Chapter XIV: A Beggar A-Horseback (2)

"And now comes the funny part of it. All that summer, and the next, and three more, went by, and nothin' more was ever heard of the ring. The young lady kept a comin' back every year, but she didn't seem to care anything about nobody. She just staid with her ma all the time, and looked pale and unhappy. She'd never made it up with George, and he never could be got to believe the story of how that dishonest little trout had golluped down the ring he'd gave her. The fifth summer after, he came through the mountains with a bicycle party, and they decided to rest a couple of days here. She wasn't here that summer, so he could stay without bein' embarrassed. The mornin' after he got here he asked me to take him fishin', and we went down to the lake. He was a dandy castin' a fly, an' I rowed him up and down, and up and down, for a couple of hours, and he kept a-whippin' and a-whippin' without any luck. Finally he says to me, 'Sandboys, I'll just try it once more, and if I don't get nothin' we'll go back to the hotel and order our fish off the bill of fare, instead of foolin' around here where _I don't believe there ain't 'never been no trout.'_ I see in a minute what he was thinkin' about, but I never said a word. 'All right, sir,' says I, and he flicked the fly once more on the water, and, by hookey, up came a beauty! It was a reg'lar out-and-out three-pounder. And, I tell you, he had to work to get him into the boat; but as he wasn't no poet, an' knew how it was done, he did land him finally.

"'We'll have him for dinner to-night,' says he, with a proud look--and he did. The fish was fried and served at supper; but when the head waiter brought him in to the table, he hands George an envellup, with the remark that it contained somethin' that had been found inside the trout. George got white as a sheet, opened the envellup, and, by hookey, there was the Mizpah ring!"

"Goodness!" gasped Jack. "Wasn't that great!"

"What did he do?" queried Bob. "Faint?"

"Not he," said Sandboys. "He wasn't the faintin' kind. He jumped up from the table, and rushed off to the telegraph office, and sent a telegram to Miss Emily Harkaway at Narrowgansett Pier, sayin': 'Will arrive to-morrow. George.' And he went.

"The next summer he came back again, and he brought her with him. She'd become Mrs. George, and, by hookey, she had the ring with her; but this time she wore it on her neck, with a row o' diamonds set all about it that would have made that trout blind just to look at it, it dazzled so.

"So you just remember what I tell ye. When people give you that story about trout bein' shy, you can contradict 'em, whether it's perlite for small boys to contradict or not; an' if they take ye up, tell 'em about the speckled highway robber of Mirror Lake. That'll take the starch right out of their theories!"

The skating races of the New York Interscholastic League, held a week ago at the St. Nicholas Rink, proved exceedingly interesting, and all the events were unexpectedly hotly contested. Morgan of De La Salle had by no means so easy a time of it as his supporters had believed he would, and Paulding of Berkeley, who last winter represented Black Hall School in the pole vault at the Knickerbocker games, proved himself an important factor in the competition. Last year De La Salle carried off all the honors, but on this occasion Berkeley and De La Salle finished with an equal number of points to their credit.

The only thing that occurred to mar the pleasantness of the proceedings was the avalanche of protesting. At the time of writing no action has been taken on these protests, and I doubt if they will affect the results. The protest against Morgan, that he had worked for his living at one time, seems to be invalid, for, so far as I am aware, there is nothing in the constitution of the New York Interscholastic Association which prevents a boy from earning an honest living. Of course, when it comes to a question of a foul, that is a different matter; but I have it on very good authority that Paulding of Berkeley himself denies that he was in any way fouled by Morgan, and yet a protest against Morgan for fouling Paulding was entered.

THREE OF THE WINNERS AT THE N.Y.I.S.A.A. SKATING RACES.]

The preliminary heats were held on Friday evening, January 15, and there seemed to be more enthusiasm among the skaters in the trials than there was in the finals. There were about seventy-five entries all told. The events contested were 220-yard dash, 440-yard dash, 880-yard dash, and one mile. Morgan won his heat in the 220, the 440, and the mile, Paulding being second to him in the mile, third in the 220, and second to McClave in the second heat of the 440.

The 880-yard event was for "juniors," and the heats were taken by Inman of Cutler's, Einstein of Harvard School, and Rock of Condon's. The last heat would very probably have been won by Eddinger of Columbia Institute, if he had not had the hard luck to fall on the final lap, when he had a good lead, and was holding his own with the field.

In the finals on Saturday evening the racers made invariably better time than they had done in their trial heats. The 440 was won by Paulding, with Morgan second. Morgan's defeat was undoubtedly due to the fact that he made a false start, and was penalized three yards by the referee. There was a pretty good field, and the De La Salle man found it impossible, in the short distance, to pass through. The 880-yard event was taken by Inman of Cutler's; Einstein of Harvard gave him a pretty close race, but fell twice, and did not finish among the leaders.

