n
1M
Copyright, 1894. by
the Author. 4
ICK FERRIS, of
the Goth am
Planet, was in
the worst of
humors. He
was a newspa
per man, and
used to assign
in e n t s of all
sorts; but the
fc1' ' "JuT 1 't
i W'. ft
'IP.
present one was beneath any except
the greenest of reporters.
A certain advertisement-seeking
prima donna had become involved in a
dispute with her manager over the
question of wearing tights in the new
opera bouffe "Semiramis," and told the
reporters that the first night of the
opera would fViow the public which
Bide had triumphed.
Accordingly, the house was packed,
and Ferris was sent by the Flanet to
witness the outcome of the struggle.
He watched the Amazon guard listless
ly in the opening chorus, ila was anx
ious for the appearance of the prima
3onna. and scarcely noticed the rough
xxiaidens in tinfoil armor, until his eyes
chanced to rest on the girl next to tbe
front rank leader.
She had a different loon from her as
sociates, lacking something of their
professional air, and singing as if she
enjoyed it. The freshness and native
grace of the girl attracted Ferris,
(since boyhood, he had knocked about
the world, and it was seldom that a
new face interested him; but to-night
he found himself following this
coryphee with his eyes throughout the
act, becoming so mucb absorbed that
he nearly forgot why he had been sent
to the theater.
Next day the face of the chorus girl,
and its utter incongruity with the sur
roundings, came to to his mind; and
the evening found him once more at
the theater where "Semiramis" was
playing.
From a fellow reporter he learned
that the girl's name was Marguerite
Gray, and that she carriei about with
her a mother who might have played
the role of the dragon in '"Siegfried."
Ferris had little trouble iu getting be
hind the scenes, and, thanks to the
good ofHces of the manager (who was
objectionably grateful to him for the
pull his opera had received in the
Planet), he was enabled to meet his
unknown. She was about to leave the
theater, dressed ia the quietst of cos
tumes, and accompanied by the afore
said mother, who would iiave put
Medusa to the blush for stoniness of
manner.
Like a true diplomat Fen is devoted
himself to the worthy Gorgon, recall
ing that her late husband had once
helped him out of a bad scrape had, in
fact, stood by him like an elder broth
er. Ferris conveyed the information
that he had long meant to look the
mother up to ask after his old friend,
and ended by obtaining permission to
call at her flat next day.
Next day he went to Mrs. Gray's
little ilarlem flat, and, having made
Inquiries that morning, was able to
talk with a fair degree of intelligence
on the subject of the dear departed
Gray. In fact, so kindly did he speak
of his putative dead friend that the
widow's heart was won over, and he
was warmly invited to call often
which he did.
Life became very pleasant to both
newspaper man and chorus girL In
the early winter twilight Ferris used
to call for an hour on his way from the
Sice. Mrs. Gray was usually busy,
and the two young people would sit in
the dusky little parlor before a coal fire.
Ferris did most of the talk i eg. Mar
guerite listening with a sort of awe to
the man who knew so mucb aud who
had read all those great books that one
heard about.
To please him. she tried to read
Dickens, beginning with the "Tale of
Two Cities," and though hopelessly
confused by the interminable line of
characters and English humor, had un
derstood enough to cry heartily over
Sydney Carton's brave death and Dr.
Manette's sufferings.
She told him the 6toryof her life one
afternoon, upon confession that the
late Mr. Gray had not taken him into
confidence concerning home matters.
She told him of her father's business
difficulties and death, her mother's ef
forts to support herself, and then her
own happy discovery that she could
made a living on the stage. Of the
trials, hardships and repulsiveness of a
chorus girl's existence, she spoke little.
Whenever he had a night ofE he went
to the opera with her, and knew she
sang better for his being there. After
the show he sometimes invited her
mother and herself to supper; but to
these suppers the widow could tever
be induced to consent. Even Ferris'
friendship for Gray pere, did not make
it proper.
So life went on for three months.
Winter passed, and the coal fire was no
longer needed. Marguerite and Ferris
began to plan Sunday excursions for
the summer months.
