QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

ON KEEPING YOUR OWN COUNSEL.

It is an old saying among schoolboys and college men that the fellow who keeps his mouth shut is always the big man; that he who deliberately says little quickly wins for himself the name for wisdom. Such statements are quite as true in the outer world to a certain degree as they are in college and school. The pith of the matter is that if in any way you arrive at a position of any importance, the less you talk to every one the more credit you receive for care, for thoughtfulness, for sound well-considered opinions. Here is nothing which urges a boy to have no opinions or to never express them; and in fact this "wise silence" at school and college as often, perhaps, covers up an empty mind as it does the wisdom of Solomon. There is, however, a good rule to follow, which may be given briefly, to the effect that it is well to say little until you have thoroughly made up your mind, and then not to hesitate in your statements. The temptation of the average man is to express some opinion at once, but if that is changed later, the full force of the final opinion is lost.

Let others do the wrangling. Your opinion will have all the more influence if you come out strong with it at the close of the discussion, when not only are the others considerably in doubt as to what they do want, but you have also had the advantage of hearing many sides of the case.

That is to say, that in your daily behavior towards the others in school it is well to keep your "talk" in reserve. It is a habit easily acquired, and one that in the end works both ways. It adds both to the value of your advice, because the advice is better considered, and it gives the advice an added value so far as others are concerned, because when you only say a little, that little has the more consideration.

In the course of athletic games there are two ways of treating friends and opponents. One way is as easy as another, for both are merely habits. Many a good chap at baseball or football is constantly grumbling whenever the umpire or referee gives a decision. He objects to the decision on principle; he goes back to his place in the field criticising the partisanship of the official, and makes himself uncomfortable as well as disagreeable to the umpires and the other teams. If this young man should be asked some day—off the field, of course—whether it were sportsmanlike to criticise in the midst of a game an umpire properly chosen, he would, no doubt, maintain in strong terms that such criticism was the most unsportsmanlike thing possible, and then he would promptly deny that he ever made such criticism. Yet there are many such, and it is unfortunately one of the most common sights on a school athletic field to-day to find the two teams wrangling with the umpire over a decision he has made, and this, too, after he has been asked ten minutes before to decide all such questions for them. It is only another form of the same lack of habit in courteous behavior, and it causes most of the hard feeling between schools and colleges to-day.

So one might go on by the hour speaking of the different questions in school and college life which are examples of lack of behavior of the most ordinary kind, but the root of the matter is that each boy should say to himself that he will be constantly reserved, that he will wait for the proper moment to speak and act, and that he will then act vigorously if he is convinced the time has come.

A BLOCKADE VENTURE.

During the blockade of Buenos Ayres a clipper bark laden with flour was fitted out at Boston with the express purpose of running in. The late Augustus Hemenway was her supercargo. After a tedious voyage she arrived off Buenos Ayres, and found the blockade too close to run in, and was compelled to cruise off and on, waiting for a change in her favor. While thus lazily reconnoitring, she spoke a vessel from Valparaiso, which reported a famine there. Mr. Hemenway at once decided to try Valparaiso. The Captain hesitated; he said his vessel was not adapted to double Cape Horn in the dead of winter; but young Hemenway assumed the entire responsibility, and the Captain yielded. She had a favorable slant round the Horn, and reached Valparaiso in safety, where her cargo was sold at high prices. The Chilians were so grateful for the timely relief that they loaded the bark as deep as she could safely swim with copper ore, and all concerned in the venture made a fortune. Later, Mr. Hemenway opened a trade with Valparaiso in copper, wool, nitrate, etc., by which he became one of the richest men in Boston.

DAYBREAK.

When the sunlight peeps in through the curtains at dawn, His Highness awakes with a smile and a yawn, And his little fat hands fly up in the air, Out of whole-souled delight that a new day is there. He laughs to himself and he churns his pink heels, He gurgles and chirps at the pleasure he feels, And he looks with dismay at the big folk near by Who sleep while the daylight is kissing the sky. The sight of a sunbeam is thrilling and new; The big folk are missing it—that will not do! Awake, oh, good people, awake to the sight! Come out of your pillows, 'tis no longer night! See what a wonderful broad streak of gold Has come through the window! Arise and behold A slice of the dawn dancing over the floor! Was ever so glorious a vision before? But the elders, to whom the awakening of day Is old as their memories, turn blindly away, And his Highness is left, with the birds of the trees, To carol his joy at the new life he sees. Albert Lee.

