For Young Americans

GEORGE WASHINGTON

By Woodrow Wilson, Ph.D., LL.D. Illustrated by Howard Pyle, Harry Fenn, and Others. Crown 8vo, Cloth, Deckel Edges and Gilt Top, $3.00.

NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE WAR OF 1812

By James Barnes. With 21 Full-page Illustrations by Carlton T. Chapman, printed in color, and 12 Reproductions of Medals. 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, Deckel Edges and Gilt Top, $4.50.

FOR KING OR COUNTRY

A Story of the American Revolution. By James Barnes. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.

By Charles Carleton Coffin

THE BOYS OF '76. A History of the Battles of the Revolution. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

OLD TIMES IN THE COLONIES. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

BUILDING THE NATION. Events in the History of the United States from the Revolution to the Civil War. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

THE DRUM-BEAT OF THE NATION. The First Period of the War of the Rebellion, from its Outbreak to the Close of 1862. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

MARCHING TO VICTORY. The Second Period of the War of the Rebellion, including the Year 1863. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

REDEEMING THE REPUBLIC. The Third Period of the War of the Rebellion, to September, 1864. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

FREEDOM TRIUMPHANT. The Fourth Period of the War of the Rebellion, from September, 1864, to its Close. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $2.00.

By Kirk Munroe

RICK DALE. A Story of the Northwest Coast. Illustrated by W. A. Rogers. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25.

SNOW-SHOES AND SLEDGES. A Sequel to "The Fur-Seal's Tooth."—THE FUR-SEAL'S TOOTH.—RAFTMATES.—CANOEMATES.—CAMPMATES.—DORYMATES. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.25 each. The Four "Mates" Volumes in a Box, $5.00.

WAKULLA.—FLAMINGO FEATHER.—DERRICK STERLING.—CHRYSTAL, JACK & CO., and DELTA BIXBY. Illustrated. Square 16mo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.00 each.

HARPER & BROTHERS, Publishers, New York

A Good Entertainment Programme.

An admirable up-to-date entertainment may be arranged under the title "The Ideals of the Twentieth Century," where short, breezy dissertations, orations, and essays on the ideal "Church," "Stage," "Public School," "International Peace," and for a humorous selection "The Ideal Parent," may be rendered. And "What Science may accomplish in the Twentieth Century" should by all means be included in the list. By way of recitation, Lowell's exquisite "To the Future," and Saxe's travesty "Pyramus and Thisbe," are well adapted. The latter might be called "An Incident of Twenty Centuries Ago." With two or three musical selections your programme is complete.

Vincent V. M. Beede.

Selling Stamping Designs.

May I ask your aid and advice in regard to some doily patterns which I have designed? I enclose four designs. I would like to sell them, and would like to have you tell me in what way designs are prepared for sale. I mean especially for stamping outfit companies. Am I right in thinking they are to be made on Bristol-board in India-ink? Do such designs have to be made the same size that the stamping pattern is to be when finished? Will you not give me some idea of the prices paid for designs? When designs are sold, does the designer set the price, or is it left to the purchaser? Which of the designs should you call the best? I have never taken a lesson in drawing, or had any instructions of any sort, and have not even a pair of compasses to help me.

Alice L. Brown, R.T.L. Putney.

Designs for stamping should be drawn in India-ink on Bristol-board or good drawing-paper. They must be made full working size. It is impossible to give prices—they can best be ascertained from the dealers themselves. Naturally the purchaser sets the price, unless the designer is one of established reputation who can fix her own. The design marked No. 1. is considered best by the Art Department—next in order the one marked No. 2. The Society of Decorative Art, 14 East Thirty-fourth Street, New York city, receive and pay for designs. Bently and Jones, 204 Greene Street, are wholesale manufacturers of stamped embroidery designs.

A Good Description of Mardi-gras.

