Chapter I: Part 1

How?

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HOW?

OR

Spare Hours Made Profitable

For Boys & Girls

By Kennedy Holbrook.

Illustrated.

New York:

Worthington Co., 747 Broadway.

1887.

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Copyright, 1886,
By WORTHINGTON CO.

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PREFACE.

Although this book is ostensibly a “boy’s book,” many things which it contains are equally useful to girls; and have been tried by the latter with entirely satisfactory results. In fact, it was to afford amusement and occupation, on rainy Saturdays and during the long vacation, to the children of both sexes in my own family, that the book was first written; and it was only an afterthought which led me to give it to the public.

Everything it contains has been deduced from my own experience or that of some trustworthy friend. While it has been my aim to meet the wants of children of all ages and in every condition of life, I have studiously avoided every subject which might be a source of anxiety to the most careful parent.

It is with the hope that this little work may fulfill its mission in other families where it may be received, as happily as it has done in mine, that I send it on its way.

THE AUTHOR.

OCTOBER, 1886.

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INDEX.

Æolian harp, the, 68

Air, earth, or the sea?, 244

Alum, crystals, methods of coloring, 25

Amusing experiment with tooth-picks, 17

Animated fire, 26

Annealing (repoussé), 180

Antiques and horribles, 230

Aquarium, the, 186;
the author’s freshwater aquarium, 189;
trouble of keeping a gold fish globe, 190;
plants for fresh-water aquarium, _ib._;
artificial aeration, 191;
salt-water aquarium, 191;
preparing rock-work for, 192;
minnows, 191;
sticklebacks, 195;
nest of stickleback, 197;
hermit crabs, 198;
snails, 199;
medusæ, sea-anemones, 200;
serpulæ, 203

Arithmetical curiosity, an, 274

Arithmetical trick, an, 37

Baby, a box-sled for, 44

Basket, a hanging, 118

Balancing doll, the, 20

Balancing pin, the, 44

Ball, a good, 16

Bangle bracelet, a, 184

Barometer, a boy’s, 18

Barometer, an infallible, 19

Battledore and Shuttlecock, 251

Birds, Japanese paper, 78

Blow-pipe, how to make a, 27

Boats, paper, 83

Boats, papier-maché, 90

Book, how to make a, 11

Boomerang, the, 20

Boot puzzle, the, 57

Boston clapper, the, 71

Bottles, to cut the top from, 18

Bottle imp, the, 107

Bottle, the obedient, 281

Boxes, paper, 119

Box-sled for baby, 44

Boy’s barometer, a, 18

Boy’s solar microscope, a, 216

Bracelet, a bangle, 184

Brackets, an idea for, 115

Brass, hammered, or repoussé, 175

Bridge, the triple, 283

Bubbles, soap, 31

Bubbles, resin, 32

Burning the center from a handkerchief, 304

Button-hole, to pull a string through a, 314

Camera obscura, 144-154;
principle of camera, 145;
camera with horizontal screen, 146;
a simpler form, 149;
the sketching camera, 150;
the darkened room, 152

Camping-out cooking-stove, a, 308

Captain S’s peg puzzle, 238

Cars, a set of, 47

Cards, the three magical, 33

Card-receiver, papier-maché, 75

Card-receiver, repoussé, 179

Checkers, 256

Chickens, the musical, 235

Chinese rope feat, 312

Christmas presents, 113, 318;
the ornamental egg, 113;
trinket-holder, 114;
an idea for brackets, 115;
cone and twig bracket, 116;
pebble vase, 117;
cone and twig hanging-basket, 118;
shaving-case, 123;
puzzles, 318, 321

