QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

ON EXAMPLE.

There is a famous statement of the average preparatory-school boy, which has been so often made that it is historic, to the effect that he can do whatever he pleases because nobody will be fool enough to follow his example. He feels that men older than himself—men in college, or graduates of college, or grown-up men—may be setting example to others, but that he has not sufficient influence with any one to induce him to follow his example in anything. Sometime after the preparatory-school boy has grown up he will find that from year to year the same feeling sticks by him, and that he never considers himself a person worthy to set example to any one else.

If he only realized it, he would discover that even as a preparatory-school boy he is looked up to by the younger boys in the lower classes and by those who have not yet arrived at the point where they can enter a school at all. In other words, you, as a schoolboy, are setting an example to somebody else just as certainly as is your father or your grandfather is setting an example to others; and the feeling you have, that you are responsible to no one as an example for what you do, is wrong. It is very simple to understand this if you think it over a moment. For instance, a member of a college 'varsity team is a great man to the members of school teams. If they see a member of the 'varsity team drinking and smoking, they believe that it is proper for them to do so, and yet if you were to ask this man if he realized what an example he was setting, he would maintain that nobody was fool enough to think of looking to him for guidance. And this influence not only spreads over younger men in the school, but has a strong power in the college itself; for the fact that an athletic man is looked up to at the university and that the athletic man lives a normal life induces a great many other members of the university to take him as an example; and as a matter of record the strict training and the loyalty and thoroughness required by captains from members of their teams have done much to raise the standard in our big colleges to-day.

Every boy, therefore, should always bear in mind that he has a name to keep up and a record to keep clean, not alone because it is right to do so, but because he can never tell when some one else may not be looking to him as an example and may not be tempted to do things unworthy of boys because he does them. There is perhaps just as much evil on the other side of the question—that is, where a young man (or an old one, for that matter) feels that he is continually an example to others, and lives two different lives, one for the benefit of his friends and the other for himself. The example is of no value itself. It is merely that you, living your daily life, entering into sports and into studies at school, can never tell when your school-mates or persons whom perhaps you may never know may not be unconsciously observing your actions, and be accepting them as standards for themselves.

Thus every man and boy and girl is at some time or other, and often frequently, a guide or example for others, and it behooves him or her to bear this in mind from day to day. It should not cause worry; the responsibility of it ought not to weigh any one down; but the idea that you can do whatever enters your head, provided that in your mind you are satisfied that it is right for you, is not always correct.

TRYING HER IN A SQUALL.

A good story is told of the late Captain R. B. Forbes, who was interested in some seventy sail of fine vessels, and who built many clippers for the India and China trade before the general application of steam. It seems that while testing the sailing qualities of a clipper-schooner, she was struck by a squall in Boston Harbor, fell on her side, filled with water, and went down. Fortunately she had a boat in tow, which saved all hands. He would not start a sheet nor luff her into the wind to prevent her being capsized; he was determined to know what she could do in a squall, even at the risk of his life and the lives of a select party of nautical friends he had with him; and although this experiment may have been of intense interest to Captain Forbes, it is doubtful whether his invited guests relished their position. Later she was raised without much trouble and had her spars reduced. For years afterwards she was famous along the coast of China for her speed.

Captain Forbes's brother, Hon. John M. Forbes, now in the eighty-fourth year of his age, has an original steel clipper of the following dimensions: Length on the water-line, 125 feet, 154 feet 6 inches over all; has 27 feet 6 inches extreme breadth of beam; is 12 feet 6 inches deep; has engines of 400-horse power; is fully rigged as a two-masted schooner, and has a steel centreboard 21 feet long by 6 and 7¾ feet wide; is a complete sailing-clipper as well as a steamer, and is the only vessel of the kind in the world. She is also unsinkable; if full of water she will still float, having air-tight compartments along her sides like a life-boat.

Under sail, with a working breeze, she will stay within nine points in three minutes; by the wind, sail eight knots; and going free, twelve knots. She is named the Wild Duck, has been in service about two years, and has been quite successful under steam and sails.

THE CAT.

The cat's a happy animal When blows the winter bluff, Because she purrs and dreams all day Within her downy muff. But I am sure when summer comes And roasts us with its glare, She'd like to be the Chinese dog, That hasn't any hair. R. K. M.

SAILORS AND THE SMALL BOAT.