CAPTAIN HEARD'S EXPLOIT WITH A PRIVATEER.

The speed of the Baltimore clippers in days gone by made history redound with their exploits. Every boy and girl has read at some time or place of the piratical long, low, rakish-looking schooners that cruised the ocean ostensibly as privateers, but chiefly as pirates, in those days, and have marvelled more or less at their astounding adventures. A good story is told of the late Captain Augustine Heard, that while in command of a fine ship richly laden, bound from China to New York, he was overhauled by one of this kind, which came up under his lee, fired a shot into his ship, and demanded in "good English" that she should be hove to. Captain Heard watched a favorable opportunity, squared his yards, ran the privateer down, passed over her between the masts, and when well to leeward brought his ship to the wind and resumed his course. She had lost some of her head-gear, but sustained no damage in her hull. Captain Heard left the "long, low, black privateer," or pirate, to her fate, and had no doubt that all her crew perished.

It was a dangerous thing to do, but Heard relied upon the good timber in his ship's bows to withstand the shock, although his heart grew sad at the loss of life. Still, as he put it, "My honor and life were at stake, so he had to go under."

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.

Another No. 89 Plate No. has been found, and is now offered at $100. There may be a lot of this No. at some small post-office, as the larger offices do not seem to have received any of this particular No.

During the past month the stamp business has begun to revive, and there are indications that better prices will be obtained in the auction-room than in the past three months. The main difficulty seems to lie in the fact that there are seemingly as many dealers as collectors. Years ago the New York city stamp business was practically in the hands of two or three men, while to-day Nassau Street and Twenty-third Street are overflowing with dealers. Some of these dealers have entered into an engagement with each other not to buy at auctions. If they keep to their word so much the better for the collectors.

Guatemala has just issued a new set of fourteen adhesive stamps, five postal cards, two envelopes, and one wrapper. The stamps are all printed in black on colored papers. The size is about that of our Columbian issue, and the entire set is made to commemorate and advertise the Central American Exposition to be held this year.

1centavoBlack on lilac.

2centavosBlack on olive.

6centavosBlack on ochre.

10centavosBlack on indigo.

12centavosBlack on rose.

20centavosBlack on vermilion.

50centavosBlack on brown.

75centavosBlack on blue.

100centavosBlack on blue-green.

150centavosBlack on light rose

200centavosBlack on mauve.

500centavosBlack on yellow-green.

The probabilities are that the entire issue will be condemned by the S.S.S.S.

The American Bank-Note Company of New York has just secured the contract for printing the Canadian stamps. It is said that the cost of printing will be about $600,000 for the five and a half years, and that the saving to the Canadian government compared with late contracts will be $125,000.

B. B. Perkins.—I would advise your buying a packet of 1000 stamps for $10, or 1500 stamps for $25. If you intend to collect certain countries only, such packets would not serve your purpose.

Beatrice Fink.—Tromsö stamps are locals from Norway. Wuhu is a Chinese local. Poste-Locale, 40 paras, is a Turkish local.

Beverly S. King, 31 New York Ave., Brooklyn, wishes to exchange stamps. Refer to your catalogue for the number of stamps issued by U.S., Great Britain, France, etc. A "complete" collection of stamps is a very vague quantity. I know one collection of Great Britain containing many thousands of stamps, no two alike, and yet the owner says he has just begun to collect Great Britain.

D. McPherson.—The unused Department stamps are higher than the used simply on account of the demand for unused stamps. The amount of money proposed by you will buy you very many good stamps, and ensure many hours of enjoyment, and that is the best investment.

W. R. Wheeler.—Before postage-stamps were used the postmaster used to print with an iron or copper hand-stamp "Paid," "Paid 10," etc. Envelopes with such printing are very common, and while very interesting have no money value.

Philatus.

Reject all compounds which dispense With honest work and common sense; With Ivory Soap the wash is good And takes no longer than it should.

Copyright 1896, by The Procter & Gamble Co., Cin'ti

READY FEBRUARY 11

By Ellen Douglas Deland

IN THE OLD HERRICK HOUSE, and Other Stories. Illustrated. Post 8vo, Cloth, Ornamental, $1.50.

Besides the title story, this volume contains "At the Camerons'" and "The Little Red Book." Like all of Miss Deland's stories, these are wholesome and attractive, while there is an abundance of incident.

By Charles Carleton Coffin

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

All the best characteristics of the author are found in his last work, "Abraham Lincoln"; his brilliant power of revivifying the past, his skill in interweaving anecdote with narrative, his ability to present characters without dull description, are placed at their best use in sketching the life and times of the nation's hero.—Boston Journal.

