108 chapters
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108 chapters
PREFACE.
PREFACE.
Although this book is ostensibly a “boy’s book,” many things which it contains are equally useful to girls; and have been tried by the latter with entirely satisfactory results. In fact, it was to afford amusement and occupation, on rainy Saturdays and during the long vacation, to the children of both sexes in my own family, that the book was first written; and it was only an afterthought which led me to give it to the public. Everything it contains has been deduced from my own experience or tha
57 minute read
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THE WINDMILL PUPPET.
THE WINDMILL PUPPET.
This amusing little puppet is very easily constructed, and, like several other mechanical toys in this book, furnishes much entertainment for the little folks. Even the baby will sit in her high chair, half-hours together, watching the little man turning his crank, while she claps her tiny hands and crows at so delightful an exhibition of untiring energy. Cut from cardboard a disc like Fig. 2, which shall measure about six inches across; then by means of a ruler draw the lines a b c d ; half-way
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THE FLYING WHIRLIGIG.
THE FLYING WHIRLIGIG.
This amusing toy consists of an empty spool with two pins driven into its head, as seen in the figure. With a pair of pliers break off the heads of the pins before driving them in position, then take a piece of soft wood and make a spindle, like that represented in the figure at A , and drive another headless pin into the small end. Lastly, cut from a piece of cardboard a figure like the one marked B , making three holes, a a a , with the point of a darning-needle, corresponding to the two pins
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HOW TO MAKE A BOOK.
HOW TO MAKE A BOOK.
Do any of my boy readers know how to make a book? Not the fine volumes turned out by the thousand in our great publishing houses, but the little individual books made by boys and girls, and needing for their construction only an old used-up ledger, a small tin pan of paste, and scraps cut from newspapers or books. These bits may consist simply of poems, or they may be “a little of all sorts.” I recently saw a very nice book of this kind made by a boy of twelve, which was composed entirely of hum
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THE SNAKE.
THE SNAKE.
Cut from a piece of Bristol board, or stiff paper, a circle measuring four inches in diameter; then with a pencil mark it like Fig. A . With your paints and pencil make its head as nearly like a snake’s as possible; and mark the body with stripes or checks, as your fancy may dictate. Cut through the deep black line, put a pin through the dot on the tail, and drive it into a slender stick of wood, which must be held or caught over the stove or register. The rising current of heated air causes the
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THE DIVIDED SQUARE PUZZLE.
THE DIVIDED SQUARE PUZZLE.
Take a square of paper or cardboard, and cut it into four pieces, as shown in the engraving. Now try to put them back in the form of a square. This seemingly simple puzzle, has kept our young people busy a whole evening, and was only accomplished at last by marking each piece before it was cut apart....
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EXPERIMENT WITH TWO PIECES OF GLASS.
EXPERIMENT WITH TWO PIECES OF GLASS.
Procure two pieces of glass about six inches square, join any two of their sides, and separate the opposite sides with a piece of wax, so that their surfaces may be at a slight angle; immerse this apparatus about an inch in a basin of water, and the water will rise between the plates and form a beautiful geometrical figure called a hyperbola....
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THE GRIMACING FACE.
THE GRIMACING FACE.
Take a card one-and-one-half inches wide, and fold around it a piece of unruled note paper, so that the card can easily slide up and down; then paste this case on the under side. Now cut three holes in the paper for the eyes and mouth, as seen in A ; place the strip of card within this and mark the points for the eyes and root of tongue; then slipping it out once more, the eyes can be carefully finished, and the tongue cut to fit in the mouth, and to extend some distance down on the chin, see Fi
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A GOOD BALL.
A GOOD BALL.
Take a round, well shaped orange; cut it evenly into quarters, numbering them at one end to aid in putting the parts together again. Next cut out of kid four pieces exactly like the four pieces of orange peel; then, with strong linen thread, sew over and over three seams, thus joining the four pieces, but leaving one seam open. In putting together be careful to place 1 next to 2, and so on, just as they were in the orange. Ravel out an old yarn stocking, or cut into narrow strips an old cashmere
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AMUSING EXPERIMENT WITH TOOTH-PICKS.
AMUSING EXPERIMENT WITH TOOTH-PICKS.
Take five tooth-picks, weave them together, as seen in the illustration, which perhaps is easiest done by holding the three diverging ones between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand at the point a , and insert the other two successively, first b , then c . Now lay the figure upon any flat surface, letting the end c extend a short distance beyond the edge. If you touch a lighted match to c , in a moment each stick will leap into the air as if suddenly endowed with life and animation, quite
31 minute read
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HOW TO CUT TOPS FROM GLASS BOTTLES.
HOW TO CUT TOPS FROM GLASS BOTTLES.
A glass bottle when freed from its top can be utilized in many ways, and most boys will be glad to know how to get rid of this troublesome portion without smashing the whole thing into fragments. A red-hot poker with a pointed end is the instrument used. First make a mark with a file to begin the cut; then apply the hot iron, and a crack will start, which will follow the iron wherever it is carried. This is, on the whole, simple, and better than the use of strings wet with turpentine, etc....
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A BOY’S BAROMETER.
A BOY’S BAROMETER.
Take a common vial, or small bottle, cut off the rim by using the hot poker as directed above. Let the vial now be nearly filled with common rain water, and applying the finger to its mouth, turn it quickly upside down: on removing the finger it will be found that only a few drops will escape. Without a cork or stopper of any kind, the water will be retained within the bottle by the pressure of the external air, the weight of the air without the vial being so much greater than the small quantity
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AN INFALLIBLE BAROMETER.
AN INFALLIBLE BAROMETER.
With a few cents any boy can buy the chemicals required for this barometer, and obtain an instrument much more reliable than many of the cheaper grades for sale in the stores. Put two drams of pure nitrate of potash, and half a dram of chloride of ammonium reduced to a powder, into two ounces of pure alcohol, and place this mixture in a clear glass bottle, covering the top with a piece of rubber or thin kid pierced with small holes. If the weather is to be fine, the solid matters remain at the b
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THE BALANCING DOLL.
THE BALANCING DOLL.
From a piece of soft wood whittle out a head and body like that in the illustration, making slits on either side for the insertion of the wings. These oar-shaped appendages are generally made from a shingle, and are affixed to the body by pressing them firmly into the slits. The whole thing can be painted to suit the fancy; water colors spread on rather thickly answer quite as well for small objects of this class, if protected by a good coating of varnish, made by dissolving a few cents’ worth o
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THE BOOMERANG.