Circle, how to make a, 268

Circus, the magnetic, 269

Clapper, the Boston, 71

Coin, how to palm a, 287

Coin, how to pass a, 288

Compass, a home-made, 265

Cone and twig bracket, 116

Cone and twig hanging-basket, 118

Cooking-stove, a camping-out, 308

Corn-stalk fiddle, 64

Counter puzzle, the, 38

Countenance, necessity of a sober, 311

Cross puzzle, the, 320

Crystallize grass, seed-vessels, etc., how to, 24

Crystals, how to color alum, 25

Crystal vase, the, 317

Curiosity, an arithmetical, 274

Dancer, the pith, 280

Danger of repetition, 291

Darkened room, the, 152

Dart, the self-rectifying, 43

Days in a month, number of, one way to find, 274

Dispatcher, the magic, 297

Divided square puzzle, 14

Doll, the balancing, 20

Easy proof for sums in multiplication, an, 41

Egg, the ornamental, 113

Egg, the perambulating, 295

Egg, the tumbling, 82

Egg, to produce raised figures on, 273

Electrical experiments, 275

Electrophorus, the, 276

Electrophorus, a simple, 277

Electrophorus ebonite, 279

Experiment with electricity, 275

Experiment with flower-seeds, 141

Experiment with tooth-picks, 17

Experiment with two pieces of glass, 15

Face, the grimacing, 15

Fan, from Nagasaki, a, 323

Feat, Chinese rope, 312

Fiddle, corn-stalk, 64

Fire, animated, 26

Fire, a new way to kindle a, 263

Flower-seeds, experiment with, 141

Flying whirligig, the, 10

Fountain, a simple, 322

Foxing, 179

Frame for impressions of plants, 87

Frame for a plaque, 185

Freight train, a, 51

Friction, light produced by, under water, 138

Game, an optical, 37

Garden, a winter, 54

Garden, a mineral, 316

Glass, experiment with two pieces of, 15

Glass, how to blow, 27

Good ball, a, 16

Grimacing face, the, 15

Grasses, how to crystallize, 24

Half-dollar, how to melt and re-coin, 301

Halos, the three, 82

Hammered brass, or repoussé, 175

Handkerchief, burning center from, 304

Hanging-basket, a, 118

Harp, æolian, 68

Hat, the inexhaustible, 291

Hat trick, another, 294

Home-made compass, a, 265

Hour of the day, how to tell the, by the left hand, 128

How to blow glass, 27

How to break a string, 63

How to crystallize grasses, seed-vessels, etc., 24

How to cut the tops from glass bottles, 18

How to make a book, 11

How to make a blow-pipe, 27

How to make a circle, 268

How to melt and re-coin a half-dollar, 301

How to melt stones, 31

How to palm a coin, 287

How to pass a coin, 288

How to pull a string through a button-hole, 324

How to rob Peter and pay Paul, 289

How to skeletonize leaves, 141

How to take impressions of plants, 86

How to take portraits, 60

How to tell the hour of the day by the left hand, 128

Idea for brackets, an, 115

Imp, the bottle, 107

Impressions of plants, how to take, 86

Impressions of plants, frame for, 87

Inertia, illustration of, 284

Inexhaustible hat, the, 291

Infallible barometer, an, 19

Japanese paper bird, 78

Jew’s-harp, the spirit, 261

Leather work, 123-128;
in Russia, 124;
“Cuir Bouilli,” 125;
a panel of leather work, 126-128

Leaves, how to skeletonize, 141

Left hand, to tell the hour of the day by, 128

Leyden jar, a, 279

Light produced by friction under water, 138

Locomotive, the toy, 48

Lot of paper windmills, a, 52

Magical cards, the three, 33

Magic dispatcher, the, 297

Magic rope, the, 307

Magic telescope, 22

Magnetic circus, the, 269

Melt and re-coin a half-dollar, how to, 301

Melt stones, how to, 31

Method of coloring alum crystals, 25

Microscope, a boy’s solar, 216

Mineral garden, a, 316

Miniature yacht and how to rig her, 331

Month, one way to find the number of days in a, 274

More elaborate panorama, a, 165

Multiplication, an easy proof for sums in, 41

Musical chickens, the, 235

Nagasaki, a fan from, 323

Necessity of a sober countenance, 311

New way to kindle the fire, a, 263

Number thought of by a person, to tell the, 37

Numbers, two or more, to tell, 40

Obedient bottle, the, 281

Objects, some, for solar microscope, 225

Octagon puzzle, the, 318

One way to find the number of days in a month, 274

Optical game, an, 37

Ornamental egg, the, 113

Ornament for boys to make, 26

Palm a coin, how to, 287

Panel of leather work, a, 126

Panorama, the toy, 160-172;
panorama of former generation, 161-162;
simplest form of toy panorama, 163-165;
a more elaborate panorama, 165-172.

Paper bird, the Japanese, 78-81;
paper boats, 83-86;
paper boxes, 119-122;
a lot of paper windmills, 52-54;
a fan from Nagasaki, 323

Papier-maché, 73;
materials for, 74;
process of working, 74-75;
card-receiver, 75;
umbrella-holder, 76;
vase, _ib._;
papier-maché flowers, 77;
papier-maché boats, 90-92

Pass a coin, how to, 288

Pebble vase, the, 117

Peg puzzle, Captain S’s, 238

Perambulating egg, the, 295

Photographic printing, 154

Pin, the balancing, 44

Pith dancer, the, 280

Plaque, frame for, 185

Plants, how to take impressions of, 86

Plants, frames for impressions of, 87

Portraits, how to take, 60

Presents, Christmas, 113, 318

Proof, an easy, for sums in multiplication, 41

Puppet, the windmill, 7

Puzzle, the boot, 57

Puzzle, the counter, 38

Puzzle, the cross, 320

Puzzle, the octagon, 318

Puzzle, peg, Captain S’s, 238

Puzzle, the square, 321

Puzzle, the divided square, 14

Raised figures on an egg, to produce, 273

Re-coin a half dollar, how to, 301

Regatta windmill, 215

Repetition, danger of, 291

Repoussé work for boys, 172-184;
Nubian bracelets, 172;
hammer for repoussé work, 175;
other tools for repoussé work, 176;
marking the design, _ib._;
plaque in hammered brass, 177;
composition for deep work, 178;
card receiver, 179;
foxing, _ib._;
annealing, 180;
a salver in repoussé, 181;
a silver bangle for a bracelet, 182;
a bangle bracelet, 184

Resin bubbles, 32

Ring toss, 255

Ring trick, the Turkish, 299

Rob Peter and pay Paul, how to, 289

Room, the darkened, 152

Rope, the magic, 307

Rope feat, the Chinese, 312

Salver in repoussé, 181

Schooner yacht, a, 345

Screw-propeller windmill, the, 210

Sea-mosses, 226-230;
where found, _ib._;
how, 227;
how to arrange on paper, 227-229;
more elaborate arrangements, 229-230