About this time capital and labor re
vived their long standing feud, and the
famous "Homestead riots" began.
Ferris was sent by the Planet to trie
scat of the disturbance, in company
with a special artist- He was to leave
New York on Monday morning, and
Sunday evening he called on the Grays
to say ood-by.
Mrs Gray was out, but he found
Marguerite sitting before the open fire.
He stoke to Marguerite of his grati
tude 'or her friendship to hini during
the past months, and said more than
he had meant to. But the look in her
eyes did not tend to make him regret
what he had said.
The Planet for the next few days
contained graphic, cleverly-written ac
counts of the strike; then another and
lew facile style became apparent, as
il hough some one else had been detailed
A place of the first writer. This was
the cast, for Ferris was in a Pittsburgh
hospital, his wrist shattered by a spent
ball. Inflammation set in, and he did
not leave the hospital for six weeks.
On his return to New York he
learned that "Semiramis" had gone on
the road and Marguerite with it A
president's wife lay dying at an Adi
rondack summer resort, and the Planet
6ent Ferris to write it up. Shortly
after his return from the Adirondacks
he was sent to report congress, and
consequently saw little of New York
that winter.
Before going he called at the Grays'
flat, only to learn that they had given
it up the month before The young
lady, the janitor said, had left her new
address in case anyone asked for them,
but that had been lost. Marguerite
was in town at the time of this call,
but was singing in another company.
After Ferris went to Homestead she
had written to the address he gave her;
but as he was in hospital at the time
the letter did not reach him. Then the
company went on the road, and the flat
was given up. After the careful direc
tions left with the janitor she thought
it odd that Ferris never wrote, but sup
posed he was busy; and invariably
ended such reflections by fallng into
day dreams based on his words of that
last evening. Even if they did not see
each other for a few months, he should
find how true she could be, and how
she would try to make herself worthy
to be the wife of so brilliant a man.
Accordingly all her spare salary went
toward t're purchase of books she had
heard him praise. Dickens, Swinburne,
Thackeray, Balzac, Emerson and a
host more authors were religiously
studied regardless of any connection.
Late into the night she would read,
after a hot day's dusty travel and a
long evening's singing at some one
night stand.
There was a French girl in the chorus
whom she paid to give her French les
sons. This navv teacher lost her tem
per at the many blunders, and laughed
at the ridiculous accent of her Amer
ican pupil, but for this Marguerite
" Rifl!jiP
if .rid r n r
"WON'T VOL" SIT HERE?"
cared little more thaa for tlie headaches
and burning eyes that followed her
long nights of reading. Each step
brought her nearer Ferris' level, and
some day when thuy met once more he
would be surprised, and proud of her
improvement. If he had loved her in
the old days, even while she was ig
norant, what would he think of her
now?
Spring came again, and summer. A
travel-stained theatrical troupe boarded
a U. & O. train, taking almost com
plete possession of one of the cars. A
pale girl came down the aisle, and, as
she passed a man rose and, with a half
doubtful look, stopped her.
"Excuse me," he said, "but you are
Marguerite Gray, aren't you? You have
changed so much that I was not sure at
first."
The man was Ferris, and Marguerite
Gray felt the blood surge to her face at
the sudden joy of seeing him. So they
had met at last, and now they need
never part again!
"Won't you sit here?" he went on.
"We have time for a good, long talk.
I'm going as far as Baltimore."
"Why, so are we," said the girl. "We
play there to-nirht. You'll 0e sure to
come, won't you?"
"Thanks," answered Ferris, a little
embarrassed, as a thought struck him.
"But I never go to the theater nowa
days except with n.y wife."
A Lawyer Knocked Oat.
The circuit court was sitting in a
New Hampshire town. It was a cold
evening, and a crowd of lawyers had
seated themselves around the hearth in
the village inn, when a belated travel
er, benumbed with cold, entered the
room. As none of the lawyers offered
to make room near the fire, he sat in
the back part of the room.
A smart young lawyer addressed
him, and the following dialogue took
place:
"You look like a traveler."
"Well, I suppose I am. 1 came all
the way from Wisconsin afoot, at any
rate."
