally--that is, once or twice a week--running the full hundred yards. races of two hundred yards and a quarter of a mile in length may be prepared for in just the same way, except that for the latter, a practice-run should seldom exceed three hundred and fifty yards. a quarter of a mile is a very fatiguing distance, and although it may be run in practice at a moderate speed, it should not be taken at racing pace, except in an actual race. in the intervals of training it is a good plan to obtain the assistance of a friend, and practise starting. in a short race so much depends on the start, that one who is able to go right away directly the signal is given possesses a great advantage. [illustration: "he should jump cleanly."] the boy who intends to take part in the half-mile and mile races must pursue a somewhat different method, but he also must make a point of practising for speed. most of his work must consist of running a quarter of a mile, or six hundred yards, with an occasional spin of half or three-quarters of a mile. the former distances must be accomplished at almost top speed, but without quite exhausting oneself; the latter must be taken at a regular, steady gait, bringing the legs out well to the front, but not carrying the knees too high. one run a day is quite sufficient, and perhaps once before the sports the full mile may be run, but this should not be done within a week of the eventful day. walking races are sometimes included in the sports' programme, the distance usually being one mile. the best training for this is to walk half a mile, or sometimes three-quarters, at one's best pace, taking great care to be perfectly fair, to keep the head erect, and to avoid all semblance of wriggle or shuffle. for the hurdle race and steeplechase the beginner should practise persistently over obstacles similar to the ones which are to be used on the day, but never going the full distance, and occasionally running fifty yards or so on the level with a view to an improvement in speed. of jumping competitions there are usually two kinds--the high jump and the long jump, and much the same kind of advice applies to both. in each instance practice should be daily, with an occasional rest for a day, and taking great care to leave off always at the first symptom of fatigue, coupled with the feeling that what has already been done cannot be improved upon. in the high jump a beginning should be made at a height well within reach, the jumper going gently and lightly over so as to gradually extend the muscles. then as he approaches the summit of his powers, he should pull himself together so as to put full force into each effort. he should jump cleanly, and start facing the bar. he should avoid all contortions and straining of the body, and above all things, refrain from the somewhat enticing-looking practice of jumping from one side--a practice which i once heard described as "putting one leg over the bar, and then going round and fetching the other." it may pay up to a certain point, but after that point is reached it is absolutely useless. the best and most successful jumpers have been those who have depended entirely on the spring from the hips. it is thence that all the power is obtained. byrd page, the famous american jumper, who often cleared 6 ft., and once reached 6 ft. 4-1/4 ins., was a thorough believer in the straightforward method. to show what persistent practice will do, i may mention that when he was very young, his legs were so weak that he was compelled to wear irons to support them. one day the doctor told him to attend a gymnasium and practise jumping in order to strengthen his limbs. he did so, with the result that his weakness was entirely cured, and that he became, as well as an expert bicyclist, the most famous jumper the world has ever seen. to long jumping many of my previous remarks apply. in preparing for the jump, too long a run should not be taken, and in making the spring, the feet should be placed firmly together. the whole of one's force should be put into each effort, and care should be taken to avoid making false attempts. when once he has started, the jumper should make up his mind to go right through. both the jumper and the short-distance runner will find that a few minutes' daily practice with a skipping rope will greatly strengthen the legs and the fore part of the feet, on which much of the strain is placed. to all aspiring young athletes i would say: be moderate, and take care not to overdo it; lead healthy, active lives; and avoid stuffing yourselves between meals with pastry and sweets. chapter ii how to become a gymnast much benefit can be derived from gymnastic appliances if they are used understandingly. no advantage is to be gained by exercise that is carried on in a careless manner. neither too much nor too violent exercise is beneficial, though constant and regular work is necessary. it is better to work for a certain length of time every other day than to devote all of one week to exercise, and not go near the gymnasium the next. to use any apparatus carelessly is to use it dangerously. the writer has had many of his worst falls in doing some of the simplest tricks, because he was careless, and did not put his entire mind upon what he was doing. there is something besides and beyond the mere pleasure of being able to perform tricks in a gymnasium; there is a lasting benefit to be obtained in careful gymnastic exercise. in beginning your exercises there are two points that you must bear in mind always. stand erect, and before beginning any work draw a long deep breath. breathe from the abdomen, so that the lower parts of the lungs are expanded. you will find by following this simple advice that anything you attempt will be much easier for you than if you go about your exercises in a careless or slouchy way. there should be no round-shouldered gymnasts. there is no one who has achieved distinction as a gymnast who is not as straight as an arrow, and across whose shoulder-blades a yardstick could not be placed without touching his back. in your exercises avoid devoting too much time to one kind of work. do not spend all your time, for instance, on the horizontal bar, or on the parallel bars. what all would-be gymnasts should strive for is a symmetrical development of their muscles. you do not want to have legs like a piano, hard and knotted with muscles, and arms like pipe stems. nor do you want to have the arms and chest of a blacksmith, and legs like those of a crane. you want to have all your muscles developed alike, not one at the expense of another. to avoid this lop-sided kind of growth is the reason that gymnasiums have such a variety of appliances. now for the apparatus, and how it should be used. what boy, especially if he has lived in the country, has not tried to climb a rope, or go up a ladder hand over hand, and then, for the first time in his life, realised how heavy he is? perhaps no form of exercise develops so quickly the upper arm and the chest as work on the rope and ladder in a gymnasium. in practising on the ladder, first try to pull yourself up until your chin is even with the rung. keep at this exercise until you can repeat it three or four times without tiring yourself; then try to reach the rung above. do not go up too far at first, for you may find yourself many feet from the floor without strength enough to come back as you went up. that, it is almost needless for me to remind you, means a fall--and a hard one too it may be. the same advice applies to the rope. almost as quick results may be obtained by practice with the dumb-bells, with which it is possible to exercise almost every muscle in the body. the dumb-bells should be light. too heavy dumb-bells are apt to make a boy slow and sluggish in his movements. the proper weight for a beginner is half a pound, and under no circumstances should a boy use for regular exercise bells that weigh more than two pounds. indian clubs are valuable, chiefly in strengthening the muscles of the arms and wrists. exercises on the rings are divided into two classes--stationary and swinging. in the former the rings are not swung. in the latter the tricks are performed while swinging. there are two ways of grasping the rings with the hands. in "single grip," the rings are clasped as a boy grips his base-ball bat when he is ready to strike. it is used chiefly in swinging tricks. in the "double-grip," the thumbs are kept close to the palms, and the hands rest on and over the rings. the first trick on the rings, and the one that must be mastered before anything else is attempted, is the "breast-up." this consists in taking a double-grip, and raising the body so that the chin is even with the hands. the hands and wrists should be over the rings, and the elbows straight out from the shoulder. now, by leaning forward you necessarily bring your hands under your armpits, and you find yourself in such a position that you can push down on the rings and raise your body erect by simply straightening your arms. you must not expect to be able to do this the first time. it will take many efforts before you can accomplish it. the best way to learn it is to hold your weight with one hand, after you have raised your chin even with the rings, while you practise pulling the other in and under your armpit. when a boy can do this trick easily he will find that he has strength and skill enough to learn the other feats, of which this is the foundation. in horizontal bar exercises the "breast-up" is executed in the same way, but it is seldom used in getting up on the bar. a much prettier way is the trick called the "circle." this is done by clasping the bar with the double-grip--which, by-the-way, is the only one used on the bar--and raising your body as high as you can. if you can raise your chin above the bar, all the better. now raise your legs in front of you as high as possible, and lift them over the bar, letting your head drop back. this will bring your legs and body down on the other side. if a boy can do this with a fortnight's hard practice, he is doing remarkably well. in learning this trick lower the bar to the height of the shoulder and start the "circle" with a jump, which materially assists your progress during the revolution. all boys who practise on the horizontal bar probably have in mind the "giant swing," the hardest and most daring feat on the bar; but that is a long way in the future, and many other tricks must be mastered before it should even be attempted. perhaps the best of these intermediate exercises is the "hook swing." this is a very neat trick. you sit on the bar, apparently fall backward, catching the bar in the knee joints, and swing around, until you come up in your original position without touching your hands to the bar. it is not so hard as it looks if you go about it in the right way, and this is the proper way: first practise by hanging head downward from the bar by the knees. any boy can do this; but to learn the rest of the trick you need two assistants, who take hold of your hands and swing you gently at first, gradually increasing the swing as you gain confidence. when you can swing easily and safely without losing your grip and falling to the mattress as you swing backward, straighten your knees, and you will leave the bar and alight upon your feet. your assistants will save you from falling on your head should you happen to let go with your knees too soon, which you would certainly do more times than once should you attempt the trick alone. practise this until you can do it without help. the next step is to sit on the bar, which should be lowered to within four feet of the ground, and fall backward. when you come to the end of the swing, let go with your knees and alight on your feet. at first you will need help in this, as in the early part of the practice. when this is learned you can go half-way around. the object now is to come back to the position you originally had on the top of the bar. the mistake that nine boys out of ten make at this point is in thinking that all that is needed to complete the revolution is to give the body a harder swing. when you dropped from the bar in the way i have just described it was because you straightened your knees. if you bent your knees more at this point in the swing, and at the same time threw your head back, you would have found yourself on the bar instead of on the mattress. to prevent accident at first, you should have an assistant stand in front of you, so that in case you should pitch forward the moment you reach the top of the bar, you will fall into his arms. in case you should swing so hard that you cannot stop when your body becomes erect, you will simply make another half-revolution backward, when you can straighten your legs and come down on your feet in the way described already. the most important exercises on the parallel bars are called the "dip" and the "grasshopper." to do a "dip," stand between the bars, placing your hands upon them, and raise your body to arm's length. then lower the body and raise it again by bending and straightening the arms. to do a "grasshopper," begin in the same manner, but as the arms are almost straight make a little forward jump, lifting your hands from the bars, and bringing them down a few inches in advance of their original position. in this way you can travel from one end of the bar to the other, as this trick can be done equally well forward and backward. the jump may be combined with a swing in an exercise called the "pump." these tricks are easily learned; they are very safe and make muscle fast. the chief danger in their use lies in their over-indulgence. in this, as in all other gymnastic exercises, enough is as good as a feast. the flying trapeze is the most difficult of all the apparatus, and feats on the double trapeze are dangerous even to the trained gymnast. after you have mastered the exercises already described, it will be time enough for you to think about the trapeze. do not practise just before your meal hour, nor directly after it. the best time is from an hour and a half to two hours after eating. do not practise for over an hour a day at first; that is sufficient for any boy provided he does not waste his time. it should be remembered that gymnastic feats are not necessary for health. it is quite possible to exercise all the muscles without an indulgence in dangerous displays; but many boys have the courage, the desire, and the skill to pass from exercises to gymnastics. we may supplement our remarks by adding some observations upon how he became a gymnast by a writer who chooses to be known as "an ex-little fellow." he says: i have no doubt at least one of the readers of this book is a little fellow. he has just as much pluck as his bigger brother, his eye is as true and his mind as quick, but he does not weigh enough to be a success at athletics. his arms are too weak to knock out home-runs; his legs are not strong enough to carry a football through a rush line; and as for his back, the muscles are not hard enough, and the other fellow always turns him over when they are wrestling on the grass. this little fellow doubtless thinks he is made that way, and cannot help himself. no matter how much he dislikes it, he feels that he will have to go through life watching bigger and stronger fellows playing all the games and having most of the fun. now this is all a mistake, that is, if the little fellow has as much pluck and perseverance as little fellows generally have. the writer of this sketch was a little fellow himself not many years ago. he remembers how he used to look with complete and absolute disgust on his bony little arms and thin pipe-stem legs. he used to look at the big muscles of one or two companions with hopeless envy. in fact, it got so bad that this particular little fellow determined to get strong, if it took years to do it. the first thing was to get a bar. i selected a nice spot in the garden, planted deep in the ground two heavy timber uprights, and fastened firmly across the top, with mortised ends, a long heavy pitchfork handle, which was purchased at a village store, at a cost, i believe, of tenpence. when the turning-pole was finished, the next thing was to learn to do something. the first thing i learned was to hang on the pole. this may not seem like a very exciting trick, but the fact is my muscles were so weak that it took all my strength to hang there. after hanging awhile i learned to swing a little back and forth, working up higher and higher, and it was a proud day when i was able to swing my body up over the bar, and rest my stomach on the top of it. then i had to learn to "chin myself." this came more slowly; but daily practice at dumb-bells and constant tugging at the bar gradually hardened the biceps and back, until on one happy day my arms bent to the strain, my head went up, and my chin projected triumphantly over the bar. by this time the other boys became interested. they began to put bars in their own yards, and the little fellow had to superintend the operation and give instructions. the uprights should be about three by three, and planted with side braces. the post-holes should be at least three feet deep, and after the posts are set, filled in with stones and earth firmly stamped down. the bar must be just a couple of inches out of one's reach standing under it flat footed. half a dozen private bars resulted in a gymnasium in an empty stable loft, equipped with a bar, a ladder, and two trapezes. the little fellow watched his arms and legs with great concern, and could not for the life of him see that they were getting any bigger. [illustration: "other boys became interested."] it did not take many months for the breeze to blow over with the other boys, but the little fellow kept on. when the weather got too cold for the out-door bar, he read blaikie's _how to get strong_, and went through the prescribed dumb-bell exercises every night before going to bed. then two pairs of cleats were put in the door-frame, as mr blaikie directs, and a short bar cut to fit them. it did not improve the looks of the bedroom door, but the little fellow was determined to have muscle at any cost, and swung on the high bar, and pushed on the low one every night for the whole winter. the next spring he was happy. his chest was beginning to stand out in front of his shoulders, and his biceps were swelling a little. he and his chum purchased a boat that summer, and rowed on the river every day, until they were brown as indians, and could beat most of the light craft on the river. the following year the little fellow went to the city, and joined a y.m.c.a. gymnasium. there was plenty of good apparatus here, and he watched the other fellows and tried their tricks. a year or two in this gymnasium, with daily rowing in the summer, began to tell. the little fellow stripped at 123 pounds now; his arms were brown and sinewy; he could hold a good steady stroke for ten or fifteen miles in a working boat; could run several miles at a dog-trot; and had learned to "handle his body" on the bar. then he went to college, and in the gymnasium his arms, brown to the shoulders from rowing in the sun, won him among his classmates the sobriquet of "athlete." this was very agreeable to the little fellow. four years of work and practice in a college gymnasium could have only one result. at the end of that time the little fellow was no longer a little fellow. he weighed in his clothes 150 pounds, and every muscle in his body was hard and well trained. the friends who came down to college to see him get his diploma were greatly surprised to see him on the programme as captain of the gymnastic team, and still more astonished to see him no longer a little fellow, but a stout gymnast circling the bar, swinging gaily on the trapezes, and building pyramids with his nimble _confreres_. that is not very long ago, and now the little fellow is surprised to find himself spoken of as about the best gymnast in one of the largest amateur athletic clubs in the country. so much for our "ex-little fellow"; and now we may recount how mr. e. lawrence levy became the amateur champion weight lifter of the world. although when a boy at school he was proficient in nearly every branch of athletics, and an adept at all games, it was not until later years that he turned his attention to gymnastics. it came about in this way. when twenty-five years old, mr. levy, having passed from school-boy to tutor, started a school of his own, and with a genuine love of athletics and a knowledge of the benefit which boys may gain from them by following them within reason, he had fitted up in his school-room a trapeze on which he was wont to practise with his pupils. finding that it was scarcely safe to do this without skilled tuition, he sent for professor hubbard, the instructor of the birmingham athletic club. the result was that the trapeze was removed from the school-room to the playground, where other appliances such as horizontal and parallel bars were also fixed. here mr. levy again joined his pupils, and then, after three or four lessons, he, to the instructor's surprise, accomplished several feats which are, as a rule, only achieved by practised gymnasts. finding that he was outstripping his boys, he determined to join the birmingham athletic club. here he was able to measure himself against men of his own age and strength. it was at the club gymnasium that he one night saw the heavy dumb-bells belonging to two professional "strong men." he tried to lift the bells, but failed. this seems to have shaped his future course. instead of being discouraged by failure, he determined to overcome all obstacles and go in for heavy dumb-bell exercise. he began with comparatively light bells, and with these he practised in the solitude of his school-room for hours at a time. then he bought two new bells weighing 28 lbs. each, using them assiduously until he could do almost anything with them--holding them out at arms' length, bringing them down to the sides of his legs and up again. when he had thoroughly mastered the "twenty-eights," he tried two "fifty-sixes." these he retained for months, being determined not to attempt the heavier bells until he was quite perfect with the lighter ones. at length mr. levy was able to put up the 112 lb. dumb-bell. this was more than any member of the birmingham gymnasium had ever done, and it then became necessary to add two 84 lb. dumb-bells to the collection. with these mr. levy began quietly practising, one at a time. then he took to using them together, and gradually overcoming the difficulties of the harder work, succeeded one evening in putting them up simultaneously. from that point he never went back. having done as much with the dumb-bells as at the time seemed possible, he decided to add the lifting of bar-bells to his exercises. he bought three, weighing 140 lbs., 165 lbs. and 180 lbs. he practised assiduously with these, but all the time he was yearning to do still bigger feats with dumb-bells. at last his opportunity came. one friday evening, on visiting the gymnasium, he found a dumb-bell weighing 150 lbs. it had been sent there for exhibition by some professionals who were visiting the city. he tried to put it up, and failed; but the dogged perseverance which marked his whole career came once again to his aid. finding that the huge plaything was to be left at the gymnasium till the following tuesday, he began practising indefatigably, and on the tuesday evening, in the presence of his club fellows, he achieved his self-imposed task. the next week a dumb-bell of the same weight (150 lbs.) was added to his private collection, and he used it regularly. this private collection now consisted of two 28 lbs., two 56 lbs., two 84 lbs., two 100 lbs., one 112 lbs., and one 150 lbs. in dumb-bells, the three bar-bells already mentioned, and two iron bars, one 70 lbs. and one 120 lbs.--all these, together with two ring weights of 56 lbs. each, representing a total weight of nearly sixteen hundred pounds. mr. levy appeared constantly in public. in 1891 he won the contest, held then for the first time, for the amateur weight-lifting championship, and afterwards he succeeded, at northampton, in establishing a new record by putting up above his head no fewer than ten times a bar-bell weighing in all 170 lbs. of the recognised records for weight-lifting he held as many as nine; but mr. levy did not confine himself to one branch of gymnastics, nor made gymnastics his only athletic exercise. each year at the grand "display" of the birmingham athletic club he figured as a leader in exercises on the horizontal and parallel bars and on the rings. he was also an enthusiastic and expert cyclist, and took an intelligent interest in nearly every form of manly sport. he was, too, a busy brain worker. his height was 5 feet 3-1/2 inches; his chest measurement 41 inches; he weighed 11 st. 4 lbs., and had biceps measuring 16 inches and a forearm of 12-1/4 inches. at twenty-five years of age, before he took to gymnastics, his chest measurement was 34 inches, and the circumference of his biceps was twelve inches. [illustration: "achieved his self-imposed task."] to my readers i commend mr. levy as an example of what pluck and perseverance will do when used to a rational end. for the benefit of those who may wish to follow in his footsteps, i will quote some advice from his own pen:-"in gymnastics it is never too late to begin. there may be some who may want, like i did, to emulate the deeds of the strong men whom every age supplies; to them i would say, give yourself up to your favourite exercise as you would to music if you would excel in it. athleticism is as jealous an accomplishment as any art you would acquire. excel in it and you will find your reward in that rough physical vigour which the world has not ceased to admire. in order to gain it you will go through a course of training which will lay the impress of health on all you do. instead of defying nature you will learn more readily to obey her, and your obedience will be gratefully, cheerfully accorded, for you will realise how magnificent it is to be strong yourself, and by your example and your deeds inspire others to dignify their physical powers." it would be difficult to say which ranks the higher in the estimation of modern boys--brain or muscle. certain it is that in these days boys of "grit" feel a contemptuous pity for the youth who is "all head and no muscle." possibly most readers will admit that muscular and mental development should go together, and that modern athletics are the necessary adjunct of school life for the building up of a "sound mind in a sound body" (_mens sana in corpore sano_). of the ancients it may be said that their faith was in "muscle." even old homer, philosopher and poet, goes so far as to say, "there is no greater honour for a man during his life than that he should be accomplished in the use of his hands and feet." it was the "man of muscle" who in ancient greece received the highest honours and rewards; it was for him that breaches were made in the city walls that he might pass through in his triumphal march. it was he who was relieved from the payment of taxes, whose statue was erected at the public cost, and whose praise was sung by the poets. in ancient days leaders and rulers were selected simply on account of their development of "muscle." hence we read of caius maximinus, who from the lowly position of herdsman, was raised to the dignity of a roman emperor on account of his physical strength. this maximinus, it is said, could squeeze to powder the hardest stone with his fingers, and history tells us that on one occasion he "knocked down six men without drawing breath!" those fingers of his must surely have been moved by muscles of iron, and his "biceps" must have appeared a veritable mountain! a consideration of the fact that maximinus was upwards of eight feet in height renders these feats less surprising, but to most beef-eating british boys it will perhaps be a "staggerer" to learn that the mighty deeds of maximinus were performed on a vegetable diet. [illustration: milo of crotona.] the history of another muscular leader, milo of crotona, may possibly have some elements of truth in it, and we can quite imagine his marching with his countrymen against an army of sybarites, clothed in a lion's skin and brandishing a tremendous club; but it will take more than the proverbial "grain of salt" to enable us to swallow the story of his running a mile with a four-year-old ox on his shoulders, killing the animal, and _eating the carcase, every inch, in one day_! it is not the way of modern athletes to show their strength by killing four-year-old oxen, or knocking men down like ninepins. they let us see their development of muscle at the wrestling match, at the oar and the wicket, at swimming and cycling, at their walking, running, and leaping performances, and one great advantage of this is that the ladies, who were excluded from the ancient "gymnasia" on pain of death, can in these days, by their presence, not only secure enjoyment to themselves, but give pleasure and encouragement to many an aspirant for athletic fame, who, if for no other reason, would endure the hardest training to "win the plaudits of the fair." in the matter of training and developing the muscles, the old italian proverb will, as in so many other cases, apply, "_chi va piano va sano e lontano_," or, as we should say, "he that goes gently and steadily goes safely and far." there must be moderation in the commencement, or there will be a "breakdown" in the end. no youth who doubts the soundness of his heart and lungs should go in for muscular training--for heavy work with the dumb-bells, for instance--without medical advice. to weakly constitutions training may be injurious--even fatal. in developing the voluntary muscles, as of the arm and leg, the growth of which we can measure, we must be careful of the involuntary muscles--those regulating the heart and lungs, and which are naturally and unconsciously brought into use. of course, those muscles most brought into play by special exercise will be most developed--of the legs and thighs, for instance, in _walking_, and those of the arms, legs, and loins in _rowing_. for the general development of muscle, it is, of course, well to "take on" those sets of muscles not used in one's ordinary occupation. thus a youth who is sitting the greater part of his time at study or work should walk, swim, and row; one who has a walking occupation would do well to take both to rowing and swimming; whilst a "waterman" would do best to go in for hard walking. every one knows that diet has a great deal to do with the development or deterioration of "muscle," and that meat, vegetables, and drink should be very judiciously combined. weston--whose great walk, in 1884, of 5,000 miles in 100 days, was spoken of by dr. andrew blyth as "the greatest recorded labour, if its continuity be considered, that a human being has ever taken without injury"--dieted himself as follows:-breakfast (6.30 a.m.).--porridge, eggs or fish, bread and butter, toast or mutton, and coffee. lunch (11 a.m.).--bread and butter, and coffee. dinner (2 p.m.).--mutton broth, meat, potatoes, cabbage, bread pudding, and soda water or ginger ale. tea (7 p.m.).--a little toast, and tea or coffee. supper (10.30 p.m.).--toast, figs, sponge cake, pudding, and milk or soda water. it will be thus seen that alcohol formed no part of weston's diet, and that his principal drinks were _tea_, _coffee_, and _milk_. this says much for the advantage of the practice of total abstinence, especially in view of the fact of the _continuity_ of muscular exertion. the number of steps taken in weston's great walk has been calculated at about 11,000,000, and the _daily_ work of the muscles equivalent to that of raising 793 tons one foot. another testimony to the advantage of abstinence from stimulants in the development of "muscle" is given by louis cyr, the canadian athlete, who secured the title of, "strongest man in the world" at a paris exhibition. he weighed 315 lbs., and mentioned, among his feats, that he could break with his bare fist a stone two inches thick, four inches wide, and six inches long. he took his wife (who weighed 110 lbs.) and balanced her on the top of a 12-ft. ladder, resting on his chin. cyr said that the great secret of his strength was his total abstinence from all alcoholic drinks, and this bears out dr. b. w. richardson's statement that "the idea of alcohol giving force and activity to the muscles is entirely false." chapter iii walking, running, and jumping $walking.$--as a rule, the walking of long distances in a short time is a sad mistake. there is little or no pleasure in it, and the injury it may do you quite counter-balances the satisfaction you may feel in having accomplished it. i wouldn't give a pin to be able to do my three miles in 21 min. 28 secs. like webster, because i know perfectly well that my mind would gain nothing, or my body either from such an achievement. every day of the year, unless specially hindered, i walk between eight and ten miles, and i am always discontented if anything stands in the way of my walk. from my own experience, i feel sure that boys, whether training for football, or school examinations, cannot do better for themselves than walk whenever they have the chance. you never know what call may suddenly be put upon the muscles of your legs. a life may depend upon your ability to sprint seven or eight miles in the hour. and if you can walk as many miles straight off and enjoy every yard of it, you may rely on being able to walk and run the distance in the time. a few words may be said on style in walking. it is simply wonderful how people differ in this respect. hardly two persons walk alike. they either carry their heads, or bodies, or arms differently, or there is a distinct difference in the way they use their legs or feet. however, there is nothing very sad about this. variety is charming, even in pedestrianism, though in professional walkers this variety is apt to show itself in a walk that is almost twin brother to a trot. the following words of the once celebrated westhall are valuable for boys and men who walk for health and pleasure, as well as professionals who walk for pots or purses:--"to be a good and fair walker the attitude should be upright, or nearly so, with the shoulders well back, though not stiffly so, and the arms, when in motion, held well up in a bent position, and at every stride swinging with the movement of the legs well across the chest, which should be well thrown out. the loins should be slack, to give plenty of freedom to the hips, and the leg _perfectly straight_, thrown out from the hip bodily and directly in front of the body, and allowed to reach the ground with the heel being decidedly the first portion of the foot to meet it." some people insist on the toes being turned out in a most unmistakable way when walking. it is not at all a pretty sight, and much more suggestive of a duck waddling out of a pond than a well-trained human being. besides, it throws an undesirable and harmful amount of strain upon the smaller toes. better to point the toes downwards and forwards, _never_ outwards; spring sharply towards the tiptoe, straightening the knee. learn also to hold the ground with the great toe at the beginning and at the end of each step. we cannot grasp the ground; good foothold is only to be obtained by pressure of the toes against it. this may, at first reading, seem rather strange counsel; but if we have any physical relationship with monkeys, the strangeness of it is at once removed. mark how the monkey holds with his feet. perhaps a million years ago we also (or rather our prototypes) held the ground with our feet in like manner. one thing is certain, that bad walkers (bad in style, i mean) are very ugly to see, whereas there is something majestic about the carriage of a good walker. $sprinting.$--not many athletes can excel in all kinds of running, and the champion sprinter is not generally a winner of long-distance races. moreover, it is necessary for each runner to decide which he will be, for the training for each is different. train gradually. at first take sharp walks of three or four miles. this will make the muscles begin to harden. then run steadily for a quarter of a mile at a time, not troubling much about the speed. cultivate the use of the toes and stride straight forward. towards the end of the run the speed may be increased, for the muscles will then be in working order. even now, however, the young sprinter should not tire himself. a week should be employed in this way before the more severe training is undertaken. never begin to run violently at first, and this rule should be observed particularly in cold weather, for until the muscles have warmed to their work they are liable to strain, or even to suffer more severe injury. practise starting. if you have a friend ask him to act as starter, and start over and over again, going to the mark and putting yourself in position time after time. in a short race like this a good start often makes all the difference, for it means sometimes a gain of a yard. $middle distance races.$--speed wins short-distance races; endurance wins long-distance races, but a combination of each is needed in the medium distance contests. $long distances.$--the training for long-distance races needs patience and endurance, for the tax upon the runner is great. boys should not compete in long distances. no one under eighteen years of age should run a mile. the method of training is to run a quarter, or half a mile, according to the strength of the runner, and then each day to increase the distance or to run the same distance at a greater speed. gradually by this process the lungs, the heart, and the muscles are strengthened until feats hitherto impossible become easy. in a long-distance race judgment must be exercised whether to go the distance rapidly and trust to endurance or to run warily and win by a spurt at the end, when it may be that your opponent is exhausted. $the long jump.$--speed is an important element in this feat, more important indeed than the spring. experts take a run of from a hundred to two hundred feet as though they were running a sprint race and are going at their highest speed when they rise from the ground. when they are coming to the ground again they thrust their legs forward as far as they can, and so gain a foot or even more. this needs practice, however, for if the leaper loses his balance and falls backward his jump does not count. to start from the mark also needs practice, and one of the methods of mastering this feat is to run slowly to a point about nine paces short of the starting place. in training this point may be marked by a piece of paper. then sprint from the paper to the starting place. experts are able to jump twenty-four feet, and a leap of twenty-two is excellent, but not many can hope to reach these lengths. $the high jump.$--here the athlete begins his run to the centre of the bar slowly, then he increases his speed a little, finishing with a quick run and a bound. the spring is taken in something like a crouching position with the head drawn in, but in the air the shoulders are lifted and the arms and legs jerked upwards. as the jumper crosses the bar he shoots out his legs, raises his shoulders still higher, and twists his body until he faces downwards. in fact he is then nearly horizontal, and an amateur champion of the world has likened his position at this stage to that of an arrow crossing a bow. when he comes to the ground he faces the bar. some jumpers rise from the right foot, some from the left. the young athlete should find for himself which method suits him best. it is usual to take the leap as far in front of the bar as the bar is from the ground. thus, if the bar is four feet high the leap would begin four feet from a point on the ground directly under the bar. the run usually begins twelve good paces from the bar, and consists of one bound after another, concluding with three short energetic ones. then comes the spring from a crouching position. if the start is from the right foot, this foot should be almost parallel to the bar, and the heel of this foot should be the last to leave the ground. a run would carry you far, but in this feat it is the vigorous spring which carries you high. there are those who can jump more than six-feet high in this way, but they are among the champions. chapter iv hockey and indian clubs $hockey.$--hockey is a game which has become very popular in england during the past few years. it is generally believed to be a southern form of the highland game of shinty, the great game of the clansmen in years gone past, and still played in many of the northern glens, notably on the dumbartonshire side of loch lomond. the hockey of the north is not played according to any scale of points, the winning team being that which secures most goals; in the south, where it is frequently played on ice as well as on _terra firma_, certain marks of merit are awarded, after the style of rugby union football. the modern hockey stick is to some extent an artificial contrivance after the style of the driver or play club of golf. indeed, to golf it bears some little semblance, and strangers frequently confound the two pastimes. the scottish school-boy, when hockey comes on in its turn with other recreations of the playground, sets out for the woodlands with a strong, sharp pocket-knife. he examines carefully all the hedge-rows to see if there is any young plant which has a natural turn at the end. if he can find such with a three feet shaft and a four-inch crook at the end he sets to work there and then, and in due time his "shinty" or hockey stick is pruned and ready for the game. the full-grown highland player will possibly provide himself with a very heavy oak sapling, and with this he will strike powerful strokes, with his right hand, or both hands if required, when in a close contested maul or fray in front of the goal. these naturally-grown clubs have more spring in them than those of artificial make, but unless they are carefully bound with cord the head is apt to give after a little hard play. [illustration] [illustration] [illustration] a good deal of the art of the game consists in passing or nursing, as in association football. a novice would strike the knag or knob away from him as soon as he had obtained his opportunity. not so the adept, who would "dribble" it forward, to use a football phrase, a few yards at a time, work it on to his partner, back up, and keep following it, then, with one swinging blow, make a shot for goal. in hockey on the ice the dribbling game is seen to most advantage, as the skilful skater can take the knag a hundred yards or more by adroit nursing or passing; were he to strike it away with the first blow the chances are that it would be immediately returned with interest, and a goal scored to the opposite side. [illustration] [illustration] in the highlands it is a grand sight to see two opposing bodies of clansmen--met as of old they met with targe and claymore--to fight out a friendly game. everything is cast aside but shirt and kilt, and bare-headed and bare-legged the contestants seem to have walked out of the picture of some ancient highland foray. striking off in mid-ground the welkin soon rings with their shouts in gaelic, their cheers and expostulations. blows that were meant for the knag sometimes fall heavy upon an opponent's knees, and soon legs are to be seen streaming with blood. in the heat of the play they feel it not, though next day they will possibly not have a part of their under limbs without bruises between ankles and knees. with terrific swing donald or duncan, who stands six-feet two in his socks, will drive it like a cannon ball through the air; and arrested by malcolm's head in its flight the latter drops like a stone, only to recover his senses in a minute again and go off in wild pursuit. when the sun sinks, the game is proclaimed over, and both sides shake hands, dress, and depart homeward, well pleased with their sport, no matter whether they may have won or lost. [illustration] $indian clubs.$--club swinging, if carried out in the correct style, brings almost every muscle into play, develops the chest and arms, imparts an easy carriage to the figure, and, if persevered in, under proper conditions to be hereafter mentioned, will ultimately enable the most round-shouldered individual to assume that lissom and perpendicular attitude which is the characteristic of the finished athlete. first let me impress upon you the importance of avoiding heavy clubs when you commence the exercise, or even after becoming moderately proficient. difficult feats are not easy to accomplish with very heavy clubs, besides the latter, instead of strengthening the muscles, are more likely to produce the opposite effect. directly the club is heavy enough to sway you about on your feet, the exercise is doing you harm, and your attitude will appear ungraceful. should you be ambitious to swing very heavy clubs, be advised to proceed cautiously, and gradually increase the weight at long intervals. clubs recommended for ordinary use should weigh between 1-1/2 and 2 lbs. each, as that weight affords plenty of muscular exertion to strong and comparatively weak men alike, especially in difficult exercises. after becoming fairly proficient with the lighter weights, heavier clubs might be used with advantage, say three or four pounds each, but a practised athlete of great muscular power may safely swing clubs of twenty pounds or more. a club, say twenty-two inches in length, made of willow which should weigh about 1-1/2 lbs., is the most suitable for young boys or ladies. the club should be well tapered towards the top and artistically shaped: an ill-shaped club is a very awkward and unsatisfactory instrument. in nearly all exercises the feet should be some distance apart in proportion to your height: for a man of five feet nine inches, about the proper distance between heels would be seventeen inches. for many exercises the shoulders should be kept square to the front, while in others it is necessary to turn more or less to the right or left. if the shoulders are turned through half a right angle, reckoning from the position with the shoulders square, the shoulders are said to be half-right or half-left; if the shoulders are turned through a complete right angle, the shoulders are considered full right or full left as the case may be. style is a most important item to be considered, not only for the sake of appearance, but also in order that the utmost physical benefit may be derived from the exercise. an eminent authority, in speaking of style, remarks: "if you swing clubs without regard to style, you will naturally contrive to cast almost all the labour upon your strongest muscles, so that the exercise, instead of searching out and strengthening your weak points, will merely tend to increase the muscles which are already disproportionately developed; whereas, if you attend carefully to style, you will be compelled to bring a great variety into play, so that your weakest muscles will be at first most severely taxed, and will gradually become developed in proportion to those which are naturally strong." it is necessary that the knees be kept straight and the muscles of the legs well braced, as there is a tendency at first, especially with heavy clubs, to let the knees bend in the course of certain movements; the head should be carried erect, and should turn with the shoulders, so that you always look in a direction at right angles to the line of the shoulders. the best way to keep the head steady and in its proper position is to fix the eyes on some point a trifle above their own level, in a direction at right angles to the line of the shoulders for the time being. should you allow your eyes to wander, you will find it impossible to keep the head steady. in summing up the chief points relating to style, the following should be kept in view, viz.:-(1) all unnecessary movement of the body should be avoided, the head should be carried erect, and the feet firmly placed at a distance apart in proportion to your height. (2) in swings, keep the arm as nearly straight as possible; in twists, the hand should be kept almost in the same place throughout the movement. (3) the movement of the club should be kept even, and avoid all abrupt or sudden changes of pace. (4) the clubs should be kept in accurate turn with each other. in order to correct your own style, a good plan is to practise before a looking-glass. the proper position for holding the club before beginning an exercise is called "the carry." stand erect and grasp the club with the right hand, lift the club and hold it up vertically, with the hand just in a line, and not raised higher than the shoulder. club exercises are divided into four series. the first, called outward, are those in which the right club moves in the same direction as the hands of a clock facing you, whilst the left club moves against the hands of the clock. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] inward exercises are those in which these conditions are entirely reversed, and parallel exercises are those in which both clubs swing with or against the clock. windmill exercises are explained at fig. 2, the subject is made clear in fig. 1, where, for the sake of simplicity, both hands are holding the same club; the right hand, which is travelling in the same direction as a clock facing the athlete, is making an outward circle, as the left hand is working against the clock, the left hand is making an inward circle, and as both hands are swinging with the clock, a parallel exercise would be in progress, if there were two clubs instead of one as shown in the illustration. the outward front swing follows "the carry" as a natural consequence. straighten the arm completely till the hand is above and about three inches in front of the shoulder; the point of the club should then be allowed to move slightly forward, with the wrist turned in, then let the hand and club move to the right, the arm being kept straight, and the club being kept in a straight line with the arm throughout the movement. a circle can then be described and a return made to the initial position. to make this description more easily understood, i have a capital illustration in front of me, and i cannot do better than quote it. "if you were to stand with a wall about ten inches in front of you, the point of the club, would, in the preparatory position, just touch the wall at the highest point you could reach with the club; and as you did the swing, the point of the club would always touch the wall, and, if it were chalked, would draw a circle on the wall, of which the radius would be as nearly as possible equal to the length of your arm and the club together." this is one of those simple-looking movements which are by no means easy of accomplishment. the arm should be kept straight with the arm and the club in a line, and avoid stooping as the club passes in front of the legs. beginners should practise front swings, and follow them up until they are done with before attempting anything else. circles, swings, and twists.--it should be noted that circles are divided into "swings" and "twists". the club and forearm acting in a straight line during the movement would come under the heading of "swings," whilst circles swung from the wrist with the hand as a centre point are reckoned as "twists." some of the very advanced movements, however, unite the characteristics of both swings and twists, and it is difficult to say under which heading they should be classed. fig. 2 illustrates the outward front swing with both clubs. the exercise shown is a cross windmill, the performer with both clubs straight above the shoulder swings the left club outwards; so soon as the left club points downwards he will swing the right club outwards, and it will arrive at the lowest point just as the left club has completed its circle. the outward back twist.--from "the carry," raise the hand a little above the shoulder, passing it slightly to the rear, so that the forefinger is level with and within two inches of the lobe of the ear, the elbow being raised to the right till it is nearly as high as the shoulder, allowing the club to slope a little backwards from the hand. from this preparatory position, let the point of the club move to the right, and, keeping the hand close to the ear throughout the movement, a circle can be described by the point of the club. in this twist get the point of the club sufficiently to the right and to the rear as the club descends, in order to avoid letting the point of the club pass too far to the rear as it ascends. care should be taken to keep the hand in the same place throughout the twist, and don't duck the head forward during the ascent of the club. this tendency is produced by the fear of a blow on the head while the club is travelling in its upward course. windmill exercises.--the exercises known as windmill are very interesting. as in parallel exercises, the one club does outward circles and the other inward circles, keeping exact pace with each other, the one being always half a circle ahead of the other; therefore, when one club points straight up, the other points straight down, so that when viewed from the front, the clubs appear always to point in exactly opposite directions. a windmill exercise is difficult to learn, but when grasped, you should at once tackle the corresponding form on the other side. [illustration: fig. 3.] fig. 3 shows the inward back twist being cross windmilled. the outward cross front twist.--in this twist the hand should be kept close to the left breast throughout the movement, and as the club descends, turn the wrist out and bend it over, the while turning the wrist out as the club ascends till it is horizontal on the left, again turning it sharply as the club finishes its ascent. twists similar to the cross front twist may be performed with the hand above or below the height of the shoulder, also a cross front twist may be done with the hand at the height of and in front of either the right or left hip. avoid letting the clubs go too far forward while they are below the horizontal, and too far back during the higher part of the movement. each front swing should be done in good style, and endeavour not to stoop as the clubs pass each other when they begin to ascend. [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 4a.] fig. 4 shows the outward cross front twist with the right hand at arm's length, whilst the left club is simultaneously making an outward back twist at arm's length, it must be noted, that although the right club is moving towards the performer, yet as it is moving in the same direction as the hand of a clock, parallel, and in front of the twist made, it is called an outward twist. [illustration: fig. 5.] fig. 5 shows an outward back twist at arm's length with the right club, the left club is making an outward front twist, the only difference being, that the circle is made with the left club entirely in front of the left arm, instead of in the rear of it. [illustration: fig. 6.] fig. 6 shows an inward swing with the right club done simultaneously with an inward swing with the left club. this exercise can be made into a cross inside windmill in the same way that fig. 2 can be made into a regular outside exercise, instead of being a cross outside windmill. [illustration: fig. 7.] fig. 7 shows an inside back twist at arm's length above the head and an inward cross front twist at arm's length downwards, the connecting inward front swings being also shown. this is very difficult. parallel exercises.--these consist of an outward circle with one club and an inward circle with the other, in which the two circles are begun together, and in which the two clubs keep exact pace with each other throughout, consequently both clubs appear to be always parallel to each other. this is called a "parallel" combination. when the various parallel combinations have become familiar to the learner, he may continue such combinations in succession to each other and profit thereby. parallel exercises are considered the greatest test of proficiency with clubs, as the slightest error will cause a divergence of the clubs and be at once detected. endeavour to master a parallel combination thoroughly, and then the combination on the other side will come easy enough. [illustration: fig. 8.] fig. 8 shows a parallel exercise, an inward front swing with r. being done simultaneously with an outward front swing with l. [illustration: fig. 9.] fig. 9 shows an outward back twist with r. and an inward cross twist with l. [illustration: fig. 10.] fig. 10 shows an inward back twist with r. and an outward back twist with l., followed by an inward front swing with r. and an outward front swing with l. [illustration: fig. 11.] fig. 11 shows an inward back twist with r. and an outward front swing with l. [illustration: fig. 11a.] fig. 11a shows an outward front swing with r. and an inward back twist with l. [illustration: fig. 12.] [illustration: fig. 13.] [illustration: fig. 14.] figs. 12, 13, 14 show some of the movements of clubs as generally practised on the continent, but we consider dumb-bells more suitable for lunging movements. [illustration: fig. 15.] [illustration: fig. 16.] figs. 15, 16 show some wrist exercises, which are sufficiently plain to need no explanation. fig. 14 shows the outward cross front twist with the r. hand near left breast, while the left club is making an outward front swing; the corresponding movement would be an outward cross front with the l. whilst the r. made the outward front swing. miscellaneous circles.--circles which may be done with the arm passed behind the neck, and the hand brought forward over the left shoulder, require extraordinary length of arm and elasticity. circles are sometimes done in which the centre of gravity of the club is caused to remain stationary while the hand moves in a circle, which conveys the impression that the club is revolving about an axle through its centre of gravity. these are difficult movements, and very attractive. throwing the clubs.--these exercises require great dexterity before satisfactory results can be obtained. to let go the club and cause it to turn twice or more in the air and catch it again, is a feat that entails endless practice. dealing only with the right club, a few brief notes regarding some of the simpler movements must suffice. (1) perform an outward front swing, and as the club approaches the horizontal in its ascent let it go, and after it has made one revolution in the air catch it again; this is the outward throw. (2) the inward throw is an exact counterpart of the outward throw, but done by an inward swing. (3) "the double outward throw" and "the double inward throw" are done by allowing the club to turn twice before catching it. there are endless varieties of other throws, all of which allow unlimited action, as the shoulder cannot be kept strictly in position, because the clubs have to be carefully watched while they are in the air. without doubt, indian club exercise is an attractive pastime, and entails no strain on the system, unless by the foolish practice of using too heavy clubs. chapter v swimming, rowing, and water polo $swimming.$--a glance at some books of instruction conveys the impression that swimming is difficult and complicated; but many boys learn in three or four days, and we know a timid boy who had much to overcome in fear of the water who learnt in fourteen without more aid than he obtained from reading directions in books. it is easier to learn in a tepid indoor bath, because the novice is not worried by having to keep himself warm, and he has the rail, a sure bottom, and the side of the bath to help him. a friendly companion who will support his chest with one hand at first, especially if he can instruct him too, will shorten the period of learning. there is no need to go into deep water, nor to run any risks in learning to swim. the action of the arms may be practised in or out of the water. draw the arms to the chest with the elbows touching the sides. close the fingers and thumb of each hand, and make the hands slightly hollow. the hands will be under the chin and the hollowed palms downwards. push them out in front of your nose, not vigorously, but quietly and steadily, for so far the action is one that retards the swimmer rather than advances him. once at their full extent, however, the hands should be turned almost back to back, and then each should be swept away from the other in a semi-circle, something like the action of the oars when a boat is being rowed. when the elbows touch the body the stroke ends, and the hands should go back to their position under the chin ready for another stroke. more important than the arms in swimming are the legs, but their movements are very simple and easy to learn. grasp the rail that runs round the bath with one hand and place the other hand flat upon the side of the bath about a foot below. draw the legs up to the body, with the heels touching each other, toes of each foot turned outwards, the toes of the right foot to the right, the toes of the left foot to the left. keep the knees wide apart and turned outwards. when the legs have been drawn up as far as possible the soles of the feet should be only just under the water. now shoot both legs out vigorously, not only as far as they will go, but as widely asunder as you can spread them. then bring the heels smartly together so that the legs return in a line with the body again. this last movement is very important, for it is in displacing the wedge of water between the widely opened legs that the body receives its forward impulse. writers upon swimming have likened this action to the flight of the slippery orange pip when it is squeezed in the fingers of the school-boy. when the use of arms and legs is practised together the legs are drawn up and the hands are placed under the chin at the same time, and the hands and legs are sent out from the body together. the head should be thrown back well, and it will help the learner to do this if he looks at the sky or at the ceiling of the bath when he is learning. it is easier to swim upon the back than upon the chest. the movement of the legs is the same, and the movement of the hands not very different. lie backwards upon the water and with the hands together stretch the arms behind the head, palms upwards, thumbs touching. then sweep the hands away from each other, using them like oars, and so bringing them back with a wide curve to the hips. upon the back it is possible to swim without the use of the arms at all. learning to swim makes one sadly out of breath, but with practice the art becomes easy, and we swim with almost as much ease as we walk. having learned plain swimming it is not difficult to add gradually the numerous other methods of propelling the body through the water. $rowing.$--to watch and imitate a good rower is the best way to acquire a good style, but a few hints will help. sit squarely upon the seat and stretch your legs straight before you, but with your toes turned out slightly. rowers are not agreed about the knees. some keep them together; others have them apart, and they will tell you that this arrangement permits the body to come further forward over the knees. your feet should be placed firmly against the stretcher, and this must be let out or shortened, to suit the length of the rower. one foot may be placed in the strap which is often attached to the stretcher. the outside hand is placed upon the handle of the oar, with the thumb as well as the fingers above it, while the other hand grasps it firmly lower down, keeping the nut towards you. the arms are now quickly thrust forward till they are quite straight at the elbows, after which the back follows the arms by bending forward at the hips. be careful, however, to avoid round shoulders. when your hands have reached their full stretch raise them, and the blade will drop quietly into the water. then with the water just covering the blade, the body is brought back with a strong but not clumsy movement, till it reaches a little beyond the perpendicular of the back of the seat, when the hands are brought back to the ribs, the elbows gliding near the hips; and at the last moment, as the hand touches the ribs, the wrist of the inside hand is lowered, the knuckles being at the same time brought against the chest, and the oar is made to revolve in the rowlock. this is called "feathering" the oar, a process by which it is brought neatly out of the water. now push the oar rapidly forward again, first, however, restoring it to its original position in the rowlock. this is done by raising the wrist, and then darting the arms forward till the elbows are quite straight. now the rower is at his starting point. to "back water" these actions are reversed. the oar is first reversed in the rowlock, and then it is pushed through the water with as much power as is needed, and pulled through the air. when the oars on one side are pulled, and those on the other are backed, the boat is made to turn round completely in a small space. expert rowers have arrived at the following maxims: straighten the arms before bending the body forward; drop the oar neatly into the water; draw the oar straight through at the same depth; feather the oar cleanly, and without bringing the oar out before doing so; use the back and shoulders freely, keeping the arms as straight as possible; keep your eyes fixed on the rower before you. by this means the body is almost sure to swing backwards and forwards regularly in a straight line. if you look out of the boat you will probably lose this rhythmic motion. $sculling.$--this process is different from that of rowing in that the sculler has a scull for each hand, whereas the rower uses both hands for one oar. the rower sits near the side of the boat, the sculler in the centre of the seat. the sculls are lighter than oars, the action quicker. there are from thirty to forty strokes a minute in sculling, but the average is about thirty-two. the boy who goes out sculling alone is often his own steerer, and so needs to keep a sharp look-out over his shoulder. having taken a seat in the centre, stretch out your legs to their fullest extent and adjust the stretcher. grasp the sculls, one in each hand, by the handles, and bend your body forward until your head is well over your knees. throw your arms well forward, and straight, so that the sculls will be thrown well backwards. then dip the sculls, try to keep the dip uniform, and pull hard. the stroke comes to an end when the elbows are brought to the top of the hips, and the hands to the chest, with the body well back as a result of the strong pull. the sculls are "feathered" as they leave the water by the depressing of the elbows and the bending upwards of the wrists, as the back of the hands are turned towards the forearms, an operation which offers the least resistance to the water when releasing the sculls to obtain the position known as the return, that is, the position to begin again. to turn a boat in the water the sculler must back water with one scull and pull with the other. to do this one scull is reversed, its rounded face being towards the rear as the sculler pushes it from him. at the same time pull sharply with the other scull until the boat's head has been turned round completely. boats without rudders are managed in the water, either by pulling both sides alike, in which case the boat moves in a straight line, or by reversing the action of the oars, equally on both sides, pushing them through the water instead of pulling them, and called backing water. in this case the boat recedes. by pulling one side only, the boat describes a part of a circle, which is made smaller by pulling one oar, and backing the other. by means of a rudder the boat may be made to take almost any direction without reference to the rowers. a few experiments with a rudder will soon demonstrate what its powers are. [illustration: water polo.] $water polo.$--boys who can swim will find this excellent sport. each player should provide himself with a sound cask. place it upon its side and weight it with lead or other material, making this ballast fast so that it cannot move about. now make the cask quite water-tight. upon one end fix a horse's head made of wood, upon the other a tail. these features may be made as extravagant and comic as the owner pleases. get a paddle like a canoe paddle, and astride of this horse take to the water. choose sides as at football and have for goals stakes driven into the bed of the river or floating objects moored into position. the ball should be a light hollow india-rubber one, or a bladder from the butcher. some players use the inner part of a football. the paddle both strikes the ball and propels the steed. this game should never be played unless the players are accompanied by a capable person in a boat who can go to the assistance of those who may be in difficulties. chapter vi paperchasing, football, golf, and boxing $paperchasing.$--this may be practised with more or less success all the year round, but it is in the winter time that it can best be enjoyed. it is then that the air is cool and invigorating, and that the fields, being unoccupied by crops, may be run over without any very great damage being done. for boys it is a grand game; it affords a welcome change from the scrimmages and knocks of football and fives; and if the distance run be not too far, nor the pace too fast, there are few who cannot take part in it with pleasure. an important point in its favour is that the expenses connected with it are small. the paperchaser wears jersey, knickerbockers and stockings as at football, with the addition, in very cold weather, of woollen mittens to keep the wrists warm, and the substitution of light leather or rubber and canvas shoes, for heavy boots. for each of the "hares" there must be provided a bag in which to carry the "scent." these bags should be of stout linen or canvas and shaped like a life-buoy, so that they go round the runner--under the left shoulder and over the right--with a hole in the under-side, by means of which they are filled and emptied. time was when the "scent" consisted of paper torn up very small, the preparation of which afforded almost as much fun as the chase itself; but nowadays we have grown luxurious, and fill the bags with the paper shavings which may be purchased for a very small sum from any bookbinder or printer. much of the success of a paperchase depends on the choosing of the hares. of these there are generally two or three--more often the former--and it is necessary that one of them should have a good knowledge of the surrounding country. the time of their departure having been noted, they start off and lay a trail as they go. sometimes one will lay for a while, and then the other will take a turn; occasionally one will lead and lay his trail, and the other following some little distance in the rear, will look out for gaps and fill them in. it is not necessary to lay a continuous trail, but care should be taken that it is quite easy to see from one patch of scent to the next. when the wind is high, it is always well in crossing from one field to another, to sprinkle some scent on the hedge itself. the laying of an occasional "false" scent adds to the troubles of the hounds, and gives the hares a chance of regaining some of the advantage which they naturally lose in choosing their course. a "false" is usually managed by the hares separating, and each laying a trail in different directions; then one ceases laying, and makes his way straight across country to join his companion, and they go on again together as before. in laying a false trail, much ingenuity may be shown. one way is to make the wrong one much the more distinct of the two; but this must not always be done, or naturally it will soon cease to have any effect. in selecting a course, it is well to choose a circular one, so that in case of accidents, the distance from home is not very far; and it is a very good plan, and one which is likely to be of advantage to all, to start out against the wind and to return with it. the reason for this is that it is easier to face the wind when starting out fresh than when returning home fatigued at the end of a run. the hounds, or pack, must be provided with a captain and a "whipper-in"--the former to set the pace and generally take command, and the latter to look after the stragglers and see that none are left behind. both should be good runners, and if possible should have had some experience of the game. after an interval--the length of which is arranged with the hares before they start, and depends chiefly on the distance it is proposed to travel--the pack set out on their journey. the pace should be a steady jog-trot, especially at the beginning; afterwards, if all goes well, it may be increased. it is a rule that so long as the hares are not in sight, all must follow the trail; but if once they are seen, it becomes a case of "catch who can," the scent is ignored, and all go off straightway in pursuit. if the hares are not seen and there appears to be no likelihood of their being caught, it is usual for the captain on getting within a mile or so of home, to give the word for a race and for the hounds to set off then to compete among themselves for the honour of being the first to reach the goal. carried out on these lines, paperchasing provides plenty of fun, and is as healthy a pastime as can be found. now and again there will be a ducking caused by a failure to clear a brook, or a stumble at a fence; but if the victims of these mishaps keep moving, and immediately they reach home, change their clothes, little harm will be done. two warnings may be given: do not go too far; and when feeling tired, do not strain yourself by trying to race. a six or seven miles spin is quite long enough for any one; and it is better to go all through at a jog-trot, and even to walk occasionally, than to sow the seeds of future ills by striving to outdo fleeter rivals. $hints on football.$--football is one of the games which cannot be learned from books. its best lessons are those taught by hard experience, and as much may be learned in an afternoon's play and in watching a match between two good teams, as by a diligent study of all the books on the game that have ever been written; but at the same time there are a number of unwritten rules which, although they often take years to learn, are of service to every player; and i have therefore deemed it wise to collect them and put them down here in black and white in the hope that they may be of use to many who, with some experience of the game, and eager to improve their play, have no opportunity for seeing big matches, and no one whom they can ask for advice. these rules are fourteen in number, and should be learned by heart by every player. they apply specially to the rugby game, but some of them are of use also to those who favour the association pastime:-1. never play immediately after a meal. it is best to have dinner two hours before the game begins. 2. in passing a ball to a comrade send it smartly and quickly straight into his hands. 3. never pass the ball when you are near your own goal line, and never pass straight back except when opposite your opponents' goal, and the player to whom you pass is well placed for dropping a goal. 4. never be too eager to pick up the ball and run with it. a neat dribble with the feet is often most effective, and it is generally very difficult to stop. 5. in collaring an opponent always keep your eyes open, and always go hard and low. 6. never "speculate" or take flying kicks at the ball. 7. when fairly held by an opponent, do not waste your strength by useless struggling, but at once cry "held," and put down the ball. 8. when you have the ball in your possession, and find it impossible to pass it to advantage or to proceed, always punt into touch. 9. in handing off an opponent, turn your thumb inside your hand and turn the palm outwards with the fingers held together. 10. when one of your own side is running with the ball, always follow up close behind, but a little on one side of him. when passed by an opponent who has it, try to get round again to meet him before he reaches your goal line. 11. in your spare time practise punting, drop-kicking, and place-kicking, with both feet. an otherwise good player is often left out of a team in order to make room for one who is not quite so good, but is able to kick. 12. study the laws of the game whenever you have an opportunity. 13. always keep your temper and do not talk. obey your captain at once, and unhesitatingly accept the decision of the referee. 14. change your clothes as soon as possible after playing, and in going home be careful to wrap up well. in conclusion, i would point out that if properly played rugby football is not dangerous. the great majority of accidents which occur are due to the neglect of one of the simple rules here laid down--through useless struggling, loose collaring, wild kicking, or blind rushing. the rules for the association and the rugby game may be obtained for one penny each, so we have refrained from reproducing them here. [illustration: driving] $golf.$--this is another of those games well learned on the field, by observation of the best players, and by hints from friends. we have, however, compiled a series of injunctions based upon long experience. driving.--lower your left shoulder. stand still and do not see-saw with your body. plant your feet squarely. grasp your club lightly yet firmly in the hollow of your fingers. slowly swing well back and complete your stroke well through, pushing to the very end with your right hand. it is a disadvantage to try to get under the ball. [illustration] the brassy.--in using this club swing as far back as you can, slowly. the mashie and iron.--swing back very slowly and have the forefinger of your right hand well down the club, which should be held lightly. go well through with the stroke and rise slightly off your left heel. putting.--grasp the club firmly, swing back very slowly, and go well through with the stroke. [illustration: out of the furze] [illustration: out of a bunker] [illustration: putting] general advice.--in all kinds of strokes swing back slowly with your left shoulder down and the forefinger of your right hand well down the club. ever have your eye upon the ball, and finish every stroke to the very end. in all your strokes let your arms go well out from your body. your hands should be close together on your club and the right hand well round to the left but not under the club. press the ground with your feet and stand well back upon your heels. $hints on boxing.$--it is true that boxing has become associated with all manner of ruffianism, but it is true also that it is one of the most effective forms of physical exercise, and that low life and brutality need no more enter into this pastime than into cricket. all the muscles are exercised, and dexterity, nimbleness, prompt decision, quickness of sight and many other admirable qualities are promoted. the right arm is held across the body so as to protect the pit of the stomach. the elbow of the left arm is held to the side. this position enables the boxer to hit from the shoulder, an important matter in boxing. the right leg bears most of the weight of the body, an arrangement which permits rapid movement backwards and forwards as occasion demands with a minimum of exposure. the left side should be towards your antagonist, the left hand has the principal part of hitting allotted to it, the right stops, parries, and at close quarters hits too. study all these things carefully before a mirror, noting what parts are exposed and the manner in which the exposure may be remedied. throw your head well back, and watch your opponent's eyes, for there you get the earliest indication of his intentions, and therefore you are able to make your arrangements for circumventing his plans. when you strike let it be from the shoulder and with all the weight of your body pressing the right foot upon the ground and making a kind of spring. do not draw back your hand to make a stroke, because that gives your adversary warning. come upon him unawares and then recover your position immediately. generally the time to strike is when your left toe is level with his heel, but if his reach is longer or shorter than yours this rule may need modification. remember that a curved blow is longer on its way than a straight one. if your adversary strikes at your face or the upper part of the chest, do not retreat from the blow, but fling your right arm sharply outwards and upwards, catching your opponent's arm by the wrist, and throwing it out of the direction in which it was aimed. this generally lays open your opponent's head, and gives opportunity for a smart return blow with the left hand; it is then near his head, and has only a short distance to go. this return blow is called the "counter," and is very effective, as it arrives when your opponent is expecting to give rather than receive a blow. this plan of campaign may be practised before a mirror. "stopping" comes in where this parry is impracticable. if your adversary strikes at your body you must either get away, stop, or suffer the blow in hopes of being able to hit him in return. in stopping you receive the blow on your arm, and break its force. chapter vii on the ice $figure skating.$--as soon as the skater has gained confidence and can skate in the ordinary way, he should begin to master the art of skating upon the outside edge. put upon the ice a small stone, piece of wood, or any other object to serve for a centre. from this stand three yards with your right side towards it. leaning a little in the direction of this centre and pressing your weight upon the outer edge of the blade of the skate, push yourself round and round the centre with your left foot. then practise going round on the outside edge of your left skate in a similar way. difficult as these movements will be at first, they become easy like other hard tasks by practice, and they open the way to graceful figure skating. when the two circles have been mastered it is quite easy to cut a figure $3$ upon the ice. begin on the outside edge of the right skate as though you meant to go in a circle, but allow your left foot to hang behind your right foot. there it will act as a kind of weight, your body will tend to swing round and you will cut the second part of the $3$ travelling backwards, and upon the inner edge of the skate. the impetus gained in cutting the first part of the figure will carry you to the end. going in the other direction cut another $[|3]$ with your left foot, and when you can do these you are on the high road to complete success as a skater. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] [illustration: fig. 3.] [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 5.] $sailing on skates.$--boys who are so fortunate as to live where there is a large sheet of ice will find much fun in sailing. if you have the money the draper will supply you with calico, or sheeting, or other similar material, two yards wide, and a journey to the joiner will be necessary, as we shall see. a b in figure 1 is the yard made of wood, one and a half inches thick in the middle, tapering to each end to five-eighths of an inch. at c and d holes are bored for the lashings of the sail. e f is the sprit, and we get its length by measuring the boy who is going to use the sail from his neck to his ankles. this gives the length of the sprit, and the yard should be made twice as long. we have given the longest that the sprit should be. it may be shorter, and then, of course, the yard would be shortened in proportion. the sprit is tapered towards f and a hole is bored at g for lashings. the sprit is connected with the yard by what sailors call a crotch. we have given a representation of it in fig. 2. the cord is used to lash the sprit to the yard. c d g in fig. 1 shows the sail. it is cut to allow a broad hem, and may be sewn rapidly with a sewing machine. a strong loop of tape or cord should be sewed at each corner of the sail c d g, and at the head of the sail, that is from c to d, eyelets should be made six inches apart. at each of these the sail is tied to the yard and also at g. a reference to figures 3, 4 and 5 will show how the sail is used, but practice will be needed and much studying of the effect of wind upon the sail before the art of sailing on skates has been mastered. a wooden rod may be attached to f, fig. 1. this will aid in the management of the sail, as is shown in figures 4 and 5. $curling.$--like most other pastimes, curling is best learned when you are young. your good golfer, who "swipes" clean and clever from the tee, picked up that draw and swing which the able golfer so much prides himself upon, in youth. it is quite true that laddies in scotland first learn to skate; yet many of the best hands at "the roaring game" have learned to throw a "stane" ere fifteen. you cannot learn young enough at anything, a true sportsman will tell you. that little, bare-legged herd laddie, who sits on the banks of the ettrick or yarrow, will laugh at the middle-aged tyro who vainly tries to fling a fly where there is no fish lying. the young yachtsman gets his tiller hand in his first matches in an open boat; the trigger finger of the crack shot is made over his early successes at rooks or rabbits; and the good seat in the saddle on the back of the shetland pony; but our boys are ready for their _bonspeil_, which means _a good spell_ or game. before giving a description of an actual game, the writer will endeavour to give some idea of what curling is like. in germany it has been successfully introduced by sir edward malet, the english ambassador, and there is every reason to believe that in a few years it will take as strong a hold of the english people, as already golf has done. pennant, in his tour of the north (1792), writes of it as follows:--"of all the sports of these parts, that of curling is the favourite, and one unknown in england. it is an amusement of the winter, and played on the ice, by sliding from one mark to another great stones of from forty to seventy pounds weight, of a hemispherical form, with an iron or wooden handle at the top. the object of the player is to lay his stone as near the mark as possible, to guard that of his partner, which had been well laid before, or to strike his antagonist's." [illustration: the roaring game] "the game is played on a carefully-chosen piece of ice called the rink, which should be forty-two yards long, unless special circumstances, such as thaw, and consequently dull ice, require it to be shortened. this piece of ice should be as level, smooth, and free from cracks as possible. there is usually a trifling bias, which however to the skilled curler rather adds interest to the game, as it calls forth additional science in the play." [illustration: bringing down the stones] "when the rink is chosen, a little mark is made at each end. this is called the 'tee,' and near that point stands, in his turn, each player, whose object is to hurl or slide his stones to the opposite end by a swinging motion of the arm. each opponent also endeavours to place his stones nearer the tee than those of his opponents." so far for pennant's description of curling in the olden time. the old style, thanks to the edinburgh men, who play on duddingston loch, has long gone out. seventy pound stones would no longer be tolerated by any body of sportsmen affiliated under the royal caledonian curling club. in the olden times it seems, in some parts of scotland, notably in the south-west, to have been a game of strength rather than of skill, and the man who threw his huge block the farthest, and struck his opponent's stone from the tee, or "cock," was considered to be the superior player. the stones are not now much more than half this weight, and so highly are the soles polished that they slip along keen ice so much faster with slight exertion on the part of the player, that they pass the tee or mark altogether, and go clean off the rink. the rinks or sides have been chosen--four players, one of whom acts as skip or director. he is generally the ablest and most experienced curler, and equal to the responsible duty of guarding the winning shot, if in his favour, or securing it if against him, with his last stone. the rink, which is also the name of the diagram of the game, is drawn off according to the rules of the royal caledonian curling club, and carefully swept clear of all snow or hoar frost. the skip takes up his station at the tee, which is the innermost of a set of circles, known as the "hoose," no stone outside of the outer one counting in the actual score. sweeping scores are drawn for the guidance of the players; one down the centre, which practically is a sort of hockey arrangement, as you must stick to your own side of the rink. [illustration: preparing for the game] sweeping commences half-down, that is, at the centre of the forty-two yards between tee and tee, and can be carried on by the players' side up to the tee, when, if it still has a little impetus, the opposing skip will sweep it out of the house altogether. when this happens after a stone has been brought on when apparently lagging, it is generally greeted with what in parliamentary phrase would be called "opposition cheers and laughter." in this a skip may show very superior judgment, and order his men to desist from sweeping. at his words "up hands," brooms must be raised immediately. in front of the house or counting circle is the hog score. if stones are not thrown with sufficient force to be taken over this with the assistance of the sweepers they are shoved off the ice as dead. this is sometimes galling to a young player who, when it happens, as it does repeatedly happen on soft ice, is practically put out of the game. but the "crampits" have been adjusted. these are foot-boards, grated so that they hold firmly to the ice. on these both feet must be placed when the stone is delivered. the skip gives his directions to his first player to place him a stone on the near edge of the outer ring. why not exactly at the tee? because if there it would form a rest for the stone of his opponent and be forced out. our young player, who is wielding a beautifully polished pair of ailsa craigs, with a sweep or two of the ice does exactly what is wanted. his opponent is asked to play to the face of this stone. this he does, hurling it out and laying his own almost in its place. the next stone of the leading player fails to catch it, and goes away to the rear, dead. the fourth stone played effectually covers or guards the winner. the next pair of players give up their brooms to the leaders, and take up their position at the crampits. a gentle draw past guard and winning stone is counselled; and this is well executed, the brooms taking the stone to the very edge of the tee or centre circle. the next player fails to remove this, and being slow guards his opponent's stone. [illustration: soop her up] this is a piece of good fortune for the other side, who now have a second shot drawn by a very skilful player. the third pair of players cannot well get home and try to wick, and _curl in_ (from the latter expression we have _curling_). this is done by putting with a turn of the wrist a certain bias or screw, by means of the handle when the stone is being delivered. the position of the game is not changed when the skips lay aside their brooms. there is a little more than half of the winning shot visible through a port or channel. through this the skip, against whom the shot counts, threads his stone gently and easily and rubs the winner out. his opponent has no chance now, unless he rattles out the nearest guards. this he tries to do, but his opponent guards again, this time just across the hog score. a gentle draw, with an inner twist, might succeed. it is bravely attempted, but it is short a foot, and the leading skip claims one shot--victory for a well contested end. and so the game will last for twenty more heads, the winning rink being that which has the majority of shots. it is a happy, healthy game, not so well-known in england as it ought to be. in germany some enthusiasts have introduced it, and from the military-like character in which it is carried out, guarding and storming and knocking out occupants of the fortress, it is likely there to come greatly into favour. it is to be hoped that we may oft see the pond where, in the language of an old scottish curling poet- "drawn are the rinks where lines and curves combine, the tee, the house, hog score and central line; the cramps are laid, the champions ready stand, with eye intent and trusty broom in hand." those who decide to include this game in their activities should put themselves into touch with the royal caledonian curling club through its honorary secretary, a. davidson smith, esq., at the headquarters of the club, york place, edinburgh. they will then be able to obtain the rules for the proper playing of this delightful game. chapter viii angling $hints by an old hand.$--when fishing in ponds, lakes, meres, canals, or in waters where there is no stream, the depth should be carefully taken the night before, or when ground-baiting, and marked on the rod, or by measuring the distance from the plummet to the cap of the float with a piece of cotton or string. if the angler prefers the bait to be within touch of the bottom, the better plan is to use a self-cocking float, and always use the finest possible tackle in clear water; but if an ordinary float be employed, and the novice wishes the bait to lie six or eight inches on the bottom (a good plan), the lowest shot should be from 15 in. to 20 in. from the hook. this will neither interfere with the proper cocking of the float nor with the angler striking, for, from the moment the fish seizes the bait to the indication of a bite, the resistance of (at most) two or three small shots is infinitesimal. if the bottom be at all muddy, then the plummet should be as light as possible, or into the ooze it will sink, and when this is known to be the case, the depth may be obtained by the aid of a small pellet of bread and bran. should it drop off the hook before the depth is obtained, the pellet should be made a little stiffer. a piece of "tea lead" from a tea-chest, or lead wire, similar to that used on the gut in lea fishing (some use nothing else), may be carefully tied round the bottom of the float, to make it cock without using any shots on the tackle, and painted the same colour as the float, or, failing this, the usual self-cocking float sold at the tackle-shops may be used. gentles should be kept in plenty of damp sand for a few days in an earthenware pan, biscuit-tin, or tin pail, in a cellar, or any dark, cool place, when they will be ready for use. the sides of the pan or tin should not be allowed to get wet, or many of the gentles will make their escape. they should be kept in what is termed golden sand. this sand, which should be damp, is almost as fine to the touch as barley-meal, of a deep rich golden colour, and they will live in it for days without turning into the chrysalis state, which they do in a comparatively short time if exposed to the sun--a practice to which many anglers are addicted, and then wonder the gentles change colour. it is a great mistake to use silver sand, as it over-scours and makes them attenuated and hard. i have repeatedly seen them in this state. so much for sand. the finest gentles i ever saw were obtained from the best rump steak and a sheep's head, and kept in coarse bran; but for taking out the black steck or "saddle-back" near the head, and scouring them until perfectly white, give me the sand mentioned above and plenty of it. the weight floats required may be arranged and tested before they are wound on the winder for final use. this saves the beginner considerable time and trouble at the water-side. if he has a four-line winder, with lines already weighted or shotted for roach, perch, bream, tench, so much the better. a piece of cork about the size and shape of a tonquin bean attached to the line may sometimes be used with success for fishing-swims, within easy distance from the side, in smooth clear water, near patches of weeds, flags, or candocks, the angler taking great care to keep out of sight, and to be as still as possible. when the bean-like piece of cork goes under or runs, strike gently. never use long-shanked hooks (the well-known crystal roach hooks, for instance) for such baits as gentles, cockspur, or small worms, small pellets of paste, wheat and malt. a considerable portion of the shank is certain to become bare in a short time, and so prevent the fish from biting. i have repeatedly seen nearly the whole shank of a crystal hook bare, and the small worm, gentles, and more especially a grain of creed wheat, dangling from the bend as a kidney might from a butcher's hook; and i have an idea that no fish properly constituted would be stupid enough to be caught under such absurd conditions. i may just mention in passing, that when fishing with gentles, the last one put on the hook should have the point to come through the skin of the thick or tail end, and the twirling thin or head end to hang clear of the hook. one gentle on a no. 12 or 13 hook will often do the trick, when they won't look at a bunch of gentles. use as small hooks as possible. they will hook a fish, or for the matter of that, get fast into almost anything, much quicker than large hooks: they penetrate sooner, hold very fast, and pierce the lips of such fish as trout, perch, chub, barbel, carp, when a large hook would not. for instance, the other day i hooked a 3 lb. barbel in the centre of the upper lip with a no. 10 sneck-bend, and it was quite a job to extract it. i once saw four splendid chub, all caught with similar hooks; and on several occasions i have caught good perch with roach hooks. if the novice will only remember not to allow slack line when playing a good fish on a small hook, provided the tackle is good and strong, a fish should seldom escape. beginners often use hooks three times too big for the fish they are after, and it goes without saying, that the smaller the hook the finer the gut should be; for a small hook on thick, coarse gut is not to be thought of. on the other hand, never use a too small hook for too large a pellet of paste, with the hook embedded in the centre, instead of the point just protruding. i have seen an angler fishing under these conditions for chub with cheese paste miss five fish out of six, the damson-like pellet being pulled clean out of the mouth of the chub, without the slightest chance of hooking the fish. we will now supplement what our "old hand" has told us by other hints. $bait and other matters.$--we shall not occupy space discussing rods, and such things. each boy settles these questions for himself, in accordance with the money he can spare, after a talk with the dealer and a contemplation of his wares. such accessories as landing nets he leaves generally until he is grown up, and manages very well without them. he may, however, provide himself with a clearing ring and line, because he is likely to feel the need for these often. this useful clearing tackle consists of a number of yards of strong cord, to the end of which is fastened a heavy ring of lead or brass. if the hook should get fast in a weed or anything else, this ring is put over the butt of the rod, and allowed to slip down the line to the hook. the rod should be held in the right hand, the top pointing downwards, the clearing-line in the left; the ring falling on the hook from its weight usually clears the hook. if not, the angler should grasp the rod firmly, and draw the line sideways, and break away. in this case, he seldom loses more than a hook; but without the use of a clearing-line he frequently loses his float as well as his hook and line, and sometimes breaks his rod. the brass clearing-rings are best, because they are jointed, and can be used when the angler has a reel on his rod. an old angler advises that after the young fisherman has made choice of a place to fish, he should first plumb the depth truly, and with as little disturbance to the water as may be. if the water be still throw in small pieces of ground bait; if there is a strong current large pieces. keep as far from the water as you can, and go slily to work, for even the shaking of the bank will frighten some of these fish. the bait should be dropped into the water quietly. stand as far from the edge of the water as possible, and never let your shadow fall upon the water. when it is possible hide behind a bush or a tree. in baiting a hook insert the point of the hook near to the top of the worm's head, and carry it down to within a quarter of an inch of its tail. to do this you must work up the worm with your left thumb and finger, while with your right you are gradually pressing the hook downwards. if too much of the worm hangs loose the fish will seldom take the whole in their mouth, and will not be hooked. to bait a hook well with a worm is necessary to ensure catching a fish when you strike; and it consists in drawing the worm without injuring it quite over and up the shank of the hook, leaving only a small lively part of the tail below. if you bait with half a worm, choose the tail end, and insert the point of the hook into the top part, and bring it down nearly to the end of the tail, leaving only a very small piece of it free. if you bait with two worms on the same hook, draw the first up above the shank, and put the second on in the same manner as directed with one worm, but insert the hook near the tail of the second worm; then draw the first one down on the second over the shank of the hook. red worm.--found with the brandling but not so common. at their best in tan heaps, but are found also in the banks of ditches and sewers. marsh worms.--known also as blue heads. found in marshes at night, especially after rain. a good bait for gudgeon, trout, perch, bream, and grayling. tag tail.--tail has a yellow tint. found in fields in moist spring weather. often preferred when the water is muddy, especially for trout. water worms.--found in sedges and at the bottom of dock roots. turn up the long slimy moss on weirs for them. they are of a clear bluish white, occasionally very light purple, becoming red at the head. fish eat them voraciously. ash grub.--look for these in the bark of trees. they are good for grayling, dace, roach, or chub. cow dung bait.--from may to the end of september these may be found under cow dung. they are eaten by roach, chub, grayling, and dace. gentles.--the usual term, used in angling, for maggots. putrid meat, especially liver, will produce them. they may be obtained from butchers or fell-mongers. good for most fish. lob worm.--sometimes called the dew worm, or the wachel. it is the ordinary large garden worm. dig for them if they are needed at once. if wet straw is strewed upon the ground for a couple of days they will come to the surface. in the evenings they come out, and a quiet search with a lantern in gardens, or church-yards, or on lawns will discover them. they are useful for trout, eels, large perch, barbel, chub, and salmon. brandling.--search for these in chaff pits, old heaps of compost, rotten tan, sweepings, manure of all kinds and tanners' bark. good for trout, grayling, carp, bream, and indeed for almost every fish. miscellaneous baits.--cockchafer, black or evening beetle, grasshoppers, moths, may-flies, caddis worms, bees, caterpillars, wasp-grubs, baked for half an hour, paste made of bread or cheese. ground bait.--in addition to the bait upon the hook the angler usually strews what is known as ground bait, and so attracts the fish to where he is angling. it is chiefly by the judicious use of ground baits, and by fishing at a proper depth, that one angler is more successful than another, although fishing with the same baits and within a few yards of each other. if a place can be ground baited frequently fish begin to come there regularly for food. care must be taken not to glut the fish, and the bait upon the hook ought to be more attractive than the bait flung into the stream. the ground bait most in use includes bran mixed with clay, and made into balls of about the size of a pigeon's egg. if the current is strong a stone in the ball may be needed. another ground bait is made by cutting the crust from a loaf. then cut the loaf into slices each about two inches thick. put these slices into a deep vessel of water, and when the bread has been well soaked squeeze it until it is nearly dry. add bran and knead the whole until the mixture is as stiff as clay. this is well adapted for still waters. another ground bait is made of barley-meal one part, mashed potatoes three parts, stiff clay two parts, worked thoroughly well together, but better even than this is one composed of stiff clay with as much bran as it will hold without destroying its stickiness. at the water side separate pieces about the size of the egg of a goose, into which stick a few worms and gentles. as these drop from the dissolving clay they are seized on by the fish, who continue to wait in the expectation of more, and are thus ready to take the angler's bait, especially if it is more tempting than the ground bait. boiled malt, barley, wheat, and such things, mixed with coarse sand to sink them also answer the purpose. $trout-fishing.$--in the easter holidays boys are apt to find it difficult to decide just what to do. football is nearly over, cricket is hardly in. it is still somewhat early for bird-nesting, except for rooks, and perhaps blackbirds and thrushes. just at this juncture the obliging trout come into season, and best of all, are ravenously hungry. now is the time for the beginner to try his hand with the deceitful fly. do not be discouraged, even if you have made a dismal failure of it last august. in the summer holidays it requires a practised hand to take trout with fly; but in april on a moorland stream a boy may go out and actually have some success on his first attempt. it will be wiser, certainly, to practise a little first, in your own garden, with all the tackle except the fly. by "tackle" i don't mean necessarily a glittering rod, fresh from the shop, with a brilliant winch and gaudy fittings. it is well to get all these things if you can afford them, though they should be toned down before using; but want of money need not prevent a boy from trying his hand at trout-fishing. a long willow wand, or even a hazel stick will throw a fly if properly managed; and running tackle is not an absolute necessity, though in every respect advantageous. the only things that must be bought are the hooks, and these are very cheap, as most boys know. for this time of year your flies should be march browns and blue uprights, and need not be tied on very fine gut. the outfit that is required then need cost but a few shillings, but if you can spare more get a small fishing-basket, and a fly-book, with a stock of flies. thus equipped and with good boots you may fish for weeks without needing to visit a shop. in order to learn how to throw a fly you should persuade a friend to show you the way he does it. this need not be at the river, nor need you tax your friend's time to any great extent. after you have once learnt the knack practice only is required to enable you to throw a fly fairly, though it may be years before you can do so well. this preliminary trial (during which you will have wound the line round your neck a few times) being over, you can go with some confidence to the stream. arrived at the bank, don't peer over to see whether there are any trout, because if you do there won't be any--at least, not after you have shown yourself. if convenient, make for a point some distance down-stream, and work upwards. by this plan you will have a chance of circumventing the trout, even if the water be clear, and not rough. in rough or coloured water these tactics are not necessary, and, in fact, it is as well, because much easier, to fish down-stream under such circumstances. let us take first the case of clear water, not very rough. keep back from the edge and stoop a little, taking advantage of any cover, even the stump of a thistle. watch for a rise, and, if possible, throw your fly lightly a little above it, and let it float down over the fish. should the fish be extra silly he may take your fly, and then you must strike, as in bait-fishing, but with less force. if you are fishing a northern stream, or a devon or cornwall brook, you will find it worth while to go on casting even if you see no rises; but on hampshire, or other slow running rivers, the usual plan is to wait for a rise. but this style of fishing, though practised with some success by the lucky fellows who are in winchester school, is not altogether suited for the restless nature of a boy. to return to the fish which has taken your fly. being a little one (for nothing large would be so silly), he will give you little trouble to land. take care, though, to guide him down-stream; which, being below him, you can easily do. lift him out as quietly as you can, and lose no time in getting your flies on the water once more. i say flies, because you will find it best to use two in ordinary fly-fishing. the upper fly, or "bob," as it is called, should be two feet or more from the tail, and should only have about three inches of gut attached to it, so that it may stick out nearly at right angles with the line. it should be fastened to a knot in the gut, so that it may not slip up and down. there are several ways of fastening it on, but they cannot be fully explained without diagrams, and a boy of any ingenuity can easily find out for himself. the plan most commonly adopted, that of looping it on, though it is not so neat as a knot, has the advantage of permitting the fly to be changed easily--a great point when the trout are fickle. [illustration] having landed your first trout, do not try again in the same place, but work gradually upwards, trying every likely pool and eddy; but not casting more than two or three times in one place. if you succeed in getting two or three little trout on your first attempt in clear water you may think yourself lucky. in april 'tis likely enough you may find the water coloured and high. if it is in flood, or approaching to it, of course the worm or minnow should be used; but of these anon. we will suppose the stream to be but little above its usual level, and of that rich brownish colour so dear to the heart of the angler. doubtless a worm or a minnow might still succeed; but a fly will give abundant sport, and that without requiring a high degree of skill. your mode of procedure need not now be so cautious as before described; and, in fact, you will find down-stream fishing often best in a coloured water. throw, then, a long line right across the stream, near the edge of which you can safely show yourself, and work your flies across and towards you, striking smartly at any rise. you will often miss, for in down-stream fishing a strike tends to pull the fly out of the fish's mouth, besides which the trout, on touching the surface, having his head towards you, is apt to get a sight of your rod, and to rise "short." if the weather and water are both favourable for down-stream fishing, you will have lots of rises, and some of the fish at least will fasten, so that you have a chance of getting a dozen or so on a good day, even before you have acquired any great skill. the best fly for thick water i have found to be the soldier palmer, a red fly with gold twist, but it will not always succeed. a march brown, or a blue upright, or blue palmer with silver twist, may also be useful. remember that the thicker the water the larger and more gaudy the fly may be. we have to consider the chance of the water being too thick for fly. then either minnow or worm will answer, the former in moderately thick water, and the latter in an absolute flood, unless the water is like pea soup. the minnow is used on a short line, with a longish rod. it requires considerable skill, and cannot be practised with safety in strange water by the beginner, or the minnow will constantly be getting lost by fouling snags. as minnows are expensive, this is a bad sort of sport for a boy with limited pocket-money. it is a favourite, however, with the professional angler in the north, and _he_ doesn't lose his minnows. it is a treat to see one of these gentry spin a rough run with his minnow, and take two or three good trout where an amateur would do nothing but lose tackle. the best way to learn to spin a minnow is to watch an old hand do it; but if the stream you fish is free from snags you might find it worth while to try to learn without such teaching. if so, be careful to keep the tip of the rod near the water, and, using a short line, to spin your minnow near the surface. if you get a run don't snatch your minnow away, but keep it steadily on. very likely the trout may bite short, but there is always a good chance that one of the revolving hooks may catch his jaw. if you do hook a fish get him out quickly, for your tackle being stout (as it must be for minnow-fishing) will bear the strain of anything short of a snatch. to turn to worm-fishing. it is, of course, comparatively easy to get a few fish with a worm, but it takes a practised hand to take a basketful, even from thick water. a couple of shot will generally be enough, and they should be about a foot from the hook, which should be large, unless you use the stewart tackle, which consists of two or three small hooks. a small marsh worm is considered best, but a brandling or a red worm will answer; or in a flood the tail half of a lob worm. the worm should be kept rolling along the bottom of fairly swift water, where the soil is gravelly; and a little time should be given when you feel a bite. in this way not only are large trout often taken in a flood, but sea trout, grilse, and sometimes salmon. a delicate hand is the chief requisite; but much judgment is also required in deciding which pools to fish, and when to shift your ground, according to the rising or falling of the water. there is a sort of worm-fishing which is very different from the kind just described. the tackle used is much finer, and the method altogether different. for as it is practised in the clearest water and in the hottest weather, it is necessary to take great care not to be seen, and to avoid the slightest possible disturbance of the water. a very small red worm is used on one or two tiny hooks, and the boy who can take good trout in this way is as much a skilled angler as any fly-fisher can claim to be. $fishing for roach.$--most boys know what a roach is like, so it will be enough by way of description to say that it is a fish of the carp tribe, of a silvery colour, and covered with scales. its fins are of a pale, pinkish grey, and its mouth is small and soft, suited best for vegetable food. the roach grows sometimes to two pounds in weight, but in most rivers one pound is considered large, whilst in ponds the fish seems to deteriorate, and swarms of little roach are generally to be seen, but very few fish of over a quarter of a pound. in rivers roach should not be killed unless they are seven or eight inches long; but in ponds, where they are very numerous, it is best to keep all that are caught. more food is thus left for the remainder. the roach spawns in may, and is, therefore, out of condition from the end of april till june or july. it is fattest and most healthy in autumn and winter, and when caught from a clear river will be found fairly good eating. pond roach taste muddy; but before we bring our fish to table we must learn how to catch it. the rod should be long, light, and stiff. white cane is best, but is very dear; and the rods now to be had at many tackle-makers for three or four shillings will answer nearly as well. they are of japanese make, and have no metal on them, which makes them light and cheap, though less durable than the expensive english rods. for the line, if roach only are expected, nothing is better than good single horse-hair. if there are large carp about, fine gut will be better; but carp do not feed after october. in any case, it will be found convenient to have a few inches of fine plaited silk for that part of the line which is next the rod. the float should be as small as can conveniently be used, and if the fish are very shy, a little rough bit of stick is sometimes preferable. a porcupine quill is generally best, and just enough shot to sink it within a quarter of an inch, or less, of the surface should be put on the line. one of the shot should be placed within six inches of the hook, and the rest about a foot higher. the hook should be of fine wire and about no. 12. it is important to see that the hair or gut on which this is tied is perfectly round and clear. with regard to baits, the very best are wasp-grubs; but these are often unobtainable, and gentles (the maggots of the friendly bluebottle) answer fairly well. a cleaner and pleasanter bait to use is paste, made from bread one day old. this should be dipped in water, and then quickly squeezed dry with clean hands, or in a cloth. in some rivers--the ouse for instance--boiled wheat is a very good bait. in order to find the depth, use a little roll of lead, called a plummet. this should be attached to the line, close to the hook, by being partly unrolled, to admit the hook, and then fastened again; and the depth should be plumbed as soon as the tackle is ready, and before bait is prepared. the operation necessarily disturbs the fish, and time must elapse before they will feed. it is desirable to keep well away from the water while putting your rod together, and, if possible, even while fishing. many roach fishers carry a light square box, or basket, which serves for a seat. these anglers will sit still for hours, patiently waiting for the roach to come on; they are often very successful. when a roach is hooked, the angler retains his seat, and in order to bring the fish to the net, will remove the butt and second joint of the rod. this is also done when rebaiting. it is the great length of the rod and the shortness of the line that makes this necessary. but to return to the method of fishing: the depth being ascertained, the float should be so placed that the bait will just touch the bottom at the shallowest part of the swim, and only a foot of line should be used between the float and the top of the rod. calm weather is best for roach-fishing, as it is easier to see the bites; but if there is a gentle wind from south or west, sport is often good. in summer, evening is much the best, but at this time of year roach will often feed all day. let us suppose that you start fishing on a calm afternoon in february or march, and on reaching the river, which is free for fishing, wonder where to begin. it is lined with rushes, but here and there are gaps, and on the banks at some of these points you notice scraps of ground-bait on the ground, and you also see that the grass is trampled and worn. this shows that anglers have found the spot a good one. seat yourself, or stand quietly near one of these points, and put your rod together. then attach your line and plummet as described, and when all the rest is ready put in a little ground-bait, some yards above your swim. chewed bread will do if you have no bran to mix with it. if your tackle is in order, and the roach are there, you will have a nibble before many minutes; but at this stage of your education it is useless to strike at nibbles. keep on the alert, and you will find that if you can manage to strike as the float is sinking, when a bite occurs, you will hook your fish; not otherwise. a gentle jerk is enough, as your little hook is sharp, and the roach's mouth soft. violence risks breaking the line, and in any case disturbs the fish unduly. if the roach is of good size, remember that your tackle is weak, and play your fish carefully; and don't attempt to get it out, whether with net or otherwise, till quite exhausted. even if you have only a small fish it is well to land him gently, or you will scare others. when placing the line do not flop it in, but let it sink bait first, and be prepared for a bite the moment the float cocks, for the first few seconds are the best. there is also a good chance at the end of the swim. if there is a stream the top of your rod must follow the course of the float. the rule, as to only a foot of line above the float, may be relaxed if the swim is long, for to walk along is most undesirable; it scares the fish by shaking the banks. you should stand still, or better sit still while roach-fishing. even this rule has many exceptions. if, for instance, the stream is very rapid, the saving in time effected by following your float may more than compensate for the disturbance caused by your footsteps. in swift or flooded streams fish are less easily scared than when the water is quiet. under these circumstances a worm is often better bait than paste, or even than gentles. again, in clear water which is swift and not deep it may be desirable to let out line by using running tackle. in this way you may reach fish which are too shy to let you get within casting distance of them. the nottingham anglers are particularly expert at this sort of fishing, and use rods and reels which are specially adapted for it. they are very successful on their own river, the trent, and have introduced their style on the thames, and even the lea, and have sometimes taken fish when ordinary fishing was useless. they are very skilful in casting from the reel without unwinding any line first; but many different circumstances must be studied before the sort of fishing most effective can be chosen. rules are very necessary; but the young angler will soon find that the most important thing is to find out when the exceptions, which are so numerous and important, come in. this can best be learnt by careful study of the habits of the fish, carried on patiently, day after day, at the water-side. $the fishing season.$--on june 16th the "close" time comes to an end, and boys may fish in free water for any kind of fish, from bleak to barbel. if we have had a very genial spring, many fish will have finished spawning and be getting into condition, so that there will be no harm in taking advantage of legal permission, and beginning to fish as soon as opportunity occurs. it will be found that many fish, especially chub and dace, can be caught much better at this season by flies, either natural or artificial, than by the usual float and shot system. a common house fly, used either on the top of the water or sunk by a single shot, will be found very effective, both for these fish and for roach, rudd, and bleak. chub will take any large insect readily, if it is presented to them in an artistic manner--that is, in such a way that they can see little of either tackle or angler. on some parts of the lea the wooded banks and deep holes afford capital chances for dapping for chub--a kind of fishing in which a boy with some patience and ingenuity should be very successful. no cumbrous tackle is required, only a long, light, and stiff rod, and two or three yards of medium gut, ending in a foot or two of finer stuff, with a largish hook, about no. 6 or 7. running tackle would seldom be of use, as the awkward places, overgrown by bushes, in which the best chub are usually hooked, make it very desirable to keep your line short. if the chub run large (two pounds or more), you will have to use stout tackle, or even carry a landing net. if you have a bamboo rod, which is hollow throughout (through the knots), it is a good plan to pass the line through the middle, instead of the rings. in this way one disadvantage of using running tackle is avoided--the rod can be pushed through bushes, etc., without entangling the line. another and more lively plan for chub catching is to whip for them with the artificial fly; and in this case running tackle is, of course, necessary. in the shallower parts of the rivers you will get more dace and bleak than chub in this way, and very pretty sport it is, only second to trout-fishing. when you are trying for roach only, it is best to use a sunk fly, and to move it up and down very gently. you can feel the roach bite if you have a delicate hand, but if you find this difficult put on a small gentle with the fly. this can be seen at a considerable depth, and will disappear, of course, when the roach takes the fly. it also forms an additional attraction, and at a pinch will do alone; but i have found the house fly generally more effective. single hair is best for your line, unless you see large chub cruising about, which is often the case. in this sort of fishing you can generally watch your quarry, and you have to be very careful that they do not see too much of you. it will be found far more interesting than regular bottom-fishing, and requires more thought and more resource for its successful prosecution. among the insects most useful for bait, the grasshopper stands (or jumps) pre-eminent, but is not often obtainable much before july. the cow-dung fly has a brilliant yellow colour, which is very fascinating to roach; and the green caterpillar (to be obtained by tapping the boughs of oaks) is almost irresistible, especially to trout. the oak-fly, called also "the up and down fly," from the position it always assumes on the oak trunk, is equally attractive, and no doubt would be appreciated also by other fish. the hottest and calmest weather is best for this sort of fishing, as it is usually worst for the other sorts. in case the day should be windy or otherwise unsuitable for dapping, and yet the season too early to fish the deeps, a good plan is to put on a very small quill float, and one shot; and, using a no. 10 or 11 hook and a single gentle, to fish the shallow gravelly runs from as great a distance as you can manage. the "nottingham" method is very useful for this purpose. this consists in using a free running wooden reel, and a light line, and throwing from the reel. it is difficult, but very useful on open rivers, where fishing fine and far off is essential. of course, you have to fish down-stream by this method, and will often miss your fish when striking; but that is better than getting no bites--the usual result of fishing under your nose at this time of year. occasionally you may get hold of a barbel in this way, when using gentles for bait; and, if so, it will not be easy to land him, though he is not so strong now as he would be later on. bream-fishing will be coming on before long, and the early boy will get the bream. before sunrise is the best time, and for this fish-tackle of a different sort is required. a strong rod with rings is useful, and the gut and reel line may be stout. if the water is deep, use a long float and fairly heavy lead, and fish on the bottom with a worm (a small lob by preference) on a large hook. put in ground-bait, over-night if possible, and lose no time when fishing. a three-pound bream can be got out in two minutes, and twenty or thirty may thus be had in an hour or two of early morning, and, perhaps, not another all day, though in the norfolk broads i've known the bites continue till mid-day. roach-fishing proper is not in season till august, and has been described in these pages. jack should be let alone for a month or two yet, and perch are scarcely in order. in conclusion, let me suggest that all fish found to be out of condition should be gently returned to the water. chapter ix canoes and yachts to speak of canoes is to recall the name of john macgregor, m.a., the author of those delightful books _a thousand miles in the rob roy canoe on rivers and lakes of europe_; _the rob roy on the baltic_; _the voyage alone in the yawl rob roy_, and other interesting works. when the first of these was issued other people built canoes, the canoe club was formed with the then prince of wales, afterwards king edward the seventh, as commodore. macgregor was enthusiastic about canoes. when he contemplated his voyage of a thousand miles he concluded that "no row-boat would serve on a land-water voyage of this sort, for in the wildest parts of the best rivers the channel is too narrow for oars, or, if wide enough, it is often too shallow; and the tortuous passages, the rocks and banks, the weeds and snags, the milldams, barriers, fallen trees, rapids, whirlpools, and waterfalls that constantly occur on a river winding among hills, make those very parts where the scenery is wildest and best to be quite unapproachable in such a boat, for it would be swamped by the sharp waves, or upset over the sunken rocks, which cannot be seen by a steersman. "now these very things which bother the 'pair oar,' become cheery excitements to the voyager in a canoe. for now, as he sits in his little bark, he looks forward, and not backward. he sees all his course, and the scenery besides. with one sweep of his paddle he can turn aside when only a foot from destruction. he can steer within an inch in a narrow place, and can easily pass through reeds and weeds or branches and grass; can work his sail without changing his seat; can shove with his paddle when aground, and can jump out in good time to prevent a bad smash. he can wade and haul his craft over shallows, or drag it on dry ground, through fields and hedges, over dykes, barriers, and walls; can carry it by hand up ladders and stairs, and can transport his canoe over high mountains and broad plains in a cart drawn by a man, a horse, or a cow. "besides all this, the covered canoe is far stronger than an open boat, and may be fearlessly dropped into a deep pool, a lock, or a millrace, and when the breakers are high in the open sea or in river rapids, they can only wash over the deck of a canoe, while it is always dry within. "the canoe is also safer than a rowing-boat, because you sit so low in it, and never require to shift your place or lose hold of the paddle; while for comfort during long hours, for days and weeks of hard work, the canoe is evidently the best, because you lean all the time against a swinging backboard, and when the paddle rests on your lap you are at ease as in an arm-chair; so that, while drifting along with the current or the wind, you can gaze around, and eat or read, or sketch, or chat with the starers on the bank, and yet, in a moment of sudden alarm, the hands are at once on the faithful paddle ready for action. "finally, you can lie at full length in the canoe, with a sail as an awning for the sun, or a shelter for rain, and you can sleep at night under its cover, or inside it when made for that purpose, with at least as much room for turning in your bed as sufficed for the great duke of wellington; or, if you are tired of the water for a time, you can leave your boat at an inn--where it will not be 'eating its head off,' like a horse; or you can send it home, or sell it, and take to the road yourself, or sink back again into the lazy cushions of a first-class carriage, and dream you are seeing the world. "but it may well be asked from one who thus praises the paddle, 'has he travelled in other ways, so as to know their several pleasures? has he climbed glaciers and volcanoes, dived into caves and catacombs, trotted in the norway carriole, ambled on an arab, and galloped on the russian steppes? does he know the charms of a nile boat, or a trinity eight, or a yankee steamer, or a sail in the ã�gean, or a mule in spain? has he swung upon a camel, or glided in a sleigh, or sailed a yacht, or trundled in a rantoone?' "yes, he has thoroughly enjoyed these and other modes of locomotion, fast and slow. and now having used the canoe in europe, asia, africa, and america, he finds the pleasure of the paddle is the best of them all. "the rob roy canoe was built of oak, with a deck of cedar. she was made just short enough to go into the german railway waggons; that is to say, fifteen feet in length, twenty-eight inches broad, nine inches wide, and weighed eighty pounds. my baggage for three months was in a black bag one foot square and six inches deep. a paddle seven feet long, with a blade at each end, and a lug-sail and jib, were the means of propulsion; and a pretty blue silk union jack was the only ornament." after the cruise the author had a better canoe constructed, shorter, and narrower (but with the same name), and in her he voyaged through sweden, norway and denmark, holstein, and some german waters. the account of this voyage is given in _the rob roy on the baltic_, 5th edition (low and marston). the later improvements of the canoe are described in that book, with woodcuts. the full description of a third canoe for sleeping in during a six months' voyage is given in _the rob roy on the jordan, nile, red sea, and gennesareth, a canoe cruise in palestine and egypt and the waters of damascus_, 6th edition, with eighty illustrations and maps (murray). a fourth canoe was used in the zuyder zee and among the isles of holland and the friesland coast; and the latest rob roy (number 7) ran through the shetland isles and the orkneys, and scotch lakes. $the building of the rob roy.$--john macgregor has told us that among the many who are building canoes, there may be some persons who have undue expectations as to what such boats can do. now, the three kinds of canoes, for racing, for sailing, and for travelling, are quite distinct in their forms and capabilities. a long, narrow, light racing-canoe, with a long, spooned paddle, will attain great speed. a sailing-canoe with flat bearing, and some keel, will sail off the wind admirably. the "travelling-canoe" has to sail, to paddle, and to bear portage and rough handling. the endeavour to combine these three qualities in suitable proportions, without sacrificing more of any of them than can be well dispensed with, has led to the building of the canoe now to be described; and the new rob roy has been a great success. the old rob roy canoe, which made a voyage through france, germany, &c., was specially built for the purpose; and it is described in the book which gives an account of that journey. a more detailed description was given in the transactions of the institute of naval architects, but the numerous improvements suggested during that voyage, and in careful experiments afterwards, were embodied in the new rob roy, so that this novel, inexpensive, and healthful mode of travelling might be facilitated. the rob roy was designed to sail steadily, to paddle easily, to float lightly, to turn readily, and to bear rough usage on stones and banks, and in carts, railways, and steamers; to be durable and dry, as well as comfortable and safe. to secure these objects every plank and timber was carefully considered beforehand, as to its size, shape, and material, and the result has been most successful. in the efforts to obtain a suitable canoe for this purpose ready made, it was soon found that boat-builders might be proficient at the cabinet-makers' work of their calling, without any knowledge of the principles required for a new design, especially when sailing, paddling, and carrying had to be provided for at once, and the requirements for each were not understood, except by those who had personally observed them, and had known how to work the paddle as well as the saw and the plane. a canoe ought to fit a man like a coat; and to secure this the measure of the man should be taken for his canoe. the first regulating standard is the length of the man's foot, which will determine the height of the canoe from keel to deck; next, the length of his leg, which governs the size of the "well;" and then the weight of the crew and luggage, which regulates the displacement to be provided for. the following description is for a canoe to be used by a man 6 feet high, 12 stone weight, and with boots 1 foot long in the sole. the rob roy is built of the best oak, except the top streak of mahogany, and the deck of fine cedar. the weight, without fittings, is 60 lb., and with all complete, 71 lb. lightness is not of so much consequence in this case as good line, for a light boat if crank, will tire the canoeist far more in a week's cruise than would a heavier but stiff craft, which does not strain his body at every moment to keep her poised under the alternate strokes of the paddle or the sudden pressure of a squall on the sail. [illustration: fig. 1, fig. 2, fig. 6, fig. 5, fig. 10, fig. 11 _scale of figs 1 & 2. 1/4 of an inch to the foot._] the illustration on page 89 represents, on a scale a quarter of an inch to the foot, fig. 1, a section, with masts and sails; fig. 2 a bird's-eye view of the deck. the woodcuts at pages 91, 93 represent, on a scale of an inch to the foot, figs. 3 and 4, cross sections at the beam and at the stretcher; figs 9, 10, and 11, the backboard and the apron; the rest of the drawings showing particular portions more minutely. the principal dimensions are:--length over all, a s, 14 feet; from stem to beam, b, 7 feet 6 inches; beam, outside (6 inches abaft midships), 26 inches; depth from top of deck at c, fore end of the well, to upper surface of keel, 11 inches; keel, depth, outside, 1 inch, with an iron band along its whole length, 3/8 inch wide; camber, 1 inch; depth at gunwale, 8-1/2 inches. the upper streak is of mahogany, and quite vertical at the beam, where its depth is 3 inches. the garboard streaks, and the next on each side are strong, while the next two on each side are light, as it is found that they are less exposed than the others, particularly in a canoe where all these lower streaks are of oak. the stem and stern posts project over deck, the canoe, if turned over, will rest on the upper edge of the combing, round the well, 1/8 inch deep, projecting 1/2 inch, of steamed oak, curved at the corners, and adding, by its angular position, very much to the strength of the deck about the well. the well is 32 inches from c to d, and 20 inches from e to f, so placed that d m is 2 feet, and thus the beam of the boat being aft of the midships the weight of the luggage g, and of the masts and sails stowed forward, brings the boat to nearly an even keel. the additional basket of cooking-things at i (fig. 2) brings her a little by the stern. for a boat without luggage the beam should be 1 foot abaft midships to secure an even keel. [illustration: fig. 3, fig. 5, fig. 4, fig. 6] the deck is supported on four carlines forward and three aft, the latter portion being thus more strengthened, because, in some cases, it is required to support the weight of the canoeist sitting on the deck with his legs in the water. each carline has a piece cut out of its end (see fig. 6), so that the water inside may run along to the beam when the canoe is canted to sponge it out. the after edge of the carline at c is bevelled off (fig. 5 in section), so as not to catch the shins of your legs. all the carlines are narrow and deep, to economize strength, and the deck is screwed to them with brass screws, so that it might be removed for internal repairs. a flat piece is inserted under the deck at the mast-hole h, which is also furnished with a flanged brass ring. the deck is so arched as to enable the feet to rest comfortably on the broad stretcher j (fig. 4), the centre of it being cut down in a curve in order that the mast and sails, rolled together, may rest there when there is no luggage, and be kept under the deck, but above any wet on the floor. when there is luggage (as in this voyage) i usually put the mast and sails under the after deck. the cedar deck round the well at e f is firmly secured by knee-pieces, and the boat may thus be lifted up _by any part_, and may be sat upon _in any position_, without injury. the luggage for three months, weighing 9-1/2 lbs., is carried in a black leather-cloth bag, 1 foot by 1 foot by 5 inches deep (g, figs. 1 and 2). a water-tight compartment may be made by an after bulkhead, with a lid to open, so as to allow the air to circulate when on shore. the floor-boards, about 2 feet long, rest on the timbers until, at the part below c (fig. 2), they end at p p (fig. 7), in notched grooves, which fit into short oak pieces m n, 1/4 inch thick, sloping forwards on each side of the keel o. their ends rest on the garboard streaks, and so lower the heels nearly 1 inch below the level of the floor-board on the top of the timbers. the canoeist sits on the floor-boards, i prefer this to any cushion or mat whatever; but if a mat or cushion be used, it should be firmly fixed, especially in rough water. the canoeist's knees touch the combing and the apron boards, while his heels touch the keel. thus the dotted lines in fig. 1, from the stretcher to the deck, show how the shin-bones are supported in comfort, enabling the paddler to sit for hours together without straining. but comfort is additionally secured by my new kind of backboard, shown in figs. 8 and 9, in section and elevation. this consists of two strips of oak, 18 inches long, 2-1/2 inches wide, and united by a cross piece at y, and another at x, the latter being grooved (fig. 8) so as to rest on the top of the combing, and to oscillate with the movement of the canoeist's back, which is thus supported on both sides along the muscles, while the spine is untouched between the strips. the dotted line u (fig. 8) is a strong cord passed round all (through a hole in the deck or two eyes), and this serves to keep the backboard in general upright, while it is free to vibrate, or, when on shore, to be closed down flat on deck or to be removed entirely in a moment by unloosing the cord. the use of this backboard is a leading feature of the canoe, and adds very much indeed to the canoeist's comfort, and, therefore, to his efficiency. the length and width of the oaken strips, and the width of the interval between them, ought to be carefully adjusted to the size and "build" of the canoeist, just as a saddle ought to fit a horse and its rider too. the paddle is 7 feet long, flat-bladed, with a breadth of 6 inches in each palm, which is copper-banded, and made of the best spruce fir, the weight being little over 2 lbs. the spoon-shaped blade is better for speed, and a longer paddle is suitable for a racing-boat, but for a travelling canoe, where long paddling, occasional sailing, and frequent "shoving," require the instrument to combine lightness, straight edge, handiness, and strength, it is found that a short paddle is best for the varied work of a protracted voyage. leather cups have been usually employed on the wrists of the paddle to catch the dripping water, but round india-rubber rings look much better and answer every purpose, if placed just above the points where the paddle dips into the water in an ordinary stroke. these rings may be had for twopence, and can be slipped on over the broad blade. if necessary, two are used on each side, and they bear rough usage well, while if they strike the cedar deck, no injury is done to it. [illustration: fig. 14, fig. 9, fig. 8, fig. 7, fig. 11, fig. 10] after numerous experiments, the following very simple plan has been devised for a waterproof apron, and its application at once removes one of the chief objections to canoes in rough water, as heretofore constructed. it is necessary to have a covering for the well which shall effectually exclude the water, and yet be so attached as not to hamper the canoeist in case of an upset, or when he desires to get out of the boat in a more legitimate manner. these desiderata are completely secured by the new apron, which is not permanently attached in any manner to the boat, but is formed as follows:-a piece of light wood, of the form in fig. 10, 2 feet long and 3 inches deep at the deepest part, is placed along each side of the deck vertically, so as just to rest against the outside of each knee of the canoeist, and then a piece of macintosh cloth (drab colour is best) is tightly nailed along and over these, so as to form an apron, supported at each side on z (fig. 11), and sloping from the highest part forwards down to the deck in front of the combing, over which its edge projects 1 inch, and then lies flat. the other or after end is so cut and formed as to fit the body neatly, and the ends may be tucked in behind, or, when the waves are very rough, they should be secured _outside_ the backboard by a string with a knot. when this apron is so applied, and the knees are in position, their pressure keeps the whole apron steady, and the splash of small waves is not enough to move it. in rough water i place a string across the end and round two screw nails on the deck; or an india-rubber cord run through the hemmed end, but best of all is a strip of wood bent across the deck with its ends under two screws or chocks. a button-hole at the highest point of the apron allows it to be supported on the waistcoat. when you have to get out on shore, or when sailing, it is usually best to stow the apron away, so that the legs may be turned into any desired position of ease. the apron i used in this tour had been perfectly fitted by myself to me and the boat. several others, a little like it (very little!), roughly made for other canoes, have, as might be expected, failed to give satisfaction. one important advantage of a canoe is the capacity for sailing without altering the canoeist's seat; and we shall now describe the mast and sails found by experience to be most convenient, after three masts had been broken and eight sets of sails had more or less failed. the mast is 1-3/4 inches thick (tapering), and 5 feet 6 inches long, of which the part above deck is 4 feet 9 inches. the lug-sail k (fig. 1), has a yard and a boom, each 4 feet 9 inches long, so that when furled the end of the boom and mast come together. the fore-leach is 2 feet long, and the after-leach 6 feet 6 inches, giving an area of about 15 square feet. the yard and boom are of bamboo, and the yard passes into a broad hem on the sail-head, while the halyard is rove aloft through a small boxwood block 3/4 inch long, and with a brass sheave, and through another (a brass blind pulley) well fastened on the side of the mast near the deck, so that the sail can be lowered and hoisted readily. the lower joint of a fishing-rod, 4 feet 9 inches long, is a spare boom. the tack end of the boom is made fast to the mast by a flat piece of leather, lashed to its upper part and to the mast, and so as to be free to swing in every direction; after many other plans had failed this was quite successful, and lasted through the whole voyage. no hole is made in the mast, and no nail or screw driven into it, for these are causes of weakness. two cord loops, about 6 inches apart, near the mast-head, support the flagstaff, of bamboo-cane 2 feet long, and with a silk flag 7 inches by 9 inches. when the mast is not used this flagstaff is detached and placed in the mast-hole, which it fits by a button 2 inches wide, permanently fixed on the staff, the lower end of which rests in the mast-step. the halyard and sheet should be of woven cord, which does not untwist, and is soft to handle in the wet. the sheet when not in hand may be belayed round a cleat on deck on either side of the apron, where it is highest, and thus these cleats are protected from the paddle. for the sake of convenience the mast is stepped so far forward as to allow the boom to swing past the canoeist's breast when the sail is jibbed or brought over. this also allows the luggage-bag to be between the stretcher and the mast. thus the mast-hole h is at 3 feet 6 inches distance from the stem. the mast-step is a simple wedge-like piece of oak (see r, fig. 14), made fast to the keel, and abutting on the garboard streak on each side, with a square hole in it for the foot of the mast. it may be thought that the mast is thus stepped too far forward, but the importance of having the sail free to swing, without lying against the canoeist's body, or getting entangled with his paddle, which is used in steering, is so great, that some sacrifice must be made to secure this point. however, it is found that the boat sails very well on a wind with this sail, if the breeze is strong; and in light breezes it is only expedient to sail with the wind well aft, when the jib can also be used. a canoe must have a strong, light, flexible painter, suitable for constant use, because a great deal has to be done by its means in towing on dull water, guiding the boat while wading down shallows or beside falls, lowering into lochs, hauling her over hedges, walls, locks, banks, and even houses; and raising or lowering her (with luggage in) to and from steamboats. the "alpine club" rope, used in the new rob roy, was found to be hard and "kinky" when wet, and the softer rope used in the old rob roy was far better. another kind of brown-tanned rope has been recommended. the painter should not be longer than twice the length of the boat. each end is whipped with wax-end, which sort of fine twine is also invaluable for all the other fastenings, as it never slips. the painter passes through a hole in the stem, and another in the stern-post, and is drawn tight to lie on deck in the lines ay and sy, fig. 2; the slack of about four feet is belayed round the windward cleat and coiled outside, so that it may be seized instantly when you go ashore, or have to jump out to save a smash or an overset in a dangerous place. this mode of fixing and belaying the painter i adopted after numerous trials of other plans, and it is found to be far the best. the jib is a triangle of 3 feet hoist and 3 feet foot, the fore-leach fast by a loop, passing under the painter and over the stem; the head is fixed by a loop over the mast-head, and under the flagstaff button. thus the jib can be struck while the canoeist remains in the boat, by pushing off these two loops with his paddle. to set the jib, it is best to land. this is much more generally convenient than to have jib-tackle on the mast. (i have now discarded the jib entirely.) the sails are of calico, without any seam. this lasts quite well enough, dries speedily, and sets well, too, provided that care is taken to have it cut out with the selvage along the after-leach, and not along any of the other sides. inattention to this last direction simply ruins sails; and it cannot be too often repeated that the success of the six rob roy voyages could not be expected if great care had not been devoted to all these details. a good travelling canoe costing â£15 ought to last a long time, for it is not racked and pulled in pieces at every stroke, as a rowing-boat is. the paddle.--it has been said that the use of a canoe paddle must contract the chest, but this is certainly a mistake. if indeed, you merely dapple each blade of the paddle in the water without taking the full length of the stroke the shoulders are not thrown back, and the effect will be injurious; but exactly the same is true if you scull or row with a short jerky stroke. in a proper use of the paddle the arms ought to be in turn fully extended, and then brought well back, so that the elbow grazes the side, and the chest is then well plied in both directions. in very shallow water the paddle should be clasped lightly (turning the thumbs upwards then), so that if it strikes the bottom or a rock the hand will yield and not the blade be broken. the distance between the hands should be that of the breadth of the chest. one can tell a _tyro_ in a moment by seeing him with his hands two feet apart, and therefore with a shortened stroke or too long a paddle. great caution should be used when placing the blade in advance to meet a rock, or even a gravel bank, otherwise it gets jammed in the rock or gravel, or the boat overrides it. it is better in such a case to retard the speed rather by dragging the paddle (tenderly), and always with its flat side downwards, so that the edge does not get nipped. for long cruises lightness is the first necessity. an ounce more or less makes a great difference when you have to carry it with outstretched arms all day. my paddle weighs two pounds. a swivel crutch on deck on the quarter is used sometimes. in my shetland cruise i used a single paddle blade and steered by my feet acting on a light rudder by two cords. this plan has many advantages for a sailing cruise and general work, but it is not good for rapids. rudder.--for long sailing this is useful, and foot-lines should be used, or a rod to the yoke. i used the rod for sailing in the dutch cruise always. leeboards.--these may be made of wooden triangles one foot each way, hung at each side by two corners. the lee one is thus pressed against the gunwale, and acts well. centre-board.--when the "rothion" sailed across the english channel, the late hon. james gordon used a centre-board at my suggestion, and his rob roy thus furnished held her wind admirably. the centre-board might come up through a slit one foot long in the garboard streak (not through the keel) into a closed mackintosh bag, so that when raised it would turn to one side, and lie flat on the bilge within. the apron.--the canoeist soon finds that this is the most difficult part of the boat to arrange with perfect satisfaction. i have had more experiments and trouble and thought about the apron than upon any other part of the canoe's arrangements. a full wooden hatch does well for common work, but not for rough cruising. now and then the legs need "play," and if the hatch is rigid at the height thus needed, it is much too high in ordinary times; and it curbs the freedom for the arms near the deck, being also unwieldy for instant debarking in rapids, and for stowing away. the detached apron of the baltic pattern is wet in use. side pieces on deck to clutch the wooden cheeks kept out by a cane across the knees, and a permanent flap on deck, covering the fore end of the mackintosh, are great improvements. the jordan rob roy had a sheet mackintosh apron, with only a cane fixed in the combing to keep the apron off the knees. for her cruise she had under this apron six inches of the after part of wood. the loose breast flap and side flaps rolled up (usually) form a curved edging near the body. by lifting this hatch, and laying it forward, the whole apron is folded forward of the knees, and in one foot of space fore and aft. this plan is a complete success; and at last my apron is all right. when a single bladed paddle is used the apron is needed only in rough water, that is, one day in four. stretcher.--the form described with a cut in the "rob roy on the jordan," is a very great improvement. each foot has a light board abutting on the carline above and the timber below, so that ample room is given for the luggage bag, and much strength is combined with extreme lightness. sail.--many forms have been tried, but the club sailing matches have often been won by a lug sail. this rig is also the safest of all, and the boom can be detached from a hook on the mast to stow away. portable canoes.--a wooden canoe in four pieces is easily made, although somewhat heavy. the additional expense is soon saved, if the canoe is taken often by railway as a box. colonel bradford's india-rubber canoe packs up into a parcel five feet long, and one foot across. in the eastern trip a canoe in two pieces might have been readily carried on a horse, but the rob roy, undivided, was thus carried easily. berthon's collapsible boat company presented to me a charming collapsible canoe, nine feet long, and which is very cheap, safe, light, and can easily be carried in one hand. the shortest canoe in the club was the wharbe, 8 feet 6 inches long. but i have paddled the little "dingy" only eight feet long, which was carried aboard the rob roy yawl. i think 12 feet the best length for a cruising canoe. i have designed a cork canoe in three pieces, five feet, four feet, and three feet long; the last to pack in the next, and both in the large middle one; weight about 30 lbs. sun.--when there is a brilliant glare of the sun, and it is low, and directly in front, and the eyes are dazzled by its reflection on the water, a good plan is to direct the bow to some point you are to steer for, and then observe the reflection of the sun on the cedar deck of the boat. having done this you may lower the peak of your hat so as to cut off the direct rays of the sun, and its reflected rays on the water, while you steer simply by the light on the deck. caution.--when a great current moves across a river to a point where it seems very unlikely to have an exit, you may be certain that some unusual conformation of the banks or of the river bed will be found there, and caution should be used in approaching the place. this, however, is less necessary when the river is deep. weeds.--the ripple and bubbles among weeds are so totally different from those on free water that their appearance at a distance as a criterion of the depth, current, and direction of the channel must be learned separately. in general, where weeds are under water, and can sway or wave about, there will be water enough to pass--the requisite three inches. backing up stream against long weeds is so troublesome, and so sure to sway the stern round athwart stream, that it is best to force the boat forward instead, even if you have to get out and pull her through. paddling through rushes, or flags, or other plants, so as to cut off a corner, is a mistake. much more "way" is lost then by the friction than might be supposed. stores on the rob roy.--paddle, painter (31 feet at first, but cut down to 20 feet), sponge, waterproof cover, 5 feet by 2 feet 3 inches, silk blue union jack, 10 inches by 8 inches, on a staff two feet long. mast, boom, and yard. lug sail, jib, and spare jib (used as a sun shawl). stretcher, two back boards, floor-boards, basket holding a mackintosh coat. for repairs--iron and brass screws, sheet copper and copper nails, putty and whitelead, a gimlet, cord, string, and thread, one spare button, needle, pins, canvas wading shoes (wooden clogs would be better); all the above should be left with the boat. black bag for 3 months' luggage, size, 12 inches by 12 inches, by 5 inches deep (just right), closed by three buttons, and with shoulder-strap. flannel norfolk jacket (flaps not too long, else they dip in the water, or the pockets are inverted in getting out and in); wide flannel trousers, gathered by a broad back buckle belt, second trousers for shore should have braces, but in the boat the back buttons are in the way. flannel shirt on, and another for shore. before me while writing this there are 21 various head covers used in different tours, but for boating the straw hat is best of all. thin alpaca black sunday coat, thick waistcoat, black leather light-soled shoes (should be strong for rocks and village pavements), cloth cap (only used as a bag), 2 collars, 3 pocket handkerchiefs, ribbon tie, 2 pairs of cotton socks (easily got off for sudden wading, and drying quickly on deck). brush, comb, and tooth-brush. testament, passport (scarcely needed now), leather purse, large (and _full_), circular notes, small change in silver and copper for frequent use, blue spectacles in strong case, book for journal and sketches, black, blue, and red chalk, and steel pen. maps, cutting off a six inch square at a time for pocket reference. guide-books and pleasant evening reading book. cut off covers and useless pages, and every page as read; no needless weight should be carried hundreds of miles; even a fly settling on the boat must be refused a free passage. medicine (rhubarb and court plaster), small knife, and pencil. $rocks and currents.