THE BOOMERANG.
The boomerang is a weapon which has long been known as peculiar to the Australian savages, who are wonderfully skilled in its use. It consists of an irregular shaped piece of hard wood, so constructed that by its aid, the unsuspecting game can be killed at an angle widely diverging from the line of direction in which it was thrown. Instances have been cited in which the boomerang, in the hands of these untutored savages, has accomplished wonderful feats. One of the favorite ways of throwing cons
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THE MAGIC TELESCOPE.
THE MAGIC TELESCOPE.
The following, although requiring considerable skill in joining, can readily be made by any boy of fifteen, if he is at all skillful in the use of carpenter’s tools, and has a fair endowment of those two excellent qualities, patience and perseverance, so absolutely indispensable to success in almost any undertaking. This telescope consists of a series of square wooden tubes, with an inside diameter of about five inches, so carefully joined together that no ray of light can find its way in throug
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TO CRYSTALLIZE GRASSES, SEED-VESSELS, Etc.
TO CRYSTALLIZE GRASSES, SEED-VESSELS, Etc.
Take a large-sized piece of alum, and pour over it a pint of boiling water, letting it stand until the water has taken up or dissolved all the alum it will. If at the end of a few hours any alum remains undissolved, you may be sure the water contains all the alum it can hold in a liquid state, and the solution is called a “saturated solution of alum.” During the summer, while the grasses are in their most perfect state, select such as you think will look well crystallized, and put them into a va
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METHOD OF COLORING ALUM CRYSTALS.
METHOD OF COLORING ALUM CRYSTALS.
In making these crystals the coloring should be added to the solution of alum in proportion to the shade which it is desired to produce. Coke, with a piece of lead attached to it in order to make it sink in the solution, is a good substance for a nucleus, if a cluster of crystals are to be formed. Any form, if wound around with knitting cotton, can be used, or the grasses above described can be dipped in these colored solutions, and very pretty results obtained. Yellow: muriate of iron. Blue: so
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ANIMATED FIRE.
ANIMATED FIRE.
When small pieces of camphor are placed in a basin of pure water, a very peculiar motion commences; some of the pieces turn as if on an axis, others go steadily round the vessel, some seem to be pursuing others, and thus they continue forming a very curious and pleasing appearance; but if a single drop of sulphuric acid be put into the water, the motion of the camphor instantly stops. If a piece of camphor be lighted, and then carefully placed on the water, it burns with a bright flame, moving a
32 minute read
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A PRETTY ORNAMENT FOR A BOY TO MAKE.
A PRETTY ORNAMENT FOR A BOY TO MAKE.
Dissolve in seven different tumblers containing warm water, half ounces of sulphates of iron, copper, zinc, soda, alumina, magnesia, and potash. Pour them all, when completely dissolved, into a large flat dish, and stir the whole with a glass rod or bit of broken glass for a while. Place the dish in a warm place where it will be free from dust and will not be shaken. After due evaporation has taken place, the whole will begin to shoot out into crystals. These will be of various colors and forms,
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HOW TO MAKE A BLOWPIPE.
HOW TO MAKE A BLOWPIPE.
Procure two common clay pipes; break off the stem of one about three inches from the little end. Take a cork that exactly fits into the bowl of the other pipe, cut a hole through it large enough to insert the mouth-piece already broken off, and draw this through the opening till its larger end is even with the surface of the cork. Insert the cork in the bowl, and fill the end of the stem which touches the flame with a tiny ball of clay or chalk. Through this clay make a hole with a needle, and a
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HOW TO BLOW GLASS.
HOW TO BLOW GLASS.
Although it is impossible to give any detailed account of glass blowing which would be practicable for small boys, yet a child can amuse himself for hours, by simply melting bits of glass and joining them together; or by melting small glass tubes and drawing them out to mere threads; or again, blowing them up into tiny balloons until their surface is as thin as a soap bubble and almost as fragile. These little tubes are smaller than the end of a pipe-stem, about four inches long, and made of ver
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A SIPHON.
A SIPHON.
A simple glass siphon can be made by taking one of the above tubes and heating it at a point about one-third of its length from the end, till the surface appears a rosy red; then carefully bending it over the round part of a clothes-pin, till the two ends form parallel lines. A simple experiment with the siphon affords considerable amusement to the little folks, and is well worth trying. Take two tumblers, place them side by side, and fill one with water. Now fill the siphon with water and place
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TO MELT STONES.
TO MELT STONES.
Many kinds of stones containing more or less metallic ores, can be readily melted by means of the blowpipe. When the specimens are small they can be placed upon a piece of mica, and then presented to the flame; or a clay receptacle can be made for the purpose, by simply hollowing out a small cavity in one side of a lump of clay. Large ones can be held in the hand or with the pincers as in the case of the glass melting....
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A SOAP BUBBLE.
A SOAP BUBBLE.
Within the past few years soap-bubble parties have been quite the style among our young people, and not a few of the older members of society have joined in the frolic with as much zest as their younger competitors. Usually at such gatherings, after the guests have all arrived, the hostess, having previously secured two or three boxes of bonbons, or other equally inexpensive trifles for prizes, presents each of her guests with an ordinary clay pipe, and leading the way to the room in which the b
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RESIN BUBBLES.
RESIN BUBBLES.
If the end of a tobacco-pipe be dipped in melted resin, at a temperature a little above that of boiling water, taken out, and held nearly in a vertical position and blown through, bubbles will be formed of all possible sizes, from that of a hen’s egg, down to sizes which can hardly be discerned by the naked eye, and from their silvery luster, and reflection of the different rays of light, they have a pleasing appearance. Some that have been formed these eight months, are as perfect as when first
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THE THREE MAGICAL CARDS.
THE THREE MAGICAL CARDS.
Take three cards of the same size, and thick enough to prevent the black surface from showing through; ink or paint over the whole of one side of c , having the other side perfectly white, and the others, a and b , in the parts shown in Fig. 1; they are now ready for use. Fig. 2 shows the first arrangement of them, a and b lapping over each other so that when c is placed in the position shown by dotted lines the whole face presents a perfectly white surface. Show this to your audience; then, sti
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AN OPTICAL GAME.
