THP MORTU PI ATTP BFMI.WrPKIV TPlRtlNE
NEWS 6r
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN
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YOUN
PEOPLE
HANDY BOY ABOUT TKE HOME
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B8UKD ub It may sound to overy ono,
the bluojackots still believe in Santa
daub. That, rotund, roBy-cheoked lit
tlo old man pays as much uttontlon to
tlio thousandH of lioyB on board tho
warships as ho does to the thousands
of, porhapB younger in years, boys and
girls aslioro. Instead of coming In a
sleigh with reindeer and morry bells,
he comes in a precarious-looking boat, fully arm
ed and convoyed, with tho boom of musketry and
the loud blowing of hotns Tho blowing of horns
Is a universal custom with the boys of all coun
tries and coldrs and with the bluejackets too.
On Christmas day Santy Is tho highest ranking
olllcer of tho fleet, and all Mags are Junior to his
fur troo hoisted to tho masthead. With his Hag
lieutenant, his aide and tho rost of tho staff, ho
crulsos about among the ships distributing tho
gifts with which his argosy Is laden Ills method
or doing this is fraught with as much red tape bb
was ever tho greetings of tho old admiral of tho
Dutch Heot In tho time of Queen Hess. All tho
paraphernalia symbolical of austere rank and
bounty that can be gotten to-i
gether aro used as adorn-
merits and no end of work
Is expended on the rig of tho
boat to bo used, which Is
Hometlmos tho wherry and
sometimes tho punt.
In ordor to hold to tho tra
ditional custom used in the
time of Paul Jones and down
through tho years, tho boat
is tigged like a brig, that is,
with two masts and yard
arms crossing, with Jib and
staysail aud spanker out
ustcrn. On the) fore and aft
or quarters they arrange
large wooden tubos, In which
aro Inserted small arms
'fheso "splggoty guns" com
Little Story of Whet an Observ
I ant Boy Accomplished.
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Every Young Man Should Have Box
of Tools and Learn to Repair Arti
cles Damaged About House.
I like tho handy boy about the
house, who knows how to hang a pic
turo, drive ti nail, and do tho llttlo
necessary repairing that nny mother
wants dono. It Is easy enough to
learn how to use a saw or chisel, and
every boy should have a box of tools,
so that he can ropalr articles that may
become damaged. Tho boy wl)o Is
handy about his mother's house will
bo of Inestimable value to his wife
when ho shall marry. Boys who do
not caro to go out at night may learn
to make many protty pieces of furni
ture, if they will only devote some
time to studying how to use toolB and
paints. With a few lessons, tho handy
boy may mako picture frames, or cab
inets, odd cornices, or desks or other
articles of usefulness and value. The
boy who Is handy about tho houso and
a help to his mother is one who learns
how to mako purchases for tho house
hold, who can tell a good piece of
moat at the butcher's, or pick out
fresh vegetables at tho market. Oh,
no, do not say that marketing Is
woman's work. It Is quite as much
man's work, and besides, nono of us
can know so much In this world that
ffo can afford to Ignore oven the de
tails of marketing. Foster Coates.
Ingenious Lad Invents Paper Box for
His Mother to Take Medicine
Without Any Confusion Idea
8oon Became Popular.
A great many boyB are always look
ing forward to tho tlmo when they will
grow up and bo able to do bomotlung
big, but they overlook tho chances
they have to do something worth whllo
when they aro still boys. Here 1b a
little story of what an obsorvanK boy
did:
It often happens that people lmvo to
take two different kinds of mcdlclno
alternately, and endless ways havo
been tried to remember which cornea
next Sometimes they tako No. 1 at
the odd hours and No. 2 at tho even
m
PLAY APPARATUS FOR BOYS
Wheeled Platform Propelled by Push
ing One Foot Adjustable Handle
Is Used for Support.