In the winter, just before Lent, occurs the event that draws more people here than anything else. That event is Mardi-gras. Then the city puts on a festive air, the merchants decorate their stores with the royal colors—purple, green, and yellow—and every one prepares to receive his Majesty Rex, who reigns supreme for the short time he is here. A large fleet goes down the river to meet the royal yacht, and when the King and his suite land at the foot of Canal Street they are met by the Mayor, the city officials, the city, State, and visiting militia, and are escorted to the City Hall, where the keys of the city are delivered to him. Numerous secret societies made up of society men give balls and processions at this time. Prominent among them are the Krewe of Comus, Krewe of Proteus, and others.

Rex arrives Monday, and Tuesday is Mardi-gras day. Then the fun commences. All the small boys and girls in town, and some large ones, dress up in fantastic costumes and masks, and the streets are filled with the "Mardi-gras's," as they call them. Last year and the year before there was a band of Indians—about fifty; the costumes were splendid, and when they came whooping up the street they seemed quite like the real article. At about eleven o'clock Rex's parade makes its appearance, and passes along the principal streets. Such crowds you seldom see; the street is a solid mass of people as far as the eye can reach. Every one, young and old, big and small, white and black, turns out to see his august Majesty Rex. The mounted police force a way through the people for the parade to pass. In front of the Boston Club the parade stops, and the King presents the young lady who is to be Queen with a beautiful bunch of flowers, and drinks her health, and that of her maids of honor. While the procession is passing, the maskers on the different floats throw handful after handful of candy to the people that line the windows and galleries on each side of the street. The parade is past at last, and everybody begins to think about getting home, and ready for the one in the evening and the two balls.

The evening parade of Krewe of Proteus is always beautiful, and so is the ball that follows. Rex has his ball also in the evening. The first three dances at the ball are reserved for the maskers, who have for their partners young ladies out of the audience. These are informed by note beforehand, so they are always prepared. They never know who they dance with, unless it be a case of husband and wife. After three dances the dancing becomes general, and the maskers slip out, and come back in regulation evening dress, that you do not notice the change. These balls are beautiful sights—the maskers in their rich costumes, and the ladies in handsome evening dresses.

The balls are held in the French Opera-House, an immense building, which is always packed to its utmost capacity. Each king (and there is one for every ball) chooses his queen from the society girls, and she has three maids of honor. They are always dressed gorgeously. The next morning it is all over until the next year, and society settles down in sackcloth and ashes until Easter. Thousands of dollars are spent every year on this event, but New Orleans wouldn't be New Orleans without its Mardi-gras. Rex is always a prominent man.

Sophie Eleanor Clark.

Amateur Journalism.

The following-named, interested to some extent in play-journalism, desire to receive sample copies of papers from publishers of the same:

Walter C Garges, 102 Van Buren Street, Zanesville, Ohio, and Florence Jennings, Box 67, Southport, Connecticut.

A Queer Tale.

S. K. Brown, Jun., living in a small Pennsylvania village, where there is a famous Friend's school, sends to the Round Table a quotation from a Philadelphia newspaper, and says he desires more information. The quotation, in his words, is under the title of "The Floating Stone of Corea," and runs:

"The stone is of great bulk, and shaped like an irregular cube. It appears to be resting on the ground; but is free from support on any side. If two men, standing on opposite sides of it, hold each the opposite ends of a cord, they will be able to pass it under the stone without encountering any obstacles."

We also should like more information. Can any one give it? There must be an explanation, else we must for the first time doubt that the law of gravitation is universal.

Good and Funny as a Game.

I have seen many games described in the Round Table, and I thought I would write out one which is played here. It is called "Key." The boys and girls are placed in two rows, and between them is seated the one who holds the key. The latter selects some one to take the key and give it to the one who has the longest hair, prettiest teeth, nicest dress, or anything he or she chooses. If the one who has to choose is a boy, he must choose a girl; if a girl, she must choose a boy. The one selected then goes around, and so on. The ones who have gone around then tell for what they chose the others. This game is very good when played right—and funny.

Nellie Thompson. Golconda.

Questions and Answers.