AN OPTICAL GAME.
Hold a ring between thumb and forefinger at some distance from the boy addressed, and giving him a crooked stick, ask him to close one eye and try to catch the ring on the stick. This game looks so very simple, that any boy is certain he can do it at one thrust, and is only made aware of its difficulties after several unsuccessful attempts....
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TO TELL THE NUMBER THOUGHT OF BY A PERSON.
TO TELL THE NUMBER THOUGHT OF BY A PERSON.
Desire the person who has thought of a number to triple it, and to take the exact half of that; triple that half if the number was even, or if odd multiply the larger half by 3; and ask him how many times that answer contains nine: for the answer will contain the double of that number of nines, and one more if it be odd. Thus if the number thought of is 5, its triple will be 15, which cannot be divided by 2 without a remainder. The greater half of 15 is 8. If we multiply this by 3 we have 24, wh
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THE COUNTER PUZZLE.
THE COUNTER PUZZLE.
In an old book published over half a century ago, I came across this puzzle; and finding it gave an evening’s entertainment to our young folks, I introduce it here for the benefit of those boys who take especial delight in games of an arithmetical nature. Out of thin cardboard—old business cards answer this purpose nicely—make thirty-two blank counters, the size of a dime. Then upon a piece of note-paper mark off a figure just three inches square, and divide it by lines into nine compartments, e
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ANOTHER ARITHMETICAL TRICK.
ANOTHER ARITHMETICAL TRICK.
By knowing the last figure of the product of any two numbers, to tell the other figures. If the number seventy-three be multiplied by each of the numbers in the following arithmetical progression, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, the products will terminate with the nine digits, in this order, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; the numbers themselves being as follows: 219, 438, 657, 876, 1095, 1314, 1533, 1752, and 1971. Let, therefore, a little bag be provided, consisting of two partitions, into one of
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TO TELL TWO OR MORE NUMBERS WHICH A PERSON HAS THOUGHT OF.
TO TELL TWO OR MORE NUMBERS WHICH A PERSON HAS THOUGHT OF.
These numbers must not exceed 9. Let him think of two or three numbers, double the first and add 1 to the product, multiply the whole by 5, and add to that product the second number. If there be a third, make him double the first sum and add 1 to it; then desire him to multiple the new sum by 5, and to add to it the third number. If there should be a fourth number, you must proceed in the same manner, desiring him to double the preceding sum, to add 1 to it, to multiply by 5, and then to add the
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AN EASY PROOF FOR SUMS IN MULTIPLICATION.
AN EASY PROOF FOR SUMS IN MULTIPLICATION.
As boys are always interested in short cuts in arithmetical processes, it may be well to insert for the benefit of those who are studying multiplication, a method of proving their examples which I learned a short time ago from an old banker of New York. This rule is simply to add the digits of both multiplicand and multiplier, divide both answers by 9, and multiply the remainders; divide this product by 9 and the remainder will be, if the example is correct, the same as that obtained by adding t
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THE SELF-RECTIFYING DART.
THE SELF-RECTIFYING DART.
The dart, and its larger brother the javelin, were among the earliest weapons used in warfare, and were very skilfully thrown, not only by the Roman soldiers, but by the Goths and other savage tribes who lived in the regions north of them. These javelins were large affairs, measuring some six or seven feet in length; the handle, a tough piece of wood, was generally four and one-half feet in length, and an inch in diameter, while the rest of the length was taken up by the barbed triangular-shaped
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THE BALANCING PIN.
THE BALANCING PIN.
This amusing feat I first saw performed in our little district school-house, many years ago. One morning, while the teacher was busy with his class at the blackboard, one of the boys drew an old clay pipe-stem from his pocket, and producing a small green gooseberry and a pin from some other part of his clothing, gave us boys to understand that he was about to perform some wonderful trick with them. We were of course all attention, and as the teacher’s back remained turned toward us, he proceeded
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A BOX-SLED FOR BABY.
A BOX-SLED FOR BABY.
Procure a deep, smooth soap-box, and decide how high you wish the back and front to be; then take a piece of brown paper, the exact size of the sides of the box, and mark on it a curve, which shall unite the high back with the low front. After this has assumed a perfectly satisfactory form, cut it out and tack it on one side of the box. Mark the outline carefully on both side-pieces, and saw the boards as indicated by the line; cut the front straight across, and rasp and sand-paper the edges til
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A SET OF CARS.
A SET OF CARS.
Procure a stick of wood of any length, and an inch and a half square at the ends. Saw it into pieces six inches in length, being careful to cut it evenly, that the blocks may be rectangular in form. Round off the tops slightly at the edges and paint them brown, then give the sides and ends a good coating of yellow. If you have no oil paints, it would be a good investment to get a few tubes, as they are not expensive, and are of invaluable assistance in adding beauty and naturalness to many thing
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THE TOY LOCOMOTIVE.
THE TOY LOCOMOTIVE.
The thin ends of a common soap-box afford very good material for the base of this locomotive, while the end of a curtain-roller makes a capital boiler. The cab can be cut from a cigar-box, and a button-mold will do for the boiler-head. First cut from the thicker wood a base in shape like Fig. 1, and seven inches long by one and a half wide; with a jackknife bevel it on either side of the pointed end to correspond to the shape of the pilot, as shown in the cut. Saw the roller even at either end j
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A FREIGHT TRAIN.
A FREIGHT TRAIN.
The locomotive for this train can be made like the one already described, and the cars are cut from a rectangular stick, in the same manner as the passenger cars. These should receive a thick coat of Indian-red paint, and if this does not cover well, that is, if any of the wood shows through, another coat should be given. After the paint is perfectly dry, put on one edge of the side, near the top, a number in white, and two or three letters in the same color, to represent the sides of the freigh
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A LOT OF PAPER WINDMILLS.
A LOT OF PAPER WINDMILLS.
Take a thin stick of wood a foot and a half or two feet long, and nail to it four cross-pieces, graduated in length and six or seven inches apart. The shorter, at the top, should measure about six inches. Cut out of stiff, colored paper (the greater the variety the prettier the effect) fifteen pieces, each three inches square, and slit each piece as indicated by the diagonal lines in the figure. Out of pretty tissue-paper cut three round pieces for each mill, about the size of a silver dollar, a
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A WINTER GARDEN.
A WINTER GARDEN.