"From Wisconsin! What a long dis
tance you had to travel."
"Well, I did it. anyhow."
"Did you ever pass through hell in
any of your journeys?"
"Yes, sir; I passed through the out
skirts." "I thought likely. Could you tell us
what are the manners aud customs of
that place? Several of us would like to
know."
"Oh! You will find them the same aa
in this place; the lawyers always sit
nearest the fire." Boston Herald.
Sttib Ends of Thought.
Very few people are liars from
choice.
Men are deceivers, ever; which is not
saying that women are not.
Modern civilization has done more
for machinery than it has done for
morals.
Love is the air the heart breathes.
There are as many differentiations of
religion and love as there are human
beings.
Beauty has the peculiar influence
upon its possessors of making them
think that nothing else is necessary.
A mirror never shows a woman what
is below the surface.
If there had been a dozen Adams in
stead of one. Eve wouldn't have flirted
with the serpent.
Loss of respect for one man lessens,
in a certain degree, our respect for all
men. Detroit Free Prs
THE IDEAL INCOME.
Some Yarylnc Opinion a to What Con
stitutes an Independence.
Independence, from an entirely
American standpoint, is always more
or less hard to gain, though not ex
ceeding hard, not almost impossible,
as it is across the sea. It requires con
tinuous resolution, unflinching perse
verance, steady self-abstinence, clear
judgment, with a dash of what is
reckoned as luck, especially in youth,
when such qualities are least devel
oped. Above all, it requires resolution
and perseverance. An earnest attempt
at independence can never really be
made too late, desirable as it is to
make the attempt early. Independ
ence should be aimed at, kept
firmly in mind, whether one be
twenty-five or sixty, whether
one have many responsibilities or
none. For it is very rarely reached
without ceaseless solicitude and striv
ing, and not, as must be granted,
reached generally even with these.
After good repute and goodhealth.it
is the most valuable of possessions. It
is apprehensible salvation. Neverthe
less, the first stages are most arduous,
the most discouraging. Beyond them
the road is smoother, and success
dawns in the distance. Cling to the
prospect while life lasts, though ex
pectation swoon by the way. The rec
ompense is worth the stoutest labor,
'.he severest sacrifice; it richly atones,
in the end, for whatever may have been
endured for the precious cause.
What constitutes an independence?
Does it not vary with the place and
the individual? Is not the indepen
dence of one man totally inadequate
to that of another? Obviously yes.
Your idea of an independence may be
so superior to mine as to seem like
wealth, which, in any reasonable
sense, may not be hoped for, and is
not. in truth, by any number of men,
though to the manner born. Still
sensible, sober opinions on the subject
are not so different as may appear at
first. Each man should determine for
himself, according to his surroundings
and relations, what amount he and his,
if all sources fail, can live on in a very
simple way in a way bearable and
decent, if not quite pleasant or desira
ble. It seems to be generally agreed that
in New Y'ork a native citizen, a man of
small family a wife and two chil
dren, for example can not get on re
spectably with less than about 5.",000 a
year. If a bachelor, ?1.200 to $1,:00
will answer. In other cities $3,000 to
$4,000 may sustain him domestically;
in the village or the country, material
ly less. If he must descend to marked
plainness, rigid economy, prosaic facts,
he can find places where, without oth
er income, $'2,000 to $2,500 will keep him
and his household together, not with
out material comfort. That amount,
therefore, may be taken as an approxi
mation to an independence, as enough
certainly to keep the wolf and the cred
itor from the door. Confession may be
frankly made, however, that no such
sum is regarded by the city folk as
sufficient for the purpose. They might
put it at fully $10,000, and speak of
minor figures as penury, or prolonged
starvation. Strict independence may,
notwithstanding, be computed in gen
eral at $2,000 to $2,500; and he who has
secured it indubitably has no cause to
fear compassion, or to seek for sym
pathy, lie may esteem it a genuine
misfortune to be so reduced, especially
after having had five or ten times as
much. Still, it is independence not
handsome, welcome, or in any manner
satisfactory; and it is within reach of
nearly anyone who diligently and
earnestly works for it. Junius Henri
Browne, in Harper's Magazine.