$--even if a set of rules could be laid down for the management of a boat in the difficult parts of a river, it would not be made easier until practice has given the boatman that quick judgment as to their application which has to be patiently acquired in all athletic exercises. but the canoeist, who passes many hours daily in the consideration of the river problems always set before him, will feel some interest in this attempt to classify those that occur most frequently. steering a boat in a current among rocks is like walking on a crowded pavement, where the other passengers are going in various directions, and at various speeds. a great deal of practice, and lessons enforced by collisions, are needed to make a pedestrian _au fait_ in a crowd. but years of walking produce a certain power, which insensibly directs a man in his course and his speed. after this capacity becomes, as it were, instinctive, a man can walk briskly along fleet-street at four p.m., and, without any distinct thought about other people, or about his own progress, he can get safe to the end. indeed, if he does begin to think of rules or how to apply them, he is almost sure to knock up against somebody. nay, if two men meet as they walk through a crowd, and each of them "catches the eye" of the other, they will probably cease to move instinctively, and, with uncertain data to reason from, a collision is often the result. the importance of this subject of "boating instinct" will be considered sufficient to justify these remarks when the canoeist has by much practice at last attained to that desirable proficiency which enables him to steer without thinking about it, and therefore to enjoy the conversation of other people on the bank, or the scenery, while he is rapidly speeding through rocks, eddies, and currents. as the descent of a current among rocks resembles a walk along the pavement through a crowd, so the passage _across_ a rapid is even more strictly in resemblance with the course of a man who has to cross a street where vehicles are passing at uncertain intervals and at various speeds, though all in the same direction. for it is plain that the thing to be done is nearly the same, whether the obstacles (as breakers) are fixed and the current carries you towards them, or the obstacles (as cabs and carts) are moving, while you have to walk through them on _terra firma_. to cross park-lane in the afternoon requires the very same sort of calculation as the passage across the stream in a rapid on the rhine. we may divide the rocks thus encountered in fast water into two classes--(1) those that are _sunk_, so that the boat may possibly float over them, and which do not deflect the direction of the surface current. (2) those that are _breakers_, and so deflect the current, and do not allow the boat to float over them. the currents may be divided into--(1) those that are equable in force, and in the same direction through the course to be steered. (2) those that alter their direction in a part of that course. in the problems before the canoeist will be found the combinations of every degree and variety of these rocks and currents, but the actual circumstances he has to deal with at any specified moment may be generally ranged under one or other of the six cases depicted in the accompanying woodcut. in each of the figures in the diagram the current is supposed to run towards the top of the page, and the general course of the canoe is supposed to be with the current. the particular direction of the current is indicated by the dotted lines. the rocks when shaded are supposed to be _sunk_, and when not shaded they are _breakers_. thus the current is uniform in figs. 1, 2, 3; and it is otherwise in figs. 4, 5, 6. the rocks are all sunk in figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5; whereas in figs. 4 and 6 there are breakers. the black line in all the figures shows the proper course of the centre of the boat, and it is well to habituate oneself to make the course such as that this line shall never be nearer to the rock than one-half of the boat's length. the simplest case that can occur is when the canoe is merely floating without "way" through a current, and the current bears it near a rock. if this be a breaker, the current, being deflected, will generally carry the boat to one side. the steering in such cases is so easy, and its frequent occurrence gives so much practice, that no more need be said about it. but if the rock be a sunk rock, and if it be not quite plain from the appearance of the water that there is depth enough over the rock to float the boat, then it is necessary to pass either above the rock, as in fig. 1, or below it, as in fig. 2. a few days' practice is not thrown away if the canoeist seizes every opportunity of performing under easy circumstances feats which may at other times have to be done under necessity, and which would not be so well done then if attempted for the first time. let him, therefore, as soon as possible, become adept in crossing above or below a single sunk rock with his _boat's bow pointed to any angle of the semi-circle before him_. [illustration] next we have to consider the cases in which more than one rock will have to be avoided. now, however great the number of the rocks may be, they can be divided into sets of three, and in each of the figures 3, 4, 5, 6 it is supposed that (for reasons which may be different in each case, but always sufficient) the canoe has to pass between rocks a and b, and then between b and c, but must not pass otherwise between a and c. in fig. 3 the course is below b, and above c, being a combination of the instance in fig. 2 with that in fig. 1. the precise angle to the line of the course which the boat's longer axis ought to have will depend upon what is to be done next after passing between b and c, and hence the importance of being able to effect the passages in fig. 1 and fig. 2, with the axis at any required angle. we may next suppose that one of the three rocks, say b, as in fig. 4, is a breaker which will deflect the current (as indicated by the dotted stream lines), and it will then be necessary to modify the angle of the boat's axis, though the boat's centre has to be kept in the same course as before. it will be seen at once that if a were a breaker the angle would be influenced in another manner, and that if c were a breaker the angle at which the boat should emerge from the group of rocks would be influenced by the stream from c also; but it is only necessary to remind the reader that all the combinations and permutations of breakers and sunk rocks need not be separately discussed,--they may be met by the experience obtained in one case of each class of circumstances. fig. 5 represents a _circular current_ over the group of three rocks. this is a very deceptive case, for it looks so easy that at first it is likely to be treated carelessly. if the boat were supposed to be a substance floating, but without weight, it would have its direction of motion instantly altered by that of the current. but the boat has weight, and as it has velocity (that of the current even if the boat is not urged also by the paddle so as to have "way" through the water), therefore it will have _momentum_, and the tendency will be to continue the motion in a straight line, instead of a curve guided solely by the current. in all these cases, therefore, it will be found that the boat _insists_ upon passing between a and c, where it must not be allowed to go (on the hypothesis we have started with), and if it effects a compromise by running upon c, that will be by no means satisfactory. this class of cases includes all those in which the river makes a quick turn round a rock or a tongue b, where the boundary formed by the rock a on the outer bend of the stream is a solid bank, or a fringe of growing trees, or of faggots artificially built as a protection against the erosion of the water. this case occurs, therefore, very frequently in some fast rivers, say, at least, a hundred times in a day's work, and perhaps no test of a man's experience and capacity as a canoeist is more decisive than his manner of steering round a fast, sharp bend. the tendency of the canoeist in such cases is always to bring the boat round by paddling _forward_ with the outer hand, thereby adding to the "way," and making the force of the current in its circular turn less powerful relatively. whereas, the proper plan is to _back_ with the inner hand, and so to stop all way in the direction of the boat's length, and to give the current its full force on the boat. repeated lessons are needed before this is learned thoroughly. the case we have last remarked upon is made easier if either a or c is a breaker, but it is very much increased in difficulty if the rock b is a breaker or is a strong tongue of bank, and so deflects the current outwards at this critical point. the difficulty is often increased by the fact that the water inside of the curve of the stream may be shoal, and so the paddle on that side strikes the bottom or grinds along it in backing. when the curve is all in deep water, and there is a pool after b, the boat ought not to be turned too quickly in endeavouring to avoid the rock c, else it will sometimes then enter the eddy below b, which runs up stream sometimes for fifty yards. in such a case the absurd position you are thereby thrown into naturally causes you to struggle to resist or stem this current; but i have found, after repeated trials of every plan i could think of, that if once the back current has taken the canoe it is best to let the boat swing with the eddy so as to make an entire circuit, until the bow can come back towards b (and below it), when the nose of the boat may be again thrust into the main stream, which will now turn the boat round again to its proper course. much time and labour may be spent uselessly in a wrong and obstinate contest with an eddy. in fig. 6, where the three rocks are in a straight line, and the middle one is a breaker, an instance is given when the proper course must be kept by _backing_ during the first part of it. we must suppose that the canoeist has attained the power of backing with perfect ease, for this will be quite necessary if he intends to take his boat safely through several hundred combinations of sunk rocks and breakers. presuming this, the case in fig. 6 will be easy enough, though a little reflection will show that it might be very difficult, or almost impossible, if the canoeist could give only a forward motion to the boat. to pass most artistically, then, through the group of rocks in fig. 6 the stern should be turned towards a, as shown in the diagram, and the passage across the current, between a and b, is to be effected solely by backing (and chiefly in this case with the left hand) until the furthest point of the right of the curve is reached, with the boat's length still as before in the position represented in the figure. then the forward action of both hands will take the canoe speedily through the passage between b and c. cases of this sort are rendered more difficult by the distance of c from the point above a, where you are situated when the instant decision has to be made as to what to do, and it would usually be imprudent to rise in the boat in such a place to survey the rock c. if it is evident that the plan described above will not be applicable, because other and future circumstances will require the boat's bow to emerge in the opposite direction (pointing to the right), then you must enter forwards, and must back between b and c, so as to be ready, after passing c, to drive forward, and to the right. it is plain that this is very much more difficult than the former case, for your backing now has to be done against the full stream from the breaker b. in all these instances the action of the wind has been entirely omitted from consideration, but it must not be forgotten that a strong breeze materially complicates the problem before the canoeist. this is especially so when the wind is aft; when it is ahead you are not likely to forget its presence. a strong fair wind (that has scarcely been felt with your back to it) and the swift stream and the boat's speed from paddling being all in one direction, the breeze will suddenly become a new element in the case when you try to cross above a rock as in fig. 1, and find that the wind carries you broadside on against all your calculations. as for sailing among rocks in a current, if the rapid is long the canoe must be directed solely by the paddle, and in short groups of rocks the course to be steered by a boat sailing is the same as if it were paddled, though the action of the wind has to be carefully taken into consideration. in all these things free boldness and skill come best after lessons of experience, and the canoeist will find himself ready and able, at the end of his voyage, to sail down a rapid which he would have approached very timidly, at the beginning, even with the paddle. but perhaps enough has been said for the experienced paddler, while surely more than enough has been said to show the tyro aspirant what varied work he has to do, and how interesting are the circumstances that will occupy his attention on a delightful river cruise. $the boy as yacht owner.$--boys who live near a sheet of water may like to know how to make--or to have made for them by a carpenter--a homely rough-hewn yacht. they may not be able to win the american cup with it, but they may have much fun on board, and it will be difficult to wreck. indeed, it is said to be impossible to upset a yacht of this pattern. the natives of south america use yachts of this build, and even go to sea in this kind of craft. we do not advise our readers to round cape horn or to cross the bay of biscay in a yacht like this, but on a lake or river they are not likely to come to grief. all the same, skill in swimming should precede boating of all kinds. a, b, c, d represent six pine logs, each one fourteen feet long and eight inches in diameter. the six joined together make a deck four feet wide. both ends of each log are roughly trimmed with an adze and underneath each log is bevelled along three feet of its length at each end. the middle eight feet of each log is thus left in its natural state, round and still bearing its bark; but three feet at each end of each log is trimmed to slope and taper towards its termination. e is four feet seven inches from the bow and represents a hole down to the water two inches wide and eighteen inches long. it is formed by cutting an inch away from each of the two centre logs to make two inches, and making the length of the indentation eighteen inches on each of these two logs. the purpose of the hole is to hold a centre-board, which is passed through it to act instead of a keel. it is a piece of two-inch plank eighteen inches wide. next the bow ends of the logs are fastened together by what joiners call rabbeting and bolting. fig. 2 represents a rabbet, and gives the dimensions. one of these rabbets is cut upon the upper side of each log, one foot six inches from the bow, so that when all the logs have been served exactly alike, and they have been placed in position side by side, these indentations form an unbroken channel across the boat. now a piece of the toughest dry wood--the bolt--shaped like fig. 3, should be made to fit this groove, and should then be placed therein. at h, i, in fig. 1 bore with an auger holes three-quarters of an inch in diameter through the bolt, and right on through the log. into these holes fit pegs of hard, very dry wood. [illustration: fig. 1.] if these pegs and the bolt fit tightly when they are quite dry they will swell and fit very much tighter when they become wet. two and a half feet further back at j, k, the logs are rabbeted again in precisely the same way, and again at l m, n o, and p q. the mast should be as long as the boat, and at its base four and a half inches in diameter. generally it consists of a small tree, a spruce fir, or something of that kind. the boom, seen in the completed picture, is almost as long as the mast, though more slender, and it must have a fork at its thickest end. a lighter bough, with a fork, three feet six-inches long, is needed as a rest for the boom. [illustration] the mast is fixed at r in fig. 1, and is secured as in fig. 4. it stands in a hole four inches in diameter and four inches deep. a and b in fig. 4 stand a foot away from the mast in holes three inches in diameter and three inches deep. a and b are each eighteen inches long, and c is a piece of two-inch plank eighteen inches wide, and it has a hole bored in it four inches in diameter to admit the mast. at s, t, u, v, in fig. 1 holes are bored three inches in diameter exactly upon the middle of the next to the outermost log on each side of the boat. these are fitted with forked uprights, those at s and t are eight inches long; those at u and v are twelve inches long. at w, x, y and z in fig. 1 bore holes three inches in diameter and three inches deep, w and x being one foot away from n, o. two feet from w and x should be y z. a and b are holes of the same size over the middle logs of the boat. in w, x, y and z should be forked uprights fourteen inches long. in a and b are uprights sixteen inches long with a cross piece upon which to rest the oar of the steersman. fig. 5 shows what the arrangements are with regard to these uprights. a little before the mast, on each side of the boat, a pole runs through the forks of the uprights. the ends of these poles are joined aft by a piece of one-inch plank, upon which sits the man at the helm. a shelter may be made with a piece of sailcloth or other material as shown in fig. 6. [illustration] the helm consists of a pole four feet long, which is fixed at an angle of forty-five degrees to a piece of inch plank two feet long and eight inches wide, as shown in fig. 7. it will be found that the vessel easily answers this helm, which is used like an oar. along the mast the sail is nine feet long. it does not run on rings, but is nailed to the mast. the corner is tied securely to the end of the boom, whose length is ten feet. the boom rests with its fork upon the mast and is prevented from slipping away by a forked, upright support. it is an easy matter to unfurl the sail. take the fork of the boom from the mast, and the sail collapses instantaneously. much navigation can be learned in a vessel of this kind, and it may be that some future admiral will have his small beginnings in a craft of this homely character. chapter x cooking in camp in the last chapter we had much to say of the famous canoe traveller, the late john macgregor, and our readers will welcome an account of his portable cooking apparatus, because even if they do not go voyages in a boat they will find it useful for picnics and camping out. this apparatus, the voyager tells us, "has been designed after numerous experiments with various portable cooking-machines which i could procure for trial, and, as it succeeds better than any of them, and has been approved by trial in five of my own voyages, and in another to iceland, besides shorter trips, and in the abyssinian campaign, it may be of some use to describe the contrivance here." the object proposed was to provide a light but strong apparatus which could speedily boil water and heat or fry other materials even in wet and windy weather, and with fuel enough carried in itself for several days' use. fig. 1 is a section of the rob roy cuisine as it is made up for carrying. there is first a strong waterproof bag about one foot high, and closed at the top by a running cord. at the bottom is the cuisine itself, _a_, which occupies a space of only six inches by three inches (when of smaller size), and has the various parts packed inside, except the drinking cup _b_. provisions, such as bread and cold meat or eggs, may be stowed in the bag above the cuisine, and if the string of it be then attached to a nail fixed in the boat, the whole will be kept steady. for use, when it is desired to boil water, the cuisine being opened, the lower part is a copper pan, _c_, fig. 2, with a handle, _e_, which can be fixed either into a socket in the side of the pan, or another socket in the side of the lid, as represented in figs. 2 and 6. three iron legs also fix into sockets and support the pan over the spirit-lamp, _f_, by which the pan, two-thirds full of liquid, will be boiled in five minutes. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] [illustration: fig. 3.] [illustration: fig. 6.] [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 5.] the lamp is the main feature of the apparatus, and it is represented in section in fig. 3. it consists of two cylinders, one within the other. the space between these (shaded dark) is closed at top and bottom, and a tube _b_, fixed through the bottom, rises with one open end inside, and another (a small nozzle) curved upwards in the open internal cylinder. another tube, _h_, opens into the annular chamber between the cylinders, and it has a funnel-shaped mouth at the outer end, through which the chamber may be filled, while a screw in the inside allows a handle, fig. 4 (in section), to have its end, _j_, screwed in. a small hole in the upper surface is closed by a little cork, which will be expelled if the pressure within is so high as to require escape by this safety-valve. the hole may be in any part of the annular cover (but is not shown in the sketch), and in such case the hole shown in the handle is omitted. the outer cylinder of the lamp, being larger than the inner one, has a bottom, _k_, fig. 3, which forms a circular tray of about two inches wide and half an inch deep. the original form of the lamp, which was first brought to notice by the cook of the royal canoe club, had a detached tray for the bottom, but now, instead of this plan for the admission of air into the lamp, two saw cuts are made, each about an inch long. one of them is shown below _f_, fig. 2, and thus the lamp and tray are united in one compact piece while there still is access for air. the late professor j. d. forbes, who used this lamp, says it was introduced into this country from russia by dr. samuel brown, and that "the jet of burning spirit has such force as to resist the blast of a hurricane." to put the lamp in operation, unscrew its handle from the position in fig. 2, so that it will be as in figs. 3 and 4. then from a tin flask (which has been packed with the rest of the things in the pan) pour spirits of wine--or, if the odour is not objected to, methylated spirit, into the measure _m_, fig. 5, and from that into the interior of the lamp through the opening at _h_. next screw in the handle, and place the lamp level under the pan, and pour nearly another measure full into the interior tray. set fire to this, and shelter it for a few seconds if there be much wind. i used this always with complete success on the jordan, nile, danube, and many other rivers. in a short time the flame heats the spirits in the closed chamber, and the spirituous steam is forced by pressure down the tube, and inflames at the nozzle, from which it issues with much force and some noise in a lighted column, which is about one foot in height when unimpeded. this powerful flame operates on the whole of the bottom and lower edge of the pan, and it cannot be blown out by wind nor by a blast from the mouth, but may be instantly extinguished by sharply placing the flat bottom of the measure upon it. the cover may be put on so as to rest with the flat bottom downwards, and with or without the handle. if tea is to be made with the water when it boils, the requisite quantity is to be placed in the tea vessel, _n_, fig. 5, which has perforated sides, and, its lid being closed, this is placed in the water, where it will rest on the curved side, and can be agitated now and then for a minute, after which insert the handle in the socket of the pan and remove the lamp, allowing the tea to infuse for four minutes, when the tea vessel may be removed and the made tea may be poured out into the cup. the dry tea can be conveniently carried in a paper inside the tea vessel. salt is carried in the box _o_, and the matches are in the box _p_. coffee may be best carried in the state of essence in a bottle. an egg-spoon and a soup-spoon are supplied. a flat clasp knife and fork may be had extra. if bacon is to be fried, or eggs to be poached or cooked _sur le plat_, they may be put into the lid and held by hand over the lamp-flame, so as to warm all parts equally, or the slower heat of a simple flame may be employed by lighting the measure full of spirits and then placing it on the bottom of the upturned pan as shown at fig. 6, where it will be observed that the three legs are placed in their sockets with the convex curve of each turned outward, so that the lid, as a frying-pan, can rest upon their three points. the spirit-flask contains enough for six separate charges of the lamp, and the cost of using methylated spirits at 4s. 6d. a gallon is not one penny a meal. the lamp-flame lasts from ten to fifteen minutes, and the weight of the _cuisine_, exclusive of the bag and cup, is about two pounds. these cuisines, improved by the suggestions obtained in their use, should be carefully made with the best materials and workmanship, and the cost would be about two and a half guineas; or if with tin boiler instead of copper, and brass lamp, â£1 12s. 6d. many of much larger size (to cook for twenty men) have been used in australia. the lamp above described was used daily in my yawl but the other fittings were on a more enlarged scale, as extreme lightness was not then required. the norwegian cooking apparatus of another kind entirely will be a valuable adjunct to the yachtsman's stores. by means of this, meat or pudding after being heated for only _five minutes_, and then enclosed in a box which retains the heat, will be found to be perfectly cooked after three hours, though no more heat has been applied to it. [illustration] since john macgegor used this stove there have been other wickless stoves invented, and sold at more moderate prices. for instance there are the primus and the optimus and the wickless oil stove of the wilson engineering company. several such stoves, of which two are illustrated here, are included in the lists of messrs. a. w. gamage, ltd., and they are useful indoors and in the open. chapter xi butterflies and moths for those boys who have the good fortune to live in britain, few hobbies are better or more enticing than collecting butterflies and moths. the following apparatus will be enough to start with: (1) a butterfly net; (2) a few dozens of one ounce and two ounce deep willow pill-boxes, which may be strengthened by a little liquid shellac glue run round the inside edges; (3) a handbag which excludes the light; (4) a two-pound biscuit-tin with tightly-fitting lid; (5) a zinc pinning box, cork lined; (6) some entomological pins in three sizes; (7) some setting boards or blocks; and (8) a store box for keeping the specimens when dry enough to remove from the setting boards. we will now consider these items in detail. the butterfly net can quite easily be home-made, though, where money is plentiful, it is best bought with the other things above named. to make the net-frame, obtain from a dealer what is called a y-piece, in brass tube. then obtain a piece of short walking-stick, not more than two feet long, which will fit into the lower section of the y, which has a broader tube than the two upper sections. a short stick is always best, because more handy and sure in manipulation when catching the butterflies. into the upper sections of the y place the ends of a piece of cane about three or four feet long, being careful that each end of the cane fits tightly into the brass sockets. then get a lady friend to make for you a green or white leno-muslin bag net, with a brown calico hem attached, into which the cane runs. this net should be made just deep enough to reach with the hand to the bottom, or an inch or so deeper only. mind the bottom is made round, and not jelly-bag shaped with a point, which will ruin nearly all your captures before they are secured. before using the net, have the muslin steeped in water for a whole night, so as to take all the stiffness out of the muslin. it will require several rinsings before the size is all removed, and it becomes quite soft. never mind the loss of colour if green--it will only look the more workman-like. in using the net to catch the specimens, like so many other things, it requires practice to make perfect; but when once the knack is obtained, it should be a rare thing to miss a specimen. don't race after them, but wait until the butterfly hovers over a flower, or flies steadily past, then, with a bold, steady stroke, catch it in the centre of the net opening, at the same moment giving the wrist a sharp half-turn, which will close the mouth of the net, and so secure the novelty. carry the empty pill-boxes in the right-hand side pocket of the coat, transferring them to the left-hand side as filled, so that the full and empty boxes never get mixed in the pockets. having safely netted the butterfly, place the net on the ground, and take a suitable sized pill-box in the right hand. remove the lid, which is to be placed in the ball of the hand loosely under the bottom of the pill-box. this leaves the left hand free. then insert the right hand into the net, and cover the butterfly with the pill-box, holding it with the left hand from the outside of the net, carefully keeping the gauze tightly over the box with the left forefinger. the right hand, which is now free, still contains the lid of the pill-box, which gently place over the butterfly, slowly drawing out the gauze remaining between the lid and the box. quickly transfer the filled box, which should contain _only one_ specimen, into the dark left-hand pocket. most butterflies will at once become quiet in the dark, if it is not too hot. as opportunity occurs, it is best to transfer them to the hand-bag, which should be left near, under the shade of a bush in a cool place. by this means every specimen should be so boxed without the apparent loss of a single scale from their wings. only take good specimens--don't be tempted to get a quantity, but rather go in for fine quality. especially avoid any which are chipped, rubbed, or otherwise unfit for cabinet specimens. it is a great mistake to take imperfect specimens, for they give just as much trouble as the finest, and are never of use either for the collection or for scientific purposes. if it is not convenient on arrival home to immediately set out our captures, they should not be killed, but placed in the biscuit-tin or left in the bag just as they are, in a cold, dark cellar, or like place, where they will be all right for a couple of days or more, remaining perfectly still. having brought home our captures we now produce the biscuit-tin. this is to be used for the "lethal-chamber," where the specimens are to be sent to sleep, but not to "awake refreshed." the processes of by-gone times for killing butterflies for collections have been many, the most primitive, perhaps, being pinching the under side of the thorax, or that part of the body to which the wings are attached. doubtless, there are in the various collections of butterflies, large numbers of fine specimens which have been so killed; but it is an objectionable plan, because even when skilfully executed, the specimens are more or less mutilated in the structure, and are consequently difficult to set out with accuracy. we are almost certain by this method to break off a leg or two, or otherwise render the specimen imperfect. chloroform is used by some people to kill their butterflies, but it is unsatisfactory, for it often renders them very rigid and too stiff to immediately set out, which is a great disadvantage. much the same may be said of the fumes of cyanide of potassium, which constitute the active properties of the "killing bottles" sold by the dealers. it is, however, always wise to keep one of these bottles in the hand-bag, in case something very special is to be immediately stupefied. it must, however, be a good large bottle, with wide mouth, for it is needed generally for the big butterflies, such as the larger fritillaries, purple emperors, and the like in size and strength. there is nothing, however, so good for obtaining perfect specimens as boxing the butterflies in the nets, conveying them home in a dark hand-bag, and then killing them in a biscuit-tin with the fumes of _strong_ liquid ammonia. it is best to buy a four-ounce tightly-stoppered squat-bottle for keeping the ammonia, which, when not in use, should be placed out of the light, in a drawer or cupboard, taking care the stopper is tightly fixed. in buying the ammonia ask the chemist for that with a specific gravity of .880, which is commonly kept by them. some chemists will try to persuade the buyer that it is not safe, so as to supply a weaker article; in which case don't trade with him again, for anything weaker will not only not kill the butterflies, but simply irritate them into knocking themselves into small pieces. now to proceed. we place about a large teaspoonful of the liquid ammonia into a little cup, or better, in a small mustard-tin lid, taking care to keep our eyes and nose clear of the fumes. place this as quickly as possible at the bottom of the biscuit-tin, and over it loosely a piece of paper, so as to let out the fumes, but to stop the pill-boxes from falling into the fluid, and so doing damage to box and contents. then place the boxes containing the butterflies into the tin and tightly close the lid and leave them for not less than half an hour, or better still, a little longer. the boxes thus placed may be left overnight and opened next morning, if more convenient; but in that case it is best to put in with them a small piece of damp sponge about the size of a walnut, so as to keep the specimens from getting too dry. this damp atmosphere should also be there when the butterflies are stored away alive in the dark, for a day or two, as described already. on opening the lid of the biscuit-tin containing the ammonia and pill-boxes, be careful to keep your face well away, or the puff of vapour may be very painful. there is no danger whatever to be feared from the use of ammonia in this manner, but still it may lead to temporary discomfort, such as pain in the eyes and loss of breath for a moment. having removed the lid proceed in the following manner: first place on the table before you a sheet of white paper or a blotting-pad. by your side on the table have a small tea-tray, or other flat receptacle. take out of the tin one of the top pill-boxes, open the lid, and shake out the butterfly on the sheet of paper in front of you. then put the lid of the pill-box with its top turned downwards, on the tea-tray, and place the remainder of the pill-box, _sideways_ within the lid. the object is to let the air get to the inside of the boxes, so as to evaporate the ammonia still remaining about them, or the next butterfly to occupy the box will object to the stale fumes of "smelling salts," and probably knock itself about in consequence. the boxes may be thus all emptied and left to air, which will not require much more than an hour, or even less, if the tray be placed in the sunshine near an open window. by placing each box sideways in its lid, the boxes and lids all fit one another, and do not get tiresomely mixed. in shaking out the butterflies place them in rows neatly on the paper, so that you know which was the first to leave the boxes, for that row should be the first pinned, having been exposed longer to the fresh air, to permit the ammonia attached to them to evaporate. if pinned too soon, the ammonia is apt to affect the metal of the pin and make it brittle where it passes through the body of the insect. the action of this gas is most peculiar on the colours of some insects, especially on that of the small heath butterfly, marbled whites, or some of the blues. when seen for the first time one is horror-stricken, and apt to exclaim that the specimens are ruined with the nasty stuff. this, however, soon all passes away as the ammonia evaporates and the normal colours reappear in all their former beauty. some collectors rail against ammonia, using themselves some worse killing medium. there is no other such medium which will allow of one, after pinning the insect, to move it up and down quickly in the air with the effect that the wings are as flaccid as though the specimen were alive. it leaves not the slightest trace of rigidity, which is of the highest importance for quick and successful setting out. the next proceeding is one which requires delicate handling and touch, which can only come with practice. it is pinning the insects. to do this there is only one way which permits of the specimen being afterwards exactly set out, and that is, the "proper way." any deviation from it, simple as it is, leads to all sorts of trouble and vexation when we come to set the butterflies out on the blocks. take the butterfly--with the wings closed together over the back, so that the under side only can be seen--between the left hand first finger and thumb. touch it deftly, but firmly, holding no more than is necessary of the under side of the thorax, where the legs are fixed. be very careful not to break off any of the legs, or rub off any scales from the body or legs. a small pair of curved forceps are of great use in delicately placing the butterfly in position between the fingers. the proper position allows of the wings to more than half open, when gently blown upon with one's breath. then choose a pin of suitable size, rather a little large than otherwise, and pass it through the centre of the upper part of the thorax, just where the two front wings meet. mind it is exactly in the centre and so placed that the pin's head leans somewhat forward when the pin is fully in the body. pass the pin well through the body, so that at least one third of its length is clear of the underside of the butterfly, and all as nearly as possible the same distance through. when we have pinned the specimens, we proceed to set or spread them out on the blocks to dry. in selecting these, say they are for butterflies, do not get the slot groove down the centre too wide, as is needed for the fat-bodied moths. those blocks used in this country are generally somewhat rounded on each side where the wings are to rest. this is called "round-setting" in distinction to "flat-setting," which means that the wings, when quite dry, remain set out flatly at right angles from the body; while round-setting leaves them drooping at the tips in an unnatural manner. round-setting is considered, outside the british islands, an insular abomination. it was the style, unfortunately, adopted in this country with the dawn of the present activity among british entomologists, and everybody knows how difficult it is to change even such a simple fashion as the round-setting of butterflies. simple as the matter seems at first sight, it has contributed more than any other cause to the generally shameful ignorance which prevails among british entomologists of even the butterflies of the continent of europe outside our islands. because they can only be obtained from abroad "flat-set," most of our collectors would hardly look at a "foreign" butterfly; and so the study of the british species has been blocked for years, entirely from this cause, which fostered so largely the prejudice in favour of "british specimens." a "british" camberwell beauty is now worth a sovereign, if taken in britain, although it doubtless flew over from the opposite continent; but the same specimen, if taken in france or belgium, would not be worth sixpence to a british collector. now all this is wrong and should not be. of course, it is quite right to know what does occur in our country, but there is no need for these absurd differences in value of the specimens, whether taken in britain or on the mainland of europe. it leads to fraud, and it is sad to think that some professional dealers have actually made more than comfortable livings, chiefly by inducing young or inexperienced people to pay long prices for "british" specimens which were perhaps captured in germany, where they were set on rounded blocks, sent out for the purpose to deceive english people, because they were "round-set" and pinned with birmingham-made pins! another result of this insular prejudice is that some species of butterflies very closely allied to others have been overlooked for want of familiarity with another continental species. a case of this kind was the cause of our last addition to the british list being so long overlooked. there was this butterfly, quite common, year after year, within twenty miles of london, and flying over fifty miles of country, overlooked; all because of our want of knowledge of even the commonest european species. we therefore recommend the flat-setting, and if the new generation of students of butterflies will adopt it, the round-setting style will disappear in a very few years. the blocks should be covered with very fine cork, or may be of soft wood, if the steel pins can be obtained. then they would be cheaper, as the cork covering adds much to the expense, besides being always unsatisfactory, in consequence of the holes in the cork, which hold mites and such vermin. place the setting block on the table, with the top furthest away from you. proceed to select the various butterflies from your damp collecting-box which will best suit the size of the block, allowing about a quarter of an inch clear from the outer edge on each side. then, with the forceps, take hold of the upper part of the pin near to the body and firmly drive it in the same leaning position as it is fixed into the body, firmly into the _exact centre_ of the groove. if the pin will not go readily into the block, make a lead for it with a sharp-pointed penknife. do not be tempted to push down the body on the pin, or your specimens will, on removal from the blocks, be all sorts of heights on the pins, and quite unfit for cabinet purposes. next see that the shoulders of the wings just touch the edge of the block, so as to place the wings flat, without tilting up the tips. observe carefully that the bodies are straight and lifted by placing under them bits of paper or cotton wool so as to extend on an even plane with the thorax and wings. continue placing your specimens until exhausted in number, or until the block is quite full, after leaving a clear space between each butterfly sufficient to lift the wing tips slightly forward of the front part of the head. then with a sharp penknife, very neatly cut a thin nick in the under edge of the ends of the block directly below the shoulder piece of the centre groove. there should be four of these little nicks. next get a piece of _glazed_ cotton thread, and tie a knot at one end. insert this knot in the top left-hand nick, the knotted end being below the block. very gently, but firmly, bring the thread over the end of the block, close to the shoulder, down the left-hand side closely into the inner edge of the block, catching it in the bottom left-hand nick under the block. this will have had the effect of placing all the wings firmly on that side of the block. then carry the thread underneath the block into the top right-hand nick and over the end of the block, down the right-hand upper side, over the lower end, firmly fix in that nick and cut off the thread. great care must be taken to pull the thread over the wings not so tightly as to mark them. a good plan is to push under each upper end of the thread a thin pin which eases it, so as to avoid damaging the top and bottom specimens in the row while setting them into their respective places. these pins may afterwards be withdrawn. next proceed with a very fine pointed needle to gently lift all the wings into their proper places so as to get the effect of "a well-set butterfly." it may be found that the thread is too slack in places to hold down the wings in proper position. that may be obviated by neatly cross-pinning down the thread on either side at intervals between the butterflies. when all the specimens have been arranged with perfect uniformity, take two slips of tracing-paper, which have been previously cut to fit the length of the block, and each must be three-fourths the breadth of one side of the setting block. then lay one of these strips of paper on the left-hand side, being very careful to keep just clear of the thread. all the wings will be seen plainly through the transparent paper and can be readjusted if any slip out of position. next place with the forceps a no. 10 entomological pin firmly through the top and at the bottom of the paper, near the edge next the cotton. place another between the first and second butterfly on the block, and so on down the row; also, _as you go along_, place another pin between the outer indentation where the upper and lower wings meet; also put a fourth pin by the tip of the upper wing. these pins should firmly secure the paper over the wings, which, when thus treated on both sides, will dry into the desired position for cabinet specimens. the greatest care must be taken not to allow any pin-point to enter the wing or fringe of a butterfly, or it will be quite spoiled. next very carefully and gently undo the fastened thread, first taking out any cross pins which secure it. after its removal gently stroke from the body towards the paper on each side with a soft camel's hair brush any disturbed scales. with practice there should not be the least damage done by the thread, which leaves no mark whatever if _moved at once_ when the papers are firmly fixed. if they should be left on carelessly, or by any mistake, the threads will be certain to mark every butterfly, to their complete disfigurement. keep the blocks which contain the set-out butterflies in a dry cupboard or other safe place. when thus drying they fall an easy prey to earwigs, wasps, ants, cockroaches, and such like "small beasts," which will strip off all the bodies on a block in a single night. they should not be exposed to too bright a light whilst drying on the blocks, or they often suffer in colour. when single specimens have to be set out it is easy to work the thread by putting a pin through the knot and holding down the other end with the left-hand forefinger until the paper is fixed, and then treating the other wings in like manner. it is advisable to leave the butterflies on the blocks for about a week, though the surest test is to touch the body gently with a pin, and if _quite hard_, it is safe to remove the insects to a store box without fear of the wings springing. after removing the butterflies, pass over the surface of the block some hard substance, such as the back of an ivory-handled knife, to rub down any little roughness made by the pins on the surface, where the wings are placed, when setting any fresh insects on the same block. most of the butterflies are easily reared through all their stages, from the eggs up to the perfect insect. this is by far the most interesting part of the study. until within the last few years, when the writer of these chapters pressed some of his friends to look more closely into the life histories of our common butterflies, it was the custom of some naturalists to sneer at "butterfly-catchers." since then a wonderful book has been published on the butterflies of the eastern portion of north america by mr. scudder, and all these scoffers must feel very small when they see such splendid science in the study of butterflies. now, many people, who never thought of rearing a butterfly, are giving careful attention to them in all their stages. several kinds of butterflies are readily induced to lay their eggs in captivity when carefully managed. various species differ much in this--some may be depended upon with certainty, such as the "green-veined white" (_pieris napi_), which will deposit its eggs at night upon a piece of watercress, under the influence of a warm room, and the bright light of a paraffin lamp. this species, however, is quite an exception, for, as a rule, every attention should be given to copying their natural surroundings as closely as possible. a good plan is to have ready planted in a large flower-pot a plant of the food of the particular species from which it is desired to have eggs, or, as they are called by the entomologists, the ova--that being, as you know, the plural of ovum, the latin for an egg. having got your plant nicely established in its flower-pot, buy a piece of wire-netting, about a foot wide, and bend it round so as to fit just _inside_ the flower-pot. by cutting the wire so as to overlap a little, it is easy to twist or hook the ends, so as to make a cylinder to just fit inside the pot. then cover this with very open muslin all round and over the top, neatly stretched, so as not to look untidy or to stop a single ray of sunshine which can get through. having had several of these cages prepared, they may be used at the moment when you bring home the freshly-caught females. the sooner the female butterflies are placed in the cage the better, for if they remain too long in the pill-box they are apt to get too dry, and so never recover enough to deposit their ova. after firmly tying the cage to the pot, do not disturb them when once in the cages, so long as they are alive; but leave them out of doors, where they get all the sunlight or rain. if the plant be watered, that is best done by soaking the flower-pot in water up to two-thirds the height of the soil, and not by removing the cage. still, in dry weather it is best to sprinkle the cage with water, so that the captive may drink, which they often require to do. another way, especially in the case of small butterflies, is to use large glass jam-pots, with a piece of muslin tied over the top. in these pots should be a little sprig of food-plant in a small bottle of water, and also a bit of damp sponge to keep up a moist atmosphere, without which there will rarely be any eggs. the pots may be placed in the sunlight in a room near an open window, but care should be taken that the glass does not get too hot, or both parent and eggs may be killed. when the eggs hatch, never, if possible, touch, except with a camel-hair brush, the young caterpillars--or larvã¦ as they are scientifically called, that being the plural for larva, a single caterpillar. pupa is the singular, and pupã¦ the plural, for the chrysalis; imago the singular, and imagines the plural, for the perfect insects or complete butterflies. these scientific terms are quite easy to learn, and are the best to use when referring to the various stages of insects generally. in selecting females for depositing ova, take those which are a little worn, and not too recently emerged from pupã¦, as they are the more likely to produce fertile eggs. when the ova hatch, watch them very closely, at least three or four times a day. if they are on growing food, do not touch them at all, but if they require moving for any reason, a soft, sharp-pointed camel-hair pencil is the best tool to use. glass jam-pots are very nice for feeding young larvã¦ of any kind. the method is, to change the food daily, taking care to remove at the same time all dirt made by the larvã¦, which is called "frass." cleanliness in rearing larvã¦ is the first consideration, and the next most important thing is to always gather their food from the same tree as that from which they began to feed when hatched. if they are fed on growing plants this does not, of course, apply. tie over the mouth of the pot with fine unglazed calico, and over this place a piece of glass so as to stop, as far as possible, the drying of the food plant in the jar. be very particular to supply the fresh food always quite dry, and never in a wet condition, which is apt to give the larvã¦ diarrh[oe]a, to which in captivity they are very subject. never give more food than the young larvã¦ are likely to eat, increasing the supply as they get older. when changing the larvã¦ always count them, or some will be lost and thrown out with the withered food. the best plan is to spread out a sheet of white paper on a table, and empty the contents of the jar on it. then examine the interior of the jar, seeing that every little one is out. having cleaned it out with a clean, dry duster, put in the fresh food. then lift in with the hair-pencil any active larvã¦. those which are sulky-looking on the leaves clip off with part of the leaf, and drop into the jar. they may be changing their skin, and, if disturbed then, will probably not recover. the food should be changed at least once every day. while growing, larvã¦ of butterflies generally like plenty of light, but it is unsafe to leave the sunshine too long on the jars, in case the living contents get baked, as will the food certainly. some species while in the larval stage, feed only at night, hiding away in the daylight. these are matters which will soon be found out by experience. we have never heard of any one having reared all the british species through their stages, but we know one friend who reared no less than eighteen different kinds through, from ova to imagines, in a single season. $moth catching.$--students of natural history in search of moths which they may identify by a reference to such works upon the subject as those by the rev. j. g. wood, will find an interesting method of catching them in preparing "treacles." the fancy "golden syrups" of the kitchen should be avoided. ask the grocer to get common treacle--green treacle they call it in the trade. to a pound of this will be added a wineglassful of stale beer and about three-quarters of a wineglassful of the most inferior rum you can buy. a few drops of oil of aniseed will improve this dreadful concoction. do not add the rum, beer, and aniseed to the treacle at once, but keep them in a bottle apart until you are going to use the mixture. with a companion who carries a net, look out now for isolated trees that have a rough bark. do not waste attention on dead trees, fences, nor chestnut trees, willows, nor flowering ivy. in warm, damp weather when there is no moon, go out with a bottle of this mixture and a house-painter's brush, "a sash tool," as painters call it, will serve you well, and a lantern, some pill-boxes or similar small receptacles. having selected a tree daub it well with your mixture in a patch about a foot long and half a foot broad. so pass from tree to tree. come back at last to the first tree again. your companion should hold the net under the treacle patch for some of the moths that have come to enjoy the rum and treacle will fall when you turn the lantern light upon them. those that do not may be taken from the tree by an upward scoop of a pill-box, and then secured by the lid. try to avoid getting the sticky mixture upon the handle of the brush and upon your hands, for it will prevent your deft manipulation of your pill boxes. after the first night very little treacle will be needed to freshen the patches, but the mixture may be used freely on your first round. the treacling season begins about march 21 and goes on until the end of april. may does not yield many moths, nor the first week in june, but after that you may go round again with your bottle until the end of september. you may find sometimes that toads and bats poach on your preserves. [illustration] another way to secure specimens of moths is to make a moth trap. our diagram gives a plan of it, that is a representation of it as seen from above if we look down at it with the lid off. a, b, c, d is a box. it may be made for the purpose, or a soap box or other case may be purchased from the grocer for a few coppers. e, f, and g are panes of glass, held in grooves. h is another pane of glass which comes up to the lid, and cuts the box into two unequal parts. j is the reflector of a lighted lamp placed in front of it. there will need to be a hole in the lid over the lamp, and a flower pot upside down may be put over this hole. it is best to have three doors into the larger compartment; one in the lid and one in each of the two sides, k and l, so that two hands may be used in putting the moths that come to the light into pill boxes. chapter xii hints on aquariums it is better to have several aquariums than one. often the mistake is made of gathering together all kinds of savage and voracious creatures that prey upon each other. pretty as they are, there is no need to buy the glass aquariums, and indeed better in every way for the inhabitants is a large tub put out of doors in a place where there is not too much sun. clean sand or gravel should be strewed upon the bottom and in this water-plants may be fixed. if you have any bivalves they will love to burrow in it, and some kinds of fish love to rest upon a bottom of this kind. large stones should be built to reach half-way up the tub, with spaces between so that the fish may dart out of the light whenever they wish. if you keep fish that need running water it will be necessary to put the tub under a tap, and to pierce a hole near the top of the tub for the superfluous water to flow away. in this case it will be as well to cover the tub with a net, or the fish may be found to have leapt over the edge. boys may make their own net from the instructions given in chapter xix., or may buy cheap gauze or other similar material. if the tub is for newts and such things as do not live wholly in the water, then the stones should be built until they come above the water and so form a little island. for these creatures the water should not be so deep, and there should be an abundance of weeds. freshwater shrimps and crayfish should have a shallow tub or trough, a sandy bottom, and places in which they can hide. here, too, there must be water running in and out always. by these means we imitate the natural surroundings of the shrimps and crayfish, for they delight in the running water of shallow streams that have a bottom of sand and stones. the outlet for the waste water should be protected with a grating and probably with gauze, or some of the inhabitants of the tub will escape. there are many objections to glass vessels, though some of their faults may be corrected. they trouble the fish with too much light, but if a brown paper case of the same size and shape as the aquarium be made it can be slipped over the vessel and removed occasionally when you wish to observe the movements of the fish. glass soon becomes foul, and needs frequent cleaning. in any case the aquarium should be kept out of the sun, and for this reason a northern window is best. whatever form of aquarium is selected there must be soil and sand at the bottom, weeds, and shelter for the fish. the bell glass is the least favourable form of aquarium, but even that may be made tolerable if the hints we have given are adopted. in the square or oblong form only one side need be glass and the remaining three sides wood, metal or slate. the sand that forms the bottom of an aquarium should be quite clean. if you have found it in the bottom of a swift stream it will not need much washing, but if from any other place it should be washed thoroughly. put a large bucket under a tap, and as the water runs into the bucket strew the sand gradually into the moving water with one hand, and stir the water as hard as you can with the other. keep this going until the water that runs out of the bucket is quite clean. even now, however, the sand may not be thoroughly cleansed. put a drop of the water upon a piece of clean glass, and when the water has been evaporated there should be no sediment. when the sand, plants, pebbles and stones have been arranged in an aquarium it is best to introduce the water gently by means of a syphon, a method explained in chapter xix. the aquarium may be emptied in the same way. there are a number of ways of supplying the fish with the amount of oxygen they need. one is to change the water frequently, another already mentioned is to have running water and a pipe for the surplus water; a third means is to have a fountain, an attractive element described in chapter xix. these methods, however, are mechanical and artificial. the natural way of providing the oxygen is to secure the aid of water plants. these absorb carbonic acid gas, and, having made use of the carbon in their growth, set free the oxygen, which is waste as far as they are concerned. thus in a well-balanced aquarium the fish provide the plants with carbonic acid gas, and receive back the oxygen which they need; the plants provide the fish with oxygen which they do not want, but which is the very life of the fish, and receive back the carbon without which they would die. water-beetles, newts and some other creatures come to the surface for their air, and take no oxygen, or very little, from the water. for many reasons the best aquarium is a pond in the garden, for here we may have greater variety of animal and vegetable life, and beautiful surroundings of plant life too. the pond should be about three feet deep, and the banks should slope, so that there will be a little spade work at first. the bottom may be of clay, but it is better for many reasons to have cement. the points mentioned with regard to the indoor aquarium apply here also, but many of the arrangements are more easily carried out in the pond than in the tank. $plants for the aquarium.$--the duckweeds float and need no planting. they spread rapidly. there are four kinds: the lesser duckweed (_lemna minor_); the ivy-leaved duckweed (_lemna trisulca_). then there is the american pondweed (_anacharis alsinastrum_), a weed that almost blocks slow moving rivers and canals. it will grow either attached to the bottom or floating. not only does it supply the fish with air but with food also. the hornwort (_ceratophyllum demersum_) needs no soil, and gives off much oxygen, though probably not so much as _vallisneria spiralis_, a great favourite in the aquarium. easier to obtain is the water crowfoot (_ranunculus aquatilis_), and we may mention also the broad-leaved pondweed (_potamogeton natans_), close-leaved pondweed (_potamogeton densus_), the perfoliate pondweed (_p. perfoliatus_), the curled pondweed (_p. crispus_), the starwort (_callitriche verna_), the grassy pondweed (_potamogeton gramineus_), and the enterprising boy will find many others for himself in ponds, streams, and canals. foreign plants are sold by dealers. for the garden pond the beautiful water lilies may be obtained. the weeds should be prevented from occupying too much space, and if the creatures in the aquarium do not keep them in check by eating them it will be necessary to remove some of the plants occasionally. $sanitation.$--if a fish dies remove it at once, or its dead body will pollute the water. to clean a glass aquarium let the water run away through a siphon until only a few inches remain, then clean the sides with a piece of rag tied upon a stick. now siphon the remaining water away, at the same time supplying fresh water. do not throw a lot of food to the fishes. what they do not eat decays and poisons the water. if there are molluscs in the aquarium this danger is lessened, for many of them act as scavengers, and they are assisted by freshwater shrimps, tadpoles, and beetles. the shrimps, however, may eat the living as well as the dead, and the tadpoles, instead of being allowed to eat, may themselves be eaten. $the food supply.$--fish eat the buds and tender shoots of pond weeds. they may have also a moderate supply of small worms, gentles, different kinds of larvã¦, and what are called ants' eggs. frogs and toads eat insects, little beetles, worms, grubs, caterpillars, and newts need an occasional worm. $the fish.$--many of the fish that swarm in most ponds and streams are suitable for the aquarium. the carp is related to the goldfish, which is the golden carp. it is quiet and harmless, and will not interfere with other creatures in the aquarium. minnows are pretty, and should have running water, and the roach is another suitable fish for life in captivity. the gudgeon, loach, and bullhead serve for bottom fish. jack and sticklebacks are extremely interesting, but need a place for themselves, as they eat any other inhabitants of the same aquarium. $fishes as pets.$--perhaps, writes one of our contributors, the most interesting of freshwater fishes to watch is the stickleback, especially if a pair can be kept during the breeding season in a good-sized aquarium, so that they have the opportunity to collect materials and build their curious nest in the natural way. the male fish develops during this season a most beautiful vermilion-coloured breast, and is exceedingly pugnacious, so that it is useless to attempt to keep two males in the same aquarium. in fact, the stickleback is often so quarrelsome that it is not desirable to try to keep other fish with him, unless they are much larger than he is. the easiest fish to keep alive are the carp (to which tribe the goldfish belongs) and the minnow. these can be kept for years without much difficulty, and will not be likely to injure one another, or any other fish that may be placed in the same tank. small rudd are also very good pets, and are nearly as hardy and equally harmless. roach are easily obtained, and will not quarrel, but they are not quite so strong. perch, on the contrary, will live a long time if regularly fed, but it will not do to put any smaller fish, except sticklebacks, with them; yet they look so handsome that an aquarium containing two or three perch and a pair of sticklebacks is perhaps better worth looking at than one which can only boast of shoals of roach or other soft-mouthed fishes. dace and chub are pretty and harmless, but require more changes of water than is usually convenient, or they will soon die. tench are tenacious of life, but sluggish and fond of lying at the bottom. small bream are fairly lively, and i have found them moderately hardy. they do not require water of special purity. gudgeons live very well, and may be kept with minnows, being good friends together. the loach and the bullhead are fairly hardy, but have little other attraction. the grayling is very delicate, and it is not possible to keep her long, except under very favourable conditions. the ruffe or pope is hardy, like its relative the perch, and might, if obtainable (it is not a common fish), be placed in a perch tank, as a humble companion. the bleak is almost as delicate as the grayling; and the jack is too ravenous for any fish to live in his company except another jack _of his own size_. this about ends the list, excepting that i've left till the last the noblest of fish--trout and salmon. with regard to the latter i don't want to encourage a boy in the notion that he can keep a ten-pound salmon in a tank. nevertheless, i have for many successive seasons kept salmon for weeks or months in a small tank; but these were young ones, very young, about the size of tadpoles, in fact, and not unlike them in some respects. they are almost indistinguishable from the young trout with which i keep them. of course, they are but babies, and they have their feeding bottles attached, and do not want feeding till these are absorbed. to return to trout. these fish, when about a year old, are very interesting, and if a constant change of water can be secured may be kept alive for years. even without this advantage, i have kept them many months, and have found their little ways very curious. the trait i objected to the most was the habit of cannibalism which the larger fish developed. i found one fish of about one and a half ounces with another about half that size half way down its throat. this makes it desirable to keep only such trout as are about the same size together. they will gradually, though very slowly, get tame, and will come out from their shelter under a weed to eat a caddis as you drop it from your hand. this was only the case with some of the fish, others remaining as shy as ever in spite of petting. it is best to choose fish that have been taken by net, but trout taken by a fly, or roach taken by a small hook in the lip, will live very well. i have kept trout for months that i had caught with fly and carried home for miles. some of these were from a quarter to half-a-pound in weight; but i found smaller fish would thrive better. for food, caddis or other water insects are best; but gentles would perhaps do, if the former are not to be had. i found the freshwater shrimp capital food, as it keeps alive, of course, till the trout is inclined to eat. one of the chief causes of mortality in the aquarium is the fouling of water by the decomposition of surplus food. if you are obliged to use dead matter, such as chopped liver, or meat, be careful to remove any that may be left. flies may be put on the surface, and will be appreciated; but the trout will seldom take them while you are watching, though they will often eat the caddis as you put them in, and even chase the shrimps. on the whole, i think perch are the best fish to make pets of, as they can be taught even to take worms from your hand, and require much less water running in and out than do the trout. i've known a perch to live for years in a tin bath in my stable; whereas the trout would not be happy without a long tank, and continual change of water. if you have only a very small aquarium it may be better to be contented with a few minnows. these, with the water weeds and little fresh-water snails, which should be in every aquarium, will be quite enough to make it look pretty. chapter xiii in the playing fields $nickie, nickie, night.$--before the period when lucifer matches came into general usage and were manufactured at a moderate price, our grandparents relied on the flint, the steel, and the tinder-box to produce fire. these implements have been very completely dealt with by various writers and illustrators, who have given us some idea of the importance they were to every household. to the student, and to the curious who desire a more tangible acquaintance, we may remark that a very fine collection of tinder-boxes, flints, and steels can be seen both at the british museum and at the guildhall museum of the city of london. a very favourite boys' game, in the earlier part of the nineteenth century, which necessitated the possession of at least a flint and steel, the game being played in the after-dark of evening, was somewhat similar to the modern game of "touch." the game was called "nickie, nickie, night," and admitted any number of players. a boy was elected to the position of "nickie," and he could only retain this position by fleetness of foot and dexterity in avoiding his pursuers, the pursuers being formed by the remaining number of players. the game was played in any open locality, and "nickie" being allowed a start of perhaps thirty to forty seconds, disappeared into the darkness, shouts of "nickie! nickie! night! show your light! show your light!" resounding from the waiting boys, whereupon nickie struck a few sparks from his flint and steel, indicating to the others his position; these at once tore off in his direction; while he, as quickly and silently as possible, changed his locality to elude capture. having baffled his pursuers, nickie would, if a good player, again quickly chink flint and steel, drawing off the boys in a new direction; and so the game would continue amidst the greatest excitement, fun, and laughter; nickie, like a will-o'-the-wisp, darting here, there, and everywhere, greeted with shouts of "nickie! nickie! night! show your light!" until, being ultimately captured, he gave way to a new nickie, and took his place amongst the pursuers. [illustration] our illustrations of flint and tinder-box are selected from numerous patterns; in many cases--older readers will probably remember the immense variety of these--the tinder-box was round, and the steel consisted of an old file stuck in a wooden handle, the flint being frequently picked up from among the stones in the roadway. [illustration] $how to make a kite.$--take a lath, a, b, which should be three feet long and about an inch wide. one of the ordinary laths used by builders will be quite suitable if one of the lighter ones is selected, and if care is taken to choose a straight one. next take a cane or other piece of light flexible wood, and bind the centre of it tightly at the point g an inch below a. bend the cane into a semi-circle and connect c and d with string. if this has been done properly the distance from c to d will be two feet. now connect d b c with string and the frame will be ready. many years ago it was possible to cover a kite with ordinary newspaper, but the paper that is used now is not strong enough, and it is better to use calico. place the frame upon the calico and cut round the frame with scissors, not close to the frame, but leaving a margin of calico. turn this over string and cane and stitch it in position. this may be done with a sewing machine. at e midway between h g bore a hole with a pricker, and another at f, which is the same distance from h as e is. string a foot long should connect e and f, and this is kept in position by having knotted ends so that the ends cannot pass through the holes at e and f. this string will not be tight, but will hang loosely. at c and d tassels about eight inches long may be fixed. the tail is made by folding paper. take a number of pieces about five inches long and four broad, and fold them as though you were making spills for the lighting of candles. how long the tail should be is a matter for experiment. try it with forty and a tassel at the end, and you will see afterwards when you try to fly the kite if that is the right length and weight. attach your long flying line now to the string that connects e and f, about four and a half inches below e. choose a breezy day and ask someone to face the wind and hold the kite aloft. keeping the line tight, run a few yards in the face of the wind to give the kite a start upon its upward journey. now is the time to see if the tail is too heavy or too light. if the kite labours upwards and shows a tendency to come straight down, tail first, then it may be inferred that the tail is too heavy, and by reducing the number of "chickens" as they are called in some parts of the country, and by taking from the tassel the kite may be relieved of its too heavy burden. if, on the other hand, the tail is not heavy enough, the kite will plunge madly from side to side and will dive downwards head foremost, demanding more "chickens" or a heavier tassel. the kite may be flown in the dark with a chinese lantern where the tassel is. [illustration] $rackets.$--a racket ground is in the form of a parallelogram, not less than fifty yards long and twenty-five broad. sometimes a wall of a garden may be adapted by fixing boards and net-work along the top, if there is space enough below. the wall should be painted black, and the ground be divided into four equal divisions, distinctly marked. the flooring of the court should be paved. the divisions are, two close to the wall, a and b, and two in front of them, c and d. these divisions are occupied by those who play the game. the wall should be marked by a broad line of white paint e at forty-two inches from the ground, and above this line each ball should strike. the ball weighs one ounce, and should be white. when it becomes dirty its whiteness is renewed by dipping it into a bag of chalk, so that it may be seen against the black wall. the game may be played by two or more players. when it is played by four, one stands in each of the compartments, a, b, c, d; those near the wall being called in-hand, and those furthest from it out-hand players. when two play, each player has two of the divisions, and the one who takes the a and b is called in-hand player, and the other out-hand player. having decided who is to begin the game, the in-hand player nearest the wall strikes his ball against the wall; if it strikes under the line, goes over the wall, does not rebound into the out-hand spaces, or goes beyond the racket ground, the striker is out, and the out-hand player takes his place; but if the player is successful, and the ball rebounds into the out-hand spaces, and as it rises is sent back to the wall, to rebound into one of the in spaces, the game proceeds. in a close-court game the "server" who serves the ball properly above the line but not into his adversary's court is allowed three trials before his "hand" is out. the game is, that the in-player should send the ball in such a manner against the wall that, on its rebound, the opposite player, or players, shall be able to pick it up or strike it. when this happens, he who struck the ball counts one point, or an ace, and the play proceeds until one player or players scores eleven, or fifteen, as the players decide. this game may be played either in an open court, that is in a court with only one wall, against which the game is played, or in a closed court surrounded by four walls. sometimes there is an ordinary high front wall, and a smaller back wall, omitting the side walls. the close-court game is the best, but the expense compels many to adopt the open-court game. $fives$.--this game needs a high wall, free from abutments, and under it a smooth, dry, paved ground. a line is drawn on the wall, about three feet from the ground; another line is drawn upon the ground itself about 10 feet from the wall, a; and two others are drawn on each side as boundaries, b, c. the player needs a ball of tightly-sewn leather and a fives-bat. this has a long handle, and an oval bowl of wood. the ball is hard, capable of bouncing, small and white. the game may be played by two or four people; in the last arrangement, two on each side. the game may be played either single-handed or with partners. when it is played with partners, the players toss up for first innings. the first player takes the ball, and strikes it against the wall with his bat above the line on the wall, and so that it may fall outside the line on the ground. the other then strikes it, and the players continue to hit it against the wall, either before it comes to the ground or at the first rebound, until one of them missing it, or driving it out of bounds, or beneath the wall-line, loses or goes out. the ball may fall anywhere within the side boundaries, after being once struck up by the player who is in. the game is usually fifteen, but is sometimes extended to twenty-five. this is bat-fives, and is not unlike rackets, except that it may be played in any open court, and that another kind of bat and a larger ball are used. fives was originally played with the hand, instead of a racket. $prisoners' base.$--appoint the two best players captains, and let them choose their men alternately. next mark the homes and prisons. two semicircles are drawn, large enough to hold the two sides, the distance between the semicircles being about twenty yards. these are the "homes," or "bounds." twenty yards in front of these, two other semicircles, of a rather larger size, are drawn. these are the prisons, and the prison of each party is in a line with the enemy's home. having settled which side shall commence the game the captain of that side orders out one of his own side who must run at least beyond the prisons before he returns. as soon as he has started, the captain of the other side sends out one of his men to try to touch him before he can regain his own home. if this is accomplished, the successful runner is permitted to return home while the boy who has been touched must go to the prison belonging to his enemies' side; from which he cannot move until someone from his own side releases him, by evading the enemy and touching him. this is not easy, because in order to reach the prison, the player must cross the enemy's headquarters. it is allowable for the prisoner to stretch his hand as far towards his rescuer as possible, but he must keep some part of his body within the prison; and if a number of prisoners are captured, it is sufficient for one to remain within the prison, while the rest, by joining hands make a line towards the boy who is trying to release them. when this is done, both the prisoner and his rescuer return home, no one being able to touch them until they have reached their home and started off again. the game, however, is not only confined to the two originally sent out. as soon as a captain sees his man in difficulty he sends out a third, who is in his turn pursued by another from the other side; each being able to touch any who have preceded, but none who have left their home after him. the captains direct, and hold themselves ready in case of an emergency, and the side wins which imprisons the whole of the boys upon the other side. $french and english.$--choose two sides in the usual way. one side takes hold of one end of a stout rope, and the other side of the other end. a line is made midway between the sides, each strives to pull the other over it, and those who are so pulled over, lose the game. two captains should be appointed, and each should have a code of signals to communicate with his own side, that he may direct them when to stop, when to slacken, or when to pull hard. in this game sometimes a good captain may win even when he has an inferior team. for instance, if he sees all the boys are pulling their hardest, the captain of the other side sees that his opponents are leaning back too much, that is they are trusting to their weight rather than to their strength. he gives the signal to slacken, when down go the enemy, and are then dragged over the line with the greatest ease. if the enemy begins to be tired a united and sudden tug will generally bring them upright, and once moved, the victory is easily gained. no knots are to be allowed on the rope, nor is the game won, unless the whole side has been dragged over the line. $fight for the flag.$--a game played from a mound, and any number may play. each party chooses a captain, and having done this, divide themselves into attackers and defenders. the defending party provide themselves with a small flag, which is fixed on a staff on the top of the mound, and then arrange themselves round it so as to defend it from the attacks of their opponents, who advance towards the hillock, and try to throw down those who oppose them. those who are so thrown on either side, are called "dead men," and must lie quiet till the game is finished. this happens either when all the attacking party are dead, or when the flag has been carried off by one of them. the player who carries off the flag is called the knight, and is chosen captain for the next game. $hop-scotch.$--a game played by hopping on one foot and kicking an oyster-shell or piece of tile or stone from one compartment to the other, without placing the lifted foot, except in one case, upon the ground, and without allowing the shell or tile to rest on any of the lines. a diagram is first drawn consisting of twelve compartments, each being numbered, and at its further end the picture of a plum pudding with knife and fork. in commencing the game, the players take their stand at the place marked by a, and throw for innings. he who can go nearest to the plum in the centre of the pudding, plays first. [illustration] the winner begins by throwing his shell into no. 1; he then hops into the space, and kicks the tile out to a; he next throws the tile into no. 2, kicks it from no. 2 to no. 1, and thence out. he then throws it into no. 3, kicks it from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1, and out. he next throws it into no. 4, kicks it from 4 to 3, from 3 to 2, from 2 to 1, and out; and so he goes on till he has passed the cross and comes to no. 7, when he is allowed to rest, by standing with one foot in no. 6 and the other in no. 7; but he must go on hopping before he kicks the tile home. he then passes through the beds 8, 9, 10 and 11, as he did those of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc., and so on, till he gets to plum pudding, when he may rest, and placing his tile on the plum, he is required, while standing on one foot, to kick it with such force as to send it through all the other beds to a at one kick. if one player throws his tile into the wrong compartment, or when he is kicking it out, he loses his innings, as he does also if the tile or his foot at any time rests on a line, or if he kicks his tile out of the diagram. we give also diagrams for simpler forms of the game. $turnpike.$--although turnpike-keepers upon the roads have long since been abolished, there is no reason why the game of turnpike, played with hoops, should be played no longer. any number of boys may play, but we will suppose there are six. one should have a hoop and the others will then be turnpike-keepers. these take two stones or two bricks and place them about two inches apart upon the ground. we may call each pair of stones or bricks the toll-bar, and each toll-bar should be some distance from the others. it is the task of the boy with the hoop to pass between the stones without touching them, and if he goes through the five then he turns and comes through them again from the other side, and so on until he fails. if he touches a toll-bar then the keeper of the bar takes that hoop, and he who had hitherto been driving the hoop becomes the keeper of that particular toll-bar at which he failed. if the hoop driver touches his hoop with his hands, or allows it to fall he must give it to the nearest toll-bar keeper and take his place while the toll-bar keeper becomes a hoop driver. each keeper must stand upon that side of his toll-gate which is towards the right hand of the hoop driver, so that when the hoop driver returns he must cross to the other side of his toll-bar. if he is on the wrong side the hoop driver need not trouble to pass through his toll-bar at all. if the boys prefer it there may be more hoop drivers and fewer toll-bar keepers. $posting.$--places called posting-stations are formed at regular intervals in a large circle or oval, and at each place a player takes his stand. every player, except the hoop driver, has charge of one of these stations. suppose there are seven players--a, b, c, d, e, f, and g, and that g holds the hoop. the other six players having taken their places, g starts from the station belonging to f, and drives the hoop towards a, who waits, with hoop-stick in hand, ready to relieve g of his hoop. g stops at the posting-station, while a runs the hoop to b, who takes charge of it, and delivers it to c. c trundles the hoop to d; d takes it to e; e to f, and f conveys it to the first player, g. in this way the game continues, until all the players have worked round the circle five or six times. the game is rendered more boisterous by increasing the numbers of players, and having two or three hoop drivers. do not touch the hoop with your hands, and do not let the hoop fall. $fox.$--one player is called fox, and he has a den where none of the players may annoy him. the other players arm themselves with knotted handkerchiefs, and wait for reynard's appearance. he is also armed with a knotted handkerchief, and hops out of his den. when he is out, the other players attack him with their handkerchiefs, and he endeavours to strike one of them without putting down his other foot. if he puts down his foot he has to run back as fast as he can, without the right to strike the other players, who flog him the whole way. if, however, he succeeds in striking one without losing his balance, the one so struck becomes fox; and, as he has both feet down, is thrashed to his den. $drop ball.$--a line must be drawn three feet from the wall at which this game of ball is to be played. the player must kneel outside this line, and never cross it; if the ball falls inside the line it is reckoned a miss. each time the player throws up the ball and catches it it counts a point. there are many ways of playing this game. 1. throwing the ball and catching it before it touches the ground. 2. clapping the hands after throwing, before the ball touches the ground. 3. putting one knee to the ground before catching the ball. 4. putting one knee to the ground and clapping the hands before catching the ball. 5. circling round on one heel before catching the ball. 6. circling round on one heel and counting 1, 2, 3, or any number agreed upon, before catching the ball. 7. strike the player nearest you before catching the ball. there should not be too many players, for they would have to wait too long for a turn. $jingling.$--the game should be played on soft grass inside a large circle, enclosed with ropes. the players should not exceed ten. all except one of the nimblest, who is the jingler, have their eyes blindfolded with handkerchiefs. the jingler holds a bell in his hand, which he is obliged to keep ringing. the aim of the jingler is to elude the pursuit of his companions, who follow him by the sound of the bell within the boundaries of the rope, for he is forbidden to pass beyond it. if he be caught in the time allotted for the game, generally twenty minutes, the player who caught him wins the match; if they are not able to take him, he is proclaimed the victor. $the fugleman.