Chapter I: Preface

It was not the author’s original intention to produce a series of boys’ books. On the contrary, he expected that his work in this line would begin and end with “The American Boy’s Handy Book.”

The great popularity of that book is a constant source of gratification and pleasure to the author; but he was not a little surprised and embarrassed when he discovered that in place of satisfying the lads he had only whetted their appetite for more material in the same line. Letters from boys in many parts of the British Provinces, and from all over the United States, convinced the writer that he had yet work to do for them, and the revised and enlarged edition of “The American Boy’s Handy Book” was issued. After a brief period of time the quaintly worded letters in boyish handwriting began again to increase the mail left at the author’s studio, and this time he laid aside his brush and pencil to produce “The Outdoor Handy Book.”

It is hoped that the present demand for new ideas for boys will be fully satisfied by “The Jack of All Trades.” To the best of the author’s knowledge and belief there is not a thing described in this book which has not been proved practical by the experiments of himself or some boy or boys. Parts of this book have appeared in various periodicals, but all these chapters have been revised and enlarged.

It is now a generally accepted truth that the so-called skill of the hand is in reality the skill of a trained mind. The necessity, in work or play, of constantly overcoming new obstacles and solving new problems, develops a strong and normal mind and body. There can be little doubt that the rude schooling and hard knocks of a pioneer’s life rejuvenated our race and developed those qualities in the characters of Americans, without which Washington would have been but a country gentleman and Lincoln a village store-keeper. Had little Abe Lincoln been reared under the care of a foreign woman with cap and ribbons (_i.e._ a French nurse), his strong manly character would never have been developed and our country would have lost one of its grandest patriots and history its most unique figure.

Aside from these vitally important facts, art demands that our youth should be encouraged to do things for themselves, to produce things by their own labor. The most finished product of the machine cannot appeal to the heart of a real artist as does some useful and homely object which still bears the marks of its maker’s hands.

For these reasons the author hopes that parents will allow their boys to be boyish boys; and in order to keep them out of mischief they will cater to the lads’ natural and healthy desire for entertainment by encouraging them in all rational projects and supplying them with tools and materials, so that the boys may all become juvenile Jacks of All Trades.

It is the object of the author, in the chapters devoted to animal life, to teach the boys to look upon all animals with the same thoughtful kindness with which they might view their own undeveloped brothers.

To Harper & Brothers, and to _The Ladies’ Home Journal_ the thanks of the author are due for the careful preservation and return of such original drawings as were used by them in their respective publications, and without which this work would be incomplete.

D. C. B.

FLUSHING, June 1, 1900.

CONTENTS.

=PART I.=

=FAIR WEATHER IDEAS.=

CHAPTER I.

PAGE TREE-TOP CLUB HOUSES 3

The River Rats, 5; A Tree-top Retreat, 6; The Secret
Grape-vine Route, 7; A Club-house in the Tree-tops, 8; A
Two-tree House, 9; How to Build the Foundation, 14; The
One-tree House, 16; A Three- and Four-tree Foundation, 18.

CHAPTER II.

HUNTING WITHOUT A GUN 19

How to Capture and Trap Small Live Animals, 19; Rodents
or Gnawers, 21; A Smudge, 22; Flying Squirrels, 23;
White-footed Mice, 25; Short-tailed Meadow-rats, 26;
Jumping Mice, 27; Woodchucks, 27; A Box Trap, 30;
Musk-rats, 31.

CHAPTER III.

THE BACK-YARD ZOO 33

The Study of Living Animals, 33; Size of Lot, 35;
Galvanized Iron Wire Cloth or Netting, 36; The Mesh, 36;
To Make a Cage of Galvanized Wire Netting, 39; The Door,
40; The Doors for the Runway, 40; Toads, 43; Frogs, 44;
Peepers, 44; The Tree-frog, 45; The Anderson Frog, 45;
Lizards, 45.

CHAPTER IV.

A BACK-YARD FISH-POND 48

How to Make a Fish-pond, 48; By Sinking a Wooden Tank in
the Ground, 49; Best Form for Such a Tank, 49; To Prevent
Wood from Decay, 50; When to Stock, 52; Fresh-water
Clams, 53.

CHAPTER V.

