Chapter VI (2)

Not long after that a woman living only two farms below went to the door at noonday, and saw, or thought she saw, across the field, a creature which she said was bigger and longer than any dog, trot away across the lot and enter the woods, looking back once or twice as it ran.

December came, and nothing more was heard of the panther. There was snow enough to make good hauling. Raish and his brother Howard, who was two years younger, had twenty cords of wood to get in from back. One dark cloudy day the young fellows were hurrying to get in another load before darkness shut down. The oxen were swung around, head homeward, alongside a pile of wood. A quarter of the load was on when the oxen began to act queerly. They commenced to sniff, putting their noses into the air, and looking all around. Raish had never seen them so behave, but he went on loading. Presently one of the steers put his head down and gave a long, low moan, at the same time pawing the snow.

Raish spoke to them, yet a curious feeling began to take possession of him, when, without a warning more than that, a cry rose upon the still air of the woods, and that same instant the oxen threw themselves against the yoke. There followed a crash of falling cord-wood as the sled started, and hardly slower, the boys sprang aboard, seizing hold of a sled-stake; and as Raish rolled over again he heard that cry, and something leaped into the middle of the road behind them.

But that was all. The oxen plunged madly forward, and at every lurch their bellows mingled with the clangor of chains and the pounding of the sled. What power guided them along that road? Bounding over the cradle knolls, crashing now into this side, now into that, strewing the road behind them with the cord-wood sticks. It was a wild run.

A quarter of a mile was passed. There was no looking back, and no looking forward for the pelting of ice from flying hoofs. The clearing is reached. Wild with fright, on the steers go. The house, the wood-pile, as in a swim, flash by, and then there is a crash.

When Raish's memory gathered up the thread of swiftly passing events, he was lying on the floor of the cow-stable on the straw, and his brother, pale from fright, was bending over him, and there were some other frightened people crowded around, and a pair of steers were at the far end of the cow-stable. Raish was aware of some blood from an ugly cut. He lay stunned, they say, for some moments. Howard escaped without a hurt. The oxen, guided by instinct, made straight for the stable, and seeing the open door, made straight for refuge. The sled had struck the corner of the log barn, the tongue had snapped off, and the boys had been thrown forward; Raish's forehead struck, it was believed, either a sled-stake or one of the oxen's hoofs. The wonder was that both were not killed from the force with which they must have struck.

But all this time where was the panther? It came, so some persons at the house said, to the edge of the timber and a little beyond, where it stood some while, hesitating, and then turned back to the woods, where, instead of taking the road, it gave a mighty spring to the limb of a tree, and disappeared from view, no one venturing to follow.

Before the winter was over, however, some men with a small dog drove it to tree and shot it, after it had killed a fine heifer, no great ways from there. Out of curiosity the height of the panther's leap was measured, and it was said to be nearly eighteen feet.

The annual boat-races of the Halcyon and Shattuck crews of St. Paul's School, Concord, were held this year on June 18th, on Lake Penacook, as usual. The honors of the day went to the Halcyons, whose first and second crews won their events, the first crew breaking the school record for the distance by four seconds.

The most important of the three contests was the last race, between the two Senior eights. The start was made shortly before eleven o'clock in the morning, both crews getting away about together, rowing in good form and with very little splashing. The Shattucks started with a stroke of 42, the Halcyons pulling a 40 stroke. This pace was kept up for about a quarter of a mile, when both crews dropped their stroke a couple of points, and for the rest of the race neither eight went above 38.

Holders of the record: DISTANCE, 1-1/2 miles; TIME, 8 min. 21 sec.]

At the mile the boats were about even, but there the Halcyons began to draw slowly away, and although the Shattucks tried to keep up, they were unable to push their boat through the water as rapidly as their rivals. At the mile-and-a-half flag the Halcyon eight was two boat-lengths ahead of the Shattucks, and still gaining rapidly. The Shattuck stroke tried to hit it up, but his crew was unable to respond. The men in the Halcyon boat were rowing in beautiful form, with a long and regular body swing, and kept increasing their lead. They rushed their shell across the line nineteen seconds ahead of their rivals, their time over the course being 8 min. 21 sec., the best former record for the distance being 8 min. 25 sec., made by the Shattucks in 1891.

The Halcyon men showed no signs of fatigue, but the Shattuck oarsmen seemed slightly done up, although they finished in excellent form. There is little doubt that this Halcyon crew of 1896 is the best that ever rowed on Lake Penacook, most of the men being veterans, the four stern oars especially being the best four that the school has ever turned out, so far as working together in the boat is concerned. The Shattuck crew, on the other hand, has had a good deal of hard luck this year, and the men were all younger and less experienced than their rivals. The crews rowed as follows:

Shattuck.

Stroke--Byrd.
No. 7--Stillman.
No. 6--Glidden (Capt.).
No. 5--Francis.
No. 4--Nickerson.
No. 3--McKay.
No. 2--Nugent.
No. 1--Vredenburg.

Halcyon.

Stroke--Thomas.
No. 7--Wheeler (Capt.).
No. 6--Brock.
No. 5--Howard.
No. 4--Niedecken.
No. 3--N. Biddle.
No. 2--Goodwin.
No. 1--L. Biddle.

In the race between the second crews, the Shattuck six got a better start than the Halcyons, and rowed 36 to the minute all through the race. The Halcyons overtook them at the first quarter, rowing 38. It had been supposed that these two crews were of about equal strength, and a close race was expected, but after the first quarter of a mile the Shattuck men seemed to go to pieces and splashed badly, and in spite of the continued exhortation of the cox-swain, the men were unable to hit up the stroke. The Halcyon oarsmen, however, rowed in good form, and broke the record for their event, covering the distance in 9 min. 23 sec. The Shattuck's time was 9 min. 45 sec. The men sat in the boats as follows:

Shattuck.