$--the fugleman places himself in a prominent place, and arranges the other boys before him in a line. he then begins with grotesque gestures, which all the boys are compelled to copy. those who are seen to laugh are immediately ordered to stand out of the line, and when half the number of players are so put out, the others are allowed to ride them three times round the playground, while the fugleman with a knotted handkerchief beats the steeds from behind. chapter xiv the garden $how to dig.$--it is beyond the scope of this book to enter into all the intricacies of gardening. to do this we should need a volume larger than this devoted to that subject alone. whatever branch of gardening a boy may pursue, however, whether he grows gooseberries, sweet peas, or cabbages, he will need to know how to dig. one of the pleasures of life is to come to a garden that has been neglected or to a plot of land that hitherto has been a field and to see it gradually become a well kept garden without a weed, under the magic of good spade work. it is like subduing an enemy. the simplest way to dig is to take a spade full of earth, turn it over, and put it back where you found it. this, however, is only for lightening the soil when the garden has been cultivated already. you would not subdue an unruly garden in that way. $shallow trenching.$--if abcd is a plot of land and you are beginning at the ab end, dig out the earth abef and convey it to the dc end and put it near but off the plot you are digging. now dig efgh and throw the earth from that into the trench abef and so on for the rest of the plot. when you have come to the end of the plot there will be a trench, but this will be filled by the earth you took there at the beginning of your digging. [illustration: shallow trenching.] $deep trenching.$--the best basis for gardening, however, is a more drastic, deeper trenching than this. let abcd be the plot we are going to dig deeply. divide it into equal parts by the line ef. make the line gh 3-1/2 feet from fc. dig out the earth from ghcf and carry it to x where it may be put in a heap. make the line ij 3 feet from gh. dig out the earth one spade deep from ghij and throw it upon the heap at x. this earth at x taken from the top is known as top soil. now return to gfch and go another spade deeper, throwing the soil of this digging into a heap at y. still at gfch break up the soil there with a fork, and manure and refuse may be placed there. weeds put down here would have no chance to grow again. go now to gijh, dig out the subsoil there and put it into gfch. on the top of this subsoil so removed place the top soil from kijl. go on like this until you come to eb, when the top soil from aemn should go to noqr and the subsoil of aemn into noqr and the top soil from mnpq into ebon. when you get to df you will find the subsoil at y and the top soil at x ready for the filling of the last trench. it is important to keep the top soil on the top and the subsoil underneath. drive the spade into the earth in a perpendicular direction and the full depth of the blade. let the garden endure the winter with a rough surface so that the soil may present as many surfaces to the frost as possible. jack frost is one of the very best gardeners, and to see soil before he has bitten it and afterwards will be a revelation to the young gardener. $double digging.$--the deep trenching just described, in which the top soil was kept upon the top, and the subsoil underneath, is excellent where the subsoil is unfit for plant food, but there is a problem which it does not solve. suppose we come to a garden matted hard upon the surface with buttercups, convolvulus, grass, twitch, groundsel, thistles and other tiresome weeds, then the last thing we desire is that these should remain on top. you cannot pull up the weeds by hand because the ground is so hard that you do no more than break the weeds, leaving the roots embedded firmly in the earth. before there is any peace in the garden these weeds must be killed, and we will now describe how to do it. suppose abcd is the plot of ground. from ab measure four feet and draw the line ef. from abfe take out the soil one spade deep, that is the top soil, and put it in a heap at g outside the plot. now from abfe take out the soil another spade deep, the subsoil, and put it in a heap at h. now from ef measure two feet and draw the line ij. take the top soil, weeds and everything, from efji and throw it to abkl--kl is two feet from ab--leaving klfe empty for the present. now take the subsoil from efji and throw it into abkl, that is upon the top of the top soil you have just thrown there. now measure another two feet from ij and draw the line mn. the soil from ijnm will go into klfe, top soil first and the subsoil on the top of it. proceed in this way, two feet at a time, and when you come to cd throw the soil at g and h into the trench that will be left, top soil first and subsoil upon the top of it. the plot abcd will now be well dug, and all the weeds will be deep under the soil where they will speedily die and decay; and even supposing that the subsoil you had brought to the top is not good, you may double dig again next year and so recover the old top soil minus the weeds. any weeds that grow now may be eradicated easily from the loose soil, and even the weeds of twitch and convolvulus may be followed down and extracted. unless you have unlimited time and patience to look after them do not be tempted to leave grass paths, but dig the garden from side to side. grass paths are always spreading upon the garden and making the edges weedy and untidy. if you prefer it you may do this double digging with the plot divided as we divided it for deep trenching. [illustration: deep trenching.] $how to sow seed.$--it is not wise to sow old seed. even if they grow the plants are often without vigour. go to a seedsman who has a good character and do not buy seed because its price is low. the soil must be fine and firm, porous and moist. it must not be sticky nor dry. the seeds will not germinate until they can have both warmth and moisture. sow thinly because crowded plants do not grow well. it is best to sow small flower seeds in pans and boxes well drained, as explained in our article on window-boxes to follow. level the surface of the earth and make it firm. water it with a fine spray and then stand it in the shade for about five hours. now scatter the seed thinly and cover it very lightly with sifted earth. white-washed or paper shaded glass may be placed over the box or pan until the seeds appear. the glass will keep the air warm and moist. except in the case of the very small seeds, the depth at which they are sown should be about three times their size or thickness. in the garden do not sow broadcast, but in drills, as the ground can then be more easily weeded and kept loose when the seeds have grown. after sowing press the soil well down and then water gently so that the seeds are not washed out, and the water drains away quickly. the soil must not be allowed to get quite dry, and yet excessive moisture must be avoided. too much watering is a common cause of failure. if the soil becomes caked before the seedlings appear or patches be lifted by them, break it up with the point of a knife, and then water gently and just sufficiently to settle the soil round the plants. do not water seeds or seedlings with water that is colder than the soil, and in summer do not water until the evening. if the watering of very small seeds is necessary, stand the pans or boxes in a shallow vessel of water for an hour. for watering seedlings use a vaporiser, or dip a hair brush in water, shake off most of the fluid, and then, while holding the brush over the plants draw the hand along the bristles several times. when the seedlings are up, loosen the soil around them very gently. $a window box.$--there are not many forms of gardening that are so pleasant as that of having a window box. there need be no bearing of the heat and burden of the day, no laborious double digging, no tedious weeding, no back-aching hoeing, no hard days with the wheelbarrow. the window box, too, is not merely a fine weather friend. as you sit in your room upon a rainy day it is at the window beside you, and if your window is open the scent from the flowers comes in with every breeze. if you have a succession of window-boxes you can have a blaze of flowers upon your window sill at most seasons of the year. [illustration: double digging.] the box need not be made elaborately, and though some people do give themselves much trouble yet flowers look as well or even better in such a roughly made box painted green as most boys can make out of a packing case bought for a few coppers from the grocer. you may put plants already in pots in your box, but if you desire to grow flowers in the box itself it will be necessary to fill it with earth. before this is done holes about the size of a farthing should be bored in the bottom of the box with a brace and bit or with that more homely if unjoiner-like tool the red hot poker. these are to provide drainage. then there should come between one and two inches of broken stones and upon this the earth. as a rule this may be the ordinary earth from the garden, but it is better to add some coarse sand if you have it, and if in your walks into woods and along the hedges you can secure some leaf mould to put with the earth so much the better. well decayed manure, odds and ends of mortar and lime which the builders may have left about will all help to provide the flowers with food. there are so many flowers that look well in window-boxes that no complete list can be given. boys should be ever on the look out to find from the boxes of other people what thrives in these boxes. each end of the box should be left for climbers that will run up each side of the window, and no better plant for this position can be named than the delicate canary creeper with its pale green leaves and dainty yellow flowers. nasturtiums, too, look well in this position, and no better border for the front of the box can be imagined than the blue of the beautiful lobelia. another good climber is convolvulus major. these climbers live for one season only, but one that grows year after year is tropã¦olum pentaphyllum. in the winter the tubers of this plant are kept in sand and are placed in position each spring. plants that hang over the front of the box are graceful like single petunias and rock bindweed, and for the rest each boy can make a selection of his favourites for the remaining part of the box. if he likes he may have a number of boxes so that when one has had its day another may be ready. in the spring box he would have crocuses, snowdrops, squills, daffodils and such flowers; then a box with primroses, tulips and hyacinths; and after that a box of pinks, lilies of the valley, anemones, and next the real summer flowers and blooms of autumn. let the plants be watered regularly with water that is not too cold, and if it be possible use rain water. chapter xv the boy as artist it would be idle to pretend that it is possible in the chapter of a book, or indeed in a book itself, to give instruction that would make a boy an artist; but most people have the capacity to make sketches, and this is a pleasing and useful training of the eye and hand. the power to bring away a sketch of a scene that has charmed us is one well worth the cultivation, and in the making of the sketch we see many things that would otherwise escape our notice. if a boy finds he has special ability in this direction he should read the lives of artists, visit picture galleries, and join an art class, where he will be conducted through the severe discipline that leads him to drawing the living human form, amusing himself meanwhile by sketching in the lanes and woods, among the mountains, or wherever he happens to be, even if it is in the streets. $hints on sketching.$--the drawing of a cathedral with all its complexities and innumerable details is governed by the same rules as the drawing of a barn or even of a brick, and these rules are simple, and are easily stated. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] in sketching we have to draw things as they seem, not as we know them to be. the top of a bucket is a perfect circle; yet when we draw it, unless we look down upon it from a point exactly above its centre, we represent it by an oval. similarly, when we look along a stretch of railway line we know that the lines are exactly parallel, but they seem to draw nearer to each other. the rails of a fence are of equal height, and have been put at equal distances apart, but as we look along the fence it seems as though further away the workman had used shorter posts, and had put them nearer together. if we can see through a railway tunnel, it looks as though the way out at the other end were smaller than the way in at this; but we know they are of the same size. the rules under which lines seem to draw together and spaces become smaller have been called the rules of perspective, and it is important that we should learn these rules. luckily they are few and not difficult to understand, and we will learn them as we go along in drawing a few simple forms that shall include them. in fig. 1 we have a box, its corner towards us. in the box itself the lines a b, c d, and e f would be the same distance from each other from end to end, and if they were made ever so long would never meet, but here in the drawing they meet at g. in the same way the lines a h, c e, and d f, which in the actual box are parallel or equi-distant and so draw no nearer to each other, meet in the drawing at i. in the drawing, as in reality, the lines e h, c a, and d b are parallel, and would never meet, however far we might lengthen them. the lines of the brass round the key-hole follow the same rules. let this box illustrate another matter. we move it into a slightly different position, so that we almost lose sight of the end e c a h. this end, in the language of artists, is now said to be "fore-shortened." the lines that draw nearer together are said to "vanish." the point where they meet is their vanishing point. [illustration: fig. 3.] we will give some further examples of the same rules of perspective applied to different forms. the young artist standing before a scene he is going to sketch should decide what point is opposite his eyes. it may be some place in a church wall or in a tree, or even in the sky. however, having fixed it, mark it also upon your paper, and then draw a horizontal line through it. (fig. 3.) [illustration: fig. 4. rigg's farm, near aysgarth, wensleydale.] in the scene we have selected we stand upon a hill and look at a farmhouse that stands upon another hill. the point opposite our eyes is the window a. it will be noticed that the lines above the eyes come down to the line of sight or horizontal line, b c. those below rise to it. lines that are parallel to each other, whether they are roof lines tiles, the tops or bottoms of windows, meet in the same point, so that if you get one of those lines right, it is easy to get all the others right by continuing them to the same point. from this sketch, and the foregoing examples, we arrive at the following rules:-[illustration: sketch at norton.] parallel lines, as they recede, vanish to a point. horizontal, receding lines, if they are below the level of the eyes, appear to rise. horizontal, receding lines, if they are above the level of the eyes, appear to descend. spaces, as they recede, appear to become smaller. [illustration: saskia van ulenburgh, rembrandt's wife. _from a drawing by rembrandt in the berlin museum._] objects, as they recede, appear to become smaller. all horizontal receding lines have their vanishing point upon the line of sight. all parallel retiring lines have the same vanishing point as each other. all horizontal lines which are parallel with the picture plane are drawn parallel with each other, and with the line of sight. all horizontal retiring lines forming right angles with the picture plane, or with our position, have the point of sight for their vanishing point. we have here introduced a new term, the picture plane. the best way to understand this is to imagine you are looking at everything through a pane of glass. in this case the glass would be the picture plane, and if we could stand steadily enough in one place and trace upon the window pane the lines of the streets and houses, we should find the lines upon the pane following the rules we have given. many of the rules of perspective are to be seen in the sketch of rigg's farm, wensleydale, yorkshire, fig. 4. the receding lines of the road, the grass edges, and the walls; the front of the farmhouse is so much foreshortened that it is possible to see only a very small part of it, though the building is really a long one. we have given also a sketch by rembrandt, and a pen and ink landscape drawing made at norton in north derbyshire by charles ashmore. $stencilling.$--the use of stencils is familiar to most people in one form or other. ladies frequently use stencil plates in which their names or initials are cut out to mark linen. a commoner use is that of metal plates in which the letters of the alphabet are cut out in thin metal for use in labelling trunks, boxes in commerce, with the name and destination of the owner, merchant, or goods. it is possible that a very delicate form of stencilling is familiar to many of my readers, which is used to multiply copies of letters, circulars or notices to go through the post. the machine consists of a handle to which is attached a small wheel which has projecting from its rim a series of sharp points. the letters are formed by writing with this wheel. as the wheel passes over the paper the points pierce small round holes, sufficiently close to each other to indicate the letters, while the paper between the holes are bridges or ties holding the inside of the loops firmly to the rest of the sheet. this writing becomes the stencil. to obtain copies, the stencil is laid over a sheet of paper, and a brush charged with colour is rubbed across. the colour passes through the holes to the paper beneath, and the copy is secured. in making the metal stencil plates of letters, ties or bridges have to be left to prevent the inner parts of the letters becoming solid like a printer's. such letters as i, f, j, t, and some others, can be given in their complete form, though in the case of the f, it would be better, that is, the stencil plate would be firmer, if a tie were left where the top horizontal line joins the perpendicular stem. in cutting stencils this matter of tying or supporting all the interior or enclosed parts of the composition is very important, and should never be lost sight of. it is better to err in an excess of ties, than to risk the falling to pieces of the whole by insufficient support. the reader will perceive that if the white parts of the loops in the letter b are not connected with the outer surrounding whites, they would fall out, and the letter would stencil solid, while if only one tie is given, the loops would get out of position, as the paper swells with the moisture of the paint. instances of these ties will be found in nearly all the illustrations, particularly in the mooresque design, fig. 2. it is the aim of the designer to make these ties a part of the composition, and an assistance in the effect of the whole. but cases will occur where the composition must be ruthlessly cut across as in the greek design, fig. 1, where in one repeat the central portions are shown with ties, and in the other in its complete form. the restoration is made with the brush afterwards. the ties should be broad or narrow according to the strength of the material of which the stencil is made, and the number of repeats for which it will be used. [illustration: fig. 1. frieze or dado.] [illustration: fig. 1a. altered for vertical use.] [illustration: fig. 2. mooresque design for dado.] stencilling is employed as an easy method of repeating the same ornament, figures, or letters, with exactness and speed. if i desired to use the simple greek composition fig. 1, as a frieze in the study in which i am writing, not by any means a large room, being about 14 feet by 11 feet, it would be necessary to repeat it between 90 and 100 times. if i had to draw this in by hand, and laboriously paint it, probably the enthusiasm for art which projected the scheme would be frittered away long before i completed it, and i should throw it up in disgust and call in the paperhanger to put on the usual wall furnishing. but if the design were cut out in stencil, it would take but little if any longer to stencil the frieze than it would for the hanger to paper it, and the scheme being carried out in the other details, i should have the satisfaction and enjoyment of a room specially decorated to suit my own taste, and unique according to the originality of the design. [illustration: fig. 3. frieze: silverweed, frog.] [illustration: and toad.] in the article on the use of leaves which follows, it is suggested that the forms of leaves to be met with in the field, hedgerow or wood, are peculiarly adapted to ornamental purposes, stencilling in decoration of the home among others. but this use of natural forms in ornament requires taste and consideration. to stick a leaf here and another there, without a purpose or design in the composition, is not ornament. i propose, with the aid of the printer, to give an idea of the principles which govern the making of designs. the first one is _repetition_. to use a star thus * singly, is not ornament. place a number of stars side by side at regular distances between parallel lines thus:- ================================ * * * * * * * * * * * ================================ and you have a design, elementary, it is true, but as far as it goes decorative. in place of the star put a clover leaf, a conventional flower such as is used in fig. 3, or a briar leaf laid slanting to the right or left, and you have a border which may be used for a light frieze or the top of a dado. arrange the stars in parallel rows thus:- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * so that each star falls midway between the star above and below, and you have the elements of a design such as is very commonly used in wall-papers, prints, and nearly all forms of decoration under the name of diaper patterns. again, in place of the star put some other form, as an ivy leaf or a small spray. but in this class of design we shall not be much concerned in room decoration, as they are only used for large panels. another principle in ornament is _alternation_. it may be illustrated thus:- ==================================================== || * || * || * || * || * ==================================================== in which parallel lines alternate with stars. this composition is not more crude than much of what passes for decoration at the present time. for our immediate purpose let a shapely leaf take the place of the upright lines and a flower the place of the star, and you have a more advanced border, and if the masses are well balanced and drawn, one agreeable to the eye. i think the printer can illustrate another principle of design for us in _symmetry_ thus:- =========================================== * ! * ! * ! * ! * !=! !=! !=! !=! * * * * * =========================================== in which three exclamation marks are placed side by side at different levels, with parallel lines and a hyphen below, alternating with stars. or a simpler form still of the same principle may be given thus:- ===================================================== + + + + + * | * | * | * | * | * + + + + + ===================================================== in which the double dagger alternates with a star. if you draw a perpendicular line up the central exclamation mark or the daggers, the right and left sides will be found to be alike or symmetrical. in place of the daggers or the exclamation marks, draw the leaves of the wild rose, one in the centre and one inclining to the right, another to the left; put a flower in place of the parallel lines, and you will have a symmetrical composition, the stalks being prolonged below. this principle of design is clearly shown in the two designs, figs. 1 and 1a. a perpendicular line divides the designs into two equal parts. this is two-sided symmetry, what we are more particularly concerned with. another principle in ornament is _balance_ of _parts_. this is symmetry of another order, in which the two sides of the composition, although different in all the details, yet preserve the same weight or balance. the general effect is the same. this is illustrated in fig. 3, which is a design for a frieze. in no place could a line be drawn which would divide the composition into two similar parts, but by the disposition of the leaves of the silverweed there is an equal distribution of weight on either side of the design. this balance of parts is important to preserve when the design departs from the symmetrical in its arrangements. it makes all the difference between a pleasing and unsatisfactory composition, and is not to be acquired without considerable practice. the chrysanthemum design, fig. 6, is an illustration of this principle. it is designed for the panels of a door, or the sides of a grate, or to go round a door in the form of a vertical border, but in every case where it can be placed in pairs with the flowers away from the centre, to be done by reversing the stencil. [illustration: fig. 4. dado or frieze: oak and squirrels.] having thus cleared the ground for practical work, we can describe the way to make stencils. for our purpose the best material for the stencil is the oiled paper used in the letter-copying press. this will be found strong, hard, and non-absorbent. it is comparatively cheap and can be purchased at most stationers. in cases in which this paper would not be large enough, which may happen in some of the running patterns, cartridge paper, or better still, hot-pressed whatman's, if coated on both sides with knotting varnish (to be procured at any oilman's shop), would do very well. for smaller subjects, which are not required for more than a score repeats, ordinary note paper, the highly polished kind that crackles like sheet iron when bent is excellent, and has been largely used by the writer. the knife used is one with a blade that runs to a sharp point. this point must be kept with a keen edge, so that one cut will go through the paper, leaving a clear edge. hold the blade of the knife at right angles to the paper, which must rest upon a clean sheet of glass. if cut upon any yielding surface, the paper will bruise. a hone should be close at hand to keep a good edge to the knife. it is important to get a clean, square cut, with no ragged margins. to get the drawing on the paper, first make a rough sketch giving the size and general character of the design on ordinary sketching paper. if the design is symmetrical, _i.e._, both sides alike, rule a perpendicular line. draw as clearly and carefully as possible one-half the composition, that is all that will appear on the left-hand side of the line. when you are satisfied with this, place a piece of looking-glass exactly on the vertical line; you will see the image of your drawing in the glass, but in reverse, thus completing the design. if looking-glass is not available, a coat of brunswick black on one side of any piece of glass will give you a sufficiently good reflector. probably you will not be altogether satisfied with the drawing as shown complete in the glass. the lines are not agreeable ones, or pretty in curve, or the balance of the parts is not quite as you would like it. make the alterations you feel necessary, and apply the glass again. when satisfied, place tracing-paper over the drawing. this may be fastened down by drawing-pins, a touch of gum, or pieces of the free edge of postage-stamps. indicate carefully by clear marks the position of the vertical line, and proceed to draw a firm outline of the design, with, say, an f pencil or an hb. when done, remove the tracing-paper and fold it exactly down the vertical line, with the pencil drawing outside. double it, in fact. then placing it on a sheet of white paper, draw the other half, thus completing the design. put it, pencilled side downwards, on the oil paper or note-paper, and rub off with your thumb nail. go over the design, marking all the ties very distinctly. then cut out as before, taking care not to cut through the ties. in practice you will find it best to begin cutting at the ties; the paper will readily spin round on the glass so that you can follow the curves of the design with your knife. should you cut through a tie, it must be made good. cut off a slip of paper of the same size, put on some of the knotting, and when it is tacky, stick down the strengthening slip. the stencil may include more than one repeat of the pattern, the more repeats there are the quicker the work can be done. some decorators in making stencils do rather more than they intend to use when stencilling, so that parts overlap, which is done to get the repeat true. i find it better, more exact, to work from two lines on the stencil, one a horizontal line and another a vertical line. by using a needle point (a needle in a wood handle), i rule a horizontal line upon the wall in the position the horizontal line on the stencil should fall. this is altogether indistinguishable when the work is finished. then, vertically to this line, with the same point, i indicate where the repeats should fall, and then go ahead. it is a considerable help to get a friend to join in the work, as he can assist in holding the stencil on the surface to be decorated, giving you more freedom in the use of the right hand. if working alone the stencil is held with the left hand while the colour is applied with the free hand. the straight lines are not stencilled, they are run on by the help of a bevelled straight-edge. the position of these lines is indicated by ruling as above or by twanging a piece of string charged with charcoal dust in the position required. [illustration: fig. 5. running border.] in decorating your room, the first point to be decided is to what extent and where you will apply the work. if cost is not a great consideration, undoubtedly the best thing to do is to paint the wall over with a pleasing tone in oil colours. a frieze running round the room immediately under the moulding, the depth being according to the height of the room; a dado running round the bottom of the walls, high enough to clear the top of the chair-backs: and if the room is large enough, the division of the room into panels by ornamental columns at the corners, and appropriate divisions. a border may be run round the doors and the sides of the fireplace may receive separate attention if there are surfaces suitable for stencilling. but it is usual to apply this system of decoration to distempered walls, in which case the decoration to be applied would probably be above the dado (which would be papered in some richly decorated pattern), a frieze under the ceiling, and a border round the door. in mixing the distemper (whiting and size), powder colours are used to get the tone desired. this will vary with the taste of the reader, the use the room is put to, and the aspect, whether on the shady or sunny side of the house. do not let it be too dark, or muddy in tone: a cheerful terra-cotta, with a dash of amber in it, if on the shady side; or some tone of sage green, french grey, or peacock blue, if on the sunny side. perhaps the best way is to keep your eyes open when passing some decorator's establishment, or buying the paper for the dado, and fix upon the tone of colour you would like. then mix some harmonizing tints which will go well with the wall colour for your stencil work. you will find that if you decide upon stencilling in dark tones upon light, that it will be more pleasing to get these richer, that is more pure, than the ground colour. the three rich or primary colours are red, blue, and yellow. in mixing your stencil colours, approach these in purity, according to the tone used. these powder colours are obtained by ounces or pounds at colourmen's shops. the first thought to the beginner, if he wishes to darken a tone, is to put black (lamp-black) in. in practice this must be used sparingly. rather get your strength of tint by using pure colours. with distemper colours, you will find that they are much darker wet than dry. if you wish to employ more colours than one, each colour should have a separate stencil. [illustration: fig. 6. pilaster: chrysanthemums.] having made your stencils, fixed upon and mixed your colours, and indicated the position of the repeats, the next step is the direct application of the colour. this is usually done with flat-headed hog-hair brushes, about 3/4 of an inch across, specially made for the purpose. with your palette knife spread out a thin film of the colour on the palette, which may be the back of a plate, or a glazed tile, charge the flat end of the brush with it, and bring it down perpendicularly upon the stencil. don't overcharge the brush. if the pattern is irregular in its details, do every other one with one side of the stencil, and then having been round, wash off the colour from the stencil, and turn it round and do the intervening repeats. the lines are put on with a smaller brush, using the bevelled side of the straight-edge to guide the hand, using more pressure for a broad line, and charging the brush heavily with colour. brushes specially made for lining, known as fitch hair tools, cost, according to size, from 1-1/2d. to 5d. each. stencilling brushes cost only a few pence. the method of producing designs, stencils, and using the stencils is employed in the production of designs for paper-hangings, carpets, floor cloths, damasks and most flat manufactured materials, except that the white used is flake-white, and the colours are mixed with gum and water. the colours are known in the trade as tempera colours. the ground is laid evenly upon strained cartridge paper, and absolute flatness of tint in working out the design may be gained by using stencils. in making irregular designs, that is designs which are not symmetrical, the whole composition has to be drawn and traced. in decorating a room, there is a very considerable range of choice in the styles available, some idea of which is given in the accompanying designs, from the purely ornamental ones of figs. 1 and 2 to the natural treatment of figs. 4 and 6. the design suitable for the top of a dado as fig. 1 would, with a slight modification, equally suit the frieze of a room, as both are horizontal treatments; but for perpendicular applications, the designs should be redrawn. some idea of the fresh treatment required is given in fig. 1a, where the parts of the composition have been re-arranged to suit a vertical position. should it be desired to adopt two colours, the principle to be acted upon is to make the smaller masses darker tones, and more intense colours, the larger the mass, the lighter and more neutral the tone should be. fig. 4 is equally adapted for a frieze or dado top. it is designed in squares, so that by a re-arrangement of the squares, _i.e._, by placing the squirrel squares under the oak-leaf squares, it can be made suitable for a vertical treatment, or for the body of the dado. in designing such patterns as fig. 6, where again two or more colours may well be used, care should be taken that the repeats fit well in with one another, so that no ugly spaces are left unfurnished, as decorators say, and also to prevent the recurrence of horizontal or diagonal lines. this is a failure with many commercial designs and is a fault very distressing to the eye. $how a portrait bust is made.$--the chief work of the sculptor consists in working in clay; therein lies the main portion of his art, and there are those at the head of their profession who rarely handle a chisel, and then only to give a final touch here and there after their carver has finished his work. moreover, there are many more busts made in bronze and in terra-cotta than in marble; but the initial procedure of building up is the same in all cases. the first thing a sculptor does in setting about a bust is to fix a square, upright peg, or support, about twenty inches in length, into a wooden platform eighteen inches square. the platform, in order to prevent warping, should be made of two pieces of board so joined as to have the grain of the one running transverse to the other. the peg is generally furnished with a bar, like a latin cross, and is provided at the top with what is called an armature, that is, two pieces of lead piping looped over the peg from side to side, so as to form, as it were, the outline of a head. the ends of one piece are nailed to either side of the top of the peg, and the ends of the other to the back and front of it; or the armature may consist (as some sculptors prefer that it should) of a "loop" of lead-piping, fixed to a large nail, with what is called a "butterfly" attached (see illustration). the transverse, or crosspiece, is fitted into a slot cut in the upright, and is intended to support the shoulders of the bust, the armature serving as the skeleton, so to speak, of the head. being made of lead, the armature can be bent this way and that, and twisted about, even after it has been covered with clay. this is a very important matter, as a portrait frequently consists as much in a characteristic pose of the head as in the exact representation of features, and the peculiarity or habit of the one whose bust is to be made cannot always be perceived at the first sitting, everybody attitudinising more or less at first when about to have a likeness taken. but after a while the sitter is sure to forget himself; then the natural pose comes, and the sculptor flexes his armature this way or that, and secures the right expression, in so far as the turn or "cant" of the head is concerned. [illustration: how a bust is made.] having thus prepared his skeleton, the sculptor is now ready to begin with the more important matter of modelling. but first of all he has to see that his clay is all right. the clay commonly used for this purpose is the china clay of the potter; but at a pinch any clay will do, and i know of more than one sculptor who, in his impecunious days, has been obliged to turn to the common clay of the brick-field. the essential thing is that it should not be rotten and friable, but rather elastic, spreading easily and cohering well. when the clay is too dry it is put in water over night. in the morning it is in such a state that it may be passed through a coarse sieve, and so the rough particles be got rid of. then, when it has dried until of the consistency of putty, it is ready for use. the sculptor now takes four or five largish lumps and rolls them with his hands into long strips, from half to three-quarters of a foot in length, and of the thickness of a good-sized ruler. he then takes portions of these strips and applies them bit by bit to the armature and the transverse bar, thus gradually building up the general shape of the head and shoulders. care has to be taken from the first to have an eye to the features and contour of the head that is being modelled. it is not necessary that the model should keep seated in the same attitude all the time. if required to do so, he or she, as the case may be, is apt to acquire a very stiff pose, with the result that the stiffness may be transferred to the bust. the best way is to let the sitter converse freely, and assume a natural position. by this means the habitual expression is seized, and a good likeness is more likely to be the result. when a general rough outline of the head has been secured, it is then time to begin to work for exactitude of feature and facial expression. this the artist does by putting on a bit here, and taking off a bit there. all this is done with the fingers and thumb. occasionally it may be necessary to use a tool, but rarely. the best sculptors work mainly with the instrument nature has provided them withal, the hands. with his fingers the artist has more freedom in handling his material, and in communicating to it that life-like expression which is the aim and object of his art. no tool yet invented by man enables him to enjoy such fineness of touch, or to give so much breadth or such delicacy of detail to his work, as that which he naturally commands in the use of his fingers. of course, a bust is not modelled in an hour, nor in a day. a good sculptor will finish one in four or five sittings of an hour or an hour and a half each; others will require a dozen or more. everything depends upon the facility of the artist in seizing upon expression. this will be the difficult point with the beginner. he may, after a while, get the general outline of the head and face of his sitter and feel utterly helpless to go further. but then is the time to exercise patience. michael angelo did not become a sculptor in a day, nor yet in a year. when the tyro feels that he cannot go further, it is generally because he does not see further. of course, he sees that his portrait is not like; but he has not yet learned to see in detail, in minutiae. that he must now begin to do by observing every little point, depression, curve, wrinkle, wart, hair, and so forth. and then, what his mind has learned to take note of, his hand will soon learn to imitate. all the time the work is in progress the clay must be kept moist, otherwise it will crack and fall to pieces. this is commonly done by spraying it with a garden syringe, and covering it over at night with wet cloths. when the bust is finished, if it has to be cast in bronze, or reproduced in marble, a cast of it is taken in plaster of paris; but if it is intended to fire it, and make a terra-cotta bust of it, the operation of hollowing it is necessary. this is effected by slicing off the crown of the head with a piece of thin wire or thread, and then scooping out the inside until a uniform thickness of about an inch and a half is left. when this is done the bust will be easily freed from its peg, and the armature attached to it. the next thing is to set it aside to dry. this takes some time, and only when it is quite free from all moisture is it ready to be taken to the kiln to bake or fire. the kiln in which it is fired is the ordinary one of the potter. this having been done, the work is complete. if the bust has to be reproduced in bronze, the plaster cast must be taken to the bronze casters, where the transformation will be effected. the process of making an exact reproduction in marble is generally done by the sculptor himself, or by his assistant, and is more or less a mere mechanical operation, the carvers working by points, as they are called, mathematically accurate, by means of which he is enabled to make an exact copy of the cast. when this is done the sculptor goes over it carefully with his chisel and gives some final touches by way of finish, and to add to the vividness and life-likeness, so to speak, of expression. $how to use leaves.$--there is one desirable quality in the hobby i am about to recommend boys, and that is its inexpensive character. a quarter of a yard of nainsook muslin, a tube or two of oil paint, a good-sized handful of lint or cotton wool, two or three sheets of foolscap, and as many of cartridge paper, and you are set up for any number of wet days or vacant half-holidays. the leaves can be obtained free of cost, anywhere and at any time, winter or summer, and in any number. ivy leaves do well, leaves of the black or red currant or gooseberry bushes are better, and the flowering currant better still. brambles, lime, and plane trees which grow everywhere, and most trees or bushes except holly, will give you excellent subjects. some boys know how to keep in the good graces of the housekeeper, and would "borrow" the muslin from her. (say you would like it fine.) probably one of your sisters paints a bit, and would lend you the burnt sienna tube (oil colour) upon the same terms; of course, the wool or lint you would get from the housekeeper with the muslin; while an application to the pater for some foolscap--you would prefer blue, it is more business-like--would be sure to be successful, for somehow fathers like to encourage boys when they mean to do something serious; and there is left only the cartridge paper to finish the outfit. perhaps somewhere in the establishment there is even a store of this; if not, there is nothing for it but a visit to the stationer and an attack upon the pocket-money. now to proceed. make the cotton wool into a nice round even ball, quite free from lumps, particularly at the bottom. fold the muslin to get a double thickness, place the wool inside, make it into a mass about the size of a cricket-ball, tie this tightly, leaving enough muslin free to take hold of easily. (see fig. 1.) [illustration: dabber. fig. 1.] [illustration: maple leaf centre. fig. 3.] next get your leaves. the front or back garden, or the greenhouse, will probably afford all you want, to begin with. choose in preference leaves which lie flat, with no bulgings or cockles; you will get much better results. put them in a dish or basin large enough to take them easily, and cover with a damp cloth. if you have to go farther afield for your leaves take with you, if possible, a tin box or botanist's vasculum, and sprinkle a little water upon them. if not able to obtain such a box, then a wooden or cardboard one must do, but pack the leaves in damp moss, if able to get any. when you reach home cover up as before. you are now ready to commence. squeeze out some colour upon the foolscap, spread this evenly with the muslin dabber, not by smearing but by dabbing, with a slight twisting motion of the wrist, taking care that the colour is evenly distributed on the paper and the dabber. then try it by bringing down the dabber upon a clean sheet of paper with a smart blow. if the colour comes away evenly you are ready to begin upon the leaves; if not, work away with the dabber on the foolscap till you get better results. patience will do it. take one of your flattest leaves, and remove all moisture from the surface. a piece of blotting-paper is good for this purpose. then, with a series of good hard raps with the dabber--don't be afraid of hurting the leaf--get the colour evenly upon the face, working as near to the veins as possible. cut a piece of cartridge paper twice the size of the leaf--and now comes the careful treatment--put the leaf down, handling it by the stalk, in the place you want it; don't shift it about or attempt any fresh arrangement. to do so would smear the paper. bring down the upper half of the paper upon the leaf, and hold steadily with the left hand. then, with the forefinger of the right hand inside your handkerchief or a cloth, rest upon the outside of the paper, taking care not to let the leaf inside slip about. you may use some amount of pressure; the colour will not yield itself up too readily. if the leaf is full of sap, less force must be used, or you will crush the tissue. now raise the paper and remove the leaf. probably you will not be satisfied with the first attempt. some parts will be faint, other parts loaded with colour. possibly also the leaf has shifted a little. if this has not occurred you will have got a portrait of the leaf, showing the cutting of the edges and the ramifications of the veins. now try again, either upon the same leaf or a fresh one. at each fresh attempt you will be getting more skilful in handling the leaf, in the use of the dabber, and the careful placing and rubbing to get the impression. and the dabber, too, will be getting into better condition. the colour will have penetrated the muslin and gone a little way into the wool. use as little colour as possible, getting the colour on rather by smart blows than any other way. it would be well to have the cartridge paper folded ready for use, in appropriate sizes, a little too large, to permit of after-trimming. [illustration: hawthorn border. fig. 2.] [illustration: plaque: w. veitch's creeper leaves. fig. 5.] you will find that leaves are not alike in the character of the surface. some are covered with hairs, like the mulleins; these will take almost any quantity of colour. perhaps you had better begin upon such leaves. others have a few stiff hairs, and others, again, are quite free from such appendages. these require least colour of all. you will find, too, that it is better to commence with the back of the leaf. the veins are usually more prominent, and the impression obtained is more interesting. there is greater difficulty in getting the colour on all parts of the leaf, close up to the principal veins, and the rubbing for the impression is harder. but by patience and perseverance, to quote the copybook, you will soon obtain pleasing results. i don't think i can tell you much more that will aid you in getting good impressions. i have recommended the use of burnt sienna, because it is a cheap and easily worked colour; but any oil colour can be used, either straight from the tube, or mixed to suit your judgment or taste. greens, olives, russets, browns, greys, yellows, or even reds, can be used. you can certainly get some startling effects with these, if removed some distance from nature; or by using two or more colours and dabbers you may graduate the tones or colours on the same leaf. suppose you want an autumn effect. mix or choose your yellow, and prepare also an orange-red colour. coat the leaf first of all with the yellow--don't use gamboge--then with the red dabber apply that colour to the end or margin of the leaf, and take off as before [illustration: leaves of the ginko tree. fig. 4.] you may say, what is the use of it all when the necessary skill is obtained? you will find it a very good and useful hobby even to so obtain a series of prints of the leaves of our forest trees. there are, perhaps, more of these than you are aware of. and there is another point--the leaves of any particular plant vary very much in shape. a collection of these variations, if at all complete, would be held even by botanists to be very valuable indeed. then, what a number of forest trees there are! the common and wych elms, the oak and maple, the two chestnuts, the spanish and horse--a full-grown leaf of the latter you will find a large order--the beech and hornbeam (note the difference in the margin), the wild cherry, crab, and sloe, the dogwood, the two buckthorns, the service tree, the wayfaring tree, the back of the leaf of which you will find good to begin with. a good instance of the variety in form in the leaves of one plant is the now common wall plant, veitch's virginian creeper, which i have used to decorate a plaque in fig. 5. the seedling leaves, too, are well worthy of collection--they vary very much from the more adult leaves. i have no need to write more upon this, as, if you make the collection of leaves a hobby, these details will come. but the use of leaves does not stop here. more than any other part of the plant, leaves are used by the designer for sculptural details, and for decoration in all its branches. but most boys are not designers or skilful draughtsmen, neither have they the time to make drawings or paintings which would give the results so easily obtained by this process. even excellent artists shrink from giving the amount of details which are secured in these transfers from the objects themselves. some applications of foliage which can be done from the leaves themselves are given as hints of what is possible. these vary in difficulty, until the results are to be described only as works of art. figs. 3 and 4 are applications of leaves to the decoration of occasional tables, which more frequently than not are ebonised. fig. 4 is an arrangement of the leaves of the "ginko," or adiantum tree. when the table is ready for the varnish, apply the leaves in the positions marked out beforehand. in the illustration a band of colour is supposed to be previously painted to the shape indicated, and should be some rich olive or russet tone, upon which the leaves are printed in a lighter, say a sage green. a very good scale of colours, adapted for use on black, is used by the japanese on the trays to be found in almost any house. you may not be able to get "ginko" leaves, but several of the adiantums have fronds the pinnã¦ of which could be similarly used. an arrangement of maple leaves in fig. 3 could be copied for the centre of the table, and similarly treated. by-the-by, should you in placing the leaf make any false marks, these can be easily removed while the colour is wet by wiping off with a cloth, using turpentine or spirit of wine if obstinate. [illustration: photo. mount decorated with bramble leaves. fig. 6.] fig. 6 is an arrangement of bramble leaves. a very considerable variety of form is usually found on the same plant; this variety has been utilised. use pale tones of colour, and make out the stalks with a brush afterwards. it will be found useful to roughly indicate the position of the leaves by pencil or chalk after having placed them, and before applying their painted surfaces. it is intended as a decoration to a photographic mount. if the mount is of a dark tea-green colour a very considerable richness of effect can be obtained. the chief difficulty will be the careful adjustment and selection of the leaves. fig. 5 is the application of veitch's ampelopsis to a terra-cotta plaque. you will find this more difficult, as the surfaces to which the leaves are applied are not flat, and the material is absorbent to a high degree. first give the plaque a coating of size; this will keep the colour on the surface. roughly sketch the position of the leaves in pencil; apply colour more copiously to the leaves, and transfer. when dry give a coating of quick-drying varnish. copal, dissolved in methylated spirits, will prove the most satisfactory. the end of the spray is done all at once. the stems, stalks, and tendrils are put in afterwards by brush work. fig. 2 is the most difficult of all. it is an arrangement of hawthorn leaves in different tones of colour, and intended for a title-page or elaborate mount. the leaves can be easily obtained in considerable variety. roughly mark out the places the leaves should occupy. some are in front of others; do these first in a paler green. cut out paper shapes to cover them, and stick them down temporarily after they are dry. then, in darker and richer tones of colour, transfer the back leaves; when dry remove the covers, and touch up with a brush any deficiencies. add the stalks, stems, and thorns, and paint in the haws. there are many other applications to which these prints from leaves could be put. a branch of oak running across the panels of a door, a simple leaf upon the cover of a book, nicely done; in the making of stencil plates, for borders, friezes, and dados, or a conventional pattern for wall papers. studies for wood carving can easily be obtained from the store of prints from leaves, such as the strawberry, potentilla, goose-grass, buttercup, dandelion, and many wayside plants. when the stalk or principal vein is too succulent or thick, it would be well to pare it down, to permit of easier rubbing, not attempting to get an impression from more than one surface of the leaf. it may be useful to some readers to give the prices at which the materials may be obtained. the cheaper colours are in every respect quite as good for the purpose as the more expensive ones, and should cost about threepence a tube from an artists' colourman. a small camel-hair brush, from a penny upwards, would do; but it might be sable in preference, from sixpence upwards. you can get a good-sized sheet of cartridge paper for a penny. the nainsook muslin should be new, and of a fine quality. any holes in it would be fatal to good work. a penny or two would buy the foolscap paper. [illustration: the apparatus.] [illustration: the points.] $pyrography.$--the outfit consists of a platinum point, sometimes called the burner, an alcohol lamp, and a benzine bottle with rubber tubing terminating in a bulb as shown in the illustration. the points or burners may be obtained in many sizes for fine or broad lines. the work is done upon unvarnished wood, which should be seasoned and free from resin. sometimes designs are drawn too upon calf, cardboard, and even upon velvet, but upon these materials be careful the point is not too hot. to use the pyrography apparatus fill both the alcohol lamp and the benzine bottle half full. upon the benzine bottle put the rubber stopper that has the metal nozzle and join the bellows and the tubing. now light your alcohol lamp, and in its flame hold with your right hand the platinum point, and with your left hand work the bulb steadily and continuously. the platinum point will thus become red hot and it must be kept so. with this hot point draw upon the wood and you will find that all kinds of designs and effects are possible by using different points, and, indeed, by using the same in different ways and at different temperatures. the judicious use of sandpaper improves the general effect afterwards, and a wax finish may be obtained by the application of pure bees'-wax slowly melted in turpentine. when it is in a syrupy state apply it with a cloth, and a few days later brush away the superfluous wax and wipe tenderly with a soft cloth. the general effect may be heightened by the use of colour. the young pyrographist may practise upon some of the designs given in the other sections of this chapter, and he will be able to purchase his outfit with directions for its use. messrs. gamage, in holborn, and messrs. benetfink, in cheapside, have many kinds of apparatus and accessories. chapter xvi ventriloquism and polyphony $ventriloquism.$--ventriloquism is no more a gift than is the ability to talk or sing; it does not depend on any peculiar formation of the throat; it is, in fact, an art which can be acquired by almost any one possessing a voice of average compass (some twelve notes), together with an ordinarily good ear for music. if, in addition to these, the tyro show any aptitude for acting and mimicry, there is prospect of his becoming an expert performer. broadly speaking, ventriloquism consists in a close imitation of sound _as it falls upon the ear_, the ventriloquist effecting this by skilfully modifying the cavity of the mouth in such a way as to give his voice a deceptive character. the young ventriloquist must study all sorts and conditions of sounds and voices _as they fall on the ear_. he must become familiar with the models he seeks to imitate. he must, for example, note that a voice from the cellar, heard in a room above, has a subdued and muffled sound, many of the consonants being strangely altered, so that the words, "i'm down here in the cellar, sir!" would sound more like, "in'e down here in a zellar, zir!" again, in listening to the knife-grinder, he must observe, first the _bur-r-r_ of the wheel, and then a combination of the _bur-r-r_ with a prolonged _iss_ when the knife touches the grindstone. these little hints will, we trust, sufficiently impress the beginner with the necessity of learning _to listen with new ears_ whilst endeavouring to speak with a new voice. you will observe, too, that the character of the assumed voice is determined chiefly by the shape of the mouth. this is the more important, because misguided learners are so apt to strain the larynx. there should be no pressure on the throat, though some pressure must necessarily be exerted on the chest and the abdominal muscles by reason of the slow rate at which the air is allowed to leave the lungs; for, be it carefully noted, _the ventriloquial voice can only be spoken during a slow expiration of the breath_. consequently, the learner must exercise himself in controlling the breath, for which purpose let him practise filling the lungs with air and then reading aloud as long a passage as he can whilst the air is being slowly expelled. with regard to modifying the natural voice, every one knows how this can be done by extraneous means. a speaking-trumpet, for example, renders it loud and harsh, whilst a hand placed lightly over the mouth makes it low and muffled. at an evening party where we had been amusing some juvenile friends, a voice seemed to come from the chimney in obedience to one of the boys, who stood before the fireplace as a new fledged professor of ventriloquism, and we considered the imitation to be rather good until, upon lifting the table-cloth near us, we discovered a confederate on the floor, talking into an empty jug. this, of course, was mere jugglery, but genuine ventriloquism is to be attained by a careful management of the breath whilst _modifying the shape of the cavity of the mouth_ by a proper adjustment of lips, teeth, jaws, tongue and palate. and here let us point out that, although the best ventriloquial effects can only be produced by the mature voice, it is well to begin practising at an early age, in order to make the vocal organs strong and flexible. the present writer began experimenting at the age of twelve, only resting therefrom, as every boy should, during that beautiful period of "gruffiness" consequent on the breaking of the voice. after that we went on again, making slow headway, until one memorable night when we received undoubted assurance of our ability to deceive. it was at a party given by a bluff sea-captain in a northern town, and a young gentleman was singing a very sentimental ditty to a saddened audience, when we essayed between whiles to imitate the singer in a falsetto voice, muffled, as if coming through the closed shutters, towards which we took care to cast an occasional glance of annoyance. presently the captain rose and left the room on tiptoe, at the same time indicating by vigorous pantomime that the singer was to proceed with his song. before long a tremendous splash of water was heard on the pavement outside, and our host soon after re-entered, remarking that he had taught those young vagabonds not to mock people outside the shutters, for he'd given them "billows" from the top bed-room window. there are in reality only three well-defined ventriloquial voices: (1) the _distant_ voice, as from the roof, the street, etc.; (2) the _resonant_ voice, as from a chimney, cupboard, cellar, etc.; and (3) the _falsetto_ voice. "but," exclaims the intelligent reader, "how can each voice be used for various imaginary places? will the _distant_ voice serve equally well for roof or street?" it will; and this brings us to a very important point, viz., that we judge of the _direction_ of sound partly by means of the sense of sight. a railway traveller, for instance, seated in a waiting-room, is often perplexed as to whether an approaching train is "up" or "down" until he notes the demeanour of those on the platform who can see the train coming in. it is always difficult to determine the direction from which distant sounds proceed, and frequently of sounds much nearer. but this uncertainty is of vital importance to the ventriloquist, as it enables him "to make the ears the fool of the other senses." when he uses the _distant_ voice, the audience will be unable to refer it to any particular quarter, unless the place be suggested to them by the performer. the moment he does this, however, by word or sign or mere glance even, the imagination of the audience does the rest, and the illusion is complete. it is plain, therefore, that the tyro should have some taste for acting, otherwise he can neither conceal the internal efforts he is making, nor invest his shadowy characters with any degree of naturalness. coming now to practical details, let the student attempt _the distant voice_ in the following manner. say the word "hallo!" just in your ordinary speaking voice, in order to fix the pitch. then open the mouth slightly, draw in the lower jaw a little, and firmly fix both jaws. next, stretch or arch the soft palate as in the act of yawning take a deep breath, and utter the word "hallo!" in the same pitch as before, but softly, and _without moving the lips_, endeavouring at the same time to direct the sound against the soft palate by turning the tongue well back so as to strike the roof of the mouth. at first your strange gurglings may alarm the household, and much fatigue may be felt in the jaws and tongue, but persevere and you will soon acquire a new voice of startling character. _the resonant voice_ is produced on the lower tones of the scale, the sound being forced into the nasal passages with a jerky explosive delivery of the breath. the parts against which the voice and the tongue should respectively strike may be felt by prolonging the sound of the letter _n_ on a low note with the mouth nearly closed and the lower jaw drawn back a little as before. in this way utter the sentence, "joe's down here in the cellar!" and the words will sound deep and muffled and be accompanied by a resonant hum. _remember always to keep the lips and jaws immovable_, even at the cost of mutilating your words. these will greatly improve by-and-by. the practised ventriloquist can, of course, judge the effect he is producing, but the learner, as soon as he makes any progress, had better get a companion to criticize his efforts. _the falsetto voice_ is feminine and must be familiar to all. if spoken with the lower jaw drawn in and the mouth all but closed it will strike against the hard palate and produce a thin, metallic voice like that of a child. it can also be used for "distant" effects, according to the method set forth for voice no. 1. the _falsetto_ voice is frequently used for "doll-talking"--a branch of the ventriloquial art concerning which, and polyphonism also, we shall have something to say presently. meanwhile, devote a few minutes daily to each of the following exercises:-(1) singing the common musical scale to the vowel sounds, as well as to the syllables _ha_ and _coo_. all good vocal exercises are an aid to ventriloquism. (2) practising the management of the breath as already described. (3) experimenting with the three ventriloquial voices. (4) studying all the peculiarities of voices and other sounds _as they fall upon the ear_. the learner still finds it difficult, no doubt, to enunciate his words at all clearly without moving the lips and jaws, but this difficulty, though it will never quite vanish, may be greatly reduced. the vowels run smoothly enough, but the consonants give trouble, particularly the _labials_, _b_, _p_, _m_, and their first cousins, the _spirants_, _v_, _f_, _w_. as to the _spirants_, one may soon acquire the knack of sounding _f_ fairly well, so this must be used for _v_ also, unless one can hit upon that nearer substitute got by compounding _g_ and _f_. to catch this sound with lips and jaws immovable, pronounce the word _never_ as "_negfer_," quickly, with a light touch on the _g_. the sound of _w_ is well represented by that of _oo_. for the _labials_, however, demanding as they do a positive closing of the lips, we must substitute the letters _g_, _k_, _ng_. thus, the sentence, "jim broke seven of tom's pens this morning," would be rendered as "jing groke se(g)fen of tong's kens this ng-orning," and the query, "when am i to come up?" would become "oohen ang i to cung uk?" such sentences, though good for practice, are bad for exhibition, and must be carefully avoided in the preparation of dialogue. nevertheless, they look much more imperfect here than they would sound in the mouth of an able ventriloquist; besides, as nobody expects to hear perfect words from a distant source, the audience readily accepts the performer's mode of rendering them. in this connection it should be remarked that the performer may occasionally turn his face from view, and allow his lips free play, although, as a rule, either a side face, or a three-quarters face should be presented to the audience, and, pretty frequently, a front face also. we have next to deal with _ventriloquial perspective_, which appertains to the gradual increase or decrease in the _loudness_ of a sound as it approaches or recedes. attention to this will give our assumed voices just the magic touch. for the receding voice, speak more and more gently, whilst gradually closing the mouth, until the sound is shut off. for an approaching voice, reverse the process, but in either case take care to _maintain the original pitch_. this is just where beginners stumble; they mostly alter the pitch at every step, graduating it from a growl to a squeak, or _vice versa_; nor do they observe how the words spoken by a receding voice grow less and less _distinct_ until only the vowel sounds remain. the following presentment of these important matters may impress itself on the reader's mind:--good-night! good-night! goo'-nigh'! 'oo'-nigh'! 'igh'! we shall now give in outline a few sketches for the student to fill in with dialogue of his own. the "situations" will readily suggest some simple conversations well suited for effective treatment. for _the man in the chimney_, assume a voice of low pitch, strongly resonant throughout. express your belief that somebody is up the chimney, and stoop near the fireplace to question the intruder in a soft and rather high-pitched voice. then draw down the corner of the mouth turned from the audience, and deliver your answers with force, so that the sound may be deflected from the stone-work supporting the mantel-piece. your man in the chimney is a rough, cantankerous fellow, who accounts for his presence in the most absurd way, and answers with great warmth, especially when there is a fire in the grate. as soon as he begins to ascend the chimney, step back a pace, keeping your face in the same direction. to wind up, either leave him stuck in the chimney, or dismiss him by way of the roof. in speaking to _the man on the roof_, begin by taking a deliberate look at the ceiling, and then shout "hallo-o!" the answer, given in the _distant_ voice, should sound almost like an echo. before answering, turn your face to the audience, and, with the head in an easy, listening attitude, produce the reply softly on a note of _middle pitch_. the man on the roof rarely speaks more than a few sentences. the audience seem to understand how trying it is for him to converse at such a distance, so he is humanely dismissed very soon, and may then be heard faintly answering as he wanders on from roof to roof, or reaches the ground by a ladder. sometimes, however, the voice grows in strength and resonance as the man enters the chimney, and descends almost to the hearthrug; at other times, if the night is particularly cold, you may ask him to remain where he is in the silvery moonlight. [illustration: the man in the hall.] [illustration: the talking hand.] [illustration: the trap door.] [illustration: raising the trap door.] _the man in the hall_ is a capital voice to practise. with your hand on the handle of the door, parley with the rough fellow who is trying to push it open from the other side. at this stage use the _resonant_ voice, and explode your answers against the panel of the door. as the man is noisy, you may produce a striking effect by alternately opening and shutting the door rapidly, accompanying the action with a sudden swelling and sinking of the voice, remembering at the same time to maintain the original pitch. much amusement will arise if your visitor happens to be a sweep who has come to the wrong house, but insists on cleaning the drawing-room chimney. you may even put your head outside the door for a moment to remonstrate with him, and then step back suddenly with the mark of a grimy hand upon your face--self-inflicted, of course, with a burnt cork. as the voice moves away, its resonant quality should be moderated, and, in case the man talks himself out into the street, it should merge into the _distant voice_. sometimes, however, affairs take a novel turn, and the sweep, in seeking an exit, wanders into the cellar, where he may be heard making unkind remarks in accents faint and sooty. the voice of _the man in the cellar_ is a modified form of the _resonant_ voice, delivered with less force and less of the nasal quality. a fine effect may be introduced by making your man slowly ascend and descend the cellar steps, talking or singing all the time. moreover, this effect may be greatly heightened by using a trap-door made in the following manner. cover a sheet of stout cardboard (about 2-1/2 ft. square) with grained wall-paper to imitate woodwork, and let it dry thoroughly under pressure, as warping would render it useless. on it paint two large hinges with black enamel, and near the front edge fix a large black ring by means of a loop of leather or black tape. the ring may be either a wooden curtain-ring or a coil of cane bound with "wax-end." to the under-side of the board glue two leather tabs, in line with the hinges, but projecting, so that the trap may thereby be fastened to the floor with drawing-pins. before the audience arrive, fix the trap-door in position, well to the right or left of the platform or other space, and take care to indicate the thickness of the woodwork on the edge which is to face the performer. under the trap a corresponding square of black tissue paper should be pinned to the floor, so that, when the trap is raised, a dark hole may appear beneath. during the performance, the trap must be lifted with considerable toil, else its flimsy nature will be discovered, and perhaps cause an untimely titter. if managed properly, however, it is most realistic, and may be employed in a startling way to convey the idea of a man raising it from below. this is done by fixing to the upper edge of the board a piece of strong black thread (invisible to the audience) at a few yards distance and attaching the other end to a strong finger-ring to be worn by the performer. the ring, if placed on a table or chair near the trap-door, may be slipped on the finger at the right moment, and will thus enable the performer, whenever he raises his arm with a gesture of alarm or of command, to raise the trap-door at the same time. doll-talking is a branch of our subject which finds great favour with boys, for it is often as funny as droll figures and smart witty dialogue can make it. the nature of the dialogue, indeed, is of much more importance here than in pure ventriloquism. the voices are easy to acquire, but not so easy to describe. draw back the lower jaw pretty well; press the tip of the tongue against the lower teeth; raise the rest of the tongue until it nearly touches (and it _will_ touch every now and then) the roof of the mouth, and then project the sound forcibly against the hard palate, just above the front teeth. the falsetto voice treated in this way, sometimes becomes almost perfect, enabling the ventriloquist to sound nearly every letter; whilst appearing to be absolutely mute. fix upon two well-contrasted characters: one speaking in a shrill falsetto, the other in a hard, metallic voice of middle pitch. figures for this purpose can be purchased at some of the london toy bazaars and conjurers' shops. a pair of large dolls, with practical mouths and eyes, would cost about two pounds, but heads may be purchased separately and fixed to home-made bodies. these heads, which represent a funny man, an old woman, a little girl and a negro, range in price from five shillings and sixpence to eighteen and sixpence, the latter kind being life-size. the pairs of dolls mostly used are styled "tommy and joey," "tommy and granny," etc. the performer places a doll on each knee and holds a lively conversation with them, often interrupted, however, by the crying, giggling, and singing of the dolls, whose unseasonable jokes and general naughtiness call down upon their wooden heads many a resounding blow. [illustration: betty bouncer.] there is a cheaper figure, however, called "the talking hand," which may be bought at almost any large toy shop for about half-a-crown. as great fun can be got from this figure, we shall now tell our boys how to make it at the cost of a few pence. get a quarter-yard of unbleached calico, fold it double and trace upon it an outline of the right hand and wrist. then cut round the outline, taking care to leave a broad margin and a long thumb. stitch round the glove, turn it inside out, and insert the hand. now close the hand, and, with a soft blacklead, mark in roughly the eyes, nose, etc. the projecting knuckles will form the nose and the thumb the lower jaw. to give the latter a better appearance fill out the tip with wadding and sew it to that part of the glove just above it. having withdrawn your hand, flatten the glove, and proceed to mark in the features more carefully with good writing-ink and a quill pen. the furrows in the face and the hair should also be marked with black ink, but the wide mouth and the tip of the nose with red ink. colour the face with powdered chalk (yellow ochre and red) rubbed in with pellets of blotting-paper. take care to make the eyes extra large and paint them with chinese white. to complete the figure, sew to the glove a cap-frill, a shawl of red flannel, and a large bow under the chin, and "betty bouncer" becomes one of the most comical creatures you ever saw, ready to talk, laugh, or cry to order, while as to singing--well, you should just see the old lady getting her top note! the chief subject of our next section will be _polyphonism_, or the imitation of various musical instruments, cries of animals, and other sounds. meanwhile the young ventriloquist will find quite enough to do in practising: (_a_) sentences containing labials and spirants; (_b_) voices saying "good-night," etc., in a monotone, whilst approaching or receding; (_c_) voices at the door, on the roof, up the chimney, in the cellar; (_d_) the "talking hand" or other figures. $polyphony.