The 220-yard dash was a victory for Morgan, who jumped to the lead as soon as the signal to start was given, and was never passed. He also won the mile in fine fashion, leaving his nearest rival, Paulding, two laps behind him, and Paulding headed the field by almost another full lap.

The summary of events follows:

Events. Winner. Second. Third. Time.

220 yards. Morgan. Paulding. Proctor. 24-3/5 sec.
440 yards. Paulding. Morgan. McClave. 52 sec.
880 yards. Inman. Coffin. Proctor. 1 m. 43-4/5 sec.
One mile. Morgan. Paulding. Ritman. 3 m. 7-2/5 sec.

SUMMARY OF POINTS BY SCHOOLS.

Firsts. Seconds. Thirds. Total.
De La Salle 2 1 0 13
Berkeley 1 2 2 13
Cutler 1 1 0 8
Trinity 0 0 1 1
Harvard 0 0 1 1

In-door baseball has not met with very much favor thus far among the South Side schools of Chicago, and the reason alleged is that Englewood and Hyde Park, the two schools which are leaders in almost every other branch of athletics, have not yet succeeded in winning a game this year at the in-door sport. Austin, the last year's champion, was defeated by Lake View, 7-3. This victory has led to the opinion that Lake View would probably take the championship this season.

Hyde Park was badly defeated by North Division in its schedule game. The score was 26-0. Englewood did better against Evanston, and besides putting up a better game was only defeated 10-4. Englewood's next game was lost to Lake View, 8-11. Hyde Park's next defeat was administered by Austin.

Austin's success is largely due to the excellence of its pitcher, Pottwin. Decker, the short stop, has also been putting up an excellent game, and in the match against Hyde Park he knocked out a home run, besides playing an errorless game in the field. The Hyde Park players seem to be fairly good at fielding, but they show a great lack of practice.

The matches in the ice-polo league of the Boston schools have developed good sport during the recent cold weather, and the schedule has afforded a number of close games. Dorchester played a tie game with Roxbury Latin on Franklin Field Friday afternoon, January 15, the score being 1-1. Only one twenty-minute period was played. Dorchester rather outclassed Roxbury Latin in passing and driving, but was unable, nevertheless, to get the ball into Roxbury's cage the second time.

On the same afternoon, at Mystic Lake, Winchester met Cambridge High and Latin, and was defeated 7-0. The Cambridge men developed some excellent team-work, and showed some pretty combination plays. In a game between Medford High and Everett High, Medford won 3-1. Especially good work was done by Otis, Thompson, and Glidden.

A number of communications have been addressed to this Department requesting that some description be given of the Canadian game of hockey, of which we have heard more than usual this year. In fact, in and about New York hockey is fast superseding ice polo; the latter, purely American game, being played mostly in New England. Hockey is, of course, akin to ice polo, but it has a number of points of difference, and is considered by the Canadians a much better game than our ice polo. Perhaps one of the chief advantages of hockey is that more players can take part in the sport than in ice polo.

The Yale Hockey Team is one of the few teams in this country, so far as I know, that plays the straight Canadian game, although this winter several of the athletic clubs in and about New York have taken up hockey, and will, no doubt, eventually develop strong teams. The Yale men have found the Canadian game so interesting, that they have devoted all their energies to it, and it is said that they will meet some of the Canadian teams during the winter. Space will not allow of a very lengthy description of the game, but in a few words a rough idea of the sport may be given, and a book of the rules with fuller information can doubtless be obtained of any dealer in sporting goods.

A Canadian Hockey team consists of seven players, who are known as Goal, Point, Cover Point, Centre Forward, Centre, Left Wing, and Right Wing, arranged on the field, or rather on the ice, in the following positions:

L. W. C. R. W.
C. F.
C. P.
P.
G.

Instead of the ball which we use in ice polo, the Canadians play with a rubber disk about an inch thick and some three inches in diameter. This is called a "puck." The sticks of the Canadians are also somewhat differently shaped from those used in ice polo, the main difference being that they are longer, and wider at the bottom, and usually constructed of lighter wood. They do not strike the puck as polo-players strike the ball, but rather aim to shove it along the ice, and more often than not the Canadians use both hands, instead of wielding their club with one hand only.

In this way the Canadians are able to make a certain peculiar shove which enables them to lift the rubber disk over the heads of their opponents, and some of them become so skilful at this that they can place the puck so that it will fall on edge and bound into the opposing goal. Perhaps it is this quality of the disk over the ball which has made it necessary in the Canadian game to allow the defensive players to stop the puck in any way they choose, instead of as in ice polo, where the ball may only be stopped by the sticks, the feet, or the body.

