,,some ,,special ,,books ,,for ,,neighborhood ,,clubs4 ,to meet the growing demand for books for young people which shall be as entertaining as stories1 and at the same time educational in influence1 we suggest the following3 ,i4 ,the ,reading ,union ,library1 a series prepared for the ,chautauqua ,young ,folks' ,reading ,union1 #a4jj volume1 fully illustrated2 four volumes now ready1 others in preparation3 7a7 ,magna ,charta ,stories1 thrilling tales of the world's great struggles for liberty1 edited by ,arthur ,gilman2 7b7 ,old ,ocean1 the romance and wonders of the sea1 by ,ernest ,ingersoll2 7c7 ,dooryard ,folks1 fascinating natural history1 by ,miss ,a4 ,b4 ,harris1 and including the author's curious experiments with 8,a ,winter ,garden02 7d7 ,the ,great ,composers1 a condensed1 comprehensive story of music and musicians1 by ,h4 ,butterworth4 ,,ii4 ,our ,business ,boys4 ,the ways to success in business life1 the rocks of danger1 as described by eighty-three business men1 in response to inquiries by the author1 ,rev4 ,f4 ,e4 ,clark4 ,price1 #fj cents4 ,,iii4 ,for reading after or in connection with1 the above1 there are three volumes about those who have worked and won3 7a7 ,men of ,mark1 7b7 ,noble ,workers1 7c7 ,stories of ,success2 to which may well be added 7d7 ,a ,noble ,life2 or1 ,hints for ,living1 by ,rev4 ,o4 ,a4 ,kingsbury2 each volume1 #a4be4 ,,iv4 ,charlotte ,m4 ,yonge's ,young ,folks' ,histories1 #a4ej a volume3 ,young ,folks' ,history of ,germany4 ,young ,folks' ,history of ,greece4 ,young ,folks' ,history of ,rome4 ,young ,folks' ,history of ,england4 ,young ,folks' ,history of ,france4 ,young ,folks' ,bible ,history4 ,v4 ,lothrop's ,library of ,entertaining ,history4 ,edited by ,arthur ,gilman1 ,m4 ,a4 ,each volume has one hundred illustrations4 ,these histories are designed to furnish in a succinct but interesting form1 such descriptions of the lands treated as shall meet the wants of those busy readers who cannot devote themselves to the study of detailed and elaborate works1 but who wish to be well-informed in historical matters4 #a4ej per volume4 ,america1 by ,arthur ,gilman1 ,m4 ,a42 ,india1 by ,fannie ,roper ,feudge2 ,egypt1 by ,mrs4 ,clara ,erskine ,clement2 ,spain1 by ,prof4 ,james ,albert ,harrison2 ,switzerland1 by ,miss ,harriet ,d4 ,s4 ,mackenzie4 ,,vi4 ,popular ,biographies1 of great and good men1 whose efforts and accomplishments cannot fail of helpful suggestions to young people4 ,each volume illustrated4 ,price #a4ej4 ,abraham ,lincoln4 ,horace ,greeley4 ,henry ,wilson4 ,bayard ,taylor4 ,henry ,w4 ,longfellow4 ,washington4 ,daniel ,webster4 ,charles ,sumner4 ,james ,a4 ,garfield4 ,george ,peabody4 ,charles ,dickens4 ,william the ,silent4 ,benjamin ,franklin4 ,amos ,lawrence4 ,israel ,putnam4 ,john ,g4 ,whittier4 ,david ,livingstone4 ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes4 ,the above books sent1 post-paid on receipt of price4 ,send for full catalogue of more than a thousand volumes1 including many volumes of story1 biography1 travel and adventure equally desirable with the above for neighborhood clubs and reading circles4 ,d4 ,,lothrop ,,co41 ,publishers1 ,boston4 ,a ,,boy',s ,,workshop ,,with ,,plans ,,and ,,designs ,,for ,,in-,,door ,,and ,,out-,,door ,,work ,,by ,a ,,boy ,,and ,,his ,,friends ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,henry ,,randall ,,waite ,,boston ,d4 ,,lothrop ,,and ,,company ,,franklin ,,and ,,hawley ,,streets ,copyright by ,d4 ,,lothrop ,,and ,,company #ahhd ,press of ,berwick ,smith1 ,boston4 ,,contents4 ,chap4 ,page ,i4 ,the ,shop ,itself #g ,,ii4 ,the ,sawhorse and ,workbench #ac ,,iii4 ,the ,sawhorse and ,workbench 7,continued7 #ba ,,iv4 ,the use of ,tools #cj ,v4 ,how to make a ,tool ,cabinet #ch ,,vi4 ,how to make a ,tool ,cabinet 7,continued7 #dg ,,vii4 ,hinges and ,lock #ed ,,viii4 ,curtain ,poles #fb ,,ix4 ,book-rest #ga ,x4 ,book-rest 7,continued7 #gi ,,xi4 ,a ,bed ,table #he ,,xii4 ,cabinet #hi ,,xiii4 ,a ,boy's 8,catchall0 #if ,,xiv4 ,how to ,build a ,portable ,wooden ,tent #ajg ,,xv4 ,how to ,build a ,portable ,wooden ,tent 7,con47 #aag ,,xvi4 ,how to make a ,fernery #abg ,,xvii4 ,a ,boy's ,railway and ,train #ach ,,xviii4 ,how to make a good ,fly #aed ,,xix4 ,how to bind ,magazines #afc ,,xx4 ,how to ,photograph #afi ,,xxi4 ,archery for ,boys #ahf ,,xxii4 ,sir ,walter ,scott's ,idea #aif ,,xxiii4 ,knots1 ,hitches and ,splices #bjd ,,introduction4 ,,the typical ,american boy1 at some period in his life1 has a taste for the mechanic arts4 ,before he is out of pinafores1 he surreptitiously lays hold of edged tools1 and with unlimited self-confidence tries to make something4 ,if his success lies chiefly in the direction of making pieces of furniture and bric--brac1 and the covering of his juvenile apron with gore1 followed by a tableau in which a shrieking youngster1 an angry sire1 and a sympathetic mother are about equally prominent1 the effect is merely to determine the amount of the boy's grit1 and to prepare the way1 in the battles of the future1 for the survival of the fittest4 ,while a certain number of the pinafored experimenters1 pensively regarding healed gashes and flattened thumbs1 will ever after sedulously avoid contact with chisels and hammers1 the plucky boys1 who form the majority1 will hardly wait for the shedding of belladonna plasters1 and the bleaching of gory aprons1 before seizing upon the instruments of their discomfiture1 with a firm determination 7founded on the boyish belief in the intelligence and moral responsibility of inanimate objects7 to let those tools know that they know how to handle them without getting hurt4 ,after various efforts for the mastery1 the implacable foes of the unskilful juvenile1 such as the hatchet1 the saw and the hammer1 will shake their sides in malignant laughter over the final discomfiture of a second installment of the rising generation1 and will own themselves partially subject to the ten and twelve-year-old veterans who have come triumphantly through the struggle1 and can use such tools as happen to fall into their hands with a more or less murderous degree of execution4 ,to this large class of boys1 intrepid1 ambitious1 industrious1 and full of manly instincts1 ,america looks for its inventors1 its engineers1 architects1 designers1 skilled artisans1 and most successful business men in every walk in life4 ,they constitute1 in fact1 what may be termed the 8,honorable ,guild of ,amateur ,artisans10 and it is for the benefit of the members of this juvenile guild that 8,a ,boy's ,workshop0 is sent forth1 with the best wishes of its editors and publishers4 ,it will bring to thousands of lads just such information in regard to the first steps in the mechanic arts as they most need1 and will enable them1 with little other direction1 if wisely encouraged by their elders1 to so develop whatever mechanical ingenuity they may possess1 as to make it easy to determine whether they shall ultimately join the ranks of those wholly devoted to the useful arts1 or continue to be amateurs1 using to good advantage whatever skill they have acquired in connection with other occupations4 ,but the parents and instructors of boys have no less reason than the boys themselves for awarding to this book a cordial welcome4 ,in neither home nor school is adequate attention now given to the training of the hands to skill in the use of any of the tools employed in the industrial arts4 ,it need hardly be stated that every boy should have at least a little training in this direction1 while to thousands1 such training is an essential part of their equipment as bread-winners and as useful citizens4 8,a ,boy's ,workshop0 is calculated to meet a need in this important respect1 and on this account alone1 is worthy of a place in the library of every home and school4 ,the desire to turn the energies of hands and brain upon constructive work1 is worthy and honorable4 ,let it have proper encouragement4 ,we have too little of the industry which follows habits well formed1 and too little of the thrift which follows skill4 ,society1 the ,state1 and the nation have need of the boy who has a workshop4 ,may every boy who wants one1 have one1 and ,god bless him6 ,,henry ,,randall ,,waite4 ,a ,,boy',s ,,workshop4 ,i4--,,the ,,shop ,,itself4 ,,if there is anything a boy really likes to have1 it is a workshop of his own4 ,but then it must be really his own2 a place where he can pound and hammer1 saw and whittle1 and make all the litter and noise he wants to1 without having to clear up things4 ,a boy likes a place where he can leave a thing half finished and be sure of finding it again4 ,he wants a key to the door1 so that he can lock up his treasures and know he shall find them safe the next spare hour he gets to work at some pet notion4 ,housemaids1 and sometimes even mothers1 don't see the difference between unfinished work and rubbish1 and off into the kindlings goes something that has cost a boy a lot of thought and work4 ,no wonder a fellow who isn't a saint1 but only a human boy1 gets out of patience and wishes emphatically1 that 8folks would just let his things alone60 ,so ,i say1 let every boy have his own workshop and a key to it4 ,where shall the workshop be8 ,i don't think it makes much difference4 ,there must be plenty of light1 of course1 and the room must not be damp4 ,my first workshop was in the attic1 with a skylight4 ,i liked it first-rate2 but it was a bother to bring the lumber up-stairs1 and then1 too1 the shavings and chips had to be carried down4 ,i got along with it capitally though for three years2 but ,i like my down-stairs shop better4 ,the noise of pounding and sawing never disturbs any one either1 if it is below4 ,one end of the woodshed can be partitioned off for a shop if there is no room in the house4 ,now you've got your workshop1 the next thing is1 8what shall go into it80 ,there are two ways to fit up a workshop4 ,the easiest and the quickest is also the most expensive3 i4 e4 get your father to tell the carpenter to fit it up1 and then buy a tool chest4 ,the objections are3 the expense and the doubtful quality of the tools in a ready-filled tool chest2 then1 to my thinking1 you lose a lot of fun yourself4 ,it is a good lesson in carpentry to make your own work bench and tool chest1 and the money you save that way can go into better tools4 ,every boy ought to remember this1 a cheap tool is probably a dear tool4 ,the very best is really the cheapest in the end1 and you can't do good work with poor tools4 ,of course the boys ,i am talking to are not in the infant class4 ,a boy who has never fooled round with tools1 who has never cared enough about carpentry to try his hand at tinkering up broken chairs and boxes1 the boy who hasn't got past mashing his fingers when he drives a nail1 and doesn't know the difference between cutting with a saw and whittling with a knife1 isn't the boy to care whether he has a workshop or not4 ,but ,i should like to help the boys who have had 8toy tool chests10 and have used them enough to find out 8they are no good10 and are really ambitious to do neat1 serviceable work1 and to know enough about the right use of good tools to be ready and able to do the hundred little odd jobs that come up in a house and can often be as well done by a boy carpenter as by a regular workman4 ,i know one boy who in one year1 doing odd jobs himself1 saved the full cost of his outfit4 ,when ,i began ,i couldn't find anybody to tell me the things ,i wanted to know4 ,i had to find them out for myself1 and that is just what ,i am going to try and tell you4 ,so we start with this understanding4 ,you are in earnest2 you wish to do good1 substantial work2 you haven't a great deal of money to spend1 and you are willing to let patience and labor make up for the lack of money1 knowing1 too1 that the lessons you will get making your work bench and tool chest will be worth considerable4 ,if your mother can spare you an old bureau1 or an old-fashioned washstand with a lid and a cupboard1 it will be handy in one corner of the workshop1 not only to hold your tools till the chest is made1 but to keep all sorts of odds and ends in by and by4 ,you ought to have a stout pair of overalls1 or a workman's apron made of ticking1 with a good pocket4 ,i have both1 and find them handy4 ,if it's a little job1 ,i slip on the apron2 if a long one it pays to get into the overalls4 ,your clothes keep clean1 and there's nothing to do when the dinner bell rings but to slip off the working uniform and wash your hands4 ,carpentry is cleaner work than printing4 ,i know1 for ,i have tried both4 ,now for the list of essential tools4 ,if it sounds large and expensive1 you must remember that once bought they will last for years1 and are your capital1 your stock in trade4 ,from time to time you will add to them4 ,if you live in ,boston or the vicinity1 ,i should advise you to go to ,goodnow and ,wightman's1 #agf1 or to ,wilkinson's1 #ahd ,washington street1 or some other first-rate establishment1 and get what you want4 ,on an order like this there would be quite a discount4 ,the prices vary from time to time1 so those in the list are given simply that you may have a general idea of the cost4 ,i will say here that it will pay you to have two or three practical lessons in the use of a saw1 a plane1 and a chisel1 from a carpenter4 ,if you are in the city1 there are regular classes where you can get such instructions4 ,it will save patience and tools4 ,hammer 4#ge to #a4jj ,saw 7cross-cut7 #af to #ah inch #a4be 7splitting7 #a4ce ,chisel #a inch socket firmer 4#fj 4#be ,bit brace 7plain #a4ej7 ratchet #b4jj ,bits 1 1 4#hj ,small bits and less for screws1 the set 4#ej ,screw-driver 7at ,wilkinson's ask for a gunmaker's and machinist's drop forged 7 4#dj ,hatchet 4#ge #b ft4 rule 4#be ,try square 7#i inch7 #a4jj ,oil stone 7#a or #b inches wide7 4#dj ,mallet 7large wooden7 4#ce ,small iron ,block ,plane 7,bailey's7 #a4be ,jack or ,fore ,plane1 ,stanley's #bj inch #b4be ,draw ,knife #g inch 4#gj #ae4aj ,nails and screws of various sizes can be got at any hardware store4 ,if you send an order through the village store1 be sure to send to first-class establishments1 and procure the following makes3 ,planes1 ,bailey's or ,stanley's1 iron and wood2 chisels and gouges1 ,buck or ,moulson2 braces1 ,barber2 saws1 ,henry ,diston2 rules and squares1 ,stanley2 files1 ,stubs1 ,greaves and ,sons4 ,,ii4--,,my ,,sawhorse ,,and ,,workbench4 ,,now that you have a fair assortment of tools to work with1 the next thing is to have a work-bench2 for even an accomplished carpenter can't do much without a good1 strong1 firm bench4 ,and of course you must have a sawhorse before you can have a bench2 but a sawhorse is a simple affair to make1 and ,i will tell you how to set about it right away1 for you ought not to buy anything that with a little trouble you can make4 ,besides it will be good1 plain practise with try-square1 saw and plane4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a ,the sawhorse for the average boy ought to stand about twenty or twenty-two inches high1 so that you can kneel with one knee on it easily4 ,you must get two pine boards3 ,a1 #f feet long1 #f inches wide1 #a inches thick4 ,b1 #ab #f #a ,take ,a1 cut off two and one half feet3 if not already planed1 plane nicely on all sides4 7,unplaned boards are cheaper than planed boards47 ,take this two and one half foot board and measure four inches from the end4 ,lay on try-square and draw a line across the board at dotted line4 7,see right end of fig4 #a47 ,then measure five and one half inches more from this line3 with try-square extend second line across the board4 ,measure one inch on all these lines from the outer edge of board1 and connect by lines b b and c c4 ,with cross-cut saw cut carefully through the one inch from a to b2 then with chisel cut out on line b b4 ,don't cut quite as deep on the lower edge1 for these openings are for the legs1 and should slope out a trifle1 that the legs may be farther apart on the floor than at the top when nailed on--one eighth of an inch will make difference enough for a good slant4 ,all four leg sockets must be done alike1 else your horse will be bow-legged and unsteady4 ,now plane the twelve-foot board ,b 7unless it is already planed74 ,square one end nicely2 measure off twenty-two inches4 ,lay try-square and draw a line across the board4 ,take the cross-cut saw and saw neatly on the line4 ,smooth the end with a block-plane1 bevelling it slightly1 so it will fit firmly on the floor4 ,this is for one leg4 ,do three more legs in the same way1 always trimming the ends with block-plane1 to make them stand upon the floor true and even4 ,illustration3 ,fig #b ,one thing1 boys1 you must remember3 ,in planing across the grain never plane to the end at first1 for you will chip the corners and spoil the end4 ,keep reversing the block2 i4 e4 first plane from ,a to ,b1 then from ,b towards ,a4 7,see fig4 #b47 ,before fitting the legs into their sockets1 plane the legs to fit the five and one half inch spaces made in the first board4 ,the inner upper edge of the legs must come exactly level with the top line of the board4 ,the outer edge will of course be higher on account of the slope of the slot1 and must be planed smooth with block-plane after the legs have been firmly nailed into place with three or four eight-penny nails4 ,to keep the legs from spreading apart at the ends1 you must make a sort of brace4 ,illustration3 ,fig #c ,take a piece of the board left after cutting off the legs1 and fit it across the legs under the top board in this way3 ,hold it close to the board and against the legs1 then draw a pencil line1 following the outside slant of the legs4 7,see fig4 #c47 ,now with cross-cut saw cut across on this line2 trim with block-plane before nailing2 put one piece on each end1 nailing through to the legs4 ,one thing more and then your horse is done2 ready to stand if not to go4 ,find the middle of one end of top board1 draw a line three inches long down the board1 with try-square4 ,then on the end measure one inch each side of this centre line4 7,see fig4 #d47 ,draw line from a to b1 and cut on lines with splitting-saw2 this will leave a triangular space which you will find very useful by and by in cutting small pieces of wood4 ,from board ,a there ought to be left a piece about three and one half feet long1 and from board ,b a piece about two feet long4 ,these you will put aside for further use4 ,now for the ,bench 7with a capital ,b1 because it is the principal partner in the firm of ,carpenter and ,co474 ,buy three good two-inch pine planks4 ,say two planks ten feet long1 one foot wide1 and one eight feet long1 six inches wide4 ,ready planed1 at the sawmills around here1 these cost about eight cents a foot2 a little less unplaned4 ,besides these1 you want one ten-foot inch board1 one foot wide2 this should cost about four cents a foot4 ,before you really start on your ,bench1 look around your workshop and decide where you will have it stand4 ,there must be a space ten feet long against the wall1 with plenty of light4 ,a window at the left is the best4 ,one thing you must have which ,i didn't reckon with the tools2 but it is easy to prepare4 ,i mean a chalk line4 ,there are fancy ones1 but the sort ,i'm going to describe does just as well4 ,illustration3 ,fig #d ,get a piece of curtain-cord twelve or fifteen feet long1 and make a loop on one end2 then provide yourself with a good piece of common chalk2 when you want to use it1 chalk the line well by passing the line over the chalk as you would wax thread2 to use it put the loop over a nail at one end of the line you wish to chalk1 hold the other taut1 and snap the line smartly in the middle2 it will leave a straight chalk line for a guide in cutting4 ,now take the shorter of the two-inch planks1 the one eight feet long1 make a mark in the middle of each end1 drive a small nail in the left-hand end exactly in the middle2 having chalked your line well1 slip the loop over the nail1 draw the line taut down the middle of the board to the other or right-hand end1 holding the line close to the board2 pluck the string sharply in the middle and you will find an even chalk line the whole length of the board4 ,put one end of the board over sawhorse1 take the splitting-saw and cut carefully down the line1 holding the saw a little more vertical than you would a cross-cut saw4 ,having divided your board thus1 lengthwise1 you will have two strips eight feet long1 three inches wide1 two inches thick4 ,with large plane smooth the rough sides of these strips as well as you can1 resting the boards on the sawhorse4 ,one end of each strip must be good and square3 if not so already1 take small block-plane and square it as best you can4 ,from the squared end measure thirty inches2 draw a line across the board4 ,then by aid of try-square make another line one eighth inch beyond4 ,this makes it easy to saw straight across the wood with a cross-cut saw4 ,take block-plane and square the end nicely4 ,illustration3 ,fig #e ,you have now prepared one leg of your bench ,cut another thirty-inch length in the same way from the piece left4 ,repeat this with the other strip4 ,you now have four legs for your bench just alike with nicely squared ends4 ,for cross-pieces cut from the pieces that remain two lengths of nineteen inches each2 cut and trim as before4 ,take one pair of legs 7i4 e4 two of the thirty-inch strips71 lay them on the floor on the two-inch side1 just nineteen inches apart4 ,at one end1 between the legs1 lay one of the nineteen-inch pieces also on the two-inch side1 so it will be flush with the squared ends of the legs2 hammer the legs on to the ends of the cross pieces with two or three twenty-penny nails4 ,this job ought to be done very neatly and accurately1 so that the shape will be exactly like fig4 #e4 ,if you are careless and let the legs spread while nailing1 your ,bench will be hopelessly rickety4 ,,iii4--,,my ,,sawhorse ,,and ,,workbench4 7,continued47 ,,to give greater firmness to the bench there must be some brace made this way3 ,take the ten-foot inch board2 square one end2 measure twenty-three inches with try-square2 cut off nicely with cross-cut saw4 ,now you have a board twenty-three inches long and twelve inches wide4 ,divide in middle at each end2 connect the points with chalk line1 then cut down this line with splitting saw4 ,you will have two pieces twenty-three inches long and six inches wide2 these are the two end braces4 ,lay one of these pieces across the legs you have just joined1 at the closed end4 ,all the edges must be flush2 if not1 plane them and make them true4 ,you will see that if you have measured and cut carefully they will come right1 for the legs are each two inches thick1 making four inches1 and the cross-piece is nineteen inches1 making twenty-three in all2 just the length of your brace4 ,nail the brace firmly into both legs and cross-piece with six-penny nails4 ,do the same with the other set of legs4 ,now in the space you have chosen for your bench1 stand up both pairs of legs endwise to the wall1 and six feet apart1 leaving full two feet clear beyond1 as your bench will be ten feet long when done4 ,take the two big planks 7the ten foot ones1 two inches thick71 measure two feet from each end of each plank3 draw a line in direction a a4 7,see fig4 #f47 ,then parallel to a a1 draw another1 b b1 one inch farther toward the middle of the board2 then another1 c c1 an inch beyond that1 always measuring away from the ends4 ,on these lines a a and b b mark the places for your screws in alternate spaces1 thus-- ,illustration3 99---------99---------99-----------99 ----99---------99---------99------ ,remember always that screws or nails put in diagonally like that hold more firmly than the same number in a straight line4 ,before putting in the screws1 see that the legs stand parallel and close to the wall2 put the first board on the legs so that the back edge of board is even with the back edge of the legs4 ,screw firmly into place1 taking care to have the outer edge of the legs directly under the first or dotted line2 this brings the screws evenly along the cross-piece4 ,lay the second board close to the first1 securing in same way2 the front edge of this second board ought to project one inch beyond the legs4 ,the heads of the screws on the top of the bench must be sunk4 ,you have left a board eight feet long1 one foot wide1 and one inch thick4 ,this board is to be put on in front directly under the top board and against the legs4 ,it should come flush at the right end only1 leaving space of two feet at the left4 ,nail this board on to the legs with six-penny nails4 ,you have now a capital bench1 which only needs a vise to complete it4 ,cut from the board ,b 7left from sawhorse7 a length of eighteen inches4 ,square both ends nicely2 lay this against the left hand front leg1 flush with the outer edge and coming close under the front board1 and nail firmly on to leg4 ,for seventy-five cents at a hardware store1 you can buy a wooden screw about two feet long for vise1 with shank one and three fourths inches diameter4 ,illustration3 ,fig #g ,on the front board1 ten inches from top of bench1 and about five inches from left edge1 draw a circle one and three fourths inches in diameter2 this circle when cut out should come as close to the leg as possible without cutting it4 ,to cut this hole take a five eighths bit and bore a series of holes round the inside of the one and three fourths inch circle4 7,see fig4 #g47 ,the piece in the middle will fall out and leave a rather rough hole2 but the edges can easily be trimmed4 ,then take the board ,a 7the three and one half foot piece71 cut it thirty-one inches long4 ,square one end and then round it as at ,d4 7,see fig4 #h47 ,on the back side draw a pencil line through the middle2 place the board against the left leg1 with the sharp edge flush with top of bench1 so that the pencil line will bisect the circular hole4 ,draw a similar circle on the board1 and cut out as before4 ,illustration3 ,fig #f ,be careful in the doing of this1 as the two holes must be exactly opposite for the screw to pass through4 ,you ought to have two bits of wood left after cutting the legs and cross-pieces4 ,take one of these bits and put behind the front board on its two inch side and about three inches to the right of the left leg and parallel with the leg4 ,it should just clear the hole4 ,fasten securely1 so that it will cross the