$--polyphony is the art of imitating sounds of various kinds, usually, without attempting to deceive the hearer as to their direction. it may therefore be studied independently of ventriloquism. already the art is much in vogue. we all know the boy who occasionally alarms the street with the yelp of an injured dog, or imitates the "cock's shrill clarion" cleverly enough to deceive half the roosters in the neighbourhood and make quiet people mutter of canes and constables. as in ventriloquism, so now the learner must first of all study closely the sounds he wishes to imitate. very often they may be roughly indicated in words or syllables, and this is very helpful. indeed, many words in our language, such as buzz, bang, tinkle, thud, crash, splash, and the like, originated in this very way. let us begin with a few easy examples. _knife-grinding_ sounds like the combination of a _bur-r-r_--made by fluttering the lips--with a prolonged _ss_. _sawing_ may be indicated by the syllables _shuh-szee_ uttered alternately with the difference of a semitone. _planing_ can be effectively rendered by strongly whispering _shee-yick_, _shee-ic-yick_, _ll-ll-luc_, and then _yu-yu-yook_ as a long shaving curls out of the plane. with regard to musical instruments, there is the _ta-ra-ra_ of the trumpet, the _pangka-bongka_ of the banjo, the _zhing-sching_ of the cymbals, the _pom-pome_ of the trombone, the _r-rhumbu-dhumba_ of the drum, the explosive _plim-blim_ of the harp, and the _floo-lu-loo_ of the flute, whilst the notes of a clarionet may be imitated by the player's running rapidly down the scale from a sharp nasal _pli-li-li-plan-plah_ into a deeper _glug-lu-lu-glah_. syllables like the foregoing give, as it were, an outline for the polyphonist to fill in with sound of the right colour or quality. thus, a tune on the cornet should be sung to a _ra-ra-ra_ forced through the tightly compressed lips, and the _flu-lu-loo_ of the flute, with its roundness of tone and breathiness, should be vocalised in the falsetto while the cheeks are distended with air. an amusing and realistic imitation of the _jew's-harp_ can be given in the following manner. stiffen the first and second fingers of the left hand and place them firmly over the lips, but lightly, so as to allow the lips perfectly free play. then give a strongly nasal rendering of some monotonous air whilst ringing the changes as rapidly as possible on the syllables _whanga-whonga whee-whaw whoodle-ongle eedle-ongle whow-zeedle oodle-ee whay-whonga whaw_, during which beat time upon the projecting fingers with the right forefinger as if twanging the tongue of the instrument. by following on the lines now laid down the apt learner may even become skilful enough to imitate an entire brass band, a feat which has been performed by at least one ventriloquist of our acquaintance. some sounds, of course, it is almost impossible to reduce to writing, as, for example, the hollow "skaw" and murmur produced by a multitude of skaters, or the roar of an excited crowd, but in listening to these sounds, it is useful to remember that we may often obtain a key tone to work upon by partly closing the ears--just as a painter can often find the prevailing tint of a confused mass of objects by partly closing the eyes. [illustration: phantom poodles.] [illustration: "i have to watch charlotte!"] when the young polyphonist has acquired some degree of skill, he need not be at a loss to entertain his friends, provided he is fairly resourceful as regards acting. but acting is of the greatest importance to the polyphonist. as a knife-grinder he must work an imaginary wheel, and deftly turn the blade of a table knife upon the stone; as a waiter about to "pop" a cork with a strong click of the tongue against the palate--he should first insert a shadowy cork-screw with a chirrupy squeak; and as a cook frizzling bacon, he may do a cardboard rasher to a turn on a battledore or fire-shovel. even the buzz of a bluebottle (made sometimes by a prolonged cornet note, sometimes by a stream of air forced through the compressed lips) will occasion much amusement if the performer acts the part of a languid mortal lolling behind his newspaper in the dog days, and murmuring,- "oh! for the green of a lane, where one might lie and be lazy! buzz! goes a fly in the pane- bluebottles drive me crazy!" then might follow a reckless chase after that fly, which should finally buzz itself crazy beneath the huntsman's handkerchief. again, the barking of dogs may not be much in itself, yet we have seen a performer cause roars of laughter by making his phantom poodles dance, tumble, and leap over chairs and through a hoop, to a lively tune on the piano. as a final step in polyphony, the learner should practise the _ventriloquial treatment of noises_. this adds greatly to the effectiveness of a ventriloquial sketch; as when the man in the cellar takes to sawing and planing; or goes home accompanied by a dog, whose barking, mingled with the shouts of the man, grows fainter and fainter in the distance; or, it may be, the moaning of the wind is heard without, while a last-century watchman proclaims the hour in a storm-tossed voice. to show how perfect such displays may become, we may instance the case of thomas ring, a conjurer who gave an entertainment before the entire english court in the seventeenth century. from behind a screen he imitated the voices of three butchers engaged in a conversation, which was presently interrupted by a barking dog. the dog having been whipped, a bleating calf was dragged in, a knife whetted, and the calf killed amid the talk and laughter of the men. all this is, no doubt, within the reach of some of our living ventriloquists. [illustration: "bluebottles drive me crazy!"] [illustration: good-bye.] and now a few necessary hints must be given in regard to the management of an audience. get your hearers seated in front of you, not around you, with the front row at a distance of at least ten or twelve feet. politely impose silence upon them, and take care to repeat your opening question two or three times before replying in the ventriloquial voice, because this straining the attention stimulates the imagination of your audience, and makes the illusion more complete. another important point--keep the assumed voice and the natural voice in contrast all the time, by means of a running fire of questions; finally, never use elaborate apparatus. besides, ordinary windows, doors, and fireplaces, an old chest, a folding screen, a trap-door, and perhaps one or two "practical" dolls, will amply suffice. ventriloquists who employ a whole family of ingeniously contrived figures--we have seen some of these dance a jig--should get them to talk by machinery as well. there is very little artistic merit in such performances. nor should the performer be suspiciously surrounded by scenery; it may cause misunderstanding, as the following instance will prove:-a ventriloquist performing at a london theatre some years ago imitated a voice on the roof so successfully as to induce a man in the audience to ascend to the roof in search of a confederate. unfortunately, however, two other men, filled with the self-same idea, also found their way to the roof in company, and mistaking the first man for the guilty person, gave him a sound thrashing. in drawing our instructions to a close, let us point out that the proper end and aim of ventriloquism should be not to play the pranks of "valentine vox," but to afford our friends innocent amusement. of course, no manly boy would ever think of frightening little children; but he might be tempted to give older people a little surprise. it is therefore well he should know that persons altogether ignorant of ventriloquism may be wonderfully deceived. one morning, just after a new servant had come to the house, we noticed a doll in the kitchen, sitting bolt upright and staring as hard as her glass eyes would let her. so, going up to it, in presence of the girl, we shook hands gravely, and said, "good morning, dolly!" to which she sweetly replied, "good morning, sir! i have to watch charlotte!" the effect produced on the girl was so pronounced that for days after she would hardly touch the uncanny creature. on another occasion, at a house in kentish town, affairs took a more serious turn; for a young woman, upon hearing a gruff voice proceed from the chimney, astonished a company of six or eight persons by falling on her knees in broad daylight to implore the troubled spirit to unburden its mind. upon this we at once desisted, and explained, though not without difficulty, the nature of the deception. the ventriloquist should therefore use his strange power with caution, and mainly, as we have said, for the innocent amusement of every one concerned. at the same time he will reap from his studies certain advantages often lost sight of, viz., the training given to the ear as regards the nice discrimination of sound--musical and non-musical--and the command obtained over the vocal organs with respect to elocution. the whole of our instructions may be summarized thus: (1) listen to sound intently; (2) learn to analyze it; (3) experiment patiently and regularly; (4) cultivate acting. with these points in view, no reader possessing an average voice, together with some aptitude for mimicry, should fail to acquire the coveted art. some folks may fear that these practical lessons will produce ventriloquists by the score. to such we reply, rest easy, good people! ventriloquism, like every other art, requires patience and perseverance for its attainment. consequently, many a reader, sufficiently gifted by nature, will fail in its pursuit. it is the enthusiasts who will succeed, and they, after all, are the ones who deserve the reward. chapter xvii the boy as magician $cremated alive.$--the curtain rises and a young and beautiful girl, clothed in white, is introduced to the spectators as the victim who has been doomed to cremation, which will be instantaneously accomplished. the girl mounts upon a table placed at the back of a kind of alcove, consisting of a three-sided screen, and above her is suspended a big fire-proof sack, folded up as shown in fig. 1. the table upon which the victim stands ready for sacrifice appears to have four legs, and under this table burn, or appear to burn, four candles, the purpose being to indicate to the public that the space beneath the table is open, perfectly free, and beyond suspicion of any trickery. the sack, which forms a cylindrical screen under which the victim is to be burned, has been previously handed round to the spectators, so that they might assure themselves that it was entire, without any hole or split, lacing, or other artifice allowing of an escape from behind--a precaution invariably taken to allay the too ready suspicions of incredulous spectators. all these verifications being made, and the audience perfectly satisfied as to the _bona fides_ of the case, the sack is lowered upon the victim, a pistol is fired, and the cremation commences. flames and smoke (see fig. 2) soon indicate to the terrified spectators that the fire is pursuing its destructive work. when the flames have ceased, the sack, composed as we have stated, of an incombustible material, is raised, and there is seen upon the table, in the midst of the still smoking _dã©bris_, only a few bones and a skull (fig. 3.) [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2. fig. 3. cremated alive.] an examination of the conditions under which the disappearance has taken place does not in the least reveal the methods by which it has been so rapidly accomplished; but as it is clearly inadmissible that the sacrifice of a young and beautiful person should thus take place every evening for the simple gratification of the public, one is, of course, pushed to the conclusion that there must be some trick. and a trick there is of a most ingenious character, as will be seen by the following explanation, the comprehension of which will be aided by fig. 4. [illustration: fig. 4.] in this particular case the illusion is a happy combination of suitable appliances underneath the scene and of the well-known properties of plane mirrors placed on the incline. the table upon which our victim mounts for cremation has, as a matter of fact, only two legs, instead of four, and the two others are only seen by the spectators as a reflection of the two real legs in the two glasses inclined at an angle of 90 degrees with each other, and at 45 degrees with the two side panels of the three-fold screen which contains the scene of the disappearance. it is precisely the same with the two candles, which, in consequence of their reflection in the mirrors, appear to be four in number, whilst the central rod hides the edges of the mirrors. thanks to the combination of the glasses and panels, and to the adoption of a uniform surface for these panels, the reflection of the two sides in the two lower glasses appears to be but the continuation of the panel at the back. the triangular box, of which the two glasses comprise the two sides, and the floor the bottom, has its surface formed of two parts; the one made up of the top of the table itself, and the other of pieces of mirror which reflect the back panel, and pieces of material of the same colour as the panel itself. it is easy from this to understand the whole course of the operations, more or less fantastic, which the spectator watches with such breathless interest. as soon as the victim is hidden by the sack which comes down upon her, she at once escapes by a secret trap-door in the top of the table, as is shown in fig. 4; she then rapidly puts into position the skull and bones, as well as some inflammable material, to which she sets fire when she hears the pistol shot. she then, closing the trap, tranquilly retires, and remains hidden in the triangular space arranged between the back panel and the two glasses until the fall of the curtain. $money dissolved in water.$--for this trick the young magician needs a glass, which may be either the ordinary tumbler or a wine-glass, as shown in our illustration (fig. 2). it must be of such a size that if a half-crown be dropped into the glass, it shall, lying flat, nearly or quite fill the bottom space. the conjuror must be provided also with a glass disc, of the thickness of a half-crown, and in diameter exactly corresponding with the bottom space of the glass. this, when about to perform the trick, he holds concealed in his right hand, after the manner of _a_ in fig. 3. filling the glass about three-quarters full, as shown in fig. 2, he hands it to a spectator to hold. he then asks the loan of a half-crown, and a lady's pocket-handkerchief. taking the coin as _c_ in fig. 3, he accordingly throws the handkerchief over it, or, rather, makes believe to do so, for in reality, under cover of the handkerchief, he deftly substitutes the glass disc, and holds this between his fingers, while the coin takes its place in his palm. he now asks the person holding the glass to take charge of the coin also. he is instructed to hold it (the glass disc) just over the glass, the four corners of the handkerchief hanging down around it, and at the word "three," to drop it into the glass. the conjuror counts "one, two, _three_?" at the word three the supposed coin falls, and is heard to tinkle upon the glass. [illustration] touch the glass through the handkerchief with your magic wand, and state that by the time you have counted three the half-crown will have dissolved. count three very slowly, then the handkerchief is removed, the water is seen, but the supposed coin has vanished, for the disc, being of glass, lies quite invisible at the bottom; and if it fits the water may be poured away without the disc falling out, the thin layer of water remaining underneath it holding it by atmospheric pressure to the bottom of the tumbler. it is not worth while to do this unless some one challenges you to pour off the water, then the challenge should be accepted readily. the conjurer should now pay back the half-crown, but it will assist the illusion if he pays it back with two shillings and a sixpence, or in some other coins, instead of in the form in which it was borrowed. $the vanished half-crown.$--the trick of the dissolved half-crown may be varied. in this case the coin should be marked by the owner. upon finding it is not in the water when the handkerchief has been removed pretend to be anxious about its loss. say you will pay it back in instalments, and offer a shilling towards it. when the money-lender tries to take the proffered shilling it vanishes too. this is managed by boring a hole in the shilling, tying some elastic through the hole, and stitching the other end of the elastic up your sleeve. then as soon as you leave hold of the coin it darts back up your sleeve. "has that gone too!" you exclaim. "well, we must try to find that half-crown; perhaps it is in this ball of worsted," you say, as you pick one from the table. hand the ball of worsted to someone to examine and they declare that the coin is not in it. as you walk back to the table secretly exchange this ball for another. now this other ball of worsted has been prepared in this way. it has been wound round a tin tube about three inches long, a tube through which half-a-crown may be passed. when you have the marked coin at the beginning of the trick you should have the ball of worsted in your pocket, and putting your hand there, should put the coin through the tube into the ball of worsted. then take the tube away and press the ball into its proper shape. it is this ball that you now place in an empty glass, and giving the end of the worsted to some lady in the audience, ask her to unwind it. as she does so the half-crown will begin to rattle upon the glass. $magic florins.$--take four half sheets of note-paper from any table, and then borrow four florins; these florins you place upon a table about a foot apart, and gently lay the half sheets over each. you then take up one sheet and discover the florin underneath. placing the paper on one side you take up the coin, and without touching, in some extraordinary way, make it pass through the next paper. you lift it, and sure enough, there lie _two_ florins. you then lift the third paper, to find the florin you placed there. again, in the same mysterious manner you pass the coin through the paper. it makes no hole going through, but when the paper is lifted up there are the three of them. now you lift up the last piece of paper, thereby uncovering the last florin. repeating the same process, you then request one of the audience to lift the paper, so that he or she may see that there is no deception. this being done, there lie the four florins as cosy as little fledglings in a nest. the extreme simplicity of the trick is the most taking part of it. and now to explain this seeming mystery. one great golden rule of conjuring successfully is, as it were, to take your audience into partnership with you. when you borrowed the four florins of course they thought that was all you wanted. but you began the trick with one in your left hand cunningly concealed under the four sheets, all of which you hold in that hand. then placing the four borrowed coins on the table (which, by the by, must have a thick cloth on it to deaden the sound), twelve inches apart, with the right hand you take the three top sheets. this leaves you with the fourth sheet in the left hand, the coin below being held in position by gentle pressure from fingers below, and thumb above. then simultaneously with each hand you place a sheet of paper over two of the four coins on the table. doing it simultaneously distracts the audience's attention from what you are doing with your left hand; for it is at this particular moment that the trick is being performed. as you place the paper down, with a gentle and even motion of the thumb you leave the fifth coin there, too, taking great care that it does not clash with the one there already. now you have two coins under that sheet, though the audience only know of one. there is one under each of the other three sheets. you take one of these sheets up now and take the coin between the top of the thumb and fingers of the left hand, then with the fingers and thumb of the right hand you pretend to take it, but in reality you let it fall into the palm of the left hand, a feat that must be practised carefully before a mirror. you close the fingers of the right hand over the imaginary coin in them, and act as if it were there. one way of aiding the deception is to follow the right hand with your eyes as it goes away from the left, at the same time dropping the left hand in an easy unconstrained position to the side. now choosing the sheet which covers the two coins (though the audience only know of one), you place the right hand a few inches above it, and open the fingers, making some mysterious passes. of course, nothing passes in reality, but when you proceed to lift up the sheet and display the second coin, the audience will either think that they could not see it, or that you are a very mysterious person, which, indeed, you are. the remainder of the trick is only a repetition of what has been already explained; but it excites more and more astonishment as it proceeds. the bewilderment of the audience culminates in the last act, when, as before, you have pretended to take the coin in the right hand (really having left it in the left), and making the passes, request one of the audience to lift up the last sheet--there lie all the four florins. meanwhile, your left has dropped quietly to your side, the coin in it been slipped noiselessly into the pocket, and both hands are free to return to their astonished owners the four borrowed coins. this trick is a particularly effective one, requiring, as it does, no paraphernalia except what are always to be met with in almost every room. only let the beginner recollect this. he must never begin the trick without the fifth coin, or he will come to grief. nor must he accede to requests to "do it again," or he will be detected. $magic pens.$--take a small quantity of "aniline violet," obtainable at any chemist's, two pennyworth making about two dozen pens, and make it into a thick paste with water, taking care not to leave any lumps; then add a few drops of mucilage or good gum. do not add too much, or the paste will not set well. apply a small quantity of the paste thus made to the hollow part of a clean pen, within a quarter of an inch of the point, and leave it for a few hours to dry. when dry, tell your friends that you will write anything they like to tell you with the pen, but instead of using ink, you will use water. then dip the pen into the water, taking care not to show the side with the paste on, and write whatever they ask you to, the writing appearing the same as if you were using an ordinary pen. $the magic bottle.$--you will need two cardboard cases open at each end, and large enough to slip easily over the bottles; a specially constructed bottle, the upper part of which can contain a liquid, and the lower part containing an open space in which a glass can stand; an imitation bottle made of tin and large enough to just slide over the special bottle; and two glasses. with this apparatus before us we are ready to proceed with the performance. we introduce an empty glass and what appears to be an ordinary wine bottle, but which is really a special bottle, with its tin case over it, and containing a second wine-glass inside. by careful manipulation we pour the contents from the upper part of the bottle into the wine-glass, and then setting the bottle down in its position, pour back half the liquid, which now runs through a hole in the partition into the glass beneath. so that the audience sees one glass half full, two cardboard cases, and what appears to be the bottle (as in figure), but which really is our special bottle covered by its tin case, shaped and coloured like a bottle, and a second glass half full beneath it. now we show the cardboard cases to prove that they are empty, and then place one case over the glass and another over the bottle. at this stage everything depends on the talk of the performer, who, by his jokes and comicalities, somewhat diverts the attention of his audience. some excuse is now invented for changing the cases, and in doing this by nipping the one over the bottle the tin case is lifted off with it (as in fig. 2), and placed over the glass, then on again raising the cases, the glass has disappeared, and there are now two bottles instead. again, the cases are put over the bottles, and again they are raised, but by nipping both the cases, the bottles are lifted with them, and now only the two glasses appear. again the cases are put on, and the bottle and glass restored as at first, and so a number of changes can be worked at will, the performer, of course, talking all the while and referring in the language of magicians to his power and skill in causing the bottle and the glasses to obey his will. fig. 3 shows the construction of the special bottle with its two linings and the space for the glass to stand within it. [illustration] $the magic wand.$--by means of this wand (a piece of thin glass rod) we may produce fire at will. take a teaspoonful of castor sugar, and rather less than half a teaspoonful of ground chlorate of potash, thoroughly mix without friction, and place on a saucer standing on an old tray. secretly dip the point of the glass rod in sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) and then touch the mass on the saucer. $another wand trick.$--leave the room under some pretext and bring in with you a wand that has been made hot. touch the wick of a candle, in which you have concealed previously a piece of phosphorus, and tell it to light and it will obey. it is better to use a candle that has already been lighted, because such a wick lights more readily. $the dancing egg.$--request someone to play the piano, and, touching an egg with your magic wand, call upon it to dance. it will do so if you observe the following directions. let the egg be boiled hard and brought into the room piping hot. make a small hole in the shell and through this push into the egg a quill that contains quicksilver, and has both ends firmly sealed. so long as the egg retains its heat, so long will it dance. $mystic thread.$--have suspended by a long thread an ordinary ring. let someone in the audience strike a match and set fire to the thread. it burns, but the ring does not fall because the thread has been thoroughly steeped in common salt and water. $eggs without hens.$--have a bag made of calico or similar material. have it made double and just inside the mouth of the part you keep towards you have six little pockets made. into each of these put an egg that has been blown or sucked until nothing remains in it. you may now shake the bag and turn it inside out to show it is empty, and yet you are able to produce one egg after another. one may be a full one, and if you break this the trick will seem more real. $feathers from a handkerchief.$--obtain some long feathers--the longer the better. take off your coat and lay the feathers in the left sleeve with the quills near the wrist. now put on your coat with the feathers still there. borrow a large handkerchief, and after flourishing it, to show it conceals nothing, throw it over your left arm. when you take it up again take with it one of the feathers, and when you shake the handkerchief again out drops the feather. if the feather is large and curved it will not appear as though it had been up your sleeve. repeat the process with suitable talk until all the feathers have been produced. $ink changed to water.$--fit a black silk lining into a glass vessel so that it lines the sides but not the bottom. put water in the glass and gold fish, but let the audience see nothing except the black lining. behind the glass have a spoon with ink in it. speak to the audience with an empty spoon in your hand, and then go to the glass, secretly change the spoons and pretend to take a spoonful of ink from the glass. now show the spoon with the ink in it to the audience, and they will believe the vessel is full of ink. throw a cloth over the glass and call upon the ink to change to water. remove the cloth, and with it the black lining, and there you have the water and the gold fish swimming in it. $the mysterious box.$--secure a little round box, into the bottom of which a half-crown will fit exactly. line the box with dark paper and cover one side of a half-crown with the same material. retaining this half-crown, pass the box round to be examined so that the audience may be sure it has no false bottom. now borrow half-a-crown, and as you return to the table exchange it for your prepared one. show this to the audience, keeping the papered side carefully towards you, and let them see you drop it into the box. in doing this keep the papered side upwards. close the box and shake it up and down so that the coin rattles. now touch the box with your wand and charge the coin to pass into a box, vase, or any other object in another part of the room into which you have previously placed half-a-crown. shake the box again, this time from side to side, and there will be no rattle. open it, the coin cannot be seen. now ask the audience to go to the place where you have planted the other half-crown, and while they are looking for it take out your papered half-crown. when they have found the other half-crown hand round the box again for them to examine. simple as is this trick, it is very puzzling to the audience. $how threepence vanished.$--place a threepenny piece upon the palm of your hand. close your hand, but have a piece of wax upon the nail of your middle finger. press this upon the coin, open your hand, and the coin will be out of sight. $the hat trick.$--borrow a hat, for a trick with a hat always has an air of importance. now, with a deal of elaboration, take a glass of water and proceed deliberately to cover the glass over with the hat. you undertake to drink the water without removing the hat. your challenge is accepted. you stoop beneath the table and commence making a loud sucking noise with the lips, as though you were drawing the water through the table. with a sharp "now, sir!" the curiosity of your opponent will make him lift up the hat; you instantly seize the glass and swallow the contents, saying, "you perceive, sir, i have drunk the water and i have not removed the hat." $card tricks.$--inseparable kings.--take four kings. beneath the last place any two cards, which you take care to conceal. then show the four kings and replace the six cards under the pack. then take a king and place it on the top of the pack, place one of the two other cards in the middle, and the other about the same place, and then, turning up the pack, show that one king is still at the bottom. then let the cards be cut, and as three kings were left below, all must necessarily get together somewhere about the middle of the pack. of course in placing the two other cards you pretend to be placing two kings. to guess chosen cards.--make a set of all the clubs and spades, and another set of hearts and diamonds. shuffle well each set, and even let them be shuffled by the spectators. then request a person to draw a card from one of the sets, and another person to draw one from the second set. you now take a set in each hand, presenting them to the two persons requesting them to replace the drawn cards. you must pretend to present to each person the set from which he drew his card, but in reality you present the red set to the person who drew the black card, and the black set to the person who drew the red card. to tell a card thought of.--take twenty-one cards of a pack, and deal them out one by one in three lots, requesting someone to think of a card, and remember in which lot it is. having dealt out the cards, ask him in which lot the card is. take up the lots successively, and place the lot containing the card in the middle. deal out the cards again, and ask him to state in which lot the card is; and proceed as before, placing the lot containing the card in the middle. deal out the cards in like manner a third time, proceeding as before. then deal them out as usual, and the eleventh card will be the one thought of, infallibly. this is the usual way of showing the card thought of; but, as the trick may be partly discovered by the counting, it is better to hold the cards in your hand, and take out the eleventh card, counting to yourself, of course, from the left hand, but pretending to be considering the guess. cheating the maid.--for this amusing trick you arrange the cards thus: holding the pack in your hands, find all the knaves, place one of them next to your left hand, and the other three on the table. then find a queen, which also place on the table. then say:--"three scamps went into a tavern, and ordered drink. here they are--the three knaves. 'who's to pay? i can't,' said the first. 'i won't,' said the second. 'i wish she may get it,' said the third. 'i'll manage it,' said the first, the greatest rogue of the three. 'i say, my pretty girl, haven't you some very old wine in your cellar?' here's the barmaid thus addressed by the rogue in question (showing the queen), and she replied:--'oh, yes, sir, prime old wine.' 'let's have a bottle.' off went the barmaid. (put the queen in your pocket.) 'now for it, my lads,' said the knave in question; '"run" is the word. let's be off in opposite directions, and meet to-night; you know where.' hereupon they decamped, taking opposite directions, which i will indicate by placing one on the top of the pack, one at the bottom, and the other in the middle. "when the poor barmaid returned (taking out the queen from your pocket) with the wine, great was her astonishment to find the room empty. 'lor!' she exclaimed, 'why, i do declare--did you ever!--oh! but i'm not agoing to be sarved so. i'll catch the rogues, all of them--that i will.' and off she went after them, as shown by placing her on or after the first. "now, to catch the three seems impossible; but the ladies have always smiled at impossibilities, and wonders never cease; for, if you have the goodness to cut these cards, you will find that she has caught the three rogues." when the cards are cut, proceed in the usual way after cutting; and taking up the cards, you will find the queen and three knaves together, which you take out and exhibit to the astonished audience. one of these knaves is not one of the three first exhibited, but the one which you slipped on your left hand at first. there is no chance of detection, however; simply for the reason before given--nobody suspects the trick. another guessing trick.--lay out twenty cards of any kind, two by two, and request a friend to think of two in a line; that is, one of the ten sets formed by the twenty cards. this done you take up the sets in the order in which they lie, and place them in rows according to the letters of the following words:- +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | c | i | c | o | s | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | d | e | d | i | t | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | t | u | m | u | s | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | n | e | m | o | n | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ you may use a diagram like the above, but as the words are easily retained it had better be dispensed with, distributing the cards on the table just as though upon the diagram, which will make the trick more puzzling and extraordinary. proceed as follows:--place the cards two by two on similar letters: thus, place the two cards of the first set on the two d's in _dedit_; the two cards of the second set on the two _i'_s of _cicos_ and _dedit_; the two of the third set on the two _c'_s, and so on with the ten sets. all the letters of the words being thus covered, ask the friend who has thought of the cards to tell you in which lines these cards are. if both are in the first line (_cicos_), they must be those on the two _c_'s; if they are both in the second line, they cover the _d_'s in _dedit_; both in the third line, they cover the _u_'s in _tumus_; both in the fourth, they cover the _n_'s in _nemon_. if one be in the first line and the other in the second, they cover the _i_'s in _cicos_ and _dedit_, and thus of the rest--the two cards thought of _necessarily_ covering two _similar letters_, whilst each of the letters occurs only _twice_ in the diagram. to tell a card thought of.--take any number--say twenty. pretend to shuffle them with the faces towards you and remember the first card as you close the pack--say, the ten of diamonds. tell the friend that the only condition you require is to be told the order in which the card is dealt out by you; in other words he must tell you whether in dealing it comes out first, second, third, etc. remembering your first card, you may then turn your back to him, and deal out the cards one by one, and one upon the top of the other, requesting him to think of a card and its order as before said. then take up the cards, and shuffle them repeatedly by throwing a portion of them from the bottom to the top, taking care not to mix the cards or letting any drop, and then let the friend cut them as often as he pleases. then take the cards in hand. pretend to examine them mysteriously, but in reality only look for your card--the first dealt out--the ten of diamonds, for instance. now, suppose he tells you that the card he thought of came out fifth. then, for a certainty, it is the fourth card on the right of the ten of diamonds, in spite of all shuffling, for shuffling cannot alter the order or sequence of the cards. always remember to count from your own card inclusive to the number of the card thought of towards your right hand. but, should your card happen to be so near the right hand or the top as not to allow sufficient counting, then count as far as it admits to the right and then continue at the left. thus, suppose there are only two cards above the ten of diamonds, then count two more on the left, making the fifth. if the card you remember, or your first card, is first, then count the requisite number on the left, always beginning with your card, however. the reason of this trick is simply that by merely cutting the cards and shuffling them in the way indicated, you do not alter the sequence of the cards. another method.--form three ranks of five cards each, and request a person to think of one of these cards, and tell you in which rank it is. take up the cards of the three ranks, taking care to place the cards of the ranks in which is the card thought of between those of the two other ranks. make three more ranks as before. ask him again in which rank the card is, and take them up, placing the rank in which the card is between the two others. operate in like manner a third time, and the card thought of will infallibly be the third of the rank named. observe, however, you must not form each rank with five consecutive cards; but you must place the cards one by one, placing one successively in each rank: thus, one at the top on the left of the first rank, one below that first for the second rank, one below the second for the third rank, then one in the first, one in the second, one in the third, and so on. this trick, which is very easy, always produces a great effect. it only requires a little attention, and it can never fail unless you make a mistake in arranging the cards. to tell chosen cards.--the cards may be easily divided into two numerical parts, even and odd: by taking a king for four points, a queen for three, a knave for two, and the other cards for their especial points, we may make up two sets of sixteen cards each, the even composing one, and the odd the other. these two sets being before the performer, he takes one, shuffles it well, and lets a person take a card. he then takes the other, shuffles it, and lets another person take a card. then, whilst each person is looking at his card, which he is requested to do, the performer dexterously changes the place of the two sets, and he requests them to replace the cards in the set whence they took them. it follows that he who took a card from the even set places it in the odd set, and he who took it from the odd set places it in the even set. consequently all the shuffling and cutting in the world will be useless, for the performer has only to spread out the cards of each set to point out the cards drawn. singular arrangement of sixteen cards.--take the four kings, the four queens, the four knaves, and the four tens of a pack, and ask if there be any one in the company who can form a square with them in such a manner that, taken in any direction, from right to left, from the top to the bottom, by the diagonal--anyhow, in fact--there will always be in each line a king, queen, knave, and a ten. everybody will think the thing easy, but it is certain that no one will succeed in doing it. when they "give it up," take the sixteen cards and arrange them as follows, when the king, queen, knave, and ten will stand as required. +----------+----------+----------+---------+ | ten | jack | queen | king | | of | of | of | of | | spades. | clubs. | diamonds.| hearts. | +----------+----------+----------+---------+ | king | queen | jack | ten | | of | of | of | of | | spades. | hearts. | diamonds.| clubs. | +----------+----------+----------+---------+ | jack | ten | king | queen | | of | of | of | of | | hearts. | diamonds.| clubs. | clubs. | +----------+----------+----------+---------+ | queen | king | ten | jack | | of | of | of | of | | spades. | diamonds.| hearts. | spades. | +----------+----------+----------+---------+ the card that cannot be found.--take any number of cards and spread them out fan-like in your hand, faces fronting the spectators. ask one of them to select a card. you tell him to take it, and then to place it at the bottom of the pack. you hold up the pack, so that the spectators may see that the card is really at the bottom. suppose this card is the king of hearts. then, pretending to take that card, you take the card preceding it, and place it at a point corresponding to a in the following figure. a c b d you then take the card drawn, namely, the king of hearts, and place it at the point corresponding to b in the above figure. finally, you take any two other cards, and place them at c and d. of course, the cards are placed face downwards. after this location of the cards, you tell the person who has chosen the card that you will change the position of the cards, by pushing alternately that at the point a to b, and that at d to c, and _vice versa_; and you defy him to follow you in these gyrations of the card, and to find it. of course, seeing no difficulty in the thing, and believing with everybody that his card is placed at the point a, he will undertake to follow and find his card. then performing what you undertake to do, you rapidly change the places of the cards, and yet slowly enough to enable the person to keep in view the card which he thinks his own, and so that you may not lose sight of the one you placed at b. having thus disarranged the cards for a few moments, you ask the person to perform his promise by pointing out his card. feeling sure that he never lost sight of it, he instantly turns one of the cards and is astonished to find that it is not his own. then you say:--"i told you you would not be able to follow your card in its ramble. but i have done what you couldn't do: here is your card!" the astonishment of the spectators is increased when you actually show the card; for, having made them observe, in the first instance, that you did not even look at the drawn card, they are utterly at a loss to discover the means you employed to find out and produce the card in question. chapter xviii pets $cavies or guinea pigs.$--in starting these little chats, suppose we commence with cavies. some who ought to know better have said that cavies are very dull, stupid little animals, but i entirely disagree with this, as will also the lad who has kept them for ever so short a time; they are bright, intelligent little fellows, and most pleasant to make pets of, and although they belong to the rodent or rat family are not the least vicious. cavies are extremely clean in their habits, very handsome in colour, and if their little houses are kept clean there is no disagreeable smell from them. now before you buy your "guineas" you should build and furnish their house, and i will proceed to tell you how to do this. the selection of a suitable place comes first. if you live in the country there is generally an outhouse or wood-shed, and if so here is the spot to commence operations; if, on the other hand, you only have a small garden or back-yard, then select a spot in it which gets a fair share of pure air and sunlight, and which is protected from the cruel east winds. the smooth-haired cavy must have a hutch not less than 2 ft. long, 18 to 20 in. from front to back, and about the same height. let the floor of your hutch have a slight fall to the back so as to carry off the moisture; the roof must also have a slope, and should be covered with tarred felt, or brown paper well tarred and sanded, which makes a capital waterproof covering. in the front of your hutch have a closely and well-fitting wooden door, large enough for you to clean out the interior comfortably; the other portion of the front must be covered with wire netting of a very close mesh. be sure that your doors fasten securely, as some cavies have a habit of shaking them, and if not properly secured, open comes the door and out drops poor guinea, who is almost sure to be killed. it is always best to have the hutch two or three feet from the ground, and resting on four legs, which is much better than nailing it to the wall. after having got so far, go carefully over your work to see that there are no cracks or crannies in your hutch, as these let in draughts, which lead to disease and death. cover the floor of the hutch with fine sawdust, and over this some sweet chopped hay, and your house is ready for its occupants. without going fully into the history of the cavy, i may say that it is a native of south america, where in many parts it is very numerous. in its wild state the cavy, where the ground is suitable, burrows like a rabbit; in damp, marshy places it hides under the many plants that flourish in such neighbourhoods. they are not difficult to catch, and not being of a savage nature are easily tamed. in their native haunts they are greatly esteemed as an article of food, and although i have never had the pleasure of tasting cavy flesh, i am told by those who have, and who are well able to give an opinion, that it is delicious; and i see no reason to doubt it, as cavies are exceedingly cleanly in their habits and feeding. there are several varieties of cavies, and as these are bred in almost every colour they afford the greatest pleasure, not only to the lad who is fond of experimenting, but also to hundreds of men and women. that the various colours can be easily bred and well fixed, has been proved beyond doubt by the many handsome little specimens that are to be seen at any of our exhibitions to-day. as we have them now, we may for our purpose divide the cavy into three classes or divisions, namely, long-haired (peruvians), rough-haired (abyssinian), and smooth-haired; but before going on with their description i would like to say a word as to handling them. this may seem superfluous, but it is not so, as they are easily injured; therefore, when you have occasion to lift your pet put your finger and thumb of the right hand round its neck, not tightly, but sufficiently firm to hinder it slipping, gently raise it and place it on your left hand, and so it can be safely lifted about and handled. in mating your cavies remember that the boar (male) controls the colour and outward characteristics of the future family, consequently he should be as typical in colour and shape as possible, and not younger than ten or twelve months; the sow (female) must not be less than about six months old, and in selecting her see that she is very tame and gentle, as she gives the inward characteristics to the young ones. of course, in keeping cavies, as in any other variety of pets, a very great deal depends on the individual fancy, and, therefore, i shall give a short description of the three classes mentioned, and leave you boys to select which you think will give you the greatest pleasure. the peruvian cavy.--the peruvian cavy is noted for its long hair, which is its chief characteristic, and when nicely combed and brushed it would be hard to find a handsomer little fellow. the hair grows right over its head and face, so that it is sometimes difficult to see either its eyes or ears; yet its beautiful bright eyes are always on the look out, and can see you and all your movements. on the body the hair grows to such a length that it trails on the ground, some actually having it as long as seven or eight inches. the hair or fur should be as long, soft, and silky as possible, and to keep it in proper order a good deal of attention is necessary; it grows very evenly from a natural parting, from the crown of the head to the stern, falling over to each side, and to keep your pet neat and trim as well as healthy you must brush its coat regularly, using a soft brush, and if any part is matted take a wide-toothed comb and very gently comb it out. you boys know what it is to comb your hair when it is matted, and how it hurts if roughly done. remember, therefore, that without care you will not only cause your pet pain, but, as the fur or hair on it is only, comparatively speaking, slightly attached to the skin, carelessness will result in pulling it out, thus leaving bare and unsightly patches. if, however, the brush is regularly used, there will be little or no need of the comb. the abyssinian cavy.--the next variety that claims our notice is the quaint little abyssinian or rough-haired cavy. unlike the peruvian, the hair of the abyssinian is short and hard or rough to the touch, and instead of growing all one way it is rosetted, as it were, in bunches, each rosette or bunch being separate and distinct, and the more evenly these are distributed over the body the more charming the result. what do my readers think of one of these little fellows--a beautiful tortoiseshell, very well rosetted, and with short, hard hair, being sold for upwards of â£30? but such is a fact. it was bred by a lady who takes a very great interest in master cavy, and who exhibits some most beautiful specimens, and it was disposed of for the sum mentioned. the abyssinian is a hardy little chap and must not be "coddled" up in a warm hutch. keep him dry and sheltered from draughts and he will thrive merrily. smooth-haired cavies.--last, but not least in any shape or form, comes the smooth-haired variety, which you boys all know, i am sure, and which is, as it fully deserves to be, the favourite. the coat of the smooth-haired cavy is soft and velvety to the touch, and the immense number of colours in which it is now bred makes it a most delightful little pet. i will not go through the many different colours further than to mention that we have them black, white, golden, brown, grey, red, and the various sub-divisions and blendings between these colours. the cavy has a good-sized head, is roman-nosed, has a very thick, or bull, neck, and a nicely rounded body, tapering towards the stern; eyes full and bright, and small, neatly-shaped ears; his whole make-up giving him the appearance of a cheerful, happy, and contented little fellow. now, as to feeding, remember that regularity and cleanliness must be observed, and that a variety or change in food is very much relished, and is necessary for the health of your cavies. for breakfast, which give early, provide some bread and milk sop, in which now and again put a piece of boiled potato; and as a change, in cold weather some barley-meal, scalded in boiling water and made into a nice crumbly mass. this latter is very warm and comforting, too, for supper, in cold frosty weather. as dry food, you must have good sound oats, wheat, a few crushed peas, bran, and hay. green food must on no account be overlooked, as it is one of the most valuable things for keeping the blood cool and the stomach in proper working order; but remember that all green food _must be fresh_ and dry. almost any green stuff is relished, but there are a few kinds that are very good: lettuce, cabbage leaves (not too many), parsley, celery tops, carrot, turnip, beet-root, chickweed, groundsel, and chicory. clean water must be always at hand, and a drink of milk now and then is much appreciated. as cavies are very apt to scratch their food all over the hutch, and so waste a lot of it, you should always feed in dishes or troughs. the heavy earthenware troughs, with flanged edges, which are used for rabbits, are best, as they cannot be upset, nor the food scratched out easily. i prefer earthenware to any other material, as it is so easily cleansed, and there is nothing about it that will poison or give a disagreeable taste to the food. though water and dry food should always be at hand for your cavies, never leave soft food or greens long in the hutch, as these soon become tainted, and if eaten in that state bring on disease. let them eat their fill of soft food and greens, and then take away any that is left. the lad who pays proper attention to his pets will soon be able to gauge to a nicety the amount of food they require. $rabbits.$--if you have sufficient pocket-money you can buy a hutch ready-made, or you can build it on similar lines to that for cavies, but of course much larger. for ordinary-sized rabbits a hutch 3-1/2 ft. long by 20 or 22 in. will do, but for lop-eared and belgians it should be 4-1/2 ft. by 2 ft.; whilst for flemish giants 5 ft. by 2 ft. it is always preferable to have your hutch in some outhouse, where, though the inmates will have plenty of fresh air, they will be protected from very cold winds and rain. as there is a deal of moisture from rabbits, it is a good plan to have the floor of the outhouse cemented and connected with a drain, so as to carry off the wet that comes from the hutches; but as this cannot always be managed by boys who keep a few rabbits as pets, you should have a piece of guttering fixed along the back of the hutch and so placed that it will drain into a pail, in which put some sawdust and a little disinfectant, which will keep down any unpleasant smell. this pail you must empty every two or three days. in every hutch i like a part of it boarded off as a sleeping-room, which can be easily done by making a wooden partition and slipping it into the hutch, allowing a space of 12 inches for this purpose. this partition must have a hole cut in it large enough for the rabbits to pop in and out comfortably. over this part of the hutch you must have a well-fitting wooden door, not only to keep them warm, but to darken the nest and so make them comfortable. in giving your rabbits their food, remember that you cannot measure the quantity exactly, any more than you can say that because you have eaten so much to-day you will want exactly so much to-morrow and every day during the week. study and observation are the only true guides. in giving soft food and green food let them have as much as they eat up _greedily_ and no more. feed twice a day, as early as possible in the morning and about sundown. in the morning give soft food, such as barley-meal, pollard, sharps, middlings, and bran, which mix with scalding water into a soft, rather crumbly than sticky mess. a few tea-leaves in the soft food now and then is a nice change. of course, these foods must not be all mixed together, but given on different mornings, so as to provide a nice variety. as there is not much feeding in bran it should always have one of the other foods mixed in it. when they have had breakfast put sufficient corn into their troughs to last them all day to nibble at, and for this oats are best; but as a change, once or twice a week crack up some barley for them. a feed, once a week, of grey peas, steeped till well soaked, will also be much relished. bits of biscuit and dry, stale crusts are also good, and can be given at any meal. for the evening feed give a bit of sweet hay, dry, sweet clover, and green food of almost any description that grows, so long as it is fresh and dry. it is impossible here to mention all the greens they will eat, but amongst others i may mention parsley, chicory, dandelion, lettuce, cabbage, celery, clover in flower; carrots, turnips, and mangolds (a slice or two) are very good. be very careful not to leave any soft food or greens lying about the hutch, as they soon spoil, and not only smell offensively, but injure the rabbits. on the floors of your hutches spread sawdust (pinewood sawdust is first-rate when it can be had), and over this some nice clean straw; and always keep in the hutch a little of one of the many disinfectants that are now manufactured. drinking vessels and feeding troughs should all be made of glazed earthenware, the latter having a flange round them to prevent the rabbit scratching out the food, and being heavy enough to prevent them being pulled about and upset. once more, do not neglect cleanliness and regularity in feeding. the lop-eared rabbit.--one of the oldest varieties of the rabbit when these were first taken in hand and bred as fancy or domestic stock, was the lop-ear; and so, paying reverence to his age, i will give him the first place. at the majority of rabbit shows i see lads and young men, as well as old ones, congregated in eager groups round the pens containing the lops, or, as they are sometimes called, the king of the fancy. i need scarcely tell our boys that the great feature in the lop rabbit is the immense lop or hanging ears. well do i remember in the early days how proud the owner of a lop was if he could show to those assembled a specimen whose ears measured from tip to tip 19 inches; yet to-day, such a rabbit (if an adult) would not be looked at by the judges in a show, for specimens 25 inches and upwards are now produced. in measuring the ears you must understand it is done as follows: take hold of one ear, lay it flat out full length, but not stretching it to hurt the rabbit, then place a rule at the extreme tip of the ear, pass it along, across the head, and so on to the tip of the other ear, which must be held out at full length as was the other, and so you have the proper measurement of your specimen so far as length is concerned. besides this, however, you want width of ear, and this should, roughly speaking, be one quarter the total length, measured across the widest part of one ear. the ears of the lop must be as long as possible and wide in proportion; not set on too closely on top of the head; thick at the root, and fall gracefully down the sides of the cheeks, nicely rounded at the tip and free from knots or lumps; the head large, with full, round, bright eyes. the body, when in repose, should be rather low at the shoulders, rising in a graceful curve to the hind quarters, which should be gradually and nicely rounded off, the head resting on the pouch or dew-lap; the tail must be straight, and carried close to the body, and the fore-legs straight and strong. lops are bred in various colours, such as black, yellow, fawn, blue, grey, and tortoiseshell, so that there is any amount of room for experimenting. some people, i am sorry to say, have the absurd idea that constant pulling and stretching the ears of their rabbits, whilst even in the nest, greatly helps to lengthen them, but like many cruel and ignorant ideas it is altogether wrong. all that lop rabbits require to develop the length of ear and keep them healthy is regular feeding, cleanliness, and being kept at a temperature of from 55 to 60 degrees fahrenheit; to secure which, during spring, autumn, and winter, artificial heat must be supplied, the best for the purpose probably being hot-water pipes. lops breed freely, but, as the young ones require a good deal of nourishment, the doe should, in order not to weaken her too much, only be allowed to bring up two or three, the others being given to nurse-does or foster-mothers, which can generally be had easily if a little trouble is taken to enquire for one or two amongst friends who keep rabbits. a healthy common rabbit makes a good foster-mother. the himalayan rabbit.--it would be difficult to find a more handsome little rabbit than the himalayan, and as it is one of the healthiest and hardiest of the coney family, i propose to give a few particulars of it. to commence, then, the himalayan, or, as it has been called, the chinese rabbit, has a perfectly white body, with dark chocolate-brown (as nearly black as can be) ears, nose, feet, and tail, and pink or rich golden eyes, the whole appearance being that of a very handsome animal. the ears must be short, close together, and stand very erect, so much so that if you bend them in any direction they immediately spring back into their proper position when released. the eye is round, bright, and rather full, and as i have just said, pink or rich golden in colour; the shape is very graceful, rather long than short or stumpy, giving it all the appearance of a thoroughbred animal. the coat is short, pure white, and fine and silky in texture, and the weight of a full-grown specimen should not exceed about six lbs. the fur is greatly in request for the making of imitation ermine, and good skins are always saleable to the manufacturers. now that we have this beautiful little rabbit in our hutch, how are we to preserve its distinctive markings in all their beauty? for be it remembered that the white turns yellow, and the black or dark brown markings grey, unless proper attention is paid to them. in chinese or russian markets where these rabbits are on sale, we are told that the colour, especially on the feet, is not so distinct as is seen in our domestic specimens; and this i can quite understand, as, with their constant burrowing and scratching amongst damp sand, earth, lime, etc., the colour on the feet will soon be affected. a very great deal of care is bestowed by those who exhibit himalayans in order to have their handsome markings as even as possible; for instance, the ears, from roots to tips, should be as dark as possible, and the nose the same colour, as well as all four feet and tail. this is often difficult to get; still, were it all as simple as a b c, there would be little honour in producing what any one else could produce without trouble. as on many other questions, considerable discussion has been carried on as to how best to preserve the distinct colour. many argued that the rabbits should be kept in entirely dark hutches, as they said the light not only destroyed the colour, but the rabbits in their wild state lived in dark burrows; just so, but these people forgot that such of the wild specimens as are to be seen in the foreign markets are not of that dark or nearly black colour, especially so far as their feet are concerned, as are those which are domesticated. others took up the extreme opposition view, and recommended as much light as possible. these latter were further astray than their "dark" opponents, for there is no doubt that constant exposure to the full light does destroy the purity of both black and white. another thing that was overlooked by the advocates of light was that too much exposure to light affected the eyes of the himalayan, which, as i have said, are pink, for it is a well-known fact that human beings, as well as animals and birds who have pink eyes, avoid a strong light. himalayans are best provided for in a partially darkened or shaded hutch, and this can be easily arranged, especially if the hutch stands in an outhouse or shed; if not, then partially cover the front with a bit of sacking or anything that will keep off the full glare. if your himalayan is allowed to sleep or sit about in a wet hutch the colour of the feet will soon be destroyed; but if the hutch is built as i previously described, all water from the rabbit will soon run away. however, in the case of the rabbit under notice, it is best to make "assurance doubly sure," so, on the bottom of your hutch put a nice layer of fine sand or sawdust, and over this straw or dried ferns, then any water will run through and be absorbed by the sand or sawdust, which should be raked over each morning, and renewed once a week. do not give your himalayan too much green meat, and never any that is wet or stale, as they are rather prone to scours. a few acorns are always a valuable thing to have on hand, and immediately bunny is seen to be relaxed; give one or two, and you will soon see the great good they will do. silver and angora rabbits.--amongst the many beautiful specimens that are to be seen now-a-days at exhibitions and in the rabbitries of breeders, the silver varieties hold a deservedly high place. the various colours include silver grey (light, medium, and dark shade), silver brown, silver cream, silver fawn, and silver blue. the silvers are of medium size, and should weigh between six lbs. and seven lbs., be compactly built, having a very neat head, ears moderately short, clear bright eyes, and with that general appearance of activity that denotes a healthy constitution. the coat or fur is close-fitting and smooth to the touch. the skin or ground colour of the silver grey should be blue, the fur consisting of black, white, and blue hair, and, according to its distribution, so we have the three shades of light, medium, or dark, as mentioned. when the silver grey is born it is black, the colour only beginning to develop between the age of one and two months, and being fully developed at about five or six months, when their coats are very handsome. some breeders, in order to get the silvering as quickly as possible, help nature by keeping their pets in artificially heated hutches; they succeed in thus accelerating development, but, as we have found from many years' experience, those who so interfere, and think they know more than mother nature, have generally to pay the penalty for their presumption; for rabbits, too quickly developed, although their coats have a beautiful appearance, do not continue so long in that grand bloom and brightness that denotes the rabbit that has been allowed to get its coat as nature intended. all the warmth that is necessary can be obtained by having the hutches water-tight, kept clean, and protected from the extremes of heat and cold. during the years the silver grey colour was being perfected, it is needless to say, crosses of various colours had to be resorted to, and amongst these were white rabbits, which naturally threw offspring with white or very pale ground (skin) colour in many cases, and as the fur grew, it was observed that the white hair predominated, giving the rabbit a cream or fawn colour, the lighter being designated creams, whilst the darker (or medium) were called fawns. the silver brown was another outcome of the various crosses, the belgian, wild english, and common grey hutch rabbit, all leaving their trace in the silver variety, the under coat and top coat being, as the name denotes, a brown colour; this colour, pretty as it is, is not so "taking" to the eye as the other handsome ones are, and so it has not been kept or bred so carefully as the foregoing colours mentioned. the silver blue is still a rare colour, and has not yet reached anything like such perfection as the others; a correct blue, whilst evenly silvered, should show a beautiful blue colour all through. although not so frequently seen, the angora is an exceedingly handsome rabbit, but needs a good deal of attention to keep it as it ought to be. the great feature of this breed is the immense length of its wool--not hair, mind, boys--which should be of the finest quality, soft as silk, pure white, and well distributed all over the body; the face and ears have less wool, in proportion to the other parts, but finer and more silky. the head is not very broad, and is surmounted with a pair of small and neatly-shaped ears, the eyes being pink and bright, a beautiful contrast to the snow-white wool. the weight should not exceed seven lbs. or eight lbs., although from the amount of wool they carry, they look very much heavier. angoras must be kept in large hutches, on the bottoms of which have nice, clean, soft, oat straw. to keep their coats in proper order, they must be gently combed and brushed at least every other day, care being taken to pull as little wool out as possible. should any part of the coat become matted, do not "tug" at it with the comb, which should be a wide-toothed one, but disentangle it with your fingers, and use a little warm water on it to help; if it is too securely matted to enable you to loosen it, there is nothing for it but to clip it off, which will, of course, spoil its appearance till the wool grows again. a healthy, well-groomed angora is one of the handsomest pets possible; but on the other hand, if neglected, the coat becomes foul and matted, and a more disconsolate, miserable-looking animal it would be difficult to imagine. the hutches must be cleaned out thrice a week, and a manger fixed in which to put hay or clover, of which they are very fond, and which is good for them. belgian hares.--the belgian hare is a large and very handsome variety of our domestic rabbit. although designated "hare," it is not a hare at all, but a rabbit pure and simple, although it has more of the hare-like form and colour than any other variety. being a large animal, scaling from eight pounds to ten pounds in weight, it is necessary that it should be kept in a large, roomy hutch. an old and experienced breeder says the hutch should be at least 5 feet long, by 2 feet broad, and 18 inches high, and the shaded sleeping compartment 6 inches wider than in the ordinary hutch. the belgian in colour somewhat resembles the english hare, being of a sandy-brown or golden-foxey colour, ticked as evenly as possible with dark chocolate, thus giving the fur, which should be short, firm and glossy, a very handsome appearance; the head is of good size, broad between the eyes, and gradually tapering towards the nose; the eyes, a special feature in belgians, are a beautiful brown colour, full, bright, and wild-looking; the ears, about five inches long, should be laced round the edges with black, and carried very neatly and closely together; the body should be long, giving it a graceful, hare-like carriage, so much esteemed, and the legs strong, long, and straight. belgians are very apt to develop a dew-lap or pouch, or as some have called it a large double chin; this is a defect, but, owing to an undoubted cross at a remote time with the lop rabbit, is very difficult to avoid. many specimens now-a-days do not show this point until they get old and fat. one of the best preventatives we believe is large airy hutches, and the avoidance of over-feeding. where it can be done, belgians should be allowed to run in a nice dry open shed, or failing this, an hour's run three or four times a week on a nice, dry grass plot. plenty of room, judicious feeding, and cleanliness, work wonders in the development of the belgian hare. dutch rabbits.--unlike the belgian, the dutch rabbit is noted for its small size, and is generally called the dwarf or bantam representative of the domestic rabbit. there are few lads who have not been captivated by the handsome little dutchman, and there are few large rabbitries where some of them are not kept, such great favourites are they. the breed being of small size should not exceed about five pounds in weight, and many grand ones are to be found under that weight. the pretty markings, combined with the various colours of this variety and the difficulties in getting both colour and markings exactly as they ought to be, makes the breeding of them very fascinating to those fond of experiments, and who delight in observing the various developments of the little animal. probably the most favourite colours are the blacks and the blues; but greys, tortoiseshells, and yellows, are all alike handsome. the head of the dutch rabbit is shapely and not large, the ears small, neat, and carried slightly backwards; the eyes in this variety are frequently not both of the same colour owing to crossing for various colours, and the too frequent and pernicious habit of in-breeding. it is, however, necessary that both eyes should match, and be bright and sparkling; the body rises from behind the shoulders, curving nicely over the stern, and giving the rabbit a compact, well-put-together shape; legs, medium length, straight, and fine in bone. now to come to the markings of this little aristocrat of the rabbitry. from between the ears comes a narrow white line, gradually widening as it descends to, and encircles the smellers, and continuing round the face, this is called the "blaze," the cheeks and ears are of the same colour as the body, whilst the chest, fore-legs, and shoulders are pure white, and the hind feet for about an inch and a half should also be white, the whole remaining part of the rabbit being a solid colour, as black, blue, grey, etc. the collar of white which runs round the shoulders should descend in a straight line, as though cut with scissors, encircling the fore-legs. the markings of a dutch rabbit should be sharply defined, and not blur or run into each other. for instance, in a black dutch, the cheeks, ears, and body from behind the shoulders should be a bright, solid, glossy black, and the remaining part pure white, a very beautiful contrast indeed. one great advantage in keeping and breeding dutch rabbits is that they are small and can be more successfully brought up in cool, outdoor hutches. if your rabbit has canker of the ear, clear out the discharge by gentle pressure with a sponge or soft rag soaked in warm water, taking great care that none of the water falls into the ear. when dry after this bathing, apply the following lotion, which any druggist will make up for you: sulphate of zinc 12 grains, water 2 ounces, wine of opium 1 drachm, mixed. or you might try a mixture of one part goulard's extract of lead to five parts of pure olive oil. hold the rabbit's head on one side and pour into the ear half a teaspoonful of either of the above twice a day. give plenty of the best food, for if the rabbit does not feed well the chances of recovery are slight. $cage birds.$--canaries.--having determined to keep a bird, the first thing is to provide proper accommodation for it, and here let us suppose the lad has only accommodation for one, or at most, a pair of birds. very well, then, procure a cage. oh, yes, says the boy; of course, i know that. just so, but do not forget that there are cages _and_ cages, and that whilst some look very pretty and are quite an ornament, they are perhaps the most unsuitable and miserable of prisons for poor little dick; avoid by all means round cages, which are the worst possible for the poor little inmates, who have no room to exercise themselves, and where it is quite impossible for them to get out of the way of draughts or shelter themselves from the scorching sun. the best and most convenient cages are those which have plain wire in front, the rest being made of wood; the larger the size the better, as a great thing is to give the inmates plenty of room for exercise. the size that i have used for years in which to keep a pair of canaries or other small birds, is as follows:--length 24 in., depth, from back to front, 10 in., and height 15 in. in such a cage small birds will live healthily for years. next in importance to size of cage is where to hang it, and a great deal depends upon this point. first, then, let me impress upon you never to hang dickey (except, perhaps, for an hour or two's change in fine, but not too sunny weather) in front of the window, for here the bird is exposed to draughts and every change of temperature, which is more injurious to the health and well-being of your pet than anything else. select a part of the room against one of the walls as free from draught as possible, and where there is plenty of light and air; and be particular not to hang the cage higher than (but rather below) the level of the gas, as when that is lighted the air in the higher parts of the room becomes very hot, and anything but comfortable or healthy for the bird. now that you have got your cage, which will be fitted with the necessary perches, drinking glasses, and seed hoppers, examine it carefully to see that it is clean and free from insects, then fill your water-glasses, and put seed in the tins or hoppers, and on the bottom of the cage a good supply of sand and small grit, which can be bought in penny bags at all corn chandlers or bird-shops, and your house is ready for master dick. perches are usually too thin. they should not be like a lead pencil, but more like your thumb, and flat on top. feed regularly each morning, on either the mixed seed, or, as we prefer it, buy some good, clean, sweet, canary seed and summer rape seed, and mix them yourself, one part of the latter to two parts of the former; clean water each day, and a wee bit of nice, dry, fresh, green food, such as groundsel, watercress, lettuce, chickweed, or plantain, as they are in season. do not indulge your bird in luxuries, but dickey will enjoy (and it will do it good) now and then, a morsel of sweet, ripe apple, pear, grape, or cherry. following these directions, and keeping the cage thoroughly clean, you will find dickey a delightful pet and one that will repay you for any little trouble. whenever you have occasion to go near the cage, either to look at the bird or to feed or clean it, always speak to it cheerfully but quietly, and so gain its confidence, and you will soon be surprised how earnestly it will greet you whenever you come into the room. it will greatly contribute to the health and vigour of your bird if you can now and then let it fly in the room where the cage is. close the room door and windows, and, yourself and dick being the only inmates, talk to him and then open the cage-door and sit down, and you will be amused at the bird's antics; first he will hop on the ledge of the door, then, looking this way and that, he will either try his wings on a fly round the room or drop to a table or chair-back, and so investigate the whole surroundings; do not startle the bird whilst it is out or it will get frightened and dash itself about. if it seems unable to find its way back to the cage, talk to it and drive it gently in that direction, but never wave a handkerchief or paper at it or you will probably frighten it to death. zebra-finches.--one of the merriest, boldest, most impudent and inquisitive little fellows is the handsome zebra, or chestnut-eared, finch; a prettier or more charming little pet it would be difficult to find. zebra-finches are the hardiest and best known of the australian finches, and are natives of queensland and new south wales, where they are found in great numbers; they are stoutly built, compact little birds, measuring between four and five inches from beak to end of tail, the tail itself being about an inch and a half long. the hen is soberly clad in grey with yellow beak and legs, but her mate is a handsome little fellow and somewhat difficult to describe; his beak is red; head, neck, and throat grey, the feathers on the latter being pencilled with white, which gives it a very beautiful appearance; the ears are a bright chestnut colour, and a line of black and one of white surround the beak; the breast is white, sides darker chestnut spotted with white; back and wings grey; tail black, barred and spotted with white; legs orange colour. no description, however, can adequately convey the handsome appearance of master zebra-finch when in the full beauty of his plumage. he is a fearless little fellow and bold to the extent of rashness in defending his mate, for he will attack birds many times larger than himself, and generally comes off the victor; and then doesn't he let you know it; how he struts about, blowing himself out and trumpeting to his heart's content. they are most lovable little birds, their every action being full of grace. zebra-finches do not sing, but the male bird's note is a sweet trumpeting sound, very cheerful and pleasant, and varying in tone. watch him making love to his little mate or helping her to make a nest; how low and soothing is his little trumpet, and how much it is appreciated is easily perceived by the joyous twitterings of his soberly clad lady-love; listen to him again when he is "showing-off"; with what vigour does he blow his trumpet, and how proudly he hops about, especially if he has just thrashed a bigger fellow than himself. i kept a pair for several years in a cage, such as i described to you, and although kept in a room where more or less noise was going on all day they were as happy as the day was long, and being continually petted and talked to became very tame, "master jocky" never failing to trumpet to us when we went to the cage or spoke coaxingly to him; his little wife "jenny" was, however, very shy and always allowed her lord and master to do all the talking, she chiming in now and again as though saying "hear, hear," to his remarks. as i had not, at the time, convenience for an aviary, i made a point, as soon as the birds were thoroughly tamed, of opening the cage-door every afternoon for an hour or two so that they might fly round the room; and how they did enjoy themselves! the first time i opened the cage-door they made no rush for freedom, but seemed to talk the matter over with each other, and then jocky came to the open door, trumpeting his best to attract my attention. i spoke to him, and then, apparently reassured, he launched himself forth across to where i was and back again to his cage; then he enticed jenny to come out, and they flew round and round, resting close together on the top of the cage now and then, when he would trumpet in his loudest and most vigorous tones; they would thus tire themselves out, and in a few minutes after would be sound asleep. thus they lived joyously for years, but she at last succumbed to egg-binding, which, unfortunately, with this variety is more common and more fatal than with many others. they had lived together so long and so happily that poor little jock never got over his sorrow, his delightful little trumpetings soon lost their bonny sound, and do what we could we failed to rouse him to anything like what he used to be, and so one morning when we took the cover off his cage he was dead. we all sorrowed over their deaths, for they made themselves most lovable little companions to one and all of us. dr. greene, the naturalist, speaking of his first experience with these delightful little birds, says:-"as soon as i got them home, i turned the birds loose into a greenhouse in which was nothing but a grape-vine in full foliage. i shall never forget the delight of the little couple as they rushed into the midst of the leaves, the male trumpeting loudly and his mate twittering in joyful response. they paired almost as soon as i let them out of the cage, and in a minute or two the hen bird was hopping about with a little bit of fibre she had picked up off the floor in her beak, looking for a place to build her nest in; this she was not long in finding, and on my supplying her with some fine hay, she very soon, or, i should say they, for the male helped in the construction, made a little domed nest among the vine branches, and in less than a week were engaged in the important duty of incubation, male and female sitting alternately on five tiny white eggs." zebra-finches breed freely, especially when kept in cages in a rather warm temperature. the young ones, which are hatched in about twelve days, do not leave the nest till fully fledged, when they almost immediately commence to feed themselves, when they must be removed or they will interfere with the old birds. when kept in an aviary not supplied with heat artificially, they generally content themselves with two or perhaps three broods a year, which is much better for them. it must be remembered that when kept in an aviary with other birds they are inclined to be quarrelsome and masterful, frequently either taking possession of some other nest or pulling it to pieces to construct their own, in spite of the fact that abundant nest-making material is lying about. for food, canary seed and millet is the best, and will keep them vigorous and in good health. as a change give them a few hay-seeds, a spray of millet, or some grass in flower, which they will greatly enjoy, as also now and again a morsel of sweet apple or pear. when bringing up young, give a small piece of sponge cake and a little of the yolk of a hard-boiled egg crushed and mixed with sweet biscuit. always see that they have plenty of grit, and keep a piece of rock-salt and cuttlefish-shell for them to peck at. they are very cleanly birds, and when the weather is not too cold, should be allowed a bath at least twice or thrice a week. budgerigars.