The space demanded for Canadian hockey is 112 feet by 58 feet, although the game is possible in a more restricted area. The goal is placed at the middle point of the two shorter lines; it consists of two upright posts four feet high placed six feet apart, and to score a goal the puck has to be driven between the posts. The game is played in two halves of twenty minutes each, and the opposing teams change sides after the interimission, which is of ten minutes.

The Canadians are very strict about off-side play, and the referees invariably enforce the rule which declares that when a player hits the puck any one of the same side who is nearer the opponent's goal-line is off-side, and may therefore not touch the disk or prevent any other player from doing so until the puck has been played by an opponent. A penalty for off-side play is the surrender of the puck to the opposing side; the other players must then stand at a distance of not less than five yards from the puck; but if the offence has been committed within ten yards of either goal the disk is faced in the ordinary way. There are the usual restrictions against kicking and tripping and charging, and against carrying the disk in the hand, and the goal-keeper is not allowed during play to lie or kneel or to sit upon the ice, but must maintain a standing position.

In the United States the hockey-players have not yet developed the team play which makes the Canadian game so interesting, our men, having been brought up on ice polo, relying more on their own quickness and individual skill. But the advantage of team-work is being more and more understood by us, and Americans will no doubt soon equal the Canadians at this feature of the sport.

At the several in-door games of the New York schools this winter we shall look for the development of much new material in track athletics, for by graduation and other causes many of the best performers of the Interscholastic League have made room for other stars. The New York pole-vaulters will have their hands full to hold their own against Paulding, the Black Hall vaulter, who is now at Berkeley, and I doubt if there is any one who can surpass him. The change in the height of the hurdles, too, will make that event more equal toward new and old hurdlers, and the chance of the appearance of new material in this event is excellent.

In Boston the chief in-door event of the winter for the schools is always the big B.A.A. meeting in March, and then we will get our first line on the New-Englanders that will come down here to measure skill with New York in the Madison Square Garden. Judging from the place-men in the spring events of the New England league, the Boston schools will turn out some strong performers this season.

In Connecticut there have also been losses; but many of the best athletes, especially of the Hartford High-School, are on hand, notably Luce and Sturtevant. The latter will be the most dangerous man in the high jump. I am told, too, that Hartford has a new man in the weights who will make Boyce of Boston English High stretch himself to the utmost.

"TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL."--ILLUSTRATED.--8VO, CLOTH, ORNAMENTAL, $1.25.

THE GRADUATE.

* * * * *

SALUTING A CAT.

There is at least one place in the world where the cat was until recently held in high honor, and received the attention due to one of so high a station in life. That place is India, where in a fortress the sentries invariably used to present arms to every cat that appeared on the scene.

The custom is accounted for by this singular anecdote, which comes from what appears to be good authority.

Some fifty years ago it happened that a very high English official died in an Indian fortress, at a place that is one of the centres of Brahminic religion, and at the moment when the news of his death met the Sepoy guard at the main gate a black cat rushed out of it.

The superstitious guard presented arms to the cat as a salute to the dying spirit of the powerful Englishman, and the coincidence took a firm hold upon the locality, that up to a few years ago neither exhortation nor orders could prevent a Hindu sentry at that gate from presenting arms to any cat that passed out at night.

* * * * *

The train was roaring along about forty miles an hour, and the conductor was busily punching tickets full of holes, when a little thin old man who sat in one of the corner seats plucked his sleeve.

"Mister conductor, you be sure and let me off at Speers Station. You see, this is the first time I ever rode on steam-cars, and I don't know anything 'bout them. You won't forget it, eh?"

"All right, sir; I won't forget."

The old man brushed back a stray lock of hair and, straightening himself, gazed with increasing wonder at the flying landscape, every now and then exclaiming, "Gracious!" "By gum!" etc.

Suddenly there was a crash, and after a number of gymnastic moves that made him think of his school-days, he found himself sitting on the grass of the embankment alongside the track.

Seeing another passenger sitting a short distance away, patiently supporting various parts of the splintered car across his legs, he inquired,

"Is this Speers Crossing?"

The passenger, who was a drummer, and not altogether new to such happenings, replied, with a smile, although in considerable pain,

"No; this is catastrophe."

"Is that so," he irritably exclaimed. "Now I knew that conductor would put me off at the wrong place."

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QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

ON MONEY.

"What are you going to do when you get through college?" said one schoolboy to the other a short time ago.

"I'm going to make a lot of money, and then buy a seat in the United States Senate," was the reply.

"Why don't you go to work to get into the Senate direct?"

"Because it's too hard work; and when you've got money you can get anything else you want."

