CHAPTER X.

MODERN LIFE IN AN ANCIENT CLIFF DWELLING.

"No sooner was our work on the hut completed," continued the Professor, "than I determined to make an exploration of the valley, for I had yet to learn of its size, what it produced, whether it contained any inhabitants besides ourselves, and if there was any entrance to it other than the one by which we had come. So, after an early breakfast, I set off down the stream that flowed past our camp, carrying the fowling-piece over my shoulder.

"As I advanced, the fertility of the soil was a constant source of delight, for it not only produced a heavy growth of grasses, besides the useful amole, or soap-root, and many other plants, but a great variety of trees, among which I recognized cottonwood, cedar, the piñon or nut-bearing pine, and peach-trees that had run wild from some long-ago planting. These last showed the valley to have been visited by human beings since the coming of Spaniards to this country, for by them were peaches introduced. I also found an abundance of cotton-plants with full bolls, which, though small in size from lack of cultivation, would yield a serviceable fibre. No trace of human beings was to be seen save the ancient ruins of a few huts, together with mounds of broken pottery and stone implements of every description.

"When late in the day I regained camp, almost my first greeting from mother was, 'Whatever thee has discovered, Rufus, I am persuaded that we who remained behind have found something of still greater value.'

"Then she told me how, with the keen instinct of her race for such things, Hagar, while gathering pine-nuts, had run across a trail leading up the face of the cliffs, and had followed it to this very place. Mother had also climbed to the platform, taken a hasty glance at its marvels, and then, leaving Hagar and the child up there, had returned to meet me, and conduct me to the wonderful place they had found.

"Smiling at her excitement, for I could not then realize the value of the discovery, I followed her up the steep acclivity, wondering at her endurance, especially when we came to the last fifteen feet of perpendicular steps. When we finally gained the place where Hagar smilingly awaited us, I was amazed at the width of the platform and the extent of the view to be obtained from it. I longed for the spy-glass which had formed part of the equipment of our wagon, and which had been left in the hut. I even proposed to return and get it, thinking that the platform and view from it embraced the whole of Hagar's discovery. At that mother interfered, and saying that she had something of much greater importance than a view to show me, directed my attention to the further end of the platform. Then for the first time I became aware of a small house occupying the entire space beneath a jutting of the cliff.

"It was built of stone, so deftly laid and so colored by time that even a short distance away it could not be distinguished from the adjacent rock. From the shape of its doorway, which was thus"--here the Professor traced a rude diagram in the ashes of the hearth--"but which we afterward altered to suit our own notions, I knew that the structure was a cliff-dwelling of the most ancient pattern.

"In an instant I was as excited as mother, though with a different reason, for this was the very type of dwelling I had been most anxious to study, and if it should prove to have remained unvisited since its abandonment, my fondest hopes of discovery would be fulfilled. Nor was I disappointed, for an examination of the interior revealed a profusion of unbroken pottery, implements of stone, horn, and bone, pictographs or rude drawings on the walls, agate and jasper fragments of fossil trees, such as I had noticed in abundance at the lower end of the valley, and many other things, all in such a fine state of preservation as gave instant proof that here was a treasure not yet duplicated in America.

"Over all these things and on the floor the dust of ages lay thick, and rose in suffocating clouds with our every movement. Heedless of it, I penetrated each of the three rooms contained in the house, wild with delight over what I saw. I was somewhat taken aback when I found that mother, who had seemed to share my enthusiasm, was all this time regarding the place with the eye of a housewife, and as one in which we might establish a home for such time as we should remain in the valley. Finally, however, she won me to her way of thinking, and though we returned to the camp for that night, we set to work early the next day to put 'Cliff Castle,' as mother called it, in a habitable condition.

"On my second visit to it I discovered the steps leading to the top of the mesa and the ruined watch-tower that crowns it. There I also found a rock cistern, and a broken conduit, that could be opened at pleasure, by which its waters had formerly been conveyed to the house. This, with Hagar's skilled assistance, I soon repaired, and by nightfall of that day we had the ancient cliff dwelling cleansed and ready for occupancy. Another day was necessary for the removal of such goods as we needed from below, but with that accomplished, we were comfortably settled in what has been from that day to this our home.

"Of course much has been done to it since then in the way of enlargement, the making of a more generous provision for light and ventilation, and in the adding of many comforts, but in its general aspect Cliff Castle stands to-day unchanged from the time it was built, many centuries before the continent of America was discovered by Columbus.

"Although so long as my meagre supply of ammunition lasted I had no difficulty in procuring all the meat needed for our table, a supply that Nanahe has kept up since by means of his throw-stick, I began the making of a field as soon as our dwelling was put in order. My greatest labor lay in fencing this against goats and rabbits. When it was ready I planted it with corn, oats, beans, and squashes, the seed for which were yielded by a bag of feed for our poor mules that I had procured in Zuñi. I also set out peach-trees and grape-vines, improving greatly the quality of their fruit by cultivation, and a little later I captured two young goats, from which our present domestic flock has been reared.

"In all our labors, both mine in the field and mother's in the house, Hagar was our invaluable assistant and instructor. She it was who taught me to use the ancient stone hoes and planting sticks of my remote predecessors, to construct wattled fences, to cure meat so that it might be kept, and to work in clay until I could produce rude but serviceable articles of pottery. She taught mother how to spin cotton thread on the stone spindles that we found in this and other cliff dwellings, and afterwards to weave them into a coarse cloth on a rude loom that she herself constructed.

"She gave lessons in making matting of yucca fibre, in plaiting baskets, dressing hides, and in sewing rabbit-skins with bone needles. Before we began to harvest our planted crops, she gathered up large quantities of certain grass-seeds, ground them into flour on old stone metates, and made of this a palatable bread. She taught us where to look for wasp honey, as well as how to extract sugar from grapes and peaches.

"I discovered the deposit of salt that seasons our food, and the selenite that, cleaved into thin sheets, serves instead of glass to close our windows against the cold of winter; but nearly every other comfort with which thee finds us surrounded we owe to the knowledge, skill, and cheerful industry of that splendid woman. She remained with us nearly two years. Then, with her life work nobly accomplished, she left us, and we buried her beside our dear boy.

"Since then Nanahe has been as our own well-loved son, bravely filling his mother's place. With his increasing strength he has gradually assumed the duties that my failing powers have caused me to relinquish, until now he is our mainstay and dependence, as well as the delight of our declining years. He has been quick to learn all that I could teach him, and is fitted for a wider sphere of activity than that in which he now moves. But I know not how we could exist without him, nor how he might gain the outer world, even though we knew in what direction lay its most accessible point.

"In all these years I have not been able to determine our locality nor our distance from any known place, nor have we been visited by any human being beside thyself since coming to the valley. On account of the marvellous coloring of the desolate region surrounding us I have called it the Painted Desert, though I am not certain that the name originated with me, for I have a dim memory of hearing it before. I cannot satisfy myself, however, as to whether the Moqui towns lie to the east or the west of us. I am of the former opinion, but Nanahe, for some reason, inclines to the latter. At the same time, neither of us can form any idea of how far away they may be."

"I do not know," said Todd, "for I am very much ashamed to say that I was so filled with visions of hunting as to neglect my opportunities for gaining profitable information while with my brother's expedition. I too, however, am of the opinion, that the Moqui towns lie to the eastward of this place. Nor do I think they can be at any great distance, certainly no further than two active young chaps such as Nanahe and I might cover without danger during a time of rains. Don't you think, sir, that we might make the attempt?" concluded the boy, eagerly.

"What does thee think would become of mother and me if thee should take Nanahe from us?" asked the old man.

"We would only be gone a short time, and would return with such assistance as would enable you also to rejoin the world from which you have been cut off so long," replied Todd.

"My son, when first we came here I too was impatient of imprisonment, and fretted against it; but since then I have come to a knowledge that, with our present freedom from the cares and anxieties of the world, our life is happier here than it could possibly be elsewhere. More than that, this place is our home, which we have learned so to love that mother and I hope never to leave it, save for the better land of our Father. I would not seek to detain thee here one moment against thy will, nor would I hinder the departure of Nanahe if I knew of a way for his going and an object to be gained. At present neither of these seems to be offered; but in the Lord's own time, if it be His will, they are certain to come, and until then we must be content to await His pleasure. Therefore, my dear lad, satisfy thyself as well as may be in this place, gain from it whatever of health, strength, and knowledge thee can, and have faith to believe that in due time a way of escape will be opened to thee."

Todd accepted this advice in silence and with a heavy heart, for to him the Valley of Peace, in which he could not regard himself as other than a prisoner, was only a refuge from the perils of its encircling desert; while the great, outer world from which he was cut off contained all of life that he deemed worth the having. Therefore during the next few weeks, while he found much pleasure in the company of Nanahe, under whose guidance he explored every foot of the valley and became an expert climber of its frowning cliffs, he brooded constantly over plans of escape. He even went so far as to propose to the Indian lad that they two should set forth on a search for the Moqui towns in spite of the Professor's protest, but was met with an unqualified refusal.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

ONE TOUCH OF NATURE.

A LEGEND OF WESTERN NEW YORK.

BY G. T. FERRIS.

"What d'ye think it all means?" said Mark Lytte, peering through the tangled thicket of hazel and sumach, where the earliest autumn dyes had begun to lay their crimson.