--this beautiful little bird, called variously "undulated grass parrakeet," "zebra grass parrakeet," and "shell parrot," is a native of south australia, and is deservedly a very general favourite, its hardy constitution, the readiness with which it adapts itself to confinement, its handsome plumage, and its winning ways, all tending to make it a great pet. it can be kept in a large cage, but is much merrier and more contented in a garden aviary, where it may be kept all the year round so long as it has an inner compartment to retire to in very severe cold or wet weather. it is a miniature long-tailed parrot, measuring seven or eight inches, of which the tail is about half that length; its general colour is a brilliant grass-green, the head pale primrose, whilst the neck, shoulders, and wings are yellow-green, the feathers being edged with grey, giving it an undulating appearance, hence one of its names; the two long middle-tail feathers are blue, whilst the others are yellow with green tips; the beak is white, chin yellow, spotted with blue, which latter colour also runs down each side of the beak like a moustache; legs and feet grey or slate colour. the male bird is distinguished from the female by the blue colour of the cere round the nostrils, which in the female is of a brown shade. budgerigars breed well in confinement, the season lasting from about december to july, during which two or three broods will be produced. several pairs can be kept together in one aviary, the only thing to be particular about is to provide sufficient nesting material, otherwise quarrels ensue. in the native woods these handsome little fellows generally make their nests in the hollows of gum-trees, taking very little trouble as to furnishing it; in an aviary they will select almost any hole or corner; but one of the best nests i know of is the husk of a cocoa-nut, which should have a hole cut in one end; this should be hung high up so that mice cannot reach it, and a perch should be provided close to the hole, where the male will sit and sing his love ditties, and tell his wife all the gossip of the day, whilst she is attending to her maternal duties inside. the hen lays three, four, five and sometimes six eggs, the youngsters being hatched in fourteen or fifteen days. when feeding-time comes the young ones do not open their mouths as do so many young birds, but the parents take the beak of their offspring into their own, and the youngsters feed themselves on the food which the old ones disgorge for them. the young birds leave the nest when five or six weeks old, as soon as they are fully fledged, and in a few days leave the parents, who soon set about nesting again; the first thing they do being to thoroughly clean out the husk for the reception of the next batch of eggs. if husks cannot be got conveniently, little wooden boxes (which should have some sawdust put in so that the eggs will not roll about) holes in the wall, or a rotten wood log will do. when kept in small cages budgerigars, not having room to properly "show off," are apt to become silent, but once in an aviary and the change is marvellous, as they dart about, tumbling, twisting, and climbing in all positions in the most graceful and delightful manner, and singing a pleasant little song all the while, stopping now and again as though to exchange confidences and to express delight at their surroundings. these birds do not bathe, but one of their greatest delights is to tumble and roll about in wet grass; if, therefore, the aviary has not a grass bottom, a large sod should be supplied and artificial rain produced by the aid of the watering can. when thus tumbling about, and the sun glints on their plumage it sparkles like so many gems. so far as food is concerned these charming little birds are easily satisfied, canary seed and white millet being sufficient to keep them healthy and vigorous, the only change necessary being when they are feeding young ones, when a little stale bread soaked in water and squeezed dry, and a few oats, should be added to their bill of fare; the simpler the diet the better, so do not indulge them with tit-bits. in the aviary or cage always have a supply of clean drinking water at hand, pounded oyster shells, as well as sand, fine shell grit and cuttlefish bone, which can be had at all bird shops, seed dealers, etc. being such hardy, sprightly little fellows, the handsome budgerigars are not liable to so many illnesses as frequently fall to the lot of our caged pets; now and again one may have a fit, due probably to improper feeding; should such occur, be careful to correct your feeding, and give grass in flower, dandelion, or a bit of groundsel. cramp they sometimes suffer from, which is produced by cold or damp, the latter more especially; a simple remedy is the removal of the bird to a warm and dry atmosphere. all cage-birds (hens) are liable to egg-binding, one of the most serious complaints, and difficult to deal with, and budgerigars suffer from it like the rest; it is seldom curable, but immediately the hen is observed to be suffering she should be taken gently, very gently, in hand, and a drop or two of castor oil or sweet oil put in her mouth, whilst the egg passage should be gently oiled with a feather, and then held over the mouth of a jug of hot water, so that the steam may get to the part affected, and so relax it and assist in the delivery of the egg. a bird which has been egg-bound should not be allowed to mate and go to nest again, as sooner or later she will again suffer from the distressing complaint and die. any one fond of birds cannot fail to be delighted and charmed with such a handsome, good-tempered, loving, and jolly little fellow as the budgerigar. $how to treat dogs.$--twice a day feed the dog moderately. paunch and tripe are excellent for dogs. boil this food, cut into small pieces, in a moderate quantity of water, and when the meat is sufficiently done throw into the gravy some good dog biscuits. when these are soft mix meat, biscuits and gravy well together. for an occasional change oatmeal or rice may be given instead of meat. during the summer boil a cabbage with the food twice a week, for unless dogs have vegetable food occasionally they are liable to have mange and scurvy. in winter put mashed potatoes in the food sometimes, for these contain the properties for which dogs sometimes eat the coarse grass in some parts called couch grass, in others twitch. once or twice a week a dog should have boiled liver and sometimes milk in which powdered brimstone has been placed. always he should be able to drink clean water. a dog's kennel should be in a dry, sheltered place and lifted from the ground. it should face south or west. let him have plenty of dry straw. wheat straw and oat straw are best; it is said that barley straw will cause mange. cedar or pine shavings are good if you can secure some. in cold weather a piece of canvas or carpet should be nailed to hang over the entrance, and great care should be taken to keep the kennel dry, or there will be mange and lameness. a kennel with an adjustable bottom which can be removed to be cleaned, is better than one with a fixed bottom. at least every two weeks the kennel should be thoroughly cleaned. apply some good disinfectant to every crevice with a brush, then expose the inside to the sun and air to dry it. it is usual to chain the dog to the kennel, but a better plan is to place in front of the kennel a stout wire about fifteen feet long stretched between two posts that are about three feet above the ground. the ring at the end of the dog's chain should have this wire running through it. this plan gives him a much wider range. to destroy vermin in a dog rub soft soap well into his coat, and in about a quarter of an hour lather it well into him, and then wash it away with an abundance of tepid water. when dogs have the "husk," a kind of cough, they should be fed with finely chopped suet boiled in milk, with a little garlic also finely chopped added to the suet. for worms, administer a teaspoonful of salt either dry or dissolved in lukewarm water. this is also a good remedy when distemper begins, for it acts as an emetic. the least exercise a dog should have is an hour each day. dogs kept in the house should have exercise for half an hour before breakfast and after supper too. a run at mid-day, too, is an advantage. to lead them out soberly on a chain and back again is not sufficient for a dog. he needs more lively exercise than that. a large dog should run six miles each day. brush your dog's coat each day and wash him once a week. bad habits should be checked when the dog is young, with a whip if that is necessary, but without cruelty. a little whip goes a long way with a dog. even the sight of it is sufficient usually. be sure he understands for what he is being punished, and be consistent. don't laugh at him for one thing one day, and punish him for it another. do not let him annoy neighbours by barking. if you do it will serve you right if the neighbours obtain an order from the magistrates for his destruction. they are entitled to do this, and, indeed the right ought to be exercised more often than it is. so far we have mentioned grown dogs only, but a few hints about puppies may be given. when these are five or six weeks old they may be weaned. feed them now for three weeks upon boiled milk, sometimes breaking into it a little stale bread. then they may begin to have soup made of meat and vegetables occasionally. when they are between six weeks and a year old they may be fed three times a day, the most generous meal at night before they go to sleep. $the raven.$--if you keep a raven be prepared for unending mischief and destruction. he needs plenty of room, and will eat most things. raw meat is perhaps his favourite diet, and he is pleased with rats, mice, small birds, beetles, grubs or worms, and bread. he ought to be fed once, and once only, each day, for he will find insects, worms, and other delicacies for himself. from time to time he loves to retire to a place that is sheltered, warm and dark, and where no one can see him. $white mice.$--the principal food for white mice is bread-and-milk, oatmeal grits, and any other common food, except cheese, which is bad for them. they should be kept particularly clean, and their cages overhauled each day and the bedding changed, or they will smell offensively. cages may be adapted from boxes. give them more room than the bought cages give them, and a dark compartment. $jackdaws.$--the jackdaw is tamed easily, and can be taught to say a few words. it is as alert as a terrier for visitors, and affectionate towards its friends. jack loves a bath, and may be fed on bread and milk, oats, mice, small birds, insects, and meat. $the jay.$--the jay is not so impatient of captivity as the magpie, and will tolerate confinement in a large cage. it will eat meat, small birds, mice, insects, worms, and is particularly fond of eggs. it eats, too, much vegetable food. $the magpie.$--do not keep a magpie unless you can give him generous room. he is a very clever talker and mimic. he is extremely fond of bathing, and a plentiful supply of water is needful to keep his beautiful plumage in good condition. the food of the magpie is the same as that of the jackdaw. $the hedgehog.$--this animal likes insects and snails, frogs and mice, and will even kill a snake, and eat it. in its wild state it sleeps all the winter, rolled up in a hole which it has filled with grass, moss, or leaves; and when tamed it will hide itself in some dark place for weeks, and never make its appearance, unless it should feel hungry. hedgehogs destroy beetles, eating them quickly and gladly. they need no looking after, but will fend for themselves, though it is better to have a little hutch to put them into sometimes. their feeding-time is in the night; and if there are black-beetles in the kitchen, the best plan is to leave the hedgehog there. $silkworms.$--buy a few eggs, which should be of a lilac or grey colour. avoid yellow ones. the silkworm when hatched is black, and about one-fourth of an inch long. the desire for food is the first sign of life, and it is more alive then than at any other time. when about eight days have elapsed its head becomes enlarged and it turns ill, refuses food, and remains torpid for about three days. this seems to be caused by the pressure of the skin, which has become too tight. the difference in the size of the worm from the beginning to the end of the caterpillar state is such, that the worm has been provided with several skins, each of which it throws off in succession. the silkworm feeds on the leaves of the white mulberry; or, when these cannot be obtained, upon those of the black mulberry; or even upon the leaves of the lettuce. the eggs should be bought about the end of april and placed in trays made of pasteboard. over the case put thin gauze. the trays may be placed in a window facing the south, where they are fully exposed to the sun, and there they should remain undisturbed till the eggs begin to hatch. as the worms appear they should be removed into other trays, and fed with the mulberry leaves. the temperature should be from sixty-six to seventy degrees, and the room ventilated, and preserved free from damp and from too much dryness. the trays should be kept clean, dead leaves and any other refuse cleared away. in moving the caterpillars from one tray to another they should not be touched by the fingers, but removed by threads of cotton passed under their bodies, or with a camel-hair brush. the caterpillar has four moultings, which may be all over in four days each, if the heat of the room be increased to from ninety-five to one hundred degrees of fahrenheit. when the heat is lower, the first moulting takes place on the fourth or fifth day after hatching, the second in four days more, the third in five or six days more, and the last in about eight days. ten days more are required after this moulting, so that in about thirty-two days after hatching the caterpillar is fully grown. [illustration] at the end of this time the silkworms change to a clear pink or flesh colour, and look semi-transparent; they refuse food, become restless, and prepare to spin their cocoon. care should be taken to raise the walls of their tray or they will climb over and be lost. the cocoon nest should now be prepared by twisting the corners of a piece of writing-paper, and raising its edges into the form shown in the illustration. a number of these should be prepared and fixed to a piece of tape, with their pointed ends downwards; and into each one a single worm should be placed when it refuses its food, and seems inclined to spin: it will then weave its web so as to leave a space within. the cocoon consists of three layers of silk: the first is loose and flossy, and is of no use for the silk manufacture; the second is closer, the silk crossing from side to side; and the third is still finer, and is stuck firmly together, so as to form a compact inner coating. when the cocoon is completed, the enclosed caterpillar once more casts its skin, with its head and jaws attached to it. it is now a conical chrysalis of the ordinary shape. at first the chrysalis, when opened, contains only a yellow fluid, but by degrees the parts of the moth appear, and in a fortnight or three weeks a swelling of the chrysalis indicates the approach of another change. a rupture down its back comes next, and the moth bursts through its coating into the hollow of the cocoon, and if left to itself would soon eat its way through. the chrysalis, however, must be stopped from eating through the cocoon; and the silk must be wound. when, by shaking the cocoon, it is found to rattle, then it is time to wind the silk. the cocoon is placed in a cup of warm water, after the loose outward silk has been removed, and then, an end being taken, the whole filament may be wound off on a piece of card. the length of the thread of a cocoon varies from 600 to 1,000 feet. when the silk is wound off the aurelia presents itself, and being put in a separate case, it remains motionless for about twenty days, when it appears as a pale yellow moth. the male soon dies; the females lay their eggs on the slips of paper provided for that purpose. they then soon die. chapter xix things boys can make $a way to bind magazines.$--first, we must have a frame in which to stitch the sheets together. here is mine in fig. 1. i made it myself, and any handy lad can make one. the frame shown has an opening a foot long, so it is big enough to bind a book as long as that, or any smaller magazine. i have drawn it fitted with five strings, which would be the right number for a full-sized magazine; more or less strings are required according to the size of the book. they are, as may be seen, passed through holes bored opposite to each other above and below, and fixed tight with pegs. these strings are tapes 1/4 inch wide, which mother or sister will supply. now for the sewing. we have stripped off the wrappers, cleaned the backs of the sheets, and laid them in order, the last sheet on the top. but to make neat work, we should have what bookbinders call "end papers"--plain pieces of paper cut and folded to the size of the magazine--to go at the beginning and end of the volume; one leaf of each will be pasted down by-and-by to the inside of the cover adjoining it. we begin by laying an end paper on the frame with its back against the tapes. we take a needle and thread, tie a knot at the end of the latter, and pass the needle, as in fig. 2, through the middle of tape no. 1, and through the paper, drawing the thread to the knot. how we then go on is shown by the dotted line in fig. 2; at the nearer side of tape no. 2 we pass the needle out again, carry it behind the tape, in again at the farther side of the tape, and so on, till we finally bring it out on the near side of tape no. 5. please to notice that we do not pass the needle _through_ any tape except through no. 1 at first starting; with that exception, the thread merely _goes behind_ the tapes. [illustration: fig. 1.] when we have reached the last tape and brought the needle out on the near side of it, we lay a sheet, in this case the _last_ sheet, of the magazine, on the frame, and pass the needle through it inwards on the farther side of tape no. 5, and then work back to the nearest side of tape no. 1. another sheet is now laid on, and so we proceed till the whole volume, including the front end paper, is stitched together. if we now lay a good heavy weight on our volume, we can squeeze it into narrower compass, for as the threads merely go round the tapes, they will slip down them; and we can then glue the back. everybody has not a glue-pot, but everybody can get a 4d. bottle of le page's liquid glue, and nothing is better or more handy. damp a strip of paper, or better, of thin muslin, and rub it down on the glue; it will strengthen the back. leave the volume under pressure till the glue has set, and we may then take it out of the frame and cut off the tapes to, say, about two inches long on each side. [illustration: _fig. 2._] and now we are ready for our covers; a couple of pieces of stiff millboard, the wreckage of some old draper's box, will do very well. we cut them to size, and glue down the tapes upon them, as is shown in fig. 3; and when the volume is heavy it is well to paste a strip of thin muslin over the hinge, as indicated by the dotted lines at _a_, to keep all tight. i have just spoken of paste; we shall want it for everything else that we have to do, so i will tell you how to make it. take a couple of tablespoonfuls of flour and half a teaspoonful of powdered alum, beat them carefully with cold water to the consistency of thin cream, and boil briskly for four minutes, stirring all the time. what we want to do now is to put a back to our volume. we want something that will look well, and be strong, and nothing that i have tried has been equal to "window-blind holland." a dark green i prefer, but colour is a matter of taste. this material will not stretch out of place in pasting, as bookbinders' cloth is apt to do. fig. 4 shows how the back piece is cut. the middle part _b_ has a strip of stiff paper pasted on it, which is not exactly the width of the back of the volume, but just a shade wider, that when pasted in place, it may have the proper curve outwards. the flap _c_ is to be turned and pasted down on this strip of paper, but the flaps _d_ and _d_ will be turned and pasted down inside the covers, after the back has been pasted in its place on the volume; and when that has been done, the volume should be kept under pressure till the paste is dry. [illustration: fig. 3., fig. 4.] we must, of course, cover the sides of our volume; bookbinders' cloth or marbled paper, both of which are very inexpensive, are what i commonly use. after that, we can line the insides of the covers by pasting down on them a leaf of the end paper. and only one more thing now remains to be done, that is to letter a label neatly, and to paste it on the back. $scrap book and index.$--keep _two_ scrap-books--one for cuttings and the other for notes. the scrap-book might be made of brown paper. take an ordinary quarto exercise-book, with about 100 pages in it, and set apart the first fifteen pages for forming the index, for a scrap-book or a note-book without an index is as absurd as a public library without a catalogue. on the first page of your scrap-book write, in clear style, your name and address. next, put the date on which you commenced to insert cuttings in the book. and then you might add an appropriate motto. how would this title-page do? [illustration: "when found make a note of." captain cuttle. * * * * * my newspaper cuttings. * * * * * frederick cowley, 14, abbey road, knutsford. _commenced jan. 25th_, 1910. ] [illustration: fig. a.] having finished the all-important question of a title-page, which might be much more ornamental than the one above, begin the index on page 2 of the book. take a strip of paper of the same length as the pages in your book, and by doubling it in half twice and then dividing it into three equal parts, mark it off into twelve portions, as shown in fig. b. [illustration: fig. b. strip, the same length as the page. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12] now place your strip alongside of the edge of page 2, and rule a line on the page exactly where the figure 1 has been put. only a tiny line, about three-quarters of an inch in length, is needed. on page 3, again place your strip along the edge, and rule a line where the figure 2 occurs. on page 4 rule a line where the figure 3 is; on page 5 rule a line where the figure 4 is; on page 6 rule a line where the figure 5 is; and so on, till on page 12 you rule a line where the figure 11 is. i expect you see why i have done this. now neatly cut from the bottom of page 2 a strip, three-quarters of an inch wide, as far as the line you have ruled. this will leave at the top of the page a piece of paper jutting out. on this write the letters [a | b] in ink. then on page 3 cut your strip three-quarters of an inch wide, up to the ruled line, and write [c | d] on the little square which projects underneath [a | b]; and continue to write two letters of the alphabet on each page till you get to page 12, when you must write [uv | w]. on page 13 you can write [xy | z]. now your index is complete so far as the lettering. the edge of your book should look something like fig. c. if you want the index to look still better, you should write the letters alternately in red and black ink. on the first line of page 2 in your book put a, and turning over the leaf write b on the top line. on page 3 write c, and turning overleaf write d upon the top line. thus you will have allotted a page to each letter in the alphabet, with the exception of the last six letters. i think i should put on the top line of page 12 u v, and overleaf write w, as w needs more room than u v. on page 13 write x y, and overleaf z. [illustration: fig. c.] now that the mysteries of what the bookbinders call "index cutting" have been overcome, nothing remains to be done in the way of preparing your scrap-book for the reception of the numerous newspaper cuttings which i hope will find a home therein. we will suppose you are interested in cricket. here comes the usefulness of your book. when the averages of the county cricket are published you can cut out the list and paste it in your book, and enter in your index, under c, the fact thus: "cricket, county averages, 25," the 25 referring to the page on which you have pasted the cutting. when brown _minor_ is trying to prove that his county of kent was third on the list, you will be able to convince him of his error by a reference to the page in your scrap-book, whereon you have pasted a cutting headed "county championship." reserve a few pages in your book for cuttings from the comic papers. you have no idea, until you commence, how interesting and engrossing your scrap-book will prove. in the newspapers there are so many curious little incidents recorded as to swimming, cycling, football, science, which you will be glad to preserve for future reference. then, any little facts about your favourite hero may well find a place in your book. and when you have filled one book, commence another, and thus manufacture your own library of "best bits." [illustration: fig. 1] [illustration: fig. 2.] [illustration: fig. 3.] $net making.$--in fig. 1 we have a netting needle and the way of filling it, in fig. 2 a mesh stick. the stick may be almost any shape and about nine inches long. it regulates the mesh of the net, for the mesh is twice the circumference of the stick, so you may make a coarse net for tennis or a finer one to protect your strawberries, or a hammock net, or any kind you wish. fix a hook into a wall or door, or in some other similar position. take a piece of twine, a foot long will serve, tie the ends together, and hang the circle a thus made over the hook as in fig. 3. take the needle in your right hand and pass it through the loop. at b hold the loop and the twine that comes from the needle. now cast a turn of the twine so that it rests on the upper part of your left hand and wrist, and also over loop a. next pass the needle in an upward direction, pulling slowly and finishing with a tight knot. what makes the knot is shown at fig. 4. in fig. 5 the knot loose and tight is shown. [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 5.] [illustration: fig. 6.] [illustration: fig. 7.] [illustration: fig. 8.] slowly as this is done a time will come when you can do it rapidly. when you have tightened the knot, hold the mesh stick in the left hand, lay the twine over the stick with the knot resting at its edge, as in fig. 6. pass the needle through the loop that has thus been made, pull the twine firmly round your mesh stick, then throw a turn of the twine over your wrist and so make the same knot again. throw the twine once more round the stick and make one more stitch through our old friend loop a. at this stage slip all you have done from your mesh stick, and you will find two half meshes attached to your loop a. in fig. 7 these are shown as 1 and 2. treat 1 and 2 as you treated loop a, that is first in 2 make 3 and 4 in 1. now you have your first completed mesh, 4. mesh 5 also is made on 1, the knots being one on the top of the other. now go on in the same way, making the meshes in the order that you find them numbered in fig. 7. the taking of two stitches through the last mesh of each row is the widening process, and this operation is maintained to the end of the net as far as the top edge is concerned. on the other edge, however, as soon as you have reached the width you need you must change this policy to that of taking the stitch through the last two meshes of the preceding row as in fig. 8. when the net is as long as you need it this narrowing as it is called is applied to both edges, and the fourth corner is finished off by taking the stitch through the last two meshes. then they should be tied fast. do not widen or narrow at the wrong edges as you work. to prevent this mistake some netters lie a piece of ribbon upon the top or narrowing edge. nets for fishing and for such pursuits may be made in this way. first make a square, then go along the edges of the square, narrowing at regular intervals until the net is of the size needed. gloves may be worn if the fingers become chafed, or the knots may be drawn tight in such a way that the strain is on the needle and not on the finger. when a new needleful is commenced be sure to make the first knot very firm. among the useful articles that may be made in this way are tennis nets, onion bags, nets for the protection of growing fruit, and hammock nets. $photographic enlargements.$--there are so many excellent sources, easily available, from which boys may learn how to use their cameras, so many developers, toners, and fixers ready to their hands at the chemist's, that we have not occupied space here with a general dissertation upon photography. we think, however, a chapter on enlargements will be welcome. the rapid development of bromide printing paper, and the ease by which enlargements may be produced thereon, has created quite a new era in amateur photography. no longer is it necessary to carry about an unwieldy heavy kit, which destroys half the pleasure of the amateur, when "on pictures bent," for now he may make use of even the smallest form of camera, and enlarge his pictures when he has returned from his meanderings. enlargements may be produced in several ways. the negative itself may be enlarged, or what is simpler still a direct enlargement may be made on bromide paper. the latter may be easily effected in two ways--(1) by means of daylight, or (2) by artificial light. it is with the former that the writer intends to deal in the present paper. a word first as to the kind of negative best adapted for enlarging purposes. the quarter-plate size will be found most suitable, and these may be successfully enlarged to 12 by 10. the negative must be perfectly sharp, full of crisp detail, and perfect in every way. any small defect in a negative is fatal to its enlargement, as it is made so much more apparent by magnification. most amateurs find a room at the top of the house the most convenient for enlarging purposes, and one with only one window is best, and that preferably with an uninterrupted view of the sky. the light must next be excluded by pasting brown paper over the entire window, or by having a tightly-fitting wooden frame made to answer the same purpose. provision is then made to fit into the frame a quarter-plate printing frame, in which is placed the negative. by this means no light is permitted to enter the room, save that which filters through the negative. as a general rule, it will be found necessary to fit on the outside of the window frame a reflector of some sort, and a piece of white glazed board fixed at an angle will be found as effective as anything. this will concentrate the light and produce an equal amount of illumination over the entire negative. the arrangement of the camera calls next for consideration. if the camera possessed by the would-be enlarger is one which focuses from the front, no adaptation of any sort will be required. all that is necessary is to place an oblong table close to the window, so arranging it that the camera when placed thereon will be on the same level as the negative. the ground-glass at the back of the camera being removed, place the camera as near to the negative as possible, which must have its film side facing the room. to prevent any escape of light through the body of the camera there should be as little space as possible between the negative and the camera, a black cloth being thrown over the end of the latter to make quite certain. at the other end of the table is fixed the enlarging board, on which the bromide is affixed by means of drawing pins. the farther this board is from the lens, the greater the enlargement, of course. a few experimental trials will soon show the tyro the proper distance the board should be placed, and this discovered, the place should be marked for future reference. it will be found a great convenience to have a piece of ruby glass fixed in the end of the lens cap, as this will enable the operator to see the full size of the image on the enlarging board, and thus obviate any difficulty as to the exact spot in which the bromide paper should be. the greatest difficulty experienced by the beginner in enlarging is undoubtedly the gauging of the correct exposure. light varies so, that it will be found necessary to give the same negative longer or shorter exposures at different times. the best plan is to make a table of approximate exposures by experimenting with a few strips of bromide paper, giving each a different exposure. these strips should then be pasted in a note-book for any future reference, together with the following particulars:--(1) time of day and year; (2) intensity of the light; (3) density of negative; (4) brand of paper; and (5) size of the enlargement. an observant worker will soon master all these little difficulties, and when once success has been achieved, enlarging pictures from small negatives will be found to be one of the most interesting branches of photographic operations. $magic lantern slides.$--draw first on paper the figures you wish to paint, lay the paper on the table, and cover it over with a piece of glass of the right size and shape. draw the outlines with a fine camel's hair pencil or a pen, in black paint mixed with varnish, and when this is dry, add the proper colours. the transparent colours are alone to be used in this kind of painting, and these include aureolin, gamboge, italian pink, indian yellow, madder lake, crimson lake, prussian blue, indigo, burnt sienna, madder brown, vandyke brown, lamp black. ox gall will cause the colours to flow more easily on glass. be careful that the glass is not greasy. both water colours and oil colours are available. an easy way to make diagrams and other outline drawings for the magic lantern is to take a piece of frosted glass of the right size and draw upon it, using indian ink. the frost enables you to do this, but would prevent the maximum of light passing through the glass when it was in the lantern. accordingly, to remove the frost now that it has served its purpose, pour canada balsam upon it, cover with another piece of glass and bind the two pieces together as other magic lantern slides are bound. a curious effect may be obtained by a magic lantern slide made as follows:--tint vaseline with cochineal and place some between glasses of the magic lantern slide size, making a kind of vaseline sandwich. put this slide in the lantern and focus it, and then insert a knife point a little way between the two pieces of glass and so let them be alternately forced asunder and drawn together. the effect upon the vaseline as seen upon the sheet is very peculiar. $three ways of making a hectograph.$--it happens often that a boy, especially if he be the secretary of a cricket or football club, needs to send away many letters or notices, all alike; and few things are so wearisome as this writing of the same thing over and over again. if he will make for himself a hectograph he need write his notice no more than once and yet he may have more copies than he is likely to need. here is the mixture that will prove so useful: gelatine, 4 ounces; glycerine, 15 fluid ounces; carbolic acid, 1/2 fluid ounce; water, 15 fluid ounces. first add the water to the gelatine and let it stand until the gelatine is quite soft. now place all this in the glycerine and heat it over the fire until the gelatine has been dissolved, and then until the water has passed away in steam. the carbolic acid is to keep the mixture from turning sour, and it must be added gradually now, before cooling begins. pour the whole into some shallow tray like the lid of one of those square tin boxes in which grocers keep biscuits. when the mixture has become firm and cold it is ready to be used. get a bottle of aniline ink and write or sketch whatever you desire to multiply. when the ink is dry place your letter or drawing face downwards upon the pad you have made with the gelatine. rub the back of the paper with your hand to force the ink upon the gelatine. when the paper has been upon the hectograph for some time strip it off and you will find that your drawing or writing has been transferred to the gelatine. if you now press clean paper upon this drawing or writing it will be printed upon the paper, and so you may have copy after copy. when you have as many as you need clean the surface of the hectograph for the next time you wish to use it. this may be done with a soft sponge and tepid water, but this process being rather tedious, most boys will be pleased to hear of an easier method, though it causes the hectograph in time to lose its clean appearance. put it in the oven and let it melt, and when it is cold again it will be ready for the next letter or drawing. the following is another way to make a hectograph: take of pure glycerine, 9 parts; water, 6 parts; barium sulphate, 3 parts; sugar, 1-1/2 parts; gelatine, 1-1/2 parts. mix well together, and allow all to stand for twenty-four hours; then heat gently over a slow fire until the whole is melted, stirring continuously until the various ingredients are thoroughly amalgamated. it may now be poured into the shallow tin or dish prepared to receive it, and allowed to stand for a day where it will be free from dust. it should not be used until absolutely cold and firm. here is another method we have found very successful. take 2 ounces of fine russian glue and 4 fluid ounces of cold water. let the glue steep in the water until the water has been absorbed, or nearly so. now place the glue and water in a vessel upon the fire until the glue melts. it need not boil. add eight fluid ounces of common glycerine and six drops of carbolic acid, and also as much paris white as will make the solution milky. stir well and then pour the mixture into a shallow tray. in about twelve hours it will have set. for ink judson's purple dye will serve. $how to make a filter.$--you should procure a common flower-pot, nine or ten inches deep. put in a layer of animal charcoal two inches thick. wood charcoal may be used, but animal charcoal--that is charcoal made from bones--is best. on this put a layer of well washed sand. for the way to wash sand see page 132. the layer is two inches thick. then comes a two-inch layer of small pebbles, each about as large as a pea. at the hole at the bottom of the flower-pot should be a fragment of brick which fits the hole loosely. put the filter on a stool or on a shelf. there should be a hole in the stool or shelf to correspond with the hole in the flower-pot, and under the hole a vessel to catch the filtered water. the first drops that come through the filter may not be clear, but in about a quarter of an hour clear water will commence to issue from the hole in the bottom of the flower-pot. take out the sand and the pebbles and wash them thoroughly once in six weeks, and once in four months replace the vegetable charcoal. $the syphon.$--in aquarium work and in other occupations it is necessary sometimes to empty water from a vessel by means of a syphon. suppose that we wish to empty a bucket. the simplest thing would be to take the bucket and turn it upside down. suppose, however, the bucket were fast and could not be moved, or suppose there were some dregs or sediment in the bucket which we did not wish to disturb, then we should find a syphon useful. suppose a bucket is on a table. one end of a pipe is in the water in the bucket and the other end is dangling down. now if we can once induce the water to flow through the pipe the water will continue to run, although at first it has to run up-hill a little, a most unwaterlike proceeding. there are two ways of inducing the flow. if you take the lower end of the pipe and suck, water will be brought over the elbow. or if before you put the pipe in position you fill it with water, it will flow, and in each case it will continue to flow until it has emptied the bucket; that is, if the pipe reaches to the bottom of the bucket. $how to make a fountain.$--a fountain is based on the principle that water strives to find its own level. the water tries to rise as high as the reservoir which feeds it, and would succeed, but the pressure of the air prevents it. in a u tube the water keeps at the same level in each part of the tube, but if you were to cork one arm of the tube it would not come so high there, because the air would not allow it. the writer of this article when he was a boy made fountains for a fern rockery and for a garden aquarium in the following simple way:--upon the garden wall he placed a bucket. at the bottom of the bucket he punched a hole and inserted one end of a length of india-rubber tube bought from a shop where they sell the appliances for the teaching of chemistry. at the same place he bought some pieces of glass tubing of such a size that it would fit inside the rubber tubing. explain to the man in the shop, and he will know exactly what you need. take a few inches of the tube and hold the middle of it in the gas flame, or in a bunsen burner if you have one. when the glass is soft draw the ends asunder gently, and you will find you have two pieces of glass shaped like a fountain-pen filler. it may be that one end of each of these two pieces of tube may have been closed by this process, but all that needs to be done is to file the sharp point until you have come to where the tube is open again. this serves for the nozzle of the fountain. there were no fountain pens when the author made his fountain, and it has just occurred to him that perhaps the best thing would be to buy a fountain pen-filler at once and have your nozzle ready-made. if you make your own you may not get it right first time. it may be crooked or the opening too large or too small. however, there will be this advantage, you may make many nozzles, and so by changing them have a variety of sprays. the finer the opening the higher will be the jet. it is not difficult to apply the fountain to an aquarium. for a rockery it will be easy to arrange the pipe and nozzle, and to fix it in position with the stones. $case for shaving papers.$--decide upon the size of paper you like best. cut a piece of millboard, celluloid, or even thin wood the same size, and upon this paint an attractive design. now cut a strip of the same material as wide as this piece, but only an inch, or less, deep. arrange piece, paper and strip as in the sketch. a is the piece of millboard, b the sheets of paper, c the strip. at d e f bore holes and secure the whole with paper fasteners put through these. this pad may hang upon the wall with ribbon, but the design and not the strip should hang outwards. when all the pieces of paper have been used the paper fasteners may be unfastened, and a new set of papers introduced. the turned-down ends of the paper fasteners are ugly and are liable to scratch. paste over them very neatly a strip of brown paper or other suitable material. $a blotting pad.$--a very serviceable blotting-pad may be made upon the same principle as the case for shaving papers. the measurements only will be different, and a pad of writing paper may be made in the same way. [illustration: shaving papers.] [illustration: hygrometer.] $a hygrometer.$--this is a greek word made up of _hygros_ meaning moist, and _metron_ a measure. it indicates how much or how little moisture there is in the air. in the diagram is a small nail a, a thread b, or better still, a long hair begged from your mother, sister, or friend. c is a weight of some kind. the author had a penny that had a hole in it. hang this on a wall in your bedroom or in an outhouse, or even in some sheltered place out of doors. when you hang it up rule a line at d, and put the date. in damp weather the weight will rise, in dry it will descend so you may rule other lines showing where it was at different times of the year. the hair should be as free from oil as possible. you may have noticed that the clothes line slackens in dry weather, and tightens on rainy days, and this applies also to the cords of the window blinds. there is a story that when some men were putting a london monument in position, by a miscalculation it needed to be raised just a few inches more, and this elevation the men were unable to bring about. at last, from the crowd that had gathered to watch the proceedings, a sailor bawled, "wet the ropes." they wetted the ropes, and up went the heavy monument into its right place. chapter xx fireside amusements $chess in twelve easy lessons.$--there is nothing like beginning at the beginning, so i first give a diagram of the board and men as set out for play. [illustration: black. white.] it will be noticed that in the above diagram the square at the bottom right hand is a white one, and it is in this way that, by custom, the chess-board is always placed. the board is divided into 64 squares, coloured alternately black and white, or some similar distinctive colours. the squares are always called "white" and "black," whatever their actual colour may be, and similarly the men are invariably termed "white" and "black," though, as a matter of fact, often coloured white and red. having got the board in proper position, with its white square at the bottom right-hand corner, the next thing is to set up the men in proper order. there are thirty-two men in all--sixteen white and sixteen black. they consist of the following:-two kings: one white, one black. the white king stands on the fourth square, counting from the white player's _right_ hand, and the black king stands on the fourth square, counting from the black player's _left_ hand. this brings the two kings opposite each other, the white king standing on a black square and the black king on a white square. two queens: one white and one black. the white queen stands on the white square to the left of the square occupied by the king. similarly, the black queen stands on the black square next to the black king. it is of importance in setting up the men to bear in mind that the queens stand on squares of the same colour as themselves, the white queen being on a white square and the black queen on a black square. four bishops: two white and two black. these stand on the squares adjoining their respective king and queen. the one next the king is called the king's bishop, and the one next the queen is known as the queen's bishop. four knights: two white and two black. these stand on the squares adjoining the bishops. the knight nearest the king is called the king's knight; the other is called the queen's knight. four rooks: two white and two black. these occupy the four corner squares, the one nearest the king being termed the king's rook; the one nearest the queen the queen's rook. the rooks are sometimes called castles. these sixteen men are collectively called pieces. sixteen pawns: eight white and eight black. these stand on the squares immediately in front of the sixteen pieces. they are named after the pieces in front of which they stand, as the king's pawn, the queen's pawn, the king's bishop's pawn, and so on. as it would be very cumbrous to use the full name of each piece or pawn every time it may be necessary to refer to it, i shall in future use the recognised english notation, as follows:- k for king. q for queen. b for bishop. kt for knight. p for pawn. other abbreviations will be- sq for square. ch for check. dis ch for discovered check; and doub-ch for double check. written in this notation, king's rook's pawn becomes k r p, and queen's bishop's square q b sq, and so on. now for the practical use of this lesson. let all the readers who wish to learn the game first of all set the board before them as herein described. then let them place the white men in their proper order on the board, beginning with the k. similarly let them place the black men on the board, beginning also with the k. as a second try, let them place the men on the board beginning with one of the r's, and going across to the other r. finally, let them familiarise themselves with the english notation, as given above. by the time they have done this they will be in a position to benefit by a further lesson. ii the board.--the chess-board is not merely something upon which the game of chess is played; it is part of the game itself, for it limits, and, to some extent, controls the action of the men. in my first lesson i gave a diagram of the board with the men set out for play, and i now give an outline diagram of the board on which the name of each square is given, both from the white and the black side. now, in order to read the moves correctly, it is of the greatest importance for the student to understand the method of naming the various squares. from the diagram on page 276 it is clear that, according to our english style, each square has two names, the white player naming the squares from his own side, and the black player from his. thus, what the white player calls his king's square the black player calls his king's eighth, and so on with all the other squares. all the boys who are taking an interest in these lessons should get this point fixed in their minds to avoid mistakes. [illustration: from black's side. from white's side.] iii the squares running across the board are termed _ranks_; those running up and down, _files_; and those in a slanting direction, _diagonals_. the squares, as will be seen, are named from the pieces, which, at starting, occupy their first rank; thus the square at the lower right-hand corner is white's king's rook's square (k r sq); the square immediately in front is white's king's rook's second (k r 2)--the word square being omitted; the next in front is white's k r 3, and so on till you come to white's k r 8. in a similar way you get white's k kt sq, or 2 or 3, etc., or white's k or q sq, or 2 or 3, and so on. similarly, by turning the board round, you count the squares from the black side as black's k r sq, or 2, etc., or black's k or q sq, or 2 or 3, etc. the files are also named in a similar manner; thus the file running from white's k sq to black's k sq is called the k's file, and so with all the other files. the ranks are simply called first rank, second rank, etc. the diagonals have no special name, with the exception of the two running direct from one corner of the board to the other--that is, the diagonal from white's k r sq to black's q r sq, and that from white's q r sq to black's k r sq. these are called the long diagonals. of course, some of the very sharp boys who read this will at once exclaim, "why, they are the only diagonals a square can have, for a rectangular figure can only have two diagonals." well, that is all right in mathematics, but in chess, use or custom has brought about the practice of calling all the sloping lines of squares diagonals, and the two which, according to mathematics, are really diagonals, the long diagonals. having thus described the board, i next proceed to describe the moves of the various men. the king.--the king is by far the most important man on the board, inasmuch as a successful attack upon him (as will be explained later on) involves the loss of the game. on the other hand, his moves are much more circumscribed and his powers of attack more limited than those of any other man except the pawn. he moves only one square at a time, but that move can be made in any direction--that is, to any adjacent square, either forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally. place the king on his own square and he can move to q sq, q 2, k 2, k b 2, or k b sq. similarly, if he be placed on a centre square, he can move on to any of the eight adjacent squares. the king captures in the same direction in which he moves; that is, if any one of the enemy's men stands on an adjacent square to his own, he can occupy that square, the other piece being removed from the board, or "taken" or "captured," as it is termed. the king cannot move on to any square commanded by an enemy's man, or, as it is technically called, he cannot move into check; neither can the two kings occupy adjacent squares. once during the progress of each game the king has the option of an extension of his ordinary move, but this i will describe under its proper head of castling. the queen.--the queen is by far the most powerful piece on the board, as she possesses such a wide range of moves. like the king, she can move in any direction--forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally; but these moves are not confined to the adjacent squares, for the only limits to her range of moves are the sides of the board, provided no piece or pawn is in the way of her march. place the queen on her own square, and she can be moved to any one of twenty-one squares, namely, q b sq, q kt sq, q r sq, k sq, k b sq, k kt sq, k r sq, q 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 squares, q b 2, q kt 3, q r 4, k 2, k b 3, k kt 4, and k r 5. similarly placed on a centre square, say q 4 or 5, or k 4 or 5, and it will be found that she commands (that is, can be moved to) no less than twenty-seven squares on a clear board. the queen takes in the same direction as she moves; this she does by displacing the enemy's man, and occupying the vacated square herself. the rook.--next in importance comes the rook. this piece moves forward, backward, or sideways, as far as the open board permits, but not diagonally. place the k r on its own square, and it can move to fourteen squares, namely, r's 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 squares, k kt sq, k b sq, k sq, q sq, q b sq, q kt sq and q r sq. placed on any position on the open board, in a corner, at the side, or in the centre, it will be found that it always commands fourteen squares, neither more nor less. it captures in the same direction as it moves in a similar manner to the king or queen; that is, by removing the enemy's attacked man and occupying the square so vacated. iv the bishop.--the bishop moves diagonally only (that is, in a similar manner to a man at draughts) but he can pass over any number of squares that may be open to him. place the k b on its own square, and it can move on to any of the following seven squares, viz.: kt 2, r 3, k 2, q 3, b 4, kt 5, or r 6. placed on a centre square, it commands thirteen squares in all. it captures in the same direction as it moves, and in a manner similar to the k and q. from the nature of its move the b can never leave the squares of the colour on which it originally stood. therefore the white k b is always on a white square, and the black k b upon a black one. the knight.--whilst the move of the kt is one of the most beautiful upon the chess-board, it is, at the same time, the most difficult to describe, though a knowledge of its move is not by any means difficult to acquire by a little practice. it may be described as a combination of the shortest move of the r with the shortest move of the b; that is, one square in a straight direction--forward, backward, or sideways--and one square in a diagonal direction. place the k kt on its own square, and it can move on to the following three squares, viz.: k 2, b 3, and r 3. it will be seen that its imaginary r's move would bring it over kt 2, and then its imaginary b's move places it on b 3 or r 3. or its imaginary r's move takes it over b sq., and then its imaginary b's move places it on k 2. placed on a centre square, say k's 4, it commands eight squares--k b 2, k kt 3, k kt 5, b 6, q 6, q b 5, q b 3, and q 2. it will be noticed that it invariably moves on to a square differing in colour from that which it has just left; or, in other words, that it leaps from a white square to a black one, and from a black square to a white one. this peculiarity arises from the combination of the r and b moves. place the kt again on k's 4 (a white square), and it will be seen that the imaginary r's move brings it on to a square of a different colour (in this case a black one), either k 3, q 4, k 5, or b 4--and then the imaginary b's move keeps it on the same colour. the knight captures as it moves in the same manner as the other pieces--that is, the captured piece is removed from the board, and the capturing kt occupies the vacated square. it has one advantage possessed by no other man, and that is the power of leaping over any intervening piece or pawn, whether belonging to its own side or the enemy's. for example, when the men are first set out in battle array, the only piece that can move without some of the pawns first making an opening is the kt, for it can at once spring on to b 3 or r 3, despite the intervening pawns. the pawns.--the pawn moves in one direction only, and that is one square straight forward (that is the shortest p's move, except that on its first move it has the option of moving forward either one or two squares). place the k p on its square, and it can move either to k 3 or k 4. place on k 4, however, it can only move to k 5. unlike the pieces, the pawn does not capture in the same direction that it moves, but diagonally, one square only (the bishop's shortest move). place a pawn at k 4, and whilst it can move to k 5 it can only capture at b 5 or q 5. the capture is effected, as it is by the pieces, by removing the enemy's man and placing the pawn on the square thus left vacant. the pawn has the privilege of claiming promotion as soon as it reaches the eight square. this is done by its being exchanged for any piece of its own colour (excepting a king) which the player may desire. this is technically called "queening a pawn," although it does not follow that a queen is always called for. it is not necessary that the player should have lost a piece when he thus promotes a pawn, and it therefore follows that he can have two or more queens or three or more rooks, etc., on the board at the same time. this last statement may puzzle a good many boys, some of whom may say: "i am under the impression that there is only one set of chessmen used at a game of chess. if this is so i do not see that there can be two or more queens, etc., of the same colour on the board at the same time. will you kindly explain this?" they would be perfectly right in stating that only one set of men is used in a game. the set constitutes thirty-two men (sixteen white and sixteen black), and these thirty-two men form a complete set. to distinguish one piece from another different figures are used, but the shape of these figures is purely conventional, and flat counters could be used with the name or with some other distinguishing mark written on them. as a matter of fact, indeed, the mohammedans do play chess with such counters, sculptured figures of any kind being prohibited by the koran. now, supposing a set is rendered incomplete by a man being lost, the place of the lost man can be taken by anything that will serve to denote that the piece should be on the board. i have often played a game where a thimble has done duty for a bishop, and a small paper-weight for a rook, and so on. so that it is quite easy to get something to do duty as a second queen, etc. in clubs and chess resorts, where there are many sets of men, a second queen, if need be, is borrowed from another set. sometimes, where only one set of men is available, a rook (if one has been captured) is turned upside down, the promoted pawn is placed on the top, and there you have a most excellent substitute for a queen. supposing, however, that no piece has been lost when the pawn is promoted, then a piece of twisted paper can be placed on the head of the pawn, and again we have a good substitute for a queen. some boys may ask me to explain to them what is meant by "castling" and "taking _en passant_," and as it is somewhat difficult to do so without the use of diagrams, i think i cannot do better than give the required explanation. v castling.--in describing the move of the k, i stated that once during the game the k had the option of an extension of his ordinary move, and promised to describe it later on. this extended move of the k--or rather combined moves of k and r--is termed "castling." there are two species of castling, one on the k's side, the other on the q's side, as shown on the diagrams upon the next page. the operation of castling can only be performed once on each side in a game, and that under the following conditions:-1. the king must not be in check. 2. the king must not have moved. 3. the rook must not have moved. 4. the king must not pass over or occupy any square commanded by an adverse man. 5. all the squares between the king and the rook must be unoccupied. [illustration:] these five points being kept in view, castling is performed as follows:--on the king's side by the k being moved to k kt sq and the k r over him to k b sq. on the queen's side by the k being moved to q b sq and the q r over him to q sq. by inspecting the diagrams this will be made clear. in castling it will be observed that the k moves two squares (to the right or left, as the case may be), and the r leaps over him to the adjoining square. in castling it is always best to move the k first to show clearly that castling is the move intended. the diagrams show only white's method of castling, but black castles exactly in the same way. it must be borne in mind that previous checks do not prevent the k castling, so long as he has not been moved, and is not in check at the time of castling. the young player must also remember that though the k be on his own square, and the r on its square with no intervening piece, yet castling cannot be performed if either the k or r has moved, and then come back to his original square. pawn taking en passant.--this method of capturing can only be exercised by a p standing on its fifth square, and the captured p on the move immediately preceding the capture, have been played from the second to the fourth square. the following diagram will assist the student. [illustration:] if black in this position move the p to k 3, then the white p at b 5 can capture it in the usual course, that is by taking it off the square it occupied at k 3 and occupying the vacated square. should, however, the black p go to k's 4 then the white p at b 5 could capture it _en passant_, or "in passing" as the term means. this is done by lifting the b p from k 4 (to which square it has gone) and placing the w p not on the square thus left vacant but on the k 6 (black k 3) precisely as if the black p had only moved to k 3. in the position on the diagram, should the black p go to k 4, then the white p at q's fourth could capture it in the ordinary manner. it must be borne in mind that the right of capturing _en passant_ must be exercised on the move immediately following the one which the adverse pawn has made its move from the second to the fourth square, otherwise the right lapses. vi i now resume the easy lessons by giving a list of technical terms. adverse piece, adverse pawn.--an "adverse piece" is a piece of an opposite colour to your own, and, of course, belongs to your adversary. similarly, an "adverse pawn" is a pawn of an opposite colour to your own. attack.--the combined action of several men against an adverse position. attacks, of course, are generally made directly against the king, but occasionally they are directed against some weak point in the enemy's position apart from the king. to attack: attacked.--a piece or pawn attacks an adverse man when it threatens to capture it on the move. a piece or pawn is said to be "attacked" when it is threatened with capture on the move by an adverse man. castling.--this combined move of k and r i have fully described previously. check.--this term signifies that the king is attacked by an adverse piece or pawn. it is one of the very fundamental principles of the game that the king cannot be captured, and therefore when a move is made by which he is attacked, notice thereof must be given by audibly saying "check." the king is now said to be "checked," or "in check," and this check must be at once parried. there are three methods by which this can be done:-1. by moving the king on to a square not commanded by any of the adverse men. 2. by interposing a man between the attacking piece and the king. 3. by capturing the attacking man. there are three descriptions of checks:-1. the "direct check," which is given by a piece or pawn directly attacking the king. 2. the "discovered check," or "check by discovery," which is given by a piece, which, whilst it does not attack the king directly, yet by its removal, uncovers an attack from another piece. 3. "double check," which is a combination of the "direct check" and the "discovered check." this is brought about by a piece directly attacking the king and at the same time uncovering an attack from another piece. this last is the most dangerous form of all the checks, for it cannot be parried either by interposition or capturing. the available defences of the king are therefore greatly lessened, as he must move to get out of check. vii checkmate.--when the king is in check and has no power of escape--that is, the attacking piece cannot be captured, the king moved, or a piece interposed between the king and the attacking piece--it is "checkmate," and the game is lost for his side. to escape from a double check the king must move, and if there is no square to which he can move the game is lost, though both the attacking pieces are _en prise_, for it is plain that if one be taken the check from the other yet remains. the diagram on page 286 will help the student to understand these different checks. in the first place let white play r to q 2, and it is a _direct_ check. the black k cannot move out of check, as all the squares adjoining his present position are either guarded by white pieces, or blocked by black ones; neither can the r be taken, for no black piece attacks it. black, however, has one move to parry the check, and that is by playing q to q 5, or interposing the q as it is termed. similarly, white can play q to q sq, again giving _direct_ check, to which black can again only reply q to q 5. once more, white can play p to r 8, becoming a q or a b and giving _direct_ check, to which black's only reply is q, q kt 2. in the second place, if white play kt to q 2 he gives a _discovered_ check; that is, by so moving his kt he uncovers the attack of the q upon the k, or, in other words, the kt moving discovers the check by the q. in reply to this move black has again only one move, that being p to b 5 or interposing the p. if white play b r 7, q 3, b 2, or kt sq. there is again a _discovered_ check, for the r now attacks the k. in reply to this black has three lines of play, namely, k takes kt (at k 3) which is left unguarded by the removal of the b, or by playing the q either to k 4, or kt 4 interposing. if the b had gone to kt 6 the q could only interpose at k 4; and if it had gone to kt 4 or r 3 the k could not then capture the kt, but, instead, could have moved to k 5 out of check. [illustration: black--5 men. white--11 men.] in the third place if the b move to k 4 there is then given _double_ check, for whilst the b now directly checks himself, by moving he has also discovered the check from the r, and the king to get out of this double attack must move. he has two lines of escape, one by capturing the kt at k's third, the other by capturing the attacking b. in the fourth place let white play p k 4, and the k is in direct check; but it is now _checkmate_, for the k has no possible move out of check, and the checking pawn cannot be taken. again, let white play kt, kt 6, and he gives double check, for the kt checks directly, and has also discovered the check by the q. once more this is _checkmate_, for the k has no possible move. it is true that the b could capture the attacking kt, but then the q still checks and the danger of mate has not been averted; similarly, the p could cover at b 5, but the attack from the kt remains all the same. this aptly illustrates what i have already said as to the extra danger of a double check. viii close game.--see "game" later on. combinations.--the concentrated action of two or more pieces and pawns, operating in common either for attack or defence. command: commanded.--to "command" a square is to have the power of moving a piece on to it, or to capture an enemy's piece that already occupies it. to "command" the board is to have the pieces so placed that a great many of the squares are commanded. counter gambit.--see "game" later on. counter attack.--see "game" later on. debut.--a french word, meaning "opening," sometimes used by english writers on chess. defi.--a french word meaning "challenge," and sometimes used in english chess books. develop: development.--to develop a piece is to bring it into more active play. to develop a game is to bring as many pieces as you possibly can into active co-operation. doubled pawn.--two pawns of the same colour standing on the same file are said to be "doubled." generally, but not always, this is a weak position for the pawns to occupy, as one cannot support the other. doubled rooks.--when two rooks of the same colour occupy the same file, or the same rank with no man of their own colour intervening they are said to be "doubled." this is one of the strongest positions the rooks can occupy. end game.--see "game" later on. en passant.--a french term, meaning "in passing," and applied to a peculiar capture of p by p, which i have fully described previously. en prise.--a french term signifying "exposed," or in danger of capture. in chess a piece or pawn is said to be _en prise_ when it is attacked by an enemy's piece and not sufficiently guarded. we do not say, however, that the k is _en prise_ when attacked, but in check, as already explained. establish.--to establish a piece or pawn is to place it in such a position that it cannot be dislodged by the enemy's pieces, except at a loss. to establish a centre of pawns is to occupy the centre squares of the board with pawns, which mutually strengthen and support each other. exchange.--the winning of one piece by the losing of another. exchange, to win the.--the winning of a superior piece by losing an inferior one. especially used when a rook is won at the expense of a b or kt. the player on winning the r is said to have "won the exchange"; the player losing the r is said to have "lost the exchange." ix file.--each line of squares stretching from one player's side of the board to the other is termed a "file," and appears perpendicular in printed diagrams. each file is named from the piece which originally stood on its outermost square, as the king's file, the queen's file, the k r's file, and so on. the lines of squares stretching horizontally across the board are termed "ranks." file: open.--an open file is one unoccupied by pieces or pawns, and it is a great point that a rook should be played so as to command such a file. in the diagram on page 289 the k b's file is "open," whilst white has doubled his rooks on the otherwise "open" k kt's file. fork.--a term originally applied to the attack of a pawn upon two of the opponent's men at the same time. it is now, however, so extended as to include the minor pieces when any one of them--more especially the kt, however--attacks two pieces at the same time. in the diagram the black pawn on q kt 4 "forks" the q and b. if white plays p q 4 ch, then the p "forks" both k and q. if the kt goes to q 7 ch, it also "forks" k and q. similarly if kt b 3 it "forks" the q and r, and lastly, if b takes kt ch, it "forks" k and q. a "fork" from a kt on two superior pieces is always dangerous, and often fatal, whilst that from a pawn is also dangerous. [illustration: black--6 men. white--11 men.] x gambit.--see "game." game.--besides its ordinary meaning, the word is used in a technical sense, such as "open game," "close game," etc. a game of chess has three phases more or less well defined. the "opening," the "mid game," and the "end game." the "opening."--the first or developing moves in a game, wherein the pieces are brought from their original comparatively inoperative position into active co-operation, both for attack and defence. it is here that book play comes in, and in the study of openings the young student of chess will find wide scope. the "mid game."--that portion of the game immediately following the opening; the pieces being developed on both sides, combinations result, and attack, defence, and counter-attack take place. it is here that the native skill of the player finds full scope for its display. the "end game."--the final scene of all, after the bustle and life of the mid-game pieces have been exchanged, the board stripped of the men, and the combat reduced to narrower bounds. here again book knowledge is of the greatest benefit to the player. it is to be noted that some games never pass into the third stage, for the attack in the mid-game may have been so strong that surrender was imperative forthwith. nay, in the hands of a weak player, or by some gross blunder, a game may be finished even in the "opening" stage. the "openings" may be thus classified-(_a_) games, when neither player offers any sacrifice of material force in order to gain some strategical advantage. (_b_) gambits, when the first player offers to sacrifice some material force in order to quickly develop his game, or otherwise to gain some advantage in position. a pawn is generally sacrificed in the gambits. (_c_) counter gambits, when the second player makes the sacrifice. (_d_) defences, when the game gains its distinctive character from the line of play adopted by the second player. some "defences" may properly be termed _counter attacks_. there are many well-known openings, all of which have a distinctive name, sometimes that of their inventor, sometimes that of a well-known player who may have made them familiar, sometimes from some place or incident with which they have been connected. thus there are the "scotch game," the "steinitz gambit," the "greco counter gambit," the "philidor defence," and "petroff defence," the latter of which should be more properly termed "petroff counter attack." then there are many other recognised openings. xi game, close.--a "close" game is one wherein the development both of pieces and pawns is mainly of a conservative or non-committal nature, the pawns being very cautiously advanced, and the pieces mainly massed behind them. the term "close" is used to designate this class of openings, because, as a rule, for many moves the board presents a crowded appearance, owing to the massing of the pieces and pawns, and the few exchanges effected. great nicety is required in playing the "close" game, so that when the time does come for dissolving the close position, the pieces may occupy commanding positions. game, open.--an "open game" is one wherein the opening moves are of a more immediately attacking nature, and where the pieces are more quickly marched to the front. the game is termed "open" because the board, as a rule, soon presents an open appearance. pieces and pawns are often got rid of early, and attack and defence embarked on at an early stage. formerly all games commencing 1 p k 4 on each side were classed as open, and all games, such as the french, etc., wherein one or both players adopted other opening moves were classed as "close." this is, however, now given up, for as a matter of fact, many french defences develop into very "open" games indeed, whilst games commencing 1 p k 4, p k 4 often early take on a "close" character. "hole," a.--this is a modern term greatly used by mr. steinitz, who may be considered as the "great apostle" of what is called the "modern school" of chess. as used by him, a "hole" means any square on the third rank left unguarded by a pawn during the developing or opening moves. for example, if a player having advanced both his k p and q p, should follow this up by advancing his k b p, or his q b p, in each case he creates a "hole"; in one instance at k 3, in the other at q 3. these "holes" are regarded by modern theorists as very dangerous, for an adverse piece can often be posted with great advantage on the unguarded square. xii interpose.--to move a man between an attacked man and the opponent's piece which attacks it. very often "checks" to the king, and attacks upon the queen are warded off by interposing a pawn or piece. as an illustration of "interposing" let the student refer to the diagram on page 289. if white play 1 q r 3 ch, then black plays 1 ... p kt 5, thereby warding off the check. the pawn thus moved is said to be interposed. similarly, if it were black's turn to move, and he played 1 q k 8 ch, or 1 r q 8 ch, then white could play either 1 ... r kt sq, or 1 ... kt b sq, either piece then warding off the check, or "interposing." isolated pawn.--when a pawn occupies any file, both the adjoining files of which are unoccupied by any pawns or pawn of the same colour, such pawn is said to be "isolated." in the diagram on page 286, white's pawns on q b 3 and q r 7 are both "isolated." isolated pawns in an end game are often weak, whilst pawns on adjoining files are generally strong. j'adoube.--this is a french term, and means "i adjust," and is used by players who may touch a man without intending to move it. any english expression signifying that the man is touched merely with the intention of adjusting it on the board may be used. any man that may be touched without such intimation being given, must be moved should it be the player's turn to move, hence the importance of saying "_j'adoube_" (or similar words) in such cases. young players (and indeed old ones also for that matter) should never get into a habit of touching any piece unless they intend to move it, except such piece manifestly needs to be adjusted on its square. such a habit is likely to irritate your opponent. $draughts in nineteen easy lessons.$--it is very easy to learn the moves of the men on the draught-board, but it is not quite so easy to learn to play draughts. draughts is not a complex game like chess, but simple and straightforward, and herein lies its charm to many people who are afraid of chess with its variety of men, and their diverse powers and moves. in draughts there is only one description of men when the board is set for play, and the only addition is when any of these men become promoted to kings by gaining the opposite side of the board from that whence they started. it is plain then that any boy can learn the moves of the game in a few minutes, and can at once commence to play. english draughts is played on the 32 white squares of a 64-square board, the squares of which are alternately coloured white and black, white and red, or in some other similar distinctive manner. there are 24 men--12 white and 12 black. [illustration: black. white.] above is a diagram of the numbered draught-board, and it is well for the beginners to number the white squares of their draught-board in a similar manner. the best way to do this is to write the numbers on small pieces of paper and stick these on the upper left-hand corner of the squares. then when the men are placed on the squares the numbers can still be read. it will be observed that the position of the board is the reverse of that of the chess-board, for here a black, and not a white square, occupies the lower right-hand corner. this brings what is technically called "the double corner" to the right hand of the player. the black "double corner" is formed by the squares 1 and 5; the white "double corner" by squares 32 and 28. at the commencement of the game the black men occupy the 3 rows of squares numbered from 1 to 12, and the white the 3 rows numbered from 32 to 21, the intervening two rows, numbered from 13 to 20, being vacant. the row 1 to 4 is black's crown-head, and the row 32 to 29 white's crown-head; the square 4 being black's "single corner," the square 29 white's "single corner." by usage in this country black is always given the first move, which again reverses the custom observed in chess. the first move at draughts, however, gives no advantage to the player having it, whereas in chess the advantage of the first move is of some moment. ii at draughts the men move forward diagonally from square to square. that is, a black man on 11 can move to 15 or 16, and a white man on 22 can move to 17 or 18. when a man reaches the far side of the board he becomes a king, or is crowned; that is, a second man is placed on top of him. a king moves precisely in a similar way to an ordinary man, except that he can go either backwards or forwards; that is, a king (either black or white) on 11 can go to 7 or 8, or 15 or 16. in capturing or taking, the capturing piece jumps over the captured piece or pieces. supposing a black man is on 15 and a white man on 18, whilst 22 is vacant, then the black man can capture the white man. this he does by jumping over him to square 22, and the captured man is removed from the board. if a second white man stood on 25, and 29 were vacant, the black man could jump over both the white men, and go to 29. the king captures in a similar manner, except that he can capture as he moves either backwards or forwards. iii a game at draughts is won when all the pieces of one colour have either been captured, or forced into such a position that their ultimate capture is certain, or where the remaining pieces of one colour are so blocked that the player thereof cannot move any of them when it is his turn to move, and the player, who thus captures or blocks all his opponent's men, is the winner of the game. a game at draughts is drawn when an end game results wherein the two forces are so balanced, both in number and position, that neither side can force the capture or blocking of all the pieces of the opposite side. the following positions are illustrations of the close of games. white to move and black to win. (fig. 1.) in this position white cannot go to 27, or he would lose at once; he therefore plays 31-26, and the game goes on 32-27, 26-22, 27-23, 22-17, 23-18, 17-13, 18-14. white has now no other move than 13-9, whereupon the black king jumps over it and the game is won. had white had a king instead of a man he would just as surely have lost. black to move and win. (fig. 2.) in this position the pieces are perfectly equal on both sides, but black has the advantage in position. he played 1-6, and the game goes on 5-1, 6-9, 14-5, 7-10. now white has no other move than 1-6, whereupon the black king jumps over it to 1, and the remaining white man is "blocked" and consequently black has won. iv further illustrations of won and drawn games are the following positions:-white to move and win. (fig 3.) black men on 3, 8, 12, 17, 20, 21, 25, and 28. kings on 29, 30, 31, and 32. white man on 15. kings on 18 and 19. this is a position well known to old hands at the game; though it is not likely to occur in actual play, yet it illustrates the power of the "block." white has only three pieces against black's twelve, yet he wins the day. here is the play which brings this about:- 19-24 17-26 106 8-11 20-27 15-10 16-19 15 18-22 12-16 61 11-15 white now plays 5-1 and 1-5 alternately, and the black men must go forward until they are blocked; and white therefore wins. now, to illustrate one form of the draw, let the student look again at the first position in third easy lesson. had it been black's turn to move, no more than a draw would result, for black must play 32-28, whereupon white plays 31-27 and runs down to 1, making a king and drawing. in the following position white has two kings to one, yet black, by the strength of his position, forces the draw. black to move and draw. (fig. 4.) black king on 22. white kings on 25 and 29. the black now plays 22-17 or 26, white replies 25-21 or 30, whereupon the black king comes back to 25 and the draw is manifest. v when a man reaches the crown-head in capturing, and thus becomes a king, that completes the move, although there may be a piece or pieces which could have been captured if it had been a king and not a man, which made the original capture. many of the finest stroke problems are based upon this peculiarity, for the opposing player has thereby time to make a move. the subjoined position (fig. 5) shows another won game, the victory being brought about by white gaining a move through the black having to stop to be crowned. black men on 2, 6, 15, and 22. (fig. 5.) white men on 27, 30, and 32. white plays 30-26, then black must play 22-31 and becomes a king. then the game goes on 32-28, 31-24, 28-1. black must now play 2-7, and white follows him up and takes him 24. if the piece on 22 had been a king this could not have been brought about, for after going to 31, thereby taking the man on 26, the move would not then have been finished, but the king would have continued by taking the man on 27, thus winning easily. [illustration: black--one piece. white--one piece. fig. 1.] [illustration: black--2 pieces. white--2 pieces. fig. 2.] [illustration: black--12 pieces. white--3 pieces. fig. 3.] [illustration: black--1 piece. white--2 pieces. fig. 4.] many young players are puzzled how to force the victory when they have two kings against one, the single king being within reach of the "double corner." take the following position as an example:-black kings on 18 and 19. (fig. 6.) white king on 27. black wins thus:- 181 15-19 28-32 15-18 27-32 28-32 27-31 26-31 19-24 24-28 (a) 19-15 18-22 32-28 32-27 31-26 b. wins. (a) it is here that many young players miss the point. they play 19-23 and black moves to 31-27 and the work is all to do over again. vi the last lesson showed how to win with two kings against one, the latter being able to reach the double corner. three kings can also win against two, even when each of these latter can reach a separate double corner. the way to win has often puzzled young players, but yet it is comparatively easy. the following position shows how to force the victory:-black kings on 14, 18, and 23. (fig. 7.) white kings on 6 and 24. black to move and win. the win is brought about thus:- 18-15 (a) 61 (c) 27-24 51 (f) 24-28 14-10 15 (e) 24-19 23-27 (b) 28-32 (d) 10-6 b. wins. (a) one of the black kings must now go into the double corner. (b) this is an important move, forcing as it does the remaining king into the other double corner. (c) for if 28-32, then 15-18 wins. (d) compulsory, for if 1-5, then 27-24 wins. (e) if 32-28, then 24-19 wins. (f) if 32-28, then 6-10 wins. it will be noticed that black must force the exchange of a king, and then he wins with two kings against one, as shown in fifth lesson. vii already it has been pointed out that the weaker side, though a man down, can often force a draw by correct play. here is a position from sturge:-black man on 7. king on 6. (fig. 8.) white men on 14 and 20. king on 3. black to play and draw. the draw is brought about thus:- 7-10 62 2-20 20-16 147 20-16 37 drawn. here is another example of a draw, this time by payne:-black kings on 7 and 11. (fig. 9.) white man on 20. kings on 18 and 19. black to move and draw. this position is more complicated than the former, and white can vary his moves to a considerable extent, but black, by careful play, can always force the draw. the point is that black must hold the white man on 20. here is a leading line of play:- 7-10 18-23 15-11 (a) 12-16 19-16 11-15 23-19 37 10 16-12 73 drawn. (a) if 19-16 then 11-15 draws. this is a useful position as similar endings often occur in actual play, and all younger students should study it carefully. viii here are some examples of easy forced wins. payne has the following:-black man on 1. king on 7. (fig. 10.) white man on 14. king on 5. black to move and win. the win is brought about thus:- 1-6 6-9 7-10 10-1 5-1 14-5 16 b. wins. another very interesting position is:-black man on 2. kings on 6 and 11. (fig. 11.) [illustration: black. white. fig. 5.