HOUSEWORK MADE EASY.
Many Women Make It Harder Than I
Necessary.
Supposing that my lady is trying to.
do her own housework, and to thus
save the expense of a servant. Did it
ever occur to her to save herself all
possible steps and phvsical exertion hy
introducing a few innovations? Foi
instance, when she sits out to do the
family ironing, if she sits instead oi
stands she will be able to get through
a big basket of clothes very easily,
j having her board in a cool room, say
j the dining-room. The exertion of ris
j ing to change 'the irons will not b
; great.
Even the washing can be done very
comfortably by a woman not over
strong physically, if she will not frel
about it but will go to work, the right
way. The white clothes should, of
course, he placed in warm water ano
soap at night.and by morning they wil
easily rub clean. Into the boiling wa
ter should be poured a teaspoonful or
a trifle more of kerosene, which wilj
whiten the clothes.
And then carpets! There are still a
great many carpets use1 in modest
homes, where the care of t '.em is wear
ing out the house-wife. F.t en soft pine
floors can be prettily stainel and var
nished, after the cracks fltve been
filled in with putty, and the pretty,
cleanly method of laying rugs ".bout
will give tb room the wholesoroeness
of our grandmother's days, ans do
away with the principal bother of
house-cleaning time, to say nothing of
the labor of frequent sweeping; the
Boft, long-handled brush will remove
most of the daily accumulation of dust.
N. Y. Journal.
A Noble Aim.
Parker Poor old Brownley! He's be
come insane, I hear, working at that
telephone invention.
Barker What was he trying to in
vent? Parker A device for preventing peo
ple from culling you up when you don't
want to talk with them. Puck.
Reasonable Sol at Ion.
Johnny What made you run away
from Bill Slutthers! You was afraid of
him, that's what's the matter.
Tommy No, I wasn't neither. 1
we'd fought, I'd a licked him, and then
my ma'd a licked me. That's what I
run away for, so! Boston Transcript.
A primary school has been opened
at Nazaeth.
COULDN'T BILK THAT DENTIST.
A Customer Induced to Settle by tha
Strategy of a Tooth Doctor.
A Superior street dentist smiled
when he told of his experience in deal
ing with a large and crafty customer.
In the absence of the dentist, a date
was arranged by the customer with
the custodian of the business docket
for a goodsized job of denistry. When
the appointed day came he duly ap
peared and took the chair. For two
hours the buzz saw, mallet and file did
hard service. Then the electric bat
tery was called into play and one big
molar succumbed. Finally the job
was finished and the chair vacated.
Its recent occupant turned toward the
door, catching his hat from the hook
as he went.
"Aud the money?" inquired the den
tist. "Haven't any," was the gruff re
sponse. "You can charge it."
The dentist moved about in sus
pense for a moment, and then said, in
a measured tone: "See here, my friend,
we are strangers. Cash is my rule,
and it is the only thing that goes."
"Exactly," responded the customer,
remembering the pain he had just en
dured, "but what are yon going to do
about it?"
The dentist was disconcerted. His
customer had now reaciied the door. A
happy thought struck him. "Just a
moment." he called out. "I'm sorry,
but I left one of those nerves exposed.
Will you just sit down again, please?"
The remark was uttered in such a
sincere manner that the man did not
hesitate in taking the chair. No
sooner had he done so than he began
to suspect that all was not right. A
sense of vacancy stole over him in the
region of one of his teeth, and in a
moment the nerve began to dance.
The dentist had removed the filling.
"What are you doing anyway?" he
managed to mutter as the workman
proceeded.
"Oh, nothing," was the reply.
"Might as well save the fillings, I sup
pose. There, does that hurt you? Too
bad."
The man clinched his fist and made a
spasmodic effort to release himself. He
found that he had been made fast to the
chair with a strap. He grew hot and
drops of sweat appeared on his fore
head and nose.
"How much is this bill?" he finally
inquired.
'Regular job ten dollars, extras five
dollars. Oh, about fifteen dollars, I
guess," was the cheerful response.