That is a popular idea among young men, who have made "American" almost synonymous with "money-maker." There seems to be an idea among not only young but old men that if you make money in any way you will be fitted for anything else. In a certain way this is true. For if you can buy anything, you can buy men who know what you do not know, and hire them to do certain things for you that take lifetimes to accomplish. The truth is that if you start now and make up your mind to make money first, you will not be able to do anything but money-making business, and if you fail in this, there will be no other course open to you. This does not mean that a money-making business is an unworthy one; that idea is common among certain classes of short-sighted clergymen; but it does mean that to start out with no idea but choosing a business only with regard to money is wrong, and is likely to turn out to your disadvantage. We have all seen in school, and will see in college, fellows who have large allowances. They certainly can do things which are beyond us. Such men can have a better time because they have money, and they can give their friends a better time. But unless they have other qualities their money is of no advantage; it may quite frequently be a great disadvantage. The point is that a fellow at school must be a good chap. He must have a certain amount of chivalry, of self-respect, of generosity, and good-fellowship. If he has all these, he is a good chap anyway, and sure to be a leader and a friend of all in the school. If he has a lot of money also, and knows how to use it, he is all the better chap. If he has the money and none of the qualities mentioned, his money does him not the least good, and may very likely do him harm. You will find the thing just the same at college, for college is only a little larger school. There are many fellows at college who have money and use it well, but the mere fact that a man has cash in his pocket does not get him on to athletic teams, or into college clubs or societies, or at the head of his class. It helps him on if he's a good chap; it holds him back if he isn't. Then by-and-by, when you get through college, you will find it just the same in businesses of all kinds. Money seems to help a good man along, and seems to be the worst enemy of a bad man. So that to think only of money first, and then of doing fine things with it after it is gained, is putting the cart before the horse. And if you want to be in the Senate, it's the wrong way to go at it to go down to South America and work in a gold-mine for twenty years simply and solely to "raise the cash" for the purpose of buying the votes of a State, even if such a procedure were moral and right, which is unquestionably not the case. Rather make up your mind what you want to do, and then try to make a financial success of it, as well as all other kinds of successes. If it is the hide and leather business, try to make money each year, but try also to make money fairly, to learn the trade thoroughly, and to keep pace with the literature, the politics, the life of your own day. If it is the ministry or law or literature, try to make both ends meet each year, and to make money just the same, but don't forget that all these branches of work require something besides cash to make them successes. In a certain way it is just as wrong to try to believe that money is an evil as it is to let yourself believe that money is the only thing worth having. It is a great and good thing when you have learned how to use it, and a mighty poor thing when it is abused. Decide therefore on what work you will set out, without regard to money, and then try to make a financial as well as an intellectual success of it.

* * * * *

SWIFT VESSELS OF PAST DECADES.

There are but few spots of the ocean's surface that are not traversed by steamships, and possibly no spot into which the tramp steamship has not poked its nose. Years ago this could be claimed for the famous clippers of the United States, but steam has crowded them out of use, and to-day hardly a dozen sail under our flag. The States of Maine and New Hampshire produced many magnificent clippers. The _Challenge_, the _Sea-Witch_, the _Young America_, the _Swordfish_, the _Dreadnought_, _Queen of Clippers_, _Witch of the Wave_, _Spitfire_, _Witchcraft_, and over one hundred others that might be named, carried the American flag triumphantly around the world, and obtained the highest rates of freight even in British ports. The ship _Natchez_, of New York, 523 tons, though not a clipper, made the passage from Hong-kong (China) to New York in 72 days. She was originally a New Orleans and Havre packet, flat on the floor, to enable her to cross the bar at the mouth of the Mississippi, and had sharp ends. Probably one of the most pathetic endings of a famous clipper-ship is that of the _Great Admiral_, built in 1869, and owned by the heirs of William F. Weld & Co.; she is now lying idle, and though in excellent order, will probably be dismantled and converted into a coal-barge. She is the only famous clipper left of all the fine fleet of nearly one hundred sail once owned by William T. Weld & Co. The firm, like its shipping, is a thing of the past. The ship _Charger_, of 1378 tons, built in 1874 by Henry Hastings, though still afloat at last accounts, was not making money for her owner. The splendid ships _North American_ and _South American_, built by Mr. Hastings, and once prominent in the California trade, were wrecked a few years ago.

Since the disappearance of clippers we have built ships of 3000 and 4000 tons for the Pacific grain trade, and though full modelled, they more than hold their own against all nations. Our Atlantic coasting trade is carried on in huge schooners, ranging from 500 to 1500 tons, with three, four, and five masts. Many of these had centre-boards, but most of the new vessels are built without them.

Although Baltimore has the credit of first applying the term "clippers" to fast vessels, all maritime nations have aimed to excel on the water. The French ships were generally better sailers than the English, and hence, when beaten in naval warfare, often escaped capture. At the battle of St. Vincent, though they defeated more than twenty sail of French and Spaniards, they captured only four, and two of these were taken by Nelson. But whenever the English captured a fast sailing-vessel they copied her lines. Emerson says, "the Frenchman invented the collar, but the Englishman added the shirt."