Self-rectifying dart, the, 43

Set of cars, a, 47

Shaving-case, a, 123

Side-wheeler windmill, the, 211

Simple form of camera, a, 149

Simple electrophorus, a, 277

Simple fountain, a, 322

Siphon, a, 28

Skeletonize leaves, how to, 141

Sketching camera, the, 150

Slate games for children, 243

Sloop yacht, 336

Snake, the, 13

Soap bubbles, 31

Sober countenance, necessity of, 311

Solar microscope, a boy’s, 216

Solitaire, 249

Some electrical experiments, 275

Spirit jew’s-harp, the, 261

Square puzzle, the divided, 14

Square puzzle, the, 321

Steam-boat, the toy, 93

Stencils, 130-137;
method of making, 133;
collection of stencils in book-form, 135;
color decoration with stencils, 136-137

Stones, to melt, 31

String, how to break a, 63

String, how to put a string through a button-hole, 314

String, how to unite a parted, 314

Sums in multiplication, an easy proof for, 41

Telescope, the magic, 22

Telescope, a, which a boy can make, 110

Tit-tat-to, 243

Thirty-one, 246

Three halos, the, 82

Tooth-picks, an amusing experiment with, 17

Toy panorama, the, 160

Toy steam-boat, the, 93

Train, a freight, 51

Trick, an arithmetical, 47

Trick, Turkish ring, 299

Trick, another hat, 294

Trinket-holder, 114

Tumbling egg, the, 82

Turks and Russians, 245

Twig and cone bracket, 116

Two pieces of glass, experiment with, 15

Vase, the crystal, 317

Vase, the pebble, 117

Vase, a papier-maché, 76

Windmills, 204-216;
the wooden windmill, 206-209;
mode of mounting the windmill, 210;
the screw-propeller, 210-211;
the side-wheeler, 212-214;
the regatta windmill, 215

Winter garden, a, 54

Whirligig, the flying, 10

Xylophone, the, 65

Yacht, the miniature, and how to rig her, 331-352;
miniature yacht regattas, 334;
model of yacht, 335;
making the hull, 336-337;
how to cast and attach a lead keel, 337-338;
the deck, 338;
bowsprit and rudder, 339;
mast and other spars, 340;
standing rigging, 341-342;
sails, 343;
running rigging, 344-345;
a schooner yacht, 345;
spars and stays for a schooner yacht, 346-349;
belaying, bolt ropes, reef-points, 350;
painting the miniature yacht, 350-351;
flags, 352

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HOW?

OR,

SPARE HOURS MADE PROFITABLE.

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THE WINDMILL PUPPET.

This amusing little puppet is very easily constructed, and, like several other mechanical toys in this book, furnishes much entertainment for the little folks. Even the baby will sit in her high chair, half-hours together, watching the little man turning his crank, while she claps her tiny hands and crows at so delightful an exhibition of untiring energy.

Cut from cardboard a disc like Fig. 2, which shall measure about six inches across; then by means of a ruler draw the lines _a b c d_; half-way between these points make four others, corresponding to _e f g h_; and lastly, between all these, still another set of lines. Make the circle, _m_, one-and-a-half inches in diameter, and with a pair of sharp scissors cut through all these lines, to the edge of the smaller ring. Bend one edge of each of these triangular pieces slightly upward, as indicated by the shading, and the opposite edge downward; also bend a piece of wire a foot long, so as to form the crank indicated in the illustration.

Next make a frame-work for the figure to rest upon: this should consist of a three-cornered piece of wood, six inches long for the bottom, a stick six or seven inches long for the upright, and lastly, the support for the upper part of the wire, with a small hole in one end for the latter to pass through. Fasten these pieces together with small brad-nails, and secure the upright to the bottom piece by a screw or nail passing up from below. The wire, having the crank already bent in the proper place, may now be passed up through the hole, and the other end sunk down into another, bored a short distance into the bottom board, directly below the upper one. Then the wire may be fastened to the windmill, by passing it through a little one side, then back again through on the other side of the center; twisting the end once or twice about the main stem beneath the windmill; it now turns with the windmill, and it is needless to say that the friction in the holes should be as slight as possible.

The figure is to be cut from a piece of cardboard and is made in five pieces. The lower half, which comprises the box, legs, and body up to the dotted line, is in one piece; the head and body to the lower edge of the belt, consists of two pieces, cut precisely alike, and lapping on either side of the lower part of the body over the dotted line, to give strength to the image. A pin passed through the belt, and bent down on the other side, will hold it in place, and allow sufficient play to the figure. There are two arms, cut from the same pattern, and pivoted at the shoulders with another pin. The hands are finally brought together, with the crank between them, and lightly secured on either side with two or three stitches.

To impart life to this creation, it is placed over a furnace register through which the hot air is briskly rising. If the machine works easily, the current of air above a stove may suffice.

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THE FLYING WHIRLIGIG.

This amusing toy consists of an empty spool with two pins driven into its head, as seen in the figure. With a pair of pliers break off the heads of the pins before driving them in position, then take a piece of soft wood and make a spindle, like that represented in the figure at _A_, and drive another headless pin into the small end. Lastly, cut from a piece of cardboard a figure like the one marked _B_, making three holes, _a a a_, with the point of a darning-needle, corresponding to the two pins in the spool and the one in the spindle.

Bend the edges marked _x_ and _y_ in opposite directions.

Now place the spool on the spindle and wind a piece of twine around the spool; then place the piece of pasteboard upon the top, letting the pins pass up through the row of holes in its center.

Holding the machine upright in the left hand, with a quick movement of the right, jerk the string from the spool, and the cardboard will fly through the air with a very graceful motion.

If stripes of color are added to the ends, as seen in the cut, a much prettier effect is produced while the whirligig is in operation. These stripes can be painted in red, white, and blue water colors, or may be formed by pasting on narrow strips of bright-colored paper.