Most boys love flowers; and many families, especially in the country, would keep more through the winter than they do, if they had the space and time to devote to them, necessary for their preservation. A number of pots, sufficiently large to hold good-sized plants, take up considerable room; and no little time is required each day, to keep the pots clean and the plants well watered. Now, boys, I have a suggestion to make, which I intend for your ears alone. Why can’t you make a winter garden, a
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THE BOOT PUZZLE.
THE BOOT PUZZLE.
First take a piece of paper, double it, and cut from it a pair of boots, the fold in the paper coming at the top of the boots, and consequently joining them together. Then take another piece, fold it and cut it in the form of Fig. 2, a being the folded end. Fold still another piece and cut it like Fig. 3, b representing the folding side. Now open the smaller piece, as in Fig. 4, and push the point a through the opening in its center (Fig. 5). Then put one boot through the loop of the long arm, c
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HOW TO TAKE PORTRAITS.
HOW TO TAKE PORTRAITS.
The person whose portrait is to be taken must sit so that his shadow is thrown upon a sheet of cardboard or thick white paper placed against the wall. To obtain a sharp outline there should be a fixed distance between the lamp, wall, and sitter, which can easily be found by experiment. The sitter must keep perfectly still while the outline of the shadow is quickly traced upon the paper. A tumbler or roll of paper may be placed between the head of the sitter and the wall, to aid in holding the he
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HOW TO BREAK A STRING.
HOW TO BREAK A STRING.
No boy feels himself perfectly at home if he has not one pocket at least full of strings, and a good sharp jackknife at his command. Although the jackknife often gets lost, the string is usually at hand, and most boys will probably be glad to learn how a good strong cord can be broken without injury to the hands. Take the cord and pass it around the left hand, as shown in Fig. A, so as to form a cross or double loop over the palm. One end is then wound round the fingers, and the other seized in
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A CORN-STALK FIDDLE.
A CORN-STALK FIDDLE.
Find a good straight corn-stalk, and with your jackknife cut four slits from joint to joint, as seen in the upper figure. Then from a bit of wood cut a bridge, as shown just below. With the point of the knife lift the three strings and insert the bridge. Then carefully raise the bridge to its upright position, spread the strings until they rest in the grooves cut in the bridge for that purpose, and put a similar bridge at the other end. Make the bow in the same manner, of a smaller section of a
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THE XYLOPHONE.
THE XYLOPHONE.
The xylophone is an instrument of great antiquity, having been used in a slightly different form by both Greeks and Hebrews. It is now sometimes used in connection with other instruments in our larger orchestras, in which case, however, the bars are usually made of metal. Its construction is very simple, and any boy having a good ear for music can readily make one. The instrument is composed of strips of wood of various sizes, and thick enough to allow the passage of a stout piece of twine or fi
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THE ÆOLIAN HARP.
THE ÆOLIAN HARP.
This simple little musical instrument derives its name from Æolus, god of the winds, who is said to have lived at Stromboli, then called Strongyle, while he reigned over the Æolian islands, just north of Sicily. His island was entirely surrounded by a wall of brass, and by perfectly smooth precipitous rocks. Here he dwelt in continual joy and festivity with his wife and children; the latter, six sons and as many daughters, are said to be a poetic type of the twelve months of the year. And here h
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THE BOSTON CLAPPER.
THE BOSTON CLAPPER.
Take a piece of soft wood, five or six inches long, and whittle out of one end a hollow box, open at the top and outer end, like that represented in the illustration. Cut a groove around the inside, near the top, for the cover to slide in. Make this cover of a very thin piece of tough wood, and one-third as long as the opening, pushing it, when completed, well up against the inner end of the box; see b , in the figure, for size and position of cover. The handle, f , is simply for convenience in
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PAPIER-MACHÉ.
PAPIER-MACHÉ.
I have now come to one of the most fascinating and at the same time useful employments a boy can have; one which not only affords amusement for the time being, but, if properly executed, furnishes home with much which is useful or ornamental, at scarcely any expense beyond the mere time and labor consumed in the work. How many of my readers know how to make things of papier-maché? None who are old enough to read these directions are too young to make really useful objects or pretty playthings of
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THE JAPANESE PAPER BIRD.
THE JAPANESE PAPER BIRD.
In the skillful management of paper, the Japanese are acknowledged to take the lead, as their balloons and kites, lanterns and fire-screens, now so commonly seen in this country, will testify. Many of the grotesque and hideous monsters, which nevertheless are artistic in form and decorative in effect, are made of paper pulp, with the necessary materials added to give it the proper degree of hardness; and in articles made of folded or crinkled paper they have no equals, while in some instances th
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THE TUMBLING EGG.
THE TUMBLING EGG.
Fill a quill with quicksilver, seal it at both ends with good hard wax; then have an egg boiled, take a tiny piece of shell off the small end, and thrust in the quill with the quicksilver; lay it on the floor, and it will not cease tumbling so long as any heat remains in it; or if you put quicksilver into a small bladder, and then blow it up, upon warming the bladder it will skip about as long as heat remains in it....
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THE THREE HALOS.
THE THREE HALOS.
Take a saturated solution of alum, and, having spread a few drops of it over a plate of glass, it will rapidly crystallize. When this plate is held between the observer and the sun or a lamp-flame, with the eye very close to the smooth side of the glass plate, there will be seen three beautiful halos of light at different distances from the luminous body. The smallest, which is the innermost circle, is the whitest, the second is larger and more colored, with its blue rays extending outward, and
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PAPER BOATS.
PAPER BOATS.
Take a piece of paper measuring about four by three inches; fold it across the middle, as shown by dotted line in Fig. 1; then turn down the corners of the folded side ( a b , Fig. 2). You now have Fig. 3; turn up the edge c d toward you, and fold it; turn up the other edge away from you, and fold it against the other side, which gives you Fig. 4. Bend over the points c d in either direction, also the other two corresponding points, so that the outline of the triangle is continuous. You can cut
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HOW TO TAKE IMPRESSIONS OF PLANTS.
HOW TO TAKE IMPRESSIONS OF PLANTS.
Take fine paper and oil it well with lard or sweet oil; let it stand a few moments to soak through, then remove the superfluous oil with a piece of paper, and hang it in the air to dry. When the oil is well dried in, take a lighted candle and move the paper slowly over it in a horizontal direction so as to touch the flame, till it is perfectly black. When you wish to take impressions of plants, lay your plant carefully on the oiled paper, and a piece of clean paper over it, and rub it with your
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A NICE FRAME FOR THE ABOVE.