Buckskin, before answering his young comrade, pondered on the scene before him. In the hollow nestling at the foot of the hill and clasped in the bend of the river lay the large Indian village, all astir with motion and excitement. But it seemed not to be the fever of war and slaughter which so often convulses the aboriginal man, but a jubilee of mirth and innocent delight. They were looking down on one of the most considerable towns of the Seneca tribe in western New York, near what is now Olean. Hurrying through the village streets, laughing groups of dark-skinned youths and maids carried wreaths of wild-flowers, branches of trees, and great sheaves of maize-stalks toward a lofty pole which towered in the centre.

"To think I shouldn't 'a' known quick as powder flashin'" finally said Buckskin John, whose iron face and tanned skin showed his occupation no less than his garb. "It's the Feast of the Green Corn[2] among these Iroquois devils, an' then they're allus as frisky as so many lambs. They put off the wolf-skin for a while, but they keep it mighty handy, I kin tell ye."

[2] The Feast of the Green Corn among the powerful Iroquois Confederacy, or Six Nations, occurred in the latter part of August or early September. Its rites so resembled the Hebrew Feast of the Tabernacles that it furnished an additional argument for the notion that the American Indians were remotely descended from the ten lost tribes of Israel.

"Perhaps it'll give us a better chance to try our luck," answered Mark, whose face was that of a lad of sixteen, though his height and the sturdy square of his chest looked older. He wrung his hands excitedly, and continued, with a quiver in his voice, shaking his long rifle in the direction of the village: "What can we do? I shall go crazy if we fail. Mother's grievin' to death, fadin' each month into a mere shadder. 'Twas all right till last year, Buckskin, and she showed no sign but what she'd a'most forgot about our lost Nellie. Then we heard of the little white gal in Cornplanter's village, and that he was the very chief who made the raid when we lived at Fort Pitt. Then Cunnel Johnson over to Fort Niagara, though he did fight agin us in the late war, came to see Cornplanter six months ago. An' the chief would say nuthin' but that the little gal, whoever her parents were, was no longer white, but Indian, his adopted sister, whom he loved dearer than life. That broke mother's heart, for she began to pine soon as she found as Cornplanter ud never let the captive free."

Mark's brief rehearsal did scant justice to a typical drama of the border. Six years before, during the early days of the Revolutionary war, a war party of the Senecas had made an irruption into western Pennsylvania, and among their captives was a girl of four years old belonging to the Lytte family. The great chief, who shares with Red Jacket the highest mark in Seneca tradition, took the trembling captive to his mother with the words:

"My mother, I bring to you a daughter to supply the place of my brother, killed by the Lenapé six moons ago. She shall dwell in my lodge and be my sister." So little Eleanor Lytte became Ma-za-ri-ta, "the Ship under Full Sail," so named from her joyous and energetic disposition.

"Waal, we'll have to go slow," Buckskin had answered his companion. "I'll resk my topknot to help ye, lad, but we'll see how the lan' lays." The old hunter knew that at this festival-time hospitality would be flung with both hands to all comers. So they moved down the hill into the main village street, where a tall Indian, with all the insignia of a great sagamore in his tattooing, head-dress, and port, received them with a grave welcome.

"My white brothers have come to the green-corn feast of the Senecas. They are welcome. Our hearts are glad, and all we have is theirs." Then he ordered his guests conducted to a well-built log house, where a generous provision for all their wants was found. They had scarcely satisfied their simple needs when the music of Indian flutes and drums drew them to the door, and there they found the messenger ready to conduct them to the "long house," where the procession was forming which would begin the festivities.

Foremost, hand in hand with the chief, was a brilliant little figure, a girl about ten years old. With a skin naturally snow-white, but now kissed to a ruddy hue by the sunshine, and long brown plaits glittering with the most brilliant beads; petticoat and bodice of the finest broadcloth, and around her neck and shoulders rows of silver brooches and strings of white and purple wampum; on her feet deer-skin moccasins embroidered with porcupine quills, contrasting with the scarlet leggings above--Ma-za-ri-ta looked indeed the fit princess of the revels. The pride which shone in Cornplanter's eyes, the admiration with which all the Indians gazed on the dancing girl--for her feet had already begun to move to a nimble measure--struck a chill to the heart of Mark, for it seemed a portent of sure defeat. Her blue eyes sparkled with joy as she danced in the van, followed by the Seneca girls in pairs, all attired in gala dress, and with wreaths of flowers on their heads. Then came Cornplanter and his lesser chiefs, the warriors, the squaws, and the children, and the march advanced to the pole in the centre of the village, shaped in a square enclosure, that painted pole horribly etched with the scars of innumerable tomahawks when the frenzy of war-dancing made it the symbol of the enemy's body. Now the great mast was belted thick with greenery to its very top, corn-stalks with pendent ears, bunches of golden-rod, and all the richest spoil of the thickets and meadows. Ma-za-ri-ta's sweet voice, as the dance of the maidens gyrated more and more swiftly about the gorgeous pillar, led the chant among the more shrill and unmusical notes of her companions.

Mark edged his way through the throng, for a fancy had suddenly come to him, and he stood in the inner ring next the circle of dancers.

"Nellie! little Nellie! don't you remember Mark?" he said, in a piercing whisper, as she approached several paces in the van of her choir.

Ma-za-ri-ta slowed her pace, looking at him wonderingly with a flush of offended pride, for the little princess felt she was the queen of the Senecas, child as she was. Again as she neared his place she heard the words, "Nellie, _can't_ you remember?" The beautiful child face was troubled, as though some dumb vague memory were stirring under the surface, but again she moved on, shaking her head. Bitterly did Mark bewail his failure to Buckskin, for, "I'm sure," he said, "she is our lost Nellie, and I can see our mother's look in her pretty eyes." Something worked like yeast in the old hunter's thoughts as he listened in silence to Mark's passionate rambling words that night, when all the camp was hushed to silence, and they lay tossing on their bear-skins.

"Why don't you answer?" the boy burst out, with petulance.

"Mark, I'm glad," the other said, deliberately, "that there seems to be no chance of takin' the little gal away by force or cheatin'. I rayther guess there's a doggone poor show of doin' anything that-a-way, and we might 'a' known it afore. But I'll swar she's her mother's darter, as ye said a minnit since, and when ye talk about the mother, thar's the key of the hull sityvashun, as the lawyer chaps ud say. Ye don't quite unnerstan' what I mean, hey? Waal, it's jes this, my young master. Your mammy must come down here to Cornplanter's village, and she'll do mor'n all the guns and bagnets of Gen'ral St. Clair's army to get the little gal back, ef so be she is the right one, and I genooinely believe it. The chief loves his adopted sister with every drop of his blood, and his people adore her as their little princess. They'd lay their lives down afore givin' her up, onless ye tech 'em jess right. But I know 'em well, blood-thirsty varmints and wild beasts as they are when you cross 'em, and a redskin's got a heart as beats big and strong as any white man's, ef ye can find it oncet. Then I've heerd uv Cornplanter fur the last fifteen year, and they all say he's one of the best as well as bravest critturs as ever wore a scalp-lock. Cheer up, laddie; we'll git her, but we can't do it yet. Trust ole Buckskin's idee."

Buckskin's solace scarcely calmed Mark's restlessness, and after the hunter's snores proved him in the realm of dreams, he arose with the idea of strolling through the moonlit village, and walking off the fancies that would not let him sleep. The lonely streets were wrapped in the pallid shine which silhouetted the log houses and the trees in ghostly shadows, and had it not been for the occasional howl of a distant wolf or the snarl of an Indian dog, he might have fancied himself the only waking creature. He wandered aimlessly, in a maze of fear and doubt what would be the outcome of it all. His careless footsteps finally carried him to the edge of the village, where, at the very shadow of the forest, stood a large double house apart from all the others. Then he saw he was not the only sleepless soul, for from its doorway glided a figure whose height and garb--for the moonlight glittered on the costly bead-work--showed it to be the one who filled his heart full to bursting. He forgot all prudence and doubt, and sprang forward swiftly.

"Nellie! Nellie!" he cried, in tones that cut the silent air like a knife. "I am your brother Mark--your playmate that loved you so dearly. Come home with me to mammy, who is dying for you, away from this dreadful place. A long time ago they carried you away from us, and now I've found you again, and will not let you go, my darling little sister." He forgot all the surroundings--all but need of giving voice to the feeling that shook him as the wind shakes the leaves in the trees.

Ma-za-ri-ta's face quivered in the starlight as she shrank from the hand that eagerly clutched her arm, as if he would have led her away at once; then something like half-awakened intelligence was quenched in a wave of blind terror, and she shrieked aloud.

A tall figure leaped like a tiger from the dark of the doorway, and Mark felt the grip of iron fingers on his throat which threatened to strangle him. As he lay helpless in that clutch, he saw an upraised tomahawk sparkling in the moonshine; but Cornplanter did not strike, though his words were edged with cutting disdain.

"Such is the honor of palefaces," said he; "from the cub to the full-grown wolf the same. The Senecas welcomed their guests and did them honor. Their hearts were warm and friendly, for it is now their festival of peace and goodwill. But what should they do to one who would steal in the dark, and rob them of their dearest?"

"Do?" said another voice, for Mark was speechless with rage, shame, and impotence, and Buckskin darted forward, grasping Cornplanter's uplifted arm, though the chief showed no immediate purpose to use his gleaming weapon. "Do? They should respect the voice of natur' and blood cryin' aloud!" Honest Buckskin had wakened suddenly, and alarmed at Mark's absence, sought him through the Indian village. "Look ye here, chief, this is a foolish boy, and he couldn't 'a' done what ye think, had he been in ever so much airnest. But he suspecks he's found his little sister that you and yourn took from his mammy's arms six year ago durin' the time o' fightin'. The great Seneca is just; and let him say, then, who's the thief, ef it comes to a matter o' stealin'."