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 6.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 7.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 8.] white man on 8. kings on 1 and 4. black to move and win. black wins thus:- 11-16 27 16-12 1-10 103 b. wins. ix some of the finest play in end games occurs in positions when two kings more or less sheltered by the double corner are opposed by three kings or two kings and a man. the point for the player with the strong forces to seize, is either to force the exchange of a king for a king, or to give up a king for a forced won position. it is here that great nicety of judgment is required, and the greatest attention is necessary if the game is to be won. the following position is from payne:-black kings on 1 and 2. (fig. 12.) white man on 5. kings on 10 and 11. either to move. white wins. here is the win when black moves first:- 26 69 96 6-13 11-15 14-17 22-18 18-14 69 9-13 62 27 15-18 18-22 139 16 96 139 16 white wins (b) 10-14 17-13 (a) 51 (a) here comes white's opportunity of sacrificing a king, thereby obtaining a position won by force. (b) for this king must ultimately "fix" the king now on 7. this is the victory when white moves first:- 10-14 62 18-22 139 26 16-19 6-2 14-10 14-17 26 (b) 13-9 9-13 69 19-23 (c) 1-6 51 17-13 62 22-18 (d) 13-17 96 23-18 6-13 15 (a) 11-16 26 18-14 white wins (e) (a) not 11-15, for then black wins two for one by 6-9, and this danger must be guarded against for several moves. (b) this is the decisive moment when the sacrifice of the king must be prepared. (c) 2-7, too, would lose, for white would then move up his king now on 22, and ultimately man off. (d) if 2-7, 10-14, 7-2, 14-9, and white wins. (e) black must play 17-13 or 17-22, and then comes 10-6, 2-9, 5-14, and all is over. x the play in these "double corner" positions is always of a very delicate nature. here is a drawn position from payne, requiring great nicety of play:-black kings on 1 and 6. (fig. 13.) white man on 5. kings on 14 and 15. black to move and draw. the draw is proved thus:- 69 18-22 9-13 22-18 15-18 139 17-14 9-13 (a) 9-13 14-17 139 drawn. (a) black keeps command of square 13 and so forces the draw. here is another drawn position, from rogers:-black kings on 1 and 10. (fig. 14.) white man on 13. kings on 3 and 16. black to move and draw. the play on the position runs thus:- 16 106 2-6 9-13 16-11 95 7-2 15-10 62 61 6-9 139 (b) 139 (a) 37 11-15 drawn. (a) 38 61 16-19 26 12-16 10-14 8-12 16 drawn. (b) white cannot crown the man or force an exchange, and hence the game is drawn. [illustration: black. white. fig. 9.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 10.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 11.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 12.] xi when the forces on each side are reduced to two men, or a man and a king each, many positions occur which are won, lost, or drawn by well-known and long-recognised lines of play, and all who wish to become draught players should have a knowledge of them. here is such a position:-black man on 22. king on 27. (fig. 15.) white man on 30. king on 7. black to move and win. here is the win:- 27-23 18-14 61 51 7-10 61 59 25-21 22-26 22-18 15 15 (a) 10-36 16 9-13 106 261 18-15 10-14 18-15 69 61 139 21-17 31-26 15-10 14-18 51 96 15 96 69 26-22 106 18-15 15-18 6-10 51 30-25 black wins 23-18 14-10 15-18 by "first 106 15 6-10 position." (a) 30-25 106 16 15 23-18 18-14 26-22 black wins 25-21 61 61 by "first 26-30 30-26 22-17 position." here is another position:-black kings on 14 and 22. (fig. 16.) white man on 29. king on 1. black to move and win. this is the play for the defeat of your opponent:- 22-17 15 18-15 21-17 15 61 29-25 51 17-13 59 15-18 69 51 15 6-10 15-18 139 9-13 51 black wins 15 10-14 25-21 by "first 96 139 15 position." 51 14-18 10-6 14-10 96 18-15 the student will notice that all these victories are by "first position." this so-called "first position" will be explained in the next lesson. xii we now come to the ending known amongst all draught players as the "first position." black kings on 14 and 17. (fig. 17.) white man on 21. king on 5. black to move and win. if the student refers to the solution of the position on the first diagram in the eleventh lesson, he will find that the play shown in note (a) ends with the position shown above. the victory is brought about thus:- 17-13 14-10 15-18 51 51 15 59(a) 69 139 61 15 15-18 15 59 96(b) see 96 10-15 18-15 position 51 95 21-17 below. (a) 21-17 16 15 black 18-22 51 22-17 wins. 17-14 62 (b) 9-13 51 14-10 51 18-22 17-14 22-18 black 21-17 15 106 wins. a more advanced stage of "first position." black kings on 1 and 18. (fig. 18.) white man on 17. king on 9. white to move. black to win. this position is formed at the end of main play of both positions given in eleventh easy lesson, as well as of main play in the position on the first diagram above. white has two lines of play. first- 17-13 15-10 25-22 10-15 18-15 17-22 16 22-25 9-14 10-14 22-25 15-18 15 22-25 6-10 black 14-17 15 25-22 wins. [illustration: black. white. fig. 13.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 14.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 15.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 16.] second- (a) 95 16 15 black 18-22 51 22-17 wins. 17-14 62 149 (a) both 17-14 and 9-13 lose at once by 6-2. xiii a careful study of the principles underlying the play given in the positions in the eleventh and twelfth lessons will suffice to show the student how to secure success (if that is possible) when two kings are opposed to man and king, the latter commanding or occupying his opponent's double corner, where also the man can only hope to be crowned. if the single man and the king cannot be forced to take up some of the positions shown at some part of the different lines of the play, then the game will be drawn. the next class is composed of endings in which two kings are opposed to two kings and a man. the following diagram shows what is called the "third position." black man on 5. kings on 13 and 21. (fig. 19.) white kings on 14 and 22. black to move and win. the end is brought about thus- 139 25-22 27-23 24-20 22-18 15-10 22-25 22-26 96 22-26 27 20-16 18-22 14-18 25-22 26-22 61 59 7-11 16-12 22-18 106 22-25 22-26 21-25 9-13 11-15 128 18-15 6-10 25-22 26-22 16 26-31 23-27 83 14-17 10-14 22-26 149 62 31-27 27-24 15-10 17-14 18-22 26-22 black wins. xiv another class of endings is when three pieces are opposed to three pieces, generally, of course, drawn, but yet in some cases admitting of forced wins by delicate play. the following is a characteristic specimen of such a forced victory, and should be carefully studied by all young students of the game. it is well known to experts as the "second position." black men on 3 and 6. king on 1. (fig. 20.) white men on 12 and 13. king on 8. black to move and win. the play for the victory follows:- 15 32-28 24-27 28-32 8-11 24-27 28-24 19-24 59 28-32 27-32 32-28 11-15 27-31 24-28 11-16 9-14 32-28 32-27 28-19 15-11 31-27 28-32 16-23 14-18 28-32 27-24 128 11-16 27-23 32-28 23-18 18-15 32-28 24-19 84 16-20 23-18 28-32 18-14 15-11 28-24 19-15 48 20-24 18-14 32-28 61 37 24-19 15-10 8-11 24-19 6-10 28-24 149 7-10 19-23 106 136 19-23 10-15 24-19 1-10 10-15 23-27 14-10 11-16 23-27 15-19 19-24 10-15 15-19 27-32 10-15 16-20 27-32 19-24 24-28 15-19 19-24 32-28 15-19 black wins. xv the position given below is well known to experts, and the play upon it is very fine; but with the proviso, "black to move and win," it cannot easily occur in actual play, as the student will speedily discover if he examine the position carefully. nevertheless, it aptly illustrates an important principle in end game play, and is well worthy of careful study. it is known as the "fourth position." [illustration: black. white. fig. 17.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 18.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 19.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 20.] black man on 21. kings on 22, 23, and 28. (fig. 21.) white man on 30. kings on 31 and 32. black to move and win, or white to move and draw. the black victory is brought about as follows:- 28-24 23-19 18-22 24-27 32-28 27-31 31-27 31-24 24-20 19-24 22-26 20-18 28-32 32-27 30-23 black 22-18 24-28 28-24 wins. 31-27 27-32 27-31 the draw arises thus:- 31-27 32-27 31-27 31-26 23-19 24-20 28-24 27-31 27-32 27-31 drawn. 19-24 22-18 18-23 black can vary his play to some extent, but he can never man off to advantage, or force a winning position by any line of play, and the position is drawn. xvi here is an example of a black win brought about by very fine play, and well worthy of attentive study. it is by the celebrated james wyllie:-black man on 3. kings on 11, 19, 27. (fig. 22.) white men on 12, 20. kings on 1, 2. white to move, black to win. 16 18-14 16 7-10 27-23 51 51 18-23 6-10 149 69 10-15 23-18 62 19-15 23-27 106 13-17 (b) 95 15-19 18-14 15 117 27-32 61 17-14 149 19-23 14-17 51 72 32-28 16 95 9-13 6-10 19-23 26 15-11 28-24 69 14-18 13-17 10-15 23-18 6-10 37 black 26 18-23 17-14 wins. 17-13 (a) 10-14 26 95 23-19 14-18 var. (a.) 106 19-15 62 black 23-19 2-6 17-10 wins. 62 3-7 var. (b.) 9-13 17-21 17-13 20-16 117 16 10-14 18-15 14-17 13-17 13-17 black 15-18 6-10 7-10 wins. xvii the position given in the last easy lesson showed a black win when it was white's turn to play, but it is only a draw if black had to play first. let the student add to the diagram the condition "black to move, white to draw." the draw is brought about as follows:- 27-23 106 7-10 26 16 19-15 51 18-23 19-15 62 149 6-10 61 7-11 20-16 156 15-18 96 10-15 1-10 16 17-13 16 23-19 18-22 61 95 16-11 69 15-10 61 19-16 22-17 26 13-17 117 26 10-14 26 drawn. 23-19 15 17-14 6-10 (a) 117 62 117 62 14-18 var.(a.) 11-15 10-14 18-23 23-19 51 51 6-10 117 14-10 95 156 19-16 62 20-16 1-10 72 139 14-18 59 drawn 15 26 6-11 [illustration: black. white. fig. 21.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 22.] here is a neat winning stroke from sturges:-black kings on 10, 16, 23. (fig. 23.) white kings on 9, 19. black to move and win. the win is forced thus:-10-14, 9-27, 16-32. black wins. xviii i give the following beautiful example of a black win by w. g. w. leggett:-black man on 1. kings on 3 and 11. (fig. 24.) white men on 9, 10, 13. king on 4. black to move and win. the win is thus brought about:- 117 (b) 15 25-22 51 106 15-19 95 7-10 1-10 51 22-18 15 96 19-23 59 106 72 15 18-15 51 (a) 61 23-26 95 14-10 26 59 15-11 15 15 26-30 59 61 10-15 95 117 59 51 30-25 95 15 6-10 59 10-14 black wins. var. (a.) 139 37 8-11 18-22 10-15 48 15-18 black 61 7-10 11-16 wins. var. (b.) 139 48 8-3 black 37 15-18 7-2 wins. xix classified list of principal openings. 9-13 opening. edinburgh [illustration: black. white. fig. 23.] [illustration: black. white. fig. 24.] 9-14 opening double corner 9-14 choice 9-14, 22-18, 11-15 10-14 opening denny 10-14 10-15 opening kelso 10-15 11-15 opening. ayrshire lassie 11-15, 24-20, 8-11, 28-24 second double corner 11-15, 24-19 virginia 11-15, 23-19, 10-14 glasgow (irregular) 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17 8-11, 25-22, 11-16 wilter (irregular) 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17 7-11 fife 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17 5-9 souter 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17 6-9 sunderland 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 22-17 14-18 defiance 11-15, 23-19, 9-14, 27-23 will o' the wisp 11-15, 23-19, 9-13 old fourteenth 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 4-8 alma 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 38 glasgow 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 11-16 laird and lady 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 9-13 centre 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 15-18 doctor 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-17 9-13, 17-14, 10-17, 19-10 7-14 nailor 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 26-23 cuckoo 11-15, 23-19, 8-11, 22-18 wilter 11-15, 23-19, 7-11 wilter-cross 11-15, 23-19, 7-11, 26-23 3-7, 23-18 cross 11-15, 23-18 cross choice 11-15, 23-18, 9-14 dyke (second irregular) 11-15, 23-18, 8-11, 26-23 4-8, 30-26, 15-19 single corner 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18 8-11 flora temple 11-15, 22-18, 15-22, 25-18 9-13 maid of the mill 11-15, 22-17, 15-18 maid of the mill 11-15, 22-17, 8-11, 17-13 (irregular) 15-18 pioneer 11-15, 22-17, 8-11, 25-22 white dyke 11-15, 22-17, 8-11, 17-14 albemarle 11-15, 22-17, 8-11, 17-13 4-8, 21-17 erie 11-15, 22-17, 8-11, 17-13 9-14 dyke 11-15, 22-17, 15-19 dyke (irregular) 11-15, 22-17, 9-14, 25-22 15-19 boston 11-15, 22-17, 9-13, 17-14 wagram 11-15, 22-17, 9-13, 24-20 switcher 11-15, 21-17 11-16 opening. bristol 11-16, 24-20 liverpool 11-16, 24-20, 9-13, 20-11 8-15 paisley 11-16, 24-19 manchester 11-16, 23-18 london 11-16, 22-18 white doctor 11-16, 22-18, 10-14, 24-20 16-19, 23-16, 14-23 leeds 11-16, 22-17 newcastle 11-16, 21-17 12-16 opening. dundee 12-16 the losing game. as a matter of fact very fine scientific play is possible with this form of draughts, but all the same the youngest beginner can play at it, and very amusing results will follow. the object in the game is for one of the players to give all his men away, or get them fixed immovably, which, of course, would be a lost game in ordinary draughts, but is a won one at the losing game. it must be borne in mind, in playing the losing game, that it is not good policy to give away men at the beginning of the game so as to be left with three men against six, or two against five, for as a matter of fact in most positions the player with the superior forces can give all his men away, leaving the other player with one or more of his men left. here is where the laugh comes in. the hasty player keeps giving away his men until possibly he has only one left, whilst his more wary opponent has three or four. but can he give that man away and so win? not much! he soon finds he is perfectly helpless, and the other player can force him to take all his men, whilst his solitary man or king remains still on the board, a woeful example of "vaulting ambition, overleaping itself and falling on t'other side." in the losing game it is a case of "the more haste the least speed," for he who is too hasty to give away his men at the beginning finds he cannot give the remainder away at the end. from the first "position" must be played for, the board opened, and men exchanged carefully, so that at the end the player who wants to win may have such advantage that he can compel his opponent to capture his remaining pieces. when the game is reduced to one man on each side he who has "the move," as it is called, which would enable him to win, or draw, at the least, in the ordinary game must lose at the losing game. here is an example of a losing game. 11-15 8-11 59 20-27 24-19 22-18 17-13 30-26 15-24 9-14 38 23-14 27-20 189 29-25 white wins, 8-11 6-13 12-16 for his sole 20-16 25-22 23-19 remaining man 11-20 16 16-32 is blocked. 32-27 22-17 31-27 48 13-22 32-23 28-24 26-17 21-17 another form of the losing game is for one player to have all his twelve men against a single man of the other player. i give a position of this kind as [illustration: a problem in the losing game. black. white. fig. 25.] the 12 black men on their original squares. white man on 29. black to move and win, that is, give all his men away. another funny form of draughts is for one player to give the other the odds of having once (or oftener during the progress of the game) the right of moving twice in succession, this right being exercised at such time as the odds-receiver may choose. there should be great disparity in the strength of the two players, as the odds is really very great. the interchanged men. as a final poser for those who like to puzzle their brains, i give the following as a problem. place the men in due order on the draught-board, and then by a series of legal moves reverse the position of the men, that is, the black men must stand where the white men came from, and _vice versa_. $quaternions.$--quaternions is the name of a somewhat easy yet interesting game played on a checkered board (similar to a draughts board) with thirty-two counters or draughtsmen (sixteen white and sixteen black). the players move alternately by placing one of their men on a white square of the board, and the object of the game is to get four men of the same colour in a line, either perpendicular, horizontal, or diagonally, and the player who first succeeds in doing this wins the game. of course, each player also does his best to stop his opponent from forming his quaternion or file of four. should neither player be able to form a quaternion, then the game is drawn. to show clearly what a quaternion is, i give the following diagram:-[illustration: black. white. fig. 26.] the four men on squares 1, 2, 3, and 4, form a quaternion, and similarly do those on 5, 13, 21, and 29, and those on 10, 15, 19, and 24. the numbers here given to the squares are the same as in draughts. the point to be borne in mind in playing the game is to try to unite a perpendicular with a horizontal line of squares, or with a diagonal line. by careful play three men can be got on one of these lines, and three on a communicating line, each having a vacant square. the player of the opposite colour can fill only one of these squares, and consequently cannot prevent the formation of the quaternion on the other line. the most careful play on both sides is required from the very first move, or the game can be forced right off. i give a diagram of an opening:-[illustration: black. white. fig. 27.] it is now black's turn to play, and he must stop white from forming a line of three men with a vacant square at each end. to do this he must place a man either on 7 or 17. supposing he plays on to 17, then white can force the game thus:- white. black. 18 23 black plays on 23 to stop white 7 3 getting an open three; 9 would not 9 5 be so good. 11 12 2 the position is now as diagrammed:-[illustration: black to play. fig. 28.] it will be seen that white has now three on a perpendicular (beginning at 2) with a vacant square, and he also has three on a diagonal (also beginning at 2) with a vacant square. black can now only occupy one of the vacant squares, and white thereupon occupies the other, thereby forming his quaternion and winning. black lost the game on his second play by placing his man on 17; had he gone on to 7 his game would have been as good as white's. now for a few general hints. open the game on the middle of the board. play to squares near those occupied by your opponent's men. keep your men in connection (with an eye to forming threes, as in the illustrative game given above). keep forming threes as long as you can so as to force your opponent to stop the threatened quaternion. keep a wary eye always on your opponent's game, and try to confine him as much as possible so as to prevent him from forming threes with an adjacent vacant square. play the cautious game rather than the risky one--that is, keep the draw always in hand, and win if you can. $consequences.$--each player has a slip of paper. three inches broad and eight inches long is a convenient shape and size. each player writes upon the top an adjective which might be applied to a lady, and then folds the top of the slip so as to cover the word. all now pass their slips to their neighbours so that each one has another slip. without looking at the adjective, which should be well covered by the fold, each writes the name of a lady who is in the room, and folds the slip again so that no writing may be seen. once more the slips are passed along, and upon the new slip which each player has now should be written an adjective applicable to a gentleman. fold the paper and pass it along again. this process is repeated until this adjective has been followed by the name of some gentleman of the party, then by the name of a place, next by what the gentleman said to the lady, then her reply. after that come the consequences, and finally what the world said. all the slips are now dropped into a hat, and someone is appointed to read them one by one, supplying the verbs in the right place. they will create roars of laughter, for they will run something like this: simpering jane cook met knock-kneed peter thompson up a tree. he said to her, "well, i am surprised" and she replied, "does your mother know you're out?" the consequences were that he pawned his boots, and the world said, "i told you so." $concert.$--the players having selected a "conductor," seat themselves round him. the conductor now gives to each a musical instrument, and shows how it is to be played. when all are provided with their imaginary instruments, he orders them to tune, and so gives each musician a chance to make all sorts of noises. next the conductor waves an imaginary _baton_, and begins to hum a lively tune, in which he is accompanied by his band, each player imitating with his hands the different movements made in performing on his supposed instrument. every now and then the conductor pretends to play an instrument, and the player to whom it belongs must instantly alter his movements for those of the conductor, and continue to beat time until the conductor abandons his instrument. should a player fail to take the conductor's office at the proper time, he must pay a forfeit. $shadow buff.$--a sheet or other large piece of white linen should be fastened at one end of the room, so that it hangs without wrinkles; buff seats himself on a low stool with his face to the sheet, and a table, on which is a lighted candle, should be placed about four or five feet behind him, and the rest of the lights in the room extinguished. buff's playfellows next pass in succession, between him and the candle, distorting their features as much as possible--hopping, limping, and performing odd antics, so as to make their shadows very unlike themselves. buff, who is not blindfolded, must try to guess to whom the shadows belong, and if he guesses correctly, the player whose shadow he recognises takes his place. buff is allowed only one guess for each person, and must not turn his head either to the right or to the left to see who passes. $the boat race.$--a most exciting game, and one that is particularly suited to parties. any number of players may take part in it, the more the merrier, and they must be divided into two sides. the players stand in two rows, facing one another; at one end of the line there is the starter and at the other the umpire. at the word "go!" the starter drops a penny into the hands of each of the two men nearest him. these two men then drop it into the outstretched palms of the people next to them, and so the pennies are passed along from one to the other, and the winning side is the one which manages to get its penny into the hands of the umpire first. a great point which all the players must bear in mind is that on no account must the coin be touched by the fingers. each player must secure the penny in the palms of his hands placed together, and must drop the penny into the hands of the man next him by simply opening his palms. this greatly adds to the fun of the game. in the hurry to pass on the coin the excited player will drop the money and pick it up in his fingers, and his side is then disqualified for that game. $a musical glass.$--take a thin cut-glass goblet, and having cut out of stiff writing-paper a cross with arms of equal length, lay it on the top of the glass, and turn down each end of the four arms, so that the cross will not slip off. having thus fitted the cross, take it off the glass and pour water into the glass until it is nearly full. now wipe the rim carefully, so that no particle of moisture remains on it, and replace the cross. you can make the glass vibrate and give out a sound by rubbing your damped finger over some part of the exterior. that is why it is called a musical glass; but an even more wonderful experiment may be made with it. you rub the glass with your damped finger under one of the arms of the cross; the cross will not move. rub it between any two of the arms, and the cross will begin to turn slowly, as if by magic, and will not stop turning until one of the arms reaches a point immediately over the place you are rubbing. you can then move your finger round the glass and make the cross move as you please. $boomerangs.$--the wooden boomerang of the australian savage has elements of danger, and attempts should not be made to throw it except away from other people and from animals. even the thrower will do well to have a tree behind which he can retire; but meanwhile much fun can be derived from small boomerangs made of pasteboard. they should be cut in the shapes given, a and b are the best. there is no need to be very exact, but the card should not be bent and should be capable of lying flat upon a table. other similar shapes may be invented. the curious flight of a little boomerang of this kind is induced by placing it upon a book with one of its ends projecting over the side of the book. raise the book to a level with your eyes and then with a pencil or penholder strike sharply the edge of the boomerang near the end. do not treat the boomerang as though you were playing at tip-cat or "peggy," and avoid smiting it upon its upward flat surface. when you have learned to hit it properly it will skim through the air, then rise a little, and finally come back to some place not far from its starting-point. in any case its peculiar movements are likely to be amusing. a flip with the finger nail is another way to start the boomerang upon its course. $an amusing game.$--in this game the ball is an empty egg-shell, and the field a covered table. after the sides have been chosen--any number of persons taking part--the players kneel at both sides of the table, a captain at the head on one side, and another captain at the foot on the other side. in front of each captain are placed two upright articles--candlesticks, tumblers, or what not. these are the goals, across which a ribbon is stretched. [illustration: boomerangs.] the egg-shell is placed in the centre of the table, and put in play by both captains blowing at it. all the other players then assist in the blowing, which keeps the ball moving about the table at such a rapid succession of tangents as to cause a great deal of fun. soon most of the players will be helpless with laughter. a touchdown, which scores four points, is made by blowing the ball through the opponents' goal. the captain of the victorious side then takes the ball back to the opposite goal and blows it across the table, the object being to pass it through the same goal again. this, if successful, scores two more points. the time limit of the game is thirty minutes, divided into two parts of fifteen minutes each. after the first half the two teams change positions, as in football. $nine men's morris.$--two persons, having each of them nine pieces, or men, different in colour from those of his opponent, lay them down alternately, one by one, upon the spots; and the aim of both players is to prevent his antagonist from placing three of his pieces so as to form a row of three without the intervention of an opposing piece. if a row be formed, he that made it is at liberty to take up one of his competitor's pieces from any part he thinks most to his advantage; unless he has made a row, which must not be touched. when all the pieces are laid down, they are played backwards and forwards in any direction that the lines run, but can only move from one spot to another at one time. he that takes all his antagonist's pieces, is the winner. [illustration: nine men's morris. fox and geese.] $fox and geese.$--fifteen draughtsmen serve for the flock of geese. the fox may be two draughtsmen placed one upon another. the game is played on a board marked as shown in the illustration. sometimes holes are pricked at the junction of the lines and pegs are used instead of draughtsmen. the fox is placed in the middle of the board, and the geese as shown in the illustration. the game is to confine the fox to some spot on the board, so that there shall be either the edge of the board or else two rows of men round him. when the fox cannot escape, the game is done, and the player of the geese wins; but when one of the geese is left on a point next to that occupied by the fox, and is not supported by another goose behind, or by the edge of the board, the fox can take it, and by jumping over its head to the next space, as in draughts, he may, perhaps, escape the others, as all the geese are compelled to move forwards towards the end of the board that was unoccupied at the commencement of the game. the fox is allowed to move either backwards or forwards. neither the fox nor a goose must be moved more than one space at a time. if the fox neglects to take when he has a chance, he is huffed, and one of the captured geese is restored to the board. the fox should avoid getting into the lower square of the board if possible, as he will find it difficult to extricate himself from a position which can be so easily blockaded. [illustration: fox and geese--a second method.] a second method.--there is another way of playing fox and geese on a chessboard, with four white men, representing the geese, and one black one, for the fox. the geese are placed on the four white squares nearest one player, and the fox may be put where his owner pleases. the best place for him is that marked in the diagram. the geese can move forward only, and the fox moves either way. the object of the geese is to pen the fox so that he cannot move, and the fox has to break through. the geese have a great advantage, and a good player keeps them in a line as much as he can. this the fox tries to prevent, and if the geese make a false move he is able generally to break through the line. $puzzles.$--dead dogs made living.--the dead dogs are, by placing two lines upon them, to be suddenly aroused to life and made to run away. how and where should these lines be placed, and what should be the shapes of them? the springs puzzle.--a is a wall, b c d three houses, and e f g three springs. it is required to bring the water from e to d, from g to b, and from f to c, without one pipe or channel crossing the other, and without passing outside of the wall a. three-square puzzle.--cut seventeen slips of cardboard of equal lengths, and put them on a table to form six squares, as in the figure. now take away five of the pieces, leaving only three perfect squares. six and five make nine.--draw six vertical lines, and, by adding five more lines let the whole make nine. cylinder puzzle.--cut a piece of cardboard about four inches long, of the oblong shape of the figure, and make three holes in it as shown. make one piece of wood pass through, and also exactly fill, each of the three holes. [illustration: dead dogs made living.] [illustration: the springs puzzle.] [illustration: three square puzzle.] [illustration: six and five make nine.] [illustration: cylinder puzzle.] [illustration: a button puzzle.] a button puzzle.--in the middle of a piece of leather make two parallel cuts, and below a small hole of the width of the distance between the cuts, pass a piece of string under the slit and through the hole, as in the diagram, and tie two buttons much larger than the hole to the ends of the string. the problem is to draw the string out without taking off the buttons. a slit puzzle.--cut a round piece of wood as in a, and four others, like b. get them all into the cross-shaped slit, as in c. [illustration: a slit puzzle.] [illustration: creeping through a small space.] creeping through a small space.--take a piece of cardboard or of leather, the shape and size suggested in the diagram. cut it in such a way that you may creep through it, still keeping it in one piece. an ingenious square.--here is a way to place one to nine in three rows of three figures each, so that they will add up to fifteen in eight different ways. [illustration] +--+--+--+ | 4| 9| 2| +--+--|--| | 3| 5| 7| +--+--+--+ | 8| 1| 6| +--+--+--+ [illustration: circle puzzle.] +-------------------+ |o o o| | | | | | o o | |o o| | o o | | | | | |o o o| +-------------------+ the cabinet-maker's problem.--a cabinet-maker had a round piece of veneering, with which he has to cover the tops of two oval stools. it so happens that the area of the stools, without the hand-holes in the centre, and the circular piece, are the same. how must he cut his veneer so as to be exactly enough for his purpose? circle puzzle.--secure a piece of cardboard, the size and shape of the diagram, and punch in it twelve holes in the position shown in the diagram. cut the cardboard into four pieces of equal size, each piece to be of the same shape, and to contain three holes, without cutting into any of them. the nuns.--twenty-four nuns were placed in a convent by night to count nine each way, as in the figure. four of them went for a walk; how were the remaining nuns arranged in the square so as still to count nine each way? the four who went out returned, bringing with them four friends; how were they all arranged still to count nine each way, and thus to deceive the sister in charge, as to whether there were 20, 24, 28, or 32 in the square? [illustration: the nuns.] cross-cutting.--how can you cut out of a single piece of paper, and with one cut of the scissors, a perfect cross, and all the other forms that are shown in the diagram? cross puzzle.--cut three pieces of paper to the shape of a, one to the shape of b, and one to that of c. let them be of the same relative sizes as in the diagram. place the pieces together so as to form a cross. more cross cutting.--with three pieces of cardboard of the form and size of a, and one each of b and c, to form a cross. [illustration: cross cutting.] [illustration: cross puzzle.] [illustration: more cross cutting.] a problem for surveyors.--a gentleman who lived in a house on an estate decided that he would divide the estate into five building plots. there were ten fine old trees, and his instructions to the surveyor were: don't count my house in the division. i shall have that extra, but divide the remainder of the park into five equal parts with straight boundaries. i shall retain one part for my own grounds. be careful to arrange that each plot shall have two of the trees. how did the surveyor divide the estate? [illustration: a problem for surveyors.] another problem for surveyors.--a squire planted a number of oaks when his heir was born, and on the twenty-seventh birthday of the young man there was a tree for every year, and yet though there were only 27 trees, there were ten rows and six trees in each row, which made sixty, the age of the squire himself. how did he manage it? halfpence puzzle.--place ten halfpence in a row on the table. take up one of them and place it on another, never in any case passing over more than two halfpence. repeat the operation until no halfpenny remains by itself in the row. puzzling advice.--read the following:- if your b m t put : when your is . putting : the miser's ruse.--a miser once asked his tenants to dinner at an inn, and asked the landlord to join the party. when the bill was presented, the miser suggested that they should cast lots who should pay the score. it was decided that they should be counted by the days of the week, and that every time he who counted called "saturday," the person so named should leave the room until there was only one man left, and he should pay. how did the miser manage to throw the expense on the landlord? two eyes better than one.--put a coin on a table's edge, with half the coin's edge overlapping. move three yards away and close one eye; now advance, and try to knock it off with one finger, keeping the one eye shut all the time. [illustration: the double handcuffs.] wolf, goat, and cabbages.--suppose a man has a wolf, a goat, and some cabbages on the bank of a river, and he wishes to cross with them, and that his boat is only large enough to carry one out of the three besides himself. he must, therefore, take them over one by one, in such a manner that the wolf shall have no opportunity of devouring the goat, or the goat the cabbages. in which way is he to do this? the double handcuffs.--ask two friends to allow their hands to be fastened together with string, which must be looped, as shown in the illustration. now tell them to liberate themselves without unfastening the knots, or cutting the string. answers to puzzles. [illustration: dead dogs made living.] [illustration: the springs puzzle.] three-square puzzle.--take away the pieces numbered 8, 10, 1, 3, 13, and three squares only will remain. [illustration: six and five make] a slit puzzle.--arrange the pieces side by side in the short arms of the cross, draw out the centre piece, and the rest will follow easily. the same process reversed will put them back again. [illustration: slit puzzle.] [illustration: creeping through a small space.] creeping through a small space.--double the cardboard or leather lengthways down the middle, and then cut first to the right, nearly to the end, and then to the left and so on to the end of the card; then open it and cut down the middle, except the two ends. by opening the card or leather, a person may pass through it. a tough leaf may be treated in this way. [illustration: circle puzzle.] the cabinet-maker's problem.--the cabinet-maker must find the centre of the circle, and strike another circle, half the diameter of the first, and having the same centre. then cut the whole into four parts, by means of two lines drawn at right angles to each other, then cut along the inner circle, and put the pieces together as in the following diagram. [illustration: cabinet-maker's problem.] [illustration: the nuns.] [illustration: more cross cutting.] button puzzle.--pull the narrow slip of the leather through the hole, and the string and buttons may be released. [illustration: cross cutting.] [illustration: cross puzzle.] cross cutting.--take a piece of writing paper about three times as long as it is broad, say six inches long and two wide. fold the upper corner down, as shown in fig. 1; then fold the other upper corner over the first, and it will appear as in fig. 2; you next fold the paper in half lengthwise, and it will appear as in fig. 3. then the last fold is made lengthwise also, in the middle of the paper, and it will exhibit the form of fig. 4, which, when cut through with the scissors in the direction of the dotted line, will give all the forms mentioned. [illustration: cylinder puzzle.] cylinder puzzle.--take a round cylinder of the diameter of the circular hole, and of the height of the square hole. having drawn a straight line across the end, dividing it into two equal parts, cut an equal section from either side to the edge of the circular base, a figure like that represented by the woodcut in the margin would then be produced, which would fulfil the required conditions. halfpence puzzle.--place the fourth on the first, seventh on the third, fifth upon the ninth, the second upon the sixth, and the eighth upon the tenth. puzzling advice.- if your grate be (great b) empty, put coal on. when your grate is (great is) full, stop putting coal on. the miser's ruse.--the counting, which stopped at every seventh man, was made to begin at the sixth from the landlord, who sat at the end of the table. wolf, goat, and cabbages.--first he takes over the goat; he then returns and takes the wolf; he leaves the wolf on the other side, and brings back the goat; he now takes over the cabbages, and comes back once more to fetch the goat. thus the wolf will never be left with the goat, nor the goat with the cabbages. [illustration: a problem for surveyors.] [illustration: another problem for surveyors.] the double handcuffs.--this is the way to do it. c must gather up into a loop the string which binds his hands, pass it under the string fastened round either of b's wrists, and slip it over b's hands. this done, both will be set free. to replace the strings, reverse the process. chapter xxi work and play at the bench $wood carving.$--the best kinds of wood include white holly, walnut and sycamore, and pieces of empty cigar boxes, often spanish cedar, are not to be despised. a pocket-knife, some bradawls, a few files, flat, round and triangular, a fine saw and some coarse sandpaper complete the tools needed for most of the work. draw very carefully upon paper the design with which you wish to ornament some article you may have made with wood. when you have at last drawn the design quite accurately there are many ways in which you may transfer the drawing to the wood. it may be pasted upon the wood so that paper and wood will be cut away together in those parts that are to fall below the general surface of the wood and at the end the paper that remains may be washed away. another way is to cut out the design with scissors, lay it upon the wood and go carefully round the edges with a lead pencil; or you may without cutting it out place it upon the wood and prick through the design or at any rate the principal points with a pin. if you were to scribble with crayon, coloured chalk or pencil upon the back of the paper and were then to lay the paper upon the wood and go over the design with a hard point, using some pressure, the design would be transferred to the wood, or still another way would be to use carbon paper (see chap. xxiv.) between the paper and the wood instead of scribbling upon the back of the paper. however, we will suppose the design in some way or another has been placed in pencil upon the wood. now with regard to every part in which the intention is to take out the wood completely from front to back bore a hole. then take your fret-cutter's saw or dentist's saw and unfastening one end put this end through the hole and fasten it again. saw perpendicularly. at this stage the young carver will need to decide whether he will follow the pencil lines exactly. if he is a very expert sawyer he may, but it is much safer to leave a little wood to be removed by pocket-knife, chisel, or file. it is easy to do this; but if he saws out a little too much wood, if he transgresses the pencil line, he cannot put back the wood he has wrongfully cut away. after the filing a little rubbing with sandpaper will complete the work. sometimes it is an advantage to adjust the saw in its frame with the teeth inside or sideways. $how to make a schooner.$--take a block of wood two feet four inches long, eight inches wide, and eight inches deep. we name this as a convenient size; but a boy may if he likes make his boat twice this size, or half this size, and so long as he makes his alterations in proportion it will not matter. try to get the wood without knots or other faults. white pine or deal with a straight grain is the best, for this wood is easy to cut into shape, and it is light. [illustration: fig. 1] before the schooner is shaped it should be hollowed. draw a straight line with pencil along the centre of the upper surface of the block a b (fig. 1). if the breadth of the block is eight inches then the centre will be four inches from each edge. next, in a similar way divide the length of the block into two equal parts with a pencil line c d. if the length is two feet four inches then this line will be one foot two from each end of the block. now divide the length into three equal parts by the lines e f and g h. one third of two feet four inches is nine inches and one third of an inch, so that each of the three parts will have this measurement. draw now the line i j c b and when this line is of the right shape make a tracing of it, and from the tracing a cardboard model. by placing this model upon the other side of the line a b and drawing round its edge you will get the line b d k i and it will be exactly like i j c b, a very important matter. with a knife, gouge, and chisel the boat may now be hollowed with care, and we may repeat that it is easier to hollow the block before its outside has been shaped than afterwards, because it stands now more firmly upon the table or bench. the shape of the outside is shown in fig. 2, and it should be noticed that the line l m n is not straight but curves so that m is the lowest point and l and n the highest. upon the counter at o a hole must be bored for the stern-post, which will come through at p in fig. 1. [illustration: fig. 2] it is well from time to time to try the boat in water to see if it floats evenly, or if more has been taken from one side than the other. these little matters should be corrected, and a number of little touches will be needed here and there with tools or sandpaper before the vessel is right inside and out. then put a deck of thin wood over the hollowed part. this should be fitted very carefully so that no water can pass into the hold of the ship. if bulwarks are desired the deck may be half an inch or an inch below the edge of the vessel, but if the deck is flush with the sides of the hull there will be no place for water to lodge. we now come to the masts, of which there will be two. for the foremast make a hole through the deck at q on fig. 1. it is about an inch from the line g h. at r two inches from the line e f a similar hole should penetrate the deck for the main mast. the circumference of the lower masts should be one inch and three quarters, but an inch will serve for the topmasts. the bowsprit and the booms should measure one inch and a quarter round, and the gaffs an inch. [illustration: a schooner.] a bobstay. b bowsprit. c forestay. d stay foresail. e foremast. f gaff foresail. g fore gaff. h fore boom. i mainmast. j mainsail. k main boom. l main gaff. m main topmast. n gaff topsail. o main topmast stay. p fore peak haulyards. q fore throat haulyards. r main peak haulyards. s main throat haulyards. t mainsheet. u foresheet. v stay foresheet. w rudder. x lead ballast. y forecap and cross trees. z maincap and cross trees. linen will serve for the sails, and odds and ends of fishing lines for the ropes and rigging, with stouter cord like whipcord for the shrouds. the caps, deadeyes, blocks and such things may be made, but the process is wearisome and difficult and perhaps the better way is to buy them. the following measurements will be useful:- inches bowsprit 3-1/2 foremast 15 mainmast 16 topmast 6 fore boom 8-1/2 fore gaff 8 main boom 12 main gaff 8 the sails should be made to fit these. if the schooner has been properly made she will sail well with the rudder but slightly turned to one side. if it is necessary to turn her rudder much she will lose speed and will not rank in the first class. to steady the schooner it is necessary to nail or screw along her keel, a strip of lead as ballast. err upon the side of making this too heavy, because it is easier to cut and file away than it is to add. $the making of a cutter.$--having made a schooner it will not be difficult to make a cutter from the appended diagrams with a few particulars regarding the measurements. [illustration] the cutter has but one mast reaching about fifteen inches above the deck. this is surmounted by a seven-inch top-mast, so that the complete height above the deck is twenty-two inches. here are the other measurements. bowsprit, 9 inches from the stem of the vessel to the end. main gaff, 9 inches long. main boom, 15 inches. [illustration: a cutter.] a bobstay. b bowsprit. c forestay. d foresail. e jib. f topmost stay. g mast. h topmast. i mainsail. j main boom. k main gaff. l gaff topsail. m peak haulyards. n throat haulyards. o main sheet. p rudder. q lead ballast. r jib sheets. s the cap. t cross trees. $a sleigh that can be steered.$--with the sketches we shall give, a boy unaided, or with a little assistance from a carpenter, will be able to make a sleigh that he can steer. take a piece of board 9-1/2 feet long, six inches wide and 7/8 of an inch thick. ash is excellent. avoid large knots. let fig. 1 represent the face of the board. from b measure three inches to c. connect a c. from a measure two feet, four times. these measurements will give you d e f g. from c repeat this process and you will have h i j and k. saw from a to c; from d to h; from e to i; f to j, and from g to k. you will have now four pieces of wood like the piece in fig. 2 and some wood to spare for a purpose that will be explained soon. with regard to your four pieces of wood which are to serve for runners remember that two will be right-hand runners and two left-hand runners, because the treatment of each kind varies a little. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] with regard to fig. 2 draw the curved line a e. no rule can be given for this except that b e represents eight inches. cut the curve from a to e, round off the angle c d b a little, and you will have a runner from which the three remaining runners may be made. this runner however is not yet finished. from c in fig. 2 measure 2-1/2 inches to f, then another 2-1/2 inches to g. make f h one inch deep and g i. then connect h i. measure 8 inches from g to j and then mark off j k l m making it like h g f i. now direct your attention to the upper edge of the runner represented in fig. 3. two points will have been fixed already. m j, g f. to find the remaining points n o, p q draw the lines m n; j o; g p and f q making the angles n m j; o j m; p g f and q f g the same as the angle b d c in fig. 2. now saw and chisel out carefully n o m j l k and p q g f i h making what joiners call mortices. in repeating this process upon the other runners remember to have the narrower end of these dovetails inside the sledge. the arrangement will be as in fig. 4. [illustration: fig. 3.] [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 5.] the next thing is to connect your four runners with cross bars (fig. 5) which are each fourteen inches long, two and a half inches broad, and one inch thick. of these cross bars there are four. the distance from a to b and from c to d is one inch in each case. these ends are shaped to form what joiners call dovetails, and they should fit exactly into the mortices upon the upper edges of the runners. the black dots represent screws. one of the cross bars does not appear in fig. 13. the runners should be shod with iron by the blacksmith. he will need eleven-and-a-half feet of half round 5/8 inch rolled iron, divided into four, a piece for each runner. each piece will be 34 inches long pierced for screws as in fig. 6. a and b are an inch from centre to centre. c is eight inches from the end, d another ten inches; e a further ten inches. f g are like a and b. take now a piece of board one foot wide, fifteen inches long and one inch thick (fig. 7). find the centre by connecting b and c and a and d by straight lines. the place where they cross, e, will be the centre. this board should be placed lengthways upon the cross bars of the front portion of your sleigh and should be fixed very securely in position with long screws. it should be at a in the completed sleigh, fig. 13. now for the long board upon which you sit, the board that connects the two pairs of runners, the board marked b in the completed sleigh, fig. 13. its width is sixteen inches, its length 7-1/2 feet, its thickness 1-1/2 inches. it is known as the reach board and should be of seasoned pine. this board is represented in fig. 8. fix your compass at a and describe a semi-circle, and then at b. a and b are each seven inches from the end of the board and seven inches from the sides. by the aid of these lines you will be able to give your board rounded ends as in fig. 9. [illustration: fig. 6.] [illustration: fig. 7.] [illustration: fig. 9.] [illustration: fig. 10.] having decided which end of this board you will have forward measure underneath 8 inches from the front extremity and at that point draw the line a b (fig. 10). now take the piece of wood you spared from your runners and saw it lengthwise into two equal parts. make each part precisely as long as your reach board is wide. screw one at c d in fig. 10 so that its outer edge is close to the line a b. the screws go through the reach board into the cross piece. in the centre of the cross piece bore a hole with a half inch bit right through cross piece and reach board, this is for the bolt. now take that other piece of runner wood and fix hinges upon it as shown in fig. 11. the hinges should be 4ã�4 hinges, and should move round to their full extent each way. leaving the reach board for a few minutes we go to the pair of runners that will be at the back of the sleigh. it will be seen that we connected these with two cross pieces. it is upon the back cross piece that we have to place our piece of wood that has the hinges upon it. lay it upon the cross piece and when the two are even all round fasten the remaining flap of the hinges with screws upon this cross piece of the runners. these two cross pieces of wood will be separated only by the thickness of the hinges if the work has been deftly done. place the reach board so that the outer edge of the cross piece shall come exactly to a line we may draw now upon the under-side of the reach board five inches from its backward end as in fig. 12. [illustration: fig. 8.] [illustration: fig. 11.] [illustration: fig. 12.] [illustration: fig. 13.] fasten there the reach board to the cross piece with screws. the front pair of runners is fastened by passing a half inch bolt through the half inch hole we bored in the reach board and in the top of the front pair of runners. here you will need a few washers and a nut. each back runner should be fastened to the reach board by a loose chain as shown in the completed sleigh. foot rests of bent iron or of wood are a great advantage. place these where you need them. the sleigh is steered by means of two strong cords. fig. 13 is merely general. some of the details do not appear there. [illustration: fig. 1., fig. 2., fig. 3., fig. 5., fig. 6., fig. 4.] $baby's sleigh.$--in fig. 1 we have the sleigh as it looks when it is finished. to upholster it would add to our difficulties, so we will depend upon an abundance of cushions for baby's comfort. in fig 2 we have a piece of strong board a b c d 3/8 of an inch thick, two feet long and one foot wide. from c to e is three inches, from c to g seven inches and from d to f three inches. the curve from a to g must be drawn according to the taste of the young joiner. when this side has been cut out it is easy to make the other from it. now for the backboard. in fig. 3 a b c d we have a piece of wood fifteen inches square. the inside lines at the bottom are one and a half inches from d and c. e and f are three inches from a and b. put your compasses at i for a centre and draw the curve e f. if your compasses are not large enough a piece of pencil tied to a string will serve. the front board may be made like the lower half of the back board. nail or screw the parts together and put on a bottom that fits. inside, the seat rests on two strips, one screwed upon each side. these strips are of wood three eighths of an inch thick, an inch wide and eight inches long. the seat may be about a foot wide. the runners come next. in fig. 4 a b c d, we have a board three quarters of an inch thick, three feet long and seven inches wide. the distance from d to e is eight inches. from a measure eight inches along the upper edge to g, then two inches to h and from h draw the line h f. draw the curve a h. f should be three inches from the line b c. from f draw a straight line to c. cut out the runner and use it as a pattern for the making of another. to connect the two runners use a couple of cross bars of hard wood each an inch and a half wide, one inch thick and a foot long. cut the ends as shown in fig. 5, the cuts being three quarters of an inch deep. carpenters call an arrangement of this kind a tenon. the front cross bar will connect the two runners fifteen inches from the front and the back cross bar will be fifteen inches further back than that. the method of fixing them is shown in fig. 6. the cuts a and b--mortices, joiners call them--are half an inch deep. having placed the tenons in the mortices fasten them there with screws. now get a board ten inches wide, half an inch thick and two feet long and screw this to the bars. if you want the runners shod with iron the blacksmith will do this for you. place now the car in position upon the runners, and bore two quarter-inch holes in the centre of the bottom, one under the seat and the other in front. make two corresponding holes in the board of the sleigh and so with two bolts and nuts secure the car to the runners. [illustration: hammock from a barrel.] $a hammock from a barrel.$--look round for a clean barrel. perhaps an apple barrel will be as easy to find as any. strip off the hoops and draw all the nails. measure three inches from the top, and three inches from the bottom of the barrel, and draw thence a line round the top and a line round the bottom of the barrel, keeping it three inches from top or bottom all the way round. upon these lines, and upon each stave, bore two holes with a brace and bit. place the holes so that they are about the same distance from each other and from the edges of the staves. if some of the staves are wider than others, each will need slightly different treatment. a stout rope should be threaded through these holes in the manner shown in the diagram. about twenty feet of rope will be sufficient. an inch or thereabouts should be left between each stave. cushions add to the comfort of this simple hammock. [illustration: hammock from a barrel.] [illustration: ã�olian harp.] $an ã�olian harp.$--make a shallow box of thin dry pine. the top piece should be free from knots and three-sixteenths of an inch thick. this is the sounding board. the sides and bottom of the box may be of wood one quarter of an inch in thickness. the harp should be two inches shorter than the width of the window in which you are going to place it. the width of the box itself may be ten inches, its depth two and a half inches. the ends should be of hard wood, for they have to bear the strain of the strings. in one end put studs or rings or eyes to which are fastened the wires or catgut strings. at the other end should be a corresponding row of violin pegs if you use catgut, or iron piano pins if you use wire. if you do use wire it should be of steel. in the diagram you will see the two bridges of hard wood glued diagonally across each end for the strings to rest upon. if steel wire is employed a piece of wire should run along the top of each bridge to prevent the other wires from cutting into the wood. four holes, each an inch in diameter, in the sounding board improves the harp. the tuning may be harmonics, thirds, fifths, and octaves. raise the sash of the window, and place the harp so that the wind blows across the strings. chapter xxii science for the play-hour $a home-made electrical machine.$--to make a really first-class machine of the modern type would require a good deal of mechanical skill, even supposing my readers to be the happy possessors of the necessary tools and materials; but the older type of machine--though of course not so powerful--will probably do quite well enough for most of their purposes. i will, therefore, describe one of the simplest forms of these machines, such as any one, with a little care and patience, can make for himself. the first thing to do is to get a general idea of what you are going to construct, which may be had from the illustration, and from the actual machines you may sometimes see in a shop window or in a scientific collection, like the science departments of the south kensington museum. it is the making of the cylinder machine we are going to work out, and, therefore, to begin with, the glass cylinder must be procured. this can be had from a dealer in chemical apparatus and costs only a few pence for the smaller size--about 3 inches by 6 inches. at the same time purchase a round glass rod, 3/8 inch diameter by 5 inches long; a sheet or two of tinfoil, and sixpennyworth of amalgam. from a carpenter or timber-merchant you will require a base-board for the machine, say 13 inches by 8 inches, by 1 inch thick, and of heavy wood; also two uprights, which are to stand on the base-board to support the cylinder. these may be 6 inches tall, by 2 inches by 3/4 inch. having now the principal parts of the frame, the work of fitting together can be begun by making a circular hole (centre about 1-1/4 inches from the end) in one wooden upright, to take easily one of the projecting glass pieces, or pivots, at the ends of the cylinder--probably 3/4 inch diameter will do. this hole may be made with a brace and suitable bit, or failing that, with a round chisel--taking care not to split the wood. in one end of the other upright cut a slot of same width as the hole, the bottoms of both being on the same level. then rest the two glass pivots in the hole and slot, holding the uprights vertically on the base-board, when the cylinder should be quite horizontal. if it is not so, deepen the slot, or shorten either upright, as required. drill a hole through the two sides of the slot at the top, and insert a round nail to keep the pivot from having too much play. it will next be necessary to secure these supports to the board, which may be done by driving stout screws from below, together with the aid of some strong glue. if you have the skill it will be better to sink the supports 1/2 inch into the surface. the position should be such, that the cylinder is not quite over the middle of the board. (see illustrations.) next remove the cylinder by a little side working, and screw a piece of wood, 1-1/2 inches by 1/4 inch by about 7 inches, to the supports and base. this is to act as a brace to the supports, and also for holding tightening screws for the rubber. we now come to the preparation of the rubber, which is an important detail. get a wooden block 1-1/4 inches by 1/2 inch and 1 inch shorter than the cylinder. smoothe off all the corners, and glue on one long edge, a piece of thin leather (chamois will do); fold over the flat side, and then glue it again at the other long edge; double it back _loosely_, and glue again in original place. this should make a sort of bag on one side of the block, which should now be stuffed with _dry_ wool or hemp, and the two ends fastened down. a piece of black silk, about 5 inches by 9 inches, must be attached to the bottom edge. [illustration: front view, showing rubber seen through cylinder; conductor removed. a a supports; r rubber; b brace board; c c adjusting screws; f rubber stand.] [illustration: end view. h handle; d conductor; e glass support. rubber, silk flap and support. a home-made electrical machine.] now place the cylinder on its bearings, and press the rubber against the middle of one side, which will show what length to make the rubber stand. the thickness may be 1/4 inch, and the breadth 2 inches; one end being screwed to the rubber block at the back, and the other resting on the base-board, but attached to the brace piece by two bolts with adjustable nuts. these you can get at an ironmonger's--thumb nuts are preferable, as they can be tightened up without pliers. as this board will be on a slope, the cushion block must be bevelled off with a chisel, so that it may rest "squarely" against the glass. the adjusting screws will enable the pressure on the glass to be regulated. be careful to see that the silk flap (attached to the bottom edge of the rubber) comes _between_ the leather and the cylinder, and then folds over the cylinder to about the middle of the opposite side. we next come to the "prime conductor," which is a piece of rounded wood, 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch less than the length of the cylinder. the end corners must be made round with a knife and sandpaper, so the whole surface may be quite smooth. then lay on _evenly_ with paste, a sheet of tinfoil, notching it so that it may fold nicely over the spherical ends, and take out any ridges by rubbing with the knife handle. an insulating support must be given to the conductor, as it is to hold the accumulated electric energy, and for this the glass rod above mentioned is required. make a suitable hole in one side of the conductor, and in it fix one end of the rod with cement. the other end can be fixed to the base-board in the same way; or a separate stand may be used; but before doing this, drive a horizontal row of strong pins along a side of the conductor, at right angles with the rod. these should be 1/4 inch apart, starting and finishing 1/4 inch from where the surface becomes spherical at the two ends; the heads should be cut off previously with pliers, and the external length, when driven into the wood, should not exceed 1/2 inch. now erect the conductor, and see that the rod brings it level or thereabouts with the centre line of the cylinder-side. the points should not quite touch the latter; and the silk flap must not hang down far enough to come between. there remains now but one piece of mechanism to construct--the handle. this is apt to give trouble at first, but with care may be successfully completed. a short piece of hard wood (say 2-1/2 inches long), half of circular and half of square section, must be procured, and the rounded half cemented into one of the glass pivots. this must be done with good cement and both the glass and wood warmed, and cleaned first of all. be careful not to crack the glass by too rapid heating. a thin layer of cement is best, while, of course, the wooden rod ought to fit closely. the square end now projecting must be provided with a handle, the making of which will serve to pass the time during which the cement is drying. cut a square hole to fit the end in a piece of wood say 1/4 inch by 2-1/2 inches by 1 inch, which is the handle shaft. pass a bolt through the lower part and secure the handle-bobbin itself by a nut. if nothing else can be got, a cotton-reel makes a fair handle when the flanges are cut off. if the nut works loose, pinch the threads at the end of the screw, or add a "lock nut"--_i.e._ an extra nut. dry the cylinder and put a wooden stopper in the other glass pivot to keep out damp. take care to have the handle on the right-hand end of the machine when the rubber is closest to you and the conductor opposite; notice also that of the supports the _slotted_ one should now be on the _left_-hand side. all the woodwork, as well as the ends and pivots of the cylinder, and the glass rod should be painted with shellac varnish, which may generally be had ready mixed from paint merchants, or may be made at home by dissolving shellac in methylated spirits. a stick of red sealing-wax gives a more pleasing colour for the glass work if added to the shellac solution. all through the construction of the machine must be borne in mind the fact that rough edges or points "attract" away the electricity, and, therefore, all the edges and corners must be well rounded off and smoothed with sandpaper, and everything must be kept clean and free from dust. when the shellac is dry, let all the parts, especially the rubber, cylinder, and rod, have a good warming before the fire. then fixing the cylinder in its place, press the rubber firmly against it by means of the adjusting screws. after turning for a few minutes, the handle should become stiffer, and a small spark be obtained on touching the conductor. if not, tighten up the screws a little more. it is also advisable to lay a little amalgam with tallow on the rubber, _between_ the silk and the leather: a piece of tinfoil is also said to be of advantage when amalgam is not handy. sometimes, too, a wire connection from the back of the cushion to a neighbouring gas or water pipe helps the success of the machine, but if proper attention be paid to warming and cleaning and the avoiding of edges and corners, success is almost certain after a short time. a delicate test is to observe whether a thread is attracted by the conductor, and if so, a spark may be soon looked for. an iron clamp or two will be found of great assistance for holding down the base-board to the corner of a table. $the indestructible candles.$--when a candle burns, the matter of which the candle is composed, is not lost nor destroyed. it is simply changing its form, and every part of it may be accounted for. if we take a cold clean tumbler and hold it over the flame of the candle (fig. 1) we shall see that the inside becomes moist with water, and on touching it our fingers are made wet. on the tumbler becoming warm, this moisture disappears. if we could surround the tumbler with an ice jacket, we should see the water from the flame of the candle dripping down, and if this were caught in a vessel we could obtain from an ordinary candle about a wine-glassful of water. we may therefore produce water from a burning candle. the cause of the water being formed is that there is in the fat of the candle, as one of its constituents, hydrogen, and as the candle burns, this unites with the oxygen of the air to form water. wherever water is found it always consists of hydrogen and oxygen in combination, and of nothing else. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] [illustration: fig. 3.] [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration: fig. 5.] [illustration: fig. 7.] [illustration: fig. 6.] [illustration: fig. 8.] $presence of hydrogen proved.$--we may prove the presence of hydrogen gas by bringing a lighted taper within two or three inches of the wick of a candle just after it has been extinguished. on holding the lighted taper in the stream of smoke coming from the wick, we shall see a tiny flame run down the smoke and re-light the candle. the hydrogen gas coming from the hot fat is being carried off in the smoke. it is very inflammable, and the flame from the taper ignites it, and in turn rekindles the candle. when the stream of smoke has ceased, it does not matter how near we hold the taper to the wick without actually touching, it will not be re-lighted. (see fig. 2.) $the hydrogen located.$--a still better way of showing the presence of this gas is by bending a piece of glass tubing of small-bore, into the shape shown in fig. 4. glass tubing may be bent easily to any shape by holding it in the flame of an ordinary gas burner. the tube becomes covered with soot, and this prevents its getting hot too rapidly, and so enables the tube to bend easily and evenly. the bending must never be forced, but very gently done as the glass softens. (see fig. 3.) a little practice will enable any boy to make a first-rate bend. on carefully observing the flame of the candle we shall see that it really consists of three distinct parts. round the wick it looks black, this is really a hollow chamber filled with unconsumed hydrogen. next to this is a bright luminous cone, and outside of that is an almost invisible covering of blue flame. in the black space gas is unconsumed, in the luminous part the combustion is only partial, but outside of all, where there is most oxygen, the combustion is complete, and the flame can hardly be discovered. now when the flame is quite steady the tube must be gently inserted at an angle into the black cone; after a few minutes, on applying a light at the end of the tube, although the candle is still burning, we shall see that this free hydrogen will burn there too with a small bluish flame. $the candle's carbon.$--as the candle burns, another part of its constituents is passing off into the air as soot or carbon, and this can be shown by holding a sheet of white paper or cardboard in the top of the flame, or better still, a cold saucer, on which there will be a copious deposit of black soot. this is another proof that as a candle burns it is not destroying matter, but only changing its form; from the white fat of the candle, black sooty carbon is liberated by the process of incomplete combustion that is going on. (see fig. 5.) $carbonic acid gas.$--when substances containing carbon are burnt, one of the products is an invisible gas, commonly called carbonic acid gas. after an explosion in a mine, all the workings are filled with a deadly gas, which often kills more men than the explosion. this is called choke damp, and is the same as carbonic acid gas. whenever a fire burns--gas, lamp, coal fire, or candle, this gas is one of the products. let us fasten a piece of wire round our candle, and, after lighting it, lower it down into a glass bottle with a wide mouth. at first the candle burns dimly, and then, when a current of air is established, brightens. now cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of card or the hand, and we shall see that the candle again burns dimly and quickly goes out. the jar now contains a considerable quantity of this carbonic acid gas. we may prove its presence by pouring into the jar a little clear lime-water and shaking it up. the carbonic acid gas will turn the lime-water milky. (see fig. 6.) lime-water can be purchased at any chemist's very cheaply, or it can be made by pouring water on a piece of quicklime, well shaking it, and then allowing it to settle. the clear lime-water may then be poured off. the lime may be used again and again until it is all dissolved. $our use of oxygen.$--we are breathing out carbonic acid gas; and on breathing through a piece of glass tubing into some of the clear lime-water we shall see that it will be turned milky in just the same way as when the candle burned. we are using up oxygen to support life, the candle uses up oxygen to support life, and in both cases the product is carbonic acid gas, as we have proved by means of the lime-water test. (see fig. 7.) $convincing proof.$--all that we have done up to the present supports our statement that the matter of the candle is not destroyed. in fact we have accounted for all its parts excepting that of a little mineral ash which will be left after the candle has burned away. we may, however, show in a very convincing way that our contention is true. an ordinary gas chimney is obtained, and at about three inches from one end a piece of wire gauze is placed, and the open end filled up with quicklime, at the lower end a cork is fixed upon which a short piece of candle is placed. there must also be a hole in the cork for the admission of air; when all is ready, carefully counterpoise the scales. then remove the cork and light the candle and quickly replace. after burning a short time it will be found that the chimney glass bears down the beam because of increased weight. the products of the burning candle have united with the oxygen of the air, and these products, consisting chiefly of carbonic acid gas and water, have been caught by the quicklime. because of the added oxygen they are heavier than the original candle. (see fig. 8.) $capillary attraction.$--there is still one interesting thing to illustrate about the burning candle, and that is the way in which the particles of fat ascend the wick to reach the flame. this is accomplished by what is known as capillary attraction. a very good illustration of this is afforded by a piece of salt standing upon a plate, on which is poured some salt water coloured blue with indigo or ink. the liquid will rise up the pillar of salt, and eventually reach the top. it rises by the force of capillary attraction. let the pillar of salt represent the wick of the candle, and the coloured water, the fat, and the illustration is complete. $analysis of candle flame.$--our candle can still give us some useful and suggestive illustrations of flame and combustion. we have seen that unconsumed gaseous vapours can be obtained from the flame by means of a bent glass tube. in the candle flame (fig. 9) we see that this is because of the way the flame is built. the part marked _o_ is the gaseous chamber, _i_ is the luminous part, and _e_ is where combustion is complete. on taking a sheet of clean white paper and pressing it down on the candle flame for a moment or two we shall get the fact of this hollow chamber demonstrated by the smoke ring upon the paper, which will appear thus-the paper is left clean at the hollow chamber, but marked with smoke at the luminous part of the flame. (see fig. 10.) [illustration: fig. 9.] [illustration: fig. 10.] [illustration: fig. 11.] [illustration: fig. 14.] [illustration: fig. 13.] [illustration: fig. 12.] now we must find the differences between the non-luminous outer flame and the luminous inner flame. to do this thoroughly we must have a bunsen burner to afford the best illustration. this is not an expensive item. a cheap and simple form of it can be obtained for 1s. 3d. to understand the nature of the flame we must first understand the principles of the bunsen. it is a burner in which a mixture of air and gas is consumed. a is a brass tube, mounted on a solid foot k, with a small tube c to admit the gas. there are two holes at the bottom of the brass tube to admit air in the direction of the arrows, and a movable brass collar fits over these holes, so that the air can be admitted or excluded at will. on igniting the gas, with the holes of the bunsen open, we shall see that it burns with a non-luminous but exceedingly hot flame. on closing the holes we shall notice that the flame becomes luminous, much more languid, and does not give off nearly so much heat. (see fig. 11.) we must ask ourselves the question, what is the cause of this difference? the answer is a simple but very instructive one. coal-gas, like the fat of the candle, contains carbon, and in the luminous flame, owing to the limited supply of oxygen, these particles of carbon are made white hot, and so emit light, but are not entirely consumed till they reach the outer edge of the flame, where combustion is more complete, owing to the contact of the flame with the air, and even then many of them escape; and so where gas is burnt the ceilings after a time become blackened. in the non-luminous flame, owing to the air being admitted and mixed with the gas, the increased supply of oxygen renders combustion more complete, greatly increases the heat of the flame, but renders it incapable of giving light. now, the reasons for the differences of the two flames are made clear. a very clever modification of this principle has been utilised in what is known as the argand burner, in which the gas and air are not mixed as in a bunsen, but the burner is made circular, and the air is made to pass up the centre of the flame, so that it gets its supply of oxygen, burns steadily, and presents a very large surface of luminous flame. (see fig. 12.) $a pretty experiment.$--let us now go back to our candle flame. we see that it gives light, emits smoke, and does not yield a very large amount of heat. we have learnt that it gives light because the particles of carbon are heated to a white heat, but not entirely consumed. these particles in the flame are held very closely together, and so present a continuous surface. if we could get inside the flame and scatter them we should have a pretty shower of glowing sparks. we can illustrate this by the following experiment. take as much gunpowder as will rest on a sixpence, and a like quantity of iron filings, mix them together on a small tin dish. (see fig. 13.) this must be done carefully and without friction. then ignite with a taper. the gunpowder burns, makes the particles of iron red hot, and scatters them in a beautiful shower of glowing sparks. this is a fair representation of pulling a candle flame to pieces, the only difference is that the glowing particles are of iron instead of carbon. $artificial lightning.$--this may be further illustrated by putting a flame together. we may accomplish this by passing any very fine particles of carbonaceous matter through a non-luminous flame, and we shall see that whilst these particles pass through the flame it will give light owing to their presence. we require a little lycopodium, a piece of glass tubing one foot long, and about a quarter-inch bore, and the non-luminous flame of the bunsen burner or a spirit lamp. insert into one end of the tube a little of the lycopodium powder, and then, pea-shooter fashion, apply the mouth to the other end of the tube, and blow the contents into the flame. there will be a great flash of light whilst these infinitely small particles are passing through the flame, thus establishing the fact that luminosity is due to the presence of unconsumed solid matter in the flame. this experiment is sometimes called "making artificial lightning," and in a dark room it is very effective. (see fig. 14.) $flames that laugh.