Part 5

till no_t_ hig_h_ e_n_ough to reach his dea_r_ home, o t_h_e nau_g_h_t_y sta_r_, s_o_r_r_owi_n_g, fad_e_d a_n_d d_i_ed. ma_l_l _s_tars in the future s_h_ould no_t_ try to roam; u_s_pen_d_ed above, th_e__y_ s_h_ould be _s_atisfied.

The letters replacing stars are italics, and they will be found to make the following names:

PROLOGUE.--First line, _e_ _a_ _e_ _r_ _g_ _i_; this, transposed, will give the word Egeria, a primary planet. Second line, _a_ _r_ _t_ _h_ _e_ _r_ _e_ _n_ _i_ _e_ makes Irene and Earth, two planets. Third line, _n_ _u_ _a_ _o_ _n_ _t_ _l_ _i_, Lunation, applied to a movement of the moon. Fourth line, _e_ _a_ _s_ _s_ _d_ _p_ _i_, Apsides, also relating to movements of the moon.

FIRST VERSE.--First line, _n_ _u_ _n_ _a_ _l_ _a_ _r_ gives Annular, when the sun is totally obscured except a bright ring around a dark body in the centre (Mattison's _Primary Astronomy_, p. 118). Second, third, and fourth lines, _c_ _e_ _a_ _r_ _y_ _h_ _e_ _s_ _g_ _k_ _e_ _m_ _a_ _r_ _n_ _s_ _c_ _e_ _e_, Ceres, Hygea, and Mars, planets; and Encke, an astronomer who discovered an apparently oval comet (Mattison, p. 143).

SECOND VERSE.--First line, _m_ _b_ _r_ _u_ _a_ gives Umbra, a part of the moon. Second line, _t_ _t_ _a_ _o_ _l_, Total, one form of eclipse. Third and fourth lines, _o_ _e_ _e_ _m_ _r_ _o_ _e_ _g_ _i_ _a_ _r_ _l_ _l_, Galileo, who invented the telescope, and Roemer, a distinguished foreign astronomer.

THIRD VERSE.--First line, _a_ _l_ _e_ _d_ _e_ _p_ _i_ _s_, Pleiades, a cluster of stars. Second line, _l_ _l_ _s_ _e_ _a_ _l_ _s_, Lassell, who discovered a satellite of Neptune (Mattison, p. 130). Third and fourth lines, _m_ _r_ _a_ _d_ _i_ _b_ _r_ _s_ _t_ _v_ _i_ _o_ _r_ _e_ _s_ _a_ _l_ _l_ _o_ _e_ _s_, Variable, a term applied to stars which move in unexpected directions; Lord Ross, a titled astronomer; and Metis, a planet.

FOURTH VERSE.--First line, _t_ _h_ _n_ _o_ _r_, Thorn, Prussia, the birth-place of Copernicus (Mattison, p. 10). Second and third lines, _h_ _g_ _t_ _r_ _o_ _r_ _n_ _e_ _n_ _i_ _l_ _s_ _h_ _t_, Northern Lights. Fourth line, _s_ _d_ _e_ _y_ _h_ _a_, Hyades, a cluster of stars.

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LETTER SEQUENCES.

BY G. B. BARTLETT.

This little game consists in preparing a sentence or story in which the letters of the alphabet are used in regular order.

When several persons are engaged upon it at the same time, the game may be played in two ways. A certain amount of time may be allowed, and the one who has the most complete and connected story being the winner. It very often happens, however, when this plan is pursued that some one with a special talent for remembering words will win every time. It may be better, therefore, to have all the story when completed placed in a hat or some other receptacle. Then let them be drawn out one by one and read, the authorship remaining unknown.

When all have been read, a ballot is taken to decide upon their merits, and the author of the one which receives the most votes is declared the winner of the prize.

Of course these stories are not expected to be sensible, as a great part of the fun consists rather in their absurdity. Ex may always be used in place of X.

SPECIMEN STORY.--A braying, careless donkey eats green hay in June's kind, lovely month. No opening posy quaintly roared, "Spare thou us, vain warbler!" Excuse yours, zealously.

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End of Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, June 20, 1882, by Various