A NICE FRAME FOR THE ABOVE.
Procure a strip of board, half an inch thick and three inches wide; take the dimensions of your drawing or impression picture, and subtracting half an inch from both length and width, make the remainder the inner dimensions of your frame. For instance, suppose your picture was twelve inches wide and fourteen inches long, the inner dimensions of your frame would be eleven and one-half by thirteen and one-half inches. The two upright strips would be cut just thirteen and one-half inches long, but
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PAPIER-MACHÉ BOATS.
PAPIER-MACHÉ BOATS.
In a preceding article, I alluded to boats as being good subjects for papier-maché, and remembering how much pleasure every boy takes in constructing a boat, I will give a few more explicit directions for the benefit of those of my readers who have ponds and brooks within easy access of their homes. Having cut from soft wood a good model for the hull, smear it well over with sweet-oil or lard, and rub it well into the wood; then cut your paper into strips an inch or so wide, and paste them longi
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THE TOY STEAM-BOAT.
THE TOY STEAM-BOAT.
Among the many mechanical toys a boy of ordinary ability can make, the steam-boat is perhaps one of the most satisfactory of them all. As a scroll-saw takes an important part in its making, some knowledge of one, or friendship with the owner of it, is desirable, if not absolutely necessary, for complete success. This toy is composed principally of five pieces of board, of different degrees of thickness, which are first cut out as follows: The first piece, or hull, is eighteen inches long by thre
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THE BOTTLE IMP.
THE BOTTLE IMP.
Take one or more small bottles, such as are generally used by homeopathic physicians for their pellets; cover them with a bit of closely-woven white cloth, and fasten it with a string around the middle. With oil paint make a grotesque face upon the upper part, and draw stripes or figures to represent a clown’s dress upon the lower and loose portion of the covering of each. Varnish this with the shellac, dissolved in alcohol, and when perfectly dry they are ready for use. Have a large-mouthed, pe
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TELESCOPE WHICH A BOY CAN MAKE.
TELESCOPE WHICH A BOY CAN MAKE.
First, obtain two lenses; the larger having a long and the smaller a short focus. A powerful telescope, having a large field of vision, requires a lens at least two inches in diameter, with a focus of from two to three feet for the larger glass; and another lens of from one-half to one inch in diameter, and with a focus of one inch, for the smaller end. Having your lenses, the next important step is to make your tubes; this is done by bending a piece of pasteboard a foot long by seven inches wid
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CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
“What shall we make for Christmas?” is the cry that arises from the children all over this land and abroad, wherever the Christmas season is known and observed; and many a boy would be glad to contribute his share of labor toward making the others of his household happy, if he only could think of something to make. In the following pages, I purpose to give a few directions for some simple things, which boys of ordinary ability can easily execute. Procure a large, perfectly white, hen’s egg, and
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PAPER BOXES.
PAPER BOXES.
Many years ago, when our mothers were little girls and ready-made playthings were not as common as at the present day, during the long winter evenings they were obliged to invent their own amusements, and it was not uncommon in a large family where there were several girls and boys, for them to take turns in providing games for certain evenings in the week. Even the little ones contributed their share to the general amusement, and it was from one of these little girls, now grown to be an old gra
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A SHAVING-CASE.
A SHAVING-CASE.
Although generally considered girls’ work, many little boys delight in working upon perforated paper, and they can put this pleasure to good account in making a shaving-case for papa. Procure a piece of silver or gold gilt perforated cardboard, of the coarsest variety, and cut it into two similar pieces, five by seven inches in size. With double zephyr, work an initial or some simple design on one of the pieces only, as the other will form the back of the case. Then get half-a-dozen sheets of di
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LEATHER WORK.
LEATHER WORK.
How many of my young readers have seen the beautiful shoes, boxes, and saddle-cloths, made of leather or velvet, and appliquéd with thinner leather, in graceful traceries, which are occasionally brought over to this country from Russia? These are mostly the work of the women and children of the smaller Russian villages, and in many instances their only means of support. In those cold, desolate regions, where summer is very short, and the long dreary winter extends over a greater part of their li
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TO TELL THE HOUR OF THE DAY BY THE LEFT HAND.
TO TELL THE HOUR OF THE DAY BY THE LEFT HAND.
For the benefit of those boys who make frequent excursions into the woods, or away from the sight and sound of town clocks and bells, I write the following, which I found in an old book published early in the present century: Extend the left hand in a horizontal position, so that the inside shall be turned toward the sky; then take a bit of straw or wood, and place it at right angles at the joint, between the thumb and the forefinger. It must be equal in length to the distance from that joint to
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STENCILS.
STENCILS.
A dozen or more years ago I saw an advertisement from a Boston firm, of a package, to be had for the small sum of twenty-five cents, which contained several devices for entertaining children. As the advertisement seemed attractive, I sent for the article, and received by return mail a small box, which certainly contained all one could reasonably expect for the money. Many of the smaller things I have forgotten, but the idea of cutting stencils was so good, and gave the children of our family so
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EXPERIMENT WITH FLOWER-SEEDS.
EXPERIMENT WITH FLOWER-SEEDS.
Split a small twig of the elder-bush lengthwise, and having scooped out the pith, fill each of the compartments with seeds of flowers of different colors, but which blossom about the same time. Surround them with mold, and then tying together the two bits of wood, plant the whole in a pot filled with earth, properly prepared. The stems of the different flowers will thus be so incorporated as to exhibit to the eye only one stem, throwing out branches covered with flowers of different colors, anal
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HOW TO SKELETONIZE LEAVES.
HOW TO SKELETONIZE LEAVES.
Among the many desirable subjects for photographic printing, none are more satisfactory or so delicate as a graceful arrangement of skeletonized leaves. It may be very simple, and composed of only three or four leaflets; or it may be so elaborate as to embrace specimens from trees and weeds, wild flowers and garden shrubs; while the beautiful seed-pods and grasses, readily found in our fields or along our brooklets, answer for the blossoms in this dainty, fairy-like bouquet. The methods employed
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CAMERA OBSCURA.
CAMERA OBSCURA.