If the first trial does not succeed, wind the string in the other direction, or put on the “card flyer,” with the other side next the spool. The same causes which make it soar away in the one case will hold it yet more firmly to the spool in the other.

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HOW TO MAKE A BOOK.

Do any of my boy readers know how to make a book? Not the fine volumes turned out by the thousand in our great publishing houses, but the little individual books made by boys and girls, and needing for their construction only an old used-up ledger, a small tin pan of paste, and scraps cut from newspapers or books. These bits may consist simply of poems, or they may be “a little of all sorts.”

I recently saw a very nice book of this kind made by a boy of twelve, which was composed entirely of humorous pictures and jokes, culled from several illustrated and daily papers, one or two almanacs, and various other chance publications, which he had collected during the year. Whenever he found any bright or witty thing, he would carefully preserve the clipping by putting it in a large paper box he kept in a convenient place for that purpose.

He reserved the pasting for rainy days and winter evenings, and as he took much pains with the arrangement and neat appearance of his book, this operation was necessarily slow, and formed a pleasant occupation for many hours which would otherwise have been wasted.

In making such a book, do not try to complete it in a week or even a month, but let it, like my boy friend’s, furnish amusement for a year.

Get your father and mother interested, and ask them to save any scraps they may see, and think appropriate for the purpose.

A handsomely bound scrap-book, specially designed for this use, would certainly be the most desirable thing to have; but if such a book cannot be obtained, an old ledger does very nicely in its place, and if, after it is completed, you cover it carefully with a piece of smooth brown paper and print its title neatly on the back, it will look very well on any table where you may wish to keep it.

If the latter is used, cut from it every other two leaves, reserving the third, through the book. Next be careful to trim all your clippings neatly, leaving no extra paper beyond the edges. Fit the different slips nicely on the pages, filling the little spaces left from the longer articles with any little jokes or bits of poetry you may have. Frequently a whole piece of newspaper poetry is hardly worth preserving, but some one of its stanzas may be very pretty and just the thing to fill up a place you may have left.

It is well to collect all these little things you can find, for they always come in nicely when pasting, and your book looks much better when finished if the original surface is entirely covered.

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THE SNAKE.

Cut from a piece of Bristol board, or stiff paper, a circle measuring four inches in diameter; then with a pencil mark it like Fig. _A_. With your paints and pencil make its head as nearly like a snake’s as possible; and mark the body with stripes or checks, as your fancy may dictate. Cut through the deep black line, put a pin through the dot on the tail, and drive it into a slender stick of wood, which must be held or caught over the stove or register. The rising current of heated air causes the snake to revolve and apparently writhe, in a very natural manner. This little toy, so simple in its construction, affords an endless amount of entertainment to the little folks of the family, and is well worth the trouble and time you may spend in making it.

The hot air from a lamp or gas jet will also impart activity to this mimic reptile.

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THE DIVIDED SQUARE PUZZLE.

Take a square of paper or cardboard, and cut it into four pieces, as shown in the engraving. Now try to put them back in the form of a square. This seemingly simple puzzle, has kept our young people busy a whole evening, and was only accomplished at last by marking each piece before it was cut apart.

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EXPERIMENT WITH TWO PIECES OF GLASS.

Procure two pieces of glass about six inches square, join any two of their sides, and separate the opposite sides with a piece of wax, so that their surfaces may be at a slight angle; immerse this apparatus about an inch in a basin of water, and the water will rise between the plates and form a beautiful geometrical figure called a hyperbola.

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THE GRIMACING FACE.

Take a card one-and-one-half inches wide, and fold around it a piece of unruled note paper, so that the card can easily slide up and down; then paste this case on the under side. Now cut three holes in the paper for the eyes and mouth, as seen in _A_; place the strip of card within this and mark the points for the eyes and root of tongue; then slipping it out once more, the eyes can be carefully finished, and the tongue cut to fit in the mouth, and to extend some distance down on the chin, see Fig. _B_. Then by putting the two pieces together, pulling the tongue in its place through the opening, very amusing expressions can be produced, by simply moving the pasteboard up and down in the paper. Fig. _C_ represents the two parts put together.

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A GOOD BALL.

Take a round, well shaped orange; cut it evenly into quarters, numbering them at one end to aid in putting the parts together again. Next cut out of kid four pieces exactly like the four pieces of orange peel; then, with strong linen thread, sew over and over three seams, thus joining the four pieces, but leaving one seam open. In putting together be careful to place 1 next to 2, and so on, just as they were in the orange. Ravel out an old yarn stocking, or cut into narrow strips an old cashmere one, and after making a little round ball of any soft woolen material, commence winding it evenly with the raveled yarn, trying occasionally if it is near the size of the kid covering. When nearly large enough wind it in such a way that it shall just fit the cavity, and then carefully sew up the remaining side.

Great care should be exercised in forming the inner ball, and in cutting the kid. The wrists of old kid gloves make capital coverings. An old rubber overshoe cut in very fine strips and wound carefully, forms a nice center, but it is better to use the soft wool yarn next the cover, as it is more pliable and makes a better shaped ball.

Prepare this ball during your leisure moments in the long winter evenings; and it will then be ready for the first game, when the bright spring sunshine reminds you of summer sports once more.

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AMUSING EXPERIMENT WITH TOOTH-PICKS.