After watching small boys coasting
about on home-made vehicles propelled
by one foot, nn Indiana man designed
a more elaborate affair on tho same
principle. A low platform is mounted
I. v-s
j&czar Z&wazrjSQZRD
v
pose he saluting battery and heavy main battery
nlso, ii id are manned aud ilred by the boutswaln
of "Dor Prosit." who 1b a ponderous mnn In his
blllclal jjarb and daring In tho wny ho approaches
tho ships, whoso crews throng tho sides and an
swer tho salute with a rovolvor shot from the
poop.
Tho saluting takes pluco beforo "Dor Prosit" Is
within hailing distance, and all hands hnvo a
laugh at tho tiny sounds, strongly contrasted in
their minds with tho saluto of tho big guns which
they aro accustomed to'Venr. Noxt tho boatswain
gets up In tho bows and resting ono hand almost
on top of Hit. foremast nnd lifting a megaphone
us long as himself to his lips, calls out at tho top
of bin .voice, "Ship, ahoy!" Tho quartermaster
answers from tho bridge, "Hollo, hollo! Dor
1'ioslt?" "Aye, uye," tho boatswain' returns.
"Come alongside," calls tho quartermaster. Then
iho ndmlral of "Dor Prosit" rises in tho Btern,
Rome ten feet aft of the boatswain inthe bow, his
bend on ti lovel with tho topmast, and bawls out
through his megaphone, "All hands fur-r-1 sail,"
With thul tho crow, consisting of ono man, who
ulso acts in tho capacity of foghorn, gets amid'
ships and climbs the mainmast, which sways to
it ml fro as If about to capslzo tho entire craft,
and pullH down all tho sails. "Tho vessel 1b
standing to," ho then calls out to tho boutBwaln,
who reports to the ndmlral over tho crow's head,
who in turn reports to Santa Claim, sitting In the
stern sheets nt tho tiller. All these orders aro
given and carried out In tho most solomn man
ner, to the merrlmont of tho ship's crow looking
on from tho rail above,
Tho crow of "Dor Prosit" then gets out oars
and pulls alongside while on deck tho real boat
swain's mute pipes eight side boys to stand at tho
head of the gangway and snluto tho admiral nnd
Kuuta Onus when they como aboard. Tho presi
dent of the United States only rates six sldo boys
when ho comes aboard, whllo Santy has his
eight, bosldns his aro petty olllcers whllo tho pres
ident's are only good-looking approntlcu boys. As
tho argosy draws alongside tho boatswain pipes
the long, low tune and three short blasts char
acteristic of tho coming aboard of great inon.
No less a person than tho captain of tho ship
mcotB tho admiral of "Dor Prosit," his wife,
Banty, laden with n huge basket full of presents,
tho boatswain and the crow, while tho bugler
sounds three portontlous rutllcB nnd tho ship's
company, assembled aft, stands at attention. In
deed tho ollicors aro all present, for they believe
In Santy as well as do tho crow. When tho ad
miral's wife, some fair faced sailor with Manila
ropo hair and a tawdry skirt, swings aboard hold
ing ior train high and exposing a generous view
of red stocking to the oyoB of tho sailors, a great
laugh Is evoked und a shout goes up, "higher,
higher," or "Oh. you Klddo!"
Tho boatswain In command of tho crow shouts
to his ono man for, "Attention!" then puts him
through a serlos of gymnastics of a peculiar unit
luteuoely funny character. The admiral, aa If not
thoroughly taking in the landscape, lifts a huge
pair of blnbculnrs In the form of two quurt wine
bottles lashed together, to his eyes and makes a
protonso of getting his bearings by scrutinizing
the sailors about him. Presently ho reports to
Santy, who has deposited his basket of presents
on the quurter dock, "Sir, 1 see wo aro now In tho
Cannibal islos,"
Santy begins theil to pick up presents and
read tho namoB aloud, giving them to tho crew of
"Der Prosit" nnd tho admiral's wife, and oven to
the admiral himself, who distributes them accord- ,
Ingly, cutting many ridiculous capers.