* * * * *

THE DISADVANTAGES OF PLAGIARISM.

A rather amusing story is told of a certain so-called "popular preacher," the Rev. Dr. D----, whose marvellous powers of eloquence invariably gathered him large audiences. People wondered at his sermons, and proclaimed him an intellectual genius. Now the doctor was a plagiarist who patched up his own exceedingly poor sermons by introducing here and there passages from the sermons of celebrated divines, but the ingenuous way in which he accomplished this prevented discovery. Then, too, his audiences, he calculated, were not students of theology, and therefore not likely to detect his appropriations. But in this he made his mistake, and his exposure took place as follows:

One day an elderly gentleman entered the church and took a seat in the first row. As the doctor proceeded with his sermon the gentleman broke in now and then with such remarks as, "That's Sherlock." "Ah, from Tillotson." "Now it's Blair," etc.

The doctor stood it for a little while, but at last, full of wrath, he said:

"My dear sir, if you do not restrain your impertinent remarks and hold your tongue, I'll have you ejected."

The elderly gentleman, looking the doctor calmly in the face, said, "That's his own."

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.

Practically all the 1897 catalogues are now on the market. The best catalogue, containing a list of all varieties of stamps, envelopes, postal cards, etc., can be had for 58c., postage prepaid, of any dealer; but there are a number of smaller catalogues, adapted to the wants of all except specialists and advanced collectors, which can be bought for 10c. each. These smaller catalogues are having a great sale, as the new albums omit the scarce varieties in perforations, water-marks, etc., which appeal to those specialists who are able to invest large sums in stamps, all of whom keep their treasures in blank albums. The catalogues and the albums conform to each other.

C. E. STEELE.--The rare 6c. Proprietary is the orange. The 1823
dime is worth 25c.

S. G. RIPPEY.--You can buy a dime of 1837 for 35c.

H. C. Z.--Tokens have no value. The coins can be bought for 5c. or
10c.

BEVERLEY S. KING, 31 New York Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y., and W. E.
SHREVE, Ridley Park, Pa., wish to exchange stamps.

O. H. PURCELL.--The $1 Columbian is worth $5. The others may be
worth more in a few years than at present.

A. KELLOGG.--The U. S. Revenues most in demand are the general
issues. As yet the private proprietary match and medicine stamps
can be bought, as a rule, as cheaply to-day as five years ago.
Probably their turn will come in a year or two. If they should
become fashionable, there will be some remarkable changes in
prices.

F. X. SCHMIDT.--Die A, 1887, usually called the "rejected die," can
be easily identified. The bust points to the space between the
third and fourth teeth of the inside row. In the regular issue, Die
B, the bust points to space between the second and third teeth.

R. BULKLEY.--You probably have the regular rose 1861 stamp, of
which there are many shades. The pink is excessively rare. A very
few copies are known.

W. LEVERIDGE.--None of the coins are scarce, and several of them
are now uncurrent, and therefore worth bullion only, but they are
interesting aside from intrinsic value.

THOMAS LAURIE.--Many pen and ink cancellations have been removed
from stamps, but the stamps present a "cleaned" appearance quite
different from the real unused. Most postage-stamps have been
printed in oil colors; and most cancellations have been made with
oily inks. Where this has been the case it is impossible to remove
cancellation without taking out the ink of the stamp itself. No
premium on the 1894 dollar. There were few made, but still plenty
to go around and leave some in dealers' hands.

M. A. T.--The portraits used in the present U. S. stamps are as
follows: 1c., Franklin; 2c., Washington; 3c., Jackson; 4c.,
Lincoln; 5c., Grant; 6c., Garfield; 8c., Sherman; 10c., Webster;
15c., Taylor; 30c., Jefferson; 90c., Perry.

C. RAWSON.--I cannot give you values on long lists of common
stamps. You can get this and much other information from a 10c.
catalogue. If the catalogue fails, I am glad to do what I can in
justice to all the readers of the stamp column.

A. T. G.--Yes! Join the A.P.A. if you want to buy the new issues.
It will cost $1.80 per year for membership fees.

JAMES MELLEN.--It is extremely difficult to distinguish originals
from reprints of the first Samoa issues. Counterfeits also abound,
but these can be distinguished. The early Heligoland stamps are
also difficult to identify. The government sold the original dies
and plates to a German dealer, who reprinted the stamps in the
correct colors.

J. P. NELKER.--The early stamps of Lagos and Labnan are very
scarce, used or unused, although many thousands of the lower values
were used in making up packets in the '80s. It would not be worth
your while collecting them unless you are prepared to spend much
money.

ALBERT GREEN.--Your plan of collecting one at least of all the
stamp-issuing countries is very good, as far as it goes, but you
will make it much better by collecting one stamp of each set where
the design is different or the color changed. Usually there are
several cheap stamps in every issue, and they illustrate the set
quite as well as if they were rare varieties or high values.