PIGEON LOFTS AND BANTAM COOPS 54

A Pigeon Loft and Bantam Coop, 55; Lumber, 56; Pigeon-loft
Floor, 56; Shutter Frames, 56; Roofing Material, 57;
Doors, 58; The Shutters, 59; Cleanliness, 59; The Hen’s
Nest, 59; The Pigeon’s Nest, 60; For a Hen Roost, 60;
Drinking Troughs, 61; Flying Cage, 62.

CHAPTER VI.

HOW TO MAKE A BACK-YARD AVIARY 63

Birds’ Nests in Washington’s Coat, 63; Nests in Speaking
Horn, 63; A Woodpecker’s House, 64; Martin Houses, 66;
The Wren House, 66; Tin-can Bird-house, 68; A House of
Straw, 68; A Barrel for a Martin House, 68.

CHAPTER VII.

A BOY’S BACK-YARD WORKSHOP 72

How to Make Buildings Plumb and Level, 72; Tools, 73; A
Level, 74; A Foundation, 76; How to Build the House, 77;
Corner Posts, 81; The Window, 82; Side Plate, 82; The
Rafters, 84; Machine-Shop, 85; Tool Rack, 86.

CHAPTER VIII.

HOW TO BUILD AN UNDERGROUND CLUB-HOUSE 89

A Doorway at the Top, 89; The Trap-door, 90; Dimensions of
House, 90; New Lumber, 92; Framing, 92; Passageway, 93;
Windows, 94; The Roof, 94; A Ventilator, 95; Dangerous
Caves, 96.

CHAPTER IX.

A BOYS’ CLUB-HOUSE ON THE WATER 97

Crusoe Clubs, 97; Foundation of Club-house, 97; The
Building Material, 98; The Foundation Posts, 100; The
Bottom of the Pond, 101; Temporary Diagonal Braces, 103;
An Artificial Island, 104.

CHAPTER X.

HOW TO HAVE FUN ON A PICNIC 105

Joggling Board, 105; Turnpike Loo, 106; Dinner Box, 106;
Rhode Island Clam Bake, 107; Pennsylvania Pond Stew, 107;
Burgoo, 107; How to Cook a Burgoo, 108; A Game of Jack
Fagots, 110; Old Dan Tucker, 110; Pitch-peg-pin Pitching,
112; Lawn Hab-enihan, 114.

CHAPTER XI.

HOW TO BUILD AND HOW TO FURNISH A DANIEL BOONE CABIN 116

The Ghosts of the Fireplace, 116; The Log House, 118;
Suitable Timber, 118; The “Skid,” 118; The Foundation,
120; Floor Joists, 120; Floor Supports, 120; Log Rolling,
121; Door and Window Openings, 121; The Fireplace, 122;
The Roof, 123; The Bunks, 123; A Lincoln Bed, 124; The
Door, 125; The Lamp, 127; The Chimney, 130; A Table,
131; General Camp Notes for Old Boys, 132; How the Women
Should Dress, 133; The Requirements for a Camp, 133;
Making the Shack, 135; The Brush Covered Lean-to, 136;
Tents with Roofed Verandas, 136; What is needed for Table
and Larder, 137.

CHAPTER XII.

FLAT-BOATMAN’S HORN 137

Whittling, 137; Wooden Bugles, 141; The Old Wooden Horn of
Captain Bob Collins, 142; The Wabash Horn, 143; How to
Make a Wabash Horn, 144; The Mouth-piece, 144.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE AMERICAN BOY’S HOUSE-BOAT 146

Building Material, 150; The Centre-piece, 151; The Sides,
151; The Bottom, 154; The Cabin, 157; Deck-ribs, 157;
The Keel, 159; Flooring, 159; The Hatch, 160; Upper
Deck, 160; The Rafters, 160; The Rudder, 163; Rowlocks,
163; Ash Poles, 164; The Locker, 164; Canvas-cabined
House-boat, 166; The Cost of House-boats, 167; For People
of Limited Means, 168.

CHAPTER XIV.

A BACK-YARD SWITCHBACK 170

The Wheels, 170; The Flange, 171; The Axles, 172; The
Bottom of the Car, 172; Starting Platform, 173; The
Track, 178; A Curved Track, 178; Cross-ties or Sleepers,
179; Ticket-chopper’s Box, 180.