The presents aro of a typo that bring laughter.
They aro gotten up nnd miido by tho friends of
those to whom they aro sent, with nn idea to
wards characterizing tho ambition, tho whim or
tho standing Jokes' that mark the receiver, if
tho captain Is a four striper ho will probably got
an admiral's star, unless ho hns some otheii whim
by which he, Is more proporly known. When ho Is
presented with this ho can only blush In tho
presence of everybody, and tuke his dose, as
Santy is supromo on ChrfUtmns day.
Hut tho greatest gift that Santy can bestow
falls to tho lot of those who, through somo mis
fortuno or slip, havo como In lino for punishment.
It Is customary for Santy to walk boldly up to
tho captain and ask him to "whitewash" tho
bookH. In tho faco of everybody und on Christ
mas day tho captnln can not very well rofuso this
requost, although some captains hnvo been seen
to wlnco and cough beforo granting tho Immeas
urable favor. Tho report book, In which all pun
ishable nets aro entered, Is swept clean and tho
culprits aro reinstated to (lrst-class standing and
enjoy all tho privileges held by their moro for
tuuato shipmates who have not fallen before tho
multiplicity of temptations thut dally assail tho
mnn-o'-wjirsmnn.
The eiont which forms a background for all thlB
merrlmont Is tho regular "big feed," as tho sail
ors call it. For tho last week this Iiiib crept Into
tholr conversation. Pie, turkey and plum diiff
are the throe groat delicacies to the sailors, und ,
they havo more respect for thorn than for tho
three gracos,
"What kind of a feed Is tho commissary gonna
hand us?" rino sailor asks of smother. During tills
tlmo of anticipation excitement runs high nnd tho
commissary Is a very much respected person. In
fnet, ho Ib uoor a retired person, for his billot Is
a hard one to fill to tho satisfaction of avory one
who eats nt tho general moss There is always
some old tar or other who Imagines himself to
be slighted by the quality of his food, nnd tho
apprentice hoys tako fiom him tho habit of com
plaining with very 11 tlo reason on tholr side.
Quarrels often result und hnvo to bo referred to
the "must." where tho first lleutonnnt (llrst lull)
Bottles the matter In 'nvor of tho commissary, bo
thul tho sailor arranges a private settlement with
tho commissary later c.u where tho llrst luff has
nothing to su about It
Tho burden of the repast falls naturally upon
tho cooks and mess n tunduuts. It Is fnr from an
cnjoyublu affair .lth hem, although they aro an
affable lot The preparation
of tho potatoes Is tho work
of a dozen men. since they
must be extraordinarily nice.
' Tho "skinners" arrange
themselves astride a ocuch
In rango 'of a tub where ono
man sits and tosses potatoes
continually. Tho tub Is kept
full by another man who
dumps In from a sack curried
down from tho upper deck.
So a cyclo-ls made, tho clean
peeled rota100"" K0,IlB con"
btantly into another tub,
which is dragged into the gal
ley and dumped into a great
through wuicn waiur ia
..otwiinMnir. These aro rimv
oil around by unother mcs
attendant and dumped Into
othr urm where steam Is turned on, while an-
otllS tub of pMlcd ors are being brought from
the fciklnflets. , ,,.,,.
When thoy ;ro dono tho ship's cook hlmbelf.
who pices to nvd fro in tho galley all the whllo.
mounts upon tlui nearest urn with his and tak
lag a prcat slx-ioot masher proceeds to pound
them Into a whlto tlikoy mass fit for a k ng.
Hut thU is not M ho bus to do. either. Hie
M,ri.vr. nrn brownltiK in the long ovens nnd ho
and his three ussistunts have continually to open
tho doors, probe with long forks Into tho swelling
breasts and nseertaln when to tako thorn out.