PHILATUS.

The price of good things oft is high,
But wise housekeepers tell
That Ivory Soap is cheap to buy
And best to use, as well.

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

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How I "visited" Mashonaland.

Older readers are always glad to hear from our entertaining correspondent in South Africa, and we are sure that new readers will no less enjoy her delightful morsels. She tells us this time how she visited Mashonaland without leaving Cape Colony. She wonders if she is too old, having just passed her eighteenth birthday. We beg to assure her she is not, and that the Table will be pleased to hear from her for many years yet. Here is her morsel. It is written from Roydon, Queenstown, Cape Colony, South Africa:

A few months before the rebellion in Mashonaland broke out, a young
gentleman of my acquaintance made up his mind to have a six months'
tour through this new country. He went beyond the great Zambesi
River, and had many strange adventures. I am afraid I will not have
space to tell you of more than two of them.

While hunting near the Zambesi, Mr. H---- was told that a lion had
been creating a great disturbance in the neighborhood. He offered
to go and hunt it if the chief would lend him some of his men. But
on no account could they be induced to accompany him. Growing
impatient at last, he set off with a few of his own servants. They
followed the spoor of the animal for some little time, until they
came to a dense bush. Glancing back, Mr. H---- saw that his
followers were not far behind him, so he went on, looking carefully
about him. At last he saw before him two large trees; behind one of
them stood "King Leo." A rapid glance back sufficed to show that
his cowardly servants had deserted him, and he was quite alone. He
fired at the lion, which gave a fearful roar and sprang at him.
Fortunately, however, the shot had disabled it, and it sprang
short. Mr. H---- gave it another shot and killed it. On going in
search of his men, the hunter found them hidden among the branches
of the trees, too much terrified even to answer him. Mr. Selous
says it is the second largest lion he has seen. The skin is very
handsome, but as I examined it I felt very thankful that its owner
was not alive.

The second adventure was rather a comical one. While camping out
one day Mr. H---- heard what he thought was the report of a gun.
Knowing elephants were about, he concluded that some one was
hunting them. Snatching up his gun, he hastily set off in the
direction of the sound, without taking a mouthful of food. On and
on he tramped, but never a sight of either elephants or hunters did
he catch. Still, every now and then he heard the report of guns,
sometimes near at hand, sometimes far off. He walked for thirty-six
hours, hoping to be rewarded by the sight of the elephants. At last
he saw below him a thickly wooded ravine, in which the animals
might be hidden. He scrambled down to it, and sat down under a huge
tree to rest. Suddenly he heard the report just above his head.
Springing to his feet, he looked up, and--the mystery was
explained. The tree was full of peculiar-looking pods, which every
now and then burst with a loud report. It was rather exasperating
to have walked all that way for nothing, was it not?

I was very much delighted with his fine collection of horns. They
were all of different kinds, and of different sizes, some of them
being exceedingly handsome. Two very large python-skins next
attracted my attention. Imagine my surprise when Mr. H---- coolly
told me they were considered quite small in Mashonaland! "I'm never
going there until it is civilized, then," I said, very decidedly.

"Did you notice any signs of rebellion during your travels?" I
asked one day. "No," was the answer. "It struck me that the natives
were a very subdued race, and I feel sure it is some under-handed
dealing which has caused the revolt. The natives were exceedingly
kind to me. As soon as I entered a new territory I would go to the
chief and say, 'I want to go hunting; can you give me a guide?' The
chief would answer, 'Yes, I will give you a guide to such and such
a place. That is as far as my territory extends.' They never asked
for pay, which was rather refreshing after being used to the
civilized (?) natives of Cape Colony. _Their_ first question is
always, 'What will you give me for doing it?'" The Mashonas have no
idea of money.

On his return journey he wanted to buy some grain, and sent word to
the chief. Next day a number of natives came, each carrying a
basket of grain. "How much do you want for it?" asked Mr. H----.
They named their price--a high one--which he refused to give. There
was a big argument, and he was beginning to think he would not be
able to get the grain, when it struck him to offer salt for it.
Pulling out a handful of salt from a bag, he asked the natives what
they would give for it. "So much!" they cried, eagerly, indicating
the quantity of grain. So, at the end of the day, he got as much
grain as he wanted for a few handfuls of salt. Time and space fail
me, or I would tell you about some other curious things I saw--of
the queer little chair and table, both cut from a single piece of
wood, and which belonged to Lobenguela's brother, of the
cream-of-tartar trees, and many other funny things. But--I can
almost see the frown on Mr. Editor's face as he contemplates the
length of this so-called "morsel," and I daren't write more.
However, if he will kindly give me permission I will write again,
and tell you more of my interesting "visit to Mashonaland." In the
mean time I will bid you good-by.

