Chapter X: Puget Sound Smugglers (3)

How my breath was taken away when I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears a young Irishman, in a great New York dry-goods house, rattle out marvellous results which had stiff calculations in multiplication and addition, and he did it all in his head, and had no slate to figure on! His ability was of use in a practical way. A salesman would say to this Irishman something like this: "Fourteen cases of prints, 22 pieces per case, 38 yards to the piece, at 6-7/8 cents per yard." The salesman had no sooner stopped calling it all out than the lightning calculator had given him the result. The advantage to the house was that before the purchaser of the goods had left the building his bill was handed to him. All day long that living calculating-machine kept on figuring just in this way, and his work never seemed to tire him.

I had a friend who possessed this marvellous mental power. He was a bookkeeper in a large Southern house dealing in cotton, and sometimes when great lots of thousands of bales of cotton were sold he figured up the results.

To come back, however, to the conception of figures and the difficulty in understanding proportions. I know what is meant by 1, or 10, or 100, or 1000, or 100,000, or 1,000,000, but when I get into a billion, and try to encompass that, my ideas are vague. When I read that the Secretary of the Treasury gave, some time ago, this figure as the money in circulation in the United States, $1,606,139,735, I got lost with that figure 1 which stood before the other nine figures.

Now who does exactly appreciate what is a million? A young friend of mine asked me to show him "a million of anything." I might have taken the grains of sand on the sea-beach, and counted and weighed out an ounce of them, but that would have been troublesome work. Had I done so, however, I could have shown him a million of grains of sand. I had, however, some No. 9 shot, just such shot as are used for snipe-shooting, and then, as luck would have it, a No. 9 shot is just about the size of the letter "o" in HARPER'S ROUND TABLE. The manufacturers of shot, who know exactly what are the diameters of their leaden pellets, tell me that a No. 9 drop-shot has a diameter of 8/100 of an inch, and that 568 of such shot weigh one ounce. Therefore 1,000,000 of such shot would weigh 110 pounds, and a trifle of an ounce over.

I wanted, however, to get some idea of bulk. I had a box made one inch high, one inch deep--in fact, a cubic inch. This I filled with No. 9 shot, and it held just about 2000 pellets. Now a million of these shot would be, of course, 500 times 2000 pellets, or 500 little boxes would hold the million. If, then, I had a big box made to contain the million, this receptacle would have to be about eight inches on all sides. I can get of this some idea as to the bulk of these small shot by the million.

The more ways I could look at a million, the better I thought I would understand it. I wrote to the Treasury Department in Washington, and I put two questions, which one of the leading authorities answered in the most obliging manner. All I have to do, then, is to copy this gentleman's letter.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE TREASURER,
WASHINGTON, D. C., _March_ 16, 1893.

SIR,--You ask me the following questions: 1st. How long does it
take, under the most advantageous circumstances, for an expert to
count 100,000 silver dollars? 2d. How long does it take, under the
most advantageous circumstances, for an expert to count one hundred
thousand notes?

In reply to the first inquiry, permit me to state that for a
continuous count of an expert it will require twenty hours to
handle 100,000 standard silver dollars. Under ordinary conditions,
and observing the rules and regulations of the office for count as
to correctness, and at the same time keep a careful eye for the
detection of counterfeits, 4500 per hour, or 27,000 per six working
hours each day is about the limit of capacity of our experts in
that line.

To the second inquiry I may say that it will take an expert 16-2/3
hours to count 100,000 new notes, and for a current or ordinary
day's work 40,000 notes is about all that can be done.

Respectfully yours,
E. H. NEBEKER,
_Treasurer U. S._

Take, then, a million of silver dollars, and set an expert counting it. If he worked night and day over it, lost no time in eating, drinking, or sleeping, he would finish a fairly tough job of counting a million of silver dollars in precisely 8-1/3 days.

I asked the Washington authority to give me some general idea as to the weight of 100,000 standard silver dollars, and the Acting Assistant Treasurer wrote me, "that 100,000 standard silver dollars will weigh 7161.5 pounds troy, and will occupy a space of 10.49 cubic feet." Then a million of silver dollars would weigh 71,615 pounds troy. The silver brick takes up less room than coin in some respects, but a vault made to hold a million of dollars worth of silver bullion must have more size than an ordinary coal cellar.

If you want to get swamped with figures, supposing at least you have the conception of what is a million of dollars, the total stock of money in the world is $3,656,935,000 in gold, and $3,944,700,000 in silver, making a grand total of $7,601,635,000. Say that the population of the United States is 65,000,000, then about this amount of money, $10.47 in gold, $8.55 in silver, $6.51 in paper notes, or $25.62, suffices for each one's use. If there was not as much money as that per head--little boys and little girls and babies included--the fathers, who hold the purse-strings, would complain that money was tight or hard to get, and exchange of goods for coin would be difficult.

Certainly the Secretaries of the Treasury must understand what are the vast amounts they have charge of. Only try and appreciate how much money was taken in by the United States in 1883 for gross revenue. It was $954,230,146. But the United States wanted a great deal of money that year, and so it paid out in 1883 $885,491,968.

This is one of the big counts of the United States Treasury. On the 29th of August of 1893 the cash alone on hand was $174,770,422.97 in coin. Sixty experts began work on it, and it took three months to finish the job. The weight of mixed coin was nearly 5000 tons.