The mess tables aro ull numbered so that each
Bailor knows just where to go when he gets down
through tho hatchway, and ho doesn't wiiBto any
tlmo getting there on this occasion. It Is indeed
a singular and lively scone on tho gundeck at this
period. Every man's plato Is heaped to tho brim
before him nnd nil apply themselves with a dar
ing and dlsrognrd for more stomachs that would
make a dyspeptic wlnco and turn his head. Dozenn
of tables dunglo from hooks between parallel col
umns of sailors, who seem only restrained from
eating each other alive by the flimsy, vacillating
boardB which support the food-
When these ravenous appetites havo been
slaked aud oven those who havo tho dilating pow
ors of nn anaconda are put at rest, or In pain, as
tho caso may be, somo of tho "old shellbacks" will
begin to grow reminiscent and tell of the Christ
mnBCB they havo spent In lands where thoro were
no turkeya nor anything elso fit for tho "big
feed."
Says old Pete, the sallmaker's mate: "I mtnd
tho tlmo down in Darlon, when the stownrd had
nothln in tho storeroom but n ton of crusty hard
biscuits full of bugs, so when y' busted 'em with
tho handlo vo yor knlfo they wont whlmty nifty
In every direction under yer plate, behind yer
cup, up yer sloove and around tho mess pans.
Hut, mates, that was a Christmas fer yor life! Wo
couldn't eat tho buffalo meat, It was that much
llko bolt rope, so wo drunk or coffee and engaged
ourselveB In bug races down tho table. Hy tryin'
all tho bugs out wo got somo speedy ones. And
thoy was speedy. I had one that could trot down
that table trot, mind y' llko It was Maude S
herself. Tho devil of It wbb tho bloody bug
wouldn't keop In tho court.0 between tho plates.
She'd break for a hole near Uio finish. I bet big
money on 'er, though, and nficr loosln' 20 bones
by her duckln' out of it when she was two wholo
plato lengths ahead, mind y. 1 ilggered I could
head her off tho noxt tlmo and win anyhow, so 1
put up HO bones DO good cold plunkcrs on that
skinny llttlo runt of a bug, and strike mo blind!
you ought a seen that ruco! Go! That cussed
little bug slid down that mess table llko It wub on
ball bearings. I handed er off at tho hole with
a piece of tack and situ run clean again tho bot
tom board of tho tablo an' butted 'or brains out.
kicked over on 'or back Btono dead. Hut that
raco! Whow! 1 raked In tho coin from tho cap
tain of tho hold Christmas! Well, strike mo, fel
lers! Thut was 6omo Christmas even If wo
didn't havo nny oats.' ,
s I J
New Play Apparatus.
on four wheels, two axles of tho device
being connected by a strong steel
band, on which tho footboard rests.
Tho construction is such that by
tilting tho footboard to the right or
left the wheels will turn in the same
direction, but tho toy will not upset.
The long handlo is adjustable to any
height and Is used more for-support
than for guidance. To operate tho ve
hicle a boy stands with one foot on
tho platform and with tho other foot
pushes It ahead until sufficient mo
mentum Is attained to carry It on. Ho
thou got aboard with both foot and
guides It by throwing the weight' ot
his body on ono sldo or tho other.
Box for Medicine Bottles.
hours, and sometimes thoy put tho
Bpoon In thq ono to tako next, or they
pluce ono to be taken In the morning
In a different glns3 from tho one to bo
tnkn nt night.
On ingenious boy who saw his moth
er always forgetting which of the llt
tlo bottles of pills to tako next noticed
that there were two of tho bottles in
pasteboard box, lying sldo by slda.
They each had a number on them, but
there was no way to be sure which
number his mother had taken last.
Then he had an idea. Ho pasted a
little slip of paper on tho cover ot tho"
box and wroto his directions on it.
As tho llttlo box insido slipped out
of tho cover It was easy to put tho
cork of one bottlo toward one cud and
tho cork of the other at the other end.