Take five tooth-picks, weave them together, as seen in the illustration, which perhaps is easiest done by holding the three diverging ones between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand at the point _a_, and insert the other two successively, first _b_, then _c_. Now lay the figure upon any flat surface, letting the end c extend a short distance beyond the edge. If you touch a lighted match to _c_, in a moment each stick will leap into the air as if suddenly endowed with life and animation, quite unusual in such inert objects.

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HOW TO CUT TOPS FROM GLASS BOTTLES.

A glass bottle when freed from its top can be utilized in many ways, and most boys will be glad to know how to get rid of this troublesome portion without smashing the whole thing into fragments.

A red-hot poker with a pointed end is the instrument used. First make a mark with a file to begin the cut; then apply the hot iron, and a crack will start, which will follow the iron wherever it is carried. This is, on the whole, simple, and better than the use of strings wet with turpentine, etc.

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A BOY’S BAROMETER.

Take a common vial, or small bottle, cut off the rim by using the hot poker as directed above. Let the vial now be nearly filled with common rain water, and applying the finger to its mouth, turn it quickly upside down: on removing the finger it will be found that only a few drops will escape. Without a cork or stopper of any kind, the water will be retained within the bottle by the pressure of the external air, the weight of the air without the vial being so much greater than the small quantity within it. Now let a bit of tape be tied round the middle of the bottle, to which the two ends of a string may be attached, so as to form a loop to hang on a nail; let it be thus suspended in a perpendicular manner, with the mouth downward: and this is the barometer.

When the weather is fair, or inclined to be so, the water will be level at its lower surface, or perhaps concave, like an individual butter plate turned upside down; but when disposed to be stormy, a drop will appear at the mouth, which will enlarge till it falls, and then another drop, so long as the humidity of the atmosphere continues.

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AN INFALLIBLE BAROMETER.

With a few cents any boy can buy the chemicals required for this barometer, and obtain an instrument much more reliable than many of the cheaper grades for sale in the stores. Put two drams of pure nitrate of potash, and half a dram of chloride of ammonium reduced to a powder, into two ounces of pure alcohol, and place this mixture in a clear glass bottle, covering the top with a piece of rubber or thin kid pierced with small holes.

If the weather is to be fine, the solid matters remain at the bottom of the bottle, and the alcohol is as transparent as usual. If rain is to fall in a short time, some of the solid particles rise and fall in the alcohol, which becomes somewhat thick and troubled. When a storm, tempest, or even a squall is about to come on, all the solid matter rises from the bottom of the bottle and forms a crust on the surface of the alcohol which appears to be in a state of fermentation. These appearances take place twenty-four hours before the tempest ensues, and the point of the horizon from which it is to blow is indicated by the particles gathering most on the side of the tube opposite to that part whence the wind is to come. The longer the diameter of the bottle the better for this kind of barometer.

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THE BALANCING DOLL.

From a piece of soft wood whittle out a head and body like that in the illustration, making slits on either side for the insertion of the wings. These oar-shaped appendages are generally made from a shingle, and are affixed to the body by pressing them firmly into the slits. The whole thing can be painted to suit the fancy; water colors spread on rather thickly answer quite as well for small objects of this class, if protected by a good coating of varnish, made by dissolving a few cents’ worth of white shellac in a small quantity of alcohol. It is important that the oars are of the same weight and placed at equal angles with the body for this plaything to be successful.

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THE BOOMERANG.

The boomerang is a weapon which has long been known as peculiar to the Australian savages, who are wonderfully skilled in its use.

It consists of an irregular shaped piece of hard wood, so constructed that by its aid, the unsuspecting game can be killed at an angle widely diverging from the line of direction in which it was thrown. Instances have been cited in which the boomerang, in the hands of these untutored savages, has accomplished wonderful feats. One of the favorite ways of throwing consists in sending the weapon in such a manner that it shall skim along just above the ground for about a hundred feet, then, rising in the air, double back upon its course, and hit a mark only a few feet in front of the thrower. Of course we do not expect to equal the savages in its use, when recent investigations show that it has taken the experience of generations upon generations of men and hundreds of years, to bring it to its present degree of excellence; but every boy may derive much fun from practicing with the little cardboard boomerang cut of stiff pasteboard in either of the forms given in the preceding page. To throw this, place it upon a book, one end extending beyond the edge; then, with a ruler or small stick, strike it forcibly upon the edge, and it will fly through the air and back again, in an amusing, lively manner, quite unlike any other missile in a boy’s collection. It may be sent on its way by simply snapping it with the forefinger of the right hand while it is held on the book in your left. If you should try making one of wood to use out-of-doors, try it in the middle of a large open lot, for there is no telling what mischief it might do if it only had the chance.

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THE MAGIC TELESCOPE.

The following, although requiring considerable skill in joining, can readily be made by any boy of fifteen, if he is at all skillful in the use of carpenter’s tools, and has a fair endowment of those two excellent qualities, patience and perseverance, so absolutely indispensable to success in almost any undertaking.

This telescope consists of a series of square wooden tubes, with an inside diameter of about five inches, so carefully joined together that no ray of light can find its way in through the crevices. The oblique lines are pieces of looking-glass, with their faces turned toward each other. Now, by placing the eye at _E_, of course it would seem that anything at _H_ could be seen directly through the tubes _A B_, while if a book or other opaque object be interposed, as shown in Fig. 2, it would seem equally a matter of course that the view would be obstructed; this, however, is not the case, as the mirrors reflect the object through the tube and it appears as plainly as when the book is removed.

To those unfamiliar with its construction this magic telescope, by which you apparently see through a solid substance, is an unfailing source of wonder.