The ferocity which had hardened Cornplanter's lineaments still threatened the offender in spite of the hunter's plea. But Ma-za-ri-ta, who had listened with shifting emotions chasing over her face, vainly striving to pierce the meaning of the words, now threw her arms about the neck of the chief, and spoke rapidly in the Seneca tongue. The Indian's stern aspect melted and took on its more wonted expression, in which there was something almost benignant.

"Go without harm even while it is night," he said, "lest the Senecas discover all, and sore mischief befall." He brought them their arms, loaded their wallets with food, and dismissed them. And as Mark turned before entering the forest, he caught a last look of Ma-za-ri-ta, watching their retreating footsteps with clasped hands and head bent forward.

It was about a week afterwards that Colonel Johnson received a visit at Fort Niagara in Canada, just across the river, which whetted his interest keenly. This whilom British agent of the Iroquois tribes still exercised a powerful influence over them, though their territory now belonged to the conceded limits of the new republic. To him they looked even yet for advice and authority. He recognized the Lyttes, mother and son (for the father was dead), and his feelings guessed shrewdly at the occasion as they walked up the esplanade from the jetty where they had landed.

"Well, Mrs. Lytte," he said, after the first look at her pale and working features, which were full of news, "I see you've learned something more."

"Cunnel, in the name of God, and for the sake of your own dear wife and children, you must help me now," the woman gasped, for her throat was too full. "Mark has jess come from Cornplanter's village, and he says for sure and sure it's little Nellie. An' she didn't know him! But, Cunnel, she will know the mammy that bore her and gave her suck, for I'll die of a broken heart ef she don't."

"We must trust for the best, my dear lady," said he, cheerily. "The first thing will be the child's knowing you. That clearly proven, the question will be as to Cornplanter. It will be a knock-down blow, but the Seneca has great qualities. He may set his face against it like flint, yet I shall be surprised if he thinks of self alone in the matter. And what idea did you get of Cornplanter?" he concluded, turning to Mark.

"Pretty good for an Indian," said Mark, moodily; "but ef he don't give up Nellie to mother, I'll brain him with his own hatchet, ef I die for it next minute."

"Well crowed, young cockeril," laughed the Colonel, "but we'll find better weapons than tomahawks. It's the heart and not the skull we've got to reach." There was no need to waste time, and quick outfit was made for the journey to the Seneca village, about eighty miles away.

Cornplanter received the message from the Indian runner, giving warning of Colonel Johnson's proposed visit, but with no further hint of purpose. Yet he felt a keen pang of foreboding. Stoic as he was, there was something in the air that mocked him with the notion of fate lying in ambush close at hand. As Ma-za-ri-ta afterwards recalled, the chief treated her with a clinging, pathetic tenderness during these days she had never known before. And finally, when he saw with Colonel Johnson the youth who had been his recent guest, and a pale-faced woman with questioning gaze that wandered and hunted like that of a mad-woman, it was no longer guesswork. It was as if a bullet had pierced his chest. The Englishman knew his man, and made a plain appeal with all the fling of that bullet.

Cornplanter heard with a stern, impassive face. "My father's words are good and just," he said. "Let Ma-za-ri-ta decide," and hope knocked again faintly at the gate that his little sister would not know the white woman who had come to rob him of his heart's blood. The girl was led from her lodge, unknowing the test, and ran gayly to her Indian brother's side, and looked curiously at the little white group in the centre of the watchful throng of red men. Her eyes glanced smilingly at her Indian friends, till they were fastened as if by a magnet on the white woman's face, and there they hung, fascinated, open-mouthed, spellbound, as though they could never drink their fill. The woman stood, arms half extended, burning eyes unquenched by their own tears, lips dumbly moving. Fear, wonder, longing, doubt, swept over the girl's face, till all thought was swallowed up in a light unspeakable, and her tongue babbled "ma-ma." She tottered, but Mrs. Lytte leaped at her and locked her fast with convulsive cries and sobs.

The chief's rigid face was that of a bronze man. All listened for his lips to speak. But it seemed as if the jaws were locked. And when the voice came his followers scarcely knew its hollow accents:

"The Great Spirit has spoken, and who are his red children that they should refuse to listen." Then he covered his face with a corner of his deer-skin robe and passed swiftly from their midst, this Indian Agamemnon, who would not reveal his own agony of spirit.

Eleanor Lytte never saw her Indian brother again, but costly presents each year proved his indelible memory till his death.

THE REMARKABLE ADVENTURES OF SANDBOYS.

A BIG HAUL.

BY JOHN KENDRICK BANGS.

There was great excitement at the hotel. The oldest guest--that is to say, the one who had passed the greatest number of summers at the Mountain House--had just come in from his morning's fishing, and had brought with him the largest trout that, so far as any one knew, had ever been caught in the lake. It was a perfect beauty. Its body was long and graceful in its lines and curves, and its "speckles" were of such a lovely hue and quality that a little girl who was looking at them remarked that she "wouldn't mind gettin' her nose all over freckles if they was only pretty and pink like that instead of rusty-lookin' little yeller spots." And everybody in the hotel, even the fishers who had fished for days and days without catching anything, or getting even any bites save those of the black-flies, were glad that the luck had come to the oldest guest, for he was a great favorite with everybody; grandfathers as well as boys had a great affection for him, he was such a fine fellow, and so pleasant and courteous to every one. Probably no one else in the hotel could have caught the "record" trout without making somebody jealous of him, but in this case it was different, the oldest guest had such a habit of seeming to share his good-fortune with all with whom he came in contact. So it happened that there was great rejoicing over the morning's catch, and everybody said it was a wonderful one--even Sandboys acknowledged that it was a catch to be proud of.

"Never been beat as an individual catch," he said. "Never. Biggest trout I ever see; but not the biggest haul--not quite. No, not by a long shot, by hookey!"

This remark made in the hearing of Bob and Jack naturally aroused the curiosity of the two boys. They had been, on the whole, the chiefest of the admirers of the oldest guest for a long time, and when he came in just before dinner with his three-and-three-quarter-pounder, Jack ranked him on the score of achievement with Napoleon Bonaparte, and Bob admitted that he stood second to none but George Washington. Sandboys's observation, however, changed this somewhat. If somebody had once made a bigger haul, even if he had not caught a bigger fish, there might have to be some slight rearrangement in the order of their lists of heroes.

"What do you mean by that, Sandboys?" they asked.

"Just what I say," replied Sandboys. "As a fish, that's the biggest fish that's ever been took out of any of these lakes about here; but as a haul on a single cast, it ain't in it with one I know about."

"Who made it?" asked Bob. "Jimmie Hicks?"

"Jimmie nothin'," retorted Sandboys, scornfully. "Jimmie was a mighty smart lad at fishin'; but I'm talkin' of something alongside of which smartness ain't no more'n a peanut side of an elephant."

"Then who did do it?" queried Jack. "You?"

Sandboys gave a significant little nod, and answered modestly, "Well, I had something to do with it; but old Spavinshanks is entitled to some of the credit--most of it, in fact."

The boys settled down on the settee, which, when he was on duty, was Sandboys's throne.

"Tell us about it," they said.

Sandboys glanced anxiously around, and then he shook his head.

"Some other time," he said in a whisper. "When _he_ ain't in ear-shot. He don't know nothin' about it, and if he did he'd be awful mad."

"He" to whom Sandboys so mysteriously alluded was Mr. Bingle, the owner of the Mountain House stables.

"If he ever suspected," continued Sandboys, "he could ruin me. _It was his tackle I used!_"

And with that he was off out of ear-shot, and away from the sharp eyesight of Mr. Bingle, whose glance seemed to penetrate to the core of his conscience, as it is apt always to be when consciences with something weighing upon them are involved.

Later on when he was off duty, and Mr. Bingle was far away, Sandboys made confession to Bob and Jack, and it ran somewhat in this wise:

"The reason I didn't want old Bingle to hear," he explained, "was exactly as I told you. It was his tackle I used with my big haul, and he'd be fightin' mad if he knew who it was as done it. He knew it had been done, of course, but he never knew it was me."

"But I don't see," said Bob. "Using somebody else's tackle isn't any crime. Everybody does it, don't they?"

"It all depends on the tackle," said Sandboys. "Some tackle's more expensive than others, and more easily damaged. Old Bingle holds his at about eighteen dollars a day--and I must say when he got it back it was pretty wet and muddy--'specially old Spavinshanks."

Bob looked at Jack and Jack looked at Bob. Sandboys when he spoke plainly was hard enough to find otherwise than queer, but when he chose to veil his words in mystery, he was even harder to see through than a stone wall. The idea of any man's holding his fishing-tackle at a valuation of eighteen dollars a day was preposterous enough; that he should object to its being brought back wet and muddy was surprising; but the phrase "'specially old Spavinshanks" was absolutely past comprehension.

Jack laughed, however, in spite of his mystification, and said, "Who was old Spavinshanks? The worm?"

"Not a bit of it," returned Sandboys. "Old Spavinshanks was that old gray horse Mr. Bingle paid ten dollars for thirty years ago, and has been earning fifteen dollars a day out of every summer every year since. I borrered him, though Bingle didn't know it, and that's how I came to get the big haul, and my, what a wet and muddy beast he was when he got back into the stable that night! He was so muddy they thought he was the black mare for a minute.