Stroke--Warmoth.
No. 5--Hogle (Captain).
No. 4--Wilson.
No. 3--Winter.
No. 2--Kaime.
No. 1--Campbell.

Halcyon.

Stroke--Barker (Captain).
No. 5--Henderson.
No. 4--Hollingsworth.
No. 3--Drayton.
No. 2--Wheeler.
No. 1--Berger.

In the race between the third crews the Shattucks again got a better start than their opponents, and secured a lead which they kept increasing as they neared the finish. Within half a mile of the line the Halcyons raised their stroke for a moment and tried to spurt, but they were unable to keep this up, and soon fell back to 35. This four did not row in as good form as the other Halcyon crews did, and showed considerable want of coaching. Their pluck, however, was good, and they never gave up work until they had crossed the line. The third Shattuck crew rowed a very steady race, showing good form for the entire distance. The men sat in the boats as follows:

Shattuck.

Stroke--Stoddard.
No. 3--Bloomer.
No. 2--Thompson.
No. 1--Keep (Captain).

Halcyon.

Stroke--Nelson.
No. 3--Phipps (Captain).
No. 2--Weston.
No. 1--Pruyn.

The breaking of the record by the first Halcyon is a feat to be proud of when it is considered that in the crew which held this record previously were Fennessy of Harvard, and Brown and Simpson of this year's Yale Henley crew. There are undoubtedly several rising oarsmen in both the Halcyon and Shattuck boats this year. Harvard will get Byrd, Stillman, Glidden, Nickerson, and McKay, whereas Yale will have Francis, Nugent, and Vredenburg.

RECORD OF CONTESTS BETWEEN THE HALCYON AND SHATTUCK CREWS, ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL, CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Year. Date. Winner First-Crew Race. Time of Losing Crew.
1-Mile Course.
1871. June 7. Halcyon, 8 min. 32 sec. 8 min. 53 sec.
1872. June 20. Shattuck, time not given. 3 lengths.
1873. June 7. Halcyon, 8 min. 45 sec. 1 length behind.
1-3/4-Mile Course.
1874. June 16. Halcyon, 10 min. 23 sec. 11 min. 8 sec.
Course, 1 Mile and Return.
1875. June 9. Halcyon, 14 min. 6 sec. 14 min. 50 sec.
1876. June 10. Halcyon, 14 min. 28 sec. 15 min. 13-1/4 sec.
1877. June 14. Shattuck, 13 min. 40-1/4 sec. 14 min. 48 sec.
1878. No races.
1879. June 11. Halcyon, 14 min. 2-1/4 sec. Not taken.
1880. June 3. Shattuck, 14 min. 25-1/2 sec. 14 min. 57 sec.
1881. June 2. Halcyon, 14 min. 10 sec. 15 min. 1 sec.
1882. June 13. Halcyon, 13 min. 28-1/2 sec. 14 min. 4 sec.
[3]1883. June 12. Halcyon, 13 min. 13 sec. 13 min. 38 sec.
1884. June 9. Shattuck, 12 min. 41 sec. 13 min. 16 sec.
1885. May 25. Halcyon, 14 min. 7-1/4 sec. [4]Not taken.
1886. May 24. Shattuck, 12 min. 51 sec. 12 min. 58-1/2 sec.
1887. May 29. Shattuck, 12 min. 42 sec. 12 min. 46-4/5 sec.
1888. June 8. Halcyon, 12 min. 32-2/5 sec. [5]Not taken.
1889. June 1. Shattuck, 13 min. 10-1/4 sec. Not taken.
1-3/4-Mile Straightaway.
1890. May 28. Halcyon, 9 min. 2-1/2 sec. Not taken.
1-1/2-Mile Straightaway.
[6]1891. May 27. Shattuck, 8 min. 25 sec. Not taken.
1892. May 28. Shattuck, 8 min. 29-3/4 sec. Not taken.
1893. May 29. Shattuck, 9 min. 19 sec. Not taken.
1894. June 10. Shattuck, time not given. Not taken.
1895. June 11. Shattuck, 9 min. 14-1/2 sec. 9 min. 30 sec.
1896. June 18. Halcyon, 8 min. 21 sec. 8 min. 40 sec.

[3] From 1883 to 1890 the first crews rowed in six-oared gigs.

[4] 1885 oar broke.

[5] 1888 oar-lock broke.

[6] Since 1891 eight-oared shells have been used.