When you come to figures in their application to time most of us get quite lost. We call this year 1896--that is 1896 years since the birth of Christ. In the history of the world that is only an instant, and yet it seems so far distant as to be somewhat out of our comprehension. But what is the mental process which can span the period between to-day and the time when the pyramids were built--say 3000 years before the birth of Christ. Perhaps one way of comprehending it is to divide every 100 years by three, because 33-1/3 years may about present a generation.

Suppose we take the conquest of England by William of Normandy, and his coronation at Westminster, in 1066. That was 830 years ago. In the eight centuries there would be about three generations for each 100 years, and that would make twenty-five generations and twenty-nine years over. Let us say the event took place twenty-five generations ago--it is curious dividing time in that way--how much nearer William the Conqueror seems to be to us. There is only one trouble about this method; it is the sense of humiliation it causes, because twenty-five or thirty generations ago our forefathers must have been rather savage people. At the same time we have the consolation of knowing that we have improved since then. Why, Christopher Columbus found America only twelve generations back--and there are many people alive who have seen five generations, counting themselves. It does not do, however, to go too far back, say to the forefather who was alive when the pyramid was reared. I do not understand 1964 generations ago.

BY GASTON V. DRAKE.

VIII.--FROM BOB TO JACK.

LONDON _July_ -- 189-.

MY DEAR JACK,--I tell you this London's a great place, and the more
you see of it the more you want to see. There's only one thing
that's disappointed me about it and that's Dukes and things like
that. I thought Dukes went around in funny clothes with coroners on
their heads and red velvet robes stirring up the dust on the
sidewalks behind 'em but it ain't so. I've only seen one feller
that looked real noble and he was standing on the back of a
carriage on the place where American hackmen put trunks. I thought
I'd spotted an Earl anyhow, but Pop said you could tell from his
stockin's that he was only a Flunkey, and when I asked him if
Flunkies were greater than Barons he said he guessed they
were--anyhow they made other people sort of dwindle in their
presence which Barons couldn't generally do. He wore red plush knee
breeches, and to make him look older they'd put plaster all over
his head. It's queer having a man like that getting a hitch behind
on carriages and I asked Pop what they did it for and he said the
Coachmen were always dropping their aitches and the Flunkey was put
there so's he could get off easily and pick 'em up.

Yesterday we took a hansom and went out to see the Tower and it's a
terrible place. It has motes running all around it that they fill
up with water when enemies come. Pop says enemies always hates
water and it gives people inside more chances of beating 'em. If
they managed to get over it and scale the walls those inside could
shove their ladders over backwards so that all those that fell on
the land would get their backs broken and those that fell in the
water would get drowned. It sort of all makes me wish that I'd
lived in the old times. I'd like to have seen those old warriors
trying to climb ladders in their cast-iron clothes and trying to
swim ashore with tin trousers on.

Up in the Armory of this tower they've got nearly a million of
these old suits and lances bigger than telegraph poles. It seems to
me that when two armies dressed up in sheet-iron the way they used
to be ran at each other with all their force it must have been
worse than a railway collision when they met. I'd have thought
they'd have telescoped like two Pullman cars, but Pop says they
didn't. They just dented each other and fell back. I don't believe
even our seventh regiment could have carried uniforms like that,
because I don't think they weigh less than a ton, but it must have
been safe. When a feller met an enemy he'd have to take an axe and
crack him open like a nut before you could get at him. Maybe that's
where the soldier's title of Kernel comes from. I asked Pop if it
was and he got laughing so the man who was taking us around got mad
and acted as if he'd put us out for ten cents. Pop told him what
I'd said and he said what an extrordnery question.

Some of the iron uniforms had great spikes in the knees which must
have been great when it came to shoving an enemy. Pop says that
once a poor warrior with spiked-knee pants was so afraid he was
going to get killed that he got down on his knees to pray before
going into battle and got stuck so fast he couldn't go and his life
was saved.

There's lots of other things in the tower too. They've got a block
that people's heads used to be chopped off on. It has a nice
comfortable little place for your neck scooped out of the middle of
it, which shows that they tried to make death easy for the victims.
I don't think I'd have liked it much just the same and I'm glad
people can die other ways. There are screws there too to put on
people's thumbs when they wouldn't confess that they'd done things.
When a man said he was innocent they'd put these screws on his
thumbs and give 'em a twist and ask him to guess again, and they'd
keep him guessing till he remembered he was guilty after all. Then
they'd take him out and chop his head off and begin on somebody
else.

All the Queen's jewelry is kept in the tower in a cage like
monkies. I spent about a half an hour looking at it. The diamonds
are so big you'd think they were glass and somehow or other they
don't dazzle you as much as you'd think. I think maybe they're not
real and the Queen's just making a great big bluff with 'em, though
they do say that once a man broke in here and got away with more
than half of them, but couldn't get far because they shined so in
the night that the police saw them through his clothes and arrested
him before he'd gone a mile. The crown is kind of nice to look at.
It reminds you of one of those small hall gas fixtures with lots of
colored lights in 'em, and I've a notion that if it was lit up it
would beat one of those colliderscope pictures all holler.

Then there were maces and great big solid gold porridge bowls for
royal babies to eat their oat meal out of, till you really got
tired of it all and felt as if you wouldn't mind looking at a tin
cup or a pile of rusty iron tracks near a railroad for a little
while. The Queen must be awful rich to own all these things, but
after all I don't see what good it does her to have 'em if they've
got to be locked up all the time. It's like owning a gold watch
your Pop won't let you carry for fear you'll break it. I guess
you've been there. I have--in fact, I am there. It's a stem-winder
and came last Christmas.