One of our questioners asks for an explanation of the treaty just signed between this nation and Great Britain, and why Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Cleveland, and so many others rejoice over it. We are exceedingly pleased to reply to a questioner so keen and intelligent. Disputes are likely at all times to arise between nations, as they are between individuals. We have long since provided for the latter, not by urging each disputant to fall to pummelling the other, but by judges and jurors, who hear testimony and make decisions on them. The world is just now entering upon that stage of progress when nations as well as individuals no longer fall into wicked war, but have judges to hear and determine for them. The treaty which you ask about provides that when, during the next five years, any differences arise between the United States and Great Britain, such disputes, with all the testimony on both sides, shall be referred to six arbitrators, three to be named by each side. If these six men fail to agree in their decision, they are to select a seventh arbitrator. The latter may be any competent person. If the seven fail to agree, the dispute is to be left to the wisdom of the King of Sweden, whose decision shall be final. The treaty has been signed by our Secretary of State and the British Minister. It is signed in duplicate, one copy being for us, and the other to be sent to London. It is not yet law, and may never become law. It is awaiting confirmation by our Senate. If it is not confirmed, it is laid away in our State Department along with many other unconfirmed treaties. The reason so many rejoice over the event is because, as Mr. Gladstone says, "it is a step of real progress." You live in a fortunate age, that sees a step so important in the uplift of mankind.

E. A. W. asks, "Does the Department of Agriculture at Washington issue a pamphlet for free distribution relating to the following things: Weather reports and records, latitude of our different cities, and rules for foretelling the weather?"

We think it does. Write the Department requesting a copy. You will get in reply either the pamphlet or information where it can be had. "What are the names of some of our largest war-ships?" The Iowa, Massachusetts, and Indiana are names of three battle-ships. Of large cruisers there are the Columbia, New York, and Minneapolis. "What are the requisites of pen-drawing for an amateur? What pens are used?" Bristol-board; drawing-ink, to be had in twenty-five-cent bottles at almost any bookseller's; and common fine-pointed steel pens.

J. G. B.: The annual wheat crop of the United States varies greatly. Last year it was 500,000,000 bushels. It is much smaller than our corn crop, which often reaches 1,600,000,000 bushels.—George E. Purdy, 66 Broadway, New York, asks if Carlos J. Neona, of Chicago, will send his correct address to him.—Ernest Routlege questions the authority which makes a Virginia plover to fly 225 miles an hour. Lord Bishop Stanley, an excellent authority, says that the highest speed attained by any bird is 180 miles an hour. This is the swift. The plover is a fast flier, and he gives its speed at 160 miles. He also says that the measuring of bird flight is quite difficult, and points out several erroneous calculations on their speed made by people who sought to test it. Possibly our correspondent, a lad, fell into one of these errors. The partridge flies, according to Bishop Stanley, about sixty miles per hour, and the eagle 140 miles. In Ireland, some years ago, a carrier-pigeon was known to make 125 miles per hour. These are special records, so to say, for the average speed of these birds is much slower. Stanley says that, in proportion to size, the bee is a faster flier than a plover, and points out how often we see bees and large flies fly along outside the window of a rapid railway car, going zigzag, but keep up without difficulty, and finally, perhaps, fly on ahead, only to return after a while for a second sojourn by your window. He gives a rule for measuring the speed of a bird's flight. If you see a bird rise from the ground, time it or count seconds until you see it pass over a fence or hedge. Then pace the distance from rising point to fence. Then you have a simple problem to find its speed per hour at that particular time. Will some one give us a morsel on this subject? It is very interesting.—Vincent V. M. Beede asks: "Can some one tell me the present whereabouts of Greuze's painting, 'The Little Dauphin,' and where a copy, in whatever form, can be obtained?"

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.

A SCRAP-BOOK FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC FORMULAS.

Every box of sensitive plates and every package of sensitive paper contains a circular giving formulas for working, and besides the formulas, there are hints on the causes of failures, and directions how to avoid or amend them. The manufacturers of photographic goods issue little pamphlets and booklets which may be had for the asking, and in newspapers and magazines one is constantly coming across some new or easier way of working in photography. If this material was collected as it came to hand and placed in a scrap-book, one would soon have a valuable book of information about the art of photography which would be very helpful.