"Want to get rich quick, don't you?
Put up a block on Euclid avenue, eh?
Well, I'll pay it, but I'll not botherj'ou
again. The next time I'll go to a gen
tleman." Not until the money was carefully
stowed away in the dentist's vest
pocket was the filling replaced and the
strap loosened. The two then parted
never again to meet. Cleveland
Leader.
OLD BARANOFF CASTLE.
An Alaskan StrnuRuolrt That Was the
Scene of .Many Festivities.
Baranoff castle was in Sitka, and
was built upon an eminence command
ing an excellent view of the town and
harbor. In appearance it bore no re
semblance to a castle, but looked very
much like a country hotel.
Baranoff castle, and the island upon
which it was built, derived its name
from the Russian governor Baranoff,
who, in the early part of the century,
lived there and ruled the people with
u tyranny similar to that enforced in
Siberia.
Under Baranoff's rule and that of his
predecessors the island and the old cas
tle were the scenes of many contests
for supremacy, as well as festivities, in
which persons of royal blood partici
pated. The governorship of hat portion of
all Russia was considered a great re
ward, and in turn many nobles ruled
and were provided with plenty to make
their life one of luxury. The old ban
quet hall of the castle was the scene of
many entertainments given in extrava
gant 6tyle in honor of visiting celebri
ties. Twenty years ago Lady Franklin,
then eighty years old, visited the is
land, searching for some trace of her
missing husband. Sir John. William
H. Seward, upon his retirement as sec
retary of state, also spent several days
upon the island, viewing with his own
eyes the great territory which through
his and Senator Charles Summer's ef
forts secured for this country by peace
able means.
It the fall of 1SG7 many noted per
sonages stood upon the balcony of the
old castle, and witnessed the replac
ing of the eagles of the czar with the
Stars and Stripes. By that act five
hundred and eighty thousand square
miles of territory beenme the property
of the United States, the consideration
being two cents per acre. San Fran
cisco Chronicle.
One hears a new story every now
and then to illustrate how an author's
fame may be held in a state of sus
pended animation by the magazines.
One of the most notable recent maga
zine stories, perhaps on the whole its
author's best literary work, was pub
lished at least three years after it was
accepted and paid for. It was an essay
in a style of writing hitherto unat
tempted by the author, and whatever
reputation shall accrue to him from
success in a difncultt undertaking has
been postponed while the story lay
pigeonholed. The daring originality
of the conception doubtless accounts
for tbe delay in publication.
One of the oldest seats of learning
in Europe, the University of Vallado
lid. celebrated recently its sixth cen
tennial ns an established university.
In J293 King Sancho IV. of Castile and
Leon gave charter to this school. But
it had been in existence long before the
Christian era.
The wise prove and the fool iah con
fess by their conduct that a life of em
ployment is the only life worth living-.
Paley.
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
THE CLEVER PARSON.
My children, come tell mo now if you have ever
Been told of tho parson who was so clever;
So clever, so clever, so clever was he
That never a cleverer parson could be.
Te parson loved children; he also loved walk
ing'. Ano 03 to the woods he was constantly stalk
in?. To smell the sweet air, and to see the green
trees.
And to do just exactly whate'er he might
please.
Some children they went wlm him once to the
wood
(They loved the good parson because be was
good)
They followed him gayly for many a mile.
To list to his voice and to look on his smile.
At length the children cried: "Oh dear
ME! !
We're tired aa tired as tired can be!
"Tia supper time, too, while afar thus we
roam
On, pray you, dear parson, do carry us home!"
The children were six, and the parson was
one;
Now, goodness gracious! what was to be done?
He sat himself down In the shade of a tree.
And pondered the matter most thoughtfully.
At length he exclaimed: "My dear little
chicks,
I might carry one, but I can't carry six
Yet, courage! your parson's good care will pro
vide That each of you home on a fine horse shall
ride."
Ee drew oat his jackknife, so broad and so
bright.
And fell to work slashing with main and with
might,
Till ready there one, two, three, four, five and
six
Lay, stout and smooth-polished, some excellent
sticks.