Pop says that supper is ready, so I'll have to quit writing. If I
have time to-morrow I'll tell you more about the tower and what I
saw.

Yours affectionately
BOB.

The annual interscholastic indoor games of the Boston Athletic Association were held last Saturday--too late in the week to afford opportunity for detailed comment in this issue of the Department, which is consequently postponed until next week. These games practically close the indoor athletic season in and around Boston. This year that season has proved most interesting and profitable, and the standard of performance developed at school games has been considerably above the average.

Chauncy Hall School started the ball rolling early in February with an enthusiastic closed meeting. The best performances were done by Abrams, who won the 30-yard dash and the 35-yard hurdles; and Porter, who won the half-mile. This is Porter's particular distance, and he is not so strong in either the 600 or the 1000. Some good pole-vaulting was done, but only the younger boys were entered for it.

English High followed suit the next week with a closed meet. Unfortunately, spiked shoes were not allowed, as the games were held in the school armory, but nevertheless the feats were very creditable, especially the high jump, which was won by Converse, who cleared 5 feet 4 inches with little difficulty. It was evident that he can do much better than that. Dow at 1000, Purtell at 600, and Emery at 300, were the best distance-runners. Dow runs with a very graceful stride, and is a clever racer, as witness his deed in the Cambridge Latin open games, when running practically from scratch, he finished second only to Blakemore, the Harvard crack, who had five yards handicap over him. Purtell can do 600 yards in excellent form, but seems to need more experience in hard races. Emery showed his mettle by winning the open scratch 300 in the Cambridge games from a big field of starters. In the dash O'Brien and Duffy are the best men, but neither is a star. O'Brien, however, is a sure man in the shot-put, throwing it 38 feet 2 inches in the English High games.

Roxbury Latin's games were not so interesting to interscholastic enthusiasts, since most of the events were crowded with college men. Brewer and Hallowell of Hopkinson's, however, did good work in the dash and hurdles, respectively, and Warren of Cambridge put the shot 34 feet 8 inches.

The Newton High games were the most successful of the school meets. Cotting was the star of the day, winning the closed high jump, shot-put, and 300. Sever of Cambridge Latin was the best interscholastic man in the open 30, as was Martin of Hopkinson's in the 600. Martin won his heat by the cleverest kind of racing, but was unable to get through the big field of starters in the final. Carleton, Captain of Hopkinson's team, won the open 440 after a hard race. A relay race was run off between Brookline High and Newton High. Brookline led all the way, until Cotting, who ran last for Newton, pulled out the race in the last ten yards.

Boston Latin held a closed meet in the school armory, and, as in the English High games, no spikes were allowed. Maguire was the star of the day, winning the dash and hurdles as well as the 300-yard run. Lincoln did well in the 1000. The shot-put and high jump were not extraordinary performances, but the 300 brought out a good field.

Cambridge High and Latin held an open meet February 29th. Only one closed event was run--the dash. Garrett and Sever divided honors in this, both running in excellent form. In the open dash, which was crowded with college men, Brewer of Hopkinson's reached the final heat, and but for the handicap he received for a couple of false starts, would probably have made a place. Seaver of Brookline won the open hurdle race. Hallowell of Hopkinson's takes the hurdles with a much better step, but seems to lack the necessary speed. The 300, which was a scratch event, was won by Emery, E. H.-S. Abrams of Chauncy Hall, and Thompson of Cambridge Manual, won their heats in flashy style, but both were unfortunate in meeting with accidents in the final. Young of C.M.T.S. was the only school-boy to get a place in the 600. As noted above, Dow, E.H.-S., got second in the 1000. No interscholastic men got placed in the high jump or pole-vault; and the performances in the shot-put were not up to the average.

Of these men, Dow of English High, and Mills of Chauncy Hall, are coming to New York to compete in the N.M.A.C. games at the Madison Square Garden next Saturday. Dow has made a good record for himself in the New England League. He made his début on the track in the summer of 1894, getting placed in five of the first six races he ran in. During 1895 and 1896 he won numerous other places in open competition, and has so far in his career of not quite two years captured three first, eight second, and six third places. Mills has achieved quite a local reputation as a long-distance and cross-country runner, his last performance being at the B.A.A. games last February, where he made a brilliant showing in the two-mile invitation run. He competes in interscholastic circles this year for the first time. He is best in the long-distance runs ranging from one to ten miles. Both Mills and Dow are but nineteen years of age.

Two Connecticut Leagues will be represented at the big indoor games. In addition to the men who are coming from the Hartford High-School and from the Hillhouse High-School of New Haven as representatives of the C.H.-S.A.A., there will be a strong team from the Black Hall School to represent the Southern Connecticut I.S.A.A., and there seems little doubt that this last aggregation will carry off the pole-vault event with ease. Paulding, who is entered for this, did 10 ft. 3 in. at the Yale games a week ago Saturday, and has done 10 ft. 7 in. out-of-doors. The N.Y.I.S.A.A. record is only 9 ft. 4 in., and that was made by Simpson of Barnard last year. The other men who are coming down from Black Hall are Cleveland in the 50 yards, who has no record for that distance, but has a record of 10-4/5 sec. in the 100 yards; Aborn in the mile, who can run in about 5 min.; Coolidge in the high jump, who has a record of 5 ft. 3-1/2 in.; and Green in the 440, who has no record as yet, but is a promising man, and may enter also in the 50 yards.