"The way it came about was this. I got word one day that an old schoolmate o' mine I hadn't seen for two years was down at the Flume, and I thought I'd like to go down and see him. So I went to old Bingle, and asked him to let me have a horse and buggy to drive down there in, for, as you know, it's over five miles from here. Bingle looked at me calmly for a second, and said all right. The reg'lar fare down an' back is ten dollars. You can have the rig for six--four dollars off. He knew I couldn't pay it, and I told him so. Well what of it, says he. You don't think I'm keepin' a livery-stable for fun, do ye? No, says I, but I've done lots o' things for you for nothin'; you might do somethin' for me. Well I will, says he. Next winter, when there ain't no call for hoss-and-buggies, you can have the rig free. Now it'll cost you six dollars. That made me mad, an' as it was in days when I didn't think much about right or wrong, not havin' studied theeligy, as I have since, I made up my mind to have the rig, an' have it free. And when I make up my mind to a thing, it's as good as done. I had the rig when night came on an' I was through with my day's work, and old Bingle had locked up for the night and gone to bed--he generally got so tired figerin' up his profits at night he went to bed about half past eight--I sneaked down to the barn, took old Spavinshanks, harnessed him up to the buggy, and started off for the Flume. I spent a very pleasant evening with my friend Silas, and along about eleven o'clock I started back home again. Everything went well until I got up to within a half-mile of the lake, when it began to rain like buckets. I never see such a pour in all my life.

"'Whoa!' says I to old Spav., an' when he come to a standstill I fastened the reins to the whip-stock, an' jumped out to put up the leather cover of the buggy. I wasn't goin' to be drenched if I could help it. Spav. stood still enough whilst I was fixin' the buggy-top and fastenin' down the flaps at the sides. He was a good old horse, and had worked so hard for the money he'd earned for Bingle that he hadn't any false pride about bein' skittish. He was just a tired, sensible old hoss. But there's a limit to what horses'll stand, an' when lightnin' strikes a tree back of 'em, with a noise like a slew of artillery let off all to once, no self-respectin' hoss can be asked to stand quiet. That's what happened. Just as I was gettin' ready to get back into the buggy again, flash! boom! comes the streak, and Spav simply flew off in a great scare. As he approached the lake he shied, an' when he got to the part of the road that's right on the lake he lost his senses and plunged in, the buggy, with the top up, trailin' after him. I was kerflummexed that time, I can tell you. I thought sure Spavinshanks'ld be drownded and the buggy bust, but it didn't happen that way at all. He swam right around the lake, luggin' the buggy right along too, an' by the time I got to the boat-house he was nearin' the shore just beyond. I made a rush for him, and as he came out had him by the bridle, and inside of five minutes we was at the barn. There he was, covered with mud and the buggy just reekin' with fish. There was two hundred an' twenty trout, forty-seven suckers, and 'most a million minnows--every one of 'em caught in the buggy-top!"

"Dear me!" cried Jack. "Really?"

"Yes, really," said Sandboys. "An' that's why there's so few fish left in that lake now. Old Spavinshanks must have hauled that buggy through every blessed school in the place. Which is why I say that while that trout we see to-day was the record trout, he ain't no record haul for one cast, not by a long shot, by hookey."

And the boys agreed with him that it was indeed a marvellous haul, and with a mighty strange kind of tackle too. Nor did they wonder that Sandboys was reluctant to have Mr. Bingle hear of it. Hardly any owner of horses would care to have his horse and buggy used in exactly that way, no matter of how grasping or of how generous a spirit he might be.

The Arlington High-School Polo Team has won the High-School Championship in Massachusetts, winning seventeen games out of nineteen played. Aside from these successes in the League matches the Arlington players have met and defeated nearly all the other high-school teams in the vicinity of Boston, and have played two tie games with the Harvard 'Varsity team, and one tie game with the Cambridge League team, which is considered the strongest in the State.

The championship of the Interscholastic Association in the polo series was won by Cambridge High and Latin; but this school's team has been twice defeated by Arlington, so that it seems only just to award to the latter the credit of being the best school polo team in Massachusetts.

A few words only concerning the individual players. Johnson, the captain, played first rush, and is considered one of the cleverest men at this position. He is a very fast skater. He played on the team last year, and is somewhat of an all-round athlete, holding down centre-field on the nine and playing half-back on the eleven. Puffer, the second rush, was captain of the polo team last year, and in the fall he played tackle on the football eleven. His strong point is the accuracy of his shots, and he is credited with having scored the greatest number of goals during this season.

The half-back position was well played by Pierce, who was a new man, but had had some athletic training on the eleven in the fall, where his position was that of guard. Wood also played half-back, and was on the team the year before. He, too, is a member of the school nine and eleven. The goal was looked after by White, and he did as good work in his position as any of the goal-keepers of the neighborhood. It was his first year as a polo-player, but like the other members of the team he has had football and baseball experience. His brother played centre, and is a veteran, having been a member of last year's team, second base on the nine, and quarter-back on the football team.

The hardest games that Arlington has played were those against the Felton A.A., the Harvard 'Varsity, and Summerville High-School. The Felton team was a very strong one, and after two twenty-minute halves defeated Arlington 1-0. Summerville High also got a game away from Arlington, but in the return match was defeated 4-0 in a fifteen-minute half.

The Interscholastic Baseball Championship Cup, which has been played for for seven years, has finally been awarded to the Cambridge High and Latin School, their team having won it the greatest number of times. This cup is of solid silver, nearly nine inches high, in the form of a loving-cup with handles. In design the bowl rests upon a circular wreath of holly, and the bulge of the bowl itself is decorated with wreaths of wild roses.

The first winner of this cup was the Boston Latin School, which secured it in 1889. In 1890 and '91 Cambridge High and Latin held the trophy, but surrendered it in 1892 to English High, getting it back from them again in 1893. In 1894 C. H. and L. was tied with two other teams for the championship. No award was made that year. Then again in 1895 C. H. and L. was tied with Hopkinson's. No school in the seven years' struggle having made so good a record as Cambridge, the cup is consequently now the permanent property of the school.

The principal feature about the two most important in-door scholastic tournaments held in this city within the last two weeks was the promptitude with which the events were disposed of. As a rule, these in-door games drag along until after the dinner hour; but the Berkeley games were over quite early in the afternoon, and the Barnard games, a week later, took little more time to be decided. The credit in both cases is doubtless largely due to Mr. E. J. Wendell, who acted as referee on both occasions.

As usual, the Berkeley athletes did not enter the competition for points in the cup contest, leaving it to their guests to struggle for this trophy. But in spite of this they took more points than any of the other schools, leading with 3 firsts, 1-1/2 seconds, and 1-1/2 thirds, a total of 21 points. Barnard captured the prize with 2 firsts, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds--making a total of 18 points. The Jerseymen from Pingry School made a strong showing on this occasion and scored 2 firsts and 2 seconds, earning 16 points, and thus coming in a close second to Barnard.

One of the most interesting performances of the afternoon was Paulding's vaulting, the height he reached being 10 ft. 6 in., which is two inches higher than the in-door record established by him only a short time ago. We may, indeed, look for some excellent work in this event at the Madison Square Garden games next Saturday. Another record that was broken at the Berkeley games was the shot put, Bigelow going 41 ft., which is considerably beyond the former mark of 39 ft. 8-1/2 in. Tomlinson, who took second to Bigelow, also passed the old record.

Another mark that was lowered was that of the 60-yard dash for Juniors, which now stands 7-1/5 sec., and the deed was done by Whitmore. Manvel of Pingry did well, as usual, but he did particularly well on this occasion by winning both the quarter and the half mile runs. The mile event went to Tomlinson of Barnard, and the walk was taken by Ladd, although Boyesen had been counted on for the winner.

At the Barnard games the record of 7-1/5 sec. for the 60-yard dash (Senior) was lowered by Wenman of Berkeley to 7 sec. Tomlinson, who won the mile run at the Berkeley games, also took first at the Barnard tournament, and brought the record down to 4.49-1/5, which was a much better performance than he made the week previous--5 min. 1-3/5 sec. At these games Pingry again showed up well, and tied with the Brooklyn High-School for first place, each having scored 11 points.

As these last two in-door scholastic games are undoubtedly the most important that will be held in the city this winter, it may prove of value in making some sort of a prognostication of what will happen at the Madison Square Garden next Saturday to append the summaries:

THE BERKELEY GAMES.

60-yard Dash, Senior.--First heat won by Byrd Wenman, Berkeley; H. Cadenas, Columbia Grammar, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Second heat won by C. A. Sulzer, Pingry; B. T. Doudge, Blake School, second. Time, 7 seconds. Third heat won by J. Holland, Barnard; S. Millbank, Trinity, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Fourth heat won by Ira Richards, "Poly. Prep."; W. S. Hipple, Barnard, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Extra heat, for second men, won by H. Cadenas. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Final heat won by Wenman; Sulzer, second; Holland, third. Time, 7 seconds.

60-yard Dash, Junior.--First heat won by W. Silleck, Barnard. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Second heat won by G. Whitmore, Dwight. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Third heat won by J. Lackey, Brooklyn High. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Fourth heat won by J. Deering, Berkeley. Time, 7-3/5 seconds. Fifth heat won by W. Sartorius, Barnard. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Sixth heat won by W. Dougherty, Harvard. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Final heat won by Whitmore; Lackey, second; Sartorius, third. Time, 7-1/5 seconds.

