Part 4

The person whose portrait is to be taken must sit so that his shadow is thrown upon a sheet of cardboard or thick white paper placed against the wall. To obtain a sharp outline there should be a fixed distance between the lamp, wall, and sitter, which can easily be found by experiment. The sitter must keep perfectly still while the outline of the shadow is quickly traced upon the paper. A tumbler or roll of paper may be placed between the head of the sitter and the wall, to aid in holding the head quiet. The tracing is then cut out with a pair of scissors or a sharp penknife, and placed upon a dark cloth or paper. This is a very pleasing amusement for a cold winter’s evening, and the results are often profile likenesses not only very striking but often wonderfully accurate.

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HOW TO BREAK A STRING.

No boy feels himself perfectly at home if he has not one pocket at least full of strings, and a good sharp jackknife at his command. Although the jackknife often gets lost, the string is usually at hand, and most boys will probably be glad to learn how a good strong cord can be broken without injury to the hands. Take the cord and pass it around the left hand, as shown in Fig. A, so as to form a cross or double loop over the palm. One end is then wound round the fingers, and the other seized in the right hand. Then, by closing both hands, and giving a very sharp, quick pull, the string will be broken at the cross in the left hand.

For those boys living in the country who have a musical turn, but have never seen this little instrument, I write the following description of

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A CORN-STALK FIDDLE.

Find a good straight corn-stalk, and with your jackknife cut four slits from joint to joint, as seen in the upper figure. Then from a bit of wood cut a bridge, as shown just below. With the point of the knife lift the three strings and insert the bridge. Then carefully raise the bridge to its upright position, spread the strings until they rest in the grooves cut in the bridge for that purpose, and put a similar bridge at the other end. Make the bow in the same manner, of a smaller section of a stalk, and the instrument is complete. I have never heard a very decided tune played on this fiddle, but perhaps some of my readers may be able to get music from this simple little instrument.

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THE XYLOPHONE.

The xylophone is an instrument of great antiquity, having been used in a slightly different form by both Greeks and Hebrews. It is now sometimes used in connection with other instruments in our larger orchestras, in which case, however, the bars are usually made of metal. Its construction is very simple, and any boy having a good ear for music can readily make one.

The instrument is composed of strips of wood of various sizes, and thick enough to allow the passage of a stout piece of twine or fish-line, as seen in the illustration. The largest strips give the lowest notes. The first note of the scale may be a strip of any convenient size, and the succeeding strips are tuned by carefully cutting away from the under side until the desired tone is produced. They are strung upon cords, in the manner shown in Fig. 2, a knot being made on each side to keep the strip in place; and finally, across the upper part of a box, in order to give sufficient resonance of sound. In putting these strips together, it is necessary to have the holes through which they are strung at a slight angle, or in the direction of the slant which the strings take when fastened to the frame.

The arrangement seen in Fig. 3 is perhaps best adapted to the usual form of a box, and affords a greater range of notes. It would be well to letter the upper part of the bars with the name of the note they are intended to produce, and the wood should be thoroughly seasoned from which these bars are made.

It is well to have the lowest note not the first of the scale but a fifth below, and the highest three or four notes above the octave. This will give sufficient compass for any air you may care to play.

A good ear for music is of the greatest importance to insure success in constructing an instrument of this description, and it would simply be a waste of time and patience for any boy not so blessed, to venture upon the undertaking.

Little wooden mallets are sometimes used to play upon this xylophone, but the little drumsticks belonging to the common toy drum are better for the purpose.

Among the tribes of southern Africa an instrument of this class holds the chief place in their festivals, and is played upon with considerable skill by many of their native musicians. This piano, called by them “marimba,” consists of two bars of wood placed side by side; in the most southern portions quite straight, but farther north, bent round so as to resemble half the tire of a carriage-wheel; across these are placed about fifteen wooden keys, each of which is two or three inches broad, and fifteen or eighteen inches long, and their thickness, as in the case of the xylophone, is regulated according to the deepness of the note required. Each of the keys has a calabash beneath it; from the upper part of each a portion is cut off to enable them to embrace the bars, and form hollow sounding-boards to the keys, which also are of different sizes, according to the note required; and little drumsticks, like those spoken of above, elicit the music. Rapidity of execution seems much admired among them, and the music is pleasant to the ear.

In Angola, the Portuguese use the marimba in their dances.

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THE ÆOLIAN HARP.