The order of track events at the N.M.A.C. games Saturday night will be as follows: 50-yard dash, Senior, trial heats; 50-yard dash, Junior, trial heats; 440-yard run, trial heats; 50-yard hurdles, trial heats; one-mile walk; 50-yard dash, Senior, final heat; 50-yard dash, Junior, final heat; 50-yard hurdles, final heat; one-mile run; 440-yard run, final heat; 220-yard dash, trial heats; half-mile run; 220-yard dash, final heat; school relay race; college team race. The 50-yard trials will be called at 7 o'clock sharp, and will probably take up an hour's time to run off. The walk will be started promptly at 8 o'clock.

The field events will also be started at 8 o'clock, and all four of them, the jumps, the shot, and the vault, will be carried on at the same time. If any competitor is entered for two field events, he will have to take his turn at each when his name is called, or forfeit his chance. This plan has been adopted, after careful consideration, in order to avoid the long delays usually attendant upon field events. The school race will be a relay race--each man of the four entered by each school to run a quarter of a mile. The college race, however, is to be a team race, all the contestants to start together, and every man to run a mile.

The track will be of clay and loam, six inches deep and twenty feet wide, rolled hard. Consequently spike shoes will be allowed, and, as a result, there ought to be considerable record-smashing. Spike shoes will also be allowed in the jumps.

Most of the New York schools will send strong teams to the Garden. Berkeley and Barnard will be represented by their full strength, and each school will have to exert its utmost efforts to gain more points than its rivals, for several events that both might count on will no doubt go to out-of-town competitors. Drisler's team will probably be made up of Wolff, Pinkus, Curran, and Ingersoll in the sprints; Wolff, Hildburgh, and Howe in the middle distances; Ballin, Wenman, and Eakin in the shot; Katzenbach, Wenman, and Agate in the high jump; Howe and Marlin in the walk; and Katzenbach and Ingersoll in the pole vault.

Trinity will be represented by A. W. Taves and M. Page in the shot, the former with a record of 39 ft. 7 in.; C. A. O'Rourke, Jun., and E. Moran in the hurdles; L. S. Jackson in the mile run; G. McGuire in the mile walk; L. W. Maltby in the high jump; Scott Kidder, pole vault; G. R. Lemcke and W. E. Mitchell in the Junior run; Dudley Fanning, W. M. Van Zandt, and F. C. Simons in the sprint.

Pingry's School, of Newark, will send its best men; and a team made up of the following men will represent Stevens Prep, of Hoboken: R. Shippen, W. Sharkey, N. Stewart, S. McClave, N. McClave, and C. A. Colwell.

The accompanying table of indoor scholastic records of the N.Y.I.S.A.A. includes only those events that are to be contested at the N.M.A.C. games, and has been corrected to date. There is some uncertainty about the accuracy of the shot figures. Berkeley claims that T. A. Ball did 40 ft. 5 in. in 1894. On the other hand, E. Bigelow, of Wilson and Kellogg's, claims that he holds the record with a put of 39 ft. 7 in. The secretary of the N.Y.I.S.A.A. says that his books give the record to Bigelow, but for a put of 37 ft. 7 in. only, and he states that he has no record whatever of Ball's 40 ft. 5 in. put. In the constitution and by-laws of the N.Y.I.S.A.A. recently issued there is given a table of indoor scholastic records, and I have adopted the shot figures given there, 39 ft. 3/4 in. for the present purposes.

N.Y.I.S.A.A. INDOOR RECORDS FOR EVENTS TO BE CONTESTED AT N.M.A.C. GAMES.

Event. Record. Holder. 50-yard dash No record. 220-yard run 25-2/5 sec. C. R. Irwin-Martin, Berkeley, 1896. 440-yard run 54 sec. C. R. Irwin-Martin, Berkeley, 1896. Half-mile run 2 min. 5 sec. W. S. Hipple, Barnard, 1896. Mile run 4 min. 54-2/5 sec. E. W. Bedford, Barnard, 1896. Mile walk 7 min. 37-4/5 sec. T. L. Bogart, Berkeley, 1892. 50-yard hurdles (3 ft.) No record. Running high jump 5 ft. 8-1/2 in. W. Baltazzi, Harvard, 1895. Running broad jump No record. Pole vault 9 ft. 4 in. E. W. Simpson, Barnard, 1895. Putting 12-lb. shot 9 ft. 3/4 in. R. Bigelow, W. and K., 1895.

At the last meeting of the Long Island I.S.A.A. the date for the annual field meeting was set for Saturday, May 23d. The events will doubtless be the same as usual, and will be run off at Eastern Park. There was some objection to the date made by the delegates from St. Paul's, whose nine was scheduled to play against Pratt Institute on that day, but this difficulty was easily adjusted by a rearrangement of the baseball committee's schedule.

The revised schedule, therefore, will go into effect as follows--the arrangement as given in this Department in the issue of January 28th being superseded:

April 18--Latin School _vs._ St. Paul.
April 22--High-School _vs._ Adelphi Academy.
April 25--Pratt _vs._ Poly. Prep.
April 29--High-School _vs._ Latin School.
May 2--Pratt _vs._ Latin School.
May 6--High-School _vs._ St. Paul.
May 6--Poly. Prep. _vs._ Latin School.
May 9--Pratt _vs._ Adelphi.
May 16--Pratt _vs._ High-School.
May 16--Adelphi _vs._ Latin School.
May 16--Poly. Prep. _vs._ St. Paul.
June 6--Pratt _vs._ St. Paul.
June 8--Adelphi _vs._ Poly. Prep.

