QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

ON CHOOSING A PROFESSION.

The old story told of the great Duke of Wellington, the man who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, that he wanted football-players for his Generals has been supplemented within the last few weeks by a similar statement made by the Honorable Theodore Roosevelt, the president of the police commissioners of the greatest city of America. Mr. Roosevelt's remark was made at a public meeting which he was addressing on the general subject of the modern city, with especial reference to the police, and he said that he wanted vigorous, manly men for policemen, men who in their younger days had made or would have made good football-players had they been given the chance. This does not mean that everybody from a policeman up to a General is made a competent official merely because he has played football. It is merely a phrase, but that phrase has a distinct meaning to every one, because it suggests what qualities are required in any walk of life to make successful, competent workers.

The great Duke and the distinguished police commissioner meant by this that they wanted for their lieutenants men who knew what discipline was—men who were ready at any moment to jump into any work, and do it with all their strength of mind or body, or both; men who were self-reliant and could be trusted, who knew how to obey and how to command and how to do things themselves. It is not enough to-day to say that this or that boy is absolutely trustworthy in order to get him a situation in a shop, a banking-house, or a law-office, in the leather or the toy business. He must be trustworthy. It is taken for granted that he is honest. This is not undervaluing honesty in the least. Quite the reverse, in fact, because if a boy is not absolutely reliable, nobody wants him, no matter how clever he may be. But there are hosts of honest boys—in fact almost all of them are straightforward. But to get a place in any establishment much besides honesty and reliability is required, and hence the good old Sunday-school-story type of boy who made millions because—and only because—he was honest, is unfair to the average boy reader, since it makes him think that success is at his hand if he is only honest.

That is the mistake many a fine chap makes, and when after a while he does not get ahead, in spite of his honesty, he grows melancholy and disgusted. When you get a place as boy in a store, as clerk in a banking-house, or assistant in a professional office, you must take things into your own hands. Naturally you want to advance yourself, but the quickest way of doing this is to let your own interest drop for the time, and study out what is your employer's interest. Having found this, try every day in the year to see how you can improve, suggest, push forward his success. Pretty soon he begins to notice you, to think over your suggestions. In time something comes up, and he wants a man for a certain purpose. Ten to one he will think you are the only one for it, because you have been keeping yourself before him so much in a way that helps him. And not long afterwards you are the man he relies on. That is the beginning, and like all good thorough beginnings, it is more than half the battle.

When you sit down to choose a profession, then—unless you have a very definite idea of what you want to do, and in that case the work is easy, for you only have to work at it hard and long to make your living by it—when you sit down to make a choice, and have no great preference, say to yourself that you will take whatever job you can get, and will not only do that which is given you to do honestly and thoroughly, but will get up each morning thinking out some little thing that may possibly be of advantage to your employer's purse or fame. It cannot help making an impression, for business men are just as human as office-boys, and if you only show them that you are trying your best to add to their fortunes or their name, they cannot help watching you, trusting you, advancing you. And any business that is done well and vigorously will not only become interesting, but will give you a chance to make a successful life, and to add to the good of your fellow-countrymen, besides giving you a living into the bargain. Anything well done and worked at hard and long—for twenty years, say—is sure to be conquered, and whether it is the keeping of a grocery-store or the running of a government, the same qualities of honesty, originality, and thoroughness are required, and, if employed, are successful. What you do, then, is not so important as the push and vigor which you put into it.

AMERICA STILL AHEAD.

Russia is a very large country, and with Siberia's immense area included, the size of the United States suffers in comparison with her. One of her newspapers has vaunted the proposed transporting of a whole town some forty odd miles along a frozen river (a heretofore unknown feat, as it claims), the object of the removal being to place the town among some hills that lend themselves admirably to the purpose of fortification, thus securing a valuable military station. It will undoubtedly be quite a feat to accomplish such a task, and if the Russian engineers find any hitch in their plans, they can surmount the difficulties by reference to a similar undertaking successfully accomplished in the State of Illinois, namely, the moving of the town of Nauvoo over a frozen river. In the course of three winters this was done, and seven hundred houses were transported, and a new town, now a prosperous place, was established. The Russian newspapers can boast of the great work of moving one of their towns; but it is a pleasure to know that the United States long ago anticipated them in such matters.

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.

IMITATION CARBON PRINTS.