Your friend,
ISMA FINCHAM, R.T.F.

The Editor gives his permission promptly. Please write again.

* * * * *

A Founder's Sad End.

When one tries experiments one should be extremely careful of the tools employed. The Table has to record a most distressing incident in this connection. One of the original members of our Order was Vernon S. White, a son of Mr. F. W. White, of Omaha, Nebraska. He was a Founder, and preserved his Founder certificate because of the honor it stood for. He was much given to trying experiments. He had sent some suggestions to us concerning them, at least one of which we published. The others we read with interest, but failed to find space for them. A few weeks since Sir Vernon, while trying an experiment in his room, lost his balance, fell, and met his death. He was thirteen years old, and an only child. The Table expresses its deep sympathy, and begs its other friends of a scientific and experimental mind to be careful.

* * * * *

Answers to Kinks.

No. 59.--CIVIC.

* * * * *

No. 60.--The letter T.

* * * * *

No. 61.

G L O B E S
L E V A N T
O V E R G O
B A R B E L
E N G E D I
S T O L I D

* * * * *

About Slang.

Why is slang denounced by the best writers? We know that all slang
is not low, and we further know that slang expressions convey to
multitudes of people the thought of the speaker more clearly than
if his sentences were clothed in the finest possible manner. This
question arises from an argument.

LESTER W. BELLOWS.
WATERLOO, N. Y.

We do not quite agree that slang better conveys the thought of the speaker than do other and more generally recognized words. That depends upon the speaker and upon what he is trying to say. Slang does not consist in the words themselves so much as in the way they are spoken, the frequency of their utterance, etc. Words are harmless in themselves; the manner of using them may not be equally so. Slang is denounced because it tends toward the vulgar, the common--not always the words perhaps, but that which lies beyond them. Some slang terms are very expressive, and these generally come into reputable use, when needed, and when the atmosphere surrounding the inception of them has drifted away.

* * * * *

Corresponding Chapter.

In Milwaukee there has always been not a few active and most creditable members. Not long since some of them organized a Corresponding Chapter. It wants members everywhere. The membership fee is ten cents; dues, nothing; and members resident in foreign countries free. The Chapter has a circulating library. It sends a membership certificate of its own, and hopes to have some prize contests. The officers are Edward F. Daas, secretary, 1717 Cherry Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The president is Edward C. Wood, and vice-president Charles D. Turnbull. The president lives in Philadelphia, and the Chapter is already organized on the correspondence plan.

* * * * *

Questions and Answers.

A Fort Wayne member asks what is the most expensive product in the world. We cannot tell surely, but the most expensive one we ever read of is a charcoal thread employed as filaments for incandescent electric lamps. Filaments designed for thirty-candle-power lamps are worth $12,000 a pound. It requires 1,500,000 of these filaments to make a pound, and their total length would be 187 miles.--Harry M. Jones: The first United States census was taken in 1790, and the next one will be taken in June, 1900. The discussion whether the twentieth century begins January 1, 1900, or January 1, 1901, is idle to enter into.--"Young Politician": President-elect McKinley is free to select any persons he pleases for places in his cabinet, the only restriction being that Secretaries must be American citizens above certain ages. That which prevents him from selecting unfit men is his desire to make his administration successful. The President nominates his cabinet officials to the United States Senate, but that body, while it holds a legal right to confirm or reject such names, always, as a matter of courtesy, confirms them, holding that a President ought to be permitted to have such men in his official family as he desires. The talk in the newspapers about cabinet-making is mere speculation. The final decision rests with the President.

John Hamill asks what tundra is. It is a long fibrous white moss (_Cladonia rangiferina_) which is the natural food of the reindeer. It grows to its greatest perfection in northern and central Alaska, but is found in South Greenland and Lapland. In Alaska there is a vast tract of land--400,000 square miles, it is said--covered with this moss. Why you see it mentioned just now is because there is a project to grow great herds of reindeer on this vast tract; it is good for nothing else. The reindeer, slaughtered, frozen, and shipped to San Francisco and Liverpool, command high prices as venison. The skins, tanned, are of a soft texture and serviceable color, admirable for book-bindings and furniture-covers, and the hair is the best possible filling for buoys to be used in a life-saving apparatus, as it possesses a wonderful degree of buoyancy. It is said, you know, of the hog slaughter at Chicago and Kansas City that there is nothing wasted save the squeal. Everything else being used to advantage, the horns of the reindeer make the best glue of commerce. The project is to turn this moss to profit by feeding it to reindeer, as corn is fed to hogs in the West, and marketed as pork.