The amendment offered at the previous meeting, providing that any team forfeiting a scheduled game within two weeks of the date of the contest shall pay a fine of $5, was adopted. This is a step in the right direction.

On account of the withdrawal of Woodbridge and Drisler's from the N.Y.I.S. Baseball League, the N.Y.I.S.A.A. baseball committee has likewise been obliged to revise its schedule, and the following will consequently supersede that given in this Department in the issue of February 25th:

FIRST SECTION.

April 24--De la Salle Institute _vs._ Cutler.
April 29--Barnard _vs._ Condon.
May 11--Cutler _vs._ Condon.
May 15--Barnard _vs._ De la Salle.
May 20--Barnard _vs._ Cutler.
May 25--De la Salle _vs._ Condon.

SECOND SECTION.

April 22--Columbia Grammar _vs._ Hamilton Institute.
April 27--Berkeley _vs._ Trinity.
May 1--Hamilton Institute _vs._ Berkeley.
May 13--Columbia Grammar _vs._ Trinity.
May 18--Hamilton Institute _vs._ Trinity.
May 22--Columbia Grammar _vs._ Berkeley.

The Inter-High-School Athletic Association of Washington, D. C., has set aside June 6th for its field day. I hope the National I.S.A.A. committee will call their attention to the fact that this is a late date for associations who wish to enter teams at the National meet, and urge them to hold an earlier field day so as to send representatives to the general meeting. Every effort should be made to have as wide a representation as possible on this occasion, for much will depend upon the success of the first National affair. The Washingtonians have placed the hop, step, and jump, and throwing the baseball on their card. Neither of these can be properly considered an athletic event, and the managers of the Inter-High-School A.A. will be making a stride forward if they discard them.

It is to be regretted that the Inter-Academic League of Philadelphia found it inadvisable to hold a joint athletic meeting with the new High-School League. Such a meeting would doubtless have furnished good sport, as both aggregations have strong athletes, and the extra incentive of association rivalry would certainly have developed a higher standard of performance.

At the recent meeting of the Maine I.S.A.A. the dispute between Portland and Bangor High Schools over the possession of the championship cup was referred to a special committee consisting of one representative from Bangor High-School and Bangor Y.M.C.A., one from Portland High-School and the Portland Athletic Club, these four to choose a fifth. The dispute arose last June through a misunderstanding in the scoring of the hammer-throw at the spring meet. This trouble should have been settled long before, but the inability to get a special meeting of the association has prevented.

The prospects for a good meeting of the association this spring are excellent, in spite of the fact that the Portland High-School and the Bangor High-School, the strongest contestants at last year's field day, have lost many first-class athletes by graduation. Thus it seems probable that some of the smaller schools will make a better showing this year than ever before.

Thornton Academy, of Saco, has for two years held third place in these contests, with many points to spare. This year Thornton ought to make a strong bid for the leading position. Much good material is in the school, and only needs development. Among the expected point-winners are Hodgdon, the half-miler, who will try to lower his last year's mark of 2 min. 11-4/5 sec.; Wakefield, the all-around athlete of the school, who throws the 12-pound hammer over 100 feet, puts the shot about 34 feet, pole-vaults over 9 feet, goes 5 feet 2 inches, and 20 feet in the high and broad jumps respectively, and runs the 100 in 11 seconds and a fraction.

Preble, who has a record in pole vault close to 9 feet, is also expected to do well in the hurdles and the hammer. Cole is a new acquisition, but he is not new to athletics; he throws the hammer in the vicinity of 95 feet, puts the shot a few inches over 35 feet, and runs the mile under 4 min. 50 sec. J. Dow, who got pocketed last year in the 440-yard dash, has improved and can run near to 55 seconds. In addition to these men there are a number of others of more or less experience, who are all in training, and who help to make Thornton's outlook for success a bright one.

THE GRADUATE.

THE PUDDING STICK.

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

Margaret W---- and Jessie K---- ask me to write on the subject of chaperonage. They both take ground against being chaperoned, and they tell me plainly that they think the fashion as it now exists in our country a foreign importation and unnecessary. "Why in this world," exclaims Margaret, who writes from a village in western Illinois, "should my dear mother, who is tired enough to go to bed when her work for the day is over, have to put on her best gown, attend an evening party, and stay up hours later than she likes to, all to take care of Lottie and me, when we are fully able to take care of ourselves. Aunt Jennie, who was a great belle in her day, says that it used to be the boast of American girls that they did not need to be looked after, and, for my part," adds Margaret, "I am quite of her opinion. But we girls here in A---- are willing to leave the whole matter to your decision. Shall we or shall we not be chaperoned?"