The object at _H_ should be quite brilliantly lighted, as some of the rays are absorbed in the passage of the reflection through the tube; especial care should also be taken to place the mirrors at a slant, exactly midway between the horizontal and the upright, or, to speak more scientifically, at an angle of 45 degrees to the line of the tubes.

The tubes _A_ and _B_ should not be so far apart at the place where the book is inserted as to permit the backs of the mirrors to be easily seen.

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TO CRYSTALLIZE GRASSES, SEED-VESSELS, ETC.

Take a large-sized piece of alum, and pour over it a pint of boiling water, letting it stand until the water has taken up or dissolved all the alum it will. If at the end of a few hours any alum remains undissolved, you may be sure the water contains all the alum it can hold in a liquid state, and the solution is called a “saturated solution of alum.”

During the summer, while the grasses are in their most perfect state, select such as you think will look well crystallized, and put them into a vase or wide-mouthed bottle to dry, being careful to spread them well apart, so that they may retain their perfect shape in drying. If the season of grasses should pass before you have a chance to collect them, the season of weeds is always at hand. Any boy, in his wanderings over marsh or mountain, through woods or our quiet village street, during even the coldest winter months, could not fail to see some beautiful sprays of seed-pods crowning many of our most common weeds, which if crystallized, would make a very pretty and acceptable present to mother for the corner bracket, or the shelf which seemed just a little bare before. Having secured your grasses or weeds, both together if you like, and having your saturated solution of alum at hand, lay as many tops of the grasses in a flat dish as will fill it without crowding, then pour the liquid over them, being careful that the parts you wish crystallized are under the surface. Let them lie in this position until well coated with the alum. When finished remove them and put in others. Continue in this manner until all are treated. If only a few crystals are desired they may be obtained by dipping the heads one at a time in the solution and slightly shaking them after each immersion. When all have been dipped, commence with the first and repeat the process. Do this until the crystals formed are as large as you wish them to be.

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METHOD OF COLORING ALUM CRYSTALS.

In making these crystals the coloring should be added to the solution of alum in proportion to the shade which it is desired to produce. Coke, with a piece of lead attached to it in order to make it sink in the solution, is a good substance for a nucleus, if a cluster of crystals are to be formed. Any form, if wound around with knitting cotton, can be used, or the grasses above described can be dipped in these colored solutions, and very pretty results obtained.

Yellow: muriate of iron. Blue: solution of indigo in sulphuric acid. Pale blue: equal parts of alum and blue vitriol. Crimson: infusion of madder and cochineal. Black: Japan ink thickened with gum. Green: equal parts of alum and blue vitriol, with a few drops of sulphate of iron. Milk white: a crystal of alum held over a glass containing ammonia will become a milky white color upon its surface.

[NOTE.—To make an infusion of a substance you simply pour
boiling water over it. The madder and cochineal are in the dry
form, and only a little water should be used, as too much will
make the color less brilliant.]

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ANIMATED FIRE.

When small pieces of camphor are placed in a basin of pure water, a very peculiar motion commences; some of the pieces turn as if on an axis, others go steadily round the vessel, some seem to be pursuing others, and thus they continue forming a very curious and pleasing appearance; but if a single drop of sulphuric acid be put into the water, the motion of the camphor instantly stops. If a piece of camphor be lighted, and then carefully placed on the water, it burns with a bright flame, moving about with great rapidity, as if in search of something, but is instantly stopped by a drop of sulphuric acid.

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A PRETTY ORNAMENT FOR A BOY TO MAKE.

Dissolve in seven different tumblers containing warm water, half ounces of sulphates of iron, copper, zinc, soda, alumina, magnesia, and potash. Pour them all, when completely dissolved, into a large flat dish, and stir the whole with a glass rod or bit of broken glass for a while. Place the dish in a warm place where it will be free from dust and will not be shaken. After due evaporation has taken place, the whole will begin to shoot out into crystals. These will be of various colors and forms, some little ones being gathered together in small groups, and other larger ones scattered throughout the whole fluid. By a little careful study you will soon be able to distinguish each crystal separately, from its peculiar form and color, thus learning an interesting lesson in chemistry, while making a beautiful ornament for your room. Be sure and preserve it carefully from the dust.

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HOW TO MAKE A BLOWPIPE.

Procure two common clay pipes; break off the stem of one about three inches from the little end. Take a cork that exactly fits into the bowl of the other pipe, cut a hole through it large enough to insert the mouth-piece already broken off, and draw this through the opening till its larger end is even with the surface of the cork. Insert the cork in the bowl, and fill the end of the stem which touches the flame with a tiny ball of clay or chalk. Through this clay make a hole with a needle, and a blowpipe is the result, which answers very well for any experiment a boy may be likely to try.

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HOW TO BLOW GLASS.

Although it is impossible to give any detailed account of glass blowing which would be practicable for small boys, yet a child can amuse himself for hours, by simply melting bits of glass and joining them together; or by melting small glass tubes and drawing them out to mere threads; or again, blowing them up into tiny balloons until their surface is as thin as a soap bubble and almost as fragile. These little tubes are smaller than the end of a pipe-stem, about four inches long, and made of very thin glass. A dozen can be procured for ten or twelve cents at any place where chemical supplies are to be found. A short tallow candle, held in a cheap tin candlestick, answers for the flame; and the tobacco-pipe, converted into the blowpipe just described, can be used in any of the experiments here given. Take a piece of a broken window pane, hold it in the left hand very near the candle flame, then holding the blowpipe so that the shorter end nearly touches the flame, blow steadily through the pipe-stem a current of air into the flame, which sends it upon the glass and soon reduces the part in contact with it to a red-hot melting mass; this can be worked into various shapes by forming it with the aid of pincers; or it can easily be joined to pieces of different colors, by holding the two together and turning the full force of the blaze upon them.