440-yard Run.--Won by H. E. Manvel, Pingry; J. Storms, Barnard, second; B. Campbell, Brooklyn High, third. Time, 55-3/5 seconds.

880-yard Run.--Won by H. E. Manvel, Pingry; A. Tomlinson, Barnard, second; B. White, Berkeley, third. Time, 2 minutes 9-1/5 seconds.

One-mile Run.--Won by A. Tomlinson, Barnard; P. H. Christensen, Harvard, second; R. L. Sanford, "Poly. Prep.," third. Time, 5 minutes 1-3/5 seconds.

60-yard Hurdle-race.--First heat won by F. Bien, Jun., Berkeley; C. Robinson, Trinity, second. Time, 8 seconds. Second heat won by C. A. O'Rourke, Trinity; L. Herrick, Brooklyn High, second. Time, 8 seconds. Third heat won by S. H. Plum, Jun., Newark Academy; E. Johnson, Trinity, second. Time, 8-1/5 seconds. Final heat won by Bien; O'Rourke, second; Herrick, third. Time, 8 seconds.

One-mile Walk.--Won by H. W. Ladd, Melrose; B. Boylesen, Berkeley, second; D. McGrew, Trinity, third. Time, 8 minutes 9-3/5 seconds.

Running High Jump.--Won by G. Serviss, Brooklyn Latin, with 5 feet 7 inches; C. L. Du Val, Berkeley, second, with 5 feet 6 inches; W. Grace, Columbia Grammar, third, with 5 feet 6 inches. Du Val got second place on the toss.

Pole Vault.--Won by R. G. Paulding, Berkeley, with 10 feet 6 inches, beating the in-door scholastic record of 10 feet 4 inches, made by himself earlier in the year; P. A. Moore, Pingry, second, with 9 feet; L. Curtis, Barnard, A. J. Forney, Adelphi, and M. W. Forney, Adelphi, a tie for third at 8 feet 9 inches.

Putting 12-pound Shot.--Won by J. Stewart, Barnard, with 41 feet, breaking the in-door record of 39 feet 8-1/2 inches, made by R. H. Bigelow, Wilson and Kellogg, in 1893; J. C. Tomlinson, Jun., Collegiate, second, with 40 feet 4 inches; M. Page, Trinity, third, with 38 feet 4 inches.

THE BARNARD GAMES.

60-yard Dash, Senior.--First heat won by A. Kennedy, Brooklyn High; M. Arnold, Berkeley, second. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Second heat won by B. Wenman, Berkeley; B. T. Doudge, Blake, second. Time, 7 seconds. Third heat won by J. Holland, Barnard; H. Cadenas, Columbia Grammar, second. Time, 7 seconds. Fourth heat won by S. Millbank, Trinity; A. Manara, Columbia Grammar, second. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Extra trial, for second men, won by Doudge. Time, 7 seconds. Final heat won by Wenman; Holland, second; Doudge, third. Time, 7 seconds.

60-yard Dash, Junior.--First heat won by W. B. Sartorius, Barnard; G. Ralph, Collegiate, second. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Second heat won by H. Leopold, Dwight; J. B. Smith, Collegiate, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Third heat won by F. Wickham, Pratt Institute; A. Meyers, Pingry, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Fourth heat won by V. Dougherty, Harvard; R. Auchincloss, Cutler, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Fifth heat won by C. Warren, Cutler; A. Lackey, Brooklyn High, second. Time, 7-2/5 seconds. Sixth heat won by G. Whitmore, Dwight; E. Bill, Cutler, second. Time, 7-1/5 seconds. Final heat--Whitmore and Wickham, a dead heat; Sartorius, third. Time, 6-4/5 seconds. Run-off won by Whitmore. Time, 7-1/5 seconds.

220-yard Run, Senior.--First heat won by H. Ficke, Barnard; M. D. Evans, Oxford, second. Time, 26-4/5 seconds. Second heat won by Ira Richards, Polytechnic Preparatory Institute; B. Wenman, Berkeley, second. Time, 26-2/5 seconds. Third heat won by E. Pury, Barnard; R. Topping, Adelphi, second. Time, 27 seconds. Final heat won by Richards; Pury, second; Wenman, third. Time, 25-3/5 seconds.

220-yard Run, Junior.--First heat won by W. B. Sartorius, Barnard; J. B. Smith, Collegiate, second. Time, 27 seconds. Second heat won by F. Wickham, Pratt Institute; A. Myers, Pingry, second. Time, 26-2/5 seconds. Third heat won by R. McClave, Trinity; J. Ralph, Collegiate, second. Time, 28-4/5 seconds. Fourth heat won by A. Lackey, Brooklyn High; V. Dougherty, Harvard, second. Time, 27 seconds. Final heat won by Wickham; Lackey, second; Myers, third. Time, 25-3/5 seconds.

440-yard Run.--Won by H. E. Manvel, Pingry; G. Burlingame, Brooklyn High, second; V. Earle, Barnard, third. Time, 56-1/5 seconds.

880-yard Run.--Won by H. E. Manvel, Pingry; A. Tomlinson, Barnard, second; J. Beasly, Adelphi, third. Time, 2 minutes 9-3/5 seconds.

One-mile Run.--Won by A. Tomlinson, Barnard; P. H. Christensen, Harvard, second; R. L. Sanford, Polytechnic Preparatory Institute, third. Time, 4 minutes 49-1/5 seconds.

60-yard Hurdle-race.--First heat won by L. Herrick, Brooklyn High; W. Halsey, Barnard, second. Time, 8 seconds. Second heat won by T. Pell, Berkeley; S. H. Plum, Newark Academy, second. Time, 8 seconds. Third heat won by C. O'Rourke, Trinity; G. Smith, Columbia Grammar, second. Time, 8-1/5 seconds. Extra heat, for second men, won by Halsey. Time, 8-1/5 seconds. Final heat won by Herrick; Pell, second; O'Rourke, third. Time, 7-4/5 seconds.

Running High Jump.--Won by W. Grace, Columbia Grammar, with a jump of 5 feet 2-1/4 inches; W. Duvan, Newark Academy, second, with a jump of 5 feet 2 inches; L. Curtiss, Barnard, third, with a jump of 5 feet 1 inch.

Pole Vault.--Won by R. G. Paulding, Berkeley, with a vault of 10 feet; C. Eastmond, Brooklyn High, second, with a vault of 9 feet 2 inches.

Putting 12-pound Shot--Won by J. Stewart, Barnard, with a put of 41 feet 11-1/2 inches; John Tomlinson, Collegiate, second, with a put of 38 feet 4 inches; G. Miller, De La Salle, third, with a put of 37 feet 7 inches.

For some time past the athletes at the public schools of this city have felt that they could make a good showing in various branches of sport if they only had the opportunity, but as the Interscholastic Association admits to its competitions students from private schools only, the public-school boys have never been able to meet them. It is reported now, however, that a meeting is soon to be held by representatives from a large number of the New York public schools, with a view to establishing an association similar to the Interscholastic Association.

It is greatly to be hoped that this movement may prove a success, and that the public schools will hold tournaments, as the private schools do; and in baseball and football it would be well if, toward the close of the season, the best teams of the two leagues could meet and settle the supremacy of New York schoolboy teams.

A meeting of the executive committee of the National I.S.A.A. is announced for next Saturday evening at the Knickerbocker Athletic Club.

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THE GRADUATE.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

GOOD MANNERS.

The average young man scoffs a little at a chap who is noticeable for his good manners. Many a healthy boy thinks a certain roughness in speech or manner is a sign of vigor and manliness in contrast to the weak and womanly ways of one who is always bowing and scraping to the people whom he meets. There could not be a greater mistake; because, while an over-display of politeness is a sign of hypocrisy, natural courtesy will never permit boy or man to behave in any way except in the thoughtful, quiet, refined way which belongs to good manners. A rough, honest chap is better than a slippery, well-mannered, dishonest one, to be sure. That perhaps is the reason for so much of this deliberately rough way some of us adopt. But this does not prove that courteous behavior is wrong or to be avoided. It means that courteous behavior is sometimes used as a cloak for other motives.

There is no reason, therefore, why the average young man in school or college or business, in his daily occupation, or when he comes in contact with women or men, girls or boys, should not make it a point to be reserved, self-contained, tolerant, and observant of the little rules which every one knows by heart, and which go to make his company and companionship valuable to others. It is the same in his contact with men as with women. A systematic method of observing ordinary rules in such cases invariably has its effect. For example, you will see many a boy in some discussion among his friends talking all the time, demanding the attention of others, insisting on his views, losing his temper over a game of marbles and declining to play longer, or making himself conspicuous in a hundred other ways. He may be a very good chap, full of push and vigor, and so sure of his own views that in his heart he cannot conceive of any other person really having a different view of the subject. That is an estimable character for a healthy boy to have. Confidence in one's own ideas often carries one over many a bad place. But the fact that the boy has such a character and his disagreeable way of forcing it upon you are two entirely different things; and the difference of being confident and disagreeable and confident and agreeable is the difference between good and bad manners.

Besides, this aggressive confidence never has the weight that quiet belief in one's ideas has. It is a very familiar incident in the course of business men's meetings and of boys' meetings for one to propose something, the others to agree to it, and then for one quiet man to express his contrary views, and bring the assembled company over to the opposite side of the question. This reversal of opinion is caused by the fact that one man, who has been reserved until all the others have finished, has now by the force of his quiet confidence turned the whole tide the other way. Such quiet methods are real portions of good manners, and they act far more strongly than aggressiveness. The old proverb advising you to count ten before doing something on the spur of the moment is meant to prove the same point.