Year. Date. Winner Second-Crew Race. Winner Third-Crew Race.
1-Mile Course.
1871. June 7. No race. No race.
1872. June 20. No race. No race.
1873. June 7. No race. No race.
1-3/4-Mile Course.
1874. June 16. Halcyon, time not given. No race.
Course, 1 Mile and Return.
1875. June 9. Halcyon, 14 min. 48 sec. Halcyon.
1876. June 10. Halcyon, 15 min. 2-3/4 sec. No race.
1877. June 14. Shattuck, 14 min. 9-3/4 sec. Halcyon.
1878. No races.
1879. June 11. Shattuck, 14 min. 22 sec. Shattuck.
1880. June 3. Shattuck, 14 min. 15-1/4 sec. Shattuck.
1881. June 2. Shattuck, 14 min. 5 sec. No race.
1882. June 13. Halcyon, 15 min. 1 sec. Halcyon.
1883. June 12. Halcyon, 14 min. 39-3/4 sec. No race.
1884. June 9. Halcyon, 14 min. 45 sec. Halcyon.
1885. May 25. Shattuck, 15 min. 11 sec. No race.
1886. May 24. Shattuck, 14 min. 3 sec. No race.
1887. May 29. Halcyon, 13 min. 53 sec. No race.
1888. June 8. Halcyon, 13 min. 32-1/2 sec. Shattuck.
1889. June 1. Halcyon, 14 min. 39-1/2 sec. Halcyon.
1-3/4-Mile Straightaway.
1890. May 28. Shattuck, 9 min. 53 sec. Shattuck.
1-1/2-Mile Straightaway.
1891. May 27. Shattuck, 9 min. 49-1/5 sec. Halcyon.
1892. May 28. Halcyon, 10 min. 10sec. Halcyon.
1893. May 29. Halcyon, 10 min. 23 sec. Shattuck.
1894. June 10. Shattuck, 9 min. 25 sec. Halcyon.
1895. June 11. Halcyon, 10 min. 21 sec. Halcyon.
1896. June 18. Halcyon, 9 min. 23 sec. Shattuck.

For the sake of the record I append the times of the several crews, as officially announced:

First Crews.--Halcyons, first; time, 8 minutes 21 seconds.
Shattucks, second; time, 8 minutes 40 seconds.

Second Crews.--Halcyons, first; time, 9 minutes 23 seconds.
Shattucks, second; time, 9 minutes 45 seconds.

Third Crews.--Shattucks, first; time, 10 minutes 4 seconds,
Halcyons, second; time, 10 minutes 30 seconds.

After the races were finished, the crowd returned from Lake Penacook to the school grounds, cheering the victorious crews all the way; and when the students reached the flag-pole on the lawn, they followed the usual custom of hoisting the club colors and the stroke oar of the winning crew. And after this had been done the young men of St. Paul's did a very nice thing. They presented to the coach of the crews a ticket to Henley and back--a present that was probably more grateful to that instructor than any other his pupils could have thought of.

By the number of letters I have received from readers of this Department in Connecticut, I judge that the discussion of Hartford High-School's claim to the title of "Champion School" has aroused considerable interest in that section of the country. I am glad that this is so, for I believe that a wide discussion of such questions always tends toward good.

But either I did not express myself clearly in the few paragraphs that the Department devoted at the time to the discussion of the question, or else some of my readers have failed to comprehend the drift of my argument. One valued correspondent writes as follows: "I was very much interested in the argument which recently appeared in HARPER'S ROUND TABLE about H.P.H.-S. claiming the National championship. You say that they would have to defeat in dual contests the principal schools of the country in order to claim it. According to that, Hartford did not win the championship of the Connecticut H.-S.A.A. this spring, because she did not defeat each one of the schools in single contests. According to that, there is no honor to be gained in winning the greatest number of points in an Association field-day. Then why not do away with these Associations! Your suggestion about holding sets of dual games is not only impracticable but also impossible for ascertaining which school is National champion."

What I said in this Department on July 7 was that the National Games were a contest among "teams from leagues," and not among "teams from schools," and that therefore the question of school supremacy did not enter into the discussion. Further, I added that the only way the title of "Champion School" could be secured by Hartford would be for her to have dual meets with all other schools of her class. I should have added that another way for Hartford to earn the title of "Champion School" would be to hold a large interscholastic field-day, at which teams representing individual schools--not teams representing leagues or associations--should compete.

At any track-athletic meeting where teams of athletes represent certain units, the team winning the greatest number of points becomes the victorious unit, and the athletes who aided in piling up these points, as representatives of that unit, are of no importance whatever so far as they can claim any relation to the other athletes who strove as representatives for the rival or defeated units. The Connecticut High-School A.A. is made up of a number of units--schools. Each unit sent a team to New Haven on June 6 to the annual field-meeting of the association. The athletes who came from the Hartford High-School piled up the greatest score: therefore the Hartford High-School is the champion of that association. It seems to me that this must be perfectly clear, and I do not understand how any one can logically deduce anything else.

But, supposing a majority of this point-winners for the Hartford High-School on that day were members of the class of '96--as they probably were--have they any claim to the title of "Champion Class" of the State or of the association? Certainly not. The games at New Haven were not "class" games; they were "school" games, and nobody knew or cared to what class the winning athletes belonged. In the same way it was of no importance whatever, so far as the championship was concerned, to what school the point-winners in the National Games belonged. These games were held among associations, and the association that scored the greatest number of points became the champion association for the year.

In the case of the Connecticut Association it happened that the greatest number of point-winners were members of the Hartford High-School. This may justly be a source of pride for Hartford, and for all the members of the High-School, but it is not a matter to interest the National Association, nor is it a matter for the National Association to take any cognizance of.

The same correspondent whom I have quoted above goes on to say: "Therefore I think that Hartford has just as much claim to the national championship as she has to the Connecticut H.-S.A.A. championship, and as Yale has to the Intercollegiate championship." I feel perfectly confident that as soon as he, and others, who are of his opinion at present, make clear to themselves the difference between a contest among schools and a contest among associations, they will not think that Hartford has any claim whatever. I am very glad, too, that my correspondent cited Yale in his comparison, for it helps me to make my argument even clearer.

Yale is a university made up of Yale College, the Sheffield Scientific School, the Yale Law School, the Yale Medical School, the Yale Art School, the Yale Divinity School, etc. On every Yale team that goes to the Intercollegiate games there are College men, Sheff men, and frequently men who are in the Medical School or other departments of the University.