This simple little musical instrument derives its name from Æolus, god of the winds, who is said to have lived at Stromboli, then called Strongyle, while he reigned over the Æolian islands, just north of Sicily. His island was entirely surrounded by a wall of brass, and by perfectly smooth precipitous rocks. Here he dwelt in continual joy and festivity with his wife and children; the latter, six sons and as many daughters, are said to be a poetic type of the twelve months of the year. And here he kept the winds, tied up in bags, in perfect subjection, only letting them out when called upon to do so by Neptune, god of the sea. As the winds served Æolus on his little isle, so we force them to serve us in our far-away western homes, by operating upon our instrument and making music to soothe and calm us when we are too tired or indolent to make it for ourselves. The simplest form this instrument can have is a single string of strong waxed silk, stretched between two bits of wood, inserted under the lower window-sash, sufficient space being allowed between the window-sill and the sash for the vibration of the string.

The other and more satisfactory harp is made like that in the engraving, and is not so difficult an undertaking, that any boy who can handle carpenter’s tools need fear to try it. Take two long strips of thin, soft pine wood, four and five inches wide respectively, and a little shorter than the sash is wide, to allow for the length of the pegs at one end; then from common seven-eighths of an inch board make two other pieces in shape like _b_, six inches wide, six high, on the narrower, and seven on the back or longer side. With a small gimlet make in both ends a row of eight or nine holes, at equal distances from each other, and half an inch from the edge of the slanting top, for the strings to pass through; then with a larger gimlet bore in one end only, the second row of holes, _h i_, to hold the pegs upon which the ends of the strings are to be wound. Nail the parts together as in the cut, making the lower edges of the pieces meet at the bottom; then from the outside of _d e_ draw through as many pieces of violin string (the smallest or E string) as you have holes in your wood. Hold these by knots on the outside, and having brought them across the box pass them through the corresponding holes in the other end, and twist them around the pegs below, in the same manner that the strings are fastened in the violin itself. Unlike the violin, however, these should not be drawn too tight, simply stretched evenly across, and must all be tuned in unison. That is, having drawn one as tight as you think best, draw the others, one at a time, till they give forth the same musical note when snapped with the finger. Now put another thin piece of board across the top which shall just cover it like the lid of a desk. This was purposely left out in the illustration, that the arrangement of the strings might be more fully seen, but is necessary in the complete instrument. If catgut cannot be readily obtained, strong pieces of sadlers’ silk, well waxed, may be used in its place, although the tones resulting are not as musical, or the strains as soft and lulling in character, as those produced by the former.

After the instrument is properly tuned, place it upon the ledge of an open window, and let the sash down upon it, when, if there is any breeze stirring, it will pour forth strains of sweet, drowsy music, beautifully described by the poet Thomson, as supplying the most suitable harmonies for the _Castle of Indolence_.

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THE BOSTON CLAPPER.

Take a piece of soft wood, five or six inches long, and whittle out of one end a hollow box, open at the top and outer end, like that represented in the illustration. Cut a groove around the inside, near the top, for the cover to slide in. Make this cover of a very thin piece of tough wood, and one-third as long as the opening, pushing it, when completed, well up against the inner end of the box; see _b_, in the figure, for size and position of cover.

The handle, _f_, is simply for convenience in holding the instrument. Pass a piece of strong string or fish-line twice around the box at the point _d_, and after drawing it as tightly as possible, tie it firmly on the under side.

Out of hard, tough wood make a thin, slender tongue, _c_, and place this between the two strings at _e_. Now twist this tongue over and over, each time drawing out the longer end, to allow of the other sliding by the edge of the cover. At each revolution of _c_ the string is twisted tighter around the box, and if the end of _c_ is touched, the other end strikes with more force upon the cover _b_.

When sufficiently tight, grasp the handle with your left hand, and having the point well over the cover, commence with the third finger of your right hand and strike down on the end _c_ with the fingers in their order, giving quick and repeated blows, like the successive taps of a drum. The music produced, if not strictly melodious, is quite enchanting to the average American school-boy.

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PAPIER-MACHÉ.

I have now come to one of the most fascinating and at the same time useful employments a boy can have; one which not only affords amusement for the time being, but, if properly executed, furnishes home with much which is useful or ornamental, at scarcely any expense beyond the mere time and labor consumed in the work.

How many of my readers know how to make things of papier-maché? None who are old enough to read these directions are too young to make really useful objects or pretty playthings of this inexpensive medium; indeed, many of the children of India, Persia, and many other Asiatic countries support themselves, and in some instances whole families, by making ornaments of papier-maché.

In Germany this art is carried to a great extent, and a large proportion of the German toys so common in our stores, as well as the jointed bodies of the expensive French and German dolls, are made of this material.