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

E. L. SMITH, 64 Sparks St., Cambridge, Mass., wishes to exchange stamps.

W. A. WHEELER.--I never heard of a "Walkers Penny Post." If it is on the original letter or envelope, I should like to see it.

R. BOWERS.--The stamp _Cerrado y Sellado_ is a Mexican "officially sealed" stamp. These are, properly speaking, labels, not stamps, and consequently are no longer catalogued.

W. M. FOORD.--As the Olympian stamps are still in use they are worth face value only, if unused. Used they are very common.

J. KRANZ.--All the leading dealers in New York sell stamps by auction at irregular intervals throughout the season. Catalogues are sent free on application.

H. BUNKER.--Entire envelopes are collected by comparatively few compared with those who collect stamps. Envelopes can be bought for one-quarter, or in some instances one-tenth, the price which adhesive stamps of equal rarity would command.

F. X. STAHN.--Nova Scotia stamps are not being bought up by speculators. The fact is, no one knows how many were sold by the government to the syndicate now controlling the same. One set should satisfy you under these circumstances.

A. LOBENTHAL.--Join your local stamp society, if there is one. If not, then join the American Philatelic Association.

A. HOWARD.--Inverted centres on U.S. stamps are extremely rare. The price quoted by you is very reasonable if the stamp is in good condition.

A. SENG.--The Canadian new issue has not been definitely announced.

A. THALMAN.--Philatelic literature is a feature in a few public libraries. Pittsburg set the example in this respect. It will pay you as an active collector to take the three periodicals mentioned.

J. J. BRIGGS.--Age does not determine the value of coins. It is altogether a question of supply and demand. If dealers have ten copies of a scarce coin and twenty collectors want them, the price will go up. If, on the other hand, there is little or no demand the prices will go down. As to U.S. coins in general I would say that the supply in the hands of the dealers is equal to any prospective demand. The immense quantity of old U.S. coins in the hands of the public will not command a premium. Coin-collecting to-day is very much what stamp-collecting was twenty years ago--that is to say, the speculative element is lacking.

W. SMITHSON.--Collect Seebecks all you want. No society or association can prevent you. The stamps are pretty in themselves, and they have undoubtedly been used for postal purposes.

G. H. DAVIS.--I never heard of the stamps issued by the "Stamp-Saving Society." They are interesting as curiosities.

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This Department is conducted in the interest of Amateur Photographers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Camera Club Department.

LANTERN SLIDES.

So many of our new members have written asking how lantern slides are made, and what is required for an outfit, that we publish another paper on the subject.

Most young amateurs have an idea that it requires a great deal of skill to make lantern slides, but any one who can make a good negative can soon learn how to make a good lantern slide. The simplest way is by contact-printing. Select a negative free from spots, scratches, or pinholes. It must have fine detail in the shadows, and no harsh contrasts of light and shade. The regulation size of a lantern slide is 3-1/2 by 4, so choose a negative which will still make a good picture if all but the portion included in these dimensions is blocked out. Cover the part of the negative which is to be blocked out with needle-paper, or paint it with non-actinic paint, applying it to the glass side of the negative. The negative is placed in a printing-frame, and then by a red light, the slide is placed over the part to be printed from, the film side toward the negative.

If one has a lantern the light of which is suitable for printing lantern slides, cover the negative, open the door of the lantern, and then holding the printing-frame about fifteen inches from the light, expose from five to twenty seconds, according to the density of the plate. A plate that prints quickly will need but five or eight seconds, but a denser plate will require a much longer exposure, often as long as thirty seconds. Cover the plate as soon as it is printed, close the lantern, remove the slide from the frame, and place it face up in the developing-tray. Turn the developer over it quickly, taking care that the whole surface of the plate is covered immediately. Any developer that makes good negatives will make good lantern slides. A weak developer is to be preferred to one which brings out the image quickly. Develop till the detail is well out, wash and fix same as a negative.

As every imperfection in a plate is magnified many times when thrown on the screen, great care must be taken in the developing, fixing, washing, and drying. When the slides are washed enough, take a piece of clean surgeon's cotton and wash the film very gently, then place to dry where no dust will settle on the surface.

If there are any spots on the plate after washing and before drying, they may be removed with ferricyanide of potassium in solution. Tie a small piece of surgeon's cotton to the end of a glass rod, dip it into the solution, and touch the spot very lightly. Rinse the plate at once, and if the spot has not entirely disappeared, repeat the operation. The ferricyanide works very quickly, and must be rinsed off as soon as applied.

Negatives which are too large for contact-printing are made into lantern slides by the process known as reduction, directions for which will be given again if requested.

The making of lantern slides is one of the most fascinating branches of photography, and the work is specially appropriate for winter, both in making the slides and showing them with the lantern.

S. F. MACQUAIDE, 46 Mechlin St., Germantown, Pa., says that she has a number of 4-by-5 views which she would like to sell. If any of the Camera Club wish to purchase, a letter sent to address given will bring list of subjects and price of same. Our correspondent also wishes to buy a second-hand No. 2 Bull's-Eye camera.

B. COVER, 713 Avenue W, Ashland, Wis., has a 5-by-8 Anthony view camera, with three double plate-holders, which he will sell cheap, or exchange for a 4-by-5 camera.

WILLIAM O. WICKMAN, Great Barrington, Mass., wishes to purchase a picture of the White House, Washington, D.C. Would like either 4 by 5 or 5 by 8.

JOHN G. VOLKES, 324-1/2 Eighth St., New York city, would like to correspond with members of the Camera Club on photographic subjects.

CLAUDE A. WOLFE, 1701 Diamond St., Philadelphia, would like to exchange a print of the State Capitol building of Tennessee for one of the Capitol buildings of New York, Massachusetts, and Maine; he also asks if any member has a good view camera which he wishes to sell, or exchange for a bicycle and a 5-by-7 Premo camera with five plate-holders.

B. A. PORTER, 212 Tulip Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., has views of Strong, Me., and of Brooklyn and New York, which he would like to exchange for views of other localities. Our correspondent asks those members sending prints to use an extra fixing-bath in toning the prints, as he is making a collection, and many of the prints fade after a while. For those who do not care to exchange, and who would like good views of the places named, he will sell unmounted views for 10c. each.

DUDLEY GREGG, Hogsett Military Academy, Danville, Ky., asks if any member of the Camera Club has a pocket-kodak which he would like to sell.

WILLIAM S. JOHNSON asks what is sel d'or; a good formula for mounting-paste; a formula for metol developer; if hydrochloric and muriatic acids are the same; and where rubber finger-tips may be purchased. Sel d'or is a salt of perchloride of gold and hyposulphite of soda. Starch paste made by mixing with cold water and then boiling until of the proper consistency makes an excellent paste for mounting photographs. It will not keep, but must be made fresh when wanted. A good formula for metol developer is: Metol, 30 grs.; sodium sulphite crystals, 180 grs.; carbonate of potassium, 90 grs.; and water, 4 oz. Hydrochloric and muriatic acid are the same. Dealers in photographic supplies sell rubber finger-tips. Three finger-tips cost 15c.

R. B. T. asks if there is any remedy for a negative which is under-developed after it is fixed. It can be intensified--in other words, redeveloped. See directions for intensifying in No. 824, August 13, 1895. If you have not this number, it will be mailed you from this office on receipt of 5c.

FREDERICK S. COLLINS asks if solio toning solution can be used for toning albumen and aristo prints; and what makes a thin negative. The solio toning-bath can be used for aristo, but is not suitable for albumen paper. A thin negative may be the result of over-exposure, under-exposure, or under-development. Over-exposure makes the negative a uniform color and lacking in contrast. Under-exposure gives strong high lights and no detail in the shadows. Under-development gives good detail, but the negative is too weak to make a good print. Such a negative can be redeveloped or intensified. See answer given to R. B. T.

L. K. asks where to get the magazine _American Amateur Photographer_. The address of the publishers is 239-241 Fifth Avenue, New York city. The price of the magazine is $1 per year.

HENRY READ wishes a remedy for keeping the film from looking as if it were crackled; also how to make dry-plates. The tray should be rocked during the development of the film. The crackled appearance will then be avoided. Do not try to make dry-plates. The operation is too long, and the plates can be bought much cheaper than they can be made at home, besides being always reliable.

The stores which keep the best that's made Secure the highest class of trade; The shoppers who are shrewd and wise Select such stores to patronize; And stores and shoppers all attest Pure Ivory Soap is far the best.

Copyright 1896, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti.

Royal in their beauty, strength and speed. They are leaders in every sense of the word. $100 to everyone. Tandems, $150.

* * * * *

Middletown Cycles, $60, $50, $40.

CATALOGUES FREE.

WORCESTER CYCLE MFG. CO.

17 Murray Street, New York.

Factories: Middletown, Conn.; Worcester, Mass.

Few bicycles selling for $100 have better quality or more elegant finish and equipment. Guaranteed for one year.

SEND FOR CATALOGUE.

The CRAWFORD MFG. CO., Hagerstown, Md.

NEW YORK, BALTIMORE, ST. LOUIS.

EARN A GOLD WATCH!