Camera Obscura, a Latin name, meaning literally a dark chamber, belongs to an instrument invented by Baptista Porta in the sixteenth century. The principle involved in the simplest and most refined forms is the same, and may be illustrated by the following experiment: Let a small hole be cut in an opaque window-shade, and the room darkened. If, now, the beam of light entering the room by this hole be intercepted by a sheet of white paper, held at a small distance from the hole, an inverted image
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PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.
If all boys are not so fortunate as to possess a camera, there is no reason why they should be debarred from all the pleasures of photography; and as there is much entertainment to be derived from this simple amusement, it is advisable for every boy throughout the land who is old enough to give it a fair trial. The first thing needed is a frame for holding the print while it is being exposed. This can be made by an ingenious boy, but as it is a rather troublesome job, it is better to buy a small
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THE TOY PANORAMA.
THE TOY PANORAMA.
The modern stereopticon has almost entirely superseded the old-fashioned panorama, so popular a quarter of a century ago. Your parents will probably remember with what delight those itinerant exhibitions were greeted by the young people of those days; how the very handbills, those wonderful precursors of so many entertaining spectacles, were studied and commented upon, and when the happy day came, how we all rejoiced to see the manager enter the school-house door, and after a few words with the
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A MORE ELABORATE PANORAMA.
A MORE ELABORATE PANORAMA.
Having thoroughly mastered the construction of the simpler form of the panorama, a more elaborate one can be made by simply devoting to it considerably more time and attention; but as this is greatly superior to the other in every respect, it is well worth the extra trouble. This will necessarily require a much larger box than the one previously described. For convenience in description, suppose we have a soap-box two feet long, twelve inches high, and eighteen inches wide. We shall first take a
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REPOUSSÉ WORK FOR BOYS.
REPOUSSÉ WORK FOR BOYS.
The term Repoussé is applied to any sheet-metal in which a pattern is hammered out or left in relief, by means of a hammer and common nail, or a regular tool made for the purpose. It does not simply refer to brass-work, but applies equally to work of like character either on silver or gold. If you have friends who have made the voyage of the Nile, you have probably seen the beautiful silver bracelets bought by them of the Nubian workmen as souvenirs of their Eastern travels. These bracelets are
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A FRAME FOR A PLAQUE.
A FRAME FOR A PLAQUE.
A fine frame for any kind of plaque, whether repoussé, porcelain, leather work, or papier-maché, can be easily made from a square piece of wood, about six inches wider than the subject to be framed; this can be beveled at the edges, or left as when sawed. In the center, with a strong pair of carpenter’s dividers describe a circle, whose diameter shall be half an inch shorter than that of the plaque. Bevel the front edge of this opening, then covering the whole front surface of this wood with thi
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THE AQUARIUM.
THE AQUARIUM.
The name aquarium was formerly sometimes given to a tank or cistern placed in a hot-house, and intended for the cultivation of aquatic plants; but in later years its signification has widened, so that it now embraces animals as well as plants in its category. Its use seems to have been known nearly a hundred years ago, and a number of gentlemen, in the latter part of the eighteenth century, made several successful experiments by means of this “scientific plaything,” as some writer has happily ca
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THE WOODEN WINDMILL.
THE WOODEN WINDMILL.
So common were these little toys among the companions of my childhood, that it seemed almost superfluous to insert what I supposed every boy must be familiar with; but upon questioning my young friends, I find that very few of them away from the sea-coast towns of New England, and the sailor-like influence or atmosphere which permeates them, know anything of the pretty little windmills, or weather-vanes, which we copied from those of our sailor friends. It was no uncommon thing in those days for
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A BOY’S SOLAR MICROSCOPE.
A BOY’S SOLAR MICROSCOPE.
The microscope is, as every boy knows, an optical instrument, which enables us to see and examine objects which are too small to be seen by the naked eye. The arrangement of the solar microscope is similar to that of the magic lantern, the sun taking the place of the limelight usually employed. In this form of the magic lantern, two difficulties are to be overcome; one, the necessarily fixed position of the instrument; and the other, the very inconvenient habit the sun has of constantly changing
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SEA-MOSSES.
SEA-MOSSES.
No boy who has lived on our coast, or, indeed, who has spent much time near the sea, could have failed to notice and admire the beautiful feathery mosses which sway about so gracefully under the surface of the water. The most delicate mosses are not found upon the open sea-beach, but in the more sheltered bays and inlets near the coast, and one who has never given them especial attention cannot fail to be impressed by the great variety of form and color to be found within a small space of water.
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ANTIQUES AND HORRIBLES.
ANTIQUES AND HORRIBLES.
This is another of the mechanical toys which was common during my childhood. The whole affair is so simple that a small boy could make it, in a less finished form at least, and the most sullen little fellow in all the land could not fail to be amused by the grotesque procession of clowns and hobgoblins, kings and countrymen, birds and fishes and animals, whose names no naturalist could tell, and whose like was never seen on this earth before. This procession travels on and on, as long as the cra
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THE MUSICAL CHICKENS.
THE MUSICAL CHICKENS.
One of the most pleasing toys for children, which may be counted among those made by boys themselves, is this little coop of chickens. Make a box like Fig. 1, leaving off the top and back boards until the works are placed within it. The little bars which separate the chickens are thin strips of wood. In Fig. 2, a represents one of the chickens, which is also made of thin wood and painted yellow; a hole is made at b , to allow the passage of a strong stiff wire, upon which the chickens turn, and
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CAPTAIN S.’S PEG PUZZLE.
CAPTAIN S.’S PEG PUZZLE.
One bright summer morning, which seems but a short while ago, unless I stop and count the years that have passed since then, we children were invited to take a sail across the bay with one of the kind-hearted old captains who owned a trim little cat-boat, which her owner was wont to boast would beat any other craft of her length in the harbor. But there was not much chance of beating anything on the morning of which I write, for, although a light northerly breeze was stirring when we intended to
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SLATE GAMES FOR CHILDREN.
SLATE GAMES FOR CHILDREN.
A slate is one of the most useful presents which can be given to a child. Long before the little hands can fashion letters, or the infant mind comprehend them, the baby fingers can make marks and scratches upon the smooth surface and derive considerable amusement from the exercise. As the little one grows older, these meaningless scrawls gradually change to more intelligible forms, and then it is that the “Tit-Tat-To,” so very old, and yet so delightfully new, to every little girl or boy in thei
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SOLITAIRE.