I thank you very much, girls, for consulting me about this, and for expressing your opinion so freely and frankly. This is always a good thing to do. People cannot understand one another when they keep back a part of their thoughts, and very much always depends on the point of view from which we regard affairs, especially in the social line. Here in New York young people have learned to prefer the company of chaperons on every occasion where they meet one another for pleasure. It is not regarded as possible to leave out the mother or married friend, whose presence imposes no restraint, and who, by her tact and address and ready sympathy, makes a theatre party, or a dance, or any little meeting of girls and their friends among boys and men, pass off successfully. A chaperon need not be a withered old personage who frowns upon amusement. She would certainly be out of place if this were her character. She need not be a tired mother who feels herself a martyr to her children and their comrades. There are mothers who are not tired, whose health is excellent, whose spirits are not jaded, and who do not wish to be omitted when the roll-call of pleasure-seekers is called. But any youthful married lady may appropriately act as chaperon to a group of young people, as may a dignified spinster, still charming and elegant, though past her own early youth. And a girl's father may chaperon her, and prove most delightful when acting in that capacity.

It is not desirable that picnic parties and rowing parties and parties for riding and driving, of which Frances L---- speaks as of frequent and delightful occurrence in her country home at the far South, should consist exclusively of the young. Older people joining them will make them safer and therefore happier. Accidents sometimes happen to the best equipped parties, and at such times a woman of experience and presence of mind knows precisely what to do and to say, and where otherwise there would be awkwardness she relieves the situation. Do not be so selfish as to drag the weary and overworked mother into society against her will, but let some lady whom everybody likes and admires act in the mother's place.

MARGARET E. SANGSTER.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

Arnold

Constable & Co

* * * * *

Tea Gowns, Negligées.

SPRING STYLES

_of Fancy Taffetas, French Crepes,_

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Children's Reefers,

Misses' Jackets.

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_Ladies' and Children's_

UNDERWEAR.

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Broadway & 19th st.

NEW YORK.

A cream-of-tartar baking powder. Highest of all in leavening strength.--_Latest United States Government Food Report._

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Postage Stamps, &c.

STAMPS!

=800= fine mixed Victoria, Cape of G. H., India, Japan, etc., with fine Stamp Album, only =10c=. New 80-p, Price-list =free=. _Agents wanted_ at =50=% commission. STANDARD STAMP CO., 4 Nicholson Place, St. Louis. Mo. Old U. S. and Confederate Stamps bought.

$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.

125

dif. Gold Coast, Costa Rica, etc., 25c.; 40 U. S., 25c. Liberal com. to agents. Large bargain list free. F. W. MILLER, 904 Olive St., St. Louis, Mo.

=LOOK HERE, BOYS!= 50 stamps and hinges, 15c.; 100, 25c. Cheaper packets if you want. Sheets on approval. List sent free. Send Postal Card.

W. C. SHIELDS, 30 Sorauren Ave., Toronto, Canada.

310

foreign Bolivia, etc., 10c.; 100 different China, etc., 10c. Finest approval sheet, at 50%. Agents wanted. Large price-list, free. SHAW STAMP CO., Jackson, Mich.

=STAMPS.=--20 different stamps free if you send for our approval sheets at 50 per cent. commission. Enclose 2c. stamp and give reference.

DIAMOND STAMP CO., Germantown, Pa.

300 Mixed Australian, etc., and nice album, 10c.; =100 varieties=, and =nice= album, 10c. List free.

COLUMBIA STAMP CO., Minneapolis, Minn.

AGENTS wanted to sell stamps from our approval sheets at 50% com. Valuable premiums given to agts.

H. Stonebraker & Co., 1921 Eutaw Pl., Baltimore, Md.

STAMPS! 100 all dif. Barbados, etc. Only 10c. Ag'ts w't'd at 50% com. List free. L. DOVER & CO., 1469 Hodiamont, St. Louis, Mo.

CARDS

The FINEST SAMPLE BOOK of Gold Beveled Edge, Hidden Name, Silk Fringe, Envelope and Calling Cards ever offered for a 2 cent stamp. These are GENUINE CARDS, NOT TRASH. UNION CARD CO., COLUMBUS, OHIO.

The Eight Numbers of the Franklin

Square Song Collection contain

1600

of the Choicest Old and New Songs

and Hymns in the Wide World.

Fifty Cents per Number in paper; Sixty Cents in substantial Board binding: One Dollar in Cloth. The Eight Numbers also bound in two volumes at $3.00 each. Address Harper & Brothers, New York.

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 much 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.

Proceeding on our journey towards Buffalo, we leave Fonda in the morning, following the railroad track to Palatine Bridge, twelve miles and a little more from Fonda. Thence, following the main route, proceed by Palatine church to St. Johnsville, finally reaching Little Falls, twenty-seven miles from Fonda. The road is level most of the way, and is in fair condition, though at times there are sandy places. A stop may be made at the Metropolitan Hotel, which gives lower rates to L.A.W. members. Leaving the Metropolitan Hotel, pass through West Main Street and run to Lock Street. Here cross the railroad, the canal-feeder, and the river; cross Hanson's Island, and make direct for the tow-path of the canal. Turning right into this, you will find a good road as far as Jacksonburg Park along the path itself. At the lock it will be necessary to dismount and walk to a road which runs across the West Shore Railroad to the main highway between Little Falls and Mohawk.

All this country, the famous Mohawk Valley, is full of historic interest; and while it is impossible here to give much detail regarding it, it will well repay the bicyclist to move slowly, either asking information or carrying with him some book pointing out the historic scenes along the way. Between Jacksonburg and Fort Herkimer there is the famous old stone church, which will repay you for a visit. Fort Herkimer itself is passed on the right, and is marked by an ordinary white house. From Fort Herkimer turn right at a brick house, pass down a somewhat steep grade, cross the canal and the river to Herkimer at Washington Street. This is a very interesting town--one of the oldest in the country thereabouts, and full of historic scenes. Passing through Herkimer, turn into Albany Street to the left, and after passing one block turn to the right up Main Street, which is macadamized, and stop at the Palmer House, which the L.A.W. road-book marks as the best hotel between Albany and Syracuse. This is thirty-six miles from Fonda.