Papier-maché means “softened paper,” and is simply any old soft paper converted into pulp by water; the poorer the paper the better. Cheap newspapers, such as tear with a mere touch, thin handbills and posters, are all particularly suited for this purpose.

For a first trial it would be well to take some simple object, and a cup would perhaps make as good a beginning as any. First have some good flour-paste made, by pouring into boiling water enough flour, which has previously been moistened with cold water, to make a substance rather thicker than boiled starch; this should be stirred only enough to unite the flour with the water, and to prevent burning. Add to this one or two old newspapers and a dish of water, a broad brush for the paste, and any prettily shaped tea-cup conveniently at hand, and you have all the materials required. A bag filled with sand or stuffed hard with cotton is a great help in molding, although not indispensable to the operation. Take the cup, which should be well smeared over with sweet-oil or lard, and cutting out a piece of paper sufficiently large, wet it, and press it down on the cup, using the fingers, or the sand bag, if you have it, for the purpose; then with the brush spread the paste over the paper, and lay on this another piece; press this down as before and continue the process until twenty or thirty paper coverings have been used. After the first two or three layers, it is not necessary to use pieces which entirely cover the surface; any sized scraps will do if they are so placed that the same thickness is preserved throughout. The outer surface should be as smooth and even as possible. When this is completed, let it dry for a day or two in any moderately warm place, as it is not well to dry it too quickly. When it seems sufficiently hard, remove the mold, and you will have a pasteboard cup with an uneven edge which must be trimmed with a sharp knife and smoothed with sand-paper.

It might be well to trim off the top before removing the mold, as you would be more certain of getting it even by so doing. After this the cup can be painted in any manner desired.

A plaque can readily be molded upon the inside of a plate or saucer, and a pretty work-basket can be made upon a shallow bowl. Toy boats are made in the same manner as the cup, upon wooden molds cut out for the purpose.

CARD RECEIVERS.—These are generally flat dishes or shallow cups, made to hold visiting-cards, or the varied collections from Christmas, Easter, and New-year’s. They may be molded on plates, saucers, or small bowls, or receiving their concave shape from a plaque or saucer, they can be cut into any fantastic form your fancy may dictate. A large, well-shaped grape-leaf, or the catalpa, would furnish pretty designs to those who have no confidence in their own skill in that direction.

UMBRELLA HOLDERS.—Take any cylinder with a smooth surface, about two feet in length, and six to ten inches in diameter, for the mold; make upon it a coating of papier-maché about half an inch in thickness. It is made much stronger by rolling it during the pasting. The bottom may be of the same material, or a wooden disk made to perfectly fit into the cylinder. The whole surface should be thoroughly sand-papered and given two or three good coats of paint. A simple band of gold paint around top and bottom forms a pretty finish, but a large bunch of peonies or poppies, freely painted upon one side, greatly improves its appearance.

By reducing a quantity of paper and paste into a pulp, and allowing that to become a little dried—still moist, but not liquid—a number of objects can be molded, such as animals, boats, marbles, etc., by simply forming them with the hands and allowing them to dry.

Paper pulp is sometimes mixed with common blue clay and glue, instead of flour-paste, used as a _binding_ material.

A beautiful vase can easily be made of papier-maché by forming a frame-work of pasteboard, and joining it together with a few stitches or with narrow strips of strong paper pasted across the edges. Make this frame-work as near the form and size of your vase as it is possible for you to get; then with your thin paper line it inside and out, until it seems as thick as you desire. Trim and sand-paper off the upper edge, and cover with one or two extra layers to insure a rounded edge common in earthenware vases. Stand it on a smooth, even table or board to make it flat on the bottom, and let it have plenty of time to dry. Next make from the paper pulp and fine clay preparation spoken of above a rose, poppy, or other flower, with its leaves and buds, resembling as nearly as possible those on the bisque vases so fashionable just now. This may seem at first a very difficult undertaking, but by molding one petal at a time, and placing each in position with glue as it is finished, the work is comparatively simple. Do not undertake a difficult flower at first. If in summer, you may take any from the garden, and after enlarging every part in the same proportions, make it your model. When the flowers, stems, and leaves are all in place, let them become thoroughly dry, then after painting the body of your vase with shades of blue, red, or olive, so applied that they give a clouded effect to the whole, color your flowers as nearly as you can like the natural ones of the same species, and the stems and leaves the proper shades of brown or green. Let this paint thoroughly dry, and then varnish with the white shellac dissolved in alcohol spoken of elsewhere in this book, if a very light surface is to be covered, or with the dark shellac or common varnish if the surface is intended to be dark. The floral decorations are not absolutely necessary, and a very pretty vase is made by simply painting the smooth surface with any graceful or pretty design, and varnishing it subsequently to give it the desired polish.