SOLITAIRE.
During the long winter evenings, we cannot have too many games to amuse the younger members of the household, and a variety is always acceptable. Where the family is large and the means small, and especially in the country where boys are forced to rely upon their own devices in the way of amusement, few of the ready-made games find their way into the household. Now boys, and girls, too, let me whisper to you so softly that your city cousins may not hear—you are no losers because of that fact. A
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BATTLEDORE AND SHUTTLECOCK.
BATTLEDORE AND SHUTTLECOCK.
If any of my young boy friends wishes to make a useful, and at the same time acceptable, present to a sister or girl friend, he cannot do better than make a set of this pretty and amusing game. The battledore is readily made with a hickory stick and a piece of hoop, and the shuttlecock with a cork and a few short feathers. The forms of the two are shown in the illustrations. The game is played by two players, each having a battledore, and each bats the shuttlecock from one to the other, the one
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RING TOSS.
RING TOSS.
This light pastime for the summer lawn, or for the parlor on a winter’s evening, is one of the most graceful and pretty games ever invented. Although particularly intended for the fairer sex, boys are generally the most skillful, if not the most graceful, competitors in the game. This game is played with a target-post, more or less ornamental, as the skill and taste of the maker may decree, and a number of light rings or small hoops, ranging from five to ten inches in diameter. The rings are nic
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CHECKERS.
CHECKERS.
As I write the above title, I wonder if there is a boy or a girl in this great American land who does not own a checker-board, or does not know how to play this delightful game. The game was brought to us from England, we cannot say how many years ago, probably by the first settlers in these then lonely wilds. This game of checkers is a scientific one and is governed entirely by calculation. So, in order to become a good player, one has to give considerable time and thought to the subject, which
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THE SPIRIT JEW’S-HARP.
THE SPIRIT JEW’S-HARP.
During the Christmas holidays, when families are home for the season, and entertainments are the principal things desired in the long bright evenings, perhaps a few more tricks may not come amiss. Among these the spirit jew’s-harp will be sure to amuse and at the same time mystify both the older and younger members of the company, who will probably form the audience on these Christmas or New-year’s evenings; and will form a pleasant entertainment between the acts of a charade or the lapses in th
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A NEW WAY TO KINDLE THE FIRE.
A NEW WAY TO KINDLE THE FIRE.
There are many ways given for producing fire, but the following is the most unique, and at the same time convenient, of all these various methods, as it consists in simply blowing the flame from the mouth, and so igniting the camp-fire or whatever else one wishes to burn. To all appearances you fill your mouth with raw cotton, and then, taking a fan in your right hand proceed to make the fire. First a stream of blue smoke will be seen curling from your lips, and after a moment or two a bright sp
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A HOME-MADE COMPASS.
A HOME-MADE COMPASS.
Break a knitting-needle in two pieces, and magnetize one of the pieces by passing it two or three times over one of the poles of a strong magnet. Insert this piece through a small cork. Fix an ordinary needle in the end of the cork with the end projecting. Break the other piece of the knitting-needle into two equal parts; and having wound one end of each with thread pass the other end into the cork, as seen in the illustration. Next procure a small brass thimble, deeply indented, and balance the
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HOW TO MAKE A CIRCLE.
HOW TO MAKE A CIRCLE.
Many of the operations described in this book require the making of circles of various sizes. Those readers who own a pair of dividers, especially if they are furnished with a pencil-holder, will find this an easy matter. Those who are not as fortunate may be glad to learn the following ready way of describing circles accurately to any size desired. One of the common substitutes for dividers is a loop of string or thread passed around the pencil-point, and a pin inserted in the center of the pro
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THE MAGNETIC CIRCUS.
THE MAGNETIC CIRCUS.
This mechanical toy is comparatively simple in its construction, and will serve as the foundation for one of the many Saturday shows, which are so dearly prized by most of the bright, active boys in our land. A good-sized soap-box serves as a table on which the toy is to rest. The back is removed, and a hole cut in the top admits the passage of the crank. It is perhaps unnecessary to add that the exposed surface of this box should be papered, or covered with a cloth curtain, in such a manner as
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TO PRODUCE RAISED FIGURES ON AN EGG.
TO PRODUCE RAISED FIGURES ON AN EGG.
Melt some tallow, and with it paint on the shell of an egg, making letters, numbers, profiles, or any outline which your fancy may suggest, or the fineness of the brush may permit. Then immerse the egg in strong vinegar. After the lapse of a few hours, whatever is covered with the lines of tallow will project slightly, the vinegar, which is mainly acetic acid, having dissolved away the unprotected surface. By painting with a fine brush an intricate scroll or vine pattern, carrying it all around
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AN ARITHMETICAL CURIOSITY.
AN ARITHMETICAL CURIOSITY.
Write the nine digits in their order, and multiply them by 9; the result will be composed of units, excepting the next to the last, thus: Multiply by 18, instead of 9, and the product will consist of 2’s. By 27, and it will be 3’s. In this manner all the digits may be obtained by multiplying by the multiples of 9; as 36, 45, 54, etc....
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ONE WAY TO FIND THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN THE MONTH.
ONE WAY TO FIND THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN THE MONTH.
Count the knuckles of the hands, with the spaces between them; all the months with thirty-one days will fall on the knuckles, and those with less than thirty-one in the spaces. Thus, beginning with the forefinger of the left hand, July will come on the knuckle of the little finger; then beginning with August on the forefinger of the right hand, December will be reached at the knuckle of the third finger....
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SOME ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTS.
SOME ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTS.
Considerable amusement may be derived from the electrical phenomena manifested by a sheet of stout brown paper, when friction is applied to it. Having warmed such a sheet, and rubbed it with the dry palm of the hand, or some woolen fabric, giving six or eight smooth, steady strokes, with considerable pressure, and all in one direction, away from the body, then place a bunch of keys in the center of the paper, and lift it by the ends; a spark of electricity may now be taken from the keys. If ordi
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THE ELECTROPHORUS.
THE ELECTROPHORUS.
This instrument, whose name, derived from the Greek, means bearer of electricity , consists of two parts; first, a cake or disk of resin, or of shellac and wax, these substances being melted and poured into a tin mold; second, a disk of brass, or sometimes of thin, well-dried wood, covered on each side with thin sheet-brass or even thick tin-foil. This should be fitted with a glass handle, to insulate it; a stout, round bottle of moderate size will answer. The cake of resin is rubbed vigorously;
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A LEYDEN JAR.