CHAPTER XV.

HOW TO BUILD A TOBOGGAN-SLIDE IN THE BACK-YARD 182

Slipperies, 182; A War-time Slippery, 182; Tropical
Toboggan-slide, 184; A Frame, 185; A Toboggan Room, 186;
Packing the Slide or Chute, 186.

=PART II.=

=RAINY DAY IDEAS.=

CHAPTER XVI.

A HOME-MADE CIRCUS 191

The Bath-tub as a Receiving-tank, 191; A Water-wheel, 192;
The Shaft, 192; Paddles, 193; Hanging-bars, 194; Figures
which Move, 198.

CHAPTER XVII.

GOOD GAMES WITH TOOTHPICKS AND MATCHES 201

A Simple Toothpick Example, 203; To Lift Three
Safety-matches with One Toothpick, 203; A Spring-bed,
204; Artificial Water, 206; A Bridge of Matches, 206; The
Piers, 207; The Approaches, 207; The Roof, 207; A Pioneer
Settlement, 208; The Chimneys, 208.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FUN WITH SCISSORS AND PASTEBOARD AND PAPER 210

How to Make the Sleigh, 211; How to Make the Horses, 212;
To Cut out the Horse, 213; The Pole, 213; The Driver’s
Whip, 215; Pasteboard Soldiers, 215; Stirrups, 216;
How to Make the Soldiers, 216; To Make an Army, 217;
Grandmother’s Reticule, 218; To Cut a Five-pointed Star
with One Clip of the Scissors, 220; To Make a Cross Into
a Square with Two Cuts, 221.

CHAPTER XIX.

HOW TO PREPARE AND GIVE A BOYS’ CHALK-TALK 222

The Name Chalk-talk, 224; Drawing-board, 225; Size
of Board, 226; Height of Easel, 226; The Drawings
Themselves, 227; How to Begin, 227; A Stationary Object,
229; Motion, 230; Evolution of the Ape, 234.

CHAPTER XX.

A CHRISTMAS NOVELTY FOR BOYS 237

How to Build and Decorate a Fireplace for Santa Claus, 237;
The First Start, 237; Back of the Chimney, 238; The Front
Frame, 240; The Covering, 243; To Line the Inside of the
Fireplace, 243; Our American St. Nicholas, 243; Costume
for Santa Claus, 245; How to Put on the Clothes, 246.

CHAPTER XXI.

HOW TO MAKE TWO BOYS INTO ONE SANTA CLAUS 248

How the Legs are Made, 249; The Wig and Beard, 249; The
Curtains, 249; The Sleigh, 250; The Signal for Legs, 251;
The Distribution of the Presents, 251.

CHAPTER XXII.

A CIRCUS IN THE ATTIC 253

How to Make the Horses and Other Animals, and How to Make
the Costumes, 253; The Goat, 253; The Arab Steed, 254;
The Neck-bones, 255; The Ribs, 255; The Frame, 256; The
Reins, 256; To Make the Giant Bird of New Zealand, 257;
The Manicora, 257; The Ring-master and his Costume, 259;
Making Up, 262.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A BOYS’ STAG-PARTY 263

Target Shooting, 263; To Make the Target, 263; Carpet Tacks
as Darts for the Blow-gun, 264; Vegetable Bonbon Boxes,
265; A “Fake” Cake, 266; The Shooting, 267; The Spread,
268; The Explosion of the “Fake” Cake, 268.

CHAPTER XXIV.

A WILD WEST SHOW IN THE HOUSE 270

How to Reproduce the Patterns, 270; Making the Cowboy,
Horse, and Indian, 273; For a Bridle, 274; The Indian
Horseman, 275; The Buffalo, 276; The Stage, 277.

CHAPTER XXV.

HOW TO HAVE A PANORAMA SHOW 278

Choice of Subject, 278; Hunting Suitable Pictures, 279;
Colored Figures, 280; The Works of the Panorama, 281;
The Stage, 282; Footlights, 282; How the Panorama Box
is Built, 283; The Rollers, 284; Show-bills, 286; The
Lecture, 287.

INDEX 289