It is a curious fact that few seamen can handle a small boat with facility. This applies chiefly to the crews of sailing craft, as the large steamship corporations long ago realized this failing among sailors, and instituted a series of boat drills on their steamships that have been productive of excellent results. Knowledge of the workings of small boats is a requisite that every seaman should possess, and young men intending to follow the sea for a livelihood should acquire it before they tread the decks of a vessel, as they will have but little opportunity afterwards.

The wise forethought of steamship corporations on having their crews drilled saved many lives at the wreck of the steamer Denmark, as something like 734 persons were transferred from her to the Missouri without a single accident in mid-ocean during a heavy swell. It follows, therefore, that those who seek recreation on the water would do well not to go in any boat, unless it is in charge of an experienced boatman, and is amply supplied with life-preservers. Boats ought to be ballasted with fresh water in small casks, instead of stones or iron, so that, in the event of being capsized, the ballast may help to keep them afloat. A young man who may have been only a very few times in a boat, under favorable circumstances, assumes he can manage one. He makes up a party, the wind freshens or a squall ensues, he loses his head, a capsize takes place, the boat sinks, and the chances are that he and his companions will be drowned. Those who go boat-sailing ought to leave as little to chance as possible.

This Department is conducted in the interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

This is the height of the auction season. One auction a day is a fair average, and several lists with reserved prices have been sent out to prospective buyers, who are asked to compete against each other by mail. The straight auction where no stamp is held at a reserve will always commend itself to collectors. In the few instances where it was suspected that "a string was attached to the valuable stamps," such dissatisfaction was aroused that no self-respecting or far-sighted dealer will countenance any thing which savors of unfair bidding.

In the issue of January 5 I referred to a rumor that the Bureau of Engraving contemplated a new issue of U.S. stamps. Although no official notice has been given, it is believed the government intends to issue the new set during the International Postal Union Convention which meets in Washington this spring. I advise young collectors to look up the blank spaces especially in the current issue. For instance, the guide-lines now used make eight varieties of the 1c. and 2c. stamps, viz., guide-line at the top, bottom, left, or right, and the lines at top and left, top and right, bottom and left, and bottom and right. Then there are the three varieties of triangles in the 2c. stamps, and also the marked varieties in the color of the early compared with later printings.

Baltimore.—The Nova Scotia 1c. black is worth 30c.; the 5c. blue about 10c.

E. C. Wood.—U.S. stamps issued before 1861 are not available for postage, but all issues from 1861 are valid to-day.

J. E. Kinter.—The "Army and Navy" is not a coin, but is one of the many war tokens issued in 1861.

J. Mann.—The early Portugal have been reprinted. The Argentine 1892 2 centavos and 5 centavos were formerly high-priced, but of late they can be bought for 75c to $1 for the two.

A. Danby.—The Cape of Good Hope first issue were triangular. They are slowly advancing in value.

J. Joyner and J. Rasmussen.—We do not sell albums or stamps or coins, nor supply catalogues. Refer to advertisements of dealers.

J. R. Avery.—You can buy a very good 1834 half-dollar from a coin-dealer for 75c.

H. L. Underhill.—Your stamp is a Swiss revenue stamp.

H. Lek. Demarest.—An unused U.S. stamp which has been creased cannot have the crease removed without taking off the original gum. Trondhjem stamps are Norway locals. A revenue stamp with one side unperforated is worth a little less than one with all four sides perforated.

D. D. Wardwell.—Apply to any dealer for list of S.S.S.S. stamps. Confederate bills are worthless, as there are millions of them in existence. The San Francisco find of $20,000 U.S. Revenues will not affect the value of the stamps.

G. H. C. and E. D. Beals.—No value.

C. W. Walker.—The half-penny is worthless. U.S. half-cent, 1809, is worth 10c.

J. Smythe.—I know very few collectors of postal cards, and personally never collected them. I think it would pay you to join the Postal-Card Society if you are going to collect cards on anything like a fair scale. At auctions postal cards bring very small prices, but probably there are no rarities in the lots offered in this way.

A. A. Fischer.—The water-marks on the Tuscany stamps, first issue, are in four horizontal rows of three crowns in each row. It requires quite a block to see an entire crown. The second issue is on a paper bearing interlacing lines, with an inscription running diagonally from the lower left to the upper right corner.

Philatus.