The little tubes may be heated in the same manner, and one end be closed air tight, by pinching it tightly while still hot; then, after heating the portion near the end to a red heat, lay the blowpipe aside, and, taking the tube away from the flame, blow into the open end with the mouth. If this is done quickly, before the glass has had time to cool, a pretty bubble or balloon is the result.

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A SIPHON.

A simple glass siphon can be made by taking one of the above tubes and heating it at a point about one-third of its length from the end, till the surface appears a rosy red; then carefully bending it over the round part of a clothes-pin, till the two ends form parallel lines.

A simple experiment with the siphon affords considerable amusement to the little folks, and is well worth trying. Take two tumblers, place them side by side, and fill one with water. Now fill the siphon with water and place the longer end in the empty tumbler, and the shorter one well down in the water of the other. Immediately the laborer will begin to work, pumping water into the empty vessel, and will not stop until he has reduced the water in the full tumbler to a level with the end of the tube.

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TO MELT STONES.

Many kinds of stones containing more or less metallic ores, can be readily melted by means of the blowpipe. When the specimens are small they can be placed upon a piece of mica, and then presented to the flame; or a clay receptacle can be made for the purpose, by simply hollowing out a small cavity in one side of a lump of clay. Large ones can be held in the hand or with the pincers as in the case of the glass melting.

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A SOAP BUBBLE.

Within the past few years soap-bubble parties have been quite the style among our young people, and not a few of the older members of society have joined in the frolic with as much zest as their younger competitors. Usually at such gatherings, after the guests have all arrived, the hostess, having previously secured two or three boxes of bonbons, or other equally inexpensive trifles for prizes, presents each of her guests with an ordinary clay pipe, and leading the way to the room in which the bowls of soap-suds are already prepared, shows her prizes, and challenges all to the contest. If fine, large iridescent bubbles are desired, it is well to add a small quantity of glycerine to the water used. It is said that if the mixture of glycerine and water is allowed to stand some hours before it is used the effect is much better. Hot water and soap can be added just before the party enter, and only two bowls of the soap mixture are necessary for quite a large party. These should be placed upon small side tables or stands at opposite ends of the room. Two or three reliable persons should be chosen for judges to decide the contest. The parents or some older members of the family, at whose house the party is held, usually perform this duty. I should have added, when speaking of the soap mixture, that the common yellow soap intended for laundry use, is much better for this purpose than the finer toilet varieties most commonly used by amateur soap-bubble blowers.

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RESIN BUBBLES.

If the end of a tobacco-pipe be dipped in melted resin, at a temperature a little above that of boiling water, taken out, and held nearly in a vertical position and blown through, bubbles will be formed of all possible sizes, from that of a hen’s egg, down to sizes which can hardly be discerned by the naked eye, and from their silvery luster, and reflection of the different rays of light, they have a pleasing appearance. Some that have been formed these eight months, are as perfect as when first made. They generally assume the form of a string of beads, many of them perfectly regular, and connected by a very fine fiber, but the production is never twice alike. If expanded over a gas jet by means of a small rubber tube, they would probably float around the upper part of the room.

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THE THREE MAGICAL CARDS.

Take three cards of the same size, and thick enough to prevent the black surface from showing through; ink or paint over the whole of one side of _c_, having the other side perfectly white, and the others, _a_ and _b_, in the parts shown in Fig. 1; they are now ready for use.

Fig. 2 shows the first arrangement of them, _a_ and _b_ lapping over each other so that when _c_ is placed in the position shown by dotted lines the whole face presents a perfectly white surface. Show this to your audience; then, still holding them in sight, inform them in a neat little speech, that by aid of some magic power you possess, you can readily change these same cards to black, or back again, at will. Now holding them with their backs away from you, in such a manner that the card _c_ cannot be seen by the other boys, turn them upside down and spread out what were the lower parts of _a_ and _b_. You have them now in the position indicated by Fig. 3, and after carefully turning _c_ you will find them presenting a uniformly black surface. Should any bit of white show at the lower corner, cover it with your thumb. When they are arranged to your satisfaction, hold them up in front of you, and while saying over some cabalistic words, such as, for instance, “Presto, agramento, calafesto—change!” blow upon their faces and turn them around to your audience, which will probably be greatly surprised at this undeniable evidence of your magic skill.

Instead of white, the ordinary playing cards may be used, blacking the back of one to represent _c_. These are much more showy than the plain white ones, and the trick is not so easily discovered if slight bits of black are seen, as those having black spots are generally taken for the purpose.

One day a little fellow who had been repeatedly mystified by this trick, saw the cards which his brother had prepared lying on the table. He took them up, examined them carefully for a moment, then, with his little face all aglow at the revelation, he exclaimed, “Ha! I’ve found out how you do it now, you just blow charcoal on the other part.” How he got rid of the part already black, he did not explain, nor did we think to ask him, but he had at last solved the puzzle of their turning black, and that was all he cared to do at the time.

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AN OPTICAL GAME.

Hold a ring between thumb and forefinger at some distance from the boy addressed, and giving him a crooked stick, ask him to close one eye and try to catch the ring on the stick. This game looks so very simple, that any boy is certain he can do it at one thrust, and is only made aware of its difficulties after several unsuccessful attempts.