A LEYDEN JAR.
This may be made as follows: Fill a plain glass tumbler two-thirds full of shot; insert the bowl of a spoon in the shot, leaving the handle projecting. Hold the tumbler in the hand, and bring the handle of the spoon near to the electrophorus—previously prepared for action—so as to receive its spark. On repeating this a few times, the electric fluid will be accumulated in the “jar,” and the many small sparks may be obtained as one large one, by approaching the finger to the spoon, still holding t
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THE PITH DANCER.
THE PITH DANCER.
This fastidious little skipper never dances except to piano music. It is fashioned from pith, cork, or other light material. Generally it has a human head and body; but when we consider its dancing extremities, we must regard it as a quadruped, or even a tripod, as the case may be; for it stands on three or four stout hog’s bristles. These may be borrowed from the floor-brush, and should be even at the lower ends, that the dancer may stand erect. It should be painted in a gay and conspicuous man
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THE OBEDIENT BOTTLE.
THE OBEDIENT BOTTLE.
Fashion a shape like a small bottle, out of pith, paper pulp, or some other light substance. Cut a bullet in two, and fasten the base of the bottle to the flat portion of one of the halves. A straight piece of large wire, the length of the bottle, should be provided, and a hole made down through the center of the bottle, into which it will slide readily, and remain with the end out of sight. This hole may be made with greater ease before attaching the bullet. This object can be made to yield app
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THE IMMOVABLE CARD.
THE IMMOVABLE CARD.
If a card, such as an ordinary visiting card, is turned down about a quarter of an inch at each end, at right angles to the rest of the card, and then placed on a table so as to rest on the turned edges, you may safely challenge most persons to blow it so as to make it turn over on the other side. It would naturally seem easier to overturn a card so prepared, than one whose shape remained unchanged; but whoever tries it will find that the facts are otherwise. The card can be overthrown, however,
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A TRIPLE BRIDGE.
A TRIPLE BRIDGE.
This may be constructed by means of three table-knives, in the manner illustrated in the figure. Three goblets or tumblers will serve as the piers; these are to be arranged in a triangle, a little farther from each other than the length of the knives. Lay two of the knives on the table, with the blades crossing each other. Then pass the blade of the third knife over the uppermost blade of the other two, and under the undermost; then take them up and place them with the ends of the handles on the
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AN ILLUSTRATION OF “INERTIA.”
AN ILLUSTRATION OF “INERTIA.”
Inertia is defined as the tendency of a body to persevere in its state either of rest or motion. It is generally used in the sense of persisting in a state of rest. Among the many illustrations of this property of matter, is one which figured in the text-books of thirty or forty years ago, and which the boys of that time adapted to their amusement by constructing the apparatus here illustrated. It consists of three parts: the board which forms the base, a post about six inches high, and a strip
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OTHER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AMUSEMENTS.
OTHER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AMUSEMENTS.
Perhaps one evening of this ever delightful season might not be more entertainingly spent than in witnessing an exhibition of some feats in Magic , if any lad of the company could become sufficiently expert in the art to render them with a fair amount of skill. There are many of these mysterious tricks performed by the professional “Thaumaturgist” or “Prestidigitateur,” but as most of them require a complicated or expensive apparatus, I shall only call your attention to such as are comparatively
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A MINERAL GARDEN.
A MINERAL GARDEN.
Fill a clear glass jar—a fruit jar will answer the purpose—with sand, to the depth of two or three inches; insert a few pieces of sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, and sulphate of aluminum, so that they will be barely covered with the sand. Now fill the jar to within about three inches of the top with a solution of silicate of soda, commonly known as “water-glass,” which can be procured at most large city drug stores. This should be diluted with three times its bulk of water before it is pou
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THREE CHRISTMAS OR BIRTHDAY GIFTS.
THREE CHRISTMAS OR BIRTHDAY GIFTS.
When speaking of Christmas presents in an earlier portion of this book, I unintentionally omitted three quite interesting and easily made puzzles, which are always pleasing sources of amusement to the young folks, and sure to while away many half-hours on stormy days. Such presents are always valuable additions to the nursery closet, and in an indirect way are as gratifying to mamma and nurse as to the little recipient himself. The first of these is called the This puzzle consists of twelve irre
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A SIMPLE FOUNTAIN.
A SIMPLE FOUNTAIN.
Take a bottle holding eight or ten ounces, and insert a tube in the cork. A fine glass tube or even a pipe-stem will answer. The tube should reach nearly but not quite to the bottom of the bottle, and should fit air-tight in the cork. Fill the bottle about three-fourths full of water, and blow with considerable force down the tube. Upon removing the mouth, the water will spurt out, forming a miniature fountain; which will continue to play as long as any water remains in the bottle....
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THE FAN FROM NAGASAKI.
THE FAN FROM NAGASAKI.
A few months ago, a friend who had been for several years a resident of Japan, came home to America for a visit, and brought with her a bright little son and daughter, neither of whom had ever set foot on our American shores before. The children were delighted with their American cousins; and evidently could not find words strong enough to sound the praises of the new games and sports which they were constantly learning. Their lives had been spent with Chinese or Japanese nurses; and although ki
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THE MINIATURE YACHT AND HOW TO RIG HER.
THE MINIATURE YACHT AND HOW TO RIG HER.
Boat making and sailing are most fascinating pursuits, and we do not know but the old saying, “When a man has taken to boat-sailing, he is a sailor to the end of his days,” is to a certain degree applicable to the boy who intelligently fits out his tiny craft, and sends her on little voyages across the neighboring pond. If the sailing is to be done on water of any depth, there is one caution we should like to give at the very outset: Learn to swim before you sail her . No mere pleasure is worth
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A SCHOONER YACHT.
A SCHOONER YACHT.
In this the length should be greater in proportion to its other dimensions than in the sloop yacht. The mainmast should be stepped a little abaft the middle point of the hull. The foremast is stepped about midway between the mainmast and the stem, and should be very nearly as high as the mainmast. The foretop-mast, however, should be decidedly shorter than the maintop-mast. The bowsprit of the schooner yacht should be somewhat thicker and shorter in proportion than that of the sloop yacht, and i
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