joint ,a4 ,it will serve as a brace1 and also give a level bearing for the wooden nut which comes with the screw and is wound on the end of screw after it passes through the two holes4 ,your vise as it is will work all right for small pieces1 but if you have a large article to hold1 the loose board b will not keep its parallel position1 for the thickness of the object you have in above will throw out the top end1 and the lower end will of course swing in4 ,to remedy this and make your vise adjustable to work of any size1 you must do one more thing3 ,a little to the right of leg1 and one inch from the lower edge of the fixed upright1 cut a slot two inches high and one inch wide2 make a corresponding hole in the loose upright4 ,illustration3 ,fig #h ,take a strip of board two feet long1 two inches wide1 and one inch thick4 ,on a line drawn lengthwise through the middle measure one inch from end and mark2 then two inches from that point on same line make a second mark2 at both those points bore holes with half-inch bit and fit in a peg at each hole4 ,the pegs will be one and one half inches apart4 ,then at intervals of one inch bore two alternate rows of holes with half-inch bit1 as far as the length of the strip allows4 ,run this strip through the slot in loose board as in fig #h1 and through the corresponding slot in upright put a peg in a in front of loose board and a peg in b behind loose board2 these pegs will hold the strip firm in the slot in the loose board4 ,according to the size of the object to be held in use1 draw the loose board toward you and put third peg into hole at proper distance to keep the loose board parallel with the fixed upright4 ,you see by having holes enough in the strip you can adjust the vise to any size4 ,of course you understand that this is not needed in small work4 ,if you look closely at fig #f you will find that there is still one thing unexplained3 the rows of holes in the front board4 ,when you have some long piece of work in your vise you will find it troublesome to keep it level2 if you have a number of holes bored in the front of bench1 with a good peg to fit1 by changing the peg according to the height desired1 you can raise the right end of your piece of work to the right level4 ,a plain hook is a desirable addition to the work-bench3 its use is to hold a board when you wish to plane the surface4 ,it is adjustable according to the thickness of the board1 and should be set in and screwed on to the bench at point ,y4 ,it will cost at hardware store about seventy-five cents4 ,note4--,in fig4 #a 7the sawhorse7 one leg is drawn in dotted lines to show the way the leg is fitted into the hole1 and the right slant4 ,in fig4 #f the broken space in front board is to show the position of brace on right leg4 ,,iv4--,,use ,,of ,,tools4 ,,we begin with the saws1 of which you have two3 cross-cut saw1 and splitting saw4 ,the use of a cross-cut saw1 as the name implies1 is to cut across the grain or fibre of the wood3 it is one of the most indispensable tools we have4 ,the teeth are finer and closer together than those of the splitting saw1 which1 as the name describes1 is intended to cut with the grain1 usually lengthwise1 of a piece of wood4 ,never try to substitute one for the other1 for you would injure your tools4 ,when you want to use a cross-cut saw1 the saw should be held at an angle of about forty-five degrees1 and must also be held steadily without swerving to the right or left2 otherwise the teeth of the saw will stick1 and you cannot make a clean cut4 ,you will observe in looking at a saw that the teeth are set1 as it is called2 every other point turning a little away to the right or left of a straight line2 the reason of this is1 to make the cut wider than the saw blade2 otherwise after cutting in a little way the friction would make the blade bind4 ,saws are1 or should be1 in proper condition to use when they are bought2 if not1 or if by any accident the teeth should get bent1 you must have the saw set without meddling with it yourself4 ,a splitting saw is used differently from a cross-cut saw2 it should be held more nearly upright2 the cutting is always done on the down stroke4 ,never press the saw against the wood2 the teeth will catch1 and the saw bend1 and the wood won't be cut if you add any weight to that of the saw itself4 ,there is a certain amount of knack required in order to saw well1 but practise will improve even the most awkward workman4 ,always saw slowly and easily1 in a sort of regular time4 ,be sure the wood is held firmly and doesn't hop4 ,,use ,,of ,,planes4 ,we have jack-planes1 smoothing-planes1 and block-planes4 ,when you want to make aboard thinner1 or smoother1 it has got to be planed2 also the sides and edges of a board are sometimes rough1 or you wish to bevel them4 ,if the grain of the wood is perfect1 there is no trouble about planing in either direction1 but generally the grain runs in a slight slant or angle to the surface of the board instead of parallel to it4 ,if1 then1 you start your plane and plane 8against the grain0 of the board1 the edge of the plane will catch in ends of the grain lines1 and the surface will be chipped instead of smoothed4 ,if1 however1 you start it and plane 8with the grain10 the ends of the grain lines are smoothed down1 like the feathers on a bird's wing when you stroke it down instead of up4 ,so it is well to be sure about the grain before you begin to plane4 ,sometimes the grain is twisted and runs one way in one part of the board and another way in another part in a wavy line4 ,then you must vary the planing according to the surface4 ,you would soon learn these simple things perhaps1 but to know them at the outset will save you some vexation4 ,the smoothing-plane is much shorter than the jack-plane1 and is used for smoothing smaller pieces which would be lost under the jack-plane1 and also for smoothing inequalities left by the jack-plane4 ,i have put no smoothing-plane on your list1 as for ordinary work the block-plane can be used as a smoothing-plane4 ,thus3 ,turn the small thumb-screw at the front of the block-plane and press it forward2 this opens the mouth of the plane so that the plane can be set more and cut a larger shaving4 ,now for the proper use of the block-plane1 remembering to restore it to its original set if you have been using it as a smoothing-plane4 ,to smooth the ends of boards you need a small plane which can be set very fine2 i4 e41 with the blade projecting very little from the face of the plane1 and with the mouth so closed that the blade will not chip in cutting4 ,one important principle must be practically learned before you can do good work3 ,everything in carpentry from beginning to end must be done on the square4 ,in planing1 above all things1 the square must begin every bit of work1 and end it1 and be used to test it1 all the way along2 it is just what the name implies1 a try square2 so perhaps the next thing explained had better be some of the uses of the square4 ,to give all the uses of this apparently simple tool would be to give you a thorough knowledge of geometry1 and fill a volume4 ,i will1 however1 give some of the more common uses3 #a4 ,in sawing across a board1 if you wish to have the cut true and even1 you must use the square4 ,one edge is1 of course1 already planed1 and from this all your lines are drawn4 ,you wish1 we will suppose1 to saw three inches from the end of your board2 lay the thick or handle part of the square close against the even edge of the board1 three inches from the end2 you will find that the blade lies flat across1 the board at a right angle with the edge1 and a pencil line drawn close to the blade will be a guide for cutting4 #b4 ,to test the evenness of the end of a board which you have been trimming with a block-plane3 ,apply the square to the side and edge of the board2 if the work is true1 the blade will be level with the end of the board2 if uneven1 the defect is quickly seen4 #c4 ,it is well to test your square itself2 thus3 ,lay your square snug against a straight edge with the handle to the left2 draw a line where the edge of the blade comes3 then reverse the square1 having the handle to the right2 draw a similar line3 if the square is true the lines will coincide2 if they diverge ever so little the square is imperfect1 and you should buy another4 #d4 ,in planing the edge of a board1 put the handle of the square against the face of the board2 the blade will then go across the edge1 and you can soon see if it is even2 i4 e41 at right angles with the face of the board4 ,hammering a nail seems a very simple thing1 but there's a right way and a wrong way to do that1 as you'll find for yourself after you've split two or three bits of work2 but you might as well learn the right way at first4 ,if you look at a nail of any size1 from a brad to a twenty-penny spike1 you will find that the sides are parallel and straight1 and two are wedge-shape or sloping2 also one of the straight sides is finished smooth1 the other is rough4 ,a nail is virtually a wedge4 ,now the principle of the wedge is to split things when the wedge goes with the grain1 as when you split a board with an axe or hatchet2 for an axe is a wedge1 as you will see if you think about it4 ,if1 then1 your nail is put in wedge-fashion with the grain1 ten to one the second good tap with your hammer splits the board2 if1 however1 you turn the nail the other way1 so the wedge side is across the grain1 and the straight side with the grain1 the nail is held firm by the grain pressing against the wedge1 and the board doesn't split4 ,this is the reason that fine work is done with brads better than with tacks1 for tacks are wedge-shaped on all sides1 and in driving them if the wood is thin it is very apt to split4 ,always start a nail in the direction you mean to have it go1 and don't depend on straightening it afterwards4 ,if1 however1 it gets a wrong slant1 don't bend it back with your fingers1 nor hit it a knock sideway with your hammer which will likely enough break the nail short off2 but with every regular stroke of your hammer give an inclination in the right way1 and it will get there4 ,don't hold on to the nail too long2 in soft wood the second hammer tap ought to find the nail firm enough to stay4 ,don't make the first or the second hammer stroke a long hard one2 if you do1 likely as not you'll mash your fingers4 ,the first tap should be light and short2 get the swing gradually1 a few inches first1 adding a few inches more with each stroke2 by the time you want full force to drive the nail home1 you'll find you can't hit anywhere but on the head of the nail4 ,this is something that practise alone can make you perfect in4 ,if you watch a good building-carpenter1 it seems as if he threw the nail into place with one hand and hit it on the way4 ,don't think you must look at each nail in order to place it right4 ,your eyes must be in your finger tips2 the smooth side goes with the grain4 ,always keep the different sizes of nails separate2 then you won't be bothered by finding the wrong nail in your fingers when you are in the midst of a job4 ,in using chisels and gouges never strike with a hammer1 but always with a wooden mallet2 the hammer splits the handles4 ,in most chisel work it is better to put the bevel edge to the line you wish to cut until you have cut out most of the wood1 then finish with the other edge and the pressure of your hand instead of the mallet4 ,it will be easier to explain the use of the other tools as we come to them in construction4 ,v4--,,how ,,to ,,make ,a ,,tool ,,cabinet4 ,,now that you've got some very good tools1 it is time you knew how to take care of them as well as to use them4 ,the best tools will grow rusty and dull1 and shabby1 also1 even if they don't hide away out of sight just when you most want to use them1 unless you have a proper place to put them and always remember to put them in that place when you have done using them4 ,i suppose you think you must have a tool chest for this2 now a tool chest is a very good thing if you want to carry your tools on a journey1 i4 e4 if you are a city boy and want to take your kit up into the country and have the tools safe from jarring under the hands of the baggage-smashers2 but ,i've found that a tool chest isn't as handy to have in the work shop as a tool cabinet2 so ,i'm going to tell you how to make a good tool cabinet with less expense of money1 material and labor than a tool chest would require4 ,but you must be more exact and careful in measuring and cutting than you had to be in making the sawhorse and bench4 ,in getting your materials1 try to have the boards fully one foot wide and three fourths of an inch thick4 ,it is easier to make estimates on these dimensions1 and foot boards are usually the easier to obtain2 so all the measures for the cabinet are made with reference to these dimensions4 ,if you happen to have boards that are wider or narrower1 you must do a little figuring on your own account and make the proper allowance4 ,for a tool cabinet three feet three inches long and two feet wide1 which will hold all the tools on the list given in the first paper and leave room for several more that you will be likely to own by and by1 you must have one six-foot board fully twelve inches wide and three fourths of an inch thick2 one seven-foot board1 twelve inches wide1 one half inch thick2 one nine-foot board1 twelve inches wide1 one half inch thick2 also a number of three fourths inch screws which you are supposed to have in stock2 one pair brass 7or iron7 hinges for three fourths inch board1 and a hook for fastening1 unless you prefer a lock4 ,take three fourths inch board 7the one six feet long71 plane both edges2 then by aid of chalk line and splitting-saw1 cut off a strip two and one half inches wide1 running the whole length of the board4,a ,a ,i do not explain again how to use a chalk line and a splitting-saw1 for you ought to thoroughly understand that if you have read the other papers and made the sawhorse and workbench yourself4 ,the board that remains should be nine and one half inches wide4 ,smooth the edge with plane enough to remove the roughness left by the saw2 then cut off another strip two and one half inches wide like the first4 ,smooth the edge of the remaining seven-inch board2 then divide this seven-inch board into two even strips which will be six feet long and about three and one half inches wide1 perhaps a trifle less1 from the loss in planing4 ,all these strips will have one edge that has been planed and one left rough by the saw4 ,if you lay them together you will find that you have two pairs of strips2 one pair two and one half inches wide1 and one pair three and one half inches wide4 ,each pair must be alike in width1 otherwise the cabinet will be uneven and lobsided2 so before going any farther lay the strips together and plane down any inequalities4 ,now take one of the three and one half inch strips with try square and block plane4 ,square one end2 measure three feet three inches from squared end and allow one eighth inch for waste in cutting4,b ,cut off square with cross-cut saw4 ,square end of piece cut and also of piece remaining4 ,measure twenty-two and one fourth inches and cut and plane as before4 ,do the same with the other three and one half inch strip4 ,you have now two sides and top and bottom of main part of cabinet1 and some small bits left for which we shall find a use1 i4 e4 you have two pieces three feet three inches long and three and one half inches wide1 for sides1 and two pieces twenty-two and one fourth inches long and three and one half inches wide for top and bottom4 ,b ,where accuracy is required always allow one eighth inch for waste in sawing2 draw line and saw on the line and plane off any thickness over and above the measure required4 ,now take the two and one half inch strips2 cut three feet three inches off each1 also twenty-two and one fourth inches as with the others4 ,each set of pieces must be alike in length and width2 you have two pieces three feet three inches long and two and one half inches wide1 and two pieces twenty-two and one fourth inches long1 two and one half inches wide2 these are for sides1 and top and bottom of door of cabinet4 ,lay these four pieces aside while we get ready for the back of the cabinet and front part of door4 ,from the seven-foot board 7after planing and squaring one end7 cut off three feet three inches2 plane square the ends and cut off another piece three feet three inches4,c ,c ,always remember to square and plane edges before measuring from them4 ,from the nine-foot board in the same way cut two similar pieces three feet three inches2 smooth edges1 planing off as little as possible4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,tool ,,cabinet ,,open4 ,the piece remaining will measure about two and one half feet in length2 from this cut off a piece twenty-two and one fourth inches long4 ,saw strip three and one half inches wide1 which to save confusion we will mark ,a2 plane edges1 cut off another strip two and one half inches wide2 mark this ,b4 ,next a strip three and one half inches wide2 mark this ,c4 ,cut ,c so as to measure seventeen and one half inches in length4 ,the cabinet is now mostly cut out2 the next step is to put it together4 ,take pieces for sides and top and bottom of cabinet4 ,lay two sides parallel at a distance of twenty-two and one fourth inches apart2 put top and bottom in so they will be flush with end of sides4 ,nail the sides on to ends with six or eight-penny nails4 ,take care to keep the corners square1 as they will be if the edges are even and kept flush4 ,before nailing on the back test the squareness of the frame in this way 7unless your eye is very accurate2 even then it is a good thing to get in the habit of measuring exactly73 measure the diagonals from the opposite corner4 ,if the measures are alike1 all right2 if1 however1 one diagonal be longer than the other1 make it right with gentle1 steady pressure on each corner with both hands4 ,when the diagonals are exactly alike the corners will also be right angles4 ,now lay on two of the two and one half inch pieces 7those three feet three inches long and one foot wide72 be sure and keep all the edges flush and nail firmly4 ,do the same with pieces prepared for doors1 and you will find you have two shallow boxes three feet three inches long and two feet wide 7outside measure72 one will be three and one half inches deep1 the other two and one half inches deep4 ,now take piece marked ,a1 which is for a shelf in the cabinet2 measure and mark six and one half inches from right hand end 7this is the length for the small plane72 then measure and mark another one half inch beyond this point2 from this last point measure length of your oilstone1 which is probably six or eight inches4 ,the space remaining will make a sort of box1 or tray1 for rule1 chalk line and reel1 pencils1 etc41 when you have made some use of the bits of wood you had left after cutting the shelves4 ,in the one half inch space between place for plane and oilstone put a little block one half inch wide and one inch long4 ,at the end of space for oilstone nail a strip an inch wide across the shelf1 and a similar strip in front4 ,this makes one side and front of tray2 the other side and back will be formed by the cabinet itself4 ,,vi4--,,how ,,to ,,make ,a ,,tool ,,cabinet4 7,continued47 ,,after shelf ,a is fitted in this way1 you will nail it into its place in cabinet so that the top of shelf is just seven inches above top of lower shelf1 or bottom of cabinet which serves for a shelf4 ,after the shelf is fitted into its place in the cabinet1 you will find that at one end you have a convenient little tray to hold such things as chalk-line1 rule1 pencils1 and other small things that are always getting out of sight when you most need them4 ,the plan for ,a is just six inches above lower shelf 7or bottom of cabinet74 ,n4 ,b4 ,all measurements now are inside measurements4 ,b is twenty-two and one fourth inches long and two and one half inches wide4 ,draw a line down the middle of this strip 7i4 e41 one and one fourth inches from each side74 ,measure one inch from left-hand end and mark4 ,then from this point on pencil line measure one and one half inches and mark again4 ,repeat this until you have six points marked on the pencil line1 with one and one half inch spaces between4 ,from the last point measure one inch1 and mark4 ,repeat at intervals of one inch until you have thirteen with inch spaces4 ,this should leave about three fourths of an inch on right end4 ,illustration3 ,,tool-,,doors4 ,on the first six marks 7those one and one half inches apart7 bore five eighths inch auger holes4 ,these are for tool sockets4 ,first two for the chisels you have already2 next three for the chisels or gouges you may have2 the last for the screwdriver4 ,there must be doors for the tools to enter by2 so you must cut openings one half inch wide from the front of shelf to each hole4 ,this is easily done with your cross-cut saw1 leaving spaces as in drawing4 ,you have still thirteen marks with inch spaces4 ,bore nine holes a trifle larger than the shanks of the bits you are to place therein2 three of these bits you already have2 the other six spaces are for the bits you are likely to purchase by and by4 ,the four remaining marks are for holes graduated in size1 thus3 ,first1 one with three eighths inch bit 7one of those belonging to smaller set72 second1 with one fourth inch2 third and fourth1 with the next smaller sizes2 each bit going into a hole a size larger than itself4 ,these smaller bits go in point down4 ,it will be a great convenience to mark the numbers of the bits on the shelf against their sockets4 ,shelf ,b is to be nailed twenty and one fourth inches above shelf ,a4 ,now for shelf ,c4 ,ten inches from left-hand end1 put small one half inch block for same purpose as similar block on shelf ,a2 i4 e41 to keep plane from sliding4 ,nail shelf ,c three inches above shelf ,a in left-hand side of cabinet4 ,this little shelf of course does not reach across the cabinet like the others4 ,six and one fourth inches above shelf ,c1 and four inches from left-hand side of cabinet1 bore hole with one half inch bit1 which shall have a slant downward4 ,parallel to this1 and eight inches to the right1 make another hole just like it4 ,insert in these holes wooden pegs two inches long4 ,be sure they fit firmly with back of cabinet4 ,these pegs are for the draw-shave to hang upon1 as seen in diagram4 ,ten and three fourth inches above shelf ,a1 and three inches from right-hand side1 make one half inch hole slanting down2 one and one half inches beyond make another2 insert pegs three inches long4 ,these are for the mallet4 ,the body of the cabinet is now fitted1 and we will go to work on the cover4 ,take two blocks one inch square and one and one half inches long2 draw a line lengthwise exactly in the centre of each2 cut down the line one half inch deep the length of block4 ,put one of these blocks slit uppermost on bottom shelf of door four inches from left-hand corner4 ,five and one half inches to the right1 put the other2 fasten into place with screws4 ,twenty-one inches above first block1 four and one half inches from side of door1 put block one inch square1 one and one half inches long4 ,this goes on horizontally1 parallel with lower block4 ,in centre of this make small hole1 say one fourth inch deep1 with smallest bit4 ,make a second block just like it1 and place five and one half inches to the right of the first one4 ,then from one half inch wood1 cut two little strips two inches long1 one half inch wide1 for buttons4 ,in the middle bore hole large enough for screw to turn freely2 attach to middle of upper blocks with screws4 ,the tips of the saw-blades go into the slits in the lower blocks4 ,the openings in the handles slip over the wooden buttons which you have just made1 and which are horizontal when the saws are put on1 and are then turned like the button on a barn door to hold the saws firmly in place4 ,now we must provide for the hatchet1 so it will not get harm nor do harm4 ,take block of one inch wood1 five inches long1 three inches wide2 plane one half of one face in a slant from the middle1 so one edge will be three fourths thick1 leaving one half the block one inch thick1 as at first4 ,bore two holes in the half that is still square1 big enough for two screws to go through and fasten on to lower shelf or bottom of door4 ,this block in its place is one inch wide at the bottom1 and three fourths inches at top1 leaving a kind of bevel five inches long for hatchet-blade1 between block and back of door4 ,put hatchet in2 hold it upright and mark where handle needs support to keep it horizontal2 probably about nine inches from blade2 with screws fasten on two small brackets1 or else put in slanting pegs1 if you do not care about the looks outside4 ,four inches from top1 and five and one half inches from left-hand side1 put similar bracket or peg2 three and one half inches further1 on the same line1 put another2 these will serve to support the bit brace1 and ,i have left enough room for the keyhole-saw1 which you can see in the diagram1 and which some time you will like to own4 ,now cut a piece of wood three inches long1 two inches wide1 and three fourths inches thick2 draw line across one end and down the edge two inches long4 ,cut this line out as you did for the slits for the saws1 and then 7slit up of course7 with two screws put through the lower part1 fasten block at point ten inches from right-hand side1 just far enough above the saws to clear them4 ,this is for the try square1 the slit being for the blade4 ,fifteen inches from left-hand side1 and four inches from top1 put a bracket2 on the same line1 one and one half inches farther from the left side1 put another2 these are for the hammer4 ,you now have all your tools in place4 ,you will in all probability have had some tools in the house before we began1 such as pincers1 gimlets1 perhaps a saw2 but of course ,i have not a list of those things4 ,so ,i have simply given you a good deal of room to put them in1 and by this time you ought to know how to secure them in their places4 ,,vii4--,,hinges ,,and ,,lock4 ,,to make the tool cabinet complete there must be hinges and a lock4 ,these you can get at a hardware store4 ,ask for hinges for three quarters inch wood1 and about three inches long2 you will need three hinges1 