$--what makes the candle flame burn steadily is the next problem before us, and we shall see that it is very simple and at the same time most philosophical. it tells us the reason why candles are made round, and not square. the section of a candle being circular, with the wick in the centre, it can, as it burns, get its supply of oxygen from all directions at an equal distance; thus it burns regularly and steadily. if the candle were square, the four corners being at a greater distance from the wick than the sides, we should have four columns of fat standing up at the corners, and as the air rushed in to feed the flame it would come into contact with these, and so the current would be broken and the flame would become unsteady. we can show this by placing some cotton wool on tin dishes, and saturating it with methylated spirits and igniting it. this will give us what are known as laughing flames, because they burn so unsteadily. the air rushing in to feed the flame comes into contact with the wool, which impedes it, and so the flame has a dancing or laughing appearance. this experiment may be made very pretty by rendering the flames coloured. to do this add to the cotton wool, before pouring on the methylated spirit, chloride of copper; this will give a green flame; to another, chloride of strontium; this will colour the flame red; to another, common salt; this will give a yellow coloration. all these should be shown in a dark room. $the importance of oxygen.$--by previous experiment we have seen that oxygen is necessary to a flame, and our ingenious readers may now make a piece of apparatus to prove this. (see fig. 15.) it consists of two pieces of glass tube standing upright near the two ends of a board, in which there is a covered channel communicating with the two. a small candle is lighted and placed in one of the tubes. the air heated by the flame rises in the tube and causes a corresponding descent of cold air down the other tube. this gives us a good illustration of ventilation produced by artificial heat. so great is the down draught, that if we hold a lighted taper over the mouth of the cold tube the smoke and the flame will be carried down, with the result that the candle is soon extinguished. the reason for this is that the smoke and burnt air from the taper contain insufficient oxygen to feed the candle flame, and it dies. to make this apparatus, obtain a piece of deal board about ten inches long and four inches wide, cut along the middle a groove about three quarters of an inch deep, and about the same width, leaving about half an inch at each end uncut. cover this groove with a tightly-fitting slip. over the two ends of the groove are fastened two small blocks of cork pierced with apertures, into which fit the vertical glass tubes; these should be about ten inches high and about three-quarters of an inch bore. fig. 16, which is a section of one end of the apparatus, shows how a small candle like those used on christmas trees is held erect by a wooden socket at the end of the groove so as not to impede the current of fresh air. $rates of combustion.$--we must remember that all things do not burn at the same rate. iron rust is a product of very slow combustion. in using up food to maintain the heat of the body, combustion goes on more quickly than in rusting iron, the candle burns more quickly still, gas still faster, the bunsen burner faster still. we may get an idea of the different rates of combustion by the two following experiments. on a tin dish place half a thimbleful of gunpowder and lay on it a tiny piece of gun-cotton. ignite the gun-cotton; it burns so fast that it has no time to set fire to the gunpowder, which may now be ignited in its turn by the taper. another example is the laying of two long trains of gunpowder, one fine grain and the other coarse. it will be found that the two flames travel at very different rates along the same path. $the egg and bottle trick.$--an ordinary water-bottle, a hard-boiled egg, divested of its shell, and a piece of thin paper are all that is requisite. how can we make this egg get inside the bottle? light the paper, quickly thrust it into the bottle, and immediately place the egg over the mouth of the bottle, gently pressing it closely down to the glass. the burning paper consumes some of the air, a partial vacuum is formed, and air pressure will force the egg into the bottle with a loud detonation. (see fig. 17.) $making water boil by means of coldness.$--heat some water to boiling in a glass flask over a spirit lamp. after the water has boiled for a minute or two, quickly insert a well-fitting cork, and remove the flask from the flame. wrap a duster or towel round the neck of the flask, and, holding it over a basin (in case of breakage), pour gently a stream of cold water on to the flask. the steam inside is condensed, a partial vacuum is formed, and as long as any heat remains in the water, it will boil, whilst the stream of cold water is continued on the outside. when ebullition no longer occurs, it will be found that the cork is held in so tightly by air pressure that it is very difficult to draw it. (see fig. 18.) $fire designs.$--this is very simple, amusing, and effective. make a saturated solution of nitrate of potash (common nitre or saltpetre), by dissolving the substance in warm water, until no more will dissolve; then draw with a smooth stick of wood any design or wording on sheets of white tissue paper, let it thoroughly dry, and the drawing will become invisible. by means of a spark from a smouldering match ignite the potassium nitrate at any part of the drawing, first laying the paper on a plate or tray in a darkened room. the fire will smoulder along the line of the invisible drawing until the design is complete. (see fig. 19.) $the magic wine glass.$--the holding of a wine-glass to a substance mouth upwards without its falling off, may be accomplished thus. obtain a wine-glass with a very even edge (this may be done by grinding on a flat stone), a square of blotting-paper, and a piece of glass. about half fill the glass with water, place upon its rim the blotting paper, and then the piece of glass. whilst pressing them closely down invert the glass. the blotting-paper absorbs some of the water, a partial vacuum is formed, and on holding the sheet of glass, the wine-glass will remain suspended, being held on by atmospheric pressure. (see fig. 20.) [illustration: fig. 15.] [illustration: fig. 17.] [illustration: fig. 16.] [illustration: fig. 18.] [illustration: fig. 19.] [illustration: fig. 20.] $the floating needle.$--the idea of making a needle float upon water at first sight seems an impossibility but it can be done, and that with comparative ease. take a fine needle, and rub the fingers over it gently to grease it. now lay it very carefully on a piece of thin tissue paper on the surface of the water, as shown. presently the paper will sink, and leave the needle floating on the water. the thin coating of grease serves to protect the needle from actual contact with the water, and thus enables it to float. (see fig. 21.) $a glass of water turned upside down.$--a tumbler is filled with water, a piece of paper laid on, and the surface and the tumbler deftly inverted, the atmospheric pressure being unable to enter the glass, the water is kept in, so long as the paper holds. the effect of the experiment is very greatly increased, if, instead of using paper, a piece of thin mica, cut to the size of the glass, is used. the audience cannot then discover what prevents the water from running out. any gasfitter will supply a piece of mica. $the inexhaustible bottle.$--this wonderful bottle, from which five separate liquids can be poured, owes its marvellous qualities to the application of the simple law of atmospheric pressure. it is made of tin, and encloses five internal cylinders, each of which has a tube from the upper end running into the neck of the bottle, and another tube from the lower end opening into the side. the cylinders are filled with different liquids--water, milk, tea, coffee, lemonade. whilst the fingers are kept over the holes the bottle may be inverted, and nothing will run out. on opening the holes one by one the liquid may be poured out, according to the wishes of the audience, and greatly to their astonishment. (see fig. 22.) $the magic writing.$--fill a deep tumbler with water, and add a few crystals of iodide of potassium and a few drops of sulphuric acid. the liquid will remain perfectly clear like water. on some strips of white cardboard write various names with starch paste; when dry these will be invisible. on dipping the cardboard into the liquid the name will appear in blue writing, owing to the formation of starch iodide, which is blue. by previously preparing the names of those present at the experiment, by a little manipulation you can, to the astonishment of the audience, produce any name called for. [illustration: fig. 21.] [illustration: fig. 22.] [illustration: fig. 25.] [illustration: fig. 23.] [illustration: fig. 24.] $producing smoke at will.$--two glass cylinders are the best for this, but ordinary tumblers will do. with a separate feather make the inside of each tumbler quite wet, one with hydrochloric acid, and the other with liquid ammonia. both glasses appear to be quite empty, and nothing occurs. but on bringing the mouths of the two vessels together, a thick white smoke is at once developed. the hydrochloric acid gas and the ammonia gas unite chemically, and form the solid white powder known as sal-ammoniac. (see fig. 23.) $a novel fountain.$--this is a pretty experiment, and owes its action to the fact that ammonia gas is very soluble in water. in a basin place some water. fit up a flask with a small-bore glass tube, about eighteen inches long, as shown. the end entering the flask should be drawn out so that there is only a small opening. in the flask place about a teaspoonful of liquid ammonia, and heat it over a spirit lamp. as soon as the liquid boils a large amount of ammonia gas is disengaged, and fills the flask and the tube. now close the tube by means of the finger, and invert the flask over the basin of water. when the end of the tube is under the water remove your finger, and then, as the water dissolves the gas, it will rise in the tube, and will presently play into the flask like a fountain until the flask is full. (see fig. 24.) $to boil water in a paper bag.$--"here is a sheet of note-paper; can you boil me a little water in it?" this would appear to be a thorough puzzler, yet it is exceedingly easy to do. fold a piece of paper so that it will hold water, now suspend it above the flame of a lamp. the water will so readily take up all the heat that there is none left with which to burn the paper, and presently it will bubble and give off steam. (see fig. 25.) $illuminated water.$--wet a lump of loaf sugar with phosphorized ether, and throw it into a basin of water in a dark room. the surface of the water will become luminous. blow on the water, and you will have phosphorescent waves, and the air, too, will be illuminated. in winter the water should be warmed a little. if the phosphorized ether be applied to the hand or to other warm bodies these will become luminous. the ether will not injure the hand. $brilliant crystals.$--spread upon a plate of glass or upon a smooth slate, a few drops of nitrate of silver, previously diluted with double its quantity of soft water. place at the bottom of it, flat upon the glass, and in contact with the fluid, a copper or zinc wire, bent to any figure, and let the whole remain undisturbed in a horizontal position. in a few hours a brilliant crystallization of metallic silver will make its appearance around the wire upon the glass, and this arrangement of crystals will extend gradually till the whole quantity of fluid has been acted on by the wire. $a well of fire.$--add gradually one ounce, by measure, of sulphuric acid, to five or six ounces of water in an earthenware basin; and add to it also, gradually, about three quarters of an ounce of granulated zinc. a rapid production of hydrogen gas will instantly take place. then add, from time to time, a few pieces of phosphorus of the size of a pea. a multitude of gas bubbles will be produced, which will fire on the surface of the effervescing liquid; the whole surface of the liquid will become luminous, and fire balls, with jets of fire, will dart from the bottom through the fluid with great rapidity and a hissing noise. $the writing on the wall.$--take a piece of phosphorus from the bottle in which it is kept, and, while the room is lighted write upon a whitewashed wall any word or sentence, or draw any object. now put out the light, and the writing will appear in illuminated letters. care must be taken to dip the pencil of phosphorus in cold water frequently while you are using it. otherwise it will burn. $to make a ghost.$--put one part of phosphorus into six of olive oil, and let it dissolve in a slightly warm place. shut your eyes tightly and rub the mixture upon your face. in the dark your face will be luminous, your eyes and mouth like dark spots. altogether you will have a very ghastly appearance. there is no danger in the experiment, and the effect might be useful in charades or home theatricals. $a seeming conflagration.$--take half an ounce of sal-ammoniac, one ounce of camphor, and two ounces of aqua vitae. put them into an earthen vessel that is small at the top. set fire to the contents, and the room will seem to be on fire. $three haloes.$--one of the pleasing experiments of dr. brewster was to take a saturated solution of alum, and having spread a few drops of it over a plate of glass, it will crystallize rapidly though the crystals are so small you may scarcely see them. when this plate of glass is held between you and the sun or artificial light, with the eyes very near to the smooth side of the glass, there will be seen three beautiful haloes of light. $beautiful crystals.$--pour three ounces of diluted nitric acid into a glass vessel, and add gradually to it two ounces of bismuth, broken by a hammer into small pieces. the metal will be attacked with great energy, and nitrate of bismuth will be formed. crystallize the solution by a gentle heat, and preserve the crystals, which possess great beauty, under a glass. $the centre of gravity.$--a shilling may be made to balance on the point of a needle with very simple apparatus. put a bottle on the table with a cork in its neck; into the cork stick a middle-sized needle in an upright position. in another cork cut a slit, and insert the shilling, then into this cork stick a couple of forks, one on each side, with the handles inclining outwards. now poise the rim of the shilling upon the point of the needle, and it will rotate without falling. so long as the centre of gravity is kept within the points of support of a body it cannot fall. the balancing shilling may be transposed to the edge of a bottle, and it will still perform, even as the bottle is being tilted. $what a vacuum can do.$--take a new or nearly new penny and rub it briskly upon your coat sleeve until it is warm. then slide it up and down upon a door panel, pressing it closely to the wood. now hold it in one place for a few seconds and you will find it will stick there, because between the penny and the surface of the door there is a layer of air which was slightly heated. as it became cool a partial vacuum was formed, and the pressure of the outer air held the penny to the door. $an experiment in leverage.$--it would seem almost impossible that a column of iron or a plank or a spar of any kind could be so placed that one end of the spar needs support only, whilst the other end would extend from, say the edge of a precipice, horizontally into space; but that such can be done is very easily demonstrated, by very simple materials almost always at hand. by adopting the principle we may easily perform an interesting scientific parlour experiment, which always causes difficulty to the non-studious section of humanity, until the apparent mystery is explained. in illustrating this experiment the prongs of two ordinary table forks are fastened together, one over the other--net fashion--thus causing the handles of the forks to form the termini of an angle of about 45 degrees. now take an ordinary lucifer match and place one end between the network of the prongs firmly. then place the other end of the match upon the edge of an elevation, such as a tumbler or cup, when the match, acting as a lever, with the forks giving a hundred or a thousand times additional weight to the lever, will rest (or apparently float in the air) without further support. ask your friends to try the experiment, after placing the materials before them, and find how many can perform it without guidance. $coloured fires.$--it is perilous to make some coloured fires, especially those in which there is sulphur, and even if they do not explode their fumes are harmful, so that their use in the house for charades or other home purposes is objectionable and at times positively dangerous. we give, however, a number of coloured fires that are free from these drawbacks, though all the same it is wiser to reduce the ingredients to powder quite separately before they are mixed, and if a pestle and mortar are used all traces of one powder should be removed before another is introduced. each ingredient should be reduced to a fine powder. red fire. parts. strontia 18 shellac 4 chlorate of potash 5 charcoal 4 green fire. nitrate of barytes 18 shellac 4 calomel (chloride of mercury) 4 chlorate of potash 2 green fire. nitrate of barytes 9 shellac 3 chlorate of potash 12 charcoal 4 blue fire. parts. chlorate of potash 14 salpetre 6 ammonia sulphate of copper 6 arsenite of copper 6 shellac 2 blue fire. ammonia sulphate of copper 8 chlorate of potash 6 shellac 1 charcoal 2 red fire. nitrate of strontia 9 shellac 3 chlorate of potash 1-1/2 charcoal 4 chapter xxiii home-made toys it may be that some of these toys would amuse only little boys, but we have included them because our directions will enable older boys to entertain their little sisters and brothers. $how to make fire balloons.$--you will require for materials, tissue paper, which may be all white, or varied in colour. a balloon of white and red gores alternately is perhaps the best, as it may be used day or night; and as the balloon is constantly turning when it is in the air, the stripes add to the effect. then again there are conditions of the clouds and atmosphere when a white balloon ascending by daylight would be scarcely visible, and for parachute purposes a daylight ascent is desirable. tissue paper, then, paste, bonnet wire or cane, finer wire; some tow, cotton wool, or common sponge, or better than all, some round lamp-cotton, and methylated spirit or tallow, as fuel for your furnace. the shaping of the gores which are to form your balloon must be your first consideration. you will find it advisable not to go in for overgrown balloons. they are far more troublesome to build, and to manage when they are built, and are little if any more effective than those of moderate dimensions. about four feet in height is the size which produces the best results, and in making it one is neither cramped for room, nor are the gores of unmanageable proportions. twelve or fourteen gores, if you use two colours, or thirteen if you confine yourself to one, will be needed; and it will be wise not to attempt to emulate the graceful pear-shape of the ordinary passenger _gas_ balloon, but to aim at something approaching much nearer to a ball in form. the pear-shaped balloon would take fire to a certainty. fig. 1 is an example of the unsafe form which is to be avoided; fig. 2 is a perfectly safe model. [illustration: fig. 1.] [illustration: fig. 2.] [illustration: fire balloons.] a piece of common cardboard or stout brown paper, six feet in length and a foot in width, will serve for a pattern gore. fold it exactly in half lengthwise, and then mark off each foot, beginning at the bottom (fig. 3). at _a_ measure off horizontally 2 inches; at _b_, which is the first foot, 3-1/2 inches; at _c_, 5 inches; at a point 4 inches above _d_, the third foot, measure off 6 inches; at _e_ 5-1/2 inches, marking each point. then connect the points by as graceful a curve as may be, and cut through the line thus obtained, unfold the pattern, and you have your standard gore. sufficient tissue paper should have been pasted together by the narrow edges from which to cut the 12, 13, or 14 lengths of 6 feet each. the sheets should now be placed one upon the other, and the pattern being opened out and laid upon the top, the whole of the gores may be cut at one operation. fold a gore in half lengthwise and lay it upon your table or the floor, and upon this place a second about half an inch within the margin of the first (fig. 4). with a stiff brush--sable is the best--paste the protruding edge of the lower gore, turn it over the edge of the upper and smooth it down with a duster. if you have a warm flat-iron by your side, and laying a piece of flannel or cloth over the join, you run the iron carefully along, the paste will dry at once and all fear of puckering or displacement will be obviated. fold the upper gore lengthwise as you did the lower, and proceed in the same way with the remainder of the gores until the whole have been pasted (fig. 5). if your balloon is a very big one it will be advisable to lay a string inside each seam as you paste it, leaving the ends long enough to tie round the hoop which is to go at the bottom or neck of your balloon. a piece of bonnet wire or split cane 5 feet long, bent to a circle, will form this hoop, and this must now be pasted at the bottom, and the neck _may_ be strengthened by pasting inside a strip of stouter paper, such as foolscap or cartridge, snicked with the scissors so that it may take the right shape readily. now a circular piece of stronger paper, "curl" paper for instance, about 9 inches or a foot across, should be pasted over the top to cover the hole where the points of the gores approach each other, and to this should be pasted a piece of yet stronger paper, writing paper for instance, to form the loop by which the balloon is to be supported during the process of inflation. the handle of a saucepan-lid should be the model to be followed. this is the method to be adopted if you want to produce a balloon of a shape which will bear criticism, but if you are not particular in this respect, a rough and ready gore may be made by a much simpler process. you have only to take four sheets of tissue paper and paste them together by the narrow edges. then trim off the two outside sheets as shown in fig. 6, and from the pieces so trimmed off, add a small piece at the top a, and there is your pattern gore in a little less than no time. you can then paste several together as already directed, arranging the number as you wish your balloon to be pudgy and safe, or lanky and dangerous. the next thing is to provide the means of ascension. [illustration: fig. 4., fig. 5., fig. 3., fig. 6., fig. 7., fig. 8., fig. 9., fig. 10., fig. 11., fig. 12., fig. 13., fig. 14., fig. 15., fig. 16., fig. 17., fig. 18., fig. 19., fig. 20.] lamp cotton is the best material for the wick, though any of the other substances already mentioned may be used if this is not come-at-able. it may be saturated with methylated spirit, or, if the material is easily accessible, melted tallow. in the latter case the wick should then be sprinkled with turpentine that it may catch fire readily. the tallow gives the best light, and lasts the longest. two pieces of thin wire should be attached to the hoop as shown in fig. 7, w w, and your ball of lamp-wick is to be placed in the centre, l w. the placing of the wick is the last operation, but of course, it will have been prepared beforehand. it is simply a loosely rolled ball of lamp-cotton through which a piece of fine wire has been passed and the ends formed into hooks (fig. 8). the size of the ball must be governed by the dimensions of the balloon and by your ambition as to the height to which it is to rise. the wick may easily be made large enough to carry the balloon out of sight altogether, especially if tallow be used. in this case the wick should have been saturated with melted tallow beforehand, but where methylated spirit is used the proceedings must be delayed till the moment of ascension. with a fan--a folded newspaper will do as well as anything--fan the balloon full of air to start with. then your assistant must elevate the balloon to the right height by the aid of a smooth stick inserted in the loop, and he must stand on something to raise him to the right level. now the air in the inflated balloon must be warmed by holding beneath it a paper torch, care being taken that no flame touches the balloon, or it will be shrivelled up by the fire in a moment and your labour wasted. another assistant meanwhile should have been looking after the methylated spirit--if you use the tallow you can do without him. the spirit should be kept in a closely corked bottle and as far from your paper torch as possible. when the balloon begins to try to rise give the word to assistant no. 2, who will pour some of the spirit into the jam-pot in which the wick is lying, wait till it is saturated, and then, taking it from the jam-pot, run with it to the balloon and attach it to the cross wire by the hooks. directly it is in position, give the word to assistant no. 1 to let go; touch the wick with a light, and up will sail the balloon into the air. a windy day should, naturally, be avoided, or your balloon is not likely to proceed far on its journey in safety. but a good deal more is to be got out of a fire balloon than a mere ascension, and even the mere ascension may be improved. you may, for instance, attach a car to the balloon (fig. 9) and a couple of figures a a--it matters little how rough they are--will, very shortly after the liberation of the balloon, look so natural that the balloon will be taken for the real thing. when it has mounted but a little distance there is nothing by which its size may be compared, and if netting is imitated by lines drawn with a pen and ink, the illusion will be yet more complete. the car may be made of a square of writing paper with the four edges folded over equally all round. the corners should then be pinched together, folded over as in the illustration, and secured with a little paste. a parachute may be dropped "from the clouds." this may be simply a square of paper with a string at each corner and a figure hanging on at the ends (fig. 11). the figure may be as rough as you like, detail would be lost. or, two squares of paper may be used, the strings being crossed over the lower and kept in place by the upper, which should be pasted upon it (fig. 15). a more elaborate parachute may be made by folding a square of paper from corner to corner into a triangle. this should be folded again and once again from corner to corner when it will take the shape of fig. 12. a cut through the dotted line and a couple of holes pierced at the dots will give, when opened out, fig. 13; and a string passed through each hole and made to carry a car will give the complete parachute (fig. 14). a piece of cotton or twine should be passed through the parachute to attach it to the balloon. then a piece of wire should be twisted and bent, as in fig. 10, _w_. fasten to this with thin wire a piece of time-fuse, _t f_, turned up as shown, and to the bend _b_ attach the cotton. at the moment of ascension, light the top end of the fuse at _a_, and when it has burned to _b_ the parachute will be liberated. fireworks may be lighted in the same way. you will need time-fuse, quickmatch, and such fireworks as you prefer. blue lights, squibs, and fireworks of that description should be arranged as in fig. 20. here _c_ is a cork or bung with holes bored in it for the insertion of the fireworks _f f f f_. _q_ is the quickmatch which is to light them simultaneously when the time-fuse, _t f_, has burnt far enough. a catherine wheel may be pinned at the bottom of the cork and connected with the quickmatch, or the pin may be dispensed with, when it will whizz through the darkness in grand style. one of the most successful effects may be obtained with the balls or stars from roman candles. you can, of course, pull the candles to pieces, but a better plan is to buy the balls at 6d. a dozen. bend a piece of wire into a circle (fig. 16) and take two wires across at a right angle. then place the balls, one by one, in pieces of tissue paper and cover them with meal powder and tie up the ends (fig. 17), fastening them on the wire, as shown in fig. 16. a piece of time-fuse, or quickmatch, _q_, as you want the stars to drop singly or in a shower, must next be passed through each ball packet and connected with lighted time-fuse. of course the fireworks should hang some distance below the balloon. crackers or maroons may be arranged as in figs. 18 and 19, and many other devices invented. your balloon may also carry up a piece of magnesium wire with which the country may be lighted up, or it may take up a chinese lantern--in fact there is no end to the fun which may be got out of it. you will find it difficult, however, to get an effect to beat the roman candle balls. quickmatch costs 2d. or 3d. a six-feet length, according to the thickness required; time-fuse one penny an inch. $bubble balloons.$--one reason for the short life of the bubble as usually blown is the excessive evaporation which takes place from the large surface presented to the air. as this evaporation of the fluid goes on, the film gets thinner, the tension gets more acute, accompanied by ever changing and brightening hues of colour, until the thin walls can no longer bear the strain, and the bubble bursts into fine spray. another, perhaps, more powerful reason is the unequal strength of the walls, due to the drainage of the moisture from the upper parts of the bubble into the lower parts by its own weight. this produces a weak and thin area, denoted by the refraction of the blue rays of light in the top of the bubble, and it cannot resist the pressure from within. there are two ways of prolonging the life of a bubble. when the breath is first driven into the liquid, the force used is sufficient to send the fluid surging in all directions, and the film is fairly well nourished. presently as the soapy water dipped out by the bowl of the pipe gets distributed over the walls of the bubble and it increases in size, this no longer acts, and drainage from the top at once sets in. if the blowing is now continued, the end so much the more quickly approaches. to enable you to continue enlarging the bubble and lengthen its life, feed it. this may be done readily and safely, by dipping a camel-hair brush in the soapy emulsion and, letting it touch the bubble at the top, when the fluid will stream down over the surface, thickening the film, and permitting you to get a bubble as big as your hat. this is only a temporary expedient, a flank movement, and merely defers the end by a minute or two. to attack the difficulty with more success, change the mixture. shred some castile soap, which may be purchased by the pennyworth at the chemist's, and beat up in the usual way with water; you will find that much more can be done with this preparation than the usual household soap. if your aim is merely to produce an overgrown, sagging, wobbling bubble, feed with a brush as above. for further experiments do not blow large unmanageable ones, but an ordinary sized bubble blown in this liquid will enable you to show its toughness, length of life, and other qualities. if your coat is made of a woollen fabric, release some bubbles on the shoulder; they will roll down the sleeve and tumble off to the floor, if they do not meet with any cotton fabric on the way; this is due to the repulsion which exists between wool and the watery film, doubtless due to the presence of fat in some form upon the fibres. while upon the sleeve they may be carried about the room, or passed from one person to another. this repulsion may be further utilized, too, and the bubble treated as a shuttlecock. to do this, procure the ordinary wooden bat used by your sister for the game of bat and shuttlecock. cover it with a piece of flannel, fine or coarse will do. then blow a bubble not too large, so that the film shall be robust and heavy. such is the toughness of the skin of the bubble, and the repulsion of the woollen surface to the soapy film, that it may be batted nearly two hundred times before the collapse takes place. by striking it on the side and getting some work into the bubble, it revolves slowly and the drainage from the upper part is counteracted. two or more can play thus with the glittering ball, passing it on, or a ring of players may be formed and a stream of bubbles passed round from one member to another. another form of the game is the keeping up a number of bubbles by the same bat. as the bubbles are very light they fall slowly, and six or eight may be kept up by the player. by having two bats, one in each hand, this becomes a game of considerable skill, and will tax the concentrated attention of the player to the utmost. now cut some circular discs out of note-paper about the size of a sixpence, larger rather than smaller. get a reel of fine white cotton, and pass the end of the thread through the centre of the disc. tie a knot in the cotton, so that it cannot readily be pulled through the hole. then dip the disc in the mixture till the paper is wet. blow your bubble, and before you release it from the pipe bowl, place the dripping disc of paper on the side of the bubble by dangling it from your right hand by the cotton. when it is in complete contact, a slight turn of the wrist releases the bubble from the pipe, and you will find that you have it attached to the paper disc, which in the meantime has sunk to the lowest part of the bubble. it can now be carried about by means of the disc. there is so much carbon dioxide in the breath that bubbles blown in this way have very little power of rising, as the difference in the heat of the breath does not sufficiently counterbalance the heavier weight of the expired air. by attaching a piece of india-rubber tubing to the stem of the pipe and gas burner, you can get a supply of lighter gas which will make the bubble into a balloon. having effected this arrangement, dip the pipe in the mixture and turn on the gas. feed the top of the bubble with more fluid, and when it has reached a size which satisfies you, attach the paper disc as before. it will be an easy task to detach the bubble, which will rise towards the ceiling, until the weight of the thread counterbalances the buoyancy of the gas. it will probably rise to the ceiling, where it is quite safe, as a cushion of air will prevent the bubble striking the surface. instead of the long thread, make out of the thinnest and lightest paper you can get, a small car, attach cotton to the corners of the car and gather the threads together and tie them so that the car hangs level. attach this to the cotton which bears the paper disc, and connect the disc with the bubble as before, wetting only the disc. you will have a miniature gossamer balloon. cut out two small figures of men in paper and put inside the car. do all this before blowing the bubble. if you have a glass shade, a number of these bubbles balanced by threads may be kept for hours inside. you will find it very interesting to watch the changes of colour in the films as they get thinner through evaporation. to check this, put under the shade a wet sponge, this will moisten the air enclosed in the shade, and prolong the life of the bubbles. no great skill is required in making the above experiments, and variations of an amusing character can be made by cutting out figures of animals and men and attaching them to the disc in place of the car. if the figures are painted so much better will the trick look. to make the mixture still stronger add nearly half as much again of pure glycerine. $boxing by electricity.$--a b c is a piece of iron wire inserted in the board d e f g. cut out the boxer h in cardboard. on one side of this figure paste tinfoil bringing the tinfoil to the other side of the figure just a little at the edges. you will be able to get your tinfoil from the packages of tea, chocolate, tobacco or other source. fasten the boxer to the board with sealing-wax. now make the other boxer i in the same way and suspend him from the iron wire by means of thread. borrow a lamp glass or the chimney from the incandescent gas burner and fit a cork k into the bottom. through the cork pass a nail l. connect the nail with the boxer by means of the wire m. warm and dry the lamp chimney, and rub it with fur or silk. the boxer i will rush at boxer h, then retreat hurriedly, and this will be repeated as long as you rub the lamp chimney. men, skilled in the science of electricity, will tell you that the reason for these strange proceedings is that the rubbing of the lamp chimney produces electricity; this passes along the wire to boxer h who becomes charged with the mysterious property. this electricity attracts boxer i who goes for boxer h. when he touches he becomes charged with the same kind of electricity and is then attracted no longer but repelled, and he continues to be repelled until his electricity has drained away by the linen thread, wire and board to the earth. then he is ready for another "round." [illustration: boxing by electricity.] $a prancing horse.$--carve the figure of a horse, and having fixed a bent wire to the under part of its body, place a small ball of lead upon the end of the wire. place the hind legs of the horse upon the table, and it will prance to and fro. sometimes the figure of a man is treated in the same way and in yorkshire it used to be called a "saaging tommy," to saag being an old word meaning to saw or see-saw. [illustration: a prancing horse.] $boats made of pasteboard.$--pasteboard is not a very satisfactory material of which to construct model boats, if these are wanted to sail, but it is possible to make them. the best plan for making pasteboard waterproof is to paint it with a solution of sealing wax. to make this, take sealing wax of the colour you prefer, break it into small pieces and place it in a wide-mouthed bottle. now pour in some methylated spirits and shake occasionally until the wax is all dissolved. if too thick, add more spirit; if too thin, more wax. apply with a brush. owing to the evaporation of the spirit, this paint dries hard and glossy in an hour. [illustration: a simple top.] $a simple top.$--procure a piece of white cardboard, two inches square, and cut it into a sexagon, as shown in fig. 1. now bore a small hole in the middle, into which push an ordinary match. you may number the sections of the sexagon and see who scores the highest number, counting the figure resting against the table as it falls. fig. 2 shows the top complete. [illustration: the apple or potato mill.] $the apple or potato mill.$--this is made by boring a hole in a nut, just large enough to pass a thin skewer through; the kernel should then be extracted, and another hole bored in the side of the nut, as in the diagram. a skewer should next be cut large enough at the top to form a head. a piece of string is then tied to the skewer, and passed through the hole in the side of the nut, and an apple or potato stuck on the end of the skewer. the mill should be twirled round in the same way as the humming top to wind up the string, holding the nut stationary between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand. when this is done, the string must be pulled out rapidly, and the mill will spin. many other toys may be made upon the same principle, and some of these we will now describe. [illustration: whirling mac.] $whirling mac.$--our illustration shows how the apple mill may be modified for a whirling mac. the arms and legs of the figure should be tied loosely to the body and the skirt should be loose too. tie the string to the spindle inside the nut and have a button on the end of the string so that you may have a firm hold. now twist the figure round until all the string is wound, then hold the nut firmly in your left hand and draw the string out suddenly and swiftly with your right hand. the figure will whirl round, throwing out his arms and legs. when the string comes to an end slacken it, and the impetus of the figure will cause it to wind the string again. thus you may go on and on until you are tired. [illustration: fig. 1., fig. 2., fig. 3., fig. 4. flying machine.] $a flying machine.$--similar in principle is the flying machine now to be described. in fig. 1 _a_ is a handle cut in any hard wood four and a half inches long. into the top of this handle bore a hole down its centre about one inch deep, and force into this a piece of wire so that the wire will be quite firm. this wire should be of iron or steel, with a diameter of one-eighth of an inch, and it should be about three and a half inches long. it will be easier to force the wire into the wood if it is sharpened. the hole you have bored is only an inch deep; force the wire half an inch deeper than that. obtain now from your mother or sister an ordinary cotton spool about one and a quarter inches long. this is shown at _b_ in fig. 1. in the same figure _c_ is a kind of wheel made as follows. if you cannot find something ready made take a small piece of well-seasoned wood. cut it until it is an inch in diameter and five-eighths of an inch deep. see fig. 2. down the middle bore the hole _a_ large enough that the wire you put down the handle in fig. 1 may turn easily in it. mark the upper surface of the wheel into four equal parts, and then you will be able to draw four perpendicular lines round this wheel at equal distances. two of these lines are shown in fig. 3. now draw the line _a b_ in fig. 3 half way down the wheel. follow this line round and bore four pairs of holes as deeply as you can without piercing the centre hole. one pair is shown in fig. 3. each little hole is about a quarter of an inch from its neighbour. these pairs of holes must be the same distance from each other; they are for the wings you see in fig. 1, and which we will now proceed to make. take forty-two inches of light brass wire. divide this into four equal parts. you will then have four pieces of ten and a half inches each. bend each one into the shape shown in fig. 4. these wings will be about four inches long and about two inches broad at their widest part. the ends of the wire should be about a quarter of an inch apart. cover these wire frames with light tough paper, using as little paste as possible. the wings are inserted slanting like the sails of a windmill. now let us go back to the spool. upon the upper surface midway between its centre hole and the edge of the spool insert a piece of strong wire or the end of a broken knitting needle. the wire should be rigid, and should project from the spool about half an inch. when you put your wheel and wings upon the spool this wire will rest beside one of the wings and cause it to turn when the spool turns. now take a piece of cord and wind it away from you with your right hand round the spool. hold the handle firmly in your left hand and withdraw the string rapidly. the wheel and wings will mount rapidly in the air for about fifty feet and then come steadily down. [illustration: a dancing figure.] $a dancing figure.$--the illustration shows the back view of a toy easily constructed but capable of affording much amusement to the little ones. a is an ordinary lath glued to a cardboard figure of a man. the arms and legs too are of cardboard fixed loosely with short string knotted at each end. at the extremities of the arms and legs the strings b and c are tied and connected with the string d. pull the string d and the figure will throw up his arms and legs wildly. bears and other figures may be made upon the same principle. a string f may be put at e and then the lath is not necessary, for the performer can then hold string f in one hand and pull string d with the other. [illustration: the lively donkey.] $the lively donkey.$--on stout paper or cardboard draw upon a large scale the illustration. divide the drawing into three parts by cutting out the circle. you may now pin the parts upon the wall in such attitudes as are shown in the smaller illustration, or if you cut out many donkeys you may have all these attitudes and more. [illustration: camera obscura.] $a camera obscura.$--obtain an oblong box, about two feet long, twelve inches wide, and eight high. in one end of this a tube must be fitted containing a lens. it must be possible to slide the tube backwards and forwards so as to obtain the focus. inside the box should be a plain mirror reclining backwards from the tube at an angle of forty-five degrees. see a b in the figure. at the top of the box at c is a square of frosted glass or a piece of tissue paper, upon which from beneath the picture will be thrown, and may be seen by raising the lid d. to use the camera place the tube with the lens in it opposite the object or scene, and having adjusted the focus, the image will be thrown upon the ground-glass or tissue paper. $jig saw puzzle.$--this old form of toy has been revived lately. it is easily made. glue upon a thin piece of wood a picture, a coloured one is best. then with a fret saw cut picture and board into all manner of wild shapes, shake them into disorder and then try to put them back again into their proper position. jig saw is a piece of american slang for fret saw. $the wonderful chicken.$--with the help of the diagram it will not be difficult to construct a chicken that will move its head and tail in a comic manner. a b c d is a box that acts as a base and conceals the pendulum. it will need to have a slit in the top for the strings which hold the pendulum. the chicken is of wood and its body has two sides. one side has been removed so that the mechanism may be seen, but when the chicken is complete the mechanism is hidden. it will be seen that the head and tail are attached to the body with nails, but in such a way that they are not rigid but will move up and down. e is a pendulum of lead or other heavy material, and as it swings to and fro the strings cause the head and tail to bob up and down alternately. other moving figures may be made upon the same principle. longer strings, and a longer box to accommodate them, give slower and more lasting movements. [illustration: the wonderful chicken.] $the mouse in the trap.$--cut a piece of cardboard of the size of a penny, and paint on one side a mouse, and on the other a trap; fasten two pieces of thread one on each side at opposite points of the card, so that the card can be made to revolve by twirling the threads with the finger and thumb. while the toy is in its revolution, the mouse will be seen inside the trap. many others may be made upon the same principle. $distorted landscapes.$--take a piece of smooth white pasteboard and sketch a picture upon it. prick the outlines in every part with a pin or needle, then put the pricked drawing in a perpendicular position, and place a lighted candle behind it. stand in front of it another piece of pasteboard, and trace with a pencil the lines given by the light, and you will have a peculiar distorted landscape. take away the candle and the pricked drawing, and put your eye where the light was, and the drawing will lose its peculiarities. to find the proper position for your eye it will be best to cut out a piece of card, adjust it, and look through a hole made to occupy the place where stood the flame of the candle. [illustration: the mouse in the trap.] [illustration: fig. 1., fig. 2., fig. 3.] $the working woodman.$--the wind, as well as a pendulum, may be used to make wooden figures move. in fig. 1 we have two pieces of wood, each an inch thick, an inch and a half wide, and twelve inches long. if we place them as in fig. 1 we have four arms five and a quarter inches long. each one of these four arms has now to be cut into a shape to adapt it as a windmill sail; that is it has to be made into a slanting thin blade not more than an eighth of an inch thick, and all the blades must present a similar slope to the wind. as mistakes are likely to occur, here we will endeavour to make the point clear. take the arm a, fig. 2. suppose you have slanted this from x to y. now imagine that b comes round to a's position, then it, too, must be sloped in precisely the same way, and not sloped from y to x. the same applies to arms c and d. imagine them coming to this upright position, and make them all alike as they arrive there. [illustration: fig. 4.] [illustration] [illustration] the method of fixing the four arms into one piece is shown in fig. 3. a hole should now be bored exactly in the centre at the crossing of the arms. the platform upon which the figure of the woodman will stand, shown in fig. 4, consists of a piece of wood half an inch thick, six inches wide and twelve inches long. at each end is screwed a block to hold the shaft which communicates the movement of the sails to the figure. this shaft is a piece of strong wire fifteen inches long, bent into a crank, as shown in the diagram, and working round and round in the two blocks. the end of the wire that comes through the centre of the windmill sails should be bent up or down to prevent it from slipping out of position. the vane, which will cause the mill to keep in the right position whichever way the wind blows, is shown twice in fig. 4. it is of thin wood, and is fastened to the underside of the platform by means of the little catch, which should be left when the vane is made. the figures whose parts are shown should be cut out of thin wood with a fret-saw, and put together so that the joints turn easily on the pins that are put through them. two bodies are needed. to adjust the figure take off one side of the body and place the woodman in the act of completing his stroke, with the axe touching the wood, then put a peg or small tack or nail immediately behind the projection on the top of the legs. this will keep his body from bending too far forward. now let the axe be raised to the beginning of the stroke, and put a peg in front of the projection. the arm is connected with the crank by a piece of wire. you may not find the right place at first, but a few trials will put you right. bore a hole in the arm, put the wire through, and twist it round to keep it there. [illustration] a sawyer may be made upon the same principle, as the illustrations show, or you may have a simple windmill and no figures. fix the platform and its figures on the top of a pole with a pivot so that they may turn freely in the wind. before you bore the hole through the platform balance the whole carefully upon the pole or you will put the hole in the wrong place. $the skip-jack.$--the skip-jack is made out of the merry-thought of a goose. a strong doubled string must be tied at the two ends of the bone, and a piece of wood about three inches long put between the strings, as shown in the illustration, and twisted round until the string has the force of a spring. a bit of shoemaker's wax should then be put in the hollow of the bone at the place where the end of the piece of wood touches, and when the wood is pressed slightly on the wax the toy is set. the wood sticks only a very short time, and then springs forcibly up. the skip-jack is placed on the ground with the wax downwards. upon this principle toy frogs are made sometimes. [illustration: the skip-jack.] [illustration: the jolly pea.] $the jolly pea.$--stick through a pea, or small ball of pith, two pins at right angles, and put upon the points pieces of sealing-wax. the pea may be kept dancing in the air at a short distance from the end of a straight tube, by means of a current of breath from the mouth. this imparts a rotatory motion to the pea. a piece of broken clay tobacco pipe serves very well. some boys prefer one pin (the vertical one) and dispense with the cross pin. [illustration: revolving serpent.] $a revolving serpent.$--draw on a piece of cardboard a spiral serpent, as shown in the figure. cut along the lines with a sharp knife, and mount it on a needle fixed in a cork. the serpent will now revolve on its own account. its movements may be greatly accelerated by fixing it by means of a bent wire over the flame of a lamp or candle. chapter xxiv concerning many things $a simple shelter.$--a very easy way to rig up a shelter from sun or rain is given in the accompanying sketch. two poles with a deep notch in the top of each, a rope, two pegs, a sheet, and a few large stones complete the shelter. an ingenious boy could arrange an end, or two if he needs them. [illustration: a simple shelter.] $a calendar on your fingers.$--this is the way that an old-timer manages to keep account of the days of the week that months open with. it will be found correct and interesting to people who have a memory for such things: "what day of the week did january come in on?" asked grandfather martin. "if you can tell that, i can tell you the day that any month will come in on, by help of a little lingo i learned from my father when i was a boy. friday, did you say?" and he held up his hand preparatory to counting his fingers. "now, april is the fourth month; let us see--'at dover dwelt george brown, esq., good christopher finch, and david frier.' we go by the first letters of these words--1, 2, 3, 4: 'at dover dwelt george'--g is the letter, and it is the seventh in the alphabet. january came in on friday you say, friday, saturday, sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday--seven; april comes in on thursday. take february--second month: 'at dover.' d is the letter, and fourth in the alphabet. friday, one; saturday, two; sunday, three; monday, four; february comes in on monday. "if you make no mistake in using the rule, it will give you the answer every time." "but it did not give the answer for april," said harry, who had been referring to an almanac. "april began on friday." "to be sure, boy! this is leap year, is it not?" leap year requires the addition of one day for the last ten months, to allow for the 29th of february. so all fools' day came on friday this year. "i never knew anybody outside of my father's family," continued the old gentleman, "who knew this little lingo and how to use it. he taught it to his children, and i have tried to teach it to mine, but they seem to forget it, and i am afraid it will get lost. when father used to go to presbytery, fifty years ago, it often happened that a question of dates and their relation to days would come up, and no almanac at hand; in fact, the question might be as to some day of the next year; but almanac or not, my father could always find the fact wanted with just the little key of the first day of the year." $leap year.$--divide the year by 4. if nothing remains it is leap year. for instance 1876 / 4 = 469 so that 1876 is leap year. if 1, 2 or 3 remain these figures give the years after leap year. remember, leap year lapses once a century. $spiders and the weather.$--if the weather is likely to become rainy, windy, or anything but fine, spiders fix the terminating filaments, on which the whole web is suspended, unusually short. if these filaments are made unusually long we may expect a spell of fine weather. in proportion to their length is the fineness of the weather. spiders are generally indolent in rainy weather. if they are active in rain the rain will not long continue. $a barometer.$--put two drams of pure nitre and half a dram of chloride of ammonia, reduced to powder, into two ounces of spirits of wine, or pure alcohol, and place this mixture in a glass tube, ten inches long and about an inch in diameter, the upper extremity of which must be covered with a piece of skin or bladder, pierced with small holes. if the weather is to be fine, the solid matters remain at the bottom of the tube, and the alcohol is transparent. if rain is to fall in a short time, some of the solid particles rise and fall in the alcohol, which becomes somewhat thick. when a storm or even a squall is about to come on all the solid matters rise from the bottom of the tube and form a crust on the surface of the alcohol, which appears in a state of fermentation. these appearances take place twenty-four hours before the storm comes, and the point of the horizon from which it is to blow is indicated by the particles gathering most on the side of the tube opposite to that part whence the wind is to come. $another simple barometer.$--take a common phial bottle, and cut off the rim and part of the neck. this may be done by means of a piece of string, or better still, whipcord, twisted round it, and pulled strongly in a sawing position by two persons, one of whom holds the bottle firmly in his left hand. heated in a few minutes by the friction of the string, and then dipped suddenly into cold water, the bottle will be beheaded easily. let the bottle be filled now with water, and applying the finger to its mouth, turn it quickly upside down. when you remove your finger it will be found that only a few drops will escape. without cork or stopper of any kind, the water will be retained within the bottle by the pressure of the external air. now let a bit of tape be tied round the middle of the bottle to which the two ends of a string may be attached so as to form a loop to hang on a nail. let it be thus suspended in a perpendicular manner, with the mouth downwards. when the weather is fair, and inclined to remain fair, the water will be level with the section of the neck, or perhaps elevated above it, and forming a concave surface. when the weather is disposed to be wet a drop will appear at the mouth, which will enlarge till it falls, and then another drop so long as the humidity of the air continues. $how to go to sea.$--decide first whether you will go by wind or steam, as steamboat seamen and sailing-ship sailors are distinct, the former having little to do with actual seamanship, the latter everything. consequently, most parents are well advised to send their boys on sailing ships only. parents generally are at their wits' end to know what to do with boys with the sea "craze." therefore they are, as a general rule, "rushed" into paying exorbitant sums for apprenticing fees, only to find, after a voyage, their sons refuse to go again, having had enough to tire them of it. now, the best and safest way to get boys comfortably berthed as apprentices is to see by the daily papers, or the _shipping gazette_, the names of the largest firms advertising australian voyages, or voyages to the east indies, and write them particulars briefly, enclosing a stamped envelope for reply. the large firms keep a book or register, where boys' names are entered, so that when an apprentice is required the first on the page has the preference. this is the simplest and safest way, for there are always plenty of sharpers advertising for boys in the london and liverpool journals, offering midship berths and other "baits" at the moderate sum of from â£10 to â£50. this is by no means a high estimate, for by some of the gentry larger sums are asked, and these reap golden harvests. these sharpers act as intermediates between the office people and themselves, sharing the bounty. now, few are aware that when apprenticing boys to the sea a trial voyage is necessary. a number of lads after one voyage prefer shore. therefore, before any binding moneys are paid, be careful to see that the indentures are made out clearly, as often they are carefully worded, or "blinded," as it is called at sea; so that if by chance money were paid down the difficulty would be to get it refunded, for if this is not stipulated, and a wish is afterwards expressed to cancel agreements, the purchase-money is forfeited. an excellent plan is to have a paper drawn up and signed by both parties, witnessed, and the indentures made up after the first trial trip; but it must be understood that the time of the first voyage, if it be a long one, makes a difference, as unless lads are apprenticed off-hand the "time" is counted as nothing. there is a pamphlet sold by mercantile stationers at one shilling containing much information, showing parts, and describing the various builds of sea-going craft. the contents of this should be completely mastered before any boy joins a ship, as it will help him to know part of his duties in addition to the nautical language, thereby showing to his officers that he is not a "know-nothing" lad. it will also help him in a variety of ways, it being in point of fact the a b c of ship life. "do as you are told with a will" is an expression often made use of, and in fact it must be practised by all contemplating sea life. "ship shape" is another saying suggested by the rigid discipline exercised by mariners. on one large vessel the following maxim was painted on the walls of the midship quarters: "there is a place for everything; put everything in its place." one of the things a captain or the mates dislike to see is a boy clambering over the rigging in port; time and circumstance will soon teach him that part of his duties, so that while he is in port a lad should busy himself in tidying up the deck, or by doing the work allotted to him. a boy does well to be on board his ship a day or two before departing, so as to get acquainted with the various parts, also to get himself known, and somewhat used to the deck. apprentices are expected to have a stout chest made for the purpose of storing clothes and sundries. some companies provide the articles necessary for the mess-room use, but it is well to inquire of berth-mates, or the steward, and arrange accordingly. a stout tin box, capable of holding linen is necessary, and the following articles must be procured:-white shirt, collars, and a uniform suit for shore wear. this must be made in accordance with the rules of the company, the coat and waistcoat brass-buttoned, and the cap embellished with the house flag design and gold cordage. for ship wear no complete list can be given, the principal articles being the following: oilskin suit, one pair of sea boots, one or two pairs of half wellingtons; flannel shirts, and as many pairs of trousers and shoes as can be procured, the limit of these being at least three pairs. the numerous small articles may be left to discretion. another word of warning--do not deal with slop-shop outfitters advertising "rig outs" at low figures, but rather go to respectable tailors and traders, and purchase, or have made, the articles separately. with strict obedience, promptitude, and a cheerful disposition a lad can hardly fail to get promoted. $to make your own toffee.$--to one pound of the best demerara sugar add about a quarter of a pint of cold water and a pinch of cream of tartar. go on boiling it until when you drop a little into cold water it goes hard. you may look for this stage in about ten minutes. next take it off and add three ounces of butter cut into small pieces. boil again and test in the same way for hardness. at this stage put in lemon juice to flavour it and then pour the mixture into oiled tins. when it is nearly cold mark it into squares, and when it is quite cold divide it according to these marks. $steam rings.$--when the kettle is boiling and sending steam from its spout gently raise the lid and then shut it down again deftly. this will force the steam rapidly from the spout in the shape of very pretty rings which will rise in the air, growing larger and larger. $skeleton leaves.$--leaves from which the reader intends to derive the skeleton should be gathered fresh from tree or shrub, and put in an earthen pan filled with rain water and placed in the sunshine. when the substance of the leaf becomes soft and easily detached, they should be removed to another pan, containing clean water, in which they must be shaken about until the soft tissue breaks away from the skeleton. wash again in fresh water, and so continue until only the ribs and nervures remain. a soft tooth-brush, carefully used, will assist in the final part of this operation, the leaf being held in the palm of the hand during the process. now for the bleaching. purchase two pennyworth of purified chloride of lime, and dissolve it in a pint of water. in this solution put your skeleton leaves, and keep them under observation. as soon as one has become quite white it should be taken out and rinsed in clear water, then carefully dried. the softening process will take weeks, in some tougher species of leaf it may take months. this period may be lessened by using a small quantity of either muriatic acid or chloride of lime, but with either of these agents there is danger of rotting the skeleton. the rain-water process is the safest and most permanent. $to imitate a nightingale.$--many years ago a clever frenchman analysed the song of the nightingale and made out that it consists of the following sounds:- temee temee temee tan spretu zqua querree pee pee teeo teeo teeo tix quteeo quteeo quteeo zquo zquo zquo zquo zee zee zee zee zee zee zee querrer teeu zqula peepee quee. $pith beads.$--a little boy we know amuses himself by threading pieces of pith and then painting the pith with water colours. when his mother wears the necklace he has made in this way people are very curious to know what the beads are, and fancy they must have been made by the natives of foreign parts, probably of the south sea islands. $hints on handwriting.$--although typewriters are excellent things, they are comparatively useless just in those particular cases where distinct handwriting is of the greatest importance, and where it is so very rarely met with. by some strange process of reasoning, it has come about that almost any sort of writing is thought good enough for a postcard, telegram, or medical prescription. the same man who would make a very fair performance when engaged on a long communication, in which the context would be almost certain to help the reader to decipher a queer word here and there, will dash off the most puzzling penmanship when writing a short but urgent note or postcard. the very brevity of the communication adds to the difficulty of understanding it. when the present writer was at school, it was impressed upon us that, whatever else might be faulty, the addressing of the envelope should be as near perfection as we could make it. the postman of the present day will tell you that this arrangement is now reversed, and, with the exception of letters sent out by business firms, the addresses he has to grapple with are very badly and incompletely written. here are a few short hints, the acting upon which will vastly improve the most slovenly handwriting in a week, if persevered in. in the first place, reduce the slope of your handwriting until it is almost, if not quite vertical. then break yourself of the habit of crowding your letters too closely together, on the one hand, and sprawling them out unduly, on the other. instead of sprawling the letters out so, write each character compactly, but join it to the following one by a distinct link-stroke, as it were. this is the sort of writing approved of by the civil service commissioners. at one time much stress was laid upon the importance of thick and thin strokes, hair strokes, and so on. excepting in the case of professional engravers, and for artistic purposes, all these refinements are out of date. what is of vastly more importance is the making of a careful distinction between the letters m, n, and u, and again between the letters e and i. good test-words to practice with are these: union, commence, ounce, suit, sweet, manumotive, immense, unite, untie. characters which extend above or below the line should not do so more than is sufficient to prevent their being mistaken for other letters. all the i's should be dotted and the t's crossed. finally, the last letter of every word should be written distinctly, no matter in what hurry you may be, for it is wonderful what an aid to legibility the observance of this simple rule will afford. those who follow these hints may never write a pretty hand, but they can scarcely fail to write a legible one, no small accomplishment in these days, when so many of us can do almost any out-of-the-way thing, but find it difficult to sign our names distinctly. $secret writing.$--mix well some lard with a little venice turpentine, and rub a small part of it equally on very thin paper by means of a piece of fine sponge, or in some other way. lay this with the greasy side downwards upon a sheet of note-paper, and write your message upon the plain side of the greasy paper with a style or the thin end of your pen-holder, using a little pressure. nothing will be seen on the note-paper; but what you have written may be made visible there by dusting upon it some pounded charcoal or other coloured dust. shake or blow this dust away and there will remain as much of it as has fallen upon the parts where your style pressed the lard upon the note-paper. $resin bubbles.$--if the end of a copper tube or of a tobacco pipe be dipped in melted resin at a temperature a little above that of boiling water, taken out and held nearly in a vertical position, and blown through, bubbles will be formed of all possible sizes, from that of a hen's egg down to sizes which can hardly be seen. these bubbles have a very pleasing appearance and are permanent. $etching on glass.$--cover the glass with a thin coat of beeswax, and draw your design with a needle cutting down through the wax to the surface of the glass. place the glass in a shallow bath, and cover it evenly with fluor-spar to the depth of an eight of an inch. now pour sulphuric acid diluted with three times its weight of water upon the spar. let this remain three or four hours. pour away the acid, remove the spar, and clean the glass with turpentine, and your design will be found upon the glass. $how to make carbon paper.$--carbonic paper for use with order books, and for other purposes, is made as follows: cold lard well mixed with lamp-black is well rubbed into the paper with a soft piece of cotton rag. when evenly and thoroughly done, wipe the surface gently with flannel until the colour ceases to come off; it is then ready for use. to obtain similar papers but of other colours, substitute ordinary paint powders for the lamp-black. the most suitable colours will be found to be venetian red, prussian blue, chrome green. $the making of paste.$--there are so many occupations with which boys amuse themselves that need paste that we have included a few recipes. a simple paste.--for a breakfast cup full of a simple paste, needed for use at the moment, and not required to be kept for many days, take a heaped tablespoonful of flour. mix it thoroughly with cold water as though you were mixing mustard, then fill the cup with boiling water, pour the whole into a saucepan, and let it boil gently for a few minutes. it is then ready for use. you may use starch instead of flour. a large quantity that will last.--in a quart of water dissolve a teaspoonful of pure powdered alum. into this stir as much flour as will make a thick cream, and keep on stirring until the mixture is smooth and until every lump has been removed. thoroughly mix with this a teaspoonful of powdered resin, and into this mixture pour a cup of boiling water. keep on stirring, and if the mixture does not thicken from the action of the boiling water assist it to thicken by placing it upon the fire for a minute or two. afterwards add a few drops of oil of cloves to preserve it from going sour. pour the paste into some vessel that has a cover, and keep it covered and in a cool place. in this form it will be thicker and stronger than is necessary for general use, but take a little as you need it and reduce it to its right consistency with warm water. $rice glue.$--mix rice flour well with cold water, then simmer it gently over the fire. this makes a fine kind of paste, durable and effective. mixed thickly it may be used as a modelling clay, and when it is dry it takes a high polish. $dressing the skins of small animals.$--different dressings have been recommended, most of which contain arsenic or corrosive sublimate, which are deadly poisons; but really all that is necessary is simple alum, a pound of which can be bought for three-halfpence. stretch the skin fur downwards on a board, and fasten it with tacks. put powdered alum over it, and rub it in well. continue to do this every two or three days for a fortnight. then remove the alum, and with a knife scrape carefully off any bits of flesh or fat that may be left on the skin. when dried, to render it soft, rub a little yolk of egg or oil into it, and draw it backwards and forwards across the edge of a blunt knife, fixed for the purpose. drawing through a ring, or well rubbing between the hands will also serve to soften it. $casts of medals and coins.$--cut a strip of brown paper about six inches long by one inch deep. rub a little oil or grease all over that side of the coin you wish to reproduce, cleaning off all superfluous grease with a little cotton wool, but still leaving the surface greased. then roll the paper round the edge of the coin so that it resembles a pill-box with a metal bottom, and fix the loose end with a dab of sealing wax. into this pour a mixture of plaster of paris and water made to the consistence of cream, tapping the box lightly on the table to cause the plaster to settle down free from bubbles. when the plaster is set quite hard, strip off the paper, and you have your plaster mould. by soaking this with oil and fastening a strip of paper round it as round the coin, you have a complete mould into which you can pour plaster and so take a cast exactly like the original except in colour, which however may be imitated with water colours. another plan is to make the mould of a different substance, such as isinglass; thoroughly dissolve isinglass in spirits of wine, then pour upon the coin as before, and set aside for a day or two. when quite hard it will separate easily and be found as clear as a bit of glass. $removal of ink blots.$--ink-blots can be removed from paper by painting over with a camel-hair brush dipped in a solution of 2 drachms muriate of tin in 4 drachms of water. when the ink has quite disappeared, rinse the paper in clean water; then dry it. $grease removed from paper.$--to remove grease spots from paper, gently warm the greasy part and press it, under and over, with blotting-paper. repeatedly change the blotting-paper until most of the grease has disappeared. then heat a very little oil of turpentine until nearly boiling, again warm the paper, and apply the turpentine to the grease spot by means of a camel's hair brush, on both sides of the paper. repeat this process until the grease has _quite_ disappeared. finally, with a clean brush, dipped in spirits of wine, again brush over the spot, and as the spirit evaporates the paper will be left free from grease or stain. remember that oil of turpentine is very inflammable. it would be safer to heat it in the oven. $invisible ink.$--take an ounce of oil of vitriol, and mix with a pint of rain water, and when cool write with a clean pen. when it is cold it will disappear. heat it and it will appear in black ink. here are some other inks which appear and disappear at the writer's will:-solution of nitro-muriate of cobalt, when heated turns green; solution of acetate of cobalt, with a little nitre becomes rose-colour when warm. inks which remain visible when heated, but do not disappear when cooled include, onion-juice, yellow; equal parts of copper and sal-ammoniac in water, yellow; aquafortis, spirits of salt, oil of vitriol, and salt and water, yellow or brown. inks which appear when exposed to light may be made with diluted solution of nitrate of silver, or with diluted solution of terchloride of gold. $how leaves keep clean.$--while leaf shapes have formed a subject of study ever since botanical science has existed, it is only recently that one of the most remarkable purposes which the points of leaves serve has been clearly brought out. it has been shown, as the result of some special investigations made in germany, that the long points quickly drain off the excess of moisture deposited upon the foliage in heavy rains. this ready method of disposing of a surplus of moisture is important to some plants. it also serves as a means of cleaning the surface of the leaves. round leaves do not so easily get rid of the rain water, and it has been noticed that they remain dusty and dirty after a shower, the escape of the water by evaporation not tending to cleanse them, while long, narrow, pointed leaves are washed clean and bright. [illustration] [illustration: deaf and dumb alphabet] [illustration: deaf and dumb alphabet single hand.] [illustration: deaf and dumb alphabet single hand.] [illustration: how to tie knots.] [illustration:] [illustration:] the end index alcohol and athletics, 21 alphabet, deaf and dumb, 428 angling, 67 apple mill, 402 aquariums, 131 artist, the boy as, 157 ã�olian harp, an, how to make, 363 balloons, bubble, 396 balloons, fire, to make, 389 barometers, simple, 418 barrel, hammock made from a, 362 beads of pith, 422 binding books, 255 blotting pad, 271 boat race, game of, 328 boats made of pasteboard, 401 books, how to bind, 255 boomerangs, 329 bottle, the inexhaustible, 382 boxing, 55 boxing by electricity, 399 bubble balloons, 396 bubbles of resin, 424 budgerigars, 246 bust in clay, how made, 175 butterflies, 117 cage birds, 242 calendar, a, on your fingers, 416 camera obscura, a, 407 camp, cooking in, 112 canaries, 242 candle, the chemistry of a, 370 canoes, 84 canoes, steering of, 100 carbon paper, how to make, 424 card tricks, 220 casting coins and medals, 426 cavies, 228 chess, how to play, 273 chicken, the wonderful, 408 coins, how to cast, 426 coloured fires, 387 concert, game of, 327 conflagration, a seeming, 385 conjuring, 208 consequences, game of, 327 cooking in camp, 112 cremated alive, 208 crystals, beautiful, 385 crystals, brilliant, 384 curling, 60 cutter, model, how to make, 354 cyr louis, 21 dancing figure, 406 deaf and dumb alphabet, 428 digging, 150 distorted landscapes, 409 dogs, 249 donkey, the lively, 407 draughts, how to play, 292 draughts, the losing game, 321 drawing, 157 drop ball, 148 dumb bells, 8, 12, 13, 15 egg and bottle trick, 379 electricity, boxing by, 399 electrical machine, an, how to make, 365 enlargement of photographs, 264 etching on glass, 424 fight for the flag, 145 filter, how to make a, 268 fire, a well of, 384 fire balloons, to make, 389 fires, coloured, 387 fire designs, 380 fishing, 67 fives, 143 flying machine, 404 football, 49 fountain, a novel, 383 fountain, how to make a, 269 fox, 148 fox and geese, 331 french and english, 144 fugleman, 149 game, an amusing, 330 games, 138 gardening, 150 ghost, to make a, 385 glass, etching on, 424 glue made of rice, 425 golf, 52 gravity, the centre of, 386 grease, to remove, 426 guinea pigs, 228 gymnastics, 7 haloes, three, 385 hammock, how to make a, 362 handwriting, hints on, 422 harp, ã�olian, an, how to make, 363 hectograph, how to make, 267 hedgehog, the, 252 hockey, 26 hoops, games with, 147 hop-scotch, 145 horizontal bar, 9, 12 horse, a prancing, 401 hurdle races, 5 hygrometer, a, 271 illusions, optical, 409 index, how to make, 258 indian clubs, 8, 31 ink, invisible, 427 ink, removal of, 426 jackdaws, 251 jay, the, 251 jig saw puzzle, 408 jingling, 149 jumping, 5, 24 kite, how to make a, 139 knots, how to tie, 432 landscapes, distorted, 409 lantern slides, 266 leap year, 417 leverage, an experiment in, 386 leaves, how they keep clean, 427 leaves, how to use, 180 leaves, skeleton, 421 levy, mr. e. lawrence, 14 mac, a whirling, 403 macgregor, john, 84 magazines, how to bind, 255 magician, the boy as, 208 magic lantern slides, 266 magpie, the, 251 medals, how to cast, 426 mice, white, 251 modelling with clay, 175 moths, 117 mouse, the, in the trap, 409 musical glass, a, 329 needle, the floating, 380 net making, 261 newspaper cuttings book, 258 nickie nickie night, 138 nightingale, to imitate a, 422 nine men's morris, 331 optical illusions, 409 paperchasing, 48 parallel bars, 10 pasteboard, boats made of, 401 paste, how to make, 425 pea, the jolly, 414 perspective, rules of, 161 pets, 228 photographic enlargements, 264 pith beads, 422 polyphony, 201 portrait bust, how made, 175 posting, 147 potatoe mill, 402 prisoners' base, 144 puzzles, 333 puzzles, 408 puzzles, answers to, 342 pyrography, 189 quaternions, how to play, 324 rabbits, 232 rackets, 141 raven, the, 251 resin bubbles, 424 rice glue, 425 rings, exercises with, 8 rings of steam, 421 rob roy canoe, 84, 86 rowing, 43 running, 3, 23 sailing on skates, 57 schooner, model, how to make, 351 scrap book, how to make, 258 sculling, 45 sea, how to go to, 419 secret writing, 424 seed, how to sow, 153 serpent, a revolving, 415 shadow buff, 328 shaving papers, case for, 270 shelter, a simple, 416 silkworms, 252 skates, sailing on, 57 skating, 57 skeleton leaves, 421 sketching, 157 skins, how to dress, 425 skip-jack, the, 413 sleigh for baby, how to make, 360 sleigh, how to make, 356 slides for magic lantern, 266 smoke produced at will, 383 spiders and the weather, 417 sprinting, 23 steam rings, 421 steeplechasing, 5 stencilling, 163 swimming, 42 syphon, the, 269 tent, a simple, 416 toffee, to make your own, 421 top, a simple, 402 training for athletics, 1 trapeze, 11 turnpike, 147 vacuum, a, what it can do, 386 ventriloquism, 191 walking, 5, 21, 22 water boiled by coldness, 380 water boiled in paper bag, 384 water, illuminated, 384 water polo, 46 water upside down, 382 weather, the, and spiders, 417 weston's walk, 21 whirling mac, a, 403 white mice, 251 window box, 154 wine glass, the magic, 380 wood carving, 350 woodman, the working, 410 writing pad, 271 writing, secret, 424 writing, the magic, 382 writing, the, on the wall, 385 yachts, 84, 107 zebra finches, 243 printed by the london and norwich press, limited london and norwich transcriber's notes: the symbol [|3] represents a reversed numeral three. missing punctuation has been added in several places. the symbol [a | b] represents an a printed vertically above a b. the oe ligature is rendered as [oe]. italics are rendered between underscores, e.g. _italics_. bold text is rendered between dollar signs, e.g. $bold$. small caps are rendered with all caps. the following table lists other changes made by the transcriber. +---------------------------+ | transcriber's changes | +-----+----------+----------+ |page |as printed|changed to| +-----+----------+----------+ | 126 | throught | thought | | 224 |shufflling|shuffling | | 281 | | v | +-----+----------+----------+ 