It is not necessary to look over the records to find out if a case such as the one I am about to cite as an example ever actually happened, for the illustration is just as strong whether it ever occurred in fact or not. But suppose that the majority of the point-winners of the Yale team of 1896 were Sheff men. Would the Sheffield Scientific School, for that reason, have any grounds to claim any kind of a championship? Of course not. The Sheff men went down to Manhattan Field as members of Yale University, just as the H.P.H.-S. athletes went to the Columbia Oval as members of the Connecticut H.-S.A.A., and neither body has any right to set up any kind of a claim for individual prowess. If I have not yet succeeded in making myself clear to all my Connecticut readers, I hope they will let me hear from them further, and I will try it again.

Another point over which there has been considerable misunderstanding is the difference between an "Interscholastic" record and a "National Interscholastic" record. The Constitution of the N.I.S.A.A., in its Laws of Athletics, section 18, says that a national interscholastic record is any record made at the annual meeting of the N.I.S.A.A. A.A. An interscholastic record, on the other hand, is a record made by a student in any annual field-meeting of any league, club, or association. [The National Association's Constitution puts it, "any leagues, clubs, or associations _of this association_," but we cannot accept this as correct, because there are several interscholastic records held by associations not members of the national body.]

To be brief, however, a national interscholastic record is one made at the national games; an interscholastic record is one made at _any_ interscholastic meeting. As soon as space enough avails, this Department will print the tables of national and interscholastic records--for the comparison will be an interesting one.

Speaking of errors, it is well to refer to one which crept into almost all of the reports of the performances of the National games. In the high jump this Department credited Sturtevant of Connecticut with first place, and Flournoy of Iowa with second place. The facts of the case were these: Flournoy and Sturtevant, the only contestants in the event, tied for first place at 5 ft. 8 in. Therefore they divided the points, each man taking four.

Then they chose to jump over again for the medals, instead of tossing a coin, as is usual--although this athletic method of deciding the question is by far the more sportsmanlike. On the jump-off Flournoy was unable to repeat his performance of 5 ft. 8 in., and could only clear 5 ft. 7 in., whereas Sturtevant again got over the bar at the higher point. This gave Sturtevant the first-place medal and Flournoy the second prize. But this jumping-off business had no effect whatever on the two associations' scores, and consequently Connecticut's figures should be 24 instead of 25, and Iowa's should be 7 instead of 6.

While speaking of records, let me say a word in connection with the mile-walk figures of Eells, of the Hotchkiss School, at the Connecticut games last June. The performance as recorded was 7 min. 11 sec., and I believe these figures to be correct. When the time was announced on the field at New Haven some one raised a cry that it should be 8 min. 11 sec., and a report that the official time-keepers had made an error was assiduously circulated.

A number of letters have come to this Department since that time asking if 7 min. 11 sec. were the correct figures for Eells's performance, and I have consequently been at some pains to make a careful investigation into the matter. Mr. E. G. Coy and Mr. C. E. Hammett, Principal and Physical Director, respectively, of the Hotchkiss School, assure me that Eells is capable of walking a mile in 7 min. 11 sec. They must have every means of knowing this, Mr. Hammett especially, having seen the young athlete train for months before he went to the Connecticut Interscholastics.

They assure me that the time, 7 min. 11 sec., as announced on the field that day, is correct, and they regret that any contrary report should have been circulated by some irresponsible enthusiast among the spectators. Considering these facts, Mr. Eells, in the opinion of this Department, is entitled to be considered the holder of the interscholastic record, and will be put down as such in the table soon to be printed.

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Thoroughly revised, classified, and indexed, will be sent by mail to any address on receipt of ten cents.

This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the
Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our
maps and tours contain many valuable data kindly supplied from the
official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen.
Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L.A.W., the
Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership
blanks and information so far as possible.

Owing to the accumulation of queries, the Department this week will be devoted to replies.

J. L. E. asks how to fix the proper handicaps in a bicycle-race which he is getting up--what plan he is to go on, what the system is, and where he can find a book on the subject. Handicapping in bicycling is the same in principle as all other handicaps, and there are the same reasons, and only the same reasons, for giving handicaps that there are in other contests. As a rule, handicapping is best left alone. It should only be resorted to when the differences in speed of competitors are so great that no one could get up a race and induce men to enter unless a handicap were resorted to. In long distances, in road races of 25 miles or more, time handicaps are usually given. The time of each contestant--that is, his best time for a mile, or for 35 miles--is ascertained, and a table made of all these. Each man, then, shows a certain rate per mile for 25 miles, or whatever the distance may be. According to this record, one man does 10, 20, or 25 miles at the rate of a minute a mile faster than another. In a 25-mile race, therefore, he should give the other about 25 minutes' start. This is, of course, a large handicap, but it illustrates the point. If A does 20 miles in 60 minutes and B's record is 15 miles in 60 minutes, then, to make the race even, B should start on his run at 2 P.M., for example, while A has to wait at the scratch 15 minutes. When he finally starts at 2.15 P.M., B is 3-3/4 miles ahead of him. Supposing the road race was on a stretch of road five miles long and the course was to make it down and back four times--that is, twice each way. The distance handicap could be made by starting both A and B at the same time, with B at a position 1-1/4 miles from the first turn and A at the scratch; but such long-distance handicaps are difficult things to take care of, since it is practically impossible to start both men at the same moment. It is for this reason that time handicaps have been taken up. On short distances of a mile or two the difficulty is, of course, avoided, and distances can be arranged with simultaneous starts. A bicycle-race under 25 miles is, however, a dangerous and not particularly exerting affair, though there are many still. Ascertain, therefore, each man's record for the same distance, and then arrange the time handicaps, so as to give all, according to their records, the chance of coming in at the same moment.