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TO TELL THE NUMBER THOUGHT OF BY A PERSON.

Desire the person who has thought of a number to triple it, and to take the exact half of that; triple that half if the number was even, or if odd multiply the larger half by 3; and ask him how many times that answer contains nine: for the answer will contain the double of that number of nines, and one more if it be odd. Thus if the number thought of is 5, its triple will be 15, which cannot be divided by 2 without a remainder. The greater half of 15 is 8. If we multiply this by 3 we have 24, which contains 9 twice. So we shall have 2 + 2 + 1 = 5, the number first thought of.

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THE COUNTER PUZZLE.

In an old book published over half a century ago, I came across this puzzle; and finding it gave an evening’s entertainment to our young folks, I introduce it here for the benefit of those boys who take especial delight in games of an arithmetical nature.

Out of thin cardboard—old business cards answer this purpose nicely—make thirty-two blank counters, the size of a dime. Then upon a piece of note-paper mark off a figure just three inches square, and divide it by lines into nine compartments, each containing one square inch. The puzzle is, to arrange the counters in the external cells of the square four different times, and each time to have nine in a row, yet to have the sum of the counters different, and varying from twenty to thirty-two. If you will inspect the following figures you will see how this is possible: the first represents the original disposition of the counters in the cells of the square; the second, that of the same counters when four are taken away; the third, the manner in which they must be disposed when these four are brought back with four others; and the fourth with the addition of four more. There are always nine in each external row, and yet in the first case the whole number is twenty-four, in the second it is twenty, in the third twenty-eight, and in the fourth thirty-two. The numbers are substituted in the place of the counters in the above figures for convenience, but Fig. 5 represents the disposition of the counters, as indicated in Fig. 2.

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ANOTHER ARITHMETICAL TRICK.

By knowing the last figure of the product of any two numbers, to tell the other figures. If the number seventy-three be multiplied by each of the numbers in the following arithmetical progression, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, the products will terminate with the nine digits, in this order, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; the numbers themselves being as follows: 219, 438, 657, 876, 1095, 1314, 1533, 1752, and 1971. Let, therefore, a little bag be provided, consisting of two partitions, into one of which put several tickets, marked with the number 73, and into the other put as many tickets, 3, 6, 9, etc., up to 27. Then open that part of the bag containing the number 73, and ask a person to take out one ticket only; after which, dexterously change the opening, and desire another person to take a ticket from the other part. Let them now multiply their two numbers together, and tell you the last figure of the product, by which you will readily determine from the foregoing series what the remaining figures must be. Suppose, for example, the numbers taken out of the bag were 73 and 12, then as the product of these two numbers, which is 876, has 6 for its last figure, you will readily know it is the fourth of the series and the other two figures must be 8 and 7.

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TO TELL TWO OR MORE NUMBERS WHICH A PERSON HAS THOUGHT OF.

These numbers must not exceed 9. Let him think of two or three numbers, double the first and add 1 to the product, multiply the whole by 5, and add to that product the second number. If there be a third, make him double the first sum and add 1 to it; then desire him to multiple the new sum by 5, and to add to it the third number. If there should be a fourth number, you must proceed in the same manner, desiring him to double the preceding sum, to add 1 to it, to multiply by 5, and then to add the fourth number, and so on. Then ask the number arising from the addition of the last number thought of, and if there were two numbers subtract 5 from it: if three, 55; if four, 555, and so on, for the remainder will be composed of figures, of which the first on the left will be the first number thought of, the next the second, and so of the rest.

Suppose the numbers thought of to be 3, 4, 6; by adding 1 to 6, the double of the first, we have 7, which being multiplied by 5 gives 35; if 4, the second number thought of, be then added, we shall have 39, which doubled gives 78, and if we add 1, and multiply 79 by 5, the result will be 395. Lastly, if we add 6, the third number thought of, the sum will be 401, and if 55 be deducted from it we shall have for the remainder 346, the figures of which 3, 4, and 6, indicate in order the three numbers thought of.

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AN EASY PROOF FOR SUMS IN MULTIPLICATION.

As boys are always interested in short cuts in arithmetical processes, it may be well to insert for the benefit of those who are studying multiplication, a method of proving their examples which I learned a short time ago from an old banker of New York. This rule is simply to add the digits of both multiplicand and multiplier, divide both answers by 9, and multiply the remainders; divide this product by 9 and the remainder will be, if the example is correct, the same as that obtained by adding the digits of the product and dividing that answer by 9. For instance, suppose after multiplying 4359 by 2786 we have 12144174 for the answer; now instead of performing this operation over a second time to make sure our answer is correct, we simply add the digits in 4359 and divide the sum 21 by 9, we find we have 3 left. As it is the only remainder we have to deal with, we need not keep the other figures. By adding the digits in the multiplier we obtain 23, which divided by 9 gives 2 and 5 remainder. Now, multiplying the first remainder by the second we have 15: this product divided by 9 gives 1 and 6 remainder. If the product 12144174 is correct, the sum of its digits divided by 9 will leave 6 for a remainder. Performing the operation, we find the sum of its digits is 24, divided by 9 equals 2 and 6 remainder. As both the remainders correspond, the answer was correct. After a little practice you will find you can prove your examples very quickly by this method, and where a number of sums are given without the answers it will be of invaluable assistance, besides saving you a great amount of labor.

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THE SELF-RECTIFYING DART.