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THE JAPANESE PAPER BIRD.

In the skillful management of paper, the Japanese are acknowledged to take the lead, as their balloons and kites, lanterns and fire-screens, now so commonly seen in this country, will testify.

Many of the grotesque and hideous monsters, which nevertheless are artistic in form and decorative in effect, are made of paper pulp, with the necessary materials added to give it the proper degree of hardness; and in articles made of folded or crinkled paper they have no equals, while in some instances they apparently infuse life itself into their airy creations. By simply folding a square piece of paper in the manner here described, they produce a bird-like figure, which will move its wings in quite a natural and amusing manner.

A leaf of paper—letter-paper is good for the purpose—is cut into an exact square; fold this cornerwise, and then through the middle each way, as indicated in Fig. 1. This done, turn over each corner in succession, so that the edge of the square will be along one of the cornerwise folds, as in Fig. 2, and fold sharply the portion from _a_ to _b_. Do this eight times, twice with each corner, first turning it one way and then the other, till it has the folds shown in Fig. 3. Turn inward two of these portions, indicated by the shading, as in Fig. 4; this will draw together the other two sides; fold it closely across the middle, _a b_, as in Fig. 5; then repeat the same in the other direction, folding on the line _c d_. This is done to mark the folds, which may be made more completely by pressing them with the finger-nail. Now it will be easy to bring the corners of the square up together, making a figure like No. 5 or like No. 6, when looking down on the meeting of the points at _a_. Then bring the points 1 and 2 together, also 3 and 4, and your figure will be like No. 7. Take the two outside points at _a_ and turn them down, folding at the dotted line, and you have Fig. 8. Now turn down the other two points, 3 and 4, one forward, the other backward, making Fig. 9, with two broad points inside and two narrow ones outside. Turn and fold these narrow points to the right and left, and turn down the end of one point to form the head, and you have the bird, Fig. 10. Take it by the head and tail, as shown in the final view, and move them to and from each other. After a little careful working, when the folds become flexible in the proper places, you will make the bird flap its wings. It can be done after a few trials, if not on the first, and is sure to afford amusement to all.

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THE TUMBLING EGG.

Fill a quill with quicksilver, seal it at both ends with good hard wax; then have an egg boiled, take a tiny piece of shell off the small end, and thrust in the quill with the quicksilver; lay it on the floor, and it will not cease tumbling so long as any heat remains in it; or if you put quicksilver into a small bladder, and then blow it up, upon warming the bladder it will skip about as long as heat remains in it.

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THE THREE HALOS.

Take a saturated solution of alum, and, having spread a few drops of it over a plate of glass, it will rapidly crystallize. When this plate is held between the observer and the sun or a lamp-flame, with the eye very close to the smooth side of the glass plate, there will be seen three beautiful halos of light at different distances from the luminous body. The smallest, which is the innermost circle, is the whitest, the second is larger and more colored, with its blue rays extending outward, and the third is very large and highly colored.

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PAPER BOATS.

Take a piece of paper measuring about four by three inches; fold it across the middle, as shown by dotted line in Fig. 1; then turn down the corners of the folded side (_a b_, Fig. 2). You now have Fig. 3; turn up the edge _c d_ toward you, and fold it; turn up the other edge away from you, and fold it against the other side, which gives you Fig. 4. Bend over the points _c d_ in either direction, also the other two corresponding points, so that the outline of the triangle is continuous. You can cut off these little corners if you like; but the boat is somewhat stronger, however, by letting them remain, and after a little experience, you will find no difficulty in disposing of them. This little hat-shaped form you now open (Fig. 5) and press together, with the points _e f_ meeting each other, which gives you Fig. 6. Bend the point _f_ up toward you till it meets the point _g_, folding on the dotted line. Turn the point _e_ up likewise on the other side. Now you have another hat, but smaller, and with a triple crown. Treat this as before (Figs. 5 and 6). Your last shape will have two points meeting at the bottom and three at the top. Pull the two outside points at the top apart sideways (Fig. 7), and continue this till you have drawn it out to a flat shape, as in Fig. 8. Press this closely together, then open it slightly, and the boat is complete—like Fig. 9.

[NOTE.—To avoid taking up unnecessary space, the first two figures are drawn smaller than their actual proportion to the rest.]

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HOW TO TAKE IMPRESSIONS OF PLANTS.