Leaving the hotel, and running one block along Main Street to the Court-house, a turn should be made to the left into Church Street, thence to the old turnpike, where, after climbing a short hill, a good gravel road is found running towards Frankfort. The famous King Weber Tavern is the first house on the right. Across the river the village of Mohawk is seen, and further on the town of Ilion. The road most of the way is good, except at the depot, where there is some sand, but in the main it is in good condition all the way to Frankfort. From this point East Schuyler and then West Schuyler are reached over a fine turnpike-road, which is left by turning southward at Deerfield, crossing the valley, the river, and the canal, and running into Utica. The road is easily discernible by watching for the Masonic Home on the left before the canal is crossed. Turning in front of the Home, and crossing the canal, keeping to the right, the rider will come to Rutgers Street (asphalted) and to Genesee Street, where he may stop at the St. James Hotel.

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.

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.

HOW TO TRANSFER THE FILM FROM A BROKEN NEGATIVE TO ANOTHER GLASS.

When the glass to a negative has been broken, but there is no break in the film, the film may, with a little care in handling, be transferred to another glass and made as good as new. Take a glass plate the same size as the negative and lay a small bit of beeswax on each corner, and a few bits where the break in the negative will come when laid on the whole glass. Place the broken negative, with the film side up, on the plain glass, and apply a gentle heat until the wax is melted and the two glasses are stuck firmly together. This makes a support for the broken negative, and prevents the film tearing when lifted from the glass.

For the loosening solution mix 1 oz. of water, 3 oz. alcohol, and 12 mms. of hydrofluoric acid; or 1/2 oz. of hydrofluoric acid, 4 oz. water, and 6 oz. of alcohol. This should be put into a rubber tray. In another tray put 2 oz. of water and 6 oz. of alcohol, and place a clean glass the size of the broken negative in the tray. Immerse the broken negative (previously attached to the whole glass) in the tray containing the acid solution, and rock it gently. In a few minutes the film will be found to have become loosened at the edges. With the ends of the fingers push the film gently from the glass, keeping it beneath the liquid while stripping it from the glass. Now take a clean glass plate, and when the film is detached from the broken negative lift it by one corner and slide the glass under the film, handling it very carefully. It will not hurt it if it should not lie perfectly smooth. As soon as the film is on the glass transfer it to the other tray, sliding it off the glass to the one in the bottom of the tray. Straighten it out under the solution, lift it from the tray, and with a small soft wad of surgeon's cotton wet in the alcohol and water, press it gently to the glass, removing all air-bubbles between the glass and the film. When it is in place and adheres smoothly to the glass, set it up in the rack to dry. It will adhere as firmly to the glass as to the original glass on which it was first coated.

It is better to take the formula for stripping solution to the dealer in photographic supplies and have it prepared, as the acid is a dangerous chemical to handle, making quite severe sores not easily healed. The weak solution will not affect the skin, but it is well to wear rubber finger-tips when handling chemicals which are at all dangerous.

SIR KNIGHT EARLE HARRISON, Knoxville, Tenn., asks for a good
formula for combined toning and fixing bath. The following will be
found very satisfactory: Water, 10 oz.; hypo. soda, 2 oz.;
sulphocyanide of ammonium, 1/4 oz.; lead acetate, 30 grs.; lead
nitrate, 30 grs.; gold chloride (neutral), 2 grs. Mix the
ingredients in the order named, dissolving the gold in a little
water, and adding the last thing after the others are well mixed.
If the gold is not dissolved separately where hyposulphite of soda
is used, the gold will be precipitated.

THE S. & F. LINE

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'96 Models now ready.

Write for Catalogue and Discounts.

SNYDER & FISHER BICYCLE WORKS, Little Falls, N. Y.

THE FRASSE CO., Metropolitan Agents, 19 Warren Street, New York City.

Kindly mention _Harper's Round Table_ when writing.

HOOPING-COUGH

CROUP.

Roche's Herbal Embrocation.

The celebrated and effectual English Cure without internal medicine. Proprietors, W. EDWARD & SON, London, England.

E. Fougera & Co., 30 North William St., N.Y.

JOSEPH GILLOTT'S

STEEL PENS

Nos. 303, 404, 170, 604 E.F., 601 E.F.

And other styles to suit all hands.

THE MOST PERFECT OF PENS.

THE

BALTIMOREAN PRINTING-PRESS

has earned more money for boys than all other presses in the market. Boys, don't idle away your time when you can buy a self-inking printing-press, type, and complete outfit for $5.00. Write for particulars, there is money in it for you.

THE J. F. W. DORMAN CO.,

Baltimore, Md., U.S.A

Trouser Clips

For boys (and some girls also)

Belt Pins

For girls only.

Like Sunol Bicycles they are strong, handsome and stylish. Sent free to any address on receipt of six (6) cents in stamps.

The McIntosh-Huntington Co., 25 Long St., Cleveland, O.

COLUMBIA SLING-SHOT.

Quick movement of spring and rubber combined, throws farther than any sling ever made. Short rubber don't break. Sent for 10c.