"WHEELMAN" asks what are the laws regarding riding on sidewalks, coasting, and so on, and whether these laws are the kind that are enforced, or if they are, like many other city and town ordinances, only for use in emergency, and not otherwise observed. In the first place, the laws, ordinances, or regulations regarding riding on sidewalks, scorching, coasting, and so on, are different in every city or township--that is, each township has its regulations concerning these matters, and they have been adopted to protect other people. There is a movement on foot to make bicycles come under the head of carriages, and subject to the same laws; but in the mean time several things ought to be borne in mind by wheelmen. Most ordinances agree in stating that in city or town no bicyclist shall ride on sidewalks; that too great speed is dangerous; that coasting, where cross-streets are common, is dangerous; and that anything likely to endanger foot-passengers or be dangerous to the wheelman must be avoided. The regulations are made to cover these matters. It therefore behooves the wheelman to guard against any of these matters; for if we all thought of the possible danger and inconvenience to other citizens, there would be no occasion for stricter regulations than there have been for carriages. Hence, if you coast in a city or town, you are helping the movement which will cause aldermen and selectmen to pass more severe laws. If you ride on sidewalks, you are in just so far stimulating the popular prejudice against wheels, raising the fines, and causing a general feeling that bicyclists must be legislated against. When you are on country roads, where not one person an hour passes, choose the side path, since it may be the only good bit of road; but when you come to civilization, remember that no matter how bad the road, and no matter how many other wheelmen may be riding on sidewalks, and coasting and scorching, the law asks you to keep to your proper place, and you are helping the cause of bicycling, to say the least, if you do so.

NOTE.--Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of
route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford,
Connecticut, in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New
Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814.
Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816.
Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie in No. 817. Poughkeepsie to Hudson in No.
818. Hudson to Albany in No. 819. Tottenville to Trenton in No.
820. Trenton to Philadelphia in No. 821. Philadelphia in No. 822.
Philadelphia-Wissahickon Route in No. 823. Philadelphia to West
Chester in No. 824. Philadelphia to Atlantic City--First Stage in
No. 825; Second Stage in No. 826. Philadelphia to Vineland--First
Stage in No. 827; Second Stage in No. 828. New York to
Boston--Second Stage in No. 829; Third Stage in No. 830; Fourth
Stage in No. 831; Fifth Stage in No. 832; Sixth Stage in No. 833.
Boston to Concord in No. 834. Boston in No. 835. Boston to
Gloucester in No. 836. Boston to Newburyport in No. 837. Boston to
New Bedford in No. 838. Boston to South Framingham in No. 839.
Boston to Nahant in No. 840. Boston to Lowell in No. 841. Boston to
Nantasket Beach in No. 842. Boston Circuit Ride in No. 843.
Philadelphia to Washington--First Stage in No. 844; Second Stage in
No. 845; Third Stage in No. 846; Fourth Stage in No. 847; Fifth
Stage in No. 848. City of Washington in No. 849. City of Albany in
No. 854; Albany to Fonda in No. 855; Fonda to Utica in No. 856;
Utica to Syracuse in No. 857; Syracuse to Lyons in No. 858; Lyons
to Rochester in No. 859; Rochester to Batavia in No. 860; Batavia
to Buffalo in No. 861; Poughkeepsie to Newtown in No. 864; Newtown
to Hartford in No. 865; New Haven to Hartford in No. 866; Hartford
to Springfield in No. 867; Hartford to Canaan in No. 868; Canaan to
Pittsfield in No. 869; Hudson to Pittsfield in No. 870.

"IT."

BY EMMA J. GRAY.

Many of the games with which we are familiar in the United States are well known throughout Great Britain and on the Continent. But among the most amusing and most popular of English games is one of which we know little or nothing. It is dignified by the two-lettered name, "It."

This is altogether suitable for the parlor, and may be played by everybody if we will except the very young people. It creates roars of laughter, on account of the funny mistakes made by the questioners. "It" is a great mystery, and the longer it is played the greater mystery often it becomes. Only those understanding this game may remain in the room. All others must leave; there is no alternative. One of the party, unfamiliar with the game, is then selected to return, and must, by questioning those in the parlor, learn what "it" is. When he knows "it," he too must remain behind, and some one else is selected to fill his place. In this way the game is carried on, until each one in turn comes in and finds out the secret.

"It" is really the person who sits at your left, but, before this is discovered, usually much amusement is made. The game is played in the following way:

All in the parlor must sit in a circle, and must not change their positions. When the player is called in, he is told to ask a question of whomever he may please, and the person must correctly answer. For example--"Is 'it' white?" As everybody present is white, the answer is necessarily "Yes."

The questioner then asks another person, "Is 'it' thin?" and if the person to the left of the person thus questioned is thin, the answer is again "Yes." Perhaps this question may be repeated, and some one else is asked, "Do you also think 'it' is thin?" and if this person has some one for a left-hand neighbor who is very stout, of course he answers "No."

And thus the questioner is mystified, and must continue question after question. For a long time he may think "it" is a thing. Therefore a good question to put would be, "Is 'it' alive?" And then he might ask, "Is 'it' in this room?" Then he might try complexion, and again would be mystified, for if he asked, "Is 'it' a brunette?" and the reply being "Yes," his next question, "Has 'it' dark eyes?" would perhaps have for answer, "No"; and, "Has 'it' light hair?" "Yes." And so the secret seems harder than ever.

A good way is to ask the same questions over and over, and try to locate "it" in that way. But the questioner should not easily be discouraged. A few points may be given to him, such as some of the above. The players would better announce "It" as a trick game.

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.