OLD TIMES IN THE COLONIES. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

THE BOYS OF '76. A History of the Battles of the Revolution. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

BUILDING THE NATION. Events in the History of the United States from the Revolution to the Civil War. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

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, $3.00.

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, $3.00.

FREEDOM TRIUMPHANT. The Fourth Period of the War of the Rebellion, from September, 1864, to its Close. Profusely Illustrated. Square 8vo, Cloth, $3.00.

Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York

A Great Soldier's Amusing Experience.

Some letters of Count Von Moltke, long at the head of the German army, and the man who took the German thousands and made of them the greatest engine of war the world ever saw, are now being published for the first time. In one of them he tells of a visit he made to London as a young soldier, when, during a review in fashionable Hyde Park, he tried to appear to his best advantage. The Count thus describes his experience:

"The Lord in His wrath made the Duke of Wellington Master of the Horse; he understood nothing about horses, so he provided me with an animal that had won at the last races. I never rode a more uncomfortable one; likely enough that he had never been ridden before except by a jockey; or my light overcoat so tickled his back that he bucked the whole time, and bored as well..... To make it perfect, one of my trouser straps burst. I had to manœuvre with the utmost circumspection, and am thankful to have got out of it so passably."

A Far-West Fishing Village.

Skamokana is a little town on the banks of the Columbia River, about twenty-eight miles from its mouth. The place is divided into three valleys, east, west, and middle. The principal industries are fishing, logging, and farming. The fishing season begins about the 10th of April and ends about the 10th of August. The fish are caught in gill-nets, seines, and fish-traps. There are streams in the valleys where mountain-trout are caught.

It is very pleasant here in the summer, but it rains nearly all winter. There are a great many salmon-canneries on the river. In the summer we find a great many mosses and ferns. There is some pretty scenery in the town. There are two bluffs seventy feet high. At the bottom of the bluffs runs a creek. The bluffs are covered with mosses and ferns. Part of the town is built on an island. The island and the mainland are connected. Part of this island is covered with sawdust from the mill.

Esther Silverman. Skamokana, Wash.

Great Caution, and the Lack of It.

Almost everybody has heard of the woman who, when her bed took fire, refrained from throwing upon it the milk in a pitcher which stood near by, because, as she explained, the milk would grease the bedroom floor. So she lost her house and its contents, but she didn't grease the floor.

A farmer living in West Virginia had a hog afflicted with fleas. Some one told him that kerosene oil would drive them away. It was night when he returned home, but he resolved to put the prescription to the test at once. Taking a torch out to the pen, he stuck it in the ground while he poured the oil over the pig. The animal did not relish the treatment. He ran squealing away, and of course ran near the torch. The oil took fire and the pig ran to the barn. That ignited, and the pig, crazed with pain, rushed toward the house, pushed the wood-shed door open, and brought up in the kitchen. Pig, barn, and house were ashes before daylight.

A Peep at a Queer City.

New Orleans is, I think, entirely different from any other city in the United States. You see things here that you see nowhere else, and you hear things on the street that you hear nowhere else. French is heard oftener than English, and Spanish and Italian are spoken a great deal, as a large percentage of the population is made up of these nationalities. The old French people, and a mixture of French and Spanish, represent the aristocracy of New Orleans, and are known as "Creoles." But these have degenerated to some extent, and the younger generation of Creoles, especially the men, are said to be lazy and worthless.

Canal Street, the principal retail shopping street of the city, forms the dividing line between the French and English portions, and I may venture to say, on good authority, that some of the old French Indies have never crossed Canal Street to penetrate into the English part of the city.

One of the first things a visitor goes to see is the old French Market on the river front. This is interesting to a stranger, but years ago it was even more so. The thing that strikes you most is the dirt, which is in great abundance; but you will find that most anywhere in New Orleans, although they are trying to improve it. Everybody that goes to the French Market gets a cup of coffee and a doughnut, commonly known as a "sinker," on account of its great solidity. Frenchmen, Italians or "dagos," old black mammies with their heads done up in bright bandannas, Indian women with herbs and bright baskets for sale—these and many others you see in the old market. A short distance from it are the historic Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in the United States. Jackson Square has beautiful flowers in it the year round, and a fine equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson graces the centre. I have never been in the cathedral except during service, but I know there are some beautiful pictures there which time has not spoiled, but rather increased the interest one always feels for such things.