Those of our amateurs who have used the formulas for tinted papers will enjoy preparing paper in imitation of carbon prints. The method is one of the simplest forms of sensitizing paper. The formula is as follows:

No. 1.

White gum-arabic4 oz.

Distilled water6 oz.

Dissolve the gum-arabic in the water—heating the water—and if, when dissolved, the mixture does not measure ten ounces, add enough clear water to make that amount.

No. 2.

Bichromate of potash1 oz.

Distilled water9 oz.

For use mix equal parts of the solution, and filter; then take a tube of moist water-color, any tint desired, and dissolve enough of it in the solution to produce the tint desired. Pin a sheet of photographic paper to a flat board, and apply the solution with a flat brush after the manner described for sensitizing paper. The paper must be sensitized by gas or lamp light.

This paper is not a printing-out paper, but is developed. Expose under the negative, lay the print for a few seconds in lukewarm water, then place it face up on a sheet of glass, and develop it with hot water, using it about 110° F.; rinse, and place for ten minutes in a bath made of

Powdered alum1 oz.

Water20 oz.

As the progress of the printing cannot be seen, it is a good idea to sensitize a strip of paper, and experiment with the printing till the time for exposure can be ascertained.

Sir Knight Kenneth Tanner, 711 First Avenue, Asbury Park, N. J., says that he has intensified several of his negatives with mercury, and that they are fading fast, and wishes to know how to preserve them. They may be restored by soaking in a solution made of Schlippe's salts, 40 gr., and water, 4 oz. Soak the negative in clear water till thoroughly wet, and then immerse in the restoring solution till the desired effect is obtained.

Lady Eudora Landers asks if the picture which she encloses in her letter belongs in any of the classes for which prizes are offered. The picture is that of a building—a log house—and therefore would not come in any of the classes. The picture is a good one, and well taken; but the camera was not exactly level, and the lines of the horizon slant. If the picture is squared by the horizon-line and trimmed, this defect will be remedied.

Sir Knight R. J. Geddes asks if by prepared photographic paper is meant salted paper. The paper, if bought unsalted, must be salted before it is used. Sir Knight Geddes will find directions for making green tones in No. 862, May 5, 1896.

Sir Knight Leonard Kebler, 142 Harrison St., East Orange, N. J., asks if his name is enrolled among the members of the Camera Club, and for the number of the Round Table which contains directions for enlarging. Sir Leonard says that in an answer to one of the queries asking about enlarging, the answer was that directions could be found in No. 801, March 5, 1895, but that he looked in this number and there was no article on photography. By referring to the number mentioned the editor finds an article on "Bromide Enlargements." This tells how to make an enlarged photograph from a small negative, which is what Sir Leonard means. Bromide paper is the sensitive paper used for such photographs, and they are called bromide enlargements. Sir Leonard is enrolled in the Camera Club.

Sir Knight Harry Chase sends a print, and asks if it would come under marines or landscapes. It would be classed with the marines. It is a good picture, the water looking like water and not like chalk or snow.

Sir Knight F. G. Clapp asks if the rule in the photographic competition saying no picture shall be sent which has been submitted in other competitions, means the Round Table competitions, or all competitions. It means any competition in which prizes are offered for best photographs. The object of our prize competition is to stimulate our club to do its best work expressly for this competition. We wish new pictures with fresh subjects, not pictures that have been sent to other competitions and placed on exhibition.

Sir Knight Gilbert Jackson asks if there is any way to remove an object from a negative which one does not want in the finished print. The objectionable part of the picture may be blocked out by painting over it, on the glass side of the negative, with Gihon's opaque, a non-actinic water-color paint.

"Edith" asks how to enlarge from a silver print. In order to enlarge from a silver print, it would be necessary to make a negative from the print, and then make a bromide enlargement from the negative according to direction given in No. 801, March 5, 1895.

Sir Knight Conant Taylor encloses a print and asks what is the matter with it. The picture was not printed deep enough, and has faded in the toning. It has the appearance of being overtoned, or toned in poor solution. In toning, when not sure that the bath is all right, test it according to directions given beginners for testing toning solutions. Take a piece of blue litmus paper and dip it into the toning solution. If it turns red the bath is too acid. Add enough of the alkali to turn the paper back to blue. Bicarbonate of soda is an alkali. In toning remove the prints from the bath before they are quite toned, as they fade in washing.