In the summer of 1895 a complete _unperforated_ sheet of the current 5c. U.S. unwatermarked was found in the post-office of New Orleans. A well-known collector bought the sheet for $1000. Some months later another collector who was looking up Plate Nos. discovered _unperforated_ sheets of the current 3c. and 4c. stamps on unwatermarked paper (Plate Nos. 47 and 50 respectively). These unperforated stamps have been put on the market at $24 for a pair, or $12 each in larger blocks. No single stamps to be sold. The demand has been very lively, and most of the stamps have been sold at that price.

Of the 1890 issue the following are known to exist unperforated: the 2c., 4c., 5c., and 15c. Very few copies have come on the market, and those have been eagerly snapped up by the big collectors. Hitherto these unperforated stamps have probably been mere accidents, but there is danger in their becoming hereafter "accidental on purpose."

Plate Nos. are still booming. The early pink 2c. and ultramarine 1c. are comparatively easy to get. But the early Plate Nos. on watermarked paper are quite scarce. There must be quantities of these in the smaller post-offices. Fifteen dollars are offered for Plate 89 in any color.

As soon as a great rarity is discovered hundred of collectors look over everything they can find, and, wonderful to say, the stamp supposed to be unique rarely remains in that condition. The 10c. Baltimore, first catalogued about a year ago, was hardly announced when a collector in Louisville found another copy on the original envelope. And now another copy has turned up in Washington. The other day a lady who had relatives living in Florence in 1852 was induced to look over her old letters, and among them was one envelope bearing a beautiful strip of three 2 soldi Tuscany worth $50 each. The strip of three is probably worth $200 at least. Several other rare stamps were in the same lot.

The Argentine Republic has just issued a complete set of post-cards, embossed envelopes, and wrappers in commemoration of the eighty-sixth anniversary of the republic's independence. It is said that this issue is not to serve for a limited time, but will continue indefinitely. Argentine has not been very conservative in the making of new issues during the last decade. Complete series were issued in 1888, 1889, 1890, 1892, with some additional values in 1891, Columbian 2c. and 5c. in 1892, and official stamps in red and in black surcharges, with the inevitable inverted surcharges, some perforated, others rouletted, etc.

From present appearances it looks like a good set to let alone. As to their appearance, they are ugly in comparison with the Greek Olympian stamps, which have been put on the black list. The following is a complete set of this commemoration series:

3 centavos post-card, orange on buff.
4 centavos post-card, gray on buff.
6 centavos post-card, violet on buff.
6x6 centavos post-card, violet on buff.
3 centavos letter-card, orange on buff.
4 centavos letter-card, gray on buff.
1/2 centavos wrapper, blue.
1 centavos wrapper, brown.
2 centavos wrapper, green.
4 centavos wrapper, gray.
5 centavos envelope, pink on buff.

L. WARREN.--The only way to detect counterfeit stamps is to know
what the originals are. Paper, water-mark, perforation, roulette,
color of ink, size, and peculiarities of the engraving, and many
other factors enter into the problem. Dealers usually keep an album
of all the different varieties of counterfeits of every stamp for
the purpose of comparison. Duplicate counterfeits are at once
destroyed. In addition, dealers, like the advanced collectors,
study the peculiarities of all genuine originals which come into
their hands, and are always ready to take time and trouble to see
fine collections, and talk over the different stamps. It is only by
this method that a man becomes an expert in these days of dangerous
counterfeits. Gradually an intuitive knowledge of forgeries is
developed, so that frequently an expert will condemn a stamp which
seems to be in all essentials a genuine one. If not an expert there
is only one way to buy valuable stamps, namely from collectors or
dealers, known to be experts, and known to be responsible.

W. K. DART.--The current 2c. have three forms of triangle (see
ROUND TABLE for May 12, 1896). They have no particular value,
either used or unused. I would advise you to get a catalogue for
25c., as it is impossible for one to quote prices on a long list of
ordinary stamps for every one of the many readers of the ROUND
TABLE. Study your stamps by the aid of the catalogue.

S. E. SEORAH.--The A.P.A. will hold their annual meeting at Lake
Minnetonka, a beautiful summer resort in the lake country of
Minnesota.

PHILATUS.

* * * * *

A GOOD CHILD

is usually healthy, and both conditions are developed by use of proper food. The Gail Borden Eagle Brand Condensed Milk is the best infant's food: so easily prepared that improper feeding is inexcusable and unnecessary.--[_Adv._]

ADVERTISEMENTS.

WALTER BAKER & CO., LIMITED.

Established Dorchester, Mass., 1780.

Breakfast Cocoa

Always ask for Walter Baker & Co.'s

Breakfast Cocoa

Made at

DORCHESTER, MASS.

It bears their Trade Mark

"La Belle Chocolatiere" on every can.

Beware of Imitations.

Postage Stamps, &c.

$117.50 WORTH OF STAMPS FREE

to agents selling-stamps from my 50% approval sheets. Send at once for circular and price-list giving full information.

C. W. Grevning, Morristown, N. J.

100 all dif. Venezuela, Bolivia, etc., only 10c., 200 all dif. Hayti, Hawaii, etc., only 50c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List FREE! =C. A. Stegmann=, 5941 Cote Brilliante Ave., St. Louis, Mo

STAMPS

=10= stamps and large list =FREE!=

L. DOVER & CO., 1469 Hodiamant, St. Louis, Mo.

Good

Music

Franklin Square Song Collection.