M. C. Rew, 69 Edmonds St., Rochester, N. Y.

LAUGHING CAMERA. 10c.

The latest invention in Cameras. You look through the lens and your stout friends will look like living skeletons, your thin friends like Dime Museum fat men, horses like giraffes, and in fact everything appears as though you were living in another world. Each camera contains two strong lenses in neatly finished leather case. The latest mirth-maker on the market; creates bushels of sport. Catalogue of 1,000 novelties and sample camera 10c., 8 for 25c., mailed postpaid. Agents wanted.

Robert H. Ingersoll & Bro.,

Dept. No, 27,

65 Cortlandt St., New York.

A NEAT BOX, containing 12 mineral specimens from Millard County, Utah, including genuine gold and silver ore, copper, onyx, etc., postpaid to any address for 25 cts. J. A. ROBINSON, Clear Lake, Utah.

FREE.

Comic return envelopes, Sleight of hand exposed. List of 500 gifts. Album of cards. Send 2c. stamp for postage. Address Banner Card Co., Cadiz, Ohio.

BY THOMAS W. KNOX

* * * * *

The "Boy Travellers" Series

Copiously Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $3.00 per volume.

ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS--

IN THE LEVANT.
IN SOUTHERN EUROPE.
IN CENTRAL EUROPE.
IN NORTHERN EUROPE.
IN GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
IN MEXICO.
IN AUSTRALASIA.
ON THE CONGO.
IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE.
IN SOUTH AMERICA.
IN CENTRAL AFRICA.
IN EGYPT AND PALESTINE.
IN CEYLON AND INDIA.
IN SIAM AND JAVA.
IN JAPAN AND CHINA.

_OTHER BOOKS BY COLONEL KNOX:_

HUNTING ADVENTURES ON LAND AND SEA

2 vols. Copiously Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $2.50 each.

THE YOUNG NIMRODS IN NORTH AMERICA.
THE YOUNG NIMRODS AROUND THE WORLD.

* * * * *

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York

Writing Letters.

I.

A few years ago, noticing that members of the Order were remiss in not a few important qualifications of good letter-writers, we gave them some helpful hints on the subject. The effect, owing to either the excellence of the hints or the aptness of the members, or both, was immediately apparent, and so marked was the improvement that we could, almost at a glance, pick out from our correspondence the letters written by old and those written by new members of the Order.

But a new assemblage has now come about the Table whose letters are not as correct as they should be. Especially is this true of the Knights, who, with a few exceptions, do not conduct their correspondence in as ideal a manner as do the Ladies.

First, good handwriting. Do not think it out of fashion. All cannot afford a typewriter. Besides, writing-machines are not essential to good correspondence. What is vastly more essential is a plain hand. There is no excuse for bad writing. All can write well. The only reason some write ill is because they themselves think their poor writing good enough. Are you in such company? Some say to us, "Excuse blots." There is no excuse for them. Others say, "Pardon my mistakes." You should not make mistakes that a pardon will cover. All pardon errors that the writer did not know he made; you ask pardon for errors you know to exist but are too shiftless to correct.

You not infrequently write your name on the very bottom of the paper. How can we tell what it is? And you wonder why you receive no reply. One member, in four successive letters, signed his name thus: "John B. Smith," "John Bertram Smith," "John Smith," and "Bertram Smith." How do you expect your correspondents to keep track of you under such a kaleidoscope as that? Always use one signature, and only one. Again, a letter comes from "J. B. Smith." The handwriting is characterless, and may belong to boy, girl, man, or woman. Your correspondent begins his reply, "Dear ----" What? Are you "Mr.," "Miss," or "Madam"? Spell out a first name--a given name, because given you at baptism.

* * * * *

A Touching Morsel of Armenia.

Three years ago the Table received a letter from a young friend resident in Brousse, Turkey in Asia, a city on the opposite side of the Marmora Sea from Constantinople. It was written in a funny jumble of English, German, and perhaps a few French and Turkish words thrown in, and enclosed a small handful of Turkish stamps. We replied to it, sending some Columbian stamps, and asking the writer to tell us about his home, his school, the fruits, etc. That our letter was understood we are not sure, but after three years we received a second letter, the contents of which, in so far as we are able to read them, follow. In accordance with the writer's injunction we omit his name, although he gives it to us. This secrecy vividly reveals a condition of life quite difficult for Americans to appreciate.

BROUSSE, 7 _Janvir_, 1896.

SIRS:--I have recive your lettre at 1892, with the timbers. I have
recive timbres Americain, and thank you of them. You ask me somme
knews of Turc. You have herd of cors that since 1893 the Turc
Sultan cach many Armenians in Constantinople and kille them, and
gave them very much trobles. At las' the Sultan tho't he kille
alles the Armenians in Turkai. So he atak furst in Sassoun alle
blerc vois, with alle kinds of badnes. Sins that time we alle hat
tho't he woldn't do any more so, but this year he maik just his
mind to kille alle piples.

We have in Armeni very much villeges, and much wicked soldat of
Turc. The soldat herd the Sultan said alle Armens to be kille, so
they kille young mens first, then children, then old piples, take
alle money and maik much trobles. So many villeges burnt I don't
know nemes--Harpoot, Kayseri, Abbikir, Sevaz, Trabson, and most
richest citys Armen. The Turc Sultan so pleased at alle many deths,
he maik new pachas of Turcs who do killing.