and the screws to fit the holes4 ,brass hinges are best1 and look neater and more tasteful than iron1 though iron will do4 ,if the screws don't come with the hinges1 then look out some that will fit1 from your stock on hand4 ,the first thing for you to settle is which way you wish the cabinet to open2 i4 e4 to the right as in the diagram1 or to the left as might be if the only place for your cabinet happened to be a corner which would not admit of opening to the right4 ,suppose the door is to open to the right4 ,find the middle of the front edge of the right hand side of cabinet4 ,mark across the edge1 then measure one and one half inches each way from that line and mark4 ,this is the place for the middle hinge4 ,five inches from the lower corner on the same side1 and five inches from the upper corner measure and mark2 then measure three inches further from these last lines and mark2 these are for upper and lower hinges4 ,in these three spaces1 so marked1 cut out rectangles as deep as the thickness of one wing of the hinge4 ,repeat these measurements1 markings and cuttings on the left hand side of cover or door4 ,be careful in measuring so that the two halves of the cabinet will come together and exactly match4 ,now to put on the hinges3 ,take one hinge1 shut it together tight1 so as to be sure you are folding it the right way2 then open till the wings are at right angles4 ,lay left wing into space cut for it in right side of cabinet4 ,take care to have the wing fit neatly1 letting the round edge of hinge project4 ,screw firmly into place4 ,put all the hinges in place on the cabinet before beginning on the cover4 ,now lay the cabinet down flat on your workbench1 or on the floor4 ,put the cover down beside it1 with a bit of board or blocks underneath thick enough to bring the hinge places of the door on a level with those of the cabinet4 ,then fasten the right hand wings of hinges into the places prepared on the left side of door4 ,be careful1 as before1 to have the round part of hinge project so that it will work freely and have the wings flush with inside of cabinet and door4 ,when open1 there will be a narrow space between the door and cabinet1 but when closed they will fit tight4 ,now for a fastening3 ,if you simply wish to keep the cabinet closed when not in use1 you can put a hook on the door1 the eye on the cabinet4 ,if however you wish to lock up your tools for safe keeping1 you must invest in a good lock and key4 ,the best sort for your purpose is what is called a chest-lock4 7,fig4 #a47 ,they come in various sizes1 so ,i can't give exact measurements4 ,it must of course go in the middle of the side opposite the hinges4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,as you look at the lock you will see that one face is smooth1 and the other side1 where you find the keyhole1 is irregular4 ,this irregular part is the one that sets into the wood4 ,from the inside of cabinet 7opposite the middle hinge7 cut a place to correspond in size with the lock so that it will fit neatly4 ,the opening for the key must of course be cut through on to the outside of cabinet4 ,be careful to do this neatly and cut out no more than is needful for the key to pass in freely4 ,by and by1 on a bit of nicer work1 ,i will tell you how to put on a scutcheon to guard the keyhole1 but it isn't necessary for this4 ,the other part of the lock which has the tongue1 or tongues1 is fitted into the door of the cabinet in the same way2 the tongues of course projecting from the edge of the side4 ,be careful to have them come exactly opposite the openings for them in the cabinet side4 ,you cannot be too exact in carpentry4 ,the next thing is to fasten the cabinet securely against the wall4 ,of course you can stand it on the end of your bench1 but it is better on the wall4 ,you will need four strips of brass four inches long1 one inch wide1 and about one eighth thick1 with four holes for screws bored in each piece4 ,two of these go on the top corners1 and two on the lower corners of cabinet4 ,put them on so that the screws will go through into the inch-thick side of cabinet1 not merely into the thinner back4 ,half the length of the brass piece with two holes must project above on the upper corners1 and below on lower corners4 7,fig4 #b47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,you will want some one to hold the cabinet steady for you while you secure it with long heavy screws1 two at each corner4 ,of course your tools are not in the cabinet while you are at work upon it4 ,one word of caution3 ,if the cabinet is to go in a corner1 leave a few inches 7i4 e4 the thickness of the door7 measured outside between the wall and hinges1 or you'll find you can't open the door4 ,if you have carefully followed all the directions1 you have now a good1 plain1 serviceable tool cabinet4 ,if you would like to stain it1 which would improve the looks1 ,i will try to tell you how4 ,you must not get discouraged if the first attempt doesn't turn out very well1 for one must practise even to stain well2 but the cabinet is a good thing to start with4 ,of course the staining is easier done before the cabinet is hung2 but a neat workman can do it on the wall4 ,first determine the color you wish your stain to be4 ,i should say black walnut1 as it is the easiest to put on1 and you will not be likely to tire of it4 ,the quantities ,i give will do more than the cabinet2 but if stoppered tight will keep for future use1 and for very small quantities you have to pay exorbitant prices4 ,i haven't much faith in home-made stains2 they cost about as much1 and are not very satisfactory4 ,at any oil or paint shop1 get a quart of stain1 which will cost forty or fifty cents2 one fourth pound clear glue for sizing--this ought not to be more than eight or nine cents2 one quart nice varnish 7what is called inside coach varnish is the best71 this will cost about seventy-five cents2 at same time get a small piece of putty1 same color as the stain2 the man at the paint shop where you get your stain1 will color the putty for you4 ,with this colored putty fill up all holes made by nail heads or screws4 ,if you are on good terms with a painter1 he will likely enough lend you a couple of brushes4 ,if you have to buy them1 get one large and one small1 costing from fifty to seventy-five cents4 ,see that the surface of the cabinet is free from dust2 to make sure1 wipe inside and out with soft cloth4 ,stir the stain up thoroughly from the bottom of the can with a small stick2 repeat this frequently1 otherwise your stain will not be even colored4 ,with the large brush put on one coat of stain1 remembering always to draw the brush in one direction and with the grain of the wood4 ,put on as evenly as possible2 always pat and press the brush on the side of the can so it will not drip1 otherwise your stain will be streaky4 ,let this dry thoroughly for half a day where no dust is flying4 ,prepare the size by melting glue in warm water1 add boiling water till thin and smooth1 then add a spoonful of lime water4 ,clean the stain brush in warm water and use it for the size2 one coat put on evenly so as to cover every part stained2 clean your brush again in warm water4 ,next day put on the varnish2 this requires especial care4 ,it must be a thin1 even coat if you wish to have a creditable job4 ,it is worth taking pains4 ,it ought to have a day or two to dry in a place where no dust is flying4 ,if you are in a hurry1 you can use shellac1 which dries almost instantly2 but for this very reason1 is much harder to put on well4 ,i always prefer the coach varnish4 ,the small brush is handy for the shelves and corners4 ,make a neat job1 and don't let the size or the varnish get into lumps in the corners4 ,,viii4--,,curtain ,,poles4 ,,perhaps this paper will sound more like upholstery than carpentry1 but there is carpentry in it1 and of the sort too that boy-carpenters can do just as well as men-carpenters1 and make changes in accordance to the requirement of the windows for which they are planning1 the material at hand and their own taste4 ,always remember that mere rules for such work are not enough1 and that you must keep on hand a good supply of common sense4 ,if you should look in the yellow-covered ,farmer's ,almanac1 hanging by a loop in the chimney corner1 you'd see1 8,about this time look out for clearing weather20 that means clearing out and cleaning up and setting the house in order inside1 as well as old ,mother ,earth outside3 what our mothers call 8spring cleaning40 ,curtains come down to be washed and put up again1 and it's a good time1 too1 to put up curtains where there never have been any1 for nothing makes a room look more homelike and inviting than drapery of some sort or other1 no matter how simple4 ,it used to be the fashion to tack curtains across the top of a window-frame with a strip of stamped brass-work called a cornice1 or a bit of bright chintz1 or turkey red1 or something like a ruffle1 to cover the edges2 but curtain poles1 or rods and rings1 are the fashion now4 ,they are prettier than the other things1 and have one advantage beside3 the curtains can be pushed quite to one side when one wants more air or light1 and can be drawn close together again when more perfect shade is needed4 ,suppose you want to fix up your own room to look pretty and not cost very much4 ,i found it good fun to make something useful out of something other people had discarded as useless4 ,i'll tell you how ,i made my room look cosey1 and what ,i did it with4 ,it had just one window1 a half-dormer as they call it1 and looked to the west1 out over the hills2 but the sun shone in very bright and hot in the afternoon1 and ,i had to have a dark shade which ,i fitted myself from one that had belonged to a larger window4 ,it kept the sun out1 but it was not pretty1 and ,i was determined to have some draperies4 ,of course ,i could not make curtains1 for a boy is more handy with a hammer than a needle2 but when mother found what ,i was up to1 she said she'd give me the curtains if ,i could do all the rest4 ,they were very simple1 just cream-colored ,nottingham lace1 and cost #a4jj4 ,they might have been made of unbleached strainer cloth at six cents a yard1 with a ruffle1 if this had been for your mother or sister who didn't mind sewing2 but it is the pole ,i mean to tell you about4 ,i'm sure to look at it you would never guess what that pole was1 or where ,i got it4 ,up in the attic1 in one corner1 ,i found an old ,united ,states map1 so old1 so out of date that as a map it had been useless for years and years1 for it was printed when the ,state of ,ohio was 8way out ,west40 ,the map used to hang in grandfather's library half a century ago4 ,it had black rollers with acorn knobs on the ends4 ,i thought right away that the smooth slender pole would be just the thing for a curtain pole if ,i could get the map off without splitting the roller which was of soft pine stained black4 ,a sharp knife and a little care did it4 ,one of the knobs was easily loosened4 ,then ,i measured carefully over my window and cut the pole the right length and fitted the knobs smoothly into place4 ,a little sandpaper and a coat of varnish made my stained pine roller look like ebony4 ,but what was ,i to do for curtain rings6 ,the pole was too slender for the heavy wooden rings sold by the dozen at the upholsterer's2 besides ,i did not want to spend any money4 ,back to the attic ,i went and rummaged in what we call the 8trumpery box10 full of the odds and ends that accumulate in an old house4 ,among a lot of brass knobs and hooks and hinges1 ,i came across a lot of dingy metal rings tied together with a bit of stout string4 ,the rings were about an inch and a half across2 ,i could not tell what the rings were made of1 they were so black1 but ,i thought a good washing would bring out the complexion1 so ,i put the rings into a bath of ammonia and soda1 which soon showed that under the black coating was something very much like brass4 ,a stiff brush and a little fine pummice gave me a dozen glittering rings1 six for each curtain4 ,i divided the curtains evenly2 with strong thread fastened the rings in place on the upper edge of each curtain and slipped them on to the pole4 ,two inches from the ends of the pole ,i screwed the little rings through which the cord had passed when the map was hung4 ,a little hook at each end of the upper window frame served to hang my pole1 which of course was very light1 but heavy enough for muslin or lace4 ,in the same 8trumpery box0 ,i found two brass knobs 7door knobs1 ,i guess they were74 ,i screwed one of these each side of the window and looped back my curtains4 ,there was my window1 as new-fashioned or as old-fashioned as you choose to call it1 but very pretty and inexpensive4 ,there are few old houses in the country that would not give at least as much to work with as ,i had4 ,the old rollers on old-fashioned paper shades1 such as you will find in lots of up-country attics1 would make just as good poles stained and varnished4 ,even the acorn caps are not essential1 for many of the most fashionable portieres and curtain poles1 nowadays1 especially those of bamboo1 have no caps at all on the ends3 only then you put a screw in at right angles1 to keep the end ring from coming off4 ,that was the first curtain pole that ,i put up4 ,the next room ,i tried my hand on had a bay with three windows1 and was harder to manage1 but it did not cost very much after all4 ,i saw an advertisement of an odd lot of curtain poles with rings and brackets complete for seventy-five cents apiece4 ,since then ,i have seen them advertised for sixty cents1 which is cheaper than you can get the wood and turn them for yourself4 ,i found that two poles would do for the three windows1 for the side windows were narrow1 and half a pole was enough for each4 ,i only wanted two ends instead of the four that belonged with the poles1 so a trifle was allowed1 enough to give me some extra rings and two extra brackets4 ,the first thing to do was to get the angle of the bay3 this ,i did with some mathematical instruments1 but you might not have those handy1 and this way will give it near enough4 ,take a good-sized piece of stiff paper 7stout wrapping paper will do71 lay a straight edge on the floor against the mop-board of the middle window1 and fold the end of the paper to exactly fit the side mop-board1 something like this4 ,then fold the straight edges together and you will have the angle shown in the dotted line4 ,measure length of middle and side windows and cut the poles at the angle shown by the folded paper3 a few brads will secure the slanting ends when they are neatly put together4 ,illustration ,the brackets that come with these cheap poles are iron spikes bent up at one end4 ,two are used for each pole2 they are driven into the wall about four or five inches from the ends of the poles1 and the poles rest on the brackets2 of course the joined corners count as ends1 and are supported in the same way4 ,some prefer to put ring-headed screws into the poles and slip the rings over the ends of the spikes2 and more expensive poles have brass 8cup brackets0 which of course are ornamental1 but also expensive4 ,the wooden rings have ring screws on which to fasten the curtains4 ,the number used is a matter of taste and depends upon the stuff the curtains are made of1 the size of the folds you want1 and the number of rings you have4 ,five or six do very well for a yard-wide curtain4 ,be sure and divide evenly2 put one ring at each upper corner and the rest as they come2 a few stitches with coarse thread will secure them1 or better still1 an inch of tape slipped through the ring and fastened by the doubled ends on to the edge of the cloth4 ,you can buy curtain hooks if you like1 and have them sewed on4 ,these are something like big dress hooks3 the advantage is1 that when you want to take curtains down you just unhook them from the rings without taking the poles down at all4 ,i know a boy who made a pretty pair of curtain-poles out of two straight1 slender beech saplings2 he twisted rings out of stout wire and wound them with crossway strips of dark cloth4 ,for muslin curtains1 loops of bright ribbons instead of rings would be prettier still on such rustic poles4 ,would you like to know what curtains went on to my sixty-cent poles8 ,they are very 8sthetic0 in color1 but are just soft ,canton flannel at a shilling a yard4 ,the centre of olive1 the sides dark crimson with bands between of darker olive4 ,these are looped away on either side with bands made of the flannel and underneath are full curtains of six-cent scrim1 7unbleached74 ,but curtain-making belongs to the girls1 so having told you how to make the poles and put them up1 ,i will leave the rest to them4 ,,ix4--,,book-,,rest4 ,,perhaps you would like now to make something useful and pretty for your father or your big brother1 so ,i will try to tell you how to make a book-rest like one ,i made myself for ,christmas4 ,it has no fancy carving about it1 but is made 7as you can see by the illustration7 of straight pieces4 ,the directions for finding the angles might be given mathematically1 so that you could get them for yourself with a little figuring1 but it will be easier practically to find the angles in the way ,i describe1 and they will be accurate enough for this piece of work4 ,for the book-rest you must buy some planed whitewood which is preferable to any other on account of staining4 ,a piece eighteen inches long1 twelve inches wide and one half inch thick1 will be enough2 it will cost about ten cents4 ,lengthwise with chalk-line mark off eleven strips five eighths inch wide2 cut them with splitting-saw and plane1 the sides cut with fore-plane1 making each strip ,,just one half inch in breadth as well as thickness4 ,we will begin with the uprights for the front4 ,take one of these strips1 square one end3 then measure a little over one half inch down the stick1 and with try-square make a continuous line around the stick4 ,find the centre of the end just squared by drawing diagonals1 and then either with block-plane or knife1 point the stick by putting the edge of knife on the continuous line on one of the faces of the square1 and directing the blade toward the centre of end2 a steady1 firm pressure will give a good bevel4 ,finish the other three sides in the same way1 and you will have a pyramid with square base for one end of your stick3 cut the stick off square thirteen inches from the point4 ,finish two more sticks in the same way1 and you will have your three front uprights4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,now take another piece2 square one end as nicely as possible 7everything depends in this job on the neatness and accuracy of your work71 measure seven and five eighths inches from squared end2 cut off and square3 you will have a stick seven and one half inches long4 ,make another like this from the piece left4 ,these pieces we will mark ,a3 they are the short uprights in diagram4 ,now cut two pieces twelve and one half inches long3 square both ends2 find exact middle1 measure one fourth inch in each direction from middle and draw lines with square across the stick4 ,right and left on the side faces 7not the one underneath71 draw lines parallel with top face one fourth inch from it4 ,these last lines show how deep you are to saw on the first two lines with cross-cut saw4 ,with chisel remove the little piece one half by one half by one fourth4 ,take care not to cut the stick deeper than the lines indicate4 ,the sticks will look like fig4 #a4 ,these are the cross bars1 ,,bb4 ,from another stick cut three pieces six inches long3 square both ends2 these are marked ,,ccc2 two belong to the back1 and one for the front connecting ,,cc4 ,from short pieces left cut two pieces two and three fourths inches long1 of course squaring the ends3 these are ,,dd1 and go at side of front4 ,for uprights of back cut two pieces ten inches long3 square ends4 ,on a board or piece of paper mark on a line two points three and one half inches apart4 ,from the right-hand point draw a perpendicular1 the line connecting the two points being the base of a triangle4 ,lay one ten-inch stick from the left hand point to the perpendicular1 making the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle4 ,you will readily see how much of a bevel is required to make the lower end set firmly4 ,it will probably be about one eighth of an inch2 make the same bevel on the other ten-inch piece3 these we will mark ,,ee 7the uprights for the back74 ,bevel the lower ends of the three-pointed sticks 7the uprights for front7 in the same way4 7,see base of fig4 #b47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,on one front upright1 measure two and three fourths inches from point on face ,a3 cut out bit one half by one half by one fourth as in piece ,b4 ,repeat at eight inches2 again at ten and five eighths inches from point of stick4 ,this completes middle upright4 ,now to return to pieces ,,ee4 ,on a board or paper mark in line three points three and one half inches apart4 ,hold beveled end of pointed upright on point one1 so that a point ,y ten inches from bevel will be perpendicular to point two4 ,stand bevel end of ,e on point three1 so that the other end will rest against point ,y4 ,you will then see the bevel needed on upper end of ,e to make it fit against point ,y4 ,it will be about an inch long4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,treat the other ,e in the same way1 taking care that both bevels start from same face of stick4 ,square end of new stick3 cut off six inches and square again4 ,at point three inches from end cut out bit one half by one half by one fourth1 as in ,b4 ,this is the stick ,f4 ,cut two sticks ten inches long3 square ends4 ,these are ,,gg4 ,the pieces are all cut out2 now of course you had more whitewood than these measures1 but it is so cheap it seemed best to allow for mistakes1 and the spoiling of two or three sticks in cutting bevels1 etc4 ,the bits left always come handy4 ,in putting the parts together you must be very careful4 ,you will need some one-inch brads and some seven-sixteenths or three eighth ones also1 and about two feet of brass spring wire1 two ,french screws one inch long 7slim ones71 and two five eighths inch ones4 ,take first the pointed piece for the middle of front3 the one with the squares cut out of it3 fit one of the ,b's into the upper place and the other into the lower one4 ,put piece ,f into the middle slot2 put two brads through each piece 7,,bbf7 and into the pointed one4 ,turn the whole over so the face ,a is down4 ,take two pieces marked ,a2 with inch-brads fasten pieces ,d endwise1 so that upper face of ,d will be two and one eighth inches from end of ,a4 ,place one ,a between the two ,b's on the right of pointed stick with ,d pointing to the right2 you will find that the end of ,f touches ,a at a point two and one eighth inches from the bottom1 so that ,f and ,d divide ,a plus one half inch 7eight inches7 into thirds4 ,place the other ,a and ,d facing just opposite on the other side of pointed stick4 ,you will find that the ends of the ,a's touch the ,b's at a point half-way between the end of ,b and the pointed piece4 ,secure in position with inch-brads4 ,place one of the other pointed sticks to the right1 the other to the left of ends of ,b and ,d1 and fasten so that the end of upper ,b is two and one half inches from point1 and ,d two and one eighth inches from upper ,b and lower ,b slightly over two inches from bottom of bevel4 ,in placing these two pointed pieces be sure and have the face a 7fig4 #b7 down4 ,now for the back4 ,take the pieces marked ,e2 measure two and five eighth inches from upper ends2 fasten one of the pieces ,c by the ends to these points1 and the second ,c at a point a little over two inches from bottom4 ,fasten upper beveled ends of the ,e's to backs of points x 7see picture7 with short brass screws and a couple of brads4 ,next take pieces ,g1 and measure two and three fourth inches from end3 bore holes large enough to admit long screws2 with brads fasten third ,c at points one and one half inches from ends of ,g1 and one and one fourth inch from holes4 7,this is to support the book47 ,then screw ,g's directly under ,b and ,a1 the long ends directed backward4 ,you will find the seven-inch ends will touch the lower part of pieces ,e about one half inch from bottom4 ,fasten with brads4 ,these two pieces 7,g7 serve to keep the back from spreading away from front and make the rest strong enough to support quite a heavy book4 ,this is really a very simple thing to make1 for the lines are all straight1 and if you are careful in cutting1 fitting and joining1 you will feel paid for the trouble4 ,x4--,,book-,,rest4 7,continued47 ,,you now have the book-rest all put together ready for finishing4 ,the first thing now to do is to sandpaper it4 ,for this you must buy some 7o7 or 7oo7 sandpaper1 and go over the whole thing1 being careful not to round the corners4 ,you can accomplish this by stretching a piece of sandpaper over one of the little bits that remained after cutting3 this will make a flat1 firm surface1 and will not be so liable to round the edges as if stretched over your thumb4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,before staining1 you must make the brass springs to hold the leaves back4 ,cut six and one half inches of your spring wire1 7which should be about one sixteenth of an inch in diameter47 ,at a point five eighths of an inch from end1 bend the wire into a right angle2 two and one fourth inches from that point give the wire a turn round a small nail1 or piece of telegraph wire 7you cannot turn it evenly with your fingers alone72 this is to give the wire a spring1 and will enable you to lift the end of the wire on to the leaves of the book4 ,now turn the end of the wire in so as to make a rounded end4 ,it will then look like fig4 #a4 ,make another spring exactly like this one3 then cut off a piece five and one half inches long1 bend to a right angle at a point five eighths of an inch from end4 ,then at a point two inches from angle1 give the wire a turn as in the other set1 and turn the end in4 ,make a second one like this of the remaining piece of wire4 ,to fasten these springs on to the rest1 you must bore a hole one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter through the sides of the two end uprights1 at a point just below the end of piece ,d4 ,insert the five eighth inch ends of the larger set of springs into these holes1 from the outside4 ,you will find that you can lay the springs back when not in use1 and that you can turn them out and lift the ends over the edges of your book1 so as to keep the pages down when you do need to use them4 ,the smaller set can be fastened in the same way under lower ,b or under ,g if you prefer1 at a point near the lower ends of ,a ,a4 ,if you are going to stain the book-rest1 it is better to do it before fastening in the springs4 ,i think ebony stain goes best1 and as you can make it yourself1 it would perhaps be cheaper4 ,first you must get some logwood chips 7about a teacupful72 after boiling them in a pint of water for an hour or so1 apply with an old brush 7not the chips1 but the decoction you have made by boiling the chips674 ,you can put on two or three coats of this1 letting it dry each time4 ,the next part will perhaps be the hardest4 ,get some iron rust or old iron filings1 put these in strong vinegar or acetic acid and let it stand a day or two2 if by this time the liquid is not of a reddish-black color1 add more iron rust4 ,after the two or three coats of logwood1 your wood will be of a dark yellow color1 but this will immediately turn to a fine black when you apply the iron4 ,only one coat of this is needful1 because it does not soak in4 ,you might try the logwood and the iron on a small bit of wood first1 and then you will see if the solution of iron is strong enough for a good black4 ,when the book-rest is perfectly dry1 rub on some thin shellac with a soft cloth3 this will make the dull finish now considered so desirable4 ,this book-rest is very convenient to use round the house at home1 and is1 as you have seen1 very easy to make3 but it as an awkward thing to pack away in a trunk if you are going into the country1 for instance1 or are travelling4 ,you may like to make another1 if you have been successful with this one1 and this time you can make it with hinges1 so as to fold up compactly1 by making the following alterations3 ,the front will be the same and the back also1 with the exception of the uprights ,e ,e1 being hinged instead of screwed on to upper ,b4 ,the two ,g's must have a one fourth inch hole bored one fourth of an inch from the back end1 and a corresponding one bored through ,e about an inch from the bottom2 these holes are for pins1 on which the ,g's may turn4 ,instead of the six-inch ,c which joins the two ,g's at a point one and one half inches from outer end1 there should be two pieces seven inches long fastened with brads1 at points respectively three inches and six and one half inches from outer ends of ,g4 ,the piece six and one half inches from end can be left out--though it looks neater with it--but the back will shut closer without it4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,now put the peg through the ,g's and into the ,e's4 ,draw the back of the book-rest from the front1 put ends of ,g's through the spaces bounded by pieces ,a1 ,b and ,d1 and you will find that the ,g's rest in the corners made by ,a and ,b4 ,when you want to shut up the book-rest1 you must draw the ,g's out1 and turn them away from front on to the back of the ,e's1 and then shut the ,e's up on to the ,a's as in figure4 ,i don't think this quite as pretty as the fixed book-rest1 and there are of course other ways of changing the original plan which would be more ornamental2 but this is very easy and will answer the purpose4 ,you will find it good fun and good practice to experiment on changes in any of the designs given1 after you have mastered the simple forms and the plain directions given in these papers4 ,,xi4--,a ,,bed ,,table4 ,,the accompanying figure shows you a very useful but rather peculiar piece of furniture quite simple to make2 if you are ever ill in bed yourself or any one in the family is obliged to lie in bed and have meals brought to them1 ,i think you will say it is a handy thing to have instead of a waiter that joggles and tips on one's lap in the bed1 instead of even a table at the side of the bed that compels one to twist round uncomfortably in order to reach4 ,it explains itself1 almost2 but a few directions and dimensions will help you4 ,as you can see1 it is a tray with legs to set over the lap in bed1 with a rim to keep things from sliding off1 and is light enough to be carried by the side handles2 a tempting breakfast for the invalid can be arranged neatly upon it instead of a waiter4 ,it can be made of any kind of wood1 but black walnut is as pretty as any and enough can be bought for it1 for about fifty cents4 ,you will need two boards1 each two feet long2 one should be one foot wide and one half inch thick1 the other one and a half foot wide and one half inch thick4 ,illustration3 ,,bed ,,table4 ,take the first one2 plane nicely1 being careful to have the ends and edges square4 ,set this aside for the top of tray4 ,plain one edge of second piece 7the one and one half feet wide72 with splitting saw cut off strips twenty-four inches long by four inches wide3 square ends and plane edges of piece left4 ,measure one foot from end1 square and cut off4 ,you will have two pieces alike for the ends or legs1 and one strip two feet long1 four inches wide1 for back4 ,round off one edge of top 7the piece two feet long by one foot wide7 with small plane1 and sandpaper smooth4 ,take two side pieces2 find points nine inches from bottom and respectively four and eight inches from side of leg2 bore holes with largest bits1 split out piece between1 enlarge and smooth with gouge or knife to fit the hand4 ,these are to slip the fingers through to hold the tray4 ,draw a line parallel with1 and ten inches from1 bottom of legs and fasten one leg on either end of the two foot by one foot piece1 using three one inch screws for each leg4 ,fit the back piece neatly on to square edge of top and fasten with four screws2 put a screw on upper corner of each of the sides1 through into end of back to make it steadier4 ,if the corners of the sides are rounded as in picture1 it will look a little better4 ,you can make this bed table even more useful by attaching a simple book rest which will be a great comfort to an invalid who is able to read yet finds it fatiguing to hold a book4 ,cut two pieces one quarter inch thick1 one wide and seven inches long1 and one piece nine inches long2 one half inch from bottom of the two seven inch pieces1 bore holes large enough for seven-eighths inch screws to play in4 ,one half from ends of nine inch piece1 make some smaller holes1 and also two holes one inch from top of back 7on inside7 and eight inches apart4 ,screw ends of seven inch pieces into these holes and the nine inch piece into the other ends of the seven inch pieces2 of course the screws must play easily4 ,when not in use the rack will fold over and lie inside the back as shown by dotted lines4 ,to keep the book from slipping forward insert two movable pegs about three and a half inches apart in front of middle of back4 ,,xii4--,,cabinet4 ,i ,,have often been asked to describe a 8,cabinet for ,specimens10 such as ,i made for minerals4 ,it would be equally good for shells1 eggs1 coins1 or even for a bookcase4 ,the shelves hold the specimens protected from dust with glass doors1 and from meddling fingers with a lock and key4 ,the cupboard 7or drawer if preferable7 below holds duplicates useful in making exchanges1 and the needful tools for the specialty which interests you4 ,the cabinet of course can be made of black walnut or any other hard wood1 but for lightness as well as cheapness ,i used pine 7stained7 and put in a back of dark-brown cambric instead of wood1 the cambric costing fifteen or twenty cents1 where the wood would cost nearly a dollar and a half4 ,i can't give you close estimates about lumber either as to price or lengths1 because at different mills boards vary greatly in dimensions1 and values at the ,west or in ,maine are unlike those in cities4 ,i will therefore describe my own1 feeling sure that by this time if you have made all the other articles in the series you can alter the pattern ,i give you1 or follow it accurately1 according to the purpose you have in view4 ,my cabinet fits easily in an alcove six feet1 six inches high1 and four feet1 six inches wide2 and is large enough to hold an interesting collection4 ,for convenience in cutting1 the seven boards ,i used were selected according to the following dimensions3 ,a--#ab feet by #ab inches4 ,b--#f feet by #aj inches4 ,c--#h feet by #ab inches4 ,d--#ab feet by #ab inches4 ,h--#d feet by #ac inches1 and #b boards for shelves #h feet long by #a foot wide4 ,if possible1 get three-fourths-inch board1 as it is both lighter and cheaper1 but inch-board is often easier to get and my measurements are for that4 ,get it all as clear as possible4 ,besides the boards you will need two pieces of two-inch moulding six feet long1 and two pieces of three-fourths-inch about eleven feet long1 to hold the glass in the doors1 and three pair of hinges2 also lock and key if you desire all to be secure4 ,take ,a1 divide in two1 plane edges and square ends for sides4 ,take ,c1 cut two boards1 each four feet two inches long1 and one foot wide1 for top and bottom4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,cabinet4 ,from ,b cut two pieces that shall be six feet long1 and four inches 7for sides of door casing71 then from remainder cut strip three and one half feet by one inch1 to go behind lower moulding for hinges of ,e4 ,from board ,h 7which is four feet by thirteen inches7 cut out block at each end of one edge1 three inches long by one wide4 ,nail ,,cc on to top and bottom of ,,aa1 taking care to put top and bottom 7,,cc7 on and not between uprights ,,aa4 ,at point nine inches from lower ,c1 nail board ,h1 with the projection facing outward4 ,on each side on front nail strips ,,bb4 ,you will find they fit into cuts made in ,h4 ,nail the three and one half feet strip close to bottom ,c between ,,bb4 ,from remainder of board ,b cut piece three and one half feet long2 with splitting-saw divide this into two boards1 one eight inches1 one four inches wide4 ,nail the four-inch piece directly under ,c1 between the ,,bb4 ,this finishes the front for the doors4 ,now for the mouldings3 from one of the two-inch strips cut piece four feet1 four inches long2 cut ends at angle of forty-five degrees2 cut two pieces one foot three inches long3 have right-hand end of one and left-hand end of other cut at angles of forty-five degrees1 i4 e41 one half of a right angle4 ,cut a second similar set of mouldings1 nailing one set to top1 the other to bottom of cabinet4 ,the piece three and one half feet by eight inches is a kind of door1 which is hinged to the strip behind the moulding at the bottom4 ,in my cabinet ,i have it for a cupboard1 as ,i said before1 but you can put in a drawer in its place if you prefer4 ,for the doors1 cut from ,h four pieces four feet1 ten inches long by three inches wide1 and four pieces one foot1 nine inches long by three inches wide4 ,the best way of putting this together is of course to mortise it4 ,to do this1 draw lines at each end of one of the long pieces on the edge one fourth inch from each side2 then draw lines across the edge at points three fourths and two and one fourth inches from end4 ,this rectangle must now be cut out4 ,bore three one half inch holes one and one half inches deep3 then with chisel split out the remaining wood and smooth as nicely as possible4 ,repeat this on all the long pieces4 ,to make the tenons or tongues which fit the mortises1 measure one and one fourth inches from ends of short sticks1 and with try-square draw line all round the stick4 ,on sides of stick saw in one fourth inch deep2 on edges saw three fourths inch deep4 ,then1 parallel to sides1 draw lines one fourth inch from sides of stick on the end1 and two more lines three fourths of inch from and parallel with edges of stick4 ,place edge of chisel just outside of lines and chip off the little blocks1 gradually shaving the tenons down to the lines4 ,if this is nicely done1 the tenons will fit into the mortises so that the side edges and ends of the four long sticks will fit snugly on to the short ones4 ,put a peg through long and short pieces at the tenons to keep them from coming apart4 ,this can be done in another way that is also somewhat easier1 by cutting from the sides at the ends of the pieces squares three inches by three inches by one half inch and screwing together4 ,if you have only one light of glass to each door1 there will be no need of a cross-piece1 so you will simply have to put the moulding round on the inside of the door frames4 ,if you have smaller panes1 you will need the crossbars4 ,illustration3 ,,tenon ,,and ,,mortise4 ,for the four shelves you will require you must cut the two eight-foot boards into four1 and make cleats to support them4 ,these are merely narrow strips of wood nailed on inside of ,,hh 7at the height desired7 on which the ends of the shelves rest4 ,the staining is done by the rule given in a former paper1 and the hinges and lock are set as in the tool cabinet4 ,about four yards of dark cambric tacked on the back will finish a neat1 simple1 but serviceable cabinet like the illustration4 ,,xiii4--,a ,,boy',s 8,,catchall40 ,,there is no better way for a boy to spend his evenings1 half-holidays1 and vacations1 than in making some useful and pretty articles of furniture for his own room1 providing he has an aptitude for such work1 and the mechanical ingenuity and natural patience to do it with neatness and accuracy4 ,yet a boy should not--if he takes pleasure in such work--become discouraged if his first attempts are not wholly attended by success1 as no success comes without perseverance2 and perseverance1 if the love for the work be not wanting1 will inevitably bring its own reward4 ,the average boy is not usually blessed with overmuch room in which to bestow his many treasures--his bats1 balls and marbles1 his collection of butterflies and bugs1 relics of many a pleasant tramp through field and wood1 and last1 but far from least important1 the treasured books of tale and adventure1 so dear to the heart of a genuine boy2 therefore the little case or cabinet of the illustration has been contrived1 for his own making1 as a resting-place for all these and more1 and to prove the happy truth of the old adage1 8,a place for everything1 and everything in its place40 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,no4 #a4 ,it may be constructed of nicely-selected pine1 for this is easily obtained1 is cheap1 and any little mistake will not entail too much expense if the work has to be done again1 and also it is easily worked1 and takes a beautiful golden color when 8filled10 and finished with shellac4 ,pains must be taken not to mar the wood with tool-marks4 ,to make a nice piece of work1 you will not use any nails1 but put the case together with dowels1 screws1 and glue4 ,now look over the drawings together4 ,sketch ,no4 #a shows the completed case as it should look when finished and in place4 ,the first section1 ,a1 7,sketch ,no4 #b7 is a fair-sized box with lifting cover1 and a shelf beneath4 ,this will be found handy for many odds and ends of boyish treasures too cumbersome to be stored away in drawers and boxes4 ,section ,b contains the specimen1 or butterfly case1 with a row of small drawers below1 these drawers being handy receptacles for marbles1 tops1 twine1 or like odds and ends that make a troublesome litter when thrown together in a large drawer4 ,two large drawers below these1 and the shelf1 will find their uses1 without doubt4 ,section ,c has a couple of shelves for books1 with storage room for bats1 hockey sticks1 etc41 below2 and in one corner is a small box large enough to hold two or three balls2 outside of this1 as the other plans will show1 is a receptacle for a foot-ball1 made of bent wire4 ,this1 if not a desirable addition1 may be left off4 ,having looked our case over in a general way1 let us now go into the details of construction and finish4 ,in ,sketch ,no4 #b will be found all the general measurements4 ,the figuring and lettering on the ,detail ,sketch all refer to this drawing4 ,we will first get out the stock for the side-pieces of the various sections1 four in number1 and two of them--those belonging to ,section ,b--of exactly the same size and shape4 ,these should be of one and one fourth inch stock1 and of the dimensions given in ,detail ,sketch ,no4 #c4 ,mark out carefully the simple outline indicated for each piece1 using a piece of charcoal1 so the line may be easily wiped out and corrected if unsatisfactory4 ,go over the corrected outline with a soft pencil to preserve them1 and then saw them out4 ,this must be done with care1 to keep the edges even and true1 using either a draw tool or small saw on the finer outlines4 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,no4 #b4 ,the half-trefoil on side of ,section ,a at the bottom should be drawn with a compass1 or scribing tool1 and cut with a hand scroll-saw2 and the simple pattern on the sides should first be marked out with a compass1 the larger hole carefully cut out with a sharp tool to the depth of one fourth inch4 ,the smaller holes1 surrounding it1 bore out to about the same depth with a small auger-bit4 ,the straight line decoration on sides of ,sections ,b and ,c are first neatly lined with a pencil1 and then cut with a sharp tool1 one fourth inch wide1 and about as deep4 ,the cover of ,section ,a should be of seven eighths inch stock1 and should project fully an inch over the side and front4 ,the back piece1 on which the hinges are fastened1 should be two and one half inches wide4 ,this will allow ample room for the back board1 and give to the cover1 when open1 sufficient slant to lean easily against the wall4 ,this piece should be well glued and doweled into place1 and two neat brass hinges set in1 to hold the cover4 ,the bottom of box and bottom shelf of this same section are of same thickness as top1 firmly doweled and glued into place4 ,the front panel is of same thickness1 and cut to fit exactly into place1 doweled and glued4 ,the small jig-saw patterns at bottom of ,sketches ,no4 #h1 #i1 #aj1 are cut from one half inch stock1 and glued on firmly4 ,section ,a is now ready to attach to the side piece of ,section ,b4 ,this must be neatly and firmly done with dowels and glue4 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,no4 #c4 ,in ,section ,b first get out the top1 centre and bottom shelves1 as well as the narrow strip division for the drawers2 these last need not run back more than three inches1 excepting for the row of small drawers4 ,this division should run entirely from front to back1 the same as the shelves4 ,the thickness of all the shelving is the same throughout4 ,having framed together our sides with the centre and bottom shelves1 and drawer partitions1 next place the two narrow uprights1 on which the doors are to be hung1 in position4 ,these are one half inch wide and firmly doweled and glued into sides2 the doors are hung with simple brass hinges and made to lap one over the other on one fourth inch rebate1 and shutting against an upright post about three fourths inch square4 ,glue a strip one inch wide and one half inch thick around the sides and back piece1 for the top to rest upon and be fastened to1 by one fourth inch dowels1 and glued2 this strip should1 for further security1 be fastened by a number of small screws4 ,space will not allow the details of construction of drawers2 but if the lad will look at any well-made drawer1 he will easily find out for himself4 ,we have already got out the side for the book shelves and bat holder1 ,section ,c1 and have only to dowel and glue shelves firmly into place1 put the back boards in position1 having got them out the size and shape shown by ,sketches #g and #h4 ,now our case is well framed together and it only remains for us to finish various small details4 ,after fitting a one fourth inch shelf into the specimen case midway1 the next move is to line the whole of the specimen case and the two long drawers beneath with thin1 flat pieces of cork about one eighth inch in thickness4 ,first apply to the whole surface to be covered1 a thin coating of hot glue1 fitting in the piece of cork while the glue is hot2 rub well into place1 and apply an even pressure1 to be left until the glue is thoroughly 8set20 when this is done cover all the cork with nice white paper1 applied with flour paste4 ,frame up the door as shown in ,sketch ,no4 #ab1 of one half inch stock1 setting the glass in from the front into a narrow rebate4 ,then glue a narrow moulding on the outside to prevent the glass from falling out4 ,hang the door with brass hinges and fit a small lock into place2 then dowel neatly into place the under brackets1 ,nos4 #i1 #aj1 #aa1 in their respective positions1 place pretty brass pulls on all the drawers1 and the case is nearly ready for finishing4 ,in the book case ,section #f1 the simplest way of arranging the shelves is to bore a row of one fourth inch holes front and back and at both sides1 and fit little pegs into these for two shelves to rest on4 ,these may be raised or lowered by changing the positions of the pegs4 ,make a little box as shown of one fourth inch stock1 fasten this neatly with small screws into the left-hand upper corner of the bat holder under the lower shelf2 this is to hold the base and hockey balls4 ,the back of the case may be made of narrow strips of one fourth inch sheathing1 held in by screws4 ,fill the woodwork thoroughly with a good filler2 ,wheeler's is good4 ,after it is wholly dry1 go over the case with a good coat of white shellac1 and when dry1 rub it down carefully with powdered pummice stone1 oil and emery cloth4 ,a second coat of shellac carefully rubbed down1 will result in a rich golden brown hue1 that will improve with age4 ,this case1 when complete1 will cover a small space of four feet nine inches by three feet three inches4 ,in buying stock1 select the best pine for all portions that will show4 ,get the stock well planed and smooth it down4 ,if made by a carpenter1 twenty-five dollars would be the smallest payable price for a good job1 so that the price named is not at all excessive for a really good thing4 ,this case being somewhat elaborate is intended both in design and instructions here given1 for those boys who have a fair knowledge of construction1 and some ideas as to the best way to set about it2 and it must be borne in mind although pine is soft and easily worked1 it is also easily soiled and injured by tool marks more readily than the harder woods4 ,the general schedule of material and cost given below will be found useful in buying4 ,,schedule ,,of ,,costs1 ,,etc4 #ej feet1 inch pine1 at #f;c per foot1 #d4ej #be ,sawing1 if done at a mill1 about #a4ej ,finishing and filling the wood in four coats1 about #a quart of shellac1 etc41 #a4ej ,hardware1 locks1 hinges1 drawers1 pulls1 etc41 etc41 #a4ej ,glass for doors1 4#ej ,cork1 paper1 glue1 etc41 about #a4ej ------ ,total1 #aa4jj ,illustration3 ,a ,,portable ,,house4 ,,xiv4--,,how ,,to ,,build ,a ,,portable ,,wooden ,,tent4 ,,wooden tents such as ,i am about to describe1 are in use by the contractors who are building the western extensions of the ,denver and ,rio ,grande ,railway in ,colorado4 ,there are no towns there ahead of the railway1 and it is necessary to provide sleeping-quarters1 provisions and eating-houses1 for the engineers and road-makers4 ,it is therefore needful to have a style of building which can be put up and taken down easily1 and1 above all1 which shall be capable of transportation over the frightful mountain roads4 ,the result1 it seems to me1 might be useful to bevies of boys1 to schoolmasters and pupils1 and to families who camp out every summer for some considerable time1 and really need to take to the woods a house somewhat better than a cloth tent1 where they can live in warmth and comfort1 and which shall be a cosey headquarters for storing supplies1 and to which they may return4 ,my object now is in these papers to instruct our young home carpenters how during their winter leisure to get one of these comfortable wooden tents in complete readiness for summer transportation4 ,it can be done very cheaply2 if you can improve on it1 so much the better4 ,for my part1 ,i have never seen or heard of the like anywhere else1 though ,i believe that circus sideshows sometimes have a far more cumbersome arrangement answering the same purpose4 ,boys might club together1 not only to own such a portable house in common1 but to build it--a jolly way of spending ,saturdays in some great wagon-house or tool-chamber where there is a big workbench and a good tool-chest4 ,this movable house consists wholly of wood except the roof1 which is canvas1 and the floor1 which is dirt1 unless you choose to plank it4 ,it may be made of any size you see fit1 it only being necessary that all the parts are adjusted to the scale decided upon4 ,the dimensions ,i give1 however1 are measured upon a plan twelve feet square1 because that happened to be the actual size of the one nearest to me4 ,the railway men generally join from two to half a dozen of these together1 end to end1 making a long and commodious building4 ,a half-dozen congenial families could do the same1 insuring endless good times in the forest solitudes4 ,one twelve-foot length is then known as a 8section40 ,if you would rather have an oblong figure1 make your ends shorter and reduce the length of your rafters2 or1 if you don't like the pretty low pitch of the roof which my measurements imply1 lengthen your uprights and rafters to suit your own ideas of the right angle4 ,now for my details3 ,the walls of your tent-house1 six feet in height1 are to be made of inch-thick matched flooring twelve feet long4 ,they should be ,no4 #a pine1 best quality4 ,fasten these firmly together1 to the width of six feet1 by three dressed cleats1 six inches wide1 one at each end and one in the middle1 and do this on both sides4 ,make three of these platforms1 or walls1 which will furnish three sides of your house4 ,for the fourth side make a similar platform nine feet in length1 filling out the remaining three feet with a door4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ad4 ,this door swings out1 and the hinges should be very strong1 preferably of the kind used on barn doors1 so that