GOOD MUSIC arouses a spirit of good-will, creates a harmonious atmosphere, and where harmony and good-will prevail, the disobedient, turbulent, unruly spirit finds no resting-place. Herbert Spencer puts his final test of any plan of culture in the form of a question, "Does it create a pleasurable excitement in the pupils?" Judged by this criterion, Music deserves the first rank, for no work done in the school room is so surely creative of pleasure as singing. Do we not all agree, then, that Vocal Music has power to benefit every side of the child nature? And in these days, when we seek to make our schools the arenas where children may grow into symmetrical, substantial, noble characters, can we afford to neglect so powerful an aid as Music? Let us as rather encourage it in every way possible.

_Nowhere can you find for Home or School a better Selection of Songs and Hymns than in the Franklin Square Song Collection._

Sold Everywhere. Price, 50 cents; Cloth, $1.00. Full contents of the Several Numbers, with Specimen Pages of favorite Songs and Hymns, sent by Harper & Brothers, New York, to any address.

Older, and Knew More.

A Brooklyn gentleman tells a new story of Henry Ward Beecher. Mr. Beecher was a great preacher and a great teacher, but he was also not above admitting that he was a student as well, and had things to learn and to unlearn. Dining with the gentleman who relates the incident, the probability of a civil war was discussed. It was the year 1859.

"Oh no," said Mr. Beecher, positively, "the South will never make war on the question of slavery alone. And it has no other ground. Slavery will be abolished, first in the border States of Kentucky and Tennessee, and gradually southward to the Gulf. The controversy is spirited, but war will not come."

Late in 1861, when the war was raging and the Northern cause was darkest, the great divine lunched with a parishioner, and the gentleman first named was also a guest. Reminded of his prediction, the question was put,

"What do you think now?"

"I am three years older, and know more," was Mr. Beecher's reply.

* * * * *

Kinks.

NO. 8.--MORE POETICAL PICTURES.--BIRDS.

Fill in the blanks with the names of the birds answering the description, and find out the authors' names. Answers will be published soon.

"The gentle ****, weary of rest,
From his moist cabinet mounts up on high and wakes the morning." (1)

"The **** hath sung beneath the thatch
Twice or thrice his roundelay." (2)

"The noisy ***,
Jargoning like a foreigner at his food; (3)
The ********, balanced on some topmost spray,
Flooding with melody the neighborhood." (4)

"The ****, round-breasted as a rustic maiden,
Paddles and plunges, busy still." (5)

"O what a winning way thou hast of wooing,
Gentlest of all thy race--sweet ******-****!" (6)

"The ******, then, on every tree, (7)
Mocks married men, for thus sings he, ***-***!" (8)

"The call of the ********
Is frequent and pleasant
When all other calls are hushing." (9)

"The **** high floating, like a sloop unladen,
Lets the loose water waft him as it will." (10)

"Alone, and warming his five wits,
The ***** *** in the belfry sits." (11)

"The tawny ***** seats his callow brood
High on the cliff, and feasts his young with blood." (12)

"The *********** begins his song
Most musical, most melancholy bird." (13)

"'Tis the merry ***********
That crowds and hurries and precipitates
With fast, thick warble his delicious notes." (14)

* * * * *

Answers to Kinks.

No. 7.

1, Stork--Longfellow. 2, Sparrow--George Parsons Lathrop. 3, Robin; 4. Bluebird; 5, Sparrows; 6, Crows--Longfellow. 7, Swallows--James Barron Hope. 8, Partridge; 9, Woodpecker; 10, Oriole--J. T. Trowbridge. 11, Jay--William Howitt. 12, Thrush--John Clare. 13, Peacock--James Barron Hope.

* * * * *

Questions and Answers.

H. G. Benton, Akron, O. The justices of the United States Supreme Court are nominated by the President of the United States, and must be confirmed by the Senate. The Chief Justice is named for that place, and does not, as in Pennsylvania and some other States, reach that place by seniority. "A Writer" is assured that it is not influence or a hearing that sells manuscripts to periodicals. The conditions of such sale are merit, adaptability, and demand. John M. Wadsworth asks us to print pictures of rare American coins and stamps. He should know that such an act is against the law.

"S. B." asks: "How can I obtain a position out-of-doors, and go from place to place, seeing something of the world? I wish to combine business with pleasure, and I think out-of-door life would do me good. A position in an engineer's surveying-party is just the thing, but how can I obtain this?" Young men ought not to expect to combine pleasure with their business. Thousands of old men, who have served years in harness and earned a partial rest, if there be such reward, do not aim so high. If you seek employment with an engineer party, apply directly to an engineer. There is no employment bureau or agency through which you can deal, or, if there be, it is better to attend to the matter yourself. You will find addresses in the railway journals and in colleges where surveying and engineering are taught. When you get the place, banish at once any thought of pleasure as one of the objects of your occupation. Not to do so is wrong to your employer, and ten times more wrong to yourself and your future.

Henry P. Budisch, who hoped to go to West Point, but changed his mind under necessity and went to Cornell instead, asks how many men actually went into the civil war from Northern States. The total was 2,772,408. This included drafted men as well as volunteers, and all arms of service. The highest number of men in arms at one time was 1,000,516, on May 1, 1865--just at the war's close. These were practically all volunteers, because the regular army during the war never exceeded 25,463, which number it reached in January, 1863.

Fred Breittner asks what is the Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company of Boston which recently received such marked attention in England? It is the oldest military organization in the United States, dating from 1638. The term "ancient" was first used in 1700, and the "honourable" was borrowed from a similar company in London. It is not now a part of the militia of Massachusetts, and is, in truth, more of a social than a military company. It has its headquarters in Faneuil Hall. Its rare uniforms are an heirloom from British Colonial times.

Any question 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.