The winters here are what makes New Orleans so attractive to many people, and they certainly are delightful. It is a customary thing to see roses in great abundance, beautiful green lawns, and a great many flowers in bloom the entire year; but they don't do so well in summer—it is too hot.

A drive along the principal residence street, St. Charles Avenue, is very delightful on a bright winter morning, for there are so many handsome houses, and they all have gardens beautifully kept. That is a good thing about New Orleans. There is plenty of air; each house has some yard; they are not close together as in other cities. In my next morsel I will tell you about Mardi Gras. Shall I describe a sugar plantation for you?

Sophie Eleanor Clark.

Yes, please do.

Grave of a Faithful Itinerant.

Perhaps Round Table readers would like to hear about the grave of William Watters, the first native American Methodist minister. This grave is in Fairfax County, Virginia, six miles from Washington, in an old graveyard. The monument is a simple veined marble shaft about seven feet high, with these inscriptions:

In Memory of

Rev. William Watters

The First Native Itinerant

Methodist Preacher in

America

Born Oct. 16, 1751

Died Mar. 29, 1827

He was a pioneer leading

the way for the vast army of

American Methodist Itinerants

having the Everlasting

Gospel to preach.

Fervent in spirit, prudent

in council, abundant in

labors, skillful in winning

souls, he was a workman that

needed not to be ashamed.

Also His Wife

Sarah Adams.

Erected by the Virginia

Conference of

The Methodist Episcopal

Church.

This was not the minister's home. He was on his way from North Carolina to Baltimore when he died. The monument was not erected until years after.

Dorothea F. Sherman, R.T.L. Ash Grove, Va.

Omens Common in Virginia.

Three white frosts in succession, a sure sign of rain.

When the crescent is on her back it never rains.

When there is a small circle around the moon, rain is not far off; a large circle, no rain.

When the wild-ducks fly overhead it is a sure sign of cold weather.

Show your money to the new moon, and it will surely increase.

Spill salt, lend it out, or give away parsely plants, is very bad luck.

Break a looking-glass and you will have seven years of bad luck.

If you fall up the stairs you will not be married that year.

Never move on Saturday: "A Saturday's flit is a short sit."

A strange black cat coming to you will bring luck.

When the smoke descends, it is sure to rain.

Never hang a horseshoe this way, (upside down U), as your luck will run out. It should be put up the other way—U.

The best one I know is an old Scotch saying:

"Luck is with the Lord; belief, with the people."

John R. Moreland, R.T.F. Norfolk.

Cracking Walnuts.

Select a hard table or flat-iron, placing the nuts near by. If you look at the nut carefully, you will find a slightly raised ridge running around the nut. Place the nut on its side, holding it firmly. Strike upon the ridge with a heavy hammer with short even blows until cracked. Fresh nuts are the best for both cracking and eating.

H. H. W. Detroit.

Questions and Answers.

Wilton, Ct., asked about Greek in Barnard College, and Registrar N. W. Liggett, of Barnard, replies as follows:

At the present writing Greek is absolutely essential for entrance to the undergraduate department of Barnard College, and, after entrance, to the completion of the Freshman year. In and after October, 1897, Greek will no longer be required for entrance, other subjects being permitted as a substitute, and it will then no longer be compulsory during the course.

Arthur L. Flagg, 34 Park Ave., Woonsocket, R. I., is collecting minerals and wants correspondents.

"Win" writes to us:

"Please advise me on seeking a trade. Mention a good one. Is there any law against canvassing books in this way—if you buy a book for a price, and you sell it again for a gain of fifty per cent."

No one can advise you about a trade until such one knows something about your tastes and your education. What trade do you feel most interested in? Consider your inclinations, and follow them, unless there is a reason for not doing so. Plumbing is a good trade. So is bookbinding. So is carpentry. So are many others. Farming is a good occupation. Printing is not a bad trade. Many people think its difficulties great, but this impression is due to the fact that many printers own newspapers, and can fill them with accounts of their own troubles. Blacksmiths have troubles, but they own no newspaper in which to publish them. There is no statute law against buying a book and selling it for a higher price.