it can be lifted off its hanging with ease1 and so that the long shaft of the hinge will act as a support to prevent undue sagging4 ,an arrangement must be made to lock this door4 ,it can easily be secured on the inside by a bolt1 and outwardly by hasp and padlock4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,there remain1 now1 the peaks or gables at the ends1 to be provided for4 ,many of the railway men get their roof canvas sufficiently large to come down and cover this1 but ,i think a better plan would be to make two triangular platforms of boards1 fitted to your peak1 cleating them together just like the lower walls4 ,then place about four flat staples in the outside of your end walls1 and let iron hasps bolted to the lower edge of your peak boards drop into them4 ,this would hold the bottom of the peak and the top of the end wall squarely together4 ,in addition to this a couple of bolts should pass through the upright and be secured by nuts1 so as easily to be unscrewed4 7,see fig4 #ad47 ,there should be no middle cleat on the inside of the gable4 ,the general character of these walls appears in several of the illustrations1 but the cleating is shown in fig4 #a4 ,screws should be used throughout instead of nails4 ,the woodwork remaining to be shaped1 consists of the uprights1 or centre-poles at each end1 the ridgepole1 rafters and braces4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,the two uprights in my model were #h feet and #i inches in height2 a greater length would add pitch to the roof4 ,these uprights should be made of clear1 firm stuff1 #d inches by #b1 and should be thickened at their lower ends by adding pieces of similar size1 as shown in figures #b and #d4 ,this upright stands inside of the wall1 and edge-wise4 ,into its upper inner edge must be set two iron 8eyes0 having an inner diameter of three quarters of an inch4 7,see fig4 #c74 ,the uppermost of these is placed about two inches from the top of the stick1 and the second six inches below4 ,these eyes should pass clear through the timber and be held by nuts on the other side4 ,six feet from the bottom of the upright1 a hooked bolt should be passed through the timber1 the hook facing outwardly1 and having enough space between it and the wood to allow the wall to come between4 ,its purpose is to hold the end wall snugly to the upright3 therefore it must be loose enough so that it can be turned up while the wall is being put into position1 and then turned down to clamp it firmly1 as in figure #d4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4 ,having made both uprights alike1 you now turn your attention to the ridgepole4 ,this ought to be somewhat heavier than the uprights1 two by six scantling being none too strong for the strain which the weight of your canvas and an occasional gale of wind will put upon it4 ,it is twelve feet long1 of course1 and six inches from each end will have an iron pin #ah inches in length driven through from its upper side1 intended to go through the eyes at the top of the uprights4 ,this is shown in fig4 #e4 ,on each side of this ridgepole screw in four stout staples or eyes1 one at three inches from each end1 and the others at equal distances between2 to these the rafters are to be attached4 7,see figs4 #c and #e47 ,similar staples must be placed an inch below the upper inside edge of the side walls to contain the irons at the lower end of the rafters1 as in fig4 #f2 of course1 therefore1 it is necessary that the staples in the walls should fall exactly opposite those on the ridgepole4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4 ,the rafters themselves1 eight in number1 may be made of the same sized stuff as the uprights1 or lighter1 if a tough wood like elm or ash is used instead of pine2 and each will be #g feet and #d inches long unless you want a pretty steep roof1 in which case you must lengthen them somewhat4 ,to the underside of the upper end is fastened a strong curved hook1 which hangs in the staples on the ridgepole 7fig4 #e72 while to the lower end is fastened a pointed iron three inches long1 and set at such an angle that it will stand vertical in the eye on the wall 7see fig4 #f next paper7 when the rafter is in place4 ,,xv4--,,how ,,to ,,build ,a ,,wooden ,,tent4 7,continued47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4 ,,the braces are intended to serve the same purpose as the guy-ropes of the ordinary wall tent1 and are three in number on each side4 ,they consist of stout sticks 7two by four inches is a good size7 long enough to reach the ground from the top of the wall 7five and one half feet in the present case7 at an angle of forty-five degrees4 ,at the upper end1 underneath1 which is beveled to stand flat against the face of the wall1 the brace is armed with a strong hook4 ,this hook sets into an eye inserted into the top of the outside cleat1 just as the rafters are hooked to the ridgepole4 ,at the lower end1 which also is beveled off to fit the ground1 is fastened a large ringbolt4 ,this is on the upper side1 so that when the brace is in position1 the ring lies flat on the ground beyond it1 and through it is driven a barbed pin of iron4 ,these braces not only hold the wall from sagging out1 but equally prevent it from pulling in1 which is just as great a danger4 ,how they are arranged is seen at a glance in fig4 #g4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #g4 ,there is also another brace which goes across from the corner of the side wall over the doorway to the upright1 where it is hooked into an eye placed six feet above the ground4 ,this cross-brace forms a lintel to the door1 and serves to make solid the otherwise somewhat shaky end of the right-hand siding4 ,now comes the setting up and roofing2 but before you can do that you must provide fastenings at the corners of your walls4 ,i have reserved this for the last1 since it is the most difficult bit of mechanism4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #h4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #i4 ,go to a blacksmith and have him forge for you six pieces of iron of the shape shown in fig4 #h1 each about an inch and a half wide1 and an eighth of an inch thick2 the shafts1 or straight ends of three of them1 should measure six inches from the point marked a1 while the shafts of the others should be nine inches in length1 the elbow being alike in both cases4 ,in the shaft should be punched two holes big enough to pass stout bolts through2 but in both sizes these holes should be within six inches from the straight end4 ,having provided yourself with these bent irons1 bolt one of the short size upon each end of the outside of the rear wall of your house six inches from the lower border1 and in such a way that the bent end which is to be turned upward1 shall project beyond the end of the wall just enough to leave a space of a quarter of an inch between the inside of the curve and the edge of the cleat to which it is bolted4 ,draw the nuts on your bolts very tight4 ,now take your remaining short one1 and put it upon the lower corner of your front wall1 so that its lower edge shall be just seven inches from the bottom of the wall1 and with the elbow projecting as before1 but turned down4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aj4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aa4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ab4 ,you have now left your three longer pieces of iron4 ,one of these must be placed on the lower rear end of your right-hand side-wall 7as you face the door7 at seven and one half inches above the bottom1 and with the elbow turned down4 ,the other two go on opposite ends of the left-hand wall1 that at the rear end turned down1 and that in front turned up1 the former seven and one half1 the latter six inches above the bottom edge4 ,but all these long ones must project three and one quarter inches1 because they must reach past the edge of the adjoining wall1 as you will see when you stand the walls up2 the edge of the rear flush with face of the sidings1 and lock them together1 as shown in fig4 #i4 ,though ,i have seen the same arrangement at the top1 yet a better way is as follows3 7,figs4 #aj1 #aa and #ab47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ac4 ,have your blacksmith make three flat pieces of iron1 each six and one half inches in length1 having a closed loop turned up at the end1 which carries a link six inches long1 as in fig4 #aj4 ,bolt this piece of iron near the upper corner of each of the end walls--that is1 above each of the short hooks1 allowing the loop in which the link hangs1 and no more1 to project4 ,get at the same time three squarely bent hooks of round iron 7fig4 #aa71 with a thread and nut at the long end1 and the bent-up point no longer than the inner diameter of the link1 lengthways1 so that it will freely pass through the link4 ,set these hooks in those unprovided upper corners of your remaining walls that come opposite your links when the walls are set up1 at such a distance that when the link is bent around the corner it will snugly fit over the hooks4 ,in order to do this1 however 7and you can see what ,i mean by a glance at fig4 #ab71 you must set your hooks so loosely that you can turn their points backwards4 ,the link is then slipped over1 and the reversion of the hook to the position shown in fig4 #ab binds the two walls cornering there as securely together as the interlocking hooks hold them at the bottom4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ad4 ,you will notice that ,i have no clamps or link at the front end near the door4 ,there is no chance for any4 ,instead we trust for solidity to the outside brace1 which is specially important1 and to the horizontal brace which extends across from the top of the wall to the forward upright4 7,see fig4 #ac47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4 ,the next thing is your canvas4 ,measure how much you need for your roof1 and determine how far down your walls you want it to extend4 ,if you are going to camp in very cold weather1 you would do well to have it all the way to the ground4 ,it would add greatly to the warmth4 ,as a rule1 though1 you will only want it to come well over the top of the siding1 with some lapping in front and rear to keep out driving rains4 ,when it is sewed into a big sheet you must attach to it at frequent intervals a short stout strap4 ,opposite these straps 7fig4 #ae7 nail to the outside of your walls straps containing big buckles 7fig4 #ad7 whereby you can buckle down taut your canvas roof4 ,i know of no more secure and convenient method of holding the tent cover than this2 but ,i would advise you to experiment on the reach and 8full0 of your cloth before nailing the buckles to the wood work4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #af4 ,now comes the setting of your tent-house up4 ,the first consideration is the position4 ,i can only say that it should be level1 and where water will not drain into it in case of heavy rains4 ,the next thing to be decided is1 ,will you have a floor8 ,if so1 lay it a few inches larger than your building1 set your house on it1 and nail down a narrow cleat all around inside close to the wall2 an upright bolt dropping into the floor in the centre of each side1 will be well also4 ,first set up the centre poles and ridgepole1 placing the latter on top of the former1 and sliding the iron pins down through the eyes4 7,fig4 #c47 ,then place in position the rear wall4 ,the side walls will come next1 their clamps dropping easily at the corners into those of the end wall1 and holding them firm while you slip the links over their hooks and twist them tight4 ,then set up the braces at the door end1 and put up the front wall1 turning down the tent pin on the ridgepole1 to hold it firm1 and locking the whole structure with the last link4 ,next1 hook on the rafters1 bolt the triangular gable walls to the upper part of the ridgepole1 and set your braces at the sides4 ,nothing remains but to draw over your canvas1 put your door upon its hinges1 and hang up your hat4 ,you are at home2 a home you have put together at leisure hours in your barn or woodshed during the winter1 have taken to the woods in a lumber-wagon1 and set up with the help of a single companion2 and when you are done with it you will carry it back to town and store it away in the woodshed or stable again4 ,in respect to the cost1 ,i can give no estimates so good as in a few moments you can compile for yourself4 ,it all depends on the price of materials and the cost of blacksmithing in your own neighborhood4 ,the weight and breadth of the canvas purchased is also to be estimated variously1 according to your selection1 and the expense will be increased according to the degree of finishing1 painting1 and decoration put upon the structure4 ,if ,i should make one for myself in ,new ,york or ,new ,jersey1 ,i should not anticipate its costing me more than twenty-five dollars ready for setting up2 but this includes no floor and no painting4 ,the interior furnishing of cots1 cupboards1 tables1 stoves1 et cetera1 ,i presume you will understand as well as ,i4 ,also that you can contrive to put in windows as you want them1 and provide a means of carrying your stovepipe through a tin ring in the canvas roof so as to be safe from ignition4 ,i only wish ,i might help enjoy all the fun you will have6 ,,xvi4--,,how ,,to ,,make ,a ,,fernery4 ,,autumn is the time to be getting ready for your fernery--all you who are off in the country 7or who live there71 or are just getting back from your summer vacation1 with a big parcel of ferns and things which you collected at the ,white ,mountains1 or among the ,green ,mountains1 or the ,berkshire ,hills1 or at ,mount ,desert1 or in some woods1 or by some pond1 or by the sea1 or somewhere1 no matter where--lovely things were around you wherever you went4 ,i know what you have been doing3 for1 have ,i not seen in my summer trips for these twenty years1 how you young people do2 how it seems as if you wanted to carry all the woods home with you2 how1 hot and tired1 but happy1 you have been seen coming back to the farmhouse or hotel where you boarded1 with your arms full2 how you put your treasures safely away in the coolest1 shadiest corner of the back piazza1 and asked anxiously if they would keep till you could get them home8 ,and when the morning of packing up came1 what a stir to get them all into the smallest possible compass2 for were not the older folks of the party all complaining because the boys had cut so many cones1 and the sthetic grown-up daughters had such bundles of cat-tails and sun-flowers1 so that the 8baggage0 was already beyond all bounds of reason6 ,if it should happen that you have not secured what you would like to stock your fernery with1 you can do it now3 and if anybody should tell you that those frail-looking things will not stand the journey home1 you can answer1 on my authority1 that they are mistaken4 ,just get the roots1 and you are all right4 ,i have not much doubt that there are ferns growing in a ,western city to-day from some dry-looking roots which a lady from ,new ,england took out with her1 and after being a week on her journey1 distributed among her friends1 so that the ferneries all about the city were beautiful with them by ,christmas time4 ,there is a good deal of vitality in roots3 their hold on life is something wonderful4 ,plant them1 and you will hear from them1 as ,doctor ,franklin did from a seed or two he found in a piece of broom corn1 to which1 ,i suppose1 all the brooms in the ,united ,states may be traced4 ,therefore1 collect1 and have patience4 ,the way is to tear up a whole mass of the greenery from some moist knoll or hummock1 moss and all4 ,it will be sure to be full of things1 gold-thread1 bunch-berry1 partridge-berry1 mitre-wort and dew-berry2 and every one of them will blossom in a fernery in winter4 ,no knowing what will come up out of the moss4 ,get also from the woods the two-leaved ,solomon's seal--you will know it by the bunch of finely speckled berries2 the ,indian cucumber root1 the rattle-snake plantain1 lady's slipper1 wake robin1 chick-weed1 winter-green1 princes' pine1 pyrola4 ,all these and many others will bloom there1 and violets4 ,i might make a long list of flowers1 besides nearly all kinds of ferns1 and mosses4 ,but it is well to get any and every little delicate woods' plant that you like2 roll them up in moss1 which will keep them damp enough1 and when you get home1 fit up your fernery4 ,but first--in accordance with the principle laid down by the famous ,mrs4 ,glass1 in her cook-book1 who says about cooking a hare1 8first1 get your hare10--you will first get your fernery4 ,many persons would have one quickly enough but for thinking the expense too great4 ,but it is not at all important that you have one of those nice black walnut cases with the costly oval or round glass4 ,a home-made one is more convenient1 and much cheaper4 ,this1 which the artist has drawn from one in use1 is1 as you notice1 proportioned like a house with a steep roof4 ,the frame is of hard wood--a mere sash to hold the glass 7for it is really a glass house71 so are the bottom or floor1 and the base1 which is about four inches deep4 ,a groove is cut in the sash1 in which the glass is set firmly2 no putty was used1 though ,i should suggest it as being more secure4 ,all the corners are dovetailed together and made sure by little brads4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,fernery4 ,the roof is separate1 so as to be lifted off2 and when on1 is kept fast in place by means of two little corks the size of a pipe stem1 which are fastened to the pieces of wood at the bottom of the roof1 and shut into holes made for them in the strips on which it is set1 so that when closed not so much as a crack is to be seen4 ,this is eighteen inches long and fourteen wide1 and from base to top is twenty-four inches4 ,the glass sides are about ten by sixteen2 the ends ten by twelve2 the sides of the roof are ten by sixteen1 and the triangular pieces at the ends1 ten by ten4 ,one could be more elegantly proportioned if the roof was not so steep4 ,these figures are given as a guide4 ,this is very roomy1 especially in height2 but that is no disadvantage1 because a tall fern can be set in the middle and have space to spread off at will1 or some little hooks can be screwed into the ridgepole 7likening it to a house71 and tiny hanging things suspended from them4 ,the glass is of the common window-pane kind1 and was about eleven cents a pane2 eight panes were required1 and the man who had them for sale cut them to fit the sash4 ,the wood was maple1 and was hunted out of the odds and ends in the loft of the wood-house4 ,any thoroughly seasoned wood1 even pine1 is suitable1 and the cost is not worth mentioning4 ,the frame should be neatly finished and joined1 should be strong and firm on account of the weight after the earth and plants are in2 and before the glass is cut1 should be stained1 or oiled1 or painted1 outside and in4 ,a pretty stain is made by stirring a tablespoonful of burnt umber into a cup of vinegar1 more or less1 according to whether you wish the color to be lighter or darker4 ,stir vigorously and put it on with a little swab3 it will dry in the course of a few hours1 and then can be varnished if you like4 ,five cents' worth of umber is enough to do your fernery1 with plenty left for three or four brackets besides4 ,all the work should be faithfully done1 for you want no shrinking or gaping or warping afterwards4 ,you must remember that it is to be subjected to dampness within and dryness without4 ,once done well1 your fernery will last for years1 and you can have something beautiful in it from ,january till ,january comes again1 a perpetual delight to all who see it2 and costing so little4 ,now1 an important part remains--the movable zinc tray1 which must just fill the wooden bottom1 and be of the same height1 but not fit so closely that you cannot take it out when necessary4 ,ours cost fifty cents1 but may be made for less2 any tin-man will make it4 ,there you have the figures4 ,you can proportion one as you like1 but this is large enough unless you wish to set little flower pots in2 but a larger one would be heavy to move about1 and instead of a fernery one would need a ,wardian case4 ,now1 for the fitting up4 ,last ,october we removed the roof and the tray and washed the glass1 preparatory to having everything fresh and clean for the coming winter4 ,the old contents were emptied1 and we began anew4 ,the first thing was to place a layer of broken brick1 and small pebbles and gravel1 on the bottom of the tray for drainage1 perhaps an inch and a half deep1 over which we scattered bits of charcoal to keep all pure4 ,we had previously collected a great store of things from the woods with which to stock it1 taking up a whole mat of moss with all that therein grew1 and everything with a little of the woods' mould on the roots2 also we had a clump of pitcher plants from a cranberry meadow1 and some rattle-snake plantain4 ,altogether for our fourteen by eighteen accommodations1 ,i should judge that we had about a wheel-barrow load of material to select from2 but we were in the country then4 ,it is always desirable to use the rich1 mellow leaf mould that is found in the woods4 ,you can easily take up your plants with enough of it clinging about them2 and it is so loose and light it will not add materially to the bulk or weight4 ,not much is needed for the fernery2 two or three inches of it only above the bed of drainage1 mixed with a little sand4 ,in the cities it can be obtained from greenhouses4 ,many of the plants would flourish if only moss was put in4 ,in ours we placed a good layer of such soil2 and the first plant we set out was a tall1 beautiful fern which reached nearly to the roof1 for we wanted it to look pretty all at once without waiting for things to grow4 ,then a pitcher-plant1 purple polygala1 creeping snow-berry1 lots of partridge-berry1 with the scarlet berries on1 and nearly all of the wild things ,i have named4 ,then we went into the garden and dug up lilies-of-the-valley that we were sure were going to bloom1 which is indicated by the bluntness and plumpness of the crown just above ground 7the leaves were gone71 also roots of pansy and fragrant single violet4 ,these we put into the corners where they would have the most light4 ,we packed the tray full1 too full1 perhaps1 not forgetting roots of maiden-hair fern4 ,we had not much faith in trailing arbutus1 though we set out a root or two2 our hopes for that sweet flower we based on the clusters of buds we gathered from the woods1 and these we put in a small tumbler of water and set among the greenery4 ,then we gave our little garden under glass a thorough sprinkling1 put the roof on1 and set it in the light4 ,occasionally we raised it and admitted the air for a short time1 but it does not answer to do this often4 ,it must be kept covered1 watered perhaps once a month1 kept in the light and warmth4 ,the result to us was beyond our highest anticipations4 ,though the pansies did nothing but grow tall and rank1 there was always a violet to give a friend--a delectable violet which made the room fragrant when it was taken out2 there were 8many flowers0 week after week2 mitre-wort bloomed1 princes' pine1 gold-thread1 and other little things2 and while snow yet lay on the ground1 the lilies-of-the-valley blossomed4 ,greatest success of all1 and to our utter amazement1 the pitcher-plant flowered1 maiden-hair thrived1 the great fern spread off till its tips touched the glass1 the rattle-snake plantain sent up a spire of bloom1 and everything was beautiful4 ,i have told you now the method1 the expense1 and how simple a thing it is to fit up a fernery4 ,another winter we shall put in tulip bulbs and some other garden plants there may be room for4 ,things will bear packing quite closely if you are careful to keep those that like the shade in the background1 and let the others have the best chance for the light4 ,occasionally the fernery needs turning so the sun can reach all2 otherwise it requires but little care4 ,,xvii4--,a ,,boy',s ,,railway ,,and ,,train4 ,,in a certain old-fashioned house that ,i visit1 a large attic is set apart as a playroom for the boys1 in which to keep their tools1 their jig-saw1 and their treasures of all sorts1 dear to the hearts of young people4 ,all around the edge of this room runs a small railway with curves and switches complete1 with bridges and tunnels1 and an elegant station1 made of a deserted dog house1 and painted in the newest style4 ,over this track1 propelled by boy-power1 runs many times a day1 a train of cigar-box cars1 engine and tender1 baggage and passenger cars1 all in order4 ,and everything about it1 from the ties to the latest parlor car1 was made by two boys under fourteen years of age1 at a very small cost4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,these boys are no wiser or more skilful than other boys1 and there is nothing about it hard to make4 ,i thought many of you young readers of mine would like to copy it1 and so ,i have studied the thing1 taken my instructions from the builder himself1 and here it is1 so plainly told that no ordinary boy of twelve need make a mistake if he follows directions exactly1 although to make it perfectly clear1 ,i have to use a good many words which make it look hard4 ,to begin with the track3 first1 come ,,the ,,ties4 ,to make ties for a single track1 take a board one inch thick4 ,saw from the end a piece five inches long1 and split it with a chisel into ties an inch square4 ,the number you will need depends1 of course1 upon the length of your road4 ,having these ready1 the next thing is the ,,rails4 ,buy at a tinner's sheets of tin which come fourteen by twenty inches in size1 though any other size may be used4 ,if convenient1 have the tinner cut each sheet into eleven strips twenty feet long and about one and a quarter wide4 ,you can1 however1 cut them yourself1 with a pair of old shears1 first measuring carefully1 and ruling the sheet off4 ,along one side of each strip of tin1 near the edge1 punch nail holes2 one close to each end1 and four between1 making thus six holes about four inches apart4 ,to bend the rail to shape1 take a ruler and scratch a line the whole length one quarter of an inch from the edge which has no holes4 ,lay this edge on a straight board1 with