DIRECTIONS FOR TONING BROMIDE PRINTS IN DIFFERENT COLORS.

Bromide-paper coated with silver bromide and gelatine in emulsion may be used for contact printing as well as for enlargements. By treating the developed print with a lead intensifier different tones may be obtained, some of which are quite pleasing. Print according to directions, and develop with any developing solution, but eikonogen gives the best results. Do not develop the picture fully; development should be stopped as soon as detail begins to appear in the shadows. Fix the picture and wash it well. While it is still wet immerse it in an intensifier made as follows:

Nitrate of lead 1 part.
Ferrocyanide of potassium 1-1/2 parts.
Distilled water 25 parts.

This bath must be filtered before using. Leave the print in this bath till the image turns yellow, then wash in running water. Washing will turn the image white, when it may be immersed in any of the following baths, according to the tones desired:

REDDISH-BROWN.

Nitrate of uranium 1 part.
Ammonium chloride 1 part.
Water 10 parts.

After washing and before drying place the print in this bath, and tone till the desired shade. Wash in two or three changes of water, and dry between clean blotters.

Several prints of a beautiful green tone were sent in during the last photographic contest. One of our members sends the following formula for making the green tones on bromide-paper: Make up a solution of cobalt subchloride 1 part, and distilled water 10 parts. Let it stand for an hour, then filter. Print and develop according to the method given above, and after immersing in the lead bath, wash thoroughly, and place face up in the solution of cobalt. Keep the prints moving gently till the picture gradually assumes a fine green tone. Wash and dry with blotter. The same corespondent also sends the following formula for a reddish-brown or chestnut-color (in the prints sent in there were no clear whites, the high lights having a reddish tint, the paper seeming to have absorbed the solution): Cupric chloride, 1 part; distilled water, 10 parts. Immerse in the lead bath, and place the print, without washing, in the cupric-chloride bath.

The formula given for reddish-brown with uranium is one recommended by Dr. Vogel. It is more reliable than the cupric chloride.

Sepia-brown tones may be obtained on enamelled bromide-paper by using the following toning solution:

Hypo 2-1/2 oz.
Ground alum 1/2 oz.
Granulated sugar 1/2 oz.
Boiling water 17-1/2 oz.

Dissolve the hypo first, then add the alum and sugar. This bath keeps well, and can be made up in larger quantity if desired. To use, take two toning-trays, in one of which have a cold bath, and in the other a hot bath. Immerse the prints in the cold bath for a minute or two, and then, without rinsing, transfer them to the hot bath. After toning rinse in an alum bath made in the proportion of one ounce of alum to thirty-five of water. Wash thoroughly, and dry on a ferrotype plate.

SIR KNIGHT J. K. HUNTER asks if the "C" Daylight Kodak, with glass
plate attachment, is a good camera for beginners, and what outfit
is needed for developing and printing. The Daylight camera is a
very good camera, and easily managed. The outfit needed for
developing and printing consists of a dark-room lantern, a 4 by 5
celluloid or rubber developing-tray, an amber-colored glass tray
for the hypo or fixing bath, a 4 by 5 printing-frame, and a
toning-tray. Directions for making a dark-room lantern were given
in No. 781. You can refer to this if you wish to make your lantern
instead of buying it.

LADY CHARLOTTE B. TAYLOR, 1727 Q Street, Washington, D.C., has a
pocket Kodak which she wishes to sell. Any Knight or Lady wishing
to purchase is requested to write to Lady Charlotte.

SAMUEL H. GOTTSCHALK, 1810 Columbus Avenue, Philadelphia, CHARLES
H. WOODS, Carlinville, Ill., RALPH H. WEAND, 718 DeKalb Street,
Norristown, Pa., and JAMES D. WAITE, 101 West Eighty-fifth Street,
New York city, wish to be enrolled as members of the Camera Club.
We are receiving many new members for the club, and hope that we
shall see some very fine work in the coming contest, rules for
which will appear later.

SIR KNIGHT P. CONN wishes to know the best tray for the dark-room,
the best for a toning-tray, and the best kind of plates to use. A
celluloid or gutta-percha tray is a good one for developing
solution, and an amber-glass tray for the hypo. If one uses a glass
tray for hypo he never mistakes the hypo for the developing-tray. A
white porcelain tray is a good one for a toning-tray. There are so
many kinds of plates, or rather brands of plates, made that there
is little choice between those made by reliable manufacturers. No
one plate can be used for all kinds of work. Some subjects require
a slow plate, some a very quick plate. A medium rapid plate is the
better plate for general use in all-round work. A very rapid plate
is needed for instantaneous. If our correspondent has trouble with
his plates, please write to the editor.

G. I. J. asks how the tint first obtained on the paper in printing
can be preserved, if the toning-bath that tones the
florograph-paper can be used for other papers, and if a picture can
be easily over-developed. The reddish tone of the picture may be
preserved by simply fixing the print in a solution of hypo without
previous toning, or it may be slightly toned and then fixed. The
toning-bath mentioned can be used for other papers. If the
developer is very strong and works quickly, it is very easy to
over-develop a plate. To find out when the development has been
carried far enough, take the plate out of the solution and look
through it toward the red light. If the picture is clearly defined,
and detail well out in the shadows, the plate is developed enough.

SIR KNIGHT RALPH WEAND encloses two prints and asks what is the
matter with them. The reason why the pictures are so indistinct is
that the plate was not exposed long enough, causing the shadows to
appear as black patches instead of showing detail. A little longer
exposure would correct this defect. A formula for plain paper is
desired. This formula will be found in Nos. 706 and 803. It was
also reprinted in the circular issued last fall.