After taking a dose from bottlo No. 1
sho just pushed tho cork Into tho
cover first, so that tho cork of No. 2
was' toward tho end with the arrow
mark, and she always knew that was
the ono to take next.
A druggist that saw this simple llt
tlo trick had labels printed for all his
boxes, and It proved so popular with
tho doctors that used those medicines
that they made tho boy a present ot
a mcycio ror nis' invention.
If you keop your eyes opon and
think about things you never know
when you may hit upon some useful
thing like this, which others will pay
you for. A girl that stooped to llx a
broken shoe laco and tried to pull it
through tho hole with a hairpin Invent
ed the surgeons' needle that Is u&ed
today all over tho world for sewing
up wounds. Somo boys that bulk a
lire upon the sand with seaweed found
tho secret of making glass.
AMUSEMENT IN A MAGIC BOX
Balls and Paper Men Made to Jump
About in Fantastic Manner Static
Electricity Is the Secret.
A novelty which affords much
amusement Is the magic box. It 13
4xGx2 Inches, made out of wood with
a glass cover and lined with foil. Tho
directions for operating the box are
as follows: Itub tho pane of glass
with tho little leather cushion and
the balls and paper men will begin
at once to produce their performance.
Jumping about in the most- fantastic
Not This Time.
Johnny was rathor apprehensively
waiting his father's return from busi
ness. Ho had a carious llttlo feeling
that more would bo herd about the
broken pane of glass in old Crimea'
glass house.
"Tako off youi coat, my son, and
come along with mo!" said pa after
ho had rested from dinner.
"You're not going to give mo u
hiding are you, pa?" Inquired young
hopeful with a nervous gulp.
"Didn't I toll you this morning that
I would sottlo with you for your bad
bohavlor when I enmo homo?" queried
father.
"Yes," said Johnny hopefully, "but
I thought you were only joking, like
when you told the grocer you would
settle with him." Itehoboth Sunday
Herald.
Magic Box.
Centipedes and Tarantulas.
A centlpedo hns a deadly fear of a
tarantula, and ono of tho most curious
habltB of tho centlpedo Is his manner
of going to rest in tho desert when ho
knows his enomy to bo in the vicinity.
Ho builds a cactus fence literally about
him.
A tarantula hates ta cactus as much
as ho longs after a centlpedo, and has
never been known to crawl over the
plant.
Secure in this knowledge, tho centl
pedo will sloop as long as ho wishes
whllo hlB wistful enemy looks long
ingly at htm over tho barrier, power
less to go to tho attack.
manner. The only thing necessary
is to keep tho box and leather cushion
cjean nnd dry, which is dono best by
cleaning the pane of glass beforo
using, with a piece of dry cloth, says
Popular Electricity. Static electricity
Is the secret of the odd movements
Made of Wallpaper.
An enterprising wallpaper dealer of
Ohio attracted tho eyes of all citizens
by having In his window a pipo organ
of papor. Every detail of tho organ,
tho pipes, the keys, all parts of the
case, as well as tho shoot of music,
wore mado of wallpaper. Different pat
terns wero usod to imlfato tho many
parts of the organ.
In a Predicament.
The teachor was reading the his
tory of England to somo of tho llttlo
pupils. When she came to the state
ment that Henry I. never lnughed
after tho death of his son she noticed
ono of tho llttlee girls nad raised her
hand and 'seemed very desirous of
attracting her attention.
"Well, Amy," said teacher, "what
Is It?"
"Pleaso. ma'am," said llttlo Amy,
"what did Henry I. do when ho was
tickled?" Harper's Bazar.
It Was Hard to Tell.
Tho Music Teacher Johnny is Im
proving dally In his violin placing.
Johnny's Mother (gratified) Is that
so? Wo didn't know whethor ho was
Improving or we wero Just getting
more used to it. Winnipeg Town
Topics.
with
Leg a Tease.
Why should a man troubled
gout mako his will.
Dccauso ho will' then have bis leg
at ease (legatcos).