We wish to introduce our =Teas and Baking Powder=. Sell 50 lbs. to earn a =Waltham Gold Watch and Chain=; 25 lbs. for a =Silver Watch and Chain=; 10 lbs. for a =Gold Ring=; 50 lbs. for a =Decorated Dinner Set=; 75 lbs. for a =Bicycle=. Write for a Catalog and Order Blank to Dept. I

W. G. BAKER,

Springfield Mass.

Right Prices

You can pay more money for a bicycle, but you cannot secure a machine of higher grade than the Crescent, or one that will please you better. $75, $50, $40.

Crescents are the most popular bicycles made--70,000 Crescents sold in 1896.

Crescents for everybody--men and women, youths and misses, boys and girls. Light, strong tandems.

WESTERN WHEEL WORKS

CHICAGO NEW YORK

Catalogue free. Agents everywhere.

HOOPING

COUGH

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The celebrated and effectual English cure, without internal medicine. W. EDWARD & SON, Props., London, Eng. =All Druggists.=

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"Hold their place in the front rank of the publications to which they belong."

HARPER'S

PERIODICALS

MAGAZINE, $4.00 a Year WEEKLY, $4.00 a Year BAZAR, $4.00 a Year ROUND TABLE, $2.00 a Year

CARDS

=FOR 1897. 50 Sample Styles= AND LIST OF 400 PREMIUM ARTICLES FREE. HAVERFIELD PUB CO., CADIZ, OHIO

Florida Pines and Pickaninnies.

Pines are the principal trees of this part of Florida, though gnarled and mossy oaks are common. A glimpse of a sunset or the glow of a forest fire behind a group of these trees outlined against the sky forms many a beautiful picture. The pines are very picturesque too, they stand so tall, and the gray Florida moss hangs from their branches like draped garments.

A picturesque feature of the Florida woods is the numerous negro cabins made of logs. All have the same kind of mud and stick chimneys, built hardly up to the peak of the hut, so that when the thick black smoke, perhaps full of sparks, comes out of the mouth of the chimney, it curls against the under part of the projecting shingles, and then passes away. It is certainly very curious that the huts do not burn down, but it is a fact that they rarely do.

The cabins are very dirty, and passing one, you may see from two to perhaps five negro "pickaninnies" laying in the sand with a pig or two sometimes. The pigs here are commonly termed "razor-backs," because they are so small and thin that their backbones seem almost to prick through their skin. This county is named Alachua (the ch is pronounced as k), meaning in the Seminole Indian tongue "big jug," because there is a sink in an open space that is called Paine's Prairie when it is dry, and Kanapaha Lake when it is changed--after a heavy rain--into a sheet of water. The sink is so deep that no one has ever discovered the bottom.

The names of some of the places in Florida, and the flint arrow-heads which are frequently found, are all the traces that are left here of the Seminole Indians who once owned the land. Down by the coast, about fifty miles west from here, are found mounds of sand and oyster-shells, which, when dug into, reveal skeletons of Indians, and Spaniards who were killed. There is a place south of here which is historic. A great many soldiers were killed there by the Indians when asleep and off their guard. The Seminoles have been driven down into the "Everglades" of South Florida, a great swamp into the heart of which no white man has ever penetrated. Here the Indians stay, never daring to venture out to massacre in their old way, for there is no use in trying to do that now. Palmettoes grow in great abundance here. Sinks are very numerous, and so are natural wells.

There is a place called Waldo in Florida, where there is a swamp in which cedar-trees grow, and a lake in which alligators live in great numbers, and on the banks of which beautiful wild-flowers grow. The alligators lay their eggs in straw on the land, go back to the water, and visit the eggs from time to time until they hatch. Then the parents lead their young to the water, where they live. These alligators are caught for their handsome skins, of which many things are made.

ELSIE VERMILYE SMITH (aged 12). ARREDONDA, FLORIDA.

Accompanying this most interesting letter is a wash-drawing of a negro cabin, with the too-short chimney, and the pig and pickaninnies in the foreground. It is a clever drawing. The TABLE is glad to print descriptive letters like this one, because everybody likes to read these interesting insights into peculiar features of other parts of the country. Will other readers send the TABLE equally good morsels?

* * * * *

It Went to Paradise Valley.

There are always hurry and confusion at the end of every session of Congress, and these are multiplied severalfold, if that be possible, when the Congress dies, by Constitutional limit, with the expiration of a President's term. In these busy hours droll things sometimes happen and witty things are said. In the Congress just expired--the extra session just called by President McKinley is of the new and not of the Congress that sat during the winter--an incident occurred that illustrates how great things often come about from small causes--a slight turn in the tide of their fortune at the right time.

A railroad company wanted a right of way through a forest reserve in the West. Senator Vest, of Missouri, opposed the grant for the reason that in the dry summer seasons forest fires would be kindled by the locomotives. The time was limited, and many important measures were to come up. A Senator sitting near the famous Missourian whispered something.

"Time presses," remarked Senator Vest, "and I am just informed that this road leads to 'Paradise Valley.' If the road helps anybody to get to Paradise, why, let it go through."

And it went.

* * * * *

How the Prisoner Escaped.

H. D. Dantzler, St. Matthews, S. C., and several other readers, ask about the solution of the "prisoner puzzle." A prisoner was offered his liberty if, by starting at the warden's office, he could enter each of the thirty-six cells once, and only once, double on his route, and arrive at the office again.

Here is his route.

* * * * *

Programme for April-fool Day.

The TABLE is asked: "Can some one through your columns suggest some entertainment for a young people's party to be given on April-fool day? Something appropriate for the day is wanted.

"I. S."

If any reader will favor us, we will mail direct to this inquirer, since the time is growing short, and print for the benefit of other readers in future years.

* * * * *

The Sign in the "Sail" Puzzle.

"I hope you will not think me very stupid, but even with the answer I cannot read the sign of the boat-house in the puzzle. Will you kindly explain through your columns now to read it?"

The preceding, either in these words or others of the same meaning, came to us from several readers. The first word is read by taking not the letters on the sign, but the succeeding one in the alphabet, as "b" for "a," "e" for "d," and so on. The second word is read by taking the preceding letter in each case, as "l" for "m," etc. The remaining words are read by taking the letters in reverse alphabetical order. For example, the fourth word on the sign begins with "x," which is the third letter, reading backwards, or from the end of the alphabet. For it read "c," and so on.

* * * * *

In that Fifteen Problem.

The way to place the figures one to nine on a "tic, tac, toe" diagram so that in eight ways the sum of the three figures will be fifteen is: Reading from left to right, the top line, 4, 3, 8; the second line, 9, 5, 1; and the lower line, 2, 7, 6.

* * * * *

Thirty Cents and Five Cents per Dozen.

Frank Smith figures out that A, B, and C sold eggs at the following prices. Did you get answers agreeing with his?

A sold 9 doz. at 30 cts., and 1 doz. at 5 cts. = $2.75 B sold 5 doz. at 30 cts., and 25 doz. at 5 cts. = 2.75 C sold 1 doz. at 30 cts., and 49 doz. at 5 cts. = 2.75

* * * * *

Questions and Answers.

"B. H. S." asks: "To whom is application made in order to get a position in any of the large railroad offices? I have heard that in order to get a position in any of the New York Central offices certain examinations had to be taken." The railroad you name examines applicants for positions in the auditors' and all departments where good penmanship and accuracy in figures are required, but it does not examine applicants for positions in other departments. But it has no regular examining-board. Nor do railways of the country have, as far as we know, such boards for applicants to apply to. If one desires to get into the telegraph service of a railway, he applies to the superintendent, or in some cases to the chief operator or train-despatcher. Any local telegraph operator can give the name of the proper official on his road. For positions in auditors' and other accounting offices applications are made to those officials. For places on trains apply to the superintendent, and on locomotives to the master-mechanic. As a rule the best course is to get acquainted with some employé, and through him make the application.

J. B. Coles asks how to get into West Point. Old readers must bear with us when we answer again this much-answered query to say: Apply to your member of Congress. The appointment is made by him, and by him only, save in the case of a very few appointments made by the President of the United States, which appointments are usually reserved for sons of army officers, who have, as a rule, no legal residence and, therefore, no member of Congress to apply to. The same course is to be followed to get an appointment to Annapolis. If you prefer, you can write, merely for information about vacancy and conditions, to the Secretary of War or Secretary of the Navy. Address your communication as here named, and add, Washington, D. C. Make the request plain and brief, and you will receive a reply in good time. Don't hesitate to write to these officials. They are public servants, and are always ready to answer such proper inquiries. Only one cadet from each district can be at West Point and at Annapolis, respectively, at a time.

Ralph Leach: Address G. A. Hentey, in care of _Boys' Own Paper_, Paternoster Row, London, and Kirk Munroe, in care of this publication.--Minnie Louise Naething asks what a "parchment eater" is. We give it up--because our reference-books, like hers, are silent on the subject. Can some one enlighten us?--"Cape Vincent" asks us some questions, and desires answers by mail. We are always glad to oblige our readers, but our purpose in answering questions is to give information to all. Why not have answers published?

Robert H. Nead asks for information about the "Mad Yankee," which occurred in one of the recent puzzle questions. We discarded "Mad" Anthony Wayne because he was not a Yankee. Robert retorts that Elisha Kent Kane was born in Philadelphia. The question was, in effect, what public man went by the nickname "Mad Yankee"? The answer was Kane. Whether the nickname was or was not correctly applied we cannot say. Nor is it material. Wayne could not be accepted, for he was not the bearer of that nickname, and our conditions included nicknames in the list of questions.