"Liberia." Liberia is a republic modelled after our own. It was founded by some enthusiastic philanthropists who thought the colored people of our southern States could be induced to go back to Africa where their ancestors, as slaves and against their wills, came from. Before our civil war some went. Since then none have. The experiment was a failure, and Liberia is not prospering greatly. Have we any readers living on the Isle of Man? We fear not. Does any reader know any one living there? Ralph Carr, living at 1041 Santa Fé Street, Atchison, Kansas, says his father came from there, and he desires to hunt up, if possible, some facts about the island and his father's birth-place. This is an interesting and profitable thing to do. If any member can help him, please do so.

Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly
answered by the Editor of this column, and we should be glad to
hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions.

HANDY APPARATUS FOR THE DARK-ROOM.

One of the latest conveniences for the dark-room is a developing-tray so arranged that a plate may be examined during development without taking it from the tray. The tray is made with a solid glass bottom and wooden sides, with a reservoir at one end for holding the developer while examining the plate. When the tray is lifted the solution runs down into this reservoir. Another tray, made on the same principle, is of solid glass, and a piece of glass extends about a third of the way across the top of the tray, making a reservoir for the developing solution during the examination of the plate. There are small knobs on the bottom of the tray to prevent the plate adhering to the bottom by suction. A 5-by-8 tray with glass bottom and wooden sides costs $1.20. The solid glass, same size, costs $1.25.

_Rubber Finger-Tips._--Rubber finger-tips are among the "must haves" of the photographer. They are made specially for use in handling photographic chemicals, are a perfect protection for the fingers, and prevent the discoloration of the nails and ends of the fingers from the various solutions used in photography. They are very thin, and fit closely to the fingers, and do not impair the sense of touch in any great degree. A set of three costs 15c., and their use prevents any danger of poisoning when handling dangerous chemicals.

_A Handy Plate-Lifter._--A most convenient plate-lifter is a metal finger-shield, very much the shape of an open-top thimble. It has a sharp piece of steel attached to one side, and extending about half an inch beyond the end of the shield. To use, the shield is placed on the first finger, the pointed piece of metal slipped under the negative, raising it from the solution. It can then be taken out without having put the fingers in the solution. This little lifter costs 15c.

_Glass Rods._--For stirring solutions one should have a small glass rod, especially when making solutions for sensitizing paper. The nitrate-of-silver solution should never come in contact with any metal. In sensitizing paper, where it is floated on the silver bath, it is quite necessary to have a glass rod to lay across the top of the tray, to draw the paper over when turning, or removing from the bath. This helps to spread the solution evenly and removes the superfluous liquid. A hollow glass tube designed for this purpose has one end flattened to prevent its turning when laid on the tray. The price is 25c.; a glass stirring-rod costs 8c.

_Photographic Chemical Tablets._--One can buy, put up in the form of compressed tablets, all or nearly all the chemicals used in developing and printing. These tablets are warranted not to alter or change by age or climate, all that is necessary to preserve them being to cork the bottles immediately after taking out what is required for use. Each bottle of tablets is labelled with full directions for use, and the photographer who wishes to develop his pictures while away on an outing will find them very convenient. They take up but little room, and all that is necessary is the addition of a little water when needed. The price of a complete outfit for developing and toning a large quantity of pictures is $3.

SIR KNIGHT ROBERT GUEST, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, asks if taking
money prizes in photographic contests makes one a professional
photographer, and if one can sell his pictures and still remain an
amateur. Taking prizes in competitions does not class one with the
professional photographers, nor does selling prints make one a
professional. By a professional is understood one who makes a
business of photography, either in opening a gallery for portraits
or in devoting himself to making pictures of all sorts of
commercial articles, photographs of buildings, interiors, etc. An
amateur is one who does this work for pastime, taking pay
occasionally for his work, but not making it a business. We should
like to have Sir Robert send us some views of Yarmouth and vicinity
for reproduction in our Camera Club column.

SIR KNIGHT HERBERT H. PEASE asks where bromide and platinum paper
can be bought, and which is the best; the price, and if it can be
developed with eikonogen developer, and fixed with hypo the same as
plates; if it is best to mount damp or dry; if the answer to Sir
William Merritt that the contest closed December 15 was a mistake;
and if one stands a better chance of winning a prize if he does not
use the glossy papers for printing. Bromide or platinum paper may
be bought of any dealer in photographic supplies; both papers are
good, the bromide being the easiest for the experimenter; bromide
may be developed with eikonogen and fixed in the same way as a
plate, but before the print is fixed it must be flowed with a bath
made of acetic acid, 1 dr., and water, 32 oz., according to the
directions which accompany the paper; 4-by-5 bromide paper costs
25c. a dozen. The date December 15 for close of contest was a
mistake. There is but one competition, and it closes February 15.
All pictures are judged according to their merits, without regard
to printing processes. The platinum and bromide pictures are the
more artistic, and mechanical finish is one of the points on which
pictures are marked.

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