the mark exactly on the edge of the board1 so that the quarter of an inch sticks out beyond the board4 ,then tack the tin with two or three tacks1 to keep it from slipping1 while you take a hammer and pound the tin down over the edge till it is bent at a right angle to the rest4 ,then take out your tacks1 and laying the tin on the board1 pound this turned-up edge over till nearly flat4 ,this makes the top of your rail1 as you see in fig4 #a 7which shows the end of a rail7 at a4 ,to make the bend c 7fig4 #a7 draw a line the whole length half an inch from the edge where the holes are4 ,again tack the tin to the board1 with the half-inch sticking out beyond1 and pound this edge over into a right angle4 ,this completes your rail1 the holes being along the edge marked b in the figure4 ,,to ,,lay ,,the ,,track4 ,place a number of ties side by side1 and with a ruler and pencil draw two lines across them1 three and a half inches apart1 having about three quarters of an inch beyond the lines at each end4 ,these marks are to guide you in laying the track straight4 ,when you have thus prepared a number of ties and rails1 fasten them together by nailing1 with small-sized carpet tacks1 through each punched hole1 on to a tie1 being careful that the end of each rail reaches no more than half over its tie1 so that the next rail may join on right 7fig4 #b74 ,the tacked edges of the two rails turn towards each other on the inside of the track1 and thus do not show when a train is on1 and the angle c rests exactly on the line drawn on the tie4 ,go on in this way till your rails are all used1 or you come to a curve4 ,,to ,,make ,a ,,curve4 ,take a cold chisel1 or an old common chisel1 and one of your finished rails4 ,on the flat side 7from b to c1 in fig4 #a7 cut slits reaching from b to c1 and half an inch apart4 ,lay a row of ties in the curve you wish to make1 and bend the rail to fit them4 ,the slits will enable you to bend them nicely1 on one side by gaping apart1 and on the other by slipping over4 ,if you want a guard rail to keep your train from running off at this point1 lay an extra rail fastened in the same way inside of each rail on the curve4 ,,to ,,make ,a ,,switch4 ,select a point where two rails join1 for a switch1 and take one length of rail for the purpose4 ,this length1 which includes both rails1 of course1 is to be movable1 and so must slide over the common ties1 and not be fastened to them4 ,to keep them in place they must be tacked to special ties1 much thinner1 and coming between the regular ties that they slide over4 ,having prepared this length1 put a tack1 smaller than the hole you have punched1 through the end hole at a 7fig4 #d71 so that the switch will move easily on it4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,at b4 7fig4 #c471 where your two tracks come together1 you must put pegs 7b4 b47 to keep the switch from moving too far either way1 and throwing your train off4 ,also1 from this point1 the ties must be long enough to hold the side track till it is clear of the regular track 7fig4 #c74 ,the curve of this side track is made1 of course1 by the directions for making a curve4 ,the last special tie at c 7fig4 #c7 must run out far enough to take a hold of1 to move the switch4 ,,to ,,make ,a ,,frog4 ,at the point where the rails cross 7d1 fig4 #c47 you will need a frog1 to allow your train to go smoothly over4 ,to make this1 you cut your side rails square off at d1 and begin it again on the inside of the rail1 leaving a space of a quarter of an inch open to let the flange of your car wheels pass through4 ,also1 you must cut a notch in your regular track at the same point1 so that the wheels on trains switching off may go through 7fig4 #d74 ,now your track is ready1 you may begin on the train2 and first the trucks4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,trucks4 ,for wheels you need a lot of rather large spools with quite thick shanks1 unless you can afford to have brass or wooden ones turned for you4 ,the best spools come in the shops of ,new ,york1 with ,french sewing cotton1 and next best are those which hold the knitting silk1 so much used nowadays by ladies4 ,ask your mother and sisters1 and all your fancy-work loving friends1 to save their spools for you1 and it will not be long before you have enough4 ,saw each spool into three pieces1 as at a1 a 7fig4 #e74 ,the outsides form the wheels with their flanges c1 c1 and the middle piece b1 you will need later4 ,now for axles1 the best are cheap lead pencils 7cost one cent each71 but you can use common skewers such as butchers use1 whittled down to fit4 ,the axles are to fit tightly into the wheels1 and turn with them4 ,now take a block an inch thick1 four inches long1 and two and a half wide1 to hold the wheels4 ,in each corner of the underside of the block1 three quarters of an inch from the end1 screw a very light wire screw ring 7or screw eye7 with a ring a half-inch in diameter4 ,the axles run through these rings with the flanges of the wheels next to the block1 to run inside the track4 ,next comes the car itself4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,cars4 ,cigar boxes are nice for cars1 being already very neatly made4 ,you can get at the cigar stores1 at small cost1 if not as a gift1 any number of boxes with square ends1 that is1 with the ends of the box as high as they are wide4 ,after you have washed off the paper1 get two boards1 one a quarter or three eighths of an inch thick1 and the other somewhat thinner1 both being the width of the box4 ,saw off pieces three inches longer than the boxes1 for platform and roof4 ,first fasten your trucks under the thicker board1 which is the bottom4 ,to do this1 bore a gimlet hole exactly through the middle of each truck block2 put a six-penny nail from the bottom1 first through the hole in the truck block1 then through the cast-off part of a spool 7b1 fig4 #e71 or half of it if too thick1 or a small twist spool a half-inch high4 ,nail one to each end of the board loosely1 so it will turn4 ,now1 carefully take apart your cigar box1 and mark on each long side a row of windows1 like a passenger car1 and in each end piece mark a door4 ,saw them out on a jig saw4 7,if you have no saw you can paint windows on the outside47 ,after cutting the windows and doors1 put the box together again1 with the brads which held it before1 and laying it on to the platform board1 so that each end of the board projects for a platform1 nail them together4 ,then open the cover 7which must never be broken off7 and nail the roof board on to it in the same way2 that is1 so it will project at each end4 ,use brads for this nailing4 ,the object of fastening the roof to the cover is that you may open your car and fill it with passengers if you choose4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,couplings4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4 ,take pieces of stiff copper wire three inches long1 and with pliers bend over one end of each to form a hook1 and the other ends into a small ring4 ,turning your car upside down1 lay one of these wires in the middle of the end1 with only the hook sticking out1 and fasten it by a small screw through the ring 7fig4 #f72 do the same at the other end1 and then with some small brass curtain rings1 which cost two or three cents a dozen1 you can couple your cars nicely4 ,baggage and freight cars you can make in the same way1 only cutting one large door in the side4 ,you can make the cars as showy as you please1 with paint of different colors1 and finish them with a piece of muslin glued part way over the windows inside for shades4 ,and now last comes the engine4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,engine4 ,for the foundation take a board one foot long1 and three inches wide1 which ,i will call the platform4 ,to make the boiler1 have a cylinder turned of wood1 two and a half inches in diameter1 and eight inches long2 or take a square piece of that size and shave it down yourself to a cylinder2 or--what is less trouble1 and costs little--have a tinner make one for you1 open at both ends1 of course4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4 ,the one ,i will describe1 since it is the most simple to make1 is the wooden one4 ,nail it to the platform board in such a way that the board will project in front one inch4 ,you will have to nail it from the bottom of the board4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4 ,now take a three-quarter-inch auger and bore a hole one inch deep1 in the top of the boiler1 one half inch from the front end4 ,this is to receive the smoke stack4 ,to make the smoke stack1 get a piece of dowelling three quarters of an inch thick1 and four inches long1 or use a bit of broom handle of that length4 ,shave the end down till it fits nicely into the hole on top of the boiler4 ,have it reach to the bottom of the hole1 so as to be firm1 and leave three inches standing up4 ,to finish the smoke stack1 and make it look like the newest fashion in ,american engines1 you must nail on to the top1 with brads1 a round piece of wood1 a quarter of an inch thick1 and a quarter of an inch larger all around than the broomstick itself4 ,behind the boiler ,,make ,,the ,,cab4 ,this is a peculiar thing1 and the boy builder of the cigar-box train insists that it must be done exactly as he directs1 in order to make a really proper cab4 ,to proceed1 then3 ,for the front piece take a board a half-inch thick1 three and three quarters inches high1 and two and a half wide4 ,cut with a jig saw1 near the top1 two windows1 one on each side1 to overlook the engine4 ,nail this to the back end of the boiler1 and to the floor4 ,make the two side pieces of the cab of cigar-box wood three inches wide and four inches high4 ,in these cut two windows1 also near the top4 ,before you nail these side pieces on1 make a third piece out of half-inch wood1 two and a quarter inches long1 by two and a half wide1 and nail it with brads to the front piece of the cab1 one inch from the floor1 like a shelf4 ,this is the real floor1 and without it your cab will be a mere toy1 and not at all the correct thing4 ,having this shelf in place1 nail on your side pieces1 both to the front piece1 and to the shelf4 ,the roof requires a piece of thin board1 two and a half inches wide1 and four inches long1 so that it will project one inch beyond the sides4 ,remember it must be put between the side pieces1 and on top of the front piece1 and nailed with brads4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,driving ,,wheels4 ,the engine wheels are four in number1 made by sawing from half-inch board four circles four inches in diameter1 and from cigar-box wood an equal number four and a half inches in diameter4 ,each wheel is double1 you see1 to form the flange which keeps it on the track4 ,nail with little brads1 each larger circle on to a smaller one1 so that the former will project equally all around4 ,then bore a hole exactly in the middle of each1 and your wheels are ready4 ,with lath nails fasten one pair of wheels to the platform board at the side of the cab 7flanges inside1 of course71 and the other pair to the same board in front1 and so far that the rims of the two wheels on one side will be about two inches apart4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,cow-,,catcher4 ,for this very important addition to the engine take a piece of wood three inches wide and two inches thick4 ,saw it on both sides to a point 7fig4 #g74 ,first shave it down on top so that it forms a sharp point at b1 fig4 #g4 ,then draw a line through the middle of the top 7a to b1 fig4 #g71 and shave down each side so that it shall present a sharp edge all around from c to b1 and from b to d 7fig4 #g74 ,nail this to the front end of the platform board with inch-long brads4 ,,to ,,make ,,the ,,tender4 ,this is very easily made of a cigar box1 one of the low sort1 the same width as your cars1 but only half the height4 ,remove the cover and take out one end board4 ,put the box on a board a half-inch longer than itself1 and finish with trucks as you did your cars4 ,at the back end of this tender--the closed end--fasten couplings like these on the cars1 but to the engine it may be fastened by a common wire hook and eye4 ,the hook being on the engine4 ,this completes your train1 and if you wish to make a double track1 you need only make your ties long enough to allow trains to pass1 and then lay your tracks side by side4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #g4 ,with a little ingenuity1 you can make bridges and tunnels1 freight trains1 and gravel trains1 and can1 in fact1 increase your 8rolling stock0 to any extent4 ,i hope you will enjoy building this railway and train half as much as did the boys in the attic in ,new ,york ,city4 ,with them the building and improving1 the running of trains and the adding of new facilities1 make a never-ending entertainment4 ,,xviii4--,,how ,,to ,,make ,a ,,good ,,fly4 ,,fly-,,fishing is poetry2 ordinary angling is prose4 ,the latter looks to the catch2 the former to skill shown in the capture4 ,there is more sport in hooking and playing one single bass with a light pliant fly-rod1 than in dragging in a dozen by mere muscular force4 ,to cast a fly lightly to a chosen spot1 to note instantly the swell indicative of a 8rise10 to strike at once1 but deliberately1 to keep your rod bent1 your line taut1 and your fish in the water long enough to exhaust him1 all require judgment1 skill and self-control4 ,but after you have put up your rod for the season1 you may still extract pleasure from mending your tackle1 putting reel and rod in order1 and last1 but not least1 in making a supply of artificial flies for future fishing4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,the articles necessary for making flies are hooks1 silk1 white wax1 silkworm-gut1 tinsel-feather fibres--dubbing for the bodies of fur1 wool1 silk or feathers--hackles for legs1 and larger feathers for wings4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,first1 get a good hook4 ,the good hook is as sharp as a needle1 and the barbed end points nearly exactly in a line with the end of the shank2 not inside of the 8line of pull10 a1 b 7see fig4 #a71 lest the point come not in contact with the fish2 nor too far out1 lest the barb be pulled flatwise against the fish's mouth1 and thus not pierce it readily2 nor exactly in the line of pull1 for1 though in that case it would pierce anything between the point and end of shank1 it might slip out without touching the unclosed jaws before the jaw had passed the line of pull4 ,a point like x would be bad1 so would one like z2 but one like y would be about right4 ,now take the hook between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand1 the shank pointing to your right1 as in fig4 #b4 ,say the end of a strong piece of silk1 well waxed1 on the hook near the bend1 and1 holding it firmly with your forefinger and thumb1 wrap it tightly around the hook nearly to the end of the shank1 as in fig4 #c4 ,now coil a piece of silkworm-tug that has been soaked ten or fifteen minutes1 and lay it on the hook with the coil to your right1 and wrap it with your silk carefully and firmly down to the bend of the hook1 cutting off the silkworm-gut a little before you get to the bend1 so as to cover it well with the wrap1 like fig4 #d1 at first2 it looks like fig4 #e after wrapping4 ,now take two of the fibres of a peacock's feather1 technically known as peacock's herl1 and a piece of silver or gilt tinsel2 lay the tinsel on near the bend1 and then1 after two wraps of the silk1 lay on the two pieces of peacock's herl1 which must be fastened by two or three wraps1 as in fig4 #f4 ,now fasten in with a turn or two of the silk the dubbing for the body of the fly4 ,supposing it to be peacock's herl1 three or four pieces will do1 as in fig4 #g4 ,then take a hackle-feather1 shaped like fig4 #h1 from the neck or rump of a gamecock or brown leghorn1 and fasten in the point with three wraps of your silk1 as in fig4 #i4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4 ,you have now a hook1 a1 wrapped with well-waxed silk1 b1 with a piece of silkworm-gut1 c1 a piece of tinsel1 d1 two tail-pieces1 e1 e1 dubbing for body1 f1 f1 f and hackle for legs1 g4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #g4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #h4 ,now for the wings4 ,strip off or cut from a hawk's feather1 like fig4 #aj1 a clipping or two1 like fig4 #aa1 and fold it into a convenient width1 and clip the ends square1 like fig4 #ab4 ,lay them on the shank of the hook1 butts to the left1 points to the right1 and fasten with three or four firm wraps1 as in fig4 #ac4 ,now draw the silk under the wing1 between them and the hook1 to hold them temporarily1 and going back to the bend of the hook1 wind the dubbing1 f1 f1 f around the hook over and to your right as far as the root of the wings1 leaving the hackle out2 fasten the dubbing with one or two wraps1 taking the silk from under the wing to do the wrapping4 ,next wind your tinsel d up to the same point and fasten in same way4 ,now wind your hackle towards the right1 twisting the quill as you wind to keep the fibres sticking outwards1 and picking out any fibres that get entangled with a dubbing-needle 7a needle stuck in a piece of soft pine1 like fig4 #ad7 and fasten4 ,now turn back the wings with the points to your left1 towards the bend of the hook2 fasten back with one or two wraps1 passing the silk through an opening between the wings made by the dubbing-needle1 to separate them4 ,finish by making two loose wraps1 like fig4 #ae2 then draw the silk through them tightly1 like fig4 #af4 ,touch this fastening with a drop of gum-shellac1 and it will not slip or be affected by water4 ,gum-shellac dissolved in alcohol can be gotten at any drugstore1 and should be rather thick4 ,your fly will now look like fig4 #ag4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #i4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aj4 ,your flies should be rough imitations of any water-flies you see in your tramps1 in color and number of parts2 outrageously colored flies will be taken by black bass1 who seem to bite at anything that has the nearest apologies for body1 wings and legs4 ,all game-fish bite readily at a simple hackle wound from bend to shank around any attractively colored body in the form of a caterpillar2 a good one for black bass is made with one reddish-brown hackle and two black ones2 and a body of peacock's herl wrapped with green or red silk is a good imitation of a caterpillar common here 7in ,virginia7 in ,november4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aa4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ab4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ac4 ,anglers also make something having no counterpart in nature--a winged hackle--by tying the hackle in a winged fly back from the bend to the end of shank--a sort of winged caterpillar4 ,some fish1 no doubt1 are affected by it as by a caterpillar2 others as by a fly2 others just strike out of curiosity1 as a kitten plays with a ball4 ,should you buy your tackle1 buy from tackle-makers who angle occasionally themselves4 ,they know more 8wrinkles0 in their 8line0 in a day than ordinary makers learn in a year4 ,some of the best houses in ,boston1 ,new ,york and ,baltimore derive their most valuable specialties from the presence of one or more actual anglers in the firms4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ad4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4 ,water-flies have generally1 like the ,mayfly1 fig4 #ah1 a body1 wings1 legs1 and tail-like appendages1 technically1 so you will not be far wrong if you make your fly have those parts1 though fish bite at flies with less than these enumerated4 ,for black bass1 greens1 yellows and reds seem the best colors1 though white and black are often used4 ,i like1 however1 flies that are combinations of bright and sober tints4 ,a favorite fly with me has a body of peacock's herl brown2 wings1 yellowish-white feather of chicken-hawk with discolorations on them2 legs1 a reddish-brown hackle from a gamecock or brown leghorn cock2 tail-pieces1 two fibres1 like wings4 ,i put a red streak in each wing4 ,i call it the 8academy10 after a school once under my care4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #af4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ag4 ,illustration3 ,,fig #ah4 ,,xix4--,,how ,,to ,,bind ,,magazines4 ,,it is often the case that in households where even several magazines are taken1 that little money can be afforded for the purpose of binding them2 and it follows that they are soon destroyed1 or else stored away and never looked at4 ,the pretty covers provided for most magazines by the publishers are of course preferable2 but they also1 of course1 cost something4 ,therefore ,i have concluded to tell you of a durable1 cheaper1 and on the whole1 pretty way of binding your yearly1 or half-yearly volumes4 ,for several years we have made it a business to bind up our magazines every spring before cleaning house time2 and we proudly exhibit to our friends our collections of neat1 strong books which would look well in any library4 ,we usually turn a corner of the living-room into a bindery1 as we have no workshop4 ,we bring in the work-bench with vise attached1 pile our magazines on it1 sort them into volumes1 remove the covers and advertising leaves1 put the engravings in their proper places if they are not there1 place each volume according to date or page1 lay the title page and table of contents at the top of each pile1 and there are our magazines ready to bind4 ,we have meantime a little pot of good glue in readiness on the stove1 which1 after it is dissolved thoroughly1 is better to be kept only warm4 ,a little good twine1 a few strips of strong cloth1 about an inch wide1 a handsaw1 a pair of shears1 and some of the old covers and leaves are also at hand on the bench4 ,also we have two bars of wood an inch thick1 two or three inches wide1 and about two feet long1 fastened together at one or both ends 7one end only is necessary if a vise is used7 by a bolt five or six inches long--this is the press4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,now we take a volume of the magazines1 lay an old cover on each side4 ,making sure that the numbers are perfectly even at the back and upper ends1 we place them in the press with the backs projecting a quarter of an inch at least1 placing them in the vise with the backs in a horizontal position 7see fig4 #a7 and screw up pretty tightly4 ,then we saw into the backs as far as they project in three places 7fig4 #a74 ,next we dip a piece of cord into the glue1 and wind it back and forth once or twice in the grooves made by the saw4 ,this1 as you will see1 binds the volume firmly together4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,now we take as many strips of cloth as there are grooves1 each about six inches long1 and gluing them in the middle1 place one in each groove 7see fig4 #b74 ,then we cut a strip of strong paper1 and glue it on the back of the volume4 ,the book may be taken immediately from the press1 though it is better to not handle it for a little while1 and another set of numbers be put in4 ,several volumes may be bound in a short time1 and if these directions are followed the binding is altogether as durable as that done at a bindery would be4 ,the next thing in order is to smooth the edges2 this we do by placing each book in the vise again--the tighter the better now--front edges up at first1 and projecting far enough to allow them to be made even4 ,now we rasp them off even with the press1 with a coarse furniture rasp1 or the side of a saw4 ,sometimes we leave it thus1 and sometimes we spatter-work it by dipping an old toothbrush in ink and drawing it across a sharp edge of wood1 allowing the spatters to fall on the book before it is taken from the vise4 ,the ends we treated in the same manner4 ,now we have a pile of books1 without covers1 to be sure1 but even at this stage they are more available than if they are not bound at all4 ,however1 we provide covers without expense4 ,we use old paste-board boxes for this purpose1 cutting them a little larger than the volume they are intended for4 ,we lay these covers in place1 cover and fasten them by gluing the edges of the strips of cloth upon the outside smoothly2 the cover goes as far back as the cloth will permit4 ,then we make a cover of cloth for the back1 usually using black or brown cambric1 or selesia4 ,the back cloth is always at best an inch longer than the covers1 and about three inches wider than the back2 we cut coarse twine into bits a trifle longer than the book is thick1 using as many as we may choose4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,we dip these twines in paste1 one at a time1 and lay them crosswise of the cloth1 one at each end1 at least1 and just as far apart as the covers are long 7fig4 #c471 laying the others between4 ,then we cut a strip of strong paper as wide as the cords are long1 and just as long as the covers1 and paste it over the cords1 and then we paste the cloth down on the paper at the ends1 and pin the completed back tightly around a stick--a broom handle is good--and let it remain there to dry4 ,when we take it off we slip it over the back corners of the covers and fasten it strongly down with glue4 ,after this the covers may be finished as elaborately as you may choose2 we bind the edges of most of ours with cloth1 and then trim off the edges of some of the front covers of the magazines and paste them on4 ,we make a pretty inside finish by laying in a double leaf of manilla paper1 one half pasted to the inside of the cover the other being left as fly-leaf4 ,the freshly bound books should be piled with plenty of paper between them to absorb the moisture1 with weights atop1 until they are wholly dry4 ,shabby books may be made almost as good as new by smoothing the leaves1 rebinding and recovering2 and it is surprising to see how pretty bits of wrapping paper1 and bits of brown1 black1 or gray cloth can be made to serve in this work2 bits of leather may be used on the corners of covers4 ,sabbath-school papers1 ,lesson ,quarterlies1 etc41 may thus be made into pretty volumes very easily4 ,five cents' worth of glue will bind a great many volumes1 and the gluing is a much easier and better way than sewing4 ,,xx4--,,how ,,to ,,photograph4 ,,nearly ten years ago ,i took lessons in landscape photography1 and since then have made hundreds of photographs of places rarely visited1 of strange people and wonderful vegetation1 which have delighted the eyes of many friends4 ,assuming that many members of the ,reading ,union will wish to retain more permanent pictures of vacation scenes this summer than can be carried in memory alone1 ,i propose to show how they can do this with little trouble and expense4 ,first1 ,i must congratulate you upon your good fortune in being able to enter upon the study of photography in the year #ahhb1 rather than twenty1 or even ten1 years earlier4 ,in no other department of science1 except perhaps in electricity1 has such an advance been made4 ,it was only in #ahci that ,daguerre published his success in obtaining an image on a silver plate1 and in #ahea that the collodion process--that most in use at the present day--was given to the world4 ,but within the past few years improvements have been made1 by means of which the art is not confined to professional workmen1 but can be enjoyed by all the young folks in the land4 ,i well remember the disadvantages attending outdoor photography1 even no longer ago than when ,i made my first attempts4 ,by the collodion or wet process it was absolutely necessary to carry a large trunk full of chemicals and bulky apparatus4 ,among other things there was the 8dark tent20 in its most compact form it was a box1 about two feet and a half square1 with curtains and aprons arranged so as to exclude all actinic or chemical light4 ,after setting your camera in position and focusing the picture1 you had to retire into the dark tent1 arrange the curtains about you to exclude all outside light1 and consequently air1 and then you coated the glass plate with collodion and dipped it into the 8silver bath0 to make it sensitive to light4 ,this operation required several minutes1 and if the day was hot and sultry1 the operator in the dark box was nearly suffocated before he emerged with the prepared plate ready for the camera4 ,after exposing this he was obliged to hide himself again in that hot box full of chemical fumes1 and there 8develop0 the picture supposed to be upon the glass4 ,with the discovery that plates could be prepared ready for use at any time1 and that would remain sensitive to the action of light for months1 a new field was opened1 in which any one could wander who had the inclination4 ,by this discovery all the bottles of chemicals1 with the dark tent and the clumsy apparatus1 were done away with4 ,materials for a hundred photographs can now be carried in a small valise or in an ordinary trunk amongst clothes and books4 ,though an amateur1 and having no greater interest in photography than arose from a desire to secure pictures of the spots ,i visited1 ,i hailed the appearance of the 8dry plates0 and their simpler mode of use1 for ,i was heartily tired of the old way4 ,my fingers were always black with silver stains1 and my clothes streaked and stained with salts of iron and soda4 ,my accidents1 from the tipping over of chemicals1 and in struggling over mountain roads and the beds of mountain torrents1 were more than ,i could count on my fingers4 ,in ,florida1 whenever ,i crawled into the dark tent--pitched1 perhaps1 on the border of a swamp or in the deep woods--the mosquitoes and sand-flies would make furious attacks upon my legs and nearly drive me wild1 and ,i would be haunted by fear of the snakes and alligators that might attack me in that defenseless position--with my head in a sack and my hands employed4 ,one day an enormous old billy-goat1 taking offence at the outlandish appearance of my tent1 as ,i was at work in it1 half concealed from his view1 charged on it with such force as to knock us all in a heap4 ,when ,i had crawled out from the ruins1 expecting to learn that an earthquake had passed by1 ,i saw that billy-goat standing calmly by1 chewing his cud1 and shaking his head sidewise1 as much as to say1 8,get into that box again1 and ,i'll knock you over a second time60 ,in the ,west ,indies it was always necessary to hire two negroes to carry my trunk1 and as they invariably bore their burdens on their heads1 the silver solution would sometimes leave a black streak down their faces1 even darker than their ebony countenances6 ,the new discovery did away with all this trouble4 ,i was quick to see this1 and in one of my trips to the tropics carried a camera and a stock of 8dry plates40 ,alas6 ,i had too hastily adopted a crude invention4 ,i climbed mountains1 descended into craters of volcanoes1 threaded tangled thickets1 and penetrated to secluded valleys to photograph new scenes with my new instrument4 ,having perfect faith in the new invention1 ,i did not test my plates with chemicals on the spot1 but kept them till ,i returned1 and then gave them to the photographer to manipulate4 ,my carelessness was well rewarded1 for of the nearly one hundred plates1 not one contained a perfect picture4 ,i was in a condition then to sympathize with the great ,audubon1 who had a trunk full of drawings1 the result of a year's labor1 destroyed by mice4 ,unlike him1 ,i had not a sufficiently powerful incentive to repeat my travels1 and the anticipated pictures were gone forever4 ,nothing daunted1 ,i next year procured another machine and tried again1 this time in ,mexico4 ,in that year the inventor had not been idle1 and ,i informed myself upon the merits of his invention so that my results at the end of the journey were such as greatly pleased me and my friends2 for from the plates of glass exposed to light in the camera flashed out fac-similes of strange idols of stone1 grand old ruins1 snow-capped volcanoes1 valleys almost hid in dense vegetation1 palms1 tropical plants1 and the picturesque features of that strange country4 ,but1 without further preface1 let me tell you how you may take pictures this summer without any of the hindrances that ,i had to encounter in my first attempts4 ,the first thing needed is a camera1 which in its simplest form is a darkened box1 with a lens in front1 through which the scene is focused upon a plate in its back--a plate of glass prepared with chemicals so that its surface is sensitive to the light admitted through the lens4 ,a few seconds of time is generally sufficient for the transmission of an impression to this plate1 and before and after that 8exposure0 it must be kept away from all light until the 8latent image0--the picture we cannot yet see--has been brought out and 8fixed0 by means of chemicals4 ,this forms the 8negative10 which is to the finished photograph what an engraved block is to the engraving on paper4 ,to obtain this negative is your first object2 having got this1 you may produce from it as many prints as you like1 at very little cost1 either by taking it to a photographer1 or by continuing the process and printing them yourself4 ,while there are several instruments in the market with which the negative can be taken1 most of them are so costly as to be beyond the reach of a boy or a girl with a limited supply of pocket money for a vacation trip2 hence ,i shall choose one that is not only very cheap1 but which ,i know by experiment will perform the work for which it is intended4 ,it is the invention of a young man who has a practical knowledge of photography1 and is called the 8tourograph40 ,at first sight it is a small mahogany box1 eight by ten inches broad1 with a strap by which one can carry it4 ,but by pulling out a slide in front a lens is revealed2 and by drawing out another slide on the top an inner box is shown full of negative plates4 ,this smaller box is fitted in position on top of the larger one1 so that the plates1 one at a time1 can be dropped into a carrying-rack turned by a screw1 in the dark chamber below4 ,this plate having been placed in focus1 the lens is uncapped for a few seconds1 then recapped1 and the glass is returned to the box above1 where it is kept till evening1 or until a favorable time for development4 ,in this way all the plates--eight or ten--in the box may be exposed1 and their places filled with fresh ones later on4 ,the camera is supported upon a tripod1 or three-legged stick1 which can be closed up until not much larger than an alpenstock4 ,this is the outline of the mechanical operation necessary to secure the negative4 ,the plates1 being ready prepared and packed in little boxes of a dozen each1 are transferred to the camera at night1 or in a dark room by day1 by the aid of a red light4 ,this is obtained by placing a roll of red or orange-colored paper--made expressly for this purpose--around a lamp or candle1 as the light that shines through a medium of this color is non-actinic1 or without the power to produce chemical change in the very sensitive plates4 ,you now have a plate with a latent image of the picture you desire to retain2 this plate must pass through a chemical operation before that image will appear4 ,imagine yourself in a darkened room illuminated only by the red light1 with a plate in your hand on which you fondly hope there is a duplicate of the scene before which you had set up the instrument4 ,to all appearances it is a plate of plain glass1 one side covered with a film of gelatine1 and if you hold it to the light nothing appears to indicate the change that has taken place in that film since it was exposed to the light4 ,the question is1 how to bring that picture out from its hiding-place4 ,first1 you must have a shallow pan at hand1 and place yourself near a good supply of water4 ,into the pan you pour the chemicals previously mixed1 necessary for the development or bringing out of the hidden image4 ,these chemicals are1 oxalate of potash and protosulphate of iron4 ,to simplify matters1 the inventor of the tourograph puts up these chemicals in papers1 so that you only have to put into four ounces1 or a gill1 of water,d one paper of the potash and another of iron2 mix well1 and the solution is ready for the plate4 ,this must be placed in the tray with the film side up1 and the solution flowed over it4 ,when completely covered1 let it remain1 and carefully watch the development4 ,d ,the operator should bear in mind that old saying1 8,a pint's a pound1 the world around10 then he will remember that it contains sixteen fluid ounces1 four ounces to the gill1 c4 ,this is the period of greatest anxiety for the young operator1 for it is the critical stage of the proceedings4 ,a few seconds will determine whether you have a picture before you1 or merely a square of plain glass4 ,gradually the details unfold themselves3 the 8high lights0 or white portions first1 then the 8half tones0 or grades of shadow1 then the deeper shades of foliage or objects feebly lighted4 ,when the view has come out distinct1 seems to progress no farther and to gradually fade away to a deep brown1 you have got out all it is possible to obtain from that exposure1 and the plate must be removed from the solution1 and chemical action arrested by washing in clear water4 ,now you have before you tangible evidence of success1 but your picture is not complete2 it is dull1 perhaps obscure1 and if exposed to the light of day would quickly vanish4 ,it must now fixed in another solution and in another dish4 ,the 8fixing solution0 is made by dissolving half an ounce of hyposulphite of soda in five or six ounces of water4 ,into this place the developed plate1 and allow it to remain until all the whitish film is dissolved away4 ,if both operations are faithfully performed you will have1 on taking the plate from the solution and holding it to the light1 a brilliant picture on glass--the negative--with all the lights and shadows reversed1 the white portions quite opaque1 and the dark parts almost transparent4 ,now wash very thoroughly in clear water1 beneath a tap if possible1 or by pouring a gentle stream over the glass for a few minutes1 in order to remove every trace of superfluous chemical substance that might work injury4 ,as a precaution against the possible peeling of the film1 it is well to dip the negative in a strong solution of alum and water1 then wash again1 and set up to dry in a slanting position1 with the film side next the wall4 ,when perfectly dry a coat of photographic varnish1 furnished with the chemicals1 is flowed over the coated side of the glass1 and the impression is securely fixed1 ready for use in printing4 ,having secured the negative1 your object is virtually attained3 the possession of a souvenir of a vacation ramble1 a favorite view1 or of a picturesque camping-place4 ,if it were my negative1 ,i should take it to some good photographer1 and let him prepare from it the prints ,i wanted1 as that expense is small1 and involves a good deal of labor for the amateur4 ,but ,i suppose my readers will wish--as ,i did years ago--to see the whole process1 and to make their own prints or paper pictures4 ,,printing ,,from ,,the ,,negative4 ,white paper coated with albumen is made sensitive to light by being floated upon a solution of chloride of silver in water2 and this1 when dry1 is placed against the negative and exposed to the sun4 ,in this way1 by pressing the silvered surface of the paper against the film side of the negative1 a duplicate impression of the picture on the glass is transferred to the paper4 ,this may be repeated with other pieces of paper any number of times1 until hundreds are obtained from the same negative4 ,instead of attempting to prepare the paper yourself1 it would be better to purchase it already sensitized1 which you can do of any dealer in photographic goods4 ,a printing-frame1 or grooved block with a spring back1 is used in printing4 ,after having placed it with the negative and paper in the sun1 watch carefully4 ,by removing the frame and retiring to a dark corner1 you can examine the paper by unspringing one-half the back at a time1 and thus print to the degree desired4 ,it is best to print a little darker than it is designed to have the print when finished1 as it will bleach a little in the subsequent process of toning4 ,this toning operation1 as well as the cutting up of the paper1 the placing of it on the negative and removing it1 should be performed in a darkened room4 ,when a sufficient number of prints are done1 trim them the size they are to be when finished1 wash in two or three changes of water1 and then place in the 8toning bath10 made as follows3 ,chloride of gold one grain1 water ten ounces1 saturated solution of bread soda three or four drops4 ,this will change them to a deep bluish or purple color1 and gives them that lovely tint we admire in fine photographs4 ,the chloride of gold is sent in solution1 as well as the soda1 so that you have but to follow the printed directions accompanying them1 putting a certain quantity of each in the water1 and your toning bath is at once prepared4 ,after toning for a few minutes1 remove the prints1 and place in another dish containing an ounce of hyposulphite of soda dissolved in a pint of water2 allow them to remain ten minutes1 and then remove and wash an hour or more in water--running water if possible--constantly changing the water and moving the prints about4 ,then dry your prints and the completed picture is before you1 ready for mounting on a card1 or pasting in an album4,e ,if you wish to obtain merely a 8proof10 or a fair print1 without the delicacy of shading and tone of the silver print1 you can do this with 8blue paper10 by simply exposing this prepared paper beneath the negative1 and washing and drying without any further toning or fixing4 ,e ,many preparations are advertised for sticking the prints to the cards1 but common starch paste is about as good as anything4 ,mix the starch in cold water1 very thin1 and then boil it1 constantly stirring it to break up lumps1 and remove from the fire soon as it reaches the boiling point4 ,the prints should be wet and pasted on while quite moist1 rubbing them down beneath a sheet of blotting-paper from the centre to the margin1 in order to expel all air1 that would otherwise cause lumps or wrinkles4 ,these1 in brief1 are the various processes necessary for procuring a photographic print2 but1 as ,i have already remarked1 the negative being your main object1 it would be much better to rest content with securing that1 and depend upon some photographer to give you the paper impressions4 ,to recapitulate3 ,for a short trip1 fully equipped for taking photographs1 we shall need the following3-- ,a 8tourograph10 for plates #de inches1 with alpenstock tripod and lens #ae4jj ,one dozen #de plates #a4jj ,one graduate 7or measuring glass7 4#ej ,two developing pans 4#dj ,one pound oxalate potash1 in papers ready for use1 #fj cents1 half pound protosulphate of iron1 in papers1 #aj cents 4#gj ,one pound hypo' soda1 in papers1 #aj cents1 six ounces varnish1 #ej cents 4#fj ------ ,sum total for apparatus and chemicals sufficient for development of fifty negatives #ah4bj ,if you will insist upon printing your own views1 then you will need in addition--one printing frame 4#fj ,one bottle chloride gold sufficient for a certain number of prints as stated in directions with it1 #ej cents1 one bottle bicarb1 soda1 #aj cents 4#fj ,sensitized paper for one dozen prints 4#be ------ #a4de ,in round numbers1 for #bj4jj you can be fully prepared to set up for yourself as an amateur photographer1 and after many trials1 with diligence and perseverance1 can hope to secure photographs of scenery1 interiors1 and even portraits1 that will compare favorably with the work of professional artists4 ,the above is such an outfit--except that ,i had a larger camera and larger stock of plates--as ,i have carried to the ,west ,indies and to ,mexico4 ,since my return1 however1 ,i find that my friend1 the inventor1 has produced yet another instrument1 which he calls his 8pocket camera10 which folds up into a small package but one inch and a half in thickness1 and weighs but twenty-four ounces4 ,this is so constructed that double plate-holders1 each containing two dry plates1 form the top1 sides and back of the camera1 and the entire outfit for the taking of eight negatives1 sold for ten dollars4 ,it is only fair to state that other apparatus and outfits can be purchased at rates almost equally low1 notably those of the ,scovill ,manufacturing ,company1 of ,new ,york1 who furnish complete equipments from ten dollars up4 ,while ,i recognize the excellence of these articles1 ,i have selected the 8tourograph10 as being something with which ,i have experimented1 and likely1 from its simplicity1 to meet the wants of beginners4 ,since the expense is reduced to so reasonable a sum1 and the road is made so easy that any one can travel it1 what boy or girl will be deterred from entering this fascinating domain of photography8 ,if you can secure some old room in the garret1 or in some unused corner1 cover the window with yellow or orange paper1 excluding all other light1 and take to it such simple chemicals and apparatus as ,i have indicated1 then what a delightful world for experiment and research is opened to you6 ,the mysteries of photography2 how the subtle changes are wrought by the potent salts and acids1 under the influence of the sun1 ,i cannot explain now4 ,but following the outline ,i have sketched1 the rest will appear as you get interested1 and you will gain an insight into wonders hitherto unrevealed1 and enjoy sensations to which the boys and girls of past generations have been strangers4 ,,xxi4--,,archery ,,for ,,boys4 ,,mr4 ,,maurice ,,thompson has excited all the grown-up boys who loved in their younger days to draw the bow1 by his graceful articles on archery for young men and women4 ,i want to tell the boys who are wide awake how they may1 without too much labor and with but little expense1 make their own bows and arrows and targets1 having their fun1 like their elders1 in this health-giving and graceful recreation4 ,in the first place1 after you have made your implements for the sport1 you must never shoot at or towards anyone2 nor must you ever shoot directly upwards4 ,in the one case you may maim some one for life1 and in the other you may put out your own eye as an acquaintance of the writer's once did in ,virginia4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,a4 ,to make a bow take a piece of any tough1 elastic wood1 as cedar1 ash1 sassafras or hickory1 well-seasoned1 about your own length4 ,trim it so as to taper gradually from the centre to the ends1 keeping it flat1 at first1 until you have it as in this sketch-for a boy1 say1 five feet in height3 7,fig4 ,a7 ,this represents a bow five feet long1 one and a quarter inches broad in the middle1 three-fourths of an inch thick at the centre1 and a half-inch scant at the ends in breadth and thickness4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,b4 ,bend the bow across your knee1 pulling back both ends1 one in each hand1 the centre against your knee1 and see whether it is easily bent1 and whether it springs readily back to its original position4 ,if so your bow is about the right size4 ,cut near each end the notch for the string as in this figure3 7,fig4 ,b47 ,bevel the side of the bow which is to be held towards you1 so that a section of your bow will look like this figure3 7,fig4 ,c47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,c4 ,the back or flat part is held from you in shooting1 and the bevelled or rounded part towards you4 ,scrape the bow with glass and smooth it with sandpaper4 ,to shape your bow lay it on a stout1 flat piece of timber1 and drive five ten-penny nails in the timber1 one at the centre of your bow1 and the others as in figure below1 so as to bend the ends for about six inches in a direction contrary to the direction in which you draw the bow3 7,fig4 ,d47 ,illustration3 ,fig4 ,d4 7,a and ,b are six inches from the ends4 ,the bow is bent slightly at ,c47 ,your bow is now finished as far as the woodwork is concerned1 and you may proceed to wrap it from end to end with silk or colored twine1 increasing its elasticity and improving the appearance4 ,the ends of the wrap must be concealed as in wrapping a fish-hook4 ,glue with ,spaulding's glue a piece of velvet or even red flannel around the middle to mark your handhold4 ,the ends may in like manner be ornamented by glueing colored pieces upon them4 ,a hempen string1 whipped in the middle with colored silk1 to mark the place for your arrow nock to be put1 in shooting1 will make a very good string4 ,for arrows any light1 tough wood1 which splits straight1 will do4 ,i use white pine1 which may be gotten from an ordinary store-box1 and for hunting-arrows seasoned hickory4 ,these must be trimmed straight and true1 until they are in thickness about the size of ordinary cedar pencils1 from twenty-five to twenty-eight inches in length4 ,they must be feathered and weighted either with lead or copper1 or by fastening on sharp awl-points or steel arrow-points with wire4 ,i used to make six different kinds2 a simple copper-wrap1 a blunt leaden head1 a sharp leaden head like a minie bullet1 an awl-point wrapped with copper wire and soldered1 and a broad-head hunting-arrow4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,e4 ,to make a copper wrap1 wrap with copper wire the last half-inch of the arrow until you get near the end1 then lay a needle as large as your wire obliquely along the arrow as in this figure3 7,fig4 ,e47 ,continue the wrapping until you have weighted the arrow sufficiently2 draw out the needle and thrust the end of your wire through the little passage kept by the needle1 and draw it tight thus3 7,fig4 ,f47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,f4 7,before wrap was drawn through47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,g4 7,after wire was drawn through47 ,a blunt leaden head is made by pouring three or four melted buck-shot into a cylinder of paper1 wrapped around the end of the arrow1 slightly larger at the open end1 and tied on by a piece of thread4 ,the wood of the arrow must be cut thus3 7,fig4 ,h47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,h4 ,the paper is put on thus3 7,fig4 ,x47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,x4 ,it should look like this after the metal has been poured in and the paper all stripped off4 7,fig4 ,i47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,i4 ,it should look like this after being sharpened like a minie bullet3 7,fig4 ,j47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,j4 ,an awl-point arrow is made by inserting the point in the end of the arrow1 wrapping with copper wire1 and getting a tinner to drop some solder at the end to fasten the wire and awl-point firmly together4 ,the awl-point looks like this3 7,fig4 ,k47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,k4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,l4 ,the awls 7like ,fig4 ,l7 are filed like this into teeth-like notches on the part going into the wood1 and roundly sharp on the other part thus3 7,fig4 ,m47 ,these may be shot into an oak-tree and extracted by a twist of the hand close to the arrow-point4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,m4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,n4 ,the broad-head hunting-point 7,fig4 ,n7 is put on by slitting the arrow and inserting the flat handle of the arrow point1 and wrapping it with silk1 sinews1 or copper wire4 ,these points can be sharpened along the line ,a ,b on a whetstone1 and will cut like knives4 ,the hunting arrow looks like this3 7,fig4 ,o47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,o4 ,to feather an arrow you strip a goose feather from the quill and1 after clipping off the part near the quill-end1 you mark a line down the arrow from a point one inch from the nock and1 spreading some ,spaulding's glue along that line apply the feather1 lightly pressing it home with forefinger and thumb4 ,after you have glued on one piece lay aside the arrow and fix another1 and so on until the first is set1 so that you may put on another piece4 ,when you have fastened these feathers on each arrow lay them aside for ten or twelve hours4 ,the three feathers will look like this3 7,fig4 ,p47 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 ,p4 ,a boy can hardly make a good quiver unless he were to kill some furred animal and make a cylindrical case such as the ,indians have1 out of its skin4 ,i am afraid that he usually would have to get a harness-maker to make him a quiver out of leather1 