Volume XVII. With 1276 Pages, and about 1200 Illustrations. 4to, Cloth,

Ornamental, $3.50.

This unusually attractive volume contains three long serial stories for boys; by James Barnes, Kirk Munroe, and Molly Elliot Seawell. There are also many shorter stories by other popular writers.

Modern Outdoor Life is very fully treated, some one hundred and fifty pages being devoted to subjects of that nature, and in addition there is an important series of articles illustrated by instantaneous photographs of the different athletic sports.

A few of the other features are the interesting papers by Mrs. Lew. Wallace on The Tower of London, and the twelve articles by Mrs. Emma J. Grey, on getting up entertainments for young people. Each article describes amusements suitable for one month in the year. Cyrus C. Adams contributes a series upon different interesting subjects connected with recent African explorations.

Of the previous bound volume of HARPER'S ROUND TABLE, the _N. Y. Sun_ said: "There is nothing, we imagine, that the young reader would be likely to prize more."

A Virginia Cavalier

A Story of the Boyhood of George Washington. By MOLLY ELLIOT SEAWELL. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.

Rick Dale

A Story of the Northwest Coast. By KIRK MUNROE. Illustrated by W. A. ROGERS. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

Naval Actions of the War of 1812

By JAMES BARNES. With 21 Full-page Illustrations by CARLTON T. CHAPMAN, printed in color, and 12 Reproductions of Medals. 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, Deckel Edges and Gilt Top, $4.50.

The Ship's Company

And Other Sea People. By J. D. JERROLD KELLEY, Lieutenant-Commander, U.S.N. Copiously Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $2.50.

The Dwarfs' Tailor

And Other Fairy Tales. Collected by ZOE DANA UNDERHILL. With 12 Illustrations. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.75.

For King or Country

A Story of the American Revolution. By JAMES BARNES. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.

Tommy Toddles

By ALBERT LEE. Illustrated by PETER S. NEWELL. Square 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

Shakespeare the Boy

With Sketches of the Home and School Life, the Games and Sports, the Manners, Customs, and Folk-lore of the Time. By WILLIAM J. ROLFE, Litt.D., Editor of "Rolfe's English Classics," etc. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, $1.25.

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HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York

* * * * *

HARD WORK WILL TELL.

One often envies greatness, overlooking the hardships and struggles passed through before the place of honor has been attained. When we read of the lives of distinguished men in any department, we find them almost always where they are through hard work. We hear constantly of the great amount of labor they could perform. Demosthenes, Julius Cæsar, Henry IV. of France, Sir Isaac Newton, Washington, Napoleon, and many others, different as they were in their intellectual and moral qualities, were all renowned as hard workers. We read how many days they could support the fatigues of a march; how early they rose; how many hours they spent in the field, the cabinet, in the court--in short, how hard they worked.

* * * * *

CEDRIC. "Are you going to hang up your stocking Christmas eve, Tommy?"

TOMMY. "No; I've got enough feet. I'm going to hang up my pocket."

* * * * *

He was a bright, dapper young lawyer, full of spirits, and possibly a little too smart. For some time the judge of the district court had been waiting an opportunity to suppress a trifle of this smartness, as it became a bore when constantly opposed to his Honor's long experience. The young lawyer jumped up to defend a case of stealing in which the accused had retained him. Unfortunately he had failed to thoroughly acquaint himself with the facts of the case, other than that his client had been arrested for stealing.

"Your Honor," he cried, "I ask you does the prisoner look like a man that would steal? Does he look like a man that would suffer his honesty to be demeaned by appropriating another man's gold? No! a thousand times No! He is a patriotic citizen of the country, one of the proud upholders of our grand republic, and I say it is an outrage for the plaintiff to accuse such a gentleman of theft. Think of his friends that will weep over his disgrace undeservedly thrust upon him. Think of the blight upon this man's existence. I say the accused is too manly, too generous, too noble a specimen of hum--"

Smash! went the judge's gavel as he roared out, "Quit that! Young man, this is a case of hog-stealing!"

* * * * *

He was a New-Yorker, and proud of his city, and although his Chicago friend pointed out sight after sight, boasted of the city's fine boulevards, and drove the New-Yorker over them, he failed to excite in his guest more than a slight curiosity. Then he brought up the subject of tall buildings.

"Chicago beats the world," he said. "Our tall buildings top anything ever erected."

"Well, well," said the New-Yorker, "that's queer. Ever heard of that building in New York that the clouds bump against? Never heard of it, eh? I'll tell you something about it. When they put the last story on it a workman fell off the top. Some time later I was passing along the street below when a newsboy yelled: 'Extry. Full account of the accident.' I bought a paper, and it described how the man toppled off and all that. But what do you think? while I was reading it something dropped with a crash. What was it? Why, the workman, of course! He'd just reached the ground."

* * * * *

In a letter that recently reached this country, written by one of Queen Victoria's soldiers, who was with his regiment marching against the Dervishes in the Egyptian campaign, is a little amusing story of a certain soldier who disliked the intense heat of the country, and sought in every kind of way to obtain some excuse for quitting the service. It seems he complained to the doctor of his eyes, claiming that he was so nearsighted that he could not with safety fire off his gun for fear of hitting a comrade instead of an enemy.

"Dear me," said the doctor, "that is a serious matter. Now tell me what you mean by nearsighted."

"Well, sir," said the soldier, and he looked around thoughtfully as if in search of some idea, "it is an example you want? Ah, I have one. Can you see that pin lying in a corner over there?"

"Why, yes! And I should say it required excellent eye-sight to see it, too," replied the doctor.

"Well, that's my trouble, sir; I can't see it."

The poor man is still wondering why he is not sent back to the home station.

* * * * *

MY MISSION.

Upon creating noise I'm bent-- I never go to bed. Although I'm dumb, I'm eloquent When hit upon the head. I'm listened to with ecstasy Where'er I go or come; I madly roll and roll in glee-- I'm Tommy's scarlet drum.

End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, December 15, 1896, by Various