Louise A. Littlepage, who lives in Colon, Guatemala, sends us a poem of six verses on "The Noble Boy." The TABLE rarely prints poems--for obvious reasons. Louise says, "If the TABLE wishes, I will send some more verses." Will she not tell us in plain prose not about noble boys, because such are not rare with us, but about Guatemala--the school she attends, the interesting sights of the city she lives in, what time blackberries are ripe, if she have such fruit, the flowers that bloom in Colon in March, what the people of Colon think of the new republic of which Guatemala is now a part? Does Colon have cable cars? Has she ever been out in the country on a visit to a country house? If so, what was it like, how furnished, and what did the housewife have for dinner? Noble boys are noble boys the world over. But Guatemala is different from Georgia, Maine, or Dakota. Please describe for us some of these interesting differences.--A member: Wood-engravers' tools are for sale only by a few first-class dealers in hardware. They are purchased in the rough, and have to be finished and put in condition by the engraver. A set of tools, including leather-pad and magnifying-glass, suitable for a beginner would cost about ten dollars.

THE LUXURY OF SOAP.

Dr. Nansen is not a man whose happiness depends much on the possession of luxuries, but there was at least one luxury which he confesses that he missed during his long tramp with Lieutenant Johansen after they left the _Fram_. The winter they spent in a hut passed comfortably, he says, and if they had had a little flour, a little sugar, and a few books they could have lived like lords. They did not complain at the absence of these things, however, but one thing they did long for was soap. "It was difficult enough," Dr. Nansen writes, "to get one's person clean, but that we managed to a certain extent by rubbing in bear's blood and fat, and then rubbing this off with moss." But this process was inapplicable to clothes, and they were very desirous of washing their under-clothes before beginning their spring journey. "After trying every other possible way, we found, to our despair, no better expedient than to boil them as best we could and then scrape them with a knife. In this way we got so much off of them that they did to travel with, though the thought of putting on clean clothes when we once got back to Norway was always in our minds as the greatest enjoyment that life could bestow."

An analogy is traceable between this pleasure of anticipation and the glee of Dan Troop, as described in Kipling's _Captains Courageous_, at the prospect of getting back to Gloucester after five months on the Banks and sleeping in a clean boiled night-shirt.

There is a picture in _Farthest North_ of Nansen at the end of his long ice journey, and still in the soapless state, meeting Captain Brown of the _Windward_, who brought him home.

* * * * *

A RESTLESS BOY'S REASON.

"I'm going to be a minister," said Tommie, forcibly.

"Why, Tommie dear?" asked his father.

"So's I can talk in church," said Tommie.

Postage Stamps, &c.

60 dif. U.S. $1, 100 dif. Foreign 8c., 125 dif. Canadian, Natal, etc. 25c., 150 dif. Cape Verde, O. F. States, etc. 50c. Agents wanted. 50 p.c. com. List free. =F. W. Miller, 904 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo.=

=STAMPS!= 300 genuine mixed Victoria, Cape, India, Japan, Etc., with Stamp Album, only 10c. New 96-page price-list FREE. Approval Sheets, 50% com. Agents Wanted. We buy old U.S. & Conf. Stamps & Collections. =STANDARD STAMP CO., St. Louis, Mo., Established 1885.=

=ALBUM AND LIST FREE!= Also 100 all diff. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only 10c. Agts. wanted at 50% Com. =C. A. Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliant Ave., St. Louis, Mo.

STAMPS

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Mixed, Australian, etc., 10c.; =105 var.= Zululand, etc., and album, 10c.; 12 Africa, 10c.; 15 Asia, 10c. Bargain list free. F. P. VINCENT, Chatham, N.Y.

=FREE!= Sample P'k (250) Stamp Hinges with New Stamp List. DOVER & CO., St. Louis, Mo.

=CONFEDERATE STAMPS=, reprints, 100, all dif., 12c. S. ALLAN TAYLOR, 24 Congress St., Boston.

=155 VARIETIES!= some unused, =12c.= 25 No. Amer., 10c. Sheets =50%= com. HARRY S. LEE, MATTAPAN, MASS.

Nansen's Great Book--"Farthest North"

Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship _Fram_ (1893-1896), and of a Fifteen Months' Sleigh Expedition by Dr. NANSEN and Lieut. JOHANSEN. By Dr. FRIDTJOF NANSEN. With an Appendix by OTTO SVERDRUP, Captain of the _Fram_. With over 100 Full-page and Numerous Text Illustrations, Sixteen Colored Plates in Facsimile from Dr. NANSEN's own Water-Color, Pastel, and Pencil Sketches, an Etched Portrait, Two Photogravures, and Four Maps. About 1300 pages, 2 Volumes, Large 8vo, Gilt Tops and Uncut Edges, $10.00.

PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK

It was at Vicksburg during the war. A company were out on a foraging expedition, when one of the privates, in nosing around the out-houses of a farm, ran across a barrel of prime cider. Now, as the private expressed it, a barrel of prime cider was not to be sneezed at, and with the help of an aged darky he carried it after nightfall into the camp. The next day he went to work rigging up a little counter, and before noon was ready to dispense the refreshing beverage at the small sum of ten cents a cup, according to the rudely scrawled sign outside the tent flap.

Now liquid refreshment was scarce, and with a luxury like cider to soothe the palate it was but a short while before the front of that tent resembled the entrance to a circus. Business was brisk, exceedingly brisk, and the private's arms ached in passing out the cups of cider. His little till was rapidly filling up with coin, when there was a perceptible dwindling in his customers.

The change was alarming, and he looked around for the cause. A loud noise in the rear of his tent attracted his attention, and warily closing up his shop, he walked around. A large crowd had gathered, and after a great deal of struggling he managed to see that another barrel of cider had reached the camp, for in the midst of the crowd he could hear a man shouting, "Here ye are--cider five cents a glass!"

He hastened around to his tent and changed the sign from ten cents to three cents a glass. In a short time the crowd discovered the change, and his business boomed. Then his competitor could be heard shouting, "Here ye are--cider for nothing!"

That settled it: he closed up his tent flap, and went around to see what sort of a man gave cider away. This time he was able to get near, and found, to his astonishment, that his competitor had driven a spigot into the other end of his own barrel, which he had placed so carefully in the rear of the tent.

* * * * *

According to the New York _Press_, when John C. Reid was managing editor of the _Times_ he had an office-boy whose nerve and cheek were colossal. Greatness never embarrassed him, for he was no respecter of persons. One day he entertained in the reception-room a waiting visitor, whose patronizing way nettled him. All kinds of questions concerning his life and occupation were fired at him, and finally he was asked how much he earned a week. His reply was, "Fifty dollars," which caused the interrogator to whistle. At that moment the visitor was summoned by Reid, to whom he related his experience with an office-boy who said he made fifty dollars a week.

Reid rang bell; enter boy.

"Did you tell this gentleman that you made fifty dollars a week here?"

"I did not tell him any such thing."

"What! You mean to say you didn't tell me a moment or two ago that you made fifty dollars a week?"

"Never said any such thing."

"Why, you little liar! You--"

"What did you tell the gentleman?" put in Reid.

"I told him I earned fifty dollars a week; but you pay me only three dollars."

The visitor was so excited that he forgot his business with the managing editor. When he had taken leave of the office Reid raised the boy's salary to six dollars.

* * * * *

The late Jay Gould used to tell a good story of Mr. William M. Travers. As Mr. Gould related it, he described Mr. Travers's going downtown to a dog-fancier's place in Water Street, New York, in search of a rat-terrier. The dog-fancier scented the value of his possible customer at once, and cheerfully dilated upon the merits of the different canines in stock. Finally, he selected a ratter, assuring Mr. Travers that the dog would go for a rat quicker than lightning. Mr. Travers was rather sceptical as he observed the shivering pup, and the dog-fancier noticing this, said,

"Here, I'll show you how he'll go for a rat," and he put the dog in a box with a big rat. The rat made a dive and laid out that unfortunate terrier in a second. Mr. Travers turned around to the fancier and said,

"I say, Johnny, what will you take for the rat?"

* * * * *

An Oakland, California, bootblack deserves special mention as an honest man who would not deceive his patrons. When he first went into business, six years ago, he put up a sign which read:

"Joe Garibaldi, bootblack. Has two small children."

Each succeeding year found him deserving of more sympathy, for he kept amending the sign, until it read eight small children. A few days ago Joe's bootblack stand was locked for a whole day, and when he returned the next morning, he confided to the butcher's boy that his baby had died. His first work was to amend the sign so that it might not mislead the public, and it then read: "Joe Garibaldi, bootblack. Has seven small children." Then, to avoid being placed in a false position before the public, he added with his finger and shoe-blacking, "One he die."

* * * * *

Senator Voorhees relates a story of emotional eloquence which came to an ignominious end, as _Current Literature_ tells it. He had succeeded in delivering an appeal which had brought tears to the eyes of several jurymen. Then arose the prosecuting attorney, a gruff old man with a piping voice and nasal twang.

"Gentlemen," said he, deliberately helping himself to a pinch of snuff, "you might as well understand from the beginning that I am not boring for water."

This proved so effectual a wet blanket to the emotions excited by Mr. Voorhees that he realized the futility of his own "boring."

* * * * *

"Oh, your song is most annoying, And unless you take it back," Said the Doctor, "I will fire." But the Duck still shouted: "Quack!

"Of your powder and your shot, sir, I am not the least afraid: So long as pills and potions You don't summon to your aid."

End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Round Table, March 23, 1897, by Various