Fred F. Colyer asks how Mr. McKinley will officially know of his election as President of the United States, and what the recent meetings of electors were. To answer the last question first, they were the castings of the ballot of the electors in accordance with the plurality vote of the State. For example, in Pennsylvania, your own State, the voters cast their ballots not for Mr. McKinley, but for Presidential electors equal in number to the number of men in both Houses of Congress from Pennsylvania. They meet at the State capital. As a majority of the voters of the State voted for Mr. McKinley and Mr. Hobart, these official electors cast their ballots for them. This is the vote of Pennsylvania. The returns of these votes are sent to Washington, one copy by mail, and the other by special messenger. Both go to the President of the United States Senate, who, in the presence of both House and Senate, opens and records the result. This result is the official declaration, and by it Mr. McKinley and everybody else officially knows who the next President and Vice-President of the United States are to be.

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.

POOR NEGATIVES AND SOME OF THE CAUSES.

One of the most common mistakes of the young amateur is in not carrying the development of a plate quite far enough. This is shown when the plate, after removing from the fixing-bath, though full of detail, is so thin and weak that it is impossible to get a good print from it, the toning resulting in turning the print to a slaty gray color or an ugly brown. A plate which has been properly exposed but not sufficiently developed may be redeveloped by a process called in photography intensification. Directions for intensifying were given in No. 824, August 13, 1895, but for the benefit of new members of the club we give another formula.

Intensifying Solutions.

No. 1.

Chloride of ammonia100grs.

Bichloride of mercury100grs.

Water10oz.

No. 2.

Strong ammonia2drms.

Water20oz.

If the negative has been washed and dried, soak it for a few minutes till the film is thoroughly wet, then place it film side up in a tray and pour over it enough of solution No. 1 to cover it well. Allow it to remain, rocking the tray now and then, till the image has turned white. Wash thoroughly in several changes of water, place it face up in another tray, and cover it with solution No. 2, leaving it till the image has turned brown. Wash well, and dry. If the negative is still too weak, either repeat the process or redevelop in a weak solution of hydrochinon. Solution No. 1 may be used repeatedly, but solution No. 2 must be thrown away after once using.

A plate that has been developed too long will be found dark all over, and it will take a long time to make a print from it. A print made from a very dense negative fades out quickly in the toning solution, and must be printed deeper than one made from a good negative, in order to get a good picture. An over-developed negative may be reduced so as to make a fine negative. There are many formulas for reducing solutions, but the one considered the most reliable is called "Farmer's Reducer," the formula for which is as follows:

Water4oz.

Hypo30grs.

Potassium ferridcyanide3grs.

This solution must be made up just before using. Place the negative while wet in the tray and cover it with the solution. Rock the tray all the time, and look at the negative frequently to see if the reduction has been carried far enough. A convenient way of handling the plate during the process is to put it into a plate-lifter, immerse it in the solution for a minute or two, lift out and rinse, and if the reduction has not been carried far enough return it again to the solution. Care must be taken that the picture is not reduced too much.

When the negative is dense in the high lights and without detail in the shadows, it indicates that the plate was under-exposed. Where the subject is one which cannot be obtained again, the negative may be treated according to directions given recently in one of the papers on retouching; but if the picture can be repeated, it is not worth while to spend time on a poor negative.

A negative which shows clear glass in the corners is due to the lens being too small for the plate, and does not fully cover it.

Fogged negatives are caused in several ways. If the edges of the plate which come under the protector in the plate-holder are clear, and the rest of the plate is fogged, the fog is caused by light entering the camera, or by over-exposure of the plate. If there are streaks across the plate, it is due to a small hole in the camera or to the rays of the sun striking the lens during exposure. A plate which has been fogged by the sun may be reduced by drying the plate and then taking a clean piece of chamois, dipping it in alcohol, and rubbing the fogged spots gently and evenly. Do this very carefully, touching only the places that are fogged. Dense high lights may also be reduced by rubbing the places with alcohol, this process bringing out the details which are lost in the development.

Frederick Montgomery, 2421 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D. C.; T. Parker Hall, Taunton, Mass.; Hubert Burnham, 232 Dempster St., Evanston, Ill.; John H. Ashum, 1404 State St., Eau Claire, Wis.; Elizur Smith, P. O. Box 436, Lee, Mass.; Ralph B. Leonard, 98 Green St., Cumberland, Md.; Floyd W. Giles, 49 Columbia Ave., Cumberland, Md.; T. K. Wellington, 33 Walnut Place, Eighth St., Troy, N. Y.; Stanley Symmes, 630 Harrison St., San Francisco, Cal.; Hall M. Crossman, Steelton, Pa.; Roxley F. Weber, Salamanca, N. Y.; Bronson M. Warren, Bridgeport, Conn.; Wilbur T. Helm, 15 W. Biddle St., Baltimore, Md.—wish to become members of the Camera Club.