The editor of this column has a way of making scrap-books which she is going to give for the benefit of the members of her Camera Club. Take large sheets of Manila wrapping-paper and fold in book form to a booklet about 8 by 10 in size. Use enough sheets of paper to make from sixteen to thirty-two leaves. Sew it with stout thread, and put a loop of cord or narrow ribbon at the top by which to hang it up. On the outside print in large letters "Photo Formulas," then whenever you come across anything which will be of help in photographic work, paste it in this book. In pasting the scraps, attach them at the corners and one or two spots near the centre or side. The book does not then become stiff, and if at any time the scrap is wanted, it can be removed without injury to the leaf.

If one choose to do so, the different formulas could be pasted in different books, toning solution, developers, etc., each having a separate book, the name being marked on the outside in large letters.

This method of making scrap-books is very convenient if one is studying some special subject. Mark the subject on the cover of the book, and when an item is found relating to it, paste it in the book. When the cover becomes soiled or torn it can be removed and a fresh one put in its place. The cost of half a dozen scrap-books will not exceed ten cents, and being made to hang up, they are easy of access and are seldom mislaid.

A member of the club, Charles M. Todd, has sent a very clever suggestion for the benefit of the members of the club. He has a book which he calls a Camera Club Index. In it he puts the title of everything printed in the Camera Club column; then when he wishes to look up a subject, he refers to his index, which tells him in which number of the Round Table it may be found. This is a very helpful suggestion, and one which we are sure will be of profit to our members.

Foster Hartwell writes to the Camera Club that a good way to remove the polish from a burnished print is to rub it with dry pumice-stone, powdered and sifted. It gives a soft, pleasing finish to the picture.

J. B. C. asks if a rectilinear lens can be fitted to a pocket kodak and thus do away with the barrel-shaped lines in the picture. J. B. C. would have the same trouble with a rectilinear lens as with the single lens, unless the camera is provided with a swing back. Hold the camera perfectly level, and the lines of the building photographed will not converge or diverge. It would not pay to have a tiny camera like the pocket kodak fitted with a rectilinear lens.

Charles Boyden, Jun., asks if solio-paper and toning solution may be bought at a photographer's. It is best to get your photographic materials from a dealer in photographic supplies, not at a photographer's, though a photographer would probably supply an amateur with paper and toning solution as an accommodation.

Arthur S. Dudley asks what is the best developer for portraits, and which for landscapes; if a combined or separate toning bath should be used; how many times it is necessary to wash a toned print; and a cheap way to get a gloss on a photograph. Use any good formula for developer. Eikonogen and hydrochinon developer is a very satisfactory developer. The separate bath is preferred by most photographers. Wash prints for an hour in running water, or change the water eight or ten times at intervals of five minutes. See No. 889, answer E. Magsameu for directions for burnishing.

Ernest Salisbury asks why pictures made on solio-paper and toned with Eureka toning solution are of a light brown. The print sent in letter looks as if it had not been left long enough in the toning bath. The color of the print is the tone which it assumes when first placed in the bath. Try toning the print longer; prints do not tone as quickly in cold weather as they do in warm. If this does not work, then the toning bath is at fault. The reason why the sky is the same color as the rest of the picture is that, it being a snow scene, the snow impressed its image on the plate as quickly as the sky. The best time to make snow pictures is in the early morning or late in the afternoon.

Murray Marble encloses a print of the Capitol at Washington, and asks what causes the blur at the top of the picture. Judging from the print, the blur is caused in the developing. The solution did not cover the film when it was placed in it, and the place where the blur appears is not sufficiently developed.

Evarts A. Graham asks what can be done with old plates; and wishes a good formula for silver prints and sensitizing paper for silver prints. See Nos. 857 and 886 for some uses for spoiled plates. See Nos. 796 and 803 for directions for making plain silver prints.

John F. Regan wishes the copy of the constitution of some good camera club. Will Arthur F. Atkinson, of Sacramento, Cal., please send a copy of the Niepce Chapter's constitution to this member? His address is 418 North Centre St., Terre Haute, Ind.