" Now mount your good horses, my children!"
he cried;
" Now. mount your good horses and merrily
ride!
A canter, a trot and a gallop away.
And we shall get home ere the close of tbe day."
The children forgot they were dreadfully tired;
They seized on the hobbies, wiih ardor in
spired "Gee, Dobbin! whoa, Dobbin! come up, Dob
bin, do!
Oh! parson, dear parson, won't yon gallop,
too?"
Away went Ue children In frolicsome glee,
Away went the parson, as pleased as could be;
And wben they got back to the village they
cried:
"Oh, dear! and oh, dear.' what a very short
ridel"
Laura E. Richards, In St Nicholas.
CARPENTRY FOR BOYS.
How to Make a Neat and Convenient
Kennel for Their Dos.
There are undoubtedly a good many
boys who have a dog, but perhaps have
no kennel. Almost any kind of a
kennel will do for a dog. A box with
four sides, a bottom and a top. and pro
vided with a hole large enough for
him to go through, is better than
nothing, but the drawing shows a
kennel of neat appearance that any
boy can make from an old dry goods
box or from some boards.
Its sire depends, of course, on the
pize of 3'our dog, but for the average
dog of medium 6ize a kennel thirty
inches lon, eighteen or twenty inches
wide and twenty-six inches high to
the top of the peak will be good pro
portions. First, make the front and back with
a peak top, then the sides and bottom;
in the front piece cut a round hole
A DOG KIXSEL.
large enough for the dog to crawl in
and out, and above it bore four holes,
and with a keyhole saw cut the wood
away between the holes, so as to make
a ventilator, for dogs as well as other
animals need pure air.
Now nail the sides to the bottom,
and the front and back to the bottom
and sides. Between the two peaks nail
a slip of wood to form a ridge pole
against which the upper ends of the
top boards are to be nailed, then put
on the top, nailing it securely to the
ridge pole, the top edges of the front
and back, alsd the sides, and the car
penter work of the kennel will then be
completed.
Now putty up all the cracks and nail
holes, and give the outside a few coats
of paint of some desirable color to
finish the kennel nicely.
A staple with a chain, attached to
the end of which may be a snap, can
be driven in at one side of the front,
and to this chain the dog can be
fastened.
A door might also be arranged to
close the hole in the front at night, so
as to keep the dog warmer in winter,
but you must not forget to open it in
the morning, as it would be unpleasant
for a dog to be shut up in such a small
house when there is daylight and he is
awake.
Always place plenty of straw on the
bottom of a kennel, so as to make a
soft bed for your dog. and he will be
mere grateful to you in his canine way
for th kindness shown him than you
have any idea of. N. x. Recorder.
A WRESTLING FROG.
It Possesses a Well-Developed Weapon of
Offense.
Every animal has its own means of
delensj or escape. Frogs save them
selves by jumping an art In which
they probably excel all other forms of
vertebrates. But Mr. W. II. Hudson
once encountered a frog which, as he
says, was not like other frogs In that
it pajsessed weapons of offense. He
was aaipo shooting, and peering into
a burrow saw a burly-looking frog sit
ting in the entrance. With the instinct
of a naturalist he set about capturing
it. Tho frog watched him, but re
mained motionless. What followed ia
thus described by Mr. Hudson.
Before 1 was near enough to make a
grab, it spranff-'jstrahjht at mj
and catching two of my fingers with
its fore legs, administered a hug so
ftudden and violent as to cause an acuta
sensation of pain. Then, at the very
Instant I experienced this feeling,
which made me start back quickly, ii
released its hold and bounded out and
away.
1 flew after it, and barely managed
to overtake it before it could gain the
water. Held firmly pressed behind the
shoulders, it was powerless to attack
me, and I then noticed the enormous
development of the muscles of the fore,
legs, usually small in frogs, bulging1
out in this individual like a second pair
of thighs, and giving it a strangely"
bold and formidable appearance.
I held my gun within its reach, and
it clasped the barrel with such force as
to bruise the skin of its breast and
legs. After allowing it to exhaust iU
self partially in these fruitless hog
gings, I experimented by letting lb
seize my hand again, and I noticed that
after each squeeze it made a quick, vio
lent effort to free itself.