somewhat larger at the top than at the bottom4 ,it should hold from eight to twelve arrows4 ,illustration3 ,the ,target4 ,a good target may be made of soft pine1 circular or elliptical in shape4 ,in the latter case a line-shot might count1 even though it were farther from the centre4 ,pieces should be tacked to the back of this target at right angles to the grain of the wood4 ,differently-colored circles or rings1 a little more than the width of an arrow1 must be painted on this1 with a centre twice the width of an arrow4 ,the outer ring counts one1 the next two1 three1 four and so on to the centre1 which of course counts highest4 ,by this plan one's score could be told with perfect accuracy4 ,if an arrow struck on a line between number three and four it counts three and a half4 ,anything like this rarely happens4 ,the target is fixed upon an easel formed of three pieces of wood fastened together by a string at the top1 and it ought to lean back at the top slightly1 away from the archer4 ,the three arrows count seven1 nine1 ten--twenty-six in all4 ,in target-shooting you should use awl-pointed1 wire-wrapped arrows1 as they can be easily drawn out of even a wooden target4 ,,xxii4--,,sir ,,walter ,,scott',s ,,idea4 ,,some years ago1 while reading ,lockhart's ,life of ,sir ,walter ,scott1 ,i came across a passage1 in the autobiographical part1 which struck me as so suggestive that ,i copied it2 and here ,i copy it again1 after which ,i will say my little say on the subject 7it was when he was a youth1 you know73 ,wherever ,i went1 ,i cut a piece of a branch from a tree--these constituted what ,i called my log-book2 and ,i intended to have a set of chessmen out of them1 each having reference to the place where it was cut--as the kings from ,falkland and ,holy ,rood2 the queens from ,queen ,mary's yew-tree at ,crookston2 the bishops from abbeys or ,episcopal palaces2 the knights from baronial residences2 the rooks from royal fortresses2 and the pawns generally from places worthy of historical note4 ,do you suppose he ever did it8 ,now ,i had had the 8collecting craze0 for years1 just as most boys and girls have now2 and wherever ,i had been1 had secured something1 till a most miscellaneous accumulation was packed away in boxes and drawers about the house4 ,moreover1 the rest of the children1 as they grew up1 had been possessed with the same idea4 ,the boy who went ,south had obtained specimens of different kinds of woods2 the one who was in the army had picked up relics2 the girl who went to the ,white ,mountains1 and afterwards to ,ticonderoga1 had gathered mosses1 leaves1 and wild flowers4 ,besides1 all of us who had a duplicate or a bit to spare1 had exchanged with some of our friends1 just as you are all doing4 ,the thing is in the air4 ,boys are boys1 and girls are girls1 everywhere2 and fashions repeat themselves1 and are passed on4 ,you are doing what we did before you2 and by and by1 others will do as you are doing4 ,the result was that we had a little of everything1 and a great deal1 a very great deal all told2 and when spring house-cleaning came around1 and as in all proper households1 every closet and drawer1 bag and bundle was turned inside out1 our mother would say3 8,why don't you make something out of these things8 ,seems to me if ,i couldn't1 ,i'd give them to somebody who would40 ,there was the trouble--we meant to2 forever meaning to do something2 but that class1 whether old or young1 does not usually accomplish much4 ,but let me tell you of things that have been done--by whom it does not matter4 ,one boy started up on ,sir ,walter's plan1 and set the example for his comrades 7besides correspondents72 so that presently hand-books on chess made their appearance in the neighborhood2 and there began to be a great deal of turning on lathes1 and fine sawing1 and whittling1 and sand-papering4 ,pretty soon chess was all the talk2 and as that game is one which requires in ,wordsworth's line 7written on an altogether different subject7 ,endurance1 foresight1 strength1 and skill1 7the strength being strength of purpose7 also a good head for planning1 and a memory1 it turned out that the chessmen fancy proved a good thing4 ,nothing outside of good1 hard1 school studies can better discipline some of the faculties than that game4 ,it is indeed no light accomplishment to play even tolerably well4 ,besides1 when those boys were absorbed in chess1 their fathers and mothers did not have to worry about them when they were away in the evening4 ,one set had historic associations almost the next best thing to ,sir ,walter's4 ,think of the king being made of a piece of wood from ,mount ,vernon2 a castle 7or rook7 of a piece from ,fort ,ticonderoga 7we have forts1 or ruins of forts1 enough72 a knight from a piece of ,john ,brown's scaffold2 and the pawns from a peach-tree that grew from a stone a soldier had thrown away on a ,virginia battlefield4 ,chessmen can be made from specimens of wood of our native trees2 solid oak for king or castle1 delicate poplar or birch for the queen1 and so on2 or of any curious and rare woods2 and almost all have some beauty of grain or markings4 ,they can be turned on a lathe1 and then finished in grooves and otherwise1 or wholly done with the knife4 ,many1 as you know1 are in two pieces2 and the king and queen in some sets can be taken apart in two places1 making three4 ,there are great opportunities in pieces of wood4 ,the boy who went to the war brought home enough of ,southern woods for several canes2 and for convenience in packing1 he cut it in sections about six inches long2 purposing to fit them together on the same principle that a cap of rubber is fitted to the end of a pencil2 by cutting away on one piece to slip into a hole made in the next1 plug fashion1 and there glued4 ,relics in wood can be worked into a glove box or handkerchief box1 skilfully joining the parts and as skilfully gluing them4 ,picture frames suggest another form4 ,there is one here made by a clerk in a store while waiting for customers4 ,it has over three hundred small strips1 lapping in a fanciful way1 and not a tack1 or a brad is used in the work2 but this is too complicated4 ,it is easier to turn out checker-men or napkin-rings1 or make pen-holders1 or paper-knives4 ,very elegant paper-knives can be fashioned1 having one kind for the blade and two for the handle4 ,but all this woodwork must be done with great care1 accuracy and nicety1 not only in the cutting and dovetailing or matching of the parts1 but in the gluing and finishing off1 including a delicate oiling to bring out the grain4 ,it is nice work2 to be sure it is4 ,but if soldiers in prisons can do such things as some of our soldiers did1 with not much besides a jack-knife to do with1 pray cannot a smart ,western or ,eastern boy do as much8--between scroll saws and the variety of choice tools within his reach1 he is not the boy ,i take him for if he cannot make himself a set of chessmen1 or a work-box for his sister4 ,as for minerals1 ,i lately saw at a ,state ,fair a box on which broken-up specimens from that ,state were glued1 crusting it all over with stone that sparkled in places like crystal4 ,on each specimen was a mere speck of paper with a number on it1 which corresponded to a number on a written list placed inside1 telling what they were--beryl1 tourmaline1 quartz1 etc41 etc41 and ,i thought it an admirable thing4 ,in a parlor1 arranged in a border around the little iron fence in front of the coal grate ,i once saw a curious display of cobble-stones brought home from different beaches4 ,the lady who put them there was artistic1 and the effect was pretty4 ,sea-shells of delicate varieties can be used as necklaces or bracelets if pierced with a red-hot darning needle1 or in some way bored to admit of being strung2 some of those lovely1 iridescent1 foreign shells1 strung in such a way1 are greatly to be desired4 ,you can think of so many ways to put them to pretty use6 ,mosses and lichens you can group on card-board or glue them to a wooden cross4 ,with leaves and pressed flowers you can do no end of things4 ,you can mount them on card-board1 or make a wreath of them around a piece of wire or rattan2 or ornament a fan with them--a round1 ,japanese fan1 recovering it with silk or paper of a neutral color1 for background4 ,one girl made a transparency with three or four bright autumn leaves 7from a woodbine71 which were gathered from among some that had fallen at ,longfellow's gate--just where the poet's feet had passed in and out hundreds of times4 ,she cut two pieces of coarse lace to fit the window-pane1 glued her cluster of leaves in the centre between them1 then overcast the outer edges and put on a deep binding of crimson velvet4 ,as the light streamed through they were gorgeous as old stained glass4 ,if you collect relics1 souvenirs1 momentos1 curiosities1 they are worth arranging4 ,if you get tired of them1 give them to somebody else4 ,all these articles require much painstaking4 ,they will be spoiled for any person of good taste if they are daubed1 out of proportion1 or awry4 ,don't let them have a home-made look either4 ,they need not4 ,no reason why a boy of average skill should not do as well1 after some experience1 as those sailors in the light-ships2 or why a girl should not1 with care and all her trying1 make as pretty things as the gypsy women or the nuns1 of whom people like so well to buy4 ,,xxiii4--,,knots1 ,,hitches ,,and ,,splices4 ,,when ,i was a boy 7which was not so very long ago71 it was my fortune1 one time1 to make a trip from ,bristol1 ,rhode ,island1 to ,new ,york1 as a sort of working passenger in the sloop ,resolution1 ,captain ,israel ,northup4 ,one morning the captain called out to me from the wheel to bring aft a bucket of water1 at the same time pointing to a wooden pail that stood on the deck near me4 ,i therefore made fast 7as ,i thought7 to the handle of the pail the end of the peak halliards and dropped it over the side4 ,it filled readily enough1 and ,i was carelessly pulling it up again1 when suddenly1 to my great chagrin1 the knot that ,i had made untied itself1 and away went the pail drifting rapidly astern4 ,captain ,israel1 although he had witnessed the whole of this performance1 said nothing at the time4 ,but a little later1 chancing to walk past where ,i was sitting1 he picked up the end of a rope1 and1 running it through a ringbolt near by1 showed me the knot which you see in ,fig4 #a4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4--;,,anchor-,,bend4 8,the next time you throw a bucket overboard10 said he1 8you'd better make it fast with an ,anchor-bend40 ,then in the kindness of his heart he sat down on the rail beside me and gave me a practical lesson 7afterwards several times renewed7 in the matter of rope-tying4 8,there is some things about ropes that a boy must know to be wuth anything at all10 observed he4 8,an' there mought be times when a man would give all ,cuby ter know how ter tie two ropes together so't they'd stay40 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4--,,the ,,wrong ,,way4 ,believing that these words of ,captain ,israel are worth heeding1 and wishing1 so far as is possible in an article like this1 to do for other boys what the worthy old sailor did for me1 ,i shall ask the readers--both boys and girls1 mind you--to take a rope and practise1 according to the following directions1 some few of the most important knots1 hitches and splices4 ,the first thing to be sure of is the right way to fasten together two pieces of string or rope4 ,that is a thing that some of us have to do twenty times a day2 and it is quite probable that twenty times a day we do it wrong4 ,suppose that you wish to lengthen your fish-line1 or add another ball to your kite-string3 how will you do it8 ,shall you lay the two ends side by side and then twist them together into a knot just such as your sister would make in the end of her thread1 as is seen in ,fig4 #b8 ,if you do1 you may fairly expect that your fish 7if you hook him7 will get away with the main part of your line1 or that presently your kite will go skurrying off to northward far out of your sight1 until you find it again1 half an hour later1 after a hot chase1 hanging tangled and torn in one of the trees of farmer ,applewood's orchard4 ,such a knot is at least as likely to slip as to hold1 and1 if tied in a rope1 is liable sooner or later to cut the rope1 because the strain is at right angles4 ,what is really wanted is a ,square-knot 7,fig4 #c1 a74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,a ,,square ,,or ,,reef-,,knot4 ,a ,,granny4 ,take the two ends and tie them together exactly as you would tie a 8hard-knot0 in your shoe-string4 ,only you must be careful and not tie a ,granny 7,fig4 #c1 b74 ,one may slip1 the other won't4 ,fig4 #d is a ,becket-hitch1 the proper knot for joining a large and a smaller rope4 ,it will be useful1 for example1 when the keleg-line of your boat is too short1 and the only line at hand to bend on to it is a stout piece of hemp twine4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4--;,a ,,becket-,,hitch4 ,a loop at the end of a rope--that is1 a loop that will not draw up--is another knot that has frequently to be made4 ,and yet few people know how to make it4 ,i know a very bright young fellow living out at the ,highlands1 who the other day made a loop in the end of a rope which he knew would not slip1 and then1 squeezing it over his dog's head1 tied him to the kennel and went off to school by himself4 ,but the loop did slip1 and poor ,don almost choked to death before his plight was discovered4 ,what is wanted in such a case is a ,bowline4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4--,,the ,,bowline4 ,make a bight near the end of your rope1 as in the first cut of ,fig4 #e4 ,seize this with the left hand at a1 and then with the right hand pass the end b up through the bight1 around behind the main part of the rope at c and down in front of it through the bight again as in d4 ,draw this tight and you have the much-talked-of ,bowline4 ,it is a very simple matter1 as you see2 but with it you can make a slip-noose that will give you no trouble in lacing up your box1 or you can put your dog's head in it without fear of coming home and finding him 8dead at his post20 or the farmer's daughter can safely tether a pet pony or the bleating calf out to feed upon the fresh grass4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4 ,,fig4 #g4 ,,fig4 #h4 ,,fig4 #i4 ,while speaking still of the ends of ropes1 let us stop and learn to 8fasten them off0 properly to prevent their untwisting or fraying out4 ,the painter or main-sheet of your boat1 ,bridget's clothes-line1 your little sister's jump-rope1 and indeed any rope whose end is not 7like the ,irishman's7 cut off altogether1 may need such treatment4 ,the simplest method is to 8serve0 or wind the end with small twine4 ,a ,single-wall 7,fig4 #f71 or a ,double-wall 7,fig4 #g71 is better4 ,but better still is the ,boatswain's-whipping1 formed by making an inverted single-wall and then splicing the ends back over the rope itself 7,fig4 #h and ,fig4 #i74 ,the most elegant of all such1 however1 is the ,stopper-knot1 seen complete in ,fig4 #ad4 ,place the end a as in ,fig4 #aj1 holding it with the thumb at d2 pass b around under it1 c around under b and through the bight of a1 and pull tight2 this forms a ,single-wall 7,fig4 #aa74 ,now lay a over d1 b over e1 c over b and through the bight of a1 and draw tight 7,fig #ab74 ,next pass b down around f and up through the bight g1 and do the same with a and c1 forming ,fig4 #ac4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,five ,,steps ,,of ,,the ,,stopper-,,knot4 ,,fig4 #aj4 ,,fig4 #aa4 ,,fig4 #ab4 ,,fig4 #ac4 ,,fig4 #ad4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4--;,a ,,sheepshank1 ,,before ,,it ,,is ,,drawn ,,tight4 ,then pass each strand by the side of the strands in the crown down through the walling to form the 8double-crown10 and cut close the ends a1 b 7and c71 producing ,fig4 #ad4 ,a ,sheepshank 7,fig4 #ae7 is a knot by which a rope may be made shorter1 or 7as a young yacht-woman of my acquaintance recently expressed it7 8a tuck taken in it40 ,if the tide has come in and you wish to shorten the mooring-line of your boat1 or if the line by which your campaign flag is suspended across the street is too loose1 or your clothesline1 or your swing1 has sagged frightfully1 the ,sheepshank will gather up the slack for you and hold it firmly4 ,when one wants to make an artificial handle for an old jug or some other vessel1 the ,true-,lover's knot is used1 as seen in ,fig #af4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #af4--,,the ,,true-,,lover',s ,,knot4 ,tie two loose knots1 a1 b1 as in the first cut of ,fig4 #ag2 pass the bight a through the opening f1 the bight b through g1 pull the loops equal1 and1 to complete the knot as in second cut of ,fig4 #ag1 join the ends c1 d1 by a long splice at e4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ag4 ,the ,jar-sling1 seen in ,fig4 #bj1 serves a similar purpose4 ,you are out picnicking1 perhaps1 and you suddenly find it desirable to convert an empty gherkin bottle into a swing-vessel in which to take home alive some tadpoles or minnows4 ,in a long piece of cord make a large loop as in ,fig4 #ah1 and hold the bight against the standing parts1 a1 a2 pass the thumb and forefinger of the other hand down through c1 lay hold of b where the crook of the imaginary wire is seen1 and draw it through c down a little below a1 a1 as in ,fig #ai1 d1 and hold it there4 ,now pass the thumb and forefinger down through the opening e 7in the way the wire goes71 lay hold of g1 and draw it up through e1 forming the complete knot as in ,fig4 #bj4 ,one more knot1 the ,turk's-head 7,fig4 #bc71 remains to be described before we pass to the briefer subject of hitches4 ,take a long piece of fishing-cord1 place the end a against the forefinger1 wind the cord around the two fingers and hold it with the thumb1 as in ,fig4 #ba4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ah4 ,,fig4 #ai4 ,,fig4 #bj4 ,now with the other hand lay the part b over part c1 and while in that position pass the end a down between them1 over the first crossing1 under left strand1 up between1 over second crossing1 under right strand1 up between2 take the hitch off your fingers1 and it will be as in ,fig4 #bb4 ,next pass the loose end through the opening d1 laying it against the cord a2 then with it follow that strand 7a7 over and under1 over and under1 until you have a complete plait of three cords4 ,pass the knot over a stick to make it taut1 and cut the ends close4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ba4 ,the ,turk's-head knot1 like the two preceding it1 will tax your precision1 deftness and patience1 and is an ornamental rather than a useful knot4 ,you may weave one from wire or cord about the handle of your cane or riding-whip1 or you may pull a few hairs from old ,dobbin's tail and make them into a very pretty horsehair ring for your cousin ,fanny when you two are out driving together along the forest road4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bb4 ,,fig4 #bc4 ,the knots in ,figs4 #bd1 #be and #bf explain themselves2 they are often useful to picnickers and campers-out4 ,hitches are no less knots than any of the foregoing2 but they are knots used to fasten the end of a rope to any object in such manner as to be easily cast off when no longer needed4 ,they are few in number1 and all very simple and easily described4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bd4--,,two ,,ways ,,of ,,fastening ,a ,,weight ,,to ,a ,,line4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #be4--,,to ,,tie ,a ,,short ,,line1 ,,to ,,which ,a ,,hook ,,is ,,attached1 ,,to ,a ,,longer ,,or ,,ground ,,line4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bf4--,,to ,,fasten ,a ,,line ,,to ,a ,,fishhook4 ,a ,blackwall hitch is merely a loop thrown about a hook1 as in ,fig4 #bg1 in such a way that the main part of the rope1 c1 being pulled downward1 the part a jams the part b against the hook so firmly that while the strain is kept up the knot cannot possibly slip4 ,sailors use this hitch very frequently1 but it can be used on land as well as at sea4 ,if you have retreated1 in a game of 8,chase10 to the topmost branch of the oak-tree on the lawn1 and have a rope in your hand just long enough to reach the ground and no longer1 just make1 in a single instant of time1 a ,blackwall hitch in the crotch of the limb1 and1 if you dare trust yourself to it1 it will take you to the ground in perfect safety1 long before your pursuer can climb down again by the way he came up2 and you can carry off your rope with you4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bg4--;,,blackwall ,,hitch4 ,or possibly you might be 8up a tree0 in a different way4 ,old ,tibbetts1 your father's gardener1 not daring to trust himself away from mother earth1 has sent you up into the elm tree to saw off for him the limb that is growing too near the house4 ,but that limb must not be allowed to come crashing down2 and so1 with the rope you have taken up with you1 you cast about it1 while you saw1 a ,timber hitch1 shown in ,fig4 #bh4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bh--,,timber ,,hitch4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bi4 ,of all hitches1 however1 the one which any man or boy can least afford not to know is the ,clove hitch4 ,make two bights or loops1 as in ,fig4 #bi2 hold them between the thumbs and forefingers at a1 b2 slide the left loop over the right loop2 then slip the double loop thus formed over the table-leg1 or your brother ,willie's finger1 or anything that will represent a post1 and draw tight by the end 7,fig4 #cj74 ,practise this until your fingers can do it swiftly and of themselves1 just as your tongue can say the alphabet2 for a ,clove hitch1 when it is used1 needs to be made quickly and handsomely4 ,i once saw a young cadet from ,annapolis1 who had been out on a sailing party with some ladies and had jumped ashore with a rope1 hesitate at least half a minute before he could think how to make the proper knot1 while a number of old sea captains sitting by were watching him and laughing among themselves4 ,a ,clove hitch may be used1 too1 when1 while out fishing1 you extemporize an anchor by tying a rope to a stone4 ,and in ,fig4 #ca you see again how this knot1 e 7with a half-hitch1 f in front of it71 is used to tow a floating spar or drag a piece of timber across the field4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cj4--,,the ,,clove ,,hitch4 ,two other hitches1 a ,rolling hitch and a ,cat's-paw1 are shown in ,fig4 #cb4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ca4--;,,floating ,,spar4 ,splicing is a process by which ropes are joined together so as to leave no knot4 ,i appreciated its importance the other morning when ,i saw an intelligent man of fifty work for an hour to splice a hammock rope4 ,where it is specially important that the joining be a very nice and smooth one1 the 8short0 splice is used4 ,it is made by passing the strands of one piece in and out between those of the other4 ,the short splice always leaves the spliced part thicker and clumsier than the rest of the rope4 ,if it is desirable that the joining be a very neat one1 so as to admit of the rope's running readily through the sheave-hole of a block1 the 8long0 splice is necessary4 ,this is made by unwinding each end about two inches1 placing the strands as in the short splice1 then unwinding one strand further back1 and winding the corresponding strand of the other piece in its place2 proceeding in the same way with the other strands1 and then fastening the ends in such a way that it is almost impossible to detect the splice4 ,we have not space to describe here the exact mode of procedure2 but there is scarcely a town or village anywhere but has its 8old sailor10 and there is no old sailor anywhere but will be glad to come and give you all a lesson in splicing4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cb4 ,a ,,rolling ,,hitch4 ,a ,,cat',s-,,paw4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cc4 ,,fig4 #cd4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ce4 ,,fig4 #cf4 ,,fig4 #cg4 ,a splice that you can very easily learn for yourselves1 however1 is the ,eye-splice4 ,first make yourself a marling-spike--if you have not the genuine article by whittling down to a point a piece of hard wood4 ,i have found that the half of a clothes-pin1 so treated1 answered the purpose exceedingly well4 ,then take a piece of good three-strand rope1 unwind the strands1 and place them as you see a1 b1 c1 in ,fig4 #cc4 ,open the strand d and pass a through it1 as in ,fig4 #cd2 then open e and pass b over d and under e1 as in ,fig4 #ce4 ,turn the eye over1 ,fig4 #cf1 open f and pass c through it1 as in ,fig4 #cg1 and pull the strands tight4 ,now pass a over the strand next it1 under the next one1 and so on with the others4 ,proceed in the same way until the splice is about an inch long4 ,then stretch the eye 7holding by the rope7 to tighten everything1 and cut the ends close4 ,if you will make a neat ,eye-splice all by yourself and take it to the old sailor aforementioned1 he will be sure to think it worth while to teach you all he knows1 and he will be likely to tell you many things about knots1 hitches and splices which are of necessity omitted here4 ,transcriber's ,notes ,minor punctuation errors have been corrected4 ,some inconsistencies in hyphenation have been left as printed4 ,in the text version underscores have been used to indicate italics1 and equals signs to show bold text4 ,figure numbering is not consistent through the book4 p #gi4 ,the figure here is mislabelled as ,fig #b and has been corrected to ,fig4 #a4 p #ajg4 ,fig#ad is out of order and repeated further on1 left as printed4 p4 #eh4 8,half the length of brass piece0 has been corrected to 8,half the length of the brass piece04 p4 #ajf4 8#ej feet1 inch pien0 changed to 8#ej feet1 inch pine04 p4 #add4 ,fig4 #c appears to be upside down4 ,it has been left as printed4 p4 #aff4 8,no we have a pile of books0 changed to 8,now we have a pile of books04 p4 #afg4 8,the back cloth is always at beast an inch longer0 changed to 8,the back cloth is always at best an inch longer04 p4 #agd4 8hindrances that ,i had to encouter0 changed to 8hindrances that ,i had to encounter04