Believing that I had discovered a
frog differing in structure from all
known frogs, and possessing a strange
and unique instinct of self-preservation,
I carried my captive home, in
tending to show it to the director of
the National museum at Buenos AyresJ
Unfortunately, it effected its escape by
pushing up the glass cover of its box,
and I have never met another like it.
That this singular frog can seriously
injury an enemy is, of course, out of
the question, but its unexpected attack
must be of great advantage to it. Tho
effect of the sudden opening of an um
brella in the face of an angry bull gives,
I think, only a faint idea of the aston
ishment and confusion it must causa
by its leap, quick as lightning, and the
violent hug it administers; and in the)
confusion it finds time to escape.
AN AEOLIAN HARP.
Directions for Making- On with Tele
phone Attachment.
There are many of our yonng read
ers who have heard the sweet tones of
an axlian-harp, but when they attempt
to make one they find the principal
difficulty seems to be that the noise of
the wind deadens the music of tho
harp. There is a solution of this prob
lem. Below we give a draught of an
a?olian-harp. The sounding-box is con
structed of the best-seasoned pine one
eighth of an inch thick, and free from
knots and checks. The top and bottom
measure 21x0 inches, the sides 2x23Jf
inches, the ends 2x0 inches. In tho
center of the upper board saw out a
circle 2 inches in diameter. (This
opening allows the vibrations, or
sound-waves, to escape from the box.)
Now take two pieces of pine, each
measuring SxSxlxJ-tf inch, 6hape it
so that one side will be perpendicular
and two sides horizontal, and one sida
an angle (see draught interior of head
and tail). These form the braces at
each end of the sound-box to resist
the Btrain of the strings, and are
placed at the extreme ends of the box
on the inside. When putting the box
together fasten the top on last. Every
contact surface should receive a liberal
coat of glue, and small brads driven
home when the glue is in a liquid stata
insure the box being air-tight, except
the two-inch hole. Two bridges, tri
angular in shape, 5 inches in length,
and half an inch on each side of the
triangle, are fastened half an Inch
from the tail and 4 inches from the
head. Four notches are cut in each to
receive the strings. In the head are
placed four screws, each screw being
inches long; in the tail end are four
strong wire nails (always use a round
surface nail, to prevent the cutting of
the strings). Procure a spool of
mandolin-wire strings, and a bass
string of a banjo (silk body).
Loop them on tho wire nails at tho
tail, and wind the other end around
the screws; first passing it through tha
6lot of the screw by taking a singlo
hitch around the standing part of tha
wire insures its not slipping. Three
legs on the harp are preferable, as Ik
may stand on an uneven surface. Give
Q 1'
I
FLAX, ELEVATION AND DETAILS OF TBS
HARP.
the outside a good sand-papering (fin
est grade) and two coats of varnish.
The telephone attachment can bo
added in the following manner: Find
a good-sized (one-half pound) baking
powder box, remove the cover, and
punch a very small hole in center of
bottom. In this hole fasten a long
string free from knots. Tut a very
small hole in the center of the side of
the harp. Hang the harp by strings
attached to its legs, and hold in place
by ffny strings. See that the strings of
the harp are at right angles with the
wind. Stretch the cord tight (allowing
it to come in contact with nothing but
the harp and baking-powder can), and
you will hear the sound vibrations
thrown out from tha harp and trans
mitted through the cords and magni
fied by the baking-powder can held
close to your car. An reolian harp will
not play unless placed in direct con
tact with a good breeze. If placed on
a window sill without telephone at
tachment the harp can stand on its
legs; but if suspended in a tree in tha
back yard, it could be bottom side up,
and thus in case of rain or snow the
strings and interior will be protected.
The bass string will not rust, being
covered with fine copper wire. Tho
other strings and screws can be coated
with machino oil, which will protect
them from the weather. The higher
the harp is tuned the stronger mttsl
tho breeze be required to make the
sound vibrations. II. Percy Ashley, i
Harper's Youq; Peopla,
